See Me Everywhere

Happy Birthday Boys.

2012-02-12T08:15:00.000+13:00

I absolutely love celebrating birthdays! It's such an exciting time of the year that is all about YOU! And today, I get to share in
on the two boys', that are so dear to me, birthday celebrations...that is my husband and his twin brother!

So Happy Birthday Neil & Trevor, you guys make life a happy place :) Love you guys so much and life seriously wouldn't be the same without you!
(For most of you who don't know them, Neil is left above and Trevor is right)

Oh and can I just say, don't you just love it when you spend hours trying to bake the most perfect cake and it actually WORKS?? I wanted to cry after I finished icing their cake, as my cakes never turn out this way! Hah, now I especially cannot wait for the next birthday so I can try another cake! :)

Revealing the Tote.

2012-02-09T07:44:00.000+13:00

I so happy and excited to finally being able to share these goodies with you!

Introducing the See Me Everywhere Tote bags!

If you have been following my blog for a while, you would know I have been waiting for the day to make a start and open my own shop filled with self-designed creations. I found that I have a big passion for screen printing, so near the end of last year decided to invest in my own frames and equipment. It has been a process to find the time to actually invest into this, as screen printing by hand can take a while and a lot of patience is required. But it is so much fun when you see your designs come to life, it's worth the time and effort!

So I am glad to be sharing with you all that I have the You & Me and the You Had Me At Hello (featured above) totes for sale here! Limited stock for my first run of stock, so get in quick (just in time for Valentine's Day)! I will be working at creating some new product and reruns of the same designs in the next month, so keep your eyes open :)

Also, thank you my lovely friend Amanda for helping me put these shots together!

Ring o' Rosie.

2012-02-06T12:32:00.000+13:00

Dress - Modcloth l Shoes - Wildpair l Watch - DKNY l Bracelet - Me Collection l Bag - Asos

I've never really been a fan of the colour red - sure it's got some great connotations for love, passion and other strong emotions - however, I've just never managed to wear red and be happy with it. That was until I spotted this cute little number on Modcloth and couldn't resist giving it go. And I can safely say that I am happy I did! With the cute flower patterns and the adorable collar, it's quickly become a favourite of mine.

I suppose you never know for sure whether you like something or not until you try it! :)
- that goes out especially to my husband, try new foods! ;)

Beauty.

2012-02-02T08:19:00.000+13:00

Yesterday as I was exploring the internet for some inspiration for a post today, I couldn't help but notice the incredible variety and range in expressions of fashion and beauty. For so many years it feels like society is trying to box in that definition of beauty and for so many the striving to get to it has come at great costs. I myself sometimes feel pulled to certain styles and fashions purely because it's the popular thing to do at the time and not because it necessarily suits me. But finally I feel like there is a crack appearing in this system and people are becoming way more expressive with their perception of beauty and I think it's such a wonderful thing. Now you can follow blogs of people that have taken a step out and expressed themselves in their own styles, in all kinds of shapes & sizes, colour, and with or without body piercings or tattoos.

I am not one to normally write too much on the blog, but I just felt it on my heart to encourage you to not just follow trends and styles of what you see on the internet or telivision, but rather create your own! A happy woman is way more beautiful than a superficial depressed one. Which is why I had a play yesterday with this photo taken by Tasha and super-imposed a quote over the top.

"Beauty is whatever gives joy."

- Edna St. Vincent Millay

It sounds awfully cliche, but don't just try and fit "the mold", you are worth so much more than that :)

Recent Snaps

2012-01-30T08:27:00.000+13:00

Thought I would share some recent memories the husband and I made, enjoying every moment of being together and
summer time. Even though I must say the film for one of these Instax Mini cameras can be quite dear, it so is worth it just
to gather a few fond memories on these adorable poloroid-like film. I will need to stop borrowing cameras off friends and start adding these lovely ones to my own collection :)

For the love of Holga.

2012-01-23T21:51:00.001+13:00

I am very excited to be sharing my first roll from the Holga 135BC. So glad for friends who have gorgeous Lomography cameras too so we can swap cameras and have a play :) And I am super happy that I did have the opportunity to try out the Holga 135BC, as I am now totally and utterly in love with it and sold on getting one myself!

Keeping my eyes on these two puppies, the lovely Daydream Lily inspired Holga designed by Liss in collaboration with Element Eden, or the Jack Edition Holga (which is my favourite colour at the moment, Orange!).

You can have a looksie on my flickr for other Holga snaps :)

We ♥ Wellington: Highlights

2012-01-20T12:53:00.001+13:00

It's been lovely going through all our hundreds of photos this past week and look back on our experience. So I thought it best to summarize our highlights in case any of you lovely folk every manage to do a trip down to Wellington.

♥ Staying at the Amora Hotel
♥ Dinner at Hummingbird (amazing staff, amazing food and they've won a ton of awards!)
♥ Having drinks at The Library - a reading room & lounge bar, whilst enjoying some awesome live jazz music (pictures 1, 2, 3)
♥ Touring through the Weta Caves and seeing props like swords, knives and guns from movies such as Lord of the Rings, District 9 and Narnia (a-mazing!)
♥ Checking out the Old Bank Shopping Arcade - beautiful shops!!
♥ Going to the City Art Gallery and checking out their latest exhibition Prospect
♥ Enjoying dancing and a night out at Mighty Mighty

♥ Having a drink and relaxing on the bean bags at St John's on the waterfront (picture 4)
♥ Exploring Cuba Street with all it's wonderful and eccentric shops (picture 5)
♥ Milkshakes & tea at Martha's Pantry - best milkshakes in town! (picture 6)
♥ Walking through the magnificent Te Papa Museum - incredible! (picture 7)
♥ Dinner & drinks at Southern Cross - awesome garden bar!
♥ Wandering along the Harbour and enjoying the art installations around town

I won't be able to post all the photos we have taken over that past week, but if you want to see any more, make sure you go check out my flickr :)

Happy weekend friends! Don't forget today is the last day to enter the Wolf Cub Giveaway :)

We ♥ Wellington: Art & Culture.

2012-01-19T11:19:00.000+13:00

I know I am still raving about Wellington, but there is definitely much to rave about! (I am going easy on you...you should see how many photos we actually have!) For Neil and I the thing about Wellington that really captured our hearts was the Art & Culture (which can be seen, heard and tasted in every facet of this City) that is so evidently featured throughout the place. From the beautiful art installations, to crafty cafe decor, everything creates this beautiful organic culture that is Wellington. The culture & its people promote and encourage individuality, which makes it so easy for anyone to fit in!

We ♥ Wellington: Coolest Spot In Town

2012-01-17T06:00:00.002+13:00

One thing I love about Wellington, is the diversity in it's people, shops and cafes. The Maranui Cafe would have had to be one of the coolest spots in town for us! It is based right on the beach in Lyall Bay and very close to the airport (worth a stop on your way to/from your flights). The decor, which is to the same theme as the Surf Life Saving Club, the awesome atmosphere, the beautiful views and the divine food makes this place what it is. If you are anything like Neil and love milkshakes, you definitely have to try theirs!!

The place gets pretty packed (as you can tell, it's a popular place for many) so make sure if you are heading there for lunch, you get in a bit earlier and score yourself a seat by the window that looks out over the ocean - pretty epic view! I would go there daily if I could :)

We ♥ Wellington

2012-01-16T06:00:00.002+13:00

Neil and I have returned from our amazing getaway in the Coolest Little Capital, Wellington City. It was with somewhat of a heavy heart that we had to leave this beautiful place on Saturday, as our stay was definitely not long enough - but at least I can say it was long enough to explore some great sights & sounds, meet some incredible locals and enjoy some amazing dining. A big shout out to Bryn from Absolutely Positively Wellington for setting us up here, being our guide and sharing his awesome knowledge about Wellington :)

We have managed to fall in love with this City in just a few days and have too many photos to share in just one post, so Neil and I have decided to use this next week to share some of the awesome places we have visited and recommend some of the best restaurants, cafes and attractions.

Starting with the Amora Hotel where we stayed at. This beautiful hotel is situated right in the centre of the CBD, overlooking the harbour and Te Papa Museum (we definitely had the best views in town!) and offered us nothing but style and comfort. I can't help but comment on the friendliness of the staff (especially in the lounge where we were served breakfast and pre-dinner drinks and canapes) as they made our stay so enjoyable. This will be a returning spot for us, for sure!

And being so close to the harbour, we made daily visits along the wharf - including a mandatory stop at the ice-cream shop of coarse!

