Guest post 02: 'Autumn' by Kerry of The Tranquil Townhouse

Hiya. I'm Kerry and I live in a (sometimes, but not always) tranquil townhouse in Canberra...the place where, in a few days time...it will be autumn.

When Charlotta asked me if I'd do a guest post I was completely gobsmacked, and wondered what drugs she might be on! But I am ever so grateful...because apart from anything else she has made me think about the changing seasons. And to be honest, it hadn't been something I'd given a lot of thought to.

Do you have a favourite season? Despite not thinking much about them, I do have a preference. And I have to tell you, it's not autumn! I have mixed feelings about it to be honest. It makes me feel a bit sad...it's an ending, more so than any other season I think. Summer fading, the impending death (even if only temporarily) of lots of living things. The promise of spring (which I confess is my favourite) seems so very far away. 

So, I've found that the trick with seasons that aren't your favourites is to focus on their good bits. You know...like you do when you aren't all that enamoured of every single one of your body parts!

Although there might just be a tad too much width going on here!!

What then do I appreciate about autumn? Here in Canberra we are very lucky to get all four seasons...and autumn in Canberra is definitely an experience...there are lots of beautiful deciduous trees here and they put on a wonderful show.  The lake is especially beautiful then.

Many of the people who mean so much to me have their birthday in this autumn season. My man and my mum in March, my son and my dad in April and my daughter in May. 

A celebration for each month of autumn...perhaps that's a good reason to like it don't you think?

Then there's autumn food and cooking...pumpkin soup, roasted beetroot and figs....mmm, not so bad after all...

The colours of autumn are pretty fab too...and when I started to think about it, they're actually everywhere you look in my house!

There's a slower pace to autumn as well isn't there...apart from sweeping up all the falling leaves that is (ah, is that why some parts of the northern hemisphere call it fall??)...and as we spend more time inside, there's a greater opportunity to read and listen to music. 

...although I did read all of these in January!

This autumn is especially exciting for me because in a few short weeks I'll be traveling for many hours (no engine problems please Qantas!) and ending up in Washington and New York...where I won't care what season it is...I'll just be thrilled to be visiting these cities for the first time.

Thank you Charlotta...now, when are you visiting Canberra?!? We're good in any season! :)

 Click on the banner to hop across to the Tranquil Townhouse. x

Guest post 01: 'Spring' by Sue of The Zhush

Hello everyone, I'm Sue from The Zhush!  I am thrilled to be over here today, talking about one of my favorite things...warm weather! 

It's been a really brutal Winter here in New York, and while there doesn't seem to be an end to the amount of cold arctic air and freezing snow, my calendar tells me there is actually less than one month until Spring!  Which always makes me think of this famous quote:

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month."

Sad but true over here in the North-East of the United States...but until the real warmer climes are here to stay, I always try to speed the "feeling" of Spring along by filling the house with fresh flowers. 

At first they might be from the market...but eventually the store bought blooms turn into the daffodils and forsythia branches from the garden.  I love the look and feeling of fresh flowers in a home.  And once Spring is really here, I love to open up all the windows and let the clean fresh Spring air in!

 

Even just writing this, I can imagine that I am hearing all the gutters running with water from the ice melting every where, that the ground is soft and smells so great... but its just a daydream for now.  {sigh}  I am really ready for that first spring day...how about you?

Images via:  LA times, Elle Decor

Just click on the link to visit Sue. x

Taking a little break..

Darlings. Life is rocky at the moment and I need to step back from the blog for a little while. Fret not though for I am leaving you in the hands of the most lovely & talented bunch of bloggers ever!

via Solid Frog

These sweet and supportive super-women, who represent the Northern and Southern hemispheres,  have kindly agreed to infuse you all with inspiration around the impending 'change of season'. There will be tales of Spring as well as Autumn, and I am sure you won't have a second to miss me.

Thursday 24th February

Saturday 26th February

Tuesday 1st March

 Friday 4th March

Monday 7th March

 Thursday 10th March

  

Sunday 13th March

Of course I won't disappear all together. I will be around in the ether and via email, should you wish to have a chat or receive a warm virtual hug.  I'll be back again towards mid-March, and will miss you lots until then!

xx Charlotta

 *****

P.S. Please don't forget to check out Elephant Ceramics, who open their first online shop today. 

Their work is simply wonderful and I could shop till I drop with them! But hurry hurry, their shop is only opened for a limited amount of time and the pieces are sure to run out quickly.

Click HERE to be airlifted to their e-tail outlet right now.

Christchurch!

There is no end to the force and fury of Mother Nature here in the Southern hemisphere.

Yesterday our neighbours across the ditch (New Zealand) were hit by an earthquake that shattered the city of Christchurch and surrounding areas (HERE). 

Though it only reached 6.3 on the Richter Scale the quake was very shallow (only 5km deep), which lead to the devastating destruction. Watching the news we are hit by live footage of seriously injured and distressed locals, collapsed buildings, debris everywhere. It resembles a war zone and the grief & despair are immense!

At daybreak today the death toll reached 75, and some 300 people are still missing. Thousands stand without water (ca 80% of the city), homes, and food. The situation is dire as the rescue workers continue to search and find people & bodies across the city.

 

The Salvation Army and the Red Cross have set up an Earth Quake Appeal and if you are able & willing to donate, please do so as they are in dire need of help over there.  Please click HERE for the Salvation Army and HERE for the Red Cross. 

