Brrr.... London Style...

It's cold outside today...
Why? Well, because I'm writing you this post from my London hotel room...
We were so lucky to have arrived in London pre lock down! It's been snowing over here and kinda crazy - London in the snow is a little like Bangalow when it floods - everything shuts down - and you have no alternative but to take to your bed, cup of tea in one hand and remote control in the other... It's really been years since I've spent this much time in London (we're here for 2 weeks in all)... Seeing it through the eyes of the children is just so lovely... We're doing all of the sights... The V&A, Madame Tussauds, Christmas lights on Regent/Oxford Streets, St Pauls, Buckingham Palace, Harrods, Harvey Nics, Liberty of London, ice skating at Somerset House and the children's favourite, the Winter Wonderland Fair in Hyde Park! I've always loved London, even in the cold, and cherished the few years that I spent living over here 20 years ago... London is still as theatrical and sparkly as ever - and the food, my only gripe from previous years, is simply marvelously fresh and organic plus great coffee... My goodness, I might never leave!
And so, as I sit here in London, I think of you all and wish you happy holidays... It has been a great year this one... And I have enjoyed hanging out with you, my lovely blogging crew... And to have met a few of you at the workshops too... And now, I'm looking forward to spending some time just hanging around these holidays... Being with the family and enjoying the big wide world beyond the doors of my Bangalow studio... I will be contemplating next year... I feel blessed to be able to survive in an industry that I love and I'm very excited by the beautiful things that 2011 will bring... And so, ho, ho, ho to you all - I hope Santa is generous and See you In 2011... xxx

pics courtesy of Firmdale Hotels

Hint, Hint...

Like Carrie was obsessed with Manolo's... my infatuation is with china - the fine bone kind  (and chairs! but that's another story)... Take me to the china department at any store in the world and I'm in, well, heaven... I have been in love with the Chinoiserie range that Jasper Conran created for Wedgewood for a very long time - the designs still make my heart skip a beat... But, I'm always on the lookout for different designs to add to my rather eclectic collection of china. I'm not particularly fussy about things matching - I love a table filled with mismatched china - I find that it's a great way to infuse different designs into your table plus you don't have to invest in whole sets of any particular design which makes means you get the best of both worlds... It also gives you the opportunity to mix new and vintage - which adds another layer of beauty to a table...
I love these designs by PiP for Liberty London - they are so pretty with a touch of quirk - which is how I like things to be... I can see these designs around a Christmas table - strewn with roses and laden with a Christmas feast... Ah Christmas, bring on the turkey...

Dreamtime...

Slowly the year is creeping to an end all, and the time to rest and recoup is drawing near, which is such a lovely thing, don't you find? It's been a big year this one. Filled to brim with achievements but also challenges... A tenuous year... One where life felt a little more tricky... Where achievements were hard earned.... Where the universe expected just a little more... Where we were tested and asked to grow, to mature, to extend ourselves in ways we never had before. Years such as these can be simultaneously tiring and invigorating, don't you find? At the heart of times like these lies growth - and we've had a great year of growth here at the studio. We opened the doors to The Little Cottage and invited you all in to share a day of decorating at the How To Decorate workshops - and you came! In your droves! For which, we are so grateful... The interest in the workshops has been incredibly heartening for all of us at the studio. We love meeting you all - you are our inspiration after all... And so thank you...

We broke new ground with the designing of our small but beautiful range of products... Thank you to all of  the incredibly talented local artisans who have guided us this year - Lucy Vanstone for the ceramics and Sabine Pick for the letterpress and graphic design - it's been a pleasure working with you. 

We opened the Guest Nook and have hosted so many of you here for weekends which has been a lovely treat. We've designed houses for our beautiful clients (always a pleasure) and continued to connect with you all via this blog - my love and my passion... Of course, the blog wouldn't be what it is without you all - and thank you for reading, looking and listening... You all have made the blog what it is...

This weekend, I could think of nothing less wonderful than closing my eyes, curling up and slipping into my own dreamtime... I will be dreaming of next year and all of the beautiful things to come... And with that, I'll leave you with these beautiful pics from you know who (Anthropolgie of course!). Happy weekend all...

An Atlantic Day...

