J'adore La Belle

I have found a way to make the La Belle roses go that extra mile.Cut off their heads, carefully tear away the bruised petals and pop into a lovely crystal bowl of water.
 Voila, they are still fabulous and will maybe give me another week.

 

 

 

 

Have a wonderful weekend full of happiness and joy.

Celebrate how lucky we are to live in this amazing country.

Happy Australia Day. Andrina x

 

 

Spring flowers

 

Hello there sorry for the lack of posts, I've been a bit caught up in other life situations.

Spring is in the gardens of Perth, but not the temperature today, it's a freezing 12 degrees as I type but I look out all my lovely windows and see flowers bobbing their beautiful heads at me.

As another weekend approaches there is more entertaining to be had, so I did a few arrangements, I hope you like!

Have a lovely weekend.

Andrina x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday flowers...

Our house was full of gorgeous young adults on the weekend.Such lovely young men and women so full of promise for the opportunities that life is throwing in their direction. Most of them are embarking on the careers that they have diligently studied for over the past four years or so.Our eldest son is now a qualified carpenter so we thought that we would celebrate the occasion.
Any excuse to buy flowers is good for me, so off I went to the market and purchased my favourites.

 

 

 

 

The house still looks fabulous and smells divine, so I'm happy.Have a lovely week.

Andrina x

 

Arrivederci Italy...

The spring heat has finally arrived in Rome and the fashions are reflecting the mood with bright colours and the promise of summer vacations.

I have had an incredible holiday in Italy.This trip has truely been a gift, we have discovered hilltop villages and buzzing cities. Amazing shops and delicious restaurants in beautiful piazzas.

 I have also discovered how improtant it is too share such special moments with the one you love.

We have found laughter and romance in the most unexpected places; have we found our silver treasure?

No, we have searched high and low, but this treasure is not to be bought, it has been there all the time.....it is our love and comittment to each other.

Arrivederci Italy.

Andrina x



To market to market...

To market to market to buy a fat pig…..

Today I shopped like an Italian, market style.

Campo di Fiori is just around the corner from us.
With basket in hand, off I went to purchase the fresh produce.

Walking into the piazza, the smell of the fruit and flowers was incredible.

First up tomatoes, mozzarella and basil for a pre- dinner snack.

Then some more delicious tomatoes, artichokes and capsicum to accompany the penne.

Strawberries and raspberries to slather over the magnificent meringue from the local patisserie.

And finally a Jo Malone candle, (via Condotti… a girl’s gotta have style) and a bunch of pink peonies to set the scene.

Ah la dolce vita.

Andrina x

Paris in the rain

Louis Vuitton, Printemps.

The weather today in Paris is cold and grey,but she is still beautiful.
Last week I posted a picture of the Printemps spring window display, well today in the Paris drizzle, my heart skipped a beat as we strolled past the very same windows, a riot of colour as expected and a joy to my eyes.
Even in the rain there is magic in Paris.

Wishing you all a sunny weekend.

Andrina x

Mothers day flowers

Autumn is slowly arriving in Perth. It has been a long time coming, with many days in April still very warm.
The morning temperature finally requires a cardi or jumper and fog is forming in the hollows of the local parks. The leaves are beginning to change and rain is forecasted.

This week at Veranda Home and Garden however, it looks like Spring, the shop is full to the brim with faux flowers. Pinks, greens, blues and reds, peonies, hydrangeas, roses and berries, a riot of colour to seduce you.We have stocked the shop full for Mothers Day. Pop in and have a look, 20% off all flowers  and furniture for the week.

Veranda Home and Garden

Suite 2/ 1 Leura Avenue

Claremont WA

9385 6533

For some excellent ideas on how to arrange flowers in a variety of vases, have a look at Gwyneth Paltrow's blog site  Goop.com  go to

Do:Flower Arranging by Vase

Have a lovely floral weekend, Andrina x

Paris in spring...

The weather in Paris this week has been cold and wet but spring has found its way into French department store windows.

No matter what the season, Printemps always manages to have amazing window displays. Don't you just love the pop of pink, I would adore to see the other windows, I can only imagine the riot of colour; green, yellow and maybe blue. The fleuriste must have had so much fun choosing the accompanying flowers.

In just over a week I'll be having my very own French window therapy fix!
I have been honing my skills at what to pack in Paris during spring, thanks to A Femme d'Un Certain Age, by Tish Jett.
I've found some fabulous coffee shops in the Marais,
thanks to Carla Coulson, of Carla Loves Photography.(An Australian gal must have good coffee)
And finally researched the ten most romantic things to do in Paris, thanks to Vicki Archer of French Essence.

Just to get myself totally in the mood, this afternoon I went to the see the highly acclaimed french film The Well Digger's Daughter directed by Daniel Auteuil.
 Being a francophile I thought I was in french heaven.

Have a lovely weekend.
Andrina x

Happiness in a bloom



George V, Paris

A friend asked me the other day what makes me happy?

My first thought was flowers, they make me smile. I delight in their fragrance, colour and texture and daydream different ways of arranging my favourites in various vases and urns.

On reflecting, I felt very guilty that my first answer wasn’t …the three wonderful men in my life, or my friends and family, but honestly, I adore flowers they truly make me happy.

There is something about a bowl of fresh flowers home-grown or from the market that makes the whole house come alive and puts a spring in my step as I wander past.

What makes you happy?

The faux flowers at Veranda Home and Garden are extraordinary, pop in and have a look.

I buy flowers from:

The Boatshed Market

Jarrard Street, Cottesloe.

Newbies worth checking out:

Nathalie Louise Flower Design

383 Rokeby Road, Subiaco.

Inflorescence
Shop 6 Glyde Street, Mosman Park.

Flower books I love :

Simply Elegant Flowers with Michael George.

Grandiflora Arrangements by Saskia Havekes

Simple Flowers by Paula Pryke

Have a lovely floral weekend.

Andrina x