talking to unicorns

letter to my daughters

2012-01-31T13:17:00.008+13:00

To my darling girls

It never ceases to amaze me that you are both my daughters, born under the same star sign no less, yet as different as the day and night. Lila with your eyes the colour of melted dark chocolate and Rose with yours the shade of the clearest, bluest ocean.

Lila, my big girl, my fire cracker. At three years old you are so sure of yourself it's hard to believe you are still so very young. Your innate confidence means you make friends wherever you go. You love the company of others, be they children or adults. Already a social butterfly, you shine like the brightest light in the room and thrive on raising a smile. A shy, awkward child you are certainly not. We always joke, though would never push you in that direction, that you will gravitate towards a career on the stage, maybe the screen or performing in some way. Though you're so full of surprises that we've probably got it completely wrong! Your imagination is incredible. You can lose yourself in a game for hours, playing out another world with your little figurines or even the perfume bottles and nail varnishes from my dressing table. You know and can do so much already and I am so proud of you. Strong willed doesn't even begin to describe you. Woe betide anyone who tries to make you eat a sandwich though if they were to take the time to read you a story they would have a friend for life.

Rose, my sweet baby. How can it be that you are eight months old already? I can't bear the thought of you growing big enough that I can't hold you close anymore and have you fall asleep against my shoulder or be able take you everywhere with me. You are a beautiful, gentle soul. Everyone who meets you remarks on what a content, relaxed child you are and you have a smile that could melt the frostiest heart. You love to be out and about and happily watch the world go by, taking it all in whilst playing with your toes. As easy-going as you are, it would be a mistake to think you don't know your own mind. When something displeases you, you let us know about it. It's just not very often. Every day you show us a little more of your personality and we are in awe watching you learn and grow. Always touching the faces of those you know and love, you are very affectionate and hold on so tightly for hugs sometimes it makes my heart ache. You are a little water baby and bath time is the highlight of your day. Maybe you'll be a surfer like your Dad.

Though you are so much your own little individuals, watching you grow up together, and seeing the love you already have for each other is amazing. Rose, the way your face lights up whenever Lila walks into the room, how she can make you laugh in a way no one else can, despite our best efforts. Lila, the way you fiercely protect your little sister and introduce her to everyone as "My baby". I can't wait to have a glass of wine with you both in 20 years and look through your childhood photos together. To tell you about the time when Lila only ever wanted to marry her Daddy and for us all to smile over the cuteness of Rose's chubby baby thighs. There's so much to look forward to and most of all I just feel incredibly blessed to have you both in my life.

All the love in the world

Your Mama xxx

snippets of summertime

2012-01-17T10:01:00.005+13:00

Thought I'd share these evocative images taken by photographer Olivia Larrain Heiremans, in celebration of high Summer here in Australia. I love the way they perfectly capture the essence of Summertime. My parents are still here in Melbourne for a couple more days, so we're making the most of our time left with them before they head back home to the UK. After two weeks back in Auckland tying up all our loose ends over there and finishing his notice period at work, Curt flies in from Auckland tonight :)

We've found a cute little Victorian cottage to rent only minutes walk from my sisters place and a couple of streets away from the beach and the shops. I am so excited to be living in an actual house rather than an apartment for the first time since I left home a decade ago (wow...nothing like typing that sentence to make you feel old). It's on the tiny side and needs a bit of love and care and a damn good clean but we have our own little back garden! It will be wonderful for the girls to have some outdoor space to run around in, a place for their teepee and paddling pool and we can have BBQ's and eat dinner outside, perfect for hazy summer days. Pictures to follow when we get vaguely organized and if I ever manage to locate the lead for our camera.

Oh and posting may be a little few and far between until we get an internet connection sorted. Hopefully it won't take too long.

All images by Olivia Larrain Heiremans, discovered via Miss Moss.

happy holidays

2012-01-05T11:52:00.016+13:00

Happy New Year! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas break. I'm excited about the arrival of 2012 and embarking on a year of adventures and putting down some roots in our new city. We're on holiday with my parents, my sister and her husband and therefore still in full relaxation mode, so I've been quietly mulling over goals, plans and dreams for the next 12 months but haven't done anything so hardcore as to set actual resolutions or stop consuming vast quantities of chocolates.

We've had the most amazing weather and haven't really made it much further than the pool of our holiday house and the beach, just been soaking up the sunshine, reading, playing with the girlies and enjoying having the whole family together again. I've concluded that the best type of holidays when you have children are definitely those that involve the extended family as you are surrounded by willing babysitters and actually get some semblance of downtime. Bliss indeed. Especially with the knowledge that the next few weeks will be super hectic and filled with all of the admin involved with settling into a new home.

Here's a few snaps from the past week...

merry merry

2011-12-23T21:17:00.004+13:00

Just stopping by to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Hope it's full of everything you want it to be, Early tomorrow morning we'll be heading off on our little holiday. Looking forward to spending Christmas just the four of us, our first as our own little family. Then heading straight off to our new home across the water. See you in 2012!

our new home

2011-12-18T07:36:00.007+13:00

I mentioned a few weeks ago that something major was on the horizon, and I can now share the news that we are moving to Australia! Curt has accepted a really great job working for a company in Melbourne (he is an Environmental Consultant if you were wondering). This is a place we've been hoping to call home at some point in our future for a long time so we're absolutely thrilled that it's actually happening. Melbourne is an amazing, cosmopolitan city, I love the creative, cultural vibe and the proximity to beautiful golden beaches and stunning coastline. Even better, this is where my sister and her husband live! Also, in an awesome turn of events, one of my very best friends in the world is also moving from the UK to Melbourne at the end of January. Hands down the most challenging part of being in New Zealand for the past year has been being so far away from family and friends so this will change our lives in a big way.

On the downside, we now have to say goodbye to a number of very dear friends we have made and spent time with since we've been in Auckland. I'd say it takes a year to feel fully settled in a place and in the past six months here we've really hit our stride. Although it has turned out to be a relatively short stay, I'll never forget the time we spent here, the awe inspiring places we've seen, my wonderful job, and the many good times with some amazing people. We have made some great memories to look back on.

The next week is going to be something of a whirlwind. We applied for our working visas a few weeks ago, expecting them to be granted in a couple of months however they already came through this week. This means the girls and I will not be coming back from the holiday to Melbourne we had planned over New Year. Curt will just come back to Auckland for a couple of weeks to finish up his current job and tie up our loose ends. On Thursday, all our possessions will be collected ready to be shipped (thank goodness the shipping company will be packing everything up into boxes for us too!) and the next few days will be spent sorting and deciding what to ship, fly with and leave behind before we set off on our little trip to the Bay of Islands for Christmas. And of course saying our goodbyes, the hardest of which we did last night, but we are already looking forward to lots of visitors when we get settled in our new home.

Images of Melbourne found here, here and here.

a little bit of Christmas

2011-12-16T11:46:00.005+13:00

This will be the third time I've spent in Christmas the southern hemisphere but I still find the whole thing so incredibly bizarre. As well as a time to be with family, to me will it always mean chilly days and snow, mittens, blankets, warm fires, mulled wine and warm mince pies. Everything that it is definitely not in New Zealand, where it means Summer holidays, beaches, bbq's, cold beers and ice creams. Though having said that, it has actually rained almost constantly for the past week so it is starting to feel more like home. It's still always warm though, no need for a woolly hat or a fire round these parts! However I've still done my best to make our home feel festive.

Having children makes Christmas really magical again and I love the fact that Lila is now old enough to get ridiculously excited about it all. Not that I need any excuse to fully embrace everything even remotely Christmassy. Early in the morning on Christmas Eve we will be driving four hours north of Auckland up to the beautiful Bay of Islands for a little three day getaway. No doubt we'll probably head straight for the beach but come the evening, I can't wait to hang the stockings, leave a mince pie and a carrot for Santa and his reindeer, put the Christmas songs on, light some candles and settle down with a glass of mulled wine to watch The Snowman with my girls :)

Pictures... a few shots from around our home.

love her look

2011-12-13T11:56:00.006+13:00

I'm very inspired to rock this gorgeous, vintage inspired hair and make up look during the party season. That red lip is just the right amount of festive. The good news is that there is a brilliant tutorial on exactly how to do it here. Yay :)

Via Miss Moss

the dreamiest of dresses

2011-12-05T09:31:00.010+13:00

Take note all brides to be! I've fallen head over heels with these beautiful wedding dresses by French designer Laure De Sagazan. They would be perfect for someone looking for a romantic, understated and ultra feminine dress. They could totally work for other occasions too (see how I'm trying to justify buying one some day, despite the fact I'm already married). Though definitely avoid wearing one as a wedding guest unless you want to completely upstage the bride ;)

Discovered via A Cup of Jo

just a minute in ... november

2011-12-03T06:51:00.007+13:00

This is little late seeing as it's now already December, but it's been a whirlwind of a month for us with a very exciting new development on the horizon. More on that to come in a few weeks or so. In the meantime, here's a glimpse of what's been going down here lately.

Wanting... The month to be over as soon as possible so Curt would get rid of the monstrosity growing on his face. Don't get me wrong, I think it's awesome that he got involved and I fully support the cause of Movember, it just really creeps me out on seeing a mo on my own husband.

Wearing... My beautiful new dress from Topshop, after some deliberation over the midi length, I decided to embrace it and I really love it.

Selling... Some of my unworn clothes. Out with the old to make way for the new! We've been undertaking some pretty major clearing out around here, trying to scale down and simplify. The amount of extra possessions you accumulate when you have children verges on the insane.

Organising...and wrapping a little package of gifts to send over to the UK, the last Christmas posting dates leave you with no choice but to be super organised. At least it's one less thing to worry about during December.

Watching... Finally got to see the movie 500 Days of Summer which has been on my must watch list for about two years. Embarrassingly enough this is only because it was shown on TV but it was worth staying up to see. You can't go wrong with a bit of Zooey D.Which reminds me I really want to get the She & Him Christmas album. (She & Him is Zooey Deshanel's musical collaboration with M Ward).

Planning... Our mini getaway to the Bay of Islands (at the top of the North Island) for a few days over Christmas and then our trip over to Melbourne for New Year to see my sister and her husband and my parents who are flying over from the UK. We're staying in an awesome holiday home on the gorgeous Mornington Peninsula stretch of coast which comes complete with a tree house, pool and trampoline. Needless to say, Lila can barely contain herself.

Images above...Curt sporting his moustache......some flowers gathered on a walk.....my new dress...... His recently aquired vintage 70's surboard (the new love of his life, never mind me and the kids)

wishlist #3

2011-11-30T21:01:00.001+13:00

Finders Keepers Telling Tales top- This Summery little number would look equally good with a pair of denim cut-offs or dressed up for after dark with some tight cropped trousers and statement heels.

Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain & Balm- Seeing as my daily make-up routine is low maintenance to say the least these days (read: moisturiser, concealer, a dust of mineral powder and some blush) dual purpose products are king and I like the look of this flattering shade.

Donna Hay Fast, Fresh, Simple- The latest tome by the Australian cooking maestro and food stylist. I've been watching the accompanying TV series and these recipes are seriously good (and fast, fresh and simple).

Frankie 2012 Daily Journal- Though I usually try and use the calendar on my ipad for day to day scheduling, I still love carrying around a paper diary in my bag to scribble down appointments and reminders, especially when it's one as pretty as this.

happy things

2011-11-25T13:46:00.000+13:00

The coconut scent of sun cream
A chai latte bought by a generous friend
My sweet baby falling asleep in my arms
A glass of wine whilst making Summer plans
An ice cream at the beach
Stealing a turn on the swings at the playground
Stretching out on the sand and feeling the sun warm my skin
A freshly baked bread roll with butter and raspberry jam
Neon pink toe nails and lightly tanned toes
Sharing a bean bag with my love
A package of treats received from home

Making Christmas cards with Lila

These things all made me smile this weekend, and although the weather has since turned and we seem to have waved goodbye to Summer in the past few days, hopefully it's just a temporary blip. I thought I would share in any case seeing as it's the time of year for giving thanks and all that.

