Dear Internets,

I woke up this morning in horror, under the impression that I had gone overseas but couldn't find an opportunity to leave the hotel conference room. After minutes of asking myself "when did I become this person?" I realised I hadn't actually left the country yet, let alone my bed.

All systems are go! I have finally finished the painful packing stage and am convinced that I've forgotten something. Everyone's handy flight tips have certainly made it easier to figure out my hand luggage, I just hope my appearance can keep up after an 8 hour flight. Success or failure, I'll have my rad new suitcase. Isn't it lovely?

I suppose the proof is in the pudding. I'll post photos and you can scream in the realisation that only italians and bollywood dancers look good after long flights. A hard truth I learnt the hard way. Apart from the excitement of a trip away, does anyone actually enjoy the task of packing? How much do you charge?

I hope you've had a wonderful weekend filled with things other than finding adaptor plugs.

♥ pixelhazard
doing last minute things
before she leaves

Dear Internets,

3 words...Paris Fashion Show.

Now before imaginary Karl Lagerfeld tells me I wouldn't know couture if it slapped me in the face, I have to admit, I wasn't too taken by the Chanel show. The colours were beautiful, soft and graceful but I was diggin' the hair and accessories more than the clothes. Pastel shorts/jacket suit combo's from the early 90's but with a kajillion times the price tag was a bit of a dissappointment but how cotton candy cute is the outfit above?

There was a simplicity in the Alexis Mabille show but it's probably a bad sign when you don't enjoy the two toned theme that underpins the whole thing. I suppose you can't go wrong with putting bows on things though, can you? Love the bell shape of this dress!

Anne Valerie Hash's designs were a little edgier and totally rocking. I'm not usually a fan of diso ball synthetics but I think I'll make an exception for this one. The srtipes peeking through made this outfit. Too bad I highly doubt anyone could pull this off in real life. Just think how magical it would be if you could wear couture for a day

GAH! WAH! YAY! What more can be said about the Christian Dior show. It was a little old school with the gorgeous gown and riding gear but it was oh so wonderfully romantic. If only I could get my paws on one of those outfits I would surely faint. B-E-A-U-T-I-FUL!

For the love of cresent shaped clasps and all things silvery and astronomical. Armani sent out monochrome classically tailored suits and gowns. The fabrics were a little shiny but the texture lended wonderfully to the theme

And the award for the most fashionably wounded goes to Thimister's crimson clad warriors. What a beautifully rich colour to embrace, and in satins too! Mmmm smooth pain.

[Vogue] I thank you for the culture!

♥ pixelhazard
has work to do. Come
on motivation, kick
procrastination's ass!

Dear Internets,

Today was Australia day and I spent it exploring in the hot hot sun, and as the title may suggest, indulging in a 30 Rock marathon speckled by cricket (to indulge the boy). It has been a little jarring having a public holiday land on tuesday but it beat working.

Besides when people ask me how my week was, not often do I get to say "Fine thanks! I sat in a large valve!"

If you want a little bit of Australia day in your life and can't find a giant valve to sit in, you could always try to whip up a pavlova? The recipe from BBC Good Food looks insanely delicious!

Ingredients
FOR THE PAVLOVA

• 2 tsp vinegar , any type
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 4 large egg whites
• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 25g hazelnuts

FOR THE TOPPING

• 600g strawberries
• 3 tbsp cassis (blackcurrant liquer)
• 568ml carton double cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 140C/gas 1/ fan 120C. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick parchment.

2. Blend the vinegar, vanilla and cornflour to a paste. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Gradually whisk in the sugars, adding a little paste with each addition, until a thick marshmallowy meringue is formed.
3. Spread it out to a 20cm circle on the baking sheet, swirling the knife to make peaks. Scatter over the nuts and bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and leave it to cool.

4. Sieve 100g/4oz strawberries into a bowl. Stir in the cassis. Whip the cream softly. Slice half the strawberries and fold into the cream. Then swirl in 3 tbsp sauce.

5. Put the pavlova on a flat plate. Spoon in the cream, scatter on the strawberries, drizzle with sauce.

 In fact, feel free to bring me over some when you are done!

  ♥♥♥

p.s. It is uncouth to boast but I must thank eternal masquerade for the vote of blogging confidence. Here comes the obligatory 7 things I like to do. Find a link to some blogs I enjoy/want to pass this onto, on the way

1. Adventures with the Mr - [yellow goat]
6. Travelling over seas - [captivate me]
3. Tasting new foods - [smitten kitchen]
4. My camera and all the moments it captures - [the coveted]
5. Books; past,future, all things imagined & real - [blog goggles]
2. Fashion; dresses shoes and bags - [zebra and meerkat]
7. Creating paintings, pies and pretty wearables - [brunch at sacks]

♥ pixelhazard

Dear Internets,

[wittner]

*slobber* I hate you shoe stores with all your high luster bright quality fabrics. It has not been very long since the last shoe storm but I yet again find my self in lust. From the moment I spotted the gun metal studds on the ankle cuff I just knew. Yes I am fickle but if shoes had personalities I'm quite sure they would be too. I would have rocked school so hard in these but then again at AU$299.00 I would have been saving up for a year to buy them only to have my cool prohibited by the principle.

