Lace and Bark

Platforms Glitter and Warriors...Part 1

2011-03-22T15:25:00.000+10:00

Hello.
As I mentioned a few a few short weeks ago my family and I headed down south to the place of my birth aka Sydney for a quick getaway.... We managed to pack a lot in in our short stay...

Phew, that was just the first day...

Peaceful Monday ...

2011-03-14T13:32:00.001+10:00

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Man is harder than iron, stronger than stone and more fragile than a rose

Turkish Proverb.

I thought this saying is so appopriate given the sad state our world is in at the moment.
Wishing you a peaceful, loving week ! xx

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Celebrate...

2011-03-08T09:18:00.000+10:00

Today Tuesday March 8 is International Womens's Day. What a wonderful excuse to celebrate all that is wonderful about being a woman...
And in the immortal words of the exquisite Audrey Hepburn...

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I wonder what the very young Audrey would have thought about being an icon to so many women.

Monday Giggle !!!

2011-03-07T12:32:00.000+10:00

Happy Monday
Happy Week

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A La Mardi Gras

2011-03-03T10:00:00.001+10:00

Our family is so excited to be spending a looong weekend in Sydney... We hope to gallery hop, visit markets, wine and dine and oh to see the gorgeous spectacular which is The Sydney 2011 Mardi Gras.

We were lucky enough to witness mardi gras a couple of years ago and the whole vibe and energy of Sydney City really comes alive with the razzle dazzle of the parade.

I hope to be organised this year and take some fantastic photos (other than the tops of peoples heads which i manged to do last time)

Have yourself a fabulous weekend !!

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Im a beginner...

2011-03-02T14:28:00.000+10:00

Hello Wednesday,
Ive been wanting to share these pics for a while now. In my quest for domestic goodness and my long term goal to become a super seamstress, I have bought myself a sewing machine and have begun undertaking simple sewing projects. And I mean simple. Basic stitching, hemming and the like are my exercises. Baby daughter requested a hem change for her school uniform, not a problem I said.. and three hours later, i had mastered albeit a wobbly hem, fit for high school duty
.
Anyway I digress, late last December I decided to make some runners for our Christmas Eve Dinner. This is our ritual; the 4 of us B's have a fancy shcmancy dinner cooked by moi on Christmas Eve night. It is one of our favourite times of the year - a quiet before the storm of Christmas Day. December 24 its really hot and humid, but Im prepared to literally slave over a hot stove for the love of my family (ha I do not suffer in silence).

To go with our black and hot pink Christmas tree, I decided to use the gorgeous Heather Bailey Fabric - Lindy Leaf. I love Heather's fabrics, they are always so fresh vibrant and the cotton is always cool and soft.
Below is a few snap shots of our table all dressed up. I got carried away with my prowess and decided to make us some serviettes as well. Please dont look too closely as you will see a few wonky hems and stray cotton, but on the whole I was quite pleased with the effect...

Happy days x

Monday Giggle

2011-02-28T09:21:00.000+10:00

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And here we are - another fresh week. New beginnings, new adventures.

Have a most superb day !

Instead of ...

2011-02-23T12:03:00.000+10:00

Instead of nagging my daughter to clean up her room,

I'll try a little more patience

Instead of being frustrated with peak hour traffic,

I'll be glad that I am able to drive without fear of danger

Instead of lamenting over the never ending household chores,

I'll be happy that my house is still standing

Instead of getting cranky with hubby for being late

I'll be just so glad that he will be coming home to his family

Instead of rushing through the day

I'll be stopping to smell the roses, counting my blessings for all I have

Sending thoughts prayers and strength to our Kiwi Neighbours x

Monday Giggle...

2011-02-21T08:51:00.000+10:00

Welcome to Monday. Wishing you a fabulous week !!

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Lovely Friday

2011-02-18T15:10:00.000+10:00

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Wow, were did the week go ? not complaining really, Friday is my favourite day of the week; time to tie up loose ends from the working week and time to get excited about the weekend ahead.
Hope yours is a lovely one...
Happy Days x

A Helping Hand...

2011-02-15T10:57:00.000+10:00

As a fellow Queenslander and Australian, I too along with thousands have watched the horror of the destructive forces of mother nature at her worst .
This time last year, I never thought in my wildest dreams I would be volunteering to shovel mud in Chelmer for complete strangers, take a bus load of people down to Goodna to clean up homes totally devastated or along with my daughters, bake dozens and dozens of baked good for volunteers... and I'm sure innocent victims never expected to have their world turned upside down either...
As time marches on, a fellow Queenslander ; the The gorgeous Jess from Epheriell Designs and I lamented over our frustration at wanting to do something that would help our fellow crafters/small business friends get back on their feet.

Recraft is our answer.
Recraft is offering $100 grants to those flood/cyclone affected individuals who lost tools, materials, fabrics etc for their crafting and small business endeavours…

Applications are open to those who lost everything, or a significant proportion, of their business supplies/materials during the floods. It's open to anyone who lives in QLD and was affected by the floods/cyclones, not just those in Brisbane. Grants supplied will go towards recipients rebuilding their lifestyle, their livelihood and hobbies. It is often in times of stress and need do we find comfort in the ordinary; stitching, crafting, sewing, writing, etc to help us get our lives back on track. This is our small way of helping applicants do just that.

To apply for one of these grants, simply email us at recraftqld@gmail.com with a brief description of your circumstances, we will then be in touch for further information.
Successful applicants will then receive $100 grants to purchase materials applicable to their situation.

Alternately, if you would like to donate to Recraft, please email us for more information. Please note that we are not a registered charity, just two gals, trying to help out our crafting community. 100 % of all monies raised will be distributed in a fair and orderly manner.

Recraft; Rebuilding our craft community one stitch at a time”

Jess and I look forward to hearing from you !
Happy days x

We're Back.....

2011-02-14T14:15:00.000+10:00

Hello Friends,
Wow it has been so so long since I last posted and for that I must apologise. So many things happening, and now we have hopefully hit smooth sailing once again...
Big changes have been afoot for Lace and Bark. Firstly our decision to close our retail shop in Nundah was a difficult one..
Ideally we are looking for a premises which will be just right in the fact that it can house, our store as well as our furniture manufacturing and restoration activities but like Goldilocks we will be perservering until we find something that is just right
. So in the meantime ...Lace and Bark will operating online, offering our gorgeous homewares, soft furnishings, furniture and more on our website.
Unfortunately there are only 24 hours in the day, so finaslising, perfecting and tweeking will take a bit of time - but I will be keeping you up to date.
Hope you all are well, happy and safe and I look forward to catching up on blog posts, reading very soon.
Happy days xx

Editors own picture.

No Fun...

2010-08-24T11:07:00.001+10:00

Sorry Im no fun at the moment !! Being sick in bed is no joy. I promise to be well and full of beans soon.
In the meantime, take care and be happy x

A Killer Fragrance...