I am so excited to be sharing more with you tomorrow - especially the restaurants and cafes! There's nothing like enjoying good food whilst on holiday! :)

Hope you all had an enjoyable weekends as well x

GIVEAWAY: Wolf Cub ♥ {CLOSED}

2012-01-13T06:00:00.001+13:00

Without further adieu, I am please to present to you the first giveaway for the new year! And I couldn't be happier with it, my love for flower crowns and jewellery is growing as so many of you would know, so I am happy to be sharing the love with you!

Wolf Cub is a collection of beautifully arranged headpieces and jewellery, made from vintage, pre-loved and new materials, giving every pieces a unique flavour and character. Made here in New Zealand, Wolf Cub offers a range of product for every occasion at very reasonable prices and ship both local and internationally.

The lovely Lucy from Wolf Cub has kindly offered one lucky reader the chance to win a $40 voucher from her store - which means you can pick from nearly everything in store!

To enter this giveaway:
1. Head over to Wolf Cub's page and 'like'
2. Leave a comment below with your email address so I can contact the winner
3. Share this giveaway on facebook, twitter or your blog and leave a separate comment below and add the link

This giveaway is open both national & international readers and you have until the 20th January to enter!

Enjoy!

On the Road.

2012-01-12T05:30:00.000+13:00

It is with excitement and anticipation that I share this post with you today! Neil and I are on our way to Wellington for the weekend, to enjoy the art & culture, good food & accomodation and explore every sweet little nook & cranny around the city. I am equipped with enough clothes to accommodate for anything the weather decides to throw our way, as well as a range of cameras that will be used to capture every moment of our trip.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Wellington, hang on tight, next week I will be sharing every little detail about where to go for coffee, dinner, attractions and sweet spots that's worth your while.

I have a little treat in store for you tomorrow as well (shhh...first giveaway this year), so make sure you pop around then :)

Sweet Tooth.

2012-01-11T06:00:00.002+13:00

Photography by Elizabeth from Weepy Hollow.

There's nothing I would like more at the moment than to sink my teeth into a warm soft brioche, a creamy cool ice-cream or eating the dough out of the bowl of some freshly baked batch of cookies. But alas, I am refraining from all these sweet treats for the time being. Instead I shall be dreaming of baking some cupcakes and intricate puddings. Oh Summer, such a great motivation to get healthy!

Anyone have any recommendations for sweet treats that is not filled with sugar or artificial flavours, I would love you forever! Especially if it is something I can make/bake myself :)

Motivated.

2012-01-10T06:00:00.002+13:00

The last couple of days I have turned a new leaf and for the first time in quite a while, I feel motivated and inspired again! For any creatives, when you are stuck in a hole of being uninspired, it could lead to a creative death and end your dreams. Which is why I am making every moment count! I have my diary, blank notebook and books on hand at all time - as soon as a word, image, phrase etc. comes to mind, I document it straight away. I have goals, ideas and dreams that I am hoping will flight this year :)

Here's to a new year of being motivated!

Hello Sunshine...?

2012-01-09T06:00:00.002+13:00

A little bit ironic for me to be posting such lovely Summery photos (which was taken about a month or two ago) when in fact we are having the saddest Summer weather that I have seen in a very long time :( Days of rain without ceasing, cold weather and not a blue sky to be spotted. And it's supposed to be Summer?! Well here's to me hoping and praying that we may see a bit of sunshine the rest of Summer!

The husband and I have a very exciting trip coming up this week (which will be shared in full detail next week) so I have my fingers crossed that the weather clears up for it. However, come sun or rain, we are going to be having an incredible time!

Our Paper Shop.

2012-01-07T16:43:00.000+13:00

If it wasn't for Twitter and the lovely Carissa (blog) that tweeted the launch of this amazing online shop, it would have taken me a lot longer to find this beautiful little gem, Our Paper Shop. This gorgeous online shop is dedicated to anything to do with paper, stationary and beautiful designs. A very inspiring little store that will be bookmarked in my favourites for sure!

Happy Four.

2012-01-04T18:12:00.000+13:00

Four years ago today, was one of the happiest days of my life when I committed my life, in front of our friends, family and God, to my best friend. It was the easiest choice I have ever had to make when I said Yes to marrying Neil - I had no doubt in my mind :) There's no one that can make me laugh like him, smile like him, be happy like him. I know it is awfully cheesy, but this is the one post every year I get to boast about my amazing husband.

Love you Neil ♥

Looking Back.

2012-01-03T14:17:00.000+13:00

Twenty Twelve.
Two words that contain so much hope and excitement. There's a new bounce in my step as I look towards this year with optimism and relief. For many Twenty Eleven was a somewhat tough, challenging and a down right crappy year (to put it plainly). I am included. It has been hard in more ways than one, and I am sure everyone has experienced some of these knocks of life. But as the clock struck Twelve on December Thirty First, I decided not to let any emotional baggage drag into the new year. What's done is done, in the past and time to make the best of your situation. Really, there's not anything significantly different about Twenty Twelve, it's just another year. There's still the same seasons, the same days in the week, the same hours per day, but it's that conscious choice we make to say This is going to be a new year, and a good year.

I thank God daily for the amazing family & friends that I am so blessed with! There is so much love in my life for these people!! And despite the days of concern, there HAS been some amazing moments in Twenty Eleven, which I am so grateful to have experienced. I promise, totally not my intention to make this a depressing post about all the sad things from last year, but to remember the good.So here's to all the amazing events from last year!

♥ We welcomed to our little family our darling bunny, Flopsy.
♥ Started working with the most awesome people in the world.
♥ Enjoyed the evening with some awesome friends, at the Diana World Tour.
♥ Saw my brother get married in Fiji and enjoyed a lovely family holiday there.
♥ Went to New Zealand Fashion Week and enjoyed the Ruby & Liam collection.
♥ A weekend at the snow.

♥ Had a season of enjoying a lot of weddings!
♥ Enjoyed my first ever wander around the Auckland Craft Fair.
♥ Had an awesome festive Christmas & enjoyed making my first ever gingerbread house.

So with that said, cheers to the year ahead! And to start of this year, Neil and I get to share four years of marriage tomorrow! :) How time flies! So definitely going to be making the most of every moment this year, whether it be good or bad, happy or sad.

Happy wishes to you all for this new year x

Inspired for DIY.

2011-12-22T08:20:00.000+13:00

I have some very talented friends you know. My friend Tori (we met back in our studying days) has an incredibly awesome blog Voyages of the Creative Variety and posted this amazing DIY Christmas ornaments on there recently. I absolutely love modern Christmas trees & decorations and I think this definitely takes the cake for most creative too. Next year I will plan our tree in advance and make sure to make a few decorations of my own! You can check out her tutorial here.

Only3 more days till Christmas! x

Those Christmas Lights.

2011-12-20T09:12:00.000+13:00

Okay, seriously, I love Christmas! Everything about it!

Sunday night we had a lovely dinner with the Thomas' and decided to head out to the Temple Lights later on in the evening. I know people get over doing the same thing every year, or seeing the exact same decorations as previous years, but the joy that hits you when those lights turn on is too overwhelming to resist! I got a bit too excited when the lights came on (you can go see the outtakes on my facebook page hah!) that I must have scared some people behind me. Oh well, this only happens once a year, better make the most of the season!

We ♥ Holidays.

2011-12-19T09:51:00.000+13:00

This past weekend, Neil and I, together with our family headed over to the beach for the weekend. And how glorious it was to get away for a mini-holiday before the busiest week in retail will hit this week. Eventhough the weather was not very pleasant, we still managed to head out to the Matakana Markets on Saturday morning and experience the smells, tastes and atmosphere of this beautiful area. They had such a great selection of cheeses, spices, wines, breads and salamis, it was hard to not be tempted! Beautiful little boutique stores were also found around every corner, and my mouth was drooling when we came upon a darling little bookstore which I managed to spend a lot of time in, letting my fingers trace the spines of nearly every book.

And this is not even to mention the Brookview Tea House we went past on our way back to the car. Now THIS was truelly beautiful and totally true to it's name! It was actually a little house that had tables and teacups in every room and left you free to choose a little spot to gather in, with an amazing selection of different teas available for purchase as well.

Like I mentioned, the weather wasn't the greatest, but at least we managed to have a stroll down the beach on the first day and take some snaps. If only it was warm enough to swim!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend as well! x

Celebrating Christmas: The Gingerbread House.

2011-12-13T10:46:00.000+13:00

With only 12 days left to go till Christmas (WOW!) we are well and truelly getting into the festive spirit this year! Earlier this year, Amanda and I decided this will be the first year we build and decorate Gingerbread Houses together. So on Sunday we started out on the task to bake and build our little houses from scratch. And just look at the finished product! A bit rough around the edges, but it just screams out FUN!

