Happy New Year!

2010 - the beginning of a new decade.

Endless possibilities, adventures & experiences await.

Happy New Year everyone.......

Christmas Spiced Salt

I saw this cute idea on a Dutch cooking blog earlier this year and re-created the concept at my own '09 Christmas table, with some modifications! I combined Star Anise, Pink Peppercorns and Murray-River sea salt in a pistachio-coloured 'MUD' salt dish. Very Festive! MUD is an awesome Australian ceramic brand that is stocked all over the globe. www.mudaustralia.com

Eleni's Cookies NYC

A NYC must-see at Christmas!

Eleni's Cookies has two enchanting NYC locations (Chelsea & Manhattan) The brand's attention to detail is second-to-none & their packaging is drop-dead gorgeous. Please support this amazing business if ever you visit the area (cookie pre-orders are a MUST). www.elenis.com

Christmas in Wonderland

This year's Christmas theme was 'Christmas in Wonderland'. I decorated the table with small toadstools and shiny red apples & kept the colour palette traditional; red, white and green.

A few sprigs of real holly, striped bon-bons & candy canes completed the look.

Kate Spade Christmas

Kate Spade is an uber-talented American designer whose range just screams 'look-at-me' colour. Whilst in NYC this December, I bought her gorgeous Christmas cards (along with her zany matches & other papergoods).

'Merry' & 'Bright' indeed!

Happy Christmas everyone....

www.katespade.com

Christmas Card Wall

Each year I assemble a "Christmas Card Wall" - a collection of my favourite cards that people have sent me (some dating back as far as kindergarten!)

It's a nod to my favourite time of the year - an inexpensive way to decorate my home and, most importantly, a tradition to remind me of my closest family and friends.

Whimsical Christmas

In 2009, I've decided to disobey the colour-schemes adhered to in years gone by and am experimenting with bright, bold hues. I'm trying to replicate what you might see if say, you were 'Alice in a (Christmas) Wonderland'.

Lime green, berry red and grass green cookware, toys and family heirlooms will be loosely tied together around this whimsical and quirky Christmas decorating scheme....

Rockerfeller Plaza NYC

On December 2nd, 2009 I will be standing in this exact spot watching New York's tree lighting ceremony in person.

New York has been described as "A city known for taking Christmas very seriously indeed". Even though I will be thousands of miles away from sunny Oz, I look forward to feeling right at home in this magical city.....

The Design Experiment

In 2003, I hosted my first family Christmas dinner.

To decorate, I teamed driftwood with porcelaine candle holders from iconic homeware brand 'Papaya'.

Christmas Stars

A gift from a work mate. Beautiful, hand-crafted stars that I used to adorn a twig over my dinner table in 2003. Simple, yet elegant.

(Suspend twigs from your ceiling using fishing wire so the decorations appear to float in mid air)

Red, White & Silver

A few strategically placed pieces in a simple colour palette often make a huge impact design-wise.

Christmas Eve @ home before friends arrive for carols and dessert....

White Christmas

At home in Australia, celebrating the festive season in Summer but dreaming of a White Christmas....

Welcome

Christmas

&

Design.

A festive blog designed for those in need of a little inspiration....