10 Things I Love #4

1. Pretty much obsessed with this gorgeous dress from Summerland.

2. This video entitled "100 years of style in 100 seconds" originally found here on Oh So Lovely Vintage.

3.  The Cambridge Satchel Company.  Pretty sure I need one of their Batchels.  I don't know how I will ever choose just one color!

4. Moorea Seal's mini book necklaces are oh so pretty!  Perfect for any lover of the written word.

5. This fall's Jewel-toned jacket trend.  I personally own a bright red pea coat from Ann Taylor and if I weren't living on the southern hemisphere this year, I would be wearing the heck out of it right about now.

  

Source

6.  How gorgeous is this little doll house?!  Is it weird that I want one?

7.  Normally I am against jeggings but I am so digging these legging jeans from GAP.  See miss Kendi of Kendi Everyday make them look ultra chic here.

8.  Another awesome lookbook video from the always fabulous Orla Kiely

9.  Absolutely obsessed with this Anna Sui skirt from Anthropologie.

10.  This super duper awesome little sprout shaped bookmark.  I love plants and I love books... it's a match made in heaven!  This would make an awesome stocking stuffer (*cough* hint, hint, mom).

Welp, that's all for today!  I hope you've enjoyed this latest installment of things I love (aka my "if I was a rich girl" list).  As always any and all comments are appreciated as long as they are nice and/or constructive.

Lots of love,

Amanda G

The Scenery of Sippy Downs: Part 1

Hi there!


I promised my mom a long time ago that I would post some pictures of my neighborhood, house, and some of the places I go.  Well my current house isn't particularly pretty or stylish and almost always has racks full of laundry sitting around because most Australians don't believe in clothes dryers (which I guess is smart since it saves energy).  But, my neighborhood, on the other hand, is pretty and, outside of people's actual homes and yards, doesn't have too many racks of laundry sitting around in it.  So, here are some pictures of it.  Enjoy!

Part 1 of this feature (of which there will eventually be several parts) is mostly pictures of the birds.  Sippy Downs, and specifically, my neighborhood, Chancellor Park is home to a series of small man-made lakes which are inhabited by the happiest birds that ever lived.  The ducks and water chickens and swans and ibises and all the other birds that I can't identify spend their days frolicking peacefully through the water.  Not pictured are the birds that occupy the trees, namely the Lorakeets and Cockatoos which gather in flocks a make a horrible racket in the early evening which is around the time that I usually go running.  These birds are significantly harder to photograph.  Despite being noisy, the birds are undeniably beautiful and it never ceases to amaze me that I am now surrounded every day by animals that I had only previously seen in pet stores and zoos.

If you would like to learn a little more about the beautiful suburb of Sippy Downs, click here.

Next up in this series will most likely be some photos of some of the unusual home architecture of Chancellor Park.

Movie Monday: Arthur//New vs. Old

Ok, yes I am doing Movie Monday on a Tuesday.  But I have fallen way, way behind on my posting this week for various reasons and I have watched so many great movies lately that I might just do Movie Monday TWICE this week... you never know!


Anyways, I'm sure that all of you have at least seen one or two trailers for the new-ish movie, "Arthur", starring Russel Brand.   But, I bet that some of you didn't know that this movie is actually a remake of the original "Arthur" which came out in 1981.  The original version featured Dudley Moore as the leading man and Liza Minnelli as the leading lady.


In both versions, the story line is virtually identical.  Arthur is a fabulously wealthy alcoholic who funds his childish antics with his father's (1981) or mother's (2011) money.  One day, Arthur meets a quirky, penniless young woman named Linda (1981) or Naomi (2011) who lives with and cares for her unemployed father by way of stealing (1981) or running an illegal tour guide service (2011).  Arthur uses his wealth and reputation to save the young lady from being arrested by pretending to be her boyfriend/fiancee.  At some point during this fiasco, Arthur falls in love with Linda/Naomi.  


Shortly thereafter, Arthur's father/mother declares that he must marry Susan Johnson, the slightly less wealthy daughter of a.... construction guy?  I honestly can't remember what Susan's parents do but I don't really feel like looking it up right now.  Anyways, hilarity ensues while Arthur struggles to make the decision between love and money.  I won't tell you what happens in the end because you should go watch them yourself but click on down to see what I thought of the movies.


                      Old Arthur:                                  Vs.                         New Arthur:

Ok, here we go.  I'm just gonna go ahead and say it.  I liked the new version better.  Does that make me a bad 'vintage lover'?  Despite its less than stellar critical reviews, in my opinion, "Arthur" 2011 had better character development than the 1981 version and (also just my own humble opinion) was funnier.  I honestly felt like, at the end of "Arthur" 1981, I hardly knew any of the characters at all.  2011's Arthur, Hobson, Bitterman, Naomi (rather than Linda), Susan, and Susan's dad were all significantly more personable than 1981's.  Don't get me wrong, both movies were good and I definitely suggest watching the 1981 version so that you understand the origins of the 2011 version better.  


If you do happen to watch one or both versions of Arthur, I would love to hear your opinion of them, whether or not it agrees with mine.


