Friday photos - mix & match

Today's picks (or pics, however you would like to take the pun) are a bit of a mix of everything, inspired by my new found love of a few blogs I mentioned in my post yesterday.

Of course, there's still a few fashion related images for those of you who might be out and about this weekend doing a spot of shopping like I am. My wonderful Mum is coming to Brisbane for the last few days of the school holidays to do a spot of shopping and to check out Trinny & Susannah at Westfield Chermside on Sunday afternoon (3.30pm if you want to check them out - they're at Carindale at 11am as well).

Lets face it, it's impossible to go past a picture of David Beckham (shirtless or not) without pouring drool all over your keyboard. Or is that just me? Either way, I had to include this smashing image of him at an airport (where he no doubt spends half his life). THAT shirt..... THOSE jeans..... THE Louis bag...... can he do no wrong? Now if only I could get my man into an outfit like that (he may not be a world renowned soccer player but one can dream right?).

Wondering who this lovely young lady is? So am I. That's because I found her on The Satorialist. I am normally one who doesn't mix and match colours in an outfit (ie. if I'm not wearing black, I wouldn't carry a black handbag) but something about this pink dress, those pale shoes and the LV bag just works. The drab black suits around her are helping her stand out like the proverbial but hey, isn't that what most women want?

All I can say is if I look ANYTHING like Faith Hill when I'm her age, I'll be happy (just without the blonde hair and country twang voice). You've got to give her or her stylist props for dressing her in something sophisticated but sexy. Of course we all know you can't go wrong with a black suit but to pair it with a silky unbuttoned shirt and a little "bling" (god I hate that word) hellloooo Mama.

So I've mentioned big necklaces before and if you read fashion magazines or window shop as much as I do, you'll know they are THE accessory for the season. I've been after a "bib" style neckpiece for a few weeks now and Sportsgirl has saved me. Fabulous without being freakishly expensive, this $59.95 stunner is perfect for something that could potentially go out of fashion within weeks. If you're after a cheaper version, Dotti has got a similar shape & look for less (as seen in the November issue of Madison).

Slightly off the fashion topic but still adorable are these fantastic party blowers I found on Utterly Engaged. How great that they give you the instructions on how to make them?! If you've already attempted the gift bow from yesterday I know you're going to love this one... In case you're wondering what velum is, I googled it (having no idea myself) and it looks to be some sort of transperant paper. No doubt your local craft or invitation shop could help you track some down.

I was recently telling a work colleague about my parents old business (anyone know Hatz from Oxford St, Bulimba?) and remembered some of the wonderful feathers my Mum used to use on turbans, hair accessories and hats. They started out collecting the dropped feathers from the cages at a pheasant farm but soon realised the accessories were in such high demand, they needed to buy the birds and pluck the feathers themselves (I have heard stories that they would hang them up on the clothesline out the back of our Bardon house and lop the heads off, pluck the feathers, then have the animal for dinner!). This got me to thinking about the fascinators that are everywhere at the moment for the summer racing season.

There's something to be said for making your own piece of headwear and when I saw these pictures from an overseas company, Bando, I couldn't help but think back to my Mum's feather collecting days. The contrast of brown & beige feathers with the aqua of the bead is to die for. I'd wear this with a beige dress and accessorise with a big aqua ring and maybe matching necklace. The gorgeous model even looks like a girl who used to pose for my Mum's business..... uncanny!

Last but by no means least today, a wonderful image from Blue Dog Posters. If you're after cheap and fantastic posters for yourself of for a gift, these guys are worth checking out. This great Guiness number is just $11 without a frame (not including postage). Get yourself a cheap Ikea or Target frame or send it off to a professional and whola! Cheap & cheerful gift for someone special. Thanks to my Mum for passing these guys onto me. I'm highly considering purchasing myself an Breakfast At Tiffany's poster after the last one I had mysteriously ended up with little holes in it after I found the dog walking around our spare room..... seems our pup isn't a fan of Ms Hepburn.....

Enjoy your weekends, whether your hot (Brisbane), windy (Melbourne) or anywhere in between (the rest of the country!).

d+s

Blogs worth checking out

So I've been doing a lot of surfing on the information superhighway lately and have come across some fantastic new blogs. Due to my Internet Explorer Favourites getting to be a list as long as about 100 laptop screens, I've started writing them down in a notebook to refer back to. The only problem with this of course is I forget to check them for updates as they're not staring me in the face every lunch time when I sit down to have a sandwich and search the world wide web.


