Origami is everywhere in our local bookstore right now, and I have a client with a glass bowl full of colourful cranes at her entrance that looks fantastic – so that is why this book is apt for today’s post.

Girligami by Cindy Ng gives you instructions on fun origami designs like making paper pumps (high heels) and paper hearts, just perfect to do at a young girls birthday party, or even just a craft afternoon to keep them occupied.   If you want a sneak peak of what’s in the book and how easy it is, then click here to view her folding high-heels.  Get the book here for NZ$14 plus shipping.

I can honestly say we have ‘water views’!  With all the rain pouring down at present, I was in need of some colour in my life. These pics from The Style Files was just the tonic for today.  Could you imagine standing right in among those Tulips just soaking up the prettiness.  Bliss!

Loving this poster from Holstee.  Full of feel good motivators and affirmations.  Get it here for NZ$30 plus shipping.

I discovered this image today that inspired todays post.  At one stage I was fancying the famous LC6, but the elliptical black steel frame was just too sterile and bold looking for my taste.  If I had spotted this version in a beautiful pale blue, then it could be sitting in my dining room today. You can get this colour overseas, but should you like one in your own bespoke colour, the people at Homage here in Auckland can get it done for you.

A friend was dropping off magazines in Master 6′s class for cutting out and…well, ruining – when I discovered a fantastic design and decor magazine among them.  Home it came and I fell head over heels for this rug just a few pages in.  Now, you know I have a love affair with Dinosaur Designs jewellery, but what’s better than having all that colour beneath your feet all year round!  And there are a few other variations to choose from in the Dinosaur Designs collection.

Designer Rugs in Australia has done a series with Australian artists and designers – with so many more I adore it’s hard to choose just one.   And because they ship anywhere in the world, it’s worth taking a look at their collection right here.

Online magazines have kept me from doing the housework and posting on my blog recently – woops. They fill your screen with all those lovely pictures, then I can’t help but hunt bits and pieces down online even if I can’t afford – or actually need – them!

Adore Magazine is a new Australian (online only) home and lifestyle mag.  It’s full of stuff that we can get close to home, to take inspiration from, and give our houses a bit of a makeover!  Take a look here. Enjoy!

Yesterday I posted about the Vola tapware, and today while looking through this magazine’s gallery, by sheer good fortune I found the Icon range by Astra Walker.  Now here is the far more affordable version, plus it’s easy to order for us down-under. Australian made, the Icon and Icon+ ranges comes in five colours plus the usual chrome, and the best part is they start at only AUD$400 and go up to AUD$1569 for the floor standing bath mixer.  Yay!

Just looking at this tap makes me wish I had a house to renovate!  At last a mixer that is bright and cheery for the kitchen and one that saves on some shining time.

Designed by Verner Overgaard and Arne Jacobsen for Vola, it also has matching tapware for the bathroom.  The range comes in 18 different colours and starts at about NZ$1700.00.  It’s quite a lot isn’t it, but if you’re building a whole new house, that amount looks small to the total amount huh?  Well, that’s my way of justifying it!  De De Ce in Syndey stocks Vola products and should be able to order this for you.

Master 6 is mad about this game on the iPad; though I have tried it – the frustration is too great for the amount of time I have to ‘play’.  So, I have decided, if you are also an obsessed Angry Birds fan, then these soft toys for the kids (or not) are a must. Why? To get them off the damn iPhone or iPad of course and then they can throw these at each other or props in the house, and it’s a whole other game when it’s ‘live’.  Birds and Pigs start at about US$12 and the company ships worldwide.

image [Pocket-Lint]

José Parlá has teamed up with Curated by Arkitip for Incase to have his original artworks printed onto protective cases for your gadgets.  I do so wish the iPad book cover was a more reasonable price (US179.00 – NZ$235). It’s a gorgeous piece of art that is far more appealing than the basic black case we use and I would far prefer it.  His range also includes a Macbook sleeve and iPhone 4 case. Buy right here.

If you are an obsessive organiser like myself (not that I always succeed at it),  Verbatim’s Store ‘n’ Go Clip-it drives are light and small and oh-so-groovy.  The paper-clip drives are a clever way to keep that soft copy with the hardcopy without a clear file or ziploc system.  Plus all those lovely colours for more organising of photos (green), business documents (blue),  movies of family (yellow)….and so on.  Oh how much do I want a set!  Verbatim UK say the seven colours are now available in 2GB and 4GB versions, so hopefully they should be arriving down-under soon.

