Heart Full Of Glitter

After reading The Zahir, by Paulo Coelho, I've been consumed by thoughts of what life would be like without love. Strangely enough I'm reminded of this every time I think of buying clothes or shoes. I'm so torn about buying and acquiring things. Lately, money is so scarce that anything I have is spent on finding a way to be with the people I love. We're planning on moving to Melbourne in the next couple of years, and in between that, travel, and other plans, I'm conscious of that outlay and what's really necessary. And by necessary, it's what I can be certain will be part of who I am for a long time and that I'll cherish forever. So when I gathered these things it was about how they make me feel and what I see in them. In this case it's that these are things that are making my heart full and glittery. They remind me of how incredible life is, and what else it beholds. They really do have heartfelt meaning even if they're material.

 

The 1966 mod era details of Mad Men Season Five have been perfectly sought and constructed. The premiere was absorbing and captivating, and we can't wait 'til Monday night!

The '60s fascination continues with this unique ring. 

The sentiment is just so pure and I love the simple elegance. 

I want to wear my heart everyday, on my hands, and..

..on my sleeves. I have a jumper I want to DIY this on. 

I like how it's chic but completely wearable.
Particularly for our Easter trip.

My ocean spirit animal, the wonderful unicorn whale! 

Being reminded of nature is really important to me, 

and this print is beautifully drawn with a sweet edge
that has the perfect colour palette.
Oh, narwhal love!

Happy weekend, wherever you are and whatever the weather may be like.

Ps, a mouse just ran through our apartment, so random, 

but now I don't where it's gone. Eeep!

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Images via

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Liberty Capsule

Somehow, and also despite reading about (and noting in my calendar, very far in advance) the b store X Liberty SS12 collection, I managed to miss the launch date. But my absentmindedness shouldn't be seen as a reflection on the pieces, it's a wanderlust-inducing collection. As always, the hallmarks of Liberty - breathtaking quality and detail - are encapsulated, but their redefinition is unconventional yet wearable. This departure from the girliness of the Liberty style is a result of the hardened Western input of b store. The desolate landscapes of the collection's Lookbook capture this, with the cowboy farm seemingly transplanted to a Northern Africa-inspired place. The first stage of the story begins in the trio of leather-suede-fringe and the cotton fabric dimensions that correspond to the two brands respectively. Their union evolves as they move on to somewhere entirely different. This secondary, enduring vibe of travel is represented in the dominance of defined and resilient hardware, coloured plastics, and the varying prints that mix classic soft florals, dappled midnight blossoms, and Marrakechi paisley and dry cracked earth. These ultimately hint at a destination that's unfamiliar to both country and city - it's exotic and worth the adventure. Particularly when there's so much waiting in the unknown..      

   

Collection slideshow here.
Launch event here.


Ps, am I the only person with an enduring obsession with paisley? It's mad but I love it, particularly that satchel, ooh! And sorry for the herp derp..it's so ridiculous and hilarious.. 

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Images via

Le Vent

This choreography and remix make such a breathtaking combination of two incredible art forms. Kid A is such an underrated album so it was a happy surprise to see how one of my favourite tracks from it was used here. I love it how some things just get better when they're married in the right way and with the right intentions.

I also love how Thom Yorke described the process of writing Everything In Its Right Place:

...The song was written late one night by Thom Yorke on a piano at home. According to Yorke, "I bought a piano for my house, a proper nice one - a baby grand. And this was the first thing I wrote on it. And I'm such a shit piano player. I remember this Tom Waits quote from years ago, that what keeps him going as a songwriter is his complete ignorance of the instruments he's using. So everything's a novelty. That's one of the reasons I wanted to get into computers and synths, because I didn't understand how the fuck they worked. I had no idea what ADSR meant."...

