The Colours of Christmas

The Colours of Christmas & the Traditions that ensue.

Christmas is only 15 days away! Are you organised?

Well I'd love to say that I am, however the truth is the complete opposite.

I have no idea that its even December! I'm in complete denial!

With spring turning into summer....Im soooo behind.

I'm really not ready yet for that End of year wind down.....Finalising things I have yet to finalise. 

And the truth is I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

I love the smell of the Christmas trees, I love decorations & wrapping prezzies, setting the table......

I love to see my children's faces & I love the feeling of christmas day & the chaotic present filled,wrapping paper piled high,wafting food smelling house & ok I must admit that starting the day feeling hung over due to lack of sleep (not even due to alcohol) is always a given & that afternoon naps are long gone as a mother...

But its such a magical day......& I will be organised I swear! Or Everything will be done last minute!

So lets talk about  -----"The Colours of Christmas"---------

Are you a Traditionalist? 

Do you have Red,Green &white?

Or a lover of Classically Elegant White & silver or Gold?

Or perhaps a little more modern & into Blue or Turquoise?

well  for me, we have had 2 trees every year for the last 8 years since we've lived in this house as we had 2 main rooms that we spend a lot of time in & 2 kids. so we let the kids have their own tress.(Now when I say their own trees,They weren't allowed to decorate them/touch them or decide on colours!!..ok so I'm a bad control freak mother,who's obsessed with the trees that came out of magazines I looked through as a child.

Its not really that bad as the kids were young & really didn't have more than about 5 min of enthusiasm of helping mum! anyway.

And as they have grown up I've allowed them to contribute more (under strict guidance). As a result of having 2 trees I have had the liberty of 2 colour schemes.

1 being Red & gold and the other being White & Sliver.

I was reading the other day that Mel from Georgica pond blog puts a little faux tree in each of her kids rooms(Great Idea!Love it!)

if the kids start to want colours that make me feel crazy, I'll just give them their own tree! done!

The one traditional thing that i do every year is take them to buy a special ornament, Just one really nice item to add to their tree. (in a co-ordinating colour of course).
This image is so cute,do you have Christmas pjs & do you dress the kids in Christmas pjs?
I have to say I love this idea....If I get the chance,Im going to do this this year as your always in your pjs on Christmas morning! 

Need to get myself an Hermes blanket! Which Colour??

Yeah now thats a dilemma!

LOVE!  LOVE ! LOVE! 

Our little Charlie (dog ) used to look this clean (pre baby) & pre lambs. This is charlie & the lambs.

What a disgrace to the Bichon frise breed. Oh well! 

Decorating the mantle at christmas is always fun! if you have one!

This is my fire place with stuff all over the mantle, none of it actually belongs there!

Christmas Fashion

What are you wearing on christmas day, do you go shopping just for an outfit for yourself or the kids? I have not always bought something new for myself & the kids however I have always dressed myself & my kids for our Christmas photo with santa ,we all wear white! and sometimes perhaps a splash of red.- Often very casual, but none the less co-ordinated-

Christmas food & drink:

starting with beautiful dinnerware

These are Kate spade

This is a cute idea!

What's a celebration without food & alcohol, In fact Im feeling inspired to start experimenting with some cocktails right now! or perhaps even a hot toddy on this lovely Melbourne rainy summers day.

Hope your festive lead up is coming along nicely..

LL

What does colour say about you?

I was reading recently in House Beautiful about Colour expert Kate Smith revealing the meanings behind your colour choices.She was referring to the colours of rooms we may have in our homes, however it can represent on a smaller scale down to even a piece of furniture or accessory that we may be drawn to in a particular colour.........SO what do these colours say about our personalities & that perhaps if your drawn to them, even on a small scale, you may be trying to harness the energy of that particular colour!

What colours are you drawn too? I am personally drawn to all of these colours & have them all in different parts of my home....I'm not really sure what that says about me? Perhaps.....Confused!

