wall of inspiraton

Adjacent to my desk at work I have a "wall of inspiration", it actually looks very similar to this. Lots of eclectic pieces, quotes from Shakespeare, verses of scriptures, regal pictures of Maria Antoinette I found at her Palace, family snap shots, wedding pic's, notes from close friends reminding me throughout the day that I am loved.
I particularly love the Polaroids of our private engagement party (it was just the two of us celebrating in a hidden, neglect garden we stumbled across). A photo of a blue Vespa to remind me that one day I want to drive a Vespa around the streets of Monaco (properly best to let husband drive) and art works- all things that help stir the creative juices in me!

 image via sweet william
http://lovelysweetwilliam.blogspot.com/

six makeup remover wipes later

My friend is doing a make up course, a proper one, not just one at the local community hall, it was very professional and the salon was full of every imaginable makeup product and colour available, anyhow, I was asked to be her model for the night and I thought I would share with you a few things I discovered that night:
* Brushes are kinda important (note to self probably time to ditch the brush I've had for about 6 years now).
* You can use eye liner that's liquid on your actual eye lids.
* My eye lids are very dry (no-one really knows why but powder doesn't quite do the trick. I need to use cream based shadows)
* doing the smokey eyes look actually involves more than just a brush stroke on the edges of your eye lids.
* make up is a lot of work and I just can't justify using 6 makeup remover wipes at the end of a days work...sorry!

I am going to be lovely to you

Dropped off husband to work and thought it would be a prime opportunity to do some early morning grocery shopping. So off I went to my local Coles store and after half an hour of loitering through the store I made it to the checkout. I start loading my groceries onto the belt and the lady serving barks at me about leaving my trolley there, now my initial instinct was hey lady (who by the way was wearing way too much make up for a Sunday morning) I was just going to move it...relax!
I desperately wanted to use a harsh tone with her but... I didn't, I thought, actually this woman is screaming for some kindness (and a makeover) and I am just the right person to give her a big sunny smile and think nice thoughts about her.

image via dottie angel

so is chocolate for breakfast really such a bad idea?

Confession- I sometimes eat chocolate for breakfast. In fact up until the age of 21 I didn't quite realise that eating Tim Tams with your cup of tea in the morning was considered taboo. I thought that was ok, normal.
I now see that there are three types of breakfast eaters, those who eat a nuterious breakfast with muslie and lots of fibre, those who claim to eat breakfast but really only manage to eat a piece of toast with their daily espresso and thirdly people like me who would like to throw this question out into the void...
"so if we can eat chocolate with our tea before going to bed than why is it so terribly wrong and unspeakable to have a tiny piece of chocolate 9 hours later?''

Image via topshop london

a little flat and black

I sometimes worry that my wardrobe is a little flat and black. I don't think I look particularly great in bold, vibrant colours hence the reason I seem to be constantly drawn to more neutral and conventional tones.
Confession almost every morning I stand in front of my wardrobe and say to my husband " I have nothing to wear" and invariably this is the absolute truth at the time, however, I somehow always manage to fall back on my faithful, black pieces.

And it looks like the latest winter range from Collete Dinnigan is perhaps on my side this season.

childhood happiness

For some reason the name "Punky Brewster" popped into my head this week and if that names mean anything to you than it's probably safe to say we tick the same age bracket when we fill out random surveys on line. I remember my little sister had the same thick fringe as her and wrapped a yellow scarf around her knee every time she wore jeans... I was jealous. I was a tad jealous because i was at that stage where I still loved watching the show but it was probably a little uncool to say that publicly. Alas the Punky Brewster closet door is now opened.

What I think I really like about her sense of style is that it seems so completely effortless, that the clothes she wears seem to be made perfectly for her body. There is nothing particularly glittery about her signature style but it is so very iconic yet easy enough to replica.
PS: I bought another pair of straight leg pants that I love so much I want to sleep in them!

vogue is a tad different in paris

I remember buying this copy of Vogue in front of a news stand close to the Arc de Triumph in Paris. Who knows why I would buy a magazine full of articles I'll never be able to understand or read however, there was something enchanting and exciting about buying Vogue Paris in Paris. Confession, I love Kate Mosses style. I don't think anyone rocks a pair of tight straight leg jeans quite like she does. I sometimes loiter through top shop on line to see her latest designs and her clothing line. 

PS: Note to self when buying Vogue Paris in Paris it's like buying soft porn lots of nakeness disguised as fashion photography!  

no matter what they say, words can't bring me down.

an ode to paris

I

At the sake of sounding like a snob, I'll never understand the type of people who are happy to live their entire lives without leaving the county. I get frustrated at comments like "why should I travel when everything I want is right here""...I could carry on about how narrow minded the latter is but I'll just bite my lip and reminisce about my first day in Paris, when I was walking down the Seine river, at night, turning around to see what was sparkling and reflecting on that water and it was the "le tower" a moment  tattooed into my memory for ever.  