2010-08-12T12:07:00.000+10:00

Some interesting facts about the gorgoeous Fragrant Jonquil flower I photographed above...
* The Jonquil is part of the Daffodil family - and originates back to ancient times when Roman Soldiers introduced the plant into England during the early years of the Christian era. They believed that the mucilaginous sap of the bulb had curative properties, which turns out not to be the case.
* The sap of the Jonquil is highly toxic to other flowers. When the stems are cut, their poison is released
and can kill other flowers that they come into contact with .
So I think its best to leave these sweet smelling flowers all by themselves...

The Old Man is snoring...

2010-08-10T11:06:00.000+10:00

Its raining. Its pouring. The old man is snoring. Well if he is lucky him, being able to sleep in whilst the rain pours down...
Is there nothing better than being snuggled up on the couch or better yet being in bed and keeping dry and cosy and comfortable.
But to make a dreary day seem a little brighter - why not use a fabulous umbrella??

Something Old, Something New...

2010-08-09T19:35:00.000+10:00

Well not surprisingly the something new is my new blog design... I wanted a fresh new feel
and lovely Lara was able to put my ideas into fruition.. So I am feeling , fresh and inspired - which is always handy for a Monday.
The something Old is these gorgeous photos below. The last couple of days I have been restoring them
for my mums birthday, and Im pretty pleased with the results.

The first one is my grandparents on their wedding day; October 6 1934. My nan was a very young 20 years
of age and made her own dress and I always love looking at this picture, the simple style that speaks volumes.
The funny thing is I dont think they realised just how glamorous they were...

The second lovely photo is my mum ( the blonde curly top in the blue velvet) with my nan and my uncle. I think this photo was taken around 1939-40 ? Im not sure of the exact date. Its funny to see the formality of the photo, the touching up, for example the not so subtle addition of rouge on the cheeks was done by the photographer/developer. Even way back then (sorry mum) editing photos was a regular occurrence .
Fast forward to 2010 and photos have taken on a much more casual feel (thank goodness ) with the formal pose really a thing of the past.

Thank you whilst I took an indulgent trip through a very old family album.

Romancing the fair...

2010-08-06T07:18:00.000+10:00

Is it the fairy floss (aka cotton candy ?)- yes I can feel a tooth ache coming on just thinking about the sugary goodness

Is it the rides ? - the thrill of standing in line for the best part of an hour for 3 minutes of pure fun.

Is it sideshow alley? - a sure fire way to lose all your loose change in a matter of minutes.

Or could it just be the whole package; the waiting the crowds, the bad food that somehow we overlook
in the knowledge that for a little while at least we can have crazy, simple fun, laughing til our sides split,
and enjoy just being in the moment ???

picture 1
pictures 2 and 3
picture 4
picture 5

Cushion Love

2010-08-05T11:03:00.000+10:00

Cushions are a marvelous, inexpensive way of brightening up the decor in just about any room of the house.
(Apart from the bathroom perhaps?)
I love the bright funky cushions we currently have in stock at Lace and Bark.

The Language of Cushions; A little bit of translation discovered the word cushion in....
French     = Coussin
Spanish    = Cojin
Afrikaans =Soen
Icelandic   =Draga
Welsh       =Clustog

A Rose by any other name...

2010-08-03T09:21:00.000+10:00

I bought these beautiful flowers a week ago, and they have been gracing the front window
display this week at Lace and Bark.
They go by a few different names; cabbage rose, cabbage flower, ornamental kale and flowering kale.
These striking flowers come from the cabbage family.
The Ornamental Kale originated in 16th Century Japan, where they were cultivated with longer stems
to make a stronger visual impace in formal gardens.
I chose the white variety, but they come in soft pinks and purples as well.
I think they make a nice alternative to a traditional bunch of flowers, and if treated nicely they last for
a considerable period of time...

Evening Outdoor Ambience...

2010-07-29T12:24:00.000+10:00

There is something magical about outdoor lighting, the mood it creates, the shadows it casts, the warm glow of the lights and or candles.

Being kept indoors most evenings during winter,

Im looking at some outdoor

inspiration for when lovely spring comes...

It doesnt have to be elaborate, complicated or expensive.

The simple things often make the best statement.

picture 1

visualizeus.com

And so to bed...

2010-07-27T11:56:00.000+10:00

Why oh why when we are a little ~~cranky~~ I mean sleep deprived, do our thoughts to slumber, gorgeous beds and everything associated with sleep ??

For the ultimate experience in beds, these ensembles really step outside the realms of normality

And I think this would probably have to be my favourite...

These glorious beds sourced from here

Friday Family Fun

2010-07-23T14:17:00.000+10:00

I love Fridays. The expectation of the weekend. For us, it means a night for our family to spend some quality time together.
In the winter that means a having relaxed meal watching a movie and
taking the time catch up on the little things that have happened during the week that we dont often get a chance to talk about....

Stangely enough our family doesnt look like that, but I am hoping someone can bake
me one of those great looking pies .
Have yourself a most lovely weekend. x

Snapdragons

2010-07-22T13:23:00.000+10:00

Snapdragons - one of my favourite winter flowers. The snapdragon dates back to 1573, and is so named for its apparent similiarity to the mouth of a dragon...
The snapdragon has long been associated with magical thinking. If a snapdragon was hung over a babys head it was meant to keep it safe from evil spirits. They are also meant to drive away witches and restore youth and beauty to women.
Hmmm, think I may hang some over my bed....

All pics taken by me.

Little Miss Masterchef...

2010-07-21T16:32:00.000+10:00

Australia is abuzz with Masterchef fever and I have heard that there is going to be a Junior Masterchef.
The mind boggles with what that will entail - two year olds and souffles? -
This will certainly make for
spectacular and I'm sure rather messy viewing...
I wonder if the kitchen will look anything like this ??

Isnt this the most adorable kitchen. ? The attention to every little detail is amazing.
What a lucky little girl/s to have such a play area...(I am so jealous!)

I did happen to find in our Lace and Bark shop a gorgeous accompanient to this kitchen area.

Our Dumpling Dynasty Baking Kits would certainly make a wonderful gift for big and little girls.
It includes such goodies as; miniature rolling pin, wooden spoon, cookie cutter, special cupcake pattys
candles and the all important recipe booklet.

For a pretty pink price of $29.95 these little kits are perfect for the little Miss MasterChef !

Those divine kitchen pictures are from here.

Alarming

2010-07-20T14:39:00.000+10:00

As I set my IPhone's Alarm clock to wake me at an ungodly hour, I thought about the good ol days.
The days of having an old fashioned bell blaring, clanging Alarm Clock
that almost gave you a heart attack when it starts ringing.
The trouble with my alarm now is that is sounds too sweet, too soft and well too relaxing. Encouraging me to go back to dreamland...
Im debating if its worth investing in an old school alarm clock to get me well and truly out of bed.

Cute images sourced from here.

Just a thought...

2010-07-19T15:33:00.000+10:00

"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of. "
Ogden Nash .

A little chuckle for your Monday.

