Washi tape from Kozo.co.nz - yay!

I, like most other people in the crafty world adore the look and selection of Japanese Washi tape. Washi tape is semi-transparent, easy-to-tear paper tape - kind of like masking tape only 1000 x better looking. It comes in an almost limitless aray of colours and patterns - if you know where to look.

I've just come across Kozo (www.kozo.co.nz) who sell a great selection of Washi tape and are based in NZ -yay. Single rolls are $6.50, with twin packs starting from $11 and triple packs from $16. The perfect, finishing touch for parcels, packaging and presents and local (which always makes things twice as nice!)

I plan to stock up soon - check out a couple of my favourites below.:-)

Oh, and if you're in Auckland, Kozo is having a stall at the Coatesville Markets on March 7th, 2010 so you can have a good look at their entire range and see some more ways of how to use it.

Beside the seaside...

It's still summer here in NZ and I've just got back from my morning dog walk dripping with sweat. 100% humidity is not fun.  I'm resolutely a winter person, I like nothing more than layering up and staying in under the blankets.

But, I can't stop summer so sometimes I choose to embrace it. Last week I spotted this sweet stripey Brighton Beach Chair $170US by Gallant & Jones on etsy.

I still have memories of trapping my fingers in a deckchair when I was little and yet they can't help but stir happy summer nostalgia (like my Grandad tipping his over!) They're the summeriest of chairs and the best outdoor accessory (even if they can be near impossible to clamber out of) and would brighten up my empty outdoors no end.

Now I can't treat myself to one from Gallant & Jones (why is everything always so far away!) but I did find a gorgeous NZ version from Madder & Rouge, in Tom Multi fabric $199NZ.

I hope they'll still be available next summer when I have a garden shed to keep them pretty and safe from the summer showers.

So, I did it...

I now have a skin on  my floor.
You might have seen my post a couple of weeks back when I was weighing up how many disdainful looks I'd get from visitors against how much I would enjoy it myself.
Well, I won and besides, we don't get many visitors anyway (err, well apart from my very vegetarian Mother-in-law-to-be).

I fell in love with this black and white splattered hide (even though I was looking for more of a tan colour). It's gorgeous and perfect, and only has the slightest, nice leather smell (I've heard some cheaper tanning can really make them stink!). Oh and Bonnie loves rolling around on it - which is fine because it hides her doggy hairs.

I don't deny, it will take me a while to rid myself of the slight sadness and guilt I feel thinking about it (it would have been a beautiful cow). Despite, how it came to be in my living room (as a by-product of the beef trade) - it feels a lot different to having a dozen pairs of leather shoes.
I totally understand when people are opposed to having hides in the home, after all it's an all too small step from a domestic cowhide to a holiday-hunted zebra skin :-(

However, I love the look and believe personally that they're ok. I'm just drawing the line at one...(and always say no to hunting, fur and animal cruelty!).


P.S
Sorry that the photo is more of a peek - we're (by we, I mean him - i'm sitting blogging while he builds :-) in the middle of building our floor to ceiling bookcase so the rest of the room looks like a hardware store!

x

Artist I love: Chloe Croft

 Totally taken with these stunning prints by Chloe Croft. Each print is limited to 95 editions across several available sizes and prices. The original piece of each print is an intricate paper cut.
The vibrancy, palette and compositions are stunning and a beautiful bold statement piece for my living room. Chloe's talent doesn't stop here, she's a masters fashion graduate of the Royal College of Art who has designed outfits for the Scissor Sisters! (wow) and..the Spice Girls (so, so cool).

A girl who does loud like a pro.

Magenta Flamingos

Blue Budgies

Amaranth Flamingo

Visit Chloe's website www.chloecroftlondon.com and her etsy, here.

Missoni home - cheat

I'm a huge sucker for anything Missoni - I drool through the window of my local Missoni Home stockist and go to bed dreaming of multi-coloured zig zags.

 

Missoni Irvin Collection

As I (still) haven't made the big bucks, real Missoni is absolutely out of my reach. That is why I totally adore this very missoni-esque 'Neble' custom duvet set from Design your Home - Bespoke Bedding, on etsy.
It's $170US + postage and is made to order from your size and finishing specifications.

 Neble Custom -Bedding from Design Your Home

Couple with a couple of these zigzag pillows.

 $34.99 from lucyspillows.

Sweet dreams!

My Chihuahua Bites!

My nails - In Opi's 'My Chihuahua Bites'. I find a lot of Opi's names sell the colour to me before I even see the colour.

Today my friend and I treated ourselves to getting our nails done and I was brave and ditched my usual darkest navy for this hot orange/red. I keep staring at my hands - they're far too glam to be mine.