And so today I'm going to post a few blogs that are worth checking out - each one a little quirky, fun and different in their own kind of way.



Free Range Duck
First up is a hilarious website I found whilst looking for some vector images for a work project. I searched for stickers on Vecteezy. I found some. I also found some weird duck images that were totally unrelated but decided to download them anyway. I noticed the web address. Free Range Duck.


A cool project designed to get the cutest little duck image spread to every corner of the globe. I now have my own Free Range Duck on my partition wall at work and intend on taking him for a few escapades around Brisbane to send over to the crew at Free Range Duck. What fun. Completely pointless but fun. Tell me you're not laughing at the hilarious photos from the Secret Garden Party of ducks offering free hugs, right?!




Black Eiffel
I'm a sucker for all things design related - always wishing I'd actually gone to university after high school and studied it (instead of trying to fit in a college course part time while working at the age of 27). I'm also a sucker for a blog with beautiful photos and great links to websites that fill me with inspiration and ideas for things I can make (or design on the computer). I've just started drawing and creating images to start making my own cards for gifts and found a tonne of inspiration on a new blog I came across, Black Eiffel.


You can tell from the first image on the site that Rachel the writer is a graphic designer - her choice of images and words make you want to read through her posts for hours. I also love that she mixes her choice items to post - fashion, photography, music, design and more. One for the list.

How About Orange

So this was actually one of those "stumbled across it through a series of links and found a cool idea" type blogs. I haven't spent much time on the blog How About Orange itself but I noticed it had the BEST idea for crafty types who want to save money, like wrapping gifts creatively and love the adoration when someone comments on how lovely the present is (and they don't want to unwrap it). This is me in a nutshell by the way.

Have you ever wondered how the hell those big bows at the newsagent are made and never just took the time to pull one apart and work it out yourself? (I also can never find the ribbon they use anywhere - can you tell I've tried?). Well, fear not, here is the solution to your craft problems. Grab an old magazine, find a nicely coloured page, cut into strips as instructed, a few pieces of sticky tape and........ tah dah! You've got yourself the cheapest gift bow ever and you've recycled at the same time (ok, so the cost of the magazine may have been twice that of a bow from the newsagent but how many pages are there in the magazine you can make these from?).

Here are the instructions on how to make the bows yourself - and in case you don't have a ruler with inches, here is a quick inches to centimetres calculator.

In case you're wondering, yes I have attempted a bow already. And yes, I did intend on taking a photo and posting it but since it didn't look as nice as the one in the above pictures I decided I'd wait till I get better at it.

Design Mom

I also have to give a shout out to the wonderful Design Mom. I have mentioned her in a few post before but without a doubt, this is one of the coolest blogs I've come across since starting my own. Another designer by trade, the things Gabrielle creates for her kids and the parties she puts together are just wonderful. Should I ever have children, these are the sorts of things I've every intention of doing with them! (even though no doubt at the age of 3 years they are too young to appreciate a fully coloure coordinated get together).

You also have to admire her ability to do all this with 5 children (soon to be 6 as she recently announced she is pregnant again!). Some of the most wonderful images were for her daughters Maude's 10th birthday - a Young Einstein party, just delightful! What 10 year old wouldn't want to eat "brain" cupcakes and make cool science experiments? Not to mention the groovy gifts all the kids went home with (check out the covered clipboards - such a great idea).

I've loads more links to blogs and websites and the like but unfortunately, not enough time to list them so I hope you enjoy at least one of my pick from today. If you have a blog you think I should link to, feel free to comment or send me an email (over to the right is a link to my email address).

Till next time.....

d+s

I've fallen in love with Lonny

That's right. I've fallen in love with an online magazine.

While flicking through a new favourite blog Black Eiffel I came across this wonderful home/design/decoration magazine called Lonny.

I'm a big magazine junkie which I blame my mother for (50 to 100 copies of Vogue in the house at any given time) but I just haven't gotten into the world of online magazines because you can't sit down with a cuppa, feel the gorgeous glossy paper in your hands or turn page corners down when you find something you like. Yes, I know you can pop your laptop on your knees whilst on the couch and click to turn the page but it's just not the same.