May the week hold many open door possiblities for you x

My Little French Treasure

2010-07-14T16:14:00.000+10:00

Viva La France !!
Happy Bastille Day.
What a wonderful excuse to celebrate all the beautiful things France has to offer...
Chocolate, fashion, food, champagne to name but a few of my favourite things.
I have a little bit of France that I have carried around with me for many many years.
The little bowl as shown below, was a gift my parents bought back from France - a long time ago.
Actually , when I was in primary school (yes it is an Antique now I think).
Anyway, the bowl has my name written on it and more to the point it is spelt exactly how my name
is written.. -(Daniele- with one L).
So, this little bowl is very special to me and has been carted around from house to house,
state to state and now it sits happily on my dressing table.
A little bit cracked and worse for wear, but still great all the same...

Divine New Aprons in Stock...

2010-07-13T21:24:00.000+10:00

For regular visitors to our shop, you will know that we stock,
simply divine scrumptious aprons .
Bright and colourful, practical yet oh so fancy.
Actually, I have heard a few stories about my aprons,
used for shall we say other things apart from cooking....
But, I will leave that up to your imagination dear
reader.

These beautiful apons are in stock now at The Lace and Bark Shop. But, please be quick, as these aprons

always, always sell out very quickly !!

Ps/ These aprons are still a very reasonable $29.95 .

Everyday Balloons...

2010-07-10T12:00:00.000+10:00

Whilst watching an episode of one of my most favourite shows; -Seinfeld.
I heard a line from Kramer and Jerry t hat I keep thinking about ..

"Kramer, these balloons aren't going to stay filled 'til New Year's"

"Those aren't for New Year's. Those are my everyday balloons"

Everyday Balloons - what a glorious idea. To enjoy something so frivolous, everyday!

It makes me stop and realise that I should really have a dose of the sillies everyday .

Whether its a silly joke, watching a bad comedy or observing our two playful dogs
(Elvis and Missy) get up to their usual escapades as you can see below...

Hope you enjoy your Everyday Balloons this weekend ! x

Dressing Up.

2010-07-07T14:13:00.000+10:00

Maybe its just the little girl in me. But I just love changing the window displays in the Lace and Bark shop.
Playing Dress up - and when I get to use my favourite colour (pink pink and more pink) well that makes
me very happy.
Here are a few snapshots of our work in progress...

Ladders, but no snakes

2010-07-01T12:48:00.000+10:00

Who would have thought the humble ladder could be such a versatile display tool.

At Lace and Bark we have new in store these delightful ladders that make for clever storage and are a pretty neat way of displaying treasures.

From storing magazines (I know how these accumulate, as I am a bit of a magazine junkie ) to gorgeous

table runners , tea towels , books, the list is endless of how you can use our decorative ladders.

Prices start from a very low $90 and come in a range of timbers , including limewashed .

To see the entire range come to the Lace and Bark Shop - 18 Station st Nundah or
drop an us an email here for more pictures and colour options.

Queensland Homes - Winter Edition...

2010-06-30T09:26:00.000+10:00

We were thrilled (to say the least) when one of our favourite Style Magazines
Queensland Homes featured our gorgeous Lace and Bark Shop
in their Winter 2010 Edition...

Lovely magazine, lovely article.

Oh happy days :)

Excuse me while I have a makeover

2010-06-26T13:00:00.000+10:00

You might have noticed a few changes around here...We're almost done with our makeover. Stay tuned for a new look, lots of informative and stylish info to share.

Cant Wait :)

Have yourself a fabulous weekend !!

Winter Beach Party.

2010-06-23T14:25:00.001+10:00

Although Winter in our fair city is hardly of epic proportions, I find I am already looking forward to spring, with the promise of beach days, seafood and fun. But the beach really shouldnt just be restricted to summer. Winter is a perfect time for walks, and fine dining ?!?!- Here is the best of both worlds...

THE WINTER BEACH PARTY..

These utterly gorgeous , supremely divine pictures are from the awe inspiring blog; DesignsbyGollum . The very clever Michael Lee from Tennesse creates a virtual feast with her clever use of food photography. Once again it never fails to amaze me the way food bloggists manage to make practically any item of food look so good !

Pictures courtesy of Designsbygollum.

NB WE HAVE A WINNER; This months winner of the Aloha Giveaway as chosen by RandomOrg
is Comment no......1 - "Kate" So Kate please email me asap so that I can send your lovely Michael Miller pillow out to you asap _ Congrats !!

A Way with words..

2010-06-19T15:02:00.001+10:00

How appropriate to enjoy a lazy Saturday afternoon with some words of wisdom from the always
beautiful, forever iconic Audrey Hepburn...
Enjoy your weekend
Picture sourced from here

Lights of Fancy

2010-06-17T18:31:00.000+10:00

Whilst endeavouring to do something important , I ~~almost always~~ sometimes get sidetracked on to other

less important things...Todays objects of interest were chandeliers...they are so gorgeous. The styles, colours and formations are endless, the settings impeccable. Makes me wish upon a star for one

Enjoy my findings...

Gorgeous chandaliers were discovered here.

The Living Window...

2010-06-16T13:30:00.001+10:00

I thought these photos were too good not to share. The theme is Living Window and the idea being anyone can read, eat and relax in the front window - to the amusement of passers by. NB/ The well behaved children - wonder how long that lasted for ...

Photo courtesy of here

Colour Palette Story no 2

2010-06-15T12:16:00.001+10:00

Hello Tuesday...
Firstly, thankyou for the lovely emails I received after the first colour palette. So nice to receive your kind words and your thoughts on colours - very interesting and informative.
Now for todays colour story.
Rasberries and cream.

Rasberries and cream could be described as a softer more modern version of the Red and White Combination, giving style and sophistication to your living, dining bedroom areas....

The warmth and richness these 2 colours bring will dramatically showcase and highlight your furniture.

*These fantastic scenes courtesy o fthis fantastic website

I really love the effect these 2 colours impart on the living spaces above, especially the cream splash - how dramatic.
We can however, achieve great results from a few key additions to a room . Furnishings that pack a punch that add that extra something...
The exquisite furnishings below, will bring a dash of rasperry and cream into your home. They are available
at our Lace and Bark shop - 18 Station St Nundah.

Winter Colour Palette - no 1

2010-06-10T12:25:00.001+10:00

What are gorgeous colours for winter ? Well there are lots of options.

In the next couple of days, we will explore a few of these.

With a few tweeks, (that dont cost ~~the earth~~ a lot of money) you can

create a whole new look...

Today's colours are;....

These 2 colours warm up the home and add depth and style.

The beauty of these colours, is that they can be used again

with other colours or by themselves to create yet another

new look

NB/ These fabulous cushions and timber tealight holder are

available at

Our Lace and Bark Shop.

Is that an aubergine I see ?

2010-06-09T12:40:00.001+10:00

Loving the abundance of gorgeous winter vegetables. Their colour inspires me.

There is furniture everywhere...

Monday with Attitude.

2010-06-07T13:15:00.000+10:00

The perfect cure to Mondaytitis...

Home baked banana and rasperry muffins - served with a sassy little serviette

Its all in the attitude.