As always, have a lovely day


Love,


Amanda 

Spotlight On: The Velvet Bird's New Fall Dress Line

Hi there


I'm here today to share with you some pretty cool and exciting news!


Another one of my favorite fellow bloggers, the lovely miss Vanessa of The Velvet Bird has just released her new fall dress line.  From what I understand, this is the first clothing line that Vanessa has produced and she did a spectacular job.  The line consists of five different dresses and one cape, all centered around the adventures of a lovely character named Lola.  The best part is that 20% of all profits go to Love146.org to fight and prevent human trafficking in the U.S.  See my two favorite dresses below, and then click here to see the rest of Vanessa's gorgeous line.

Congratulations, Vanessa on your fabulous new line.  You have made quite an achievement and I can't wait to see even more lovely Velvet Bird dresses in the future!

I hope everyone has a fun, funky Friday (I love alliteration) and an even better weekend.

Love,

Amanda

Nifty Thrifty (A Few Recent Thrift Finds)

Hello lovelies!


Just popping in to share some of my favorite recent thrift finds.  I have been pleasantly surprised by some of  the thrift stores around here and a bit let down by others.  The Salvation Army stores tend to carry mostly mall brands and so far I haven't had the best of luck there but you can find more unique things at the Bloomhill Op Shops, which are my personal favorites.  Now that I know the best places to shop, I can make the most of my little thrifting adventures.


1. A sunny yellow cotton tank for $3.00  I have already thought up so many different ways to wear it!

2. These super-gorgeous beige and silver heels for $5.00  A classic shoe with a shiny twist.

3. This light and airy white burnout blouse for $4.00  Perfect for the hot Sunshine Coast summer.

4. This pretty and functional wooden mortar and pestle for $5.00  This one, I bought for Tim to use for grinding herbs and things.

5. This pretty little ceramic sugar dish for $3.50  It has no markings on it but looks like it could have been hand made.  I use it to store little knick knacks like rings and loose buttons.  

I collected those straw-colored puff ball things at the beach a couple of days ago.  I'm planning on using them for a decorative DIY some time soon.


6. These fun and silly flexible heart-shaped ice cube trays for $1.00  They were originally from Ikea.  Ice water is so much more enjoyable when your ice is shaped like hearts :)

7. This cute and sexy mini-skirt for $4.00  It looks like tweed but it's actually made of polyester and viscose.

8. These super sparkly gold sandals for $8.00  That's a bit expensive for thrift store prices, but I think it's because they had never been worn before.

Yep, this photo is sideways.  I tried a couple of times but just couldn't get my computer to turn it around the right way.  So you will just have to look at a sideways photo.  Deal with it.


As you can see, thrifting has become a new addiction for me.  It's fun, gives me an excuse to get out of the house, and it's cheap!  But wait, I've already done a post on why I love to thrift.  I try to go at least once a week now so next week I'm sure I will have some more new goodies to share with you.  I have yet to find any rare vintage treasures but I'm not about to give up on looking any time soon. 


Happy thrifting!


Love,

Amanda

A Spotlight On: Cannele et Vanile

Hi everyone!


As I'm sure you all know, there are so many fabulous blogs out there that it's almost impossible to pick and choose which ones to follow.  I already have so many in my following list that it's just impossible to keep up with every single post.  But, in case you just happen to be looking for a new must-follow blog, I would like to share with you a personal favorite among my recent blog "discoveries".  One of the nice things about this blog is that she doesn't post every single day.  So while I'm completely behind on all of the other blogs I follow, I never miss a single post from Cannelle et Vanille.

Cannelle et Vanille  is written by Aran, a lovely young lady who is originally from Basque France but is now living in the US.  She has two children and her blog functions mostly as a recipe journal, but also includes stories and photos from her daily life.  The reason why her blog is so wonderful, aside from her mouth-watering recipes, is here amazing penchant for photography.  Every single post is filled with the most beautiful photos of food, kids, scenery, and everything pretty.  Check out my favorite recent photographs from her blog, and then click on over and check out the rest of the blog for yourself.  You won't be sorry!

Sigh.  Her whole world looks so magical.  

I hope you are having a lovely day, wherever in the world you are.

Love,

Amanda

5 Reasons Why I Love to Thrift

It's no secret that most bloggers are also frequent thrifters.  I, myself, have just recently discovered the joys of thrifting.  I never had the chance to hit the Good Wills and Salvation Armies of NC before departure to Australia but since my arrival, I have searched out the best Op Shops on the Coast and already made a list of my personal favorites.  Just in case you have yet to be converted to 'thriftianity' (don't you like my made up word?), maybe the following list will help change your mind.


1.  I love the thrill of the hunt.

I hope I find some cute and functional vintage containers like these.

The best thing about thrifting is that you never, ever know what you will find.  When I walk into a thrift store, I feel just like a kid on Christmas who walks downstairs to see a pile of unopened gifts under the tree.  Until you start digging, you will never know what treasures are in store.  Some days, you may walk away with nothing and other days you could leave with a whole bag of goodies.  Lucky for me, the thrift stores in Australia all have dressing rooms so that I always know for sure whether I will like an article of clothing before I buy it.