And because it's always good to keep it real, I also managed to sun burn my left cheek to a fierce shade of red and Lila added to the ever growing collection of bumps and cuts adorning her legs when she tripped over at the park. The poor child seems to have inherited my ridiculous level of clumsiness and tendency to bruise easily.

In other news, Rose is still fighting off the remnants of her cold and has suddenly decided that she doesn't like sleeping very much anymore. It feels like she woke up about fifteen times last night. Hopefully this is also a temporary blip as I am a walking zombie today. No amount of under eye concealer can conceal these dark shadows!

the great gatsby

2011-11-21T20:46:00.007+13:00

Getting very excited about these pictures from the set of The Great Gatsby which is currently being filmed in Australia. It is one of my all time favourite books and I can't wait to see director Baz Luhrmanns take on it. If you haven't read it yet, now is the time! All of Fitzgerald's novels are classics. The casting looks promising with Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, the enchanting Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan and Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway, the story's narrator. Other cast members include Australian supermodel Gemma Ward (pictured in the sparkling ensemble below) and red headed bombshell Isla Fisher.

The roaring '20's were the decadent decade of dapper gentlemen, glitz, glamour and good times and the fabulous costumes will no doubt be influencing how we will be dressing next year, as already evidenced in a number of collections for Spring/Summer 2012 from designers including Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Alberta Ferretti. Bring it on.

Images from Daily Mail and Grazia UK

motherhood

2011-11-20T07:49:00.007+13:00

Being a mother is frustrating, exhausting and all consuming. On the more challenging days I try to remind myself that I am not dealing with an inconvenience but raising a human being. There is no recognition, chance of promotion and certainly not a yearly cash bonus. Despite this, shaping the mind and future of a little person must be the most important job in the world. The rewards come in other forms- a beautiful smile from your baby when you lift them from their cot, a hug from your child when you least expect it and watching them learn and grow every single day.

There are many things I want to teach my children. That they can do anything, achieve their wildest hopes and dreams if they are passionate enough about them and work hard enough to make them happen. I don't ever want to clip their wings. I want to show them the world and all the inspiring places and people we come across on the way. Teach them to recognise and search out beauty in nature, in the night sky, in music, art and literature.

Already there are many things they have taught me too. Patience for one. To always stay curious, to take time to stop and really look, to be silly, to remember to be kind and to love with every ounce of my being. Like every mother, I want the best of everything for them and instead of worrying that we can't buy them a great many toys and gifts for Christmas, I would do well to keep in mind that when they look back it will not be this that stays with them.

They will remember the times we kicked off our shoes and ran along the beach together, when we made forts under the table and I read stories to them for hours and the time we ate ice-cream for breakfast The most important thing is that they know that they are and always have been loved to the stars and back. All that really matters is love.

Picture of Lila and I from the archives.

rosebud

2011-11-15T09:46:00.007+13:00

It's hard to wrap my head around the fact this little girl is already five months old. Where has my tiny baby gone?! During the past week she has started sitting on her own (surrounded by a safety guard of cushions!) and she is trying all sorts of pureed fruits and vegetables like a champion. So much so that she gets in a frenzy of anticipation whenever she sees her little pink bowl and spoon and cries if I don't spoon it in quickly enough.

She has now moved in with her big sister, who thankfully seems to sleep like the living dead and only the loudest of cries from Rose will half raise her from her slumber. However for the past two days Rose has been suffering from a particularly nasty cold and has been struggling to breathe easily at night so Curt has decamped to the sofa and she has temporarily nabbed his spot next to me in the big bed until she gets a bit better. She better not get too used to it!

This weekend she had her first go on a swing at the playground which she took in her usual calm stride. She loves nothing more than hanging out with Lila and they read books together (when Lila is in a cooperative mood), which is the sweetest thing on Earth.

And her Daddy, being an incredibly mature and responsible parent at all times, thinks it's really funny to take pictures like this...

rose tinted world

2011-11-10T20:50:00.000+13:00

I thought it was about time for a heady dose of unashamedly girly, soft focus, ultra pretty escapism. Enjoy.

All images by A Child Woman.

stella's country house

2011-11-06T10:31:00.009+13:00

Currently obsessing over the beautiful British country home of fashion designer and daughter of Sir Paul, Stella McCartney and her husband Alasdhair Willis. The gardens take my breath away. What an utterly perfect country idyll for their four children to roam in. Places like this are why I will always love England and remind me how lucky I have been to grow up in a gorgeous old house in a stunning rural setting. If only my sister and I had of had a teepee like the one pictured below to play in!

Photos by Bruce Weber. Read the full article and see more images on Vogue

being content

2011-11-01T11:34:00.008+13:00

I really believe that happiness is all about mindset. Some of the happiest people I know don't have the most money, the biggest homes or the most desirable jobs. However, they know how to make their own fun and have a good time, they laugh easily, appreciate the simple things in life and value their family and close friendships. It's not rocket science, but an impromptu barbeque with a couple of packs of sausages, some fresh bread rolls, a bottle of wine and a few friends can be just as good - and often a lot more enjoyable- as an overpriced meal in a fancy restaurant.

I reckon that contentment is actually more important than happiness. Let's be honest, living our lives in a constant euphoric state is not exactly a realistic goal, but learning to appreciate what's around us and what we have is an awesome skill. It also sits well with living in the present and fully appreciating the moment, rather than always looking to the future- when times will be better, money will be more abundant and so on. This is something I've had to consciously train myself to do as I've always had tendencies towards 'the grass is always greener' syndrome.

I'm embracing going back to basics and enjoying home-made simple things. I don't want to have to rely on entertainment which costs a lot of money. This Summer there will be lots of time spent outdoors and creative projects for the home, getting crafty with Lila, enjoying time spent relaxing with friends and family. Now let's just hope the weather cooperates :)

a forever dress

2011-10-27T13:23:00.008+13:00

Wouldn't it be wonderful to make, or if like me your sewing skills currently aren't really quite up to it- buy, a couple of exquisite, classic, enduring garments for you child which would be worn and dearly loved and could then be passed down to other siblings and then future generations. Family heirlooms that could be discovered in an ancient trunk in the attic in ninety years, carefully unwrapped from faded tissue paper.

I remember my Mum once sewed me a long sleeved Winter dress from fabric covered with red roses that was passed down to my sister, then my cousin Natacha and eventually her little sister Zoe. By that point it was probably getting a little shabby but we all adored it equally and have photos of each of us proudly wearing it. I must ask if it is still in existence now so Lila and Rose could have their turn but I fear it may have been loved to pieces and relegated to a cleaning rag by now.

These four garments have been created for the Anthropologie children's collection by Handmade Charlotte and they are exactly the kind of forever pieces that I'm talking about. Garments that will never date and are beautifully crafted with hand embroidery, applique and intricate attention to detail. I would never usually spend so much on a piece of children's clothing but these are more like little worksof art. They may have even inspired me enough to consider digging out the sewing machine from the garage one day and putting in some hours of practice to make something special for my girls.

This peacock coat (above) is a real show stopper but I am also very taken with the green dress.

Discovered via Design Mom.

just a minute in...october

2011-10-25T11:55:00.000+13:00

October has been a really great month in Auckland. Spring has definitely arrived now and fingers crossed the warm weather is here to stay. My sister hopped on a plane from Australia to come and stay with us for a long weekend and we had the best time hanging out with her. Lots of lazy lunches and brunches, delicious sea food, walks on the beach, beer gardens in the sunshine, cocktails and tapas at my new favourite bar, catching up with old friends and a spot of shopping.

And of course the All Blacks won the Rugby World Cup this weekend so it has been party central at every turn. It never fails to amaze me quite how seriously they take rugby here... this was a major deal for everyone. We watched the final at at a friends place. The kids all bunked down for a sleepover in the bedrooms upstairs while we enjoyed an epic BBQ and some drinks before all eyes were glued to the screen for kick off. Driving home afterwards in the early hours of the morning, there were people out in the streets celebrating and just generally going crazy, it was a pretty cool thing to witness.

So this month I've been...

Reading...Free Range Kids by Leonore Skenazy. If you have children, are planning to or just have any interest at all in our future generations then take a look at this book. A really refreshing read all about loosening the reins a little and allowing our kids some freedom. If you only ever pick up one parenting book in your life, you should probably make it this one.

Watching...Series two of Downton Abbey has just hit our screens here in New Zealand. Woop. I'm a sucker for a good historical drama with a grand house, lots of scandal and beautiful dresses.

Buying...I purchased a couple of things off my recent wish list...this book and this swimsuit (which went on sale!) Incredibly pleased with both of them. I couldn't put the book down until I had read the entire thing and soaked up all the stunning images.

Eating...I baked some lemon and poppy seed muffins when my sister arrived which were pretty darn good. I've been trying to cut out some of the baked goods since then to make sure I can fit into the aforementioned swimsuit but failing quite epically so far. I had an urge to make a huge chocolate cake on the weekend which didn't help.

Loving...The fact that heaps of our friends are either pregnant or have recently had babies. Finally we aren't out on a limb any more!! I've been excited for this to happen ever since I was pregnant with Lila. Still love all my child free friends just as much of course, for generally being awesome and reminding me that I still need to go out and drink too much wine every once in a while. And for providing some respite from discussing baby stuff/tantrums/sleeping routines, which is always good.

In pictures...Chilling at the beach and Rose enjoying her first tastes of baby rice and apple puree...

Lila and I getting down to some Latino music at a street festival- wherever there's music that girl will dance...

Curt having a quiet moment with Rose before her big sister steals him away to play...

back to the 40's

2011-10-20T14:25:00.011+13:00

The 1940's are having a fashion moment this upcoming Autumn/Winter season and I couldn't be happier about it. I've long admired the look of this era- all printed tea dresses, leather gloves, perfectly waved hair and red lips. I've even been known to embrace entire films solely because of their fabulous forties costumes, yes The Edge of Love, I'm talking about you. I'm throughly enjoying soaking up all the chic eye candy coming to the fore in magazine editorials such as these (which I found over atDust Jacket Attic). If they feature grand country houses then even better.

The Glitter Guide has also put together a darling 1940's style shopping roundup which can be seen here- the red dress has stolen my heart in a rather large way I must admit. I think I may have to make a place for it in my wardrobe.

Image credits: Top set of images photographed by Andreas Ohlund for Elle Sweden.

Images above photographed by Tom Craig for Vogue Russia.

making memories

2011-10-17T13:45:00.001+13:00

I reckon one of the most awesome but underrated bits about starting a family is continuing and staring your own little family traditions. Thinking up new fun ones and getting all nostalgic and deciding which ones to adopt or adapt from your existing families and childhood.

In our house, Friday is treat day. Curt finishes work early and collects Lila from pre-school and if she has behaved well all week then she is allowed to choose a treat from the bakery or go and get an ice-cream. This is something that me and my sister were allowed to do during our childhood, the deal was no sweets or chocolate on an ordinary daily basis but it really made Fridays something special and was always a pretty great start to the weekend. For her birthday I've also started to make her a colourful felt birthday 'crown' each year and I'll do the same for Rose too, well at least until they start to find the whole idea too hideously embarrassing.

There's certain times of the year when traditions really come to the fore- Christmas of course and often Halloween and Easter too. I love finding out how other people and their families celebrate and I'm always mentally storing away ideas. In my family, major Christmas traditions have always been making mince pies and watching The Snowman film on Christmas Eve, opening our stockings first thing in the morning and then the rest of the presents after breakfast and eating the big turkey dinner in the evening. Now I get so excited abut doing all these things with our girls and giving them some great memories.

At Easter I'd like to give Lila and Rose a new pair of Summer pajamas each year as well as a chocolate egg. I also love the idea of a new pair of Winter pajamas to open on the night of Christmas Eve too. Also maybe some rituals to mark the changing seasons like planting herbs and vegetables together in Spring and making jam in Autumn. Growing up, Sunday for me always meant a big family roast and while I've not yet managed to pull this off as a regular occurrence, I'd really like to try. I do however (with Lila's eager assistance) always make some kind of fruit crumble for us to devour with cream so I guess that's a start!