For any of you that are keen to build your own houses from scratch, here are a few tips I would leave you with from our experience:

1. Read the recipe a few days before you start! You may need to leave your dough in the fridge for a few hours, so plan ahead.
2. When you roll out your dough to be cut into shapes, don't roll it out too thick!
3. When you roll out your dough to be cut into shapes, don't roll it out too thin! Hah, it's a bit of a guessing game really - too thick takes ages to bake, too thin won't support your house and may crack.
4. After baking your separate pieces to build the house with, make sure it cools down completely before you start putting it together - the icing may melt, and your pieces may still be too soft (the colder they are, the harder and more stable they become).
5. The more lollies, jellies, candy canes and sweet treats you have the better!
6. Research some houses for decoration ideas - you can get pretty stumped if you don't have a bit of an idea of what you would like it to look like.
7. Decorate your walls, roof, door etc BEFORE you assemble - it is much easier to decorate while pieces are lying flat.
8. Have a friend help you assemble - the more hands you have to hold up walls, the safer and studier your house will be.
9. Use a quick cooling, hard icing to help assemble pieces.
10. Have cans ready to put on either side of the walls to help support structure until icing is hard.
11. Make sure you have enough patience! We didn't believe the recipe when it said "Alow up to 3 days to complete house", but really, if you are building from scratch you probably want to do that!

The icing recipe we used was perfect! So for those who would like to try, would recommend this icing:

2x egg whites
2 2/3 cups icing sugar
Whisk egg whites until light and fluffy, and slowly start adding icing sugar until icing becomes thicker and stiff.

Fun! Alright, well that's a new Christmas tradition we have started! Oh how I love Christmas!

Auckland Art & Craft Fair.

2011-12-12T06:00:00.003+13:00

A range of pretties found at the Foxes stall.

Too many gorgeous flower crowns to choose from over at Wolf Cub.

Hunter Gatherer displaying their collection of jewellery, cards and more.

Walking home with my favourite Bird In a Bunny Suit print.

What an entertaining weekend this has been! A group of us made our way along to the Auckland Art & Craft Fair on Saturday, held at the Aotea Centre and what a treat it was! As my first time at the fair, I wasn't sure what to expect, but was definitely impressed by the turn out! I found it to be such a unique and lovely event to display so many people's creativity and I must say, left feeling rather inspired myself. It was fantastic to see the talent that is hidden all over New Zealand, displayed for showcase at this event. Great exposure for smaller, independant businesses and make a way into the market. All in all, I absolutely loved it and will be looking forward to the next fair!

Jess (from Foxes) and Kylie did such a fantastic job at organising this event, so big ups for all the hard work and effort put into this! We are grateful for the work you have done so we could attend such an awesome event :)

Flower Crown Love.

2011-12-08T06:00:00.003+13:00

Flower Crown c/o Neverland Collective.

This is by far going to be my most worn item this Summer! I am absolutely and utterly in love with this little beauty from Neverland Collective (thanks Claire!). And with Christmas and it's festivities on the way, I will have plenty of opportunities to wear it. Sometimes I wish this Christmas Season would be longer, there's just so much to fit in - starting this weekend it will be non-stop partying, with Christmas parties, birthdays and the Auckland Craft Fair. Loving every moment!

Start of Summer.

2011-12-06T06:00:00.002+13:00

This weekend I had the pleasure of joining in on a true Garden Party hosted for all the ladies in our church. It was such a lovely event that marked the end of the year for the women's events, as well as the start of Summer. And as a part of the graphic design work I do, I have the honour of designing signage, cards and advertising for such special events and work alongside some incredibly creative people - watch this space, our awesome events coordinator will be starting up a blog very soon, you will be swooning over the events she's put together!! And just look how it all came together!

Love!

Bows & Bandits A/W.

2011-11-30T06:00:00.002+13:00

Can I just say big ups to this incredible Austrain vintage brand Bows & Bandits! I've had my eye on them these last couple of months (like here), and I cannot help but just be in awe in the way that they photographically capture their lookbooks. This latest Autumn/Winter lookbook just had me dazzled! They capture a true and authentic atmosphere which is just so well marketed considering it's vintage. Well done indeed! Beautiful clothes and beautiful imagery makes for a wonderful campaign.

A Little Christmas Freebie.

2011-11-28T09:02:00.000+13:00

Okay friends!
As you know Christmas is fast approaching, and if you are anything like me, I do really struggle not only to come up with ideas for others, but also when I get asked what I would like...I have no idea! So I've started making lists as I think of ideas and thought it quite handy to make a little "wishlist" card to write down some gift ideas. You can see I've already started doing my wishlist (which the husband will find quite handy!) and tonight I shall be giving Neil his to fill out too.

Since we are getting into the Christmas Spirit, I've made this a little freebie for everyone! You are more than welcome to use it for yourself to fill out, or to hand it out to those ones you struggle with getting gift ideas!

Download your wishlist here.

Please note, this file is for personal use only and cannot be distributed commercially. If you wish to use this on your blog/site, please credit me and include a link to my site. Thank you to all those in advance that are kind enough to blog about this little entry, always appreciated :)

Enjoy my friends!

Gentlemen's Corner

2011-11-25T10:49:00.000+13:00

Matchbook Leather Bill Holder from Jack Spade.
Cinnamon Bow Tie from Forage.
NYC Slim Suit from Kings of Carnaby.
Pyramid Ring from Stolen Girlfriend's Club.
Zespy Pants from I Love Ugly.
Loyal Check Boxer from jac5.
Vintage Horse Bookends from Rawspace.

When it comes to Christmas shopping, I always seem to fail horribly with ideas for the gentlemen! In the past it used to be a toss up between CD/DVDS and music vouchers, but this year I am determined to find something a bit different, a bit quirky and a bit classy. Thank goodness for the amazing online shops you find these days, I've seemed to bookmark quite a few pieces which would be quite suitable. With a range of items, from underwear (always a favourite on the wishlist - and these are particularly classy!) to something fancy like the suit or the casual and cool zespy pants, I hope I may have given you some ideas too, as I am sure I am not the only girl that struggles with gifts for the boys!

Good luck ladies!

Happy Thanksgiving.

2011-11-24T12:14:00.000+13:00

Image One. Image Two.

No one who achieves success does so without the help of others.
The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.
-Alfred North Whitehead

Even though we don't generally celebrate Thanksgiving here in New Zealand, I love the idea of it! So tonight Neil and I are having a Thanksgiving meal with Amanda and Jeremy ....just without the turkey unfortunately!

So thanksful for:

♥ Grace

♥ Friendship

♥ Opportunities

♥ Adventures

♥ Love

♥Compassion

The Summer of Garden Parties.

2011-11-22T22:24:00.000+13:00

If you are living in the Southern Hemisphere, you would be sharing in my excitement for Summer that is fast approaching! Which means time to celebrate, get outside and soak up the sun! Came across this splendid idea for a garden party via Desiree Spinner Events, doesn't it just look so stunning? Absolutely love the bright splashes of colour that is used throughout the decor and refreshments. Hmmm...I think I definitely need to plan for a big backyard in my future home, to make little garden parties like these possible :) Time to start planning!

We ♥ Date Nights.

2011-11-21T06:00:00.002+13:00

There's nothing that I love and appreciate more than having a good date night. Doesn't need to be anything fancy, extravagant or expensive, just as long as there is food involved and quality time. After a week of having the husband away for work, I thought it a great idea to prepare his favourite meal and a little picnic for when he returns. And such a treat it was! Homemade Chicken Laksa, movies and little Flopsy that was all to eager to join in on the evening too, made for a very welcome return for Neil. Love doing all things with these two :)

Triple Word Score.

2011-11-18T17:30:00.000+13:00

1. Scrabble Cufflinks 2. Scrabble Espresso Set 3. Scrabble Pillows 3. Scrabble Rings

It's taking over the world! All that cuteness that comes in a little ol' Scrabble tile is just too much to handle sometimes :) I'm thinking that perhaps for Christmas this year, it might be a good idea to invest in a Scrabble set so the husband and I can be an old married couple together and sit outside in the sun and enjoy a game or two.

Celebrating Creative Spaces: Jessica Hische

2011-11-16T17:32:00.000+13:00

Jessica Hische is one of my favourite typographers, illustrators, designers...So it should not come as a shock to you that I hunted down to find some snapshots of her creative space and apartment :) And I love, love, love! Creative people have such awesome houses! I especially love the chalkboard wall in her office - I can imagine that would come in quite handy for taking notes for jobs, deadlines, drawing some inspiration, or wasting time and doodling all over the wall (which is probably what I would end up doing!).

