Wednesday 5 December 2012

kids stuff

now that my life involves children more than ever before i can openly say how much i love blogs about kids fashion and activties. by far my favourite such blog is smallfryblog. they often do posts on "from head to toe" which are well put together trendy outfit posts. although the threads featured are generally from American based retailers there's still some fabulous tips on how to dress your kids. this is one of my favs.


pic from smallfryblog

the blog also features some great, fun projects and adventures like this peach jam sale. the concept is like an old fashioned  lemonade stall with the idea that children can learn the value of money by selling goods themselves and how cute are the pictures? there's even a recipe for the peach jam (watch this space as i'm seriously considering using it to make wedding favours) and free downloadable jam lid label!


pic from smallfryblog

love, love, love this blog! add it to your daily reads list.

Tuesday 4 December 2012

I'm getting hitched!

my last post was so long ago. i've been neglecting my blog but for good reason, i've been busy getting engaged! as the months go by there will sure to be many more posts on wedding décor. i can't wait to start all the diy for the big day.

check out my new left hand ring finger accessory...

Thursday 9 August 2012

a girl can dream

So i'm not getting married anytime soon but that doesn't stop me from checking out wedding blogs and pinterest at least once a week. sad, but true. here's a pic i recently found on green wedding shoes which is almost exactly how i'd picture my reception looking - one day, maybe, if it happens.... other than the colour scheme which i'd tweak a little its perfect!



house mad

OK. So i've REALLY neglected my blog. i've been so busy with work and renovations (i'll post some pics soon) and new house plans. yes, new house! after 3-4 months of online searching for an established house Wilbur and i both love and failing, we have decided to change our search to land and building a new home of our own. i'm so exicted about the whole process except for the likely compromises i know i will have to make. we've both agreed on a house (see pic below and more pics here). i can't stop thinking about where i'll put everything, all the new decor i'll "need" to buy and all the finshing touches. all we need to do now is find some land...
pic via Rawson homes

Monday 11 June 2012

creative gift wrapping

if you're stuck for ideas on making your gift wrapping stand out from the 'crowd' here's an idea i tried a few months back for my friends' (Amy and Toby) engagement gift...old school pipe cleaners shaped into the recipients' initials (can you make out the pink A and blue T amongst all the yellow raffia in the pic?). i was so happy with how it turned out!

I also used lettered beads on their other gift which my friend Mel help put together.

if you have any original gift wrapping ideas to share drop me a note, i need to start planning my christmas gift wrapping theme for 2012 (see my 2011 christmas wrapping theme here).


diy upholstered bed head

so, not that long ago i promised a diy post on how to make an upholstered bed head. finally, here it is.

what you'll need:
1. bed head frame (mine was a metal frame) - i.e. this won't work for an ensemble
2. staple gun & staples
3. a piece of thin MDF (as wide and high as the existing frame - your local hardware store should cut to size if you ask)
4. foam, approx. 5-10mm thick, enough to cover 3 sides of the MDF (i bought mine in a pack from spotlight)
5. fabric (enough to cover the MDF)
6. sewing pins

steps
1. staple the foam, piece-by-piece, around 3 edges (or just the top edge and approx.  30cm on each side as i did - see below) of the MDF
2. place MDF board between mattress and bed head
3. wrap your fabric around the MDF & bed posts of existing frame, folding corners neatly and pinning so you have one side of the MDF presenting with a flat neat finish and all pins & folds on the reverse side - voila!


here's some step-by-step pics...











Thursday 17 May 2012

sew away

i recently acquired my step-mother's old janome sewing machine as she scored a new one for her birthday (happy birthday Tracy!). i'm yet to put it to use yet as i've been busy with home renovations, yes they're still happening... the drought will soon be over though as i've just found my next diy project. check out this neon ruffle cardi. it's from GAP but is no longer available so i think i'll source a cardi of my own and attempt a DIY.

pic via Sincerely Jules
cardigan from GAP

Tuesday 8 May 2012

cushion heaven

here's some more cushion love...
Sophie's and Dale's master bedroom was revealed on "the block" recently and i'm in heaven.
i LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the mason chair light fittings hanging above the bedsides and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all the cushions
check out "the block" here
see cushion stockist here

