Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas Time is Here Again





























In the words of The Beatles: "Christmas time is here again". The tree is up, the lights are on and our house is chock-a-block filled with tinsel, Santa Clause ornaments and faux snow. You have to make certain adjustments when your Christmas seasons are steaming hot! (Almost) all the family are here and soon the stockings will be put out and the presents placed in an immense pile under the tree. This time of year I am always thankful to be part of such a huge bunch, siblings and all. Always keep your loved ones close - 'war is over, if you want it'.

Hopefully this new year ahead will bring smoother roads and easier times, and more opportunities to make blogging a frequent thing again of course! I'd like to thank all my lovely readers and blogging friends far and wide for your continued support and undying kindness during this difficult time. It is truly appreciated and I wish you all the happiest of Christmases and New Years. Enjoy the season wherever you are, stay safe and stay smiling

Merry Christmas!

P.S. I'm now on Instagram. Shhh!

Sunday, December 7, 2014

I'll Take Afternoon Tea

I'm back (at least for a little while)! Times are still tough and my days remain busy. However, I thought I'd create a quick post of all the positive things I am thankful for that have occurred as of lately to keep me looking towards the light. The first of these is my younger sister's birthday party which was celebrated today with a High Tea. Surrounded by beautiful scenery and friends and family (ladies only), we munched on gourmet savory snacks, cute little cakes and petite fours, and drank delicate leaf teas and pink champagne. We all felt very fancy indeed!

Other Lovely Things:

- I celebrated my own birthday last week with rose scented tea, vanilla mille feuille, and two of my favourite people in the world. Must also mention the incredible rainbow cheesecake that my younger sister baked for me!

- A large bundle of more beautiful vintage dresses in brilliant condition have come into my possession. I have so many gorgeous dresses overflowing from my wardrobe I'm afraid I'll have to start hanging them on the walls!

- We have finally had some rain. Nice dark gloomy days with thunder rumbling ominously in the distance - my favourite! It is so lovely to cuddle up in the couch watching lightning strike over the mountains and listening to the sound of rain pounding against the window panes. 

- Each afternoon in the pool I've been teaching one of the family's little ones to swim and I find myself waiting eagerly for the other to take her first steps. Seeing them smile brings so much joy during this difficult time. 

- My family and I have decorated our home for the Christmas season, a favourite tradition of ours. Candy cane flavoured hot chocolates and fruit mince pies are now a frequent treat in the household. 

- I've been surrounded by some wonderful, caring and supportive people, reminding me that there is so much love and light in the world still to be experienced. Keep your loved ones close always. 

What lovely things are you thankful for this week?

Thursday, November 27, 2014

I've Been Away (There She Goes Again)

It is quite clear that I've been quite quiet in the blogging world as of the past couple of weeks and I apologize to you, my readers. But I must provide some explanation of my absence and make you aware that, regretfully, a vast series of unfortunate events has occurred. Due to privacy of myself and those involved I will refrain from providing any details of such events other than the fact that there has been a sudden and significant family loss. There is no telling when things will slow down back to a more steady pace and so posting will continue to be staggered and my commenting on my favourite blogs will remain rare. However, I will let you know that I am still trying to keep up to date and I am still lurking about on here even if my presence isn't show!

                 

To lighten up this post a bit, I thought I'd quickly shove in a little 'There She Goes Again' segment. This time around it is Pattie Boyd and this gorgeous calve-lengthed coat. Pattie looked fabulous in it and was seen wearing it numerous times in 1967 and 1968. Here she's seen with her then husband, George Harrison, at Abbey Road studios, and (below) at the UNICEF benefit concert featuring the Beach Boys at the Palais de Chailloy, Paris 1967.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Queen of Hearts

Some time ago now I was pining over a certain pair of shoes on my Twitter. Well, here they are! I'd been having a quick browse whilst out shopping and out of the corner of my eye caught a glimpse of the bold, red, pop-arty heart motif. It reminded me of something from a Roy Lichtenstein artwork or Disney's "Alice in Wonderland". Now I have never really been a big fan of jelly shoes, but I must say when I saw these I fell in love instantly. The next week they came home with me, and with perfect timing too as they happened to be on sale!
  



