WANT! Does anyone know where I can get a similar one that won't break my bank?

Kei te aroha au i a ruru...

Illustration by Sara Blake

Images from We Heart It.

Maori believe that Hineruru, the Owl Guardian, has the power to protect, warn and advise. As well as appearing at night when someone is about to die, she may announce the imminent arrival of visitors. If she is seen flying ahead or walking along the road, she is usually there as a protector at a time of danger. If she flies straight in front of your path something is wrong. A high piercing call is bad news; an ordinary owl call is good news.

Different cultures believe didn't things but in summary, they all say owls represent wisdom and knowledge. I have a few old wise owls in my family, maybe that's why I am so drawn to them?

Jeez, how's this weather?

I don't know about the rest of you but it is pouring down in the Mount today.

Thank goodness we have a selection of winter jumpers and coats to keep you warm and dry. These are my top picks this week...

Stitched together with good intentions knit

Kaleidoscopic mind coat

Follow up with Fiona...

Now that we've introduced Fi to you, we thought you might like to get to know her a little better. We sat down with Fiona and found out about a few of her favourite things...

What's your name?
Fiona Clare Wright

What nicknames do you answer to?
Mostly and only Fi

What do you do?
I am a full time hairdresser at Rodney Wayne

How did you get to where you are?
I applied for a job when I was 15, with no qualification or skills in the industry but passion. So I guess passion has got me where i am today :)

Who are your favourite NZ designers?
Ruby, Stolen Girlfriends Club, RiddleMeThis, twentsevennames all of which I can never afford but you can only dream right?

Which runway show would you love to work on?
Most probably Alexander McQueen as he always has the most outrageous clothing and accessories - and the hair would be as equally outrageous

Whose hair would you love to do?
Nicole Richie

What music are you currently listening to on repeat?
adele 21

What inspires you?
My biggest inspiration at the mo is Frankie magazine..I'm hooked!

Best advice you've ever been given?
Don't ever get caught up about what other people think, no matter what.

What three things can't you live without?
My Richard Kavanagh curling tongs, heels, and my mum.

Meet Fiona...

A huge thank you to all hairstylists and makeup artists who contacted us about our winter lookbook. After much consideration we have chosen the lovely and incredibly talented Fiona Wright....


Fiona works for Rodney Wayne Bayfair and was this year, chosen as one of 'The Dream Team', otherwise known as Rodney Wayne's Artistic Team.

"Fiona was one of 12 talented individuals personally picked by Richard Kavanagh for their skill, style and ability to communicate to our salon stylists.

Richard says he is "proud and honoured" to be mentoring this team with the latest looks hot off the runways of the world. The team are then sharing this knowledge with Rodney Wayne stylists through hands-on workshops and seminars all over the country. This means you get the freshest looks even faster".

Fiona's Creative Team audition

We're very excited to have Fi on board and look forward to showing you the end results! Lookbook is coming VERY soon!

Coming soon...

Currently en route from lovely London, Two Lost Souls coronas will be available on gran's loose change VERY SOON!

Images Two Lost Souls. Illustration by Jade Culton.

Something to tell you...

Over the past couple of months, I have been working on ideas to build and grow the selection on gran's loose change and I am very excited to announce that, as of this week, the selection will be even bigger. We have teamed up with Laurel from Ooh La La Vintage whose pretty wares will be available on the site this week. I stumbled across Laurel as a Trade Me seller and she will now update new stock on gran's loose change every fortnight. The drill is the same, buy online as you usually would and then Laurel will send your pretty little parcel from Wellington.

Read the Q & A below to learn more about Laurel...


Who are you?

Laurel Smith of Ooh La La Vintage.

What do you do?

I spend my days hunting for treasure in op shops and fixing up vintage clothing to sell online.

What would your dream job be?

I think I am doing it! I want to keep growing and expanding my business and compliment it with other creative projects - like the vintage inspired fashion range that my boyfriend and I are currently working on!

Three things that inspire you?

- Creative people doing what they love.

- Books. Books. Books. (Reading is life people!)

- My friends.

Top five songs currently on your playlist?

Crazy - Patsy Cline

Rabbit Fur Coat - Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins

Imagine - John Lennon

Summertime - Ella Fitzgerald

These Boots Are Made for Walking - Nancy Sinatra

(I have most of these on vinyl but am still on the hunt for Crazy!)

Who is your style inspiration?

I am obsessed with the 60s and adore Jane Birkin, Marianne Faithful, Pattie Boyd and Anna Karina. I take modern day inspiration from style blogs - a few favorites include The Snail & The Cyclops, Esme and the Lane Way, A Cat of Impossible Color and Sally Jane Vintage.

Why did you want to work with gran's loose change?

I love the philosophy behind gran's loose change and the thought of collaborating with creatives with a similar vision to my own is beyond exciting!

Best advice you've ever been given?

Follow your dreams no matter what.

Adventures are my absolute favourite...

Last week, Nat from One of Spades and I went on a buying trip out of town. It was super exciting to scour through stores that were pretty much untouched and we came home with a booty of goodies. (Many of which have been uploaded to gran's loose change just this week...

...like this one. Check the rest out here.) Here's a little documentation of our day...






Can you guess where we went?

Love love Lily...

If you are a long term follower of this blog, you will know how much I love Lily Aldridge. I first posted about her here.

She married her long term love Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill this past weekend and I loved their media-released pic so much I had to share. How happy does she look (...and incredibly natural. Damn her for being so beautiful!) and how smug does he. It's like he's saying, 'yeah fellas, check out my wife'.

Saturday inspiration...

Images from Theyallhateus and weheartit.

Hot dang I forgot how much of a babe Isabel Lucas is! She's amazing. Loving those bright orange lips (can't wait to dye my hair back dark tomorrow so I can rock bright lips again). WANT a long fur vest for winter.

Babes and books...

My dear friend Kate just sent me a link to a pretty sweet tumblr blog (*note! some people have WAYYY too much time on their hands! But I like it!. Check out two of my favourite things here.

Girl crush...

Hanneli Mustaparta. Golly. What a babe.

Cute and colourful...

Something a lot of people don't know about me is that I actually spent my first year of university in Auckland, at Massey on the North Shore. It was a trying time but amidst all of the change, I met a girl called Rochelle. Through Rochelle I met a whole bunch of wonderful girls including Miss Sarah Tuxford (read her blog here) and one talented little lady called Katie Coleman, best known these days as the founder and designer of 'Katiemaree Cole'.

Katiemaree Cole is a kick ass New Zealand fashion label with the perfect mix of femininity and (I think) a certain mystery...this description on her website sums her designs up perfectly.

"Katie-maree started dancing when she was 3 years old. Introduced to the fantasies explored through her various roles and productions she grew a desire and passion to explore life through the colour and design of costume.

She joined hundreds of years of tradition of exploring the femininity, adventure and romance of fashion in their day-to-day lives…

“Each day I open my wardrobe and ask myself

“What part do I want to play today?” she says.

Her designs explore the adventure of being a woman, the beauty and the elegance."

Half cat, half woman...

Images: Weheartit

Catwoman jumpsuit, available here

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JM!!!

Wishing our recurring gran's loose change model (and my lovely other half) the happiest of all birthdays....

Happy 25th day of birth!