Going....Going.... Gone Global!

International customers can now join Australian customers in sharing some of my favourite things.....Brown Button Trading now ships all over the world and you can browse and shop in American, Canadian, British and Euro currency. Yippee! x

Suits me fine

Welcome to the Suit Shop. Founded by the younger brother of my friend Sophie, Patrick (pictured above) was trained as a tailor in London. Bespoke suits made from the finest Italian fabrics after you have been measured from 35 different points, you really can't get more personal than that. Made to measure shirts are also available complete with personalised monogramming service. My favourite bit? their photo gallery, beautiful sartorial.

Going Somewhere?

Jan Von Holleben's "dreams of flying" photographs are fabulous! Above are some of my favourites, see the rest here.

Prickly Pretty

Cactus Chair anyone? - if you look closely, I think it even comes complete with prickles on the seat, ouch! - fun though. To look at that is, not to sit on.

found at fffound

A new blog to sink your teeth into

I think you will agree that there is nothing more exciting than finding a new blog to visit. What makes it more exciting is when you know the gorgeous person behind it.

My darling friend Kate has just begun her foodie blog (or as a friend of hers called it, a 'flog' - get it? Food-blog,-flog? love it!), The Polka Dot Pantry. Be sure to visit and show her some love - I think you'll enjoy. I'd go just for her hot tip on a yummy ANZAC biscuit variation.

In the words of the cute kid in Jerry Maguire "LUCK!!!!" Kate with "The Polka Dot Pantry" - can't wait for more. xx

Thanks a squillion x

Thank you Bree (I spy with my design eye), Amanda (Swish and Swanky), Lee (Glimpse of Style) and Blair (Delight by Design)soooo much for mentioning my new shop, squeals of excitement could be heard from my desk at work when perusing blog land during my lunch break this week.

A huge thanks to everyone for their positive feedback and comments this week when I launched my online store, it has been a very intense 'labour of love' and to have finally gone 'live' - wow.

If you have mentioned my little store over at 'your place' please let me know so I can officially say 'thanks' over here at 'my place'.

Happy weekend (I believe the weekend starts on Thursday night this week....please?) - I'll be eating at the markets, celebrating my Grandmas 89th birthday and being taken on a 'magical mystery tour' by some of my dear friends to celebrate my 30th (hey I know, it was a month ago - but surely I can get some mileage out of turning 30??). You? xx

The best I could come up with today...

Keep the love in and the other crap out kids. Simple yet effective, don't you think?

image found at fabulous fffound x

They call this "contemporary country style"

Well, I don't care what they call it, I love it. Colour, class, warmth, character - ticks all the boxes for me!

images from Living Etc Magazine

Is there a doctor in the house?

The styling, the products - of course House Doctor is Danish......to live in this chic-ness, I'd be a happy and healthy girl every day! I mean, who would need 'an apple a day' if your place looked like this?

Oh, and speaking of House Doctor...... my little online store has just opened and House Doctor home wares will be available for sale at very soon at Brown Button Trading. But don't worry, I promise not every post from now on will have subliminal 'shop at my store' messages. Promise.

Great Expectations

Remember the movie, with Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow? I believe it didn't get brilliant reviews, but I loved it. This room reminds me of Miss Havisham's home. Yes?

Image from May issue of Country Style Magazine.

Weekend Wedding And Work

Thanks to a public holiday, sheer exhaustion from a four hour flight commencing at 2:40am and an annual leave day, I will only have worked two and a half days this week, but it felt like too much..... like a year 2 told a teacher friend "why don't you take a teaspoon of cement and harden up!". Yeah well, its just been one of those weekends.

Happy to see the weekend - a wedding to attend and an online store to go live (fingers, toes, eyes and ears crossed) so a busy one.

www. brownbuttontrading.com.au is moments away. Honestly? it feels like a total souffle moment - it may totally rise to the occasion, or totally fall flat, either way I have learnt a lot.

Poor little Brown Button has been neglected a bit of late, and I haven't had the chance to visit my favs, should be back to normal next week. Have a lovely one bellas xx

image from teen vogue

What to do with 'those' tea towels.....