Full of possibilities...

2010-06-04T12:43:00.001+10:00

Dont you just love that Friday feeling ... The next two days hold so much possibility. What to do. What to eat (very important) What to read, what to watch.
I hope you enjoy deciding all these important decisions. xx

Heading Out...

2010-06-02T13:48:00.001+10:00

Its been a long time coming...
Yes I'm off to the Sex and The City 2 Movie Premiere... Going with a pal, who shares my love of all things frivolous. Sometimes you just gotta do these things...

**Picture One Courtesy of here and Picture 2 from here .

Its Still a cupcake thing...

2010-06-01T10:42:00.000+10:00

Trends come and go, styles and fashion always change, but for me the cupcake will always be ~~yummy~~ ~~scrumptious~~ king.

The delicious pictures are courtesy of The Cupcake Wrapper Company. Lace and Bark

are very very happy to be a retail stockist of these delightful, innovative colourful wrappers.

At Lace and Bark, we have an extensive collection of these in, pink, blue, red and green. For more information, please contact us and we will supply you with all the info you need to have your own splendid cupcake party ...

This is the lace and bark sample - yum it was good !!

A Winter Giveaway...

2010-05-28T14:34:00.001+10:00

I so enjoyed my little giveaway last month , I couldn't wait to do another... Well the time has come .

Introducing our Aloha Winter Giveway...

It may be cold, raining and miserable outside...

But we will brighten your day.

Our lucky winner will be the recipeint of one of these gorgeousISLAND GIRL CUSHIONS !

These beautiful cushions made with the classic Michae Miller Island Girls Fabric are just the cure for a rainy cold day.

The very lucky winner will win the 40cm square filled cushion. The winner will be decided by RANDOM ORG ON JUNE 21 !! Once notified, we will post out to the lucky recepient.

To Enter is really easy; Simply subsribe to the Lace and Bark Blog (if you arent already) and leave a comment on this post.

Its that simple.

In the meantime, have a fabulous weekend, stay happy and dont forget to smile :)

Its all White.

2010-05-25T13:30:00.001+10:00

Apologies for the cheesy title. I love white. Is it a colour? or an absence of colour? Hmm I'm not sure.

But white has so many various possibilities and textures many moods and tones. Even on a gloomy day such as here today, white never fails to lift the spirits (especially if they come in the form of white roses my absolute favourite flower - hint hint lovely hubbie )

Anyway, please enjoy my shades of white

Its Saturday Morning.

2010-05-22T11:04:00.000+10:00

Hello. Its a crisp sunny morning, perfect Autumn weather in our fair country. I'm slow to post this week. Sorry. Ive been slaving away at the computer preparing the LACE AND BARK website for a makeover.

There is lots to do, photos to organise, all of it good stuff, but very time consuming. Will keep you posted and will be keeping you up to date with all the progress.
But for now, have a lovely weekend - wherever you are...x

My cup of tea.

For the love of ...Pink

2010-05-19T14:18:00.000+10:00

I just love pink - I can never get enough of it. So as you can imagine I love when new things come in to Lace and Bark that are pink...

F R A M E D . . .

2010-05-18T12:44:00.000+10:00

Hi There,
There is something about frames. The way they well obviously frame ...and highlight their subject. Endless possiblities with frames.

Pretty as a Picture !

Some things she might have missed...

2010-05-14T15:29:00.001+10:00

It seems like such a long time ago that I posted about the wonderful Jessica Watson. Way back in October this brave girl emabarked on the journey of a lifetime. Flash forward to today and Jessica is about to make
it home. Wow what a super fantastic human effort (feel free to insert lots of other adjectives such as braveryand determination in here ).
Anyway, I have been thinking about what she might have missed the most, apart from her supportive family
and the things she is looking forward to doing again
Just a few suggestions...

Clean dry towels.

A hot steamy Bath -aaah

Wonderful Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

And of course a freshly baked cupcake.

And there will be many more things Im sure Jess will be looking forward to.

Here is the link to the official jessica Watson Blog so that you can really get up to the minute

info on Jessica's safe return home.

For us mere mortals winding down for the weekend. Have a fabulous one. xx

Write Something...

2010-05-13T12:37:00.001+10:00

Its the little things that often make someones day...A handwritten note or card, expressing good wishes can bring a smile or two.
There is just something so personal and unique about putting pen to paper, so that is why Lace and Bark always have a unique and wide ranging collection of cards for you to express yourself with..

Off the Beaten Track

2010-05-12T11:53:00.000+10:00

Hello . We are back from our wonderful little mini break ( I think I first heard that term from Bridget Jones' Diary) well anyway, we had a wonderful time. Lots and lots of fresh country air Relaxing. Eating.
Reading.

Now we are refreshed and ready to tackly city life once again - ha ha
Hope your week is cruising along nicely ...

Getting away from it all...

2010-05-06T20:52:00.001+10:00

Im so excited we are going away for the weekend.
We are heading off to glorious Byron Bay - New South Wales to do some serious relaxing,
reading, eating aaah I can hardly wait !

Mothers Day Winner is...

2010-05-06T14:13:00.000+10:00

Hello, Im thrilled to announce that the winner of the Mothers Day Giveaway according to Random.org
is...
POLLY6034
I look forward to hearing from you soon Polly, and sending you out your beautiful
Lace and Bark parcel

I cant wait to give away something else now...Its a little bit addictive !

Will the Real Mojito Please stand up ???

2010-05-05T13:27:00.001+10:00

I have limes...
I have a muddler (one of our gorgeous products at Lace and Bark)

I have been on a quest to find The Perfect Mojito Recipe
I think I may have got close with this recipe that I found All Recipes.com
~~INGREDIENTS~~
10 or more fresh mint leaves
1-2 limes - cut in wedges
2 Tablespoons of castor sugar
1 cup of ice cubes
45ml of white rum
10 fresh mint leaves
125ml soda water

~~METHOD~~

1. Place mint leaves and 1 lime wedge into a glass. Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime to release the mint oils and lime juice. Add 2 more lime wedges and the sugar, and muddle again to release the lime juice. Do not strain the mixture.

2. Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Pour the rum over the ice and fill the glass with soda water. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge.

This mouthwatering picture courtesy of here.
If you have a variation on this recipe, please do not hesitate to share it with me
Many thanks and cheers !

A Sweet Little Giveaway...

2010-05-04T15:51:00.002+10:00

This week, I thought it was high time that Lace and Bark offered a gorgeous assortment of goodies to one of our lovely readers...

The gorgeous assorment of goodies include;

Pomegrante soap from the divine Inner Earth Soap

Original Lino Cut Cupcake greeting card from Ruby Victoria Lettermaking

Funky ladybird magnetic pegs and rustic Cookie Cutter from Heart Supplies

plus a little surprise treat that I know you will really love :)

To enter is easy; Simply post a comment on this post .

On Thursday May 6 I will pick a comment with the help of Random Org.

The winner will be notified by email; your gorgeous parcel will then be express posted out to you

that day.

Its as easy as that !

