Colouring-in-kit

My all time favourite childhood present was a colouring in set (2 actually) that my dad bought me home from FAO Schwartz on a work trip to New York City! At the time he was the editor of TIME magazine Australia, and as it was headquartered in NYC, so he was lucky enough to fly there twice on business conference trips! The first time he went there he bought me back a colouring in set that looked just like the one below- black, smallish (if you can call it that, I guess because I am thinking of it in comparison to the second one!) with the array of oil paints, crayons, pencils and textas you'd imagine to find in a colouring in set. I loved it dearly and it was well used.

Thanks to my beloved friend Jess for posting this picture- was a good opportunity to tell this story :)

The second trip my dad went on to New York (I'm guessing about two years later) he bought me back, in my mind what was a, gigantic colouring-in-set inside you could call nothing else but a wooden suitcase. I loved it for two reasons- the first being that I had my own suitcase just like the one my dad had for work, I felt so grown up. The second reason being that it was any child's dream- when you only know the 7 colours of the rainbow and a few more , to suddenly discover there are multiple shades of pinks and blues and yellows....it opens up a whole new world. My mum wouldn't let me take them to school so they were extra special. My favourite were the coloured pencils.  I was careful not to sharpen the pencils down too much as I knew they were from the other side of the world and were practically irreplaceable!

I had always tried to imagine what FAO Schwartz would be like- all I knew was that it was a toy store, and one of the biggest and best in the world so I had pictured some sort of fantasy toy land. So I promised myself if I ever went to NYC I would definately visit the FAO Schwartz shop in memory of my dad. So last year I did! Here are some pictures I took while I was there...

I scoured the store for hours to find my wooden colouring in suitcase, but over 15 years later it's no wonder it is still not in stock! I took a picture of the closest thing I could find:

I got talking to the FAO Schwartz "toy solider" guarding the entrance and, feeling sentimental, told him my story about how my late father getting me 2 colouring-in-kits from the store and bringing them all the way back to Australia and ever since it has been a life long dream of mine to visit the store! He said he was very touched and asked a passerby to take a photo :)

this one's for you, dear

I remember when I was a little girl, my grandmother, "Dear", and I used to spend hours on the phone describing the cottage that we would live in together oneday. It would be nestled away in the forest, alongside a riverbank, with a ramp for her wheelchair and a fireplace for the winter time. I had found magazine pictures of a collectable cottage plates series, and I pictured our home to look just like the cosy cottages. I would explain the picture to her in vivid detail, and then we would let our minds run wild with fantasy and imagination; she had a natural talent for making up stories and playing make-believe. So even though Dear can't be with me to share this special day, I hope she knows that I am thinking of her.
Dear, it is just as special as the one we always dreamed of.

birthday presents

This past week I received some lovely birthday presents from my nearest and dearest and thought I would share with you a few of the special ones...

My mum gave me a blown up, white framed photograph I took of my reflection in a 5th Avenue store window in New York. I love this photo because it captures a really special moment in time for me. I was in awe to finally be in a place I had dreamt about for so long.

As a former photographer, mum liked this photograph as she thought it was "artistic"-  It juxtaposes the elegance and compsure of Manhattan (Tiffany's high end designer window- Some style is legendary) with the energetic fast-paced reflection of New York's iconic yellow taxi cabs, the people, the flag, the buildings. And me with my FAO Schwarz shopping bag, wrapped up in gloves and scarf, amongst it all :)

 A special mention also goes to my gorgeous friend Jess for my Ladelle "flock" tea towels (pic shown is ladelle treetops), and T2- Just Peppermint tea. I love both of them! Such thoughtful gifts... will definately be going to good use.

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Well I am back from Sydney and tonight my family (auntys, uncles and cousins) came over for chinese takeaway for dinner; which seems to be a bit of a traditional in our household! As I was away for my birthday on Monday, my extended family members gave me my birthday presents tonight.  A selection of my presents I received include...

i've been wanting one of these for forever! beach towel by country road

my favourite body wash- neroli jasmine by the body shop

Gelato bath sponge by annabel trends (such a cute product!)

dedication

This blog is dedicated to my dad, Ken. My dad had big bright blue eyes, and his favourite colour was sky blue. He loved to read and write, and passed this onto his daughter. The below photos are a few of my favourite photos of us together. I love and miss you dearly. ♥