[giant clam shells]

I bought my own Christmas present.

It was just easier this way.

That and I feared I'd lose him to someone else if I walked away!

He's a little rough around the edges but I love the beauty in imperfections.

(If only I would adopt this attitude in the mirror!)

I'll be wrapping him in ribbon and placing him under the tree beside the other goodies.

He's not truly mine until then anyway!

I'll name him then.

Here are some lovely and at times, remarkable ways in which these beautiful giant clam shells have been used.

The most innovative of them all!
via here

Classic coastal and perfectly bookended.

via here

My favourite!
Balanced to perfection with the glass vase collection.
via here

Elegant coastal.
Loving splashes of gold at the moment.
via here

Beautiful against the dark of the fireplace.
And how amazing is the floor lamp!
via here

via here
And having just potted my first ever little succulents I completely loved this!

Have you been a little cheeky like me and bought your own Christmas present this year?
And any thoughts on what I should name him?

Jx

[neon-ing in the garden]

This year our Christmas table for lunch will be decked out in neon.
On the weekend I took the smidge of free time I had to take to the garden and get spray happy.
This happened...

Also, a few weeks before I'd bought this simple basket at Vinnies for $2, hoping to give it a little facelift.

These little ornaments were a cheap find at Spotlight.

First I covered the upper hemisphere with masking tape.

 

I then cut a few holes in a piece of cardboard to nestle each bauble in.

This way they behaved themselves while they were being sprayed.

For the basket I taped a straight line exposing a little over a quarter of it's height and protected the rest with newspaper.

And here's my little neon babies.

Three weeks to go!

Hope your Chrissy plans and coming along swimmingly.

Jx

[deck the halls with boughs of neon]

With Chrissy just around the corner and the insanity of planning a wedding behind me, I've switched my focus over to styling for the festive season.

Brekky with Dad at our little unit in morning and lunch to be spent at Mum's is the plan.

 

Thinking a fresh twist with splashes of neon would be perfect for our Chissy lunch!

via here

via here

via here

via here

via here

 

How do you plan to deck the halls?
Jx

 

 

[an exciting change is coming]

I was in a cute little vintage shop and was chatting to the lovely, exuberant owner who was telling me how much she loved her job and loved her life.

I was so jealous.

How could anyone love their job?

I certainly didn't love mine.

In fact at times it made me downright miserable.

I told her this and she asked me what it was that I would love to do with my day.

 

I said interior design.

 

She dragged me out the front of the shop to show me what she had written on her chalkboard today.

It said:

 

Everything you want is on the other side of fear.

It clicked.
The fear of change and creating instability for myself was stopping me from following my true passion.
The career path I'd originally chosen as a teenager but was then convinced to get stable job and do those creative things as a "hobby".

I could continue plugging away in job that pays my mortgage and keeps me busy monday to friday (and every second saturday) or I could take the leap and change career paths.

I'm leaping.

Next feb I start a diploma in interior design and I couldn't be more excited!
(In fact I had the biggest smile across my face just typing the above line!!)

It's a scary thought to throw away a degree and years of continued learning but I know I've made the right choice.
Exciting times are around the corner and I hope you'll continue following me on my journey!

And if you're around the Nundah area, drop in to Vintage Venus and say hello to Josephine.
She could change your life!
(Either that or you'll pick up a cute 60s dress)

Jx

image via here

[we're married!!!]

13.10.12
Jx

[the bridal shower]

Hi everyone,
Too busy to function (and blog).
My life has been consumed by wedding planning!
Here's a few little pics from my bridal shower (almost five weeks ago!)

(Sister, mum, and me x)

Five...more...sleeps!

Jx

[little abode update: sideboard & deer head]

Things have been a little hectic around here to say the least.

Today we hit the 3 week countdown til the wedding and with so many things still on the to-do list, my little blog has been somewhat neglected!

 

I had decided a while ago that I would really love to get ready for the wedding at our unit.

The little space that we have put oh so much time and effort into over the last 12 months is really beginning to take shape and has never felt more like home.

This has put the teeniest tiniest bit more pressure on us to get it looking schmick for the day but all and all I'm happy that it's getting done!

