Elections, thrifting and garden gurus

It's Saturday. Election day in my home state of Queensland. Don't know the results yet as polls haven't closed. Up early. Vote. Trawl the thrift stores, couple of house inspections (still looking, very jaded by now) and I'm exhausted. Settle in to write WINKS when I visit a site sent to us and my spirits lift. Knibb design gardens that speak to your heart. Flowing hills of grass, sweet little shell details dotting gravel paths, garden rooms and garden getaways. Think rolling hills and clipped grass, meadows and ponds. So here's a very abridged version of WINKS. With spring sprung in the Northern Hemisphere maybe this is just the inspiration to start thinking about the garden.


Knibb Design have opened a new showroom with CL Sterling & Son in Venice, California which is what started me on this garden adventure. An invitation to the opening lead me to garden gurus and gorgeous lighting. Here are just a few examples.

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WINKS

... at my sister's commitment ceremony today. Got her a couple of goats! More below.

WINKS - weekend links. Here we list what has come in during the week, things we've found and things we think you'll want to see. If you'd like to see your blog or website featured email us and if we think it fits with our readers we'll link you. So what's in this week?

• I'm still totally hooked on anything Florence Broadhurst and would kill for one of these beautiful rugs from Australian handwoven rug specialists Cadrys. Bob & Mark Cadry will soon be bound for the USA to reveal their gorgeous Florence Broadhurst Collection, launching in both Los Angeles and New York. Four decades ago Florence and Cadry patriarch Jacques would chat about their love of textiles and rugs and now the family company "re-unites" them again. See more here.




• Wow! Love glass mosaics, love these fun examples from Trend. It's their new Wallpaper Collection. And the colours!! Daffodil yellows, peony pinks, cornflower blues and meadow greens.




• Camilla Hounsell Halvorsen emailed, "My chair Drops showed at Stockholm furniture fair, made out of leftover textiles, inner tube and steel legs. Dusk poufs made of leftover textiles. Treat bowls. Recycled lampshade frames with colorful threads makes perfect bowls! (For sale at etsy." Wild Camilla!.




• Frou-Frou & Claude - luxury screen makers based in London. Not only beautiful upholstered screens but lovely staging on the website too.




• Brad and Ashley emailed to introduce their new Etsy store Vintage Renaissance for a quirky take on vintage finds. I know Kim LOVES their Vintage suitcase pet bed. Good luck guys!




• Today my little sister is getting married. Well commitment ceremony is what we have here. It's a wonderful family day. But what do you buy two middle aged (OMG I'm older than her!) women who have too much of everything and have warned you that they want no presents? You give the present to someone who really needs it. I bought a couple of goats here and I'm sure you can find something similar in your home country. Congrats girls! We love you!

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WINKS

I'm working in the garden this weekend. What about you?

WINKS - weekend links. Here we list what has come in during the week, things we've found and things we think you'll want to see. If you'd like to see your blog or website featured email us and if we think it fits with our readers we'll link you. So what's in this week?

• Jeni from Rian Rae emailed to let us know that there are lots of lovely new things in her store. How does she find such beautiful pieces?




• Architectural and furniture designer David Sears has released his new range of furniture. The concept for Sears' "Cube Furniture Collection" sprang from his desire to pare down design to its base elements of function and form. Economy of design not only gives his collection a modern feel, but works inherently with the concept of sustainability and eco-living. Available at EcoModern Design.




• The latest from Radius Design is the Tree of Charge. While your cell phone, digital camera and mp3 player charge their batteries under the tree, the mains adapters are hidden inside. The decorative tree made of powder-coated steel is not just low-maintenance greenery, but also functions as a key rack and magnet board. And with the photos of your loved ones, it becomes a family tree. Perfect for your your landing strip! Thanks Andreas.




• Love these new fabrics from Anna Ka Bazaar. I'm dreaming up endless schemes for using these.




• Home decor, nerdiness and function coalesce in these latest offerings from BowerBird & Olive. The sacred heart oil lamp is either wall or table mounted with heart shaped lab ware and blood red oil while the boiling flask diffuser lets your inner aromatherapy chemist play.




• Gosia from one of my favourite Etsy stores blue bell bazaar emailed with exciting news. "I would like let you know about my new adventure.From March 1st I'm renting a space at Heritage Trail Antique Mall in Wilmette in Illinois, where I will be selling my vintage finds and my hand made glassware. Of course my weekly updates for people far away will be still running .... I hope that you or your readers will come to see me one day." Don't think Kim or I will be making the long trip very soon from Canada or Australia but doesn't mean we can't dream of the treasure we'd find.

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