Amanda Viviers

Posted on June 29, 2014June 29, 2014 by Amanda Viviers — Leave a comment

Knitting all things together for good.

I have been in a nesting haze lately and somedays I wish I had a studio to retreat to, somewhere I can leave my creative bits and bobs and a two year old won’t touch them.

Space is our arch nemesis.

Storage is our promised land.

Other days I am overwhelmed with gratitude that I have a little shack to call my own and I am able to stay home with my toddler with no stress about rushing back to full time work just so I can make our mortgage repayments.

On these days I thrive on thoughts about the simple life, making my own butter and taking another load down to our local op shop.

I declutter.

I breathe.

I am thankful.

We all have these contradictions in our world.

One day we feel supremely grateful, the next overwhelmed and frustrated.

We each have moments of bliss and then moments of stretch and tangle.

A little like crochet or knitting.

There are moments where we love the rhythm and the finished product and learning a new pattern. Then the day comes when we make mistakes, we drop stitches and create holes, we give up and throw the project in the back of the cupboard, vowing never to look at it again.

I love this thought.

Whatever is happening in your world, I believe that God is interweaving it into a tapestry of beauty that brings glory to Him.

The good.

The bad.

The frustrating.

The overwhelming.

The annoying.

The brilliant.

The excellent.

Everything.

He uses it all.

So if you are frustrated and feel ashamed about this today, I promise it is being brought together for good.

One day, one moment and you will look back and gain perspective on this season of your life.

Someday.

Posted on June 28, 2014June 28, 2014 by Amanda Viviers — Leave a comment

Shop talk with Laurén interiors

During August I have a group of guest writers, embarking on a creative series one day a week, throughout the season.

One of the new series that we have developed is called; ‘Shop Talk; I launched a creative business! What next?’

The intent is to help our readers who have the dream to start a creative business or who have already embarked upon one with some tips from people in the industry.

To get us ready for this new series in August, I thought I would interview some amazing up and coming creative business owners in my world, starting with the amazing Lauren Hack.

‘Interior stylist, Lauren Hack, established Laurén Interiors in 2009; with a vision to introduce Perth to an international quality of interior decoration. Laurén Interiors’ interior consultation brings together the perfect balance of style & comfort. Lauren’s philosophy is to create timeless interiors with a unique artistic touch.’

Not only is she supremely stylish, she is delightfully down to earth and passionate about creativity and people.

Welcome Laurén Interiors to Capture Life.

A quick introduction for our readers Lauren to your business and your creative passions;

In one wordish answers tell me about the following…

Your favourite colour; Tiffany blue & Gold

You drink your coffee; Often!! (totally hooked!)

You are bookmarking; Elle Decor and all things E L L E R Y

Favourite interior piece in your own home; my treasured wrought iron arched mirror (reminds me of an arched window in a parisian penthouse!)

Local hometown favourite; The glorious ‘Plane trees’ lining Mounts bay road…my favourite

Your Hero’s; My parents

Brand most inspiring you lately; Saint Heron (compilation CD from solange’s record label)

Favourite pinner on pinterest; kkmintdesign

Tell me when did your dream for this creative business begin?

It all began at the tender age of 10! I would draw pictures of console tables with lamps on them, redesign my neighbour’s front yard (haha), I would pay more attention to my friends houses, then on the games we were playing! Taking in the det
ails of what details made the space ‘work’ and also wrote in my journal, at the top of my dreams list, that I wanted to ‘have a business as an interior decorator’ one day…

I knew that’s what I wanted to do so then I simply set my mind to it!

What has been the biggest hurdle in setting up a creative business?

To be honest there have been a few, but the biggest has probably been the ‘business’ side of my business. I feel completely in sync with and passionate about the creative side of my work but was never trained in business and didn’t necessarily have anyone to show me the ropes- so had to learn as I went and it has taken a lot of courage at times in dealing with different business-related circumstances.

How do you refuel creatively after a long contract has been finished?

I am such a visual creature, so when I am lacking creative inspiration; I head straight to my local cafe, take my iPad and a bunch of the latest interior magazines and sit with my coffee soaking up the goodness of any interior images I can get my hands on!

I always feel refreshed and inspired after a good soaking session like that!

