Tutu

I am totally obsessed with this apricot ballet tutu from American Apparel. I try it on every morning before work and miss it all day. I wore it Woolworths to do the shopping last Saturday.

Those layers of ruffles are gorgeous and I can't bear to hang it up in the cupboard, I like to keep it on show at all times. It's not unlike the unfurling leaves and layers of this perfect rose from mum's garden. Happy.

A Thing For Collections

If you haven't yet found the blog of super talented stylist Briar Stanley, then jump over to Sunday Collector, like...NOW!

Calm Blue

These inspirational record cards by record the day take my breath away. A fellow magazine tear-er and paste-er. I love the haphazard way she scribbles notes, attaches pics, polaroids and scraps of pretty found pieces with staples, rips, tears and wraps. I especially love the mixed media ones with the stamps - I love travel related imagery - hand addressed envelopes, vintage postcards, old maps and new maps, used stamps...which brings me to something else I have been working on which I will be sharing with you soon.

Porcelain Petals & Packaging

As a collector of white ceramics (particularly interesting shaped cups and vessels), imagine my delight when I unwrapped a gift from mum to find an egg-shell fine, pure bone china plate & tea light set by none other than divine-porcelain-spoon creator Caroline Swift. They become beautifully translucent when illuminated and their embossed messages glow with 'peace' and 'love'.

All images from Caroline Swift website.

Bali Cafe

I just flicked through my current journal, the one I take with me when I go anywhere I think I'll have time to write. Lately its been coming home with the same amount of blank pages as before I left. Why? If I love anything at all besides colour and family - its WORDS. Although I wish so badly that I could speak 10 languages, I feel blessed that I speak...know...feel the English language so fluently that I can play with the words: twist them; shape them in my mouth and spit them out with a certain spin; make them hilarious and witty and clever. Form them in such a way as to use them as a weapon or create the most powerful tool of all - pure expression - the ability to articulate a feeling, a frustration, a tenderness and use them to bind, to bond, to repair. I think of words as being such a large part of my life, but tonight a beribboned business card from a far away place fell from my journal and I realised I haven't written for 18 months. I haven't dear diary'd since Jan '08 - since I was in my (very late) 20's. Ordinarily travelling fuels my urge to write and words spill from pen to page. A year ago now, I went away for my 30th with my favourite people in the world. We stayed in the most incredible villa with the sweetest people looking after us who made most amazing home cooked meals. Still, I had no words (in any language). I came home with a Bali Cafe business card having written only this: "I wake with a headache and it stays with me all day until I take two smooth pills and it slips from my mind." I need to rediscover my soul. Stay tuned. Big changes are ahead. I'll know whether I've made the right decision if it sees me writing again.

Images by me except for images of pink wall & chair which is by Brie.

Birds

I have a thing for birds. Not real life feathery ones, but pictures of them, scratchy sketches and silhouettes. I think its because they are tiny and fragile, pretty and harmless. I just love birds.

Anyway, after submitting my story to ofifteen mag on the weekend on the amazing work of artist Tamar Mogendorff I zoomed off to visit Donna Hay's new General Store (divine by the way - the white ceramics are to die for) and what do I find? A whole wall of Tamar's bird houses, garlands and love birds. Coincedence? Then I got to thinking about my love for all things birdy and my desire for the bird dreamcatchers I saw on Etsy and who are they made by? Another Tamar. Weird.

Images L-R: Bird houses by Tamar Mogendorff, photo by me, bird cage from Nest Pretty Things, birds on branches by Yvestown (make a birdy of your own using this pattern from Spool Sewing), Country Style & dreamcatcher from Nest Pretty Things.