No More Sleeps to Go!

Farmers Wants a Wife. Tonight. Channel 9. 8:30pm - and all the boys look super yummy - yay!

Today is end of financial year. Have firm dinner to attend. DAMN. Please let me know what the first show is like! (especially wedding of Kim and Chris from last year!)

Zebra Crossing

I came across this advertisement when flicking through my Madison Magazine....what the? first of all, if zebra eyes is the 'look' this season then I'll pass. Second of all - on initial glance I thought, damn that posh spice is everywhere, now she is doing Elizabeth Arden....oh hang on....that's Catherine Zeta-Jones.....Don't you think she is looking a bit Mrs Beckham-esque here??

Photo courtesy of Bellasugar via Style Frizz who has also noted the Beckham resemblance Of course, if you like this look, head to the Arden website to get it.......

"Colour Intrigue Effects" is the name of the makeup collection - well 'intriguing' is one way of putting it?!

AAA

Minnie Pwerle around 1910-2006 Celebration

Camp Fire

Dance Lines

Camp Sites

Amazing. Aboriginal. Art. I'm the first one to admit I'm not normally a fan of indigenous art. We have a piece on the wall where I work and the jury is definitely out on it. One employee once referred to it when it was not yet hung and leaning against the wall of the boardroom, asking if the maintenance men had been in and removed something from the air conditioning duct.....

But I love Minnie Pwerle's work - and so does the Designer Rug Company. They have created a range of rugs based on her art work. Recently in a magazine (but do you think I can find the publication anywhere in my house.... I know it is here somewhere!?!?....) a house was featured showing the rug on the floor with the original artwork on the wall - usually I would have thought overkill but it worked beautifully.

Minnie Pwerle died in 2006 - having grown up in a part of Australia called Utopia, I'm not sure that it would have provided a Utopian lifestyle as we would envisage. Minnie didn't start painting until 1999 at the age of 89 - its never too late to take up a hobby!?

I am currently trying to work out what to do with the flooring in my place - the carpet is RE-VOLT-ING and between trying to save for O/S and wanting to do an overhaul I'm stuck between a rock and a disgusting old carpet. I love these rugs but something tells me the size of them would cover the entire floor plan of my little box I call home. More designer rug posts to follow this week......

Girl meets Glamour posted on the most luxurious rugs last week - very much the look i want at my place but I think they will stay on the wish list for a little while longer, until I win the lottery anyway...

Fashion Fairytale

The "peas" to Amelia's "carrots" - except it is the long version of this delicious dress.

Once upon a time there was a girl named Amelia who loved pretty things. She always had the 'best corporates' at work and had the raddest juicy couture shoes that she loved so much that on the day she wore them to work and it was raining when she went to leave, took them off, hid them in her handbag and ran to her car bare foot so they didn't get wet. She purchased a beautiful Marc Jacobs blue jean wallet when she was in New York. The wallet got stolen by an evil bogan but thankfully for the girl the bogan did not know the worth of his find and dumped the coveted wallet and it was returned to her minus some essential cards and cash.....thank god for bogans.

One sunny day Amelia went shopping with her mother in David Jones and stumbled across the perfect dress, her perfect match - made by a Mr Giorgio Armani. It was black and beaded and long and low at the back. They were a match made in heaven. Forrest would say they went together like peas and carrots. They were one. Until the girl saw the price $3,500........ she loved, but knew she did not love enough to part with that much cash.

Thinking all was lost Amelia pushed the perfect dress to the back of her mind, she would never be reunited with the dress....... until her aunty rang from Sydney..... having passed a store in Double Bay where they sold the excess stock from department stores, there sat the dress......for $350.....

Yep,They lived happily ever after. And her friends were jealous bitches!!

