Stop.Take Some Time To Think

I saw this display when I was at the store today. They're Valentines Day cards. It's December. 

What, birthdays and anniversaries aren't good enough any more? Babies being born, friends moving into a new house - these occasions aren't enough to sustain us the 2 1/2 months without a retail occasion?

I'm repulsed. And perhaps I feel so strongly because this is not an isolated event.

I was helping out with a little last minute shopping on Christmas Eve at Myer. While we navigated our way through the throngs of shoppers I witnessed employees pulling down the Christmas promotions and replacing them with the red "Stocktake Sale!" signs for the sale starting on Boxing Day. It wasn't even closing time. Employees were loudly punching out signs to replace and blocking walk ways with ladders. Christmas had not even occurred and they were already preparing for the next sale.

Now, I've done my time in retail. I know we all want to get home for Christmas. Make life as easy as possible for the craziness that is the Boxing Day rush. Myer is also one of my preferred stores. I'm there at least once a week and have a loyalty card that certainly gets a work out.

But at that moment on Christmas Eve I stopped and realised how truly terrible it all is. There is no Christmas "spirit". There are only Christmas "promotions". A reason for a sale. And before it's even over they're preparing for the next one. Buy buy buy - whatever the reason.

Don't get me wrong. I love to shop as much as the next guy. I find it relaxing. Almost meditative. And I'm not going to boycott anyone caught up in the machine of consumerism. But I am going to take this moment to acknowledge that sometimes, like now, the whole thing feels cheap, dirty and more than a little degrading.

Time, Is On My Side

So we skipped supper in favour of cocktails last night. Lotta cocktails. Lotta. Cocktails.

We woke up late this morning (just) and decided on Chermside for breakfast. This was a mistake. The place was so many shades of busy that we turned ourselves right around and made a bee-line for our favourite breakfast place closer to home.

But it was closed. So we went to the shitty Coffee Club across the street where we waited an hour for horribly average food that left us both feeling sludgy and unwell. 

But hey thanks Coffee Club Wilston, you helped me make my first New Years Resolution - never ever to eat there again. Ever.

I guess it wasn't all bad though, at least I got to look at my pretty new watch. Often. A whole lot. And really, we only had a date with the couch and a DVD to uphold. Ah holidays.

Shirt: Myer

Broach: Gift

Skirt: Myer

Watch: Gift

Shoes: Rubi

The Cream, The White, The Off White, The Irovy and The Beige

I don't know about you guys. But laying on the couch watching the cricket in inclement weather, moving only to eat and drink, has left me with little motivation when it comes to the closet.

While that might be all well and good for some people, I have an online reputation to uphold. So after 2 days of slothing around the house in "whatever doesn't touch me" I made a return to the wardrobe.

I asked the man to set me a challenge. It had been a long time between drinks (breaks) so I was ready for it. The occasion? An early Christmas supper and potentially cocktails with The Captain. The piece? This skirt.

The result? Bows! And Horses! And socks with crochet brogues! Love!

I can't help but think I owe a shout out to his honour, Richie Benaud, for the inspiration in the sock/shoe department. Well played sir. Well played.

Scarf: The Reject Shop
Shirt: Thrifted
Bow: From a dress
Belt: Myer
Skirt: Valley Girl
Socks: Um. Myer?
Shoes: Target

Jean Whizz!

There are times when I want nothing more than to wear a pair of torn jeans and an anti-war T-shirt.

And then there are times when I want nothing more than to wear a pair of torn jeans and an anti-war T-shirt and take pictures of myself acting like a lunatic.

This was one of those days.

T-shirt: Urban Outfitters
Jeans: SES Fashions
Hair clips: Assorted

I'm Dreaming of a Wet Christmas

And it seems my dream will come true. Hooray! I ducked down to the store this morning to get fresh ingredients for breakfast tomorrow. It was lovely and grey with a nice breeze as I walked down. When I walked out...I was greeted with glorious, glorious rain.

Seriously guys. After a 14 year drought, this stuff is like liquid gold from the heavens. For years the newspapers would run stories of farmers wanting only rain for Christmas and it never came. Or it did in the form of a wicked electrical storm (love them!). I know we're now facing floods and a lot of the crops have been ruined. I suppose that's the cycle in nature though, right? Feast, famine. Drought, flood. Um, I think there's another pair in there somewhere.

