Slow Weekend

Gorgeous artwork by the beautiful Anne Harwell of Annechovie

This weekend has been a blissful combination of slow life - resting, reading, cooking, sleeping, playing with the Humphrey and doing as little as possible and I've loved it. 

I find a little Norah Jones playing in the background, a good book and a fragrant candle burning is so restorative.  I adore candles, Glasshouse are one of my favourites and I have them burning a lot of the time when I'm home.  One of my very few indulgences is a space in my cupboard filled with supplies ready to go when one has flickered out.  The fragrances are divine, this one above is 'Caracas' other favourites are 'Amalfi Coast' 'Montego Bay' and 'Little Black Dress'. 

Did you know that Glasshouse have a little sister offspring called Circa Home?  Their home fragrances are just as delicious.  The special thing about Circa Home is that each fragrance represents a particular year so far I've had 1962 Jasmine & Magnolia, 1972 Coconut & Orris Root and 1998 Mango & Papaya and each candle comes with a special story about it's inspiration. Like this one...

1972 is inspired by sizzling picnics on the beach, sandy sandwiches and buckets and spades. Reef oil and boogie boards. Never-ending road trips. Family holidays that make up the fabric of childhood memories.



Image via Circa Home Fragrances



I seem to be a collector of the beautiful and talented Anne Harwell's (Annechovie) artwork as well, my newest addition is the Suzani Settee pictured above which arrived on Thursday in the mail, when I opened it my heart skipped a beat, it's so pretty!

Hope your weekend has been as relaxing and rejuvenating as mine.

Keren

xx

A Gorgeous Group Warehouse Sale!

We've been busy these past few weeks organising a super Warehouse Sale with our friends at Verandah House, Sharnel Dollar Designs, Habitat Baby, Little Maison, Little Bubble and Tree, Ruby Olive, Apple & Bee and our other business The Cupcake Courier.

If you live in South East Queensland then you need to mark Saturday 7th May in your diary.  Between 9.00am and 1.00pm CASH ONLY.  Held in the carpark of our warehouse Unit 5, 623 Toohey Road, Salisbury.

Enormous savings on children's bed linen, gorgeous jewellery, stunning homewares and furniture, party ware, cake stands, children's kaftans, Jessie Steele aprons and accessories, The Cupcake Courier, Bungalow linen and much more.  Everything from end of season, discontinued lines and sample stock - hugely discounted or at wholesale prices or below.

It's also the day before Mother's Day so still plenty of time to get a gorgeous gift for Mum at a brilliant price.

We can't wait to see you there!

Keren

xx

Now Is the Time and It's Never Too Late

It's Never Too Late and Now Is the Time by Patrick Lindsay purchased from Hamptons Home Living



Here are the two gorgeous little books I accidentally purchased on my visit to Hamptons Home Living last week to deliver extra stock.  It was the playful simplistic dust jackets of It's Never Too Late...174 simple acts to change your life and Now Is the Time...170 ways to seize the moment both by Patrick Lindsay that whispered 'you must buy me'.

Now Is the Time and It's Never Too Late by Patrick Lindsay

They are both filled with 'morsels of insight' and inspiring quotes.  I love the fact that you can open them at any page and be uplifted and encouraged by beautiful words reminding us to celebrate elegance, use your talents, let yourself dream, ask for help, prove them wrong, listen to your body, to break away from the herd, to smell the country air and on the flipside to that one for those of us who are city dwellers like me, embrace the traffic!  This one might be a challenge but I'm willing to give it a go - I'll let you know how my embracing of traffic progresses.

PS.  Photographed on the samples of our new Hamilton Aqua fabric which will be available in cushions, fabric and bedlinen!  Currently in production and coming very soon :o)

Hope your weekend has been a wonderful one.

Keren
xx

Hamptons Home Living = I'm moving in



The 'Living Room' at Hamptons Home Living - I'm ready to move in.

Step inside the glossy black trimmed doorway of the gorgeous new Hamptons Home Living on Latrobe Terrace at Paddington in Brisbane and guaranteed you will never want to leave.  The divine new store is like walking into a warm, cosy home with distinct living, dining and bedroom areas featuring the finest furniture, linens, tableware, homewares, lighting, books and decorative pieces. 

Gorgeousness as far as the eye can see.

Super stylish and gorgeous owner Tania Bailey and her award winning restaurateur husband Luke Stringer have created something truly special in the Brisbane homewares and cafe scene.  If the food at the opening night on Monday is any indication of what's to come when the cafe is fully functioning in the next few weeks, then you are in for a sublime experience.  I could seriously taste the ocean in the Oysters!  The cafe is currently open for superior coffee and delicious sweet delicacies and will be open for Breakfast and Lunch in the next few weeks.

Luke and Tania are amazing hosts and it was a wonderful evening of laughter spent with some fabulous friends including Judy from Verandah House, Carla from Habitat Baby and I was so thrilled to finally meet the delightfully talented Kerri from Driftwood Interiors.

Look, the locals have already discovered this little treasure! 
The cafe is toward the back and the view from the verandah is beautiful, serene and feels like you are far from the city hustle and bustle.

I popped back into my new favourite haunt this morning to drop off some more 'emergency supplies' aka stock because it's been flying off the shelves and well I had to stop and have a coffee and a to die for chocolate biscuit based cheesecake with my friend Carla from Habitat Baby.   Oh and I did manage to accidentally purchase a couple of adorable books - charged to the business of course - necessary for well...ME. I will show you them tomorrow - too dark for photos tonight.

Tea on the back balcony - bliss.

I almost had to be peeled from the front doorway and I believe I was heard saying 'don't make me leave' as I was heading back to the office this morning.  My visit to Hamptons Home Living kept me uplifted and smiling all day, this is a place to lose yourself, rejuvenate, relax and you will truly feel like it is your home.

Do yourself a favour and meander up to 180 Latrobe Terrace asap and say hi to Tania and Luke, they will welcome you with open arms.  Maybe I'll see you there!

Keren

xx

A broken ankle and a new collection!

Hello again everyone

I've been missing in action for quite some time, almost 4 months...

New 'keren brown' Cockatoo - Pink (also available in aqua, and green)

I had my 2nd severe bone break in 6 months - the first one was in May and was my wrist.  On the 15th December I managed to slip over while trying to shut the front door from a storm and smashed my ankle and dislocated it in 3 places - 4 days in hospital, 2 plates, 10 screws and a rod in my leg, no Christmas to speak of, no birthday celebration either, 11 weeks in a wheelchair, 2 surgeries, months of physiotherapy which is continuing and I'm starting to feel like a normal person again and beginning to hobble.

Who would have thought a broken ankle could be so very debilitating?  Let me assure you...it is dreadful!   We did however manage to get ourselves to the Trade Fair in Sydney in February (in said wheelchair) which was a marathon effort but we did it :o) 

At the fair we launched our new 'keren brown' collection of cushions, fabric by the metre and bed linen.  I was just so excited and relieved to actually get there as there were many times over the months when I truly didn't think we would make it.

The response to our new collection was truly wonderful and overwhelming.

Here is a sneak peek of rest of the collection due to hit the shores in August (fingers crossed).


Avalon - Green (also available in pink, aqua)




Hamilton - Aqua (also available in pink, green)

So good to be back and feeling like I want to blog again!

Keren
xx