Hidden alley way..

I loved in the recently vacated apartment for 2.5 years.  I always used the right hand side of the drive way.  It was where the letterbox was, it was the direction to walk and drive to the main road.  To my favourite cafe and to the tram stop.  It was only when the flood waters were rising that I wondered where the water was coming from and I looked to the left of the drive way and discovered an alley way that would have been PERFECT for outfit photos.

Thankfully I've only moved to the next suburb so will have a chance to return. 

I couldn't resist but take a snap of my outfit.  Even if I am wearing a Supre dress and flip flops (hey it was hot and I was moving boxes  down two flights of stairs).

It's beginnings to look a lot like a home...

I've started the painful but exciting part of unpacking boxes and finding a new home for all of my favourite things.. and throwing out a lot of the others...

Dulux Antique White USA walls.. which I love love love.

Hand painted cup with make up brushes, Moroccan Oil, Kiehl's Creme de Corps, Chanel & Viktor & Rolf perfumes, YSL Arty Ring, Melinda Maria bangle

B has started rebuilding the wardrobe...stay tuned for further progress reports!

And then exhaustion sets in...

I'm tired.  Exhausted.  Come 9pm all this week and I'm crashing out.  And it dawned on me yesterday that I have 24 commercial property modules to complete by close of business on Friday.  That's in two days!

But I'm happy to report that I'm finally in my new home, sleeping in my own bed (oh the luxury).  It's a long way from being unpacked and decorated (the couch remains the only item of furniture I've committed to this far).  Everything else just isn't perfect and I don't want to buy for the sake of buying.  But how long can I maintain a spare room full of boxes?  I do have visitors jetting in in 5 weeks time.

After that I'm looking forward to hosting a dinner party for the royal wedding.  First time in forever that a significant event will the screened at a decent hour Australian time.  8pm!  Champagne and dress scrutiny.

I've got my desire to cook back since unpacking my new kitchen.  It's magnificant.  I'm so happy with my kitchen.  The oven is a dream and the bench space ample... now if only I could find my memory card reader and blog some recipes...

This coming weekend, an audit job is taking me home to Queensland.  I missed out on doing what I love up there and seeing my friends due to the floors last month, but the weather is set to be a spledid 31C and I've already ear marked Saturday afternoon at Burleigh Heads.

I miss living in Queensland so much... This month marked 4 years since I moved away and each year I only get more and more homesick...

Friday inspiration...

I have a day off renovating/packing/unpacking/moving tomorrow.  Am immensely looking forward to indulging in my favourite things...

Making the most of the last few warm days in Melbourne.  We haven't even had a realy summer.. sigh

Smiling for the first time in weeks (and wishing I had such amazing hair)

Playing with top knots..

The beach.. beach and more beach

Hopefully, fingers and TOES crossed that I'll be sleeping in my own bed on Sunday night.. Hurry up and dry polish

And more beach.. think I need to shoot some photos there tomorrow.. now to dig up an outfit from one of the 19 boxes spread between 3 houses....

Bon weekend to all x

(all images via tumblr)

Super Neutral

This summer I vowed to not wear black. I wear too much black during winter, warm clothes seem to only come in black, don't they? I'm obsessed with white linen at the moment, but I haven't had any free, hot days to indulge in my new found obsession.

The past two weeks I've lived out of an overnight bag. My belongings are spread out across 3 houses. Keeping it simple and comfortable is a huge priority. Actually it's been the only option. Goodness knows where my hair brush is, let alone pieces that make an outfit.

You're probably all thinking that this has been the most prolonged, annoying move in history. One property is flood damaged and the other being renovated. Cashmere doesn't belong in a house that's being sanded. The water woes have continued. Just as I'd moved most things into the garage, it rains last night with said garage getting mighty close to filling with water. Can someone please stop these crazy weather patterns? At least long enough to let me move in. Belongings across 3 residences.. I'm exhausted!

Please excuse the unironed blouse... pulled out of a random box at an ungodly hour this morning.

Athe Vanessa Bruno blouse

Sussan trousers

Witchery shoes

Ratty hair that's crying for a cut and colour..

