Lovely Blog Award

So the other day I was rather chuffed when the delightful  Miss Walker contacted me to say she had awarded First House on the Right with a Lovely Blog Award.  

My very first blog award so of course I want to get it right...

Firstly, a may-jore THANKYOU to Miss Walker, you're too sweet!

Secondly, I have to tell you 7 things about myself so here's what you need to know:

1. I'm BIG on my family and friends.  They are quite literally the best people I know.

2. I'm hopeful.  I do think the glass is half full.
3. I love to write and I'm learning to paint.
4. I'm quite patriotic, after growing up overseas I finally feel like this is my land.
5. I lack patience.
6. I don't have children and I'm finding it hard to make the decision to become a mum.
7. I'm more than a little obsessed with New York.

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Thirdly and finally, the award must be passed on to 15 other bloggers.  Bloggington is nothing if not the labyrinth that binds us :)

So the ones I've chosen are the ones I have the loveliest time reading each day.  Some I've been visiting for awhile, some have just popped onto my radar, but ALL of them are lovely.  I am delighted to award these 15 fab blogs (in alphabetical order of course) with my LOVELY BLOG AWARD:

Ada & Darcy
Belle and Boo
Brabourne Farm
Bright Bazaar
Coco Cozy
Cottage & Vine
Habitually Chic
Immediately, Flamboyantly
Little French Nest
Party Resources
Penguin Begets Penguin
Space for Inspiration
Table Tonic
Tomas and Jones
Wilona and Me

Make yourself a cuppa and go for a visit.
Nicolex

Anzac Day

The Remembrance Day poppy is increasingly becoming a symbol for Anzac Day too.  I'm glad, it's beautiful and as soon as you see it, you know what it means.

Like any good tourist to Canberra I visited the Australian War Memorial when we were in town a few years ago.  I was expecting a lot of reflective and sombre history which there was.  What I wasn't expecting was to be emotionally overwhelmed when I walked into Commemorative Courtyard and saw the rows and rows of more than 100,000 names of fallen soldiers.  It kicks you in the gut.

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If you happen to find yourself in our capital, get details for a visit here.  

Nicolex

5 DAYS TO GO

What we know so far:

The Queen has given her formal consent.

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The Middletons now have a coat of arms.

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The route has been mapped.

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The guests have been invited and here in the land of Oz there is finally a reason for our PM to celebrate being part of the Commonwealth - Jooleeya & Tim are going.  So is Ian Thorpe.  This guy pops up everywhere, an extra on mega-hit Friends, the wedding of the century.  Go Thorpie.  Rowan Atkinson is attending, as is Elton and David Furnish.  Guy Ritchie is going, not to mention the other royals, David & Victoria - can't wait to see what Posh and her baby bump will be wearing.

The seating plan has been formalised.

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We're has involved as we can be people ;)  Thank you world wide web.

Nicolex

Recipe: Fish Sticks

I don't know if it's because I haven't had breakfast yet but when I saw this recipe over at Sweet Paul (his grandmother used to make them for him) I had to immortalize it here so I could easily find it again.  It looks deliciously simple and I'm going to make it for lunch tomorrow.

FISH STICKS
Serves 4

2 cups panko crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbs melted butter
450g white firm fish fillet

Mix panko, salt and pepper in large bowl.
Cut fish into 7.5cm x 2.5cm pieces.
Dip pieces into butter then into panko.
Place on non-stick oven tray covered with baking paper.
Bake in a moderate oven for 15min or until golden.

Serve with lemon, steamed bok choy or salad.

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A casual alternative for the Good Friday fish meal.

Nicolex

6 DAYS TO GO

Because it's inevitable, a quick comparison between this royal wedding and that royal wedding, thanks to  Vanity Fair.

Are you beginning to get at least a little excited?

Nicolex

Mould Me

I've just discovered the extremely talented ceramicist Helen Beard via Homes & Antiques and I can't get enough of her whimsical work.  Each pot is thrown in Limoges porcelain and hand-painted.  Her freehand line drawing is transferred onto the pot and colour is then painted over using a series of ceramic stain washes.  The pots are then dip-glazed and smoothed down ready for the final stages of firing (thank you helenbeard.com for the technical description!)  Helen describes her work as "drawing on pots" and I love that while they are most definitely works of art, they are also very practical pieces that can be used all over the home.

