Into the Looking Glass

Last week started me thinking about fond childhood memories, and a few Twitter conversations on the subject and a couple of memory-prompting slices of inspiration later, I can't stop thinking about Alice in Wonderland-inspired tea parties or The Secret Garden-esque hideaways and all other sorts of hidden places and passageways! And with Easter just around the corner, what better time to dive headfirst into the rabbit hole?!

Today is all about Miss Alice, and it's impossible (and possibly illegal) to discuss Alice's adventures without mentioning the famous Annie Leibovitz' editorial for US Vogue, so let's start there. Natalia Vodianova stars as our favourite Alice Liddell, and she's joined by an all-star fashion designer cast (...and Rupert Everett. What?!)

[Through the Looking Glass - Natalia wears Balenciaga Couture]

[The Mad Tea Party - Featuring Stephen Jones, right, and Christian Lacroix.
Natalia wears Christian Lacroix Haute Couture]

[The Mock Turtle's Story - Featuring Donatella Versace and Rupert Everett.
Natalia wears Atelier Versace]

[Drink Me - Natalia wears Helmut Lang]

[Tweedledum and Tweedledee - Featuring Rolf Snoeren, far left, and Viktor Horsting.
Natalia wears Viktor & Rolf]

There are still a few fantastic scans of the Vogue spread around too (like this one), which is good news for those of us who don't have Vogue back issues circa 2003! But back to reality, you don't need supermodels and Karl Lagerfeld on speed-dial to tell this great story! Here are three of my favourite Alice-inspired shoots...

This first one has already received a whole lot of blog kudos (bludos?), and quite deservedly so! Alix (aka The Cherry Blossom Girl) and La Méchante teamed up for this amazing shoot, and it's nothing short of divine. The rabbit mask is a little bit eerie (Donnie Darko flashbacks!), the colours are rich, the compositions are quirky, and best of all, there are TINY TINY TEACUPS! I'm so easily amused.

Secondly is this delectable shoot by Andrea Francesco. Andrea writes that the small-scale shoot was limited by the lack of characters at his disposal, but I think he's done a stunning job regardless. The King of Hearts took my breath away. Literally, it really did. I wouldn't lie to you about something so important!

[Down the Rabbit Hole]

[The King of Hearts]

[...Said the White Rabbit]

[A Cup of Tea]

This last shoot looks like it was way too much fun to put together! Edan Fiterman rounded up a group of friends and photographed this Mad Tea Party, complete with real cupcakes, cookies and tea! That's my kind of friend/photographer!

[Down the Rabbit Hole]

[Awaiting]

[Discovering a Mad Tea Party]

[Advice From a Caterpillar]

[Some Tea With That?]

Mmmm cupcakes. Alice in Wonderland is the perfect combination of exploration, oddity, and of course tea parties and tasty candy (let's not discuss all the drug references, mmmkay?) Like many other kidlets (from many generations!), the story captured my imagination and sent me off exploring my neighbourhood in search of the perfect tea party location. Because after all, who hasn't found a perfectly secretive spot and wished they'd brought along an 8-seater table, high tea and a group of well-dressed friends? (Even if said high tea consists of sugared water and Iced Vo Vo's, and well-dressed friends just so happen to be stuffed toys. That still counts!)

Speaking of sumptuous secret locations, the rest of the week is going to be an incomparably chaotic concoction of Secret Garden-esque hideaways, inspired outdoor tea parties and fashions from the forest (not to mention ample alliteration!)...so don't climb out the rabbit hole just yet!


[Images via fairytalecinema, The Cherry Blossom Girl and La Méchant, Andrea Francesco and aragonzo]

On Top and Under Control

I've been lagging behind for few weeks now but I think I'm finally getting on top of things. Almost. I've caught up on most comments and emails, I'm relatively up to date on all my favourite blogs, and I even have a couple of very exciting new projects in the wings too! I'm going to be a busy little bee!

I have a WHOLE pile of gorgeousness planned for you this week, but I'm going to start off with two little requests...

Firstly, I'd like to pass on a little of my recent good luck on to my dearest readers (that's you!), so if there are any Etsy sellers, designers, artists or photographers reading and you'd like to drum up a little buzz about your work by sponsoring a giveaway here on That Unreliable Girl, I'd love to hear from you!

Secondly, if you'd like to be featured as a sponsor in one of those sexy sidebars over there > please send an email my way and I'll get a pretty little fact sheet back to you (including site stats, rates and all other kinds of fun numbers...like two thumbs up, high fives...) Rates will be optimal for small businesses, indie designers and blogs too! Be sure to include the name, description and linky link of your business/design/blog etc. <3

Still wondering what I have planned for you this week? Here's a teeny, tiny sneak peak...


