+ adventure: Winter Blues

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What is it about living Down Under that makes one talk about weather like it's the most fascinating thing in the world? Well, whatever it is, yes, the weather-talk comes right after we greet each other, be it friends, acquaintances or strangers.

So... We had fabulous blue skies and a top of 20 degrees C yesterday, and such a welcoming sight smack in the middle of winter; for those of you who's been following me, you'd know that I've been whining about the cold, hence the  cloudless blue and mild warmth was embraced with arms wide open.

In the late afternoon, I took a walk around a city block while Ally was occupied at an appointment nearby. Amid discovering some lovely town houses hidden in lane ways and had an impromptu workout in my flats and tights, I also couldn't resist snapping the awesome sights of bare twigs and branches against the clear sky.

Here are some shots I've taken... the images in the collages has been put through filters using the iPhone's Camera Bag app.

{All images by ME on iPhone}

+ loving: Prints & Posters

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Hello, dearest friends, hope all of you are well and fine in your own little worlds! And if you're in need of some colours and graphic inspirations, I have just the thing for you!

I realised I've collected quite a bit of graphic prints and posters related inspirations in my archive, and thought I'd share them all in one post here. Some are of bold graphic patters, others whimsy and adorable, perfect for little kiddies and adults alike; hope you'll see something you love here... My favourite has got to be the Cranky Princesses series by Heather Ross - I think it's adorable, and oh so true, that Rapunzel can get annoyed when her hair is all tangled, and the Princess and the Pea would be a little grumpy when she can't get a good night's sleep! Enjoy!

Cul-De-sac Graphic Prints

{Cul-de-sac Study 1 (yellow) | Cul-de-sac Study 2 (orange) | Cul-de-sac Study 3 (blue)}

Mental Disorder Posters, by Patrick Smith

{Mental Disorder Posters}

Pancake & Franks

{Customised Children Prints}

Heather Ross

{Cranky Princesses Art Prints}

+ inspired by: House 77

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I love a project with significant design elements and a good story to back it up!

House 77 in Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal, by dIONISO LAB, holds an intriguing looking façade of aluminium shutters perforated with symbols. The shutters offer privacy, gives the house a unique character, while the symbols are a form of homage to the fishing town it is located in.

During the day, with light coming through the cut-outs, the most interesting forms, shapes and shadows gets cast into the space within, transforming the sense and feel of the room at different time of the day. At night, as interior lighting filters through the symbols, the exterior then takes on yet another alluring presence.

"... the house, in the very centre of “Bairro Norte”, shares some of the city’s memories and references with the population and revitalizes a legacy that has been progressively forgotten and abandoned."

I love and am truly inspired by this phrase and the idea it holds - how an architecture, a space, a home shares the memories of the environment it's in, and the people around and within it... This is another dimension of spaces we don't realise or acknowledge on a day to day basis, but it is there, and the layers of memories continues to build, within the walls, bricks and timber, in the floor, the concrete, even the steel and stone. How meaningful!

Words from the architects:

Póvoa de Varzim is a city profoundly related to the sea and fishing. Its great cultural richness became an interesting stimulus to the project.
In fact, the house was an opportunity to revitalize some of the city’s memories and to participate in the panoply of colours and materials that characterise the street.
The house is simple… it is organized in a vertical and hierarchical way. The social areas are on the inferior floors and the private areas on the superior levels.
To achieve great visual amplitudes and dynamic interconnections between spaces, the interior was structured in half floors. The width of the plot decided the stair. In fact, it became the heart of the house. A wall painted with Blue Klein emphasizes its importance and continuity through the spaces.
The west facade is covered by aluminum venetian blinds that not only defend the interior from the insulation but also open the house to a small garden.
At east, the house gets its identity. The intimacy is guaranteed by stainless steel panels, perforated with the “siglas poveiras”.
These symbols are a proto-writing system once used as a way of communication and to mark personal and fishing belongings.
Also, they were hereditary and constituted an important family legacy that was transmitted by inheritance through generations, evolving with new combinations.
In this way, the house, in the very centre of “Bairro Norte”, shares some of the city’s memories and references with the population and revitalizes a legacy that has been progressively forgotten and abandoned.
Quietly, the house confesses its pride in the city… {Via Dezeen}

  {Images by Fernando Guerra, via Dezeen, found thanks to Furniture Fashion}

+ ideas: Pillow-talk {Part 1} - Graphic Patterns & Prints

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Good morning dear friends! It's time for a new inspirations and ideas series, and this time, we're talking pillows and cushions!

Ever since picking up the new union jack cushion for our living room, I've been thinking about doing a short series on pillows and cushions. Finally got it all together, and I hope you'll like the inspirations and products I'll be sharing with you.

Pillows and cushions are the easiest ways to dress up and refresh your living area and bedrooms (not to mention economical too!); they add an instant touch of comfort to your sofas and armchairs, and piles of throw pillows on the bed makes anyone want to sink in to the soft cosiness.

