December Style {gold glamour}

Wow lovelies, its December already – can you believe it?! In a few short weeks it will be Christmas and then soon after, we will be welcoming 2012.

This time of year is all about parties, entertaining and lots of celebrating,  so I thought a little gold glamour inspiration to see the year out with a bang would do perfectly for the last Style post for 2011.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Happy Thursday lovelies; only one more day until the weekend!

Rachel xo

Summer Style Series :: Part #4 {fashion}

 

Despite the {unseasonally} dreary weather in Sydney today, I am excited to bring you the final installment of the Summer Style series. 

To end the series on a high note, its a pleasure to introduce you to the lovely Lenya from 7 Year Wedding, who is going to share with us with her style inspiration for the warmer months ahead.

***

Well hello there Little Bits Of Lovely readers!  I'm Lenya from 
7 Year Wedding. I'm so excited Rachel asked me to share some summer style inspiration with you.  

For me summer is all about being easy and breezy during the day with a cute little cozzie, sunnies, shorts and a panama hat!   

...Perhaps some afternoon drinks call for a little crochet dress and some sandals.  

And then for the night?  Well a little bit of sparkles never go astray!  

 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

***

Lovely picks Lenya; now all we need is some sunshine!

This post wraps up the Summer Style series so I wanted to say a BIG thank you to Abbey, Lana, Andrea & Lenya for your beautiful posts over the past few weeks. 

I hope you enjoyed the series!

And in case you missed them, take a look 

back at each of the posts here:

* Decor

* Entertaining

* Travel

* Style

Rachel xo

Summer Style Series :: Part #3 {travel}

Hello lovelies! Today I'm excited to introduce you to Andrea who's beautiful blog is all about luxury travel and style.  Fittingly, Andrea will be posting on the topic of travel and inspiring us with the delights of the Kiwi Summer. I haven't been to New Zealand yet, but I know the scenery is spectacular, so it is definitely on my list of places to travel to; hopefully you will be compelled to add New Zealand to your list too!

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Welcome to the Kiwi summer, an utterly beach and bach based affair. Come Christmas, it feels as though the entire city of Auckland packs up and takes off for baches (better known to the rest of the world as beach houses) in the gorgeous Bay of Islands, Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Peninsula. 

My own family is lucky enough to have a three-generations-old bach at Waihi Beach, to which every summer we make a pilgrimage, packing up the car with all manner of beach going essentials - jandals and togs, sausages and tomato sauce for the obligatory Kiwi barbeque, and a plastic bag of the yellowest lemons to squeeze over fish and chips, fresh from the shop... Andrea x

***

Thank you Andrea for taking us on this mini escape! For more travel inspiration be sure head on over to Andrea's blog.

Next week will be the 4th and final part of the Summer Style series, where Lenya will sharing her Summer Style inspiration.

Happy Tuesday my dears,

Rachel xo

Summer Style Series :: Part #2 {entertaining}

Happy Tuesday lovelies! Today I'm delighted to introduce you to Lana from Lanalou Style who is guest posting today for Part #2 of the Summer Style series on the topic of entertaining. Lana and I have been blog-buddies for some time now and her blog is one of my daily reads, so I am very excited to have her guest posting today!

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Hi, I'm Lana from Lanalou Style and I'm thrilled to be here today, thanks for inviting me to take part in your Summer Style series, Rachel!

For me Summer entertaining is all about relaxed, simple and spontaneous get togethers, plenty of picnics and outdoor entertaining. Suddenly you have that perfect summer's day and you need to be ready so that you can throw everything into one bag and hit the beach or park.

A few Summer entertaining essentials that I like to keep in stock are pretty paper serviettes, disposable cutlery (preferable recyclable) and a colorful picnic blanket or table cloth.

When entertaining at home, raid your garden (or your neighbour's) for a few pretty flowers, a little bouquet just makes everything more cheerful. Also be sure to grow some useful herbs in your garden, there's nothing nicer than a jug of chilled lemon and mint water on a hot day. Plus they're great to add to your salads for a homegrown touch.