Ooooh the suspense!!


[Images via WeHeartIt and martianmermaid]

Keeping It Simple

After my gargantuan posts yesterday, I'm going to keep things simple today. 7 Things I'm Loving...on this sunny, decidedly un-wintery day. But hey, at least it's Friday!

1. The only thing better than gorgeous flowers...is gorgeous flowers that somehow bring back childhood memories. Apparently smell is one of our most powerful senses for triggering memories, and even the thought of these lovely pansies had me back in my childhood garden, chasing lizards and exploring the "wilderness" with my trusty canine companion.

2. Speaking of the smell of memories, it's pretty impossible to compete with the scent of old books. I'm not sure if this will come as any surprise, but I was something of a bookworm back in my mini-me days. It's been a while since I read any of the classics, so perhaps it's time for a long overdue return to bookworm-dom. Any suggestions?

3. One more memory! This photo took me straight back to childhood holidays on Fraser Island off the coast of Queensland. I spent endless hours at what may still be my most favourite place in the world, playing in the rock pools full of Finding Nemo characters, setting up my mermaid digs in the perfectly Kit-sized indentations of the massive rock wall, and sitting on the highest vantage spot on the point, watching dolphins, whales and sharks swim by...I never realised what a truly miraculous childhood I lead! I haven't been back in well over a decade, but this year I might just change that, and I can't wait. What's your favourite place in the world?

4. Back to the present...I LOVE flying downhill on my little bicycle, there's nothing quite like it. This weekend I'm going to pack up a little picnic, coax Mr. Unreliable onto his bicycle and take us to one of our favourite spots on the harbour...weather permitting!

5. Even though various insects are doing their best to devour every single last one of my plants, I absolutely adore gardening. My tiny potted orange tree is literally packed to the brim full of fruit that will hopefully be ready for the picking soon, and I might even be able to get a glass of orange juice out of the affair! My lemon and lime trees are a little further behind, but I'm not going to complain about fresh fruit year round! Are you the greenthumb type? Do you grow your own food?

6. Yes, I still love white on white interiors, but can you blame me? As sterile as the colour scheme might sound in theory, the range of warm, rustic white on white interiors that are currently doing the blog rounds is proof enough that white is not a dirty word (or a super-sterile bland word either!) I dream of the day I can move into a naturally lit apartment with white floorboards. In fact...my current apartment has the former, but I wonder if my landlord would be terribly adverse to replacing the most boring beige carpet in the world with floorboards...surely not?!

7. Realistically though, I'm not sure I'd ever be disciplined enough to stick to a strictly white-on-white theme, mainly because I love colour so much! Even my attempts to theme areas of my apartment into defined colour schemes seem destined to fail...other colours slowly but surely invade and take over. So although I'll endlessly lust over bright white lofts and rustic white farmhouses, I'll be embracing colour and bringing it into my apartment at every opportunity. Are you a colour junkie or a white fiend...or just an anything goes kinda person?

It's so nice to keep things simple every now and then, especially for manic-over-complicating types like myself (did someone say ADD?!) I think I'm going to carry on the simplicity into my weekend, with a little wine, a lot of pastry (like that's anything new!) and relaxing time with loved ones. What do you have planned?


[Image Credits - 1. via .v, 2. via the nonist, 3. via Lolitas Blog, 4. Olivia Bee via design is mine, 5. via Cannelle et Vanille, 6. via Bliss, 7. via Popkraft]

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Thank You Thursday - Round 2

The second round of love is for the many wonderful bloggers who run fabulous competitions for our viewing pleasure! I've been uncharacteristically lucky of late, so more thank you's are in order!

I mentioned back in early March that I'd won a gorgeous "Lucky in Bed" necklace by the very talented Jess L.C. over at Design Lovely. It arrived and was somehow even more adorable than the I imagined! As predicted, Mr. Unreliable was very pleased with this win too! Thank you again to Jess and Rachel, and to all the other great bloggers who took part. Check out Jess's other Soc Chic necklace designs - a percentage of proceeds from every necklace goes to a different (and very worthy) charity.

Next up I won this adorable necklace from the talented lady behind one of my favourite Etsy stores, YellowGoat. Look at my little top hats, awwww!

I just have to share some of the latest goodies in the YellowGoat Etsy store too, these are all well and truly on my wishlist!

Just in case cute cuffs and keepsake rings weren't enough...clouds, planes and silhouettes!! Best. Headband. Ever.

