Are You Cereal?

Want to know what I think of supermarket music? Want to know why there should be royalty in the shops (just not that Prince up there)?

Then click over to JustB today for my scoop on how I can make your shopping adventures a heck of a lot happier.

image via Zimbio

We're On Holidays. And We Have Gold Fever.

We visited Nundle this morning to check out all that was a-happening as part of their annual Go for Gold Chinese Festival. 


Once we arrived in Nundle we took the smalls straight to go gold-panning. They had a hoot sifting through the soil, and both struck it big, and got to bring their gold home. Once that was over the Doctor said he wanted to go home... Hmm. 


We meandered through the crowds, ate sausage sandwiches, went to the Nundle Woollen Mill, watched the Chinese dragon performers - which was pretty rad, went to my favourite Odgers & McClelland and stocked up on boiled lollies (I have a sweet tooth, yikes!) and my favourite beech nail brushes - random combo I know, but this is the general store - and the curation of goods is inspiring and so aesthetically pleasing! I never knew I loved brooms so much.


Ah the country air. I can not get enough. 


I definitely do not want to come home. 

Does Your Man Hate Shopping?

Well I have just done you a huge favour. Looky looky what I found for you. US designer Thom Browne's new Autumn-Winter show in Paris. If your man's not inspired by this collection, I don't know what will inspire him.

Want more shopping inspiration? Click here.

Christmas Gift Ideas: Tricky + Dreamy

This is the last of my inspiration for Christmas gift buying. Here are some of my favourite things that I just don't think you can go wrong with. Ho ho ho and let's rev it up moving forward to Christmas. Shall we?

Inoui scarves in a plethora of colours and designs - so soft, and so beautiful - Calico and Ivy $95 (Or check out the amazing Sophie Digard pieces - divine!)

Bal D'Afrique Eau de Parfum - Mecca Cosmetica $158 (50ml)

Elke Blastodia earrings - Off the Runway $150

Cire Trudon Moroccan Mint Tea Room Spray - Kleins Perfumery $199

Handmade leather key strap - Third Drawer Down $50

Put the Love in the Coconut beach towel - Gorman + Castle Collab $79

This rad table and chairs (people I'm thinking big!) - via Heather Nette King on eBay starting at $500

My work life would look a heck of a lot more sexy with these Inka notebooks - Inky Co $19.95

Matt already thinks I have an unnatural love for bringing home lamps - but I promise I'd stop if I had this toadstool - Down to the Woods $180

I know they're for the smalls, but I think I'd have hours of fun with these Miller Goodman blocks - Kido Store $70

Super cool vintage posters - Galerie Montmartre $60

And that my friends, brings me to a close of my Christmas gift ideas. I am fresh out of ideas. I hope you've already finished your Christmas shopping, and if you haven't (like me) I hope this works as inspiration.

Christmas Shoppers!

Peeps! I have it on good authority that tomorrow only, Kiehl's is giving online shoppers 15% off anything and everything.

You know how I love beauty products, so I just had to share with you peeps!

Just enter SATURDAY when at the checkout and you'll receive the 15% discount.

Sweet!

By Popular Demand - Christmas Gift Ideas: Under $20

Ok so here we go peeps. It's the 1st day of December which always sends a shiver up my spine. Only 24 sleeps until Christmas, and my golly, my goodness, my gosh, am I excited? You bet your shizzle.

If you're looking for some ideas for under $20 - well start here my friends!

You're welcome.

The happiest cloud pendant - Georgie Love $18 (and free gift wrapping - ahoy!)

