A not so Miserables New Years Eve

Warm weather . . . lovely friends . . . hot BBQ . . . courtyard dining . . . DIY Pimms bar . . . decadent desserts . . . striped straws . . . gorgeous South Australian sparkling . . . new outdoor chair covers . . . lots of yellow . . . and Hugh.

(As in Hugh Jackman. The one and only)

Yes, this sums up my beautiful New Years Eve celebrations.

I had a delish NYE dinner with a gorgeous friend and then we headed to the movies to see Les Miserables.

It's three times as fabulous as everyone says it is.

Go see it. Now.

Happiest of happy new years cheer to my friends - new and old. Here's to an even bigger and better 2013 full of love, laughter and lots of colour.

xoxoxo

PS. Here's the recipe for that delicious, colourful salad. It was a winner and has kept me going all week! Thanks to Love and Lemons via Camille Styles


Sweet potato and pomegranate salad

salad components:
2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed, plus olive oil, salt & pepper for roasting
2 cups baby salad greens (baby kale, spinach, arugula, etc.)
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
1/3 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup toasted pistachios, toasted & chopped
handful of chopped cilantro
2-3 chopped scallions, white and green parts

dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 clove minced garlic
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
salt & pepper, to taste

Roast the sweet potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Chop the sweet potato into bite sized cubes. Drizzle with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until they start to edges start to turn a darker brown.
Make the dressing: Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt & pepper. Taste & adjust. Set aside.
Assemble all salad ingredients, toss lightly in the dressing.

Project fail

Oh Pinterest, you gave me so many ideas for Christmas this year.

And I did not complete a single one of them.

Hats off to all the motivated, creative and inspiring people out there who actually 'do' while I 'talk'.

There's always next year . . .

In the meantime, happy Christmas Eve everyone! 

I'm celebrating at Mum and Dad's with a swim, bottle of bubbles and Carols by Candlelight on telly.

Perfect!

Say cheese!

Looking to add some fun to your Christmas Day?

Why not capture the magic of the day with a DIY photo booth?

Great ideas from Oh Happy Day here . . . and the free printable templates are even included!

We'll be sillying it up at my folks' place this year, can't wait to get my merry on and rope the oldies into some pics! I've also got a gorgeous big gold empty picture frame that will really top it off. 

Stay tuned for the end results!

Click here to download for yourself.

View from the floor

Getting fit isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I hurt my hip at bootcamp a month ago and have been at the physio ever since. She's given me stretches to do but I've been slack with my homework and with another appointment tomorrow, I was trying to fit in one last mega stretch in front of the telly tonight.

I'd gone for a run on the treadmill (again, in front of the telly) earlier this evening and by the time I got down to my floorwork, I found it incredibly hard to get back up. 

Ouch. I hurt.

Anyway, I looked up from the floor to see what I could use to help pull myself up with (what a wuss I am!) and was pleasantly surprised by all the colour in the room. A bit overcome, would probably be a better description, but it certainly looks like a happy space (if not incredibly messy!).

View from the floor. Yep, they're my stretches at the bottom of the photo. Fat lot of good they're doing.

I thought I'd take you through some of my favourite things in my living room . . . and then you can help me 'edit' it (in the words of Emma). It's all a bit cluttered and crazy at the moment - I've been collecting random bits and bobs since I bought my little shoe box four years ago but have failed to 'curate' a collection and instead, put things where I see a space.

Hmm, I have a lot to learn!

Now to some of the things I love . . .

The For Like Ever poster up the back on the right

I know, I know, I still have to find a home for it! And did you notice the little mini version on the tray? My workmates gave it to me in the interim while we waited to get my big one framed. So sweet x

My Kate Spade dessert plates 

In the pink box under the nail polishes. Gemmal, you spoil me x

. . . and Kate Spade tea cup and saucer

Feel like such a lady drinking from this, thanks Bree x

My cushion collection

It's slowly coming together, love love love my three newest additions care of Lill and Peach. Floral is really working for me at the moment

Fresh flowers

Bluebells from Granny's garden and a pretty bunch from a boy I went on a date with last weekend (I know, who said chivalry was dead?)

My Notting Hill print

Aaahhhh, London. Need I say any more?

My dupion silk lampshade

Stunning cranberry, navy and jade green check . . . gosh I need to paint that base!

My vintage vase

First purchase from Anna Spiro's Absolutely Beautiful Things!

Bentwood chair

This has reminded me I need to put it back in the kitchen! It's one of four but we ran out of red spray paint and is the only one still in its natural state. Thanks for your bargain hunting skills JB!

Inspirational quotes

Love the framed hot pink one from Ad "There is nothing like a dream to create the future"

Coffee table books

Some people collect shoes but I go for coffee table books - cookbooks are my weakness followed by French inspired beauties

And that's just to name a few.

So . . . it's a mess, but a work in progress.

And a place I love to call home!

Any suggestions!?

A cushy life

My clever friends are at it again.

Peach surprised me with a gorgeous handmade orange trellis cushion the other day while Lill loaded me up with two stunning floral numbers on my recent trip to Melbourne.

Clever girls!

My cushion collection is definitely taking shape.

Hangin' around

I know they say it's not rocket science, but I just can't master how to hang a gallery wall!

Check out Glitter Guide's tips and see if they can point you in the right direction.

I'm still trying! I think it's the frames that have me stuck. I have some beautiful pieces, but nothing to bring them to life and make them 'sing'.

And then there's the challenge of deciding which wall to tackle?!

Ikat, I can

I am slowly slowly making progress at home. My bedroom is a focus at the moment with my bedside lamps my latest project.

I bought some fabulous ikat fabric on ebay (all the way from Uzbekistan! Let's just say I wasn't confident it would ever arrive, but it sure did and it is gorgeous!) and then I recovered the lampshades of the Bellas I bought from Bunnings a few months ago (thanks Kelly Green for the heads up!)

I have a fair bit to learn about clean edges, but it'll do for now! Love how it glows in both day and night - gorgeous yellow.

PS. How do you like my hot pink bedhead? I'll post about it later - need to get the whole bedscape looking respectable before I put it up! But it's certainly prepped up my room like noone's business. Love!

Let there be light

My darling friend Jo loves a good DIY project.

I sat a mere five metres from her at my old job and we would regularly share blog finds, creative inspiration, dream homes and cooking tips.

Last year, our DIY focus was on her beautiful wedding - I was her Best Woman (a title I gave myself - Witness just wasn't snazzy enough!) and we had fun brainstorming decorating ideas.

Fast forward one year and Jo has turned her attention to redecorating their gorgeous townhouse.

Project 1: The lampshade

I see a piece of junk I'd walk past in an op shop, but Jo sees potential.

Let's go with it . . .

Good work Jo!

Fabulous addition to the black and white living room.

I hear they're auditioning for the next series of The Block, Jo!