Chinese Memories

We took a trip to China Town today. Or Memory Town really. I lived in the Valley a few years back and Burlington Supermarket was pretty much my local. 

I loved a lot of things about it but I think perhaps, best of all, was the 1kg tin of baby corn for $4. That is, until immediately after devouring entire said can of corn, dipped in a pack of $2 powdered satay sauce with your best friend while watching crappy movies. Then? Then it wasn't such a good idea.

Today we picked up some edamame and genmaicha tea. Best tea ever. It has brown rice in it. It's my favourite "with added food" type tea. That is...until they make a potato tea.

Wife plums anyone?

Sunglasses: Cotton On
Shirt: Myer
Bag: Myer
Bangles: Myer
Belt: Cotton On
Skirt: Cotton On
Shoes: Rubi (which is a subsidiary of Cotton On - yay monopoly!)

I Am. You Are. We Are.

It was Australia Day yesterday. Hooray for a day spent with friends, drinking, eating and listening to music. If that's what we stand for as a nation, then gosh darn it if I'm not just a bit proud.

I left the camera at home in favour of busting out the lomos and shock horror - actual old timey film! I'll be sure and share the pictures, you know, in 8 months when I get them developed. It's like a mini time capsule. There are shots on there from oh, 2 years ago I think?

I made my very first batch of lamingtons to honour the occasion. Success! 

We made a watermelon punch too. Success again!

We drank a lot. Success! Fleeting success, but success nonetheless. Let's just not talk about the crushing failure of today...


Dress: Tightrope
Belt: Myer
Bracelet: Sportsgirl
Shoes: Rubi
 

Me, Me, Me

 This is a jar of things that I like. It sits on my desk.

Approximately a hundred years ago, the ever-so-talented Kat of Kat's Creations tagged me in a Q&A post. Given that it's hot out and I have the day off I am wearing clothes that essentially don't touch me. And while I'm tres comfortable, I'm not necessarily winning any style awards. Unless it's the Award for Comfortable Clothes That Don't Touch You. In which case, I'd like to thank the academy.

I'll just get on with it shall I?

Why did you create your blog?
Ahh well, I'd been lurking and wanting to start my own style blog for oh, a good 2 years before I actually did it. I started with Style Rookie and was completely obsessed. I've always loved clothes and fashion and pushing the boundaries so I thought I'd start documenting it every day. It was pretty scary at first. Not the dressing but the posting. But now it feels like an old friend.

What kind of blogs do you follow?
Mostly style blogs really but I probably spend an equal amount of time looking at recipes and food blogs. As well as living vicariously through sites like The Selby and The Coveted. 

Favourite make up brand?
Hmmm, that's tough because I have a lot of make up. I actually went to beauty school and am a qualified make up artist, though I rarely practise. MAC probably. Nars too. 

Favourite clothing brand?
Come now, that's like choosing my favourite John Hughes film! (OK, the Breakfast Club). I don't have a favourite brand really. I shop everywhere. I like to think of myself as an "equal opportunity shopper". Myer is usually my first stop just because they have so many different labels and really good sales. But it depends what I'm after really. So I think the answer is...pass.

Your indispensable make up product?
Oh man. The Mascara in Curling by Kevyn Aucoin. I could go on for days about how incredible it is and trust me, I have. Just ask anyone within a 5 metre radius of me at any given time. Seriously I'm gonna go ahead and say two words here. Are you ready? Life. Changing. No kidding. You MUST try it. I love it so hard that it's almost weird. Almost.

Your favourite colour?
See I always think my favourite colour is blue but I don't really buy many blue things. Clothing wise it would have to be army green. All the way. If it's available in that colour I will buy it in that colour. Or black. One of my all time favourite looks is a black bra or black lingerie under something white. 

Your perfume?
My wonderful husband bought me Flowerbomb for Christmas and I am addicted! I wear it pretty much every day. Even if I don't leave the house. Before that it was Viva La Juicy. I've also got Lola by Marc Jacobs and Rose by Bvlgari in the mix. Come to think of it, I'm actually wearing the Rose one today.

Your favourite film?
Ah, we may have covered that earlier. The Breakfast Club. Hands down.

What country would you like to visit and why?
There are so many. I've wanted to visit Ireland for as long as I can remember. Because...it seems awesome? And Mexico. I can't believe I lived in California for 6 years and never got to Mexico. I really, really want to go for the Day of the Dead festival.

Make the last question and answer to yourself
OK, why is a mouse when it spins? I still don't know. One of these days I'll figure it out.

For The Dogs

We finally made it to the Dog Track last night! After being rained out last time we were particularly excited to claim our spot in the grand stand and start placing our $2 bets.

