LOVE-ly Projects... x

Something for your Sweetheart, something for you, something for your home... why not keep a little bit of love all year 'round with these special LOVE-ly Valentine's inspired projects I found whilst looking through some of my fun e-newsletters...

Happy Valentines' Day!

Sarah x

 Modern Valentine's Day Artwork

These cute craft projects make great shelf decorations for Valentine's Day. To craft the collage, cut out repeating shapes from fabric (we used birds and hearts in various sizes) and use spray adhesive to mount on white cardstock; frame. For more advanced crafters, pencil a design on a store-bought canvas, and then sew over your drawing using a thick needle  (used a backstitch technique).

Valentine's Day Banner Bright colors make this Valentine's Day mantel pop -- traditional pink hearts mix with bright orange, yellow, green, and blue patterned fabric on the banner. To make, trace 16 hearts onto pink houndstooth fabric and cut them out. Use a stencil to paint letters onto the hearts to spell out a sweet phrase (like "Be Mine Valentine" shown). Sew the hearts onto colored fabric squares with fun patterns, attach the squares to red ribbon, and hang across a fireplace.

Love Pillow

Dress up a plain throw pillow for Valentine's Day by adding the word "love" with stencils and fabric paint. Cut out your own letters or buy a set of stencils, available at crafts stores, for a quick design.

Tip: Alternate colors for each letter or use a different word on the pillow to make the design your own.

Framed Love Quote Decoration

Decorate a side table or shelf for Valentine's Day with an inspiring love quote in a frame. Using a die-cutting tool, cut a quote (like "Love comforteth like the sunshine after the rain," shown, or one of our other quotes, below) and glue the letters to black cardstock. Tape the finished piece to a mirror with an intricate frame to finish the Valentine's Day-ready decoration. Check Esty.com for more inspirational quotes & printed pieces.

 Heart-to-Heart Garland

Make a garland of hearts cut from fabric scraps layered and attached with iron-on adhesive. Punch small holes in the sides of the hearts and tie them together with ribbon.

 Paper Hearts Wreath

Dozens of colorful hearts flutter on cardstock cut into the shape of a wreath. Use paper punches (about $5-$20 at scrapbook supply and crafts stores) or scissors to cut hearts from colored vellum and lightweight decorative paper. Curl the cutout hearts by scraping them between your thumb and a butter knife just as you would with curling ribbon. Then layer them on the round cardstock base and attach each with a dab of clear-drying glue, either in the center or near one edge. Hang the wreath with ribbon.

Public Display of Affection

Highlight those you love with snapshots and valentines in a three-dimensional display. Gather favorite photos and make black-and-white or sepia copies. Paste some of the copies onto decorative papers and cut into fun shapes. Tuck them in a photo tree from an import or stationery store.

 A Valentine Chandelier

Let Cupid strike your chandelier this Valentine's Day. Simply cut and fold paper hearts to hang from any light fixture whose structure accommodates knotted thread or wire. We've shown multiple hearts stitched together at the center fold, then fanned to create a 3D effect. Beads are added at the end of the thread for sparkle
Note that this particular chandelier is designed to use candles. We recommend that you keep the candles unlit when paper products are hanging below.

Valentine Votive

Fill plain glass votive candleholders with candy nonpareils for seasonal color. Small glass beads from the crafts store offer a similar look.

images & subtext via BHG, Country Living, Snset, Tubmlr, Ballard Design

August - Hi There!

Oh My It's August already!!

Australian Country Style - brings August to life - I feel like

I am already at home here - featuring Sara Slim's home & yard
in Bowral - Southern Highlands NSW. Sara is a former ISCD

student and stylist /business partner with Megan Morton



Hi There! Yes it me - Sarah from Palatial Living! Some very lovely & kind Palatial Living fans emailed me over the past several weeks to see if I was still alive and keeping Palatial Living going... the answer is YES, and YES!

I have been away for a bit due to a number of what felt like massive life moments going on! Some of you know that my gorgeous, handsome wonderful grandfather 'Pa' passed away towards the end of June, then I set off for a work sourcing & development trip to China & Hong Kong. And of course whilst in the midst of all of this we found and bought new 'lovely older' home! So whilst my grandfather's funeral occurred we were in negotiations for the house, then when I was away for work we were in the settlement process and when I got back we had settled and had to pack up in 2.5weeks and get out previous home tenant ready! Whoa - what a ride the past 4-6weeks have been - hence why I have not been around to be able to give you inspiration, decorating projects and tips n'tricks!

