Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

"Now I lay me down to sleep,

A bag of peanuts at my feet,

If I die before I wake,

Give them to my brother Jake."

I just love that I grew up on M*A*S*H. =)

Image courtesy of http://www.talkingpix.co.uk/InterviiewWilliamChristopher.html

I am desperate for some good bed linen. A doona cover and some sheets and pillow cases that do not fall under any of these categories:

• stark white
• brown
• pale/pastel
• too floral (I share with the boyfriend, after all)
• stripy
• spotty
• boring
• child-like
• "modern"
• make the bedroom look stale

I would really like bed linen that

• is interesting - can start up a conversation
• has some detail
• has some colour
• is boy friendly without being dull
• makes the bedroom look welcome and cheerful
• is different

Please help me guys, I'm sick of the way my bedroom looks. And if you possibly have any tips as far as bedroom decor is concerned, I'd love to hear them, including where I can find stuff for my bedroom or what I can do to liven up the room.

I can't even find pictures of what I mean, but I have an idea in my head. 

I'm just sick of my room being so bland and boring. I never want to be in there.

Any ideas will be gratefully received.

Thanks for listening.

x

Another Quiet Weekend Over

I had a fairly quiet weekend; worked a bit, bought some magazines, a bit of study, cooked some delicious soup (Split Pea and Prosciutto), baked some Shortbread with Passionfruit Cream, visited the relo's in Mornington (and got there by myself without a map - so proud!), did some knitting, watched heaps of movies (including Stranger Than Fiction, which Matt hadn't seen, and is now obsessed with), picked up some new glasses - which I'll post about later because I forgot to get photos of - and looked after Matt. It was still a good weekend though. At first I was a bit sour but it ended up being really good.


I still haven't finished the scarf (and I have knitted more since these photos), but this just gives you an idea of what it's going to look like.

Cardigan: Cotton On, Dress (worn as top under skirt): Supre, Skirt and Belt: Sportsgirl, Tights: Metalicus, Wool and Needles: Lincraft.

I'm such a proud little knitter!

This is maybe half the length that I want it to be. I'm hoping I wont give up on it and I will actually have it finished this year - I have a habit of getting bored of my projects and stopping them before I'm finished.

Here's the wool that I bought, and I have bamboo needles (can somebody say, 'sustainable'). It's such lovely wool, it looks a bit old fashioned, I reckon.

Gosh, Matt is cute. Drinkin' his tea and being all snuggled in the jumper I bought for him. I swear, most of the time when we are at home, at least one of us has a mug of tea in hand. At least it's not soft drink!

Naw, there he is again.

Here's a few things I'm listening to at the moment;

CSS - Left Behind

Yeasayer - O.N.E

Supergrass - Moving - Lisa got me into this one big time. Love it!

Have a lovely week everyone, and forgive me if my posts are dwindling, I have exams coming up very soon and one more assignment to do. 

And, if anyone in Melbourne is interested, Savers is having a 50% off sale today only, and you should go if only because I can't!! Savers' Sale

PS. If I ever mention a recipe that you think you might like, let me know, I'm always happy to share.

x

The Beach

I quite like this photo. It was taken in November last year at a beach in South Gippsland. Matt and I went on holiday with my sister and her boyfriend to see our Nannie. It's such a good memory.

I'd love another holiday real soon.

x

Dress ups box

I thought I might post some of my more memorable costumes over the years for your enjoyment/possible inspiration.

1940's Pin-up with Anthony, for Boun's 30th, 2009

The evolution of the 1940's Pin-up costume into the Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini costume that I made (without a pattern) for the La Trobe University Wodonga's Sexual Deviants Ball 2009.

This was my Wood Nymph costume for a fairy picnic my then, not-yet-housemate, Lisa had in the Botanic Gardens in Albury, 2009. Hair and make-up by my sister, Alysia, and I made the head piece from a dead vine I found.

We had an 'F' party for my lovely British friend, Flora, when she went back to England. I was a flamingo. My sister, again did my make-up. Another costume of 2009.

This was originally a badly made bridesmaids dress for my dad's very tacky 3rd wedding. I brought in the skirt to make it a pencil skirt, shortened it and added the black belt and wore it to a Mad Men party. 2009. My sister (the genius!) made my very short hair into this fantastic beehive and did my makeup.

I think this was the first costume I ever made; Wonder Woman for the Heroes and Villains night at Sodens in Albury. The DJ duo, Culture Vulture, who were regulars back then, deemed my costume the best, and I won the $50 bar tab!