Still loitering through mags for some winter fashion inspiration.

I think I was traveling through the south of France when I was introduced to the stefanel brand.
The label is a bit of an interplay of modern and classical vintage pieces. In saying this no matter how slick the brand the idea of short shorts and long coats has never appealed to me, although if I had this body perhaps I could put up with chilly thighs.

I want to grow old

I heard recently that my friends little sister got engaged and he proposed by singing to her the song affectionately known as "I want to grow old with you" from the "Wedding Singer". I love this thought. What a gift to be able to grow old together, to spend the rest of your life with your favourite friend. I still smile inside when my dad says that he loves mum more today than he did 35 years ago and don't we all like to see that elderly couple walking through the isle of Aldi holding hands. It helps us remember that even though we're living in an age where youth and looking young is supreme some things really do get better with age.

a few of my favourite things for the month of may.

This has been a great month. Lots of time to read, garden and make porridge. Here are a few of the things that have become part of my world recently. Starting from the top:

Dior makeup I use all sorts of brands of makeup but my new minaudo bag with a leather case is my favorite. It has a range of shades and glosses that work perfectly.

French Woman for All Seasons is what I am reading at present...good read, interesting approach to healthy eating (definitely not for everyone) but I do love her french secrets and recipes.

Gardening, I never thought I would say this but I've actually become quite fond of our little garden renovation. I had to buy all sorts of little treasures to help me along the way including this watering can which I got for a bargain price of $5 probably the reason it spills more water on me than on the actual plants I am trying to water!

Style me Romy

It's very cold in the little two bedroom cottage we call home. So cold in fact that at night i have to sleep with two quilts, a hot water bottle and a warm husband to keep me from turning into an ice statue. I am not a fan of the winter weather. I am one of those people who starts conversations with "it's sooo cold isn't it" (just to sate the obvious).
I despise the cold for a rang of obvious reasons but one is that I lose all sense of fashion. I can't help but think, what's the point of wearing something lovely and pretty and new if it's simply going to be covered up with a big trench coat. For the four months of winter I live in boots, scarfs and coats and I am boring.
I need the help of "Style me Romy for inspiration.
Check out her blog it's fabulous!!

a beach cottage life by the sea

I've convinced myself that if the table looks like a snap shot from Vogue living that the actually meal doesn't have to be that brilliant. And it's with this that I confess that my best meal is chicken schnitzel with roasted vegetables and a side serving of potato wedges. Confession; I get nervous when I cook. I want to be one of those fabulous people on master chef that are inspired to create something just by looking at a spud.
At the moment I am the bistro wife. Safe but at least the table sculpting looks fabulous!

image via: a beach cottage life by the sea.

I got prada shoes

I didn't wake up this morning thinking that by the end of the day I would own Prada shoes. It's just not something that enters my mind but it happened. This morning I went to surprise my mum for mothers day and I caught up with my sister who had been traveling through America this past month celebrating her 30th and look what she bought me. Shame it's winter and I can't go around flaunting my new "flip flops" today. Thanks sis aka "little one" I love them!

doily up friends

My favorite friend to go loitering through markets with has a habit of collecting doilies everywhere we go anyhow after I noticed this reoccurring pattern I asked her what she planned to do with her doily delights and she said she is going to incorporate them into her artworks. Clever yes but look at what other lovely things you can do with doilies...how easy would this be to make.
Image courtesy of donna hay

discover donna hay

I only just discovered that the wonderful Donna hay has a flagship store in Sydney Woollahra but fear not if you can't get to the amazing sandstone terrace shop then there is always the opportunity to shop on line (trust me shopping using traditional methods such as hands and feet is always better). So my Saturday will be spent loitering through the goodies this weekend and I hear they sell freshly baked brownies!!! Anyone want to join me???

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.  ~Tenneva Jordan

bomboniere

I've never been to a wedding with a really cool bomboniere given at the end (Including my own) the usual is chocolate and a small photo frame but how versatile and clever would this little "token of our appreciation" be? Love it!

bargain of the year...

 

I love loitering around second hand shops on my day off and I am so thrilled with my latest edition to the family. A bentwood "made in Poland" original chair for only...wait for it $15...now I've got to tell you the truth, I hesitated for a moment, thinking will this piece go??? will it work?? should I paint it?? Then I realized I spent more money on Thai last night am I crazy. It is just beautiful, the texture and look, l love everything about it. I hope you're jealous!