Black & Spiro Today

This morning I pottered around my garden at home and collected a few flowering things for the shop. I arranged some pink bougainvillea and some native gum leaves in a couple of shell encrusted baskets I picked up in Bali a while ago. There's something so Summery and vibrant about bougainvillea and I do love it mixed in with a few classic blue and white ginger jars.

Above is one of a pair of amazing hand beaded African chairs we have in the shop at the moment. I think these chairs are a favourite of mine right now. To think of the work that goes into them...

We just received this gorgeous geometric patterned rug in today. The girls and I couldn't wait to put it in place under our bright orange coffee table in our front lounge room display. I think it has added so much colour to the shop...I just love it and I am very tempted to take it home!

Just thought you might like to see a few of the new things we have in at the moment.

All Ireland Scarecrow Championship, Durrow, Co. Laois.

Back during the August bank holiday weekend, we arranged to visit some old friends near in County Waterford. Heading down the motorway, our GPS tells us to turn off the motorway prematurely, but as I was unfamiliar with the area we were going to I did what I was told and left the motorway. By doing this, we were taken through the recently bypassed town of Durrow. But this was not the same Durrow I remembered form the times before the bypass where it was constantly chocked up with traffic, this time it was teeming with festive fun.

Unaware what was going on when entering the town, we spotted a funny looking fellow propped up by the road, who turned out to be a scarecrow, this seemed to be a little odd place for a scarecrow, but ‘hay’ whatever! Then there was another one! Now it was getting a little weird. It was only as we passed a picnic table of scarecrows dining and drinking pints so stout, that we knew something was going on.

'Walking the Owner is a Woof Job' by Adrian Sheppard Winner of Best Overall Scarecrow and Best Street Residence Scarecrow.



This was, as we later discovered the All Ireland Scarecrow Championship, part of Durrow’s annual ‘Howya’ Festival.

With over one hundred and fifty entries there was a lot to see. For those who wish to see the scarecrows in style, there was a Jarvey tour of the scarecrows where adults and children were taken on a tour of the highways and byways of the village on one of the beautifully presented horse and carriage rigs.

Unfortunately for us we did not have time to stop and have a good look around, as we were already running late, so all we could manage is a slow drive through the village, but thanks to Andy Walsh for letting me use some of his photos for this post to give you a taste of what it was like. Here are a few of my favourite entries.

White Lady Rescue' by The Durrow Fire & Rescue Service. Winner of Best Business/Club/ Organisation.

'Status Crow' by Michael Smith, Winner of Best Visiting Scarecrow.

'Lord & Lady Ashbrook' by Kay Downey



'CSI Crow Scene Investigation' by Joe Murphy, John Lappin, Robert Freeman & Thomas McCann, some of the winners of Best Youth/Student Scarecrow (under 16)







So be sure to add this to your list of events for next year, it runs every August bank holiday weekend. If you wish to enter next years competition, you can download a entry form from Durrow’s website http://www.durrowvillage.com/.

There are also lots more photos by Andy Walsh of the festival to see on his photo album http://s801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/JonathanWalsh/Scarecrows/

Interestingly as we left Durrow our GPS sent us back onto the motorway to continue our trip to County Waterford, this is the first time ever I wasn’t giving out to the GPS for taking us on one of its bizarre detours.

Need It Now

I'm completely loving these vintage Indian embellished shoulder bags Louise over at Table Tonic just got in!! I love, love, love the silver necklaces too!

Serious Undercushioning

Finding the time to work out a few little things I need for home has proven to be a bit hard lately with a baby in the house and a busy shop to juggle.

If my friend Faux Fuchsia could see my very undercushioned sofas right now she would be in shock as undercushioning {her very own term for not enough cushions} in her world as well as mine is a big NO NO. Actually, I think many of you would be in shock. So, late this afternoon I spent a few little minutes with myself and my collection of fabrics in our stock fabric room at Black & Spiro. I found a few old pieces of fabric I have been saving for a rainy day and let me tell you my rainy day has come. So I whipped them out and packaged them up and off to the workroom they will go tomorrow.

