Today'sflowers

For today's flowers I have this picture I made while we were in France on holidays last year. I am sorry to say that i don't know the name of the plant.

 
For more today's flowers go here.

Guides on Planning an Outdoor Lighting Layout

Outdoor lighting projects such as garden lighting, park, landscape lighting need a serious planing. A successful outdoor lighting plan requires selecting the right fixtures, then placing and wiring them correctly. The first thing before planing an outdoor lighting is Selecting the right design and components, Walk into any home center or garden center this spring and you’re guaranteed to run into a towering display of low-voltage lighting. You’ll find $69 prepackaged sets and $100 individual lights; plastic fixtures and metal ones; lights you can shine down from trees and up from ponds.

Use waterproof pond lights for illuminating pools, fountains and other water features; offset path lights for lighting walkways; cone lights for highlighting both walkways and the surrounding plants; tree-mounted spotlights for simulating moonlight; and flood lights for illuminating trees, buildings and other large elements.

Consider that a Special lights need special effects too, A MOON LIGHT should be installed 15 to 30 ft. high and have one or more branches between it and the ground to simulate moon shadows. Provide at least 24 in. between the light and branches to prevent “hot spots.”

Here are another tips on designing an outdoor lighting plan:

• If your lights come with press-on fittings—the type that bite through the insulation and into the wire to make their connection—cut them off and use the wire connectors shown in Photo 4. 
• The farther a light is from the transformer (and the more lights installed between it and the transformer), the less light it will put out.  
• Always leave a little extra wire as you hook up the lights. This will give you the freedom to move a light after you’ve hooked it up for testing or after you’ve installed it.
• Burying the wires should be your last step. Lay everything out, hook up your lights, test your voltage, and look at your results at night before burying the lines.
• Purchase a transformer with a built-in photocell and timer. Orient the photocell with some western (sunset) orientation so it doesn’t turn lights on too early.

more information: rd.com

Scenic Sunday.

For Scenic Sunday I chose this picture I made last week from the car. The snow was gone for a couple of days but we have a lot of it again.. I will be glad when there will be green on the trees, they look so sad.

 
For more scenic Sunday pictures go here.

Pink Saturday

Another week, another Pink Saturday, as always hosted by Beverly from How Sweet the Sound. Last week my neighbour brought me this plant and I love its little pink blooms.

 
For more beautiful pink posts go to Beverly's blog where you can find a list of all the participants of this wonderful weekly event.
Happy pink Saturday.
Riet

Outdoor Lighting System of Confort Myojindai with EYE CERA ARC lamps

The outdoor  lighting system for this housing complex was revamped along with exterior improvements of the housing development. Pole lights and approach lights of human scale and height have been set up along the pathways for the development. Here is an outdoor lighting system of Confort Myojindai, located in Yokohama City, Japan.

By combining wide-span light distributing Cerca fixtures and highly efficient EYE CERA ARC lamps, a lighting environment was created, which contributes to energy conservation while ensuring sufficient illuminant for safety. Environmentally-friendly lighting system that controls light pollution gently illuminates the garden.

The solar LED blocks are set up along the roads, for creating a visual guidance effect and therapeutic space, so it make a romantic and safety road to use the roads. [eye]

Weekend reflections.

Weekend reflections, a weekly meme hosted by James from Newtown Area Photo.
This photo of the mill at the river I took in August on a warm sunny day.

 
For more reflection photo's go here.

Kathryn Ireland Book Signing at Black & Spiro

I am so thrilled to announce that U.S. Interior Designer Kathryn Ireland will be doing a book signing for the launch of her beautiful new book, Kathryn M. Ireland Creating a Home, at Black & Spiro on Monday 8th February, 2010 at 12 noon.

I am extending an invitation to all my blog readers, clients and friends to attend this very exciting event here at Black & Spiro.

Please email me for further details if required. anna@blackandspiro.com.au

We look forward to seeing you. Everyone is welcome.

