Fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way

You may have heard of the man last week in the UK (I think) who has been 'clinically' diagnosed with chronic lateness. What you may not have heard, is that this condition has also been observed closer to home, in the residence of Squirrel&Puffin. Anyone who knows Puffin knows that time keeping isn't one of his ... strengths. 

For that reason, Squirrel is making it her personal mission to ensure there is a clock in every room of Squirrel&Puffin. 

Squirrel has long entertained a love for clocks. There's something about the combination of functionality and typographic design that I just love.

This clock below, the Random clock by Progetti, from top3 by design, is something I have loved for years - and a couple years back I was lucky enough to receive it from Puffin for Christmas! (But the '7' came from the Sea Eagle).

It's going in the lounge room. So now I'm trying to find the perfect clock for the kitchen. 

Everyone loves a Mondaine clock, especially lovers of Swiss efficiency. And trains. This 40cm version is $440 off eBay. Yowzers. I think I'll just aim for a wristwatch version in a few years time. Which is probably the same price. Sigh. 

Now this one is gorgeous, and I think would look incredible with our white kitchen and floorboards. It is $134 from ebay - a bit more within the price range! 

A small collection of goodies but what do you think bloggers? Do you have any time keeping finds to show us?

"A hospital? What is it?" "It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now."

Readers of this blog, and those with enough patience to listen to me, would know that one of the great loves of my life is the Barcelona chair, designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1929. This chair is basically the most perfect thing ever designed. In fact, if you gave me the time, I would probably carry on like Dan Cruickshank when he visited the Bauhaus museum on his 'Around the world in 80 treasures' adventure, and checked out the Mies van der Rohe BRNO chair. A documentary which I highly recommend by the way. His enthusiasm for architecture and design and history is wonderful. (Also check out 'The Manor Reborn')

And oh isn't is lovely. And it's also had the price reduced to $599 at clickon furniture in the fabric version I'm after! 

But if I was given a budget for chairs that was as big as Tom Petrovki's beard and the impact it has had on finance reporting...

... here are some of the others I would buy -  all SEVEN of them!

The no.18 Thonet Bentwood chair. The cousin to this chair, the no.14 was developed in 1859. What? 1859? Thus proving good design is timeless. As is classiness. People always under estimate class, not only in furniture but also in clothes and people as well. Vote 1 Australia Classy Party. Click here for the link to buy this, and all of the other chairs seen here, from Matt Blatt. This chair - $195 (But you can get them cheaper elsewhere!) These would make a lovely dining chair.

Now, the Jens Risom chair. These are lovely and I've often noted these in hotels Puffin and I have stayed in. Designed in 1941 (!!!) and retailing for $399, this would make a gorgeous chair for a bedroom.

This here is the Philippe Stark Louis Ghost Armchair. This chair is the baby of these picks, and was designed in 2002. There is a couple of things I adore about this chair; first is the gorgeous design which, as the designer intended, is reminiscent of the Louis the 15th period. Second, is that blend of old and new, being the clear acrylic. Lastly, it kinda reminds me of the blow up furniture look which was popular in the 90's but I was never cool enough to own. But looking back, maybe I'm glad of that. $129, and another chair I would love in the bedroom.

This here is the Hans Wegner Plank chair, designed in 1953. A lovely, comfy chair, it reminds me of one that someone had when I was growing up. If any of my relatives on the Butler side can remember who and remind me, that'd be great! $995

Ah, now here, my prize, the black widow, isn't she lovely and so deadly; her kiss is fifteen times as poisonous as that of the rattlesnake. That's one for you Alice Cooper fans out there. (What, you're saying that no one we know actually listens to Alice Cooper? Whatever). Anyway. This lovely is the Eames lounge chair, and a leather version retails for $1695 (Phwah!) from Matt Blatt. Designed in 1956, this is a gorgeous chair and 

so of course one must buy both. As well as gorgeous styling, I have lusted after this chair ever since the days of Frasier, when it sat in front of the Seattle skyline in what was probably my favorite apartment on a TV show ever.

The Eames Side Chair in Wood, designed 1940-50 (help me, someone), is a lovely, classic piece, perfect for a dining table. $69.00

To finish off, the Eero Aarnio Ball Chair. Designed in 1963, and retailing for $995. I will probably* never buy this chair, but I love how fun it is. Imagine spinning around on this, or stroking your fluffy white cat and plotting world domination in one of these. You might even go as far as drawing up plans for your sharks with frickin lazer beams on their fricken heads, in this chair. 