Blue: 

You bring a no-nonsense attitude to most endeavours  and your strong belief in the things you undertake is often the key to their success," Smith says.

Read more: http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/room-color-meaning#ixzz2kh1toXAg

J'Lo' s Dining space in kitchen......Sooo pretty, I just love this.

Electric Blue:

"Electric blue reveals you as a dynamic personality," Smith says.

Read more: http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/room-color-meaning#ixzz2kh5QIVxM

Coco Republic

Light Green:

Celadon indicates that you are a good listener, have genuine compassion, and allow others to express their hopes and fears," Smith says.

Read more: http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/room-color-meaning#ixzz2kh2T2sec

Kitchen with sage green cabinets-Monic Richard--House & Home

Chinois Palais fabric in Lettuce-Mary McDonald for Schumacher........this is so pretty & fresh.

Blue & green....This is such a fresh & crisp look & makes me want to do the same.

Bright Green:

Bright green lovers are "someone who exudes positive energy and a 'we can make it happen' philosophy," Smith says. "With a discerning sensibility and an innate desire to put others at ease, this person is a natural when it comes to social endeavours.

Read more: http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/room-color-meaning#ixzz2kh4eKO8f

Pink:

If you're drawn to bright pink, you're "maybe a bit tempestuous, someone who seeks out new experiences and surroundings," Smith says. "Easily bored by the mundane, they live life with a willingness to put themselves 'out there.'" 

Read more: http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/room-color-meaning#ixzz2kh2vi9nD

Pretty pink sofa

Brown:

If you love rich browns in your decor, you "take your obligations seriously, are industrious, and value the respect of those close to you," Smith says. 

Read more: http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/room-color-meaning#ixzz2kh3Xwj00

Ralph Lauren study......I love ralph Lauren style.

My own Office/Library

Black:

Dare to go with dramatic black? You're "elegant, comfortable with formality, complex, a bit mysterious," Smith says. "Precise in your thinking you quickly understand concepts, connect ideas, and envision ways to make things happen."

Read more: http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/room-color-meaning#ixzz2kh3z5WMp

Ralph Lauren Home.......very classic!

OFFICE REVEAL: Stenciled walls with chalk paint

House Updates......OFFICE REVEAL:

Stenciled walls......

WOW, How time flies my last post was a whole mth ago! 
Ive been so busy working on the Office & the Entry!
A while back I was telling you that I was updating every room in my home.
A little paint here & there ,a little tweaking, a little styling ( a little buying!! this is the fun bit!)
I have painted the kitchen....its almost done! Im dying to share it however I just need to call in the Electrician for the final few items. I will show you as soon as its done, I promise.
In the Office I have stenciled the walls in "Autentico's "Silver" chalk paint .

BEFORE

& AFTER

(Curtains still need to be hemmed)

 Painted console table underneath mirror in "Nearly Black"

Lamp shade painted in "Silver"

This wall still needs some more photos/pictures etc........ I have them they just need re matting & framing.

(I Haven't waxed the console table yet)

 So what do you think? 
I love it! It feels so much brighter, This room is the office/library & I decorated it for my husband as he always wanted that traditional "timber panelled" Office & well, as this is the very first room you see as you enter the  house & its not closed off I couldn't really go all out & still have the continuity that I wanted as the rest of the home is not all dark & in fact "I love WHITE !" so it really had to be a mix of things. I did paint the Media/ family room / formal lounge......in the same colour (I'll show you this room soon).I'm still a little unsure as to the direction that Im taking with colours in that room! This room is not completely finished yet! I'm still looking for a few decorative items (in white) & I haven't shown you the library shelves yet as I'm in the middle of working on them & Cleaning out my husbands crap!!). I am painting the back wall of the shelves in the "Nearly Black" ---- Ive done 1 so far & it looks good.
Next week I'll show you the Entry!

Duck Egg Cont.......

Duck Egg Cont.......

