Image via StarryDesigns

I came across these beautiful pendants on my friend Krys' blog Inspired by Children. Aren't they beautiful?  My favourites are the Robins Egg Blue, the Pink and the Pearls.  I tell you what I can imagine though is if I ever have 3 children, to have one made with the birthstone of each child.  At the moment my nest is filled with an Amethyst and a Peridot, I wonder if I will get the third egg?  That is stil up for discussion and not for a little while yet.  2 little boys keep my hands full for now.

Hopeless!

I've seen an image lately of a beautiful birdhouse but do you think I thought to save it? Of course not.  Here are some others though. 

Pagoda

Summer House

Hanging Gazebo

The Buckingham

 These are all from For The Birds

What is next?

I'm finally getting around to reading my subscription of Home Beautiful and I'm wondering what the next motif fashion will be.  We've had cats, dogs, bugs, now there are a lot of birds around.  My money is on, or maybe just what will be my next motif of choice is, the tree.  

I say that as I look at the beautiful peppercorn tree that hangs over our side fence and still extends at least 10 metres into our backyard.  The late afternoon light is just peeking through the boughs, not enough to blind me, but enough to illuminate the small weeping mullberry a little further across the yard.  The leaves are all a golden yellow and its almost glowing in the crisp light. 

The tree is a magnificent creation.  It encompasses strength and fragility, shelter and the bareness of autumn, minuteness of its seed to the enormity of a 100 year old tree.

Image via Flickr

Tick One

After posting about needing a desk for hubby, I went to a second hand shop I've been meaning to visit for a while.  They do a mix of new and second hand with most of the second hand things being commercial office furniture - not exactly what I was looking for.  I mentioned to the assistant when I walked in what I was after - an old style large wooden desk - and he said he didn't think they had anything.  I continued up to the far back corner of the warehouse and squeezed inbetween pieces of furniture with my 2 little ones trailing behind me, to lo and behold...

...there it was!  Exactly what I was looking for and delivered today.  Its huge ( I've added the mug for scale).  40 inches deep and 62 inches wide.  The wood underneath is pine and it has been painted a dark brown.  Its not perfect in condition but it suits the style that we were after perfectly.  We did have something similar up to a year ago with only 2 drawers which had gotten very loose and wonky and the top was a very thin pice of plywood that I had covered in vinyl.  It ended up as firewood before we moved interstate as we really didn't think it would make the trip.  This piece on the other hand is solid.  I dont' think the couriers were too happy when it wouldn't fit through the front door and had to be carried around the back and through the french doors.

And no, its not going to be living in the centre of the room.  I had envisioned it under the window over the heater but I forgot that it had a back 'modesty board' on it.  Oh well thats Hubby's job when he gets home!

Hmmmm

My self imposed mini budget of yesterday may have been blown out of the water already.

Image via Flickr

I've had one person around to give a quote for heating and their suggestion was to do ducted heating which will possibly be about $5k on its own.  I am getting more quotes next week but his argument for ducted was very good.  Used properly, it seems a much cheaper option in terms of running costs than gas space heating.  On thinking about it, a well done ducted system, although costing more, will add more to the value of the house than a simple space heater.  We shall see what next weeks quote suggest.

Little things

I know you are waiting for photo's of our new home.  I haven't got it tidy enough yet to give you large scale pictures but I want to share with you a couple of things I really love.  They are only small details but so beautiful.

Firstly is the leadlighting around our front door.  Its just lovely to look down the hallway, which is relatively dark, and see this beautiful glass work.  We have had a good look at it and think it is all original.  There are only 3 minor cracks in the glass and all the glass matches so we don't believe there has been any replacements. (Pity there is an ugly fuse box there though but at least it is behind the door)

Secondly is when you look closer at the front door.  There is the modern chain and deadbolt but there is also a slide lock.  It is beautifully embellished in a way you don't see functional items treated a lot anymore.

If you look closer, you can see a rub mark near the slide.  There is quite a groove in the wood where the thumb of everyone who has lived here over the past 100 years has rubbed.  To add to the connection with previous occupants, we have received the original title to this property as it has been digitised.  To have this document, on vellum no less, is quite magical.  To see the names and occupations of previous custodians let the mind wander.

I hope this satifies your curiosity for a little while.

Swoon

Image from Hopewood Country House

I've just seen this picture over at Glimpse of Style of the lovely Hopewood Country House.  I can just see this as my extension.  Not sure how it would function in summer ( or winter unless its double glazed) though if it is part of the open plan.  Maybe it could be my own private little studio and workroom though?  Dreams abound.....