Birthday Top 5!

Hiya...I've been a little devoid of blog inspiration of late.  I'm putting it down to being crazy busy and too much gluten??? However, as I sit here in my little kitchen in the early morning light with hubby gone to work early, the big boy sleeping soundly and the little guy putting snot and banana all over the window seat cushions I decided to get posting. I've come to the realisation that as a working parent I never actually have the 'time' to do anything so I just have to do it and hope for the best.

My post today is about my current Top 5.  Are you a Top 5 kinda person?  I have a Top 5 everything...designers, books, hot celeb dudes, you name it. The lists tend to change according to day, mood and my general tendency to be terribly fickle...not my best trait.  Todays Top 5 is inspired by my upcoming birthday.  I turn 36 next week.  It's a strange thing indeed.

Anyway...so if I could chose 5 awesome things for my birthday these are what I would chose:

1.

I am desperate for a neon pink perspex vase from Lovestar

2.

I am almost as desperate for the latest Kate Spade book 'Things We Love'.

3.

And who wouldn't have a place in their heart for an artichoke lamp. Pink or blue...I'm not picky!

4.

And this house is long overdue for a Moroccan Pouffe. Pink...or maybe silver?  Or both?

5.

And the perfect little pineapple trinket box from one of my fave stores Have you met Miss Jones

So, that just about covers it for todays Top 5 on the birthday wish list.  Mind you, I'd be just as happy with a Baskin & Robbins ice cream cake to share with my boys!! That's some gluten free fun to be had right there.

Have a great week and don't think about things too much...it's not good for your health.

Joyd x

Yo!

Firstly, thanks to all the new FB Likers and folks who have started following along.  I know the lure of a fancy new KitchenAid Mixer is a great incentive but I'd love you to stick with me. My fellow competition collaborators are a clever/crafty bunch who make and do great things and although I only write stuff I'm hoping to kick start a few exciting things this year that folks will enjoy. Stay tuned.

Todays post is basically a 'share-fest' of things I've stumbled across in the spare 48 seconds I've had so far over the school hols. I've had a few days where I've not only had my 2 but my 2 nephews as well. 4 boys under 8...how did Mrs Baldwin do it? Anyway...check this out.  It's a clip of Ice Cube (gansta rapper of NWA fame...note my spelling of 'gangsta'...I'm so 'street') talking about one of my great loves, Los Angeles, and his perspective on LA Architecture.  I love it.

Who knew 'Doughboy' from Boyz N the Hood was studying Architectural Drafting before he became a rapper?? The things you learn.

In others newsworthy bits Anna Spiro has her new website up and running.  We always knew it would be totally awesome but check it out here.

For those that aren't in the know, Anna Spiro, is one of my all time favourite designers and she's from right here in Brisbane. Her shop is amazing and her designs always stop me dead in my tracks. As well as a range of wallpaper for Porters Paints she is also working on a book.

I'm currently putting together a concept for a nursery....NOT MINE...and Mum and I are very like minded in that we want no Dora or Thomas in sight and the room must be fun, eclectic and vintage inspired. She's come to the right place. We are thinking of a neutral palette of yellow, grey and white.  I am currently trawling the internet for a set of wall decals that are black spots but they must be all the same size and enough to cover an entire wall. I can feel a craft job coming on. These are a few of the inspiration images I am using.

Sorry for the grainy image but its a Pinterest Pic.

How great is this vintage Ad Rack used for books??

And I plan to use some hand made toys for pops of colour.

Again, bad Pinterest image.

Back to the day job for me tomorrow after 2 weeks out of the office.  However will I cope?  I've really enjoyed some time out with my boys. Not sure my littlest will do well at drop off tomorrow. There may be a few tears from us both!

In the words of Ice Cube 'check yo self before you wreck yo self' Yep!  I just wrote that. 

J xx

The Mother of all Giveaways...

So, the giveaway love continues with a Mother's Day Giveaway.  I have teamed up with some great and amazing FBers and bloggers to bring you the Mother of all Giveaways. You can win a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer in your choice of colour along with some 'fantasmo' accessories. I had to give birth to get my KitchenAid but all you have to do is click the 'Giveaway' link on our Facebook Page (here) and follow the prompts to win one yourself....no epidural required!

Would love you to play along and would totes love to see a Whoa Nelly follower take this one out!

Here are the Terms & Conditions:

Together with 16 other fantastic businesses we have an amazing KitchenAid Artisan Mixer (KSM150) plus some must have accessories to giveaway to one lucky Mum!

