Silver fancy

Inspiration for an exciting secret AURA event we are working on, what can be more lovely than shiney, old fashioned cutlery, reminds me of family lunches from when I was young. Some things become more special as you grow older. 

Perfect rice

Tonight I cooked Frank Camorra's Chicken & Rice with Runner Beans and while searching through my very favorite Movida cookbook I read Franks comments "We need to reposar, (it means to let rest or repose). And that's what we let our rice dishes do before serving them. Allow the time to relax, for the rice to finish cooking and the flavours to mingle and unfold. Perhaps a lesson that we could learn from those humble little grains..........Oh so true Frank so true - thanks for making my cooking more than just cooking.....

Scarf wearing Inspiration!

I am pretty excited that our new scarves are on their way - in the anticipation of them arriving next week I was searching for some cool scarf wearing techniques in Madrid not long ago. Its an art scarf wearing and the Spanish seem to have it covered! Especially Miss Sixty above were I found what I could only call the western cowboy look and the slick Annie Lennox 80s revivial wrapped look!  

Yellow and Blue

My lovely great aunty Ena used to tell me that Blue and Green should never be seen, but how about Yellow and Blue - we are loving this combination, from here, and have been inspired for our new AURA beach towels! V Cool! 

Bring on the tapas napkins!!

Our new hand printed tablelinen has arrived and I'm pretty excited, I've got the family coming over tonight for my Spanish fiesta - and my new Gallery tapas napkins in Caper have just landed on my desk they are sooo cute! Above is our lovely shot of the Gallery tapas in Ginger, I think I could get used to using these smaller 25cm (a quarter of the size) napkins all the time - I know they are going to be just perfect around our kitchen bench eating olives and anchoas with the special Spanish Cava we brought back from Seville to celebrate my husbands birthday (Happy Birthday honey! xx)

Beautiful new AURA towels

Our stunning new Bath towel collections have just arrived! They have been jacquard woven in Portugal from beautiful, soft, pure cotton. Cloud soft and totally absorbant (tested in house here by the AURA team!) I hope you love them as much as we do! x

Elle Decoration Nov issue

I was very excited last night to find out that my very own (well mine and my husbands!) bedroom has been featured in Elle Decoration UK, November issue - thats our lovely Spot in Caviar being "relaxed glamour"! Thank you Elle Deco and I cant wait for it to arrive in the letter box. 

What's inspiring me today

Im thinking of our next Winter 2011 photoshoot and Im very inspired by the golden glow on this ornate mirror topped off by the rustic wall - "vintage, modern, rustic"......

Pattern overload

One of the many things that struck me on my recent trip was how amazing the Spanish can mix and match patterning. These shots above are from just one little riad style house we stayed in a medieval villiage. 

hotel envy

After returning from Spain last week (and I havent stopped cooking Spanish food!) I have been going through the photos I took and I do seem to be obsessed with hotels but fair enough too! The above shots are from the Palacio de Villapanes hotel in Seville, one of the best (if not the best) hotels we were privileged to stay in on our trip. I was totally inspired, just amazing furniture and decoration everywhere I looked. The hotel is a renovated Palace in the cobblestone streets of Seville - oh Seville what a totally "cool" place, well cool in attitde not weather it was a stunning 45 degress! .....so glad the Melbourne weather has picked up!