Black and Spiro

768 Brunswick Street

New Farm Qld 4005

Australia

Ph - 07 3254 3000

Image 1 & 2 via cote de texas, Image 3 via Kathryn Ireland

Skywatch Friday

It is Skywatch Friday again. Since our skies are mostly grey these last weeks I took a sunrise picture from my flies. I made this in November.

 
For more sly pictures go here.

Bathroom Lighting Design in Several Specific Area Lights

Bathroom lighting is an important element in creating a convenience bathroom, a well designed bathroom lighting can bring your bathroom alive at night or in the day (if you don't have a natural light outlet). As compared to the amount of money you end up shelling out for the cumulative of bathroom accessories including the bathroom vanity. There are several areas that should specific in creating a bathroom light, you can choose one of them or combining several of bathroom lights focus.

The first area is the ceiling bathroom lighting, Scones work out perfectly for a central lighting, usually at the center of the bathroom ceiling. Try to keep central lighting to minimum, it should be just enough to illuminate the bathroom to a visibility level.

The other bathroom lighting design is on the shower room or steam room bathroom light. Here again you can experiment with wall inset lights or go in for frosted bulbs. If you use the shower room for shaving also, then do consider placing the bulb so that there is no reflection or glare onto the mirror

Bathtub lighting can bring the atmosphere of romantic sense. Ensure the use of water resistant sockets near the tub. You can have inset lights along the top corner of the wall near the tub with the lights pointing away from the center of the tub. You can have a artificial candle lights surrounding the tub to give it a romantic touch. Cove lighting would be the best preference for tub lighting as it adds a air of soothing illumination.

Watery Wednesday

Watery Wednesday today. This is the second time I participate in this meme and I have pictures here from our holiday in Spain last year. Beautiful blue water, beautiful sand, wish I was there.:))

 
For more watery pictures go here, there is a list of all the participants

Big & Bold in 2010

Sonia Arriola's report on this years Maison et Objet in Paris reveals that a trend for large scale prints, bold colour pairings, denim blue, and neutrals that shimmer will be all the rage in 2010. I loved this image she shared on her flickr of some curtains hanging in the Dedar showroom in Paris...the fabric was apparently created to represent a digital print. To me they even look a bit ikatish!

Image - Katherine Kostreva

Landscape Sculpture, garden sculptures, and Andy Goldsworthy.

Sculpture by Bruno Torfs

Landscape Sculptures are the integration of nature and the landscape and express how natural forces interact with forms, figure, and the human creative spirit. These Landscape Sculptures provide a Feng Shui addition for the purpose of adding a garden accent in order to "move and lift the energy" of natural spaces.

 Bringing landscape sculpture into the garden not only creates a focal point for your garden, it also can create intrigue and a scene of playfulness that can let your fantasy and creativity run wild.

I have always been a fan of sculpture gardens, they can be a magical place. I have also always been a fan of landscape artists, in particular one of the founders of landscape sculpture, Andy Goldsworthy. Goldsworthy was (and still is) an inspiration to me when I was an art student and later on as a stonemason and as a landscaper.

Timber Sculptures by Andy Goldsworthy

The late 50es saw the emergence of landscape sculpture as a specific form of artistic expression. The innovators of landscape sculpture, such as Goldsworthy or Christo , set out to explore natural materials in there natural surroundings , adjusted by man to create a new exciting , inspirational form of sculpture.

Since the late 1950es sculptors like Andy Goldsworthy have been creating this new  form of sculpture which combines an appreciation for ‘mother earth’ and  influenced with artistic temperament with a feel of new-age influences.

Goldsworthy in particular seems to have a great respect for nature this is partly because when he was younger he worked on various farms where he developed his respect for nature, almost as a reaction against the abuse of the land by industrial farmers.

Stone Sculptures by Andy Goldsworthy

Goldsworthy has produced a huge range of work over the years in a wide range of materials, however for me the most inspiring works are those made of stone.

Many of these stone sculptures can be used as inspiration for your own garden.