The weather was just gorgeous. The sky put on quite a show going from a gorgeous pink to an amazing purple and then throwing up the most incredible, HUGE moon. It was a perfect night.

The dogs were endlessly amusing and there's a certain charm to drinking beer out of a plastic cup. But the thing that really made it was the company. You can keep your cocktail bars and fancy clothes - I'll take the night sky, raffle tickets and good friends.

Hair clips: Woolworths

Necklaces: Sportsgirl & Diva

Tshirt: Witchery

Top: Cotton On

Badges: Gifts

Bracelets: Sportsgirl & The Man's from high school

Skirt: Cotton On

Necklace worn as anklet: Sportsgirl

Shoes: Gift

The Big Smoke

I shook things up a little today. I put my Sunday best on and ventured out into the wide blue yonder to work from the library.

I'm not sure how many of you work exclusively from home but I will say this - it can be pretty crazy-making.

Don't get me wrong. I make for fantastic company. I laugh at my own jokes, always replace the toilet roll and never talk behind my back. But sometimes you just gotta be around other folk.

It was awesome to be in the City again. I may or may not have shopped a little on my lunch break. My god I missed that.

As an aside. How much more exciting do these trains look than the regular silver sardine tubes. They get my vote.

Scarf: Myer
Top: Valley Girl
Dress: Cue
Watch: Target
Shoes: Rubi
Bag: Gift

Today's Outfit Was Brought To You By The Letter Triangle

So today was built around shapes. Triangles and diamonds specifically.

Nothing to really credit as a source of inspiration other than I like this skirt. And I like this shirt. And I decided I'd wear them both today. And they both have triangle and diamond type shapes on them. So then I wore, or held other things with triangle and diamond type shapes on them.

Yep. It's about that deep around here at the moment. My brain you see, she no work so good right now on account of lots to do and not many cells to go around.

What shape are brain cells I wonder. Probably more blobby than diamondy or triangly, right?

Scarf: From a dress from Kmart
Top: Tigerlily
Belt: Myer
Bangle: Ballantynes
Ring: Diva
Skirt: Cotton On
Shoes: Yesstyle.com.au
Bag: The Fashion Station

Stay Gold

It was nice and warm today. Well, rather warm really. Though I didn't realise - all tucked up in my home office in a cocoon of air conditioning.

We ventured out late this afternoon though and enjoyed that perfect, golden part of the afternoon.

While I'm the first to wail when it gets above 25 degrees, it really is afternoons like these that you miss come the cold days.

Hair clips: Diva and Dangerfield
Badge necklace: Hungry Designs
Shirt: Was Mum's
Dress: General Pants
Belt: Ross
Shoes: Rubi

What We Make

We couldn't help out today. Friends can only access their homes by boat and the power is still out when they get there. Thankfully, thankfully, thankfully some friends and family have returned to find their homes unscathed.

We're registering with Volunteering Qld to help in the coming weeks and months. As much as there is the huge pull to get in there right now and help it's just not possible. The recovery process will be long and there will be plenty of opportunities to help.

As we couldn't get out there I decided to spend the day creating. With so many things being destroyed I think it's important to keep building. I picked up some fabric swatches at Spotlight for my assignment. And friends of ours welcomed their first baby into the world during the flood so I've been working on the design for a little singlet. Not many of you would know this but I've actually made a number of babies and children's clothes and toys over the years. I call them my "Little Saints & Sailors".

Top: Jacqui E

Skirt: Cotton On

Ring: Capitola Mall

Shoes: Rubi

What To Say

Man, I've started and stopped writing this so many times now. I really just don't know what to say. I've finished up work for the week so The Man and I are heading out tomorrow to help with the flood clean up.

The Brisbane River peaked lower than expected early this morning at 4.46m instead of 4.6m. While this saved a number of homes, 20,000 were still inundated. The water is slowly beginning to subside but it's been said that recovery could take at least 2 years. It's still just unfathomable that this has happened here.

Thank you for all of your thoughts and well wishes, they mean so much. And I want you to know something. We're Queenslander's - and if that means anything, it means that we won't be beaten. No amount of water could wash away our will. Just you wait and see.

Headband: Gift
Necklace: Lovisa
Shirt: Gift
Bag: Gift
Skirt: Cotton On
Shoes: Target

In The Air

There is a really weird feeling going around right now. The rain has stopped and the sun is actually shining but in some places, the water is still rising with a peak expected tomorrow.

