an·nu·al/ˈanyo͞oəl/

Occurring Once Every Year

Summer is here… once a year… in most places. This month is has been so terribly humid, I’ve had to break a life long habit of having fresh flowers in the house, for fear that they will just wilt and die and the first opportunity.

Today, for the first time in a LONG time… a little style snippet from Appleketchup HQ.

How to make your home look pretty, with things that you can get your mitts on …… ALL year round. 

Whilst perusing the local farmers market last Saturday with my darling husband, dear little dog.. and newest member of our family, my shopping trolley bag, I decided to grab a big bunch of dried French lavender. At the time I though it would be a great prop for an up and coming shoot and I could also artfully place it around our home to make it smell nice. Today it’s Friday. Almost a week since the lovely bunch of lavender arrived, and unfortunately it has been there un-openend, all useless and feeling sad; until today, when I had a brainwave.

Year round, I thought, you can pick up beautiful dried flowers, mix them with fresh or dried herbs, grab yourself a few jam jars, glass bottles, and throw in a couple of shells…… Done!

Vignettes of sun and sea….. ALL year round.

Enjoy!

Sea urchins with bunches of dried lavender, rosemary.

Recycled vintage milk bottles, french lavender

An old candle votive, turned vase… with fresh rosemary and dried lavender. Makes your bathroom smell delicious!

Shells and herbs, herbs and shells…. utterly non seasonal!

Some old faves of mine… remind me of my wonderful Bondi days and Caravan Interiors…..

Dried lavender from the farmers markets coupled with a bit of old broken barnacle. Barnacle pieces can double up as a vase… or a toothbrush holder!

When my friends arrive later for a champers and a ‘Go on Great Britain’ for the 2012 Opening Ceremony, I expect they will be blown away by how fresh and beachy our home feels, despite the Brooklyn humidity!