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Video via

Everything In Its Right Place info via 

Jeweller

The whole of yesterday was spent sifting through slideshows and reports of new season collections for both S/S and A/W. For me it's been the elements as opposed to the trends appearing. I really like the idea of how inspiration transitions between art and the people, and then just within the individual. Right now I just want to drape myself in jewel-tones regardless of whether it's from the sea, another decade or the Orient. The source of this delves into how different types of textures, shapes and cuts can connect with the wearer. I really like the juxtaposed dichotomy formed by fit and flow. It's less about dressing to a certain ideal, and just wearing pieces that complement -- or even contrast in the process -- one another and create a personal story. Particularly with a surprise pattern or accessory. It's all so immeasurably enjoyable, and infinite. 

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Images via (L-R, T-B)

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My back is getting better, but my core strength continues to elude me.

I really should have kept on with yoga and pilates, but is it not the

most stressful thing ever waiting for it feel good and goddess-like?

Ugh.

Hence, endless hours on the inter-webs, lying on the mat I was bought 

for yoga. It's now so ironic that it was a gift. The pain!

The Love Apartment

I'm just thinking about the word, apartment, what it might actually mean and how it came to be used for a place of living. I guess it might be because of the fact that it's a whole thing, with the -ment, but the separated aspect lies in the apart-. I've often thought, and I certainly feel, that living with Sim is the best thing ever. Before this I'd just dream about him constantly, and now that we share a space, it's still kind of like that but much more free. I really love how we can be working on our own projects while being so close. What's more, the feeling of being apart is doubly meaningful when we return and are reunited here. It's familiar, and the strange and wonderful part is that it's both mine and ours and his.

Apparently in Scandinavia, "love apartments" means that they belong to couples. Every time I read or remember that, it strikes me as the loveliest thing.  

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Images via

Little info snippet via

Again, I just love the Fieldguided blog. 

Emergency List

Off the back of my Autumn/Winter List, I was inspired to make an Emergency List. I love Anabela's blog and her thoughts on getting through winter (albeit much colder than anything I expect to experience in Queensland) seem fitting for all seasons. The last few weeks have been a little bit trying in between our hot water system dying, our internet disappearing and a strange injury to my back (ftw!), so I could definitely use some things that guarantee respite and comfort again.

Today, I can honestly say that my first aid kit is packed with things that aren't always for emergencies:

1, fresh fruit.

I think that I always need it to be on hand, and most of the time when it's not, or I haven't eaten any that day, I suddenly realise why I feel a little bit blah and undernourished. It was so lovely to come home to a table of fruit, and surprise baklava, from my love yesterday. He's amazing.

2, dinner plans with dear friends.

While I love food and eating food and cooking food at all times, dinner means that you can dress up and not worry about being overdressed. I also love wandering places at night, as well as anticipating the evening all day beforehand.

3, tea and coffee. Sparkling water too.

I've had a tea drawer in a couple of houses I've lived in and it's rather magical. For some reason, a tea box hitting you in the head is incredibly annoying despite not causing any pain at all. It's nice to fossick for the right flavour too.

4, honey.

I think I'm a little bit obsessed with honey and it's completely ok to eat it from the jar. Three never-fail honey pick-me-ups: honeyed chai or coffee, dijon and honey-basted bacon, baklava. Oh yes.

5, red wine, cheese and friends again.

I think adding dark chocolate to this is necessary, as well as the songs from this album, which we listened to for so many months last year. Bring on the mulled wine now.

6, coloured and patterned tights.

Nothing makes me happier than these. The pop of colour or heart prints are warming and far cosier and pretty than jeans.

7, magazines and anything by Paulo Coelho.

I love being so inspired by something you read or want to make, that you're compelled to write down snippets or a reference page immediately.

8, going outside to come home.

I think that sounds a bit straight forward and day-to-day, but I love coming home, particularly now that we have lamps galore that glow out the windows and around curtain edges as we walk up the driveway home.

Mmm anything I've forgotten or should add?

Ps Big Chill list here.

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Image via as well. 
I really cannot talk about how incredible that blog is enough.
So very wonderful.
I've felt like that cat the last few days,
just not as adorably fluffy.          