Good Luck x

Paying it Forward...

2010-05-04T13:07:00.002+10:00

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my work is discovering new blogs. There is literally a whole world out there full of clever creative people sharing, educating and informing their mostly often anonymous readers.
Today I would like to highlight a blog that has recently caught my eye...
Kind Over Matter is an original feel good blog written by two creative gals; Jenne Gibson and Amanda Oaks. These girls share the love in an unassuming yet creative way, encouraging everyone to discover their inner goodness and perform random acts of kind and caring.
With post subjects such as;
Feel Good Nouns and
Kind Kindred its not hard to be drawn in to this world of positivity and leave feeling that the world is a really good place. It just needs a helping hand from time to time.

For a wonderful dose of optimism and creativity head over to
Kind Over Matter you will be glad you did.
nb. All photos on this post from the lovely Kind Over Matter Blog

~Weekend Thrills and Chills ~

2010-05-01T11:50:00.003+10:00

Happy 1st of May. Wishing you a weekend of excitement thills and good things !!

Gorgeous photo courtesy of
Babycakes_8

Honey...Im Home !

2010-04-30T14:51:00.001+10:00

The array of catalogues displaying toasters, frypans, vacumn cleaners, mix masters etc in the lead up to Mothers Day has got me thinking about kitchens...I'm often in my own kitchen - cooking (suprisingly) reading and just generally doing stuff. I often think back to yesteryear, say the 1950's and admire the style colour and general feel of the central room of the house and how it has changed a lot since then. I love all my mod cons but I love love love the feel of the kitchens in the 50's .

These photos are from here

Although these photos are a little idealistic they do capture the essence and simplicity that I love.
To bring a little bit of these feeling into my own kitchen I recently made some prints/canvas
out of this gorgeous Michael Miller Fabric that I bought from here.

I was very happy with the finished product and brings a little bit of the 1950's into my home.

Sweetness and Light

2010-04-29T11:54:00.003+10:00

At Lace and Bark, we love showing off ! So to inspire you in the lead up to Mothers Day we are highlighting some really yummy goodness...

Our divine aprons are always popular as they make such a fabulous gift

for young and old and come in bright, funky happy colours. The gorgoeus

polka dot here would make an ideal accompanient to the

Time for Tea tea towel . These sweet little tea towels are a new addition to

Lace and Bark and are made by Solitaire.

All these pictures of chocolate and pink remind me of..

Is it nearly lunch time ???

*Picture couresty of just here

Heaps of catalogues hhmmmm it must be Mothers Day.

2010-04-28T13:43:00.001+10:00

There's a pile up in the letterbox. The daily papers are filled with them...
The TV is bombarding us, yes its almost MOTHERS DAY - in case you havent
noticed. At Lace and Bark we always have superb goodies for the mamma in your life.
Whether its May (may 9th this year to be precise) or Febuary, or September there is
~~never enough~~ always great opportunities to shower your mum, girlfriend, gran, nan with
with love, affection and an occasional treat.
The next couple of days we will be showcasing some goodies not merely just for Mothers Day
but for anyother day of the year...
Have a superb Wednesday xx

The Brave and the young.

2010-04-24T17:40:00.000+10:00

Tomorrow April 25 we honour Anzac Day.

Tomorrow, we will going to the dawn service and paying tribute
to all those brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
To all those we say Thank You.

Riding the wave

2010-04-24T16:01:00.000+10:00

This awesome poster I found here. Its inspiring me to keep going when things get a little rough...

and here is another little gem from the same talented people

Have a fabulous weekend !! x

Baby its raining outside

2010-04-21T14:40:00.002+10:00

Hello Wednesday.
Today is Wet Wet Wet

Wishing I could do something like this...

All you need is love ...

2010-04-19T14:42:00.000+10:00

Im getting all mushy and sending out blog love to the wonderful person in my life. Happy Anniversary Stu.
Thanks for being my everything...

I promise to resume normal blog posting tomorrow without the romance :)

Oh Look it's Friday.

2010-04-16T10:56:00.000+10:00

There now that I've put you in a good mood - go and have a fabulous weekend. Make sure you do something just for yourself...

Table Love

2010-04-15T16:46:00.001+10:00

The clever people behind the scenes at Lace and Bark have been busy transforming this ...

To this stunning Red Gum Hall Table

Clever huh ????. To find out how this gorgeous table can be yours Simply contact us here at Lace and Bark

Shades of Autumn.

2010-04-13T11:25:00.002+10:00

Here in Australia, we could almost be forgiven for thinking its spring...with so much influence coming from overseas where they are enjoying the delights of the first blushes of new colours and warmer weather... I almost forget that at home we are enjoying the beauty of Autumn.

At Lace and Bark , I am endeavouring to change to an autumnal mood...

Marvellous Monday.

2010-04-12T16:15:00.001+10:00

Hello, where did the weekend go ? Hope you are ready and rested for another wonderful week, filled with challenges, new opportunities, adventures, laughs and loves...
The beautiful picture below is a postcard that my lovely eldest daughter gave to me today

This beautiful postcard is from Natalie Perkins a clever Brisbane artist. Dont you just love discovering new talent ??

Happy Weeks End

2010-04-09T13:36:00.002+10:00

Its Friday already (the weeks literally flying by) Enjoy your weekend; RELAX ENJOY SMILE !!

Style Magazine

2010-04-08T10:42:00.002+10:00

A great opportunity for Lace and Bark to participate in a promotional feature that Style Magazine was doing for our lovely suburb of Nundah in Brisbane...

It was wonderful to showcase our beautiful furniture with stunning furnishings from; Flowerpress and

Ish and Chi and Wonderland Avenue . I love the vibrant rich reds that we have used, it really makes a stylish statement. The response already from the Magazine has been just lovely and was wonderful to promote such wonderful talent in our fair land !

Introducing The Thea and Sami collection !!

2010-04-07T11:29:00.002+10:00

Hello Wednesday,
As mentioned in a previous post, I was thrilled for Lace and Bark to become a stockist for the wonderful Thea and Sami. Their impressive collection of soft furnishings are now available at Lace and Bark.

The stunning collection includes, table runners, tea towels , tea pot cosys of varying colour and clever designs. These fab prodcuts just look beautiful on Lace and Bark's furniture and would make a wonderful addition to your home, offering practicality and style :)
All these glorious products are made from Thea and Sami's original designs and silk screened onto their own fabric - ensuring you are buying a unique quality made Australian product . and dont we love that !!

A cultural outing

2010-04-06T11:24:00.000+10:00

Hello Tuesday, I hope today finds you well and rested after a lovely Easter Break ! We certainly enjoyed our time with family and relaxing indulging and getting through the impressive assortment of Chocolate the Easter Bunny so kindly left for us. Im really impressed that the EB knows just how much our family ~~likes~~ loves Lindt Chocolate....
Anyway, to do some form of exercise and to inject a little bit of culture into our lives, we decided to visit
the wonderful GALLERY OF MODERN ART or Goma as its commonly known...
We were lucky to catch the last day of the Exhibition; Contemporary Pacific Art. This was a fascinating and varied display as you can see..