And there is is, your mid century wrap up of my favorite chairs. Yes, it's ok, you can have a favorite chair. Which ones are your favorites? Do you have other faves? Let us know below or on Facebook!

** When I say probably, I mean, I might buy it if we move into a house filled with other mid century features, and a moat. Probably not a blue one though and definitely not a red one.

Help! (I need somebody) (Not just anybody).

HELP! 

Puffin called this morning to say that if our front door isn't pained within the week, it will be taken away by Pearcey! While we're 95% sure this is not a genuine threat, we've decided to take action. 

So this is, of course, the front door as we now know it. Excuse the poor photo, we're enjoying a gorgeous bout of sunshine at the moment and I didn't realise how glare-y this was on my phone.  Spring is amazing, you can smell and feel the change in the air and peoples moods. This time of year reminds me of being a kid, feeling the changes in the air, and getting excited; for the Melbourne Show is imminent. Bring on whole days lazing on the trampoline, pouring over the showbag guide, and working out which showbags I was going to spend my savings on.

As an adult, it reminds me that summer is coming, and makes me want to chuck on some shorts and a singlet top and get out there and enjoy it. Then I remember I'm about a sneeze away from being albino and am practically allergic to the sun. Then I also remember that wearing singlets is out anyway because I have a huge rack and the whole 'thick bra straps which support enormous rack' thing doesn't look very nice under singlets with spaghetti straps.

Anyway.

So there are actually two colours we need to decide - the door itself, and the trims for the rest of the house. 

So here is the first set of colors - the first photo is to show mid colour as trim, and door being dark, and the second photo is mid colour as trim and light colour for door. Then the same colours against the brick, and on the window. I don't think this is the colour set we will go for. I think it is too 'grey' for the brown bricks. But it's good to see a trio of colours on one card.

This is the second, and my favorite, set of colours. My preferred combo is probably the dark colour for trims and light for door - the house used to have a brown front door and brown fly-wire and was just a sad, brown, vortex of darkness; so I think I'm keen to keep the door a light colour (just not teal!)

And lastly, the thrird set. Which I'm kind of ambivalent about. Meh. Obviously, since I didn't take all of the photos I should have here. As with the first set, I think when you compare this to the brickwork, it's the wrong shade.

So what set is your fave, bloggers? My aim is to have a trim colour that sort of blends with the brickwork - I in no way want to make it a feature. So I want it to be in a similar tone. And a door that is light but not too light (Puffins request).

So... Help!!!

You know inside you feel, right at home, here.

There's something lovely about a linen tea towel. Even lovelier is a tea towel which reflects the style of the homeowner - rather than the old '3 pack of tea towels from the supermarket'. I've always been a fan of framing tea towels, and oh, look what we have here. Not one, but two framed tea towels in Squirrels room at her parents house. (It's getting awfully confusing when we say 'home' at the moment, because it could mean upwards of 3 different houses)

So here are some more that I've got my eye on, c/o Etsy. Otherwise known as heaven. If heaven is filled with linen tea towels and steak and Star Trek t-shirts, I'll be happy. 

Pac-man massacre, $21.23, from here.

How to make Pancakes, $18.94, from here.

SQUIRREL, $11.48, from here

I said whip it, whip it good. And no-one wants to be defeated, $20.66, from here

The tea towel for a shameless carnivore, $30.32, from here

Hexagon loveliness, $18.00 from here (also - Melbourne made!)

Covert yo-self, $22.95 from here

And how about this for a gorgeous idea - your recipes on a tea towel! 3 tea towels for $68.86, from here.

Have you seen any you think we would like? Send us a link!! 

You might as well be walkin' on the sun.

And now, you've asked for it... the top 9 pillow count down!!! What do you mean you didn't ask for it? Are you suggesting this blog is simply my way of indulging in things that interest myself alone? Whatever. You don't know me. You don't know my story. 

Who loves anchors? I love anchors. $20.64, from here.

Pretty pastel triangles, $39.00, from here.

Need some medical attention? Don't worry, I'm a half nurse, I've got this covered. $59.64, from here.

A gorgeous cat pillow, reminiscent of the book, The Coach in the Picture, $42.76, from here.

Stags! The perpetual love of interior fans everywhere, $29.95, from here.

Oh, geometric patterns, I just can't get enough of you. $34.41, from here.

