Appreciate or Emulate - Participate

The last of the weeks love fest with the combo that IS! - stripes and florals

I was having so much fun with this combination - in case you couldn't tell - that I had to join in.

I picked up this skirt from the op-shop the other day and with no shortage of stripes in the wardrobe here I am dressed for a lunch date with my mum and sister - perfect excuse for a new skirt.

I also fancied dressing up the house so I grabbed a $2 'vase' (aka a ceramic toothbrush holder) from a variety store then some black electric tape and a $5 bunch of fruit shop snapdragons later and these are prettying up our house right now

So there you have it my love affair with stripes and florals comes to an end, on the blog anyway, because I don't think I will ever tire of this perfect match for me or my home.

Appreciate or Emulate - Titivate

A bold, pretty and fun look for spring through to summer - more and more stripes and florals

Image Source: Melissa Esplin - I Still Love You

Image Source: Tales of Endearment

Image Source: Kansas Couture

I especially love the subtlety of the striped sandal in this one - plus I covet them badly

Image Source: Its not her its me

Image Source: Sincerely Jules via Hotbeautyhealth.com

Image Source: Aplomb Aplenty

 

The look also works in pastels and muted tones for something softer

Image Source: Denimology.com - Current Eliott SS 2012

Finding Everywhere

I'm getting the band back together!

Well not really but I am back, from an absence of no small amount of time. I can attribute my absence to the presence and addition of a new and wonderful small human in my life and my home - more on him later.

In the meantime here is what I have been finding everywhere and you will find it everywhere too this summer - the stripey and floral, the graphic and pretty have arrived! Some of my picks

1. Decorative Cushion Cover by Habitation Boheme on Etsy
2. Also via Etsy iPhone case from Another Case
3. You know I love Etsy right? Love these Lacey stripey, floral nickers - pretty and graphic!
4. Valentino dress - vintage and groovy elegance
5. Marni Edition shopping tote
6. Wishing I had the body and confidence to pull these off Giejo Bikini
7. My size please - Stella McCartney Kids Rosie striped knit dress
8. Two vintage floral combined with stripes queen pillowcases
9. Stripped Cabbage Rose shower curtain from Urban Outfitters. They also did a rug but sadly it's sold out
10. Last, but by no means least, a great upcycled dress combining an 80's graphic dress and a vintage print scarf by Janavi on Etsy

There is so much more to this trend so an Appreciate or Emulate will be coming soon.

Appreciate or Emulate - Gingham

I am still checking out all things gingham and here are my picks for how you can check in.

Sweet and simple, bold and bright, graphic and minimal - decorate with gingham

 

 

 

It's a wrap, a party, a picnic - celebrate with gingham

Country, cute, creative and classy gingham is a classic

There is no-one more able to get you to join in than Martha - here are two of my favourite 'gingham' DIY'S that I found both from The Crafts Dept via marthastewart.com

Oilcloth lunchbag tutorial

Drawstring bags tutorial

The good news is I found my sewing machine in the garage the other day and we in the midst of creating a bit of space in there for us each to have a 'create' corner - or for me a 'dandy' corner. The bad news is the skills can't be downloaded matrix style - better get my learn on so I can fully check in to the gingham trend as well.

Gingham a GoGo - Finding Fashion

Need more gingham is going places proof?

As I have oft declared I am no great fashionista but the more I looked around the more I saw the presence of gingham everywhere and I just had to share. The collections of many designers this year have included gingham or gingham-esq celebrations - here are just a small selection

Kate Spade Spring 2013

Marc Jacobs Spring 2013

Osca de la Renta Resort 2013

Prada Fall 2013

There is so much more of gingham from 2013 fashion via Frills and Thrills

Will you be getting your gingham on?

Finding Everywhere

In this digital age most of use store our pictures in the virtual zone only, plus the odd favourite one or two on the fridge door, but not these great makers and creators, they have taken their pics anywhere and everywhere for your viewing pleasure.

Finding Everywhere - photo print, image items, pictorial pretties.

1. Art-inspired wooden knobs by Chocolate Creative Homewares with landscape and beach designs
2. Norway Fjord Fogged In Ombre throw pillow cover by Loud Waterfall Photo on etsy
3. Navy Wave Small Canvas Pouch - Dezso by Sara Beltran Tulum available at www.shopstyle.com.au
4. For the lumber jack in your life or in you the Malaka 4 t-shirt from DADADA studio
5. This, believe it or not, is a dress for a doll. When I first saw it I saw just the dress and imagined what a fabulous wedding dress it would make for someone so it really could/should be upscaled. The dolls are more characters than dolls and all are by Le train fantôme
6. Carousel Photography Embroidery Hoop Art by Juillian Audrey Designs on Etsy - I love this application of a photo for framing and may have to give it a try myself.
7. This sweet leaves print bag was featured in the online gallery of Edit, the Woolahra based store of the former editor of Vogue Vogue Living Sharyn Storrier Lyneham
8. Meadow Print Dress girls dress by Next in the UK
9. Red Lake English Romantic Cushion also by Chocolate Creative Homewares
10. Last but oh my word not least Marianne carved french country bed upholstered in dandelion field fabric by Chair Couture

Are any of these your picture perfect?

Appreciate or Emulate

Here's how you can climb every Mountain at home, in love, out and about and on your very own

This weeks decorate ideas are all, rightly, for little explorers

I think there is nothing more beautiful than a mountain wedding - it lends itself to some beautiful decorations and a 'running away to the hills' atmosphere. I fantasise often about winning the lotto and flying my family and dear friends all to the Spanish Pyrenees where mine and my mans love flourished in our adventures together around small pockets of the world - here we could have a mountain high celebration of our own. In the meantime I will enjoy these pics from some beautiful mountain weddings - hope you do too.

This wedding on Mountain Side Bride, above, in particular takes my breath away - every little detail including that red dress oh my!

It's all in the detail of this Rocky Mountain Wedding via Style Me Pretty. I especially love these vintage postcard feeling favour bags.

Vintage and intimate is the vibe of this couple for their Colorado Mountain Wedding as seen on Ruffled

Lastly this is not so much a wedding as a Love Festival on a hillside in California from Green Wedding Shoes

Everyone is rocking the mountain look

Him - wearing, among other things, a Mountain Print shirt from Nemis

Her - I love this mountain print scarf from Totokaelo

Them - Uber cute leggings for bambino from Salt City Emporium on Etsy and this clever and cute top by Swallow Return

This could be where I tell you to take a hike but as that is neither polite or in some cases practical I thought instead to show you a little experimental DIY I did today.

I was inspired by this

And by a mother that hails from the Blue Mountains and 2 lovely sisters who when together visiting said Mountains as children were snapped by many a foreign tourist standing in front of the 3 Sisters -
to have a go at making my own rubber stamp.

Trust me when I say this was a very quick and rough first attempt but I am reasonably happy with the results - there may not be an eraser left standing in the house by the end of the weekend as I practice and get stamping.

She'll be comin round the mountain again I suspect as I have loved every minute of this one.