This week I LOVE ......

Nearly the end of the week people. After my post from earlier this week, I wanted to make sure we ended the week at 'A little home with Freesias' on a positive note.
Have been daydreaming on pinterest this morning and this is what I have come up with......
This week I love/would love ......

LOVE this hair colour.

For the first time since November (embarrassing to admit), I am getting my hair cut on Saturday.
I am so seriously excited I have started a countdown and boy am I going to take my time - could be the longest haircut ever! Usually I am very, very bleached :), but surprisingly my new hair growth post baby is quite dark. Thinking about a colour change but keeping my hair long. I will be taking this pic with me for inspiration.

I still LOVE wallpaper. Will be heading to Porter's Paints this weekend to check out Anna Spiro's new wallpaper collection.... This wallpaper would look great in our study nook....

Have also been thinking about taking a family holiday for a week in August. I want to go somewhere quiet where we can chill out. If I could choose anywhere in the world right at this moment, I would LOVE to go here.....

LOVE him.... need I say anymore? Without sounding dreadfully shallow, seriously could this man get anymore dreamy?

Would LOVE to eat this RIGHT NOW....

LOVE this kitchen :)....

Would LOVE this deck and of course the fairy lights under our mango tree

LOVE Tim Ross' chateaux...

Would LOVE a certain someone (yes you CW!) to buy me a bunch of daisies.....

LOVE this skirt....

I LOVE this print......

Love this front door.....

LOVE this hair product - be gone my tragic 80's body wave......

And last of all....LOVE this quote.

Thanks for reading my blog this week. Will sign off for the week today.

So looking forward to a quiet weekend with my little family. Make sure you enjoy yours too :)

Kate x

Working and motherhood ....

I have been debating whether to publish this post or not. It is a bit personal.
I say it every time, I know. I really don't want to make this blog about parenting or mothering but occasionally the topic just comes up. I guess I am reluctant to talk too much about it, just in case I bore you!
The past few months have been so busy in our household. The little man has been experiencing what seems like constant illness and that combined with shift work, motherhood and contributing to the running of our household, is fast becoming too hard. I so wanted to seem like the super mum who could work 5 days a fortnight (mostly night shifts - 10 hours nights shifts mind you!), capably care for her family and have a neat, tidy, organised home, but I am not. No, unfortunately I am not a robot. It would seem that working and caring for a one year old, at least for me, is not quite that easy after all. I have felt like time is just passing us by. The little man is growing up before our very eyes. I can't believe it is nearly June! Seriously, how did that happen?
So, after much deliberation and a few tears, I have decided to reduce my shifts to two shifts per week and I am also pulling the little man out of childcare. Fingers crossed this will all come together in a month or so. I figure we can try childcare again next year and in the meantime, the little man's immune system can take a break from overdrive. It is time to get my little family back on track! Some decisions as a parent are so difficult and I have struggled with this one, but hopefully this decision will provide us with the opportunity to regroup and be as well as possible for the remainder of the year.
Here is a photo taken of us in the early days. This shot was taken by my brother, Tom. He is quite the talented photographer don't you think?
I love this photo for obvious reasons - even if it does accentuate my big nose! Look at my beautiful little boy - good enough to eat he is!

I have been thinking that it may be time to re-immerse myself in some of Sarah Napthali's books.
I have found her books so helpful in the past, especially when I have felt like I have lost focus on the important things in life. What do you find helpful when you are trying to regain perspective?

PS. I promised my husband I wouldn't put any current photos of the little man on this blog but figured this pic didn't count ;)

an impromptu purchase...

Once upon a time pre baby, I was always one to make the odd impromptu purchase. You know the type, an impromptu pair of shoes or item of clothing. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your view point, I have since reformed, rarely making an impromptu purchase at all. On Sunday morning however, I made one of my best impromptu purchases yet.
Let me set the scene.
The little man and I made our usual trip to our local Gloria Jeans at about 0830 - we ran out of pods for the nespresso - not cool. During the week as I drove busily past 'Old As..... Antiques and Collectables' on Webster Rd at Stafford, this little chair kept catching my eye. On our way home from getting our coffee, the little man in his pyjamas patiently sitting in the back seat, I decided to stop by this gorgeous little shop and enquire about the cost of this little beauty.
$90 later, the chair was in the back seat with the little man who was by this stage looking a little confused. Coffee and a chair all before 9am on a Sunday morning - yes, sometimes I too impress myself. This little antique shop is quite the find and the couple who own it, were so helpful.
Chances are they thought I was a bit loopy!
One of my clever friends said she could re-cover the cushion and I am thinking of spray painting the chair yellow or even white for something more traditional. Either way, I love my purchase.
For those of you who know my husband and his conservative attitudes to just about everything, you will not be shocked by his reaction to this purchase. He stared at the chair quizickly, coffee in hand and said  'I don't get it. It is just cane chair'. Just you wait and see dear husband. This is not just a plain old cane chair. I will be sure to post photos of the finished product.