Kym Johnson and Tom Williams on Dancing with the stars AUS

Ok. In keeping with my you tube weekends I was inspired while watching "The Great Outdoors" while settling in for a night in front of the TV with my friend Alicia - Bride and Prejudice is on TV....yes - if my mother had anything to do with it I'd be out finding a suitable husband tonight- but winter calls for trackie pants and red wine in front of the TV on a Saturday night.. Now HERE is a PKB in full flight. Tom Williams rocks my roundabout. The sound on this video is SO BAD, sounds like you are listening to it underwater but hey, I haven't downloaded the video for the music..... enjoy ladies x

On This Side - Clare Bowdtich and the Feeding Set

The parents of my beautiful god daughter Ruby love Clare Bowdtich. About a year ago while Holly was pregnant we were driving to the Clare Valley to visit her father listening to Clare's CD. This song came on - and its great. Whenever I hear it I think of the excitement we all felt about meeting this new little one and how amazing it was that they were starting a family. I hope you enjoy too, you'll be humming it all weekend! x

Dream Weaver

Phillip Lim's Cashmere Sweater Dress - thanks netaporter.com!

THE bag that must accompany the dress

Following my post on Tuesday, if I lived in fantasy land this would be my "best corporates" outfit I'd be wearing today. This Phillip Lim Cashmere Sweater Dress is understated greatness!Pair of opaques, knee high boots and pearl earrings - yum (of course, and i'd also be wearing my new little "puppies" as Courtney would say!). Oh and what is it they recommend you wear with this little frock? - A fendi caviar patent B bag? ahh, ok, if you insist! Hanging out til 5pm for a glass of champagne with friends in town in this outfit, bliss!

Have a brilliant weekend, see you Monday! x

Fluff Head

I know exactly how Vivica feels - Sloan Tanen always gets it. Before the hair police stop me in my tracks on my walk to work, put a bag over my head and chuck me in the back of an unmarked van and drive off into the sunset, I've managed to get myself in for a haircut and colour tomorrow - yayyyyyy!

My hair gives me the total needle. Its darkish but I dye it a bit lighter, why not. My regrowth is out of control and the sooner it gets done the sooner i'll look less like a block of top deck chocolate. My biggest problem is that it ain't straight. And it ain't curly. its just, well, fluffy, and wavy, and really really annoying! I will dry it and straighten it and while I don't exactly look like a loreal hair model I'm happy with it. I then take my 40 minute walk to work and by the time i'm there, I might as well have walked through a bush backwards - people laugh at me at work when I tell them it takes me ages to my hair in the morning - they have a look and think, are you serious!?! I think its the moisture in the air or something - gets attached to my freshly straightened hair and goes ape. I even took to taking my straightener to work but the all male partners at my firm in their infinite wisdom when recently doing the office re-fit didn't put any power points in the bathroom so I have to sit at my desk in an open plan office straightening my bushy hair....

So- i decided to start wearing it, well - "natural" - with a bit of product - trying to encourage the curls. And I still ain't happy. I need your help - any idea of a good product to create the nice natural curls - What I've got now just makes it look a bit wet/bad 80's perm/gross/encourages people to think I am of greek background when I am not. I tried the old sea spray thing to make it look like I have beachy hair and that made my hair go to straw and it kind of started to snap off.

Please - any ideas!!?! I used to have short cropped hair, maybe i'll just chop it all off again....

Game. Set. and Preppy Match.

see a cute little video of the preppy people playing tennis on RL website

Thanks cornedbeefhash South Aussie bubbles at the tournament

I don't do sport. My hand eye coordination doesn't even register in the positive sector of the scale and at school Physical Eduction was the only subject I didn't get an A for (I know, super geek)...... But I don't mind watching it - especially tennis.

Wimbledon has been on this week and given I have this new little blogging obsession I have been up late with my laptop on my lap (he he) in front of the TV with it on in the background.

Lucky officials of this little tennis comp get to wear Ralph Lauren! Wimbledon has never had an 'official outfitter' until RL signed on a couple of years ago.

I love the preppy sporty look, and would sport it myself. As long as a pre requisite of donning the outfit didn't require me to pick up a racquet and play...

A South Aussie touch at the tournament (and I'm not talking about the Hewitts...) is the super yummy Bird In Hand's Sparkling Pinot Noir - its the official bubbles or something. It is one of my favourites and would be perfect to have while eating the traditional strawberries wearing my RL Wimbledon blazer..... now that is my kind of sport!. Looking forward to witnessing Wimbledon in all its glory next year in person when fingers crossed I'll be residing in England! x

On and In my Fridge.

