The Gangsters' Ball!

Remember how ages ago we got tickets to the Gangster's Ball? Well it was last night and was heaps of fun! I got my hair done up in some 1940s victory rolls by Kat, the gorgeous gothic fusion belly dancer at Wildilocks in town and didn't it turn out incredibly well!? I also indulged in a pair of fluffy, feathery Shu Uemera eyelashes for some uberglam - divine!

Retro Corner

Our apartment seems to be recessing through time starting in the back corner and spreading forward. There seems to be a lot of dark wood and orange featuring at the moment, and my latest impulse lust have Telegram map hasn't helped!



I do like how the corner has history though - the lamp came from a particularly dodgy little junk store in Collingwood in which the proprietor also sold Chopper's collection of paintings.

The cabinet was found for $20 underneath a pile of pallets at a going out of business sale, brought home, sanded and varnished as a place to store all my fabric stash.

I'll never make it to the Melbourne Cup BBQ today if I even begin on the couch's long and hilarious story.

The stunning white vase from Dinosaur Designs was an engagement gift from our dear friends in Sydney.

The tikis were purchased at the Pagan Pleasures tiki exhibition night held recently at Outre Gallery - the HTB has a thing for Tiki Chic.

And the wooden Hawaiian sailor? Well, that's what happens when the HTB heads unattended to the Op Shop with $2 in his pocket. Revolting.



Edit: Loving my timing here, there must have been some forces at work! After posting this I went and checked Pip's blog and realised that this post fits perfectly with the latest "my place and yours" - Blog HQ! I blog from the comfort of my big orange velvet couch and now here it is for all to see!

Balloons from the balcony...

Brisniland Weekender!

Spent the weekend enjoying the humidity of muggy ole Brisniland. Was beyond lovely to get up there and see everyone, especially considering it was the birthday of one BFF and the last time I will see another BFF before she and her boy head off on their amazing 9-10 month adventure (we tried to convince her it was ok to have a baby out of wedlock and that she didn't have to go on 'holidays' for 9 months, but she's still sticking to her story that they actually are going adventuring??)

What do you get a beautiful friend that's travelling light for a year? Well, we decided to all stitch a little bit of love into a patch for her pack so she can carry it with her everywhere she goes!



Patches aside - Brissie just isn't Brissie without a loooong lunch of tapas and cocktails - divine! We missed you though Al!
I'm just stoked I got to debut my dream - two feathers in one ear. Bliss!

Are we forgiven Almeister?

It's fate my love - Nora is on my favourite website!! This one is TOTALLY for you!



Handmade Romance, I know you hold a flame for her too!

Best. Youtube. Ever.

Pete says this should be retitled "Alana sings 5 octaves on the piano". Sorry Almeister. But it's hilarious and you know it's true! I love you!

I love my HTB

Look at the present he gave me to celebrate quitting my shitty job! A series of pictures he went out and took today just for me! He is so sweet and I love him so!

Frankendress

So I like to think taking a dress and trying to make it into a better dress, no matter how different the vision is to reality, is 'upcycling'.

The HTB just sees it as comic relief as Bexy gets really angry stuffing up her craftiness wannabe once again. And swears like a sailor and curses the day her sewing machine was brought into the world. And damns craft to the fiery depths of hell. And swears some more and empties the dregs of the pantry looking for alcohol, only to find a tiny bottle of cointreau used in cooking once.

PS - I quit my job today. I am totally pissed and posting. Dangerous.

But this is my new dress! And yes, also my new ink. Have I mentioned I am totally in love with Danny from Tattoo Magic on Gertrude St? He is my god, he drew me my phoenix and has dreamy eyes. It's a work in progress, colour to come over the next few weeks.




The only other photographic evidence I could find of the old dress was Christmas 2007. I have clearly spent too much time at the beach as I am way too blonde and way too freckly and am channeling a GC housewife. In short - I hated the top and the straps so I cut them off, made it strapless and added part of a $0.50 valance as decoration.

Pete and Tank Girl sitting in a tree...

I wondered why, after borrowing Tank Girl from the video store, the HTB was so keen to watch it with me. Turns out he's been harbouring a major crush on her since the mid-90s - who knew?

Reflecting on his other celeb crushes, however, I should have totally had a clue.

PS - Tank Girl is such an awesome film.

PPS - Yes, that is a wee little Naomi Watts as her sidekick!

Fat Soluble Vitamins, Major and Trace Minerals, Amino Acids...

Today is a study day and my mind is overflowing trying to process everything. So break time!

I actually really wanted to go to the Victorian Boston Terriers Association Dog Show today - they are absolutely my favourite breed and I adore them! But all my alleged "friends" refused point blank to go on another harebrained adventure with me, so in lieu of going alone I decided I should really take a gander at the last 14 weeks of lecture notes that need to be memorised. Oh joyous occasion.

I have been collecting a strange variety of images on my camera over the last few weeks, here are a couple to give you the last month or so in pictures:

Spring in the cactus garden - each day more joy bloomed!


And I discovered a serious aphid problem amongst the bulbs - what do aphids even do? My freesias seem fine? They were all just sitting on this on-the-way-out tulip?


My latest favourite necklace combo:


Mum came to visit and off we went to Collingwood Children's Farm. There were baby goats! Bliss! Mum was soon spotted as an easy target with a bag of food...



Well, back to the books I suppose. Come to think of it though, I'm hungry and I definitely need a shower, and well, maybe I'll even alphabetise the CDs again...