I had lunch with Mr Piggy at la grande bouffe at Rozelle today.

Tip: I would recommend the Baguettes - we had the marinated vegetable and tepanade & the smoked salmon and dill varieties! mmm... Although, don't fall for the upsell of fries! Yes, they are delicious, but they were almost the same costs as a baguette! ah mi!

Ok, back to the point... I couldn't help but notice the most interesting light fixtures! It looked kind of like a chandelier, but it was made out of what appeared to be - cut sheets of metal studded together! I thought it was very interesting! No ho-hum!

martha, whisper those sweet nothings...

I was flicking through the Anniversary Issue of Martha Stewart Weddings - Winter 2010 (for the USA - its certainly not cold over here at the moment) and was feeling a little guilty. I got married last year so I shouldn't be indulging in the wedding mags anymore! But looking through the pages I realised there was more in there for me than any other wedding mag!

There are the recipes of course that anyone could benefit from, but there are so many sources of inspiration! Who cares if its a wedding venue - how did they set the table? I'm thinking parties and events at our house! There is craft and flowers, the architecture inside wedding venues - the list goes on...

So much planning goes into the look and feel of a wedding - and its only one day! I want to get the and put it into a home! Be inspired by everything you can get your hands on!

Editorial Director Darcy Miller made a great point in the Expert Advice section, that I would like to share.

" It seems obvious, but in the end, guests see only what's

there; they don't see what's not there.

And thats a very important lesson to learn "

I love that!

People are always apologising about the state of their house - its messy, the paint scheme isn't right, its not bright enough - but are people always going to notice these things? - no! Concentrate on what you have and run with it! Get that picture that you love - that inspires you - and create your dream! Don't apologise to someone that it isn't the same! This is your spin on it! Infuse the 'you' in everything you do.

I think the best compliment I could ever receive from guests visiting my future home is:

"this is so Mr & Mrs Piggy" !!

seeing spots

Ok, are we the sadest dog owners ever?

...Let me set the scene. Mr Piggy and I have a Dalmatian. We love him and would like to include him in elements around the house. I mean, when you have a specific pet or breed it makes you smile when you see something that reminds you of them. We definately want to stop short of a multitude of photos that say 'shrine' more than 'love' though. If you have so much of something in your home that it makes you feel as if you should light some candles and make a food offering - then YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR!

That said you should also not group them together too much I think - something here and there would definately balance the place out much better.

So, I had a look on etsy and found some fabulous little ready to buy items. They're fun - first and foremost and original as they are all made by hand. Who knows these artists could make it big one day and your inexpensive little purchase just become a fortune!

109 Bouncing Spots

 

Fetch, Spot

 

Dalmatian wooden puzzle

Ok, I'll stop being so selfish - here are some other pet art you can find just by giving a bit of loving time to Esty..

Custom Andy Warhol-esqe print

This one is so cool I must admit - you send the pic and they create it into a Warhol-esqe masterpiece! Imagine the possiblities!

 

Dachhund Magnet Set

There are magnets with other animals, but I love it how the sausage dogs can't fit onto one! Classic!

 

Greyhound Silhouette

You could even do something like this at home too I imagine? Silhouettes can be modern/classic depending on colours and style and could really pull the colours in a room together.

cake stand up straight

Gotta love Etsy, gotta love cake stands! They are so simple, they make a mellow 1 tiered cake look dramatic and a real focal point. They can be quite arty as well and really make it feel like home.

link

small bird

scallop

customised - with your own names!

Love the customised name one! They advertise it for weddings but it would look so cute in your home! It would also be the perfect gift for a baby shower, or birthday....hmmmm...

liquid lamp

How original is this! You would need to have a fairly funky home for this one!

This arty lamp appears to be an overturned bucket spilling milk (the white version) or blood/paint (the red version). The lamp has no visable base, held up instead by the 'frozen' liquid oozing out the bottom, onto the table or down the wall! Very very cool!

White would blend in with a neutral toned room, and red would pop for that something different. Definately no ho-hum!

It can be bought from here - via freshome

loo space

It should be pretty apparent by now that I love storage solutions! I love a clever use of space!

Most home now days have a seperate toilet and I must say that it seems like a long room of wasted space to me. We're all used to sitting in cubicles so how much space do we really need?

I love Ambience Bain's solution of having a permanent cupboard behind the toilet. Brillance! It appears that they have used a Hideaway toilet - the cistern hides away behind a wall - or in this case, the cupboard. European styling, space saving design and best of all...you don't have to clean behind the toilet anymore!! - via freshome

I am also loving this shower, hidden behind a wall. I am not a fan of glass (aargh - the cleaning!) but I like how each of the bathroom facilities aren't spread out along all the walls. I am sick of seeing rectangular, unoriginal bathrooms!

the insert clock

How fabulous is this clock?! Its art and a timepiece all rolled into one!

Designed by Hong Kong industrial designer Leo Yiu, the Insert Clock was designed as a simple idea to change the way we see a clock. There is a slice cut from the side that makes it sit against the wall.

Some may say its impractical but :oP to them! Its original and would really pop in a room...put a bit of modern personality into it! No ho-hum!

I want one!!!!! - via freshome

Dezeen has a great pic of how to feature your Insert Clock in an even more modern way..