Monday 19 December 2011

Some more stylish staircases




The simplicity of monochromatic. Love the light!



I was trying to find the staircase from the US TV show Brothers and Sisters. I love that particular one with the curved wall and family photos on the wall. This is a smaller version of the one I was trying to find and the colours etc are not my own taste but I love the round table and the curved staircase.






This is more modern but has lovely soft furnishings to soften the room. I adore the rug on the stairs (again blue and white). A lovely touch is the sitting area on the landing of the staircases. 


My boy turns 9 today. We have a lot planned. Hope he loves his day and enjoys sharing it with friends and family. He was most excited to get the new Mario 7 3DS game and the new Mario London Olympics Wii game. He also got a beautiful guitar and shoes (if they arrive). He woke this morning with a big smile on his face. He still has chubby cheeks!






GJ

Sunday 18 December 2011

Wine Cellars - The bold and the beautiful

Beckwith Interiors



Wine Cellars are becoming more complex in their design as we all invest a lot more time and money into the passion of collecting wines.


As we sit to organise the champagnes, white wines and reds that will be consumed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day I thought I would show you some photos of wonderful cellars.



Norfolk Wine Cellar Designs

Norfolk Wine Cellar Designs










Thank goodness it is Sunday. We are going quietly today after a busy day yesterday. My middle child is turning 9 tomorrow so we have a bit of birthday planning to undertake.


Enjoy your Sunday.

GJ

Saturday 17 December 2011

My famous Orange, Almond and Rocket Turkey Stuffing



Courtesy of A Country Farmhouse Blog


Every year I am requested to do my turkey stuffing, brussel sprouts or peas with pancetta and carrots with Cointreau.


I will share with you this easy but really lovely stuffing. It is easy to do on the day and the orange is perfect with the turkey. I hope you like it.






Georgie's Orange, Almond and Rocket Stuffing


100g almond meal
1/3 cup of slivered almonds
5 cups of course breadcrumbs (please make your own and keep the crumbs chunky)
1/2 bunch of rocket
1 egg
2 oranges which you zest and juice
600g of butter
1 onion diced


Melt the butter and on a gentle heat add the onion. Cook until the onion is transparent (do not let them brown). Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Now it is time to stuff the turkey. Remember to put the stuffing into all the areas of the cavity. I place alfoil over the cavity hole to make sure that the stuffing doesn't dry out.


Enjoy.




It is the most beautiful morning in Brisbane. The sun is out in all her glory and there is a gentle cool breeze. A cup of tea on my front veranda energises me for the day ahead.


Happy Saturdays. Only 8 more sleeps until the big man in the red suit visits.




GJ

Thursday 15 December 2011

Seeking Inspiration for your Christmas Table?


Photo courtesy of raindropsnroses blog and modernkeepsake.blog


Looking for inspiration for your Christmas table? Here are some lovely settings that are stylish and elegant. The colours may not be traditional but you may be able to grab a little detail from the photo and turn it into your own. 




modernkeepsake.blog


A couple of years ago I used white paper lanterns in different sizes which I hung from the ceiling with little 3M holders/stickers. It looked lovely hanging low above the table. This year I am going to bring them out again and hang them at the beach. I was going to dangle them from the ceiling but if the weather is good we may sit outside and I could use the lanterns like in the photo above.


I also use enormous amounts of  holly (our local florist Stem can get me huge amounts) and red candles (from Ikea) of varying sizes to run down the centre of the table. 





This has a similar effect to the white Chinese lanterns that I use




How is the shopping going? I did a lot on the Internet yesterday but I have grave concerns that the website I ordered my sons shoes on may be dodgy. Does anyone know how you check that it is legitimate? I paid then got an email from a hotmail account asking me to pay again. Should I be worried?


We are going to look at the Christmas lights tonight so the little ones are very excited.


GJ






Friday 2 December 2011

Missing in Action - Collections


Photo courtesy from India Hicks Blog
I have been missing in action. Even with 4am starts I can't seem to find enough hours in the day. Hope you are not as busy!






I have found some lovely photos of people who collect and display their labour of loves. These photos might inspire you to pull out your collections and display them so you can appreciate them all the time.












We have sold our house and I am not sure how I feel about it. It is wonderful not to have any more open houses but I have an overwhelming sense of sadness. Anyway, onward and upwards as they say. 


Happy Tuesday.
GJ