Friday 13 April 2012

pillow talk

so you all know i love cushions (see here). well, today i'm kind of regretting how many i've stockpiled (only a little) after having seen these cute diy pillow slips on a beautiful mess. i  soooooooooooo want to make these and display on my bed but the heart would be covered by all my pretty scatter cushions. its just such a cute idea. maybe i'll make them anyway and just switch. it'll give Wilbur a break from throwing all the cushions in a pile on the floor every night anyway (he does so well not to complain about that).

 picture via a beautiful mess

Wednesday 4 April 2012

shoe love

for those that know me well, you know that i L O V E shoes. what you may not know is that i've been super good and not purchased a new pair of shoes since july 2011. i'm not sure how i managed this but i did. for this winter i've been on the look out for a pair of leopard print loafers. comfy enough for everyday wear and stylish enough to add pop to an outfit. well, i think the hunt is over. i found this beautiful pair from RMK. i think i might just have to buy them.

oh, and while i was looking i also found these beautiful feet covers.





and my all time fav lust-haves for winter 2012....
all pictures via RMK

Wednesday 28 March 2012

excited for essie

just got these five new nail polishes. can't wait to try them out. which one should i paint first?




pictures via http://www.essie.com/

Friday 23 March 2012

fab finds

in the midst of renovations and moving house (yes, it's still happening) i can't help but daydream about lots of pretty things seems as the house is, at the moment, more than slightly dishevelled with missing floor coverings, window dressings and kitchen, bathroom and door hardware as well as mis-matched painted walls and furniture quiet literally all over the place. thank god for the internet.

here's a ceramic drum find which would be perfect for the entry.
and a diy project added to my to-do list - painted wooden utensils

Friday 16 March 2012

bling, bling

wishing i had a special event to go to so i could wear this stunning blingy Rachel Gilbert (favourite designer) dress
buy it here

photo via GreenWeddingShoes

Thursday 15 March 2012

busy, busy, busy

i've been too busy to publish any posts recently (or to do much else for that matter) 'cause of all the moving and renovating. whose idea was it to do both at once? oh, that's right, mine. remind me in my next life not to do this again. anyway, to make up for my lack of creative posts i thought i'd post something not so creative and leave you all with my to-do or not-done list...

#1 - finish moving house
#2 - clean said house (both the old and new)
#3 - finish prep'ing walls, doors, trims etc. for painting
#4 - finish said painting (including the feature wall we destroyed and would now prefer not feature in our home)
#5 - get handles for doors and cupboards throughout house, especially in the kitchen
#6 - get my man to lay the timber floors
#7 - re-frame prints for hanging
#8 - get to ikea (in Sydney) to purchase said frames
#9 - hang all frames
#10 - select and purchase and hang window dressings
#11 - do some work on art journal
#12 - finish cert IV in design
#13 - fit in 40-50hours of paid work at the office
#14 ...everything else...

as for my 2012 goals (see here) i'm failing on 8 out of 9.

1 - saving. even though i've only been to a major shopping centre once since Christmas i still somehow am broke (maybe online shopping and renos has something to do with that...?)
2 - 2013 island holiday. this probably won't ever happen. maybe i can say it was a typo and i meant 2023?
3 - back up and organise music files - yeah right!
4 - art journal once a week. i have managed this for week one o n l y
5- install skirting boards. now that i'm moving house and renting mine out (soon) i'm not too worried about it anymore. does that mean i can check it off as done?
6 - update family photos. there'll still on my usb in the car. the usb will probably have melted by the time i get around to those.
7 - on the friends front though, i've had a few more visitors with a special one this weekend - yay! i'm achieving one goal.
8 - visit the hunter valley wine region more often. do you know how much renovating i could get done in the time it takes me to drive to and from the vineyards and fit in all the drinking and eating?
9 - exercise. what's that again?

given this long list i'm now also failing routinely to:
         wear make up
         do my hair in any style other than a high bun
         make my bed - what's the point if i'm just getting back into it in 18 hours?
         eat anything other than chocolate during work hours
         sleep soundly
         clean the house (i haven't vacuumed for over a week [ok, two])
         clean my car
         focus, concentrate or remember anything!

i can't wait until the move and renos are done and i can go back to being a 'normal' human being

Wednesday 7 March 2012

mesh madness

i'm in the process of moving and renovating houses, hence the lack of posts. despite my lack of spare time i came across this diy project on Bri Emery's DesignLoveFest blog today and i've added it to my to-do-list.

head over to DesignLoveFest for more pics and diy instructions. who doesn't want an awesome, bright, funky chicken mesh vase?

