All around Central Park it could be heard...

I'm so glad that you tentatively approached me in the cafe that day. Who would have known it would be the start of a great friendship! It was exactly like that moment in The Parent Trap when Susan and Sharon realise that they are twins separated at birth... except we don't have those cool haircuts like Hayley Mills did.

I hope you had a very Happy December Birthday, my darling fellow girl called e. See you soon for a bottle of champagne and an enormous bag of Reece's Peanut Butter Cups.

A penny saved is a penny earned... but I don't have any pennies.

I'm hearting my Vinnies finds today after sneaking out of work at a tasty 2 o'clock this afternoon! I'd been eyeing off a sweet thermos in the window of a Kogarah op-shop so when I was out early today I seized the opportunity...of course said shop was closed, but hey... whatdya know? My local Vinnes delivered in spades instead...

A tonne of material (including the cute orange stripe background material and some tacky vinyl), 3 metres of pink lace (50c... I couldn't buy 5 red frogs for that), some wool for my newly found pompom addiction and my cute-to-boot thermos - all for 15 big ones.

My partner in crime has up and left me again! Last time Dubai, this time NYC. One of these days I'm going to stow away in her bag. In the mean time I'm off to play the new Super Mario Bros with Ma + Pa, almost as good I'd say...almost!

NYC here I come!

Picture found here

It's finally here!

Here's hoping you get to spend the day surrounded by lots of loved ones and chocolate, with a ratio of 1:1. And of course that there are some pretty presents for you under the tree! xx

Simple equation...

+

=

Today I discovered...

...that there are very cool, printable design goodies over at Creature Comforts. They're currently offering a free download each day up until Christmas so if you're stuck for some cute wrapping or tags, put your printer to work! I downloaded this blue present design, printed it on A3 at work and now I have super cute paper. For free! Oh and Happy Belated Birthday Matt!

...that tomato soup and two minute noodles do not a marriage make. This is poor-man's spaghetti in a can but in larger, undesirable quantities. What can I say? It's the end of the year and I'm cleaning out the food stocks from my desk.

...that the Polarize application on your iPhone gives even the most pedestrian photos indie cred. Love it!

Wow, a non Christmas themed post in December? Well I never...

Pretty and delicious

This cookie wreath is one of the projects from the girl called e baking and craft day. Unfortunately it didn't last long because one night later I got home a little bit tipsy and ate the whole thing in one sitting. I can confirm though that the decision to use vanilla bean paste (instead of vanilla essence) in the cookies, made them very very tasty!

Only four sleeps to go!

Is everyone excited? Or are you still frantically buying last minute gifts?

Next year I'm handing these out to all my relatives and friends... it's a Christmas cheat sheet! Think how much easier Christmas shopping will be thanks to Made in England. Just click on the link and download. Such a simple yet brilliant idea.
And it also includes ring size- for those very generous boyfriends... (hint hint).

A cookie a day...

Baking days are fun!

All that I want...

Tomorrow I have a very special day scheduled with my dear papa - we are spending all day baking and I couldn't be more excited. We're planning on whipping up a whole bunch of that good ol' sweet stuff, but I think flavoured marshmallows are our main focus... pictures to come for sure.

In the meantime, here's what's keepin' me smiling on this dreary, bus-less summer day...

Fairy lights and full skirts pretty much sum up everything I love. Oh and gorgeous out of focus photography. If I could be a photo - I'd want to be this. Found here

This gorgeously stylish and delicious looking gingerbread house by Iron Chef Shellie. I love those roof-tiles so much I might have to get Shellie's advice when I'm renovating...

This song by the Weepies. I LOVE the Weepies so much it hurts sometimes and this song is fabulous and sweet and Christmas. Makes me wish for a white Christmas... just once!

So hope you're having a happy day wherever you are and that you aren't waiting patiently for a bus in Sydney today... because they just ain't comin'. I'm off to party with the other girl called e at Dr Pong. xx

Let them eat cake...

Both girls called e are December babies - this is an important fact because it really does have an impact on who we are and why we work so well together. And guess what?

Today is my partner in crime's birthday!

found here by daniel jones

It's been ALMOST two years since we stumbled into each others lives - sharing a love of all things cute, sugar-y and japanese. You've changed my life with the aide of freckles, Special K and your generous and fun nature. And I can safely say the past two years have been all the better for knowing you, my sistah from another mistah... (sorry I just ruined the tone of this post).

found here by preposterous on flickr

Something to brighten up hump day

Timelapse movie: The Alps -- part II (night) from Michael Rissi on Vimeo.

