Leven "Feel Good" Giveaway

We love the selection of beautiful things that our friends at Leven stock. Gorgeous jewellery and scented candles, stunning artwork and luxurious blankets (to name a few)... whether you're buying for a friend or treating yourself, there's something for everyone.

Because they're so fabulous Leven have chosen a few of their favourite things to offer our Cush & Nooks readers as a giveaway...

Triumph & Disaster No Dice Sunscreen

Ashley & Co Soothe Tube - Mortar & Pestle

Karen Murrell Lipstick - Rymba Rhythm

The Unbakery Book - Raw Organic Goodness

image via design assembly

Egg Shell Candles

Competition now closed. Congratulations to Karyn Honey, our lucky winner.

A Little Bit Crafty | Frankie Magazine

I know many of you are big fans of the fabulous frankie magazine. Any why wouldn't you be?! Their magazines are gorgeous, beautiful quality, and with their covers like little pieces of art, they look fab on your desk or coffee table. 

Well, I've got some exciting news for you... just in time for Christmas, frankie have released their first ever craft book, a little bit crafty. It's a delightful book bursting with ideas - 39 diy projects collected from crafty creatives around New Zealand and Australia.

My copy arrived a few days ago and I've had so much fun looking at all the clever and quirky ideas. The projects are all cheap and easy, with an emphasis on using recycled materials. For anyone with older kids that are creative, this would be a fantastic Christmas gift, as it would help to keep them busy over the school holidays. Or purchase a copy today and give all your family and friends amazing hand crafted gifts this year.

There are so many wonderful projects in this book. I've selected a few of my favourite to inspire you, but I highly recommend you picking up your own copy.

blooby acquaintances mobile | laura blythman & peter cromer

wordy wrapping paper | carla hackett

the virtually new old vase | alice oehr

the top secret bag | penelope ferguson

going postal | ebony bizys

All photography (apart from the very first pic) is by the uber talented Hilary Walker.

Rooms to Love | Style Inspiration for Every Home

The creative duo consisting of stylist LeeAnn Yare, and photographer Larnie Nicolson have done it again... following the success of their first book New Zealand Interior Style, they've released another beautiful design book called Rooms to Love, due out today.

photo via here

Brimming with tips and tricks and gorgeous New Zealand interiors, the book is broken down into different areas of the house, even those often neglected. It shares decorating ideas catering to every budget proving that you don't have to have a lot of money to create a stunning space.

LeeAnn's advice is to do what you love, don't follow trends, it's your home and it should make you happy. "Don't create a home that's off the pages of a catalog," she says. "When you walk into someone's home you should be able to feel the people that live there. We want to be able to see their story".

This is a must read for all interior junkies out there. I can't wait to get my copy and devour every page and all those incredible photographs.

Reproduced with permission from Rooms to Love by LeeAnn Yare and Larnie Nicolson. Published by Penguin Group NZ. RRP $59.99. Copyright © text by LeeAnn Yare, 2014. Copyright © photographs Larnie Nicolson, 2014.

Birthday Wish List

Today is my birthday! Yay, it's shaping up to be a brilliant day. I decided the perfect post for today would be a selection of items on my wish list.

The Gerard Bar Cart is just a dream, as it would cost too much to ship it from Australia. I haven't been able to find similar in New Zealand, so maybe I'll have to have one made! 

I really need one of these cute Back Me Up Mobile Chargers, as I often chew through my phone's battery life when I'm out & about. 

I've already got the Absolutely Beautiful Things book on order, but it's not due til the end of the month - can't wait.

I love this Vince Camuto gold bangle, and the "V" for Vic is a sure sign it's meant for me.

This Hay chair has been on my wishlist for quite some time, and I really hope to have six of them around my dining table one day. Love, love, love!

I loved the first Roundie towel that was released, but this Moroccan-inspired Majorelle Roundie towel is my favourite, and a must for me this Summer.

I recently bought a MacBook Pro, so I can blog on the go, and now I need to find the perfect laptop bag. I'm a big fan of Clare Vivier, and her Oversize Clutch is a front runner.