A few colorful glasses and plates plus some candles or fairy lights for when the light fades are all musts for me as well. Lastly add some great company and tasty food and you're all set for a perfect occasion!

***

Thank you Lana! I love the idea of whipping up a jug of chilled lemon and mint water using fresh herbs from the garden. Aren't all of these shots so lovely? Lana, being exceptionally creative, styled and shot all of these vignettes herself!

Stay tuned for Part #3 next Tuesday on the topic of {Travel}.

Rachel xo



All photography by Lanalou Style

Introducing Summer Style Series :: Part 1 {decor}

Hello lovelies! Melbourne Cup day unofficially signals the start of the festive season here in Aussie-land, so its fitting that I kick off the brand new Summer Style series today. 

With the help of some fabulous bloggers who will be sharing what Summer means to them over the next four weeks, I hope to inspire you to start the new season armed with ideas for creating an unforgettable Summer.

So allow me to introduce you Abbey from Gild & Grace with the first instalment of the series, who is going to share her decor inspirations for the warmer months...

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Hi there, Abbey here from Gild & Grace. I'm very excited to be here at Little Bits of Lovely bringing you this guest post about great Summer decor! For me Summer decor is all about breezy whites, airy open spaces and bright pops of colour and pattern. Think Hamptons classic meets Palm Beach fun - all blended into a relaxed yet sophisticated finish by India Hicks....

Here are my decor style essentials for the summer season ahead:

1. Nina Campbell 'Paradiso' wallpaper 2. Ada & Darcy Bamboo cushion 3. Kristy Lee Interiors Green drum stool 4. Whiteport 'Casablanca' table lamp 5. Ada & Darcy Chippendale chair 

***

Thank you Abbey for this gorgeous post. I'm already dreaming about endless Summer days at the beach; bbq's and cocktails!

Stay tuned for the second instalment next week,

Rachel xo

Image credits: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

{October Style}

Hello lovelies! Can you believe we are in October already? How this year has flown by! October is my favourite month of the year - it is Spring here, so the weather is just lovely and the trees are starting to turn green, whilst there are so many flowers coming into bloom. It's also my birthday month and the anniversary of our wedding, so there is much to celebrate!


Here's what I'm coveting this month...

{one} Blue maxi pleat skirt - after seeing this gorgeous outfit from Helena, I'm craving a bright blue maxi skirt for the season ahead - how fabulous does it look paired with the leopard print belt?

{two} Donna Hay iPad app - this app is a perfect extension of the ever-beautiful magazine and definitely a must to download.

{three} Sleepy Hollow Pencil Cup - how sweet is this pencil cup? Currently on the wishlist for my new workspace.

{four} Jonathan Saunders, Soho 2012 diary - I'm loving this stylish two-tone Soho diary. With a week to a page view, plus a to-do list, there would be no excuse not to be organised!

{five} Valorie snakeskin clutch - the perfect clutch for the warmer months, being incredibly versatile and easily paired with the classics: black, denim and white. Love!

{six} Glasshouse, Rodeo Drive candle - with the aromatic scents of neroli and sweet myrrh, this divine smelling candle is a fresh take on Hollywood glamour.

Happy Thursday my dears!

Rachel xo

September Style

Happy Monday lovelies, welcome to a brand new week! Because of all  the craziness of last week I missed out on doing the September Style post, so I thought it would be a good way to start the week.

{one} Romani Jersey Dress, Fleur Wood - My love affair with stripes is still going strong and no doubt I will be living in this dress during the warmer months ahead. It looks so comfy!


{two} Hang in there glasses pendant; Kate Spade - Now this is too cute! 


{three} Design*Sponge, At Home; Grace Bonney - #1 on my wish list right now and the must-have home decorators' book featuring over 400 pages on everything from home tours, DIY's, before and afters and plenty more. Can't wait until this comes out!


{four} Pantone storage boxes; how cute are these mini Pantone storage boxes? Love that they not only look good; they are practical too.