Without You.

2011-11-15T09:35:00.000+13:00

Photography by Elizabeth Spence.

"If you live to be a hundred, I hope I live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you."

-Winnie the Pooh.

Outfit Inspiration.

2011-11-14T06:00:00.002+13:00

Okay, so can I just say I have the bestest and hottest friends in the world! These last few months I have realized just what a big part of my life they have become and how much we share together.

When I saw my gorgeous friend, Sone from Polli post this lovely outfit, I couldn't help but fall in love! So this outfit I am wearing is totally inspired by her! Thank you Sone! :)

In the next couple of days I will be sharing a little freebie with you all, so getting excited for revealing it! And now that I have said it, I am obliged to actually get it done, hah!

Stolen Girlfriend's Club.

2011-11-07T18:50:00.000+13:00

How exciting it was to find Stolen Girlfriend's Club in all their glory, now online! I've mostly in the been loving on their amazing jewellery range, however I must say now that their clothing's online, there are a few pieces that's stolen my heart already - especially the pattern on that maxi skirt!

Oh You Pretty Things.

2011-11-03T18:00:00.002+13:00

Market HQ Lookbook: Oh You Pretty Things.
Model: Milli @ Agency Models
Photography and Creative Direction: Kaycie Smith
Hair and Makeup: Desiree Wise @ Network Agency
Styling: Georgie Hilton

Don't you just love it when you scroll down your facebook homepage and then suddenly you get smacked in the face with stunning photos from one of your likes? Which is how I fell in love with this summer lookbook from Market HQ Oh You Pretty Things:

Taking a night on the town from daylight to dusk and beyond... A sultry hot mess covered from head to toe in washed out brights, textured detail and exaggerated prints. Strapless, sleeveless, side-splits and sequins. Layers of luxe lace and sensational sheer lengths complete a night of never-ending hotness.

Love everything from the clothes to the styling! And definitely gets me inspired for some summer outfits!

These Days Are Magical.

2011-11-02T22:10:00.000+13:00

Photography by Angela Stella.

Today I found these images to be an escape, a fantasy, a memory of a place and a time. I love that about photos, that it can stir such an emotion and that it is different for every person.

Well I actually cannot believe it is November already. This year has just absolutely flown by! Which is why sometimes it's worth it to stop and look around... appreciate what is, what was and what will be and especially to remember These Days Are Magical.

So make the most of it!

Maria Kazvan.

2011-10-25T20:01:00.000+13:00

Photography by Maria Kazvan.

Loving this photography by Maria Kazvan! It's funny, these pictures remind of the beautiful saturated wintery hues which is just beautiful, however we are moving into the summer months so really it is the complete opposite to what we are experiencing right now.

Had our first weekend away at the beach last weekend and it was a welcome relief to see the seaside with it's beautiful shores again. Pity it was still a bit too cold for a swim, but I've got my hopes high for some swimming action in the near future!

New Additions.

2011-10-24T06:00:00.001+13:00

Brown Feather Ring. Brown Feather Bracelet. Brown Feather Necklace.

The best part of working in our little shop is trying on the newest additions as they land in store. One of my favourite designer brands, A&C, had their latest collections come in these last two weeks and I have been drooling over the Brown Feather collection! So hard to resist taking these pieces home with me!

We ♥ Weddings

2011-10-15T14:06:00.000+13:00

Oh my, weddings! It's that time of the year where love is blossoming and we have been very honoured to attend a couple of weddings these last few weeks of some amazing friends and family. Marriage is such a beautiful thing and I feel incredibly special to be a witness to an beautiful union between to these people.

This particular wedding was in the chapel where nearly four years ago, I married the man of my dreams. I must say, it was incredible to have the memories flood back from our special day and made me realise how far we have come and how much we still have to look forward to.

Also, I must say a special thanks to my lovely Amanda for always letting me raid her wardrobe and steal outfits for special days like these!

Imagine.

2011-10-13T06:00:00.000+13:00

Photography by Annette Pehrsson.

Imagination is the spark that ignites ideas and sets futures on it's course.
It's the life source for all dreamers...

Which is why I love these photos by Annette Pehrsson. It leaves room for your imagination to create scenarios for each photo and investigate the emotion felt by each character in the shot.

Little Treasure Box.

2011-10-12T06:00:00.002+13:00

Photography by Jeska from Lobster & Swan.

This lovely house just made my day! Jeska's house is a little treasure box full of gorgeous finds and sweet trinkets. You can find way more photos of some sweet corners in her home on her flickr page, but thought I would just share a few of my favourites.

Winter is Over.

2011-10-11T06:00:00.002+13:00

Photography by Anna.

Winter is over; the winter rains are over, gone!
Spring flowers are in blossom all over.

The whole world's a choir—and singing!
Spring warblers are filling the forest with sweet arpeggios.
Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed,

and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms.

Song of Solomon 2:11-12

Wedding Bells.

2011-10-10T10:02:00.000+13:00

This has most certainly been a somewhat emotional weekend for me (I definitely inherited my emotions from my mother!). We have an extremely close knit family, so when Neil's twin brother got engaged to one of my greatest friends, I knew it was going to be an emotional journey, as I love them both so dearly. Everything on the day was absolutely perfect! The venue, the weather and the beautiful couple. Couldn't resist capturing a few snaps of these incredible cherry blossoms, so Neil and I quickly got away in between taking photos and mingling with friends to enjoy this scenery.

Through Her Eyes.

2011-10-05T06:00:00.002+13:00

I have been so fascinated with photographer Nirrimi lately.

Her blog We Live Young has me dreaming of traveling Europe and experiencing all kinds of sights & sounds. It's so fascinating seeing the world through her eyes, especially as her blog takes a 'behind the scenes' view point and captures places they travel through on their photography trips. Definitely worth a read through!

Celebrating Creative Spaces: Fabian Barral

2011-10-04T06:00:00.000+13:00

If you are a graphic designer, or involved in some other creative industry, there is no doubt that you would already be acquainted with Fabian Barral from Graphic Exchange. I have been a fan of Fabian's design blog (and his own work) for some years now, as there is always the most inspiring of work on there. But just this weekend I discovered this set of photos from his office space. I absolutely love seeing people's work spaces, as it's so interesting to see what different people surround themselves with daily and what inspires them in their office.

Ten Things.

2011-10-03T09:35:00.000+13:00

Sometimes in this online world that we live in, I have to stop and think whether what I am posting and saying is really me, or if it's just the "thing to say or do". So I decided today I will actually share some things which you probably don't know about me. Just so you know, well, yeah, I am real :)

Ten things you probably didn't know about me

♥ I don't like the texture of fruit
♥ I got married at 19 to my high school sweetheart
♥ I have lived in New Zealand the past 10 years, but originally from South Africa
♥ After nearly 4 years of being married, we're still living in a simple, cosy home till we can invest in a house
♥ I love Jesus. He makes me super excited about life!
♥ When I was young, I wanted to be an astronomist
♥ I like having maple syrup & cheese on my french toast
♥ I really want to learn the flute again - used to play when I was young
♥ I have seen the Foo Figthers live twice already, third time will be in December
♥ There's nothing more that I value than the relationship with my family & friends

So there you go, ten things you probably didn't know about me!
Now your turn, I'd love to know some things about YOU!

Bitter Sweet Memories.

2011-09-29T06:00:00.004+13:00

Photography by Nicole from Gary Pepper Vintage.

Reminiscing back to NZFW a couple of weeks ago, and had a good look through the lovely Nicole's photos from her experience. The show that really stood out to me most, was that of the incredible Juliette Hogan, (who I have posted about before, here) a very talented designer who's work I truelly admire. She creates such delicate and femine designs, that you cannot resist! I will be sure to keep a look out for her collection Bitter Sweet Memories that was featured at New Zealand Fashion Week this year.

Room Love.

2011-09-27T06:00:00.002+13:00

Images of Kara Haupt from I Just Might Explode, found via Down and Out Chic.

This room just makes me so happy that I couldn't resist sharing it as well. It has everything that I would love in my own room/office:

A to-do list (this is a must!)
A pretty desk
Shelf for books
Creative storage space
And of coarse, wall art

This will all have to come in due time, when we find our perfect home and transform it into our own little haven. Cannot wait!

It's a Man's World.

2011-09-26T06:00:00.000+13:00

Image 1 and 5 Bobby Hicks from This Fellow. Image 2, 3 and 4 Salasai '11-'12 Collection.

Image 6 and 7 Federation Summer Collection.

