NEW Designer Profile Section - Limelight

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Limelight. A section of my blog that will showcase some of the best emerging designers I have found on my travels!

You will meet the designer and gain an insight into their amazing creations. If you fall in love with their designs, support them by telling your friends or purchase one of their designs!

Girl's day out - shopping bargains, bubbly and makeovers (caught your attention?)

This event looks too good to miss. 120 leading Australian fashion designers offering up to 70% off their collections!

Plus when you need a break from the shopping, you can check out new season must-haves on the Catwalk, indulge in a manicure by essie, a new hairstyle by the gurus at ghd, a beauty makeover by Gorgeous Cosmetics, and then stop by the Tempus Two Bar to compare your purchases over a glass of wine!!!

More details http://www.fashionweekend.com.au/rhoi/index.html

Doodles

Sometimes you come across a piece of creativity that makes you stop.

I often trawl through blogs and websites trying to find something a little bit special, something that will leave me with a sense of admiration and inspiration. Rarely do you find a designer who has complete cut through so when I found Kate’s blog “Little Doodles” I thought it would be a crime not to share!

Kate’s blog, “Little Doodles” http://little-doodles.blogspot.com/ is an illustration diary of everyday events. She features a range of illustrations including posts entitled “what I wore today” which document in ink every detail of her daily ensembles.

Although, my favourite illustrations are her birds… “Sweetness” is the first word that pops to mind after seeing her designs. I can’t help but smile every time I look at them.

Some of my favourites are listed below.

I love the play with high street fashion and the quaintness of the bird illustrations.

Too cute for words....

Awwwww

The colour in the wings is so pretty and the oversized specticles make you love this little character.

Cycling – So French, So Chic

Is it just me or are old school bicycles popping up everywhere? In the last 2 weeks I’ve discovered shop windows, magazine articles and blog sites all featuring this eco friendly mode of transport.


I think the attention is well deserved. I’ve always been a lover of bike riding; the romanticism of riding a bike through a park or along the beach is enough to inspire even a couch potato to exercise.

Thanks to this love for the humble bicycle a number of high end fashion houses are making riding even more über cool.

French fashion house “Celine” is about to launch a range of bicycle friendly outfits. The range will be “classy and practical” including tank dresses, shorts and leggings. No more fabric stuck in the oily chains!
http://coolermag.com/news/-/europe/french-fashion-house-to-design-bicycle-collection.html

A basket for all your treasures - Top 3 by Deign store is stocking the Carrie basket from Stockholm company Design House. The basket has gorgeous detail and a there’s a huge bonus - it doubles as a shopping basket!
http://top3.com.au/detail.php?item_name=carrie+bike%2Fshopping+basket






The ultimate in bicycling – the Chanel bike £6,200. The Bentley of bicycles.
http://www.chanel.com/fashion/7#7-impressive-details-define-this-unique-couture-bicycle-developed-for-chanel-by-a-high-quality-manufacturer-all-spare-parts-brakes-saddle-speed-shift-system-are-made-by-leading-worldwide-specialists--8,6,5,5







Even the Sartorialist has dedicated a whole photo series of people looking chic on bikes. His beautiful images can be found at http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/search/label/Bicycles

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Free art to brighten a dust filled day

Anything with the word “Free” is guaranteed to grab my attention, so when I stumbled upon “Feed Your Soul: the free art project” it made my day

http://indiefixx.com/Feed_your_soul/about.html

The website creators wish is to share free art in the hope it will bring a smile to our face. I had a grin ear-to-ear after seeing the amazing variety of free artwork on this website.

The site also provides information about the artists and where to find more of their work (allowing you to contact the artists without the hassle of dealing with a middle man)

My favourite downloads

I love the 2 blue birds hiding amongst the green of the tree

I love the ink work in this design

This image is just beautiful.... soft and delicate. Very romantic.

Find the free downloads and info about artists @
http://indiefixx.com/Feed_your_soul/downloads.html

Summer's Stylin'

The onset of hot weather spins me into a panic because my Summer wardrobe is rather sparse and I haven’t been to the gym in weeks. To help motivate my new fitness regime and give me some direction to fill the gaps in my wardrobe I found these little numbers…..


