Friday with Milo and Toast

So I've got lots to write and share with my very small audience (I'm sure).
There's food and fashion, oh and of course design.
Maybe I'll start with right now and work my way back.
Right at this moment, I am sitting on my couch, with

(raisin toast and a milo... fatty I know, but its Friday, gimme a break).

reflecting on the week just gone, and super excited for what the weekend holds. Yep, I've got lots of projects planned.

So I posted before about how I'm a closet fashion lover, and how much I hate spending money on clothes, well... I fell in love with a $200 pair of shoes. I've been wanting something like them for a while now, and just never found the right thing.

They are Tony Bianco Neons. Yep fell in love. I made the mistake of walking eagerly into a shop that I knew stocked them and caressing them (they are suede, alright?).

Of course the shop assistant leaped on me the minute I picked them up, encouraged me to try them on ("no harm in trying"), and promptly told me that he'd love to see me walk out with them on my feet. I had to get out then. I made an excuse about how I wasn't sure about the ankle on them, politely took the details of the shoes and gapped it. *Sigh* - am I doomed to spend $200 on shoes?

BUT WAIT, here comes the bargin hunter. Yep, I found these....

And I got a belt too. Kirsty's spending money? WHAT? You'll NEVER guess what I paid. $41.95 for both. Yep! A belt and Tony Bianco style shoes for $41.95.
I'm not sharing my secret of where I got them though. If you want to know that you'll have to grovel (or just email me).

My next mission is this:

Chloe Suede Multi Strap Wedges > my "I'm embracing summer" shoes. They retail for $950 (now I really can't afford that), but just you wait. They will be on my feet for a very reasonable price before summer is upon us.

Don't they look amazing. (So she has the closed toe version - but I'm open to whatever I find. Beggers can't be choosers.)

Image from Cherry Blossom Girl

Anyway, onto other things. My projects for the weekend.

I'll start with this one. Project Patchwork, is run by the lovely Lizzy Wilson. She has 3 quilts on the go, and will be raffling them off, with the proceeds going to the Australian Cambodia Foundation which funds an orphanage in Cambodia run by an Australian, Geraldine Cox. (Check out Project Patchwork for more info). So I thought I'd get involved. I emailed her, and before I knew it, she had posted me a little package full of squares to stitch for the "Heart Quilt". Poor Josh got so tired of me rushing through the front door after work and saying "has it arrived?". It did, after what seemed like forever. And here it is.

I've stitched the hearts now, and will stitch it all together this weekend and send it back to her soon. The clever girl has gotten 27 high-profile crafty people from all around to make a square each too for a different quilt. I'm sure this will get a bit of attention, and the best part is, it's all for a good cause.


Next project for the weekend is setup and launch of So Little Time Co.

Yep, it's now co. I plan to get a website going, with a crafty section (more to come on that soon) and a design section so that I can eventually freelance under the one name. I've already got a job lined up, so what better way to start than with a new website. For now I'll be following this. Design Sponges' Biz Ladies section is my new best friend. This post teaches you how to set up your own easy to use website.

Another project is have lined up is some laser cutting goodness. Yep, that crafty section of the website I was talking about, well its jewellery, and it's where the name started.... Wait for the website. Then all it's glorious goodness will be revealed.

I also hope to do some kind of poster. Something beautiful that I can stick on the wall. Maybe like this:

Image from Design Sponge, by Mike Miller for West Elm

Simple but beautiful.

And finally, I want to get a start on our wedding book. I have amazing ideas for it, and can't wait to get started. Plus it's book design... Right up my alley.

So I'll stop writing now. My toast is gone, my milo got cold so I had to drink fast. I will leave you (who ever you are) with some visual inspiration and blog links I found this week.

Initial concept for a project at work. Sorry for the low res iPhone image.

I'd wear this as a necklace or something. Image from here.

Jennifer Sanchez is her name. She thinks her paintings would be best suited to a babies room.

Stamp sets by Ink&Wit (love!)

This girl need her own post. I think she is worthy. Will post about her tomorrow I think.

And one more, Studio 3 from Oslo (student studio) have made this, and I want one. You can see more here.

Ok I'll admit I nabbed most of these images from an amazing blog I found today. The Daily Smudge has so much to offer. I am so in love I will most likely spend the rest of my night going through the previous posts.