Speaking of cool and inappropriate for school is it just me or has Melissa George officially graduated into hotness? I never really thought that much of her in her home and away days but I'm definately diggin' these shots

[vogue]

I hope that'll help carry you into the work week. It's Australia day on Tuesday! Long live public holidays and

+ thanks all for your handy packing tips & links in the last post. I'll be making an attempt to get my packing sorted tomorrow. Photos will be taken. Wish me luck!


♥ pixelhazard
indulging in vanilla
cheesecake and lychees

Dear Internets,

[national geographic]

Underpants! I definately need underpants when I go away, but what else should I pack in my carry on bag? I'm going overseas for work for the very first time. That's more that 8 hours over which my carefully constructed facade of chic stylish-ness and poor vocabulary will undoubtedly slowly deteriorate. Any magic tips for my carry on bag that can keep me looking somewhat sane?

[on sugar]

I also need some deets! Two free days in Kuala Lumpur...what should I do, where should I go, and what should I buy? I've never been before so I'm a little excited. Promise to get you a little sumthin' sumthin' *wink*

---

Lastly, I tested out my tripod. No more nagging my little sister to take photos! I bought one of those gypsy head tie things. I wonder if I can pull it off without looking a little stupid.

♥ pixelhazard
wonders what to pack
& where to shop

Dear Internets,

There are some things that seem easy enough for everyone else, but I just can't seem to get the hang of it.

1. I can never eat chocolate and read a book, either simultaneously or even within an hour of one another. The page will some how get smudged and after I search my annoyingly cocolate coloured body for the source, find some melted onto a finger. Yeah, I know what you are thinking, I'm a grub. I am the kind of person who SHOULD eat a mars snickers bar with a fork and knife, but I'm telling you, no matter how hard I try it just can't be helped.

Perhaps the solution is just to avoid chocolate altogether: No smudges on my beloved books and I avoid looking like I have a baby bump. If I were a celebrity it would be calamatous! Fortunately, I'm just a girl who won a fantabulous Icebreaker dress from Frankie.It's made from pure merino, feels like heaven and was the perfect end to an exhausting day! Each dress even has a cute BAAcode that you can enter into the website and trace back the origins of your clothes. It's going straight into my carry on luggage. No creases, no fuss!

Now I just have to work on my celebratory dancing skill and tummy.

♥ pixelhazard
struggling through sit ups

Dear Internets,

Can you believe summer is half over...or winter if you are in the other hemisphere. It has flown by and I have decided that I'll risk the exhaustion and squeeze every drop of holiday vibe out of it.

As you may be able to tell, I've been back at work for a little bit and I am missing all my holiday galavanting. I'm not a young chick anymore; I can't gallavant on work nights! No No NO!

1. No more free time to put on makeup (I don't usually wear it at work) and take useless photos

2. No more drinking redback spiders (creaming soda and ice cream) in the middle of a weekday

3. Less frequent harassment of friends over a meal or two...

or 4...

...ok 5 but I promise that's my last food pic, mainly because I'm getting hungry

4. Less sisterly bonding over slurpees and digging in op shops

5. No more dressing up like riot police because I happen to have a small enough head to fit most kids dress up helmets

A little more accountant, a little less rock n roll

♥ pixelhazard

Is wondering about her

decision not to edit her

photos, esp. of herself

Dear Internets,

Santa and the shoe fairy have come and gone,NOW Lime Crime is coming to town! 2010 sees the launch of  Doe Deere's products to the Australian market....which means I can really see if the vibrant colours make me look  cat lady psycho vs fashionable psycho.

 Doe [above] has gone ahead and taken all the colour dulling fillers out of her make up so you don't have to apply it with as much vigour to get bright results.

As soon as I get my hands on some I'm going to go ahead and post some photos. Now it's just that pesky wait wait wait....I can't wait for that so bright its illegal pink unicorn emblazoned tube to be floating around in my handbag.

♥ pixelhazard
practicing her pout

Dear Internets,

[buzzworthy]

Harsh? Perhaps, BUT has anyone else kind of just lost interest in Rihanna? I just get the "trying too hard to be edgy" vibe from her some times. That being said, whoever the stylist was for the Vogue Italia shoot, has totally rocked my world. Extreme coture with all it's armour, exaggerated sleeves and spikes, I like you.....you know, like like.

[flylip]

As much as Rihanna has been boring of late, I really love this shoot. I'd totally kill to be in something like this....if killing weren't illegal and directly opposed to my religion, morals and ethics. Besides, my dress sense is already regarded as somewhat unusualy. I think if extreme coture was incorporated into my everday people would just get plain freaked out.

[what the hellz]

[thefashiontime]

Oh well, I'll have to be EXTREME some other time.

♥ pixelhazard
resisting a kitty nap

Dear Internets,

After 6 years of being with someone, gift giving starts to become slightly challenging. I usually give one gag gift and something the boy has wanted for a bit. This year, he got an external hard drive for his computer, and a home made calender.