What sucked me in most about this online mag was the people's houses featured in the Fall issue (it's American) have decor and homewares that aren't all worth over $5,000 - and that's just for a lamp shade.

Vogue Living and the like are what I call "scratchie" mags. As in, if you ever win $25,000 on a scratchie you might actually be able to afford some of the items in the magazine. Lonny shows you that the right mix of antique pieces (yes, they can be cheap) and chain store finds can actually make your place look like it should be in the next issue.

I'm also a sucker for photographs of people in their own home with their beautiful pets. People aren't the only ones who make a house a home. The best part of my day is the minute I walk in the door to see my man and our dog waiting to greet me with a mouth full of drool (the dog that is).

The positives of this online magazine though - you can have your lunch break at your desk and read it while enjoying your sandwhich. Even better, check your emails on a Saturday morning over breakfast and flick through it then.

Well worth the read and with barely any ad pages (which we love!) get onto Lonny now and be inspired!

d+s

Friday photos - pay day purchases

Family comes before blog.... so in light of my trip to the coast tomorrow to catch up with my lovely Grandma for lunch, I'm posting my photos today.

And this week instead of celeb style, I'm going to let you in on what's on my list of things to buy when pay day hits (after I've paid for my Big Day Out ticket of course - mental note, don't bother to get up at midnight to try and score tickets, 9am the next day on Ticketmaster is much easier).

Anyone who knows me won't be surprised I've got a few items on my list from Witchery considering about 90% of my wardrobe is from there. I've got my eye on the Skinny Tough Love jeans ($129.95), a lovely black and white silk blouse ($139.95), some nice casual utility pants ($109.95) - a great alternative to jeans, and to jump on the White Shirt Campaign bandwagon, the most devine necklace & tank combo ($149.95) - the necklace is detachable so it's like you get two outfits in one!

There's plenty more in the latest release of items both online and instore at Witchery so get yourself in for a look see. They've got some gorgeous beach clothes (a few skirts I have my eye on) plus new season shoes and accessories that are on the list for next month!

Also worth a look at their new season stock is French Connection. These guys can be a bit hit and miss but a lot of this seasons summer pieces are more hit.

I'm loving their dresses and tunics especially with this cute black & white print one coming in at under $100, bargain (Under the Sea tunic $99.95). Another cute tunic that could be the perfect addition to my wardrobe to go with leggings when it's a little on the cooler side is the Polished tunic ($79.95). Their Tom Tom pants in black are also a great option if you want the skinny look with wearing jeans ($119.95) and their wrapped disc necklace would love great with a crisp white singlet or T and jeans ($69.95).

Among a tonne of other shops in and around Brisbane, there is plenty more out there that I've got my eye on but with Christmas now not far away and a few too many festivals to have to save for, I'll have to try and keep my spending to a minimum for a few more months.....

Enjoy your weekends whatever you're doing - I'll be spending a lot of time in front of the TV cheering on Holden at Bathurst (yes, I'm a bogan at heart).

Till next time.....

d+s

Easiest & best summer drink..... EVER

What you need:
- A free Sunday afternoon
- Some great beats cranking out of the stereo/mp3 player
- A few friends/family members (unless you want to enjoy this on your own, then grab a book or magazine)

- Bundaberg Ginger Beer
- Vodka (brand is up to you)
- Handfuls of mint (loads of 'em)
- Ice
- Small tumblers

What to do:
- Turn on music
- Place ice in tumbler
- Pour shot of vodka (or more if you have the day off on Monday)
- Place handful of chopped mint leaves in glass
- Fill glass with Bundaberg Ginger Beer
- Find yourself a seat
- Chill......

Best served with your choice of canapes/nibblies (rice paper rolls are quite good with this, load 'em up with corriander and you'll get double the herb hit).

If this isn't the best drink you have all summer, I'm not a 27 year old chick living in Brisvegas.

d+s

So not celebrity....

I couldn't help but post a few pics of some non-celebrities I found on the web so far this week. While I don't get a lot of time to write on this blog due to work, life commitments, I always make time in the mornings with a coffee or at night after dinner to check out what's happening on the net.


You all know I love Chictopia and everyone who's anyone reads The Satorialist (where a few photos are from this week) but I also have a few other secret blogs I follow for their interesting images and great links. One of the best ways to find out about other blogs is by checking out who your favourites reccomend.