ON THE FRIDGE

IN THE FRIDGE

It's no secret I like a glass of bubbles every now and then but I'm also known for having ripped out magazine pages on my fridge. The advertisement for Chandon has been on my fridge for sometime now. Why? - not quite sure why - maybe it is because of the colour of shot - it makes the picture appear almost 3-D (the above image is actually a photo I took of the actual magazine page on my fridge so I think this is lost in translation!), the cute boys in the boat or the fact I love Chandon champagne (often found IN the fridge). I wanted to share it anyway.

Peace Out.

Ok, so I know that doves are a symbol of peace, and I'm all for peace. What I am NOT all for is the releasing of doves at a wedding. blurggghhh! - (no disrespect to any that did, but why, why, why??) I mean, there are already enough things that can go wrong on the big day, let alone opening yourself up to a major wardrobe malfunction mid hurl of the bird....

Oopsey Daisy - you should have just left the doves in the dove basket, where they belong!

So why am I blabbering about birds? Because I have found my dream coffee table (no disrespect to my "book case turned into a coffee table" made by Emmy). Enter the DOVE BASKET. Coco Republic gives me a nervous tummy of excitement and I have never even been into their store! But I am on their mailing lists (plural) - electronic AND the old fashioned Australia Post delivered variety. I don't even want to know how much the basket costs but it is so cute . I believe it comes in different sizes and has a glass top. Peace out!

The don't have a photo on their website so I had to do some of my dodgy 'taking photos of pages in a catalogue' act - you can download the pdf of the catalogue here or request to be on their mailing list here.

Bundle of Joy

My cousin and his wife had a little baby boy this morning - little Thomas Paul Wollard Smith. 8 pounds nine and apparently with a massive head (it's a Smith trait, i've got one too! - in size not ego though....) - Yes that's right, my mother's maiden name was Smith. And then she got married and became a Brown - so exotic......

Anyhoo - all mum's side of the family live in QLD so we won't get to see the little bubba until December when we all head to Noosa for Christmas.

We have organised for an Edible Bloom to be delivered, like the one above. Edible Blooms are delicious and are a great alternative to sending flowers. Kelly Baker set up Edible Blooms - she was a couple of years above me at school and her sister Abbey is a good friend of mine. If you are ever looking for something different you should give them a try!

Too Cool for School

I don't know about you but I wasn't exactly a fashion plate growing up. When I didn't know any better mum was dressing me in velour tracksuits and applique jumpers. When I decided to have a say in what I wore it was desert boots with socks and long denim skirts with a yoke waist (I grew up in the country ok!) and bubble gummers, jelly bean shoes and scrunchies.

The kids of today get it way too good.

Introducing Little Marc by Marc Jacobs.

These clothes scream 'kid with attitude'

Imagine getting around on the playground in MARC JACOBS!?!

Something tells me you would get first dibs on the slippery dip if you did.

Yum. Yum.

Do you have a dish that is 'yours' Not yours as in you created it but when you say to someone when they invite you for a meal "what can I bring?" and they say "you know that yummy so and so you do" - well, mine would have to be this roasted peach salad. It is something I tore out of an In Style Magazine from February 2005. I wanted to share it with you so here goes:

Ingredients:

4 peaches

4 tablespoons of good-quality olive oil

2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of white sugar

salt and pepper

8 slices of prosciutto

2 handfuls of mixed salad greens

150g soft blue cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 200 oC. Cut peaches in half, remove stones and cute each half into quarters. Place in roasting pan, sprinkle with oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes and set aside with pan juices. On a baking tray, roast prosciutto for five minutes or until crisp. Toss peach slices with salad and cheese. Dress with peachy pan juices and top with prosciutto. Serves 4.

A wine by any other name wouldn't taste so good...

Whether you like red wine or not, it is going to appear on Brown Button regularly. Why? Because I'm partial to the odd red. And this is no exception. I think South Australians often forget how lucky we are to have such amazing wine regions so close. The Barossa and Clare Valley's, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and the Limestone Coast. Unfortunately I'm not related to the "Browns of Padthaway" but I still love the stuff. The above are among my favourite reds. You can grab the T-Trellis shiraz for around $15 a bottle which is an absolute bargain as it is such a goodie and the Earnest Family Reserve Shiraz is a little bit more but still so reasonably priced. My great grandfather was an Ernest so I figure the winery and I are almost family!