With the end of the year sneaking up and the husband almost finishing his studies, I have been on the lookout for some really nice outfits that we can invest in for him, as he will be stepping into a new job next year (yay!). And as a wifey, I love dressing him up more than what I enjoy buying clothes for myself (don't know if that's normal, but I just love a nicely dressed man)! So for anyone interested, here are just a few of my latest fashion inspirations for the husband :)

Apartment of Silke Neumann.

2011-09-23T06:00:00.000+12:00

Imagery of Sulke Neumann's apartment, Freunde von Freunden.

Freunde von Freunden is a fantastic place to find living and working spaces of creatives all across the globe, and is a regular visit of mine (see this and this). Which is how I found this gorgeous Berlin apartment of Agency owner, Sulke Neumann. Can I just say how jealous her book collection is making me??

M.I.A

2011-09-22T09:02:00.000+12:00

Photography by Ponyrock.

Hello friends, I apologise for my lack of posts lately. I must say I have gone MIA these last two weeks and just really needed a break to get my head straight and get some work done! As you all know, there is a life outside of the blogosphere and sometime it just catches up on you. But hopefully in the next two weeks everything will be back to normal and I shall be way more active in checking out your blogs as well (I have so much catching up to do!).

I have also had the time to think long and hard about I actually want to do with this blog, so you may start to see a few changes here and there :) Hope you have all had a lovely couple of weeks, I've missed you! x

A whole lot of sweetness.

2011-09-12T06:00:00.003+12:00

Colour! Oh my love for colour is growing as the days are getting sunnier and warmer! Honestly, I am most comfortable wearing black and white...or even go as far as off-white or beige hah! But I really do want to try some colour this year and be wild and put beautiful shades together like Shan from Tiny Toad Stool. Don't these outfits just make you happy? Styled so incredibly well which makes me excited to have a go this Summer!

And so it starts.

2011-09-09T07:38:00.000+12:00

(miwaramone)

Well friends, I am signing off for the weekend, as I know it will be a busy one unfortunately. I suppose it's not a "bad" busy, but an exciting one. I think we are pretty much having a braai (BBQ) every night this weekend in celebration of the Rugby World Cup - which seems to have taken over New Zealand currently. There's quite a buzz in the atmosphere, as you see buildings covered in different nationality's flags, cars that have flags on in support of their teams and just the extra bounce in people's steps. So I am off to enjoy every moment of these first matches!

Hope you all have amazing things planned for the weekend!

Recent Snaps.

2011-09-08T06:00:00.000+12:00

Yesterday I finally managed to pick up my most recent film from the Diana Mini I got developed. I absolutely love the first moments you get to go through your photos and actually remember what memories were captured. If you are like me you would know, it is easy to swap and change with different film cameras constantly being used, so it normally takes a few months for a whole film on one camera to be ready to get developed. That's why I was really excited to see I still had some photos of the snow on this film!

So loaded with a new roll of film and getting ready to make the most of Spring!

P.S. Am I the only one, or is there always so many food and/or drinks photos when you pick up your film? Hah, such a popular thing to photograph!

Flower Crown Madness.

2011-09-07T06:00:00.002+12:00

I have been checking out this gorgeous etsy store for the past few weeks, admiring the incredible range of hair accessories, which includes the most beautifully detailed flower crowns!

You may all be aware of K is for Kani's blog (such a beautiful and cute fashion blog!) but I love that she also has these incredible handmade hair accessories for sale in her etsy store too. Definitely worth saving it in your favourites for summer coming up! My favourite flower crown would definitely have to be the Mr Whimsy Whimsical Hair Wreath. Hard to pick though, which one would you choose?

Love!

Summer Dreaming.

2011-09-06T06:00:00.002+12:00

(one. two. three.)

Such beautiful weather we have been having this past week! I am determined to make the most of the Summer days this year! It is approaching super fast, so I am dreaming of Summer days and...

♥ Making iced tea to have on the deck
♥ Picking flowers for our house
♥ Playing more music
♥ Making a flower crown (or if that fails, buying one!)
♥ Finding secret creeks and spending a whole day in serenity
♥ Jump off something high (I am scared of heights!)
♥ Pack up and go camping spontaneously
♥ Get up early to watch the sun rise

Stray Editorial: Tina Sun.

2011-09-05T06:00:00.002+12:00

Photography & Styling - Tina Sun
Hair & Makeup - Gabrielle Houghton
Models: Georgina Foot & Ellyse Gore [N Model management]
Styling Assistant - Alicia Platje
Filming Assistant - Tiffany Chen
Music - Gregory & the Hawk

I would like to introduce you all to Tina Sun, a very talented up and coming New Zealand photographer, currently based in Sydney. For a 19 year old photographer, she has a portfolio already consisting of a wide range of clients, and it's still growing! I've had the privilege of meeting Tina a couple of months ago, when perchance she walked past our store and spotted the red birdcages (seen in the second photo) and inquired about using them for this editorial shoot for Stray Magazine. I have always been very curious of the set up and behind the scenes events that takes place for a shoot such as this, so when asked, Tina was more than happy to send me along some behind the scenes photos too! How exciting! Don't usually don't get to see this friends, so hope you enjoy this little treat of the behind the scenes photos and video below.

This shoot features stunning items from the very loved Ruby's (which you would have seen posted multiple times last week) Winter '11 collection. Stray Magazine will be released sometime this month, so keep your eyes out!

RUBY: Capital City & NZFW Wanderings.

2011-09-03T06:00:00.000+12:00

Ruby for me, had a very professional and chic runway show. Very much like Liam, the collection Capital City, had an incredible range of items that is wearable by the every day woman. I can honestly say, that majority of the pieces I would wear myself and can see the New Zealand streets being filled with this collection. Designer Deanna Didovich created a beautiful range of items for AW '12 that had the base muted tones, like the charcoal and whites, combined with such striking and bold colours - beautiful mustard yellows, cobalt blues and soft purples. There are also a few interesting patterned fabrics coming through as well, but I must say my most loved pieces in the Ruby collection would definitely have to be the knitwear. Looking forward to snuggling up in one of those knits next winter!

The day we spent in Auckland, Amanda and I had quite a busy day of our own, filling the time with driving down streets with the most beautiful character homes, having lunch at the cutest Sushi shop in Parnell, and stopping in at The Yellow Brick Road for a quick hello!

NZFW: RUBY presents LIAM.

2011-09-01T20:18:00.001+12:00

Liam, the new brand launched under Ruby, debuted their AW'12 collection at NZFW, and I must say it was quite a show! The whole show was very well curated and every bit of detail added to the success of the production. The show opened with the live band Watercolours and definitely set the scene and created an incredible atmosphere. Then out came the most beautiful collection of clothes. It's quite hard to pick out favourites from the collection, however the definite showstoppers for me was the beautiful rich orange coat and the blue dress with the dropped back *ah*! Designer Emily Miller-Sharma created an incredibly sophisticated, yet beautifully simple collection that will hit stores early next year. One thing that I really appreciated about the collection is that it really is wearable by all. So keep your eyes out for Liam, it's going to take over New Zealand fashion!

New Zealand Fashion Week Update.

2011-09-01T10:38:00.000+12:00

Oh tired! Early starts and late evenings has taken it out on me!
But I thought I would show you a teaser of the Ruby show we attended at New Zealand Fashion Week. I only have good things to say about the girls at Ruby that put the show together, and it really was fantastic! Will follow on with a more detailed post later today, but for now, feast your eyes on a few of the looks showcased on the runway.

Everyday Joys.

2011-08-30T06:00:00.001+12:00

Love the beautiful photography work of Thom that I found yesterday and I must say, it just made me happy. It's not necessarily the technique, colour or the style that caught my eye, but the simple content of the photos - finding the joy in everyday objects and surroundings.

I finally have another Diana roll finished that needs to be developed this week, but I am starting to feel my fingers twitch in the hopes of getting another camera in the near future. So far, I have been loving the effects of the LC-A+ camera, but I am also intrigued to try my hand at the Lubitel 166+. Has anyone used either of these cameras? Or any other Lomography camera that you adore, I would love to hear any recommendations!

Dressing for Spring.

2011-08-29T06:00:00.002+12:00

1. Spring Sweater
2. Brilliant Business Top
3. Scallop Trim Lace Shorts
4. Mid Heeled Slipper
5. Plaited Leather Cross Bracelet
6. Pendelton Messenger Bag

A crisp sunny day is definitely something I am enjoying about Spring at the moment! It's lovely to be able to dress a bit warmer for when the sun is out, but still keeping a cardi or jacket close by for that nippy wind. This would be my perfect outfit for a lovely Spring day out. I spotted this sweater from Ruby over at Nicole's blog, Gary Pepper Vintage. Makes me all the more excited for Wednesday morning, as Amanda and I are driving up to Auckland to attend the Ruby show at New Zealand Fashion Week! Bring on great clothes, great fashion, lovely people and road trip!

