A little while ago, I went to visit my fabulously creative aunt, NR, who is soo talented that she can take just about any innate object or any kind of space and make it look spectacularly amazing. And it would seem, without barely an anxiety attack

NR has an extremely astute eye and natural sense for detail. She is one of those very lucky sorts (the kind that I just long to be…Oy Vey…) that know intuitively what is right, what will look best, what works!

All without obvious effort. And we all want to do a table like NR! Or at the very least, toss (and I do mean literally) something together like her. For example, the green salad she once made for a family lunch.

This is not it but it could well be!

But I digress…All this salad consisted of and, (to reiterate), I am talking literally, was lettuce and the like, with cherry tomatoes scattered across the top.

This isn’t it either

Tinerate, not much you are thinking, right? Weell, she had put the whole concoction into a tall enamel red bowl with a white interior, leaving enough white visible to make the small balls of red fruit pop against the backdrop of green. Yes! She had taken the simple and given it a twist without even realising what she had done. And I do know that she had no clue of her creation because I was talking about it with my mum who was the first to break down the elements to why this sub-standard salad was the standout on the table. Having grown up with my aunt, my mum was used to her sister’s wonderful artistic displays and had become well versed in explanation of her talent to the likes of a bedazzled daughter. I was still too young to understand the creative gift NR possessed, but I did however know that I thought it an extremely pretty display and wanted to replicate the sorts of things my aunt did.

Still not it but loose the chook and cheese and awfully close!

Anyhoo, it was late morning when I dropped in on NR and she was in the kitchen prepping for guests arriving at midday. Now NR is a bit like me… or am I a bit like her cos I’m younger? Anyone??? … and not terribly keen on being Queen of the Kitchen so the entertaining becomes more about the stunning settings and delightful decorations.

And NR did not disappoint! Complaining to me that she had nothing to work with, she had taken an antiquated trolley and dressed it up like something from the scene around the pool in High Society.

I immediately took a photo but she wasn’t happy with the way it looked, remarking that, “It needs a bit of colour. It needs the pink jug!”

Unfortunately the pink glass jug (part of the family glass collection so I’m told) was nowhere to be found, with NR later remembering that she had given it away to my cousin. Oy Vey!

Anyhoo, she quickly found a colour substitute and took the ‘simply trolly’ lunch to Spectacular.

Completely envious at the ease at which she creates

Till next time.

Tipsy Pipsy xo