Hot, hot, hot. I love colour - this bold yellow top is to die for.....The flouncey sleeves give this outfit great movement.

I'm a sucker for anything girly and I couldn't pass the femininity of this dress.... the soft layers are beautiful to wear in the Summer heat

I've always loved the style of Chloe Sevigny and this outfit reminds me of her.... It appeals to my inner rockstar. I would love the body suit underneath a layered ruffle skirt teamed with killer heels for a night on the town

A straw hat is on my "to buy" list... an essential for the Australian sun and a quick fix for a bad hair day!

The September Issue

Vogue magazines CFO must be thanking the makers of “The September Issue” for a spike in sales in a time when consumers are favouring Kmart over High Street fashion!

I had a girl’s night out to watch this documentary feature film that follows the day-to-day adventures of American Vogue Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour as she runs a tornado through the world of fashion.

The start of the film hooked me in with high energy music (fantastic soundtrack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtqGoHouoE0), big fashion parades and high end glamour. Six-foot models stormed their way down the cat walk as Anne Wintour and her entourage looked on to scout the outfits for the upcoming season.

It’s apparent early on that Anna Wintour is a force to be reckoned with – her razor haircut and piercing glare reduce many of her staff to a mumbling mess and she makes Meryl Streep’s character in “The Devil Wears Prada” look like a pussy cat.

It’s thanks to Creative Director Grace Coddington that we find one person in the Vogue office capable of holding their ground with the infallible Wintour. Coddington is a creative genius and Wintour knows it. I was mesmerized throughout the documentary by the beauty of Coddington’s work and the ease in which she translates her magical ideas into a successful photo shoot. http://gawker.com/5344335/how-grace-coddington-stole-the-september-issue-from-anna-wintour

Without Coddington the movie would lack depth and a human element. Her honesty about Wintour "We have a real mutual respect for each other, even though sometimes I feel like killing her.” The rawness of her character gives us something real to hold onto while Editor-at-Large, Andre Leon, plays tennis with a diamond-encrusted Piaget watch, Louis Vuitton beach towel and matching monogrammed bags. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esSJR57mKlc&feature=player_embedded

Even if you are only remotely interested in fashion I still think this movie is worth sparing 1 hour and 30 minutes of your life.

Spring Racing

The 2009 Spring Racing Carnival is just around the corner so, I’m trying to find inspiration for this years head piece. Arrowfield Stud Super Saturday on October 3rd will host this years Fashion in the Field and their are 3 categories, Best dressed female and male and best millinery to be won http://www.royalrandwick.com/carnivalandevents/events.aspx?id=40

Mondayitis

Today I’m suffering from a server case of Mondayitis.

How can you possibly enjoy starting back at work after a weekend full of sunshine and relaxation?

For me, the best medicine for Mondayitis is a fashion fix so I’ve been surfing the net to bring you some inspiring new season finds from 09/10 collections.

Melbournites Amber Hourigan and Thomas Williams have created the unique brand Amber&Thomas. Their collection of swimwear and women’s night/day wear is rock and roll with a hint of Melbourne sophistication.

http://www.site.amberandthomas.com/SpringSummerPreview/

LifewithBird – another successful Melbourne collaboration. http://www.lifewithbird.com/

ellery runway show - this is my favourite ensemble

http://www.vogue.com.au/fashion+shows/australian/australian+fashion+week+s+s+2009+10,48

Bec + Bridge - I love the flow of these pants.... I can just imagine wearing them in a cool summers breeze

http://www.vogue.com.au/fashion+shows/australian/australian+fashion+week+s+s+2009+10,48


Also don't forget that the documentary on Anna Wintour from Vogue, "The September Issue" is out now at the movies! I'm looking forward to seeing with the girls in the coming week.

http://www.theseptemberissue.com/

Save Money and the environment

Back in July I wrote a blog on Gretha Ooost and her fabulous invention, 321 Water that won the People’s Choice Award on the ABC TV’s New Inventors. At the time of writing the product was not available.

Today I bring you some great news! It is now possible to pre-order one of the first 321 Water to come off the production line by clicking on http://www.321-water.com/.