Oh, I do love those days when the mags hit the new stands - it's so old fashioned I know in this day of digital and all - but could there be anything sweeter than settling in with your favourite mag, cup of tea in hand and flicking those gorgeously beautiful and tangible pages? I am a magazine girl at heart, it's true... I remember to the day when I fell for them for the first time - 12 years old - buried in the local new stand, for hours and hours during the weekly Thursday night shopping expedition that I shared with my mother (followed by a sweet corn and chicken soup at the local Chinese!) Ah, those were the, long gone, days! Anyway, I digress...
To this day, I feel the same joy when I see my favourite mags hit the stands - and it doesn't matter where I am in the world - my first stop is always a book store and mag stand!
Seeing this months issue of Inside Out sent those shivers up my spine - in particular because the cover story is one produced by my friend Prue Ruscoe and I, of the gorgeous Kim Amos and Stephen Eakin, owners of the Atlantic Guesthouse in Byron Bay. Kim and Stephen have an enviable lifestyle - they appreciate every day and seize each moment as it comes. Knowing them, (as is the case with all extraordinary people) I know well how hard they work at shaping their worlds - the beauty of their home and their life is a testament to the many hours of thought and work that they pour into each minute. I'm very excited that their home has made the cover of the mag - as I know it is a dream fulfilled for Kim... Congratulations guys! Such a beautiful story. Makes me want to move to Byron Bay and renovate a weatherboard!!!

What An Art Piece...

Nadine from Art Piece Gallery in Mullumbimby showcases the most extraordinary artworks, including paintings, jewelery and more... She has a great eye and her gallery is always full to the brim with exciting pieces that get the senses flowing and the mind thinking... I love popping over to Mullum to check out what new and exciting things are going on there and was very excited when she reintroduced me to the work of body illustrator and photographer Emma Hack... You'll probably remember Emma's Florence Broadhurst wallpaper Mandala series? So, so very clever... These pics are also from her Exotic and Native Mandala series and I'm just so very drawn to their depth. They are so very deceptive, these pieces - in an exciting and inspiring way...  Can you imagine the patience required to complete an artwork? Something akin to torture for a gal like me! But, what talent... Thanks Emma for creating these beautiful artworks and to Nadine for consistently showcasing interesting and talented types in the littlest big town of Mullumbimby...

Are You A Lazy Bone?

We had a lovely time, Nicky and I at the opening of the new Lazybones store in Bangalow last night... It's wonderful to see the community out in force just before Christmas to celebrate the beauty that is everything Lazybones (and in particular because Bangalow has been suffering a little pain of late after a fire ravaged the local favourite Urban Cafe and the beautiful homewares store Millar & More - bringing the town to its knees in the last week!!!) You will know Lazybones well, their feminine and girly creations are a favourite amongst all, and particularly here at the studio where we incorporate all things Lazybones into our shoots and interiors as much as possible. There's something about Lazybones, don't you find? Perhaps the permission to connect with the feminine side in us all... Tracey Hocking and the team put on a lovely soiree for us all - and the new store (on the corner of Byron and Station Street above the bank) looked gorgeous... Well done Lazybones on another great year (one of the biggest sellers in Anthropologie in the US no less!)... It's great to see all of the hard work paying off - and to know that it all happens in a shed (a glorious one at that!) out the back of Clunes...

Sometimes I Wonder...

What inspires some people to create in the way that they do... What moves them... What shapes their vision... What calls them to action... What drives them to push their creative limits... One woman that inspires such thought is Australian photographer Carla Coulson... I've loved her work since she published her book Italian Joy - a photographic memoir of her move from corporate life in Australia to her new life pursuing her dreams as a photographer based in Europe. It's one of those books that I often return to when I'm in need of a little push myself... Because, as you well know I'm sure, sometimes self expression does take a little push... It takes bravery... It takes self belief... It takes throwing yourself out onto the metaphorical creative ledge - with self assurance and brevity... Being creative can sometimes be laced with the simultaneous need to express and the insecurity of how that self expression will be received... Oh, it can be an exhausting ride... Turning to the words of inspiring women is what sees me through those days... To hear the stories of women doing what they love, regardless of the obstacles... Thanks Carla for your beautiful work and inspiring words... You have made my day...
If you're a woman who would love to lead a more creative life but don't quite have the clarity and confidence to seize the moment and take that creative leap then you may be interested in my Follow Your Heart Creative Living Seminar - which will be held at that creative palace on the Gold Coast the Palazzo Versace... This full day seminar combines strategies to help you build your creative confidence with the tools that you need to launch and ultimately find a niche for your creative offering. This seminar is ideal for those of you interested in all things creative from the world of design and decorating to product development and such...  head to the website for dates and all of the details...

