Triple Cee

Country road trippers

2011-12-28T18:49:00.001-08:00

I'm loving the photos The Beaufort 8 Group is putting on her Tumblr site from her road trip around country Victoria.

Light fantastic

2011-12-12T03:20:00.000-08:00

Oh my.
There's more. Click here if you can deal with the seriously worrying levels of envy this Greek house will no doubt induce. Sigh.

Buckle up and bead it!

2011-12-12T03:00:00.000-08:00

This new piece took some time in the thinking before it got to the all-important making stage.
I loved the coral plastic beads, but the vintage collection just ran short of a generous necklace full. So, I had to improvise. Importantly my improvisation material had to work (that's the hardest pat of this business - finding bits that work together).
The diamante circle was always in the mix, but the plastic turquoise buckle, the ivory bakelite buckle and the mini diamante ring were late entrants that made an outstanding play for inclusion.
With a twist, the necklace can now transform from a slightly casual colourful piece (plastic and bakelite buckles at the front), or all-out glam piece (with the big round sparkler front and centre). Genius! I'm happy with the outcome.

Ashes to ashes

2011-12-10T20:06:00.001-08:00

While it threw lots of people's travel plans into chaos, the Ash cloud made for some beautifully coloured night skies. These shots were captured as the sun rose and set over and around Burnie.

Click to switch & ditch the habit of a lifetime

2011-12-10T19:46:00.001-08:00

With a library full of magazines piled up around my house, I've been forced to take another look at my periodical buying habit. And, with the full moon eclipse and end of Mercury retrograde signalling the start of a new period, it's out with the old, in with the new. If Beaufort 8 Group can chuck a heap of old mags, so can I. So, this is my new modus operandi: online magazines. Rue, Lonny et al. Thank you for inventing yourselves and helping me to declutter my life.
The first three images are of Rue art director and Designlovefest blogger Bri Emery's new loft (glad I'm not the only crazy person who has a colour-coordinated closet).

And I love this mid-century modern shoot from the "holiday" issue of Rue.

Get it India

2011-12-09T20:44:00.001-08:00

I love the Wes Anderson film The Darjeeling Limited. The director's '70s-influenced photography style is charming and the romantic version of India the film presents is hypnotic.

Planet of attack

2011-11-27T01:31:00.001-08:00

This post about the effects of Mercury retrograde (and this image) is from Gala Darling - I've referenced the New Zealander who now live in New York before. Anyhoo, I adhere to the belief that Mercury going backwards tends to stuff things up or more positively present another chance to have a go at something. I don't buy big items, expensive things, book unchangeable flights or sign contracts during Mercury retrograde. If I can't get out of doing any of the aforementioned, I anticipate things are going to change or break for a perfectly good reason.

Glasses not half cool

2011-11-26T02:43:00.001-08:00

I have news specs after a looooong search. Not surprisingly they are secondhand (I imagine they belonged to some straight-up clerk-type gent from the '60s or '70s), and from Melbourne. I bought a cool pair of heavy-rimmed frames from the same store, The Melbourne Optical Centre, in the mid-late '90s. The Elizabeth St business has stocked vintage frames for a long time and has done quite a bit of business with me and my siblings over the years.My other new pair (also from Melbourne, but a different store), are great but they pinch my nose. I do like them so, though.

Nothing finer than Gills Diner

2011-11-26T02:08:00.001-08:00

Gills Diner (here's a review from hip website and sometimes actual broadsheet Broadsheet), is tucked away in one of Melbourne's much-lauded laneways. The multi-level cafe/bakery/bistro was pretty busy the day The Beaufort 8 Group and I visited. It appears to have had a fairly minimal fit-out to transform the former warehouse into the sleek, minimally industrial space that it now is.I especially loved the tiles and steel-framed windows that created more spaces within the large, high-ceilinged space.The food was lovely (look at my nicoise salad's perfectly soft-boiled egg!), well priced and the service was excellent.

House of style

2011-11-19T17:26:00.001-08:00

They don't come much better than this mid-century modern beauty. And right here in Tassie!This Devonport home was up for auction yesterday, but was passed in at the mid $400s. While I didn't intend to buy, I love this style of architecture and couldn't help but take a sneak peek.But more importantly, if I had a spare half million to spend, would I buy a house in Devonport? I don't think so.But if you do, its with Harcourts. I think...

Window dressing

2011-11-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

Although I'd planned to hang sheer white drapes in my giant hallway window, I came across some lovely ivory taffetta that was as cheap as chips. As I needed 7 metres of the stuff I was sold!
Plus the ribbon I used to trim the edges was not cheap. I'm happy with the outcome, especially the two differnt lengths.
And the taffeta is nice and crinkly, plus it makes a lovely swooshy sound as the wind blows through the windows. I've trimmed both edges of the curtains with ribbon now.

Root of the matter...

2011-10-29T17:07:00.000-07:00

I've only dyed my hair lighter off and on in more recent years. A couple of disasters in my formative years kept me away from peroxide.
But, when paid for and done by a professional, I still left the salon a bit bemused and not entirely happy. Two to three months later, as my dark blonde roots began to show through, I was happy with my 'do.
You see, I don't like my hair too done, too neat or too blonde near my face. I L O V E regrowth.
So, now, if I do anything at all, I get the balayage...as does everyone else it seems.
The Sartorialist has captured two of my favourite looks together: regrowth hair and racerback singlets - it's a look!

Me with good regrowth and a singlet! With Beaufort 8 Group

These two images also courtesy of The Sartorialist.

Model home

2011-10-21T04:44:00.000-07:00

The most recent Tale from Natalie Joos is simply divine. Model Erin O'Connor invites the super stylist into her London pad and (as usual) we all get a sneak peek. There are so many things I love about Erin's house - the girl sure has style, but I think I'm most envious of the tri-coloured '50s lamp. Divine.

See the whole post, and plenty more from Ms Joos, here.

How gorgeous is this whimsical bedhead?

