A book to behold

En route to the beach recently I spotted a sign for a collectables fair in Geelong. Collectables are not really my thing but I thought I'd stop and have a look nonetheless just in case I could get my hands on some treasure - preferably a gramophone which I've wanted for a few years now. My husband obliged and stayed in the car with our sleeping baby. I entered a big hall full of trestle tables with all manner of goods from swap cards to old postcards to vintage toys to books. Ever the bookish type, I made sure to cast my eye over the old tomes hoping to find an old travelogue or history book. I was thrilled to spot a large green title called 'Countries of the World, sixth volume: Siberia to Zanzibar'. I opened it with great anticipation and the opening line caught my attention and told me that I had to buy it: 'Siberia is the land of the future'! OK, so the book was published in the 1920s when there was a very different geopolitical feel to today! When I flicked through its musty brown pages I was very excited to see old black and white photos and to my delight - some coloured photochromes. Even better was at the start of each country or city entry, there is a map. I'm a big fan of looking at maps and seeing how country borders and names have changed over time. It comes from my love of history and examining maps before and after the world wars to see how lines were re-drawn. Of course the dissolution of empires in the twentieth century wreaked havoc on cartographer's lives too as countries changed names and border posts were moved. One of my history lecturers at uni would place overhead projections over each other to see how geography had changed.  I was pulsing with excitement as I looked through the pages and holding my breath that I could afford it. Thankfully the vendor didn't know what a find it was and sold it to me for $5! I'm not an advocate of ripping up books but for that price I thought I could tear out a page or two and not lose sleep over it. Here's a photo of the world map and a picture of Venice that I extracted from its pages. Perfect ornaments for my mantlepiece and wonderful examples of eras long gone. Plus there's even a section on old Hobart, which to me is fascinating as it's where I spent much of my childhood.

A carpet caper

Since buying a small but beautiful rug in Istanbul a few years ago, I have been on the lookout for other Persian-style rugs to adorn my floor. I've seen some beautiful ones but of course the price tag is often hefty - the finer the knots, the greater the wool or silk quality always up the dollars. I thought that maybe I could become one of those people who have an eye for such treasures and snap them up at garage sales, but alas I haven't spotted any carpets for sale - Persian or otherwise. 

As is always the case, it's when you're not looking that you find what you're looking for. I recently went to the farmer's market in Talbot (which I'm sure I've waxed lyrical about on this blog before) and spotted a bric-a-brac shop I hadn't seen previously. There out the front was a rolled up carpet! I was hesitant as I unrolled it as I've unrolled hundreds of carpets while sipping mint tea in Marrakech and Istanbul only to discover that the pattern or colours on the back differ quite a lot from those on the upside. So, I was delighted to discover that this carpet was to my taste and even better cost only $40 (even Ikea sells 'Persian' carpets now for hundreds of dollars!) I don't think it's a particularly fine quality one or even necessarily Persian but I like it and it looks similar to the real ones! Here it is in my lounge room. 

Keep your eyes out for such finds as they are out there if you look long and hard enough!

What's your ideal home?

My friend Olivia has been asking me to write more blogs and reminding me that I've been slack in not doing so. So, I'm going to make a concerted effort to write weekly! I have a photo of a beautiful English manor as my screensaver and it got me thinking about where I'd live if I had the choice of anywhere in the world and unlimited money of course! A palazzo on the Grand Canal in Venice, a villa on Lake Como, a house overlooking the ocean anywhere really, an English countryside manor, a designer apartment in Copenhagen, a pied-a-terre on Paris's Left Bank? These are all places that hold great appeal to me. 

What does your ideal home look like?

A picturesque place

While I'm talking about Turkey, I wanted to share with you these photos of a place called Alacati on the Cesme Peninsula near the city of Izmir on the Aegean Coast. From memory, Alacati is a bit of a drive from other places that would attract tourists, but for me it was worth a stop for its provincial looking stone houses, winding laneways, flower-filed windowsills and trendy cafes. The kind of place where you can just meander and unwind for a few days.

Turkish tiles

Blue and white ceramics, whether they be from China, England, Vietnam, Turkey, Morocco, or Thailand, always catch my eye and usually burn a hole in whatever currency I'm carrying! I have many treasured ceramics from my travels, all of which tell a story and enable me to gaze upon them! I've visited many a palace in various countries where wall tiles adorn and decorate. Bangkok's Grand Palace has some stunning tiles. These photos were taken at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, namely in the legendary and fabled harem. So, without going into detail about design or history, here they are simply as objects of beauty for you to enjoy.

Spring has sprung

OK, so the weather here in Ballarat is still a bit gloomy. It's been raining non-stop for weeks and the sky has been mostly grey, although I have had two half-days weeding the garden in the sunshine. I have been busy reading about what to plant and am busily preparing my garden beds. I've set my budget and am going to visit the local farmer's markets and nurseries to buy up big. It's a whole new project and I'm sure I have a heap to learn. I suspect my garden will end up like an English wildflower one with no structure or neatness.