Decorating the tree...

Getting stuck in to a favourite Friday treat...

she paints beauty

2011-10-11T12:58:00.004+13:00

These images of exquisite objects, beautiful dresses and captivating ladies are the work of the artist Janet Hill. With her oil paintings she lovingly captures the finer things in life and I am especially taken by the retro glamour of all the mysterious women she creates. Such style! She sells prints in her etsy shop if you would like to see some of these adorning your walls. I am particularly enchanted by dark haired lady in the green dress.

Discovered via this month's issue of Matchbook magazine.

slowing down

2011-10-08T11:34:00.007+13:00

I remember when Lila was born I was so focused on just getting through the days. Looking forward to the time when I would be able to get a full nights sleep again, when she would be a toddler and we would really be able to play together and do cool stuff like go on bike rides (never mind the fact I don't actually own a bike). With hindsight, I should definitely have been more in the moment and just making the most of the stage she was in right then rather than always thinking about the days ahead. When she came into our lives I was only 24 years old and my whole life was turned upside down very quickly and unexpectedly- bye bye late nights of partying, indulgent shopping sprees and leisurely lie-ins. It was all a huge learning curve for both Curt and I and I don't mind admitting I really had no idea what I was doing most of the time.

Having witnessed the astonishing speed in which Lila has grown and changed over these past three years, I am now much more mindful of taking in each stage in her development and enjoying it for what it is, both the good and the less pleasant bits, knowing she will oh-so-soon be moving on to the next phase of her life. Armed with this knowledge and a few more years of wisdom and experience, since Rose arrived I have been soaking up every second of her precious baby days, aware that they will be over all too soon. When she was a tiny newborn I realised a few times that I just been sitting in bed staring at her sleeping in my arms for an hour in the middle of the night when I was absolutely shattered and should clearly have been getting some shut eye as well. Every few days it dawns on me I haven't taken any photos of her lately and I turn into a camera wielding maniac, snapping about a thousand shots of her in the space of ten minutes.

I still look forward to all the fun things both my girls will be doing in the future and when life might get a little less full on (ha...the teenage years, who am I kidding!) but I've realised that the present is a pretty great place to be in too.

photos...I couldn't resist taking a shot of Curt, Lila and Rose's hi-tops! I obviously need to get a pair so I can be in the gang!

Below are a couple of pictures of Rose taken yesterday.

a peek inside our nursery

2011-10-05T21:15:00.003+13:00

I took a few pictures of the nursery (Lila's bedroom) the other day when it was looking very unusually neat. While it's in no way up there with the stunning, awe-inspiring nurseries I posted about here, I think it's come together as quite a fun, sweet place for two little girls. It's only a very small room which will soon be shared by Rose too as she will be moving out from her moses basket in our room into a cot in here. So with that in mind I've tried not to fill it with too much clutter. We've kept it bright and cheerful with lots of splashes of bold, happy colour and some mismatched patterns- mainly spots, checks and stripes. Of course pink features too, but I didn't want it to become excessively girly or nauseatingly princessy.

The white teddy on the bed is Lila's special bear Snowy which was her very first cuddly toy. He is infact Snowy the Second but she has no idea about that (she dropped the original one out of her buggy in M&S about a year and a half ago). My favorite elements of the room are the various pieces of art work, the pony print cushions on the bed and the wooden pencil coat stand which makes me smile.

home of my dreams

2011-10-01T21:00:00.001+13:00

I often post interiors inspiration here and I'm always on the lookout for decorating ideas and styling elements to incorporate into our current home (and our future home which we will one day hopefully own. Can you tell I'm pretty much over renting at this stage). I often see elements which I love in other houses but when I came across these pictures- from the May/June editon of Marie Claire Maison- I realised...this is it.

This is one hundred percent exactly what I want my home to look like. Everything, from the distressed walls to the floor to ceiling shelves of books, the pops of colour, the mis-matched fabric prints, is in my eyes perfection. Now we just need our own place so I can start to make it a reality! Interesting to see if by the time it actually happens, I will still feel the same way or if I am more fickle and trend led than I think. The major hurdle- well apart from the blindingly obvious one of actually buying a property- will be persuading Mr Minimal (aka my husband) with his love of white, clinical, ridiculously clutter free spaces. Which by now he must seriously have realised is never going to happen in a house with myself living in it, never mind two other small, messy little beings.

Images found via The English Muse.

breaking out of a food rut

2011-09-29T18:00:00.000+13:00

Lately I've been feeling stuck in a rut in terms of the food I've been cooking every evening. We've settled in to a comfortable routine of rotating almost the same dinners every week which makes it easy to do the weekly shop in double quick time, but soon becomes incredibly boring. Last week I decided to mix things up a bit and set aside an evening to look through my underused cook books and collection of recipes ripped from various magazines or printed off the web which are haphazardly shoved in an empty notebook. What I really need is a stack of these and something like this to organize the chaos.

I selected seven 'new' (i.e. not already on our usual rota) meal ideas and hit the supermarket armed with my corresponding ingredient list. The criteria was that they had to be healthy, would also accommodate a 3 year old- or could be easily adapted to become child friendly, didn't require any obscure ingredients which would be obscenely expensive in New Zealand. I'm still reeling about the fact that sometimes a red pepper, or capsicum as they are called here, is $5 which is aprox £2.50. Shocking! Oh, and also most of them had to include some kind of meat or seafood as my husband is of the opinion a dish lacking in meat is not a proper meal.

Here's what I chose...

day one- Grilled chicken and courgette burgers with a yoghurt and mint dip served with rocket in wholemeal pittas

day two- Caramelized red onion and goats cheese pizzas on thin base Turkish bread

day three- Sirloin steak with chunky garlic potato wedges and grilled tomatoes

day four- Grilled pesto beef burgers with mushroom and spinach couscous

day five- Red onion, sweet potato and sausage frittata with a green salad

day six- Mexican chilli bean wrap with avo, salsa, sour cream and melted cheese

day seven- Prawn and lemon risotto was the plan but I was exhausted so I bailed out and threw together butter beans, a tin of chopped tomatoes, black olives and salami on toast.

I also made homemade basil pesto which I used in the beef burger recipe and incorporated the remainder of it into some lunches for Lila and I. It was super quick and easy to make and actually way better than the shop bought alternative.

So I'm happy to report that the experiment was a success. The total weekly food bill worked out to be $20 more than usual but it was definitely worth it for the break from monotony. The two vegetarian meals also went down well with Curt though I'll admit that I did grossly over cook the pizzas as I may have got a bit distacted on the iPad (a nice crispy base is always good but almost snapping your teeth off is another matter entirely). Lila was not a fan of the frittata, but seeing as she has never been keen on eggs that's probably fair enough. My personal favorite was the chicken and courgette burgers which were really more-ish and felt virtuous too. If anyone else is feeling uninspired when it comes to the evening meal I'd definitely recommend giving this a try.

Image of chicken and courgette burgers found here.

Image of red onion and goats cheese pizza found here

wish list #2

2011-09-27T17:48:00.002+13:00

CURRENTLY COVETING...

Bracelet by dullDiamond- Love the pop of colour in this wooden bracelet to brighten up Spring outfits.

True British book- The new coffee table tome by UK fashion designer Alice Temperley, covering the development of her style and the growth of her mega successful company. I've long been a fan of her glamorous, bohemian designs and admired the way she has created a highly desirable brand epitomising her own enviable lifestyle.

Love pillowcase set from Not On The High Street- A sweet, affordable way to spruce up the bedroom.

Swimsuit by ASOS- I've been a bikini wearer for the past couple of decades but this retro number might just be the one to tempt me back into a swimsuit this Summer.

just a minute in....september

2011-09-25T19:50:00.000+13:00

A little snippet and some pictures of what's been going on in our household this month...

Watching...Well seeing as the Rugby World Cup is currently being held here in Auckland,

it's been a bit hard to miss (especially when you have a rugby crazed South African husband). He's already been to a couple of the games and is taking me along to one at the end of the month. Though I definitely can not be classed as a rugby fan, I'm looking forward to taking it all in and experiencing the awesome atmosphere.

Eating...My current favourite lunch is avo on toast with a pea, feta and mint salad. Yum. As an alternative, I've been revisiting the good old banana and peanut butter sandwich.

Enjoying...The arrival of spring (hmm, though after it rained literally non stop today I may need to retract this statement). I've been taking Rose out for long walks in the afternoons and it makes me happy that I'm still discovering new things about our neighbourhood. I came across the sweetest little cafe and some pretty boutiques just by taking a new route the other day.

Wishing...Curt hadn't put my new indigo skirt in with a wash of Lila and Rose's pale clothes. We now have a lot of pretty little pink and cream garments covered in blue splotches. Sigh.

Reading...My Mum sent over 'The Snail and The Whale' by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler for Lila which we've been enjoying. They are the creators of 'The Gruffalo' and all their children's books are great.

Buying...I know it's insanely early to even mention the word and I promise I'm not one of those weird people who puts decorations up at the start of October, but I have started to pick up a few bits and pieces for the girls Christmas stockings. Just because I usually leave it all until the last moments and bankrupt us in December so I'm trying to spread the cost this year.

Curt with our friends Sue and Ajit on their way to watch on of the South Africa rugby games.

Lila (in the blue princess dress) at one of her 'Drama Queens' sessions.

Little chubby blue eyed girl.

mantra

2011-09-22T19:40:00.004+12:00

my sister's wedding: the pictures

2011-09-19T07:31:00.000+12:00

I've been excited about sharing this post for ages but it meant having to whittle down a good few hundred gorgeous photographs into my very top picks which was no easy task. But finally, here they are. These are the official pictures from the wedding of my little sister Josephine- known to us all as Jo, to her kiwi husband Blair. The event took place on 4th June and was the reason I travelled back to the UK for a couple of months earlier this year (well that and having a baby!) They opted for a church ceremony in a beatiful, ancient little church in a nearby village where we both went to school. The afternoon and evening reception was held in the gardens and inside a marquee at my parents farm, which is where I also got married. Despite a rainy few weeks building up to it, the sun shined gloriously and it was an absolutely magical, emotional day. The bride looked stunning and I was so proud of her. Congratulations Mr and Mrs McKerchar.

These images are of the preparations on the day and the ceremony, I'll share pictures of the reception in a seperate post soon.

Our parents home- the preparation and reception venue.

I love that she wore this t-shirt during her preparations, very apt!

I made these corsages for the bridesmaids to pin in their hair.

The vintage necklace that she wore belonged to our grandmother who passed away last year.

The extremely naughty looking flower girl is Lila, sitting on the knee of bridesmaid Kate!

We made the confetti cones from rolled up sheets of old manuscripts and filled them with dried flower petals.

Photographs by Jill Thorning-Jensen.

If you missed it, I posted about the wedding invitations here and other wedding props and preparations here.

lady like

2011-09-16T11:50:00.000+12:00

Oh my word. I was floored when I saw these images of Russian designer Ulyana Sergeenko's debut collection. I would happily swap everything in my entire wardrobe for all these clothes (which is generally a lot more on the casual side- unfortunately practicality usually wins out). Imagaine walking around every day wearing these gorgeous pieces, it would be like stepping back in a fairy tale inspired 1940's time warp. So most of it's not really typical hanging out with toddlers at the park or just popping down to the shops attire, and I don't fare at all well in skyscraper heels but I'm just having a little fantasy moment. And the models hairstyle is so retro chic and fabulous. It really makes me wish I had more time in the mornings to do something more with mine than scrape it up into a messy bun/something resembling a birds nest.

These are some of my favourites...

