Oh my, more paisley

So today is going to be 40 degrees! 1 degree more than yesterday. This sort of weather calls for no layers, no belts, no enclosed shoes and lots of sunscreen.


My camera was on an angle so I overcompensated a little

I bought this dress a few months ago at a small vintage fair in North Melbourne, it is such a cute little handmade dress and the colour is quite unusual, and even better it was $5!!


To my right is our little worm farm, it seems that they have been busy; eaten all the vegetables we put in there last week and are having babies - congratulations little worms.

So to prevent the dress from looking a little like a night dress (I have an irrational fear of looking like I've just stepped out of bed) I added a little scarf and brooch.



Today is a day to myself as Little Miss A is in daycare so I'm going into town to meet a friend for lunch and pick up some chocolates to send to friends.



And I just wanted to say thank you to Stef at Diversions blog for tagging me. I have been thinking about making a list of blogs I love to read on a daily basis, blogs that inspire me, and I find interesting. Make note to self, make another list (I like making lists).

Dress: vintage fair
Scarf: H&M a long time ago
Brooch: gift
Shoes: Rubi Shoes

New tea cup

Even in this hot weather (40 degrees today) I have taken to drinking more tea, peppermint tea.

I'm trying not to drink as much coffee and this is the next best thing and tastes oh so nice in such a pretty tea cup with matching saucer.

I've got my eye on some vintage tea cups and saucers but I'm afraid that might make me look a little 'Nana'.

Tea cup and saucer: Tea2

Kitschy skirts

Little Miss A also wore a top with Miffy Bun - I just love puff paint and so much cheaper than buying the overpriced merchandise.

So here are the kitschy skirts I made for Australia Day - surfboards galore!
Little Miss A's was just a simple skirt with elastic but I wanted mine to have a bit more shape with a waistband and pleats.



I didn't follow a pattern so the finished skirt may look good on the outside but the fastenings at the back is pretty poor. But I now know how to rectify the problems and my next task is to practice button holes on my sewing machine.


I don't usually walk around with no shoes but I wanted to take one last photo before the sun went down.

I enjoyed making these skirts as much as I did wearing mine; the material was loud and kitsch but that is what I wanted. I look forward to more experimenting.

muted colours

This week sees me gearing up for my first day back at work in 2 and a half years. I was feeling surprisingly relaxed about it but on Monday the butterflies in the tummy started and it hasn't stopped.

This outfit is a contender for my first day at work, you see they have a dress down day on Fridays and this is as dressed down as I go.

I love the pattern on this dress - ephemeral paisley is what I like to call it ^U^

On the day I took these photos (Monday) Little Miss A was in daycare and I had the day to myself. I visited the material shop and was searching for material to make myself and Little Miss A matching skirts for Australia Day (26th January). Nothing too patriotic and nothing in the gaudy green and gold that this country has adopted as its national colours - honestly red,white and blue of the flag is far more classy.

They turned out brilliantly considering I didn't have a pattern and made it up as I went along. I have learnt so much making mine in particular and can't wait to get another free day to experiment again.

I'll take some photos and post them up...oh and just a reminder before you see the photos that the material I bought is pretty kitch, but fun.

Dress: Deerfield Vintage Collection

Cardigan: Savers

Belt: can't remember

Shoes: Target

Brooch: gift

No room for more?

My wardrobe is full, so full that the amount of clothes are forcing them to crease after I spend ages ironing them.



I used to have all my clothes on lovely wooden hangers but am now forced to put them on thin hangers just for them to fit (except for the cardigans and some shirts).

I may have to take over some of Little Miss A's lovely built-in wardrobe.....or not purchase anymore dresses......naaaaaaaaah.

An exhausting week

It has been a pretty busy week, I got a job!!! Yep back to work after 2 and a half years, albeit 2 days a week wooooweeeee! can't complain about that.

And Little Miss A has been ill with a throat infection so I have been looking after the little temperamental madam. It has been a tiring week.



But yes I am excited about going back to work and the people seem lovely and the company is interesting so 2 of my 'must' boxes for a job were ticked.



This is the butterfly cake I made for Little Miss A's 2nd birthday party on Sunday. Not too bad and it tasted delicious.

Aquatic birthday and pin curls

The weather didn't let up so we went to the Aquarium for Little Miss A's birthday. It was fun, I especially loved the penguins in and out of the water and the stingrays - so graceful flying in the water.


Our sad little tomatoes in the background are finally turning red! Who cares if it has dropped most of it's leaves, it's our little naked tomato plant.

However as you can see from these photos this afternoon the sky cleared and the sun came out for the first time in a week.



So the pin curls turned out ok, a little frizzy as I pinned them a little tight but they did me well during the humid weather today.



Sunday is Little Miss A's party, so I'm chained to the kitchen making chocolate crackles, jelly moulds and a butterfly birthday cake (our oven is pretty terrible so it maybe a flat butterfly). But really I'm looking forward to it.

