birthday giveaways!

Wow, I'm on fire today - couldn't help but post once more today! For I have finally found a reason to LOVE the fact that I am turning 25!!

Well, when I first met Lover Boy I was a little surprised to see his love for vouchers and signing up for deals with random companies. Don't get me wrong, I'm not shy of a voucher if it means a discount at the other end - but to see it in a boy was quite funny! Anyway, along the way we've eaten at some amazing restaurants with his voucher collection so I'm not complaining.

Since then, whenever I'm in a shop that I LOVE and they have a mailing list I sign up. In the past I would never have done this. To my surprise I'm finding out this week that it's really paying off! For in my inbox I've come across a whole heap of "Happy Birthday - here's 30% off!" emails! Today's was the best - hellllllo 30% off tony bianco!!

So I thought I'd share my top three picks - I'm totally all over the pinkish patent leather heels (I can just see them coupled with a pair of gray tights and a pastel coloured outfit - yum!). But a little boot might be cute - and the little white ones with trims are just divine!

Help me pick!

collette dinnigan's autumn-winter range

Oh my LORDY!

In my dream world, where money lines my pockets instead of lint and hankies, my wardrobe would be filled with Collette's designs. This is one rocking Aussie! Beautiful!

opening their eyes to the wonderland of white!

I had the pleasure of dining with two of my besties last night for the first time in ages! While demolishing our gnocchi we got onto some pretty serious topics: kitchen colour schemes. I was the only one really rooting for white! So I'm here today to dispel their displeasure - come on ladies, white is wonderful!xx

How massive is this last one?! AMAZING!!!!

images via Ada&Darcy, Absolutely Beatiful things, Little bits of lovely and Brabourne Farm

Traded in my car...for a coat!

We had the best ANZAC weekend - filled with lots of socialising, hanging out on the couch, cooking and, well, selling my car!

I bought my first car when I was 18 - a red 1992 ford laser. These days, living in St Kilda, there's no need for a car. I was finding I only used it for quick trips to the shops which could easily be avoided - and the rego was due and at $650 I thought it wasn't worth renewing!

That being said - I was kind of depressed when what was once my pride and joy was now only worth a measly $250 at the wreckers!

So...what did I do with the coin? I went shopping of course! For the last four years I've pulled my trusty david lawrence trench coat out of the wardrobe each winter - only this year it was looking so worn and tattered - and a size too big! So when I saw the new trench coat in store at $50 off, I couldn't resist - I traded my car for a coat!!

Be sure to check out this season's goodies @ David Lawrence!

Greek love!

ANZAC long weekend this weekend - a quiet one for us.

On Sunday evening I've invited my lovely LB to dinner - at our place! I'm throwing a romantic dinner for two, with a Greek theme! I'm in the midst of designing the menu - which is so far looking verrrrry yummy!! Off to the Prahran Markets early Sunday morning to collect all the fresh ingredients, cannot wait!

I'll be sure to post some pictures. In the meantime, this image is the basis for my inspiration:

Off to the newstand

We bought some brown pine chairs off ebay late last year which I've re-upholstered and they serve alongside a second hand pine table as our dining setting. They're not the best but we make do. When I saw that this month's Real Living mag features a DIY on an old pine table - turning it into a wonderful white setting - I knew I'd be off to the newsagent to collect myself a copy in the AM.

and the walls came tumbling down...

In less than a month I turn 25.

This wouldn't be all that bad - I have love, family, friends, health, employment, travel plans.

Except - today the only thought floating through my head is: "I don't know what I want to do with my life!?!"

Yes I have a job. But I don't necessarily like it. They have given me 7 weeks off at the end of the year to travel - hence I feel obliged to stay. But I don't even know if I like the sector I'm in! I really don't think I'm any good at it.

I'm stressing about a million things: money, house (I want to move!), money, work, life, did I mention MONEY?!

At the end of the day though I ask myself, well, what do you want to change and how do you want to change it? My answer...

I DON'T KNOW!!!!!!

I haven't felt so totally clueless in a long while. I just don't know what I want from life. I don't know. I don't know. I just DON'T KNOW.

And so my crisis continues....

Love-filled mini getaways

LB and I are toying around with the idea of escaping Melbourne for the upcoming ANZAC Day long weekend. News of this has certainly warmed my heart and lifted my mood. A few days away to rejuvinate and enjoy one another's company...bliss...

Images from tourist site, my own; and we♥it

feeling blue...

