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.

It’s decorating time again!

I’ve been humming and hawing over the state of my kitchen for some time now. Do I take up the floor, do I paint the cabinets, do I just do nothing and wait to see if I ever get around to extending the house?  The biggest cause of inaction with this decorating project has been just how far it keeps sliding down the priorities on the To Do list.  But since I got my hands on a great vintage table setting last week, I’ve been spurred into action and moved it up the list.  So today I booked the painter and I have three days to decide on my colours. Nothing like a deadline!

Originally  I was planning to go with a lighter version of the blue on this blog for the walls, but after finding this table in blue, I’m now leaning towards yellow.  So I’ve been flicking through paint swatches to narrow down the choices and will start doing some brush outs tomorrow to see how they all look on the walls. Getting just the right shade will be critical to creating that retro feel; not too pale, not too orangey.  Visiting my favorite retro blogs and Flickr streams has been a great source of inspiration, for where else can you find colour coordinated, era appropriate resources all in one place?

Thank you to American Vintage Home for these images

1. 1956 Youngstown Metal Cabinets, 2. 1955 American Kitchen, 3. September 1949 – Armstrong Linoleum, 4. 1950s Kitchen Design with a Chambers Range, 5. 1941 Yellow & Green Armstrong Kitchen, 6. 1953 Armstrong Sunflower Yellow Kitchen

Vintage Sears Colour Co-Ordination Chart

The windows in my kitchen face North, so I’m hoping to catch as much sunlight as possible and bring it inside. Given that my floor is a dark slate and my cabinets are all a light-ish Tasmania Oak, I need to balance all this without it looking sickly.   Of course the safest way to check this is to do some big brush outs on the walls and check the colour in all the lights of the day. Which means that tomorrow I will be a mess of Butterfingers, Custard Puff and Lemon Blast!

If you have any recommendations, suggestions or horror stories about yellow kitchens to tell – now is the time to let me know!

When I was in Tokyo, I spent a few hours one afternoon wandering around a department stores with the best visual merchandising I have ever seen. One of the little tricks I loved was created by the girls on the Anna Sui counter, and I have been dying to use it ever since.

So when I came across this vintage AVON powder jar at the vintage fair, I knew exactly what I would use it for – and here is the result. Just using those embossed makeup pads, I layered them into the jar one at a time to create a camellia effect, and I think the results are just darling. A nice way to jazz up something so very simple, and it looks lovely on the vanity.

Do you have any great tips for V.M-ing your space?

It has been a rainy and sniffly week for me here, so I have spent a lot of time planning things to cheer myself up. I have come up with so many project that I may need to hire the services of the Seven Dwarfs to complete them all! The inside of my studio is now filled with supplies; musk pink silk roses, five meters of magenta plaid taffeta and paint swatches that look like the inside of a lolly shop.  So let’s see what’s on the agenda.

Heading into Williamstown for The Way We Ware Vintage Fair – the perfect shot in the arm for my winter wardrobe.

Planning the world’s greatest birthday cake for the big event this week.

Sketching and planning a pink princess play area for this misses.  I need to source the perfect chandelier for this one, as even though I know they have already had their moment, when you’re five, so long as it is pink and sparkly its Da Bomb!

Working on a fabulous new Style Inspirations series for you all!

1. The princess bedroom, 2. The three chairs, 3. Dining Room Chandelier

Links a la Mode

So what is on your fun agenda this weekend?