I can't wait to get some fresh cushions in the house. It really is amazing what a few new cushions can make to a room!! How's your cushion situation at the moment?

In Fashion

A couple of weeks ago we played host to a Spring fashion shoot at Black & Spiro for Q Weekend as above which was featured in the Saturday morning paper here in Brisbane last weekend. Thanks Elizabeth for wanting to use our new store.

A New Trend?

Could this pin wheel inspired design be a new trend similar to that of the chevron/zig zag phenomenon?

image 1 - fine little shop, image 2 - via this is glamorous

Irina Silka Project on 3D Kitchen and Kids Study Room

Irina Silka is a young architectural designer from Ukraine, she create several amazing project by using software such as 3D Max, Vray, AutoCAD, and Photoshop. Here are several projects from Irina Silka, taken from deviantart.

Skywatch Friday and Weekend Reflections.

 

Due to busy times because of our moving house next week I am linking this photo to these two memes. This will be my last log before our move. I will sure be back when my computer is working again. Hope to see you soon then.

For more skywatch pictures from all over the world go here:http://skyley.blogspot.com/

For more weekend reflection pictures go here:http://newtowndailyphoto.blogspot.com/

Beautiful Things Everywhere

It's true, sometimes I can hardly sleep thinking about all the beautiful things I see. Here are a few pretty things I have spotted lately. Everyone thinks I just like bold colour but actually I love subdued tones too as noticeable above. Isn't Brooke Giannetti's bathroom sublime!

PS. Thanks for all your encouraging comments on my last post...I am not stopping the blog {for now anyway}. I was really just saying how thrilled I was that my client was inspired by a few of my posts as I have been feeling like my posts haven't been up-to-scratch lately. To see that she actually created a leaf arrangement and purchased a lamp I posted was really satisfying!! I'd love to see any pictures of things you have created from ideas you may have picked up here at ABT...it would be really lovely!! Thanks for all of your messages!! xx Anna

image 1 via pretty stuff, image 2 - brooke giannetti's pink bathroom, image 3 - paul costello photographer for house and garden via moodboard blog, image 4 - source unknown {please let me know if you know the source}, image 5 - image source uknown {please let me know if you know the source}

Bring a Green Atmosphere into Your House with Indoor Plants

 

One of good idea to bring the convenience of green atmosphere into your house is by completing it with indoor plants. Many ways to decorate your home interior, and indoor plant in your interior is a example ways to decorate your home. Keeping house plants is the best way to decorate out home. Both, indoor and outdoor plants are not only used as decorative items, but also grown for other benefits. The most important benefit of keeping house plants is that they purify the air.

 

You can choose the Tulsi, Mother Fern, Aloe Vera, or Chinese Evergreen, all of them are can make our interior become convenience while spending our days in our house.

Working On

This afternoon I visited some lovely clients who I have been working with for quite sometime. We are just finishing off the final bits and pieces in their home like framing and lampshades.

You may recognise the green vintage lamp on their antique entry chest of drawers which they purchased from the antique shop in Marburg I posted about a few weeks ago. Although I love the colour of the old shade, we are making a new one as this one is a bit too vintagey and also has a few dints. We decided today that the new shade would look best made in a very similar vibrant green silk.

We are also having a set of antique copper etchings framed and hung above the chest of drawers. The etchings are actually of entry facades which is so perfect. We have selected a gold bamboo frame to work back with the gold detail on the lamp base and handles on the chest.

Throughout the house we have used lots of blue and white and we have also added some green. I love this fresh palette. The blue and white plates pictured above are from Black & Spiro. We are hanging them on a wall in their informal dining area.

My client was also inspired by the post I did on green leaf arrangements the other day and has used some golden cane palm fronds from her garden in a blue and white umbrella stand which she placed on the antique oval table in their sitting room.

I know I have said this in the past but sometimes, lately more than ever, I feel I am writing this blog for no reason and I also question my ability to continue to inspire with so many other wonderful blogs out there nowdays. However, when I see that my clients are inspired by my arrangements, selections and finds it really does make me understand why, after nearly 4 years, I continue to write this blog.