An arbitrary date

June the 1st is just another day on the calendar, but it has me fidgety about routines and habits.

I haven't finished a novel since March, my social media use aimless scrolling is sky high, and despite getting a nasty mole cut out of me and biopsied, I am still hit and miss when it comes to a sunscreen applying regimen.

Arbitrary though it may be, it's as good a time as any to re-commit to sunscreen, reading time and faffing with flowers more often (so at the very least I have lovely vignettes featuring cut flowers to post on social media).

Whenever I feel like my time is being wasted in ways I will regret, I meditate on this:

"RALPH WALDO EMERSON ONCE ASKED WHAT WE WOULD DO IF THE STARS ONLY CAME OUT ONCE EVERY THOUSAND YEARS. NO ONE WOULD SLEEP THAT NIGHT, OF COURSE. THE WORLD WOULD CREATE NEW RELIGIONS OVERNIGHT. WE WOULD BE ECSTATIC, DELIRIOUS, MADE RAPTUROUS BY THE GLORY OF GOD. 

INSTEAD, THE STARS COME OUT EVERY NIGHT AND WE WATCH TELEVISION."

-Paul Hawkens

I am off to have the stitches from my biopsy removed today, then I will be ticking off some much ignored chores from my to do list before reading a big chunk of The Wind in the Willows. A book I started, oh, last year...

Kate  x

Links to love: October edition

An English garden in BLOOM.

I have pet and studio ENVY.

This is a FUN idea. But before you go out and buy a whole new wardrobe, THIS should be compulsory viewing. Succinct facts from the film by +1 Million Women HERE. Everyone should THRIFT.

I have nothing to say about THIS except, swoon! And some MORE!

THIS satire account is so on the money, it's scary. SO good!

Such pretty WEDDING INSPIRATION.

I am drooling over some of the furniture in this HOME. That bedside table...magnificent!

I could move into THIS SPACE tomorrow!

MASTER FLORISTRY at its finest.

 I would spend my life scouring flea markets and vintage stores if I could get a set of mis-matched dining chairs as wonderful as the set in THIS HOME.

Crushing on this WEDDING DRESS.

The anthropologist in me loves THIS.

A gorgeous BOHEMIAN STYLE elopement.

STYLING TIPS I am trying to employ in my 'fake it till you make it' approach.

ADORABLE.

What an ADVENTURE.

This is making me want to play about creating WREATHS.

I love this PLAN BEE seed idea. So important. So clever.

A RECIPE to try.


Kate  x



Styling & Photographs by M o s s & V i n e

Links to love: August edition

This list is coming to you a day early because I am heading home to the snow for the weekend, and I think I might leave my internet connection behind.

THIS IS YOUR KINGDOM makes me yearn for the English gap year I never took.

This might just be the bouquet to END ALL OTHER BOUQUETS.

I'm undecided on THIS. It's cute but I'm not sure I could live with it forever. 

August has me excited for an influx of DAFFODILS. They liven up any space!

Again, this is from Catherine at A COUNTRY FARMHOUSE (I swear I read other blogs too), a SENTIMENT I actively try to live by. I guess that's why my kitchen drawer looks like THIS.

Also THIS SENTIMENT. I need to remind myself. I'm a bit of a 'collector'. Which is a perfect segue to...

Makes me want to begin COLLECTING STAMPS.

MAJESTIC, SERENE, BREATHTAKING, my ideal HOME.

It's CITRUS season.

I think I really, really want THIS. Is that pathetic? A grown up with a colouring book? It seems it is all the rage at the moment. Zen for adults.

Current instagram crushes? HERE, HERE & HERE.

And I just looove this hand painted bespoke wedding crest by the talented ARABELLAJUNE.

When we get a dog, I will be doing THIS.

WOWZERS! Such a cool project.

THIS  sounds like the perfect tonic after a long day on the slopes.

Help the HONEY BEES.

These guys really know how to do pretty SHOP FRONTS.

I love THIS. Congratulations to her.

My idea of beautiful FOOD PORN. I have ambitions to make THIS for Alex's birthday.

If you're self-learning photography (like I am), THIS page has very easy to understand explanations, illustrated with gorgeous photographs. I recently discovered Zoe's INSTAGRAM FEED. And I'm in love!

This months flower crush is the pretty little VIOLET. I took far too many photos of these ones that I cut from my Nan's garden recently.

And finally, check out THESE amazing photographs.


I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for the first of the muscari in the garden this weekend.

Kate  x



Photographs by M o s s & V i n e

In praise of simple pleasures

It might be the cold weather, the shorter days, or the inevitable mid-year slump, but we find ourselves indulging our desires more and more at the moment, and damn the calories consequences. Before I share what we are loving (and slathering in double cream) in our nest right now, let me just also note that we imposed a little dry period for the first few weeks of June. I am alcohol-free most of the time anyway, however Alex tumbled from the wagon when he had a beer with a seafood platter lunch. In his defence it was the long weekend, and the sun was shining. And we were next to the water, looking at pretty sail boats and a frolicking seal. But not all of our weaknesses come attached to excess calories. Mine are usually floral related. Or found in vintage and thrift shops.

I am taking full advantage of the early spring flowers that are available right now. I bought a bunch of poppies to give to my Mum on the long weekend. Then I snuck out to the camelia bush in my Nan's backyard to pick this pink beauty. It has resulted in a new appreciation for these wonderful and DIVERSE FLOWERS. If only they in turn appreciated being cut and put into a vase. Camelia is used almost exclusively for its leaves in floristry. The flowers have little commercial value as they die quickly. 

We've been eating SCONES too. Quite a few scones actually. Two batches and counting. The food related indulgences have me most worried, because it's not limited to scones, jam and cream. There is also an increase in the amount of crusty white bread being eaten. Melting moments, FUDGE, chocolate brownies and copious amounts of french onion dip have also made appearances. 

The up-swing of scones is the chance to indulge my current obsession with silver spoons. Jam spoons, teaspoons, mustard spoons. I want them all. My preoccupation with CUTLERY is unshakeable. I'm having a serious love affair with cutlery right now. HERE, HERE & HERE.

It is funny almost sad how excited I can get over a good INSTAGRAM hashtag these days. I think the lack of flower flinging in my day-to-day life recently has left a creative void that needs filling. I am attempting to self-teach better prop styling and photography. Instagram hashtag competitions are a wonderful prompt for this practice. I love the monthly #7VIGNETTES, and @ITS_MY_WEEK run a fantastic weekly competition with a new theme each Monday. But given my adoration of vintage cutlery, I participated in #THESPOONSERIES tag with much enthusiasm. My entries? HERE, HERE and HERE.

Other tags I recommend exploring?

#MYMONTHOFSUNDAYS

#FRIDAYFAFFINGCOMPETITION

#SEEKTHESIMPLICITY

&

#PROPSTYLERS

The gym is calling me back.

Kate  x

Styling and photographs by Moss & Vine

Fudge (pictured) from TILBA TREASURES Ulladulla Aus