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!