Anyway, personally I will never get tired of rain. I'm thankful for it. Just as I am thankful for my family and friends (I mean you guys too). And not just at Christmas but all year round. I've never been happier with my lot in life and I truly wish the same for all of you.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays guys.

Top: American Eagle
Skirt: Myer
Shoes: Rubi

Life Handed Us a Paycheck, We Said "We Worked Harder Than This!"

I'm liking slouchy a lot lately. Today I feel kinda "Luxe Slouchy". Is that a real term? It is now. Expensive slouchy. Even though I'm not wearing anything expensive. I shop sales sister, it's the way I roll.

Do you guys have something special picked out to wear for Christmas? I haven't. Every year I try too hard and end up feeling a bit average about my choices. There's a top I like in Myer but it's full price and I just know it's going to be go on sale come Boxing Day.

 Looking pensive while the laptop restarts

OK, all that aside. It's my last day of work and...

As at 2:07pm I have submitted my last piece and officially finished for 2010. Awww yeah, I'm pumped! You can't half tell can you...

Necklace: Diva
Slip: Myer
Dress: Cotton On
Belt: Sportsgirl
Shoes: Rubi

Without Lamps There'd Be No Light

We don't have a Christmas tree. And I have a sneaking suspicion that the lack of opportunity for decoration has manifested itself in other places. Like, oh I don't know, my hair maybe?

When I was in high school there was a strict "No Exotic Hairstyles" rule. Yeah, I don't really like rules too much so I made it my personal mission to get as exotic as I could. I'm talking coat hangers, bread ties, bamboo skewers, barbed wire crown, fake dreadlocks...whatever I could get in my hair, I put there. My hair was about to my butt too, so we're talking a lot of real estate.

On one particular occasion I was called to the office and told to remove the variety of clips I had spent the better half of the morning "clipping" in there. When I removed them all, I counted 52. 52 clips. On my way out the office lady and I shared a look which said, "See you tomorrow? Yeah, see you tomorrow."

I was the veritable John Bender of hair.

Oh man. "I was the veritable John Bender of hair."  That may just be the best line that I've ever written. I need that on a badge or a Tshirt or something.

Stat!

Clips: Oh you know, everywhere
Top: Valley girl
Dress Melrose Ave
Necklace: ?
Broaches: Gift & Polka Dot Rabbit
Slip: ?

Lustable Christmas Give Away!

It's here! It's here! The exciting thing I've been alluding to is finally here!

I am super excited and mighty chuffed to announce that I have been selected to participate in the Lustable 12 Days of Christmas Give Away!

Now, what that means to you is that you have the opportunity to win this epic Mini Diana pack. I know, right? Just think of all the totally blogerly and awesome shots you'll be able to, you know, shoot!

The Man and I bought a bunch of Lomos and used them to take our wedding photos, so they hold an extra special place in my heart. Awwww.

Now, the thing is - this give away is only open for 24 hours! 24! To enter you need to answer this question: "What event would you go back in time to take a picture of and why?"and follow the steps below.

Time to get cracking kids!

Terms of entry for Lustable.com.au's 12 Days of Christmas:

1. This promotion is sponsored by PayPal.

2. Entrants must enter via Twitter by:
a. Following @Lustable_
b. Including #Lust4Xmas in their entry
c. Answering the question "What event would you go back in time to take a picture of and why?"
 
3. All entry points in section 2 must be fulfilled in order for an entry to be deemed valid.

4. The prize is a Diana Mini White Christmas Pack valued at $250, inclusive of
shipping.

5. The prize winner will be chosen by Lovers, Saints & Sailors on Wednesday 22 December 2010

6. Winners will be notified via direct message on Twitter within 24 hours of
prize draw by @Lustable_.

7. This is a game of skill. Chance plays no part in determining the winner of this
competition.

8. Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash or credit.

9. Prizes will be shipped within 28 days of a winner being chosen.

10. If a prize is unavailable, Lustable.com.au reserves the right to substitute a
similar item of equal or lesser value in its place.

Give Me an "S"!

Lordy, it's sunnier than a cheerleader's disposition out there.