A Touch of Gold | Three Ways

I love gold! The smallest addition can make the biggest impact. The emerald green wall below is stunning, but add the gold mirror and it takes it to a whole new level.

via

A painted front door is a lovely welcome, but a gold painted front door is extra special!

via

I love a touch of gold in the wardrobe. I've just bought these boots, and they are my new faves. I love the style and the length, but it was the gold details that sold me on them.

via

Here are a few more ways you can bring some gold into your home and life...

Adore book | Harriet sandal | triangle pendant | Moroccan pouf
Tilly clutch | petite gold cutlery | hammered candle

Layers of Texture

I'm quite taken with the subtle colour and pattern, and abundance of gorgeous texture in the home of fashion blogger, Rumi Neely. The grey and white base is soft and sophisticated with layers of beautiful texture for warmth and interest.

via Elle | photography by Tessa Neustadt

I've found some pieces to help you replicate the look. The gorgeous mid century brass and marble lamp is from Mr Mod, and everything else can be purchased through Bibby + Brady - the Armadillo&Co Casablanca rug, sheepskin rug, wooden side table, marble vase and Adore book. Contact me for more details.

Adore Magazine | June/July

I've just had a lovely long weekend where I had the chance to catch up on housework, family, friends, and lots of reading. It's amazing how one extra day makes all the difference! Some of the reading (which I also count as research!) was the latest edition of the fabulous Adore magazine.

As you can see from the cover, there's an inspiring feature on work spaces. There are three very different home offices, all absolutely gorgeous in their own right. I love all of them, but I think the last work space, 'the bright office', is the one that speaks the loudest to me - isn't that desk incredible?!

Many of you will know what a big fan I am of the Melbourne shop Fenton & Fenton, so you can imagine how excited I was to see the article about Lucy Fenton decorating her friends' home for sale. Her friends were overseas, so Lucy was starting with a beautiful, newly renovated blank canvas. Nearly everything she filled the home with was from Fenton & Fenton. This is my kind of heaven - layers of colour, pattern and intrigue. I'm sold.

I was happy to read Lucy's comment about how a rug is the easiest way to transform a room, and an absolute necessity in most rooms. Dael & I always use rugs in our room designs, but it always surprises me how few people value their inclusion. Listen to Lucy, people! :)

These were my favourite parts, but there's much more so make sure you read the whole magazine for yourself. You'll see photos from Loni's recent book tour promoting her divine Adore book. I have been lucky enough to be the only NZ seller of the book, and have a single copy left! Email me if you want to purchase it, but be quick, it's as amazing as it looks!

The Adore Book

Of all the online interior magazines, it's no secret that Adore is my absolute favourite. It's always bursting with colour, pattern and inspiration, not to mention an abundance of beautiful homes. So when founder, creator and editor, Loni Parker, announced last year that she was going to be putting together an Adore book I was one of the first to pre-order my copy. A year later it's finished and looking even better than I hoped. I'm very excited to be able to give you a sneak peek...

A beautiful hardcover coffee table book, Adore is filled with colourful interiors. The book is divided into 10 chapters according to room type, with plenty of inspiration and eye candy to get your inner designer adorning. Adore breaks down why a room works and offers styling tips and colour theory facts you can file away for future DIY projects.

There's even a chapter on creative walls and entertaining to help you get the most out of your space. At the end of each chapter, a panel of homeowners and interior designers share their helpful hints and words of wisdom on a whole gamut of decorating topics.

I asked Loni her thoughts on the book, and this is what she said... "The Adore book has been in the making for about a year now, having started crowdfunding for the book in February last year and finally releasing it in late April, it's definitely been a long labour of love! I've filled the book with colourful interiors from all across the globe, that I personally adore and hopefully readers will love them too. Some photographs have never been seen before – commissioned especially for the book whilst others have been sourced from various sources from all over the world, including some that have been featured in Adore Home magazine's past editions. I really wanted to create a beautiful coffee table book that would sit proudly in anyone's home and be a go to book of inspiration and lots and lots of beautiful images."

I can't wait to receive my copy at the end of this month, and it will definitely take pride of place on my coffee table, once I've devoured the contents. If you want your own copy of this gorgeous book pop over to the Adore online shop, and enjoy!