Something to tell you

I am going home.
For a WHOLE 2 months. My lovely work, THE ARK have said that I may go and I will still have my job when I return and I am so excited that I am trying not to think about it in case it all turns out to be a dream. So in September I will be seeing THIS view below when I wake up and look out of the bedroom window from our cottage in Wiltshire. Home to me is UK. Yes, home is also here in Melbourne but HOME No. 1 is the country where you have spent most of your life, have your memories, and most of your family.

So, if you would like you can all come with me via the blog and perhaps it will be a little more interesting and I will be posting with a bit more regularity than I have of late, for which I can only apologise!

Happy weekend to one and all.

One of my favourites. Jo Malone's Lime, Basil and Mandarin

I love this fragrance - in my opinion her best and her signature first..... It is really a modern classic and the body lotion carries the scent with you all day. Fresh limes and zesty mandarins undercut by the 'pepperiness' of basil with a hint of white thyme.

I think it works well all year round - refreshing and green it is great for the Summer months but then it seems equally to be warming and cosy (perhaps it's the basil element?) for the cooler seasons.

I am using the body lotion now now - Mr SE bought me a large bottle last time he was over in Europe. Wishing you all a great weekend - enjoy!

White Cottage, Suffolk, England

I am totally in LOVE with this very pretty late Georgian cottage in the coastal town of Woodbridge in Suffolk in England. It belongs to my talented friend Jo who has such a flair for designing and decorating - she kindly sent me all these photographs which I am so pleased to share with you all....

Sitting room.

And another view above.

Dining area. Love the fact that she has paired the old table with the modern white chairs.

Above and below - the kitchen.

The twin bedded room above.

And the gorgeous main bedroom.

Another photo of the main bedroom - tea for two?

And the bathroom.

And lastly the GORGEOUS little courtyard garden.

Now the even more exciting part is that this little gem of a cottage is available for holiday lets....


Here is the link http://www.suffolkcottageholidays.com/cottage/suffolk/000300/ajax/white-cottage-woodbridge.html



Have a wonderful weekend whatever you are doing!

Hermes, please explain this pricing policy......

Mr SE has just returned from another trip to Europe (Switzerland, Germany, Dublin and a quick stayover in London) and asked me if I would like anything particular..... Well, I was getting a little low (nearly out of) my favourite fragrance - Hermes Rose Ikebana which I have talked about before on the blog - see HERE.

However, I am very much for VFM in this life .... Value For Money is the name of the game and I just wanted to check where the best place would be for Mr SE to pick up said perfume. So, off I went to the website and decided that I would rather like to try two other 'flavours' in the Hermessence range - the new(ish) Iris Ukiyoe and also the Poivre Samarcande (which is beautiful 'layered' with my favourite Rose Ikebana....) Hermes do a 'Gift Set' where you can choose 4 of the Hermessence fragrances so I picked 2 of the Rose Ikebana and one each of the other two so I could try them as well....

Now, this story is going somewhere (good, I hear you sigh).... Meanwhile above and below show the photographs of the beautifully packaged gifts set...

Each little bottle has its own drawstring bag...

And above here they are out of their packages.

OK so guess where they were bought in the end ? IN AUSTRALIA!

In England they would have been a little more expensive than here - yes, I know I was really surprised. However, if you live in USA you are the winners - this same set above a whole LOT (AUD$65) LESS than it does here.

Why Hermes, can you please explain this???

However, if you want to buy a large bottle of any of the above it would cost far MORE in Australia - in UK and USA it's about the same price. I just don't understand it.

p.s. My nail polish - see post before last is still perfect - no chips at all. I am impressed.

Cheating a teeny bit but still joining in with Jane

I am joining in with lovely Jane who is behind the blog Small But Charming and showing you my flowers in the house... She is showing Flowers around the Summer house but we are in topsy turvey land Down Under so we are in Autumn/Winter mode here of course.... First two photographs show my lovely bunch of Jonquils given to me by the divine Ms. S. They smell amazing.

And below - next two photographs these lovely blush pink spray roses. Given to me by Mr SE just before he jetted off to Europe (yes, again) on business on Saturday evening.

And here is the cheaty bit!! But I know that Jane will appreciate this as she is a florist. These are photographs taken at my local Florist run by the very sweet and gorgeous Cobi. She is so young ( think perhaps early twenties?) yet she owns and runs this successful business with a team of helpers.