{five} Hermes Mythiques Phoenix scarf - scarves are my favourite accessory in during the shoulder seasons and I can't resist the gorgeous prints from Hermes. Love. 


{six} Jessica Durrant illustrations - I recently discovered the work of Jessica Durrant over at Breakfast at Toast and was instantly impressed by her work. This is one of my favourite pieces of hers and I will be working out where I can position these gorgeous prints in our new home.


Hope your week is off to a brilliant start.


Rachel xo

{august style}

Hello lovelies, happy August! The weather has been so lovely here the past few days, really bringing Spring early which has been a welcome change.


Our open house was a success on Saturday so fingers crossed that we have a keen buyer soon. I will be sharing with the photos of our apartment over the next couple of weeks so stay tuned for the posts!


Here's what I'm loving this month...

{one} The new Royal Doulton range from Donna Hay is gorgeous; loving all of the whites and blues.


{two} I just bought this Tory Burch iPad case and love it already. It has an inside pocket with space to stash papers and is   beautifully lined with suede.


{three} Diptique are my favourite candles; the high quality scent is long lingering and I can't resist the packaging. This pretty Rose scented candle is a new mini limited edition and so cute! 


{four} Now that I can feel Spring on the way I'm starting to plan wardrobe essentials for the new season; I thinking maxi pleat skirts will feature heavily. ASOS have some great well priced maxi pleats like this one.


{five} Anna Spiro's incredible online store opened last week and is filled with nothing short of amazing goodies. A few favourites include this gorgeous love heart cushion; pretty decorative silver boxes & fabulous lamp shade & base.


{six} I can't get enough of statement rings at the moment and couldn't resist this Roberto Cavalli Elephant ring!


Oh and has anyone else been watching The Renovators? I've been getting into it now they have all won the keys to the houses. Can't wait to see how it all unfolds!


Hope your week is off to a great start,


Rachel xo

June Style

Welcome to June my dears! June is the start of Winter in Sydney and the weather didn't fail to disappoint today with gloomy grey skies bearing down. On the bright side, it's only a few short months away until Spring! To all of my lovely blog friends enjoying Summer right now, I can't help but be slightly envious of your glorious weather ;)


Here's what's rocking my world this month...

{one} The July issue of Vogue is out on newsstands today with the very glamorous Gisele Bündchen on the cover. I only just discovered that Vogue have launched their own Tumblr which I have already found myself re-blogging!


{two} Regular readers of LBoL will know my love of sweet smelling candles so it was impossible not to fall head over heels for the exciting collaboration between Jo Malone and David Hicks who have created a special limited edition range. And to boot the packaging is so lovely! 


{three} Lady Gaga's second album has been playing on my iPod non stop since it was released last week. Brilliant album. Gaga is genius.


{four} Remember this recent Get the Look post? Well not surprisingly Zara sold out of the fab polka dot scarf that Olivia wore, but I did scout this similar scarf from Saba, which is currently on sale! 


{five} News in my inbox today revealed that the eagerly anticipated launch of Donna Hay's range for Royal Doulton is not far away - the sneak peek looks amazing, so watch this space!


{six} High on my Winter must haves list is a fabulous coat - I love this camilla and marc silo trench. Not only is it incredibly stylish, it is also 100% wool so will be very warm! Oh and PS for Sydney-siders the camilla and marc warehouse sale starts this Friday from 10am {289 Young Street, Waterloo}!


Happy hump day lovelies!


Rachel xo

April Style {decorating with chevron}

Hello my dears I hope you are having a lovely Sunday. As the April Style post is a couple of days late (oops!) I decided I'm going to dedicate it to decorating with chevron. I've long been a fan of chevron decor but lately this obsession has stepped up a notch. 


In the past week I have ordered not one, but two chevron trays from Tilly Maison and they look fantastic! I actually have my eye on a couple more petite versions as they are a great size to store make-up and cosmetics. 


