DIY: wire cacti garden.

Photos by: Fiona Galbraith

check out my latest DIY project for JB Est 1979 and find out everything you need to know to make your own wire cactus creation, HERE.

holiday in your own backyard!

today is my first day off in two weeks, so i thought i'd take some time to take my time...if you know what i mean. first, i put on an outfit that i didn't have to consider whether it was comfortable or sensible to 'work' in the whole day- i love that. we went out for breakfast and then went for a walk along the coast on this unseasonably warm winter's day in Sydney. it was so fun to explore my own backyard (that's how i refer to the beach, because it technically is!). i really felt like i was on a holiday, seeing the beauty in my surroundings as if for the first time. what a refreshing approach to the day!

weekend project: gift wrapping with ephemera.

i was invited to join this board on pinterest and thought what better what to re-introduce the weekend project post to the blog. i only used what i had around the house, starting with cutting up an old paper bag for the brown paper packaging-so simple. then i gathered bits of ephemera i have collected and had at home. i got these results by 

inspiration: instagram.

moon play, bokeh and souvenirs from the south of france; these are a few of my favourites from my recent instagram posts. follow along @little_nicki_ if you're not already!

crushing on: the surreal.

i am loving these surrealist scarves (the hands, especially) and i think i might start saving for this embrace cuff - omg.

a PLANT to call home.

‘Living with Colour’, 1982 Photography: Designers Guild

check out my plantastic inspiration post HERE for JB Est 1979 and find out different ways to incorporate greenery into your interiors. woven baskets as planters, like this 80's treat above? i say 'why not!?'.

inspired by: Henri Matisse.

via Justina Blakeney Photo by: Fiona Galbraith

on my recent trip to Europe, I went to the Matisse museum in Nice, France with this first image in mind. I knew this great artist's studio housed a gigantic philodendron because I had admired this black and white version on pinterest. it feels almost as if I willed one to still be there went I went to his now studio turned museum- honestly, I got shivers, it was almost eerie. when I got home, I was inspired to show off my green goddess (which I once thought of as large...but not really by comparison!) in this post for JB Est 1979. it just goes to show how easy it is to be inspired by your travels and then incorporate something from that trip into your own home. 

search for a stylist: the making of video.

it is the last week to vote (pour moi, s'il vous plaît) in the Search for a Stylist contest if you haven't already. also, please head to my Facebook page to check out a little 30 second clip from the day.

quiver me timbers!

since the dreamcatchers have whittled down to one, I have added these arrows to the shop. they make for great nostalgic wall decor or put them in a vase; giving them as a gift is always a bull's eye!

dreamcatchers.

i was so excited to share the four dreamcatchers that i (finally) put up in the shop, but overnight 3 of them sold(!). this is the last one left and she is on SALE. stay tuned for new items being added later today.

wardrobe makeover.

Photography: Fiona Galbraith  Production, Project & Styling: Nicole Valentine Don

check out the full before & after reveal for JB Est 1979 and how you can get the same results for your home, HERE.

stumbled upon: Seth Smoot.

the lovely, painterly quality of photographer Seth Smoot's images. i discovered him yesterday while trawling through pinterest.

feeling (sky) blue.

here

Luca Gargano / Gavin Gough

Seth Smoot / Yohji Yamamoto F/W 2003

Sir Terry Frost, Blue Suspended Form 1970

Rudi Roels / Greek home 

here

i know it's uncommon, but blue is not one of my favourite colours. it's not that i don't like it, but i didn't grow up with it in my house and i'm often drawn to more citrusy colours like orange & yellow or every shade of green. i even love indigo, but this past week, bright azure goodness has been all over my pinterest page.  i can't tell whether it's me noticing it more or whether it's a new trend in fashion and interiors...but i like it! do i want to paint my kitchen that same punchy hue? yes, i do!

rainy day outtakes.

Photos by: Fiona Galbraith

it's hard to imagine a rainy day like this one, when we shot the maple crown. it has been sunny in Sydney for weeks and weeks now! 

happy 4th of July!

found

wishing my American readers a happy long weekend, from one proud Canadian who knows all about sidewalk lemonade stands x

i heart Istanbul.

oh Istanbul, how do I love thee? let me count the ways! i love your colourful little shops, restaurants and hotels. your rooftop terraces delight, as did your sounds and smells. i love your call to prayer, evil eyes, yogurt tubs as flower pots, carpets and textiles galore. i love remembering your crooked little streets; the simple little cafes set up on skinny sidewalks and the scrappy stray kittens that tip-toed along them. i especially love that at the end of a long day exploring your neighbourhoods, my hair would smell like...roasted chestnuts. i will most definitely be back! *click through for more pretty pictures

speaking of Turkey...

check out 7 ways to add a bit of Turkish delight into your interiors over at JB Est 1979; don't be afraid of bold colours and a bit of creative quirky features like this boat and painted squiggly line on the wall (you can always paint over it later). with a Turkish interior, you also can't go wrong with tiles (on the walls and the floor), velvet and carpets for a start! see more HERE!