Before I get started (and carried away) on the above mentioned, you may or may not have noticed my little note in the ‘about’ page that one of my regular categories will be ‘handy hints’. What is a handy hint you might ask? In the case of my blog, my handy hints will be about showcasing home cleaning products that are ALL natural. In my home, I use only chemical-free cleaning products as well as natural sponges and cleaning cloths wherever possible. There is no bleach in my place, no fabric softener, no blue window cleaner, not even a bottle of that funky shaped toilet cleaner stuff.

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it’s called ‘the steampunk laptop’ and it has to be the most beautiful machine I have ever seen! Completely crafted from wood and glass with a copper keyboard and mouse, this laptop is one serious creation – it TOTALLY works like any other laptop. You have to check out the video on the website so you can see how it turns on and off. I’M IN LOVE…

Thank you my secret techie source, you have made my day (of course I meant I was in love with you, hehehehe)

I flew back to Sydney in August to shoot this summer bbq story for the launch issue of Home Basics, a new magazine put out by Shannon Lush and Jen Fleming (writers of ‘Spotless’). August is winter in Australia and I can tell you, it was hotter and sunnier than it was here in Europe for Summer! The story brief was to create a table setting that was loose, real and simple. The colour palette was to be yellows, blues with a backdrop of craft-paper brown. So this is what I came up with, taking the craft-paper brown as a literal background and using it as a tablerunner. I was inspired by these beautiful wattle branches I saw in a florist and dotted them around the table in little glass vases. Gayna Murphy, the art director, had found these fab old plates of all sorts of colours so I set the table with these mix-matches of plates and old cutlery. I made these little paper flower centre pieces from coloured cupcake cups, beads and ribbon. And I used fabric swatches that I have picked up over the years from designers and printmakers. The beautiful blue fabric swatch (called ‘The Cranes’) is from the Florence Broadhurst collection at Signature Prints.

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you can’t go past the traditional green and red at this time of year, but teaming it up with craftpaper browns, rich chocolate (and a peacock! Although this one came from a postcard, I like this one better) works beautifully and gives the traditional theme some serious style.

the little makeup bag is handmade from vintage French fabric by Ici Et Là in Australia (I bought mine at the Surry Hills store but looking at their website they have spread across the country which is great news) and the gorgeous little handstitched horse on the right is a find in a French brocante (I will be showcasing the village toward the end of this week). I had full intention of sending this creature to my dear friend jboo for her birthday back in april but I fell in love with it and have not parted with it since. Sorry jboo!!

and this little guy i spotted this morning, what a neat christmas gift he would make!! he’s not mine unfortunately, but i am happy with my basket-clad push pedal, promise!

After a little rocky start thanks to my hosting company deciding to do maintenance the moment I launched the blog, I am back on track and ready to roll! But haven’t quite made the effort to roll out of bed yet (love my lap apple) and Alfred seems to have forgotten about my morning cuppa. again.

Thank you to everyone who replied to my email send out yesterday, having a look at the blog and sending me your well wishes, I love you all.

The above image is from an art gallery in Amsterdam that my lovely friend Connie and I stumbled upon the other day. We both couldn’t resist snapping some shots through the white-barred window, it was such a beautiful tiny space, and with this intriguing phrase in giant lettering on the wall it seemed to be written just for us, reflecting our current states of mind. It was as if the sentence formed from the intense conversation about love, loss and life that we had just been engaging in.

I didnt get a chance to find the name of the space or the artist, so if anyone knows please do let me know. In the meantime, I will try to find it again to see if I can learn more about the concept and the artist. Here is a broader shot of the space…

Stunning non?

So what is installed for you this week when you wander through my house? Let me see…

On the kitchen table amongst a tonne of paperwork still to get through is a series of shots from a Summer BBQ story I shot with photographer Chris Chen in Sydney, Australia with some ideas for table setting this summer (if you are lucky enough to be in the Southern Hemisphere!)

In the sound studio, we just released the song ‘les gouttes’ and have it available on the myspace page. I will describe (with visual aid of course!)more about this song as it has quite a story behind it.

A new book has been added to the Library called Recycled Home – I cant wait to get a chance to sit with it, I’ll write my review.

Presents! You have to check out the wrapping, it is so gorgeous!

A mini travel guide full of beautiful images of a very special set of villages in France where I will be spending my Christmas, and a little surprise visit to a rather magnificent property too.

And on this weeks menu there are oysters, there are scallops, there is pan-seared tuna with herbes de provence, and of course there is champagne! I will be writing the menu up in the kitchen shortly.

And all that in between my daily postings and working out how to use bullet points. Thanks for your patience with my little start up issues. Hope you enjoy the first week at my place!