The artists shown above included; Bui Cong kanh, Svay Ken and Subodh Gupita. To read more about this great exhibition just jump on over here. There are some other great exhibits coming to Brisbane

so have a little look here to see what takes interests you.

But for now its back to the real world - have a lovely Tuesday wherever you are xx

Hoppity Hop

2010-04-01T11:41:00.001+10:00

Here we are and its Easter Thursday already.

I hope this Easter you hop into;

*Relaxing , slowing down the pace a little

*Enjoy some fine food and wine

*Read that long overdue book or magazine

*Cherish your family and friends - really enjoy their company

*Switch off the TV and just talk

*Eat, ~~pig out~~ wonderful chocolate

Drive Safe - you are precious !

Hop into it...

2010-04-01T11:19:00.001+10:00

Theres only so many hours in the day...

2010-03-31T14:40:00.000+10:00

Its Wednesday already , trying to cram so much in during daylight hours. Getting ready for Easter - our lovely inlaws are coming up - so lots of lovely food to prepare , cleaning the shop; - making it sparkle (David Lee Roth on loud always helps with the elbow grease) dont know why I always get an influx of clients in when I pump the music up loud - releasing their inner teenager perhaps??
Hope the middle of the week finds you well
Keep singing xx

Jungle Fever in the city

2010-03-30T14:21:00.005+10:00

Arent these cushions just divine ??? They are the same cushion with a fun and bright Jungle scene on one side and flip it and funky stripes on the other.
Perfect for that little tiger or tigress ???
You can purchase them easily at Lace and Bark Just click to find out how

New Fancies...

2010-03-25T12:13:00.000+10:00

Hope this Thursday fines you well and being a happy vegemite. At Lace and Bark we are always, always on the prowl for wonderful goodies to share with you (one of the favourite parts of my work is discovering and meeting new talent)anyway Im happy to introduce a new line from the wonderful Narelle Badalassi alll the way from the gorgeous Tasmania.

Narelle is a very clever Printmaker who specialises in handcarved lino block printing and letterpress stationary. Narelle is super careful in only using recycled paper to use in her work (gold star Narelle !)

You can find more about Narelle and her wonderful work by clicking here

The designs we have at Lace and Bark include

Recipe Cards _what a wonderful yet practical present

Exquisite Lino Prints

Just Gorgeous Cupcake Cards

Fabulous Gift Tags

Just to name but a few...

Come see for yourself at Lace And Bark these wonderful Australian made products.

Until next time my friends xx

A Bunch of Roses...

2010-03-24T14:02:00.000+10:00

These beautiful flowers are being sent by cyberspace to my lovely friend Thea over at the bright and clever

Thea and Sami. Thea is a very clever fabric designer and makes the most exquisite soft furnishings, including table runners, tea cosys and chic pillows to name but a few...

Thea kindly dropped off some of her lovely wares for Lace And Bark to stock. We are very happy to be a retailer for this unique store. Pop on over to Theas very informative Blog and see for yourself what the lady is all about and for the lovely post she has written about on Lace and Bark !!

Stay tuned for gorgeous pictures of the beautiful products we have of Theas at Lace and Bark !

Lets get tropical

2010-03-22T17:07:00.001+10:00

At Lace and Bark we always pride ourselves on beautiful furnishings for the home, to add colour, mood and happiness to the home...
These cushions are a perfect example of that

Although summer is over in our fair city, these downright funky, fabulous cushions have certainly been a tremendous hit with our clientele...They just ooze summer and all things tropical and colourful. They come in various sizes from 40cm up to an impressive 60cm , so you get to choose what size works best for your particular area yah :) If you would like to order one or two of these fantastic cushions Please let me know and the jolly postman will have them to your before you can say ALOHA

If you could only eat books

2010-03-22T16:29:00.000+10:00

This is a lovely book I am reading at the moment its called;

THE COOKIE CLUB by Ann Pearlman. It is a delightful story centred on 12 women who all meet once a year to share cookies, wine and stories about their lives...Far from being a quick read chick lit story, this gorgeous novel is extremely well written and delves into deep themes that often affect our lives. With each chapter comes a delicious cookie recipe that skilfully relates to the character at that moment.

Pearlman writes with an ease and understanding of life and all its ups and downs without wasting words .

Like a fine box of chocolates or cookies I find myself ~~devouring,~~ saving the next chapter for a special treat . The Cookie Club is available at all good book stores and if you would like a little no caloric treat especially over Easter - I highly recommend this book - for your reading pleasure . xx

The not so Trashy - and of course lovely Treasures

2010-03-18T12:48:00.002+10:00

Hello my friends and welcome to Trash & Treasure
Today we are going to take a virtual trip around the world to explore some finds that relate our theme.
TRASH;
Well today, its not strictly trash in the smelly, icky stuff but something wonderful and divine
TRASH COUTURE

Despite its name, TRASH COUTURE is anything but;
These oh so gorgeous garments are made by the very clever Ann Weingburg. A very clever Scandanavian
Designer...

who calls this collection Future Vintage.

As you can see the photos are works of art in themselves

and miles away from Trash

.To view the whole gorgeous Trash Collection Click Here

The lovely photos that I have here are taken from the website.

AH NOW TO THE TREASURES...

Once again we scan the globe on the prowl for exquisite things and I think you will be astounded by these little beauties !

THE WORLDS MOST EXPENSIVE TV

This little beauty is a mere $130,000US DOLLARS!!

Yes , it is encrusted with 120 diamonds - equivalent to 20 carats - wow

Its plated in white gold and the picture is meant to be stunning - well its the least that it could do!

THE WORLDS MOST EXPENSIVE PERFUME

This amazing perfume is called Imperial Majesty and is the most expensive bottled perfume in the world. The perfume created by Clive Christian sells for around $2,150 an ounce , and when its poured into a bottle encrusted with diamonds and an 18 carat gold collar, well it just blows the budget.
For more information on these piece des resistance and to see some of the worlds most expensive treasures Click on this informative website; Trifter Com

Well hope you enjoyed this little visit into the some global trash and treasures.

Enjoy the rest of your TerrificThursday x

Ravish Red

2010-03-16T13:51:00.000+10:00

Is there any other colour that makes such a statement
From the glorious red of a rose, to the perfect red lipstick, this colour in all its hues packs a punch. Whilst photographing the wonderful things in our shop, I was happy to highlight just a few vibrant items in red...

The wonderful items on display are all for sale at our shop

Lace and Bark Shop

The gorgeous vintage chandelier, is from the lovely Vivian from Ish and Chi

and the pegs from the clever Designs of the Heart.

Have a wonderful Tuesday x

Today is brought to you by the colour Purple

2010-03-10T11:33:00.001+10:00

Purple in all its shades and hues is a gorgeous colour - it can be moody and plum or sweet lively and breezy like lilac. With so many gorgeous purple products in Lace and Bark , I thought it was time to capture its gorgeousness

Until next time

A little bit of change...

