Sorted with Style

Decorative Cross Collection

I am very tempted to start another collection of these little cross bottles.

After a self imposed break from blogging I thought Spring was the perfect time to re emerge from my hiatus. The past few months has yet again reinforced to me the need to live life to the full and find beauty and sustenance in the everyday. My dear friend Justine from Justine Gordon Photography, who so many of you know, has really had this tested in the past few weeks as she has had to deal with the illness of her gorgeous husband Michael. She has truly lived up to the adage "When life gives you Lemon's make Lemonade", with her trusty camera in tow, despite the confines of the hospital walls she has still sought to find beauty and humour amidst the sorrow, although I highly doubt she will be sharing her 'candid' shots of Michael's operation with any of you soon!!

Over the past weeks we have taken time out during hospital rest period for quick cups of coffee and snatched conversations and on each occasion she has shared with me her positivity and resilience, we have laughed and cried together and truly know the importance of making lemonade!

With Michael on the mend, Justine and I continue our journey. We have shared so many joys and sorrows together over the years, and I guess in the end that is what life is all about. Sure there's the cup cakes and sweet treats, but there's also the odd lemon thrown in as well, it's what you do with them that counts.

What I love about the approach of Easter is that it allows me to fulfil my indulgent obsession with nests.

Not just any nests, but nests filled with eggs. Ever since I was a young child I have been fascinated with the discovery of a bird nest nestled in a tree, we would search high and low for these little nests and carry them carefully home. Now that I live in the city scavenging for them is no longer an option so I have to be content with making my own. For me decorating for Easter needs nothing more simple than a little speckled egg!!

      If you are interested in making your own nest it is worth checking out Kate' tutorial at Nesting

                         This site has some good advice for making dying speckled eggs

                             I just love the simplicity of eggs used as table decorations.

How beautiful is the simplicity of brown paper and string for gift wrapping! I firmly believe that as much time should be spent on selecting the wrapping for  a present as deciding what gift to give. Half of the joy of a present is the anticipation of what is inside. Wrapping a present is both a form of self expression and also really allows you to personalize your gifts, adding your own unique style.

Each Christmas I spend time preparing my gift wrapping papers, ribbons and bows in readiness for all my gift wrapping. This year I have chosen my favourite brown paper wrapping, it is the perfect backdrop for any colour scheme and sits so perfectly with the gorgeous red and white butchers twine which reminds me so much of the traditional Christmas candy canes.

This year I am adding paper doilies into my gift wrapping, as I love the simple homemade

quality that it adds to a gift.

I like to use assorted ribbons to personalize each gift so that each one is slightly different from the next. Of course I have to stay within my selected colour scheme as I am a real sucker for the co ordinated effect!

But each year there is always a place in my heart for that butchers twine!

Linking with  Sorted with Style , A romantic home, feathered nest friday, sunny simple life

  Linking with   Sorted with Style, charm of home

Our family loves to celebrate Halloween, but living in Australia means we can't go too over the top with our seasonal decorating ( After all we are in the midst of Spring here!) It is amazing though, how you can capture the halloween spirit with just a few splashes of orange and green.

                            I love using natural elements such as pine cones, seedpods and nuts.

I live in a contemporary home, which my friends jokingly call "The White House" as the colours and tones are almost entirely white. So when my parents and in laws decided to downsize their homes and pass on their collection of old books to me, I wondered what I would do with them as they didn't exactly fit our decor!

Prior to my trip I was unaware of how popular the dala horses were in Sweden. Living in times when every thing is so mass produced, It was fabulous to see that so many of these horses are still being handcrafted even today.

Despite having to battle the crowds, it is not truly Easter without a day out at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. If you get past the all consuming show bags and expensive fairground rides, the Easter show can actually be a very pleasant experience