Cute Cups

The "Daisy" - goes up to a G Cup. The "Rio" - goes up to a H Cup. The "Antoinette" - goes up to a H Cup.

I haven't exactly missed out in the boob department. Unfortunately I'm a DD in most bras. But most of those bras are serious Nana bras. Nothing is more frustrating than finding out a pretty bra only goes to a C, or if it goes bigger it offers nothing in the area of support. You know- the support equivalent to getting about with just band aids stuck to your nipples. I have stumbled across this pretty UK brand Freya, and they go up to a J cup. That's right ladies! And not only that, they are really really pretty whilst also being really comfortable and offering the support you need. I have bought some in David Jones but contact the Australian agent for other stockists.

African Dreaming

Day Birger et Mikkelson perfection

If you have read one of my earlier posts this room will look familiar. Its my favourite room in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD. And in order to one day recreate it I have on my list a Zulu Headdress thingy. Like the one on the wall in this photo. Absolutely stunning as a piece of art. I'm not sure how easily I am going to get my hot little sweaty excited hands on one. Emmy wanted to bring one back when she was in Africa a couple of years ago but was made aware there may be a few custom issues......

Anyone know of anyone selling them online? (preferably legally!)

Bamileke Headdress

According to a website I came across called "African Home" this magnificent masterpiece is worn by Royal dancers in Cameroon during ceremonies to celebrate the prestige of the kingdom. I think I would celebrate every day if I had one of these on my walls!

Why I love my mum.

An old picture of a younger 'mother' Mum and me putting out the washing, clearly someone needed to supervise... Excuse the quality of these photos - they are photos of photos. As you can see, I got a little snap happy on the weekend, nothing in my unit was safe from me and my digital camera!

1. She taught me the necessity of ironing absolutely everything (but we draw the line at undies, socks and sheets)

2. Her spaghetti bolognase sauce - with corn kernels (its the bomb and if you come to my house for spag bol, it will include the corn, and you will love it!)

3. Her insistence when my sister and I used to be watching a recorded episode of a TV show or movie and a news break coming on - mum 'ssshhh'-ing us so she could listen to the news bulletin and then exclaiming - "who would have thought, what are the chances of that happening again, that only happened last week" and then us explaining that it did in fact happen last week, this was a video...

4. Her excitement for a plane flying over head like a four year old, but being absolutely terrified of getting on one herself.

5. Her nagging whenever I visit mum and dad's house to clean out all the cupboards in my old room. When I finally cave I declare there is nothing in there I want to keep and I'm just going to chuck it out. Mum says "ohhh, but you can't throw that out, or that out. Don't you still want that? I could use that......" and back it goes in the cupboards.

6. Which brings me to my next point - her inability to throw anything out. Mum, there is only so many times you can re use christmas paper...

7. Hating having her photo taken and pulling the 'oh i hate having my photo taken' face mid shot - of course that isn't going to make for a good shot!

8. Making me laugh - the scene: I'm living at home at the time, she comes to me - Kimberlee, I've just washed your "dinkie" jeans - I'm thinking "huh?", ahhhh - mum, you mean my DKNY jeans!?!

9. For giving me her height (or lack there of!)

10. The love, patience and time she has for me.

love ya mum x

Why I effing love blogging!

I love the dress - just a few things to fix and it would be perfect. The alternate book cover. Love the dress- Jules, you can wear it to my wedding if you want!

The "Marjolaine" cake I won't be eating in order to fit into my "Marjolaine" dress.

Some of you may have seen my post on an issue which is of great importance to me at the moment.... my wedding dress...... but I'm single....... but it doesn't hurt to be prepared..... Anyway - I had no idea of the name of the dress I love or where I had found an image of it on the net. Enter Jules - my beautiful friend currently residing in the UK. - I would have NEVER have thought to ask her about this. That is why I love the ability to comment on da blogs (you seriously don't know the worth of a comment until you blog - believe me I know - I've read blogs for months and never left a comment.....ever! talk about seriously ripping bloggers off!) - ok, so I've gone off track, surprise surprise...... Jules tells me the dress is called the "Marjolaine" and can be found here. (BTW- Marjolaine means "a long narrow cake with straight sides, usually consisting of meringue and chocolate butter cream and containing chopped nuts") - kind of sums me up really (except the long and narrow with straight sides bit) - more like "meringue shaped, obviously has consumed way too much chocolate and butter cream, and a little nuts!!" The photo I had was an alternate book cover for a book on Lanvin. I agree with Jules - I prefer the alternate book cover as shown above - you can wear that dress if you want. Jules, you have made my week and for that I send you a bag of Haighs Chockie Frogs!!! (virtually of course - they are low cal and fat free that way....) PS - Jules, seeing you did such a good job on the dress, (we call her Julia Googlia - she is a genius with the google search) what about finding me a perfect Kimberlee boy??? - I don't ask for much?! PPS- I'm not a fan of swearing whilst blogging but sometimes the odd swear word helps demonstrate your emotion for something, so a compromise is required. Paige at I *heart* you (the blog that started my blogging obsession) used 'effing' in a post yesterday so I hope you don't mind I copied!!! x