To welcome Spring, here's a photo of the beautiful camellias growing in my garden.

How does your garden grow?

Yesterday we had a rare ray of sunshine and I took the opportunity to do some long overdue weeding of the garden. I have grand hopes for my garden but of course need to spend many hours pruning and planting, weeding and watering, before the vision in my head will be tangible. 

As I'm new to gardening, I've been reading magazines and even a few gardening books about what I should be doing in each season. Ballarat is of course far colder than most of Australia so I'm assuming that if someone says to do something in August, then I can do it in September. 

As inspiration for me and you, I've included here some photos of beautiful gardens that I've been privileged to go to. Capability Brown's famous Stourhead garden is the first photo (top to bottom), and one of my all-time favourite places. It's grand and set around a lake, and ornamental temples and grottoes dot the landscape. The second photo was taken at Scotney Castle, a beautiful quintessentially English garden. Yves Saint Laurent's Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech with its tropical plants and bright yellows, blues and greens is next. Followed by the ornamental gardens in Palace Baiha, also in Marrakech. The final photo was in my English gardens file, and I must admit that I can't recall which garden it was taken at. This is what happens when one is passionate about English gardens and has visited so many!

I hope you enjoy these images and they inspire you to create your garden, albeit likely on a slightly less grand scale!

Melbourne mini-break

I had a stint calling London home, and have recently moved to Ballarat, but Melbourne is my hometown. I've known its tram routes and laneways and cafes and gallery spaces. Browsed in its best bookshops, known its hidden shops and where to find the best Vietnamese and Italian food. I've watched its streetscapes and people change over time. I've waited at Flinders Street Station meeting friends and walked around Southbank countless times. I recall when Fed Square housed the brown box gas and fuel buildings, and the excitement of the city loop stations opening. I remember when Daimuru opened in Melbourne Central and I remember when it closed down, and the shopping centre was re-developed. I remember the expansion of the city when Crown and Jeff's shed opened, and later Docklands. I've seen the cityscape broaden and grow, and watched as the Eureka superseded the Rialto, and Spencer Street became Southern Cross. Stadiums have changed names, buildings have come and gone, shops have had opening and closing sales. I've worked in companies both at the Paris end of Collins Street and the business and law end. I spent four years at Melbourne Uni and knew every street name in Carlton. I spent nearly a year amid the microfilm and tomes of the State Library, researching for my Honours' thesis. I was married at the Windsor Hotel. 

Sometimes it's not until you've been away from a place for a while that you realise how much you love it. I always loved Melbourne during my uni years and beyond, but when I moved to London it far exceeded Melbourne in every way - everything is more exciting, bigger, brighter, busier, with a far greater reach of history and status, and the world at your fingertips than Melbourne could ever achieve. 

Last week I had a Melbourne mini-break, seeing my own city through fresh eyes and enjoying every element of it. I started with a beautiful lunch at the National Gallery. It's one of my favourite Melbourne places with its gilt mirrors adorning one wall and its tiered stands of afternoon tea delights. It was made all the more special because I was with my baby girl, and last year when I was there I was only just pregnant. I then wandered around the marvellous European Masters exhibition from the Stadel Gallery and saw amazing works by Sisley, Degas, Renoir, Rodin and Ernst. I appreciated it all the more as I knew I had limited time because my baby girl wasn't far off a change/feed/nap, so I couldn't spend the usual amount of time perusing paintings. I then wandered Melbourne's many laneways, appreciating street art and popping into shops I haven't been in for a while. Next stop was David Jones's newly refurbished store. When it was under renovation, the signs said it would be the world's most beautiful department store, a claim I felt was far-fetched, given places like Galeries Lafayette in Paris and Harrods in London. Nonetheless, the new store is elegant and airy and sophisticated and has some lovely labels. From there it was a trip to Ikea, which is always either hideous or wonderful depending on the crowds shuffling through, and this time it was quiet which enabled me to wander and browse without feeling the pressure of being herded through specified walkways.

The final stop, a few days later, was the Langham Hotel chocolate afternoon tea. An annual indulgence and treat, and much looked forward to. Two hours of chocolate indulgence from souffle to fondue to tarts and macaroons and cake. My husband and I left feeling full and ready for some fruit and veg. Even our baby girl who only has one tooth got a taste, sucking on strawberries.

So, once a year take yourself into your city. Leave the car and suburbs behind and tram it, train it, walk it, and give yourself a little indulgence discovering and appreciating the hidden gems of your hometown.

Two beautiful photos

Again, I can't claim that I took these photos. Both are by my mum on her recent journey to France and England. The rooftops are of course Parisian. The grove of trees reminds me of an old Henri Cartier-Bresson photo that I love. Anyway, I find both photos beautiful and inspiring and hope you do too!

