Lunchtime

Check out this yummy & inspiring lunch I spotted on kitka this morning.

Talk about food envy! I almost traipsed off to the shops to buy lovely bread, roast meat & gherkins to create my own!! Laziness got the better of me however and I succumbed to jam on toast (boring, huh!)

ps - one of my dear friends had a baby today & I am sooo excited & can't wait for cuddles!!

pps - without waiting for opinions I bought a pair of shoes for winter that I love! I'll take a photo to show you in the next couple of days :)

A Couple of Cuties

I've got a couple of cute photos of Evie to share with you (don't mind my self-indulgence!!)

- The other weekend we had some friends over for dinner, while we fussed around & intermittently pushed Evie on the swing, she fell asleep! She must have been so tired, this is the first time it's happened! aww...

- We bought some goggles (pink of course!) for Evie's swimming lesson, the first try-out happened in the bath!

Some lovely links - 2

- Isn't this dress just delightful! found at Steven Alan

- Really looove this cushion! found at designed in brunwick

- My friend Kate has a new etsy shop!! little adelaide kate

- Great tips on how to hang a gallery wall from the lil bee

- These cookies look tasty & easy, from retromummy

Working Bee!

Today has been a backyard working bee for us (well, for Roger, I've been in charge of food & toddler minding!). Rogers' dad has been helping him assemble some lovely garden beds for our veggies!! We're super excited about it. Our soil is rubbish, so growing veggies hasn't come easy to us here, but we've been persevering! We can't wait to start fresh with some lovely new, or enriched, soil & just go bananas!

Rog & Evie did a quick pose for me on top of the trailer full of garden waste today, and Evie took a photo of me

Below that are a few photos of the work in progress, with a very 'helpful' toddler. In the background you can see the current, unruly, veggie garden. Ooh, I'm excited about the change!

Winter shoe quandary

We've hit autumn here, and we've hit it hard! Suddenly all I've got on my brain are winter shoes. I'm covered when it comes to comfy, run-around, grocery shoes, I've got my blue tigers to wear with jeans.

It's when I want to wear a dress or skirt with tights, then I'm stuck! My old stand-bys are getting too old, and let the puddles in! I need some help!!

Looking around blog-land I'm seeing heaps of oxfords & brogues:

wikstenmade













J.Crew

Wittner











What do you think of them? They look super cool & comfy, do you think the average person (me!) can get away with them?

Am I better off with a more standard ballet flat:

Marais USA

J.Crew

Witchery












Opinions please!?!

A full day

Yesterday Evie & I spent 6 hours (!) in the city with my mum-in-law & sis-in-law browsing & shopping. An intense & tiring effort, but so enjoyable! I was really proud of my little trooper, she did so well. It doesn't hurt that we stopped for morning tea & lunch, and that nannie bought her a little treat!

I was looking through the Cup of Jo gorgeous hair tutorials yesterday. I tried this one, but my hair isn't long enough & it's too thick! In then end I went for this hairstyle, and just changed it from three buns to five . I think it looked cool!

Last night I went out with a group of girlfriends, to our fave little spot, Boho. Such a good excuse to get out of my 'mum uniform' and pop on a cute little dress & heels. So good to chill out, eat hot donuts (!) and talk about stuff & life. Brill!

ps - on a domestic goddess note, I wanted to share that I made these biscuits the other day & they're tasty! Roger has quite a restrictive diet at the moment, so these gluten-free & dairy-free, but very yummy biscuits fit the bill!

Fly the coop

I've discovered Occasional Care. A local kindy runs a program where Evie can go for one morning or afternoon a week to play with kindy kids (and it only costs me $5)! Evie is a very sociable, energetic girl and has been really excited about going. I took a photo of her all kitted out & ready (she didn't want to pose nicely for the camera, she was quite worried about photos making her late!)