Discovered via the always awesome Miss Moss.

hello baby- surviving the first 3 months

2011-09-15T17:39:00.000+12:00

To mark baby Rose having recently passed the 3 month milestone, I thought I'd share a few of the things that have helped us through the newborn and tiny infant stage. The absolutely insane array of products out there aimed at new parents and parents-to-be is mindblowing and overwhelming. Most of it is largely unnecessary (let's be honest, if people survived without it fifty years ago then it's probably not strictly an essential), though many do undoubtedly make modern life easier. These are some of the standout items that have worked for us-I'm not including the more standard things such as a cot or Moses basket, because they seem fairly obvious!

Metanium Nappy Rash Ointment- Sudocrem seems to have cornered the market here but I have found it to be absolutely useless. This nappy cream beats it hands down and clears up any hint of redness in a couple of applications. Handle with care though as the only downside is that the intense yellow colour does stain clothes/towels but most crucially not the baby's bottom :).

Baby Bjorn sling- Whether you decided to use a sling depends a lot on your lifestyle/where you live etc. We've used this with both our girls and it has been a god send. Babies seem to love it and usually fall asleep in it in a matter of minutes. Rose gets popped it on when I'm doing the supermarket shop and it leaves me with two hands free to push the trolley and also on days when I don't want to be bothered with the buggy. Lila was a very fussy, clingy baby and putting her in the sling was the only way I could do my hair and get myself ready in the morning without her screaming the house down.

Phil & Ted's Cocoon- We got this cocoon as we upgraded to a Phil & Teds double buggy when Rose came along and this slots in under the toddlers top seat for the baby to lie in but it has been invaluable as a carrycot in it's own right. If we are heading over to a friends place or a restaurant for dinner then we just pop Rose inside and she has her own neat, portable little cot which she sleeps in so well. It is much more cosy and comfortable for her than just using the car seat (which apparently babies are only supposed to stay in for an hour and a half at a time to avoid spine damage as they are not lying flat ).

Baby's First Black & White Book- Although tiny babies spend most of their lives sleeping and feeding and pooping, in their awake moments it's always nice to bond over a book (never to early to start enjoying a good book!) As they have limited eye sight to begin with, they respond the most to black and white, high contrast patterns and Rose has loved this book since she was only a few weeks old.

Cuddle Dry Towel- This nifty invention definitely helps make bath time a more pleasant experience. You do look a bit of a moron wearing it (you essentially have a massive bath towel fastened around your neck) but you can quickly and easily scoop up baby from the bath and pop the little hood over its head to stay warm with minimal scrambling around and grappling with a wet, slippery little thing.

Gro-Egg Night Light and Room Thermometer- This is a really practical, muli-functional but also good looking product. If like me, you have basically no idea if the baby is the right temperature then this is a handy indicater as it changes colour when the room is too hot or cold so you know whether to put an extra blanket on them or to remove a layer. It also gives off a nice glow so no need for a seperate night light.

Eye Cream- Sleep is a precious commodity that is likely to be an elusive beast. A decent eye cream that minimises dark circles and signs of fatigue is a good investment and helps you look marginally more human.

Confident Baby Care by Jo Frost- Super Nanny delivers the goods! Who better to trust in all matters of baby rearing than the nations favourite nanny. Curt's Mum bought us this book when I was pregnant with Lila and it became my go-to manual whenever I had any queries or wondered what exactly the heck I should be doing with this small being I had to care for. I re-read it when Rose was born and it was still just as good.

Skip Hop Duo Nappy Bag- I don't actually have this nappy bag but I wish I did. It is practical yet still attractive and not overly feminine. I have one adorned with a pink bow print and a pocket with a cupcake on the front, embroidered with the words 'Yummy Mummy' which may be beautiful (actually, two years down the line it is now fairly shabby), but is entirely ridiculous if you ever want your partner/husband to hold it, carry it or basically be seen dead anywhere with it. He will more thank likely use it as an excuse for not taking the child out on a trip to the playground whilst you enjoy an hour of uniterrupted peace at home. If only I had considered this before blowing a shameful amount of money on it.

Cotton scarf- I have amassed a good collection as these as they are a handy discreet cover up when breastfeeding out and about. A pretty colorful one (like this one pictured, from Zara) will also help liven up a dull/dreary outfit. A plain/more neutral one would also be a wise investment for more pattern happy ensembles (but beware: black is the worst culprit for showing up baby sick).

Batiste dry shampoo- There will be some days when a shower, let alone washing your hair is just not an option. This will become a life saver and allow you to still leave the house looking like a polished, well groomed member of scoiety when nothing is further from the truth. I've tried almost all of the options out there but this, the original and the cheapest really does work the best.

Hope this might help a few people out there. If anyone has any must-haves of their own then please do share :)

Also...my previous posts on pregnancy essentials and dressing the bump.

best things [to enjoy about summer]

2011-09-11T19:52:00.001+12:00

It will be here soon and I cannot wait. Though personally I would trade out the sparkling water for a large glass of red and the baggy t-shirts for a pretty dresses. Other than that, perfection.

Found here.

living in colour

2011-09-09T13:39:00.000+12:00

A colourful home always seems a happy home. If this is indeed the case then the house of Charlotte Gueniau, the founder of the cool (equally bright) Danish homeware label Rice, must be a very joyful place to be. While these vibrant shots of colour are certainly not for the faint of heart, they are so uplifting and I can't help but admire the perfect way this has been executed. Colour in general makes me extraordinarily happy, and my own dream decorating style definitely incorporates some of this goodness. How amazing are those knife and fork curtains in the lounge!

Images from Marie Claire Maison.

first day of my life

2011-09-07T20:26:00.004+12:00

This is the first day of my life

I swear I was born right in the doorway

I went out in the rain and everything changed

They're spreading blankets on the beach

Yours is the first face that I saw

I think I was blind before I met you

Now I don't know where I am

I don't know where I've been

But I know where I want to go

From 'First Day of My Life' by Bright Eyes.

This was one of the songs at our wedding and I've loved it for a long time but when I hear it now it always takes me back to the days my babies were born.

They change everything, but I wouldn't change a thing.

these are the days

2011-09-05T10:27:00.005+12:00

Sometimes when I start stressing about how we're ever going to afford to give the children a decent education, if we're running late for Lila's swimming lesson or miss her Wednesday drama class because we're all still in our pajamas, I forget that the best gift we can probably give them is a simple and carefree childhood. These words found here, sum it up well.

"...Being the smartest or most accomplished kid in class has never had any bearing on being the happiest. We are so caught up in trying to give our children 'advantages' that we’re giving them lives as multi-tasked and stressful as ours."

Whilst it's clearly important that they do learn to swim and how ever much Lila loves racing around with a hoard of other little children pretending to be a lion at her drama class, the days when we have nothing scheduled and just hang out together are nothing to feel guilty about, they're probably the best days of all.

When I think back to my own childhood, the best memories and happiest times I can recall are of my sister and I building dens in the straw bales in the barn, trawling the fields and peering into tree stumps and alongside streams trying to find the mice of the Brambly Hedge books, building rafts to sail on the ponds (and almost drowning my Dad when we insisted he tested their floating capabilities out first, but that's another story). Not the relentless round of tennis, swimming, horse riding, music and ice-skating lessons. Whilst we did enjoy these, and indeed bugged our parents unceasingly until they broke down and agreed to let us do several of them, they can all too quickly become a bind and bore.

So whether Lila and Rose will find as much enjoyment as I did in whiling away Summer afternoons crushing up flower petals and leaves to make questionable 'perfume' remains to be seen, but I'll make sure they definitely have the freedom to find out.

Side note: My sister recently told me we had an ongoing game which went on for many months where we pretended we ran a mountain biking school and made ramps and jumps out of random pieces of wood and other things we found lying around and attempted to clear them on our little bikes. So funny (although slightly concerning that I have no memory of this. Surely it's a bit early for the onset of old-age memory loss??)

Picture above of Lila (and my) adventures with pavement chalk. Yes, I was loving it.

two years

2011-09-01T20:43:00.007+12:00

Two roses to mark two years of marriage. Plus a copy of Vogue and a Galaxy chocolate bar (English chocolate is like gold dust over this end of the world). Oh yes, he knows me well. We went out for dinner, just the two of us, which pretty much never happens these days. Big thanks to our good friends for babysitting and allowing us a few hours of remembering what it's like to go to a restaurant without lugging along a changing bag and massive bag of toys, not to mention a boisterous toddler and a small baby. It was wonderful.

wish list

2011-08-29T20:55:00.005+12:00

A few things I've been eyeing up lately...

This dress from Topshop: Colour blocking done to perfection.

This tote bag from fieldguided: Cute summer bag and great for the beach.

This book by Paula McLain: "A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley."

These hi-tops by Ash: Ideal for throwing on with black skinny jeans and a casual shirt or tee.

one year on

2011-08-26T21:25:00.010+12:00

It has been over a year now that we have been living in the land of the long white cloud. Though it's mostly been a brilliant, eye-opening time, it has by no means been a totally easy ride. We moved to a country literally at the other end of the Earth where we have no family and knew almost no-one. We had to find ourselves a place to live, buy a car and I had to get myself a job. We had over two months with no furniture and possessions except the clothes we bought over in our bags on the plane because the container we shipped was hugely delayed. I was lucky enough to land an amazing, dream job after just a couple of weeks and we found a sweet (albeit very compact) apartment to rent in a great location. I've missed my friends and family back home a crazy amount. There's been so many moments I wish I could have shared with them or just popped around to see them for a cup of tea and a chat, but I've also forged new friendships and met some awesome people along the way.

We live a short drive away from some of the most beautiful scenery on Earth and have stunning beaches on our doorstep. Some things we've found to be more affordable such as rent and childcare, and other things to be extortionately expensive in comparison to what we were used to in the UK- food and drink, both in the supermarket and also in restaurants and bars, furniture, clothes, books and basically everything bought from a shop is at a premium. This has meant we've had to learn to find our fun without much in the way of retail therapy or eating out- hello picnics on the beach, lots of home baking and barbecues with friends. Even more so now Rose has arrived and we are surviving on just Curt's salary.

We've experienced a warm Summer and also the more rainy but still mild months of Winter. There have been stressful times and joyful times. We've gained a child and there's been moments when we would have given anything to have our family close at hand to babysit for an evening, to be able to pick up the phone for an impromptu chat or to ask for some advice (the 11 hour time difference can be a bitch). One thing we will be forever grateful for is the existence of Skype, it makes being so far away seem feasible and our parents are still able to know their grandchildren and see them often.

Am I glad we made the move? Absolutely. In spite of some of the more challenging aspects I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Home for me will always be the green fields of England and I'm pretty sure we'll return there for good one day, but for now we're enjoying the adventure. I feel proud that we are giving our children a chance to see and experience something of the world.

just a minute in...august

2011-08-22T12:21:00.001+12:00

It's almost the end of August already? How the heck did that happen. Well as the month was racing on by, this is what I've been up to, accompanied by some pics from the weekend.

Reading...The latest issue of my all time favourite Frankie magazine and also a random selection of magazines that the postman keeps delivering to us (someone else is getting their magazine subscriptions sent to our address by mistake. Winner!)

Watching...Being a highly squeamish person, I'm never usually one for medical dramas but I can't get enough of the new series of Grey's Anatomy. Forgot how much I love that show...and a certain doctor ;)

Listening ...On the journey to trying to educate Lila in good music, we've been rediscovering the joys of Jose Gonzalez . She still seems a lot more keen on The Lion King soundtrack however. Hmm, well at least it's an improvement on 'The Wheels on The Bus' CD. I also dug out a classical CD my mother bought for Lila when she was a tiny thing and it's been great at chilling both the girls when we all need a bit of quiet time.

Buying...a little too much in the way of clothing. But they were all such great bargains!

Enjoying...A gorgeously sunny weekend spent wandering around on the waterfront admiring all the yachts and eating ice creams, visiting friends and baking a particularly delicious chocolate cake. Spring seems to have arrived, yippee. Also grateful for some extra sleep as Rose is now only waking for one short feed in the night. Thank you my darling girl.