Better late than never.

2011-08-26T06:00:00.002+12:00

Taken with Diana Mini. Features the horse, husband and I, Dane, Liss and Sone.

Confession: I misplace things all the time, and then hours/days or even months later I manage to track down the misplaced item and think to myself, how did this get here? Okay so yesterday I found a stack of packs of photos which was taken this last year which I've never posted on and have been lying in my drawer waiting for something to be done with them. So as a treat (...and for lack of finding time to search the world wide web for an inspiring post), here it is! See if you can spot the familiars :)
This was taken at the Diana World Tour in Auckland earlier this year.

And of coarse cannot resist reminiscing about our holiday in Fiji as well - warm weather, swimming all day long, sleeping in, good food...what more could you want?

Katie Eleanor.

2011-08-25T06:00:00.004+12:00

Model: Jade Nigwood at Bookings Models
Hair and Make-up: Amber Scarlett
Photograpy: Katie Eleanor

I actually had trouble deciding which photos to publish by Katie Eleanor, as there was just such a big selection of beautiful photos! These ones particularly made me rather happy, as it is just so incredibly nice seeing colour again! ...Particularly pink, as the cherry blossoms are just starting to pop out all around town and it just brightens my day a little bit more every time I see some.

Spring, here we come!

Lady Bonin's Tea Parlour.

2011-08-24T06:00:00.000+12:00

(Lady Bonin's Tea Parlour via 79 Ideas)

How exciting it was for me when I stumbled across this incredible South African mobile tea caravan, Lady Bonin's Tea Parlour. So stoked to see that my country of birth has such a neat attraction for fellow tea drinkers such as myself. I am in love with the idea, the beautifully redecorated bohemian caravan and their mission:

Lady Bonin’s Tea Parlour started as a mission to revolutionise the tea drinking culture, modernly - ultimately providing a healthy alternative to take-away coffee! Take-away tea!
The idea is to travel from place to place selling modernly and quickly brewed loose-leaf tea in Biodegradable packaging. The product selection also includes varying Ice-Teas and packaged tea in beautifully designed reusable and enviro-friendly glass jars.

This makes me want to go back and visit South Africa, and hunt down this mobile Tea Parlour!
Tea drinkers unite!

The New Girl.

2011-08-23T06:00:00.002+12:00

Threadscene has their latest lookbook The New Girl available for purchase now, and I must say these styled outfits definitely intrigued me to go check out the whole lookbook. I love layered outfits, so I can surely appreciate these looks. And I must say, the booties with the shorts just look so well matched. This is an online shop I've definitely bookmarked!

One Fine Day.

2011-08-22T06:00:00.002+12:00

Photographer: Sara Orme
Stylist: Courtney Sanders
Models: Rosie, Lili and Kitty at Red 11

I absolutely fell in love with this lookbook from Who Wear Footwear for their Spring/Summer '12 campaign, found via Always, Sometimes, Anytime.

Three friends hanging out on a windy and sandfly-rife day just at a beach north of Auckland was the perfect setting through which to imagine English summer holidays in the sixties; stark, sticky outings where the fun is ultimately provided by relaxed companionship, you know, hanging out, shooting the breeze, doing nothing: One Fine Day.

Shoes...always sometime I am in need of! And don't these gorgeous pictures just make you want to splash out and buy a dozen pairs? Oh just me?

Drive.

2011-08-20T06:00:00.000+12:00

Our weather this last week has just been absolutely amazing and the sunshine has done wonders for everyone's mood! Today after work, Neil came and picked me up and we decided, hey let's start the weekend with a sweet treat from Gloria Jean's and then go home (as I have quite a bit of work to catch up on before heading to the Gift Fair next week, eek! Exciting!). However, Neil decided to take a different route home and we ended up driving the back country roads. It was actually quite refreshing to see a bit of the country side and made me appreciate New Zealand so much more!

We ended up looking down this long stretch of road with beautiful farm lands on both sides and just an atmosphere of complete serenity. It took a few shots for Neil to decide to actually look at the camera, but we got there in the end :) I absolutely LOVE this Threadless shirt of his, eventhough he thinks it is a bit girly - I totally think he pulls off the butterfly!

I was brave with this outfit, as I have never tried wearing a shirt over a dress (yes, everything else was in the wash, but the dress was too cold just to wear by itself). But I actually attempted it, so put together a LBD with a buttoned shirt over the top - I suppose the dress really just ends up looking like a skirt anyway. Didn't quite work well until the belt was added and created more of a figure rather than looking like a sack! So yay for being creative with the clean clothes that was left in the wardrobe! I think it's time for some washing this weekend (why do I always leave it for the weekend when I just want to relax?)!

Dear Summer.

2011-08-19T06:00:00.008+12:00

(Benedict)

Dear Summer, it's your old friend Ilana.

I am just writing to tell you that I miss you dearly and would like you to come visit soon. I know it's only a few more months till I see you again, but you see, all this sunshine is just teasing me at the moment and makes me reeeeally look forward to seeing you and share in happy times with friends!

Please don't be long!

Oh and when you come, could you please bring along some ice-cream too?
I would love that!

See you soon,

Yours truelly,

Ilana.

Today is a good day to start.

2011-08-18T06:00:00.003+12:00

Today I felt rather productive. Some of you might know a month or so ago I bought a cheap second hand screen printing frame so I could start to do some projects myself. Well...the frame has just been sitting under my bed gathering dust until I decided it's about time I actually learn the art of screen printing. Now obviously there is a proper way to screen print (burning the image onto the frame)...however I am being cheeky and trying a cheaper way of doing it by cutting out a stencil. So today, as a trial run, I cut out a very simple image on a transparent paper and will be using that on the frame. This weekend I will dedicate the time to actually trial it for real (just need to go buy me a squeegee and some inks). So fingers crossed friends, I am hoping this works! Will share the results with you later.

Najo Cutout Leaf Necklace. Najo Peacock Ring. Najo Feather Earrings.

Also sporting some of my favourite items in store at the moment - cannot get enough of the Najo brand! Wowza, I would like to please take home the whole cabinet's worth of stuff!

If any of you lovely folk have any advise for a young aspiring screenprinter, please do share! I want to see how it goes with this stencil, but if it fails I will need to invest in a proper UV light and some emulsion to do it properly. Eeek! Fingers crossed!

Inspiring Interior.

2011-08-17T06:00:00.002+12:00

As we get closer to the end of the year, I cannot seem to help the anticipation growing of Neil finally finishing his studies! Oh the joys of a full time income next year will do wonders for our little home, as I have so many ideas brewing in my mind of what I want our decor to look like.

One thing I know for sure is that I would love an array of art pieces and photography on my walls (including this adorable bunny print by Debbie Carlos). Which is why I took a fancy straight away to these beautiful interior shots by Thom, as it embodies so many of the things I would like: frames, books, chalkboard, cameras!

Alice by Emily Winfield Martin.

2011-08-16T06:00:00.000+12:00

These art prints by Emily Winfield Martin are absolutely gorgeous! This is her version of Alice in Wonderland through illustration and I think she did such a wonderful job. It goes without saying that I completely fell in love with the White Rabbit, of coarse, as anything to do with bunnies and rabbits I am sold out to.

You an order prints by themselves, or buy the handy pack of 12 postcards to get the complete Alice In Wonderland collection.

Laura Makabresku

2011-08-15T06:00:00.005+12:00

(Laura Makabresku.)

This is going to be a busy couple of weeks coming up friends.
Don't you think August becomes the busiest month of the year? Or is it just me?
So going to try to make the most of some early nights (yeah right).

Store Favourites.

2011-08-13T11:10:00.000+12:00

It's such a hard thing to be working in our little store sometimes. Seeing so much pretty stuff come in, it get's hard to keep your hands off it and refrain from taking half the shop home with you. Fortunately, while we are still renting, we don't have that much extra space, so I can justify not getting too many homewares. But I am absolutely in love with these latest pieces we got in these last couple of weeks, I just had to share with you all!

You are more than welcome to check out our facebook page or you can even stop over at our online shop now! Get in quick, we are offering FREE SHIPPING for local orders, and FREE SHIPPING INTERNATIONALLY on orders over $100! You can find lots of goodies there, including some of my favourites: Najo Feather Earrings and Neverland Amethyst Necklace.

Rest.

2011-08-12T06:00:00.000+12:00

1. 2. 3. 4.

