Christmas at Our House

Last year we had been homeowners for only two months, and Henry was just a month old, so decorating for Christmas wasn't high on our list of priorities. This year however we've had a ton of fun decking the halls and making new traditions. Every year look forward to picking out new ornaments and collecting unique items to add to our Christmas collection. Nothing is better than the holidays with a little one, and I think I am most excited for all of the fun and memories Henry will make as the years go by!  I can still remember all of the holiday decorations my Mom would put up every year and it's so neat to think about what a special and magical time it was growing up.

Here's a peek around our home at some of our Christmas decor! Happy Christmas Eve, everyone!
















p.s.  Target coupon codes are always available for decorations.

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Happy Days

Throughout life there are many happy days which come and go.  Some we forget and some we treasure as a memory.  For me I think today was one of those days I will long remember as a very happy day with my family. 

I set up our dining table in our garden and we celebrated Fathers Day with lunch on the lawn with my parents, my brother and the boys.  I picked the flowers from our garden this morning and arranged them in a pretty crystal vase which was given to us as a Wedding gift.

Actually talking about Wedding gift, Brad & I celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary last week.  I can't believe we have been married for 10 years.  Where did all that time go?  Harry left us a little reminder on the table in our lounge room.  He actually went out into the garden and picked the flowers himself and put them in the vase.  I am sure that boy will make for a wonderful husband one day...might need to do some work on his spelling though!!

Mum did all the cooking today as usual except for the Strawberries.  Some were from our garden and some were from the fruit shop.  I just cut them up and dusted them with a very small amount of icing sugar and voila they were delish!

Harry & Max played on the swing, they kicked the football, they drove Max's car around and around the garden...

They even managed to get Grandad onto the swing...

Our day ended with a messy table which is always a good sign of a fun time had by all...

And a couple of take home alfoil wrapped bunches of flowers from our garden...

Other than having my other brother, who is away working in Western Australia, here with us today I don't think I could have had a nicer day.  It was perfect in every way...

xx
Anna

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Tablecloth or curtain?

Since we bought our home this past fall, I've been slowly decorating it, room by room. Our family room's extremely large windows have been tricky for me- they were so big that finding coverings I loved were really expensive, and I have a hard time justifying spending $300+ on curtains. Alas, I gave in and bought some from Anthropologie, but when they finally arrived and we hung them, they just didn't work. For one, each panel was only about 50 inches wide, which meant I'd need a total of four panels, bringing my grand total to about $500 even with my discount. NO THANK YOU! I looked and looked for reasonably priced curtains but nothing was popping out at me, and the cost to buy fabric I loved for that space was pricey as well. Then I remembered our fabulous DwellStudio tablecloth from Target. It's 60 inches wide, and 104 inches long, and cost only $20. I decided to order three more and just try them out as curtains. For a grand total of $80 you can't really go wrong, especially after sending back the much pricier Anthropologie ones. The tablecloths arrived, we hung them, and we ended up loving them! They add such a light feeling to the room, and really add to the space rather than take it over and close it off. The best part about using tablecloths is that they're already hemmed on each side, and it's so easy and cheap to change them out when the mood strikes.

We're so happy we our makeshift curtains, and I can't believe I hadn't thought of this sooner, especially with the huge windows in our master bedroom.

If you'd like your very own bird tablecloth curtains, you can click here to check them out at Target! They also have an 84 inch length for those with shorter windows (or tables! ha!).

Happy decorating!

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Second Choice

The floral patterned fabric above wasn't my first choice colourway for the curtains in our bedroom at home.  My first choice was the lavender colourway.  However, like so many fabrics we have ordered over the past 12-18 months it was out of stock and not available.  Has this been a problem for other decorators out there too?  With only a few weeks to go before Christmas last year I made a very rushed decision and went for the green colourway instead.  I must admit when they first went in I had regrets because I am not usually a huge green lover.  However, they have grown on me and now I absolutely love them.  Has anything like this ever happened to you?  I'd love to hear your stories!!!

xx

Anna

image 1 - anna spiro bedroom photographed by elouise van riet-gray

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No!

Our first born child knew the definition of No well before he ever got himself into too much trouble.  A simple No would always result in him moving away from something I didn't want him to touch. 

Over the years I've had many clients ask me how I am able to keep all my books and bits and pieces in place on our coffee table with a little one in the house.  I have always been a firm believer in leaving all my precious objects around the house and teaching  my children to respect my things which will eventually become theirs {whether they like it or not}.  

HOWEVER, I have to say that I have entered into a completely new way of life with our Max.  Ever since Christmas I have had one very tall pile of books perched right in the middle of our coffee table.  Not because this is a new way I am experimenting with arranging my things.  It is the result of a child who seems to have determination which rivals my own.

