For me Spring is all about nesting – this is the time of year that I naturally dedicate my spare time to working on my home, and it seems I’m not the only one – the canal birds are at it again, working feverishly on their elaborate nest outside my kitchen window. While they are busy bringing leaves and all sorts of goodies into their nest, I’m pottering around the houseboat, planning, designing, and re-interpreting the space.

On the weekend I whipped up some fresh new cushion covers from a vintage blue striped piece of fabric I found at the markets a little while back (it was only 3 euro!). It was lots of fun, and I have plenty more to do. Ideas are circling around my mind, inspiration abounds, and I find myself obsessed with making this space just right for the coming months.

So for the next few weeks, the (blog)house will be dedicated to nesting. Yay I hear you say! I know, even though I work as an interior stylist I tend not to overload this space with interiors. So I know many of you will be thrilled that I have a truckload of interior-related posts up my sleeve, just for you!

So sit back, relax and enjoy the coming posts. I even have one on it’s way in a few hours…

xx

PS Do you like these photos? I had fun shooting them especially for this post.

PPS Thank you for all your comments and emails about my new blog design! I am so so glad you like it. I can’t wait to play around in all the rooms!

We all loved the idea of hanging out in one of the above tree-hugging abodes, so I thought it would be fun to theme this week’s etsy favourites with this in mind! So come with me, let’s spend a lazy afternoon picnicking at our dreamy location…

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of being miles away from civilisation is food. I thought we could bring our tasty provisions in these beautifully woven baskets from The Bent Tree Gallery. Let’s fill them with afternoon treats like an assortment of our favourite French & Dutch cheeses, a couple of baguettes, freshly picked grapes, figs, dates, strawberries, pears and some fresh herbs from the vegetable garden.

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The Bent Tree Gallery has lots of great things for our picnic in the trees, including this handy wine bar. oh I adore this creation! We can have one for a lovely bottle of chilled rosé, and another for le champagne.

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Now we’ve arrived at our dreamy destination! That didn’t take too long did it? But before we get too comfortable, lets go for an afternoon walk – we can take one of these hiking sticks carved from maple, handcrafted from featured etsy seller bearpaw rustics. oh and let’s just have a peak inside this charming birdhouse nestled on a nearby trunk, perhaps there is someone home.

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When we get back we can play a few rounds of my all-time favourite card game – crib! And what do you know, I found a beautifully handcrafted one at bearpaw rustics…

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Well after all this glorious tree dwelling, I’m feeling so relaxed and rather sleepy, are you? Shall we stay for the night? Lets…

…because I just so happened to bring a couple of these soft, organic wool travelling mattresses made by Monikaw, just in case we decided upon a spontaneous treetop sleepover. And of course, I brought enough food for a delicious breakfast in the branches.

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Oh that was such fun! We might have to do it again sometime. Thanks for joining me for this specially themed installment of…

It was my blog-anniversary giveaway back in December, with many thanks to Dinosaur Designs. The lucky winner was Devi, and I’m happy to announce that it finally arrived to her home in Germany. Devi absolutely adores it and says it’s a perfect little reminder of how much she loves visiting Australia. I’m so glad the vase has found it’s owner! Home sweet home dear vase, I do hope you will enjoy each other’s company.

xx

I didn’t get so far as creating a whole blog favourites post today… instead I got so far as visiting the beautiful bientôt demain and found myself lost (read: in love). Here is what caught my eye and has not let go of it since…

These exquisite cups are created by danish ceramicist Jette Arendal Winther.

I’m besotted.

WOW! can you believe it’s been one whole year since I wrote my very first post!? approximately 400 posts + 7000 comments later, here we all are, regularly congregating in the little (blog)house. It has been so much fun hanging out with each of you. Your support & enthusiasm for my work has filled me with incredible energy.

In those 400 posts, in between regular posts we’ve seen little harriet come to life; explored 3 fabulous cities through soundscapes; wandered around my new hometown of amsterdam; peeked inside my old paris apartment; walked the streets of Paris while I write my Paris book; enjoyed my first ever impromptu (blog)concert; listened to my first ever full piano composition; had many a deep discussion about tibet; and had tea in my little Amsterdam houseboat. Not only that, we have all embarked on a journey to explore our wandering hearts. This for me is so very special, and next year I will be able to continue this project and reveal more about the My Heart Wanders book to come, as well as continue with all of the above.

But today, right now, I just want to say thank you for being here. And to do that, I have a rather beautiful little something just. for. you. But what is it?

Well, yesterday I mentioned that it was something über stylish. something unique. and something from Australia.

What I didn’t tell you is that it is gorgeous. it is hand made with love. and it has everything to do with the above photographs of one of my favourite designers in the world. This, mes chers amis, is…

The fabulous photograph you see above, taken by my friend, photographer Andrew Young is of an incredible seed vase from Dinosaur Designs, of which they have kindly offered for me to give to you to celebrate my one year blog anniversary.

This vase (click here to read the details about it), has come to be on the blog with the help of a couple of fabulous friends – while I’ve been busy with shoots in Amsterdam, I wasn’t sure how I could photograph the vase and get it here on the blog in time for the (blog)house anniversary, and then be able to have it in my hands to mail it to you. After all, it is on the other side of the world! But then it all came together – awesome andrew managed to pick up the vase on his motorbike the other night, then photographed it for me in his studio the next day, sent me the image that evening, then passed it to my friend and fabo stylist trish heagerty who is now minding it until I arrive in Sydney to pick it up to send to one of you!! Thank you Dinosaur, Andrew, and Trish, you all rock.

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For your chance to be the lucky owner of this vase (I already envy you!!), all you need to do is comment on this post. That’s it! I want to be able to offer this to all my readers as my way of saying thank you for your company this year, so even if you don’t normally comment please do – all your names will go into a hat and I will pull out a name on christmas day (with the help of a special little helper). I will announce the winner and send it to you from Sydney to where ever you are in the world, so by 2009, you will be the proud owner of your very own piece of Dinosaur Designs.

WOWSERS! I do hope you are as excited about this as I am. bonne chance my dear friends, bonne chance!

xx