Today is a day of lists and commitments.
1. Sunday will be blog update day. I will make time, and post something interesting/inspirational that i have found during the week, or something i have bought or made or photographed. Anything! Blog Day Sunday!
2. Whenever I finish reading a book I shall write a review. I read a lot of books, of very varied genres and I would love to hear from people who have also read them. Discussing books is one of my favourite things to do.
Room of wonders
Dome of Tomes
I really didn’t know what to call this second photograph, it was an experiment in visual merchandising, and i’m really pleased with how it turned out. The First photograph is a window display I created at work. It was wonderful to work with the rich walnut wood tones and add touches of red with the leather binding of books and the painting on an antique tricycle, and touches of aqua in the silk of a chair and the covers of some paperbacks.
I love books, and though the words inside these ones have a meaning unknown to me (they are mostly in French, some in Italian) I still love them. In fact perhaps i love them more because they will never disappoint me, i can believe they contain mysteries and romances, secrets, truths and lies. A special kind of awe for things i cannot understand.
xoxo
Filed under: Sustainability, Vintage Fashion | Tags: canberra, fair trade, fashion, internship, lorne, passion, shopping, sydney, travel, Vintage, Vintage Fashion
My My! It has been a long time since i updated this little blog. I have visited Sydney, Lorne and Canberra. I have loved and laughed. I have been sunburnt and sun-kissed. I have shopped, oh how i have shopped. I have also stayed away from this computer, but now i am back, with an interested, fragmented collection of photos of Summer outfits I have worn.
I am currently completing a Summer internship with the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand. Check out www.fairtrade.com.au to see the amazing work that they do. It is really inspiring, an motivating, to see how empowerment can really make a difference to the lives of people who otherwise might not have had many chances in life.
It reminds me not to take for granted my own life, i live and love and talk. I think talking and sharing is so important, tell people the things you are passionate about. There is nothing more interesting and inspiring than hearing about someone’s passion! If anyone reads this, tell me your passion. I don’t mind if it is shoes, or your family, or cats, or football or saving whales, I would love to hear your passion!
I have a passion for things from the past, and making use of those to make the future a brighter place.
The Hat for All Time
This is me at work, as usual. Though this time I decided to try on this beautiful antique French hat. When you look inside you can see that it is all hand sewn. It is just beautiful. *sigh* I’m sure i was born in the wrong era for clothing, but I love that opportunity i have in this time to make change. The silk scarf is another vintage find, from the Williamstown vintage fair I went on a road trip to a few months back, a bargain at $5! The bag is from Tink in My Closet, and it has become my favourite bag ever!
I think that’s enough for today! Tell me your passions, who knows where they may take us.
xoxo
Filed under: Vintage Fashion | Tags: Vintage Fashion, Vintage, antique, French, romper, work
Now we all must work in some way or another, though i suppose there are some people who do not NEED to work, but never-the-less i still think we all do things that are ‘work’. My ‘work’ is, for the most part, fairly enjoyable. Having worked briefly in a shoe store which was horrible, I appreciate my workplace(s). I waitress, but that is not usually a photogenic activity, thus what follows are a couple of pictures of me in my wonderful newvintage romper/playsuit from the gorgeous girls at Rockpaper Vintage, check out their things they come highly reccommended!! ( http://myworld.ebay.com.au/rock.paper.vintage/ )
On the way to work
I love these chairs, the colour and style reminds me of Marie Antoinette, and since they are antique French ones I don't think i'm far wrong...
The Fence Sitter
Filed under: Handmade & Craft | Tags: angels, baking, cupcakes, food, handmade, handmade gifts
A friend of mine helped me do my tax return, and as payment I made him a batch of cupcakes. (Recipe is Below!) They are simple chocolate cupcakes with chocolate mousse hidden inside, whipped cream on top and then gingerbread angels on top!
Gingerbread Angel
Many Gingerbread Angels
Strawberry Angels?
Recipe:
Simplicity Chocolate cake
These amounts make about 14 cupcakes or 1 cake, but i doubled it and made 28 cupcakes
This recipe has NEVER failed as far as i know, it was the ’specialty’ of my next-door neighbour when i was a child, and she shared it with me before we moved house.
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons of melted butter
2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 Cup Self Raising flour (or one cup of plain and a teaspoon of baking soda, whichever you like)
1/2 a teaspoon of Vanilla essence
1 Cup Sugar (I always use caster sugar because it is very fine)
1/2 Cup of milk
2 eggs
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 180-200 degrees C (Moderate heat).
Melt the butter (in a saucepan or the microwave). While it is melting place all the other ingredients into a large bowl. Add the butter when it is melted.
Using an electric mixer, beat all ingredients on high for 3 minutes or until the mixture is smooth.
Spoon into cupcake pans.
Cooking time depends on the size of the cake/cupcakes but is usually 10 to 15 mins.
HOW EASY IS THAT?!
For the ‘Angel’ tops this is what i used…..
