Because I'm a girl who lives with a boy..

... all of my cute little homewares are wasted on him. So from now on I'm going to post about random things that live in my cupboards that I feel aren't getting the love that they deserve. First post is this strawberry jar from a shop in Narita airport, purchased because I was trying to squeeze every last bit of shopping out of my Japan holiday. Too small to be useful but very pretty.

Sock it to ya

Oh you silly seasons... decide what you want to be already! As Kelly mentioned over at Made by White, in our first month of Autumn we've experienced a little taste of winter and then a fully fledged summer revivial. All of this (y'know, that little thing called climate change) makes it kind of tricky to anticipate what tomorrow's weather will bring... and thus whether a coat and/or umbrella is needed, or if the havianas and a cotton dress are all that's necessary. Well, pardon my french, but bugger it - I want an excuse to wear my new coat and boots! And although I'm on a self-imposed spending strike for the next month or so, I wouldn't mine warming up my tootsies, when the time does come, with these ridiculously cute (or just plain ridiculous?) socks I found via Sock Dreams. Giant pencil feet!

And don't hesitate to remind me that I was egging on Winter when I'm complaining mid-June about how stupidly cold it is...

Attention all tea cup humans

We're only a couple of months away from True Blood season 3 - exciting stff! Each week HBO are putting out a new poster to pique the interest of all us who believe that "real vampire's dont sparkle"... instead they explode into a messy pile of goo.

Money won't keep you warm... unless you buy a coat with it

Let it never be said that I'm an impulse purchaser. Last night for example, I was of sound mind and body when I handed over my credit card to a pairs of boots... and a coat. Okay, I concede, the winter coat might have been driven... by impulse.

I can't help it! I get caught up in the moment and I have this distinct ability to find SOMETHING to buy ANYWHERE I am. Yesterday I tried to rationalise buying bulk citronella candles in Homeart (search me as to why I was in there in the first place) because Owen's house is quite welcoming to the occasion family of mozzies. This same rationalisation saw me buy 150 yards of ribbon (yes yards...and yes 150 of them) before Christmas - because surely it would come in handy over time? Or the giant cupcake tin that I swore I'd use for everyone's birthday... yes well, a fair few birthdays have come and gone without the tin's involvement.

This brings me to my second skill - the ability to justify anything and everything. Except today... considering I've just spent quite a bit on the above, even I can't justify buying these... but oh I want them!

Leave it to Fred to make me weak at the knees and have my bank balance hiding in the corner, a quivering mess. These silicone TeaCupCakes are so ridiculously cute! They'd make such a great centrepiece for a birthday party, or the perfect end to a garden tea party. But you know what? I don't have a birthday anytime soon... and I've never thrown a garden OR tea party, let alone a garden tea party... so for now I'm going to try and resist. But you? You should totally buy them (and invite me over for tea!)

PS. I know I sound incredibly vapid, materialistic and self-indulgent. I'm all those things and more, but I promise I'm not THAT bad. I only shop a few times a year (hence the buying of multiple things at once) and I do save - really I do! Justify... justify...

Book v eBook.

Ok, I need to ask your opinion on something. To kindle or not to kindle, that is the question. I love books, especially the older ones. I love the way they smell, I love the way they look on book shelves and coffee tables, I love their quirky covers, and I love the dog eared pages of a much loved and well-read book. But the digital age is here and so is the ebook. Having developed a permanent sway in my back from lugging around books in my handbag there is something so compact and tempting about an ebook. So sleek, so convenient and just so, well, futuristic! Does the feel and smell of a book add to the enjoyment of reading? Or can a Kindle, iPad or Nook do the job even better with handy internal library. I'm torn!

(image from We Heart It)

And it called that calculation perfect love...

It's a rare thing that a Monday starts well for me. For starters my working day begins before 8am, it takes me almost 1.5 hours to get to work and I'm usually coming down with a severe case of the Post-Sunday blues. But this morning was different - I slept in til after 7 and Owen drove me to work. The joys of your boyfriend living much closer to work than you - really it's amazing.

Another thing that added to my great mood is that after six long years of sharing a single bed, Owen has finally graduated to a double bed. This is life changing, as I'm sure you realise sharing a single bed three nights a week for six years requires a certain level of patience and skill. We celebrated by ceremoniously jumping up and down on said bed - something we couldn't do on the single without fear one of us might fall off and break something important (be it a bone or lava lamp).

Oh also surprised me with tickets to see Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros which I'm really, really, really excited about. And later in April I'm seeing the lovely Regina Spektor again too. A good music month ahead for me so I'm going to celebrate/spam you all with some of their fun music videos!

Ahhh Merlin

You worked your magic on me. You are the cutest bunny ever. I wish you lived at my house.

Too adorable not to share. Check out Merlin's "profile" at Bunspace.

If the shoe fits...

In my heart of hearts I really dislike Perez Hilton and everything he stands for. That somehow hasn't stopped me looking at his site every morning of my working life for the past 3 years. But today something good came of it... I stumbled across these sweet shoes, all while fulfilling my inherent need for trash and gossip.

You can buy them at Moxsie (along with a bunch of other cute stuff).
Perfect for an Autumn walk in the park I think!

Happy St Patricks Day!

MMMG Lucky Heart card from NoteMaker

Shamrock dress from Modcloth

Shamrock necklace from Shiho Yamashita on Etsy

(And I just had to include this lovely picture of a bunny eating clover from We Heart It)

Thank You Martha!

My work lunchbreaks (ok, and much of my actual work hours) are now spent planning/freaking-out-about-how-much-planning-there-is for my wedding. I got off to a bad start with a Cosmo Bride magazine which really wasn't my taste and almost convinced me that I'm not a wedding person. I have only just started visiting the Martha Stewart Weddings site and it has already rocked my world and reinstated my love of all things bridal. I am particularly enamored by these Cherry Blossom themed ideas which make me want to elope to Kyoto.