Been wondering how to make an Origami Owl? This pillow can help, $25.23, from here.

More geometric love, and a little bit of cube love too. $45.88 from here.

$55.05 from the interestingly titled shop, 'First Llama in Space', here.

So tell me bloggers, what's your favorite? Got any recommendations for us?

H.R Puffin-stuff.

During the week, Puffin and I were headed outside, and turned around to an unexpected site. Six sliding doors. Puffin didn't put them there. Squirrel didn't put them there. We hadn't ordered them either. We had wanted sliding doors for our two double wardrobes, to save a bit of space, but didn't think that by wishing it to be so, they could simply turn up. But maybe out outdoor area is a replicator, ala Star Trek, and if I think long and hard enough about things I want, they will eventually all end up in our outdoor area. *thinks about Freedom and Country Road gift vouchers*

Or perhaps Puffin and I are sleep-door-thieves, and have been sleep walking all over town, thieving doors.

As it turns out, they had been delivered by Gary earlier that morning. But now Puffin and I are wondering what to do with them, as our master bedroom has full length mirrors on the inside of the doors, and if we swapped out the doors we would lose these mirrors. Which leads me to one of today's task - heading to my friends at What Knots to see if they are able to cut down and frame a mirror that I bring to them, to that we may have a free standing mirror both in the master bedroom, and the entrance way (Good thinking on that one Puffin!)

Squirrel has also gone and checked out some other stuff for the house - with a quick stop at Ikea (where she found the perfect flour/sugar/oat jars) before she ventured to Perini tiles. When I posted about our tiles a few weeks ago, I had been looking at Academy Tiles in Richmond. Well, I got my quote, and I was happy with it, but they required me to order a minimum of 5 square meters, and would not be available until at least mid way through November. Which posed issues around how we will protect the splashback area in the meantime, and also means when we have a housewarming, our kitchen won't be 'finished' which is a vanity thing more than anything. And ordering 5 square meters skyrockets the price, and leaves us with more tiles than we would know what to do with.

So on the recommendation of the incredibly lovely Stacey, I checked out Perini tiles. Here, we struck gold. The same tiles were $30 less, and there was no minimum quantity! Because these will likely be ordered while Puffin is overseas, Squirrel checked them out in person and took some photos to make sure they were o-k. 

When I got there though, there were two similar tiles, the ones I had inquired about, which actually came in a rectangle and were a stark white; then these below, which were *just* off white, and came in the hexagon. These are $8 more per square meter, but are available now!!! WINNER!

The photo above is over the top of a ceaserstone sample which is near identical to our laminex - see below for a comparison. So we're pretty happy with this, will grout it in a white, and this girl will be doing the tiling! 

Later that day, we got another of our electrical work quotes back. While this quote was significantly better than the first, Puffin had forgotten to mention about half of the work required. So Squirrel put him in her parents washing machine. On the delicate setting. 

And in horrifying news, we had our first spider incident!!! A big bad-ass huntsman. Puffin was shocked at the amount of screaming Squirrel did when it fell to the ground when he was getting it, and the huntsman lost a leg in the process. Squirrel screamed until the spare leg was removed as well; on the off chance that the single leg regenerated into a huge spider. Perhaps Aragon. 

Today, Squirrel is going to investigate about those mirrors, and head to the carpet joint to see if they can joint and over-lock a section of carpet to go under the massage table. Then I'll place a call to our kitchen guy to add a under-bench rubbish bin. Oh, and I guess I better get some uni work done, too. Until next time, sweet bloggers.

Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.

Well we better start off with some shout outs. On the back of the last posts, for lovers of linen, we received a lot of love from Meerkat, Ria, Nat, Stac and the beautiful Gabby. We love hearing from readers of this blog, it really gives us a buzz to know people are reading. Your website recommendations were both appreciated and cursed, as they have provided another delightful way to squander funds. If we had any. Which of course, we don't. 

But from the money we have made from prostitution (are we kidding? That's for you to find out) this week, we have ordered our frosted decal for the front door! I can't wait until this arrives, in about two weeks which happily coincides with the new kitchen arriving!

While we wait for things to arrive, we're going to be over here, twerking our asses off, and wondering just how on earth Big Brother is permitted on air (we have concluded it must be because they've all allowed themselves to be part of a psychological study, and have also signed up for organ donation. And that the organs are taken before they leave the house.)