Lightly.

I'm loving Melbourne-based design house Lightly at the moment. Their designs are so pretty – I want one of everything! I especially love the Chrysalis range (butterflies made from recycled saucers), the Rosie bowls and the Bon Bon vases.

Five: Wonderful novels about food.

Thinking about autumn food got me thinking about some of my favourite books. My Mum and I share a passion for food and novels about food and cooking. Here are some of our favourites:

5. Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel.

4. The School of Essential Ingredients, Erica Bauermeister.

3. Food of Love, Anthony Capella.

2. The Last Chinese Chef, Nicole Mones.

1. Pomegranate Soup, Marsha Mehran.

Image via We Heart It

Autumn days.

I'm a summer person. I'm all for warm days and balmy nights. But I'm a fool for Autumn. It's the colours that get me, the beautiful oranges and reds. I love the tree in my parents front yard, it litters glorious golden leaves everywhere.

The other thing I like about the cooler months is cooking warm food – soups and pasta, pies and puddings.

Ahhh the colours. Ahhh the food. Autumn, I will let you stay a little longer.

Image via We Heart It

Pool house dreaming.

I wish it was warm and we had a pool house.

Images via Desire to Inspire.

Whimsical.

Dreaming soundtrack.

Picture this: Driving home late at night, barely a car on the road chatting and laughing with Sam Cooke crooning "Bring it on Home to Me" in the background, all you can see is water and twinkling lights from all around the bay like tiny little chandeliers, then the boy you're sitting next to checks his rear vision mirror and stops suddenly in the middle of the bridge you were crossing, puts on his hazard lights and just looks at you for what seems like an eternity then leans over and kisses you. Like out of a crazy romantic love story or like a dream. Wouldn't that be magical?

Tea towels.

I have a thing for tea towels at the moment. I love having a nice tea towel hanging on my oven door – It makes me happy (sad I know). I was looking for lovely tea towels, so I could update my worn collection, and came across Poulier and Poulier Design's awesome range. Now all I have to do is decide which one I like the best. Oh the dilemmas!

The first year.

My Son had his first birthday last week. It approached and I didn't think much about it, planning a low key family dinner (complete with turkish sweets and some lovely gifts), but when the actual day arrived, I was surprisingly emotional. I didn't realise how important Hamish's birthday was going to be and how it would effect me. I found myself thinking about the last year, the amazing highs and the terrible lows, and when I saw the cake my Mum had baked with a single candle lit, I became a blubbering mess. I just can't believe how quickly it's gone. You're probably thinking 'the kids one, get a grip', but when you see how quickly they grow it's overwhelming.

I'm not one of those people who is a 'baby person'. I wasn't excited about having a baby when I was pregnant – I was petrified, but when I held Hamish in those first few minutes I fell in love. A love that is all consuming. Unconditional. A love that hits you in the pit of your stomach. It hasn't been an easy year, I was lost at the beginning, but with a lot of support I've found my place as a Mother and wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy birthday my darling.

Image via Audrey Hepburn Complex

An Education.

On the weekend we watched An Education. I didn't love the movie, but I loved the feel of it. The music, the clothes, the setting. It has me yearning for French tunes and pretty dresses, and the feeling of being young and totally smitten by a boy. Shame the boy in the movie was actually a charming liar twice her age (which was the point, I know).