It's OK though, I know the rain is coming back. How? Well I'm a massive nerd and currently addicted to a new weather app that I just downloaded.

Yep. Say, did you know that it's currently only 32% humidity out there? Why, that's dry as a bone compared to the 80%+ stuff we've been dealing with lately.

See? Nerd. I told you.

OK let's get down to it gang. Something super duper pooper scooper exciting is going down tomorrow and being that I love you all dearly I wanted to give you the heads up.

You're gonna wanna go ahead and get yourself a Twitter account if you don't already have one. Then you're gonna wanna become friends with the very friendable Lustable. Trust me. That's all I can share at this stage but believe me. We're talking nose-bleedingly high levels of excitement about tomorrow. That's right. Nose-bleedingly.

P.S I promise it doesn't actually involve anything as potentially gross as a nose bleed.

Shirt: Cotton On Body
Dress: Tightrope
Belts: Myer and thrifted
Watch: Target

Someone Else

Does it ever occur to you, how many different people you could have been?

Every decision you've made along the way has made you the person you are today. And why did you make those decisions? Are you the person you want to be?

I've often said that I need 7 lives to be all the different people I want to be.

Yes, these are the kinds of thoughts that occupy my mind as I walk the bridge from Brisbane to West End on a Friday afternoon when the sky is threatening to storm and I pass someone and see myself.

Hair clips: Sportsgirl

Necklace: BrisStyle Twilight Indie Designer Markets

Top: Tightrope

Skirt: Myer

Shoes: Novo (sadly they exploded as I walked around the city. This is the last picture they will appear in. Unless someone's going dumpster diving.)

Storm Girl

When I finished grade 7 my teacher gave me a book called Storm Boy. Wait, maybe it was Storm Girl. Whatever. The point is, she wrote inside the cover: "Dear Selise, maybe this will keep you quiet over the holidays."

Gosh, thanks Ms Travers. Way to be one of those nice, supportive, encouraging teachers I've heard so much about.

I didn't deserve that. I was never a bad kid. Seriously, I never skipped school, didn't smoke behind the shed. The very image of an angel.

I stole a sign from a train station once. I was in my final week of high school and thought I should do SOMETHING bad in my teenage years. So a friend and I took it down and hid it in her wardrobe. I was so paralysed with guilt and anxiety that night, I had to call and beg her to put it back. 

Yup. A regular bad ass.

Dress: Cotton On

Earrings: Store in Melbourne

Necklaces: Was Mum's and Dangerfield

Shoes: Thrifted

Scarf: David Jones

Bag: The Fashion Station

We're Going on a Beer Hunt

We're going on a beer hunt
We're going on a beer hunt
I'm not scared
I'm not scared

That's what I was singing to myself on the way to the train yesterday. That train was taking me to a beer launch at Platform Bar.

I wasn't scared. But I should have been. Would have been had I known how I'd feel today. Don't get me wrong. The beers were fantastic. And therein lies the problem. I like fantastic things. And sometimes, just sometimes, I like too many fantastic things.

But it's OK now. I've pulled myself together. I've got the water, the Soothe tea, The Tallest Man on Earth and I think I'm going to be alright. I think I'm going to be alright.

Dress: Kmart

Slip: Was Mum's

Belt: Valley Girl

Shoes: City Beach

Bag: Gift from my wonderful, wonderful husband

Bluebird on my Shoulder

Friends, I am on Twitter. I know. Or rather, I don't. I'm floundering around on there like a flounder that's been removed from the water, spun around in circles and made to run in a straight line. 

Yeah, it ain't pretty.

Now what would make me want to go and do something like that? I'll tell you. Something very special and super, DUPER awesome. Something that will be revealed on Tuesday.

In the meantime, I suggest you join me in the world of floundering. It will make Tuesday all the more sweet. Trust me. Run along and get a bluebird of your own. Or if you've already got one - become friends with mine. 

I'm pretty sure I want to call him Fergal. But that may just be because I've been naming everything Fergal lately. It's a good thing I don't have kids, right?

Oh, the outfit, right. I decided to channel a little 1990's music festival all up in here. I just need a bindi and the transformation is complete!


Top: Tigerlily
Collective jewellery: Let's just say, all over the place.
Scarf: David Jones
Skirt: Myer
Boots: Kmart