300 reasons to celebrate

In all so exciting news - the Heart Hanworth House facebook page is just about to get its 300th like and, as if this is not excitement enough for me for one night,  the blog just had viewer 4500 - whoever you all are thank you for being so inspirational in keeping me going through the tough times!  What a month!

Have you liked Heart Hanworth House on facebook yet ? No?
Get yourself over there now by Clicking here - you won't regret it!  And I won't either as you will change that 299 into 300!

So I made a pact with facebook followers earlier tonight. When we got to 300 Likes I said I would do 3 things - and being a woman who keeps my end of the bargain, this post is in honour of all of you who have liked HH for whatever reason.  I know we are not quite there yet but that is a mere technicality! Hopefully by the time you are reading this it will have happened!

PLEDGE NUMBER ONE:

The first thing I promised was to write a post tonight - and, despite the fact it is nearly midnight and, despite the fact that I have an early start, I am doing it - because we are a team when we get to 300! Thank you everyone! This blog post (and these bubbles) are for you.

These bubbles are even more special because the irresistible K of Toowoomba (aka Fanciful Friend HH) brought this bottle when she came to help us celebrate the birthday of Madame Clicquot (and Jane Austen) on 16 December last year.  It was vintage pretty special! Sante!

PLEDGE NUMBER TWO:

The second thing I promised you was to show you my glamorous hair shots from this week's photo shoot  at HH (and reveal who did it). The purpose of the shoot was to capture some family moments thanks to wonderfully generous friends who gave us the photo shoot as a present (thanks D&M).

So I give you the selfie hair shot:

Now, more importantly, I give you the creator -  Hairstylist HH 's identity is revealed - and you read about it here first! I give you the the magnificent Marc from Marc James Hairdressing in New Farm.

He is so famous he was included in the recent  article "Cut and dye"  by the beautiful Liz Golding (Style Guru) in U on Sunday. Check it out.

The photo is not me (unfortunately!). But yes, it is true - started going to Marc nearly 30 years ago - so scary how fast time flies.  Note to self - never mention how long you have known/been seeing someone - as it tells far more about you ! You live and learn!

And in the festival which is Marc - here he is superbly attired for Husband HH's Mad Men themed significant birthday last year (and me with an authentic 1960s up-do compliments of the Hair God himself )

The hairstyle was inspired by this most divine goddess - Betty Draper (January Jones) from Mad Men - do you just love/adore that show and that era as much as I do?

I simply waltzed into his salon with this photo (knowing that no challenge is ever too big for our Marc)

And, voile, a mere 45 minutes later the God of the Up Do had me channeling Betty Draper. I loved it so much I slept in it! I did want January's face and body as well - but Hairstylist HH told me he needed at least another 45 minutes to achieve that!

Marc is supreme though and my Monday style for the photo shoot took him 12 minutes - honestly!  Will post the photos only after they have been suitably digitally enhanced!  Here is a visual of the activity at HH on Monday. 

I said to my friends, there was more chance of me riding that broomstick than using it!

And in breaking news just in - The Women's Legal Service has booked a photo shoot for next week. I love this organisation - in a long association with Zonta we have supported WLS over the last couple of years. WLS is a specialist community legal centre run by and for women which provides the most wonderful service including free legal information, advice and referrals throughout Queensland. It particularly helps rural women and others who may not otherwise be able to access such services.

If you would like to know about them Read more about WLS here

The inspirational N of WLS suggested that a photo shoot at HH would be a wonderful way to inspire a Queensland feel for their updated website. And, thinking back on the history of all the women who have lived at HH (many of whom would have benefited enormously from such a service), what a perfect purpose to put HH to.

Stay tuned! I will post more details and visuals when available.

and finally PLEDGE NUMBER THREE:

This one involved revealing the identity of she who sits in the HH champagne chair on a regular basis and, in fact, provided the inspiration for it.

Meet the fabulous Fleur - to be known as Forever Friend HH (due to her chair being her legacy which will Forever be the Friend of HH!).

Incidentally this is a very rare shot of Forever Friend HH and I NOT drinking champagne!

And in other wonderfully memorable  moments

Nothing like a glass of champagne shared in the toilet before we went on to raise $250K for charity at last year's WANTZ charity dinner at the fabulous Restaurant II. Remember the name WANTZ, you will hear a lot more about it on this blogspot!

or celebrating one of  the first garden lunches on the lawn at HH in December last year when we drank the delicious Veuve Rose pictured in this post and celebrated birthdays of greatness.

I give you Forever Friend  Fleur with a "bubble wrap bum" at Fanciful Friend HH's great event held in Toowooomba

and a completely guilt ridden shot of her being sprung misbehaving outside my birthday lunch.

But, the one I love the most, is...

just looking completely comfortable at home in her champagne chair on the verandah at Hanworth,  No wonder the chair has become so pivotal to our champagne celebrations.

The chair was there when we held our first Friday at Four (chairs waiting with great anticipation!) - I think there is a chair in the naughty corner in this photo!

and it stood in staunch defiance of the ravages of fire recently (unlike this chair and table tragic!)

Forever Friend HH, as well as being an extraordinary mother, wife, Thermomix queen, tragic foodie and champagne disciple, will go down in the history books of HH as the inspiration for the Champagne Corner (and who am I to argue with that!). Fanciful Friend HH and I will always fight her for "her" champagne chair just the same!

OK, all my obligations done - HH bubbles to you all, facebook follower number 300 and blog viewer number  4500 (oops 4560 has just visited) and the many many of you who came before! And will come after!

These bubbles are for you - and show Forever and Fanciful Friends HH and me wearing our champagne sisterhood rings so cleverly crafted by Fanciful Friend HH (and now sold in Harrods no less).   Both these ladies have given my ring special significance - but remind you to tell you that story another time.  For now, I am celebrating the talent we have here in Queensland! And I am celebrating the fact I am surrounded by it!

x HH