paris to provence

On Saturday we went to the Paris to Provence festival at The Abbotsford Convent.

The Convent is spectacular. It's a collection of buildings that now house artists studios, markets, festivals, restaurants and cafes, in beautiful gardens. It's amazing.

The Paris to Provence festival was held in one of the cobbled courtyards and a large warehouse building. It was full of stalls - from people selling old ceramic wares to a lady selling these amazing soaps that looked like sweet cakes.

These Eiffel Tower posters had been painstakingly cut from paper.

There were also crepes and macaroons, but although we got there first thing to beat the crowds, everyone had our idea, so it was a little hard to see the stalls.

We then decided to take a walk up Bridge Road in Richmond and go to one of our favourite pubs for lunch.

I made another skirt. The same DIY pattern (see posts below). This one made from vintage material from Savers $3 and elastic from Spotlight.

And to top off a lovely weekend, I found this wonderful dress on Etsy and it's mine! I just have to now keep a lookout for the postie.

Happy week to you!

x

camera apps

My beautiful friend Jules asked me about my vintage type photos on my blog and I thought I would tell you about my camera.

First off, I don't have a camera. I can't find it and Ben has a flash film camera that I can't figure out. I just use my iPhone and some apps that I love.

The top photo is the Cross Process app. It's $1.19.

This picture has been taken using the Hipstamatic app. It's costs $2.49 and it's a whole grab bag of toy cameras where you can swap lenses, film and flash. You get a basic bundle and then you pay to add more lenses etc.

This photo is using the RetroCamera app. It costs $2.49.

This one is using the More Lomo app. It is free!

This one is Classic Pan and it costs $1.19.

I add in polaroid frame but some of the apps give you a frame.

I also use the flickr app (free), QIK Video ($2.49), 7.0 megapixel camera ($1.19) and Project 365 (free) where you load a daily photo for every day of the year. It's lovely. Like a visual diary.

I keep all my camera apps together on it's own "screen" on the phone so I can look at them quickly.

When you are learning to use them - take photos of the exact same thing then you can see the effect between each camera app.

x

DIY Skirt

I made these two skirts last night following the pattern from Lilli's blog Frocks and Frou Frou here.

Lilli was not lying when she said it's easy. It really is.

I started with Audrey's bird skirt first because I figured if it didn't turn out exactly right, she's got the cute goods to carry it off.

I joined the elastic band (see Lilli's great tutorial) in a loop and then attempted to sew the skirt part to the band.

For my skirt, I left the band straight and sewed in a straight line and then joined the pieces together. It was quicker and easier to bast (basting stitch to make gathers) and I could get my hem straighter. This is probably showing my basic skills!

I also wanted to do a fullness check so removing some of the body of the skirt was easier to do then trying to unpick it on a joined loop.

I am going to make two more skirts today - one in Cotton polka dots and one is Jersey for the colder weather.
Audrey's Skirt-
90cm remnant "feeling chirpy" from Spotlight for $1.80. It's great scoring a remnant under a meter. So cheap. If you are making kids clothes, ask for remnants to save money.
Elastic from Spotlight.

My Skirt-
Material from Savers. It's a 100% cotton tablecloth for $2. A bit Maria from The Sound of Music. Elastic from Spotlight.

what a dirty mirror....

Dress and Cardi combo - Target.....It's my favourite dress because it's so comfy. It's all sewn together. No fighting with a fly away cardi in the breeze.
Tights - Woolworths
Shoes - Kmart
Pendant - Dangerfield
I went to spotlight and got some material and some elastic for a DIY skirt. Tonight I will make it and share tomorrow. It's from Frocks and Frou Frou and if it works I will be beside myself with joy.

I am off to spray and wipe that mirror.
x

great style links

After reading through the fantastic curvy girl blogs (see post below below) I followed recommended links through to some wonderful clothes stores. They certainly know where to find fashionable clothes for girls with boobs, bums and waists.

Here are a few to get you started.

Sohomode is an etsy shop featuring clothes that are made to measure. It's important to get your tape measure out and measure your body, write it down and pop it in your purse so you know your exact numbers.

If you search on etsy for made to measure you will get a grab bag of sellers who can make you a variety of pieces. Such as - Ureshii, Bon Bon, Miss Brache, Black Rabbit, Jibri and Vigilante Laboratories.
Embody Denim sell denim to fit your exact body. You find your body shape and they recommend jeans for you.

The jeans are pricey but they will last you forever and you will feel good. It's better to spend money for something that fits you perfectly, then waste money on jeans that sag, bag, or hang in all the wrong places.

