Weekly what:nots...

How was your week? Ours was busy - lots of this'n that. I'm still reeling from the amazing five (yes five!) course meal at Beast last night. Yum! I've added Beast to Le Pigeon and Park Kitchen as my absolute fav places to have dinner in Portland. It's Friday already and Turtle & Mu have today off school, so we are off to spend the weekend here (found via Mrs French of Bliss!). What are your plans? I hope you have a lovely time wherever you are. And I hope you like this week's what:nots...

Love this from Dazed & Confused.

Very stylish matchboxes via Shiny Squirrel.

Perfect styling (& great birds) from tine k home.

i.believe.in.unicorns 'a little bit of this, a little bit of that' on an Anya Hindmarch bag. Pretty.

The perfect striped henley from Aubin & Wills.

Antique mirrors in kitchens (via The Newlywed Diaries). Lovely!

And the sweetest idea - a cushion that comes with a teddy bear!

Images from Dazed & Confused, Shiny Squirrel, tine k home, Polyvore, Aubin & Wills, House Beautiful, and Magpie Lovely.

Two pretty tops...

Two very pretty tops from J Crew. Also worthy of a mention are these shorts and this necklace (in orange).

Images from J Crew.

One pretty card...

This has to be the prettiest valentines card I've seen.

Image from Terrain, via Design*Sponge.

Clothing love...

...Vanessa Bruno's spring 2010 collection.

Images and video from Vanessa Bruno.

I have found what you are like...

A wonderful E E Cummings poem. Enjoy your Wednesday!

Tuesday already...

Here we are at Tuesday already! I hope you had a lovely weekend - ours was very relaxing. Come Monday I hit the ground running, and things are shaping up to be busy for a few weeks or so. I'm secretly delighted - it's good to be nicely busy. I was just over at A Cup of Jo, and followed this link to this, and it made me think of the following Albert Einstein quote:

"Logic will take you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere"

So true!

Image from Kate Spade.

Weekly what:nots...

Woohoo! The first what:nots for 2010! I hope you've all had a great week and have a fantastic weekend planned. R is away so the boys and I have hatched a plan or two to fill in the weekend. And now that they're ten (can you believe it!) there are some things that are "just not our thing Mummy". Hmmm... best we launch into this week's what:nots...

Love Sass & Bide's SS 2010 collection. And as for the super chic bob on the model - swoon...

I confess I am completely taken with Martin Poppelwell's work.

A simple and lovely handmade bowl by Denise Parsons. Denise's blog Chez Danisse is well worth a visit, as is her website!

Ingrid Cusson's beautiful suede cheque book cover.

A stunning tiger and ebony Molly Ring from The Pebble Collection.

Perry Davies birdhouses made from found and recycled materials.

And the best drinking chocolate ever - an enticing mix of chocolate, chillies and spices. Yum!

Images from Vogue Australia, me, Chez Danisse, This is Auto, Magpie Lovely, House of Aroha, and Dagoba Organic Chocolate.

And the boys...

Another perfect song from Angus & Julia Stone. And a beautiful video to boot!

I love this city...

How's your week coming along? I still seem to be unpacking, and discovering various bits and bobs we returned from NZ with. We were lucky enough to visit House of Aroha in Hawkes Bay, where we came away with some great NZ art. I've just popped up two lovely prints by Leanne Culy, and am longing for the Tracey Tawhiao print we left behind. I thought I'd share this excerpt from Patricia Grace which I think perfectly sums up the experience of living in Wellington.

"I love this city, the hills, the harbour, the wind that blasts through it. I love the life and pulse and activity, and the warm decrepitude - there's always an edge here that one must walk, which is sharp and precarious, requiring vigilance."

I hope you have a fun day, the first what:nots for the year will go up tomorrow - woohoo back in the swing of things!

Image from House of Aroha.

Reading & listening...

So much to catch up on, so many great ideas and inspiring things... East Side Bride & Christine from Pretty Pretty Paper have started a very worthy project - a pledge to 'read the printed word'. Pop on over here to find out more. Speaking of catching up on things, over the hols I managed to listen to oodles of podcasts from here. Highlights included interviews with Thomas Buergenthal, Gillian Lynne, Susan Sarandon, and 'Hero of the Hudson' Captain Chesley Sullenberger. Kathryn Ryan's engaging and insightful style of interviewing makes for great listening. To find out more hop on over here, or search 'nine to noon with Kathryn Ryan' on iTunes.

Image from Read the Printed Word.

Hello and Happy New Year!

My it has been a looooong while. I hope you all had a fab Christmas and New Year, and that the sun shone or snow snowed wherever you were. We had the most wonderful Christmas and New Year in New Zealand (above) with family and friends. On our way back to Portland we were lucky enough to spend a few days in the Cook Islands (below). Bliss! We're now back home in our perfect little apartment and slowly getting back into the swing of things. I hope you're all enjoying the New Year - it's so nice to be back!