If I had straight, black hair, this is exactly how I'd wear it.

Oooh, I love this lamp!

Night and deities

2011-10-19T02:58:00.000-07:00

I'm having an Indian moment. Well, it's not exactly a moment. Oh, the colours! As fashion legend and former Harpers Bazaar fashion Editor Diana Vreeland once famously said, "pink is the navy blue of India". Going there...

I found this glorious image of the lovely Ganesh here.

Krishna

Image of Brahma from here.

Lakshmi (above right) image from here Image of gayatri mata (above left) from here.

Black glamour

2011-10-10T02:44:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love "aha" moments!
I just had one when I saw this glamorous painted-black stairwell. I've been mulling over what to do with mine for so long...
It is super expensive to have them polished, and I think it would be a waste of time and money; the traffic up and down them would soon wear the polish off, but paint, paint is a different matter, especially glossy black paint. Paired with one of these wallpapers and a '70s-style light fitting, like the one below. Glamourama!

Image courtesy of Nueveo Estilo, via The Glamourai.

Image courtesy of this site.

Tales to inspire

2011-10-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

Fashion stylist Natalie Joos' blog Tales of Endearment either makes me want to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe of fabulous vintage clothes, pick up my camera and start taking better photos, or jump on a plane and move to Paris or New York. Read: she's an inspiration.
This post is especially beautiful. Yes, Paris, I also love you too.

And what about the Zac Posen Z-Spoke dress below!? F A B U L O U S! J'taime indeed.

A thousand wise words

2011-10-06T01:24:00.000-07:00

These are some wise words from writer Penny Modra:

...there’s a secret part of the day called “7.30am to 9am” when you can get most of your work done! It’s radical. I write in 25 minute bursts using the timer app on my phone, which ticks every second and reminds me not to check my email. I think the secret to getting things done is taking at least two long breaks from email – and from the people around you – during the day and actually, you know, doing some work. The problem is, the email saps your mojo. Sucks it right out through your fingertips. So I replace my mojo with the counterfeit highs of nicotine and caffeine.

Wise words indeed, huh? I'm going to subscribe to her wisdom. I found them as part of an interview she did with The Design Files.

Penny Modra writes for The Age and works at Right Angle - the people who brought us Three Thousand, Two Thousand and several other Australian capital cities' postcodes.

Is Not Magazine – a collaboration between Jeremy Wortsman, Stuart Geddes, Penny Modra, Mel Campbell and Natasha Ludowyk. Is Not was awarded a Premier’s Design Award in 2006.

Etro, spring/summer 2012

2011-10-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

Etro placed lovely patterned cushions for comfortable bums on seats at its Milan show late last month. the glamourai snapped the image.

Like those lovely cushions, Etro traditionally uses incredible fabrics in its collections, so I thought I'd take a look at what it has planned for European S/S 2012.

Oh, that black, tangerine, lilac and white floor-sweeping frock. I L O O O V E it...

Lilac and turquoise are such a fabulous combination. The Art Deco details are divine too.
All Etro SS 2010 images from Style.com. The one-shouldered long, black frock is from Etro's SS 2010 collection.

Paint it black

2011-10-02T17:06:00.001-07:00

An influential image from the sadly no longer in existence Domino Magazine :(
When I saw the charcoal walls in US brand J Crew designer/director Jenna Lyons' bedroom, I was convinced to do the same in mine.

The pic on the left is of the feature wall I plan to paint charcoal, and the rest of the room's walls are going to be de-sueded (Ugh, suede effect), painted the perfect shade of white (it's Dulux's Fair Bianca half. Avoid Antique White at all costs, I used it downstairs and regret it), and the picture rails and window trim will get a gloss white finish also. I've decided to go with Dulux's Nightsky black. It's lovely.

This room gets plenty of light, so a black wall is not an issue. On the other hand, dealing with the suede effect...ugh...

The walls are painted white, I'm layering up glossy white picture rails, and window frames, the skirting boards are next, then the black feature wall. I'm excited!

Vintage finds, east of the border

2011-10-02T15:31:00.000-07:00

The Cool Room, full of mid-century modern and industrial goodness, is just off Balaclava Rd, in East St Kilda. It's a little hard to find, unless you know where you are going.

Ty one on

2011-09-20T04:08:00.000-07:00

Ty Ty Vietnamese restaurant was an early haunt of mine and my sisters, and doesn't seem to hac changed since the '90s.
There are better Vietnamese restaurants, but its kitsch-tastically authentic. And I love that it is upstairs off Victoria St.

More Melbourne moments

2011-09-20T03:08:00.000-07:00

Window display at Miu Miu.

Love this apartment building in St Kilda. I've walked past it countless times.

And Luna Park, of course( does that face/place take a bad photo?), and the Palais - oh, the memories...

Kammtastic

2011-09-13T03:04:00.000-07:00

Ooh, yes, I do like this fashion label. Sadly, I don't think one can buy Jesse Kamm in Australia and it doesn't appear to have e-commerce on the site.

I love this pants style for summer and always a sucker for the right shade of yellow.

Lovely, luxe ladies lunch

2011-09-12T04:37:00.000-07:00

The sister restaurant to St Kilda's Cicciolina, has taken up residence in this beautiful modernist building in East St Kilda. Ilona Staller (smarty pantses will know Italian porn star/politician Cicciolina's name is Ilona Staller) is a lovely casual, but classy bistro on Balaclava Rd. The Beaufort 8 Group and I dined there recently. I loved its '70s luxe interior, that balances precariously (for some) on the precipice of good and bad taste. I wanted to move in.

Food wasn't bad either.

A flare for fashion

2011-09-08T03:58:00.000-07:00

Who loves flares!? I love flares and middle-parted hair(s)!

