a place called home.

I'm having a home alone weekend as Thearle Boy is away on a bucks weekend. I had a fun morning yesterday: I slept in, I made a natural face mask, I played music really loudly and danced to it, I exercised, I read and journaled, I made chicken stock (the house smelt amazing), and I sat down and had a cup of tea and flicked thorough one of my favourite flicking through books. 

Mr Jason Grant, a stylist based in Sydney, has written a book called 'A Place Called Home' (Hardie Grant Books, 2013). I received it after attending a Freedom styling workshop with him. It's a really beautiful book with great, everyday ideas for styling your home and looking for inspiration. When I first read it, I really resonated with it and felt like I could write my own ‘A Place Called Home’ based on similar concepts – I would have different 'My Favourite Things' lists and less pictures of myself (don't follow @mr_jason_grant on Instagram unless you want to see lots of photos of him. I'm going to try to follow again. According to my friend who works in the industry and from my one time meeting him and asking some questions, he doesn't have much time for anyone else. Thankfully I'm not trying to be his friend, just reading his book!) Lots of his ideas and advice are things I already know and do.

I couldn't help myself putting this portrait in!
Photo from mrjasongrant.com/gift-shop/a-place-called-home/

I love reading Australian books, specifically by people from, or living in, Sydney. I love being able to recognise places, visit places they suggest, and naturally seem to trust them more (for some strange reason). Jason's book is full of this: pictures of Manly, Bondi, Koskela, a bathmat my parents own, brands like Qantas and Gorman, Doug Up On Bourke, and Australian homes, streets and flowers from the garden – full of places I've been and things I love.

From his book, I've been inspired to: 

• create my own 'My Favourite Things' lists (and photos). My grandma used to always bring me the magazine out of the Telegraph and I loved the final page which interviewed someone and showed photos of their 10 favourite things. 

also some of my favourite things!

• create colour mood boards of things I have or photos I've taken. I especially love his Earthy Tones one. 

• create paint swatches from the colours in our home on paddle pop sticks and keep them in my bag - I'm usually pretty good at knowing if things will go, but it would be helpful to have them on hand! 

• visit some of the shops and websites he lists at the end of the books. There are many, and some I already know and love! 

Stayed tuned on how I go.