I know, I know, STILL?
Well what can I say I just love this colour........That & the fact that Im so fastidious that I simply couldn't move on to a new post that required using another colour when I knew that I hadn't finished my duck egg blue posts !!! what can i say I have issues......

Here is a photo of my Armoire that I promised. 

Its painted in Duck Egg blue...

The stencil is in bambino

This is sooo cute, Its my favourite piece of furniture at the moment.

I had a girlfriend over for lunch the other day & while the babies napped we painted the final coat together, it was so much fun we laughed & giggled like a couple of kids. Having cups of tea & painting what a great afternoon!

Then when we had finished , she was like , well ! what else can we paint & we set of to find old jars that were cute enough to paint.

Ive put one on my desk to hold my pens in, it looks really cute.(such a great Idea!).

Thanks Helen! (yours is here waiting for you).....

I also painted a lampshade that sits on my desk, it was originally a dark beige/pinky colour, not very appealing at all. However I loved the base, So......easy fix ---paint the shade!

As it was a darkish shade originally & now I've painted it. it doesn't let the light through the shade only top & bottom, however I actually love that.  Its a bit more subtle.

I absolutely love Blue & Green the combination is pretty & light and super fresh, I've incorporated it into my desk area. 

whoever said that blue & green should never be seen, Perhaps they were just trying to rhyme & then people actually listened.....what a shame as I love it! 

And its used a lot now in decoration & design.

Perhaps we need a new saying.....Green & blue is so (new)? ok so I suck at rhymes , better stick to the things that I'm good at!

I've just recently been setting up my home work space (see above photo's), its in the kitchen area as that is the space thats going to be more conducive to actually getting anything done, I wanted it to blend in with the kitchen area whilst looking just a little elegant,neat & orderly. Its my favourite space to hang out & get creative, send of emails, download photos of the kids, & all the other stuff that I am not willing to disclose that I spend way too much time doing like reading blogs & looking at beautiful photos of the most glamorous homes.. & then thinking wow I love that idea...maybe I could do THAT in the living room. Its really not that great as my house is just never done!

More Picks of my desk when I clean it up!

Going Green

Ok! so I know that this is taking the whole blue & green thing to a whole new level & trust me it was a fluke ,but I just had to share it.

I made a "green" smoothie......you know the kind its "kale" & a whole bunch of other stuff thats suppose to make it palatable well It actually wasn't that bad it looked so nice & bright...... & I added a nice blue straw,in the hope that if it was aesthetically pleasing then somehow it would be palatably pleasing as well.......

Hmmm..... it had a lovely green glow.....& smelt like freshly cut grass, now don't get me wrong I love the smell of freshly cut grass, whilst lying pool side or playing with the kids, however I am never tempted to bend down & take a bite no sireeee Im not... 

I think that I'll keep trying recipes........

I've just realised that in fact Ive chosen to go green just like Autentico's new label.

Green all round!

Why so Green???

Well Autentico paints are Eco friendly....

The paints we offer are water-based and free of toxic solvents and other harmful additives (VOC low).

They can also be used in situations where anti allergic and anti-bacterial features are paramount.

Autentico Paint is a member of AECB, the Sustainable Building Association This Organization is a network of individuals and companies with a common aim of promoting sustainable building. It brings together builders, architects, designers, manufacturers, housing associations and local authorities, to develop, share and promote best practice in environmentally sustainable building.

Important to know is that the colorants we use to tint our base products are water based and VOC-free.

Workshops

I'll will be holding workshops soon & I cant wait! it will be so much fun....

People can get a group of friends together & have an afternoon tea whilst painting, teamed with either a glass of champagne or cups of tea & some sandwiches.....Learning new little tips & tricks to having your pieces look amazing.....Although I cant entirely be held responsible for the outcome of their pieces once a glass of champagne has been had...so if your in Victoria and interested please email me;  latreilledesign@gmail.com.

LL.