CHRISTMAS WRAPPING IDEAS

CRAFT BERRY BUSH

There are 3 more sleeps until Christmas and if you're like me, you might still be behind on shopping and wrapping your presents. Peter and I usually make our presents every year to give to our friends and family and it really helps to also plan the way I would like to wrap everything to perfectly display our heart-work gifts with just an extra touch of personalisation. If you're struggling to figure out ways to wrap your presents this year and want to add that creative flow to your wrapping to make up for the years of ordinary wrapping you've done, I've compiled some things that have inspired me this Christmas. You'll notice that I tend to lean towards kraft paper packaging, but it's just the most versatile. 

FELLOW FELLOW 

THE PRETTY BLOG

LOCAL MILK BLOG

I FALL IN CHOCOLATE

MOMS PARK

MADE BY MARY

HEGE IN FRANCE

DESIREE CASONI

THE STAR AND LIGHT OF DAY

It seems like the weather is all anyone can talk about since we are transitioning with Spring vibes and I have to say, it felt lovely to be out in the sun with the weekend exceeding the 20s. Hello warmth, it's been a while.

A GALLERY IN THE FOREST

This might seem like a rather long post but I really couldn't choose 6 pictures that I liked the most but at least I'm not posting all 41 that I had originally chosen to pick from. I decided to make a separate post to my previous one as these are sort of different locations and I was originally imagining this to be my outfit post. I know I haven't had many outfit posts this summer than I wish I could have. To sort-of (but I know not really) make up for it, I've added a few more pictures here.

The House of the Setting Sun

According to Nick and Lilah who built their utopian getaway atop a mountain in West Virginia, a conventional home wasn't the dream they planned so instead, they built their own cabin with one wall covered in windows they had collected. I'm left rather envious at the concept of their home and also quite in awe of the stories and histories found in building this place. Each window having their own story of when and where Nick and Lilah found them from. I really do admire how they conjured up this beautiful dream from a small joke they made on one of their first dates in this exact location. There's also a video of their beautiful home here if you would like to see it.

*Pictures and more/original post from Free People

Weekly Roundup Favourites #2

MAKE IT - Polka Dot Umbrellas

In the past week I haven't been using my laptop lately but when I did, I was on the biggest DIY whim. 

There were so many more that I couldn't link since I used my phone mostly for Instagram and Pinterest. 

Your Own Bokeh

DIY Ancor Statement Wall

Yarn Ball Bookmark

Pretty New Things

the wandering witch girl

Now that the new year has begun and the resolutions are taking action, I have recently written down my 2014 bucket list which I might post about later. 2013 was a year of love and creativity and this year, I'm going to try and branch off my creativity in channeling much more prettier/girlier things like pressing flowers. I bought a floral diary from a gift card my best friend gave me for christmas and I think all the pretty illustrations just inspire me to be more creative and add to the list of things I like to do. Since doodling is not my mastering plan, no one can go wrong with enclosing pretty coloured petals in a book for a week or two. This gives me a reason to get to know my flowers a little bit better.

taraviolet.

*Nishe

i am aimee

Queen of Carrot Flowers

Andy Ciordia

Rocktuete

How to press spring flowers

Like A Sweet Sweet Home

The thought of travelling around for a month or two in a camper-van has always been such a delightful thought. Besides second (third or even fourth) hand vans being second hand woes with deteriorating interior of countless flaws, I've been very fond and overly attached to some quirky make-overs I have seen published throughout the years. I've once had a customer ask me for advice in pastel curtains for the Volks that she and her husband were refurnishing to sell. She supplied me with an abundance of photographic evidence of their progress with the van and I was mightily impressed at the present outcome. Blogger, Sarah LoCascio shared her beautifully renovated campervan from her blog Attic Lace over at A Beautiful Mess and I've fallen in love with all I have seen to say the least, not to mention her comfortable and adorable little pooch. Everything is sweetly organised with each in their own perfect place. 

Images via A Beautiful Mess

Young Inspirations

Many many years ago when I was the age of (probably) 10, my late Tita would be sitting in her garage, stamping her foot on the pedal to her partner's sewing machine. It was big, it was loud and it was old but to me, it was shiny and I definitely wanted to touch it and try it and press the pedal myself. To my dismay, my Tita was too careful with me and wouldn't allow me to go near the loud chugging of the machine. It was dangerous. Too many sharp objects surrounded her and I was just too small according to her. When she would finish her big shirt for herself, we'd walk out together and she'd lock the garage door behind us with her only key. I was too short anyway, to reach from the top of the bench to the pedal on the floor. But years did go by and my Tita had conveniently moved her machine into the spare room where there was no lock and she would be in there more often. I grew a fair bit by the time I was 13 and when she would finish her big dresses, she'd nap, and I would begin to prowl around the spare room. Hard cover on the machine, tools tucked under a sheet. I would gently remove everything but it was inevitable that I would be making noise since I was no agent ninety-nine. Luckily, she's a heavy sleeper. Every Rivera knows her for her roaring during the night. It used to scare me actually, all that snoring. Anyway, years went by and she was allowing me to sew lines on random pieces she no longer needed. I would work hard to make those lines straight every day after school and though I wasn't making anything but crooked lines (still do) and wasting all my time on too much fabric and cotton when I could have been doing my homework, I had no idea I would take such interest in it when I grew up. 

I remember the first dress I made myself. It had a bib and it was much too short for me. My friend dropped chocolate on it and it stained a little. I had that machine until only recently when I decided I'd need one that I would love and had a variety of options for me. These days, I'm always making a dress when I seem to have accumulated too many fabrics over time which I haven't used. Or I'd think I have nothing to wear for a particular occasion and I'd dig through my patterns and find a nice cotton fabric with pretty prints and patterns on it. Just like this dress, I made it to wear at my friend's 21st. It's a rather simple dress but I think it's now one of my favourites. Sized up and custom made by yours truly. 

Dress: Made it myself//Cardigan: Cocolatte//Shoes: Novo//Necklace: Colette Hayman//Watch: Big W 

The Warmth I Like

I'd like to be proud of what became of today. Starting off with a couple of things to help my mama with like washing the two little dogs and cleaning up a little while one of them got their hair -or more so, their knots cut off, leaving Poo-Chu with an uneven new "do". Peter and I visited a fabric store which we previously managed to stop by just after closing hours and I was left, locked outside and a little disheartened. Despite how unfortunate that day was, we actually made it in this time and the browse was haven. I mean, cottons in different patterns COLOUR COORDINATED though to my dismay, I didn't leave with any of them. But thankfully, I didn't leave empty handed either. With the amount of fanciful fabric, I probably would have grieved leaving with nothing. Peter bought me spandex which I'm absolutely excited about. And I hate saying that. Not because it's embarrassing, but because spandex. Stating how excited I am about it makes me slightly uncomfortable but their purpose is for a swimsuit I prototyped this week. All I need is lining and it shouldn't take me too long to have them done. 

After the seemingly long venture to Brunswick, we ate and promised to eat all that was on our plate. Never again could we order what we did and try to finish it. I mean, we managed to but it was a struggle for me to breathe especially since I made this dress myself. The classic silhouette doesn't accommodate room for too much food. We walked the food off in Altona and stayed there for a while. Posting these pictures up, I now see how we managed to 'somehow' colour coordinate. I love that anchor shirt.

Dress: Made it myself// Jellies: Lipstik// Headband: Target// Bag: Collette