It is yet again heart breaking to watch people and animals suffer such pain, and my thoughts go out to all of those affected. May the suffering be minimal and your loved one safe..

xx Charlotta

The Shed..

Hello everyone! Just popping in to share this wonderful 'barn conversion' that was designed and built by Seattle based  'Shed'. The philosophy behind this multi-faceted company is truly holistic with a strong focus on balancing the pragmatic, sustainable, aesthetic, and emotional aspects of any given building or space. When they launched in 1988 their motto was 'We design things and we make them', and over the years they have worked across a wide range of disciplines and projects including industrial design, furniture, architecture, engineering and interior design. 

The brief for this particular project was to rework the barn into a unique living space, within the framework of the original building envelope. Having once worked on a 'church conversion' in my early days as a freelance interior designer in Sweden (80s) I know just how challenging (and exciting) this is. It requires an in-depth understanding of the structural building, it's soul, it's setting and of course the practical and emotional needs & wants of the Client.

In order to get a real and true feel for the place the 'Shed team 'often lived on-site for extended periods of time. This allowed them to get a good grasp of the flow of the landscape surrounding the building, the impact of the seasons and the natural light. These insights lead to a number of substantial refinements of the original plans which resulted in unexpected design opportunities that otherwise may have been missed.

A strong emphasis was also placed on re-using and salvaging materials from the original structure. Cedar siding was used for wall cladding, wooden beams re-worked to form flooring, benches & counter tops, and old piping fixtures recycled and refitted. In fact, the whole approach to the project aimed to ensure the original features of the barn were retained and that materials used allowed the true & real age to be visible.

Don't you just love that they have added the windows in context of where you will be sitting / soaking? I think the bathroom window is lovely and how it has been configured to allow you to look at the view without exposing yourself to public viewing.

 Source

xx Charlotta

A place to love..

Hello everyone! Hope you all had a fabulous Valentine's Day yesterday. Though many don't embrace the commercial aspects of the day itself, I think the symbolism and spirit are wonderful. And don't you just think people generally tend to be that little bit nicer and more loving on Valentine's?!

Our celebrations included handing out little 'love gifts' at school (Monika, I used your 'match box idea' and people LOVED them!! Thank you for the inspiration! xx), cooking a nice dinner, and baking my husband's favourite cake.. Which of course I couldn't eat since I am still on the detox.. though I have to admit that I licked the bowl after making a wonderful authentic chocolate sauce from scratch.. Doing that is of course also totally forbidden when detoxing, but in a moment of weakness I gave in to my chocolate drooling.. (Hey, I am only human!) 
The punishment came about half an hour later I felt sincerely sick.. I haven't had any sugar or dairy  (amongst lots of other yummy things..) for 4 weeks now and the 'sugar-hit' was immense!!  In the end I had to go to bed (un-romantically early) due to the headache and nausea.. Truly punished indeed!

But speaking of treats. Here's one that is totally allowed and sweet enough to thrill each and all of us without any side-effects what so ever..! It's a series of wonderful pictures of a former fisherman's cottage turned seaside escape..

The house-tour was originally posted by my dear friend Lene who runs the beautiful 'The Essence of the Good Life'. If you are not familiar with this blog you are in for hours of enjoyment and inspiration. Lene truly knows how to serve up a buffet of eye candy and you will currently find several amazing house tours there..! In fact I take my former comment about 'no side-effects' back, because you may in fact become addicted..! :)

I particularly loved this happy cottage with all it's good energy and natural light. An unpretentious, relaxing and harmonious seaside hide-away. A perfect place to spend time with family and friends!

You can just feel the good memories that these rooms hold. Laughter around this lovely reclaimed breakfast table.. Salty tanned people walking barefoot in and out of that blue door, onto the divine veranda. Easy breezy living and pure Summer bliss..!

Maps! Maps everywhere. And for someone like me, who can spend hours flicking through an Atlas in pure bliss, maps are the perfect wall adornment.

You don't need much when on holiday and I find it incredibly relaxing to stay in a scaled back and simple place like this. Simplicity means easier decisions, fewer things to keep track of, less mess, and more time for fun & laughter.
Just look at this kitchen and tell me what else you need when on vacation..!?! Though the stove is just  to the left in this picture, I imagine most meals being cooked on a BBQ out in the open. The smell of garlic marinated prawns on the grill mixes with the salt saturated air.. Close your eyes..can you smell it?! Aaaaahhh!

Smack me in the head and call me 'Gustavian'' (ha!) but I never tire of the blue/white combination when it comes to decor. There is something timeless and fresh about it and my mind instantly feels peaceful in rooms like these. In saying that I must admit that I am not a huge fan of 'Nautical themes' in big doses. This here is quite enough in my taste.

As many of you know, I find great relaxation in 'picking things''. Our home is full of little 'beach discoveries' just like these ones. A bowl of shells, an interesting piece of driftwood, a beautiful rock..  I even tried to bring home a fish skeleton once but was stopped right there.. (Hmm..)

The fish aside, all these things make a home more personal don't you think?! Happy little snippets of life and good times together..!

Am loving this bedroom with it's elevated ceiling, stunning wardrobe and simple four poster bed. What a wonderful place to sleep! Also those masks/sculptures next to the bed intrigue me..

Original source: Kilde: le journal de la Maison via The Essence of the Good Life

Warm Summery hugs to all!

xx Charlotta