Catfish

Oh, the beauty of Facebook. It informs us of all the phases of a relationship. There's a relationship status for the blooming romance, another for the tough times faced when the honeymoon period is over and of course, there's the horrible and awkward relationship status for when a romance has just gone kaput.

The average Facebook user has 130 "friends."  That's how many people you are sharing the intricate details of your life with. How many of your "friends" do you actually know?  And would you ever think about embarking upon a relationship with a Facebook friend you've never even met?

Catfish is a documentary which tells the story of exactly that. Nev and Megan are in a long-distance relationship after "meeting" on Facebook but what happens when the two become face-to-face? So well-made that Nev and the directors of the documentary, his brother Ariel and his roommate Henry are constantly fighting claims that it is a hoax. Whether it is 100% true or not, the premise of the film has got me intrigued.  

Frangipani lovin'

Almost every Sydney girl I know was obsessed with Frangipanis as a thirteen year-old.  My dad has a little pink Frangipani potted tree in the backyard.  It's taken three summers but its baby flowers are now finally blooming.  My inner thirteen year-old told me to take a couple of pics for you all. 

Yes, they are pretty but I, along with any other right minded person, completely support the Australian Government's view....

(Head)band-Aid

I've already told you about my love of silly headpieces. They're great to hide a bad hair day and they're very handy when you need  to bring  an extra bit of voom to an outfit.

After work on Thursday night I decided to do a bit of late night shopping. While in Sportsgirl, I immediately fell in love with the whole range of headbands.  

So here they are my picks from Sporty G and some others I found online. 

Topshop leopard print headband, Pearl & Ivy Feather headband,
Sportsgirl flower garlands and 50s housewife headband.

bbbRRINNNGGG it!

You can never have too many rings.

 

Pamela Love, Alex Monroe, DANNIJO rings

Can I live here?

I've always been a fan of the old.  This is the amazing three-storey refurbished Victorian terrace McMansion which I blu-tacked to my wall way back in Year 12. 

When friends come over and walk through the corridor to my room they always comment, "You still have that up!" And yes I do. It gives me something to aspire to and one day, when I have a spare $4 million +, you know what I'll be spending it on.  A girl can only dream...

Yesterday, my bestie and I were soaking up the sun in Paddington when  we spotted these beautiful sandstone terraces. 

So attention owners and renters of the above terraces. Please let me know when I can move in.  Will do so right away, even if I have to live on plain bread for the rest of my life. K thanks bye.

You want to doodle?

I wish I were a talented doodler.

I would sketch you lots of pretty things.

So you could stick them on your wall.

Fifi Lapin illustration

Belle & Boo illustration

Garance Doré illustration

Doctor Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker, Number Nine

One of the girls at work today has noticed that I've lately been wearing a certain style of trousers an awful lot.  Now I haven't used or even heard this word in a very long time but according to this colleague whom I affectionately call E-Dawg, I'm "bringing knickerbockers back." If only I could dub "KnickerbockerBack" over this tune.

While I call them "cropped pants," regardless of what you want to call them; I think they're pretty cool.  Not to mention they're ridiculous comfy; thanks to this particular style featuring the low-crotch. 

Wearing my new Scanlan & Theodore knickerbockers
 and bringing knickerbockers back.

Scared of wearing the low-crotch? This tune is sure to get you in the mood; especially if you do the dance. Or not, in which case go back to the tune that I'll now always call "KnickerbockerBack."

LOLing at tumblrs

Because tumblr brings all the LOLZ to the yard.

My friends and I have an email chain circulating which lists our favourite tumblr blogs.  It's a great way to inject some laughter into the work day. Here are some of our faves. They may be oldies but they are goodies and they definitely guarantee a LOL or two:

• The Awkward Lean: A collection of photographs featuring confused girls (and occasionally boys) trying to emulate the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

• Hungover Owls:  Features squinty-eyed owls of various species, all of which are on Struggle Street.  

• Look at this fucking hipster: "Hipsters." Enough said.