Wanting...Not really wanting for much at the moment- except for the usual, you know, winning the lottery, wishing all my friends and family would also move over to this side of the world! Right now, life is good :)

shop shop shopping

2011-08-19T12:53:00.000+12:00

I got my shop on in a big way this past week, in the most stress free way possible when you have a newborn and a 3 year old to contend with- online and from the luxury of my own sofa. I decided it would be logical to take advantage of the end of Summer sales from all my favorite UK retailers and get myself and the little ones kitted out ready for our upcoming Summer in New Zealand. I've probably mentioned it before but nice clothing over here is ridiculously expensive and fairly limited in choice.

Obviously I stocked up as much as I can when I was back home a couple of months ago but there is only so much a person can fit into a bag with a paltry 20kg luggage allowance to contend with. Curt does his own thing when it comes to clothes shopping, he definitely enjoys it as much as any woman so naturally I wouldn't dream of taking that pleasure away from him :)

My first online stop was one of my all time favourite stores Zara, where I picked up some bits and pieces for myself and Rose and then onto Mini Boden for Lila. Next up was ASOS, where I made the extremely exciting discovery that they ship internationally...for free!! How I did not know this before I do not know (for all my other purchases I have to rely on the goodness of my long suffering, dear mother having everything delivered to her house in the UK and then posting it on to me). Here's a peek at some of the goodies that went in to my shopping cart.

The floppy straw hat and sleeveless button through dress pictured at the top were both absolute steals from ASOS. For the past few months I've been on the hunt for awesome button front dresses and tops as they make feeding Rose so much easier, especially when I'm out and about. For myself I also couldn't resist the gorgeous aquamarine shade of these shorts and the mint green hue of this cardigan- which will be perfect for throwing on when it gets a bit breezy at the beach.

Lila scored a cute polka dot retro style bikini and a beach kaftan, amongst other things, both from Mini Boden.

For Rose I chose this darling little checked romper and pretty embroidered dress, both from Zara Kids.

wow

2011-08-16T12:22:00.004+12:00

I know the official photos taken by Mario Testino of the wedding of Kate Moss and Jamie Hince are all over the web at the moment but when I saw this one it stopped me in my tracks. Oh my word, it's amazing. So sexy. It almost seems of another era and I love the expression on her face and the way she's looking at him.

all tied up

2011-08-15T10:46:00.006+12:00

I've fallen for this pretty head scarf look in a big way- it would be perfect for dealing with my growing-out-a-long-bob hair length and a great option for bad hair days. I'm off to dig out some scarves and give it a whirl. Click here for a full tutorial on how to do it. Thanks Keiko Lynn!

10 weeks old

2011-08-08T11:09:00.006+12:00

pretty cute

2011-08-05T21:14:00.004+12:00

These adorable art works by artist, illustrator and designer Kelli Murray make me happy. Check out her etsy shop where she sells a range of original works, prints, note cards and other products for other goodness.

a design match made in heaven

2011-07-23T21:09:00.001+12:00

I love the shots of these interiors, which combine the modern simplicity of white walls and furniture with pops of vibrant colour and unexpected textures within the furnishings, fabrics and other decorative elements. The wonderful, unusual light fittings in both pictures and the chair in the bedroom are amazing pieces, creating a real focal point and adding character to the room.

Something like this would be the perfect solution for my dream home- merging together the minimalist, clean and simple design preferences of my husband and at the other end of the spectrum, my love of all things colourful, shiny, patterened and vintage-esque. I certainly need to add these to my scrapbook for future reference, though we may need to trade out the pristine white sofa as it certainly wouldn't stay that way for long with the grubby little fingers around here!

Images photographed by Rachel Whiting.

the glow

2011-07-20T05:15:00.001+12:00

The Glow gives a glimpse into the world of inspiring and fashionable mothers, sharing their styling ideas, go-to gear, multi-tasking secrets and enviable decor. Very much an aspirational concept, and fun in a 'Let's daydream for ten minutes that I also have an equally amazing wardrobe, gorgeous home, amazing career and angelic children' kind of way. The shots are beautiful and I like some of the insights and wisdom imparted by these hot mamas. It's always motivating to see proof that it is possible to have kids and not morph into a frumpy shadow of your former self.

However I will admit when I first found this site I wasn't sure if I was feeling thoroughly inspired or if I should just give up and lock myself in a small dark room. It's definitely one to be avoided after a bad day when you're sporting greasy hair, have been dealing with a crying baby whilst simultaneously trying to convince your child it's fun to make a collage with bits of fabric and glitter glue when all they're really interested in is squirting said glue into the carpet when you're not looking.

Also on the topic of motherhood, there are a series of amazing posts on the topic of juggling work and children over at A Cup of Jo. It's so interesting to see how other women schedule their days and make it all work. Achieving the right balance between prioritising family and bringing in an income is definitely a tall order sometimes and I think all parents beat themselves up about it to a certain extent but there's some great food for thought to be found there.

All images from The Glow (which I discovered via Ascot Friday) and photographed by Kelly Stuart.

just a minute in... july

2011-07-15T15:09:00.007+12:00

Haven't done one of these posts for a while but thought it might be fun to reinstate it. So here's a snapshot of what I've been up to this past month. Accompanied by some pictures from our weekend.

Reading... The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Watching... Curt and I are quite into a cooking show they have over this side of the world called 'My Kitchen Rules'. An unfortunate choice of name but very addictive viewing, sort of a mix between 'Come Dine With Me' and 'Masterchef'. New Zealand's Next Top Model is fulfilling my quota of essential trash TV.

Listening... I'd love to be able to list some amazing new band or even just some good old indie rock 'n' roll but the sad truth of the matter is that all I seem to listen to these days is 'The Wheels on the Bus' CD that Lila insists we have on in the car EVERYWHERE we go. Obviously all that great music we played for her when she was still in the womb to refine her music tastes early on did not have the desired outcome. A very sorry state of affairs which needs to be rectified immediately.

Buying... Currently on a bit of a spending hiatus after the ridiculous amount of goods I purchased when back in the UK but I did buy a new cake tin this morning and we just bought tickets to see the Foo Fighters play in December.

Loving... Talking to baby Rose, seeing her smile and cooing back at me, family trips to the beach for long walks in the crisp Winter sunshine and epic birthday parties such as the one we attended on Saturday night.

Wanting... More hours in the day or at least a little more sleep would be great.

paint riot

2011-07-13T20:49:00.000+12:00

Currently loving the work of artist Vince Contarino who is based in New York. The colours and marks are so bold and attention grabbing, they refuse to be ignored. A couple of these hanging on an empty white wall would be a wonderful thing. Not that we have many of those- my magpie tendencies mean that most of our wall space is already taken care of with an array of artwork, photos and illustrations. And of course there is a constant rotation of Lila's latest and greatest art creations displayed in pride of place on the fridge :)

These amazing works are inspiring me to remove the pile of clothing off the top of my art supplies chest which has been sadly neglected in a corner of the bedroom and dig out my paintbrushes, acrylics and an empty canvas. It's been too long.

All images by Vince Contarino, whom I discovered via Simple Lovely. See his website here.

beach goddess

2011-07-11T10:14:00.004+12:00

Although it may be the middle of Winter here in New Zealand, reading the new issue of online magazine Matchbook has got me all excited about sunny days to come (as it's a US based magazine this is their Summer issue). I adore this image above from their Guide to Summer and it has got me motivated to stop eating so much cake- especially now I don't have the excuse of being pregnant anymore- and start thinking about doing some exercise again. On a side note though, one of the best things about the colder months is wrapping up warm, settling in for a night on the sofa with good friends and indulging in yummy homemade apple crumble with lashings of cream which was a highlight of this past weekend.

But back to topic, the chances of me ever being able to pull of such a glamorous look on the beach, in fact make that anywhere, are slim to absolutely-never- going-to-happen but it's always fun to have something to work towards.

If you haven't seen Matchbook magazine yet, check it out here. Toting itself as a 'Field Guide to a Charmed Life', it's full of pretty pictures and inspiring articles and best of all it's free.

Image by Jenna Alcala

one month old

2011-07-03T09:59:00.004+12:00

Our sweet little girl is now a month old. It's unbelievable how quickly these first weeks have passed. She is very happy to be reunited with her Daddy again now we have arrived back in New Zealand, and for the past two days she has been smiling at us (I know, I know, babies aren't supposed to smile until six weeks old but I swear we have seen real smiles!) She is a joy to be around and has been sleeping well at night- two nights ago she managed an almost six hour stretch which was bliss but there was no such luck last night as she was waking for a feed every two hours so feeling a little weary as I type this.

Her favourite thing to do is sit in her bouncy chair and just watch her big sister intently, she could do this for hours and her eyes literally follow Lila as she moves around the room. She also loves to wave her little arms and legs around and make small noises. Next week Lila starts Montessori school for 3 days a week which she is wildly excited about so I am looking forward to some time with just me and my littlest lady.

Picture Credit- Jill Thorning-Jensen. This was taken on the morning of my sister's wedding when Rose was only five days old, being held here by her Dad.

twenty eight

2011-06-30T12:03:00.007+12:00

Hello birthday. You came around even more quickly this year, speeding up no doubt as we draw ever closer to the inevitable big 30. I don't know why this thought panics me at all as I think I've done a good job of cramming a decent amount into my 28 years on the planet- a degree, a round the world trip, a range of mainly enjoyable, creative jobs- although unfortunately none have made me any closer to paying off the university overdraft. I've gathered some amazing friends and am lucky enough to have a loving family, a pretty damn fine husband, a new adventure living in New Zealand and two beautiful children. Though hang on, before this all gets too nauseating let's just stop for a quick reality check.

Getting out of the house with a 3 year old and a newborn is a major military operation, in fact getting (any of us) dressed before 11am is a huge achievement. This by the way does not involve a carefully considered, stylish outfit choice, just a case of throwing on whatever is cleanest or nearest as within a matter of minutes it's likely to be sporting some embellishment of a little patch of baby sick or peanut butter smears from grubby fingers and if I'm really lucky then maybe also a faint odour of stale milk. Make- up? A distant memory. Which is a shame as the climate in New Zealand seems to leave me in a permanent state of teenage style acne outbreaks and the only thing which seems to have any effect on it is the most expensive organic moisturiser and facial cleansing products available. The price of which almost gave my poor husband a heart attack when he last checked our bank statement. Then there's also the small matter of the rather vast sum of money we owe my ever generous parents, who funded our recent flights back over to the UK.

But on the other hand, the beach is only a 5 minute walk down the road, the sun is shining and it's a gorgeous day today even though it's the middle of winter. We have food in the fridge and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some birthday cake later. So life is good. The's still a lot I want to do but if I did actually get around to around to writing that book and maybe owning my own shop in the next two years then what would I have to look forward to when I hit 30 after all.

Image by nubiany on flickr. Mmm, a slice of this would do just fine!

sisters

2011-06-16T21:51:00.005+12:00

Sorry for the lack of posting recently, I've been taking time out from the online world to hang out with my two girls and enjoy the first few precious weeks of baby Rose's life. She is such a joy to look after and I feel so lucky to have her in our lives. Lila has adapted really well to her new role as big sister and has been surprisingly gentle with her for such a lively child! I love it when I walk into a room to see Lila watching over her in her little bouncer "To keep her safe" or giving her a litte kiss on the cheek. Curt has already had to return to New Zealand due to his work commitments but we are still in the UK for another week so making the most of this time with the grandparents and the bursts of sunshine and going out on little adventures.

rose

2011-06-06T01:00:00.006+12:00

This beautiful little girl arrived into the world on Monday morning at 7.20am, weighing 7lb 11oz. Her name is Rose Everly and we are totally besotted with her. She is like a perfect minature doll with such a sweet face and temperament. Any worries I may have had about the possibility of loving a second child in quite the same way as the first vanished the moment I laid eyes on her and held her in my arms.

She was three days late but thoughtfully arrived in good time for her Auntie's wedding which took place yesterday. After undergoing a ridiculously long labour ending up in an emergency c-section with Lila, I was really hoping for a natural (not to mention muh shorter and less traumatic) delivery and am happy to report that it was a vast improvement this time around, lasting only 7 hours. She did get a bit stuck at the end and had to be pulled out with a suction cup, but she dealt with it all very bravely and only had the hint of a cone shaped head for a day or so. I definitely wanted to avoid an epidural this time around and was really proud of myself for not caving in and begging to be given one as soon as I got into hospital!