New York New York

It's all I've been dreaming of lately.
Josh and I have plans to move there... maybe in 2012, 2013 at the latest. For fun, for life experience, for something outrageous... maybe to join the rat race, or to build our careers! Who knows... Ahhh New York, New York where dreams are made of... right?
Well I'm hoping that this lady can maybe make my dreams come true...

Australian born (Perth WA), New York based art director, illustrator, typographer and designer Deanne Cheuk is my new designer crush. She got her start at 19 as a magazine art director... before she even graduated from uni. Her illustrative type is beautiful, her obvious obsession with layout is pristine, and she even does patterns for Urban Outfitters and more. In fact she somehow finds time to design and sell tshirts. She won awards, has big name clients, and seems to be a force to be reckoned with. Please do check her website out.

 images from Design Sponge

I'm a closet fashion lover...

Most people who know me, know that I would rather spend my money on travelling, or food, maybe stationary or crafty supplies. Fashion is on the bottom of the list... no wait, make that clothes in general - bottom of the list. 


Throughout uni, most of my clothes had holes in them. I'll admit, my favourites, I still have and shamefully wear, although I either sew them back up, or am very good at hiding those holes.
In fact, as my husband knows all to well, I hate spending over $40 on one item of anything... tops, dresses, pants, jeans, shoes. I hate going shopping, and I jump at any bargain I find when I do go shopping (bought a great pair of leather wedge boots from Novo recently for $30, marked down from $130). In fact, most ladies would be shocked to know that my husband encourages me to "spoil myself" and "go on a shopping spree", and I refuse, because I'd rather save that money for our trip to New York (ironic it's a fashion capital hey?)


Truth be told, while I hate the thought of spending $100 on a pair of shoes (probably because I just can't afford it), at the end of the day, fashion scares me to death.
I've been watching "The City" (sad I know), and the whole fashion world freaks me out. At the end of every episode I breath a sigh of relief that I am not an aspiring fashion designer. The money, the constant need to be on top of it, the way that everyone has different views and opinions and style is something different to everyone...


Having said that, I am a closet fashion lover. I am not brave enough to wear any of what I love, but it doesn't stop me from loving it. Fear is probably what keeps me in my little closet. Fear of getting it wrong, fear of being over-dressed, under-dressed, or even looking like a clown. That also doesn't stop me from appreciating it. From lusting after it too. 


At one point I even thought about starting my own little blog. It was going to be called "A Fashionable Budget", and it was going to share my attempt to be fashionable, on about $50 a week. My findings, creations and journey. But then I realised what a big task that was, got scared and decided not to. I guess I'm just really shy about it.


So why am I posting this? Well today I made a discovery. She featured on The City, but I didn't realise how amazing and inspiring she was until I stumbled, by accident, upon her blog today. Jane Aldridge - A girl after my own heart, her blog is called A Sea of Shoes, and she is - just like me - a lover of shoes. If I could, I'd have as many shoes as her (apparently she has 90+).


Below are some of my favourites of her looks (and she's so darn pretty too - I might just grow my hair and dye it red too)

Givenchy wedges

Vintage silk Ungaro blouse with a plaid Prada Sport skirt. Prada spat shoes from Spring 2008.

Thrifted silk Armani shirt, vintage Levi's 501's and Celine wedges.

The Dress & Co dress and scarf, Givenchy flats and vintage Michael Morris belt.

Hand-dyed vest made of wool and silk chiffon and a wool scarf, by Elizabeth Anyaa, with Quail tee shirt, Madewell jeans, BCBG ponyhair booties, and vintage lucite bracelets.

Hanna Bernhard walrus, Prada studded 'mohawk' shoes, gold vintage Vivienne Westwood jacket with thrifted pleated skirt, and vintage chiffon scarf.

Gucci wooden platforms, Prada bag, dress from Feathers Vintage, Michael Morrison studded belt with a vintage ahnk necklace and vintage Razza ram necklace. Gold chain bracelet from J. Crew.

Dries van Noten pleated skirt, lucite bracelets purchased from Neiman Marcus, a silk shirt and Givenchy shoes. Plus a beetle buckle belt by her aunt Karen.

Vintage Chanel jacket, Y-3 wool pants, Zara scarf, and Chanel wedges.

Vintage sequined tiger print kimono...Jeanette for St. martin. Worn with tee and jeans from Madewell, Alaia sandals, and a Burberry bag.

Mid Week finds...

I found a few little things this week. Really inspired by the cloud... something that I must have on the brain I think.