I've probably told you before, but I've been known to tell the same story once or twice.... my sister and I for a couple of years now have renewed our mother's subscription to Australian "Country Style" magazine for Mother's day. Lucky for me it gives two-fold..... once mum has finished with the latest issue I get it...... but I'm not sure I can wait until mum has read it from cover to cover anymore. You see, Country Style I believe lately has 'spunked' things up a bit, and I'm thinking I need to subscribe myself, to get it ASAP..... Any mag that can show you how someone has used those infamous tourist-y, all too Aussie, tea towels and made them into an eclectic chair cover has me at 'hello'. I'm thinking my ever increasing love for Country Style may also have something to do with all the styling Shannon Fricke has been doing for them, she gets me every time!

image from Country Style Magazine May 2009

Posh Photo booth

Boys with their Dad's all wearing the new navy-sky and beige-red striped Gatsby ties by Hermes. Super cute. Super posh. See more here.

We interupt this easter break with an important astrological announcement

Don't get me wrong, I got some amazing presents for my 30th. But lil miss Red Door Read put a serious smile on my dial with my VERY OWN "red door read horoscope" - love it, thank you so much! Pip reckons she may be stalking me it is so accurate...... back to easter break..... carry on x.

Client: Kimberlee aka Brown Button.

Sign: Aries

Lucky Colour: duck egg blue.

Lucky Number: 2

Motto: Kate Hudson is 30 and she's smokin hot

Home Predictions: As the first sun sign in the zodiac, Aries have a tendency to think big. It's time to go against instinct and think tiny. Focus on the little. Think little dinner parties, quiet Sundays and reclaiming your personal space as an aura - happy haven.

You need to buy yourself a slow cooker and a beautiful mohair rug in a soothing pastel shade (hello stimulus package cheque). By the end of this month, you'll be so serene - you'll make the Dalai Lama look uptight.

Love Predictions: A man is like a pavlova. To the untrained eye they appear a marvel of complicated design and textures. The reality is they're simple ingredients + a lot of air. Take it lightly.

Career: You will invent something more ingenious than the go-duster and ped egg put together (hard to believe, I know). You will be featured on the New Inventors and make a squillion on your patent and after the show you'll go have a drink with that cute guy called Todd on the Gruen Transfer.

Red Door Read is the bomb, add her to your daily viewing list NOW kids!!! http://reddoorread.blogspot.com

Getting in early

I know I'm a little early, but I would like to wish you all a safe and enjoyable Easter break with your friends and family. There is a good chance I may beat my Hot Cross Bun eating records of previous Easters... probably not something to be to proud of, but a girl has to be good at something! Despite having flights cancelled ('onya Jetstar?!?!') and having to organise new flights that reduce my time away, I'm still very excited about heading to the "top end" of our country to spend a couple of days in Darwin. On the itinerary? - sleep ins, long lunches, wines on the balcony lying on banana lounges, attending the infamous markets and laughing myself stupid with Leanne. Can't wait. x Image by Chris Court from Donna Hay

100 cupcakes.....

Why hello weekend, so nice to see you, just Friday to get through first....... this weekend? - cooking 100 cupcakes and attending an engagement party (where the said cupcakes will be consumed) - fingers crossed they look half as good as this shot found on old faithful flickr. (PS I had some other things to post but it has taken all night to just upload this image and post this, what the? blogger....)

Bits and pieces..... and a gratuitous shot of Rubes

First up - this little beauty I picked up for a bargain (we aren't going to go in to details, are we Emma?.....us bolting from the shop when we realised we had snared the bargain of the century, oh so subtle...) while in Melbourne on the weekend - loving my new little oil painting, it is very much at home in my crazy colourful lounge room.

Oh, and the coffee table? FINALLY got painted - been meaning to tell you, I ended up going with wasabi by Porters Paints...

Next up - Easter next week and I'm eating hot cross buns by the dozen. Behold my little bit of 'Easter interiors' in my abode. I'm off to Darwin to visit my darling friend for Easter, what about you?

Last but not least, THE goddaughter, lil miss Ruby. All 16 months of her. Sporting head wounds from self taught Pilate's in the backyard, conducting in depth telephone conversations with me while I was made to hold another mobile up to my ear..... just when I thought she couldn't get any more delicious. x