2010-03-09T13:56:00.000+10:00

As requested here are some pictures of shop window fronts before they had their makeover...

I always enjoy creating different moods, themes and colour combinations with our window displays.

We have almost finished decorating the new ones, will take some photos and post soon

Happy Tuesday x

Yep its Trash and Treasure time...

2010-03-04T13:14:00.002+10:00

Its Trash and Treasure time !

Hello :)

I thought I would start off todays t & t with the

TREASURES...

1. Getting pretty excited about my new window displays for the shop... I know I change them every 2 weeks but these ones are going to be pretty cool (if I do say so myself...) . The photos Ive taken here are a few subtle hints as to what is going to go on

2. Family night out on Friday - taking our girls for dinner then to see a comedienne who we love. The girls are excited to be seeing him live (and they dont know it yet but we are going to be seated w a y up the front)

3. Treasuring the endorphin high afer exercising - nothing like that feeling

4. Random songs on the radio that make you sing out loud. (ps sorry to the lovely customer in the shop this week that witnessed my great singing.)

5.More goodies coming into the shop - love love new stock ; especially when we make it has come from our workshop . More photos and details to come...yes I love keeping everyone in suspense!

1. Of course during the week there is something that is worthy of a trash mention and today it is a mobile phone technician. I dont enjoy being treated like a fool especially by someone who probably has only just learnt to shave lol... A little respect goes a long long way.... grrr

A FEW TRASHY FACTS FOR YOU;

1. The average (hmm dont know what that is anymore) makes up to 4.3 pounds of trash a day - eek

2. Cotton Wool takes up to 5 months to decompose

3. Cigarettes can take up to 12 years to decompose

4. Leather shoes can take up to 40 years to decompose- so makes sense to swap or give to charity and keep them going

I will leave it there for the stats especially if you are eating .

These and other interesting facts from the very informative The Socyberty Website. Here is the lovely Link.

~Hopefully Ive informed and entertained you . I will endeavour to include more photos of the shop and displays due to many requests...

Have a terrific Thursday.

Until next

In my own good time

2010-03-03T12:16:00.000+10:00

Rain and more rain has hit our fair city for the last couple of days and whilst it makes for cooler days, comfort foods (last night Roast Beef, tonight Prawn Laksa )it is pretty hard to arrive at the Lace and Bark Shop looking my normal spectacular self (lots of laughing). Why does the rain decide to become its heaviest when you are making a mad dash to the car, with laptop, lunch and handbag in tow... Anyway decided to wait it out at the top of the stairs and came across a magpie? making its way casually across our lawn in search of tasty morsels...

Hope your week is going swimmingly ...

and embrace Autumn if you are in my side of the world

and welcome to spring to my overseas friends !

Last of the Summer Fruits...

2010-03-01T15:11:00.000+10:00

Im going to enjoy these delicious looking peaches and nectarines while they last. I will miss you lovely stone fruit - mangoes, nectarines, peaches, plums.

The colour of these pieces of fruit was exquisite and at the risk of looking like a total weirdo, I grabbed the opportunity and photographed them at my front door. The neighbours were suitable amused...

Trrrrrash and Treasure

2010-02-25T10:30:00.000+10:00

Trash and Treasure is bought to you today by the www

So many things to explore and so little time. You wonder sometimes

how we ever survived without the internet. There is just such so much information to absorb..

I wish we had the internet when I was studying, would have made assignment life so much

easier. But before I stroll too fast down memory lane

here is my trash and treasure for this week

T R A S H

Now this is some serious trash .

and this guy

Has some serious issues

Hope noone was in the back :)

NOW FOR THE TREASURE

These are just 2 beautiful for words... but will give them a description anyway..

New York inspired compact and

lipstick holder

No they are not candle holders

but lipstick holders

What a lovely idea , it sure beats

rummaging around in a make up drawer. But I may

have to have a few of these...

And these are...

LIGHTERS

oooh la la

Im not really sure how they work but they certainly look glamorous.

I could go on and on but these are just a few things cathching my eye

These pictures I found from

here

and

here

Hope you enjoyed by bit of fun this week.

Enjoy the last weeks of Summer

Bring on Autumn I say

Until next time

D xx

Trash & Treasure

2010-02-18T18:05:00.001+10:00

Its Thursday already and time for my wrap up of all things good and not so good

Trash -y

1. Distress and sadness over the recent spate of violence in our high schools of late. Without getting too

political or judgemental - it just breaks my heart for these young lives ruined and the families and

friends who are so affected. Seeing people personally affected by a tragedy like this it

is makes you look a little deeper into life

2. Well after the first point - everything else seems of little consequence at the moment. So will

leave it there...

The Treasures

Yes I am an optimist so I am thankful , loving for these happenings...

1. Whilst undertaking my wonderful Blogging E Course, i have gained some wonderful friends

from all over the globe. I truly apreciate their kind encouraging words !

2. Rain, rain and more rain - my summer herbs - basil, peppermint are in abundance now

and will make for some divine pesto and wonderful mint juleps or mojitos.

3. Wonderful compliments from my lovely clients,its great to see my regulars in shop again and

always with a smile and ready for a chat

4.Watching the Winter Olympics from the comfort of my lounge - with the air

conditioning on , pretending it is cold and

pretending we are there !

5.Our new mattress - yes that is a strange treasure but to get rid of the old sagging one and

jump (well not really) into a beautiful firm mattress. Sleep becomes

a thing of joy once again- and goodbye bags under my eyes !!

May your weekend be filled with love and peace . xx

"I can't think of anything to write about except families. They are a metaphor for every other part of society."
Anna Quindlen

Dont you just love when goodies arrive

2010-02-17T17:09:00.000+10:00

Dont you just love when goodies arrive - sadly they are not for me they are for the shop.

But there is still the thrill of receiving it..

The expectation, the opening it and ah... the thrill of the display

Will be posting about our lovely new products soon

Its all very exciting

Trash and Treasure

2010-02-15T10:58:00.002+10:00

Welcome to the first weekly episode; Trash and Treasure...

This little series is all about the good, the bad and the

down right rotten that I find/discover/encounter

during the week

I invite you to add your own t/t's

There are no rules

it can be something major

or a niggly something that irritates you

Ok here is mine...

TREASURES (always good to start off on a positive...)

Finding fabulous suppliers for my shop (more info to come)
Sssssh - do you hear that - its the sound of children back to school
Bike Riding at night(with lights of course) - cool breeze, quiet roads...
Unexpected bouquet of roses -before Valentines Day ..

5.Valentines Day - any day that promotes the intake of chocolates and the giving of love

is always going to be a winner

and one more

This exquisite chiffonier that my husband created for a client

Somethings you just wanna keep for yourself

The Trash...

1. Roses that cant take the summer heat

2. Having brand new bakeware -crack on its maiden meal in the oven - not cool

3. The unrelentless summer heart(see point 3 above)

4.Trashy trashy food

Do people really eat this ??

nb/ all photos except the last one are mine.

For more snaps of overgrown fast food click here

http://images.teamsugar/.