Mel - Dreamed by Melissa, is a Brazilian footwear brand that manufactures jelly shoes in a large variety of styles. The shoes are made from an eco-friendly plastic called Melflex which is 100 percent recyclable as well as vegan friendly. The plastic is also durable, can be easily cleaned and flexible, ensuring the wearer's comfort. This was also one of the things that hooked me in to these lovely things. I do a lot of walking, so I am very appreciative of a good pair of shoes that can substantially support my feet yet still look pretty and liven up my outfits. 




The shoes that I have bought are called Fresh IV. I love that they are peep-toes. They'll be perfect for when summer comes around with my bright red toe nails peeping through. Another little bonus is that the love hearts are raspberry scented. How sweet! They also come in nude and black, which I'm very tempted to buy as well!

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Balanced on the Biggest Wave

Outfit - All vintage

The end of the year approaches so fast. In the shopping centres I can hear the faint sound of all too familiar Christmas carols. I can feel that subtle sense of urgency emitted from others around me as they plan their holidays and gift buying, and the summer cicadas are starting to sound in the late afternoons. The days are long and comprised of heat, haze and humidity. Past experiences dictate that this time of year should be filled with excitement and joyful anticipation. Yet tonight as I hear the dull ache of thunder in the distance I am reminded of the many decisions that I must make before the sands of 2014 run out. 

Since I was a little girl I've had a recurring dream, and I had it again last night. I am standing on the shore, in the street, on a hill. Sometimes with others, sometimes alone and upon looking out to the horizon I am confronted with the image of an enormous tidal wave, black and approaching quickly. There is nowhere to run, there is no where to hide, only a short moment to speak my mind and speak my heart before the world is engulfed whole. They say that dreams such as these are supposed to symbolize a build up of pressure in one's life or the coming of a significant change. Really, I don't think that that's too far from the truth. 

I've never been a very decisive person when it comes to opportunities that have the potential to change my life or carve out my future. I over-think things and it seems that my head and my heart are in a constant state of conflict. I envy those who can put their entire faith into a single choice with confidence. A palm reader once told me that my lifelines are broken but will someday merge. She said it meant that an immense change will come my way throughout the years and that whether I take it or not will determine who I become as a person. I am quite a skeptic but I cannot help but think: Is this, what I am confronted with now, that change? Who will I become? 

Time will tell. 

Monday, November 3, 2014

Samantha Pleet Lookbook



I've never posted lookbooks here on the blog before, but I simply just couldn't resist the one for Samantha Pleet's Spring/Summer Collection for 2015, especially as the seasons are only just coming on over here in Australia. The chances are that you've probably seen this lookbook already, but if not I hope you find it a real visual treat. I immediately feel in love with the beautiful pastel colour schemes, 60's fringed dolly birds and playful, feminine designs. Perhaps in future more lookbooks that inspire me, such as this one, will be included on the blog.

Lookbook  Details

Photography: Amanda Jasnowski
Models: Alix Brown & Kristin Gallegos
Makeup: Kristin Gallegos
Shoes: Wolverine 1000 Mile by Samantha Pleet
Set Design: Patrick Pleet
Wallpaper: Calico Wallpaper


































All images from samanthapleet.com

Monday, October 27, 2014

Look Through My Window


The walls are bare at the moment, and the sun looked so pretty shining through the window in the spare bedroom. So I thought I'd revel in the opportunity of such good lighting to take some snaps one of my favourite dresses at the moment. It is from the brand Revival, by Dangerfield, which incorporates a lot of vintage inspired elements in its designs. You can view the dress here. It makes me think of something that Marianne Faithfull or Sylvie Vartan would have worn in the 1960's. Yet, upon wearing it in front of the boy for the first time he could not help but call me "Madeline". Who am I kidding though, the dress is called "Croissants for Breakfast" after all! Wearing the dress I had a lot of fun prancing about and making my best attempt to channel my inner 1960's wannabe model. The boy's cat, who happened to be in the room at the time and even got cuddled in a couple of snaps, was quite confused to say the least. I imagine that it must have been quite an odd sight for her to see!