Velvet & Leather

Of all fabrics, velvet and leather have only really drawn me in as accessories or shoes. Yet as I was sifting through my crazy tab farm*, I discovered that all I'm looking at on Etsy these days is a constant rotation of these soft and sturdy staples that I can imagine cherishing forever. It seems my penchant for all things dark and luxurious is a shared love, as today's Treasured homepage is all of these things. Plus, it introduced me to these incredible Paris Rooftops and Cat Art prints, which are now very bookmarked*.

In velvet, a lush cape for my wintry escapades, a '60s wiggle dress for the lady pirate, a cinched full skirt that falls perfectly, and a most lucky black cat with white whiskers.

In leather, a sexy tank with an exposed back slit, a quilted sitting chair with the ability to whisk one to France, these chic trousers that are perfectly tapered, and tailored high-waisted shorts to be teamed with heart-printed tights.  

*yet another vague attempt to be organised with my bookmarks and hopefully make this computer start working faster. Oh to make this computer work faster.

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All images via

On Creativity

A line from the song above has been running through my head all week, "I never had the chance to change the batteries in my watch". It's had me thinking about what I make important and what really is in the broader scheme of my personal goals. Lately I've not been entirely inspired yet it's like I'm bubbling over with creative excitement, and I guess intentions too. I'm not sure whether this is a typical "dry" spell for artists or anyone who feels creative in their pursuits, but I know that I'd like to be as original as possible in what I do. I know that there is an argument that "everything old is [always] new again", and that this adage is even murkier in the Internet age. I've been looking at style sites all week and I still feel this absence of direction and therefore actual productivity in my own pursuits. I'm concerned about how to be myself; I'm not even sure what that is right now. I sometimes think and feel that the Internet is both blessing and curse in terms of originality. The days seem to get away and it's still just a matter of sifting and searching while trying to find something that can connect with you personally. It's strange to feel so overwhelmed, yet also like there's no specific destination. When there is time or isn't enough time, what drives you and keeps you sure of your own artistic intentions?

On The Road

At last we're getting closer to the release date. There are so many wonderful stories making it to the big screen this year, it's so inspiring and wonderful. While I was excited about the cast from word go of the project, this snippet solidifies that anticipation. The added bonus will be the American landscape and the 1950s setting. The way it charts the motions that were part of the 1960s revolutions have captured me for so long. How I love going to the movies for pictures like this! 

Forbidden

The story of how L'Interdit (Forbidden) was created is almost as beautiful as the friendship of Audrey Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy. The fragrance was made specifically for Audrey, who as his muse largely wore his designs and then adopted the perfume designed for her too. She loved what he had made so much she wore it for the rest of her life, and even encouraged him to sell it to the public (such were the requests she'd have from people who smelt it on her!). While it has been remade in a modern version today, the original was supposed to be spectacular..

"..the original L'Interdit, it was a fragrance of elegant beauty, with a playful side. The opening notes are of aldehydes paired with bergamot, which soften considerably as the fragrance is allowed to meld into the skin and reveal soft peach and strawberry--ripe fruit warmed by the sun--on the floral backdrop of rose, jasmine and iris. The floral notes are not distinct, instead presenting a beautiful swirl of abstract shapes, with the edges blurring into each other. Yet, above this refined melody, spicy carnation adds some pleasant honeyed warmth, thus enhances the floral voices. Matte glow of amber paired with the earthy opacity of vetiver forms an elegant base upon which the floral notes recline, veiled by a powdery mist." - via Bois de Jasmin

I've been thinking about scents and how they can help identify a person or conjure memories. My love of perfume goes back to when I was a little girl and my parents would go out smelling, always and only for a special occasion, of their respective choices of Chanel. It's like dream dust that way.

If I had a personal perfume, I would want mine to manifest as an incense flower bed. I used to wear Attraction by Lancome and it was pretty much perfectly like that. I still have the first bottle I bought of it, empty in a box, it's just waiting to transport me back to those old places in the powdery mist described above. Until I find a new one, I've been wearing Lola by Marc Jacobs, Hari by Kenzo and a mix of Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford with Amber by Kiehls. But I know I'm still looking for that particular one, and I really want to try these.

