Two Tone

Winter hit Melbourne this week but I'm still trying to get away with no tights a little longer. I have a feeling this might have been the last week for it but it's not all bad - I can stop shaving my legs every day and lay off the fake tan for a bit - my bed sheets will thank me for no tan stains but my other half won't be too impressed about the hairy legs (sorry!). One thing I have been embracing since the weather has cooled is knit jumpers. I love Madewell's offering but wished they shipped to Australia so I didn't have to get my fix from the good, but limited, selection on Shopbop. Fingers crossed they'll start shipping to Australia in the near future.

Sportsgirl Dress (as skirt) | Madewell Knit Jumper | Madewell Heels | Coach Bag

Lovely Living

We are looking for a new home and the very idea has me dreaming of new living room decor. This room just found itself in first place for inspiration – an inviting soft grey couch with lots of textured cushions and throws, not to mention a few little pieces that add something special – candles and a perfectly worn rug for warmth and comfort. The white wood panelled walls are perfection – I’m hoping this isn’t expensive or hard to do yourself. There are probably a few too many cushions for my liking and I’d swap the light for something a little smaller but overall I absolutely love this!

*image via Pinterest (wish I could find the original source)

Mime of Sorts

I wore this on casual Friday last week. Most of my colleagues loved the flower pin saying it was very Carrie-esqe but a few weren't as complimentary - someone said I looked like a mime (I guess I do a bit) and another asked why I was wearing a shower pouf on my top which led to comments about it being perfect for a dirty stop out. I made the flower pin myself so the shower pouf comment didn't go down too well but if you like it, I will be posting a DIY later this week so you can make one yourself.

H&M Top | Whistles Trousers | Thrift Store heels | Mulberry Bag | DIY Flower Pin 

Cheesecake

I spent the weekend close to home cooking up a storm. I haven't made cheesecake before - I always thought it was one of those hard to do recipes and to be honest I don't really like cheesecake, it always seems so heavy and I tend to favour chocolate desserts, but it turns out it's really easy to make and with the amount of cake I ate, I can no longer say cheesecake is not my thing.

250g packet plain sweet biscuits
125g butter, melted
750g Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup caster sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons plain flour
4 eggs
300ml sour cream
Raspberries (fresh or frozen), for decoration

Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a 22cm spring-form pan and line the base with baking paper.

Process biscuits until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Add the butter and process until combined. Press mixture into the base of the pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon rind in a large bowl until just combined. Beat in the flour. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the sour cream until just combined. Pour into the base and bake for 1¼ - 1½ hours or until just set and the centre wobbles slightly. Turn oven off and allow to cool for 2 hours, with door ajar (this prevents cracking). Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Top with raspberries and serve.

Florals & Stripes

I generally wear my hair natural (crazy big hair see here) or in soft waves that until recently I created with my GHD. That is until I discovered the Modiva Professional Curling Iron, a clipless wand perfect for creating long loose waves. So easy to use - particularly for those that find it hard to master the GHD, or hate the kink you get from a tong clip - and they now ship internationally. I used it here to create loose waves and cannot recommend it enough.

H&M Top | Whistles Skirt | Canape 770 Heels | Balenciaga Bag

DIY Printed Tote Bag

On Saturday I made some printed canvas tote bags - one for me and a couple to be used as library bags for my friend's children. They were really easy to make and took no time at all. The trickiest part was deciding what to put on them. To make one yourself you'll need:

Canvas tote bag
Fabric paints
2 pieces of cardboard
Paint brush
Stencil design (I just printed shapes from the internet)
Stanley knife

STEP 1: Get all your materials ready on a board or work surface that you can use a stanley knife on. Alternatively put extra card down to protect your tabletop.
STEP 2: Draw or trace your stencil design onto a piece of cardboard and carefully cut it out with the stanley knife.
STEP 3: You'll be left with a stencil that will form your tote design
STEP 4: Put a piece of cardboard inside your tote to prevent the paint getting through
STEP 5: Position your stencil onto your tote and paint within your stencil. Make sure you get to the edges to ensure a clean line. Remove the stencil and leave to dry for 3 hours or overnight.

Happy Mother's Day

This day is all about the most special lady in my life - my mum. So very wise, selfless beyond belief, and always there with an open mind, open heart and open arms. Thank you for all you do, you mean more to me than you could ever know. I love you. Happy Mothers Day x

Neutral Ground

We've had uncharacteristically warm weather in Melbourne this week - 25 degrees in May is almost unheard of so I've been making the most of it with summer dresses. I'm not getting too excited though as next week we're down to 13 degrees - winter is on it's way!

Trenery Dress (old) | Kimchi Blue heels | Balenciaga Bag | Ray-Ban Sunglasses

Mother's Day Gift Guide

With Mother's Day just around the corner, I thought I'd round up some gifts to spoil the most important lady in your life next Sunday 12 May. From beauty and pampering to technology and jewellery, I've found gifts that suit every budget.

1 Diptyque Philosykos EDT $165
2 J.Crew Crystal Compilation Necklace $165
3 Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick $34
4 J.Crew Vintage Pajama Set $85
5 Candyhouse Rosey Apples Jar 280g $12.95
6 Clarisonic Mia Skin Cleaning System $139
7 Soap & Glory Hand Food $11.95
8 Kikki.K Leather iPad Case $79.95
9 Ikea FÖRTJUST Decorative Bowl with Lid $6.99