The best Christmas Present. Ever.

I've been a terrible House Mad mother this past month, but I'm hoping you'll excuse my tardiness because I've got some pretty HUGE news to share. Last week, two of my very dear friends and I hit the LIVE button on a project we've been working on for months, a must-read-daily style site that goes by the name of theEDIT.com.au.

To cut a long story short, we all worked at Aussie style magazine SHOP Til You Drop before deciding to go freelance last year and realised that combined, we had something crazy like 20 years of magazine experience which we wanted to share online.

So, after months of planning, our baby is live and she's bursting at the seams with up-to-the-minute, without being too serious style bites and buys that you need in your life. Think fashion, stylish people, beauty and lifestyle and you get the pretty picture.

Here's a snapshot of our little lady...

So what does all this mean for House Mad? I'll be taking a few days break over Christmas, but I'll be back blogging bigger and better than ever in the New Year on both sites. As a matter of fact, right now, we're up to our apricots renovating a place and I can't wait to share the details and pictures with you.

'Til then, thank you for all the love you continue to show House Mad and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Much love

Eliza

P.S Make sure you check out theEDIT and let me know what you think!

Easy-as Christmas Decoration Idea: Newspaper Angel Wings

This is what I like to call the busy girls guide to Christmas craft. Start by cutting your templates out of cardboard - old cereal boxes work a treat, then glue down the newspaper before attaching the string.

I'd love to make a whopping big one for the front door and a stack of teeny ones for the tree.

Bodie and Fou

Current Obsession: Rifle Paper Co.

Sucker for stationary? Me too. I stumbled upon this beyond-beautiful paper-goods brand in Bangkok last month and the good news is, they ship internationally. Me thinks I may have found our wedding invitations. Stay tuned...

You can buy up big here at Rifle Paper Co.

Rifle Paper Co.

Yeah, Friday!

The Intersection Paddington

Try Something New Thursday: Floral Ice Cubes

Just think how pretty they'd look at a girls get-together, kitchen tea or baby shower.

I'd like to try a different batch with raspberries or mint for a summer BBQ.

Martha Stewart

For a full run-down, head over to Martha Stewart.

Yay or Nay: Bedheads?

I've decided to boycott buying a bedhead when we move into our new place. The one we have now is WAY too limiting when it comes to colour choices, plus I think it makes the room look smaller.

What do you think?

Department of the Interiors

The Beautiful Soup

The Brick House

Happy Hump Day!

A Lovely Being

Move over wallpaper, wall flowers are in 'da house!

Cute idea for a wedding, too.

Ali Loves Curtis

Enviable Office Space: Jenna Lyons

To say I'm obsessed with this fashion taste-maker would be a gross understatement. And as for her office? Well, I'm pretty sure that if everyone's looked like this, Mondayitis wouldn't exist.

You can read more about Jenna Lyons, president and creative director for J Crew, over here.

A Lovely Being

Summer Vacay

I've taken a mini break to get some sun and sleep. In the meantime, have a wonderful weekend and I'll meet you back here in early November. See you then! EA x

b for bonnie

Snooping inside Aussie stylist Megan Morton's Home

Word on the street is MM has since sold this humble abode, but regardless, I think her styling is pretty off the charts.

If you haven't checked out her blog already, Home Love, I suggest you pop over here before the night is out, or check out her book, here.

The Design Files

How Very True...

Johan + Francoise

Kicking back in the kitchen with Margherita Missoni

She sweats style, is practically Italian royalty and can cook?! Seriously, is there anything this woman can't do..?

Another Mag

You can check out her handwritten recipe for these crepe-like goodies here.

Try Something New Tuesday: Fluoro Detail

What an easy way to dress up plain shelving. And the best bit? With minimal painting and zero styling, it's something your two year old could pull off.

Emma's Design Blog

Happy Hump Day.

Sass and Bide

Need now: Glass planters from Score and Solder

OK. I'll admit it, I'm hooked on the idea of indoor plants, but these artwork-like glass planters from Score and Solder have taken my obsession to a whole new level. In fact, they're so popular, they're currently on back order til mid October.

Score and Solder

Some of my handiwork on show: HSW 2012 Catalogue

So, earlier this year, I had the delight of styling the 2012 Howards Storage World catalogue (you can check it out online over here) and I'm over-the-moon to see that it's finally in-store. I had a blast of a time working on the project and I'm pretty chuffed with how it looks.

A big thanks to my friend, Lou, over at Table Tonic for a) alerting me to the fact that it's in-store and b) for having such wicked Ikat cushions and Moroccan leather pouffes that we used throughout the catalogue.

Images courtesy of Table Tonic

Obsession for the week: It's beautiful here wall sign

Yes it is indeed.

The Design Files

Someone Please Make It Summer Already.

BrickHouse

Colour of the week: purple

I rarely go for purple, but there's something refreshingly soothing about this whole set up, starting with that giant chunk of amethyst goodness...

Bella Mumma

How's this for a feature wall, folks?

anthology mag

Try Something New Tuesday: Paint Tins As Table Centre Pieces

I've already started collecting a few, but if you can't find decent-loking paint tins, try large food cans, like the ones you get tinned fruit in.

Donna Hay

The Renovation Files: kitchen

I'm no whiz-bang cook, so I feel way out of my depth when it comes to renovating our kitchen. I think that's why I like this one so much. It's so simple, airy, and light. There's nothing intimidating or serious about it. The only thing I'd change would be the black bench tops and handles for something white.

weekday carnival

Yey or Nay: Indoor Ferns?

I say Yey, Yey, Yey.

veronica loves archie

Obsession for the week: Blacklist Studio's (new) Vintage World Map

A couple of weeks back I had morning tea at my friend Jaynie's house (who, apart from being the world's most stylish mum, also happens to be one half of Aussie design powerhouse, Blacklist Studio) where she had one of these cracker vintage-looking maps hanging on her lounge-room wall (see pic below). It doesn't take a genius to know how much I love maps, so you can imagine how giddy I was when she told me they were releasing them as part of a new collection.

Each limited art work is printed on canvas and hand-mounted onto a timber baton. I want one for our new apartment. Real bad.

Blacklist Studio Prints

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You can buy your one here Blacklist Studio Prints. Go on, you know you want to.

The only way to do pink

You know me, I'm not huge on pink, but these chairs are bang on the money.

Ariel Gordon Jewelry

Snooping inside: Isabel Marant and hubby, Jerome Dreyfuss' French holiday shack.

There’s no address — the road has no name . . . it’s not even really a road . . . it seems like it’s in the middle of nowhere,” says the French accessories designer Jérôme Dreyfuss, explaining how to (possibly never) find the rustic country retreat he shares with his wife, the fashion designer Isabel Marant, and their 8-year-old son, Tal.

NY Times