 

He's a few little updates...

Our vintage sideboard

My DIY deer head

 

Still a few more things to hang and style which I hope to have time to share with you before the day.

Best be off.

Hair and make-up trial today and then birthday dinner with Daniel San!

Jx 

[vintage sideboard styling]

We won, we won!
A fabulous vintage sideboard!
Looks fantastic in our little unit but still in need of a little styling.
Stacked books, framed art leaning against the wall and plenty of curios are on the cards...

image via here

image via here

image via here

image via here

A great excuse to spend some time trawling through antique and op-shops!

Not that I ever need an excuse!

 

Five weeks to go as of this Saturday!!! Ahhhh!

Jx

 



[blue and white deer head]

Last Wednesday was Brisbane's show holiday.  I took the opportunity to indulge in some much needed craft time - oh so therapeutic!
This blue and white fabric adorned deer head is what I did...

I had started out with a plywood deer head.  I found this baby on eBay.

I had originally been admiring it on Matt Blatt but after being on the "notify when back in stock" waiting list for what seem like an age, I looked elsewhere.

I then purchased some gorgeous fabric from Peppermint Stitches in Toowong - possibly the most colourful eye-candy covered fabric store you'll ever come across.  Do yourself a favour crafty Brisbanites!

To adhere the fabric I used a spray glue and then carefully cut around the shapes.  The added thickness of the fabric did make assembling the pieces a little more laborious but we got there in the end.
Can't wait to show him off to you once he's hanging on our wall - but truth be told I couldn't wait!
Have a lovely week ahead everyone! Jx

Psst - eight weeks to go!

[secret squirrel]

Happy Sunday everyone! Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

I think this is officially the longest gap between blogging I've had since starting! It's not that I have been too busy, or that I've been on a creativity vacation. It's that lately, all that we've been doing is planning, deciding on bits of this and that, and creating lovely details for the wedding.
The hardest thing for me is not being able to share this journey in its entirety, particularly with regards to things like the lovely invites we've chosen or the favours we're making.

I can't wait to reveal all these goodies to you all, but for now, mum's the word.

9 weeks to go!
Jx

image via flickriver.com

[a little more salmon love]

image via here

At the moment, I am loving the mix of pretty corals and salmons combined with fresh green and a little gold.  These are the same colours I chose to paint with last Friday night.

I did have another couple of interiors to share with you that were lovely, but just didn't reach the same heights as this stunning bedroom! How amazing is the wallpaper!

Perfection!

Jx

[salmon & lime with a twist of gold]

Where does the week go!

I'm suffering from a severe case of blog neglect.

Life has been hectic and I needed a breather, so last Friday night I dusted off the paintbrushes and played with a little colour...

What do we think?!
The plan is to try a little DIY framing in a lovely birch wood and hang them above the television - hopefully a bold enough distraction from the soulless black box!
Fingers crossed the final result is not too far off!

In other news, we're officially less than 12 weeks til the big day.
First dress measurements are in 2 weeks (ahhh) and I'm ordering my shoes online tomorrow!
Flat ivory goodness here I come!
Jx

[dining chair reconnaissance]

Dan's friend bought his first home.

He was over the other night and asked if I would accompany him furniture shopping.

What girl would say no to that!

With a little time on my hands the other day I began investigating looks for his dining space - because I'm pretty sure most men really care about what their dining space looks like.

My first thought - An industrial style with Tolix chairs paired with a lovely wooden dining table to add a little warmth.

They come in so many delicious colours too!

image via Design Manifest

image via Replica Furniture Shop

Or there's the more organic look of the mid-century classic Wishbone chair.

(Side-note: enjoying the wall collage)

image via Brown Button

image via Life Interiors

And finally the Eames Shell chair.

I gather he's unlikely to select an array of colours but isn't it a gorgeously unique setting!

image via Relax House

image via Remodelista

This shopping for others could get dangerous.

I'm looking at our own dining space and dreaming of a facelift.

I'm sure Dan wouldn't notice if a few lovely duck-egg blue powder-coated tolix chairs were to magically replace of our white wooden cross-backs!

Jx