But what is exciting is our lovely new old home located on Sydney's Upper North Shore [one of my all time fave spots you will know form Palatial's Mid Week House Snoops!] - and all the things I am going to get to do to it to rejuvenate it and make it ours.... We have a coveted Northerly Aspect - with Sun from the east over the north to the north-west all day - a perfect aspect for Sydney siders. This also helped inform of the paint colour choices I made. We have already started with painting [in 2 days might I add with a handful of family & family friends along]. We managed to paint 2-3coats on the double brick cement rendered walls - the hall way & entr7y way and also the Dining/ Lounge room in 'Buff It' full tint [Dulux], the Kitchen, Family / Casual Living space in 'Hog Bristle' 1/2 tint [Dulux], our little girl's room in 'Tea Party' 1/4 tint [Dulux] which looks like a gorgeous soft pink marshmallow hue, perfect for a little girl! Then we tackled the master bedroom and it came up beautifully with 'Grand Piano' full tint [Dulux] and in the Office we have a fabulous feature wall with tongue & groove timber panelling that I painted in 'Linseed' 1/2 tint [Dulux] and it all take advantage of the variations of light through the day and compliments our furniture & soft furnishings.

Interior Paint Colours

Master Bed

     

     Bathrooms 1 & 2 - with white tile

      

    Entry-Hall Way & Lounge Dining Room

   

Bed 2 - Isabelle's Room

  

Office Feature Wall - Tongue n'Groove Panel

   

Trims | Doors - Ceiling & Cornices

Exterior Colour Scheme

Guttering | Part Driveway & Side Gates| Accent Trim Verandah & Front| Yard Fence

Accent Trim on Drive Way |Side Gates & Front Fence

Facier| Eaves | Window Trims & Frames - Highlight Gates & Fencing

Not to mention what a difference a coat of white paint can make where we have almost finished changing the mid tone timber stained skirts and apricot cream doors, door frames, window frames and other trims - wow what an amazing difference! A few new knobs & door handles here & there in brushed chrome & voila such an 'instant' change already without even going to the floors! That's next on the list! So stay tuned I will be updating you on my home renovation projects as they get done.... but at the moment we're still unpacking a few boxes too!



Our beautiful park like back yard - untouched - full of 40+ year olf camellias,
azaleas, agapanthas, clivias, a few spotted gums, turpentines & Japanese maples.
I have big plans for this gorgeous light filled yard - to
create lots of garden rooms with mass plantings.

So now my life seems to be a little bit more on track - I promise to be back online posting on Palatial Living - oh how I have missed you all!

Enjoy,

images via [1] Australian Country Style August 2011 issue [2] Sarah Verity - Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Happy Mother's Day x

Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing my fabulous mum & wonderful mother-in-law, my much loved grandmothers & grandmother's-in-law, all the mummy's amongst my family & friends, you are the women we look to for fun, encouragement, approval, love & kindness. 

A Happy Mother's Day especially to all the lovely '1st time Mothers Day Mummy's' from my fantastic Mother's Group! Hope you have a truly wonderful special day xxx

A Big - Big - Big Loving Thank You to my husband, Matthew

 for giving me my best gift, our sweet little Isabelle.

Isabelle, You make my Mother's Day!
You make it all worth while - You are the Big Picture.

Love you precious x

 

image via paterson maker

Birthday Wishes x

Sending Birthday kisses, hugs & wishes to our gorgeous

Goddaughter little Charlotte who turns a big 2 years old today!

Lots of love & see you soon!

image source unknown

To My Valentine xxx

To My Darling husband, Matthew...

Through Sun Showers, Storms, Dreary Rainy Days, & all the Bright-Hot ones

You are my warm, loving & friendly Sunshine.

My only Sunshine!

image via John Sands cards - my valentine's card for my husband

One of the Sweetest Days x

Wishing you a very sweet day today for Valentine's Day...

