To Click, or Not to Click

Now that I've lured you in with an adorably cute little keyring I picked up in Melbourne earlier this year...

What do you think about expandy retracty blog posts? Do they annoy you, do they save you time, do you skip past them or only read them when you should be studying or doing work? I would love to know what you think, because I'm still pondering whether I should persist. Is it a bit of overkill for a blog that only averages one post a day? Oh I don't know, help me decide!

poll by twiigs.com

White with Envy

I've always had a mild obsession with white interiors, but living in my very own stark white box, it can be a little disheartening when you don't have a few thousand dollars lying around to buy the latest slick modern designs.

So as much as I'm ashamed to admit this, it's only a recent development that I've discovered how soft and cosy white spaces can actually be. Every image of beautiful white rooms gives me a flood of ideas for my little white box, and plenty of them are rent-friendly too! Lovely themed frames, quirky light fittings, colourful cushions and even vertical wall hangings. There simply aren't enough hours in the day!

So imagine my delight when I discovered that many of my favourite interior photographs of late are all by one incredibly talented James Merrell.

From soft white interiors to rustic charm, Merrell captures the warmth and light that just makes you want to dive onto the bed or sit down, have a sip of tea and soak in the calming surroundings.

He has also photographed some of the most beautiful, lavish interiors I've ever seen, and although my little box is far from Baroque, there's still plenty of inspiration to be found!

Another reason to admire Merrell is that he actually photographs beautiful interiors...with people! Architectural photography is so often completely void of any signs of life, so it's quite refreshing to see people living in and enjoying the spaces they live in. And let's be honest, if you had a massive curving staircase, you'd be sliding down it to breakfast every morning too!

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Ahem. Anyway, although it takes a fair effort to drag my attention away from all the beautiful Autumn/Winter photographs I'm seeing from the northern hemisphere, whether it be clothes, nature or toasty warm fireplaces, Merrell has somehow managed to make me quite glad that summer is just around the corner in my part of the world. You can almost smell the fresh linen and the flowers!

Optimism is Overrated

The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.

- George F. Will

[Image Credit]

The Write Stuff

In my continued Spring cleaning frenzy, I keep staring aimlessly at my "study" area and daydreaming about what could be. Two ugly desktop PC's, two very ugly, plain desks, a mountain of cords and a virtual dumping ground for Mr. Unreliable's rubbish. Sigh.


Then I keep finding beautiful pictures of immaculate, organised studies and offices, at which point I look back at my own desk in dismay. How to attain a lovely work setting at home?!

The biggest hurdle for me is being organised, let alone being organised enough to put said organisational skills on display. Nicole's studio over at Making It Lovely puts my two little craft boxes to shame.

So I'm thinking I should just start small. I keep putting all my efforts off until I find the perfect room divider to finally partition off my study from the rest of my open plan box, but if I wait till then, nothing will ever get done.

So, baby steps. One little thing at a time. This means it'll also be even easier to sneak pretty new things in without Mr. Unreliable noticing. I think this little sticky pad from Pretty Bitter might be my perfect partner in crime.And I definitely need some lovely new stationery to keep me organised too! This is just a tiny selection of my favourites from my stationery heaven, Urbanic.

And then there's this. This became the darling of typography, featured in almost every house tour and sneak peek over at lovely house and home blogs like Apartment Therapy and design*sponge. The poster itself harks back to wartime Britain, when I assume the ladies and children would carry on playing croquet or drinking tea whilst London was subject to air raids. So very British. And so very not me.


Ahhh, that's more like it. None of this calm business in my office, just pure chaos and anarchy. Just how I like it! This little guy, the work of Olly Moss over at Threadless, is my...

Step #1 Towards a Nicer Home Office.

And the best bit? He is already printed, framed and standing on my desk as we speak. Success!

Corporate Luxe

I figured it was time for another Happy Monday special and yet more lovely workplace suitable attire. This time I'm pining over Dagmar's lovely Autumn/Winter 08 Collection, with yet another thank you to Erin over at Design for Mankind for bringing yet another fantastic designer to my attention.

