update: our sweet girl, natalie.

[natalie & me. september 2009.] 

our hearts have been heavy this summer while my niece natalie has had various health issues.  

this thursday natalie will be undergoing spinal surgery performed in dallas, texas.  her brothers will stay at home, her mamma, dad, gma & gpa (my mom & pops) will be by her side, helping her heal along with the angels. i cannot be there for my goddaughter when she awakes, but my Love will be forever surrounding her. 

our hearts are anxious, but our prayers are endless.

your thoughts of hope are so very appreciated, as we have already been so gratefully affected by your kindness & Love.

thank you so much for taking a moment to rally for our sweet girl-

we are forever thankful.

xo-

Another Lunch

I just discovered the blog Another Lunch and I find looking at these pictures of beautifully presented lunchboxes so unbelievably satisfying. They are so lovely and organised.

I know these lunches are for kids, but I might have to pop back to this blog for inspiration when I start having to make lunches to take into uni. I'm so lazy with my lunches - it's always a sandwich, cereal bar and an apple! Do you buy lunches or take them into work/ school/ college?

xxx

{autumn comes in shades of hermès}

. . . every year at this time, begin to fall for extravagantly vibrant hues -- russet and goldenrod and that perfectly elusive shade of french orange that sometimes flutters on a fallen and windswept leaf, caught up in the breezes of a cool september morning . . .

{p.s.} also: kevin sharkey's manhattan apartment and one | two | three

{photo by christine soler for maison française september 2010 via bluepool road}

{live it up in a delicate dress}

. . . have had this editorial, oh so pretty: live it up in a delicate dress by georges antoni for aussie magazine grazia on the inspiration board for a while now, most especially for the little white lace dress by alex perry, but also because absolutely adore delicate dresses and dressing up, and every once in a while and especially on dusky and daydreamy afternoons at home . . .

{p.s.} happy, happy september! while shall always love summer best, september is a rather beautiful month, with the last magical afternoons of the summer, and the first brisk mornings of autumn, moments after the sun has risen and there's a feeling of change and adventure in the air . . .

{images: editorial - oh so pretty, nika lauraitis by georges antoni for grazia AU august 2010; styled by mark vassallo via dustjacket attic}

{late summer, early fall}

. . . intricately panelled walls, juliet balconies and elegant fireplaces, floods of dusky and romantic light and stunning chevron floors -- if one could describe the beautiful and all too fleeting moments between late summer and early fall, perhaps it would as this . . .

{p.s.} more perfectly ornate walls:
* happily ever after
* gilt & chevron

{also:} a corner fireplace

{images: b&b italia via marcus design, haute design & a previous post}

{lookbook: secret squirrel}

. . . light cardigans over silk tanks and soft t-shirts with pale pleated skirts, secretary's blouses with city shorts and perfectly pretty little black dresses -- a time of transitions and layers and romantically tousled hair on the out the door on an early september morning . . .

{p.s.} a previous collection & nautical at the side project

{images: secret squirrel deep blue sea 2010 summer via all the mountains}

{two lovely things: black & white}

. . . whether an iconic and luxurious custom design perfectly paired with an ornate gilt console in the entryway, or a bold and impossibly stylish herringbone pattern in the powder room, there is such wonderful drama and visual impact in graphic patterns in shades of black and white . . .

{p.s.} recent two lovely things:
* bits of green
* cool august nights
* light & lavender

{ 1 - coco chanel's suite at the ritz paris via marcus design; 2 - christina murphy interiors}

{table for two: what katie ate, encore}

. . . this week's table for two is favourite australian food photographer katie quinn davies, who was featured here in july, but has added a charming new cookbook layout to her blog, a few gorgeous new photographs, as well as amazingly wonderful new recipes, such as farfalle with bacon, peas and sage, baby fig and apple fruit tarts, conchiglie pasta with mushrooms and parmesan cream sauce, red velvet cupcakes, and of course, pink grapefruit granita . . .




















{p.s.} previous table for two features:
* desserts for breakfast
* what katie ate

{all images © katie quinn davies}

{fashion inspiration: goldenrod}

. . . most often drawn to pale & pretty neutrals, both at home and in the closet -- nude, blush and champagne and, for good measure, always black . . . but goldenrod is a hue have yet to perfect, but in the form of an insanely stylish and belted jacket and paired with an indescribably lovely shade of green and a gorgeously patterned scarf, it may just be the very colour of autumn . . .

{image: hanne gaby odiele via altamira: models off duty}

{colour inspiration: late-summer pink}

. . . the last day of august and how it has arrived so quickly is a mystery, and while the early morning air has become a little cooler, the sun still shines warmly and whether it's ribbons or tulle, stripes on a chair or a soft cashmere sweater, whether in shades of monticello or azalea, somehow, the last days of summer always feels like pink . . .

{p.s.} today is also p's birthday and we're off to lose ourselves in beautiful things . . . à bientôt & hope your week is off to a perfect start xo

{images: photography by jose villa via follow studio; absolutely beautiful things; t.i.g. scan, martha stewart weddings; peonies: photography by sarah tucker via ada & darcy; t.i.g. scan, photography by tom leighton, styling by ali brown and kate french for homes & gardens july 2010; t.i.g. scan, j.crew august 2009}