the long weekend

Perth had a long weekend last week, so Robert and I headed down to Busselton to recharge our batteries and do some fun country activities. In Western Australia, we are so lucky to have such an amazing wine region right at our doorstep (we have over 150 wineries!). Robert and I love doing the wine tastings and then grabbing a delicious meal while looking out over the countryside. This time, we also went to one of the nearby beaches to frolick, all tipsy and happy. Yes. Frolick.

On the last day, I strongly insisted that we go to one of the local animal farms. When we rocked up and robert saw that the sign read "WONKY WINDMILL ANIMAL FARM", he was hesitant and made note that we would be the oldest people there. I knew that. But what better way to forget about patients, business paperwork, reports, emails and the general daily grind than to pat a pony and cuddle a rabbit.

In the Croatian hills.....

Continuing with our trip through Croatia.....................

From the city, to the coast to the hills. As we drove through Croatia there were a variety of traditional foods to try, beautiful scenery and wonderful locals. On one of our last days in Croatia we made our way through the hills to the stunningly beautiful Plitvice Lakes National Park. Unfortunately the continual rain put a little bit of a dampener on the whole experience, but I am glad that we took our poncho's! On our way back we were feeling quite cold and wet (yes it was meant to be summer!) and we stopped off at one of the roadside restaurants. Something that you can not miss in Croatia are the outdoor rotating spits. You can generally spot a little shed with smoke coming out of it with a picture (photo or drawing) nearby of a pig and a lamb on spits. We are not particularly big meat eaters and it was not all that nice to see these animals being cooked on the spit.... but at the same time I feel that slabs of meat displayed in plastic packaging isn't any different....anyway getting back to the Croatia trip. We had a lovely meal in the restaurant and it further validated that the Croatians really know how to make good quality food! These photos were taken around the restaurant, luckily enough, the sun come out a little:)

THE SKIRT

This is a skirt that I make when I feel like sewing something simple. I am currently putting together a tutorial regarding these types of skirts.... so keep watching this space! I was actually trying to create a 1940's inspired silhouette, but it didn't quite work out so I will have to add more volume and make the waistband a little tighter for the next trial. 

Photos: Michael Dooney

flat and fabulous

1. AN OLD SOFTY

2. A DORKY PRINT

3. A CREEPER THAT WONT BREAK THE BANK

4. A HELL RAISER

I love my heels, but I've found some flat shoes that are really taking my fancy................. 

1. I just cannot get enough plaid in my closet. I only just realised these are a men's shoe. That doesn't stop me. 

2. I'd wear these with any outfit to add a bit of quirky charm.

3. All the creepers I have found have been around $150. These make the trend more affordable.

4. This is the second time these have sold out - I'm sitting on the fence with this shoe. Don't get me wrong, I like them... but the price leaves me a little hesitant to click them home.

Kaye xx

with a broken hand comes change

Recently I broke my hand which has rendered me a little helpless in my everyday activities (I can't even sew!) Though with all experiences come positive outcomes. So this an opportunity to make some changes.....starting with my hair!

I have planned to cut my hair off for a while, but never found the 'right' hairstyle. Having difficulties managing my hair with one hand and feeling tired of my long hair, I decided to go to the hairdresser and just have it cut. I was lucky enough to score a friendly, talkative, English speaking, Austrian hairdresser. I now have a hairdresser in Berlin! It was hilarious when he was hacking my pony tail off, the elderly German lady sitting next to me nearly had a fit. I, however was cool, calm and collected, ready for the change. Now I just have to find a good charity to send my bundle of hair to (if anyone knows of a good charity let me know. So far I have found a few cancer related charities)

Within my recovery time I have had time to reflect and perhaps a little too much time to read. I'm not a particularly religious or spiritual person, so when searching for inspirational words I turn to the works of fearless philosophers and scientists. My readings have encouraged me to make some changes, so here are my 'New 'hair' resolutions'. 

My 'new hair resolutions'

1. Be more disciplined and focused on my goals

2. Take time to be appreciative of my surroundings and the people within it. Be more social too! 

3. Work on fitness. Being fit = positive mood

4. Reading. Read more! and go to more museums

5. Continue to sew and create. Really start to experiment a little more

6. Buy local, ethical products. Particularly food & sewing items

 7. Get on top of learning German. It's getting embarrassing!  

8. Organisation - Be organised (I am sure I have it in me..... somewhere)

9. Work hard... have fun in the process

Lets see how I go. Fingers crossed it will all happen! I will report back to you in a few months, regarding my progress.

 

Is anyone out there making proactive efforts to make some changes too???

kaye + mahaila in Berlin

mahaila made items: 

Kaye's 1/2 circle skirt and mahaila's pencil skirt

mahaila

This was our second shoot together! The first being in Australia (here) and the second being in Berlin. Kaye visited us for a whirl wind 2 weeks... where unfortunately the weather was not all that fantastic, so we were fairly unmotivated to take photos whilst exploring the city.On one of the last days we made our way to one of the many green spaces here in Berlin for the shoot.