And if all that luck wasn't enough, I even won a great little Twitter contest by graphic designer extraordinaire, yaelfran! I have a set of adorable illustrations that I can print to my little heart's content, and as soon as I'm organised enough to buy adhesive paper, I'm going sticker crazy! Look at these little guys, how cute are they?!

Yaelfran's Esty store is stocked full of even more adorable illustrations, but here are a few of my favourites.

Awwww mini koala! And is that a little thumbs up I see? Very Australian, I love it!

Thank you all for your wonderful blogs and your fun giveaways too! I hope to be able to share a little of that love around soon, so stay tuned for details!

Thank You Thursday - Round 1

I've been a very lucky little cookie of late, so I think it's about time I said thank you, don't you? In fact, I have two very large rounds of thank you's, so get comfortable, we might be here a while!

First of all I'd like to thank three lovely ladies who have sent awards my way (some quite some time ago, I'm a little slow on the uptake!) I'm going to share some of my favourite images from their blogs too, just in case you haven't yet been introduced to this fabulous trio!

So a huge thank you to the wonderful Susanna of Girl Meets NYC for passing on the 'E for Excellent' award! Girl Meets NYC is full of gorgeous images and the beautiful writing and thoughts from an inspiring young lady who is wise beyond her years.

As per *The Rules, I'm passing this award on to 10 other officially excellent blogs. I'll apologise in advance if the recipients have received these awards before, I tried to check that I didn't double up...but I got confused and lost track. Oops!

Design is Mine - Summer
For Me, For You - Kate
Design Lovely - Rachel
Loveology - Mila
concrete and honey
Ill Seen, Ill Said - Jane
Interiors - Christelle
Please Sir - Diana
Beach Bungalow 8
Rooted in Style - Jana

Next is the Kreative Blogger award from the wonderful Belle from It's all make believe, isn't it? Belle is currently living the dream in France, and her blog is a testament to her impeccable taste (especially in men, mmm RPattz!) Ahem. Anyway, this award has slightly different rules...I share 7 of my favourite bloggers and 7 things that I'm currently loving. But first...

Oh Paris! I'm going to be sneaky any postpone my 7 loves for the moment, but in the meantime, here are 7 more blogs I j'adore! (I'm cultured AND poetic! :D)

.v - Vanessa
Daydream Lily - Liss
Bliss - Mrs. Bliss
Desire to Inspire - Kim and Jo
The English Muse - Tina
{this is glamorous}
Sugar Pie Express - Michelle

And this last fabulous award comes for the discernible Tina of Luphia loves... Tina's blog is a delicious mix of fantastic beauty reviews, her own rocking fashion style, and a whole lot of interior eye candy for white-loving loft-fiends like moi...plus plenty of great photography and other fab finds too!

Some more fabulous blogs, you say? Sure! (One must not mess with *The Rules!) So here's another 10...

coco+kelly - Cassandra
Urban Lifestyle Decor - Susan
design*sponge - Grace
White and Wander - Emma
Oh Joy! - Joy
Making It Lovely - Nicole
poppytalk - Jan
decorology - Ashley
{frolic!} - Chelsea
Creature Comforts - Ez

Thank you again to the lovely ladies who sent awards my way, and I look forward to seeing where these great awards end up next!

*The Rules (for all 3 awards!)

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate # blogs which you think are fabulous (refer to post for numbers!)
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

Wednesday Wisdom - Share the Love

All the beautiful sentiments in the world
weigh less than a single lovely action.

- James Russell Lowell (1819 - 1891)

We know what a person thinks
not when he tells us what he thinks,
but by his actions.

- Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904 - 1991)

Be great in act,
as you have been in thought.

- William Shakespeare

One act of beneficence,

one act of real usefulness,
is worth all the abstract sentiment
in the world.

- Ann Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho, 1764

Action is eloquence.

- William Shakespeare

I've been doing a little pondering about the old adage 'actions speak louder than words'. Don't worry, I'm not going to get on my soapbox again, especially as Shakespeare and friends have already summed up my thoughts on the matter quite elegantly. I just wanted to share one of my daily sources of inspiration, Operation NICE. I'm constantly amazed and humbled by the beautiful stories of beautiful people who go out of their way to help others, from their friends, family and their community, through to complete strangers who may never get the chance to thank them. I don't think I've made it through a single NICE Person of the Week post yet without having to inconspicuously dig around for a tissue.

So if you've been watching too much news and need a little extra slice of hope that humanity isn't doomed after all, head over to Operation NICE and revive your faith in humankind. Take comfort in the knowledge that there are wonderfully kind, generous people out there, and that you might just be one of them!

[Images by bigcitydreams via {this is glamorous} ]