I've also decided that for our master bedroom I will be using the lovely Rubie Green Bryn fabric in buttery yellow for the curtains (which I'm going to attempt making). 


Jen Ramos, from Made by Girl has just released a some practical and stylish chevron calling cards which can be custom printed in your choice of colour and font. I think I will be going with the grey.


So, please let me indulge this April in my love for all things chevron. I've found a few favorites to share but I'd love to know if you have more great decor finds using chevron.

I hope you are having a lovely and relaxing Sunday friends!






{one} Bryn fabric, Rubie Green
{two} Petite chevron tray, Tilly Maison
{three} Green chevron cushion, Table Tonic
{four} Chevron custom calling cards, Made by Girl
{five} The Ellie pink bag, Rubie Green
{six} Chevron Rug, found via Made by Girl

March Style

Hello my dears, is it March already? How quickly summer has been and gone! I'm honestly quite looking forward to the cooler months ahead; call me crazy but I do much prefer winter rather than this hot sticky weather we have been having lately. 

Now that were in March I think that the countdown to our US holiday we have booked in June can officially begin! We haven't done any planning other than loosely deciding we'll be visiting LA, San Francisco and New York; apart from that its all up in the air. So I would really love any advice/tips you have on where to visit, what to see, where to eat, and most importantly where to shop!

Here's what I'm coveting in this month...

{one} Decorate - the long awaited debut book, Decorate, written by Decor8's Holly Becker and Joanna Copestick, is being released on March 25. From the snippets Holly has shared I know it's going to be amazing and filled with lots of gorgeous inspiration! You can pre-order your copy on Amazon here.

{two} Lanvin 2 tone ballerina flats - these flats will be a wardrobe staple this Autumn; ok so maybe not the Lanvin pair, but there are plenty of gorgeous slightly cheaper versions I have seen!

{three} Trays - I seriously cannot get enough of decorating with pretty trays right now, this lucite spiked tray, designed by Nicole Cohen, is a favourite!

{four} Adele, 21 - Adele's powerful voice is some kind of wonderful. Her single Rolling in the Deep is one of those songs that gives you shivers. Check out the video clip here.

{five} Matchbook Mag issue 2 - I'm loving that Matchbook is a monthly magazine. The new issue was launched today and I'm looking forward to reading it from cover to cover.

{six} Kate Spade note cards - I'm finding more and more these days that need hand-written notes. Whether it's to say 'thank you' or simply write a little 'hello' note and and not want to use email. I love these Kate Spade cards - they are so pretty and simple and can be used for any occasion.

Have a brilliant first day of March lovelies!

February Style

Happy February dear friends! I can't believe we are in the second month of 2011 already; how quickly January flew. It is super hot in Sydney right now and whilst we're experiencing a heatwave, it's hard to believe that in Queensland they're preparing for a cyclone to hit and getting over the devastation of the floods. We're thinking of you Queensland.

In the past week we have been spoilt with all of the latest online glossies launching. Matchbook launched its fabulous first issue; the third issue of Adore Magazine came out over the weekend; plus  Rue launched its latest issue, featuring the amazing home of Nicole Cohen. And of course, I'm eagerly anticipating tomorrow's launch of High Gloss!

Here's a few things I'm loving lately...

{one} The Naked & Famous - this album is in high rotation for me at the moment; loving their song 'Young Blood' which is in the latest ad for Strong Bow.

{two} Coach Poppy Legacy Stripe Heart Locket key ring - such a cute key ring; would make a lovely Valentines Day present!

{three} Inside Out - Their latest issue is out tomorrow and looks amazing as always!

{four} I spied these fun Palm print cushions over at Louise's blog, the perfect cushions to compliment hot summer days!

{five} It's definitely beach weather and this Zimmerman bikini is divine; view their full Summer 2011 campaign here.

{six} Glasshouse Bordeaux Vanilla Noir candle - this triple scented candle smells incredible and leaves the most lovely lingering Vanilla scent.

Hope your February is off to a smashing start!