Totes!

Every gal needs a good tote! Not only do most feature fancy prints but they have a helluva lot more room than your average bag and considering I lug half of my house around with me this is a big plus! Lucky for fellow tote lovers Etsy store depeapa has you covered from shoulder to waist! The shop is run by Verónica de Arriba an illustrator from Spain (very exotic huh!) She is incredibly talented and crafts some terrific totes. Her blog is also worth a visit, be warned it is written in Spanish, so if you are fluent then bueno trabajo, but for the rest of us there are some great pictures and illustrations to look at anyway! She also has some super cute brooches, prints and pocket mirrors for sale, but personally the bearded man tote is my favourite (and on the top of my christmas wish list!) Which tote takes your fancy?    x

All photos taken from the Etsy store

It'll be alright my friend...

If you can't get those five words out of your head either, then bravo on your awesome taste in music. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, you'll be forgiven as soon as you head to Triple J Unearthed, visit Nantes page and download their song 'Fly' for free (aren't you lucky!) The four-piece hailing from Sydney have a distinct indie sound and their debut song 'Fly' is an infectious example of their raw talent. The band describes themselves as similar to The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem and Joy Division, so if that seems like your musical cup of tea then get downloading! I predict big things to come for Nante... Enjoy! x

Photo taken from their Facebook page

Overshare?

A lot of people share waaay too much on Facebook. I never thought I was one of them. My profile is private, I don't update my status often, I don't have my mobile number on Facebook... but after going to this website I feel like deleting Facebook all together! Film maker, Jason Zada has put together a short online film which, by choosing to 'take this lollipop', taps into your Facebook and uses your information in a horror film featuring one creepy, creepy guy! It is set to make you think twice about what information you post on Facebook and boy does it do a good job! Jason Zada has made it very, very clear that he is not storing any personal information he uses for the film, so why not give it a go yourself? I tried it and was rather freaked out. Move over Paranormal Activity 3, this horror film hits a lot closer to home!    

Pop Pop Portraits

Los Angeles artist, Helena is pretty ace at drawing and her portraits, Pop Pop Portraits, are an absolute treat. She has ready-made portraits, badges and stickers available for purchase and you can even make a custom order of your pretty little selves!!  Helena's creations are so quirky and sweet and are sure to make you grin (and want to open up your purse!) Check them out for yourselves over at her blog...    x

Blog love

I have three new blog crushes that I just had to share with you. All three are full of creative, vintage, crafty goodness and I know you'll love them just as much as I do!


Goodnight Little Spoon

This one is my personal favourite and it's for those lovely ladies who are obsessive list makers, love sending letters in the post, adore all things vintage and who enjoy marvelling at great design! Check it out!

All photos taken from the Goodnight Little Spoon blog

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A Beautiful Mess



This blog has everything! Outfit inspiration, beauty products and tips, hair styling ideas, crafty projects and tutorials, recipes, photography, decor and more. Wow! And all jammed pack into one blog - definitely worth a look then, right?

All photos taken from A Beautiful Mess blog

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Here Comes the Sun



Besides having a gorgeous banner (and reminding me how bland mine currently is) this blog is a lot of fun! It features a lot of the same content as the blogs above, super cute photos, designs, craft, food and an array of links to similar websites.

All photos taken from Here Comes the Sun blog

Are there any fabulous blogs that you are loving at the moment? Would love to hear from you all    x

Nirrimi

Signed by a photography agency at 16, she shot Diesel's winter campaign at 17, and now at 18 she is taking on the world... Nirrimi Hakanson - a name you won't forget anytime soon!! She grew up in North Queensland and now spends her time to-ing and fro-ing between Sydney and New York! And holy moly does she have incredible talent. There is such a delicate and haunting beauty in all of her photographs and there is a profound story behind them all. Rich in subject and colour, I think these photographs really speak for themselves... I had so much trouble picking a few images to share on my blog so I urge you all to check out the rest of her work here and visit her blog as well.. I hope you all feel inspired!   x

Ho, Ho, Ho

I know it's only October and everyone is up in arms about christmas decorations already on display in chain stores but I love it. It just makes me giddy with excitement about the festive season, the best dang season of the year! So when I heard the dashing duo She and Him were releasing a Christmas album this year it was double the christmas cheer for me! Working in a music store means that I am bombarded with that many christmas tunes over the holiday period that my ears bleed baubles but I have no doubt this is an album I won't tire! It is available on the 24th of October (you can preorder here). Also their previous albums Volume One and Volume Two are wonderful too if you have an ear for soulful, nostalgic tunes. And here is a sneak peek of M. Ward and the quirky, cool Zooey Deschanel singing christmas classics... A very early Ho, Ho, Ho  to you all    x

Photo taken from here

Woof Woof

I love dogs. Especially my dog, Bear - he is probably without a doubt the best dog that ever barked! Here he is in all his cuteness:

Nawwww. We are regulars at our local dog park, and it is quite funny that I now know, or have invented names for,  all of the dog's that go. We are a crazy bunch I'll admit, there have been punches thrown (I kid you not), dog's bitten (Bear actually, which was a tearful experience for me) but most of the time it's a whole lot of fun! And in the name of my great love of canines I wanted to share with you these paw-tastic photos taken by Carli Davidson of dog's caught in the act of shaking themselves! They are hilarious and you can see the whole lot right here! It's worth a look and I promise they'll cheer you up, which is just what I needed today as I am a sickly, bed-ridden snuffalufagus.  