It took so much longer than I had expected, possibly because i was stubborn and refused to get computer assistance. Ithought i'd share some of my chicken scrachings that made up the calender. I took the photos really quickly late at night as I was in a rush to finish it, and completely exhausted. In other works, excuse the really horribly photos

One the first day of christmas my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree

On the second day of christmas my true love gave to me two turtle doves

On  the third day of christmas my true love gave to me three french hen

On the fourth day of christmas my true love gave to me four calling birds

On the fifth day of christmas my true love gave to me five golden rings

[disappeared, along with another month: it was an illustration of our initials with a heart around it, scratched into the sand at the beach. Something J tends to do when we go to the beach, or secretly trace on my palm ]

On the sixth day of christmas my true love gave to me six geese a laying

On the seventh day of christmas my true love gave to me seven swans a swimming

[the image of his favourite page has disappeared...sorry guys]

On the eighth day of christmas my true love gave to me eight maids a milking

On the ninth day of christmas my true love gave to me nine ladies dancing

On the tenth day of christmas my true love gave to me ten lords a leaping

On the eleventh day of christmas my true love gave to me eleven pipers piping

On the twelvth day of christmas my true love gave to me twelve drummers drumming

I know there are months missing with the images and it's not very professional or anything but I was so proud of it by the time I was finally done.

♥ pixelhazard
is covered in tiny bits of paper

Dear Internets,

The Kindle: an unknown concept to me before a few weeks ago but now I'm almost certain I'll end up with one. I understand why some people hate it; they hold none of the romance and history of a beautifully bound hardcover or a travelling paper back. I also understand that my fear of dog ears and my failing bookshelf is making the kindle look pretty good. Yep my books got too heavy for my bookself and one of the slats broke.

Much of my time at work is spent waiting on clients and so little of my life is spent reading books. I have 4 books on my night stand and am currently running out of space to put all these books I keep buying. I figure this way if I come across a book I really feel I need to own after reading it, i'll splurge for a hardcover. Hopefully by this time I will also have a home of my own to crowd with books

So do you think I'm completely mad?

So if my resolution to read more is not such a strange concept to you perhaps you'd like to join Gabbi and Diana on their adventure; slow readers book club. I've join in an attempt to stop my clearly uncouth ways and become a little more refined and cultured. The club gives no such promises but I've decided to exercise some creative license early *smirk*

Best be off. I'm back at work I a few short days so I have little precious time to:

1. catch up with old friends over coffee and photos

2. Wish everyone I know a happy new year before the month is over and it becomes awkward

3. Find images of hearts in ordinary objects for much love monday : I love getting organised at the beginning of the year.

4. Curl my little sister's hair for no apparent reason

♥ pixelhazard

Still pondering the kindle

Dear Internets,

Do you know and love the shoe fairy as I do? She is a little more subtle that the tooth fairy;throwing away money under children's pillows in exchange for a little DNA, plain creepy if you ask me. No, the shoe fairy guides you to lust worthy shoes at reduced prices. Sure, after one visit your wallet is $300 lighter but for about a month, you will be in possession of the shoe of your dreams! Now apologies in advance for the dodgy shoe pics. My little sis wasn't feeling very accomodating today, so my car shabang-a-bang  took the photos. Let's just say photography is not his forte.

The most advantageous time for a shoe fairy visit is around special occasions where gifts are exchanged. Merry Christmas, happy birthday Jesus, here's a gift for me! There are more sales and sales brochures which can be marked with big red circles and left on your partner's pillow by accident. If he's a clever man, he'll do the rest. A better bet is probably a sister or mother. Men cannot see, nor do they understand the shoe fairy.

I wonder what shoes she wears? I had better pay close attention next time I see her, which hopefully wont be any time soon. I don't think my bank balance could survive it.

[Yatzer - Krys]

Wow, who knew I had such a wealth of knowledge. Perhaps I should Wikipedia this and keep my fingers crossed that some unsuspecting child doesn't come across it before it is wiped out by wiki tech geeks.

 

♥ pixelhazard
wondering if she
should buy a kindle

Dear Internets,

I was going to post images of my favourite christmas gifts, particularly from the shoe fairy but times have been hectic and I haven't been free during the day to take photos. I also finally finished making a calender for J so I'll post pics of some of my favourite months. In the meantime, take a peek at this...

There's this little missy you see, her name is Lucia and she is my sister's friends and aspiring fashion photographer. She goes to school, probably spends too much money like everyone else her age, and takes lovely photos currently featuring her school friends. She seems to find interesting places to shoot in her less than inspiring suburban surrounds and her eye for good natural lighting is quite wonderful. To top it off, she has a style after my own heart.. If you happen to be in the NSW area, and would like to get some pretty photos taken and take a chance on Lucia, I should think you'd be pleasantly surprised.

The first photo is my favourite: The 1st model is Emma, whose eyebrows so filled with character, in person. Model two is Isabell, who I have only had the pleasure of meeting once, and she hid from my camera like it was the plague. I have to give points to Lucia for not only getting shots of her, but also convincing her to put her hand in mystery park water (last pic).

Enjoy the red lips and romance

♥ pixelhazard
wishing for a willing model