Hot cross buns

As Easter approaches why not try to make your own hot cross buns? Mozi have been kind enough to make this limited edition tea towel that is both recipe and practical kitchen companion, not to mention cute.

Tea for two and two for tea

Two sweet friends of mine are taking that brave step and getting married! Except it's not such a scary step for them because they're so ridiculously in love and happy that you just know it's right.

I always find engagement presents tricky. Wedding are easy - there are registries, god love them. But engagement parties are a different story - you're left to your own devices. So I took matters into my own hands and bought some of these amazing Porcelaine pens and made them a teapot! It's not a masterpiece by any means, but it is easy as pie (maybe easier, it only goes in the oven for 35 minutes to fire)

Money, it's a gas...

I get the feeling 2010 is going to be an expensive year, but I can't complain because it's all of my own making! For example... I need root canal because I hid from the dentist for FOUR YEARS. Take my advice, don't do that.. it doesn't end well, painlessly or cheaply for that matter. Secondly I'm going to LA and NYC in July. Thirdly... I can't stop buying things on the internet, namely on Fridays.
Today's catch... and let me tell you, I'm not too remorseful about this one.

Check out Honey Bee Vintage's Esty for more cute, pants-free options!

Do you go wild about strawberry? Or perhaps you're more prone to going ape over grape?

Look I know I'm in my mid-twenties but I'm yet to outgrow Lip Smackers or teen dramas and I'm not really that ashamed on either front. For example, last Christmas I received no less than 12 Lip Smackers from various gifters, and I love each one equally... er... except for maybe this baby.

Vanilla Coke Lip Smackers may (or may not, hey it's just a tube of lip gloss after all) change your life. Either way they smell sweet and spicy, and all thinks nicey (oh god...did I just say that?)

I love those little wind up tubes of joy - they bring back so many memories. The Vanilla flavour takes me back to a Skate Plus party in year four where we ate white chocolate mudcake (it seemed so gourmet at the time!). Strawberry Kiwi Comet is pretty much 1999 in waxy, lip gloss form - ready to bring in the new Millenium.

Were Lip Smackers an integral part of your adolecense? And more importantly, is anyone else trapped in the late 90s or am I on my own here, watching Saved By The Bell on Saturday mornings?

A light bulb moment

Don't you think this is such a cute idea. I first spotted this cute little vase on Star Redesigns Etsy page but then I noticed that she takes you through the process of making one on her blog, which is very nice of her to do considering she is also selling them. If I had the time, patience and some tools to make this then I totally would, but at the bargain price of $10 I think it might just be easier for me to buy one.

Two heads are better than one

I love anything that is the "brainchild" of two best friends. I imagine it would be very nice to have a job that allows you to work on something creative with a close friend. Though for me it would be fraught with temptations- coffee breaks, long lunches, distracting conversations on what's happening in each others lives. But I digress. Lola&Bailey is one of those creative conceptions of two best friends. You've probably seen their ampersand tote bag and shadow puppet brooches in numerous magazines. Their web store also reveals other punctuation marks and letters on their totes and this lovely art deco looking jewellery. Well worth a look.

Sweet Darlin'

I think every second person with a blog is at least partly in love with Zooey Deschanel. There is something in her quirky style that seems to resonate so well amongst a lot of females out there, myself included. I can't put my finger on it - all I know is that on occasion I wouldn't mind swapping places with her (except for her extreme vegan, gluten and dairy-free diet.. I'll be eating my beef pasta with a side of cheese, thanks all the same).

Anyway - I digress! What's exciting is that March marks the release of her second album with M.Ward. She & Him, Volume 2.
Volume 1 made me nostaligic for a era I didn't even know, so I have high hopes for for Volume 2.

I'm going to pre-order mine via JB Hifi because you get a freebie CD that has a tonne of music I think I'd like (including Middle East's "Blood").

Old fashioned girl in a gingham gown

So Summer has up and left us with some pretty crummy Autumn weather. Never fear - Modcloth is brightening up my gloomy, Sydney Friday with fun gingham and stripes (my favouriteeee!)

These make me want to go on a picnic so badly - despite the crummy weather and ants. (I'm not a big outdoorsy girl, mostly because my bottom tends to always find an anthill on which to sit.)

Owen is always asking me to fix up his pants or re-sew a button... and I'm a pretty crummy girlfriend because I haven't done any of the above (to be fair, he's a pretty crummy boyfriend for asking - do it yourself!). Maybe I need one of these cute tins to inspire him? Doubtful. But I want it anyway...

Seriously, a dog wearing a beret? You had me at hello. But a dachshund no less? I'm sold. I want to buy this for Liz!

Anyway - HAPPY FRIDAY. I'm going home tonight to sew more donuts and hang out with my ma!

D'oh!

I think I've said it before, but I'll say it again - I am probably the messiest person you will ever meet. I hate hate HATE cleaning my room. Anyway an upshot of this is that on the odd occasion that I do clean I'm constantly discovering things that have been buried and long forgotten in my room! Example A - felt donuts I made a few years ago. Good for the thighs...

Everything's going to be allwhite

This weekend I'm planning a visit to the White by Kikki K store in Sydney's The Strand. As much as I love colour, colour and more colour, the store just looks so lovely and simple. A friend of mine has the white leather bound 2010 diary which is very pretty and classic. Although I don't think all this white would be a good option for you Em due to your propensity for spilling things.

White by Kikki K- The Strand

Shop 22, Ground Floor
412-414 George Street