{1 | 2 | 3}

{1 | 2 | 3}

There are so much varieties to choose from, from solid colours, to textured, patterned, stripes, floral  graphic, silk, cotton, linen, and some in odd shapes and sizes too -  it really depends on the style you're after, and what you'd feel happy looking at.

You can choose to go all monotone, stick to one colour theme, and play up the textures with different materials (lace, leather, cotton, ruffles). You can also select two to three complementing colours of various tones, and go for a mix and match, some in solids, others patterned. You can even have a party and go crazy with a bit of everything! There's no fix rules on how you should pick your cushions, and how many is too much - as long as they don't swallow your sofa and leave you perching on the edge, or that you have to spend 10 minutes every morning making your bed!

Graphic Patterns

{1 Zara Home - Mister Cushion | 2 Dwell Studio - Gate Pillow Citrine | 3 kyoozi - Decorative Pillow Taupe | 4 Unison - Maritime Pillow Yellow | 5 nenavon - Zig Zag Chevron Corn Yellow | 6 Unison - Sailor Pillow Yellow/Navy }

{1 Dwell Studio - Gate Pillow Azure | 2 - CocoCozy - Quatrefoil Light Blue Reverse  | 3 Dwell Studio - Diamond Ikat Pillow Azure | 4 CocoCozy - Fence Navy | 5 CocoCozy - Logo Grey | 6 Zara Home - Lise Cushion}

Graphic Prints

{1 Heather Lins - Conversation Pieces Pillow #2 | 2 Marianne Van Ooij - Small Carton Pillow | 3 K Studio - Rain Pillow | 4 Hunt and Gather - French Burlap "@" | 5 Rustic Country Crafts - Hand Printed Burlap Pillow | 6 K Studio - Girl With Bow Pillow}

{1 olofsdaughters - Red Owl | 2 - Marianne Van Ooij - Chair Pillow Gold | 3 Flowie - Twig Pillow | 4 SMUG - Rainy Day Cushion | 5 Debenhams - Red London Bus Cushion | 6 three sheets 2 the wind - Bent Tulip Square Pillow}

Hope you're feeling inspired, snug and cushy! More ideas to come! Thank you for dropping by and spending some time with Page Thirteen today!

Colored: 25.07.11

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{Fall Thread)

+ loving: Burberry Prorsum's A/W 2011

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More popping colours for the wardrobe! Happy happy!

Here we find, the cheerful burst of vibrancy in Burberry Prorsum's A/W 2011 collection. Every piece makes a statement; from moss green military-style inspired jacket with 50s style patent leather trimmings, to dress coats of rich jewelled tones and beautiful detailing, paired with smart belts, elegant bags and clutches - there's nothing not to love about this collection!

Although it's not always easy to pull off the brightest of colours, and some of us may question the practicality and flexibility of a bright blue jacket, but it is inspiring to join the trend inject some colour-blocking into your wardrobe once in a while (this coming from someone who owns more greys and blacks than I care to count...) But seriously, I'm love the idea of winter clothings being anything but grey and black - the weather is depressing enough, thank you very much!

(ps. if you're wondering, yes I have manage to refrain from picking up anything in the gloomy tones from the shops lately.. in fact, I've managed to not pick up anything from the shops lately, and is keenly anticipating the change of season and leave this wet and chill behind!)

{All images via Fashionising.com}

Cheers to a vibrant start of a new week! Happy Monday everyone!

Colored: 24.07.11

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{Image from here}

+ ideas: Union Jack-ed!

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{All images by ME}

We picked out a new cushion to add to our collection last weekend. It is of burlap material, bearing the Union Jack print, and it went really well with this canvas print we bought from Typo a while back.

And this morning, while browsing Debenhams homeware collection, I kept seeing the British flag, and got inspired to put together a Union Jack ideas-mood board! Could it become my new crush - we don't know yet...!

{All images via Debenhams}

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(The above post was pre-written and schedule-posted)

Update: Speak of the devil! After getting this post up, we headed into the city for lunch and some "light" shopping, and lo and behold, check out what we came back with?!! You guessed it, more Union Jacks - this time in the form of a Be@rbrick! How cool is that? It's looking awesome on our bookcase, can't wait to collect more!

{Images by ME}

+ adventure: Dawn

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Good morning, Happy Weekend! What plans do you have today? I recall, when I was working full time and living back in KL, Saturday mornings were spent having a leisure brekkie with family (unless I've been out late having too much fun the night before, then that Saturday morning would be a whole different story!)... Oh how I've missed that!

Anyways... speaking of mornings, I've been finding it hard to wake up lately, because it's soooo cold and the bed is the warmest place n the world! However, stepping out of the house to a gorgeous view of the morning sky, pinked by the waking sun against stripes of greys and indigos - bliss - it's a sight which will last only for minutes, and in a way, I'm thankful for having to drag myself out of bed to catch a glimpse of mother nature's masterpiece.

These pictures were snapped a few days ago, and the gorgeous clear sky meant a good day ahead - still cold, but at least we had sun. And I even waited at the door just to catch the 7:35am plane cruising overhead on its way to the airport!

{All images by ME}