Some of the colours are undeniably inspired by autumn, but would no doubt work year round. Soft creams and burnt oranges get my vote any time of year!

The beautiful selection of greys and blacks are decidedly more winter-esque, but a little splash of colour could easily transform them into even more year-round must-haves.

Oh who am I kidding, black is always a must have, regardless of the time of year.

And for all our extra-curricular activites, Dagmar has even been kind enough to provide us with bright colours and lovely fun, feminine cuts to keep us happy in our spare time too.

Happy Monday!

Weekend Workhorse

Last week, I met my new love.

His name is Doug.

I snuck out and met him mid-week whilst Mr. Unreliable was at work. I fell in love straight away.

I asked Mr. Unreliable to meet Doug this weekend, but he wouldn't have a bar of it.

Probably because he knows by now that I just use him for his ability to lift heavy items. Mr. Unreliable is used to be relegated to second chicken, especially when I find amazing stores like Doug Up On Bourke, in Waterloo, Sydney.


Oh Doug, how I love you so. So many fruit crates, packing crates, suitcases, briefcases, trunks, ammo boxes, ladders, pigeonholes, signs, sewing machines, typewriters, chairs, stools...and watering cans! So. Many. Watering. Cans. I could literally set up a hammock and be right at home.

Unfortunately it seems that Mr. L above is long gone, but there were plenty of other goodies to keep me occupied. I even took photos of my illicit affair to show Mr. Unreliable. He was unimpressed.


So until I coerce my two loves to meet, I'll have to make do with all the beautiful offerings of Etsy, and even a few from eBay too! My collection of suitcases is growing by the day, with another two added to the collection yesterday.
Another case I received via eBay last week came with an adorable little handmade card featuring a cute little guy I have aptly named 'Lil' McLamb'. He will be the very first item on my inspiration boards, whenever I get around to putting them up. I'm also slowly but surely getting around to framing a few of the many paintings, prints and pictures I have laying around, including my very own terrible attempt at painting, which doesn't feature in the above collage because...well, it's terrible. Maybe one day, if I run out of things to talk about, I'll show you. But until then, count your lucky stars.

Anyway, no matter how much I seem to achieve in a weekend, I have a sneaking suspicion that my spring cleaning efforts are going to continue well into summer. Every time I open a box I find an impossible amount of miscellanea - it really is incredible how much I have crammed into my ultra tiny apartment. Especially for an apartment that has next to no storage space.

My aim is to have an incredibly tidy, organised and stylish apartment by the time my parents visit at Christmas. I don't like my chances though.

What have you lovely readers been up to so far this weekend? Bulk relaxing, fervent entertaining or, like me, tedious cleaning/purging/reorganising?

The Art of Nostalgia

In my many hours spent scouring design and interiors sites for snippets of inspiration, I've been coming across a reviving trend which, to be honest, has perplexed me a little. It has suddenly become fashionable once more to adorn your walls with collections of decorative plates. It sounds innocent enough, but I have instant flashbacks to my grandmothers house where her whole living room was secondary to the masses of fine china on display...and then there's the terrible plate I painted myself in primary school. Anything that combines an ocean theme and an 8 year old with a paintbrush is almost doomed to fail (or maybe it's just when it's me with a paint brush!)
But enough rambling. Flicking through Frame the other day, I finally came across a collection of plates that I would hang on my wall in a heartbeat. Dutch designer Hella Jongerius collaborated with the master craftspeople at Japanese firm Ando Shippo to produce the Shippo Plates collection. The results are simply divine.


Jongerius has combined the ago-old technique of enamelling with her own distinctive design sensibilities. Commissioned by the very stylish people over at Cibone, the designs celebrate the richly coloured enamel without detracting from the beauty of the copper base. The ancient method has become part of the design, not just a means to an end.

She insists that her designs are not merely explorations in nostalgia, but that by employing old techniques, all but extinct in Europe, she is simply broadening her design horizons.