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Tinker Blood

I finally got around to watching Sounds of the Woods last night. It's strange to think that such a special mood can be created between artists, with fictional characters amidst the bounties that nature offers. The collaboration between Nadinoo (designer) and WishWishWish (blogger) is a powerful representation of what one might find off the beaten track. Art like this is a potent form of soul food. Since I was very small my mother has amounted our family's need to roam and experience the land around us as a birthright from our Grandmother and her lineage of nomadic people. The same magical qualities are elicited in the video, from the quiet soundtrack of trees, birds and music to the interaction between the handmade clothing and older man made objects. When I think about the gypsy I'd like to be it's like a meeting place between the beauty, mystery and culture here. I can never decide between water farer or forest dweller. While there's the mystique of being adrift, sailing onwards and outwards, wearing waxy woollens, there's also the draw of wild dancing beneath the trees, flowers at ones hands and making oils and teas from the spices and plants in your surrounds. Here it's like I've found the answer. In these woods there lies a meeting place -- that cathedral of boughs, and the pleasure of roaming from the riverbanks deeper in to find birch pools, shrouded by tree trunks. Oh to travel and wander, always and forever. There's more to delve into here and here.

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My favourite dress from the collection featured above, here. 

Basket Of Kisses

Here's Your Basket of Kisses

Apparently lipstick sales tend to increase during times of recession. Known as the Leading Lipstick Indicator, the drop in confidence about the future is thought to sub-consciously drive the investment in 'cheaper' lifestyle items. It's a strange statistic, but when I look at the place that lipstick has come to have in my make up bag I start to understand how it's justified. When I wear lipstick, I feel abnormally va-va-voom with a whole let less product. The shock of colour from my preferred matte shade is both classic and stylish, and I tend to feel elegant as well as mischievous with it on. Despite lipstick becoming less of a staple in a lady's make-up routine, it unexpectedly makes me feel well-groomed and adds a dimension of glamour that my curly hair always seems to prevent, no matter how much time I devote to getting ready. I feel like I can be a version of me that is not always part of my personal attitude or the way I naturally present myself. Even though I'm constantly in somewhat of a financial cul-de-sace, I can understand what drives women to seek out that tube of waxy perfection. How it makes you feel, the ease that it comes by, that's something that money really can't buy. 

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Audio via

Cetacea

It seems like I'm being followed around by whales at the moment. The other night Sim and I read his favourite childhood book, Whales: Mighty Giants Of The Sea (there was pop-up cardboard bits and everything - my favourite was the Beluga) and marvelled over how big they are. Then last night I was stalking the Closet Visit blog, which is always beyond wonderful, and found the most recent interview with the lovely lady above. Though her wardrobe and make-up were beyond amazing, it was her whale pin that most thrilled me. I've wanted one for the longest time, but this reminded me that I hadn't fulfilled that longing just yet.

After hopping on Etsy - the one exception to my non-shopping quest - I found this sweet, smiling whale pin:

I think he could be very happy in our home. So adorable! If I could only bring this one home too, and maybe find a Narwhal brooch, I would be such a happy lady.

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First two images via

Third image via

The Big Chill

As the weather edges towards cooling off, I am so glad that it's autumn at last. In the last year, as time has become more apparent and central to my life (something about getting older perhaps..), I've become increasingly obsessed with maximising what each season has to offer. Making and keeping traditions is something that I find grounding and I looked forward to introducing these to my life as a teenager. Childhood was full of moments defined by seasons, and I love the classics as much as the unorthodox, personal ones that I've shared with dear ones since leaving home. This year, we've already started planning a few special things (starting with the Easter long weekend), but I thought of some more tonight that definitely have their place in the forthcoming, chilly months.


One, plant the Icelandic poppy seeds that were a gift last autumn. This is really the last time to sow the seeds and poppies are my namesake after all..

Two, have some indulgent comfort food nights. We have a Christmas ham bone, frozen, for the first pea and ham soup of the season, plus I'd love to make fondue and pie (sweet and savoury of both - of course!).