While checking out one of said blogs today, I came across a picture of these two amazing young fashionistas. Can you believe Noa & Lev are only 14? And they have their own blog..... Brains & Beauty. While people under the age of 17 being more fashionable than most of the world scares me to death, I can't help but admire these two for so clearly knowing what they love and [in this digital age] being able to so easily make it come to life.

The lovely Karen from Where Did You Get That is one lucky gal - not only does she have the body to rival Ms Gisele herself (check out those legs will you) but she's fashionable and has one heck of a photographer for a boyfriend. This shot stood out so much to me this morning, it's making me want to go and buy myself a digital SLR camera even though I can't afford it. Getting the light right in a train? Genius.

Two reasons for posting this shot (apart from the fact that it's a fantastic moving image) - I want those legs and that necklace. Ok, so maybe three reasons - I wouldn't say no to those heels either!

I couldn't miss out a few Chictopia shots either - I'm on the look out for a nice black maxi dress for summer but can't seem to find one. If only this gal was in Australia, she only spent $40 on this gorgeous number from Target!

Ummmm - hello, can I have that necklace please? And while we're at it, that dress is very chic. Most of us couldn't pull off the big shoulders that are around at the moment (since we're not all Beyonce) but this LBD actually works. Not too big that they're over the top but not too small that they look like they're trying too hard. And isn't she just a cutie to boot? I think I'm going to be on the look out for a big chunky necklace in the coming weeks...... can't you tell?

Have a good hump day all!

d+s

design+style for invitations, cards/announcements, stationery, logos + more

Since I don't have an actual website just yet I'm shamlessly plugging myself in this post today..... design+style now does graphic design!

If you're after invitations, cards or baby announcements, business or personal stationery, logos, brochures/flyers and loads more, design+style can help.

Should you be after something for a wedding, new arrival, new business or just for your own personal use, design+style can assist with the design and printing of any of these items.

To check out some examples of things I've done, click here to see my portfolio.

No job is too big or too small, all queries are welcome! Feel free to contact me via email should you have something you'd like design+style to help with.

Contact design+style:
hannahwest10@gmail.com

d+s

Friday photos, blogs worth checking out and more....

This week was bursting with great photos, due largely to a few major award nights both in America and Australia. My pick of the Emmy's earlier this week was the gorgeous Kate Walsh and stunning Toni Collete. Kate rarely puts a foot wrong when it comes to style and while I wouldn't normally like this type of dress, Ms Walsh works it well and has matched a lovely shade of light blue/grey with her complexion and hair colour.


There's also no going past our very own Toni Collete. Not only did she look red (or should I say pink) hot at the show, she also took home the Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for The United States of Tara. If you haven't checked this program out (Wednesday nights, 9.30pm on ABC1) then you need to sit yourself down and watch! Not only is Toni an amazing actress but the story lines and supporting cast are fantastic. Each episode seems to be getting crazier by the week and we just love it in our house (certainly makes you feel like you're not as insane as you thought you were).


It seems there were so many events around the globe this week that I couldn't decide which photos to put up.... so instead of posting evey shot and telling you why I like them, I'm just going to let you gawk on your own. A special note must go to little Miss Dirrty though, Christina Aguilera. After having her little baby Max while back now, we haven't seen much of the songstress (and to be honest, what I have seen wasn't all that great compared to how she used to get dolled up!). But this recent shot of her makes me think she might be making her way back into the celebrity/music world. Plus you've gotta give a girl some credit for finding a look and sticking with it. Platinum blonde hair and red lipstick will never go out of style (and least she's probably hoping so).

I've also been trasping the internet this week for all things bridal..... not because I'm getting married (sorry to dissapoint anyone who's reading this that knows me and my man).

A girlfriend and her partner recently announced their engagement (at their baby shower no less) and I've offered to help her make her wedding invitations. Considering I've only ever made one wedding invitation in my designing life, I thought I better have a sticky beak at what everyone else does (not being married means I have no experience in this field - and what a bloody big field it is).

Enter 100 Layer Cake. I came across this blog while doing a google image search on wedding invitations and immediately fell in love. Their selection of photographs of real weddings, their colour boards, DIY tips and links to wedding supply companies are second to none. The only problem is it does mean you get stuck on the internet going back through old posts for hours. Beware - you will need some time to read this blog, you'll get sucked into the beautiful images and wedding ideas even if you're not getting married!