She has such long fingers which maybe means she has a promising career as a concert pianist ahead of her but while it's fun to imagine all the things she might do and what her future holds, I am taking care to soak up and savour every second of this time when she is a tiny newborn as I know before I can even blink she will be three years old and careering around on a little scooter, singing her heart out into a toy microphone and tearing up the dancefloor at wedding parties.

baby countdown

2011-05-12T20:17:00.000+12:00

Just two weeks to go now. How it has come around so quickly is still shocking me. Although my body is starting to get heavy and weary, I'm still not feeling 100% prepared. Most probably because my husband is still over on the other side of the world for another week and the thought of anything happening without him being here yet somewhat terrifies me! However I've been slowly ticking things off the list...going through yet more boxes of Lila's tiny baby clothes, sorting and washing them, purchasing a pretty snazzy double buggy, getting my hospital bag packed and trying to remember everything/anything I learnt in my antenatal classes last time about giving birth. Seem to have blocked most of it out from the last time funnily enough.

I spent 3 days down in London visiting my dear friends, who threw me a wonderful baby shower during which an obscene amount of cake and other treats were consumed- by me at any rate. Apart from catching up with friends, a large proportion of time was also spent shopping, ahh, how I have missed thee UK shops. I made a beeline for all my favourites- Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Zara, Magma (just touching the tip of the iceberg here) and only just managed to struggle back home on the train laden down with bags. The buzz of the city is awesome and inspiring and it was great to be back in my old stomping ground. It did definitely make me grateful that I no longer have to contend with the underground and the insane crowds on a daily basis though. Wow, I can't believe I just wrote that, it that makes me sound so old.

Anyways, for now I'm happy to be back amongst the green fields and cows, and patiently bide my time until this new little lady decides she is ready to enter the world (note to bump: please wait for Daddy! Thanks in advance x)

eye candy: the work of Polly Wreford

2011-05-07T07:02:00.005+12:00

Over the past weekend, we spent a good number of hours trawling local car boot sales and antiques fairs sourcing antique silver candle holders and a range of mismatched glassware for displaying flowers, all in the name of decorating the tables at my sisters upcoming wedding. I can fully appreciate that most people would find this about as exciting as watching paint dry but I was in my element! My head is now overflowing with thoughts of displaying and arranging beautiful objects and I always turn to my favourite creatives for inspiration at moments such as this.

For anyone in search of a little visual inspiration, look no further than the stunning work of the renowned photographer Polly Wreford. Her images mainly focus on the interiors and lifestyle genres and her vast portfolio is packed to the brim with gorgeous shots, see more here. Here are a selection from her collection of still life photographs.

easter (and eating)

2011-04-26T23:30:00.012+12:00

The sun just kept on shining for us over the Easter weekend. Some of the fun involved an awesome family day out and Easter Egg Trail in a gorgeous setting followed by dinner at our favourite pub. We got busy in the kitchen making Easter nests (cornflake cakes filled with mini eggs) and decorated a straw Easter bonnet for Lila with yards of pretty ribbons. We visited the beautiful country house gardens of the richest man in England and enjoyed a picnic on the lawns and a delicious afternon tea with cake of course- I feel I should mention here that it wasn't a personal invitation just a special day when they are open to the public!

We came across this incredible little childrens play house in the grounds...I almost died. Apart from obviously wanting to move in myself, I would love one just like this for Lila and her soon to arrive little sister, but while Curt is very good at DIY, this may possibly be too much of an ambitious project!

Here is Lila with my cousins Natacha and Zoe, her new best friends.

It goes without saying that an indecent amount of chocolate was consumed over the weekend- someone had to help out Lila with all her goodies and it would be rude not to when you have the excuse of eating for two :) So in a nutshell, it was a glorious weekend of gardens, blue skies and eating. Lovely, though I feel like I am very definitely full now.

However as this is a chocolate themed post it seems only right to share my latest and greatest discovery- A Touch of Sea Salt Dark Chocolate by Lindt. Yes, salty chocolate. I wasn't convinced until I tried it but it is so good, especially when you have sweet and salty cravings simultaneously. I sincerely hope I can get hold of this when I get back to New Zealand as I think I have sparked off a long-term obsession.

country life

2011-04-17T18:02:00.011+12:00

After an intense couple of days traveling (3 flights and 30 something hours later), Lila and I are now back in the UK for our 2 and a half month stay. As much as I love living in New Zealand, it feels so good to be home. We survived the plane trips with the help of lots of new iPad apps and puzzles, some sticker books, a little princess and a king figurine and lots of healthy yummy snacks... I didn't fancy a hyper toddler on a sugar high confined in the chair next to me! It was exhausting, a little stressful but all in all it went really well and it was more than worth it when we were met at the airport by my parents.

We have spent the rest of the week getting over our jet leg, unpacking and just enjoying being back at the farm. We have been visiting the sheep, the baby lambs and the new calves, walking the dog through the fields, I've been catching up with all the past years copies of UK Vogue and Sunday Times Style magazine my Mum has saved for me, immersing myself in long, hot baths- so good after living in an apartment with only a shower! Also unpacking my deliveries from Mini Boden for Lila and Topshop Maternity for me, devouring fish and chip, home cooked and country pub dinners and catching up with friends and family. Only one thing is missing and he is still back in Auckland working for another month. We miss you Curt.

We've got a fairly hectic schedule coming up including the birth of a baby (ours), a christening and a birthday (Lila's) and a wedding (my sisters) so we've got lots of planning and preparations to keep us busy in the meantime!

nursery inspiration

2011-04-03T07:59:00.012+12:00

We've begun to make a few changes to Lila's nursery/bedroom in preparation for the new arrival. The baby will be sleeping in our room for the first few months or so but we have started to make some space in the nursery as they will be sharing a room after that. We packed away some of the toys Lila has outgrown and have been busy getting all her baby things like the moses basket and the bouncing chair out of the garage and giving them a good clean and sort throgh ready to be used again. We have also aquired another chest of drawers to store all the teeny tiny little clothes in.

To say that the nursery is on the small side is a huge understatement, but I'm still determined to make it as pretty as possible for my girls. Here are some images of beautiful childrens spaces from around the web which have caught my eye and given me lots of inspiration.

The pastel/muted colors used in the top two images create a great atmosphere and are a creative alternative to sugary pink. I'm also drawn to the diverse assortment of prints used in the furnishings.

These oversized pom poms attached to the ceiling are an amazing focal point...

Love the painted brick walls, iron bed frame and eclectic assortment of objects on display...

This is ultra sophisticated with a great colour scheme, furniture and picture display. The graphic chevron rug just makes it...

The vibrant yellow cot contrasts so well with the blue walls and the tapestry hoops on the wall are a great decorative idea, not to mention the pink light fixture!..

The unabashed girliness of this closet had me at hello. I love how it is overflowing with treasures...

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

all fashioned out

2011-04-03T07:21:00.008+12:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks with lots on at work. We've been styling the Autumn/Winter online fashion campaign for the Westfield chain of shopping malls in New Zealand which has been great fun (any project involving putting together moodboards is a winner for me) but there's been so much running around collecting clothes from stores, putting outfits together, tweaking, accessorising and going back to source more garments, that I have been falling asleep on the sofa, absolutely exhausted at 8pm every evening!

Only one week of work left though until my maternity leave begins so looking forward to some recuperation time. As my mind has been filled with thoughts of all things clothing and fashion related I thought I'd share some looks that have been inspiring me.

Top image from Elle.com- Love the combination of pale peach and mint green in this pretty, feminine look.

The camel blouse and red trousers teamed with the fuschia nail polish is just awesome!

Image source: Sincerely Jules

Still loving the 70's influence...that hat. Yes please.

Image Source: Lucy Laucht

Great print dress teamed with a sharp blazer and statement necklace.

Image Source: The Gl amourai

Cute preppy look

Image Source: Fancy Treehouse

Chunky knit belted over gingham shirt dress.

Image Source: 9 to 5 Chic

blues and greens

2011-03-30T21:39:00.005+13:00

Blues and greens- from aqua to turquoise to teal, chartreuse to pistachio and mint, I have loved these colours for as long as I can remember and there is nothing better than seeing them combined together. I am always squirreling away images I find involving or combining these colours for reference for future projects, colour scheme and decorating ideas and this little collection of pictures make me exceedingly happy.

Image sources: one, two, three, four, five, six

interior inspiration: colour hit

2011-03-23T20:16:00.010+13:00

At the moment I'm being drawn to pops of colour in otherwise fairly neutral, muted, light and airy white rooms. The ones pictured here all have some great elements- be it a yellow sofa, a mint green wall, a bright patterened cushion, a mix of colourful picture frames or a painted blue table. I like the fact that it's a pretty easy look to re-create, armed with a tin of paint you can easily transform a piece of old wooden furniture or brighten up a wall.

I also adore this room below with it's sunny yellow wall, white iron bed frame and vintage floral bed linen and cushions. However it's safe to say I don't fancy my chances of the husband ever agreeing to let me to recreate this ridiculously girly look in our own bedroom!

Images: 21547777@N03 on flickr, kootutmurut on flickr, jasnajanekovic on flickr, and Fryd+Design, both via decor8, redonline.

10 week countdown

2011-03-18T20:36:00.007+13:00

So I'm officially in the third trimester of my pregnancy now and there's just 10 weeks to go. Seriously, where has the time gone?! This little lady will be here before we know it and I'm very, very much looking forward to meeting her. Lila has been incredibly patient so far, it's only in the past couple of weeks that she's started tapping on the bump saying "Hurry up and be born tiny baby!" She also likes to lift up my top and give tiny baby a kiss every now and then.

When we first told her she would have a little sister soon I thought she would be asking us every second of every day when she would be arriving, but she has been taking it all in her stride so far. Maybe she has cottoned on to the fact that at the moment she has no other contenders for Mummy and Daddy's attention so she is wisely enjoying it while she can!

Here are some pictures Curt took of Lila bonding with the bump (these were taken last weekend, when I was 29 weeks).

my sister's wedding: beautiful bits & pieces

2011-03-18T20:00:00.003+13:00

Here are some gorgeous images of various props that my sister has sourced for her upcoming wedding in June. If you missed my first post about it, click here. To re-cap, her wedding has a vintage, travel theme which has been reflected in the invitations and will also be apparent in lots of small details in the decor. When I was over in Australia over Christmas, I helped her to source the most amazing vintage suitcase from a huge second-hand/ junk shop that we spent a fair amount of time trawling through in search of treasures. I love the garland of fabric flowers she has attached to the handle and the letters representing her and her fiancee's first name initials.

These little love birds will add a touch of sparkle and whimsy.

Here is a shot of her stunning sapphire engagement ring, flanked with diamonds on both sides. It is shown inside a tiny vintage hymn book which she found at an antiques market. They plan to adapt it by cutting out a section of the inside so it can be used as the Ring Bearer vessel in which both their wedding rings will be presented during the ceremony.

I won't share anymore for now as the rest of the visual eye candy will all be revealed on the big day. I will definitely share pictures of the event here afterwards. I am so excited for this wedding! Can't wait to see everything come together. Now I just need to keep everything crossed that my little baby decides to come on time and not exactly a week late or I will miss the whole thing while I'm in hospital giving birth!!

All images by Jo Bostock.

vamoose

2011-03-09T14:28:00.005+13:00

My latest and greatest discovery is that of the gorgeous jewellery line called 'The Vamoose' which is designed and handmade in the UK by Kathryn Blackmore. Her pieces are inspired by natural history, vintage finds and an exploration of traditional crafts with modern influences. It's not often that I get this excited by jewellery but I am literally in love with everything she makes. I've already firmly guided Curt in the direction of the website in anticipation of my birthday in June!