Vintage wooden painted toadstool letter holder - Poppet in the Post $12

Today I'm Bigger kids tee - Well Spotted $20 (sale)

Ridley's Classic Table Quits Set - Lark $19.95

Bloom Butterfingers Shea Butter Hand Cream - Adore Beauty $16

Matchcarden - Townhouse Pink - Notemaker $7.95

Little Garden Bookplates - Poppies for Grace $9.50

Dupe Chique Metalica thongs - Dupe (from the makers of Havaianas) $14.95

Big bow headband - Hoot Kid $13.95

For big or little kids - monkey brooch - Handmade Romance (boy that Evie - she's clever) $20

Honest boy pencil sharpener - Raw Space $15.95

Science Lab Crucible (cute for jewels or salt) - Vintage & Nostalgia $5.50
Enough? What's next? What am I looking for next? Send me my next secret mission.

Christmas Gift Guide: Home Lovers

It's time for me to pull out another gift guide for you, this one is for those friends and family you know who love their home.

French iron herb dryer. So Frenchy, so chic - Heaven in Earth $30

Limited Edition Threadneedle armchair in Royal Silver - it's bound to be the best seat in the house - Freedom $999

Wooden serving spoons - Father Rabbit $39

Sea mobile - rainbow colours - Puka Puka Design $65

Travel in the comfort of your couch - Nomad by Sibella Court from Berkelouw $50

Check out this fab Trim telephone in turquoise - Lark $149

Hand blocked polka dot tablecloth - Sally Campbell $150

Marimekko 'In Good Company' bowl - Funkis $27

Vintage European map cushion in organic cotton - My Bearded Pigeon $55

Voluspa White Currant Quince 100 hour candle - Saison $55

Et voila. 10 ideas for the home lovers in your life.

The Next Big Thing

Psst! This is my new favourite show. The Next Big Thing. So great. Such an insight into retail.

And love Australia's very own Yasmin Sewell at Liberty's of London (pictured).

Recommended viewing!

ABC1 - right now (Thursday, 9:30pm)

Everyone Else's Cats

We'd just visited my sister's shop and were heading back to the car, when we met Tesco, the local cat. I love a cat that sprawls on the footpath for a pat. Oh for the life of a cat!

PS - Do you love Tiny's styling? Spiderman pants, Babushka skirt, Bensimon sneaks. The girl has a wacky style. But it works. She's hilaire.

Booty-Licious

I am one of those rare women that detests shoe shopping.

Really.

Really.

Detest it.

I've always resisted shoe shopping. It's not that I don't love shoes. I love shoes. I admire a beautiful shoe.

It's just that they never fit. Growing up with a size 12 - and that's mens' 12, in Tamworth - there wasn't much of a selection. Couple that with a triple-A width. And you've got yourself a big, fat headache. Even when we'd travel to Sydney we'd have to scour store after store looking for something to fit my foot - and usually have to resign to some bad looking shoe that I had to make do with.

Fast-forward 10 years and Matt and I were in London or Paris looking for shoes for me. We're so cosmopolitan it seems. Well the cosmo stops here. I asked the sales assistant for shoes and she looked at me as if I'd asked her to trim my toenails. Horrified I scurried off.

Fast-forward another five years and here I am, curled up on the couch trawling Westfield's plethora of shoes. All. Available. On. Line. STOP THE PRESS!

No more scaring sales assistants. No more contemplating Kumfs. No more tolerance of sales assistants saying: No I don't have a 12, but I do have a 9 - want to try it? Er, want to hack my toes off? Bind my foot? No. It's not going to fit me. Not now, not ever.

Check it out home girls! Westfield has answered all of my dreams. Trawling the interwebz for shoes. By style. By store. Hello shoe shopping. Humiliation free. WOOT!

Midas. Mollini. Flats. Heels. Trainers. OH MY!

Can you imagine my jubilation when I went shopping and found these babies in a charming size 42 ready and waiting to be delivered to me? Hell to the yeah!

The only downside is that the shoes aren't searchable by size. But you can search by price, stores, colour and style. And a lot of the stores offer free delivery. And rather than the 3-7 days, Midas took a total of 8 days to ship to me. But if they're not right, you can return them. Sound good. Comfy on the couch? Mouse at the ready. Yeah. Me too. This could be addictive Imelda Marcos.

In the interests of full disclosure, I received a gift voucher from Westfield to trial this new service.