Playing favourites

2011-09-07T02:52:00.000-07:00

Think I've found another new favourite blog - the hilariously named The Man Repeller (ladies you know what Leandra's talkin' 'bout, right? ...jumpsuits, socks with heels, edgy threads and all the stuff we love but men hate. Ha!) Anyhoo, the NY native has style and she's dead-set hilarious too; her tales are as funny as her outfits are cool.

Back in black

2011-09-05T22:09:00.001-07:00

When I was a youngster I loved black. It was rock and roll, cool and grown up. I even recall wearing a chic 1940s or '50s collarless wool crepe coat when I was about 13 that I loved and thought I was shit hot in - little weirdo. In my mid 20s I swung in the other direction and everything I wore was colourful. Colour, colur and more colour. Now, I'm back in black, not all the time, but the non colour makes for some real black beauty.Images are from (from top to bottom) The Sartorialist, SF Girl By Bay, The Selby and Emmas DesignBlogg.

A bevy of beauties

2011-09-05T04:32:00.000-07:00

1960s actress glamour, rock chick model chic or mohawked avant garde cool? Beautiful all of them, no?

Raquel Welch and interior composite image from Sf Girl By Bay.

Mario Testino photo of Kate Moss and Jamie Hince, from US Vogue, but found here.

Anakim from Tales of Endearment.

Wallpaper trail

2011-08-28T03:44:00.000-07:00

My wallpaper search has led me to Eurowalls and I'm happy (and surprised) to say I like what I've found! Not surprisingly those that have caught my eye are geometric '70s style patterns with curves and repetition. I'm soooo predictable, but I know what I like.

Red alert

2011-08-26T22:51:00.000-07:00

Wow, a whole week without a single blog post; busy is an understatement.
Right now I'm in the middle of creating a necklace. I'm using vintage plastic coral red beads and an ivory-coloured '70s interpretation of Art Deco buckle, I'm thinking of throwing a large circular diamante scarf clasp into the mix, but don't want to make it all too busy. While I'm deciding what to do, these pics represent where my jewellery-making head is at.

SF Girl By Bay.

Closet Visit.

SF Girl By Bay.

Who's a-Warey of the '70s?

2011-08-21T05:10:00.000-07:00

I completely love this room and have been attempting to recreate it in some form or another since I first stumbled upon Wary Meyers a couple of years ago.

The interior design duo's aesthetic is firmly placed in the early 1970s, something else firmly placed is the pair's tongues in their cheeks; humour and whimsy can be found in most of their rooms.

The pair's blog is also fabulous fun. It's scattered with Youtube clips, reproduced pages from old books and magazines and the most obscure images (where do they source them from !?). These photos of Clint Eastwood sporting smashing kntiwear and a lovely lady are from an old Playboy magazine. Wasn't he just divine...anyhoo...Wary Meyers, check them out.

Dressed to impress

2011-08-19T03:14:00.000-07:00

Anaessia is quite the confection, isn't it. The store literally shimmers, like a sparkling 1950s diamante necklace, on the first floor of the modernist jewel box that is Melbourne's lovely, former GPO building. The one-off Anaessia creations are simply divine and are worth saving up for for a super special occasion.

Manhattan about town

2011-08-18T04:40:00.000-07:00

In addition to posting about his apartment, design and various vintage finds, Daniel, the young New Yorker behind Manhattan Nest, writes exceptionally funny copy (read Frack hack for example).
He shares my love of Ikea's Frack mirror, but he's done something ultra clever with it here.
He's also swayed my thoughts on the Eames lounge chair and ottoman. I've never really been a fan (black leather and stripey wood veneer - ugh!), and never understood all the fawning, that is until I saw the ivory version below.

While we're looking at lovely images, here are some more, and some early inspiration for my imminent stairwell revamp. At this stage I'm firrmly in the '70s with feature pendant lights and wallpaper the most outstanding contenders for the space.

Frack light and Eames lounge chair and ottoman photos from Manhattan Nest, the rest are courtesy of Emmas Design Blogg.

Inspiring words

2011-08-17T04:48:00.001-07:00

You become what you do. So you just do. You fake it in the early stages.

You copy and emulate and feel like a fraud for a while.

By pretending, role-playing, you absorb and build up muscle.

Floor-to-ceiling dreaming

2011-08-17T02:49:00.000-07:00

Ooh, wouldn't a floor-to-ceiling wall of shoes be lovely. Or a glass-fronted armoire with or without shoes. And while we're daydreaming a double-height rail for all your understated-chic garb to go with your uber-chic European style apartment. All images from Emma's Design Blogg.

Bow wow wowie

2011-08-15T04:28:00.000-07:00

I was pretty young when I first developed a crush on David Bowie.
I liked his look first, I suppose, and grew to love his music as I got a bit older (my big sisters' musical tastes helped shape mine).
His early '80s Let's Dance was my first album/tape, but it's his '70s recordings I really love now.
He was a beautiful young man, and he makes a very respectable fashion icon - I regularly go for a Bowie-esque look. Somewhat narcissistically, I can see a bit of my own big-eyed, big-nosed face in Bowie's. Sheesh, a rather worrying realisation.
...and...I'll die happy knowing I've seen him perform live. It took me until 2004, when I saw him in Sydney, with two of my favourite people of all time.

Unreal estate

2011-08-14T03:16:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm ready to move in, now, where's the keys?
What about this house!? Check out more at Emmas Design Blogg. It's actually for sale, but it'd mean a move to the northern hemisphere...

History repeated

2011-08-12T04:02:00.000-07:00

The Department of History, in Thornbury, was quite the discovery. Cool as ice, but the prices were ever so slightly steep. On the shop's fashion racks, a '70s polyester kaftan - not unlike this beauty I picked up for $25, was 10 times the price! Yup, '70s is the new sought-after vintage, mostly because everything else is gone.
Not to worry, the uber-cool store served as both fashion and interior inspiration and gave an indication of what is hot, what is getting hotter and how much some people will pay for secondhand finds.

More marvellous Melbourne

2011-08-12T02:54:00.000-07:00

Ganesh in Flinders Lane; large, colourful and removing obstacles.