A bunch of flowers

Ok...... So I didn't get my piece of cake but I did buy these flowers and a coffee.
Isn't it funny how somethings as simple as flowers can make you so happy!
I had other pretty photos to load up, but our internet is too slow :(

Another positive for today, I was able to enrol in Holly Becker from Decor8's 'Blogging Your Way'

e-course. I am super excited about learning how to improve this little blog and my photography skills etc. Another excuse to be creative ....

Will post again at the end of the week,

Kate x

Tuesday - itis.....

We have had a lovely long weekend, all things considered. We spent a bit of time in the garden quietly enjoying the sunshine and planting some beautiful flowers underneath our mango tree.
The little man is sick again and even though I am determined to not make this blog another 'parenting therapy' blog, I think it is fair to say that we are all exhausted from recurring illnesses and are in desperate need of a holiday. So as a quick pick me up (did I mention I am working a nightshift tonight too?), I have decided that when the little man wakes from his morning sleep, I am going out to by myself a bunch of flowers, a coffee and a piece of cake from the Welsh Lady at Rosalie - yum! Don't worry. I will post a pic this afternoon. In the meantime this will be my motto for the week.......

Picture from Pinterest

Happy Tuesday peeps!

An Eames Rocker ....

One day, when we have more space in our 'perfectly imperfect' little home, I will definitely be purchasing me one of these babies .......

Picture via Pinterest ......

Children's music.....

We love music in our household. I am only too aware of the positive effect that music has on my mood, particularly at the end of our day when things tend to get a little bit crazy.
The little man and I are big, big fans of Holly Throsby and her CD aptly titled 'See!'....

Holly, if you are reading this blog somewhere out there in cyberspace (yeah right! :), thankyou so much for bringing such happiness to our mealtimes and bathtimes. If you are yet to purchase this CD and you have little people in your life that love to get their groove on, I cannot recommend this CD more highly. Our favourite songs are 'Hello Tiger' and 'Diamonds are so shiny'.

P.S. Although my husband would probably be ashamed to admit it, I have heard him sing songs from this album when he is playing with the little man - makes my heart melt!

The little man's pad

Back in my youth (I am probably older than you think!), I did one of those dreadful Contiki Tours of Europe - sad but true. One of the great things however about this trip, was visiting the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. It was there that I purchased the print below -  it is fittingly called 'First Steps'.
This print has been with me everywhere - interstate, more apartments than I care to remember, shared living and many years of single living and is now a feature in our little boys room. I absolutely adore it.
Apartment Therapy recently did a great feature post on including works of art in your children's bedroom. Over the past 15 months or so, I have had the opportunity to collect some beautiful pieces of inexpensive art and other little treasures for my little boy.

I was going to photoshop this pic but did think it was very cute the way a certain someone kept sneaking into the shot to do some rearranging!

Our precious 'Children of the World' print was purchased from the lovely ladies at Mondocherry.
We are fortunate to have many other Mondocherry pieces in our home - all of which I love.
This piece of art is so very special and sits above the little man's cot.
                                                                     

The gorgeous owl mobile, also a family favourite, was made by a lovely friend of mine, Caroline.
I will keep this mobile forever. Words cannot express how much the little man loves looking at this piece of art. Thanks Caroline for making 'change times' in our household just a little bit easier!

Last but not least, the little man's cot. I purchased the gorgeous Rabbit from the lovely Kimberlee from Brown Button Trading. I am a big fan of Kimberlee's blog Brown Button.

When I found out that I was pregnant, I purchased the Zebra aka 'Zoltan' from Nana Huchy.

The 'Hug a Planet' was purchased from Bebeonline. Although not art as such, the little man does love to squeeze his 'Hug a Planet' and it is a very creative way to teach your baby about the world and its many and varied places.

Do you have any pieces of art in your children's room? What about little treasures that you will cherish forever?