Everything you do today can be a gift from the heart - making a cup of coffee, a handwritten little note of affection, wearing a favourite perfume for someone, or just taking time out of the day to tell that someone how much they mean to you. And you don't have to keep this all to just one day of the year - try something sweet each day - all year 'round!

Much Love,

images [in no particular order] via pretty stuff, crush cul de sac, ys voice, what she wanted, modern hepburn, cioa avcado

home love...

 I Love my Home... Do you?

Or do you need me to help you love it more?

Visit my website to find out how I can help you, fall in love

all over again with your home!

image via visualize.us

Friday Flowers for L-O-V-E!

Flowers for Friday this week is for a very special reason - L-O-V-E - this weekend - is my [little] sister, Felicity's Wedding to her fiance Alexander! We're all so very excited for them both & cannot wait till Saturday afternoon for the Church ceremony, and following reception celebrations! Although I am a little inhibited at 36 weeks pregnant to a) wear the bridesmaid dress - I have a special one for the day as chief bridesmaid to accommodate Baby Verity! b) no flowing champagne for me - just mock tails, and c) have to keep it to a few dances instead of many; bonus - my husband is groomsman so we're together on the day! We do know it is going to be a fabulous day for my sister & our families, and Felic will be gorgeous bride!

Hope you have a love-filled weekend whatever you're up to - be it attending a wedding, or spending time with your family & friends, falling in love with a piece of furniture, art work or print, or a plant for your garden! Enjoy & Take Care. S xxx

Image from Snippet & Ink

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

In Love with these Rooms...

[Image 1] Living Room by Meg Braff
To give the open-flow living and dining rooms of an East Hampton, New York, house a light, relaxed air, designer Meg Braff used soft blues and whites, linens, cottons, and a seagrass rug.

[Image 2] Family Room by Meg Braff
"With four young children, durability in the family room was key for the owners," Braff says. "The dark blue on the sofas, the leather ottoman, and the sisal rug are practically bulletproof." The sofa is upholstered in Hinson's Rawlston in Dunham Blue. Walls are covered in Africa Raffia in Key West Teal by Phillip Jeffries.

[Image 3] Guest Bedroom by Meg Braff
"The printed fabric in the guest bedroom is whimsical," Braff says, "but the beige and aqua palette is very restful." Bed and curtain fabric is Lyford Background in Inca Gold on White, by China Seas. Wallpaper is Millennium Stripe in Beige and White, by First Editions. Ottomans are by Jonathan Adler.

[Image 4] Dining Room by Joe Nahem

In a new Greenwich, Connecticut, house, designer Joe Nahem gave the dining room timeless allure with a hand-painted and embroidered silk wallcovering, Fromental's Lotus & Carp in Moon Gold.

[Image 5] Living Room by Joe Nahem
Back-to-back sofas define intimate seating areas in the vast living room. They're upholstered in a Classic Cloth velvet, Marlowe in India Ink, that has "an iridescent quality," Nahem says. "The color changes depending on the light. One day it's gray, another day it's blue."

[image 6] Bedroom by Joe Nahem
The owners asked for a glamorous bedroom, and Nahem came through in a sparkling way. He designed the bed with silver-leaf details and flanked it with mirrored chests from Mecox Gardens.

House Bautiful was right, these are rooms I don't think I would ever tire of... aren't they just gorgeous!

Images from [US] House Beautiful, October 2009 issue.

Love Projects...

Garland - Start your own “love chain” with this garland. For patterns you can print out in color. Then simply cut them out, punch a hole in each, and suspend from a metal chain with ornament hangers.
Sweethearts - To create, cut two hearts out of felt (ours are 4x5 and 4x6 inches), then hand-sew using blanket stitches or whip stitches. Embellish with beads or embroidery, such as French knots and daisy stitches. Hang from twine.

COVERED BOXES Instead of actual playing cards, here a computer is used to scan rows of cards and print them in color, then glued them to a hatbox and lid.

I found these great Valentine project ideas and thought I would share them with you - instead of buying something, make something from papers, card and old trims you may have at home or can purchase inexpensively at the local dollar store. Some Red felt, some contrast stitches and a hand written card can go such a long way with true sentiment... Enjoy! x

Images & Project Ideas from Country Home