Perfect Party

I have actually posted this picture before...way back in my archives.  However, I thought I would re-post it for my cousin and his fiance as they are getting married in December HERE at this amazing property and I thought this could make for some good inspiration for them or anyone who is planning a party!! 

Happy Times

My beautiful dad.

The beach houses surrounding the house we stayed in. The agapanthus grows wild in front of these houses. I would love to see them flowering.

The gardens in this small sleepy beach side town are to-die-for.



Table set for Dad's Birthday lunch.






I spotted this cute beach shack when I was out picking flowers and loved it. In New Zealand I've noticed they paint many of their houses black and white which I love.



I had a bath in this huge clawfoot bath every day we were there. I love the little vintage butterfly prints on the wall.




When we eventually renovate the kitchen in our new house I definitely want to have a cabinet built just like this one which was in the kitchen at the beach house. It was so perfect for all the plates, platters, cups etc.

The beach in front of the house.

We've just returned home from a week in New Zealand where we celebrated my father's 60th Birthday. After spending a few days in Auckland we caught a plane down to Napier and drove down to a beautiful beach house my parent's have been frequenting over the past 12 months in a sleepy beach side town in Hawkes Bay. We spent 3 days here with my parents, brothers, cousins, aunty & uncle and our grandmother. It was the most wonderful holiday with lots of laughs, lots of tears and lots of reminiscing. Mum cooked an amazing lunch for Dad on his birthday. I went down the street and picked some gorgeous roadside flowers which I arranged for the table. It was the most amazing week away from work and the craziness of life. Happy 60th Birthday Dad. You are one in a million and we all love you so much.

If anyone is interested in staying at this beautiful house click HERE for details.

A Summer Table

This lovely table setting screams Summer to me. I love the fresh green and white colour palette. I also love the little succulent arrangements. They actually reminded me of the lovely succulent arrangements Chelsea over at Frolic created recently as below.

image 1 - victoria pearson via brown turtleneck sweater,

image 2 - frolic

Lunch Outside

If only I had the energy to hold a beautiful Sunday lunch just like this one. I adore the concept of the floor rug on the grass and all of that wonderful upholstered furniture outside...


Image found over at M.A. Belle from Country Living

Breakfast Inspiration

If you haven't already seen this blog, Simply Breakfast written by photographer Jennifer Causey, then you must right now. I adore her recent Paris Breakfast. Such a simple yet beautiful pleasure to enjoy and yet if you're anything like me in the mornings I just don't spend the time. Jennifer has inspired me. Maybe I should prepare a special breakfast for my boys this Sunday morning.

Fresh + Flowers = Happiness

After not having {bought} flowers at home for a couple of months, I just couldn't hold myself back anymore. Over the weekend I filled the house with lots of fresh flowers which made me so happy. You know they really do put a smile on your face and I think my florist was so happy to see me walk in the door too. Take my advice, head out and buy some fresh flowers, bring them home and arrange them in your favourite vase. I guarantee they will put a smile on your face!

Garden Party Inspiration

I am very inspired by the details of THIS gorgeous garden party...

All images via Country Living Magazine

Harry's 6th Birthday

Melanie {above} on a ladder in our front yard decorating the tree for Harry's Birthday.

Red wine makes filling up 150 water bombs much easier!!

Yesterday afternoon we celebrated Harry's 6th Birthday at home with a couple of his closest friends and cousins and family. We had a pool party with water pistols and water bombs and a swimming pool birthday cake which my lovely friend, Sharnel from The Cupcake Company made. Melanie {my lovely and creative decorator at Black & Spiro} came and decorated our front tree with red, white and blue bunting, red & white polka dot lanterns and candles.

The night before over a few glasses of red wine my husband managed to fill up approximately 150 water bombs which probably lasted all of about 15 minutes once the children got a hold of them!! My gorgeous friend Jody helped me with the food which was such a huge help!! A fun time was had by all and my little 6 year old thanked me this morning with a humongous hug and a kiss for "the best birthday ever"!!

Oh, and I nearly forgot to show you these gorgeous cupcakes which Sharnel also made for Harry which we sent to school last week for his birthday! So simply gorgeous!!

Lee Matthews' Australian Christmas

Loving the way Australian Fashion Designer Lee Matthews celebrates Christmas {styled by Jane Roarty}...