Bikes are many Melburnians' mode-of-transport of choice, as the wheels lined up outside Journal Canteen attest. For late lunch I downed a delicious tomato and basil bruschetta at my little round window table for one.

Craft Victoria is a fabulous gallery and retail space that elevates and shines a light on Melbourne's many many makers. So much great jewellery, knitwear, books and more.

ChinChin is reasonably new, but was full whenever I walked past it. From the outside (why didn't I go in!?), it appears similar to a vast, but kind of sparsely industrial Parisian bistro. Cumulus Inc, a favourite, is always busy, but not the outside tables on this particular cold Melbourne day.

Northcote tales

2011-08-09T05:35:00.000-07:00

The cool kids are heading north, or they've already left...depends on who you're talking to, I suppose. Either way Northcote is a lovely destination if you're cool or not. Beaufort 8 Group and I headed there to check the scene, do some shopping and eat some snacks. The Estelle was our chosen food venue, and I'm glad we went - it was lovely and our waiter was a treat.
High St boasts lots of good vintage shops and cool spotting. We both felt our Northcote trip was made complete when we spotted Dan Luscombe who the Beaufort 8 Group declared was the unofficial mayor of Northcote. Cool? Yes.

Food and coffee at The Estelle...

Another great coffee in beautiful crockery.

Goats cheese and beetroot salad. Yum.

Potato tortilla with salad and some kind of jamon.

How much is that groovy in the window?

2011-08-08T02:47:00.000-07:00

Yup, it's another simply fantastic vintage shop in Melbourne. Can there be too many? Nope.
Global Objects & Retro is in Albert Park, and while it wasn't open on the Saturday we stopped by (probably for the best, really), its big windows full of mid-century retro boasted plenty of groovy goodness. Hmmm...looks a hell of a lot like a home I know.

That Mother In Law's Tongue is so 1970s! I love it and I actually have a plant on order.

Wardrobe wander: ciao, bella!

2011-08-07T04:13:00.000-07:00

Here she is! Thank you for patiently waiting for my second Wardrobe Wander installment.
I'm sure you'll agree, sharing a few moments with beautiful Bianca Loiacono was worth the wait.
A style plate in her own right, Bianca also focuses her well-trained vintage collecting eye on pieces for Birdy Popcorn, a cool collection of kids wear and vintage lifestyle pieces Bianca and her friend Emma curate through their website and sporadic pop-up shops (keep your eye on their website for the next pop-up).
Wilf, Bianca and her partner Michael's little boy (and my nephew!), is pint-sized inspiration for his cool mum (as his his buddy - Emma's fashionable Frankie) and Bianca and Wilf make a stylish duo around the streets of Melbourne.
Bianca has also left her cool and quirky touch on her's and Michael's home. But it's the kitchen which is truly Bianca's domain - she's a domestic goddess who regularly pumps out healthy, tasty treats for her boys all the while looking effortlessly chic and down-to-earth beautiful.
Thanks Bianca.

Bianca wearing one of her favourites - a silk '70s floor sweeper. Bellisimo!

Retro fabrics bursting with colour and pattern.

Bianca sports her mum's gorgeous vintage late '60s leather and fur coat. Lucky girl.

Another beautiful '70s frock and she wears it well!

This little piggy...was pretty happy with himself!

Fabulous industrial-style storage.

And in this suitcase...

Even Wilf's room gets the eclectic style touch. He loves his room.

A selection of fabulous Birdy Popcorn finds for kids.

Play-doh time.

Bianca sports a pair of overalls like nobody's business. Tell it like it is, Wilfy!

Parlez vous Francais?

2011-08-05T06:28:00.000-07:00

I can't read French (well with any kind of proper ability, at least), but it appears these photos are from a collection, on Paris Vogue's website, of fashion identities' interiors.

Images from Paris Vogue. Nice, huh?

Could I do this? Orchid I do that?

2011-08-04T01:55:00.000-07:00

While the flowers are divine, I'm rather inspired by Kelly Wearstler's ON SOM BLA. She's a stylish chica, that Kelly.

The case for minimalism

2011-08-02T03:04:00.000-07:00

There's not much to say really...except maybe "DECLUTTER, CATHERINE!"

Images courtesy of my go-to girl SF Girl By Bay.

Vintage vaunt

2011-07-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

A long-overdue follow-up Wardrobe Wander with the lovely Bianca Loiacono is on its way.Bianca has a fabulous collection of vintage frocks, as well as lots of cool retro stuff for little people.

Blonde love

2011-07-25T03:58:00.000-07:00

Oh, Marilyn. So beautiful.

Image courtesy of The Independent

This image from here.
I found both images at one of my favourite blogs SF Girl By Bay.

Bathing beauty

2011-07-19T02:53:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time coming, but I have a new bathroom.
It's almost complete, but to an unsuspecting eye, it looks done!
It seems like that peculiar mix of "only yesterday and ages ago" when I was at this stage of the renovation.

I'm so glad I asked for the little recess/shelf in the wall. Tiling it was hard, but worth it.

The gorgeous '50s green ceramic pedestal basin has been kicking around for about two and a half years. I picked it up for a bargain with this renovation in mind; it's the perfect "one accent colour" I was after for my all-white bathroom. It's elegant and has a large, wide surround for sitting bits and pieces on and most importantly, because it's not boxed in and built in it's easy to clean all the way around.

The little vintage mirror above the handbasin and the large mirror on the opposite wall "mirror" each others curvaceous shape. It's the little things.

The oval ceiling-mounted chrome shower-curtain rail, from Period Details , was the most expensive element in my renovation! Seriously. It was even more expensive than the bath, the tiles and the chrome trombone shower/bath set. Unbelievable.

The light fantastic

2011-07-18T04:25:00.000-07:00

I have a lamp and lightshde obsession.
There, I've admitted it.
But surely you can see why? The curvaceous, linear shapes of many lightshades are too lovely to hide, so I haven't. I've just embellished them with some of my many, many beads.
I think this one has a bit of a Swedish feel with all that wood.