Top: Genki
Cardigan: Temt
Skirt: Vintage Garage
Shoes: Target

Pin curls

It is Little Miss A's second birthday tomorrow so we will be out all day either Melbourne Zoo (if the weather clears) or the Aquarium (if it stays like it has been for the past week).

I need to colour my hair again tonight and to try and tame this frizz of hair I have developed in the humid weather I am going to try and pin curl my hair overnight.

This was taken before the humid weather, hence the dead straight hair.

Wish me luck.

Humidity, heat, insects and floods

Humidity is my hair's enemy, it frizzes and flicks and well I just give up, pin it back and forget about it.

The weather in Melbourne has become so inclement that you can't walk very far before you begin to sweat uncontrollably and want to have a shower every hour. That might just be my intolerance of this weather but I really don't enjoy it.

This moaning however is really quite shallow when I see footage on the news of my home town Brisbane flooding, the worst flooding since 1974 (or even worse). The Brisbane river which runs right through the city has burst its banks and friends are keeping an eye on the levels in case they have to evacuate.

It is such an odd feeling seeing a city you are so familiar with and see the streets that you know so well in such danger of being devastated. I hope people stay safe and it stops raining!!!!

This song just reminds me of Brisbane, a wonderful song and a brilliant band.

To lighten the mood this little praying mantis made its way into our kitchen, he didn't like the wet weather much either. He's lucky he doesn't have my hair!

Careless whisper in the heat

Currently hiding from the heat indoors, making vege burgers and dancing around to this, my favourite tune...for this week anyway.

Sunny days and reading

Today isn't as hot as new years eve, nowhere near 40.9 degrees!! But it is the start of a hot spell - each day being in the mid 30's.



Today I left the house with Little Miss A very early, picked up a few groceries and visited the library to get a good pile of picture books, she has an insatiable appetite for reading. I'm a very proud mother.



Now I just need to get back into reading. I used to read a lot and enjoyed being in a book club with a few friends, mind you we did also consume a lot of wine as well as discus the current book.

I am half way through The Widow of Clicquot which I am enjoying and a graphic novel (I got as a gift from a friend for Christmas) Asterios Polyp.



Have you read something that you would recommend for my next reading pleasure? I'm open to all suggestions. I want to read another Iris Murdoch but I need something in between.

Top: Dear Gladys
Cardigan: Cotton On
Skirt: Etsy shop (previous post)
Hat: ? (can't remember)
Shoes: Target

They're money!

Today Little Miss A went back to playgroup for the day and I went SHOPPING! I was originally just looking for party decorations as it is her second birthday soon.



But then I saw these little baby's in Target 40% off! They only had 2 pairs left and one was in my size which is very unusual.

Leather upper with the sides crocheted - too cute and as I said they are 'money' (sorry just saw Swingers again the other night)

Brogue-tastic

And I wore one of the little brooches my brother bought me for Christmas.

Top: Etsy 1940's shirt (previous post)

Cardigan: Savers

Skirt: Vintage Garage

Brooch: Gift

Shoes: Target

Spots and Stripes and Stars

Something new for the year: mixing patterns, I'm a pretty plain dresser I think, not too adventurous with patterns or accessorising, so this year I am going to make more of an effort to mix it up.



I was cleaning out my wardrobe yesterday (I had a very large pile of un-ironed, hardly worn, no longer fit clothes) and found this skirt I bought a long while ago.



I remember why it ended up at the bottom of my wardrobe, I didn't know what top to wear with it and which way to wear it - big spots at the front or back - yeah I know that is a really silly dilemma.



So with my new attitude towards patterns I gave it a go this morning, and I like it.

Top: Mink Pink

Skirt: Miss Sixty (about 10 years ago)

Cardigan: Gorman

Shoes: Rubi Shoes

High, high waist

There are 2 items of clothing I am always on the look out for; a fabulous fitting denim skirt and black skirt. On New Years day I found my favourite denim skirt and have been wearing it ever since, well it just goes with everything and when you discover you fit into a 26 inch waist ANYTHING you just have to flaunt it.



I can stand and jump in it, sit and twirl but after a meal it starts to feel a teeny bit tight...smaller meals then.



The detail is great as well. I am not one for over accessorising, I tend to keep things pretty simple so a built in belt is perfect...and it has pockets! ding ding ding, flashing lights, rushing heart rate!



Skirt: Vintage Garage (label: Gollan, couldn't find out any information about them online)
Top: Cheap shop in my local shopping mall
Shoes: Retro Star sale

Hello 2011

I always look forward to a new year, I don't like seeing in the year at midnight or make resolutions but I look forward to new adventures, learning new skills and the possibilities another year holds.


20'11'

I hope your year has started out well...I'm pleased to be leaving 2010 behind only because I received a parking ticket on the last day of the year poo! poo! to you parking attendant.

However only 16 hours into 2011 and it is looking good: our local supermarket is selling their Christmas eggnog for 10c a carton Yippee!

Dress: Pop Boutique many years ago