Cakes & Flowers {A Post by Felicity}

When I saw Vicky Crease's beautiful work on South African blog Anything Goes I thought she would be perfect for Absolutely Beautiful Things and when I saw her quote in one of her press articles .......

"I love to bring people joy"

I smiled and knew I had to contact her.

Vicky is a South African based cake artist and events coordinator who has created and styled events for Nelson Mandela, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Tiffany's of New York and Richard Branson. Here's a couple of questions I posed to her as well.........

Vicky, what project are you currently working on?

Amongst others........

Christmas at Cartier,

The Twelve Apartheid Heroes Gala Event for 800 guests,

the Reserve Bank Governors' Awards Ceremony;

and Miss South Africa.

Also lots of events for the FIFA Soccer world Cup in 2010

What is your favorite event that you have created for?

1. Nelson Mandela's birthday Cake

2. The Launch of Cartier

3. The Launch of Virgin Money in South Africa

4. A private dinner party for Celine Dion

What's your most popular cake that you make?

Definitely the Death by Chocolate double chocolate fudge cake with a decadent ganache icing, topped with a mass of fresh roses and drizzled with icing sugar.

What's the best thing about of living in South Africa?

The sunny skies, great climate, deliciously diverse food, fabulous South African hospitality and the fact that there are no rules within a design framework, thereby allowing you to express your creativity freely. Also, my fabulous family.....

What are 3 of your favorite fashion/homewares boutiques in South Africa?

My sister's store "Life" in Sandton for rare objects and stylish homewares,"Wizards" in Hyde Park for great fashion pieces and"Woolworths" for everything else (food, clothing, body products, linen, towels etc.)

Thank you so much for chatting to us Vicky, I'm sure Absolutely Beautiful Things readers would agree, your creations are works of art.

All Images Vicky Crease

Happy Week!!

One of my lovely friends reminded me that I had forgotten to do a 'Happy Weekend' post last week so to make up for it I thought I would do a special little 'Happy Week' post! This week I've decided to stop reading the newspaper, stop reading CNN News on the Internet and stop watching the news on the t.v.!! Instead I am going to focus on the happy things in my life. I hope you will all join me this week in focusing on being HAPPY!! Look at this beautiful image Abbey posted last week of some fresh flowers she arranged in her apartment! This picture makes me happy!! What makes you feel happy??


Image - Abbey Goes Design Scouting

Birthday Surprises

Thank you for all of your lovely Birthday wishes. I had a great day. My parents held a family lunch at their house yesterday which was beautiful. My mum went to lots of trouble as usual. She is an amazing hostess. The pretty flower vases she arranged using flowers from her garden in my favourite colours. I had to show you the amazing cake Sharnel from The Cupcake Company made me as a gift for my birthday...I must say it was very hard cutting up that Chanel bag!! She is such a talent and it wasn't just a pretty cake...it was absolutely delicious. My husband couldn't stop eating it which was quite out of character for him as he isn't a sweets fan at all!!

Flowers & Cake

What a glorious combination - flowers and cake! We had fresh flowers on our wedding cake and I often place fresh flowers on top of cakes I make but this one above takes the cake literally!!

Image - Vogue Living via Creature Comforts

New @ Iomoi

I'm really loving the new collection at Iomoi...Pink, Yellow, Bamboo & Pagodas...GORGEOUS!!

Farewell Morning Tea

One of my lovely girls finished working at Black & Spiro today. It was time for her to move on and I must say I was very sad to see her go. We had a special morning tea for her this morning to bid her farewell. I couldn't help posting the gorgeous cake we had made for her by Sharnel at The Cupcake Company. It was so gorgeous!! I loved the navy and white grosgrain ribbon she used around the base of the cake and the Camellia flower on the top was beautiful!!

Lunching Outside

In Summer I love having lunches outside and even more I love taking my table and chairs out on the grass! I love this image above - the white table, the white benches and those gorgeous white end chairs - so lovely!

Image via Traditional Home Magazine.

Paper Love

Totally in love with these gorgeous bow cards from Seesaw Designs!

I am a Domino Addict...

Today my Domino arrived. I know, I know I'm so behind the eight ball compared to all my U.S. friends but I just had to say how much I absolutely LOVED this month's issue! It's gorgeous! I'm just about to head off to my bed, snuggle into my warm blankets (it's Autumn here) and read it from cover to cover as the quick flip through in the office today just wasn't enough to satisfy my Domino addiction!! Night, night!!

All images from Domino. Last image via Brown Turtleneck Sweater.