• hipster puppies: More hipsters but in canine form.  If it were revealed that the featured puppies are actually Animorphs, they'd be featured on the previously mentioned tumblr.

• Muppets with People Eyes: Ever thought about what a Muppet would like with human eyes? This is why they have funny cartoon eyes.

Shoe happy

Elizabeth and James "Elisa" Open Toe Fringe Booties

I arrived back at my desk from a meeting on Thursday afternoon and a brown box was sitting on my desk.  YAY! I ran to get my scissors and opened the parcel.  Carefully wrapped up inside the shoe box were my beautiful Elizabeth and James "Elisa" Open Toe Fringe Booties.  Those Olsen girls really know their stuff.  

These shoes are absolutely stunning.  The pebbled leather is lovely and soft, the feathers have been delicately sourced and fringing is perfect.  And I'm not usually a fan of fringing.  The best feature of the shoe?  Hands down, the 3cm hidden wedge heel.  Say it with me, AMAZING!

Alice McCall FW 11 Collection: Birds of a Feather

Alice McCall FW 11 Collection

Alice McCall must have been working extremely hard to produce such an amazing collection.  Birds of a Feather reminds me of Emma Cook's nature inspired designs with lots of large prints of flora and fauna in pastels and earthy tones.  Love, love, love! I can't wait until this collection hits the stores.

View the full collection at Alice McCall's website.

I can paint a rainbow

It's all about colour-blocking this Spring/ Summer but that doesn't mean that eye-popping colour has to stop at your wardrobe. Take out the watercolours and paint your whole world bright.

Smeg Retro refridgerator, Bright Goatskin Journals, Maybelline Baby lips Lip Balm,
ASOS gloves, Dinosaur Designs bangle, Topshop vest, Prada bag, Gary Bigeni skirt

I wish I had thought of that

Have you ever read, seen or heard about a concept so absolutely amazing you wish you had thought of it yourself?

Here are three inventions which I had come across recently. I, myself, had long ago thought of these concepts but unfortunately didn't have the finances or means to action them *cough*.  Alas, if only I had the creative capacity to actually come up with these super cool concepts.

1. Cake Pops: Cake/ lollipop hybrid. Heaven on a stick. Not just sugar, but substance to fill the stomach. Even if it's only for 15 minutes.

Russian dolly pops by Pop Bakery.

2. "Build/ design your own ______": Build your own bear, design your own bag  and construct your own burger.  I wish I had thought of them all.  Today, I discovered The Counter, which allows you to do the latter.  The concept?  Upon entering you are given a clipboard as if you are a new patient to a medical centre.   Instead of writing down what allergies you have, you tick off your burger ingredients options. If variety is what you're looking for, this is where you'll find it.  The Counter boasts of over 312,120 burger combinations and the same two burgers are rarely made twice in one day!

The Counter market selection

3. OPI "Black Shatter" top coat: Pretty self-explanatory.  It's a top coat for your nails which shatters so specks of your coloured nail polish beneath peeps through. Probably not everyone's cup of tea but isn't the technology amazing? You can even hear it crackle as the polish shatters. 

OPI Black Shatter

Jumping on the bandwagon...

... the iPhone bandwagon that is.

After having the same old school flip phone for five years, it was time for an upgrade.  My poor Motorola V3, bless its soul, is a fighter as you can tell by his life span.  He took me from my first year of uni to my second year working full-time.  But alas, V3, it's time for me to move on despite your durability. Through crashes, rain, spills, Vegemite attacks and sandstorms, you've managed to survive. I applaud you for doing so and now after all that hard work I'm allowing you to retire.  Enjoy the sleep-ins and plenty of "me-time".  You truly deserve it.

I've now welcomed the iPhone into my life so I can join the millions of people on public transport who pass their time by facebook stalking. Yes, I got an iPhone JUST so I can do that. And play #twitterwars with my friends, yes, I hash-tagged that shit. And before you think I'm crazy, I'm kidding OBVIOUSLY. I'm actually yet to use the facebook app I downloaded and I'm clearly technologically challenged as I think twitter wars is a game. Umm... is it actually a game? Well, it is now.

