Happy Weekend



I'm hoping it's cool enough this weekend to light our first fire for the season.  I'm imagining cups of homemade tomato soup with toast and maybe some toasted marshmallows for H&M.  Fingers crossed!  Happy Weekend!

xx

Anna

image - via a well traveled woman via note to sarah

Lovely Morning

What a beautiful morning it is!  So cool and so fresh.  As I walked down the hallway into the back of the store this morning the girls had opened up all the windows.  It was so pretty seeing the sun streaming in and so fresh feeling the cool air filling the rooms instead of the awful humid air we've been used to these past few months!!

xx

Anna

Home Again

With all of my energy and thoughts being put into work these past few months, our house seems to have gone to rack-and-ruin.  I can't stand it when my home isn't in order.  It really gets to me because my home is my heaven-on-earth and when it's a mess, I'm a mess.  Today's Anzac Day public holiday gave me the perfect opportunity to spend some time getting the house in order and what better way to celebrate a fresh, tidy house than a bunch of flowers which I bought at our local supermarket.   I feel so much better because our house is looking like home again.

xx
Anna

Favourite Corner

I think this corner is my favourite little spot in the shop at the moment.  The vivid green and white floral patterned curtains sit so beautifully on my blue and white Higgledy Piggledy Stripe wallpaper.  I can't tell you how versatile this little wallpaper is and it tends to shine even more when it is layered on top with pictures and paintings and bits and bobs.

xx

Anna

PS - The wallpaper collection is launching in a few weeks time.  Sampling can be seen at all Porters Paints outlets and also at Black & Spiro from mid-May.  Orders can be placed through us at Black & Spiro or through Porters or through Designers Australia-wide.  For international and remote customers, the sampling will be available to order online at Porter's website and also orders can be placed online through Porter's as well.  The website is - http://www.porterspaints.com/

Pink Garden Wall



How could you not love Bougainvillia?  Look at this amazing pink wall against the white timber house in the background?  So vibrant and pretty!!

image via - miss flower wall

Open

I'm thrilled to let you know that our back rooms at Black & Spiro re-opened late this afternoon with our new display of beautiful things.  All of the walls have been wallpapered in 3 of my new wallpaper designs for Porters and if you want to be one of the first to seem them then make sure you pop into the shop. 

We've had wonderful feedback so far and I can't wait to show you all through our new rooms.  They are truly beautiful and probably the most spectacular spaces we have ever created at the store!!

xx
Anna

Much Ado About Blue

I grew up surrounded by blue and white and not just a bit here and there.  I am the daughter of a serious blue and white addict.  She has it everywhere. 

When I was in my early twenties I vowed and declared I wouldn't do the blue and white thing like my mother.  I tried to escape it because I wanted to have my own thing.  I wanted to be me, not my mother.  But there seems to be this innate sense which I can't seem to escape.  No matter which way I turn I seem to include a little bit of blue and white.  It's almost like I feel instantly at home when I see it. But I do like to think that I do blue and white differently to my mother.  She's more of a classic blue and white girl whereas I tend to be more this and that and a bit of something else thrown in. 

Over the weekend I photographed this little collection of things which were sitting on my mother's dressing table.  That old blue and white picture frame which houses a photo of my Harry as a baby has been sitting on tables in her house my entire life.  And yet it's only now that I want to sneak it into my handbag whilst she's not looking!! 

Here are a few other blue and white things which caught my eye this week...

Whilst out and about the other day I came across this beautiful pair of antique blue and white garden stools.  I can't begin to tell you how divine they are but unfortunately they are completely out of my price range.

I also stumbled upon this beautiful Antique stool with it's old cornflower coloured upholstery.  I wouldn't change a thing about this beautiful thing.  It would slip into my house with it's age worn style so perfectly!!

And look at this fabulous set of blue and white vintage canisters which we currently have at Black & Spiro.  A perfect complement to any blue and white addicts kitchen!

Inky blue and white batik notebooks and ginger jar also at Black & Spiro.

Blue & white quilts just arrived in last week from our New York buying trip earlier in the year.

And last but certainly not least, these very beautiful hand-painted blue and white lamp bases are too beautiful for words and pictures.  You must come and see them...that's if you can beat my mother to them!!xx

xx
Anna