It would be difficult to argue with such a renowned ceramic artist that decorative plates aren't nostalgic in their own right, but nevertheless I would happily have these lovely works of art on my walls. Grandma would be proud.

Slow Motion Flowers

Speaking of vases, I do actually harbour a fairly unhealthy obsession with anything that can even vaguely pass as a vase, although I never quite get around to buying flowers to actually put in them! Thankfully for me however, Martin Klimas has created a beautiful series of floral photography that one day will adorn my walls...but these photos definitely aren't what you'd expect of a still life series.

In fact, despite the impression of stillness at first glance, these are actually beautifully captured moments of destruction.

I won't harp on about the wastefulness of a consumerist society or the destruction of war. This beautiful series could mean any number of things to any number of views, but as far as I'm concerned, it's simply a truly inspiring exercise in high-speed photography.

Never shall my house be without beautiful flowers again!


[via Apartment Therapy + Booooooom!]

In Search Of...

The perfect boots.

But not just any boots.

Ceramic boots! Or perhaps they're porcelain, I'm not sure. I spotted them a few weeks ago on an Australian website and I cannot for the life of me track them down again. They look exactly like the ones above [Waterproof by Maxim Velčovský], but the ones I'm after are:

a) Available in Australia
b) Half the price
c) Possibly actually made as a pot with drainage hole/s.

Someone? Anyone?

And am I off my tree or are they ridiculously cool? I have a spare little corner in my massively oversized terrace (i.e. almost as large as my apartment), and I think these would just be perfect there. Have I lost the plot?

And Another Thing...

You know what I'm talking about.

I Almost Forgot...

Waiting at home for me post-road trip was a little present! One that I bought for myself I may add, but minor details.

One vintage Polaroid Land Camera 1000. He's in fantastic condition and has been modified to take 600 film, which is apparently more readily available than the SX-70 film, but I've yet to find any that doesn't cost a mint.

This little guy is a work of art. Literally. Kota Ezawa immortalised my humble little camera in 2006. Well, almost my camera. I can't really find a clearcut answer on exactly how many variations of the Land Camera 1000 were made, but red button, green button, round lens surround, square lens surround...whatever, they're all awesome.

But I need your help!

As you may have already deduced by this stage, I have a habit of naming inanimate objects. So what shall I call my new photographic baby? I've been pondering this all week and so far the best I've got is Kermit. Because he has a green button. Yeah, pathetic I know. Methinks my creativity is off hiding somewhere, probably with the reasonably priced 600 film or the Q-Light flash I so desire. If you happen to see any of them either (especially my creativity), let me know!

Close to Home

It's a little strange when you find out about a great photographer who lives just around the corner from you...from a blog based in Sweden. Such are the joys of the blogosphere! Courtesy of Emma over at emmas designblogg, I am now absolutely infatuated with the work of Sydney-based Sam McAdam.

Sam photographs span still life, interiors, people and food, and there's something incredibly timeless about every single photo she takes.
If I had my way, I'd have a purple chalk board wall and a crate bookshelf tomorrow. If only I knew where to start looking for either!

Blue Beard

There would be very few people left in Australia who haven't heard of Movember, a fantastic charity that aims to raise awareness of men's health issues like testicular cancer. Unfortunately for us ladies, we could only sit back and admire the handywork of our men and their flowing moustaches....until now!

Without stealing any of the limelight off a very worthy charity, there is another option for those of us who aren't quite up to the challenge of facial hair. The Build a Beard Workshop is an initiative of the atto design firm, and the premise is as simple as this:

That's right, help people out AND have a bit of fun too. For those of you unfamiliar with Kiva, it's a brilliant website for person-to-person micro-lending - it enables individuals like you and moi to lend directly to entrepreneurs in the developing world. The aim here is alleviate poverty by allowing people to develop self-sufficient businesses and initiatives so that their communities will benefit from the steady flow of income and employment opportunities. Some of the ideas seem quite small, but the net result is enormous.