So there is my trash and treasure for this week!

I look forward to hearing about yours

Until then xx

Canine Curiosity...

2010-02-10T16:11:00.000+10:00

On a lovely morning walk today I came across some lovely

native flowers I thought would make a lovely

photo

I placed them on the deck to grab my camera

and then

Our two beautiful "puppies"

Elvis - the lab

and Missy the schnoodle

decided to investigate and

see if there was anything worthwhile to eat...

When they realised there wasnt

it was back to the hard life of being a dog

What makes my Yin Yang

2010-02-07T14:23:00.000+10:00

Whilst completing a interesting informative ecourse on all facets of blogging

Students were asked to make up an inspiration board

on what inspires them

what thrills them

what they love

Here is mine

Yes I love pink !!

and flowers

and havianas

and Audrey !!

Gloomy Monday

2010-02-01T13:51:00.000+10:00

How the weather changes...
Last week it was all about the heat and humidity
and now... the remanants of a cyclone are making their presence felt

I know not a very inspiring photo

but you get the idea...

Its hot - its gotta be Australia Day.

2010-01-25T13:12:00.000+10:00

You know its almost Australia Day

when...

*The kids are almost back to school

*Big Day Out Festivals are taking place

*Its hot, humid and there is not a cloud in the sky

* Your favourite shoes at the moment are thongs

* The fridge is filled with cold water bottles

* Make up tends to slide off very easily

*Clothes on the line dry within the hour

Yes Aussie Day is tomorrow. A great day to celebrate our uniqueness, diversity, richness of culture as well as being so grateful for our freedom, vast blue oceans, clean running water, abundance of fresh food available and lots of lots of wide open spaces.

At a time when there is so much crisis and suffering in the world -its time to slow down, smell the frangipanis and be thankful we are where we are . Wherever you are, whatever you are doing

Happy Australia Day !!

For me and my family, we will be swimming, enjoying a good ol fashioned Aussie BBQ, listening to the hottest 100 and being a typical Aussie family

New Beginnings!!

2010-01-21T13:30:00.001+10:00

Welcome to 2010!

I know I am a bit late...

but have been enjoying a lovely relaxing holiday...

Doing a bit of this

and this

Yes lots and lots of fun at

Dreamworld on the gold coast

Very very hot but was an awesome family day.!

With all the gorgeous tropical fruit around it was

great for the girls to experiment with

lots of yummy smoothies and juices...

Hmmm berry smoothie with an extra dollop of vanillabean icecream - of course !

Im looking forward to new challenges, adventures

and generally learning lots whilst having heaps of fun

You can never be too old for that !!

My shop will be re opening in early Febuary with

lots of new and exciting stock .

Thought I would finish of some pictures of our Christmas Eve Table

Our deck was the place to be

Beautiful breezes , cocktails in hand

Just perfect..

and another close up shot

I look forward to sharing lots of ideas, colours

and fun

Take care D xx

We're all going on a summer Holiday !!

2009-12-22T17:40:00.000+10:00

Lace and Bark (and me)

are taking a well earned break through January!!!

We look forward to seeing you next

year when we will be;

BIGGER

BRIGHTER

COLOURFUL

WONDERFUL

new stock, new concepts for Lace and Bark

its Exciting !!

See you then xx

Wishes at Christmas Time

2009-12-22T17:36:00.000+10:00

After the frantic pace of the last few weeks, rushing hear

and there...

Checking and double checking lists

Of making sure all the presents are bought

and wrapped

Etc etc...

I could go on but Im sure you get my drift.

Its now time to STOP!!

and Enjoy and savour the wonder of Christmas.

It is such a great time for being thankful for what we have and

I feel my gratitiude list for this year is a mile long

but to stop you falling asleep, I will mention but a few

that I feel deserve an honour roll

First and foremost by beautiful adoring hubby who

without his never ending encouragement, support, love and

humour has helped bring our beautiful shop

Lace and Bark into fruition.

I have been able to take the drivers seat in this venture

and my visions have gained momentum by his

never ending love and care for me.

Secondly my children, who have made me laugh, cry and shower me

with love and enthusiasm, I say thankyou!!

To my other gorgeous family and friends who have always been interested supportive

to me I feel blessed to have them in my life

and to all the lovely people whom I have met this year

through the shop, work or other areas...

I have loved hearing their positive and lovely comments.

Thankyou once again.

So wherever you are reading this I say to you;

Merry Merry Christmas

may this time of year be spent with the ones you love

and may their be health, happiness and laughter for you in

2010 !!

The Kindness of Strangers...

2009-12-16T12:41:00.000+10:00

Now for something totally unrelated

I would just like to say thanks...

To 2 anonymous people, who

came to my aid when I had a car accident this morning.

Nothing dramatic and no injuries - which is the main thing!

But was enough to shake me up. These people were so kind, helpful

and calming in a moment of distress and at this time of year when chaos rules

I certainly appreciated the spirit of the season

So to them

my hearfelt

Thanks

Lace and Bark

Platforms Glitter and Warriors...Part 1

Peaceful Monday ...

Celebrate...

Monday Giggle !!!

A La Mardi Gras

Im a beginner...

Monday Giggle

Instead of ...

Monday Giggle...

Lovely Friday

A Helping Hand...

We're Back.....

No Fun...

A Killer Fragrance...

The Old Man is snoring...

Something Old, Something New...

Romancing the fair...

Cushion Love

A Rose by any other name...

Evening Outdoor Ambience...

And so to bed...

Friday Family Fun

Snapdragons

Little Miss Masterchef...

Alarming

Just a thought...

My Little French Treasure

Divine New Aprons in Stock...

Everyday Balloons...

Dressing Up.

~~~~~~~~~~Ladders, but no snakes ~~~~~~~~~~

Queensland Homes - Winter Edition...

Excuse me while I have a makeover

Winter Beach Party.

A Way with words..

Lights of Fancy

The Living Window...

Colour Palette Story no 2

Winter Colour Palette - no 1

Is that an aubergine I see ?

Monday with Attitude.

Full of possibilities...

Heading Out...

Its Still a cupcake thing...

A Winter Giveaway...

Its all White.

Its Saturday Morning.

For the love of ...Pink

F R A M E D . . .

Some things she might have missed...

Write Something...

Off the Beaten Track

Getting away from it all...

Mothers Day Winner is...

Will the Real Mojito Please stand up ???

A Sweet Little Giveaway...

Paying it Forward...

~Weekend Thrills and Chills ~

Honey...Im Home !

Sweetness and Light

Heaps of catalogues hhmmmm it must be Mothers Day.

The Brave and the young.

Riding the wave

Baby its raining outside

All you need is love ...

Oh Look it's Friday.

Table Love

Shades of Autumn.

Marvellous Monday.

Happy Weeks End

Style Magazine

Introducing The Thea and Sami collection !!

A cultural outing

Hoppity Hop

Hop into it...

Theres only so many hours in the day...

Jungle Fever in the city

New Fancies...

A Bunch of Roses...

Ladders, but no snakes