Plus it gets even better! Thanks to Kitchenware Direct if you are the lucky winner you can choose the colour of the KitchenAid Mixer so it suits your kitchen perfectly!

Here is a quick overview of how to be in to win!   

• Entrants must like ALL 17 participating Facebook business pages in the Rafflecopter form and stay likers for the duration of the promotion to be eligible to win.
• This giveaway is open to Australian residents only, who are aged 18 years and over
• The winner will be verified before being announced. To ensure fair and proper conduct, should it be requested the winner will need to provide photo identification that matches their entry name by email/fax etc.
• Once all mandatory entries are complete the OPTIONAL (NOT mandatory) extra entry to share the giveaway with your Facebook friends will be unlocked and can increase your chances of winning. However, you do not need to complete the extra entry unless you want to. You can view the post to share here
• The Refer-a-Friend entry option is available during this giveaway and it is an OPTIONAL (NOT mandatory) extra entry.  For each person you refer and they enter the giveaway, be it through Facebook, Twitter, Email or using the link, you will receive 1 entry, to a maximum of 10.
• This competition is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook.
• The information gathered by the application will not be used for anything other than to find the winner and announce the winner of this competition. 
• For full Terms and Condition click here

Goodluck and have fun!

Give it away, give it away, give it away now!

If you follow along on Facebook you'd know all about the fab giveaway we had this week.  It was so much fun. So, we (and when I say we, I mean I) gave away a super cute Neon geometric cushion to a very excited lady and we (I) have a runners up prize waiting to be claimed. Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed giving away a prize and seeing how excited people get. Well, if you thought the cushion was a fancy prize stay tuned cos we (and this time when I say we I mean me and a bunch of cool bloggers) have the giveaway of all giveaways coming up. Stay tuned for an announcement coming up. Gahhh, so much fun.

And it's even better in real life! I'm glad it's going to a good home.

Congratulations Kylie! 

On the subject of 'good cushioning' the Home Republic range from Adairs are rocking some seriously cute cushions. Check it out.

Freedom are also doing a great range of cushions at the moment. I grabbed myself some great spotty ones and a few neon pops last week...to go with my new hot pink geometric rug. Pics to come.

I got this one.  It's a crowd fave among my texture loving 'comfy crew'.

I also got this one too.

And can I just say that Freedom have really freshened up their look.

I've never been a huge fan but their current styling and merchandising is going off.

I'm so drawn to all the colour and pattern and texture that is happening in 'design land' at the mo.

It's fun!

J xx

PS: dont forget to play along on Facebook 

Hair Brained Schemes

Those who know me know that I love a Hair Brained Scheme...the more offbeat and ridiculous the better.  Thankfully my hubby is almost always on board (or at least not opposed) to me and my wild ideas.  This morning he drove me from Brisbane to the Gold Coast in the pouring rain to pick up an eBay vintage treasure (would love to show you but its a gift for a friend...think Betty Draper!!) then he turned around and went all the way to Ipswich so I could pick up a few items I'm going to be selling online.  There we were, like a happy bunch of hillbillies, touring the countryside on a raining Sunday picking up treasure for Mummy to sell for minimum profit but maximum 'kick'. That's one of my favourite things about the little family we made...they're up for anything.

So, being that this little blog is about decor, design and housey stuff (and not about my hillbilly tendencies and Sunday ramblings) I present to you....Wallpaper for the toilet!

It's Round and Round the Garden by Anna Spiro (for Porters Paints).

I've been looking for other papers to use but I come back to this lovely every time.

Will see how it goes in the smallest room of the house and might talk the other inhabitants into hanging it down the hallway teamed with some huge white skirting boards like we used on the window seat.

And since I'm in a sharing mood, whilst killing time until The Block room reveal, I thought I'd pack this post with a drool-worthy visual feast of things that I'm loving sick at the mo.

Like this...

Found this image on the Click-on Furniture Facebook Page where folks send in pics from home.

This house has a similar look and vibe to my own. What I'm loving most is the striped awning.  This is the EXCACT one I'm getting for our deck.  I've looked at all manner of options for roofing this space but all the permanent options take away the flexibility of soaking up the Winter sun and my ability to adjust the light in the master bedroom.  It's on the list.  It's after wallpaper and pool but potentially around the same time as French Doors. 

I love everything about this vintage nursery.

