For the modern woman ....

Elegant fashion plates from the 30s:












(via Sweet Sassafras)

Sunday afternoon with a group of old (?!) tarts ....

Yesterday was cold, windy and rainy, but it was brightened after lunch by another wonderful afternoon at Leigh-Anne's. For this Sunday Nibble Club she presented the most delectable spread of heavenly tarts and pastries.....

who could ask for more?

Some new (old) ideas ...

I haven't updated my Retro-a-Go-Go link list for a while, so this is where I'll park some more vintagey links until I get more organised.

Miss Matilda Dreams
Chronically Vintage
No Pattern Required
Destination 1940
A Stitch in Time
My 1955 Year
Wearing History
Retro Ways
Diary of a Vintage Girl
Timewarp Wives
Sew Retro
Home Sweet Homefront
Letters from the Homefront
Casey's Elegant Musings
Bobby Pin Blog
Behind the Curtain
Letters of Note


I haven't yet explored them all properly but they looked pretty good to me at first glance....

Somewhere ....

I've been so happy about the rain that's fallen in Melbourne over the last week or so, but water tanks won't be installed at our new house till next month ..... bad timing eh?!


We got the keys to the house yesterday and are now working to fix up some of its little quirks before we move in a couple of weeks. It's fun to have a new project!

Life on Mars

A huge dust storm is blanketing Sydney today .... it looks eerily like bushfire weather to me.






(Reader pics from The Age and news.com.au)

500 possibilities

Social Designer is now selling a wonderful set of 500 colour pencils, which are delivered in packs of 25 over a 20-month period.







What a treasure!

I like the pushbike!

I just adore old-style cycling-related stuff - great clothing, fab accessories and, of course, the wonderful treadlies themselves.
Now the good people at Bobbin have come up with more treats. Isn't this the sweetest helmet? (click to enlarge)

It's approved in the UK - wonder if I'd get in trouble for wearing one in Australia?

This sailor-style reflective collar makes me smile:

... as does this stylish reflective sash:

and this dotty little rain bonnet:


I've also found that there is now a purveyor of Pashley bicycles in Melbourne. Hooray! (not that I don't love my Kronan city bike, replete as it is with wicker basket, and adorned with little red roses). It makes me slow down and enjoy the ride ....

More swoony cycles can be found over here, here, and here.

Her endless lament

~ another one of those worrying adverts selling questionable products for (... shhhh! ....) 'exclusively feminine purposes'.

I can't quite remember where I found this one.

Burst of joy!

I had to confess to Godfrey yesterday that I had fallen in love with not one, but three other people over the weekend ....

The good thing is, he's used to me returning from conferences feeling completely besotted with the presenters, their ideas, and the intriguing worlds that they invite the audience to explore. This year's Australian Landscape Conference was no exception - I was captivated, enamoured, delighted and inspired. Hooray for positive stories amongst all the sadness and frustration of the information piled upon us daily!

The speakers who impressed me most included the far-sighted Thomas Wolz,




practical, positive and gentle Ed Snodgrass



and the very droll (and talented!) Nancy Power.


If you're at all interested in design, landscapes, ecological systems, green roofs, painting with plants, (... etc. etc.), I highly recommend that you grasp any opportunity to see them present their work.

Burble burble burble! I think I'll just melt back now into thoughts of innovative design and sensual landscape delights .....!





(leaf heart pic from here; others from the ALC and designers' websites)

Women, know your limits!

More wonderfully sage advice to be found over here.

Anatomy for the Interior Designer, 1948

I just love these illustrations from 'Anatomy for the Interior Designer' (1948) - found today on this delightful blog (it's a new discovery for me, but I'm looking forward to exploring it further).