It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas...

Images via Shop Market HQ and We Heart It except this last image which was snapped by Jade Culton.

This is the first Christmas in 27 years that I haven't spent with my family. I'm going through a whirlwind of emotions - there'll be none of Granny's salty mashed potatoes and mushy broccoli (her specialty), no Christmas Eve with all of my favourite people at Major Toms, no 'All I want for Christmas is you'* (Mum's favourite!)...

On the plus side, instead of making my way between different houses, families and meals, I can relax in one place for the entire day as I play host to my fellow Kiwi orphans. Christmas Day also happens to be my flatmate's birthday so come dinner time, we're swapping our Christmas cheer for party hats and let me tell you, this is going to be one Christmas I'll never forget.

Love and happiness to you all this festive season. Be safe, be happy and be very, very merry.

*There will DEFINITELY be Mariah Carey's 'All I want for Christmas is you', in fact, I think Josh has downloaded her entire Christmas album! He's a keeper Mum!

Outpost 2011...

All images by me, except this last one - which was snapped by Ben Young.

Last weekend, the troops and I made our way down to Circular Quay where we caught a ferry across to Cockatoo Island. I'm not going to lie, we had had a particularly early morning so the prospect of a 40 minute bus ride then a 20 minute ferry definitely didn't have us jumping for joy. But we made the effort so we could experience one of the final days of Outpost.

The Outpost Project celebrates global street art and transforms the industrial space of Cockatoo Island into a colourful paradise of large-scale installations and live art creations including aerosol art, stencilling, paste-ups, sticker art, cup rocking, sculpture, murals and billboards.

Seeing Lister's and Banksy's in real life is something I am glad I dragged my sorry ass onto the ferry for. Read more about the festival here.

Don't shoot...

Fun (marketing) party for El Jimador Tequila. The boys managed to make the social pages....

Beyond cute...

Image: Daily Movement

No idea who this little cutie is, but the kid's got style. Too cute!

Hello summer...

Strawberries. Bathing at the beach. Barbecues. Fresh fruit and yoghurt. Roadtrips. Sunset beers. Camping. Friends. Garage sales. Outdoor cinema. Swimming. Sunshine. Fuck I love summer.

The Little Big Markets

Images: TLBM Blog

If you haven't heard, The Little Big Markets are back in Mount Maunganui on December 3rd and you should DEFINITELY be there. TLBM are one of my proudest achievements. Rachelle and I worked our butts off last year but I sadly said goodbye to any responsibility or management when I made the move to Sydney and I have to say, Rachelle has KICKED ASS!

TLBM have gone from strength to strength in 2011 with over 80 stalls on some days, the introduction of a 'bank' and even a night market! Make sure you head down to the corner of Matai St and Maunganui Rd on December 3 and visit the blog for more info and for a full list of remaining market days. Im so proud to have been a part of these markets and can't wait to see more pics. Wish I was there!

What I've been up to lately...

Eating mini gelato and drinking Cointreau cocktails at the Seventh Wonderland pop-up launch at The Grand Social.


Being featured on the LookSmart Alterations poster for Westfield. Even more exciting, Beyond the Square PR managed to secure a slot on Seven's Good Morning Show! Watch it here. Congratulations Melba!

Dancing to tunes by Leah Simmons and Pip Edwards from Chicks on Decks at Pedestrian TV's Absolut Mode launch.

Upcycling...

Last Thursday, I got a phone call from a very dear friend of mine asking if I would take part in a shoot for LookSmart Alterations. Initially, I thought she wanted my help with art direction and/or styling. That, I would have been totally comfortable with - I have afterall styled and directed every single gran's loose change lookbook and product photography since inception in early 2010.

But no.

This dear friend of mine actually wanted my body.

She wanted me to model. *Cue hot sweats and panic attacks.

I have always been far more confident behind the camera - bossing people around, zhushing, styling and telling everyone what to do. But I have to say, once I got over myself, it was a super fun day and I got to work with some amazing people (a photographer that gives direction, doesn't make you feel like a complete fraud AND can curl hair? That's you Caroline!!).

The purpose was to showcase the incredible talents of LookSmart and their ability to alter or redesign garments. The term is 'upcycling' - when you take an old favourite and make it into something new, or when you buy something daggy for it's 'potential' and turn it from drab to fab, or even when you buy something amazing albeit a little too big because it's on sale and making it fit like a glove.

Thanks to the styling genius of [the incredibly funny and sassy] Sophie Hart and assistant Ro, four outfits were completely transformed by Rami Mikhael and his team, ALL within just one day. LookSmart are not just your standard 'jean hemming' tailors. They are actually skilled in fit, alterations and clothing maintenance to make every item suit your individual shape and style. Put simply, they know their shit!

Here are a few before and after behind the scenes pics (or as we affectionately called it on the day 'from drab to fab')...

Huge thanks to Beyond the Square, LookSmart Alterations, Caroline McCredie, Rory Anderson and Sophie Hart.

And that dear friend of mine? Mel, you're a superstar. LookSmart are lucky to have you and I'm blessed to have you in my life.