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After being told by another artist in 2005 about the Serpentine swimmers, Helen went to observe their rituals in London's Hyde Park.  Finding herself intrigued by their eccentricities they were among the first characters she began drawing on her pots.

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Her character pots. as she calls them, have gone on to immortalise over 300 people, some of them even cropping up more than once.  Counting people observing as her favourite pastime, it is no surprise she is able to capture their idiosyncrasies so perfectly.

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Next on the agenda for Helen is a collection of pots that placed together tell a story.  This is inspired by the 51-piece cityscape of Edinburgh she showed at the city's Art Centre last year. Something I would love to see!  To see more of her work pop over to www.helenbeard.com or read a short interview with her on The Beat That My Heart Skipped.

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In the UK you can purchase her work at the Oxford Ceramics (they post worldwide too) and in the US, some of her pieces are available at Ashes & Milk.  I am yet to find anywhere in the Land Down Under that sells her pieces so Oxford Ceramics is probably our best bet.

Nicolex

7 DAYS TO GO

Let me explain...

As I have said before here, the females in my family have a long history of royal romance reverence and it's starting to reach fever pitch.  OK it's not at all - I am starting to reach fever pitch.  The others, well they're indulging me I think.  Perhaps it's the promise of sumptuous viewing snacks (chips and mixed lollies will never do) but the men seem relatively happy to be dragged along for the ride.   Either that, or they're used to me and know it's just easier for everyone if they go along with it.  Don't fight it fellas.

The decorations have started arriving and my union jack bunting is clashing terribly with all the Easter decorations.  But I care not.  I love a good do.  If only more people were interested in this thousands-of-miles-away-event-that-has-nothing-to-do-with-us we could have a street party, which would be a very British way to celebrate.  As it turns out the northern and southern hemispheres are being quite cooperative and the London Saturday 11am ceremony is an 8pm Friday night in for the antipodeans.

Regent Street.

The Mall.

So there you have it, while I'm actually not a monarchist (despite all evidence to the contrary) I am most definitely a 'pomp-and-ceromonist' and it doesn't get much bigger than this.  I am looking forward to the countdown and for the next week First House on the Right will be paying particular attention to all things British.  So if you hate the idea and can't bear the nonsense, you best look away for the next 7 days...

Nicolex

Images from here and here.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone! How great is this 5 day break we're having!

Now am off to put all my Easter decorations up, should have done it yesterday but got lulled straight into loooooooong weekend mode when I got back from work.

Nicolex

Wonderful Wallpaper

My latest DIY project (more on that another time) involves wallpaper so it's on my mind a lot at the moment.  Some of the following examples I love for the pattern, some for the colour, some for the feel they create in the room and some just for their boldness and how they lure me to be a bit braver in my wall covering choices.

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I think we've all seen this image in Blogginton one thousand times over but I still love it every single time I see it, so it cannot be left out.

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A new (to me ) blog I discovered this week is Bright Bazaar and true to the name it is!  Today Will, aka, Mr. Bazaar has is writing about Conran and he's featured some fabulously bright wallpaper.

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Check it out here, follow it, you won't be disappointed!

Just sharing the love,
Nicolex

Easter Bunny

So lots of blog love for this sweet pair and believe me when it comes to Easter I'm all about the chocolate but they do make a very nice gift (for now or anytime of the year really).

The pair is $58.30 here and an adorable addition to any bookcase.
Nicolex

It's my birthday and I'll blog if I want to...

Well, it's official, 37 is the new 27.  You're talking to someone who knows because she just turned it!  Celebrations all very low key as Mr. B & I are forgoing the usual hoopla this year in lieu of o'seas holiday.  Supreme sacrifice if you ask me as there's very little I love more than a par-tay at our place but they tell me NY will be worth it ;)  

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A lovely morning tea rolling into a lazy lunch finished by dinner and a movie tonight.  Just right.
Nicolex

All in (2) Day's Work

                    Jacaranda tree transplanted.                    Delivery of bunny bookends unpacked. 

 

          Beatrice Emily Camellias ready to be planted.                        A spot of chillaxin'

Nicolex