If you are interested in something similar shoot me an email here, message me on Facebook, or leave a comment below.

In the home-made spray booth.

Watching paint dry...

New York dolls

2011-07-16T01:32:00.000-07:00

Tales of Endearment comes through with the goods again. Natalie Joos has certainly got that certain je nais se quois. This would have to be my favourite shoot so far. Doesn't it make you just want to head to New York and hang out with these girls?!

Vintage road trippin'

2011-07-15T03:20:00.000-07:00

I have so many photos, and I'm going to do the next few blog posts in chronological order.
First up, the op-shopping road trip to Launceston.
ALL STOPS TO LAUNCESTON! ALL ABOARD!
I simply cannot give away our locations, but we all did rather well.

The trip also meant a return trip to Fresh. And a snoop around the other rooms (I wondered why this groovy space with great food and great coffee was so empty, on a Saturday morning, the last time I visited - well it wasn't! The rest of the patrons were in the other rooms!).

Fresh's interior boasts kitsch, '70s style - I love it. I want those chairs!

How about the giant Tretchikov print on the wall?! And the tub chairs.

Another room! Yes, I really had no idea what was going on last time I was there . Great mosaic-effect wallpaper.

Blackalicious and chandeliercious...?

Good-looking lights.

Whoever did the interior design here has some good style goin' on.

Simple and effective.

And now for the food...

The infamous share plate (did I mention Fresh is vego?)

Quinoa with a smoked paprika spicy tomato and vegetable combination...

Big couscous with black-eyed beans.

All done. Thanks, Fresh. Seeya next time...

Holiday load

2011-07-11T23:32:00.000-07:00

I'm back from five fabulous days in Melbourne; my old stomping ground.
My luggage is a little heavier, so that means making room in my wardrobe.
I bought a few pieces in the sales but also scored some secondhand goodness.
I have a new-found respect and appreciation for vintage (although, I don't think I ever really lost it) after flitting through Melbourne's pre-loved outlets.
On the one hand: some of the prices a variety of secondhand shop owners were asking, for polyester and nylon '70s dresses, was unbelievable and on the other: the cheaper op-shops have been well and truly picked over - the $200+ '70s dresses now made some kind of absurd sense - this is the new "vintage", all the proper vintage (pre-1970s, even '60s for the purists) is hanging in wardrobes.
Luckily Tasmania still has the goods - I just picked up a good selection of bits and pieces on the way home from the airport.
But a girl can't keep it all...watch this space for news of a mega-vintage sale in the not-too-distant future.

Speaking of wardrobes, Caroline Stridfeldt's, found at Swedish blogger Elin Kling's site Style by Kling, is particularly chic, and sooo organised! I need to try harder in the organisation department.
Oh, and still speaking of wardrobes, a new Wardrobe Wander is imminent. Birdy Popcorn 's beautiful, stylish, lovely and talented Bianca Loiacono opened up her home and wardrobe for me while I was in Melbourne.

Warehouse the love

2011-07-09T15:46:00.000-07:00

I'm scouting around in Melbourne, gathering images and stories for Triplecee.blogspot.com, but you're going to have to wait a few more days. Sorry.
Until then, thought I'd share a few warehouse images from emmas designblogg.
I've always wanted to live in a warehouse; I think it's the endless spaces, high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows that I love, but primarily I'd love to live right in the middle of a city, where many of the old, character-filled warehouses are.
There are more great images over at her site but these two are my favourites.

Sooner rather than letter

2011-07-05T06:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, I too - like Bri from Design Lovefest - would do almost anything to get my hands on an original sign letter like these she posted on her site.

I caught a dream catcher

2011-07-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

In my yesteryear world, dream catchers were the butt of jokes.
The height of poor taste, the spider-webby, feather-strewn, woven-like objects were something to be laughed at in interior decor.
But now, like many of us have do to often in our lives, I have to eat my words.
I bought one yesterday and I LOVE it.

Wardrobe Wander: girls day out

2011-06-29T03:17:00.000-07:00

After turning off the highway and winding up a road edged with typical Tasmanian bush, I arrive at Lisa Kreemers' house.
Her home is tucked away in a private bush enclave.
On a wet Sunday, I'm greeted by the statuesque art teacher and mum to Isabella, Inez and Isla.
Today, Lisa's husband is keeping a low profile; it's a girly day and their "I girls" are a captive audience to the fashion and photography that is about to unfold.
After a welcome cup of coffee, we all scurry upstairs to raid Lisa's wardrobe.
Lisa is an online shopping queen and avid bargain hunter, and from her wardrobe she pulls out frock after frock, hats, animal-print pieces, shoes and bags that she has scored online and secondhand.
Big names - Marc Jacobs, Pucci and Diane Von Furstenburg - hang alongside Asos pieces, colourful kimonos, a gorgeous royal blue velvet vintage opera coat and lots of leopard; the girl LOVES leopard.
Jewellery sits in colourful piles and hangs grouped together.
Lisa also makes her own lovely felt pieces under the name The I Girls.
Not surprisingly, the I girls were also keen to get among the action.
Tiaras were donned and little feet clomped around in mum's high heels and Lisa's bags were swinging from tiny arms.
While they've got quite a few more years of tearing around in crazy self-styled mismatched outfits, Isabella, Inez and Isla have got a great wardrobe full of stylish pieces to look forward to stepping into. If they're lucky, they might just inherit their mum's great laugh too.

The vintage opera coat and Lisa's new Peep Toe heels, which turned her already tall frame Amazonian. Fabulous!

Inez helping her mum work out what to wear. Inez lurves fashion.

Asos leopard frock. I loved it and plan to jump online to buy the same!

Leopard bag from London.

Lisa paired her much-loved Tony Mora cowboy boots with her Our Lady of Guadalupe skirt.