Showing my face so clearly on my blog isn't something that I've done much of in the past. In my pictures I'm usually always looking down or off to the side. I wouldn't call myself photogenic, and when having my picture taken by others I can't help but feel shy or embarrassed. However, I'm beginning to become more comfortable in my own skin and have been feeling lately that perhaps it is time for a change, and that I should allow myself the freedom of having confidence in myself and enjoying the experience of what taking pictures can be.





















Friday, October 24, 2014

Bubble, Bubble






















Lush products are something that I've only really started exploring just recently. The main reason for this is that until now, I didn't have a bath tub. Having one available at the boy and I's current living arrangements has been quite lovely, and given me an excuse to purchase and try out lots of Lush goodies, amongst other bath time products, that I've been wanting to for years. I've been spoiling myself with bath bombs and bubble baths and why shouldn't I? I am on holidays after all! So I thought I'd share my favourite bath combination when I'm wanting to unwind after a long day or just spoil myself when I'm feeling a little down in the dumps. 

Favourite   Bath   Combination


Rose Jam Bubbleroon - I've been advised before that a quarter of this product is enough to create a substantial amount of bubbles. But personally I crumble the whole thing into the bath. Bubbles through drain pipes aren't a problem as I wait until all the bubbles have gone before pulling the plug. It has such a sweet rose scent and makes the water feel so silky. It also contains oils which are good for the skin, helping to leave it smooth and soft. 

Rose Queen Bath Bomb - Some girls like to cut these in half to get more use out of them but again, like the Bubbleroon, I like to spoil myself and chuck the whole thing in. After all, it's one of the smaller bath bombs available. Once it reacts with the water, it disintegrates into a bright pink rose-scented fizz, letting out twirling fragments of hibiscus and lavender flower petals into the water.

Rock Star Soap -  Bright pink like a boiled sweet, it is said that this soap is supposed to have a creamy vanilla scent. I don't know if it's just me, but I instead smell sweet, fizzy sherbet. Howzat!? It smells so good that I could almost eat it and it makes gorgeous pink frothy suds, leaving your skin smelling just lovely. 






















What are your favourite bath time products?

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Watching the Skirt


'Granny' skirts are something that I wear a lot of. I can't resist a high-waisted skirt that goes down to my knees with zip and button at the back and is made out of that awful thick, fuzzy material that itches when the weather is too hot. They are just my cup of tea. Here I am wearing one of the latest ones I picked up as mentioned here. It is bright orange with a purple criss-cross pattern - what a skirt! I wore it with a pale pink peter pan collared blouse, vintage bag and my beloved vintage Ferragamo shoes, which meant I was constantly looking down at my feet to admire them all day. Does anyone else do that when they wear that one perfect pair of shoes?

Quite contrary to what some may think, wearing 'granny' skirts actually makes me feel quite youthful. Whenever I wear them I feel like I should have my arms wrapped around a pile of text books, walking through long locker lined corridors with the sound of a bell chiming in the distance. I can't help but feel like a 1960's school girl about to leave for the bus ride home. Think Lucy from "Across the Universe" (if you've seen it) here. It's such a cute little scene I think. Though the high school I attended had a strict uniform code, I always imagined that this is how I would have dressed if we had had a choice, granny skirts and all. 

Thursday, October 16, 2014

27 Dresses

I thought I'd share a little sneak peek at some of the vintage dresses that I've recently added to my collection, all of which are from the 1960's. The yellow one is Crimplene and was found sitting on a rack just moments before leaving the store it was in. I've been calling it the 'diner's dress', as all it makes me think of are pink diner stools and blueberry pie. The middle one I've nicknamed the 'Blue Hawaii' dress and the black one, a midi length dress, is intended to be cut and hemmed into a mini. I'm very pleased with these latest additions. The fact that they were all under $10 is an added bonus! You can see more of my vintage dress collection here, which now reaches 27!

