brightedy bright bright!

I have seen the fluoro / neon trend come and go a few times now, but I have never loved it this much.  Why? Because this time it is rocking the homewares scene, big time.  From acid brights through to full on fluoro, just one piece will instantly update your decor. I could have a dash of it in every room. As a matter of fact, I think I do!

On the page today

This Savvy Shopper page appeared in the Sunday Age M magazine today. Photo by Mike Baker, styling and story by me, copyright owned by Fairfax Media Ltd

hx

Aura love...

This gorgeous package arrived in the post this week  It's the press-kit for Aura's divine Summer 2013 range, and according to creative director Tracie Ellis, its inspiration comes from the liberating feeling of freedom.  Freedom to mix and match, freedom to combine traditional with contemporary designs, and freedom to choose your own style and enjoy it. I love the sentiment.

The range is beautiful, (I love the spot cushion in beetroot), and the catalogue is mouth-watering, as you would expect from the inimitable Sharyn Cairns/Glen Proebstel team.  It's all-round made in Melbourne goodness.

hx

Instagram: nup, not a time sucker. It's a life-saver.

In recent times, I have been wildly defending myself to my family about the amount of time I spend looking at other people's lives on Instagram.  I admit it, I love the whole life-perviness of it.  How else would I know what everyone else is eating, drinking, crochet-ing, playing with their kids, reading? I'd be totally in the dark, right?  I'd never see my darling ex-best-next-door-neighbour Candice's dinners, or what  Mich is eating during her current food safari in LA (and yes, I get so jealous every time I see her latest meal that I have only been able to console myself with the thought that she will need to walk around Centennial Park 100 times to move those deep-fried Oreos! - wish I could still do those laps with you Mich x!).

But I digress.  I have been trying to do a little Insta-weaning in the last few days.  I have not peeked at it much at all.  And I have even stopped doing it at traffic lights.   Massive effort.

So, last night, at around 10pm, I was finishing off the captioning for a shoot, when I realised I had made a MAJOR STUFF UP.  Yep, I was on deadline, and realised I was one product short.  Bugger. And then it came to me...I had Instagrammed a (riveting) pic of my car, stuffed full of products for a shoot, when Candice enquired whether I had planned to feature a certain, fabulous artist.  I hadn't, only because I had forgotten to, and I realised that now, with a quick Instagram communication, I could dig myself out of a massive hole.  Cool huh? Instagram to the rescue!

Have I justified myself and my time-sucking Instagram addiction yet?  Are you addicted?

Just don't get me started on how much I want to be Jools Oliver.

Hx

gorgeous Melbourne home - Sian MacPherson

Sian at home with Will, Finn and Jock

Here is the gorgeous Melbourne home (and boys) of Sian MacPherson that appeared in the Sunday Life magazine for the special Mother's Day edition yesterday.

Life-envy inducing? Tick!

Sian is the Editor in Chief of Est online magazine - issue four is out now, so if you haven't already done so, do check it out.

Photography by Armelle Habib, styling and story by me, copyright owned by Fairfax Media.

Hx

last minute Mother's Day ideas/hints (didya hear that family?

Jill Kellett original ribbon knit from Hut 13

So, this week I have done three house shoots, submitted two stories, propped for a Sunday Age M mag page,  scouted for more homes to shoot and pitched even more homes to mags (can you see what I am doing here? Yes, I am pumping myself up for a big Mother's Day pressie). Or actually, maybe I am doing the exact opposite because my girls probably can't remember what I look like... oh dear.

Anyway, if you, or your maman is my kinda gal and loves a bit of colour, here are my top last minute MD picks (and please excuse the dodgy iPhone pics).

1. the framed, fluoro ribbon knit by gorgeous Jill Kellet, $185 from Hut 13.

2. The heavenly screen printed dress by Emma Cleine $520 from Hut 13

3. Cheep & chic fluoro satchel, an unbelievable $39.99 from Typo (I have to admit, I bought this already)

Lumiere Art & Co print from Hut 13

The hottest satchel in town that isn't the Cambridge Satchel Co one!

Happy Mather's Day!

hx

A scrummy surprise...

I was very chuffed to pick up a copy of The Weekly Times yesterday to see that the shoot I styled for them a few weeks back had made page one!  And pages eight and nine!  Thanks to my lovely in-laws for letting me shoot at their gorgeous country home, and to Zoe Phillips and Natalee Ward from The Weekly Times for being a fab team to work with.  And to Dougal for being a loveable but slightly pesky assistant on the day...

These shots appear in the current edition of The Weekly Times.  Photography by Zoe Phillips, styling by me, copyright owned by News Ltd.

Hx

gorgeous Melbourne home- Bonnie and Neil

Bonnie and Neil - photo by Armelle Habib, styling by Heather Nette King, copyright owned by Fairfax Media

How amazing is that tapestry covered wall?  I LOVE this home.  It's warm, quirky and unique.  There are loads of books, a fabulous garden, and a dog and a cat.  And a very cool couple, Bonnie and Neil, of, you guessed it, Bonnie and Neil fame.

This one was a joy to work on, and it appeared in the Sunday Age / Sun Herald Sunday Life Magazine yesterday.  Here's a peek, above.

Photography by Armelle Habib, styling and writing by me, copyright owned by Fairfax Ltd.
hx

the great Australian dream...

Metricon home entry hall - who knew?

I have been thinking a lot about this lately. We all want to create our own private universe. Our own patch. Somewhere to relax, and just be. I've spent a few days shooting at various display home villages around the outskirts of Melbourne. Man, has the display home come along way. Inside these seemingly cookie-cutter facades lies some great design, some ridiculously clever planning, and the potential for long and happy family lives. My lesson learnt? Don't judge - home really is, where the heart is.

hx