Saturday 28 April 2012

An early morning beachcombe

Finding stars in the sand and sand hills to climb. Lovely little mini holiday with family.

Friday 27 April 2012

Found Friday

This week gave us Anzac Day - a little mid week bonus day feeling like a weekend. I had great plans of baking Anzac cookies but an unexpected late night followed by an early morning wake up for the dawn service quashed my ambitions. I did however have some spirit of adventure. What we found this week? A new place to explore as a family, and my little man found a new place to run and run and run - there is nothing he loves more. We went for a walk along Avon and Nepean Dams and a stroll around the picnic grounds and while it felt like we had arrived at the whole of winter in one afternoon gusting at us it was pretty and quiet and we had a great time. Finding time together - the best find of all. (Thanks Craig for the pics)

 





Monday 23 April 2012

Pac-Man Serendipity

Today was one of those days. Not for any particular reason, it just was. I am not absolutely fond of my long drive to class at Enmore Design Centre on a Monday morning - an hour and a half there and an hour and half back - mostly parked or crawling forward but I do usually enjoy the opportunity it gives me to just be me - not a mum, not a student, not a domestic goddess (ha). I put on my, my music really loud and sing along really loudly and do that strange driving a car dance where you shake your head and tap along on the steering wheel - you know the one - dance like nobody but the guy in the ute in front looking in his rear view is watching!

But today was different. I was full of negative self talk and self doubt. I did enjoy the release of Florence and the Machine full volume and a good cry but as I was doing this I was also thinking how I was not being a good enough mum, student, friend, partner - insert any number of things here - and 3 hours is a long time to indulge this kind of thinking. It did however lead me to another thought - how negative self talk is like a little Pac-Man in your head eating a path through all your good thoughts and self confidence. It was a metaphor I was enjoying exploring in my mind (as I am want to do) when a little white hatchback driven by a P Plater overtook me on the left - mostly because I was diving too slowly as I daydreamed and should really have gotten over. No word of a lie this is what they had stuck to their bumper bar







I instantly smiled, then laughed and realised if I was going to indulge this metaphor then how could I possibly be scared of these thoughts when they were so cute and colourful, besides they are a game and to start again all you need to do is reboot. Reboot - on top of tomorrows to do list, and I might not be so hard on myself as I work through the rest of the items.

Friday 20 April 2012

Found Friday

This week was all about finding clothes for me (second hand of course) - not that I didn't look for other things, or for that matter went specifically looking for clothes it just sometimes turns out that way. Here are some of the new/old or old/new members of my wardrobe and below pictures of them with some current friends I imagine might keep them company.


Kimono style with just 2 of my endless supply of red beads


I was gifted this scarf below by my beautiful sister in-law (and friend) Sarah - right off her neck. I think I must have driven her mad with how many times I complemented her on it and she handed it over before she flew back home to Ireland - I don't know if I have ever rocked it as well as she did with her lovely flowing curls.


























This top reminded me of several horsey, stabley, buckley related scarves in my collection - I had hoped to show you them as well but alas they have been buried in the move - time to start digging for them and the rest of my winter wardrobe. I imagine this over black skinny jeans, a black polo neck with my red pointy flats - we will see if I pull this off.


























This hand knitted long vest is definitely a 70's esq colour palette. Here with the scarf I scored on my recent holidays (see Found Friday from 2 few weeks back) and the gorgeous mushroom brooch Craig gave to me some birthdays ago - it is from Elk - I love love love their stuff.




And so continues my spots, stripes and patterntastic joyfulness. As I said the other day, in my less than experienced fashion review Falling for pattern, I am no fashionista I am however a clothes and accessories addict - one day I will have the walk in wardrobe to match it and Craig can stop complaining about the floordrobe. A girl can dream can't she Carrie?

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Falling for pattern

I love patterned fabric - lots of different sorts - but especially geometric, graphic and bold. I am not however a great fashionista. I like clothes and I love dressing up (not that I get much opportunity these days - there are over 10 fab evening clutches in a suitcase desperate for an outing after at least 2 years of hibernation). I don't religiously follow the latest fashion trends, essentially I generally can't wear them, can't afford them and often am not sure I like them.  BUT - but - I do love being inspired on the odd occasion by something that I can translate, interpret and make my own - in terms of what to wear but even, and possibly more often, to translate into home decor.