And look at these little guys! How could you resist slapping on a little Santa beard and getting into the festive spirit a little early? Wear it while you put your tree up at the end of the month!

That's right, anyone can join in. So get your printer or your Photoshop ready, grab a camera and get your friends, family and maybe even your pets involved too! The handlebars are obviously a big hit with the punters, but I'm going with the kid on this one and going for the Poseidon look.

With accessories of course. Any excuse to wear a crown.

So this November, lets all have a bit of bearded mustachioed fun and help out while we're at it.

The Road Less Travelled Pt 4

I figure I should probably wrap up my little roadtrip diaries and get back to the interesting stuff, so I've crammed the last few things I wanted to share with you all into the one convenient post!

First up is THE most delicious smoothie I've ever had. No competition. And I used to drink a lot of smoothies back in my day (before the coffee addiction took hold).

This little glass of liquid heaven was an organic mango smoothie, and if it were possible to marry beverages, Mr. Smoothie and I would have just eloped. This was also followed by a DELICIOUS sourdough croissant, all hot and buttery with tasty, tasty jam. I ate it before I could take any photos. I literally couldn't stop myself.

After this tasty little lunch, I decided to devote my last day of being blissfully kidnapped to one of my favourite hobbies, shopping. Op shopping in fact. I'm usually pretty terrible at op shopping expeditions, but this time I'm fairly proud of my efforts.

First up was my bright orange pashmina. $5. Although he does turn heads when I wear him out and about, pashmina's true home is on my bed. He matches my doona cover and fits in well with my newly decided white/black/orange bedroom colour scheme. He was also a handy addition for the drive back home. Above he is forming part of my essential road trip trio - reading material (Animal Farm by George Orwell), ADD deterrent (my scarf which I've been knitting on and off for about 5 years), and of course pashmina, also known as makeshift blanket for vehicular napping purposes.

Next on my hit list was probably my proudest find in quite some time, made even sweeter by the fact that Mr. Unreliable absolutely despises them. Genie Pants. $12. Oh yeah. Words simply cannot describe how much I love these pants. Even my mother was a hesitant fan. But Mr. Unreliable cannot be budged. Too bad for him these pants are really fun to dance around in.

And last but not least, tan button-up shirt. $7. It runs the risk of being a little bit cowboy (not that there's anything wrong with that), but I definitely can't pull off the rancher look, so fortunately this little guy doesn't mind being paired up with a skirt. And here you have my outfit for today. Happy Monday!

Sigh.

I just spent 5 hours wrestling with html in a vain attempt to inch my blog that little closer to perfection. JUST when it was all working beautifully in Firefox, I tested it in Internet Explorer, and sure enough it was completely ruined. Not just a little bit either, we're talking no sidebars, no working links and the whole blog cutting off halfway through my first blog post.

So I'm giving up for tonight (this morning), and cheering myself up with balloons before I go to bed.

Ahhh that's better. Fairly sure I'm still going to have nightmares about html though.

I hope everyone's weekend has been a little more productive than mine!

An Apple a Day

I've had my fair share of visits to the doctors this year. Maybe these apples are what I need!

Awww look, they're even portable! Keep these apples in mind when you read on...

Look at all those apples! Ok so I cheated a little, the bottom three images are actually of a pear. But nevertheless, they're adorable! I've never wanted to hug fruit so much in my life.

These little guys rate a mention too. Cuddly little owls always get my vote. They're almost a bit Halloween-esque, an event that I of course forgot because
a) It's not a big event in Australia (for me at least) and
b) Because I'm forgetful.

All these lovely little stuffed toys are the work of La Pomme over at Etsy, and best of all, most of them are designed with grownups in mind. Excellent, I don't even have to feel childish when I stock up on more stuffed toys.

But I digress. Remember the bag o' apples?

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! Teeny tiny apples in a teeny tiny bag!!!

I'm really not too sure what I did with all my spare time before Etsy.