Happy Wednesday & Coastal Living Giveaway

I can't believe how quick this time of the month keeps coming around! It is that time again, just leave a comment on today's post to win the latest issue of Coastal Living [will post anywhere]. As per usual the April issue does not disappoint. Check out the feature on Sailor Chic Interiors. Inspirations pulled straight from the sea! I adore the use of wooden oars inside the home. I have some on my walls and they look great. Enjoy the daydream as I did.....
all images from Coastal Living
Winner drawn Wednesday 14th April 2010

$1 Thrift

This is my latest find from my local thrift store. A teeny vintage cup and saucer for $1.00 mixed with some fresh rose buds plucked from my garden this morning. I don't think there is much more to be said except have a wonderful day!

What Would You Choose?

If you could choose only a few words to be held near your heart forever what would those words be? That is what I had to decide last month. For me it was a fairly easy decision. Family, for me, means pretty much everything. So now I am the extremely proud owner of a custom designed [double sided] necklace by the beautifully talented Lisa Leonard from Lisa Leonard Designs. Lisa contacted me recently and told me how much she loved my blog. We talked for a bit over email and then she offered to custom design a necklace just for me. How could I refuse. Each piece is hand-cut, stamped and made from polished sterling silver. What a beautiful gift to yourself or someone special. The possibilities are endless because you pick what you want to stamped on it! This lady has designed jewelry for celebrities too! I feel special now. Thank-you Lisa for this wonderful gift, I will treasure it for always.

Project Day: Vintage Rose Ruffle Shirt

I needed a little something pretty to pick me up this weekend. Here's what I did to turn a plain white shirt into something special just for me!

• I cut out and around an embroidered motif from a vintage pillowcase I had.
• Using a piece of scrap denim I roughly sewed the motif onto it using zig zag stitch [using red thread].
• I then cut the whole piece into an oval shape.
• Using the edging from the original pillowcase I cut 2 long pieces, gathered them to make some ruffles for the edging.
• Then I sewed the ruffles onto the denim piece - again, roughly and without to much care [again with the red thread].
• Lastly I sewed the finished piece on the front of my white shirt [pin first to hold in place].

So this afternoon I am off for drinks at my neighbours and I think this will suffice just beautifully with a glass of bubbly.
have a great weekend. Simone xx

My Little Hawaii

Wake up. Coffee. Still trying to wake up whilst packing school lunch and bags. Maybe I need to make my coffee a little stronger. Yes, more coffee. Then I walk outside to this. Right in my front yard. My hibiscus trees all in flower. For a moment I feel like like I am in Hawaii. That is enough to lift my spirits today. Have a great day!

The Importance of Pretend

I have always been a pretender. Ever since I was a child all I ever wanted to do was imagine I lived in some magical world.... somewhere. I while back I was playing with some vintage suitcases, chairs and birdcages that I had painted white. I got my daughter to get in and have a play whilst I took some photographs. I had forgotten about these images until this morning when I found them on my Mac. I thought I might share some with you today.
PS: Thanks for all your sweet kind words yesterday. xx

Happy 1st Birthday Beach Vintage

Oh my, time has slipped me by. On the 16th March 2009 I started a blog named Beach Vintage. I had no idea what I was doing. I taught myself as I went along and trusted that maybe others would find my daily musings interesting. Fast forward one year and I cannot believe how far I have come. Beach Vintage has been featured on some of the most popular interior design blogs [ Apartment Therapy , Houzz and Absolutely Beautiful Things] and currently receiving tens of thousands of page views per month. So where to from here? I have no idea. I will just continue doing what I have been doing. I am enjoying every minute! So here's to me & Beach Vintage and a BIG cheers to all my followers and regular visitors. Thank-you Thank-you Thank-you! xx
PS: A big thanks to Anna Spiro from ABT for helping me when I first started my blog. She gave me some help and advice to which I am very grateful. xx
photo from flickr

Project Day: Tulle Fairy Lights

My daughters room is something I love playing around with. I get to be a kid again. Here's what we did to add a magical touch for the weekend. You will need:

• Set of fairy lights [I wrestled to untangle these for ages after finding them up the back cupboard].
  
• 2 packets of Tulle Bomboniere Circles [20 in each pack] from Lincraft [or craft shops].
• Clear sticky tape.
  

All I did was cut each tulle circle into 4 pieces, then I wrapped each around a light and secured with clear tape. Hang wherever you like! We attached a screw in hook to the ceiling and hung the strands over the top of it. I hope you have a magical weekend. Simone xx
please be responsible when working with electrical products

~ Why are some of us Born Artists ~

Gee I wish I could paint pictures like the talented Sara Tetley. Can you imagine having these beauties hanging on your wall? Don't you just love the colours and shades. I would never be able to decide which one I love most.

So Excited

Do these images look familiar? Remember that Beach House in New Zealand I was telling you all about? Well guess what. I leave in two weeks to head straight there! That's right my friends I am off overseas to Hawkes Bay New Zealand to bring this beautiful home into my life for a little while. I am so darn excited and can't wait to share this place with you all too! Here are some more photo's of this gorgeous house.
winner of my Coastal Living Giveaway [using random.org] is: #22 Ocean Dreams - Congrats Sierra!

~ Mucking About ~

Mucking about today creating vignettes on my side table with vintage china, shells and the likes. My yellow roses are coming out in force at present. Remember I saved them from the Rose Farm? You will be happy to know they are getting more and more fragrant too. Maybe my theory was right.
Don't forget today is your last chance to enter my Coastal Living Magazine competition. Good luck everyone.

STOP and Smell the Roses

Step 1: Pick some flowers.
Step 2: Smell them [up real close].
Step 3: Put them in some quirky vases around the place.
Today I am begging you to stop and smell the roses.
Life is too short to pass by such pretty things.
all photos taken by me

Project Day: Ornate Frame Pin Cushion

This time last year I had no sewing machine and I didn't know how to sew. Now I have my machine and am slowly teaching myself the basics. I am getting there. Now it is time for something pretty for all my little pins.

• I used a small vintage ornate frame [ I had bought this on Ebay for a few dollars].
• After taking the frame apart I spray painted it white.
• Using some padding and a vintage embroidered doiley I put the frame back together to create a 'cushion' in the middle for my pins.
• Trim off excess round the back of the frame.
  

Just something to give me a little bit of extra inspiration whilst sitting in front of my sewing machine. Cutting and cursing, and learning. Can't believe it's Friday again. Take care and have a wonderful weekend. Simone xx

Around My Home Today

[photos taken by me]

Look at all the wonderful things I can see around my home this morning. Freshly baked cupcakes waiting to be iced. Roses from my garden thrown into a vintage bottle and butter that is melting down to room temperature on my kitchen bench top (so as I can ice my cakes). These are the things that are making me smile today.