The boots are made for walkin'

A while back I made a special set of shoes for a special friend - I grabbed some sharpies and some white canvas shoes and basically went to town while watching the last four episodes of Dexter Season 3 (I love you Miguel Prado!). The shoes were well received and with them came the request for another pair from another friend. So who did I draw in the Secret Santa swap? Said friend! Perfect excuse to get me off my butt and drawing on some shoesies! Suffice to say she loves music - namely tegan+sara - and may, or may not, be named Shannon.
Overall I'm stoked with the results seeing as I free-handed it all!

Check after the jump for more photos and a super dodgy phone pic of the original pair

A girl can never have too much stationery... can she?

So I think I've already well established the fact that I'm massively obsessed with stationery. And I know I keep posting about all these fantastic websites and their very cute paper goods- but this is another one that is worth mentioning. Notemaker sells a great range of little items from pens to memo pads, sticky tape and stamps, filofaxes, calenders, etc etc. They stock the very cool and quirky brands, Suck UK and MMMG. And check out the limited edition Woodstock moleskins.

Another yarn...

Inspired by Elsie's gorgeous yarn wreath over at A Beautiful Mess, I set out to make my own. I know, I'm like a broken record, but seriously it's hard to get your hands on styrofoam wreaths here in Australia. Hello Spotlight, where I found not only styrofoam wreaths but enough other crap to total $150. What can I say? It's like my Mecca.

So without further ado here is my yarn wreath with little buttony, foam stars added to the bottom. I'm pretty happy with out how it turned out. Just don't look at the back.. it's a touch messy!

The Lazy Girl's Banoffee Pie

So when the two girls called e get together for a baking day it's safe to say that one of us (infalliably me) will be running late. It's also safe to say that we'll be a little disorganised, forget to read the recipe and need to take a shortcut or improvise in some way or another.
We were faced with two issues for our Banoffee Pie adventure...
1. We didn't have a food processor, nor the patience required to make shortcrust pastry.
2. We didn't have the required three hours to boil up our condensed milk into the luscious dulce de leche.
So what's a girl to do? Create the Lazy Girl's Banoffee Pie of course!

Dear Santa...

Not sure what to bring me this Chrissie? Send the elves to Pigeonhole.com.au where they can pick some adorable little stud earrings and these ultra cool rings. Can't decide between silver and gold... surprise me!

And while they're on there they can grab some of these charming little wooden Christmas cards.

xx e

Fancy Footwork

I think this is such a fantastic idea. You know what it's like when you've had a big night out and no taxis will stop for you and you're limping down the road in your beautiful but excruciatingly painful high heels, or you walk to work and a pair of chunky white running shoes doesn't really go with your outfit? Well Fancy Flats are very pretty little ballet flats that fold up and live in a small wallet that you can carry around in your handbag. So you can pop them on outside the bar or pop them back into your bag when you get to work. And the wallet unfolds into a bag that you can use to carry your high heels... brilliant! You can buy them at www.fancyflats.com.au

Just a reminder...

Work sweet home...

I think most of us spend enough time at work to consider it a "home" of sorts. And because any home I inhabit needs to be coated in tinsel at this time of year, it seemed necessary that my desk be Christmas-ified!

Please note the telling things about me on my desk - Totoro, green tea kit kat, endless christmas paraphenalia, a biggest loser signed poster (I love you Bob!) and my pretty angel garland I made last year! A note reminding me how to print double-sided because gosh-darn I always forget. And last but not least, my red fire-warden cap... I'm pretty sure my department feels safe knowing I'm in charge in the event of an emergency...

In other news, I'm so excited to be catching up with my favourite girl called e this weekend! A day of crafting and baking awaits...!

Try not to be jealous but...

I just bought California Dreams season 1 and 2 on DVD.
Take me back to 1995 please!

A+ for BigW

I really must make a trip to BigW soon. I keep spotting their outdoor products in all the mags and a visit to their website shows that they have got a lot of really cute stuff to offer.

Their outdoor accessories, like candles, gnomes, pots and ornaments, are quite lovely, but I think the best thing I've seen are these glowing white bird lights which would make a garden party that much more special.

Happy December!

Clockwise from top left:
Summer Flower set from Ruby Star Trader
German oak tree from Design For Use
Beach umbrellas from Sunny Life
Bird and Eggs from Bride and Wolfe

Not just paper.. CREATIVE paper!

Pulp Creative Paper has captured my heart. Their Christmas items are gorgeous, like these beautiful little paper angels and the little snowflake card. All their other stock is amazing too. Wrapping, lighting, journals, gifts galore. Coveting this set of pink heart doilies.