Happy Palatial New Year...farewell 2011 | welcome 2012 x

Thank YOU for joining me at Palatial Living for a wonderful year during 2011...

This year [like you I am sure also] has seen some major changes in my world - swinging from one extreme to the other - some fearful, some great, some incredibly achingly painful - some stupendous I am still in disbelief.... from returning to work from a stint of maternity leave from having our little Isabelle, finding our beloved 'new' old home on the north shore from the original owners, whilst simultaneously learning to separate emotion from our [then] existing home - whilst packing house to move - and 1 week shy of a 2 week work trip to China - then loving & parting with my much adored Grandfather 'Pa' who passed away in June of this year... then in October my husband become incredibly ill after a trip overseas and spent the best part of a week in hospital, and is thankfully, still, on the recovery road.

I am very blessed and without a doubt so lucky to have good health, my daughter & husband, my great family & my dear friends in my life and without forgetting - YOU- and this wonderful avenue at Palatial Living to share my unadulterated inspirations, thoughts, and views on design, colour, living, fashion and maybe a little slice of what I consider 'Palatial Living'. The little things that are both grand & cosy - but always stylish - in and out!

All the best for a safe, fun, fabulous New Year, and for a splendidly Palatial 2012 ahead. I can't wait to share more of my loves with you!

Enjoy ,

Sarah x

 images via everly true, Martha Stewart, type posters, crush cul de sac,

enjoying summer time...

Blood Orange Cosmopolitan - Cocktail
Ingredients - 45ml vodka |15ml Cointreau |10ml fresh lime juice
2 drops bitters| 30ml cranberry juice| 30ml 'Schweppes Agrum Collection' Blood Orange -
Or - use 2 Juiced Fresh Blood Ornageswith 30mls Tonic water

Method - Add all ingredients into a Boston glass

Add ice, shake and strain into a cocktail glass
Top with Schweppes Agrum Blood Orange

Garnish with Burnt orange zest

Couldn't think of any better ways through these delicious fresh and opalescent blood orange, strawberry, lime colours to celebrate summer [here in 'Oz'] . I have included a couple of little favourite recipes of mine... Here in Australia - we say Cheers!

Cheers to Summer!

Enjoy,

Sarah x

Guava Margaritas

Ingredients - 1 3/4 cups freshly squeezed lime juice, plus wedges for serving

2 3/4 cups [your favourite] tequila |1 1/3 cups Grand Marnier

2 3/4 cups guava puree | Coarse salt, for rims

Directions - Stir together lime juice, tequila, Grand Marnier, and guava puree in a large pitcher;

stir to combine. Refrigerate until chilled.

                                 Just before serving, rub a cut lime around the rim of each glass. Fill a saucer with

salt, and dip each glass, upside down, into the salt. Pour margaritas into glasses, garnish with

 lime wedges, and serve immediately.

images via crush cul de sac, pretty stuff, miss wallflower, diet coke and smoke

Friday Flowers...For You!

- A Vignette - Magnolia Grandiflora -

Friday Flowers in a different form - photography, and a truly beautiful image too. It's one of Palatial Living's signature blooms & one of my ALL time favourites - the Grandiflora Magnolia! Another great image from Martha Stewart via gorgeous blog, Lona de Anna! Happy Friday to You!

Apologies for the lack of postings this week a plethora of things happening - we have just come back from our first family holiday as '3' with our little Isabelle, whilst celebrating my husband's birthday, and had great time - but am all over the place with Palatial Living, and have just made my deadline emailing my lovely client her 'Pre-Sales Styling & Staging Guideline Report' minutes ago! Ohhh my 'laptop' shoulders need a soak, and there seems to be a tonne of housework to catch up on! Friday really crept up on me this week...Hope you have great weekend & Enjoy! S xxx

Image from Martha Stewart via Lona de Anna blog

Friday Flowers...