Flower power

Spring has sprung! Yes, it's that time of year again and in Townsville it means the scorching, face-dripping heat is back! Groannn... That aside, one of my favourite things about spring is the affluence of flowers. Aren't they bloomin' cute? I love the wonderful colours, pretty petals and stopping to smell the roses (I also don't mind a spot of gardening). So it's no wonder I just love The Flower Appreciation Society. They are UK-based and describe themselves as "not your average florists". Their blog is a visual delight, garden-full of vibrant photos of floral arrangements and flower-inspired bits and bobs. Their latest blog post is about, get this: edible flowers! Check it out below, it's actually quite interesting and a perfect idea for decorating your homemade cakes. I couldn't help also including an array of flower photographs from the site, enjoy my little spring-dwellers    x

Fancy some tea

I have expressed my love for the Design Sponge blog in a previous post, so I thought it was only fitting I share with you one of my favourite tutorials from the site - teacup candles! When I first came across it I was so amazed at the idea, so simple yet so darn cute. I haven't got around to giving it a go myself but as soon as I get a spare moment my house is sure to be cluttered with vintage teacup candles. Check it out for yourselves and why not give it a go too!     x

Baking Biccies

As things at uni start to get busier and busier, I turn to my favourite form of procrastination - procrasti-baking!! My cousin, Jacqui recently sent me a letter in the post (with pictures of her baby scan, yay!) and also the recipe for her infamous apricot and choc chip biccies. She has cooked them many times for the family and they are just devine! It turns out that the recipe is really simple too, so why not bake them for yourselves and indulge a little!

You will need:

- 225grams of softened butter

- 1/4 cup of condensed milk

- 1/2 cup of sugar

- 1 teaspoon of baking powder

- 2 cups plain flour

- 3/4 cup of choc bits

- 1/3 cup of chopped dry apricots

You will need to:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

2. Cream the butter and sugar 3. Beat in the condensed milk

4. Sift the flour and baking powder, adding in batches to wet mixture

5. Roll in apricots and choc bits

6. Take about a teaspoonful in your hand, then place onto lined baking tray

7. Repeat with rest of mixture and lightly flatten with a fork (and if you are anything like me try not to eat too much of the mix as you go!)

8. Bake until golden brown for about 15 minutes

9. Enjoy these little delights!! Yum! Yum!

Sweet Memories

I just received a little slice of goodness in my inbox - an e-newsletter from Frankie, the coolest mag around! After having a quick read and a clickity-click I was staring, face to screen, at the dang-coolest tumblr ever. Dear Photograph! Hurry your mouse over to this website right away! Basically, people send in a photograph holding up their old photographs in the exact location they were taken. Sounds confusing right? But the results are really poetic and fill me to the brim with nostalgia! They are really beautiful and all of them are accompanied by a cute little spiel beginning 'dear photograph'. Check out some examples below or head to the site to see more! If it doesn't give you a warm and fuzzy feeling I don't know what will...

Some are so deep and heartfelt:

Dear Photograph,
I fell in love with a woman. I’m not ready to let go…but she is.
McKenzie Dillingham

Dear Photograph,
Dad is gone…but the strength of his arms will always be around us.
Holly
 

And some are just plain caaute:

Dear Photograph,

Did they lock us in or did we just lock everybody out?
Daniel Poschinger

Dear Photograph,
My Great Grandpa made the best horsey. I miss those rides…
Lauren

Oh how I love old photos and the smile a cherished memory brings to my face! There is nothing more wonderful...     What are your favourite memories?    x

Aussie Aussie Aussie

I love Australian music! We are such a talented bunch aren't we? (I wouldn't group myself in the musically talented category but I'll claim the pants off them anyday!) That is why I'm just loving the Melbourne-based band, Alpine. The six-piece have such an ethereal and haunting sound and describe themselves as a mix between Phoenix, Architecture in Helsinki and Electreland! A musical mashup delight, trust me! They were discovered first on triple j unearthed and are now regulars on the J-waves, so have a listen for yourselves!!  Go on!  x

Check out this video of the band on the road while you're at it! Gosh dang it looks like fun...

Photo taken from here



Pop yo collar

Collars are poppin' up everywhere at the moment and I just can't get enough! High neck collars, peter pan collars, cape collars or man-tailed collars - there are so many ways to jazz up your neck area. (Check out trusty Wikipedia for a lowdown on collar terminology, it is actually quite interesting!) And if shirt collars aren't your thing you could always try the next best - a collar necklace! Whatever you choose these pictures are sure to get you feeling all cool under the collar... Enjoy     x

 All photos taken from here

ALSO, check out a collar in video form...

I mostly wanted to show you this because I love Kimbra and it turns out she is wearing a super cute collar in this interview. I'd call it a win-win for us all. Hoorah!