It would look something like this.

Insert Self Here for Blissful Time.

Last Saturday in honor of the delightful Violet Le Beaux being in town, a group of like minded bloggers (and a pair of well trained partners) got together to enjoy and afternoon tea in true girly style. In a little known corner of Collingwood, Melbourne, is a lovely store that is bringing girly back. Christina Re is well known for her stunning DIY stationery collection that let’s you create customised pieces of correspondence magic on paper, vellum and quilted card to name but a few.  To make the experience of selection and creation much more enjoyable, they have recently launched a small in store cafe to supply tea and cakes to weary crafters.  After popping in for a much needed lemonade the other week, I was overwhelmed by the serenity and light of it all, promptly making a note to bring back a bunch of appreciative friends.  And so we did.

left to right: Aurora Hime, Violet Le Beaux, Jimmy America

left to right: Esme and the Laneway, Fables in Fashion, Petite Valse

Super Kawaii Mama and Esme and the Laneway, doing what bloggers do best. Photo by Jimmy America.

Also in attendence were Kitty’s Drawings and Circa Vintage to help us improve the vintage lover versus princess contingent.  I met the two styles in the middle by wearing a 1960’s pink square dancing dress and vintage blue petticoat!

It was as fun and fancy as it looked, there is no doubt we’ll be doing it again. In fact, I think I shall declare this weekend;

DIY Tea Party Weekend

So have a little tea and a cake or two with me.

This Christmas I’ve been inspired to make a lot of my gifts.

I usually think this would be a nice idea, but then leave my run too late and don’t get a single thing made!  This year, I’ve decided to not only make a few things but create little tutorials on it as well, just to keep me on track. So today’s tutorial is something a little out of the ordinary – a Christmas Special Make & Do!

With two little girls in my house, we look for any and all excuses to up the fanciness quotient, and decorating everyday items is one of the best ways. This week I created a Princess style (also known as Himegyaru style) Glory Box and it is a hit.  They aren’t very difficult to make, they just take patience, imagination and lots and lots of sparkle and lace.  I was going to give this box to Miss 5 for Christmas, but I like it so much I think I’ll have to make another!

Enjoy this suitably regal tutorial and make your own Princess Glory box to share… or keep!

Look what arrived for me yesterday courtesy of Kodak! It is no bigger than my iPhone and means the end of poor audio on my vlogs, as well as loads more new tutorials in the works. Hooray – I hear you shout.  I have loads of new treats in the works, but am a little behind this week, so I know it is only teasing, but this is a very brief  “Things to Come” post.

And while on the topic of making things, I’m continuing on my experiments with Japanese nail art, (you’ll remember my obsession began long ago here).  I had a great set a few months back, and thanks to encouragement from my friend Violet and the amazing set she made me for the Nuffnang Awards, I’ve been trying my hand at my own.

The work currently in progress.

While on the subject of all things cute, cuddly,and sparkly; let me say that while I certainly claim no sense of ownership over these pastimes, there is a certain blogger  who has been taking far too much inspiration from my play book of late and claiming a sense of divine inspiration.

My words and ideas are my own. They are not free to hijack.

This is not okay.

Oh the sweetness!

During my recent trip to Singapore I did a lot of shopping… just for something I never usually do. Ha!  Although shopping for me doesn’t always involve spending a truck load of cash, it is more about checking out cool things I love, things that inspire me and things that are just plain pretty, as in the case of this darling shop I came across. I stumbled upon Nana Reve De La in Far East Mall just by chance. In a sea of samey sameness it was a beacon that drew me in with it’s rose coloured song.  My first thought was, ” I can’t believe my buddy Violet has just gone back to Australia! This is her Holy Grail!” So of course in order to share the joy of this super cute store I just had to take some pictures to share.

It was impossible to take two steps in there without emitting little squeals of “Oh look, it’s so cute!” etc.. etc..  The girls in attendance were so sweet.  Given that taking photographs in shops in Singapore is generally a big no no, the ladies were very generous in allowing me to take these shots to share with you on the blog.  There is all sorts of idea theft that goes on in Asia as the copyright laws are not as strong or enforced as they are here in Australia. So it is very important to people to try and protect their businesses, particularly when so much time and effort has gone into creating something so special.