So this has been a somewhat long week for me. Thank you for all your lovely well wishes, I am on the mend now thanks to pumping my body with a hundred different vitamins and to the lovely Neil that has been taking such good care of me - he even joined me one morning, as I couldn't sleep any longer than 4.30am, and crashed on the couch watching movies. But I must say, being with being stuck at home half the time, at least I managed to find some beautiful photography (as well as enjoying a bit of rest), so enjoy these few snippets that I've enjoyed.

Happy weekend friends.

Sewing Skills.

2011-08-11T06:00:00.000+12:00

(Eleonore Bridge)

My mum has this beautiful vintage Singer sewing machine which I have been eyeing up for years. It's been in the family a couple of generations and I cannot wait till we are set up in a nice big home where I can set that little beauty up in.

Which has really got me thinking of learning some sewing skills again. I've had very minimal practice with sewing (eventhough I have a really nice sewing machine) but would love to learn how to do simple things like take in my own dresses, or add a pocket, or change a collar. Does anyone have any experience with sewing? How did you get started? Any good projects for beginners?

Watch this space. I am making it a goal to start some little sewing projects before the end of the year, so any advise would be awesome!

It will get better...

2011-08-10T08:00:00.000+12:00

(Sweet Sweet Life)

...is all I have to tell myself, as I will be spending the day in bed again.

Boo hoo :(

Amanda Seyfried.

2011-08-09T06:00:00.000+12:00

I think Amanda Seyfried is one of the most natural and gorgeous women! Now you must understand the excitement I had when I came across this set of Amanda photographed by one of my favourite photographers, Parker Fitzgerald (who I had posted about here and here). It captures her beauty in a whole new light for me and makes me love them both even more!

Layer Up.

2011-08-08T06:00:00.002+12:00

Scrapbook Peach Dress. Black Woolly Jersey. Vintage Pattern Scarf.

Najo Cross Necklace. Orbit Leather Shoes.

I seriously realized this week my lack of actual winter clothing. Not that I really mind, I prefer buying pieces that I can wear all year long, and just need some adjusting to make it suitable for winter. This peachy/pinky dress I got at the start of the year for a yummy summer's wedding. With the thin material and skinny straps, it is hardly suitable to wear for winter, but I decided it is time I make it suitable! So I invested in some merino wool tops to wear underneath, and layer them with something warmer on the outside too, then just add a scarf and you are set to go!

Now that we have already been to the snow, I am eagerly awaiting Spring time!

Hand Made.

2011-08-05T06:00:00.000+12:00

Do any of of you have those pieces which you keep in your wardrobes for months, never to trow out, but hardly wear? Well, this skirt was the first skirt I've ever made!! (Well, when I say I made it, what I really mean is that mum pretty much did everything!) This one was made last year sometime, but is now just too big (yay) for me to wear regularly - the belt helps a bit, but it's not the same when wearing a skirt that slides down the whole time. I think it may be time to acquire the help of my dear mother again to take it in, as I am rather fond of this material.

Perhaps sewing lessons in the near future may be an option? :)

Gillian Tennant.

2011-08-04T06:00:00.004+12:00

I absolutely fell in love with this collection by Gillian Tennant via Style Milk Shop. These feminine pieces with the soft, "flowing" fabrics and toned down hues is exactly the style which I am wanting to move into, as I think this is most suited for my figure. They have gorgeous pieces that would make for a great basic to any outfit, and those scarves add such a beauty to the overall look.

If you love these pieces as much as I do, head over to the Style Milk Shop and grab the your favourite pieces!

Lucia Pang.

2011-08-03T06:00:00.001+12:00

Meet Lucia Pang, 17 year old Sydney fashion photographer.
After picking up a professional camera, she developed a larger than life passion for shooting. At age 15, she had already won the People’s Choice National Photo Award and during that very year, she was selected to fly over to the United States to attend one of the most prestigious fashion workshops held by Teen Vogue magazine.

How incredible is that?

Unforgettable Weekend.

2011-08-01T22:44:00.000+12:00

On Friday we made our way down to Mt Ruapehu for a weekend at the snow, with family, friends, food, games and good times. And what an enjoyable one it has been. We had the most perfect day for weather on Sunday, which meant of coarse that the mountain would be packed. I mean seriously, isn't this incredible?

I tell you, the wait at the lifts was well worth it when you got to the top. Such an incredible view we had, as there were no clouds. And how good is it being in lovely ol' New Zealand, as you will definitely be bumping into people you know which always makes for a lovely and enjoyable surprise.

So many people, so many boards. I understand why snow gear always come in the bright and bold colours and patterns, as that is the only way to find the people you know!

And of coarse you cannot go a weekend in Ohakune without having the best burgers in town from Powder Keg! That kept me satisfied for hours to come. Also found the cutest little beanies while browsing the little shops. Absolutely loved this mousey one, but alas, my hair is too thick and long and won't fit under a beanie!

Cannot wait for the next trip down, amped already!

Take a tissue.

2011-07-30T06:00:00.003+12:00

Oh this is definitely a shop to bookmark! Just look at these adorable tissue box holders from A Sparkly Pony. This is something I am sure the husband would love to get me, as I am horrible at getting colds in the winter and require my box of tissues close to me at all times. Rather frustrating really, but at least this would make for a lovely display for a rather plain tissue box.

Let It Snow.

2011-07-29T06:00:00.000+12:00

Well here we go friends, a very brief post today containing just a few essentials that I have to be packing for the weekend at the snow. I am so looking forward to a couple of days on the slopes, but trying to prepare as best I can for comfort and warmth!

Snow gear - Pants, jackets, gloves, goggles, board, boots etc.
Runaway Jury book for the evenings
Diana Mini to capture some shots of the beautiful mountains
Hot Water Bottle for the end of day relaxing
Mini Cupcakes with Ganache icing

I will be thinking of our little Flops so much, as I hate leaving her behind, but lucky for friends and family, we have sorted out company for Flops and someone is coming to house sit and keep her company.

So friends have an awesome weekend! Any of you have anything special planned? Hah I suppose half of you readers are all experiencing Summer time at the moment, so probably hard to contemplate us going to the snow :)

Ailera Stone

2011-07-28T06:00:00.000+12:00

Treat your eyes to the magical work of Ailera Stone, who I came across today. It's so beautiful how every one of these pictures paints such a beautiful story that leaves it open for the audience to interpret and create a resolution. Very inspiring work!

Looking forward to the weekend more than usual, as we are treating ourselves to a trip down to the slopes with my brother and his wife. Time to dust off the board and pack up warm! I am even baking mini cupcakes to take with. There's nothing quite like huddle around a fire with a cup of tea and some homebaking :)

Colour my world.

2011-07-27T06:00:00.002+12:00

A week or so ago Neil and I went out wandering this lovely little park close to his parents house and found this incredible tree! Wow, how beautiful are the colours of the leaves? I couldn't believe that there was still colour like this to be seen in our dreadfully cold part of the world, so took the opportunity to take a few snaps.

I am loving all the feedback on the Beard Thread a couple of posts down, so interesting to see a few of you ladies also having their men, or prefering them with the fluffy additions (I say fluffy....but not really fluffy at all). I will just have to wait and see how it all turns out hah!

Spring soon?

2011-07-26T06:00:00.003+12:00

Just Yellow for Me Jacket
English Accents Dress
Woven Leather Watch
Stud Court Shoe
Karen Walker Mini Rabbit Ring

Today has so far been the coldest day this winter for me! So I am dreaming about some upcoming Spring outfits that I would love to invest in! This dress particularly caught my eye but I couldn't see myself being able to wear it with this chilly weather. That is where I thought it a great idea to put together an outfit that would make it possible to wear sometime soon. And that is where the lovely jacket does the trick! Also adding some yummy yellows to our dull wintery days just brightens it up, don't you think? Now all I would need to do is add some warm tan stockings and I would be set!

Also, a big THANK YOU to all who entered the Bird in a bunny suit giveaway! The lucky winner for this giveaway was comment #16, Matt Toohey! Congratulations and I will contact you shortly :)

To beard or not to beard...

2011-07-25T06:00:00.000+12:00

...THAT my friends, is the question!

Last weekend Neil and I had a bit of an adventure to capture some shots for the Fashion by Feelings initiative (here and here) and came across these train tracks which thought for perfect location. While we had our little date, the topic of Neil's lovely fluffy beard came up. Now in all honesty, I don't mind it too much, as long as it is neat and trimmed. He is exactly the opposite and wants to grow the beast as big and wild as he can. I just responded and said it's silly, no one likes beards that much anyway. And that's where he thought it a great opportunity to put that question to the test and find out.

Sooo...yay or nay for the beard?
I like a bit of stubble and the a slight overgrown look, just to show of his manly manliness (hehe) you know? But not too sure about the beast growing in thickness and size.

