Monday, October 31, 2011

I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas



So it's that time of year again. The shops are filling with tinsel, the pageant is only around the corner - Christmas will be here before we know it.
Although I no longer have trouble sleeping Christmas Eve as I did a child, with excited anticipation at Santa's arrival, the magic of Christmas isn't completely lost on me.

I love that Christmas is just one giant excuse to decorate. It's the only time that it's considered completely acceptable, if not mandatory, that you adorn you entire house with over the top decorations - Including your front yard and roof.
Every year, I buy every single home decor magazine that has a Christmas special - I even have a Christmas folder especially for Christmas decoration ideas that I've kept.

Although I love Christmas decorations, I have an absolute hate of red, green and tinsel.
The traditional 'red & green' is a horrible match of colours, and tinsel is tacky and messy and every year I refuse to have any in the house, (although, I'm told it's not Christmas without tinsel, and mum always sneaks some on the tree when I'm not looking).
I'm always looking for new Christmas decorating ideas that involve anything but.

This year I have decided on the theme of simply white.
White is simple & pure. All the best things are white: Lace, pearls, the moon, stars, snow flakes, whipped cream, angel wings. All the prettiest and most beautiful smelling flowers are white: Roses, Gardenias, Jasmine, Cherry Blossom, Freesias, Hydranges, Ranunculas, Peonies, Anemones ...And I've only just realised how racists this post might be coming across... Trust me - There's nothing beautiful about Anemia. The darker my skin is, the better, as far as I'm concerned.

Anyway, moving on - I've decided not only on a theme of white for our home decorations, but I've also decided that I'm going to try and do a 'White Christmas' styling shoot. So watch this space.


Top Left Photo: Each year the Gawler Community Gallery puts on a 'Christmas Shop'. This year I am putting in some of my creations: Lace gift-tags, and hand carved, hand stamped Christmas cards.
The shop will be held in the down stairs room of the gallery from the 10th of November.

Top Right Photo: Part of my 'white Christmas' theme, one of my new creations - a beautiful white wreath adorned in roses.
For years I have been searching for plain wreaths to work with and they for some reason have been near impossible to find (that weren't ridiculously expensive). This wreath, that I managed to find to decorate, was purchased at a beautiful store in Paddington, Brisbane called Blake & Taylor (Which both happen to be dream names for my possible future children).

Bottom Photo: Hehe, bottom... No, no 'bottoms' here, just a childish sense of humour and a cute little nook of our house - Wooden letters spelling out 'home', draped with gorgeous handmade, white flower fairy lights (I looooove fairy lights) which I purchased in Thailand some years back.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Ocean Blue - Point Lookout

 
 

The most beautiful shades of ocean blue...

Point Lookout - North Stradbroke Island, Queensland





Amity Point - North Stradbroke Island - Part 3


 
 

Oh yes I did!
The ole' 'footsteps walking away' and 'love heart drawn in the sand' - corny as they be, tell me there isn't at least just a small part of your heart, just aching with nostalgia and romance :P
Or at least, a little jealousy in regards to my time spent on secluded white sand beaches, with clear blue ocean. Yeah...


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Amity Point - North Stradbroke Island - Part 2


   

So much wildlife on the island...

Amity Point - North Stradbroke Island - Part 1





The above are a collection of photos I took on my recent trip to North Stradbroke Island off the coast of Brisbane, Queensland.
It's been a long time since my last trip to 'Straddie' back when I was 12 years old, but the island is as beautiful, if not more beautiful than I remember. Staying in our usual cabin (My Uncle, Aunty & cousins visit the island regularly and always stay at the same place), there is a small but perfect jetty where we spend majority of our time, where we enjoy fantastic fishing and the most spectacular sunset views. The water is so clear you can see the colourful reef fish swim below and at night dolphins show off in the spotlight.
During my time spent on the island, I couldn't look any where without seeing a perfect photo shot and carried my camera with me at all times. As corny as it may sound, I found a renewed appreciation for nature and all its simplistic beauty - I often found myself just wandering aimlessly, dumbstruck look apon my face, just staring in awe at all the beautiful scenery.
Not only did my time spent there reawaken my creative side, but I left feeling a calm in myself I hadn't felt in a long time - I guess it's true what they say about unwinding on vacations.