There are so many people out there making jewellery which all seems pretty samey and un-original but to me these pieces feel really fresh, modern and different.

The colours of the necklaces pictured above are stunning and I have my heart set on a couple of these bracelets shown below which are made from semi-precious stones, vintage brass, leather cord, coconut and brass (yet to be released in her online store but coming soon)...

These turquoise pieces are awesome and the pom pom necklaces...there are no words! Unfortunately these are sold out but looks like there are some similar ones on the way soon.

Check out the Vamoose blog to see some awesome pictures of where Kathryn sources her inspiration from.

pregnancy essentials

2011-03-04T15:48:00.012+13:00

I can't believe that baby will be arriving in just 12 weeks! It certainly goes so much quicker the second time around. When I was pregnant with Lila I had it all pretty much sorted by this point- nursery, clothing, accessories, pram- the whole shebang. The only thing I've bought so far this time is a little pair of pink booties. It makes it a lot easier that we do already have almost everything we need but I do plan to buy a few select bits and pieces for our new little arrival when we arrive back in the UK so she won't be resigned to a life of only hand-me-downs from day one.

For anyone else also expecting a little bundle of joy or planning to at some point in the future, I thought I'd share some of the things that have been helping me through the pregnancy so far.

1. Champneys Pillow Mist Spray- I find that from around 25 weeks into the pregnancy onwards, getting a good nights sleep gets much harder. Partly due to trying to get comfortable and partly due to my mind running on overdrive about all sorts of things. This magic spray contains a blend of mandarin, chamomile and lavender and smells divine. It really seems to help me switch off and after a quick spritz I can drop off in about 2 seconds flat into a really good, deep sleep.

2. Dark Chocolate- Green & Blacks is the best. This is a serious craving for me, I am literally eating truckloads of it every evening at the moment. If I run out, I am not a nice person to be around.

3. Clarins Huile Tonic Treatment Oil- Hands down the best way to prevent stretch marks. A little goes a long way and it smells amazing too.

4. Mothercare Maternity Pillow- This really helps when it comes to finding a comfortable position to sleep in and cuts down the endless tossing and turning when you lie in bed every night. Yes, my husband complains that it takes up way too much space in the bed but does agree it's preferable to being kneed in the back on numerous occasions.

5. Maternity Bra from Elle McPherson Intimates- Most maternity underwear is not what you'd really class as attractive but I was pleasantly surprised by this pretty bra which I snapped up on first sight. The rest of her maternity range is definitely worth a look if you want something a little more pleasing to the eye than the usual offerings.

As I did with pregnancy number one, I've also been taking a pregnancy yoga class every week which is really worthwhile. It's a great way to stretch out the aches and pains and also focus on some breathing techniques and relaxation which help to soothe the mind and body. The premise is that you can use the breathing techniques to help relax during labour. Nice idea in theory but personally, the reality of giving birth was far too intense to give much thought to such things and more about screaming for the strongest drugs available...though maybe that's just me!!

Top image found here.

captivating

2011-03-01T09:37:00.004+13:00

These evocative photographs by Ann He stopped me in my tracks. I love everything about them from the colours, the lighting, the settings and the atmosphere. Just beautiful.

christchurch

2011-02-28T11:58:00.004+13:00

My thoughts have been with those in Christchurch for the past six days and all that they have been going through. Watching the images on the news every night has been heartbreaking, and with the death toll currently at 148 confirmed deaths and the vast amount of damage left behind it is hard to fathom how the city will be able to get back on its feet. However seeing the resilience and strength of the quake survivors and witnessing the way the New Zealanders throughout the country have pulled in to offer help and support in innumerable ways has been amazing and touching and makes me proud to be living in this country.

Image by Shazster found on flickr.

live simply

2011-02-21T11:26:00.006+13:00

I'm inspired by this pretty illustration by dazeychic on etsy. Seems apt as I am trying to keep that sentiment at the forefront of my mind this year as it is turning out to be rather an expensive one for us...what with purchasing flights to the other side of the world, and a new family member on the way amongst other things. Things like our car costing us a staggering amount in the last couple of weeks due to everything on it/in it needing replacing at once. Bleurgh.

But after all it's true that some of the best things in life are the small things or even the free things. Who needs a new pair of shoes or a meal out in a fancy restaurant when you have the amazing smell of baking biscuits wafting from your oven, right! Or a vase of freshly picked flowers, or curling up in a corner with a good book, the perfect cup of coffee to start the day, or a tasty simple meal cooked with fresh ingredients or a long soak in a bath of fragrant oils. (One thing I am so looking forward to when I return for my sojourn in the UK- our apartment here in Auckland only has a shower!) I know it's all a bit twee but I am seeking comfort in all the small things right now and finding that its actually pretty good for the soul.

P.S... But if we were by any small chance to win the lottery- which is unlikely to happen seeing as we don't even play it, I'm not saying there wouldn't be a massive spending spree on the cards too :)

Other cute artwork from dazeychic that caught my eye...

my sister's wedding

2011-02-16T19:40:00.006+13:00

My little sister is getting married in June and here is a peek at her beautiful wedding invitations. She designed and made all by herself. Pretty impressive right?! Her wedding has a vintage, travel theme and I think they capture this mood perfectly. She is British, her fiancee is from New Zealand, they live in Australia together and the wedding is taking place in England so this is where the travel aspect comes in. For the Save the Dates, pictured above, she went with a simple but striking luggage tag inspired design.

She sourced all the beautiful vintage stamps for the invitation envelopes from an antiques market in Melbourne and to create the invitations she went through our late Grandmothers postcard collection and also postcards from her fiancees ancestors to select a range that represented their respective home regions and countries. She scanned in the five chosen images and then designed the layout of the information to go on the back of each postcard- e.g. one is the actual invitation, one is the RSVP card, one is a map, another is a little story of how they met.

The back of the envelopes are embellished with a stamp she designed and had made up which is a combination of their first name initials. Nice finishing touch! I'm so proud of her efforts and to happy to be involved in the wedding which is going to be visually stunning if these are any indication. I have more images of some beautiful props she has sourced for the day which I'll share in another post soon.

buying at mini boden

2011-02-13T16:41:00.006+13:00

You have to admit that even if you wouldn't necessarily buy your own clothes from Boden, they do make some pretty darn cute clothes for kids. Right now the bright colours, bold prints and that quintessential Englishness of them are really appealing to me. It can be tricky to find covetable childrens clothes here in New Zealand and that coupled with the fact that Lila has spent the past few months of Summer here mainly racing around naked or in her swimming costume has led to a realisation that the poor child is definitely in need of a few new threads. Especially as we will be heading back to the UK for a couple of months in April and the temperature there will definitely require that she is clothed!

Let's be honest, dressing your child is one of the more fun apects of parenting which offsets the more trying times- right now tantrums and potty training, and I know it won't be long until she insists on choosing her own outfits and who knows what we will be in for then! So I got myself over to the Boden website and spent a happy hour choosing and ordering her the items pictured above which will be ready and waiting for us at my parents place when we land in England. The jeans, boots and cardigan were all in the sale so great bargains, and will be also be perfect for setting her up for winter when we get back to NZ.

Loving the Parisian chic of the little striped tops and I am seriously considering the blue and yellow spotted dress for her Christening, which will also be taking place when we are back in the homeland. Considering she will be almost three, and not exactly a babe in arms, I thought that it might be acceptable to steer away from the traditional white.

And I also spotted these little numbers for the newest member who will soon be joining the family...haven't bought them yet but sorely tempted.

thoughts of home

2011-02-08T19:54:00.008+13:00

The green fields and red bricks will always be home to me. The fact I am returning in 9 weeks is a great feeling. Big thanks to my sister and her wedding for giving me a chance to come back for a while!

My thoughts are of home and what it means as I just finished reading a book I really enjoyed, particularly this extract below.

"David will return to Mosel years later, with his wife and children. I will show them the estate, and then he and I will walk the grounds at dusk and he will ask me why I never left. Home is the place where you've felt the most, I will tell him. And that can be any place. Or anyone. It doesn't matter how long you lived there. It's what you'll always want to come back to."

Excerpt from The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys.

I love to travel and have lived in, experienced and enjoyed my fair share of places but this is always the one I look forward to returning to. Wherever I am, this is still always what I mean when I refer to home. Some of my happiest times and best memories have been created here. The only downside is that while I am here I will have to spend many days away from he who is my other home until he comes to join us for the wedding and the arrival of the new little one.

But I always carry both my homes in my heart, wherever they or I may be.

stationery heaven

2011-02-03T19:58:00.004+13:00

If as I do, you have a borderline obsession with stationery then your heart is going to start beating very, very fast as soon as you click on over to the Olive Manna online store. Seriously, there are no words. The product photography is stunning and each and every thing in this shop is beautiful and amazing and I need it all. Curt, if you are reading....Valentine's Day... hint, hint!

Found via Renne Anne

interior inspiration

2011-02-01T12:13:00.000+13:00

Loving these images I found on the website of a Swedish interiors magazine, Skona Hem. Unfortunately due to the language barrier, I can't share much information other than it is the home of a photographer and a stylist called and Andreas and Amelia. The clean white walls are a perfect backdrop for all the eclectic decorative details. The grouping of the pictures, antlers and other gorgeous objects on the wall below is perfect. I would move in here in a heartbeat!

to Lila

2011-01-28T20:57:00.003+13:00

life is good

2011-01-26T13:09:00.006+13:00

This pretty much sums up life in New Zealand right now. Heading off to the beach for a swim when the bambina wakes up from her afternoon nap. Summer days make me happy :)

Found here

dressing the bump

2011-01-23T19:13:00.009+13:00

for work & night...

Grey wrap top Isabella Oliver, Butterfly blouse Topshop, Animal print ruched dress Dorothy Perkins, Embellished blouse Topshop, Black skinny jeans Topshop, Floaty cape blouse Topshop, Jersey tube skirt Topshop, Cowl neck dress Gap

for weekends & days off...

Jeans Dorothy Perkins, Lace keyhole jumper Topshop, Grey floral 2-in-1 top Dorothy Perkins, Striped knit tunic Topshop, Print cap sleeve top Gap, Zippy harem pants Topshop, Grey wrap top Topshop

Having practically lived in a pair of ripped denim shorts and various vest tops during the past month of holiday freedom, the fact that I had to return to work last week required me to actually open the wardrobe and try and find something suitably stylish and which preferably didn't need ironing. Straightforward enough, however there was also the issue of accommodating the baby bump which has apparently grown quite substantially over this time. The fact that I could only feasibly fit into about three dresses, none of my jeans and a very limited range of other garments spurred me on to take a look at the maternity options around at the moment.

Let's face it, maternity wear is generally pretty bleurgh. When I was pregnant with Lila I wore my normal clothes for as long as humanly possible then bought a few things from the Topshop maternity range (thank god for Topshop) which I then lived in. After a peruse online I'm pleased to see that in the couple of years since then there has been an improvement in the number of high street stores producing decent maternity lines and apart from the garments pictured here, the maternity ranges from my all time favourite shop Zara (sadly not availaible online) and also H&M deserve a mention.

The butterfly blouse, above, is a must have and I definitely need a pair of maternity jeans, and a couple of smart tops for work. The only small geographical blip standing between me and these items is massive amount of ocean and various continents. Unfortunately the New Zealand fashion market is a little backwards in terms of maternity options, however my recent discovery that Topshop delivers to these shores for the reasonable cost of £9 provides a happy solution to this problem!

day dreaming

2011-01-18T12:38:00.010+13:00

Sometimes I like to imagine I live here...

Which looks something like this inside...

Where I spend time creating beautiful things like this...

Stopping for a bite to eat...

Then taking a walk in my garden...

Gathering a bunch of these...

And retiring to my library for some reading...

Images found here, here, here, here, here, here, here & here

it's a....

2011-01-12T20:41:00.006+13:00

GIRL!