I teamed my chequered pencil skirt (previously blogged here) with a secondhand Humana blouse, which has actually been home sewn. I love finding these handmade treasures:)

Kaye's 1/2 full length circle skirt (you can also make this with this tutorial) is made of silk chiffon. Silk chiffon can be difficult to work with and you will need to hang the skirt before hemming to check the fall. For this particular skirt you need at least 2.5 metres of fabric with 150m bolt length.

Kaye

I had been dying to have a shoot with mahaila while I was in Berlin. We hadn’t done one together in so long!

Mahaila had made this circle skirt for me after I sent her a pic of a maxi skirt earlier this year. She fitted the skirt while I was in Berlin and I had a wonderful present to take back home. The flowy chiffon and pretty floral print is really something special.

I didn’t have much in my suitcase so I couldn’t style it quite the way I wanted to. When the weather gets a little warmer in Perth, I’ll be able to wear it exactly how I want, sky scraping heels and all!

Photography Michael Dooney 

Kitten heel - 1, Kaye - 0

(Shirt: Topshop <--- previously worn here. Jeans: Topshop <---- previously worn here. Scarf: Borrowed from mum. Shoes: Witchery. Bag: Lily Rose. Sunglasses: River Island)

I've said it once and I'll say it again... platform shoes are so much easier to walk in than most heels! No matter how high they are, platforms are amazingly comfortable - I'm talking about the shoes worn previously here, here and here. As these Witchery shoes have a low kitten heel, I had planned for them to be my go-to's, but they are oh-so painful. I love their asymmetry, but the tough patent leather does not agree with my big toe. The strap kept slipping off my heel and so after tackling with it for an hour, they were swapped for flats :(  

Creepers

I most definitely cant afford the Burberry creepers.

So maybe these are an option.

Especially as they come in the colour of the season, maroon.

Here

Loving the nineties

Im absolutely inspired by everything '90s at the moment. It's a decade that doesn't feel that long ago, does it? Girls that were once guilty of fighting over who was going to be Baby Spice have an apprehension to re-visit the decade that had us pulling our hair back with butterfly clips. It's almost like we feel that it's ok to wear the shoulder pads of the '80s and the flare jeans of the '70s because we weren't around then. We are putting a modern twist on something our mums once wore. But we feel a little uncomfortable breaking out that lace choker again don't we? And we aren't so keen on the idea of midriff are we? Not to mention those awkward little half-up hair-dos.

We've already seen some velvet and other 90's trends, I know. But I love girls that are brave enough to go all the way. I'm not saying I'm going to break out a mini backpack, don a spaghetti strap A-line mini dress and bedazzle my jeans in rhinestones. But I love seeing this look on girls that are confident in pulling it off .... Abby-Lee Kershaw I'm looking at you. My aim is to try it little by little. Baby steps.

Kaye xx

Berlin - a distant memory

(Circle skirt dress: Made by mahaila < ------ check her tutorial here. Shoes: Kmart. Sunglasses: Free with a pack of Strongbow)

My trip to Europe now feels like a distant and magical memory. My patients at work still ask me about my favourite part of the trip. When they do, I immediately remember the feeling of what it was like to discover the little world that my sister has built for herself on the other side of the globe.  

On this day, mahaila and I took advantage of the sunny weather and played table tennis out in the park. I wore mahaila's dress with my canvas lace-ups. Something about the sun and the beautiful city made me want to dress far more girly than usual. I kind of just wanted to skip around the city.

These sunglasses (which I lost in Amsterdam eeeeergggh!!!) have "STRONGBOW" written in large white writing on the side.  For our international readers, Strongbow is a company that makes beer and cider. The Canadian guy on my tour asked, "Strongbow - is that an expensive designer in Australia?" After a little giggle to myself, I explained where I got them from :)

Kaye xx

Printed Jeans

Absolutely obsessed with printed jeans lately.

LOVE    L-O-V-E    LOOOOOOVE 

the jeans in the last picture... sorry its blurry, I got the image off my Facebook wall and have no idea what the original source is. And of course, the others are Isabel Marant - can't help but get involved in the Marant mania that seams to be happening lately.

If anybody knows whose jeans those are in the last picture, please lead the way!!

Kaye xx

Perth Royal Show 2011

(Top, jacket and boots: Asos <---- previously worn a while ago here. Shorts: Sportsgirl. Sunglasses: River Island. Necklaces: Gift from mum and Etsy.)

I have never liked The Royal Show, even as a kid. My parents took us once and it was a bit of a flop. My show bag was sold out (I was only allowed one), I hated the jolt of the bumper cars, the crowds freaked me out and I lost my favourite denim glittered hat. I also got a sense that my parents just hated spending money on novelty crap. Maybe it rubbed off on me because I seem to be the only adult I know who doesn't enjoy paying money to play an impossible (rigged?) game to win an oversized stuffed animal.

This year however, Robert lives so close to the Royal Show, that his neighbours are standing out the front of their houses with parking signs reading "$15". Might as well head over and see if I enjoy it more as an adult, right?  So while I avoided overloading my vestibular system on those blasted rides (how do people enjoy them?), I thought I would get into the festival spirit and eat my very first Dagwood Dog. OK, done. Now off to some wine tastings!! YUM!

With no show bags, no games, and no rides I really enjoyed the afternoon. Next time I should just go out to the Swan Valley.....

Kaye xx