City Chic sells great dresses for a night on the town, or a whole range of casuals. They sell internationally and I saw a young girl cry tears of joy because she found a dress to go to a dance in. Even her Mum cried.

Alight sell plus size clothing and have some lovely dresses. They also sell internationally and the prices are decent.

Dorothy Perkins are a UK fashion retailer that also ship internationally. They have a large range of clothing and the dresses are very sweet.

Sara is the plus size department of Ezi-Buy.

You can find pieces in the other departments, but this is when knowing your measurements really come in handy.

There are also places such as Dream Diva here in Richmond, Modcloth if you know your measurements and range of clothes by Forever 21 catering for curvy girls called Faith 21.

Don't rule out Ebay as another great source of curvy clothes or vintage, and Topshop for T's and leggings etc.

If you are handy on the sewing machine follow a simple pattern you love and make the same thing in 20 different colours and become friends with a dressmaker or alterations extraordinaire who can help you let things out or in.

You just have to look and know your body. Don't cheat on your measurements. It's just between you and your tape measure.

x

ok

Ok this is a toughie.

Feeling inspired by my previous post has spurred me on to try and get more of myself in a picture....by more meaning showing more than half of my face.

I am in no ways a fashion expert. More than half my clothes come from Kmart....and I make no apologies for that because I love Kmart.

I just love clothes and fashion. If they fit and I love them, I don't really care where they come from.

In order to get that wow factor the girls below have, I just have to persevere with popping myself in the pictures, and what better way to get confidence then to upload pictures onto the net.

Until I work out how I can take pictures without balancing the phone and trying to see if I am in the shot and making them nice and clear, this will have to do.

Jacket - Kmart
Long Sleeve T - Target
Jeans - Sussan
Belt - Kmart
Pendant - Camberwell Markets

eeek.

inspiration plus

Have you ever come across a blog and it has inspired you so much that you spend the next few hours reading all the posts in the archives, have shown your other half (even though you are interrupting his time on W.O.W) and long after you have switched the computer off....you are still thinking about them?

I was searching for vintage dresses yesterday and I came across a term called 'fatshionista'....plus size, curvy girls that love fashion - which then lead me to this blog and then onto others.

Meet Lilli from Frocks and Frou Frou. She is absolutely gorgeous and has amazing style. I would go as far to say that she is my fashion twin. Everything she likes I like and she lives in Melbourne!

I don't really know if I like the term 'fatshionista'...I get the meaning, but I don't see fat girls amongst any of these amazing girls. Look at their style and pose. These girls are oozing confidence from their every pore, even though they have a plus curves.

So if you are feeling frumpy or down about yourself, pick up those socks and get yourself to these blogs quick sticks! It's all about attitude and the way you carry yourself.

I am completely inspired and tomorrow I will share some of the shops these girls go to for clothes.

You don't have to be skinny to love fashion. You don't have to be skinny to look awesome in the clothes.

You just need confidence to throw back that head and smile.

Stephenie from Le blog de Big Beauty

Gabi from Young, Fat and Fabulous

J from Fatshionable

Sakina from Saks in The City

Christina from Musings of a Fatshionista

Kylanita

for jamie

On Wednesday May 26th Australian Women are encouraged to wear Red Lipstick to bring awareness to multiple sclerosis and people living with the disease.

The disease affects 3 times as many women as men.

I am a fan of Jamie and her inspiring blog and Jamie has MS. Even though she lives in America, maybe the red lipstick wearing trend could reach those shores.

Tomorrow slap your red lippy on and think of Jamie or any other people you may know who live with MS.

a girl can dream

If I had spare cash and wasn't trying to buy clothes secondhand this year, I would purchase these dresses immediately from Modcloth.

I love dresses. I love how comfortable they are. I love how they make you feel.

I am slowly building up a lovely collection of dresses and some day I will have nothing else in my wardrobe....just a rainbow of frocks.

a beautiful autumn day

It is chilly but the sun is shining bright so we took a drive up to our favourite spots - Olinda and Sassafras.

We love to walk and browse the quirky little stores.

Or have a rest.

I found this beautiful blue vintage dress from Sandra V. I can just picture it with red cork wedges, a blue and white spotty headband and red lippy.

Ben's on the roof fixing gutters and holes to prepare for our rainy week. I am about to make the week's batch of biccies for the biscuit barrel. Tonight we are having spinach, leek and potato soup by the fire.

Happy Sunday to you.