Four weeks into motherhood and the dreaded has happened... I've lost my styling mojo! People warned me, they said it would ambush me, but not for one instant did I believe it would happen to me!
What I find most disturbing of all is that I no longer seem to care... no longer am I mortally offended by the hideous fabric of the breast-feeding pillow I borrowed... no longer do I hide the awful nappy boxes under the cot... no longer do I bother to put away the baby bath every night (it now lives in the entrance hall of all places!)... no longer do I see what my house actually looks like - and believe me, it looks like my very own version of hell, complete with an overflowing recycling bin and burp cloths flung on every available surface! I knocked over a stack of very artfully arranged vintage books the other day while negotiating the pram down our narrow hallway and I haven't even bothered to re-arrange them... they lay there like forgotten dead things, mocking me every time I rush past with yet another load of washing.
So......... I'm reclaiming my mojo before it decides to take a permanent leave of absence - I figured some inspiring images were in order to remind me exactly why it is I love what I do and why I must fight the good fight to hold onto a small piece of my pre-baby self xx
I have a thing for old glass jars... I blame my Grandmother who used to store her flour in huge jars with tin lids that she would pull out on baking days. They make for such great storage containers and always look beautiful when displayed full of interesting bits and pieces - the possibilities are endless! This particular jar traveled all the way from South Africa and now sits on our kitchen shelf.
photos by me
In all my years as a stylist, the thing I love to do the most is style children's bedrooms. They offer so much scope to be creative, giving you the opportunity to let your imagination totally run away with you! Like all styling, it's the little details that count (no child could live this way mind you, but it sure looks cute in the photos!). Here are some images of little girls rooms I have worked on in the past...
Black and white typography is always a winner and this grouping of vintage signs is no exception, particularly when teamed with an old rustic lamp. The floral patterned quilt in the foreground balances the austerity of the arrangement perfectly.
I don't know what it is about religious icons, but they always appeal to me. The beauty of this image comes from the scattered grouping of matchboxes and the unlikely subject matter.
What I love most about this image is it's originality... it takes some relatively run-of-the-mill components and turns them into a thing of beauty. It is striking and quirky and memorable.
Maybe it's the sombre little face of the owl or maybe it's Bambi in the background, but I'm really drawn to the quirkiness of this image. When you breakdown the components of the styling, it's incredibly simple but it works beautifully.
Is this not the most stunning door handle you've ever seen? I would cheerfully spend big bucks for this little splash of elegant detail.