Friday Flowers this week... I had a blog snoop the other night after I received a lovely comment and came across these gorgeous Cymbidium orchids, planted into a wide trough, on a fabulous blog, Lona de Anna - Anna is also a lovely Palatial Living fan... Thank You Anna for listing Palatial Living on your 'Blogs on the Block'! Enjoy x

Images via Lona de Anna / from Martha Stewart

Just Boards...

image via house beautiful

I have been consumed with coming up with the right size, colour, maybe fabric covered & maybe not pinboard that will be my new mood- inspiration board area above my desk in our [shared - with my husband] home office. It has so much to deliver - ughhh the pressure to get it right - it needs to be stylish, and therefor coordinate with the colour scheme - accent any highlight colours, and of course functional - fulfilling the job of being my source of conglomerated inspiration & creativity! That's a hefty job description! So here are some images I have collected for ideas along the way, as well as a great set of instructions on the 'how to make one' from 'Real Living' magazine if you'd like to make your own inspiration board/s Enjoy.S x 

image via martha stewart living

image via martha stewart living

image via martha stewart living

image via martha stewart living

image via martha stewart living

image via real living magazine sept '10 issue

How to make a funky pinboard - from Real Living

The snazzy fabric pinboard in Shawn and Natalie Godwin's Brisbane home office (September real living issue - out now, page 97) has inspired our design guru Sarah de Lancelle. Here's how to make one.

1. The easy way - Cover an existing cork pinboard — you can pick one up for around $5-10 at Kmart, bargain stores and stationers. Make sure it has a stable backing you can staple the fabric onto. If it has a frame, see whether you can remove the cork section — you can wrap the fabric over the cork and slip it back into the frame.

When wrapping the fabric over the board, use a staple gun and secure it tightly at the back with lots of staples, as the fabric will be pulled whenever you "pin". If the pinboard does not have a stable backing, use a strong fabric glue to prevent movement. You can paint or stain the frame to suit your dé cor — but do this before you put the fabric on!

2. Do it from scratch!Cut a piece of MDF to size as backing (from hardware stores). Use a layer of either cork or rubber for the front. Cork tiles (from hardware stores, Kmart, Big W) come in packs and are easy to mount. If you opt for rubber, test it with pins before you buy to find one that suits. Polystyrene is another option, but it doesn't "spring back" the way cork or rubber does. If you are pinning a lot, it may lose its hold. Glue your chosen surface to the backing. Test first — some glue will eat away at rubber or polystyrene. Wrap your fabric as above.

Fabric choices

You may have a fabric in mind that's perfect for your colour scheme. But remember, a loose-weave fabric copes best with board pins. If you've fallen in love with a tight-weave fabric, buy some extra so you can re-cover the board when it starts to look shabby.

One final tip!Spray a fabric protector (eg. Scotchgard) on your pinboard before you use it — who wants dirty hands on their "work of art"?

 

Images via Martha Stewart Living, Real Living Magazine, & House Beautiful

Long Weekend Palatial House Tour... A Weekend Cottage on Fire Island N.Y

I'm on a lovely long weekend, June Long Weekend, here in Australia, and with that in mind was thinking of weekenders & home-away-from-home cottages and I came across this gorgeous 'weekend home' located on Fire Island NY,  in Country Living magazine...it belongs to Alex Bates, who is the creative director of [U.S Home Decor & Furniture company] 'West Elm'.

By using a crisp, clean palette and pared back, simple furnishings Alex has successfully created a calm, serene presence that 's not comprised by 'just' being a weekender! I know you'll love this cottage as much as I do... Enjoy! x

[above] A vintage breadbox, earthy vessels by Heath Ceramics, and blue Martha Stewart bowls stitch together the room's beach-inspired color scheme.

[above] In the kitchen, Alex Bates paired contemporary West Elm chairs with a weathered farm table that belonged to the home's previous owners. The oyster plates were a gift from Bates's mother-in-law.

[above] For the guest room, Bates added cotton slipcovers with contrast piping to twin headboards from her own childhood.

[above] Bates furnished the master bedroom with a headboard and linens from West Elm, plus a couple of vintage paintings. A linen tablecloth draped over an upholstered headboard adds a subtle sense of depth.

 

[above] The couple's enclosed front porch doubles as a guest room, thanks to a built-in daybed decorated with pillows from West Elm. Alex found the turtle shells at an antiques store.

[above] Sun hats & green grocer bags hung on the front porch also add a welcoming feeling.

