Six Things...

The lovely girls from Design Ties recently asked me to share 6 interesting things about myself which for some reason terrifies me buy here goes:

1. I have been an Intensive Care nurse for the past 12 years and still manage to squeeze in two 8 hour shifts a week. While interior styling is my passion, there is a part of me that finds it very difficult to walk away from ICU nursing - it gets into your blood and I work with such a great team of people. I am currently enjoying some long service leave as Porchlight Interiors has had a wonderfully busy start to the year.


2. I have been married for 13 years to my gorgeous husband and have three amazing sons (the youngest one is 6 today). I'm looking forward to meeting our fourth son in heaven.


3. I come from a really close knit family with one sister (obviously Hayley) and two brothers and we all get on really well and get together regularly with our gorgeous parents. Hayley and I got along very well growing up and even better now which is why working together in our styling business is such a pleasure. We are really close to our mum and even dragged her along on our latest buying trip which was great fun.


4. I have a coffee addiction but try and limit it to one a day. I know just about every fabulous coffee shop in Brisbane but have my regular local spots.


5. My husband and I are currently (slowly) renovating our second home which is an ugly 1980's two story brick and tile in the suburbs. I'm sure my stylish friends were surprised at this choice but I could see it's potential and there is nothing more satisfying than taking something ordinary and making it special (its a challenge to say the least). One day I may be brave enough to show some before and after pics.

This is the kitchen from our first renovated home which we sold a couple of years back.

6. I love blogging! I know everyone says this but for me, this has been an amazing way to meet incredibly talented and creative people who inspire me daily. I feel blessed to be living out my passion with my business, my family and this blog.





I told you I was boring! Tracey xx

I Love Bows

I have this thing for bows. I can't help it. I just love them. So you can imagine how excited I was last month when I saw the new release Designers Guild fabric & wallpaper collection ...there's a bow fabric {see image below} in the new collection which I am completely in love with. We have ordered it for our windows at Black & Spiro...I can hardly wait for its arrival!!

Image 1 & 2 - Flickr; Image 3 & 4 - Designers Guild

Skillful Sailor

I didn’t anticipate coming back here as soon as this however, I also didn’t realize what an important job I have here. I knew there were many people out there who visited ABT on a daily basis but I had no idea of the important part it played each day in my readers life and also in my own.

Sometimes in this crazy, stressful world we live in we can lose sight of where we are going…the clouds can move over and the rain can start to pour down. Sometimes we question ourselves, our ability and what we are doing. It’s times like these we need a break away to reassess, review, rethink and make ourselves aware of what we really love doing. I love posting here on my blog and I love being a part of this amazing community of design loving people. I also love my career and I also love my family and friends. I don’t want to give up on any of these things even when the going does get tough {like it did last week} as these are the things which make me happy. I read a great quote this week which said…."smooth seas do not make skillful sailors". I realize now that I need to find a balance between my family and friends, my career and my blog so that when the seas decide to swell again I will be better prepared to cope with the onslaught.

Chelsey Turner from Philadelphia, USA sent me an email this week which, after reading it, I felt compelled to return here. It was my turning point. Chelsey agreed to let me share some of her email with you…

“I found your blog one rainy day. My mother had said "do something beautiful this weekend," but it was pouring outside. So on a whim, I googled "beautiful things," and Absolutely Beautiful Things came up. How truly serendipitous.

Ever since, when the day gets too hectic at my office in Philadelphia, and I need something beautiful for an uplifting moment, I take a quick visit. I've forwarded your Rodney Smith photos to my company's graphic artists, I've forwarded your interior designs to my mother in Atlanta, I've forwarded your vintage photos to my roommates' work e-mail boxes to give them something gorgeous to get them through the day...time and time again.

So, please enjoy your "Time Out," and I hope your "reassessment" brings you much joy and a true path for your life and career. And know that at least one yank in Philadelphia will miss your blog, and is tremendously appreciative for all the little joys you gave her...because little joys is what life is all about.”

Thank you for your extremely kind comments, emails, phone calls, hand written notes and blog posts. To say I am overawed is an understatement.

Like me, you all crave inspiration. Like me, you all get a buzz from seeing new/exciting/beautiful things. And finally, like me you all very much enjoy being here at ABT. So, from here-on-in I plan to be here, maybe not every day but certainly as often as I feel like it. I hope I can continue to inspire you as you do me.

xx
Anna