So so so so - as you know I am mad about Pinterest. I love it because I don't have to follow fashion I just have to follow someone else who follows it. A few such people I follow started 'pinning' images from some of the Fall 2012 Ready to Wear shows of designers. These stopped me in my tracks and made me gasp with joy and delight at the pattern richness, colour and layering. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have and can be inspired to create your own 'collection' on your self or in your home.

Miu Miu
(full show here)



(full show here)

(full show here)
(rich pattern layered with chunky knits and crazy lady big hats - my official fashionista review. 
Apparently the hats are actually Dr Seuss inspired)


Saturday 14 April 2012

Found Friday

Apologies for the not so fashionably late FF.

This week I went finding closer to home - the garage in fact. I knew I had some hidden treasures I could bring in from the cold along the lines of my current obsession for the living space - yellow and variations upon. I didn't find the yellow and grey crochet blanket I want for the couch now it's getting cooler - I will have to dig deeper today.

Here, to my delight, is what I did uncover. A paisley cushion - to add to the mix, a knitted wall hanging - missing a hanger so I will have to fix that and last but not least this macrame pot hanger. I found it a little while ago however I am not generally one for indoor plants - especially in small spaces, ironically for me I find them too busy, but I am revisiting the idea as I found I had the perfect little pot and succulent already hiding amongst my other pots. I am quite pleased with it now hanging from the curtain rail.




Thursday 12 April 2012

Swing high

One of today's made me smile moments was when we went to the park this afternoon - me, my sister and our boys - and I saw a lady in her 70's swinging away on a swing and smiling from ear to ear. She wasn't with her grandkids, from what I could tell, she was there on her own and I thought why not? I know how much I still love swinging (in your end oh) and I hope I always will.

It made me think of this illustration and print I have seen by Marc Johns. Looking at his blog and his other illustrations he sure hasn't.

The simple things in life! A good reminder to me.


Wednesday 11 April 2012

Home grown inspiration

Looking around my parents garden I found inspiration everywhere - here are some snippets of my favourite things growing there (plus a flower that will never grow but it was made by my Dad and is beautiful none the less). There is so much more and I was lucky enough to come back with home grown pumpkins and sweet potato plus my mums awesome choko pickles. I also scored chilly jam, quince paste, chillies, tomato seeds and ginger plants from a friends farm. Now I really have to get cracking on that veggie garden as I have a head start with the above plus pumpkin and marigold seeds and potted herbs from Mum and Dad. Nature really does do it best - I hope I can do it justice in my own patch of dirt.


Sunday 8 April 2012

Happy Easter

Happy Easter




















I didn't eggxactly have the time to do these myself this year but here are my favourite Easter inspirations from Pinterest

I better hop to it next year

xo




















Friday 6 April 2012

Found Friday

Well I haven't found as much time for finding as I would have liked on holiday - nor time for anything else - where did it all go? I have fit in a few swims and beach walks, an early morning river stroll with the first chills of autumn, some great catch ups with old friends and a revisit of some favourite finding haunts (my jollys further afield will have to wait for the next visit as Easter festivities take over for the rest of my time here).

I did manage to find some great fabric remnants - 2 are big enough to probably warrant a little more respect than that

Here they are in my folks backyard - perched on their found object bean trellis. The one on the left is a grey, purple, orange and turquoise chinoiserie fabric featuring foo dogs like the ceramic turquoise ones I am fond of - like these at Ada & Darcy

The middle is an 80's esque multicoloured pattern that grabbed my eye and I hope to use in some pattern clash cushion creations. Lastly sunny yellow diagonal stripes - so 70's Swedish - my yellow obsession for the new loungeroom continues.
























I also fond this sweet handpainted doily





















While we are on the subject of my folks garden I love this other bean trellis made from bed springs - I think I know where I get this from. I have been snapping away at all their plants as well and will show you the inspiration I have found in pots and planters some time next week. Off to catch some zzz's now to enjoy the bagpiping tomorrow. Ooh I feel a tartan feature coming on - Vivienne Westwood wallpaper anyone?