westlife dont cha live

This is a "love song dedication" - Emma and I aren't quiet in our love for Irish band Westlife (what is it about Ireland and awesome bands? - my all time favourite is U2). Actually - Emma is more vocal about it than me. Just. When we shared a gorgeous cottage in North Adelaide together about 6-7 years ago we used to make up dance routines to their songs in hallway - and then inflict them on unsuspecting dinner party guests. We've been known to survive a whole trip home from Melbourne to Adelaide on a Westlife CD single (the karaoke version of the song provided us a chance to belt out our best rendition of the song) - recently we nearly wet ourselves on the couch watching them perform at the Logies - I proceeded to download the song onto my facebook site and ipod and Emma programmed it to be the ring tone on her mobile and went out and bought their CD. Which comes to the reason for this post (I get there eventually...) -Emma announces to me that the album comes with a bonus DVD of the wembley concert, complete with their cover of "dont cha" by the pussycat dolls. She was particularly excited by their gyrating, hip thrusting pelvic movements during the performance. Going through my CD/DVD's on the weekend I realise shock horror (damn, what a shame....) I still have this bonus DVD at my house and Emma has since left the state for work. So, I'm sending you the best bits of the DVD via this post. I've studied the clip carefully and if you need to just fast forward to the hip thrusting parts they appear at the following time intervals....2:15min, 2:50min, 3:07min, 3:55min and 4:10min(this particular gyrate involves the line dancing country hoe down kick!!) - after all, what are friends for!! xx

Dressed for Success

Herringbone in Chatswood Sydney

Photos of Chatswood store courtesy of Ramvek.

My old house mate and friend Caroline and I were always sure to wear our "best corporates" on a Friday to ensure we were looking our best at after work drinks at a pub in the city after spending the last day of the working week in the office. My best "best corporates" outfit of all time would have to be my Herringbone Shirt Dress. The cut, the stripe of the fabric, white cuffs and collar, the cute silk knot cufflinks - always drew compliments.

Herringbone is, in my opinion, the mecca of best corporates for men and women. They have stores in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra - don't you love how Adelaide always misses out?! - Fear not, you can shop online.

Even if you aren't in the market for 'best corporates' the website is beautiful and good for a perve on yummy male models in equally yummy suits!

A Matter of Great Importance

As I hurtle at a rather fast pace towards 30 and still no perfect match in sight, I still hope one day to find the 'Perfect Kimberlee" Boy (aka PKB), get married and have at least four kids.

So - if the PKB turns up anytime soon I'd like to be prepared. For the wedding that is. Flicking through the brilliant array of international magazines one Saturday morning with Emma at Marmalade I came across a picture of this STUNNING CREATURE. Behold my wedding dress. The dress is actually a stunning muted mustard yellow colour - the above photo washes it out a bit. I'd probably have it made in ivory or champagne. But I could easily go the yellow. And I'd wear it short.

I can't remember where I found this photo on the Internet so sorry for not acknowledging its original source. But does anyone know what this dress is called/where I can get better photos of it? I've searched high and low and I know it featured in a book about Lanvin. Like I said, it is a matter of great importance, I'm not sure how much time I have, you never know when I might meet PKB.....

Easy as A B C

Anthropologie French and Country - (ohhh I love this shop!)

Appley Hoare Antiques

Zinc Letters - I've always wanted them but never bought. I think it is because I'm not sure what I want my letters to spell out. Any ideas?