Hmmmmm...

I must say one thing I do really like is this awesome oversized woolly jumper we bought him in an opshop when we visited in Wellington last year. There has been many a cold day where I have decided to hide in this monstrosity to keep me safe from the cold.

I do not seek, I find.

2011-07-22T06:00:00.004+12:00

Models: Elise Hislop and Josh Muller

Hair and Makeup artist: Fiona Wright

Photographer and stylist: Kelly Barriball

Creative assistant: Nat Peri

Gran's Loose Change is a very cute little online shop, based here in New Zealand, that offer a large selection of vintage finds for guys and gals. These are just a few snippets of a recent shoot they did for their shop, which I found rather darling!

I secretly would love to have a photoshoot in a grass field such as this, the colours are just stunning and makes me happy! Oh the small things in life that excite us ay :)

Guest Post: Mel Stringer's Lil' Shop.

2011-07-21T06:00:00.000+12:00

Hi readers, Dane here from Tornadoes and Tigers. Recently Ilana and I were chatting about all the creativity out there, and we decided that I would share something with you all today.
I've been following Mel Stringer for some time now and thought you may all enjoy these little pieces above, along with a few of her new badges. Mel is based in Brisbane, Australia and creates Prints, Zines, Original Art, Brooches, PDF Paper Craft Ornaments and much much more.

You can find these item via her Etsy. Mel also has a blog where you can keep up to date on her works and inspiration.

Dane
tornadoesandtigers.com

We ♥ Wool

2011-07-19T19:33:00.000+12:00

This last week our everything has cooled down by quite a few degrees, which does make me excited, as we can officially say that winter is here! I think one of the best things during this time of the year is that we get to wrap up in layers of clothing and have a tea in hand, permanently. I have come to love my woolies this winter, especially the handy merino wool tops that I wear under my dresses, and now also my favourite jumper..

..which is why I have fallen in love with this initiative Fashion by Feelings, sponsored by Woolmark (they also run We Love Wool). They have created this incredibly awesome interactive lookbook site which showcases fashionable looks featuring wool. The different looks are divided up by feelings (from active to happy, beautiful to nostalgic) which I think is such a clever way of creating a point of difference.

Fashion by Feelings encourages users to vote for their favourite looks, and by doing so be in the chance to win AU$400 wool prize pack weekly. The top ranked look will also win a $12,000 holiday to Sydney! I have been lucky enough to have my look Take Me Away rank #12, and the husband's, Into The Wild, rank #46! Woohoo, off to a good start! But this is where I need your help desperately...as I would so badly like to win this little trip for the two of us...

I need you to "love" our entries and help send us on holiday!!!! It is easy as anything, just click on this link, Take Me Away to go to my look, or Into The Wild to go to Neil's look, and click on "LOVE". By entering in your details you will be in the running to win the $400 prize pack as well and another vote would be added to us! I will love you all forever (which I do anyway hah!) and will send you all virtual hugs and kisses :) If you feel the need to share our looks, that would be incredible as well and I may just need to make little yummy cards to say thank you! :)

GIVEAWAY: Bird In A Bunny Suit. {CLOSED}

2011-07-18T06:00:00.002+12:00

As you all may know, I am a very proud New Zealand girl and love to brag on our awesome Kiwi culture and creativity. So I decided it is about time that I start doing New Zealand features on lovely creatives and brands to introduce you all to the amazing talents that we have to offer.

So I am happy to share with you all one of my favourites, Bird In A Bunny Suit. Bayley Collins is the creative behind the brand, and illustrates the sweetest prints - creating collages of different animals and developing very unique and quirky characters for her designs. I love the originality of this brand, and could deck out my walls with her cards and prints!

And to give you all a sweet treat of Bird In A Bunny Suit, Bayley has offered to giveaway her WHOLE card collection to one lucky reader! WOW!

So here is how you enter:
1. Be a follower of See Me Everywhere
2. 'Like' Bird In A Bunny Suit's facebook page, and leave a comment on her wall saying
"I see Bird In A Bunny Suit everywhere!"
3. Leave a comment on this post with your email address so I can contact the winner

Simple! :)

And here is what you get to WIN:
$200 worth of Bird In a Bunny Suit cards (this is her WHOLE collection!)
1. Bird In A Bunny Suit No.4
2. Bunny In A Parrot Suit
3. Bird With Bunny Ears No.2
4. Bird With Big Bow Tie
5. Hoo...me?
6. Bunny Fox No.2
7. The Feather Collector
8. Bunny Bird With Bow Tie
9. Deer Owl With Bow Tie
10. Dancing BIrd
11. Deer Bird
12. Foxy Owl
13. The Fox
14. Cat With Bunny Ears No.1
15. Cat With Bunny Ears No.2
16. Cat With Bunny Hat NO.1
17. Cat With Bunny Hat No.2
18. Deer Cat
19. Deer Dog
20. Dalmatian In A Cat Costume
21. Cat With Peg Leg.
22.Cat With Bird
23.Cat With Mum Tattoo
24. Cat With Eyepatch
25. Bird House No. 1
26. Cheetah Bunny

Well, what are you waiting for? :)

Giveaway closes on Monday 25th July and is open to all readers.

EDIT: This giveaway is now closed. Thank you for all who entered :)

Today I Choose Love.

2011-07-15T06:00:00.002+12:00

(Cori Kindred)

It feels like all that has been on my mind lately, has been LOVE! So I know this post has a lot of potential to become extremely cheesy, but I just felt the need to share anyway :)

The one thing about LOVE that I absolutely love, is that every knows what it is; no matter what culture, gender, race, background you are from people can see love and all can experience it! It is not confined by anything and it overcomes all! Gosh, I am becoming a bit soppy, but I have a couple very close to my heart and another dear friend moving abroad in the next two months and it totally makes me think of The Captain and Tenille's song Love Will Keep Us Together, as this is the thing that truelly will keep us close. So I suppose now is as good a day as any to let love in and make the most of these precious days and enjoy those loved ones.

So on that note, dear followers, readers and friends , I love you! ♥

Your Crazy Emotional Needs Give My Life Purpose.

2011-07-13T06:00:00.002+12:00

Oh how darling sweet are these lasercut design?
Owly Shadow Puppets have the sweetest collection of beautiful designs such as these, but also they have the cutest shadow puppet designs too which would make for a perfect gift for the young ones!

I have finally received my very own screenprinting frame yesterday as well, so I am extremely determined to get started and have a play with my new frame this weekend. Anyone have any suggestions/ideas when it comes to screenprinting? I will let you all know how it goes :)

Spoilt.

2011-07-12T06:00:00.003+12:00

Don't you reckon Mums & Dads are just the best?? This weekend felt like it was my birthday, as my parents decided it was time to spoil us with the softest, warmest bed sheets and wooly electric blanket! There's nothing quite like climbing into a warm, comfy, soft bed and not having to shiver for ten minutes until you actually manage to warm up. And not just that, this whole outfit was sponsored by my lovely parents! Sweet isn't it? I've been in need of a nice woolly and this one will do just fine.

And of coarse I couldn't sport this outfit and not wear my every day button necklace, as well as my first day out wearing this gorgeous OPI colour (which is thanks to Sone! Don't you love friends you can count on to borrow/clothes/nailpolishes?).

Chocolate Heaven.

2011-07-11T06:00:00.003+12:00

What a lovely weekend to relax! I decided it was about time that Neil and I go visit the Theobroma Chocolate Lounge, as I've been hearing about these amazing hot chocolates that come on these stands with candles - making sure your chocolatey goodness is always hot! And so we ventured out this weekend with my parents to discover the taste of these Belgium delights, and boy can I say, that surely hit the sugar spot! Cannot wait to go back there...even thought I must say, next time I will definitely go for the smaller cup :)

And just when I thought I've had enough sugar for the weekend, we got spoilt with this little package from Sone who decided to bake us sweet Macaron treats! So all in all, I must say we had an incredibly sweet weekend - oh excuse the pun :p !

Claire Mossong l Digital Storytelling

2011-07-09T06:00:00.002+12:00

I have been wanting to share with you for a while now the wonderful talent of Kiwi girl, Claire Mossong. Not only is she the talent behind the brand Neverland Collective (featured pieces here and here) she is also an upcoming photographer who has a large portfolio already, from weddings to documenting live shows and fashion lookbooks and campaigns. Claire, along with her husband Alex, are featured in these photos - which I think is just completely adorable and love that a couple can share in their creative talents together!

Also, very exciting, but Claire is offering a fantastic opportunity for one lucky couple to win a lovely shoot with them! Make sure you check out her facebook page for more details :)