At a later date I will post a blog with some inspiration and information on creating your own sculptures for your garden.

Happy Australia Day!

To me today is all about being with family and friends {near somewhere to swim!!} and being so grateful for this wonderful place we live in.

Oh, and every single time I hear THIS SONG and THIS SONG I get goose bumps all over...

image 1 - Francois Hallard, Image 2 - Christine Rudolph

My world Tuesday

While walking in one of our favorite parks last week on a day with a little sunshine I made these pictures. That lady with the horse is not me but she was walking her horse in the park and that was so cute.

 
For more my world photo's go here.

Choosing Area and Type of Outdoor Lighting for Garden

Outdoor lighting type and design should considering several lighting effects, by placing the light at the base of a wall or hedge the light 'cover' over the surface creating a soft glow effect. However this can also be achieved by 'lifting' the light at certain angles to cover the desired area eg. garden area. Good areas and features to concentrate on:- Dining and seating areas, walkways, sculptures, water features, pots, specimen planting, trees, architectural features, garden features, buildings, etc can all be highlighted in a garden to create wonderful, varied ‘textures’ of light.

Uplighting, down lighting, mid-level lighting, step lighting, etc?

You may want to take into consideration how the garden will be used and how the garden will be viewed from the house. Also, consider security aspects, lighting can deter unwanted intruders! Consider how the lights are going to be ‘switched on’ – exteior switch or interior switch? How many lights are required to be switched on at any one time? If you require some areas of the lighting to be separate from others you will require different lighting ‘circuits’. You may want to consider ‘remote control’ lighting, whereby the lighting can be operated with a small keyfob, as opposed to using a switch. Do you require ‘sensors’? [greenways]

Good news at last, The Snowdrops are up!

So good news, the first snowdrops are up! And you know what that means, it is officially the end of winter……Well according to Irish folklore anyway.

In Irish folklore it is said that when the snowdrop is seen it is the end of winter and the start of spring.

It is amazing to think that anything can grow in the garden after the hard freeze we just experienced, but isn't it great to see something so beautiful and delicate pierce its way through the ground and lift our spirits.

The Snowdrop is now a familiar wildflower in Ireland, however it actually originated from central and eastern Europe. The Latin name for Snowdrop Galanthus literally means "milk-white flowers" arising from the fact that the snowdrop plant looks like three drops of milk hanging from a stem.

The flower grows to an average height of 15cm with three inner and 3 outer petals. It closes its petals at night and opens them in the morning to attract insects. Insects help to pollinate the flower allowing it to reproduce. Snowdrops like to grow in a moist soil with plenty of humus. They do not like hot, dry positions preferring part shade. Snowdrops can be seen in early spring and can be found at the moment beginning to peek up from its wintry sleep. Snowdrops grow from a hardy bulb just like daffodils and the crocus. There are almost 20 different types of snowdrop, all are white, however they differ in size and shading.

An interesting fact is that the little snowdrop has been linked to important medicine that could help in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Galantamine, a medicine used today to treat Alzheimer's disease, occurs naturally in several members of the amaryllis family (snowdrop; narcissus; daffodil). This important medicine was first discovered in the innocent Snowdrop.

Mosaic Monday.

Today is Mosaic Monday hosted by our birthdaygirl Mary from The Little Red House.Happy birthday Mary. I made a red mosaic for today of pictures from my files. Thought it my brighten the day as the weather here is so grey.

 
For more beautiful mosaics go to Mary's blog. You can find a list of all the other participants of this lovely weekly event.

A Lovely Bathroom

I've been looking through my saved bathroom images for some inspiration for an upcoming project and this one which was featured in a recent edition of Living Etc. which Kelly posted late last year keeps jumping out at me. I adore the frilling detail on the black and white stripe curtain and of course the all-white colour palette is divine!

Today's flowers

For today's flowers I have this poppy .I made this picture last spring when we were on holidays in Spain. Poppies are such happy flowers, at least they make me happy when I see them.

 
Go here for more flower pictures from all over the world