Tuesday 21 February 2012

felt love - diy

recently i blogged about some inspiration for a handmade valentine gift (see here).

inspired by some felt text art on castle & things which i found on a weekly check of designlovefest blog here's what i made...

what you'll need...
1. assorted felt pieces* in any colour of your choice. i selected 10 different colours
2. piece* of vliesofix (a double sided adhesive paper to stick fabric together) unless you want to sew your letters?
3. piece* of fabric (i used a grey cotton voile)
4. scissors
5. access to wordart on Word (or similar program), paper, printer and computer
6. frame

* the size of each piece will depend on your quote length and frame size

how to...
1. cut the fabric to size based on your frame size
2. select your quote and type it up in block capitals on a word program and print (make sure the font size is selected to fit within the frame you've picked)
3. cut the paper letters out
4. hold or pin (depending on how much you trust yourself) the cut out paper letters to a piece of felt and a piece of vliesofix then cut around them both together so you end up with a paper, felt and vliesofix version of each letter (all the same size hopefully)
5. discard paper letters
6. using your frame or matt board inside your frame place the felt letters on the fabric and play around until they're in the perfect position
7. using the vliesofix iron each felt letter onto the fabric
8. frame

happy birthday to me!

18.02.2012 - the day i turned 29

my day involved a hat, a tutu and balloons. 

Thursday 16 February 2012

cool threads

i have a slight magazine addiction and am trying really hard to stick to my two magazine a month limit but i just couldn't help myself this month. i think it's ok for this month though. it's my birthday month and all (2 sleeps and counting).

today i purchased my first edition of frankie magazine. can't wait to get home and have a read. already inspired by the american apparel advertisement on the back cover. i need to buy a chair like this just so i can decorate it with bright threads. what an excellent inexpensive way to add colour to your decor with the flexibility to change it as often as you like!

Thursday 9 February 2012

mini-break

in one more sleep we’re off for a summer mini-break. well, that was the plan. it’s now expected to be a winter mini-break in summer. we booked back in December 2011 with fantastic ideas of lazy beach days but mother nature has decided to wreak havoc on the NSW north coast (and inland, praying for the farmers) and so we now will most likely be doing ‘indoorsy’ type things (like eating). anyway, its 4 days away from home (that’s two off from the office – YAY) so we will be making the most of it.
happy weekend!

Monday 6 February 2012

on repeat

i don't get much down time these days but when i do i L O V E watching a good movie. good movies for me are chic-flicks/rom-coms. my fav at the moment, its on repeat and has barely left the dvd player since mid december 2011, is friends with benefits starring Mila and Justin. just can't get enough.
 SOURCE: Google images

Thursday 2 February 2012

colour splash

when i first started decorating my home i had decided to go with a monochrome palette. black, grey and white. it was going well until i had a few ideas to 'just add a little bit of colour' here and there. i went a little crazy for colour with the decor in the main room (see here) but it can't be helped with all the colourful inspiration around me.

my fav colours at the moment...yellow, orange, pink and rose gold!


1 yellow - tumbler
2 orange - tumbler
4 rose gold - peeptoeshoes

Wednesday 1 February 2012

out with the old and in with the bold(-ish)

for almost nine years i collected all things teal and white for my bedroom. about 12 months ago i decided i was over it and needed a change so my soft furnishing and other teal goodies were relegated to the spare bedroom while my bedroom got a make over (see the finished product here).

now the spare bedroom has been made over too. the teal is officially gone!

for this makeover i wanted to go for bold patterns (i chose zig zags and stripes) with florals.

here's the before shots...

...and the after shots. i'm so happy with how it turned out! it's still a work in progress though. my house is never finished!