Saturday, October 11, 2014

One Lovely Blog Award


Not long ago, the lovely Erin from Spreepark nominated me for the 'One Lovely Blog Award'. 

Thanks, Erin!

The Rules: 

1. You must thank the person who nominated you and include a link to their blog. 
2. You must list the rules and display the award. 
3. You must add seven facts about yourself. 
4. You must nominate fifteen other bloggers and let them know they have been nominated.
5. You must display the award logo and follower the blogger who nominated you. 

Seven Facts About Me:

1. I am a real 'fraidy-cat'. Though I love spooky movies and eerie things I cannot deal well with gore. 
2. I'm not a real party kind of gal. The 'clubbing' scene does not interest me, but take me back to the clubs of 1967 and I would gladly dance the night away. 
3. My nails are in a constant battle of staying short vs. growing long. These are the trials and tribulations of a guitar player who just can't stand long nails along the fret board, yet still wants them to be long enough to be deemed worthy for nail polish. 
4. I come from a large family. I'm a middle child. 
5. Back in high school I was the only student who wanted to do three science units for my final two years. However, I was not allowed to do so due to clashes between their places in my timetable. 
6. I was once signed up with an film agency but decided to leave after being given an audition for a role that I was not comfortable with nor agreed with.   
7. I love evening ferry rides through the city. 

Bloggers I Nominate: 

Mia from 60ies Love
Sophie from Cellar of Dreams
Jaime from Hard Crimson
Sarah from Lostvestige
Faye from Oh! Darling
Alecia from Sew to Neverland
Catherine from Sewing the 60s
Tessie Jayne from Socks with Sandals
Sarah from Style Sixties
Nancy from The Nancy Wilde Experience



Please do check them out!

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

She's Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina






















I am not a big hat wearer. Really, this is quite silly considering how many hats I have boxed up layer upon layer in my closet. If it weren't for how small the above hat is, this I believe would change almost, if not, immediately. 

I hadn't had any luck for a few weeks in my searches for vintage goodies, nor do I have many vintage hats, so I was very excited to come across this beautiful bright green, velvety, vintage hat complete with decorative ribbon and gold buttons. Upon seeing it I scooped it up quickly and eagerly hurried to the change rooms to see how it looked in the mirror. My face turned from a smile into a frown as I realized that my head was too big for it. Determined, I must have stood in the mirror for about five minutes trying to place the hat perfectly on my head, hoping that with every twist and turn the hat would somehow magically fit. In the end I decided it was too pretty to leave behind. So I bought it home with me. It is now sitting on top of my lampshade looking beautiful. I think my family disagree though (and you might too). They thought it looked like something a leprechaun might wear! 

As mentioned here, hats are something that I've been wanting to wear more of lately, especially as the warmer weather is approaching. So I've shared here some lovely hat-wearing 1960's ladies who have been inspiring me.



What's something that you've been wanting to wear more of lately?

And how cute are those vintage daisy clip-on earrings that I found the other week?!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

Thursday, October 2, 2014

When are you free to take some tea with me?

















There is no doubt that I am an avid tea drinker. Each time the boy and I have an outing we will usually come home with yet another new flavour of tea to try. You will never catch me with a hot cup of coffee. I just can't drink the stuff. So I was overjoyed to come across this happy yellow teapot with matching cups and saucers the other day whilst out with the boy. I 'ummed' and 'ahhed' at it for about fifteen minutes, not sure whether to buy it or not. I already have quite a nice little collection of teapots and I certainly wasn't in need of any more. But it was on sale! Finally the boy said "It kind of reminds me of the Yellow Submarine". 

Ka-ching went the cash register. 

I am very easily swayed when it comes to anything Beatles related, or even reminiscent of the fab four in the absolute slightest for that fact, hence the new teapot. Now perhaps all I need is this neato knick-knack for days when I'm just up for a single cup. Isn't it just swell? There's one added to my Christmas wish list. Fingers crossed!