I can't believe she isn't yet 3 (only a few weeks) she seems to be growing up so quickly!! I plan on having a lovely quiet sewing morning before I pick up my cheeky girl!
What are you up to??

Some Sunday morning vintage inspiration!

It's Sunday morning here - we're currently in our pj's reading blogs & playing with play-dough, very relaxing! I think the rest of our day will consist of some garden work & a playground visit. What are you up to?

At the end of February Jenny from Frecklewonder did a thank you post to all who had purchased from her shop  in the past few months. If you read through I'm 'Laura from Australia', I feel so famous! In November I bought a darling coat from Jenny for Evie, here's the picture from her etsy shop:

Such a delicious coat! When it cold enough I'll take a pic of Evie in it for you!!

ps - I should mention that Jenny has just opened a new etsy shop, kid wonder, just for kids stuff!

pps - if you're in need of some vintage fashion inspiration check out Frecklewonder, Bleubird & cakies - ooh, love!!

Bloggers Day of Silence for Japan

It seems only fitting to take a day off thinking about blogging, and instead thinking about Japan; the tragedy & its people. If you would like to give, a new (to me) charity has been brought to my attention, check it out! Shelterbox

Bathing Beauty

I had to show you pictures of Evie's new bathers. We're heading into Autumn here, but she does indoor swimming lessons all year round, so bathers are a must. Of course they have to be cute too!!

I was so excited to find this pair at a surf store - on sale for $20! (I didn't show her the pink pair that were also on sale, she has enough pink in her life!) The brand is 2chillies

The first pic is Evie & her 'baby' - and in case you're wondering, I didn't tell her to pose, she's a natural show pony! The pic down the bottom isn't such a great one of Evie, but really shows off the lovely bathers! (outfit complete with $3 red croc-fakes from target!)

A few links

- Check out this lovely bag - super gorgeous, but far out of my price range! Made in New Zealand by Minnie Cooper (found via the frankie magazine email newsletter)

- mmm, homemade oreos, too tasty!!

- some pretty free art!

- these oatmeal cranberry raisin cookies sound really good!

- I can't even say how much I love this cushion (I think love needs serious underlining here!)

Thrift Haul

It's a public holiday here today so it's been nice to have Roger home & have our weekend extended! This morning we drove to our favourite fruit tree shop Perry's (is it weird to have a favourite one??). We bought a couple of blueberry shrubs that Roger is planting out the front as I write, yum! And a lemon tree & dwarf mulberry tree for the new chook run (when it's built). Exciting stuff!! (well, we think it is!)

Anyway, I wanted to show you my buys from an op-shop trip last week. I don't remember the cost of each item, but I can tell you my total was $11 - awesome!! I scored two stripey tops for myself, and three little outfits for my gifts/future baby stash:

Check out the original tag on that last one (here's a close up) - delicious!











Have you had any good finds lately?

devastating

I don't have anything fun for you, Japan overshadows it all

Produce is Producing!

hahaha! This little guys cracks me up every time I see him!
We harvested this eggplant from our veggie garden the other day (yes, I drew the eyes on), and ate him last night in a green chicken curry, yum!

Yesterday I also made a batch of tomato sauce, it is so tasty! I only had 1kg of our own tomatoes so bought another kg to make up the weight, mmm, it makes me crave a savoury baked slice (like my mum's potato kugel)!

Lovely Frocks

I have to share an Etsy shop (flourclothing) I discovered tonight from Kickcan & Conkers, ooh, I love it!! Check these out!

How amazing would it be to wear one of these wedding dresses:

50's wedding gown

20's wedding gown

I would wear this one to a very grown-up & stylish cocktail party, or art gallery opening:

50's Dress

This dress would be perfect for a picnic, or a day out at the fair:

50's Dress

Evie's New Room

If I'm honest I've been putting off this post. I really LOVE Evie's new room, but I know that my photography skills aren't up to scratch, and I read to many lovely design blogs that my photos will look a bit crap next to!