The Marilyn print is by Phil Hayes.

Isla is drawn to an animal-print Glomesh bag - naturally!

Love these vintage Gucci-esque heels.

Handmade felt necklaces from Lisa's The I Girls.

Pucci makes everyone smile.

All Matchbox Cars should have glamorous animal-print roads to drive on.

Divine Art Deco drinks trolley. Love the original green bakelite wheels. Style extends beyond Lisa's wardrobe and throughout her home.

Isla, Isabella and Inez.

Lisa picked up the Snelling chair, which she had an upholster add webbing to, for an absolute bargain.

What's this!?

2011-06-28T05:30:00.000-07:00

Lisa Kreemers kicks off Triple Cee's debut Wardrobe Wanders.
I'll uploaded tomorrow. Promise x

Lisa and Isla. Cute.

Big-ticket items!

2011-06-25T00:40:00.000-07:00

I put $50 on the dresser I had my eye on, which I posted on Thursday.
I might even do a trade with the seller; I have some cool stuff that I increasingly don't really have room for. Next up: a new TV and a new couch.

I'm rather taken by this piece from Oz Design Furniture.

And while on the topic of couches and sofas, I thought I'd throw in this image (from Apartment Therapy)...I love velvet sofas, but with my menagerie, it'd get wrecked pretty quickly!

Captain of industry

2011-06-24T01:34:00.000-07:00

I have a lovely weekend planned, starting with dinner tonight.
I plan to check out one of my favourite secondhand stores tomorrow, plus i'll do some garage sailing and I'll keep my eye out for some good industrial goodies a la these two photos from Apartment Therapy (my go-to site of late).

On Sunday, my debut Wardrobe Wander is going to happen - yip yip! Thanks to Jeana Sohn and Natalie Joos for the inspiration.
Watch this space...

Camille Cregan Closet Visit.

Erin Featherston for Tales of Endearment.

Dresser to impress

2011-06-23T04:04:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across a lovely dresser on the weekend.
It needed a bit of work (nothing major), so I passed it up.
Now, I can't stop thinking about it.
It's the right height, it has lovely mid-century modern lines and had 4 or 5 shallow drawers (too deep drawers lead to mess and a Bermuda Triangle-effect on clothes - believe me).

This lovely legged side table, from Apartment Therapy reminds me of the piece I plan to purchase this weekend - if it's still at the shop :/

A re-Freshing road trip

2011-06-19T21:02:00.000-07:00

Fresh is a little piece of Melbourne-style cool right in the middle of Launceston. I had two great Genovese coffees there on Saturday morning along with couscous porridge (I know, it sounds awful, but it was delicious), with bananas, dates, almonds and coconut milk.

Thank God they've left the lovely tiles and other original shopfront trimmings.

I love this sign. Fresh shares the street with the Tasmanian Greens office. Maybe they have a problem with some of the political party's supporters?

Lots of laminex and retro furnishings makes me happy. And Grace Jones on the sound system made my day.

All the while, the Jag sat patiently glistening in the morning sun for my return and safe passage back to the Coast. But not before a quick trip to Bunnings and the fabulous Kings Meadows City Mission where I stocked up on secondhand toys and bits and pieces for jewellery. Yay!
Thanks Jag. I'll wash you.

Change of address

2011-06-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite blog sites has a new and good-looking home.
Fashion stylist extraordinaire Natalie Joos' Tales of Endearment has left blogland and moved to webland.
She seems to have access to some of the most stylish women and their fabulous wardrobes - lucky girl - and with a camera (and her good eye) invites us to take a peek inside too. Fabulous fun.

Here's a photo of Natalie (taken from her site), in a fabulous vintage '60s frock, arriving at the launch party of her new website.

This is the address of her old site.

Which holds the archive of her original shoots, such as this cool collection of Poppy Delevingne.

It's on the table

2011-06-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

I've had this late-'60s-esque colourful floral ceramic serving platter stashed in my kitchen cupboard fof a couple of years.
It's now on display and doing double duty as a coffee table hold it all for candles, flowers and things I like to look at.

All you need is flares

2011-06-09T04:17:00.000-07:00

I love flares.
Always have.
Always will.
Well, there was one moment around 1985, during a holiday stay, when I distinctly recall having no other option but to wear a pair of purple corduroy flares that belonged to my cousin, and not being very happy about having to wear said flares. Wish I had a pair of purple corduroy flares now.

All images courtesy of I Love Wildfox.

The writing is on the wall

2011-06-08T03:14:00.000-07:00

A kitchen seems to be the natural habitat for a blackboard wall.
My kitchen doesn't have enough expansive wall space that will suit, plus, being at the southern end of my house, it's not the sunniest of places (except for a rather gloriously sunny few minutes around 3pm-ish in summer).
But a studio or office would also be a good place for a blackboard painted wall. Unlike the kitchen, that's doable.

This photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy.

The light time

2011-06-07T02:45:00.000-07:00

It's 12.57. Time for a lit up letter S!

Photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy.

The tooth, the whole tooth and nuthin' but the tooth

2011-06-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

A missing tooth or two are strangely appealing, but society mostly dictates that teeth ought to be straight, white, even and without missing neighbours.

This still from Jeana Sohn's debut Closet Visits film, is proof positive of the gap-mouthed look's appeal!

On a high note

2011-06-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

High ceilings are just the bomb, aren't they!
I read a great tip this week (from Kelly Wearstler, I believe), if you want to make your ceilings appear higher than they are, paint them a dark shade, black maybe...?

Anyhoo..this room - from my go-to girl for all things home style: SF Girl By Bay, doesnt' need any extra help in the height department. Lofty indeed.

Project one-day

2011-06-01T21:55:00.000-07:00

Agghghhh!! The tiling is finished and the bath is back in my bathroom.
The longest renovation E V E R! - I'll post photos very soon, promise.
Meantime, my mind has moved one spot down the to-do list and this photo has inspired me to THINK (not do, yet) about painting white the ugly wooden window frames and sills in my dining room. I know it's a sin to paint over beautiful timber, but the time-worn stuff around the windows in my dining room is not worth preserving.