In the interest of full disclosure...my nails are not real, I'm the worlds worst nail biter (maybe tied with my sis) and my acrylics are what keep my fingers from looking like they lost a fight with a paper shredder! It's a bit of a luxury but I love them and I keep them neat and short so they're practical - honest.

Anyone else faking it?

Thank you giveaway coming soon!

Thank you to everyone who follows my blog, I get seriously excited when I notice someone has added me to their blogroll or is following me via the google 'follower' thingy.

Anyway, back in the beginning I promised that I would run a giveaway if I ever made it to 20 followers (this is going by the 'followers' thing) and now I'm at 17 I'm feeling optomistic I'll be there soon.
So, just letting you know I haven't forgotton..infact I have my giveaway idea all ready :-) (no guessing though - it may be too obvious!! (though I promise you it isn't a chair! hehe))

Thank you lovelies! I'm excited!
x

$5 chairs...

I just found two of these chairs for $5 each. I was kind of drawn by the bentwood 1 piece arms (and the fact that they cost little more than a cup of coffee). but now I have them home I'm not entirely sure if they're a bit blah. They're quite little - more like waiting room chairs than lounge chairs and not very comfortable.
I was thinking of staining the wood black and recovering them in some grey ikea print fabric I have.
What do you think? Are they worth it?

Side note: Oh and it's official, I'm absolutely a chair addict. I bought these while I was on my way back from picking up another chair I bought from Trademe. I stupidly decided to drop in at my local Salvation army.
I drove home, crazy chair lady in my little hatchback with 2 chairs in the back (kids) and my new chair boyfriend perched (ok, squashed) into the front seat.

Finding your one (or another) true love this Valentines

I haven't really gone in for Valentines these last few years - usually for lack of inspiration and/or money. I was thinking about posting about my favourite Valentine find's and gifts but couldn't find any. It's not that I dislike valentines or hearts or any of that - I suppose I think the most special gifts are truely personal.

Anyway, after ditching that idea I thought of another Valentines post.
This Valentines weekend the S.P.C.A is hosting an Adoptathon 'Find your one true love', and hoping to rehome 1000 animals across the country.
Now, I really hope a lot of you have already found your one true love, but regardless - there's always room for one more. Maybe you haven't thought about it, or you have but you keep putting it off but why not take yourself and any existing love ones to your local animal shelter this Valentines and fall in love again.

They might eat your shoes, or mess up your carpet (hey, you can train them), they'll moult and they'll always get the best seat in the house but it is all totally worth it for the undying affection they wil have for you, even better when you can improve the life of animal who hasn't had it all that good so far.

Anyway, it's just a thought and it could make for your most memorable Valentines yet.

If anyone does happen to welcome a new family member this weekend (cat, dog, horse guniea pig - anything). I'd love to put up a picture on the blog - so let me know :-)

(Ok, I was just about to click 'post' when Bonnie (pictured) ran through the house with what seems to be a mummified rat she'd found under the house - ew
...I still love her though... eek!)

Anthropologie picks

I  don't shop at Anthropologie, I can't (boo hoo) but that doesn't mean I don't like to window shop, drool and dream - gather inspiration.

Here's a few of my current picks. I can't get enough of the different interpretations of floral, combined with texture. Scrummy!

Dotswald wallpaper $88

Quiet Mist shade $128

Conure Rug $78 - $1,098

















And just because it's all a dream...

Atelier Chesterfield $5,998

Todays haul: 1957 Elna Supermatic

I haven't been looking for a sewing machine - my little Brother has been doing just fine lately, but, I have always wanted something sturdy and solid that would stand the test of time.
Today I found a 1957 Elna Supermatic complete with carry case (not that I'll be carrying it - it weighs about 15kg) and manual for $35. I've never done any research into old machines before as it wasn't something I really thought about - but they seem to have a bit of a following. It is in excellent condition and is purring like a kitten - we're just struggling to get it threaded correctly (I'll get there eventually). It's so cute in green and the knee control (as opposed to a foot pedal) is suprisingly easy to use.

I haven't had an opportunity to take a photo yet but check out these original advertisements from 1954 from Machines à coudre anciennes - they're lovely to look at and you have to giggle in the description of the machine's ' automatic brain'...so Mad Men!

 

OMG needs: Effie Sandals from Free People

I love the blog 'Oh Joy!' it always has the most lustworthy finds and carefully curated selections of lovelyness.
I really don't like to repost something from another blog but I had to make an exception this time, because look what I found on Oh Joy!  this morning......

These are the Effie sandals from Free People (who have just begun shipping to New Zealand -hurrah!).
I'm a sucker for a good sandal especially of the Gladiator variety and here the pink just lifts these right out of the mould, leaving black and brown sandals in the dust. They cost $197 (NZ) + some form of expensive shipping - but I'm going to go and say they're totally worth it....now I just need to convince my bank balance...