This one was a sports themed party, Joe's 21st, 2009.

At my 13th Birthday, I was a witch. 2000.

At my friend Anthony's 21st, a 'Things That Go Bump in the Night' theme. This costume was my sister's idea, and she did the hair and make-up. I thought I made a great spider!

Most recently, this is what I wore to the lovely Dayna's 30th birthday, which was a Vintage theme. So proud of my hair because I did all myself - I don't usually.

So, what do you think?

x

Groovin the Moo 2010

On Saturday, May 1 I had the pleasure of attending my third Groovin the Moo festival. This one was held in Bendigo and somehow, I managed to get the day off work for it (thank God!)


The acts that played included Lisa Mitchell, Space Invadas, Grinspoon, Miami Horror, British India, Bag Raiders, Yacht Club DJs, Jonathan Boulet, Empire of the Sun, Tegan and Sara, Vampire Weekend, Spoon and a few others. We were lucky enough to have a beautiful sunny day and a great group of friends to enjoy the festival with. I'm not sure what my favourite band was because I just loved so many of them! 

Lisa, me, Holly and Johanne

Ahh sun... =)

Matt enjoying the festival a little too much

One thing I really enjoyed about Groovin the Moo was that they used the temptation of cheaper alcohol to discourage littering in the 18+ area. According to Johanne, who was also at Groovin the Moo, they started doing it in Europe. Basically, for every container (empty can) you return, you get $1 off the price of the drink, but you can only bring a maximum of 4 containers up per person, so instead of paying $8 for beers, we were paying $4 - which is a bargain, for festival prices! I did notice that the 18+ area was a lot tidier than the rest of the grounds, so good on whoever came up with that idea! I thought it was very effective!

We were all about the cheap beers!

Unfortunately, what brought the festival down were a few of the people on security on the day. Firstly, getting into the venue took some people 3 hours of waiting time, which is just unbelievable! There wasn't a line for those who didn't have bags, so it really slowed things down. Secondly, when I presented my bag, I was holding an empty drink bottle which I planned to fill up with water instead of buying another bottle, and I was told I could not bring that in because although it was empty, 'it could be lined with pure alcohol' (righto!). I was told to throw it out or I could not enter. I don't remember reading anything anywhere about empty drink bottles being prohibited, but I accepted it. So when I got inside the festival, the first thing I did was buy a drink in a bottle that I could refill all day, but when I got to the entrance of the 18+ section, I had to present my ID, despite the fact that I had an 18+ wristband on, have my bag searched - again - and was told to throw away my newly bought (inside the festival grounds, 5 minutes ago) drink bottle. What? On top of that, our friends who had gotten through the gates with unopened bottles of soft drink were told to throw them out or they would not be able to enter the 18+ area either. Even stranger, was that the exit of the 18+ area, with big signs saying 'No alcohol past this point' was not being guarded as heavily with people walking out with huge bags being unchecked, and strangely, Johanne was given unopened beers that he could have quite easily taken them out of the 18+ area, more than I could get my Vitamin Water in. Which reminds me, when I purchased my drink, the girl in front of me asked for a can of Red Bull and she said 'please don't open it', the server said, 'No, I have to - responsible service.' Of what? Sugar?! I thought, as the same lady served me an unopened bottle of Vitamin Water. Gosh, it was very confusing. Thankfully, all of those rules were relaxed, but honestly, what was going on there?

Where's Wally?

Vampire Weekend and their amazing chandeliers 'Me and my cousins and you and your cousins...'

Very worth it!

x

Something old to something new.

As promised, here is the dress that I bought from Savers last week and altered. I'm so proud of myself for seeing potential in this, and that I didn't make any mistakes when altering it.

All I really did was alter the hemline, but I think it works. I even wore the new dress to the Groovin the Moo festival I went to yesterday, which I will post about later.
x

Crafty Ventures

After Uni yesterday, I plodded along to Lincraft at Australia on Collins for some white thread and an unpicker for a project I plan on doing tomorrow. Of course, I ended up having a bit of a browse through the fabrics (quilting fabrics are my weakness) and the wool section. A group of seniors were also having a bit of a browse together, and they were incredibly cute. 'Ooh'-ing and 'Aah'-ing at pretty much everything and 'I guess we'll all be knitting tonight!' was said several times, which was very entertaining. Inspired by that, I also bought two balls of very thick wool and some bamboo needles - 'I only ever use bamboo needles now.' 'Yes, me too.' 'Oh, your bamboo needles are just beautiful Maggie' - so cute!