[click on image to enlarge]

[above] The owners, Alex and Andrew Bates - bicycle along one of Fire Island's boardwalks. Berry bushes line the boardwalk behind their home, where they pick fresh blueberries for making pancakes. So jealous! 

[above] The vintage sofa is covered in easy-to-wash white canvas, [you can have your upholsterer or interior decorator organise removable slip covers for a favourite lounge or chairs that you'd like to keep, or check Ikea for similar styles]   and on the floor for a fuss-­free look is an affordable jute rug. An antique sea coral print hangs between the windows. High-gloss white paint on a ceiling reflects natural light, painted floorboards in white also helps keep the space clean, bright & fresh.

Images from Country Living.

Two Birthdays!

In our families it's a month of birthdays... all Grandmother's both of minem & including my husband's Nana, Elaine, and also our Goddaughter, Charlotte... Hopefully 'Baby Verity' can wait til May, I don't think we could fit much more in this month!

Wishing my [maternal] Grandmother, NJ, a very Happy 83rd Birthday today... We love you & hope that you have a lovely day with [Pa] your husband & friends! Here's to a wonderful happy & healthy year ahead. xxx

And a very special 1st Birthday Wish, with all our love, to our gorgeous Goddaughter, Charlotte! We're not sure where that 1st year went but we're so glad to be a part of your beautiful little life & seeing you grow up! xxx

image 1 Snippet & Ink - image 2 Martha Stewart

Sweet Friday Flowers...

Seems we still have a good few Easter Eggs left around the house, for some reason the chocolate eggs always taste better than just having plain block chocolate! Purely in the head I know... that's why I couldn't go past these sweet flowers - pansies, snow drops, forget-me-nots, lavender buds and the like, all vased in pretty patterned egg cups. They reminded me of our little treats left over !

I hope you have a wonderful relaxing weekend... I plan to put my feet up for most of it - especially now that our nursery is as ready as it can be - just waiting for someone to fill it! Thank You again for stopping by at Palatial Living & for all your kind emails and comments.

Take Care & Happy Weekend! S xxx

Image from Martha Stewart

Easter Monday...Happy Easter to You!

Between Ending the week last week with [Good] Friday Flowers and starting the week on Easter Monday with Flowers - although technically still the weekend... I couldn't resist the happy colourful bouquet of flowers to start the week and end the long weekend & to wish you a very Happy Easter!

I love all the colour used at Easter between the flowers used, the decorations, the shiny foil wrapping paper of all the Easter eggs, and [here in Sydney] the helium balloons, ride lights, and show bags from the Sydney Royal Easter Show - you'd be hard pressed to not find joy somewhere! If you live in Sydney or are visiting now is a great time to visit the Sydney Royal Easter Show - aptly known as when '... the country comes to town....'. Farm animals, carnies, rides, show bags and hepas of fun for grown-ups and children alike are all part of it - topped of with fireworks finale every night! On until Wednesday 14th April - For more info visit eastershow.com.au

Image from Martha Stewart

Good Friday Flowers...

Aptly, Friday Flowers for Good Friday... today is a significant day in the Christian calendar, Good Friday - which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. This holiday is observed during holy week and is the Friday preceding Easter Sunday. Traditionally the Cala, Arum or November Lilies, or White flowers in general are used for floral arrangements in Churches and religious celebrations on Good Friday symbolising purity, death, and innocence.... I love this image, Magnolia Grandi-flora [one of my favourite blooms] arranged & housed in an ostrich egg [as a vase] makes for an interesting vignette - found from a floral arrangement decorating project on Martha Stewart.

Here's to your Easter[long] weekend - whether you choose celebrate Easter in a spiritual sense , or you're looking forward a long weekend to be shared with family & friends at home or away, or catching up on a few odd jobs around the house & an afternoon nap....Stay Safe & Enjoy. S xxx

Image from Martha Stewart & Further Info can be found on Wikipedia

Blossom Tree...

What pretty way to decorate for Easter... I love this vignette of tall blossom branches with some faux Finch friends in amongst the branches and a little nest of eggs at the base of the vase. So charming...x

Image from Martha Stewart

Decorating for Easter... Too Cute - Egg Creatures for Kids

I stumbled across this wonderful project idea from Martha Stewart Kids that makes all hearts flutter with a the creative child inside! Why not give it a go - whether you have little ones or not! Have Fun! x

Dyeing for a new way to decorate Easter eggs?