Not a Thomas or Dora in sight (hallelujah).

This pink sofa from Ikea.

I figure there are that many dudes in this house we could pull it off. 

And this cake plate, for cake, that says cake!

Ok, I'm off to see what the All Stars have pulled off for kitchen week.  When I saw that big hunk of marble go into Josh & Jenna's place my heart skipped at least 7 beats. Even though they are coming off as brats this season I'm most excited to see what they present tonight. 

Til next post...keepin' it Gluten Free!

Completely Intolerant!

So I've been a little slow between posts in the past but this is ridiculous. We've had no internet for weeks. Weeks! We still have no internet but I now have a dongle (whoever thought it was a good idea to call it a dongle). So perhaps when all the planets align and whenever my reported fault reaches a service agent who will look into the problem within 10 business days your call is important to us yadda yadda...I might be able to use the internet in my home instead of hanging around the park or at McCafe.  That's no joke.  Andrew did the banking in the car on the laptop at the park with the free wifi!!! I know, new depths.

So, in Insta shots this is the last few weeks of our lives.

We got a new coffee table...from Freedom!

Sorry for the blurry pic but I got the pendant lights installed

(loving them sick)

I got a ceramic drum stool

(to go with the newly painted TV unit)

Picked up the cutest little Japanese style bowl from Vanilla House

And I began a love affair with a Kilim Rug!

She's singing out to live in my lounge under my new coffee table.

She's from Table Tonic.

I have a birthday coming up (insert big cheesy grin with huge pleading eyes).

So, the other big news worthy item is that apparently I am intolerant. This comes as no surprise to those who know me well but it appears my latest intolerance is to Gluten (and dodgy internet providers).  You know the stuff, all the good things are full of it....bread, pasta, cakes, donuts, sausage rolls...you get the picture. I've been on a Gluten Free diet for almost 2 weeks and, I'll be honest, I feel better AND I've lost a kilo to boot. Who knew if you stopped eating cake you got skinny!?! Whilst I'm mourning the gluten that was once abundant in my life I am relishing the opportunity to try new recipes and generally feel much much better. 

Bye bye bread *sniff*

Let's hope 'the net' kicks in soon and I find something other than GF corn chips to eat.

Just out mowing the pool, Doll!

If the neighbours didn't think we were crazy before...they definitely do now.  Thankfully I couldn't give a hoot (that's the G Rated version...remember I'm choosing kindness this year).  It's almost 7pm, the sun is sinking, it's bed time for the small folk and what do I hear? Andrew has fired up the mower.  I know he loves a bit of 'lawn porn' and has built a reputation on having the best yard this side of the Story Bridge but mowing under lights is a bit of a stretch even for him.

Turns out he needed a visual on the pool so came up with the genius plan to mow it into the yard!!! So clever! Slightly off beat and even a little mental but still genius in my book. So, I probably need to backtrack. About 3 months ago it struck me that we NEED a pool. We live in a very small (but very awesome) house with 2 very busy little boys. We practically live outside.  We have come to the decision that a huge expensive concrete hole in the ground is a worthy investment...for all of us. A fun place to enjoy family time and not a Nintendo in sight. SOLD!

We've only just started the process and I don't expect to be kicking it poolside just yet but we have come up with what it will look like and where it should go (a harder decision than one would think). Normally I'm all 'bull at a gate' when it comes to shiny new stuff but I need to take my time and get this project just right. Stay tuned for pictures of glorious poolside images and tales of woe as I slowly meet every pool builder in Brisbane and decide why I can't possibly work with any of them and the lame reasons why (like the guy that came to give me a quote on the floor sanding who spent a really awkward amount of time in my bathroom before bidding me a hasty good bye...for good reason. That was 6 years ago and I could still pick him in a line up)!

My pool will be rectangular, integrated, non offensive and minimalist. It seems these aren't words that pool folk use...who knew?

Like this.

Bad tiny pics from Pinterest but you get where I'm going?

 Integrated...non offensive...

Anyway, let's just hope they dig up a bag of money when they make a start on the hole!

In other news the Tree House is finished:

It really truly is the best tree house ever built in the history of the world.

My Dad built it with help from my husband. I love it. It screams 'boys live here'...a fact I also love.

Don't forget I'm now on Facebook.... here. You can also play along on Instagram by clicking the link over on my side bar panel thing (I think that's what they call it in the IT world. Seriously.)

Have a great week.

J xx

Have you all met Keith?