The whole store had such a sweet girly vibe going on. The aesthetic sitting somewhere between Sweet Lolita and Hime Gyaru; but cleverly catering for anyone who’d like a little bit of sweetness for their day.

So much lace, chiffon and pastel colours it was like shopping inside a cupcake ! On first glance you may think that these styles are a bit too over the top and fussy for day to day wear; but think about it. In the harsh summer sun it makes sense to cover up with light breathable fabrics and a beautiful wide brimmed hat, and this was the perfect place to create a summer princess look.  Personally, the outfits on the models above made me think of afternoon tea on the lawns Gatsby style…..

Luckily for Mr.SKM I am a little bigger than the average customer in this store, so it was more of a look and appreciate kind of visit. But there was no possible way I could leave empty handed; isn’t that why accessories where invented? ^-^

After having an indulgent wander through the store, the girls helped me find the perfect little cardigan for a summer’s afternoon. It is sweet, cool and has a suitable retro touch.

… and because I am a sucker for the fancy….

And yes, I had to create a suitable fancy picture post for a store like this.

Singapore.. fun times indeed!

Finally, phase one of the Great Wardrobe Project is complete! Not for lack of trying, but other pressing matters keep pushing this project to the bottom of the list.  Well, that was until I decided to take a total ‘time out’ on my weekend, not leave the house even once, employing my mini troops in the battle against chaos. Occupying children when you have every piece of clothing and accessories you own scattered around, can be a little tricky. So I armed them with swimming goggles, spray bottles (of water), dusting cloths, cameras and clip on earrings! Rather than tackling the Everest that is all my clothes (that is costumes, collection etc..) I stuck to only the current day to day wardrobe.  With vacuum in hand, plenty of boxes, tape, surface spray for warding off any critters;  we set to work.

Taking everything out of the wardrobe is the best time to check for any creepy crawlies, give it a thorough vacuum, wipe down and take measures to protect your threads until next time.  And while you have everything out, check its condition – holes, buttons, seams, threads, cleanliness. Only the pressed and perfect go back in, and I keep a clothing rail in my studio for all the fixer-upers.

Maximise your space with clever thinking. All my long necklaces and belts are housed on tie racks at either end of the wardrobe, making use of the depth of the wall rather than more horizontal space. All the larger, soft handbags and totes go into a big plastic storage container with pictures at the front. Each bag is in its own dust cover inside and these are rotated out seasonally. I don’t like to keep things in plastic as a rule, as plastic gives off fumes that aren’t great for textiles.  But this container has a front opening door that allows me to reach inside and pull out what I want without taking the whole box down.

Special occasion hats are all in various hat boxes, with those I use most frequently, able to be grabbed at a moments notice. I love to colour block my clothes, but the various lengths and space restrictions make this tricky.  So they are blocked by colour and length to allow for more shoe storage and drawers under the shorter garments.

Of course, there is never enough room to house ALL the shoes, so those not worn quite as regularly as housed in boxes with their photos on the front. An old trick, but a good one, as even though you can now buy those see through plastic boxes, I resent paying for something that comes with the shoes already and is better for the environment and the longevity of my shoes than yet more plastic in the closet.

My dressing table houses the majority of my accessories, and as you well know, accessories are one of those things you really need to be able to see at all times or you totally forget what you have.  So I make good use of all the drawers, using yet more old boxes to help separate and store things so they don’t become damaged and jumbled. Even the scarves are folded and stacked so I can see the ’spines’ of each of them to help identify them quickly.

And as for all the hair & makeup stuff… how do you tame that beast? With the help of fishing boxes from the hardware store, makeup cases, and lots of hooks.  Also, having a handy MR. SKM around to get the shelf on the wall was rather critical to the success of this one too!

If all else fails and you know like me, that your wardrobe has to extend into the rest of your house just to find homes – get creative.

China cabinets need not just be for nana nick nacks, they are the perfect place to do a bit of visual merchandising with your favorite handbags, hats and small plastic friends!

…… and Done!

If you’ve got any other great wardrobe organisation tips – share them with us in the comments.