Three, buy some quality running skins and refuse to have my fitness corrupted by cold weather or my toasty bed. I'd really like to be fit and healthy to try and ward off flu season..

Four, knit a chunky scarf in a bold wine or mustard or forest green. Emma has some beauties, and while I would jump at the chance to support her, I'm really not meant to be buying anything at all right now.

Five, find ways to pass winter nights without technology. I'm thinking board games, reading old magazines, getting to know new books and experimenting with records and my guitar.

Six, take a trip to the Hunter Valley. Some more friends have moved south and we are plotting to visit them and explore the highlands.

Seven, take the chance to learn some new things. Sim often introduces me to TED talks and the Khan academy has some awesome history sessions online too. We've done the French Revolution, but I'm really keen to do more of the early 20th Century.

Eight, drive north and enjoy the coast on a winter's day. I love the wind coming off the ocean, being warm under a blanket and how good everything tastes when its eaten amongst the elements. Fish and chips on the beach is what I should actually call this one..

Nine, have a Christmas In July-Bad Jumper party. I can't wait to crack out a llama jumper.

Ten, perfect my stewed apple recipe. My absolute favourite breakfast and dessert, really. Maple syrup with homemade vanilla extract and greek yoghurt, I think..

Eleven, branch out in terms of my personal style, without spending significant amounts of money. The more we have for Japan the better! Lately I've felt lacklustre and uninspired by the collections and trends coming up and I'm going to work on creatively exploring my own style instead.

Twelve, have an Easter egg hunt, as well as our second annual, Goon and Coon, mulled wine and cheese night. Last year was exceptional, and there are so many cheeses I can't wait to try.

Thirteen, drive to the Scenic Lookout that overlooks Byron Bay on the Pacific Highway in New South Wales. This is my favourite view in the whole of Australia and a cup of tea there on a freezing day is out of this world.

Fourteen, do some volunteer work at the RSPCA. I've been wanting to do this for ages and I finally have the time to help out some sweet kitties and puppies.

Fifteen, write some songs and have a little jam night with whoever is around. There are a few spoken word and poetry slams that welcome this too, so it would be rad to explore these and make a night of it.


How do you feel about the cooler months ahead? I know some people are thinking about whether they can hibernate all winter long..

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Sip, Nibble, Settle

Since finishing uni and full time work drying up somewhat, I have spent so much time at home. Cabin fever has set in from time to time but just now, as I got ready for bed, I realised how special it is that, finally, it really does feel like ours. As I looked around tonight I could see that it's incorporated into both our space and our lifestyle and is flexible when we have guests and when it's just us two. It's less about decor and more about habits that we decided should be present (and items that could be kept) even with such a tiny unit. These habits stretch to our belongings and I'm glad that our musical and writing endeavours are so clear in the bits and pieces we have around us. It's pleasant to have the dearest things close and I'm always inspired by the memories they recall. The other things that make our house feel like home shine through in other ways, but we've developed a routine together that can easily adapt to playing host or letting things go a little, particularly on weekends..

Our abode is a fairly constant build of the instagrams above..
..morning coffees - with vague attempts at heart swirl art - and lots of honey.
..movie dates together. This is largely curry, and last week it was yoghurt marinated chicken and vegetable curry with a side of Tanqueray and tonic.
..lots of lamps lending their glow, as well as having records, books and my guitar all near our beloved couch. My love close by too.
..mugs all over the house. They especially signal autumn and cosiness to me. It's kind of impossible to enjoy that sort of comfort in summer.
..a celebration or two - a soy vanilla ice-cream affogatto for me or a Scotch for him. We tend to mark occasions in our own way.
..quality time with our families. This is only complete with some sort of food pampering. Last Monday, it was fig, ginger and honey ice-cream with a drizzle of honey, a shot of Frangelico and blueberries - a very indulgent sundae.


Even with occasional cabin fever, I'm always happy to be here.

What defines your home? I'd love to hear your homestyle secrets if you've the time to share, I adore learning about other people's lives.