Ok, so my self-depreciation done (!) here's a few snippets of Evie's new, and much loved, room. I hope you can get a sense of the clean, bright, lightness and love it too!

Here is the cabinet I showed you the other day, Evie placed the stickers on it and the little pink flowers all together are a family (children, mum, dad, baby & granny if you must know!) She has inherited my glow bug from when I was little, and hangs her little bags of toys (snow white & dwarfs, sylvania family) from the side-knobs. The rug on the floor is a Lusy Blom from Ikea, and the curtains are a sheer cotton (with little dots) named Matilda also from Ikea.

Most of these prints are the same as her old room, except for a couple:

- the bunny cross-stitch was a handmade gift from Roger's auntie

- the tiger is a gift card from the Darling Clementine range

- the little owl postcard was a little gift from my sisters

- the foxy one (the little girl looks like Evie!) I won from Oh Hello Dear last year (through a competition on Bloesem Kids) - so cool!

This is Evie's bed (obviously!) my dad made the frame when I was little and I love that it's now hers! You can see all the toys that 'need' to stay in bed with her, not to be cuddled, just to be jammed in nearby!

This little shelf I found in an op-shop and spray painted (don't mind the chips of paint from when it was screwed to the wall!) The little figures on top I have also collected on thrifting trips, they're adorable. Now they're up high we hopefully won't have to glue any more heads back on! The dress was made my moi! I used an old pattern (again from an op-shop) and I'm really pleased with it, except that little miss doesn't like to wear it because it's not pink enough (!), hence why it is on display for me to enjoy!!

Sunday Night

We saw The King's Speech this afternoon, it was sooo good! I haven't been to the movies in about six months, it felt like such a treat to get a babysitter (my folks) and go out for a movie. I really recommend this one, you can't go wrong with Colin Firth & Geoffrey Rush!! I've spent alot of this evening on Wikipedia reading all about the royal family, fascinating stuff.

I just haven't got around to the photos of Evie's room for you, I promise them for the next couple of days!!

Last thing - Evie cracked me up at dinner tonight, out of nowhere she made up a song & started singing 'I dream of finding my husband'!! Umm, my daughter is very obsessed with weddings! Don't worry, I've told her not to worry about it until she's a grown-up, then she can find a husband!!

Little Girl Things

- How cute is this little dress!! I love the colour combination & the style, so lovely. (Honey Collection dress found via Pirouette)

- How cute are these little girl nighties made from pillowcases! I've got some thrifted sheets that these would be perfect for! Maybe I'll make them in time for next summer!

- I made this play dough for Evie yesterday. I have to share because it's a cool recipe - no cooking! I don't know about you, I avoid making play dough because it sticks to the saucepan & gets to messy. This one was easy peasy! Evie made 'birthday cakes' for over half an hour while I did the dishes. Not exciting perhaps, but worthwhile!

Sneaky Peek

You'll have to excuse my less-than-amazing photography skills for this one!

Here is a little cupboard I picked up at an op-shop for $10. I figured I could paint it up & use it in Evie's room. It looks so gross! I'm just not a fan of the purple/blue & pink thing, blerg!

Here is the finished product! Some leftover house paint, new handles from the hardware shop & leftover decals from our family room (which Evie put on herself!)

I now love this cupboard - very handy in the new room!

ps - I'll show you the rest of her room in a couple of days.

Mini Fashionista!

This is what Evie chose to wear today. Shock! Horror! It's not a dress!! This girl wears a dress every day, no matter the weather! I think she looks great! (of course she had a little help tying the fancy scarf, the one I was planning to wear today!)

We spared no expense with this outfit as you'll see:

Sparkly Scarf, thrifted - Free

Pink Singlet Top, Cotton On Kids - $4

Sparkly Leggings, Target - $3

'Wedding' Shoes, Kmart - $12

Girl with a wicked sense of style - Priceless