Pretty things

I have recently been given some beautiful things, like this Wedgwood vase in a pattern called Sweet Plum, from my Mamma.

My sisters and father got together and gave me some beautiful quartz and gold earrings. I love them, but they are reluctant photo subjects and this is the best I could do - which isn't very good at all, in fact, you can barely make out they're earrings.

A lovely friend gave me a much-longed-for Waterman pen. I love it because it's heavy and quite masculine, and of course, beautifully made. He's a powerful pen.

A couple of wonderfully thoughtful girlfriends found this swan for me. I think it will have many incarnations, at the moment it's an orange holder.

The occasion for this gift giving was my 40th birthday, which was on April 5.
If you are on the cusp of your own 40th, do not fear. I didn't wake up with a face full of wrinkles, or feeling any different to when I went to bed.
Forty is a very poignant age me thinks. It's no longer feasible to put things off for 'when I grow up'. The time is now. It's an age that signifies a half way mark some what. It's a time to pause, catch your breath and make sure you're on the right path still. Or at least, it feels like that for me. I'm looking forward to my forties, whole-heartedly.
Enough about that. Onward and upward.

The New York Times website is my home page, which isn't really a good idea, because I can accidentally browse it for half an hour or more every time I turn my computer on. I found this interesting story today, about people who are caretakers to the 19 grand homes owned by the City of New York, most of them like Van Cortlandt House, which is pictured above. The caretakers are more or less regular people who are lucky enough to live in these grand homes, rent free. You can read the story here.

Here's a kitty in a brolly, just to finish off. That's it.

Strange but true

I'll tell you what I love. I love fashion editorials that are photographed in a supermarket. That's very specific isn't it?
I think it's because I spend 40% of my time and 30% of our money in a supermarket. I appreciate when some distant connection between Woolies and glamour is made - whether it's intended as ironic or not, it's a link.
This is how I prefer to view my visits to the supermarket.

Swanning around

You know my penchant for swans. I found this at Hobohemia in Paddington yesterday. It's a child's rocking toy, but apparently it can't be used as such any longer.

Hobohemia is worth a look if you're around the traps. It's just next to Presents of Mind in Paddington.

Whilst we're in the neighbourhood. Has anyone spotted the shell chandelier/lampshades in A.P. Design's window?  I love a good shell chandelier too.

Remember this 'project'? My spun fibreglass table base?

I finished it. I painted it with white gloss enamel, and after three attempts, finally managed to get a piece of glass for the top. Now it looks like this. I know, even I'm surprised! It's not a good photo - the good photo wouldn't upload and rather than hurl my computer out the window, I decided just to use this inferior shot.

I love the contrast of the white fibreglass against the black floorboards. 

In other breaking (and irrelevant) news, The Shoe Station in Paddington has 25% off a very handsome range of Winter boots.

I hope all you lucky Foxtel watching folk are enjoying the new season of Mad Men. I myself have to wait for it to appear on dvd - it's like the dark ages!

There be treasure

If you regularly trawl through op shops and garage sales, chances are you've come across the odd find that you're genuinely chuffed about. Usually some little bit of domestic fluff you drag home smugly, and spend the rest of the day reorganising the cave so it fits in perfectly. It seems we all need to get somewhat more ambitious with our expectations though.
Ninemsn recently published a story on treasures that have been discovered in garage sales and op shops. It's an inspirational read. Have a look here.
My favourite story would have to be the stash of jewellery and silver found in a St Petersburg house by workers. It was wrapped in newspapers from 1917 and was hidden by a noble family just before the Bolshevik Revolution. The workers found over 1000 pieces of jewellery, silver and just blatant genuine treasure. The story is here. It's the stuff that dreams are made of (that, and world peace obviously).

Then there is the guy who bought a drawing at a garage sale in Las Vegas and found it was an Andy Wahol. That story is here.

So there you go people. Romance is not dead. If you're at a loose end today, get busy and go treasure hunting, apparently there is still treasure to be found.

The Baby Shower

Saturday's baby shower went off without a hitch. The mother to be looked radiant, the father to be was calm and collected. Guests had their fill of champagne (no doubt, those people at Mumm HQ will be scratching their heads this morning wondering about the sudden spike in sales over the weekend).

Thanks to the talented Katie who did the cooking (after flying up from Sydney a few hours beforehand), the table looked fabo.

Lots of pink gifts were opened. The baby should never need wear the same thing twice!

I forgot to take a photo of my frock while I was wearing it, but this is she. It's brown and doesn't photograph very well. Notice the nanna-style hanger? You cannot have enough of these, they are the best for keeping clothes on the hanger and in their proper shape.

Now it's time to get back to my reading. The bedside table is getting ridiculous. I've even broken one of my reading rules - among the stack are several books I've already read. I try not to repeat, but The Bell Jar and The Great Gatsby are too good not to do over. I find them both meditative.

Dahlias, lillies and hyacinths

Last April I was bridesmaid at the wedding of a very old friend, as in, we've been friends for a long time. Almost twelve months to the day the happy couple are expecting a baby girl, and tomorrow we are having a baby shower here.
Obviously, this called for a lot of reorganising and redecorating, whole 'miscellaneous' piles have been swept into drawers, and I've tried to have the house looking its best.
Here's a bit of my work. Starting with my favourite bit, the hyacinths in the bathroom.

Then I added a potted flowering dahlia.

Oriental lillies....I got them from the Rosalie foodstore. Did you know they sell 700 bunches of flowers a week!

Then I had to wash 300 glasses.

After that, I found a few little spots here and there that needed some jazzing up.

In other breaking news, J. Crew now ships to Australia - very important to know.
Did anyone go to the Easton Pearson sale? I did. I'm wearing my new frock for the high tea/baby shower tomorrow.
I've been busier than a one armed juggler lately. Now I'm off to ice some red velvet patty cakes also for the baby shower.
Have a great Friday night and don't forget to vote tomorrow.

Advanced style

If you think you hit a certain age, turn into dust and disappear, think again. I love the Advanced Style blog. You can read it here or click on the link in my blog list below.
Ari Seth Cohen is a New Yorker and features women of an advanced age who we could all learn something from. Case in point is Beatrix Ost. Isn't she beautiful? Her husband is still spunky too.

This is Lynn Dell. Lynn is 78.  

They're a dignified, beautiful bunch of women who are not desperately clinging to youth and running around in hot pants (I'm talking to you, Madonna). They don't necessarily want to look younger, but rather just the best version of themselves.
This is Mimi Weddell. I think these photos were taken when she was around 90. She's passed on now, but she had a documentary made about her called 'Hats Off'. She was a model and actress in New York from the late 60s, and always 'maintained herself'.

This is artist Victoria Mackenzie Childs.

I shall leave it there. Next time you think you can't be bothered with doing your hair and make-up and popping on a frock, think of Mimi and Lynn and Beatrix.
Have a look at Advanced Style when you get a chance, I think you'll find it very inspiring.