I had my 20 week scan earlier this week and we found out that the new addition to the family is a little bundle of sugar and spice and all things nice :)

I can't honestly say it was a surprise as both Curt and I had been pretty sure this was the case from the start (at least my instincts are a little more on track these days- when I was pregnant with Lila I was absolutely convinced that she was a boy and didn't initially believe the sonographer when she told me she was a girl).

We are very happy, though of course I do feel for Curt a teeny bit who will be completely outnumbered in a household full of women! Lila is thrilled as she has been asking for a baby sister ever since she found out about the tiny baby in Mama's tummy. As I am one of two sisters, I am excited to think of my two little girls growing up and experiencing a childhood together and sharing a precious bond as close as the one we have, knowing that what ever happens they will have a best friend for life.

P.S The ridiculously adorable baby booties are from the Etsy shop handmadebabylove

happy 2011

2011-01-10T20:18:00.004+13:00

Wishing everyone lots of love, success and happy vibes for the year ahead.

We have returned from our wonderful Australian holiday in Melbourne rested, tanned (yay!), a lot poorer, but with some great memories and lots of plans for the future. My sister and her fiancee Blair were saints for letting us stay with them in their gorgeous apartment for 3 weeks and not once complaining about the early morning starts and extra mess courtesy of the small, loud person. We saw so much of the city and the surrounding countryside. A lot more, I'm ashamed to say, than when I was backpacking in the post-student days and spent a month there, where I was mostly touring around the bars in the St Kilda area.

A few highlights were visits to a wildlife sanctuary where we encountered the adorable koala Benny, an evening Christmas carol concert in the Botanic Gardens, a trip to the picturesque village of Daylesford with its stunning lake, a day spent at the zoo, and a visit to a winery on the Mornington Peninsula. Oh and course lots of beach time. New Years Eve was spent with a big BBQ on the balcony and first rate views of the epic firework display over the city. So now it's back to Auckland and reality and I'm starting to get excited about the year ahead. I'm not a fan of resolutions but I do love making lots of lists and generally organising myself. This has been made intensely more enjoyable due to the fact we have a new toy to play with- a shiny ipad, courtesy of Jo and Blair which is an extremely generous late wedding present. So I have been happily downloading apps, and getting my life sorted. Roll on 2011!

Here are a few of our holiday snaps...

visits, visitors and hot hot heat

2010-12-19T15:45:00.008+13:00

The weather here has been so hot and humid it's hard to believe it's Christmas in a matter of days. This will be the second festive season I've spent in warm climates (the first being in Australia when I did my post University stint of travelling), and I don't think it will ever feel quite right to me. Christmas trees and big images of Santa everywhere just feel a bit wrong when it's 30 degrees outside, but we have been embracing the sunshine nonetheless.

My parents have been here on a two week visit and it has been so great to see them after 5 months of only skype contact. We have been on numerous days out and shown them all the delights of the Auckland region and needless to say Lila has been spoiled to bits. They flew back to the UK on Friday evening and we are now getting sorted ready to fly out to Melbourne in the early hours of Tuesday to spend Christmas with my sister and her fiancee. Woop! I love Melbourne and it will be Curt and Lila's very first visit to Australia so I'm so excited for them to experience a few weeks in and around this amazing city.

Today it has rained solidy all day and it has been a welcome change from the humidity. I can almost pretend I'm back in the UK! It is now 4pm and despite the fact we've done a major clean of the house we are still in pyjamas. Awesome. Haven't had a day like this for ages and on the agenda for later is wrapping Christmas gifts whilst watching a festive film.

Beautiful water gardens

My parents enjoying a ride on a vintage steam train (after close inspection of all the pictures my Dad has his eyes closed on every single one!)

Lila and her friend Isabella playing fairies

A keen scholar practising her best listening pose at the school of a historic village!

A tired girl after a busy day out.

three plus one

2010-11-29T13:45:00.003+13:00

I know my blogging/ general social presence has been sporadic lately to say the least, however I promise that I do have a very good reason for this. A large proportion of the past three months has been spent hovering over the toilet or pathetically clinging to the sofa whilst simultaneously trying to operate normally on a daily basis- getting to work, entertaining a two year old, putting together an edible meal and so on. My attempts have been a bit shoddy to say the least, so massive thanks must go out to my long suffering husband- sorry for the amount of beans on toast you have had to consume for dinner and for doing all the housework. I think it's all definitely worth it though as we are thrilled that our little family will be welcoming a new arrival in May next year. Woohoo!

P.S Big thanks must also go out to the manufacturers of Coca Cola, raisin toast and salt and vinegar crisps as they have been the only things that have seemed to wish to remain in my stomach. Sadly not at all healthy but absolutely necessary to enable semi normal functioning.

sweetness

2010-11-25T19:09:00.000+13:00

These wall decals by Shanna Murray are so beautiful. A definite addition to my Christmas list.

glorious colour

2010-11-20T14:28:00.004+13:00

I mesmerised with these paintings by Australian artist Dale Frank. I could just stare at them all day long. They have my fingers itching to pick up a paintbrush, to surround myself with tins of paint and and hurl colour onto a huge canvas.

Discovered via Oh Joy.

life lately

2010-11-09T13:12:00.004+13:00

So sorry for the silence, I promise normal blogging will resume soon. Lots has been going on lately, and I seem have been on a non-intended hiatus from the computer. I've been on something of a book reading binge which may go some way to explaining it, as when I've got my head stuck in a good book I can concentrate on very little else (I actually walk around the house reading it while I'm doing other stuff and cooking the dinner etc.). Geeky, I know. I always forget just how much I love reading until I go through one of these phases, and literally devour one book after another. It feels good to disconnect from the online world sometimes.

One book I particularly enjoyed was Her Fearful Symmetry, the latest by Audrey Niffeneger, author of The Time Travellers Wife. I also re-read The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, which is one of my favourite ever books (not forgetting the Chronicles of Narnia). I actually can't recommend it enough, the story telling is phenomenal and it includes all of my favourite literary ingredients- a compelling mystery, grand old country house, family, love, secrets and history.

In other news I spent Sunday on a major shopping binge. One of the best things about being a stylist is that I get given a clothing allowance by my boss each season to spend on new clothes as looking the part is obviously fairly crucial. It felt so amazing to actually walk in to clothes shops and be able to pick things out that I genuinely loved instead of hovering over the sales rack and worrying about how much they cost and if we can really afford it (erm, usually not). I still haven't got over how expensive clothes over here in New Zealand are compared to the UK!

I'll leave you with this exceptionally tasty, quick and easy recipe that I made for dinner the other night. Thanks for sharing Kate!

wise words...

2010-10-21T20:39:00.005+13:00

Live with intention.
Walk to the edge.
Listen hard.
Practice wellness.
Play with abandon.
Laugh.
Choose with no regret.
Appreciate your friends.
Continue to learn.
Do what you love.
Live as if this is all there is.

Mary Anne Radmacher.

the big chop

2010-10-19T13:38:00.005+13:00

I just took the plunge and got all my hair chopped off at the hairdressers this morning. I've been planning to do it for so long (I promised myself I'd do it after the wedding, but that was over a year ago now!) Life in general and the fear of not having a long hair safety net meant it kept getting put on the back burner, but I'm so glad I finally did. Feels very liberating and should take a heck of a lot less time to dry of a morning.

I took the image above, of Keira Knightley's new bob with me as inspiration, though on the advice of the hairdresser, mine is a bit longer (below the chin) due to it sadly being not so thick as Keira's. When Curt gets home I'll get him take a picture of it so I can share it on here :)

week.end

2010-10-11T09:00:00.004+13:00

We enjoyed a good couple of days this weekend. The sun shone again and on Saturday afternoon we had our first New Zealand BBQ of the season, hosted by our friends Andy and Zara. On Sunday we took a road trip up to some amazing beaches on the east coast north of Auckland. The boys went for a surf whilst Lila and I built some sandcastles and ran races along the beach. Lila also had her first surfing experience, being pulled along on Daddy's surfboard in a pool of shallow water on the beach, which she absolutely loved. She is now asking for her own 'pink' wetsuit!

We have decided it is time to start potty training (have been putting it off long enough!) and while I will be very glad to see the back of nappies for a while, I am a little bit daunted by the task ahead of us. I especially fear for the condition of the carpets. Today we went out and Lila chose a potty - which plays songs, no less- and she has been very keen to sit on it and also use it as a high chair for her teddy. So fingers crossed it will not be too much of an arduous task.

hello spring

2010-10-02T20:17:00.003+13:00

I'm happy to report that Spring has definitely sprung in Auckland. Today we took full advantage of the sunshine and a rare Saturday off work for me, and went to check out a wonderful French market in the pretty Parnell district. There we sampled a whole range of delicious Gallic food and had some tasty lunch.

Then it was onto The Domain- a huge park with some beautiful gardens and walks and a huge museum set in the middle of it on top of a hill. We decided to save the museum for a rainy afternoon, but instead discovered a beautiful Winter Garden inside an old building with the tallest glass roof, filled to the brim with amazing flowers in every colour of the rainbow. We also loved the fern garden with it's tropical atmosphere and Lila's highlight of the day was definitely the ice cream and the chance to ride her little scooter along all the pathways in the park at breakneck speed.

enjoying

2010-09-29T20:15:00.017+13:00

I thought it would be fun to share a few things that are floating my boat at the moment...

These images of the home of interior designer/writer Rita Konig.

I discovered that these pictures were originally published in Domino magazine and actually date back to 2008. You can see pictures of her newest apartment here, but I personally actually prefer the style of this older one one.

The awesome retro style of British shoe designer Charlotte Dellal. I love that she references the 1940's so much within her look- her signature red lipstick, flicked out hair and sky high heels are nearly always complemented with some leopard print. Nice touch. Her Charlotte Olympia line of shoes are pretty gorgeous too, though a touch on the high side for someone so generally as hopeless in heels as me!

The stunning wedding in the French countryside of the super stylish Alix from The Cherry Blossom Girl. It got me at the balloons but there are so many gorgeous touches, not to mention the beautiful outfits of the bride and groom and their fashionable guests. See more pictures on her blog.

checking in

2010-09-27T13:38:00.010+13:00

Sorry for my absence from the blog. It's been another crazy work week which involved racing between shows at New Zealand Fashion week and spending the past four days in a shopping mall doing a Walk in Wardrobe event- giving 15 minute style consultations to members of the public. I have such a hoarse voice from talking almost solidly for 10 hours a day!

Seeing as my head has been full of fashion, I thought I'd share some of my favourite looks of the moment. As much as I admire the work of the top designers, I'm still most inspired by style on the street and the looks put together by real people. The image above is from The Sartorialist. Loving the tailored shorts paired with a loose top, the whole effect is relaxed but polished thanks to the addition of the shoes and the necklace.

Great combination of a hoody thrown on over a pretty white dress. Cute ankle boots too.

Image from Ascot Friday.

What an awesome 70's vibe, so simple yet well put together. The hat just makes it.

Image from The Sartorialist.

I'm glad to have the next three days off work, to spend some quality time with little Lila and the hubby who I have barely seen at all over the past couple of weeks. We have been like ships passing in the night as I've just been collapsing onthe sofa from exhaustion when I've made it home and crawled into bed shortly afterwards.

In other family news, my Grandmother sadly passed away last week. It's very sad news, especially as my sister and I are both on the other side of the world so unable to be there at her funeral. She was an amazing lady who will be very greatly missed, and I have the best childhood memories of dancing around her lounge to the Jungle Book album on vinyl which she would play for us on her record player. She was also the person who instilled in me my love of baking as we spent many happy hours making cakes (scraping the cake mixture out of the sides of the empty bowl was always the best bit). It makes it easier to be able to take comfort in the fact she had a long, full and happy life with a big family she was very proud of and passed peacefully, content that her time had come.

I thought I'd end on a happy note, with a book Lila and I discovered on our weekly library excursion. It's called 'Lost and Found' by Oliver Jeffers and is beautifully illustrated with a sweet, uplifting story about loneliness and the power of friendship, depicting an encounter between a penguin and a little boy. The illustrations are so expressive and have an almost dreamlike quality to them. It's a firm favourite our ours already.