LOVE the saying on the board outside.. "Winterference" - great!

Outside the shop above and below.

Entrance.

And above 5 photographs just taken here and there around the store....

Beautiful isn't it?

I've been "Shellac-ed"

On Thursday I went to my local nail salon and had my nails done. With Shellac Gel. No, it's not something that goes on the top of a piece of furniture finished by French polishing as I had previously thought but a new nail technique. Well, new to me - may be quite old hat to you.

It cost twice as much as an ordinary manicure but apparently will last up to 3 times as long. (So therefore in my book = Good Value For Money). And it's different from Bio Sculpture Nails (which often give the appearance of a thick layer or two of polish on your nails) and Bio Sculpture nails are more expensive (so I am told) than this new shellac polish....

Downsides : as yet not a HUGE selection of polishes to pick from but enormous UPSIDE : as soon as it is done you can pick up your bag, your keys etc. and off you waltz. No more trying not to smudge your nails and spoiling a manicure within 10 minutes of getting them done. RESULT.

So, I will be counting the days that this lasts and will let you know. So far, I am really quite impressed.

Happy Weekend to one and all.

Margaret River Region, Western Australia

Mr SE and I had a wonderful time last weekend in the beautiful Margaret River region of Western Australia. I flew to Perth (Mr SE was already in Perth on business) and then we hot footed it in the car 2.5 hours south....



This is where we stayed - Empire Spa and retreat. Very relaxing with an Eastern influence.

Photos above and below taken in the hotel grounds.

Loved the cascading water fountain below ....

We walked the 2kms out (and back !) along Busselton Jetty - the longest pier in the Southern hemisphere.

Although it was sunny the wind was pretty fierce... these seagulls were trying to keep their heads down out of the gale!

Beautiful sunrise.

Mr SE was interested in exploring the Ngligi Caves - where there were plenty of stalactites and stalagmites to spy!

All quite eerie and interesting if not a tad geographical for my tastes!

Mr SE loved it though...

I rather liked these sheep with their black faces which we passed on the way to one of the region's many wineries. The Margaret River region is one of Australia's most prolific wine producing areas.

The vines above looking very Autumnal. And below the Howard Park Estate where they produce the range of wines that are one of our favourites....
We ordered a case to be shipped back to Melbourne! Free postage too - great value.

Last pic for the post today - Mr SE....

We had a wonderful weekend. And hope you are enjoying yours wherever you are and whatever you may be doing.

Frothy Underpinnings

My blog pal 'That's Not My Age' posted about some gorgeous underwear that she was thinking of investing in last week... See HERE. And at the time I was awaiting a package from delicious lingerie company - Mimi Holliday (by Damaris) Like TNMA, I have to admit that the state of my 'knicker drawer' is rather a sorry one. And I am not one for matching sets (more's the pity laments Mr SE) - adore the idea of them but just have not got myself sufficiently into the matching underwear mindset. However, this could change..... This underwear is beautiful. It is sexy but supportive and the bras do not look like the 'over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders' I have had to put up with in the past. Although I do like bras by Prima Donna - but a girl has to have a little froth and lightness in her life at times. And so I present to you :

Above. Exhibit A - black French lace and silk 'French Knicker' - this will go with a plain black seamless bra I already own (the matching bra to this one from Mimi Holliday was completely SOLD out in my size). Sad, but good for my bank balance.

And Exhibit B ..... above and below... such delicate underpinnings... And a MATCHING set - be still my beating heart. It fits and looks gorgeous...... - this is the 'blurb' about this design from the website :

A darling oyster 100% silk satin and white lace story- Rossetti is the ultimate in lady-like elegance and right on trend for a ballet inspired fresh Spring look. The subtly between the graphic white French lace and soft oyster silk satin creates a luxurious effect- it is a very wearable and understated story....

And from the website - the pics below to show you what they look like on - well, you didn't think I was going to model them - god forbid ;-) ?!

Above the set "Rossetti" and below :

The black French knicker.... ("Bisou Bisou")


Their arrival is perfect timing. Mr SE and I are going away this weekend (it's a long weekend here in the state of Victoria) off to the Margaret River region in Western Australia. Can't wait!!!