Valentine's Day

This photo made me so nostalgic for the old days of effort and romance.  Being happy to see each other.  At the present we as a society either don't have time, have work to finish when we get home or believe that Valentine's Day is just a commercial gimmick. But is there anything wrong with using that one day in the year to reflect on your relationship and acknowledge the one you love.  Nobody seems to think that Mother's Day is a commercial gimmick.

I am in the thick of moving my last bits and pieces to the new house.  Amazing how I have 19 boxes of clothes, yet I've managed to live just fine out of an overnight duffle bag for the past 2 weeks without even a thought for the items in those boxes.  To the point where I feel as though that I wouldn't even know what's in the boxes if they went missing.

Hoping to be sleeping in my own bed by the end of the weekend... and baking a cake in my new kitchen (which is 3 times the size of the one I cooked in for the past 3 years)... simple pleasures...

iPhone snapshots of a weekend spent renovating...

The most time I've spent at Bunnings is possibly an hour to buy plastic containers.  On Sunday I was in there for THREE hours purchasing door handles, doors, light switches, drills, weed killer... I'm officially an adult!

The walls are painted.  Decided on "Dulux Antique White U.S.A".  Looks fantastic and very light, bright and spacious.

I ran away from it all for a pedicure in Armadale and a browse at some of the furniture stores on High Street.  I decided on a Hamptons/French Provincial look but have found it very difficult to find the furniture.  Love this coffee table, but it's too big!

This bench is a definite for the front porch.  Am totally in love.  Other than the couch, this is the only furniture I've purchased! HEEELP

What I thought would be the biggest job (knocking down the wall) was in fact the easiest!  Down within an hour.

The thorn!  AKA the wardrobe.  Dad has torn it down, which is forcing me to resign it and rebuilt it.  Anyone have any inspiration for me?

Sticker inside the old mirror...

How was everyone else's weekend?  I'm exhausted and it's only Monday morning!

Olivia Palermo for Tibi

Absolutely loving this one.. Need that first dress!

Styled by Olivia and the designer, Amy Smilovic.

Can it be summer again, please?

Mutton dressed as lamb...

While I was packing the last few weeks my thoughts turned to the winter wardrobe. We've barely had a summer, yet the cold weather is just around the corner. During the A/W 2010/2010 shows last year I completely fell in love with everything Burberry. In particular with the leather and shearling combination.

But at what point in life do I render myself TOO OLD to wear trends off the cat walk and be able to pull them off?  Is it at a particular age?  Is it when my wrinkles become severe?

 
 

No doubt at 47 Elle looks better than most women half her age, but I can't help but think that the outfit is ridiculous for a school pick up? Am I going to look just as silly in a leather and shearling jacket sitting at my favourite cafe on a cold Saturday morning?

I don't flinch at Gwyneth Paltrow when she wears a mini skirt, not even for a minute.  She looks amazing.  So what sets women and outfits apart.  Is it appearance or confidence?  Or our opinion of their style?

Do women have a sell by date?  Is Kate Moss the only woman allowed to wear hot pants in her 30's?  And should I stay away from the leather and shearling?

“Keep your face always toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.” Walt Whitman

Thank you all so much for your kind words re: the flood.  To answer some of your questions and concerns

• bar a couple of wet pairs of shoes, most of my belongings are safe.  Fortunately I was home and managed to throw things on the bed/couch/dining table
• furniture is wet and miserable due to sitting in puddles of water
• carpet in the bedroom smells revolting hence rendering the apt uninhabitable.  In turn rendering me homeless for the time being
• new house settles in approx. 48 hours, but is undergoing some renovation over the next few weeks so that's uninhabitable also (smell of wet paint and wood polish is better than the smell of dirty wet rotting carpet though)
• I have realised how fickle life and material belongings are.  Everything can be destroyed within 20 minutes and you're powerless to stop it.  I look at the mountains of "things" I managed to "save" from the rising water and think "what is all this stuff?".  Was very tempted to throw everything out bar a pair of trousers, 3 tops and a pair of ballerinas.
• I've also realised how cool I am in a crisis.  I'm getting used to disasters, sadly.  I did break down on Sunday night when it all really sunk in.  Thank goodness for my husband who always catches me when I fall. 
• Please, please, please ensure you have insurance.  Use my experience as an audit.  Ensure your policy covers floods/natural disasters/acts of God.  Do it now! A few hundred dollars in premiums a year may seem like a luxury many of us cannot afford or deem a waste of money, but it's a necessity that will put your mind at ease.  Disasters can happen to anyone.  And they do.

via tumblr

When life throws you lemons.. repeatedly...