2.  I love that it's budget friendly.

This leather wallet from the '70s is pretty darn cute.  Plus it's relevant to this blurb about budgets.

Of course most of the things you will find in thrift stores are previously loved and you certainly can't expect everything to look brand new.  But I would much rather pay $4 for a dress that's been worn once or twice than $50 or more for a dress that I will only wear once or twice.  Also, if you are like me, and get tired of your clothes after just a couple of wears, it makes sense to shop at the Op Shops because it limits your wardrobe expenditure and you can just re-donate things when you are done with them.


3.  I love that it's environmentally friendly

This Sad Surreal Tree print set is so pretty.  And it has to do with the environment.  Because It's a tree.

The more popular thrifting becomes, the more often people will forego purchasing something brand new in favor of saving a few pennies at the local Op Shop.  Each time a second-hand item is purchased, it makes one less piece of garbage to be thrown into the garbage dumps.  It also discourages the endless manufacture of new garments.  Also, most thrift shops re-use shopping bags collected from other sources rather than purchasing their own.  This saves plastic from being used to create new bags and saves inks from being used to print them.  Don't take this to mean that I am against buying new things.  I love buying new things.  This is just my way of saying that thrifting is also a good thing.


4.  I love that it encourages creativity

This Creativity Necklace is one of the coolest things I have come across on Etsy in a long time.  The charms are ball and stick models of the three neurotransmitters that are critical to creativity.  I am geeking out big time over this necklace!

I, for one, am much more likely to buy something that is not exactly "my style" if it only costs 4 or 5 dollars.  When I'm in a thrift store and I come across something that is pretty or interesting or unique, I will think to myself, "how can I wear this?" or "what kinds of DIY's could I do with this?"  This is another one of my absolute favorite things about shopping at thrift stores.


5.  I love that it supports a good cause

This Breast Cancer Awareness Print is hilarious and supports a good cause.  You can get it printed on a short-sleeved or long-sleeved tee in your size.

Most thrift shops are run by charities who rely on their thrift shops to keep their organizations afloat.  One of my favorite local shops here on the Sunshine Coast is run by Bloomhill Cancer Help, an organization which offers support to people struggling with cancer.  By shopping at stores like this, you are helping to keep these organizations alive.


Hopefully I have been able to convince you that thrifting is AWESOME!!!  I hope you have fun on your next thrift adventure.


Love,


Amanda


P.S. I just threw in some pictures of items that are for sale on Etsy so this post didn't seem so naked and because I'm too shy to go around taking pictures while I'm shopping and I don't have a thrifting buddy to do it for me.  Click the included link to learn more about each item.  Also, stay tuned to see some of my own recent thrift finds... coming soon to a blog near you (a.k.a. this blog).

Two Quick and Easy Beauty Tricks that will Save You Money

Hi there!


I'm here to share with you a couple of quick little beauty tips that I've learned along the way.  These are so, so simple and are guaranteed to be an improvement to your beauty routine.


1.  What you need:

An old tube of mascara
Hairspray or spray gel


When you finish a tube of mascara, don't toss the brush.  Wash it thoroughly and use it as an eyebrow grooming tool.  This prevents the waste of a perfectly good brush, saves money that would otherwise be spent on expensive eyebrow tools that never seem to last very long.  If you have particularly unruly eyebrows, grab your hairspray or spray gel and spritz a little on your mascara/eyebrow brush before grooming.  Ta da!  Perfect brows that stay put every time!


2.  What you need:

Your shower... that's it.  By the way, I totally wish that my shower looked like this.


At the end of your shower, when you are rinsing out your conditioner, turn the water temperature to as cold as you can stand it.  Thoroughly rinse your hair with the water on cold.  While heat and hot water can rough up the cuticle and damage hair, cold water does just the opposite.  It smooths down the cuticle and locks in the moisture from your conditioner.  Your hair will be smoother, softer, shinier, and have less flyaways.  No need to spend a fortune on serums or smoothing products!


Do you have any cheap beauty tricks that work for you?  I would love for you to share them!


Love,


Amanda

Spear-fisherman (photo heavy)

I guess this post is coming a little bit late (as in two weeks late) but I still wanted to go ahead and share these pictures.  I am so blessed to be able to live just down the street from some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.  Two weekends ago, Tim and I met a couple of his friends down at Caloundra beach for a little snorkeling and spearfishing.  I didn't participate in the spearfishing part, but I did get the chance to put on a mask and fins and go for a short snorkel.


I was very nervous about getting in the water because I'm a scaredy cat when it comes to the alarmingly huge amount of poisonous and dangerous things that swim around Australia's coastline.  Also, Tim told me that he had seen a wobbegong while he was fishing.  They may not usually attack humans and have very small teeth, but they are still sharks and can be pretty darn big.


Anyways, here are some photos that I snapped while Tim was out fishing:

I live in paradise for real.  Whenever I hear anybody complain about wanting to get away from the coast, it makes me really sad because the people who have lived here all their lives just don't know how to appreciate its beauty.

I hope you had a lovely weekend!  I got to go to the Eumundi markets this past Saturday.  Finally!  Did you do anything fun?

Love,

Amanda