Favourite project to date?

There are a few, especially as I often form a close attachment with some clients, particularly as renovations can be a long process…

My favourite to date is definitely one of my most recent projects, a charming federation home in South Perth, which we renovated in the Hamptons-chic style.

My gorgeous client has been so easy to work with and has very similar taste to me, so it’s been a dream to work on!

I loved the video vignette you recently released about this project. Let’s have a look at your newest project together…

‘How to style Hampton’s- pt 1’

Do you have any more video tutorials planned for the future?

Yes, I have 3 more video’s that are being produced in this series.

How can people find you and your services?

The best way is via my website at : laureninteriors.co

Lauren, I just want to say thanks for sharing your passions here at Capture Life. Your video and your pursuit of excellence in your business is really inspiring.

Follow Lauren on her youtube channel linked above to be notified when her new video’s in this series are available.

If you have a creative business and would like to be featured as a part of this new series ‘Shop Talk’ contact Amanda at info@amandaviviers.com and watch out for our series starting with a guest creative business owner every Friday in the month of August.

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Amanda Viviers — 6 Comments

don’t let your dreams die

I remember the long, tear filled flight like it was yesterday.

In fact the date was the 6th of February 2007.

I lived in a shared house with girlfriends, I spent most nights out at coffee shops and loved to read. I was to turn thirty that coming year and I was planning a big party. I was the epitome of a single, career orientated, young adult.

Back to the flight, I was flying from LA to Sydney for work by myself and standing in the airport waiting before I boarded the plane a simple book caught my eye.

Things I want my daughters to know by Alexandra Stoddard

This book changed me.

It wasn’t the content, it was the dream it promised.

It was as if, it waved from the bookstore shelf and screamed that I needed to buy it.

There was something about the title of this book that promised me that in my future my desire to have children and to live a life sharing wisdom and life with them would one day come true.

As the flight took off, I sat and read this book cover to cover.

Simple chapters, from a mother, expressing simple wisdom that she didn’t want to die not expressing to her daughters.

I wrote in the front of this book;

‘A lifetime of wisdom that I hope one day to impart to girls of my own. Even if they are not of my own blood, if I adopt, I long to be a mother. I long to see young women live free. I long to live my life inspired and abandoned to who I am called to be. I am called to be a mother.’

On this page next to my scribbles in this book was a quote from St Augustine

‘Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure;

Where your treasure is, there is your heart;

Where your heart; there is your happiness.’

I went onto scribble;

I long to live a life of influence. I long to live a life of love and I long to lead a life of leadership.

Seven years later, sitting on my rocking chair, I was reading along my books in my bookcase and this book once again jumped out at me.

I pulled it down from its dust encased place and I opened it, with memories flooding back.

With no possibility of this dream becoming a reality back then, I dreamed, I believed and I held on even when everyone said this will never happen.

Here I am, with a few short weeks until I give birth to my first little girl and the dream hasn’t died.

Recently my husband and I wrote this on our chalk board from a scripture in Matthew 11;

28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Our desire in this next season of sleeplessness and newborn oblivion is to Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

How about you?

Are you tired of carrying a dream that tarries?

Are you worn out?

My encouragement to you is this, don’t let the dream die.

It took 7 years for me to see this dream come true, from one teary, messy flight from LA to Sydney, I cried and begged that one day this dream would come to pass. I had to learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

It wasn’t my timing.

Today that dream is nearing its reality.

She is nearly here,

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Amanda Viviers — Leave a comment

an invincible summer

In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.

Albert Camus

Today summer found our house, even though it was cold, our hearts were full of family.

My husband was home, our beach shack shone, one of my dearest friends visited and we watched the sun go down as a family with one of my nephews playing basketball at the beach.

No matter the season, there is always another awaiting.

Are you sick of the season that you are in?

Search and seek.

Rearrange and reflect.

Another season awaits.

I am learning to love the season that I am in, more than ever before.

Food on the floor, slow morning’s, watering our lime tree in my PJ’s.

In us always lies an invincible summer we just have to seek it out.

Ask and it will be given.

Seek and you will find.

Knock and the door will be opened.

If you are stuck in a season that frustrates you, look for the summer within.