What I really love most about this blog though are the Real Weddings they chose to post about. Almost every single one has something a little quirky about it - while still being reasonably traditional with bridesmaids, receptions etc, each one really shows the personalities of the bride and groom through colours, invitations, wacky photos and even a few special guests - who wouldn't want their puppy at their wedding?

My favourite idea from the real weddings from these guys though has to be photo booths. It's always fun to see everyone else's photos from an event (especailly when someone slightly more sober at the end of the night has the camera on those who have had a few too many) and this is one idea I would love to steal for any function. Providing a cool backdrop for guests to take their own happy snaps would no doubt leave you with some cool shots for a wedding album no?

What's also interesting is the amount of work the bride and groom from a lot of these weddings do themselves. So many couples create their own invitations, make bridesmaid dresses and ties and even decorate the reception areas themselves. Granted as you read some of the stories you'll find some people work in creative fields which would help with an eye for what works but by searching the internet (and blogs like this) and talking to wedding planners or designers, you'd be surprised at what you could create yourself.

And so into the weekend we head.... it's AFL Grand Final day tomorrow here in Australia and while my team may not have made it into this momentus game (shame Port Adelaide, shame) I still get excited by all the colour and passion displayed by Aussies on this one day in September. Congratulations to Gary Ablett Jr who took out the Brownlow on Monday evening and to his gorgeous girlfriend (see Friday photos above) who was my pic of the best dressed ladies of the evening - very on trend with the big necklace.

I managed to come second in my footy tipping comp this season - pipped at the post by my man - and I tipped Geelong for the win tomorrow but either way, it's going to be a great day and I hope you enjoy the game wherever you're watching from. Lets hope the dust has settled (literally this week!) and it's a warm, sunny weekend for football, festivals and fun.

Enjoy!

d+s

Robot's sometimes get hiccups!

I just couldn't not post about this!

While checking out Design Mom's new posts this morning, I came across a link to this cute as a button website, Jane the Pink Robot.

Click on the triangle, then hit any key on your keyboard to see what Jane has to say. Great fun for kids and adults alike (if you think Robot's with hiccups are funny that is...)

Adorable!

d+s

I'll have what she's having

When: Saturday Night

What: Meeting up with an old work colleague back from 2 years in the UK

Where: X&Y Bar, Fortitude Valley (highly recommended)

Wore: Barkins grey boyfriend blazer, Witchery white loose fitting singlet, Dotti black "jeanie" pants (as posted about last week and named so because apparently they make me look like I Dream of Jeanie in them) , Diva black horn necklace, Tony Bianco black suede round toe heels, Portmans black clutch.

Drink: the Applesinthe cocktail $19 - La Fee Bohemian Absinthe, French Apple Liqueur, cloudy Apple Juice, Lemon Juice and Passionfruit Pulp in a tall glass w/ crushed ice.

Ever had drink envy? It's the same as food envy - when someone else orders something and you wish you'd ordered what they had instead of the crap you ended up with. Well I had drink envy on Saturday night. I frequently can't decide what to drink when I'm out because a lot of places have shitty wine selections (and that's mostly what I drink). And so in my hasty decision to pick something so I didn't piss off the bartender, I ended up drinking champagne at $9 a glass (yes, $9 a glass. I can get a whole bottle for that at my local).

What I WISHED I'd ordered was the above mentioned Applesinthe. Two girls beside me at the bar ordered them about half way through the evening and the smell when the cocktail shaker was poured was intoxicating. I could have saved myself some money (and trips to the bar) by ordering 4 of those instead of 8 glasses of champagne but hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it.

If you haven't checked out X&Y yet, I highly recommend it. Funky beats (including some awesome old school tracks), a great cocktail list, a cheeky "hole in the floor" so you can see how busy it is upstairs if you're in the downstairs bar (beware if you're wearing a skirt/dress ladies) and some mega groovy bar staff who wear t-shirts bearing the faces of dead icons such as Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett etc. Check out their website or drop in (they're right across from Cloudland on Ann Street, Fortitude Valley) - the cocktails are worth the trip.

d+s

PS. Since we're talking drinks, I came across the easiest and best summer sip at the Westfield Chermside function a few weeks back - vodka, Bundaberg Ginger Beer and loads of fresh mint. Helllllooooo warm, lazy Sunday afternoons............