Who would have thought that a cyclone, forming over 6,000 north of where I live, would cause a flash flood and destroy my apartment in the space of 20 minutes.  And it's not even on the ground floor.  Water was pouring out of the air conditioner, antenna socket and windows.  Fortunately I was at home and could salvage my belongings by placing them on the bed and table.

I pray for those who are worse off than I am.  Emergency services received over 6,000 phone calls for help on Friday night.  Cleaning and repair services will be run off their feet for weeks no doubt.  Goodness knows how long it will take to get to everyone. 

Australia has been hit with every natural disaster known to man the past 3 weeks - cyclones, flash flooding, heat waves, bush fires, heavy rain... what's next?  A snow blizzard?

Nothing could be done to contain the water.  Fortunately I was home to put my belongings on the bed and chairs

Wardrobe flooded very quickly.

Dity water gushing from the antenna socket and wall

The drive way

The aftermath.

A corporate outfit post...

I've twice blogged about my favourite items to have in a corporate wardrobe (here and here) but I've just realised that I've never actually posted an actual outfit that I myself wear to the office.  This photo was taken right after holidays and lets just say that I found it difficult to zip the skirt up (*blush*).

When I make a bit of effort for work, I tend to find that I feel a lot better and more productive during the day.

mollini shoes

cue pencil skirt

scanlan & theodore belt

bardot tee

sportsgirl flower

sportsgirl necklace

melinda maria pod ring

“It’s more interesting to have just a picture of a small detail - then you can dream all the rest around it. Because when you see the whole thing, what is there to imagine?” - Dries Van Noten

When I first started thinking about the renovating and decorating job at hand, I had a few ideas and themes in mind for the living area.  But once I went shopping for furniture I realised a lot of those ideas are unattainable.  A lot of pieces of furniture from my imagination do not exist in store.  Imagine that?  And that shade of paint I had in mind doesn't exist either.  Convenient isn't it?  I'm a fan of a minimalist finish as much as I am a fan of a lived in French provincial look.  And something that fits into the Bayside beach suburb that I'm moving to has to be combined into my vision as well.

Then I met the accent chair below.

It's navy with a faint gold stripe and the love was instant.  The love still existed when I returned from holidays, so I decided to order it and decorate and furnish the entire living area around this chair.  Call me crazy.

Summer beauty SOS

This is my second home during the summer.  And soon to be my back yard at the end of my street.

And these are my essentials.  I know that summer is our skin's biggest enemy and a major cause of aging, but I cannot resist a bit of sunshine in my day.  Melbourne folk are starved of sunshine for 10 months of the year, so I like to make the most of it.  I feel a thousand times better after i spent a few hours at the beach soaking up some rays.  But don't worry, SPF and a hat are never far away.

These are some of my favourite beauty products for summer that are tried and tested and recommended by myself.

I have used Rosehip Oil for years and only when I skip it for a few weeks do I realise what a miracle product it is.  Every night after cleansing I apply 4-5 drops on my face and neck including the eye area.  It helps with every single skin problem - be it dry or oily - it helps with fine lines and pimples.  It's a miracle in summer after sun exposure.  Skin is so supple and smooth in the morning.  Say goodbye to expensive serums and night creams.

Even though the St Tropez mousse is a cult product, I've only discovered it recently.  The dark mousse is a bit scary when it comes out of the tube, but is very easy to apply and very fool proof.  And the colour is a lovely shade of summer tan as opposed to bottle orange.

Yes it's a bit hard imagining oil in your hair, but it's turned my locks from straw to lovely supple hair that no longer requires blow drying like it did in it's dry hay days.

The only body cream I've used the past 6 years.  I only apply it once or twice a week and it makes an amazing difference to my skin, imagine how incredible it would be if I wasn't lazy to apply it after every shower. 

A perfect balance of SPF and a light fluffy face cream for summer that doesn't leave a film of grease on my face.  Applied daily.

What are you favourite products to use in summer?