Late this afternoon I had an appointment at Betty's lovely home and as I was leaving I spotted her big old amazing tree bearing lots of fruit.  She very generously offered me a few which I brought home and placed into one of my vintage blue and white plates.  I bravely placed it on our coffee table amongst my other things.  It took Max about 5 seconds to arrive at the coffee table.  He snatched his very own lemon out of my lemon bowl and then proceeded to put it into his mouth.  I said no and then I said no again and then again...I think I am starting to sound like a broken record!

I caught the moment with my camera and then I moved the lemons to higher ground.  It seems I need to work out a plan of attack as I can't keep this Leaning Tower of Pisa book arrangement thing happening... 

Any tips?xx

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Around our home

We've been in our new home for about six months now, and now that we're more settled into the world of being new parents, I've really been focusing on trying to get out house put together the way we want. It's so fun to have rooms to decorate, and I am taking my time picking out things we really love to fill each space.  We have a long, long way to go, and the "to do" list seems never ending, but I know we will get there one day, and it'll feel great!  I thought it would be fun to give you a little, tiny peek inside our home via instagram. Enjoy!

part of our mantel

a bit of Henry's nursery. 

dinnerware

shelf in our kitchen- family portrait by Jess, chalkboard thought bubble from Red Velvet/Rachel Denbow

half of our wall of bookshelves in the front library room

our (amazingly comfy) bed- best new thing we bought last year!

dresser (that's our wedding invitation framed)

Have a great day! I'll be back in a bit with this week's "Mama Said" and Henry's belated 4-month post tomorrow. xoxo

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Garden Ramblings

This is our garden yesterday with the round garden table Harry and I filled

with pots and also our vegetable garden to the left.

If my ramblings about my garden are becoming annoying just take me off your google reader or stop reading because I am thoroughly enjoying the excitement my garden is bringing me and I hope that these posts might inspire you to get your gloves on too.  I am actually quite a highly-strung, stressed-out maniac most of time however, I am finding that my garden is a place where I can relax.  I tend to drift off into another world when I am out there.  So, this is what I got up to on the weekend.

Harry and I planted up 10 little pots with succulents, herbs, pansies and another little plant which I can't remember the name of.  We arranged them on a round wire garden table which I placed near our vegetable garden.  I think this idea is such a great idea for interest in a large garden like ours but also would be wonderful on a verandah in an apartment or in a courtyard in a small garden.  I originally got the idea from a story on Deborah Needleman in Lonny magazine.  I think it was in one of their first issues...

We also started planting up some terracotta pots with Hyacinth bulbs which won't flower now until Spring but we are prepared and I think I might plant a few more this weekend as they will make nice gifts when Spring comes around. We also planted 30 Daffodil bulbs into the garden.  This weekend we will plant the Ranunculus, Freesias and tulips {which are currently in the fridge}.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will like it here in our red soil and will flower in Spring.

On Saturday we spotted 2 capsicum growing in our vegetable garden along with some corn.  We collected a small basket full of beans and cherry tomatoes which I cooked up on Saturday night.  This week we are planting some pretty sweet peas...this is the perfect time here for planting them.

And just to prove that I am making some headway in the garden compare the top photo in this post to this photo above as this is what one area of our garden looked like just before Christmas last year.  What a difference some effort can make and some help from my Uncle Robbie and Merv our lovely 84 year old gardener.  I can't claim all the accolades although if I didn't work I think I might be out there 24-7!

PS...One day she will be painted white but for the meantime we endure the red, green and yellow...xx

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My Wonderful Weekend

My plans for a weekend in the garden had to be slightly altered due to the weather.  However, despite the rain I did achieve some gardening goals.  I went to my favourite nursery at Wellington Point yesterday.  If I could put their garden surrounding their nursery onto a truck and deliver it to our house I'd be one happy girl.  I just love wandering around the little pathways through their beautiful established garden. 

My aunty and my grandma {the one I photographed here on the blog last week} dropped in for morning tea this morning.  Aunty Jane brought me these pretty roses from her garden.  I love garden roses.  They are my favourite.

As you can see I did go a little crazy at the nursery.  I love the mix of plants I chose.  I really want to add lots of different colours into our garden.

I can't believe our little Max turned 10 months old yesterday.  He is almost walking.  Time really flies...



This morning my brother Sam and my mum, Harry, Max and I went to the Chandler Markets.  I hadn't been before and was so excited by what they had.  I found some beautiful orchids and fresh flowers and a few little vintage surprises too.



Yesterday I collected this bundle of fresh lettuce, beans and tomatoes from our kitchen garden.  I placed them into a basket and took them down to my mum's house.  Today she and Sam made an amazing salad which you will probably find the recipe for over at Sams' Table this week. 

Weekends at home are my favourite.  I always feel so inspired and rested and ready to go back to work on a Monday when I have been pottering around the house all weekend.

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