I snapped this quick behind-the-scenes photograph while I was working on a shoot a few weeks ago in Amsterdam – this is the collection of props I had gathered for the shoot and I just love the colours and the light coming through onto the props table from the window behind. In a few weeks the magazine will be out and I can show you what props I chose and how it all turned out in the end. I had a ball on this shoot, working with my favourite people!

xx

PS I will be back to my home away from home next week. It’s been a hectic time back in Sydney, but I have lots to show + tell, including some funny stories, some not so funny stories, some interesting experiences and some beautiful places that I have been able to take French Boy to. We have recorded some soundscapes for you too! Please forgive me for not being able to reply to emails and comments lately – I will be back on track soon px

May 2009 bring positive change, hope, strength and courage. Enjoy the last day of the year my dear friends!

xx

PS I’ll tell you more about this photograph I styled a few months ago, in the new year. I love it’s simplicity, and i thought it was perfect for ringing in the new year with each of you here in the (blog)house: Let’s toast – santé!

As promised, a few behind the scenes shots from the Maria magazine shoot! with many thanks to the lovely Sophie who was one of our dinner guests and is also a part of Yvette’s excellent restaurant team (Sophie is pictured in the previous post, offering wine to her fellow diners), and also with many thanks to photographer Jeroen who captured heaps of beautiful shots for both the story and behind the scenes. Above you can see Yvette and Roeland Fernhout preparing the meal and having an absolute ball doing so! They are very good friends and it was so much fun capturing their friendship on camera – always making each other laugh. Being an actor, Roeland made my job too easy as I didn’t need to art direct him or his guests at all. He knew just when to pick up the bread knife and pretend to cut the bread, when to pretend to offer his guests wine and pass empty plates around the table. He even bought all of us little gifts and put on some christmas music to get everyone in the mood! If only I could have him for all my lifestyle shoots…

(Click here to read more…)

(Click here to read more…)

Does anyone out there speak Dutch? If you do, perhaps you can help me translate this… i think it says something about me having a Dutch surname but not speaking Dutch. oh the irony. This is in the front section of the latest Maria magazine that just came out onto the newstands today. It is an honour to be on the contributors page, thank you for including me Maria!

So what’s this all about? Well, how about we turn to page 86 of the magazine and take a look…

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PS I look a little serious here don’t i, i must make a point of working on my smiley face. 🙂