Blog award and bloggy love!

I got a fabulous surprise on Friday when I received this 'One Lovely Blog Award' from the gorgeous Laura at my summer house. If you haven't visited her blog before then I definitely think you should. It is full to bursting with wonderful images, photos, thoughts and posts. Laura also has a lovely shop on Etsy - which you can find here.

Having been given this award, I now get to pass it on to a few more people, so (if they will accept it) I would like to pass on this award to the following blogs.

Buttons and Bows - for sharing lots of great tips and helpful advice (and for being all round awesome crafty types!)

Chair Up - Ange does absolutely amazing things with fantastic fix ups of unwanted chairs - pop by and take a look, I'm sure you'll agree she does a brilliant job!

BaggieAggie - Crafter and fiction writer extraordinaire! If you haven't read Fast Friday Fiction then you are missing out!

The Pink & Blue Blog - For a little bit of cool (I'm resigned to the fact I'm not - but this blog is!)

Miss Sew & So - A fellow Aussie living in the north of England. Her blog has absolutely beautiful photos and inspires me to try to make my blog better.

Wrapped Up With String - For sounds of Sunday tunes, for being a fellow 'Gleek' and for being a very clever crafter.

Lemon and Lavendar - Another blog that inspires me to work on making my blog better. Lots of lovely photos and posts that you won't want to miss.

Here are the seven things that I know absolutely:

1) We ALL have the power to do extraordinary things - we just have to decide to do them.

2) Adversity truly does make you stronger.

3) Sewing your fingers with the sewing machine HURTS!

4) If you can envision it, you can create it.

5) You should always treat others how you would like to be treated (always!)

6) Life can take you to places you never expected.

7) Any day spent sewing is a good day!

All images sourced from web, source location via embedded links

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Whatever this Sunday has in store - I hope you're having a fantastic weekend xx

Found on Friday

Nothing says glamour like beautifully handcrafted items. I can (and all too often do!) spend hours browsing beautiful items from Etsy and other handmade stores and sites. Here are some of the lovely treasures I've found this week during my online handcrafted explorations...

All items can be found on Etsy


To find out more about the talented people who make these gorgeous items or to lose yourself in a world of chic, handcrafted loveliness - click on the pictures to follow links to the sites.

Have a wonderful weekend xx

A Touch of Turquoise - Home Decor Ideas

Happy Wednesday! I absolutely love turquoise, it is one of my all time favourite colours and it reminds me of the ocean and hot days at the seaside. I was inspired to do this blog post on home decor ideas inspired by lots of lovely images of chic rooms with hints of turquoise.

I love how the turquoise shades have been incorporated with a range of home decor ideas styled to inject colour and flair into each of these rooms. xx

Rain drops keep falling on my head...

The weather just doesn't seem ready to give up on the rain, so I thought some bright, beautiful images of umbrellas might just be the perfect antidote.

Hope the weather is nicer where ever you are xx

Images from www.toxel.com, miscellaneous sources on web, Yellow Umbrella from National Geographic.

Coco Chanel

As some of the people who read will already know, when I'm not busy running my copywriting business and preparing to 'officially' launch my handmade/sewing business - I'm also studying Textile Art through Open University.

This week I've been working hard to finish an essay for my course on the inspirational Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel. Without Chanel, we wouldn't have that fashion essential - the little black dress. I love to gather inspiration from a wide range of sources, and I can't think of any better place to find it than looking to the achievements of a strong and truly inspiring woman. So to celebrate finishing my essay, I gathered together some photos of the one and only Coco Chanel.

I hope you like the photos and I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend xx

Photos from the web; final image from Conde Nast publications

We Are Family

I've been asked before what inspires me and where I get my creativity from - and I've been reflecting on that question a lot lately. I know there are lots of people who answer without hesitation, 'I've always created'. I can't make that claim. I put all my energy into dancing when I was a teenager, and by the time I was approaching 20 and forced to give up that dream, other things consumed my time and a desire to be creative remained unfilled.

Coming back to creating after a number of years, there are three people who are really important to me and who have had a big influence on the way that I express my creativity. I'm lucky enough to come from a family of people who are all creative and energetic. My mother paints, my dad takes photos and my clever sister (who influences me more than she will ever know) is a very talented interior decorator and business woman.

My family are all on the other side of the world to me right now, and I miss them terribly. I thought today I'd introduce them all to you from a distance and share a bit about these talented individuals who have influenced and supported me.

Letitia

My little sis is a very busy and talented woman who I am incredibly proud of. She is a farmer's wife (a full-time job in anyone's book), and mum to the gorgeous Oliver, 4 and Tommy, 3. Her home has recently graced the cover of Australian Country Collections, she works as an interior decorating consultant, she runs an incredibly successful country style home decor store, The White Shed and is shortly launching her online store. Oh, and did I mention she blogs as well? You can visit her lovely blog here.



The White Shed; Letitia's dining room on the cover of Australian Country Collections; home decor ideas; the farmhouse; Ollie and Tommy.
Photos courtesy of Letitia Linke, Australian Country Collections and Black Sheep Photography.


Madelyn

My uncle once described my Mum as having made renovating a "lifestyle choice" and certainly that constant desire to improve her home has rubbed off on my sis. My mum is big on country style home decor, which is probably where my sis and I get it from. My mum is 100% committed to her family, house proud and always on the go. This week while she wasn't busy taking on the world, she just 'rustled up' these paintings for the launch of The White Shed's online store.



Pear studies by Madelyn Duckmanton


John

My fabulous Dad has always been there to support all of us - showing incredible patience in a houseful of strong minded women! Sometimes known and much loved as Granddad, my Dad inspired my love of photography and has received a number of awards for his wonderful nature photos. The images below are just a sample of his work and his stock photography portfolio can be viewed here.


Photos by John Duckmanton


Being surrounded by strong people isn't always easy. It can be hard to fight for your own place when everyone has a big personality - and I'm much more like my quiet Dad than my bold Mum and Sis. Being creative has given me a chance to express my own point of view. When I pull out a piece of paper and sketch an idea, then take some fabric and make something new with my own hands and with the sewing machine, I create something that is all my own. When I'm really lucky I get recognition for doing it!

There is no question that my family have influenced the way that I express myself creatively, pushing me to strive harder and work towards achieving my goals with passion, perseverance and a spirit of joy.