Now that I've made this move towards conformity, I've decided the only way I can restore some sense of individuality is by purchasing a pretty patterned iPhone case.  I'm looking for something artsy but girly with quirky character.   Browsing my favourite sites, Urban Outfitters and Incu, here's what I found.

The options:
Urban Outfitters x society6 Coney Beach Island iPhone case, Covers for a Cause - Lover iPhone case, Urban Outfitters x society6 The Elephant iPhone case

So lovely readers, which one should I get? Let me know if you have seen any other cool and quirky options. I'd love to hear your suggestions and play twitter wars with you. And stat, before I shatter my iPhone's glass screen.

An addiction I just can't kick

I love a good toy camera or Lomo, as some might call them. It's not as if I even use my Holga or my Diana Mini all that often, not as often as I would like to anyway. I've probably only gone through around 10 rolls of film since I got my Holga five years ago. But these colourful plastic cameras are just so pretty, every time a new design gets released, I have to resist the temptation to buy. What can I say? I'm addicted.

There's a certain excitement you experience when you shoot with a Lomo.  There's something about not knowing how your photos will actually turn out. There's the thrill you get racing off to get your film developed and then racing back to the store to see the results.  There's the result unobtainable via digital means - the soft vignetting, eye-popping colours and the slight blur of images that makes it look like you just stepped out of a Sophia Coppola film.  

Want proof of it's addictive nature? I can gladly say that since I've owned my first Lomo, I've managed to convert at least seven of my friends to Lomo Owner status. Maybe the forces of the universe are trying to telling me something.  Some addictions are just too good to kick?

My current faves:
Hello Kitty fisheye, Diana Mini Wonderland and Lomography Fisheye Competition Camera.

Plastic is fantastic

R.I.P

My beloved Melissa Shoes Isabel Capeto flower sandals met it's unfortunate end last month.  As I was walking back to work from a lovely lunch at Mad Mex, the back strap of my left shoe snapped leaving me hobbling 15 metres back to the office in despair.

Don't get me wrong, these melon coloured jellies lived a great life.  For a good year, they explored many a place with me, they were my favourite work sandals and weekend shoes.  They were even my favourite holiday sandals and I wore them all around Bangkok and Northern Thailand last Feb.

So now that Isabel has well and truly died *sob* and I have finally come to accept it, I feel that it's time to find an adequate replacement for poor Isabel. Even if the dear's remains are still underneath my desk at work (unless the cleaners have brought it upon themselves to assist me in the grieving process.)

Here's what I have come up with:

The original and the best?
Melissa Isabel Capeto flower sandal (Isabel's long lost twin sister)

Melissa Isabel Capeto Ipe sandal in:
Red Matt (sister of the original Isabel), Orange Matt, Blue Matt and Green Matt

Melissa Edson Matsuo Summer sandals in Gold Gloss

Melissa Edson Matsuo Liberty sandals:
in Yellow/ neon translucent, Watermelon/ neon translucent and the whole range

Baby, I've got the blues

Blue skies and sunny days, I eagerly await your return. If I surround myself with pretty blues will you do so?

Pamela Love necklace, Pantone mug, Giles & Brother by Philip Crangi bracelet, Diana Mini camera, Happy Cloud pen, Giles & Brother Braided Tiny Hex bracelet, Lego keylight, Bloom nail polish in Kate, Diary from Pigeon Hole

Tree of Life

Inspired by the lush greenery of the countryside, having spent the past four days there, here are my Jan lust-haves. This month's colour pallet consists of neutrals and browns, golds and greens.

YSL ring, Karen Walker sunglasses, Topshop backpack, Mara Hoffman tote, See by Chloé sandals, Topshop shorts, miu miu wallet

Images courtesy of Shopbop, Saks and Topshop