Here's a recipe for fun that's hard to beat: With basic crafts supplies -- crepe paper, pipe cleaners, felt, yarn, thread, and glue -- kids can make cows, pigs, and lots of other eggs-traordinary creations from plain white eggs.

Quail eggs (look for them at specialty grocers) are the right size for smaller animals (paint works better than dye to color their spotted shells). And brown eggs are a natural choice for creatures with dark fur or feathers. We've provided some egg creatures templates, but who knows just what will hatch from a child's imagination?
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Basic Egg Preparation

Blowing: Emptying eggs lets you save your creations. An adult should pierce egg at both ends with a utility knife, widening one hole a bit. Poke a straightened paper clip through wide hole; stir yolk. Place ear syringe in smaller hole; squeeze. Contents will pour out. (Wash hands well.)

Dyeing: It's easy to make dye: Cover the work area with paper towels. In a jar, mix 1 teaspoon vinegar, 20 drops food coloring, and 1 cup warm water. Submerge the egg (keep it down with a paper cup containing water). Soak 5 minutes for light colors and 10 minutes for darker shades. Remove the egg with tongs. A homemade rack of pins and foam board makes for even drying and quick cleanup.
Decorating: Dye or paint should be fully dry before beginning. Affix features with white glue (on crepe paper, use tiny dots of glue); let dry at least 20 minutes. Glue on feet or legs first so egg will stand. For ears and combs, dab glue on edge of felt or crepe paper, affix piece, let dry, then fold up. Add small details like eyes with tempera paint or a marker.

Images & Project Idea from Martha Stewart Kids

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wishing all my fellow Irish-man family & friends a very Happy St. Patrick's Day!

And lots of Love & Congratulations to our best friends, Jackie & Brent, on their 9th Wedding Anniversary today...

As in their wedding service booklet - a well known Irish Blessing from St Patrick, was befitting for their wedding day that held on St. Patrick's Day...

---------------
May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

May the rains fall soft upon your fields,

And, until we meet again,

May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

------------------------

Enjoy! x

Image from Martha Stewart Living

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wishing you a very sweet & Happy Valentine's Day - whomever & whatever - you're with & up to!

Also a very Happy Birthday to a dear friend of ours, Chris - who shares it with his twin brother - Sven!

Kisses - S xoxo

image from Martha Stewart

Bunting for Christmas...

Mini Boot-Shaped Stocking Template
These stockings are just large enough to hold a small gift or sweet for each of the 24 days of Advent.

To get the 'How-To' and the template go to this link

What a cute way to decorate your walls with this mini stocking bunting...

Even if you're not too handy with a sewing machine, or don't have access to one, you could even make these stocking flat - cut from felt attach some excess fabric, ribbon, or buttons onto them and hand sew onto tape ribbon to string up, visit the link above for more details and templates you can print out... Have fun! x

Image & project from Martha Stewart

Gorgeous Lace & Patterned Eggs for Easter

Today I found some easy & fabulous Easter decorating projects you can do at home with inexpensive resources - eggs, left over ribbon/ lace/ masking tape or vinyl stickers, and food dye stuff... all details for these and many more fantastic projects can be found on Martha Stewart - the ultimate in holiday projects - decorating & entertaining...

Gorgeous Lace Eggs... This Easter, take hard-boiled eggs to new heights by embellishing them with lacy patterns. Once the eggs are dyed and dry, pile them in a large bowl to use them as a centerpiece.

Tools and Materials - Eggs, Standard egg dye, Rubber bands, Inexpensive lace trimmings or scraps from a worn tablecloth or curtains, Scissors, & Foam board fitted with flat head pins.

Lace Egg How-To

1. 1. Cut lace into strips long enough to wrap around eggs and still have extra to form a sash for holding.
2. 2. Wrap eggs, securing lace with rubber bands. Dye eggs according to dye package instructions. Lift out, cut off rubber bands, and unwrap lace. Let dry on foam board fitted with flat head pins.
3. Resources - Inexpensive lace trimmings can be found in fabric stores.
   