Fun furnishings

It's been a joy to decorate my daughter's room. It's been great fun taking pieces from our house and placing them in her room - a model London bus, our old red Ikea couch that we bought thirteen years ago!, and a Tintin in Saigon lacquered picture, among other objects. I've also loved finding pre-loved pieces that I think she'll enjoy one day - a vintage pram from a garage sale, the little Provincial style chest of drawers pictured, which was bought at a church flea market, and old picture books that I've framed.

The photos above show the huge difference that decorating walls can make. The lower photo was taken when we had a small gallery of pictures on her wall, and the one above is the current decor featuring beautiful Cath Kidston wallpaper that my sister-in-law, Pip, gave to us. We just had enough to cover the wall next to the window, and I think it makes the perfect feature wall - pretty and girly without being pink! Decorating that wall with wallpaper meant moving all the other pictures to the larger wall, and I think this works to great effect so that we now have a gallery of pictures. Already my daughter delights in looking up at all the different colours.

It's nice to be able to put hooks in the wall after so many rental properties, and we'll no doubt change the pictures around as time goes by.

Cool photo

This is actually a photo my mum recently took in Paris. I just love it! He looks very cool but the car loaded with what looks like his wordly goods is so cutesy and compact. I think the street scene behind is very chic, the boulangerie and bar are very quintessentially Parisian. Is he waiting for his love? Annoyed that someone hasn't turned up to meet him? Accidentally parked in a pedestrian zone? Every picture tells a story.

Beautiful Ballarat

Blogging has taken a major backseat lately as I've been juggling motherhood, freelance editing and having guests to stay. So, if anyone is still reading the blog, I thought I'd share these photos that I took a few weeks ago. For those of you who've heard that there's no water in the lake in Ballarat, you might not believe that these pics are indeed of the lake. We've had a lot of rainfall, and while the lake isn't even half full, it did look like it on this wintery evening.

Display and de-clutter

When decorating a home, it's always a decision between minimising displays or showing off everything you've ever collected. Sometimes though, a display of well-loved or precious objects can often de-clutter your cupboard space. The best advice is to rotate your displays so that not everything is out at once. And this way, you get to enjoy everything! 

I have a circa 1930s Kodak Brownie camera usually on display by itself, but I pulled out a very cool 1950s Braun camera that used to belong to my grandfather and a 2000 film SLR of my dad's. Together the three cameras represent three generations of keen photographers (not that I've ever actually taken photos with the Brownie). 

Likewise the old bubble bath bottles could just gather dust in the cupboard but together make a pretty display.

Notice the difference

In this age of consumerism, it's lovely to be able to breathe new life into an old piece of furniture. At most garage sales and bric-a-brac markets, there's frames to buy. I picked up this pressed tin one in the photo for $10. It didn't have any backing or glass in it, but I attached a piece of corkboard to it and now I have a lovely noticeboard to display postcards. I also bought a much larger black frame and did the same thing. It now has black and white photos in it and looks really striking. 

So, before your next trip to the shops, poke around your local garage sales and see what treasures you can find to change and make your own.

A watery perspective

It's a watery kind of day today. Rain and hail have been downpouring almost all of last night and this morning. Every time I look out a window I see streaks of rain. The weather made me think of these watery reflection photos so I thought I'd share them with you. For those of you looking to improve your photography skills, these types of photos are a great way to have a fresh and unusual perspective. Reflections can be beautiful, moody and even scary. 

The top image was taken in France and I love its vivid colours. It's happy and bright and makes me think of summer and a dip in the sea (although ironically it was actually taken in December in the Northern Hemisphere winter); the middle image was taken in Venice and evokes an eerie feeling in me; the last image was taken just a few months ago at Ercildoune Homestead outside of Ballarat. It reminds me of the dappled light and pointillism of an Impressionist (Georges Seurat) painting.

I nearly forgot to show you these brilliant old Egypt swap cards

See posts below for more on swap cards

Continuing with last week's tradition . . .

Some pretty flowers to wish you a happy weekend. The ones in the vase were picked by my husband from our garden for mother's day last month.

More swap cards

Stunning vintage travel swap cards

Swap cards

There is a gorgeous shop in Daylesford called Lark. It sells all manner of goods that could (and do) do damage to my credit card. We're talking about beautiful baby ware, prints, vintage-inspired niceties, and lately the icing on the cake: Cath Kidston designs. Anyway, that all aside, the Lark blog (http://www.the-lark.blogspot.com/) recently wrote about swap cards. It reminded me of my own swap cards, a very special and treasured collection largely passed down from my Grandma and Mum, both of whom collected swap cards as girls. As a child, I too collected them and now I have 3 beautiful albums and a box full of vintage and retro cards from the 1940s, 1960s, and 1980s. The swap cards speak for themselves so I'm going to do a few blog posts just showing them. My Grandma and Mum grouped their albums in categories such as animals or sailing ships or travel images. I'm doing the same here and featuring some of my favourite cards. I'll likely frame some of these children's pictures for my daughter's room.