So when I came home, instead of studying, I started to knit a scarf with my brand new wool and needles and finished both balls of wool in one night!! Only problem is, the wool is so thick that the scarf is only 1/2 a meter long - haha. So now I've got to buy, what, 5 more balls of wool to finish the scarf. At least it will be nice and thick and warm for winter, because I am really ill-equipped for Melbourne Autumns, let alone the winters.

Pictures soon, when I am finished.
x

Join me for High Tea?

My house-mate Lisa and I have decided to have a Mad Men Tupperware party very soon, so I've been looking up things to make for it. It will kind of be like a High Tea, with everyone wearing vintage dresses and sipping potent cocktails, while being convinced to buy expensive Tupperware.

Mint Julep recipe from Gourmet Traveller

Pimms Cocktail recipe from Taste.com

Finger Sandwiches from Grab Your Fork Blog

Devonshire Teas from The Other Andrew Blog

Tea Cake from Taste.com

Cheese Plate from What's Cooking America

Mad Men elegance from The Ocean Agency Blog

Old-fashioned Tupperware obsession from psfk.com

I think it will be a very lady-like evening. Mum will be proud! I think I'll have to buy some white lace gloves for it.

x

Feeling Thrifty

After viewing a post by Lady Melbourne early this morning about a recent op shopping trip, I decided that instead of being the lazy moo I usually am when I don't have to start work until 12pm, that I would go and have my own op shopping adventure.


So at 9.30am this morning, I ventured over to Sydney Rd, Brunswick and met my fantastic and most thrifty friend, Nikki at Savers.


I managed to find 5 dresses and 2 pairs of shoes to try on, but decided it would be best just to settle for the dorky brown sandles, which were, I must admit - love at first sight.


We then had a look around at a couple of other shops, to no avail, until we went to The Green Collective, which had both recycled clothing and lots of 'green' products to purchase. There I found a stripy white and blue top (a blue that I don't think I have ever owned, clothing wise) and something I have coveted for quite a while now - my very own Keep Cup!! So now I don't need to take a heavy mug to uni, or get a paper or plastic cup while I am out - chuffed!

All in all I thought my morning was rather productive and I wound up with a satisfactory haul - only $28 spent too! Let's not tell Matt though. I wasn't really supposed to go shopping (o'.'o).

x

Karnivale

(I really need to get better with photography)

This Friday night became a bit of impromtu fun when Matt went for drinks with a friend of ours Jacob. I had just finished my first shift of my new job (woohoo, I'm employed!!) so I was pretty pooped, and got all dissappointed when I forgot that the boyfriend had after work drink plans. But while he was out he texted me because Jacob's girlfriend Terri, and another guy, Michael, were also coming out, so I should meet them in the city for dinner. So I did, and after dinner, Jacob was convinced that the best thing to do is head down to the Yarra for the Moomba festival and watch the fireworks.

Terri, Jacob, me (wearing Metallicus dress and a flower I made myself) and Matt

Terri and Matt in the Children's Garden

We ended up on the side of the river with the kiddy rides and games, so I was only interested in the Giant Slide. But I swear the people who ran the Giant Slide had something against me, because every time I was near it, it said "closed due to weather conditions" and every time I'd walk away they'd let people on. Bastards.

But looking at it, you can see why I was so close to tantrum territory:

RAINBOW! AND you can race people down it. AND they take a photo of you going down!

Even DisneyWorld couldn't improve on that. And it was the highest Giant Slide I ever sawed in my short life.

We even played a few of the games, and won a few shitty prizes.

Matt and Jacob try (and fail) at the archery game. (Haha, Matt is just so tall)

Terri and I show off the prizes that we won in the Basketball game. Considering the dodgy-looking eyes on the other prizes, I thought the Care Bear was the best choice (I still don't know which Care Bear it is though, feel free to enlighten me).

And this is just funny because I never actually thought it was possible to be too TALL for a ride. (Poor Matt, I'm always teasing him. But he's so darn cute. I'm pretty sure Michael was taller than him anyway).

In the end, there were no fireworks, because Jacob had read the internet wrong, and so, spent the rest of the night trying to distract us from blaming him for the mistake ("I'm pretty sure I heard Mira suggest it", "No Terri, it was definately your idea.") Poor Jacob.

Until next time.

x