King Island Dairy ‘Creme Dessert’ Belgian Chocolate flavour (You c0uld use any type of chocolate mousse)
‘Queen’ Vanilla Bean dusting sugar (You could use normal icing/confectioners sugar)
Mini gingerbread men (From my local bakery- shhh secret)
Thickened cream
1 Tablespoon of Sugar
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla essence
Method:
When the cupcakes have completely cooled (don’t rush into it because you will burn your finger and make a mess! 
) using a sharp, narrow knife cut circles in the top of each cupcake, angling the point of the knife in towards the centre so that when you complete the circle you will be able to remove a piece of the cupcake. Cut each of those piece in half, these will be your ‘wings’.
Spoon a small amount of chocolate mousse into the center of each cupcake.
With an electric mixer whip the cream, sugar and vanilla.
Spoon a generous amount of cream onto each cupcake, covering the mousse (its heaps of fun to see peoples surprise when the bite into the chocolate!), then arrange the ‘wings’ and the gingerbread men (or strawberries).
Finally dust with some sugar et voila! You have gingerbread-men cupcakes!
Filed under: art | Tags: antique, bedroom, design, French, furniture, home, interior design, Japanese, vintag
So today is so lovely! Bright sunshine, nothing could be better than to NOT write an essay and instead clean out my room!
My room is a reflection of me, i think everyone surrounds themselves with the things they love, some people don’t like a LOT of things… I am not one of those people. I collect, and i treasure all the little (and big) things in my room, and I love the way all the things mix together. The pictures speak for themselves, I have French antiques, modern things, Japanese things, broken things and shiny new things what brings them together is that they are all things i love!~~
Enjoy.
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- Door Collage
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- Souveniers from Japan and France
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- Boxes of Collage Materials and Art Things
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- Single roses in recycled glass bottles
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- Roses, antiques horse-shoes and an antique key from France
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- Antique French Mannequin
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- French antique dressing table and some of my shoes
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- Old and new perfume bottles, a Japanese fan and collection of feathers
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- Bracelets on a sake bottle, rings and earrings in a vintage dish
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- So many books…
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- Some of my scarves and hats and my antique English bedspread
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: fashion, melbourne, Melbourne Cup, style
Melbourne Cup 2009, you surprised me, amazed me and of course shocked me. Thousands of people dressed in (what they believe) is their finest, who am i to judge? Love them, hate them, one true thing which can be said is that they are all unique…
Filed under: Sustainability | Tags: action, climate change, global, Kofi Annan, Midnight Oil, Sustainability
http://www.timeforclimatejustice.org/
I came across this today, not only is it a song i have loved ( <3 Midnight Oil) but this version is amazing, it inspired me.
I sent the link in a text message to many of my friends, and I hope anyone who reads this will share it on facebook, and talk about it with all the people they know. Copenhagen is going to be the ‘make or break’ moment for climate change action, and if we all add our voices we will be heard.
So visit http://www.timeforclimatejustice.org/ download the song, watch it on youtube, upload your ‘tck’ or your photos to the website and make a difference.
xoxo
Filed under: Pets, Sustainability, Vintage Fashion | Tags: Abby, Afternoon tea, best friend, cat, cats, outfit, Spring, Sunshine, weather
Spring is in the air, I love it. It is so inspiring and uplifting. The latest phrase going around is ‘Shop you wardrobe’ instead of buying new things in the GFC your should re-use things you have. I love this idea, not just because it saves money when times are tough, but simply because i just can’t stand to see things wasted! Thus today’s outfit was born for a lovely afternoon tea with my best-friend K.
'Fresh as a Spring Daisy' as my grandma would say
I was not the only one to be rejecting technology today. Shunning the heater and piles of blankets, turning up her nose at the laptop she loves to watch, was my lovely kitty Abby.
What could be more wonderful than to appreciate the weather!
Abby loves Spring sunshine too
Filed under: Sustainability, art | Tags: art, Decay, Photography, School, Sustainability, Trees
For me these images are so emotionally powerful, they really resonate. I think everyone would take something different from them and their story.
View the whole collection here http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweetjuniper/sets/72157603302647339/
And read the story here http://www.sweet-juniper.com/2008/04/knowledge-of-what-happened-and-what.html
Thankyou to Darling Darling for featuring them, so that I could find them.
http://recycleddarling.blogspot.com/
Filed under: Handmade & Craft, Vintage Fashion | Tags: art, ethical shopping, etsy, shoes, shopping, Vintage, Vintage Fashion
Welcome to Little Raven's World
I have taken the plunge! Yesterday I opened my very own etsy store.
So far there only a couple of items up there, some of my vintage inspired artworks and a pair of GORGEOUS vintage leather shoes.
Tri-Tone Leather Pumps
I have many MANY gorgeous vintage clothes to share with everyone, hopefully I will be able to list them in the next week or so, depends on the decidedly NON-fun burden of uni assignments and exams.
If you are looking for something in particular let me know and I will keep an eye out for you, or if you would like some sort of art-work for your walls I am more than happy to create something personal.
Spreading my wings,
Little Raven