Title: "Lovely Rita" - The Beatles. Yes I know it's not from the film, but I still thought it was appropriate!

Friday, September 26, 2014

Pink Lemonade


Yesterday was my mother's birthday. She was showered with gifts, flowers and cake and we all went out to have a celebratory lunch with her. It was just lovely and we were joined by my sister and her fiance who had traveled up here for the occasion. I wore a new coral coloured dress that I picked up just last week, with my retro swing coat, and a vintage bag and pair of shoes. Though it was a rainy day, I felt very 1960's 'Miami Beach' in my outfit, and caught myself dreaming of palm tree studded scenery, blushing flamingos and warm, hazy mid-days with pink lemonade (something I just can't seem to get enough of lately). While the rest of the world says goodbye to their summer season and welcomes colder weather, here I am spending my days sitting by the pool with a good book, packing the winter blankets back into the closets and listening to the sound of chirping cicadas as the sun sets. 


What's something you've been dreaming of lately?

Monday, September 22, 2014

Recent Beauty Buys




I thought I'd share the latest things that I've added to my beauty collection. 

Maybelline Baby Lips Colour: The other night I had a moment of frustration when doing my makeup. As you may know, I wear my makeup like some of the styles prevalent during the 1960's - white shadow, large cat flicks and thick lashes. To compensate for this dramatic look the dolly-birds back in then would go easy on the cheeks and lips, opting for pale lipsticks and sheer slicks of frosted gloss. Usually I settle for just a tad of moisturizer to plump up my lips and darken them just a little to create this look, but to be quite frank, sometimes it just makes me feel like my face is a half-finished canvas. I'm not too big on wearing lipstick either. Other than red, I feel like nothing seems 'right'. So I picked up these tinted lip balms and so far so good! Nowhere near as overpowering as lipstick, and just subtle enough to give your lips a hint of colour, I think they are an okay solution to my frustrations. They are also a pretty decent mosturizer too. I picked two up, in Lolita Pink and Berry Crush, simply because I'm indecisive and couldn't choose!

LUSH Herbalism Fresh Facial Cleanser: To be perfectly honest, I don't have perfect skin. I've tried many different products over the years but I've come to realize that like many the more products that I put on my skin, the more troubled it becomes. So I decided to cut down on these and just try and stick to one thing to cleanse my face with. This cleanser is made from all natural ingredients and can also be used as a face mask. It leaves my skin feeling clean, soft and dewey and has helped clear it up a lot. I'll definitely be buying another pot of this once it runs out!

Rimmel 9-in-1 BB Cream SPF 25: I bought this product as a little bit of a try-out. I felt I needed something to protect my face whilst walking in the hot sun to University each day. It's pretty good and I'm quite pleased with it. It does do the job of protecting my skin and it does leave my skin with a healthy looking glow, but the palest colour on offer, 'Light', was still not quite pale enough to match my complexion. Though I'm not complaining, powder can fix that. It's also pretty easy and quick to apply which is great when I'm in a hurry as my usual mousse face makeup requires a lot more concentration. 

What are the latest products that you've tried out?

Thursday, September 18, 2014

First Outfit Post of the Season








And so my holidays have finally begun, at last! I've been making the most of my time so far, lounging about in my pajamas, finally beginning to read a book and doing some cleaning out of my chock-a-block wardrobes.

The other day I wore one of the latest additions to my mass of clothes: a bright green polo shirt. It's not vintage or anything, but the colour is the most perfect green I've ever seen, and oh so 60's feeling. I wish the lighting in my room wasn't so bad so you could get a more accurate image. I always feel that the outfits photos I post on this blog never really do the clothing items much justice (thanks for putting up with them all!). Anyhoo, I wore it with a houndstooth scarf tucked in and was inspired by our Twig the Wonder Kid of course, in a shot from one of her Twiggy Dresses promotional shoots.











Hmm. Perhaps I should have worn my white tights. Then my outfit would have been even more Twiggy-esque.