Rain, rain, go shopping instead...

With a crazy down pour of rain in the background (that will hopefully settle before Christmas), I thought it was high time to add some more gorgeous gifts to the Free Range By Shannon Fricke bigcartel shop. Ideal for that special friend or favourite relative - these beautiful pieces have been made by hand and with love, love, love in mind... The Gardenia candles are soy wax (of course!) because they burn better, brighter and sweeter... And the ceramics? Well, you know the story there - pure heaven... Ditto my books... All gift packs are wrapped and boxed and posted straight to your door. Happy shopping y'all...

$85 Giftpack including my $ense of $tyle: Colour book, beautiful freerange ceramic side plate made by hand in Byron Bay and the signature soy gardenia scented candle (which comes wrapped in lovely linen as below). RRP $104.95

$50 giftpack featuring my Sense Of Style: Space book and the signature soy gardenia scented candle wrapped in lovely linen. RRP $69.95

All gift packs are wrapped and boxed and posted straight to your door...

Head over here to go shopping in the store... Ho, ho, ho...

A Spanish Garden...

I'm thinking gardens of late - what with the pool being (almost!!!) in and the gardens around it needing some attention. I love gardens, they feed the soul, give such joy and are a pleasure to potter around in. Of course, creating a garden up here on the farm is no mean feat - dividing up the expanse of green grass can be a touch overwhelming.... And so, I've been looking around for inspiration - of beautiful spaces that blend the architectural elements of a garden (such as gates, doors, archways, stonework etc) with the greener elements... One of my favourite spaces anywhere in the world would have to be Trasierra  in the beautiful Spanish countryside about 2 hours from Seville. Although the land is quite arid and rocky, there are many elements of the garden at Trasierra that I'd like to incorporate into mine... Whitewashing of walls, wrought iron gates, beautiful sandstone work and tiling plus the hanging rose, bougainvillea, geraniums, citrus trees and few olive trees too. These pics were taken during my 40th birthday celebrations (remember then, which can I say is almost 2 years ago!!! Ouch!). I simply loved the few days that I spent at Trasierra with my mother, Charlotte Scott has spent almost a lifetime creating this beautiful place and it is sublime inside and out... And so, on this Sunday morning - this is where I have been transported - to the Spanish countryside... Happy Sunday all....

Have An Inspired Weekend...

pics from Rue mag

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

I love Christmas - the fanfare, the regalia, the pressies, the roast and pudding.... And of course, the bringing together of the family, all in one location, for better or for worse! This year however, we'll be traveling for Christmas and so it will be just the four of us - hopefully covered in snow somewhere in Europe... I can't resist getting a tree together even though we won't really be here to enjoy it (although hopefully our house guests will!). You will know well that I love to pull old branches from the farm and re-interpret them as displays in my farmhouse - and so this year, instead of the traditional tree we decided to create a Christmas sculpture in the lounge room using old branches... These two branches are particular favourites as they are greying and motley plus covered in moss... The kids had a ball doing the decorating our lovely branches and all in all, I think it makes for a very simple and sophisticated tree... The perfect decorative accompaniment to our more formal lounge room... Don't you just love Christmas...

Oh My Goodness Me...

Well, I just realized that I haven't shown you any pics from our Just Colour workshop held up here at The Little Cottage in Bangalow... What a day! What a day! And what a mess! We really did get right into the beautiful world of colour - getting down and dirty with it and trying to make sense of this vast and crazy subject... Understanding colour is a journey - and it requires viewing and seeing it from different angles and in different ways... We spent the day cutting and pasting, playing, mixing and contemplating - all of which brought us a step closer or two to get our heads around how it all worked... Thank you to all of my beautiful participants - you are a brave lot tackling the world of colour and it was a pleasure to spend the day with you... We're running some more colour workshops next year at The Little Cottage - you can check the website for dates etc... Hope to see you all in 2011..