Not in the happiest of moods today. Feeling rather blue. Wish I could hit the fast forward button to 1 September when I'm sitting in Rome sipping a latte and discovering the world.

Instead, I'll let the blues consume me for a moment. Perhaps these beautiful homes can show me a better side of blue.

Images via three of my favourite blogs ada&darcy, little bits of lovely, house of turquoise

chalk it!

On another note, I was just telling LB last night that instead of buying a whiteboard for our kitchen (we're always running out of things and forgetting to pick them up at woolies), I wanted to create a chalkboard in a white frame.

Well what do you know, a handy tutorial was found at B*Spoke for me to follow:

Stay tuned! In the meantime....I must get back to work! All this blog browsing is not helping my work productiviy one iota!

PINK!

Well. We already knew that. After all, pink is the colour of my dreams!

But then I discovered Nicole's AMAZING Making it Lovely blog! Her style is so good - a little more retro than what I go for, but still - WOW. Plus, she's one thing I will never be: super organised. If you saw my bedroom floor you'd know what I mean :)

Isn't her home preeeeetttttyyyyy?????

pretty pretty, oh so pretty!!

I've been browsing some of the most delicious blogs this evening! I'm becoming addicted to design blogs. I wish I had the talent to do this to my own home one day! That is...when I buy a home!

A few pics via one of my new favourites, pink wallpaper:

LOVE!!!

Walk in work stations

I fell in love with this image when browsing Apartment Therapy today. It was originally found here at country living. I think it's absolutely adorable! In my mind a work space should be a private little sanctuary where your own creativity can flow - to me this is perfect. A cute little space that you can shut off from the world and keep all your ideas secret until you're ready to open them to the world!

Living in a small apartment I'm loving some of the ideas found at Apartment Therapy. It's amazing what can be done with such small spaces!!! I'm SO going to do this to a room in my house one day!!

Lamp shade makeover

This weekend was a quiet one. LB and I decided to drop by Salvos to see what goodies I could find to create a weekend craft project.

I came across a pair of oldschool lamps sitting by the window. With granny blue fur style shades, and dirty cream white paint, they sure needed a makeover! I got to work with some sandpaper and gave them a good sand back. Then stopped by Bunnings to collect a small tin of white paint. I gave them a fresh coat, then headed out on date night with LB. Mmmm, cocktails! (pic below!)

Sunday morning I gave the lamps a second coat of paint, then dropped by Spotlight to choose some fabric! Ohhhh! There were so many designs I fell in love with!! I cannot wait to get a sewing machine and start getting really creative. But for now - armed with a trusty hot glue gun - I finished my mini weekend project. And the result?? I'll let you decide!

Well that was a weekend well spent!

It's thirsty work DIY'ing!

Mmmm...Parisio Bliss!

...frolicking in the flowers!

This year I was lucky enough to score the part of playing photographer for Flowers Victoria at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. Now, don't be fooled - I know nothing about photography! But with very limited resources my company prefers to use its Public Affairs team instead of hiring a professional. So as well as doing the PR for the Show, I went along to the cocktail function and took lots of pretty pictures of all the pretty flowers!

Like the one I've used in my new header!

And here are some more of my favourites:

All of those crates were filled to the brim with gorgeous cut flowers! There were row after row of crates throughout the Growers Avenue!

Roses are by far my favourite!

Amazing tulips!

Victorian cut flower growers produce some of the finest flowers in the world! So heads up - next time you're down at the local market, be sure to watch out for the locally produced goods and back a Victorian farmer! :)

...the latest 6 week challenge: Mayday Mayday!

As I've mentioned, I belong to a group of fat fighting, inspirational women who take part in 6 week challenges to motivate one another towards reaching our fitness goals.

Our last challenge was the 'Hot X Buns' challenge - out to get hot and sexy buns by easter! With Easter having passed, the group begins its next challenge tomorrow: the Mayday Mayday! challenge - counting down till mid May. This works perfectly for me, as I also have my 25th birthday falling on 7 May which I'd love to be well on my way to goal for.

I'm really looking forward to this challenge! I've bought a pump set from Rebel Sport and my darling LB has downloaded some Les Mills Pump DVDs. I've also started walking home from work again. This whole year I have found it difficult to stick to the plan that I was acing up until Christmas. Hopefully now that Easter is out of the way and my impending 25th rapidly approaches I will reaquaint myself with my friend Motivation!