Ok, so this is not pavlova!  It’s a vanilla cake with frosting….but it could be couldn’t it.  If you were to buy (or make) a lovely high pavlova and then pretty it up with handmade edible flowers, it could look this good I think…even for a wedding instead of real cake.  It would make for a perfect end to a New Zealand or Australian wedding given the pav’s tradition.  I really want to try this for some occasion though I can guarantee my flowers would not look that fantastic!  Thanks to Cakehero who has so many awesome cakes on her website.

via [Oh Joy]

A wooden floor with organic curves…wide beautiful planks that seamlessly join to give your new home a soft but still modern edge. The product is called Waldilla by the company Holztec in Germany and is made to order, a computer does the shaping and assembling of the planks.  No idea on the price, but it’s made to order…so ahh, probably alot.  These are on the ‘wish’ list should I ever need flooring.

It’s school holiday’s at present and so I needed something to do with girls, while the boys are off at the skate park.  I love this idea from The Long Thread of decorating jars with colourful ribbons, grosgrain and even ric rac.   They could store all sorts, from plants, to pencils, to hair accessories….the list goes on.   Here are my instructions below as there is no sewing required in my version….will let you know how it turns out.

1.  Collect some jars from friends or your cupboard, making sure they are not tapered

2.  Lay out all your ribbons, a glue gun or PVA glue, scissors

3.  Measure your ribbon around the jar and allow an extra 1.5cm for overlap.  You could cut it on the diagonal or even a ‘v’ cut like the end of the ribbon.

4.  Squeeze glue onto the back of the ribbon then begin at the top of your jar and slowly press it all the way round.  Continue with different ribbon until you reach the bottom.  If you have a small area at the bottom of the jar, find a narrower piece or simply fold it under and iron it flat so it lays flat and fits the space.

Now fill with anything you like!  A few in a row on a dresser would look beautiful.

W Hotels Retreat & Spa on Vieques Island is a super stunning spot near Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.  The interiors have been designed by Patricia Urquiola and it is gorgeous.  Click here to see them in more detail.

Tattoos fascinate me as I could never make up my mind what I want on my body forever.  Though I have seen some amazing coloured tattoos covering a couple of clients that looked beautiful….flowers and and vines and names all intertwined.

These abstract tattoos by Amanda Wachob are beautiful.  It looks like they have let the kindy kids have fun on peoples bodies, then moved on….leaving the art to dry like they didn’t know it was there.   The last image I love for it’s ‘Big Kid Art Homework’ look….do these make you want a tattoo?  You’ll have to get to NY to have her paint you, or just take a look here at her gallery of work.

[via]

I really love this courtyard surrounded by the winding path to the spa….very earthy but still contemporary. The water would need to be a whole lot clearer before I climbed in though. These images are from the Jeffery Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture portfolio, where there are some great pictures to inspire your backyard design.

We have been looking at buying a home for a while since our return from Australia, and so the hunting continues.  While clicking my way through quite a few pics, I saw this beauty in Devonport on the North Shore in Auckland.  It is sooo me.  The colour, the furniture, the kitchen, all of it.  It’s for sale if you like it and to view more images click here.  The current owner and renovater is an interior designer, so it’s no wonder the place rocks! It’s also been in a couple of home magazines, so enjoy.

UK company Purlfrost has a large selection of window film for many applications; Decorative, Stained, Reflective and even a kids range.  My favourite would have to be their Stained Glass range that can be applied anywhere.  When the sun shines on it, it would show the best colour onto the wall and ground. Great for a yoga room.

You can apply it easily yourself and they have an installation guide online.  Purlfrost will happily ship worldwide, just contact them first and advise what you are intending to order.

These two photos are from a great home renovation in Redondo Beach – see the slideshow here.

The first image caught my eye as the many many tiles make it feel spa like, plus their colour is very calming, they are from Ann Sacks, a US company with a huge selection of ceramic and glass tiles for any area of the home.

I had to show you what a feminine fireplace looks like.  And the glass underneath is so much more chic that a tiled, built-up hearth.  Wittus, a US company has a large range of very hip fireplaces that they can ship to your door.  This one, called the Shaker is made in Germany and designed by Antonio Citterio – of course, something will always catch my eye when it’s near the Woods wallpaper by Cole and Son.  The kicker (always one when a designer is involved; it weighs nearly 140kgs and costs US$4,280 – that’s NZ$6000)!  Those long lovely legs almost makes it worth the price, but then there’s all that wood to put on…