Thanks to the always stylish postings of SF Girl By Bay for this image.

Chair-ing the love

2011-05-29T23:23:00.000-07:00

I have black bentwood chairs (and one or two white ones) around my dining table, but I'm loving the idea of a bit of colour. Maybe a change is in the chair. Ha!

Skin deep

2011-05-25T21:54:00.000-07:00

This is such a beautiful photo. What amazing freckles. I found the image here. It's a quirky little enigmatic blog, and I like it.

Wristy cuffs

2011-05-23T18:31:00.000-07:00

A new commissioned piece. The bracelet/cuff is made from leather, shell, mother of pearl, turquoise, plastic, stainless steel and plastic twine.
If you are interested in something similar shoot me an email here, message me on Facebook, or leave a comment below.

Insta-fantastic!

2011-05-22T03:06:00.000-07:00

I just downloaded the Instagram app for iPhone. Love it!

Heading in to Brighton, on way to Hobart.

Dave! Dave! Dave!

2011-05-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

The trip to Hobart was undertaken especially to see Dave Graney and the Lurid Yellow Mist's only Tasmanian gig.
Dave is an underated champion - talented, witty and hilarious in equal measure.
His gig was at the Republic Bar. We decided it was not such a great venue. Although there were a hell of a lot of men there.
Nonetheless the band turned it on.
A reading from his memoir was a highlight. He wore glasses to help him read; this is a new look and he chose a pair that he found by asking an optician to help him look like David Koresh. Ha.

Fuel guzzling

2011-05-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

Finally got to Garagistes, in Hobart, last week. It was delicious and a little bit out of this world. An edgy top-class restaurant right here in Tassie. Fabulous.
The wine bar takes no bookings, but it was not that hard for us to get in on a Saturday night. And their housemade sourdough bread is simply worth returning for again and again. Divine.

Calamari and salsify salad

Steamed buns with pork (looks like a little tongue hanging out of a mouth!)

Lamb rump with celeriac mash

Beef onglets with kale, jerusalem artichokes and slippery jack mushrooms

Carrots with young garlic, seeds and chestnut cream

On top of the world

2011-05-18T22:01:00.000-07:00

The Lakes, in the middle of Tassie, always make for a spectacular photo as they are high above the rest of the state.
The flat, mountain and hill-less plains remind me of the iconic images we are often see in US films. Also a little like a moonscape.

Up here, on the 35th floor

2011-05-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

I found this family's 35th floor abode on The New York Times' home & style section. Nice view, huh?

Art attack

2011-05-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

In addition to the weekend's musical Hobart trip, there was a side of art and food (food photos to come).
My friend Somerset-based artist Michael Muruste had a retrospective exhibition in Hobart's Carnegie Gallery.
He has a lovely way with colour combinations and his curvy linear marks are his trademark. Lovely work, Michael.

Rearranged arrangement

2011-05-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

A change is like a holiday. So, as I am on holiday, I did some changing.
And cleaning.
And sorting.
And culling.
And recycling.
This little corner of my house was piled high with unread newspapers.
They're gone. Unread. Good riddance.
Yay.

Desert dwellers

2011-05-10T23:57:00.000-07:00

Palm Springs-based fashion designer Trina Turk is one lucky chica. She lives in this amazing Art Deco home known as the Ship of the Desert. Obviously named as such because of its sleek nautical lines.

I found the photo here where you can see more images and read an interview with Turk.
Check out Martha Stewart's educational trip to Palm Springs via this short video.

Russh to Rust

2011-05-09T19:36:00.000-07:00

I first saw Charlotte Rust's NZ home in an old Russh magazine a few years back.
I thought it was one of the coolest pads I'd seen, and now, with The Selby's recent visit, it looks like the fashion stylist has still got it going on. See the rest of her house here.

You can bank on that

2011-05-08T03:50:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled across this amazing bank architecture at Black Eiffel. Check out the Japanese architect firm's site here; very cool.

Birthday treats!

2011-05-07T02:51:00.000-07:00

I had an especially lovely birthday today and after a great breakfast and magnificent coffee I treated myself to this gorgeous '70s caftan from the Made With Love Bazaar.

I also bought myself a copy of Frankie magazine's Spaces book.

Made With Love Bazaar

2011-05-07T01:07:00.000-07:00

The crafty girls at the Made With Love Bazaar put on another fabulous market today. So great to see so many creative people in the one room! Can't wait til next month.

Graphic and bright vintage fabrics are remade into cute quilts, toys, clothes and more at Baby Boudoir.

Baby Boudoir

Michelle Walker's creativity is channelled into these lovely tough-looking little monkeys, cards, button brooches among other great creations.

A crocheted caravan by Michelle Walker.

Lisa Loo's eye for detail is second to none, her workmanship is a testament to the dying art of beautiful, done-with-love sewing.

Working hard for the money

2011-05-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

I love my job, don't get me wrong, but I think I love US interior designer/fashion designer/author/cool chica Kelly Wearstler's job more.

A trip through the 'burbs

2011-05-04T22:49:00.000-07:00

A new blog discovery! Thanks to my leetle sister.
52 Suburbs documents through photos various suburbs around Sydney.
This photo is at my favourite vintage fashion stall at the Surry Hills market (I recognise the seller's penchant for vintage animal-print furs). It's a great stall and I would make the quick trip from Bondi every first Saturday of the month to check it out; lots of my wardrobe comes from buys at the Surry Hills market. It was also a very cool scene.
The same girl who has this stall also took her wares to the Bondi market, which I religiously went to every Sunday morning. It was only metres from where I used to live, so it was a given that I'd be there, picking through the goods and going home with fabulous finds.
Aaaah. Sydney days.