While our suburb has not been flooded (we're not near the river and are on high land) nearby ones have been and the feeling all around is just weird. The thing I can liken it to most is this: You know on Fridays there is that certain feeling in the air? Everyone's excited it's almost the weekend. They laugh more, they're a little cheekier, a little zanier at work. That general feeling in the air is because so many people are happy. There's just this BUZZ.

This is a similar concept - but people are not laughing, they're losing their homes. They're not cheeky, they're sandbagging. They're not zany, they're trying to hold it together. And even though our suburb is not flooded, it's still wet. And that feeling in the air is over here too.

The sunshine outside almost makes you forget there is a huge disaster happening. Rest assured though, turn on the news and you'll be reminded. Now I'm not saying the news is a bad thing. People need to be made aware of what's going on, what's being done and the potential dangers. But repeating traumatic images and concentrating almost exclusively on worst case scenarios just freaks people out. Yes, there is a horrible, unthinkable disaster happening all around us, shouldn't that be enough?

We've had friends and families evacuated from their homes. Some have lost everything. It makes me feel frivolous to be posting outfit pictures. To be honest it makes me feel downright shitty to be doing anything normal. But I think that people who have been genuinely affected by these floods would be even more disgusted if I, safe and dry, fell apart from feeling bad.

Once something is set up, or when I figure out how, I will be donating clothes to the victims of this flood. If that is something that you would like to help out with, please email me at loverssaintsandsailors at gmail dot com.

Otherwise and in the meantime, thoughts and well wishes to all of those affected are always welcome.

Stay dry guys.

Necklace: Diva

Shirt: Myer

Wrist bands: The Man's from High School

Jeans: SES Fashions

Beside the Seaside

I feel a little like an old time girl beside this seaside in this outfit. And if this rain keeps up it might not be too much of a stretch.

All joking aside though it's starting to get scary. The Brisbane River has burst it's banks for what's set to be the worst flood since 1974. Parts of the City are being evacuated as are suburbs all along the river. There was an inland tsunami in Toowoomba last night that claimed 8 lives. People were stranded on the roofs of their cars and houses over night and more than 70 people are still missing.

Toowoomba flooding - image from news.com.au

It's weird because, as Hen said, these are places you've been. Streets you've walked. It's not some far off place. It's homes. It's friends and family's home towns.

My thoughts and wishes are with everyone at this time. Stay safe and dry guys.

Necklace: Gift
Top: Myer
Shorts: Myer
Scarf: David Jones
Boots: Kmart

The Tropics

Well here we are. The first day back at work. It was tough getting ready, let me tell you. Once I got dressed I forgot what to do next so I crawled back into bed. This was not a good idea. So I hopped back out and tied a scarf around my head. That solved that.

The weather made it tough to get ready too. It's pouring rain with a top of 25 degrees (77 degrees for those of you that are playing along at home) which is nice and cool but with 94% humidity which means muggy as hell! 

94% humidity! Though I guess it makes sense on account of humidity is a measure of the amount of moisture in the air. And if its bucketing down rain (and I mean BUCKETING), well, I'd say that's a fair amount of moisture, wouldn't you?

While the only down side to this rain that I'm facing is having to dry my clothes inside (which, incidentally, is quite hard if it's damp inside which, hey!, it is) some others are not so lucky. Areas the size of France and Germany combined (!!) have been affected by major flooding. And it's still coming down. So please, take a moment to spare a thought for those that have been hit hard these holidays. Because warm, fuzzy thoughts make the world go round. Well that, and some sort of magnet thing.

Scarf: Jay Jays?
Dress: Cotton On
Singlet Dotti
Belt: Myer
Bangles: Cotton On and ?

Water Sports

Another birthday (wow, really 'tis the season huh?). This time it was lawn bowls at Toowong Bowls Club.

I sure could have done with the gum boots from the night before.

Sleepy Sunday face

Seriously, it rained and rained and rained and rained. Which is cool, it's my favourite kind. Perhaps not real conducive to Lawn Bowls though.

Top: Was Mum's

Skirt: Target

Leggings: Myer

Shoes: Rubi

Bag: Strandbags

Dog Day

We were supposed to go to the Dog Track last night but it got rained out. So we went to the grocery store instead. I know, it's just go, go, go around here.

We did manage to have some fun in the parking lot though.

And then made a super delicious dinner on our brand new BBQ. 

It's the last day of holidays today. I have a whole huge heap of work waiting for me on Monday morning. Back to the grind eh? On the plus side, I might start wearing something other than a skirt and t-shirt again.

Hair clip: Made by Lovers, Saints and Sailors
Dress: Macy*s
Cardigan: Witchery
Ring: Lovisa
Boots: Thrifted