For $32.10 you can pre-order a limited edition 321 Water which will be delivered to you around March 2010. By placing your order today you can help make 321 Water a reality by becoming one of 9,999 (was 10,000 but I just pre-ordered mine!) people needed to start the production process now.

Until recently I was spending $2 x 5 days a week on bottled water, costing me over $500 a year and contributing 260 plastic bottles a year to landfill. I'm looking forward to Gretha's invention to help me reduce my impact on the environment.

Water bottles are clogging up landfill sites and their manufacture and transportation is leaving a massive carbon footprint. It takes at least 3 litres of water to make 1 litre of bottled water!

321 Water is the most stylish way to play an active part in reducing the environmental impact of bottled water. This beautifully designed, re-usable water bottle has a unique plunger mechanism so you can fill it from any tap to produce fresh, filtered water. Now you can choose to never buy bottled water again.

Unlike other filtered water bottles the 321 Water has the filter in the plunger so you can drink your water straight away and do not have to wait for it to filter.

321 Water holds just under 500ml and all materials are recyclable and parts are replaceable extending the life of the bottle.

Pre-order your 321 Water today and be one of the first to own this beautiful invention.

Master Chef

In my experience the motivation to cook a tasty meal doesn’t always come from fresh ingredients or a delectable recipe. Instead, a meal can be born from a beautifully crafted inanimate object that gives you the confidence to create something special.

Take tonight for an example…. Pondering what to cook I was found staring blankly at an open fridge for minutes on end. I then opened and shut the pantry door about 10 times in the hope some yummy ingredients would jump out and cook themselves.

And then an “aha” moment. Perched on my kitchen bench was my new stone mortar and pestle. It’s cool grey tones and solid stone structure were too beautiful to overlook so a meal was born. Bruising Cardamom seeds with Turmeric, Cumin and Coriander I had the perfect base for a curry.

So, to help create your next meal I have sourced a range of interesting, unique and well-designed kitchen objects that would inspire the inner chef in all of us!


Bowlboard - Kain Lucas for Ute Australian Design - $78
http://www.top3.com.au/detail.php?item_name=bowlboard&page=6
I would love this bowlboard.... I'm a organised cook and like a bowl for everything I cut up!

Joseph joseph index board - $98
http://www.top3.com.au/detail.php?item_name=joseph+joseph+index+board&page=6
I'm jealous of my best friends who has this board set. A designated board for chicken, veggies etc

joseph joseph nest bowls - $112.50
http://www.top3.com.au/detail.php?item_name=joseph+joseph+nest+bowls&page=8
How retro cool... everyday essentials all in the one stack! Large mixing bowl, colander, sieve, small mixing bowl, 4 measuring cups

eva solo microfibre dishcloths - $65
http://www.top3.com.au/detail.php?item_name=eva+solo+microfibre+dishcloths&page=9
For those of us who are slightly obsessive/compulsive here's a dishcloth that's worthy to put on show

eva solo garlic press - $135
http://www.top3.com.au/detail.php?item_name=eva+solo+garlic+press&page=11
A work of art!

eva solo knife magnets (set of 4) - $140
http://www.top3.com.au/detail.php?item_name=eva+solo+knife+magnets&page=12
Like a sculpture in your kitchen

meeting bedded knife set - $1210
http://www.top3.com.au/detail.php?item_name=meeting+bedded+knife+set&page=12
Ok, so this set is a little out of my price range but window shopping doesn't cost anything.

self watering planters - $60-70
http://www.top3.com.au/detail.php?item_name=self+watering+planters&page=15
I love the idea of ingredients growing in your kitchen. You can't get any fresher!

Stainless Steel Cookware – from $199
http://milkandsugar.com.au/detail.asp?cid=Royal-VKB-3-Milk-and-Sugar
Good food come from good cookwear and who could pass these stackable design

Apron + Oven Mitt - $44.90
http://milkandsugar.com.au/detail.asp?cid=Royal-VKB-5-Milk-and-Sugar
Handy

The BIGGER Glass Drying Mat
http://mmdiscoveries.com/voluminous.php
Funky spotless drying!