The real Mcqueen

2011-05-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

New York's Metropolitan Museum has what looks like an amazing collection of Alexande McQueen's designs spanning his acclaimed career. The fashion cognoscenti honoured him at the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala, which Style.com always covers thoroughly.
The UK designer's death tragically ended his career too soon; he was a champion among champions and seeing some of his work here is an emotional reminder of how great he was and what a loss his death represented.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, autumn/winter 2002–3

VOSS, Red and black ostrich feathers and glass medical slides painted red, spring/summer 2001

The Horn of Plenty, autumn/winter 2009–10

Out of the closet

2011-05-03T01:26:00.000-07:00

Jeana Sohn's Closet Visits are a bit of a highlight in my blogging world. This most recent visit, to stylist Sophie Assa's house is particularly lovely.
She's a cool-lookin' chica, who appears to eat, sleep and breathe creative pursuits - including playing the drums! As I've already mentioned here, Triple Cee Wardrobe Wanders are imminent.
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery after all.

Hey, Miss DJ

2011-05-02T18:28:00.000-07:00

I indulged my not-very-secret desire to be a DJ on the weekend at a friend's music-themed 30th. I dressed as Paul Stanley from KISS, but you knew that, didn't you.

White on

2011-05-02T03:14:00.000-07:00

SF Girl by Bay strikes again with a stylish find.
Danish photographer Morten Holtum snaps chic Nordic interiors that seem to epitomise a minimalist interior look I (and many others) aspire to live in!

Meet me on neat street

2011-05-01T19:20:00.000-07:00

It's taken about 5 years from conception to execution of this little suburbia project (my, how time flies), but, I've finally done it.
Somerset seems to be filled with intruigingly suburban-looking homes that are just begging to be photographed in all their spooky empty-streets glory.

This used to be St Vincent de Paul building. I loved going there with my mum as a kid. early signs of op-shopping addiction.

Symetrical!

Toys not only for little girls and boys

2011-04-26T01:17:00.000-07:00

I can't help but collect mad-looking '60s and '70s children's toys. Their little faces are so optimistic and naive and they're usually made from great colours.

Kiwi cool

2011-04-25T20:09:00.001-07:00

New Zealand designer Karen Walker is a rather cool kiwi. Her house is not bad either, check the rest of the rooms out at The Selby.

Shop til you pop(corn)

2011-04-25T02:48:00.000-07:00

The Birdy Popcorn pop up shop is open, up and running. Check it out here or shop online at Birdy Popcorn.

Fashion flashback

2011-04-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

I was searching for some images this morning and came across this photo shoot.
It was from early 2005, when I was working in Sydney, on a magazine called Star, which has since closed down.
Pioneer Studios, where we regularly shot, had a fabulous archive of vintage furniture available to hire for photo shoots. Not surprisingly I was drawn to this aqua velvet chaise, by Grant Featherston, for this lingerie story.
My friend Fabrizio Lipari was the photographer for this shoot (and countless others we did together).
The 5-level studio has since closed down...I wonder what happened to all that wonderful furniture...

Click on images to enlarge.

She sells sea shells

2011-04-23T01:28:00.000-07:00

This one-off neckpiece is made from recycled pieces of dyed abalone shell, mother-of-pearl, stainless steel and bone (which I found washed up on the sand - I think it's from some kind of seabird).
The length of the white double-strand mother-of-pearl "chain" is 35cms.
At its widest point the neckpiece is 14cms; and from the bone to the bottom of the necklace, it measures 15cms. It's a little bit Hawaii 5-O, a touch Papua tribesman and slightly Pocahontas. Unique, no?
And, more importantly, this lovingly handmade neckpiece is for sale!
If you are interested shoot me an email here, message me on Facebook, or leave a comment below.

Click images to enlarge.

1970s glamourama

2011-04-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

Aside from the fashion, culture and music that made the 1970s such a unique decade, the iconic women from the era (musicians, artists, actors, writers, models etc) seemed so powerful, fierce, oozing attitude and bucket loads of style. Both images below are courtesy of Cat Party.

The Pointer Sisters

Jerry Hall

Golden opportunity

2011-04-20T03:53:00.000-07:00

Yellow features throughout my house, wardrobe, jewellery and accesories, not surprisingly I'm drawn to the combination of yellow and white everywhere else!

SF Girl By Bay

My kitchen

SF Girl By Bay

Paper Giants - part 2

2011-04-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

Ita (Asher Keddie) waiting for a bus (yes! A bus) in all her oversized-sunnies glory.

And here's some stills from that fabulous archival footage of 1970s Sydney.

Taking money at the toll booth on the Harbour Bridge (lovely afternoon - or is it early morning? - light).

Bondi Beach. Of course.

Since 1950 and still going strong in the Cross.

The city (looks like Market St).

More of that great filmography. Nice shot.

Paper Giants - part 1

2011-04-18T02:40:00.000-07:00

Thoroughly enjoyed the first half of ABC's Paper Giants, the story of the birth of CLEO magazine.
Asher Keddie, as the mag's editor Ita Buttrose, is fabulous, as is Rob Thomas, who plays Kerry Packer. The biggest star? The fab '70s interiors and fashion, the two-part series' art direction and the addition of original archive footage of '70s-era Sydney.

Asher Keddie, as Ita Buttrose, in shot with a cool light fitting and blue bull.

In Kerry's office. Nice desk lamp.

Stylish ladies and cool orange lightshade and red Planet lamp.

More fab lighting in Kerry's office; noticing the orange theme (well, guess it was the 1970s - orange was embraced like it was going out of fashion)?

That orange plastic lightshade again and a green Planet lamp...nice industrial sparseness in the CLEO office.

Note the Planet lamp (yellow this time)? How much fun would the scene and set design have been on this film?!

Lovely lighting via two classic '70s ceramic-based lamps. Ubiquitous mother-in-law's tongue pot plant (set designer has done their homework!). Check out the space-age vacuum cleaner!

Lovely geometric wallpaper in the executive lift.