Sibella Style

Have you come across the inspiring new book on interiors Etcetera from Australian designer Sibella Court? Its a gorgeous read packed with great images and styling tips. Sibella's website The Society Inc. is also rather wonderful, and dangerously easy to while-away an hour or so looking at images grouped into colour and design themes. These images are from her 'Travellers and Magicians' theme influenced by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and the Silk Road - lots of exotic & richly coloured textiles and eclectic interior spaces.

OK, back to work.....

Animal adventures Japanese style

More Japanese loveliness, this time from the very talented printmaker and illustrator Junzo Terada. All of these charming stationery products can be found on the Chronicle Books website.

Japanese delicacies

I would love to see the Mina Perhonen range of products in real life - everything looks so textural and beautifully hand-crafted. Had better start saving my airfare to Tokyo.....

Mina Perhonen products are available online from the Japanese boutique Lili et Nene .

Inspired by Silhouettes

Silhouette - The Art of the Shadow by Emma Rutherford is a beautifully illustrated book tracing the fascinating social history and the visual charms of the silhouette.

Packed with examples of this enduringly popular art form from private, public and royal collections, this book details the origins of the silhouette, through to its hey day in the late 18th century, finishing with a chapter on contemporary practitioners of the technique including Kara Walker and Rob Ryan.

Silhouette - The Art of the Shadow is published by Rizzoli , 2009.

Wildflowers from the West

Last week I had a few days holiday from the goings-on at Hiccups, so managed a little bit of a browse around a couple of second-hand bookshops in the Victorian countryside. These images are from a West Australian Wildflower compendium, published in 1935. I love the elegant compositions and faded tones of these botanical water colours, painted by the W.A. Government botanical artist Edgar Dell.






Times have changed since this book was published - cigarettes as a still life prop!

Le Petit Chaperon Rouge

More lovely Nathalie Lete inspiration - this time from her new twin book release Le Coffret du Petit Chaperon Rouge , published by Editions Thierry Magnier . I never tire of looking at her painterly illustrations, ceramics and prints, all of which make an appearance in this Little Red Riding Hood themed treasure.

Le Coffret du Petit Chaperon Rouge is available from the French web-shop Mes Habits Cheris .

Hiccups in House and Garden

Here is the Hiccups 'Carpark' puff print cushion as seen in the December 2009 Australian House and Garden  Magazine Christmas shopping ideas article.

And here it is in detail!

Danish kids

Classic pared-back children's bedrooms from Danish photographer Lisbett Wedendahl.

Colour amongst the Ironbarks

At the back reaches of my family's farm in country Victoria lies a bush landscape of Ironbark and Grey Box eucalyptus. The recent spring rains have brought out some colourful wildflowers that haven't made an appearance for a few years.

Kangaroo Paws

Not sure of the name of this purple orchid.... but it did have a lovely chocolate scent.

Billy Buttons 

'Silver Princess' Eucalyptus

Everlasting daisy

Grey Box eucalyptus blossom

Cootamundra wattle seed pods

'Kangaroo Tails' in blossom

Black Wattle

A few more majestic 'Kangaroo Tails'

And the dark textured bark of the Ironbark eucalyptus.