GIFT OF THE WEEK

scrapbook

It's really strange and quite lovely to have one of my dearest friends share an exact birthday with me. We've had some lovely joint parties, breakfasts and afternoon teas to celebrate in the past but this year the wheels fell off my normally cheerful birthday caravan and we only managed text messages.

So I put in a little effort this week to make Miss S a little notebook that she can use at work to jot things down. I inlisted the help of my trusty Martha circle cutter, some crazy machine stitching, my long arm stapler and some scrap book papers...

It took me a couple of goes to get it right (I now have some very dodgy notebooks myself, and let me tell you lining up that stapler is not for the faint hearted) but I was really happy with the end result.

And nothing can surpass my love of wrapping...Happy belated birthday Miss S - to both of us.

SHOW OF THE WEEK

There's no place like home

The ladies of HML have been fans of Djurdjica Kesic's work since we first spotted it at a Box Hill metalsmith graduate show and then Fresh at Craft Victoria a couple of years back. We are really excited by the sneak peeks we've seen of her new show Nomad at Pieces of Eight.  using the home as motif  Kesic uses an armful of belongings  (reclaimed timber, silver and linen thread) to explore the notion of migration and place.

by the way listeners - Ramona will be talking up this show and other crafty things this morning at 10am on RRR. Hopefully  this necklace will have migrated to her home sometime this week...

And many fashionable returns...

style.com

Have you noticed how a certain fashion creation keeps appearing in fashion magazines all over the world? Well, I've decided to collect some of the editorials that feature those gorgeous items. My first post is dedicated to a beautiful Fendi "rose dress" from the Spring-Summer 2009 collection. Enjoy!

Fendi Spring/Summer 2009 campaign

Velvet March 2009

Vanity Fair Italy 2009

Marie Claire Italy 2009

In Style US March 2009

Harper's Bazaar US March 2009

Harper's Bazaar UK March 2009

Harper's Bazaar UK February 2009

Elle US 2009

FESTIVUS OF THE WEEK

High as a kite

Those at a lost end today can make their way to the 9th annual High Vibes festival in Northcote... it's always fun, full of food, music and of course young people attempting to outdo eachother in their "hey it's not like i'm trying" festival outfits strolling up and down the street in a slouchy, meandering parade... An excellent people watching and dining opportunity with a fairly decent soundtrack thrown in and all for a gold coin donation to keep the thing going next year. There's even a kids program for anyone looking to entertain bored toddlers...although we can't promise you parents won't be bored stupid after the first wacky hat hyper colour outfit performs their own version of "dancey dance time". It was Max's first festival last year, he was only a month old, but he loved it... at least he gurgled appropriately and gave us a smile or two as we passed the dancing hippies. Over the years this has turned from a very local event we could turn up to in our pj's to a super hip festival reminiscent of the old Brunswick Street festival (those as old as me will remember that festival's transformation into a lumbering trance infested behemouth full of tourists from franga) Anyways this will be our first year NOT living above the street, the downside will be less easy access to the loo, but the upside will be less constant bongo playing and and the probability of sleep before the 3am doof doof party finishes (good luck Shula i'll be thinking of you!) Ah just one more reason to love the new house.

This year the music promises to be especially good, with hml's default in house band and RRR darlings, Black Cab playing 9-9.30 at the Northcote Social Club... we assure you it will be well worth the price of admission, which of course is FREE, no really they are very good. So put on your high heel sneakers and have yourselves a very happy festivus people.

6 things that make me happy and awards

Today it's all about me, me, me and again, me. Very selfish and indulgent, but may also be informative for those who would like to read some personal stuff.

Sarah, who's got a beautiful and super stylish blog Sarah Klassen / Haute Design tagged me to tell you 6 things that make me happy.

1. Love.

Elle Italy Feb 2009

Being in love, being loved and seeing love around in any form.

2. Travelling.

Unknown

I adore getting ready for our trips, planning what to wear, booking hotels and tickets, getting up early in the morning to go to the Eurostar, spending time in a different country, discovering new places, learning, soaking up the atmosphere... And as I said in one of my previous posts, "when you life is packed in a suitcase you get the best picks".

3. Working out.

Vogue Italy

It makes me feel relaxed, strong, sexy and beautiful. And of course, happy.

4. Cup of white tea my husband makes for me.

Vogue US 2008

Very English, very nice, very special.

5. Snow.

Hermès Fall/Winter 2006

I miss it so much that every time we get some in England I feel incredibly happy. The world becomes so quiet and beautiful.

6. Sleep.

Vanity Fair 2009

It probably sounds borderline silly, but I do need my sleep. Ideally, 8.5 hours. I get really grumpy and miserable when I cannot have my simple pleasure and feel blissfully happy when I can.

Now I would like to tag all my followers to tell about their 6 happy things. Please let me know if/when you do. I'd love to read your posts!

Lovely Haute World (if you haven't check this blog, please do, it's the best and only shopping guide you'd ever need and the articles are fabulous!) gave me this award - thanks so much, darling! It means a lot and is very special to me.

I would like to pass this award to the following blogs:
Couture Millinery Atelier
Extra Dressing On The Side
Modediktat
The Style Diet
Absolutely Ladylike
Haute Design
Always Carried Away

This adorable award came from Janet, a girl known for her stylish blog, love for Chanel and fabulous finds. Thank you, gorgeous!

I would like to pass this award to the following blogs:
With Love....
Nini's Style
Natalya's Beauty Blog
Ocean Dreams
Frou Frou Fashionista
Life in Travel

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Lots of love,

Little Rus
xxx

New York fashion week: the most wonderful of them all

After a week of excitement and daily visits to style.com, looking, watching, searching, mentally trying things on and falling in love I gave my heart and soul (and frankly, would happily give my body, too) to Donna Karan's gorgeousness. Of course, there were many other beautiful collections, but I only have one heart.

The collection was dreamy. The colours reminded me of the autumn skies and sea just as you see it in England, corals and pastel dewy morning sunrise. The hats designed by Mr. Jones, looked like clouds (wouldn't be wonderful to wear a cloud on your head!). The dresses looked weightless and their beautiful folds softly wrapped around the body to create a feminine silhouette. To me, it was a perfect example of endlessly stunning simplicity that would never look out of place, not now, not in a million light years... never.

I would also like to mention that these hats were created by my dearest wonderful Anya who is currently doing an apprenticeship with Mr. Jones in London. She is so talented, every time I see her works I am left speechless and proud. I miss you terribly, moya horoshaya.

Images & video via facebook, style.com and youtube.com

CHRISTMAS FRIDAY

shake'n'bake

I'm nowhere near the Martha devotee that Ramona is, but I must admit her seasonal crafting prowess (or that of her team of crafters and stylists) gets me EVERY time. This year is going to be all about the gingerbread, so when I came upon these gingerbread bird ornaments I gave out a hoopla! and thought you beaut I'll get right onto them this week. I also think Martha deserves some props for being so generous with the free clip art she provides for each project. So you really can make em look just like they do in the mag, or if you're a little more creatively inclined you can use the ideas and technique to make your own version. I'm thinking a little glitter monster covered tree might excite Max more than the birds, but you never know, by Christmas he could be completely besotted by the Blue Footed Booby... 

                             

Anyway as much as I had planned my free afternoon yesterday to be full of gingerbread ornaments lovingly baked and shaken all over with my new armoury of Martha glitter, all I got around to baking was this Banana Bread.

Oh well, we still have 97 days to go.