Why don't you packaged & present your decorated eggs like this - above!

Stencil / Resistant Eggs... With stencils made of waterproof vinyl adhesive tape and cut-out shapes, you can create perfectly rendered patterns on your Easter eggs. Make plaid, polka-dotted, punctuated, or monogrammed eggs, or create your own designs. Any color that you cover with tape will remain unchanged throughout the process. The instructions below are for creating the plaid/check egg.
Tools and Materials: Eggs, Food coloring, Waterproof vinyl adhesive tape, and stencils. Burnishing tool (available at art-supply stores), Small bowls, Paper towel.
Stenciled Eggs How-To:

1. Start with a white egg or one dyed a pale color. Band the egg twice lengthwise with a 1/4-inch-wide masking tape, repositioning as necessary to get a tight fit. Firmly rub the tape with your fingernail or a burnishing tool so that the dye can't seep underneath.
2. Dip egg into dye, raising and dipping until the color deepens as desired. Blot egg with a paper towel. Let dry ten minutes. Remove tape.
3. Band the egg's width with tape at its widest point, then repeat to make smaller circles around each end. (Try alternating wide strips of tape with narrow ones.) Burnish, dye, and dry as before.
4. Remove tape. If you used a raw egg, carefully blow out contents.
   
   

Images from Martha Stewart Living

Botanical Eggs... An Easter Inspiration

Top. An enchanting rustic botanical Easter vignette.

Centre Image - Fresh, fragrant, bright Easter table setting - A simple brown paper lunch bag cut into the shape of a basket , then the Jonquils are set in a small vase inside the bag - allowing them to stay fresh and be held up.

With Easter fast approaching at the end of this week - two very significant religious dates on the Christian calendar - Good Friday & Easter Sunday. We are reminded - particularly through Easter Sunday - with the symbolics of life, newness and re-birth. Easter for us [my husband & I] is a time of some sadness, gratefulness, forgiveness, happiness and love - shared best with our families & our dearest [inner sanctum] of friends. Easter colour -wise is traditionally of bright sunny colours filtered with pastels some would say reminiscent of the Easter Parade movie with Judy Garland & Fred Astaire floating about - made perfectly in the technicolour of 1948 making the colours even more saturated, some of the corsages & millinery even Patricia Field of STC [a very fave show of mine] would love for Carrie! Easter - a parade - with bonnets, the Easter egg hunt, more chocolate eggs, rabbits, baby chicks, seafood, sharing your table & meals with loved ones... What does it mean for you?

This week I am inspired by beautiful [and fun] decorating ideas for our home and guests... Here I found these gorgeous Botanical inspired decoupage eggs that I had to share with you - here using different sized eggs from chickens (mostly medium size), ducks (larger size), and quails or pheasants for the more petite end! I particularly love the top image - a little botanical rustic Easter vignette - where printed paper images of the butterflies have been used and only partially stuck down on their bodies allowing their wings to be 'floating' free - giving the illusions that they have - in that very Milli-second - rested on the curve of the egg... quite enchanting.
Why you try to decorate some blown eggs this week with your favourite wrapping paper. For more super great tips on craft & decorating projects be sure to visit Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy x



Images from Martha Stewart Living

Happy St. Patrick's Day...

It's a good week to be Green - to be Irish... to be sure!
To my Irish ancestors, my Irish friends, and all those who celebrate St.Patrick's Day - I wish you a happy one and many blessings. Here I found some lovely ways to add some green into your day with an Irish twist! So what do you know about St. Patrick? Here's a little history for you...
It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place. Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near Killala.) During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.) For more details on the history of St Patrick click here.
To our dearest & best friends - Jackie & Brent, we wish you a very Happy 8th Wedding Anniversary, congratulations & much love to you both. I can remember standing near you holding your bouquet, listening to the the prayers & to the priest, as he gave you both his blessing and recited one of our favourite Irish Marriage blessings...

Irish Marriage Blessing
May God be with you and bless you.

May you see your children's children.

May you be poor in misfortunes and rich in blessings.

May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.

An Old Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Images from Martha Stewart Living & Country Living