Diane Bronstein’s oil paintings and sketches leave me speechless.

I had all intention of posting a number of her artworks, but there are just so many that I am besotted by, I soon realised I was in the midst of pasting her entire website. So instead of doing that, I thought it best to give you just a taste, to entice you to have a look yourself. It’s a beautiful online gallery, I have spent a considerably large amount of time gazing and dreaming. Diane also has a wonderful blog where she posts her latest works with prices, plus sketches, thoughts, and inspirations.

I like to think Diane’s stunning underwater creatures are swimming around me when I sleep.

seems i’ve got a thing for teals and acqua’s today, and puffy clouds and birds. Perhaps this combo is all very soothing, and dreamy, just what i need to start the week! I love this photograph from Montreal photographer irene suchocki. She describes her works as creating ‘little poems for the eyes’, and i think she does this perfectly…

This Bird Has Flown by irene suchocki.

and you know I have a thing for the etsy boutique of Foundling. And I definitely have a thing for her phoenix necklace, crafted from a little vintage Cracker Jack prize from the 1930s or 1940s, dangling from a natural brass chain with a mix of stones and vintage glass, vintage lucite and semi-precious stone beads. wow. I love the way Foundling photographs her creations too - really thoughtful and very inspiring.

I have fallen in love with Ball and Chain’s quirky designs, and especially with this one: the cloud silver silhouette necklace.

I like to keep a selection of flower pins by the front door to add one to my bag, or jacket or hair before I head out the door. This one would be perfect for my collection: Teal Carnation Flower Pin made from a recycled t-shirt. It’s the handiwork of etsy favourite marang 97.

Hope you enjoyed this installment of…

well, i’ve certainly been slowed down, but not stopped. i’ve been pottering around the boat for the weekend - sorting, fixing, and playing - it’s been fun. I can’t play the piano, and I can’t walk so well, but I shall soon be back to my normal vibrant self, I promise!

Thank you everyone for your well wishes through all your emails and incredible comments - but saying thank you really doesn’t seem enough at all. Creating this blog has been one of the most inspiring, soul nurturing things I have ever done. You have all opened your arms to me and are like a wonderful, billowing silk safety net, catching me and throwing me back up into the air, allowing my wings to grow and find their strength.

I won’t get too soppy on you, but I just wanted to let you know.

So how about a song? What about one from the fresh, luscious voice of Sarah Aubrey. Click here to link to her myspace page, and listen to ‘empty room’. It’s a little melancholy, it’s a little deep, and it’s a little raw. Just the way I like it. Of course I also love her references to water and paper boats. While you are visiting her, have a listen to ‘Ha ha hey’, it’s a goodie too. Thank you to my dear friend Jo Jo for introducing me to her.

And what will we get up to this week in the (blog)house? You’ll just have to wait and see! But I can tell you this: I will be starting the sorting of all your My Heart Wanders images this week, getting them ready for the judges. No doubt I will be very tempted to show you one or two from the collection…

à demain! xx

I know it’s not the houseboat, but I just like this photo of the Paris apartment. I took this shot one night after coming home from shopping, I think I had just bought that fern and candles. You can see the remnants of nibblies and a bottle of wine on the coffee table - a little apéritif before preparing dinner.

Truth is everyone, I did plan to post a more substantial piece for you today, but I just had a bike accident. I am okay. More shocked than anything else. And I have a few flesh wounds. I was on my way home and as I crossed an intersection a taxi driver came from nowhere and knocked me down. I actually don’t know who’s ‘fault’ it was, I really thought I had looked, and the driver said it was his fault but I was a bit out of it. When all the bikes behind me stopped to help me up, I had no idea what language they were speaking. And then finally after a few seconds I realised, “oh yeah, that’s right it’s Dutch!’. It was all pretty embarrassing. I came home and had a good cry. But I’m okay now. I think a good nights rest is what I need. Hope you all had a lovely day!

xx

Do you remember when I wrote about my little front door wreath? I made it for Christmas with fairy lights and all, and then I loved it so much that I wanted to keep it displayed all through the year. So I decided to make it an evolving floral sculpture for the front door (certainly inspired by my love of Tracey Deep’s work) - I let the flowers and foliage die and just add to it over the months and seasons to see how it evolves. I call it my ever-evolving wreath. Back in January I evolved it to this. Meantime the buds have long-died and cobwebs were starting to grow through it all. So I cleaned it up yesterday while I was doing the gardening and I added the dying peonies and astilbes, here it is…

What do you think? I quite like it. The colours are so muted but the different textures are so strong. And the most beautiful part of this piece is that when I open the door a few petals fall, leaving a little path of petals on the bridge for me to walk over, while some of them fall into the canal and float away…

I think I’m still very structured with the wreath though - I’d like to be much looser with it, make it into a crazy beautiful artwork. When we have our summer boat party I will add fresh foliage and blossoms to it, make it colourful and lively.

On a side note, while I was out and about yesterday I passed an interior decorating studio that was selling fabric off-cuts for next to nothing, so I bought all of these…

I couldn’t help myself. I blame ms. hyena in petticoats - she posted that she was about to start selling her incredible fabric collection online, i got so excited about it, and then went out and spotted these fabrics for sale, and bought up! oops. I will no doubt use them for upcoming shoots, so you will probably see them again somewhere down the line. I was also thinking I might re-cover my napoleon chair in one of them, maybe this one…

While I think about this, I am going to pour myself a glass of milo, my last glass in fact, as the tin is now empty. Boo hoo! I’ll savour every last spoonful (yes, it’s imperative you drink milo with a spoon).

Next Up: hmm, I have no idea, what does everyone feel like to end the week? A home tour? A cool new kids clothes range? A tag? Or is there a category you like most? You choose.

But you have to be super quick! Remember my article about Langkawi? Well, Holiday magazine has just announced they are offering a 3day, 2 night stay at the Mutiara Buray Bay resort, in Langkawi!! This is the resort that has the very awesome Seashell Cafe I was telling you about, with the giant electric guitar, and the photo above is one I took while at the resort, it is so gorgeous.

To win just be the 25th member to register with Holiday magazine, that’s it, it’s so simple!Click here. Good luck!

Ever wanted to try on a piece of haute couture?

Well, tomorrow night, you can!! One of my favourite craft + design galleries in Sydney called Object is opening an exhibition from this Saturday showcasing eight leading Australian fashion designers in an exhibition called How You Make It. This engaging exhibition invites people to experience the detail and process behind some of Australia’s most conceptual designers. Visitors will be given the unique chance to try on selected garments, some of which will never enter the marketplace. As a special one-off opportunity, the infamous outfit worn by Björk for her recent album tour will be on show for visitors to try on.

Tomorrow night (Friday, June 20) is the very exclusive opening to the exhibition, and I have been offered two tickets to attend. But as you all know, I am not in Sydney so guess what?! The lovely team at Object have given me the go ahead to offer my tickets to you! All you have to do is be the first to leave a comment with a “YES PLEASE!” and you and your guest are in.

The featured design practices include: Anthea van Kopplen, Ess. Laboratory, FORMALLYKNOWNAS, MATERIALBYPRODUCT, Paula Dunlop, Project, Simon Cooper and S!X.

I wish I was in Sydney to attend this incredible event but I am thrilled to offer this to you. Thank you, Object! Have a wonderful night and I’m looking forward to hearing all about it!

PS. I have to dash to a meeting but I’ll be back soon to check the results and will email the winner the details of where and when. see you soon! xx