Tia_Cherie

Hi everyone. Today I thought I'd share with you some of my recent instagram photos. A lot of my instagram pictures are just the outfit posts which also appear here so there's obviously not much point in reposting them, but I will share with you the other pictures.

1. out with the husband for my dad's birthday (warmest day we've had this season). 2. walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 3. the latest background on my phone. My mum took this picture- incredible how she captured this exact right moment. 4. with the husband again at Father's Day lunch. 5. an amazing sale on coloured tights at H&M. 6. selfie at the gym (I love the gym clothes from Kmart). 7. my outfit matched a Sydney train. 8. in August my husband and I reached the 8 years mark in our relationship (married for almost 3. I can't believe how much younger I looked 8 years ago). 9. my two ragdolls 10. comparison of my natural hair colour and current hair colour. 11. cookie monster cupcake from work. 12. another gym selfie.

Follow me on Instagram as chelsea_miracle

Today I decided to incorporate white tights into an outfit for the first time. I think they can be a difficult piece to style with shoes and the general colour scheme of an outfit but I love coloured tights so much at the moment so I definitely wanted to make it work. My mum told me that white tights with a pastel coloured outfit is a very 1960s look. I wouldn't have thought of that before but it's so true- I love all the pictures I'm finding on the Internet of 1960s mod dresses and white tights. I have a few pastel pink dresses I'd love to try this look with but for this weekend, my pastel green dress from the new Kitten D'Amour collection was the obvious look. I tried on all the new dresses from the 'Day Dress' collection last week and it's such a pretty range. There was one particular from the collection that I've had my eye on for a long time after seeing the previews. However, I was so disappointed when I tried it on and it didn't fit properly- it was too big in the bust (a common issue with Kitten D'Amour dresses) and the bodice was way too low down my body. I wanted to make it work so much but I just couldn't. However, I came away with this beautiful green dress which I liked a lot more when seeing it in the store compared with the preview pictures. It's a sleeveless dress which will be perfect for spring/summer but I also like how I can make it work for the colder weather too. I find the most difficult aspect of styling coloured tights is the shoes but I think I found a good match for this white pair- I haven't worn these pastel heels for ages but now I've brought them to the front of my wardrobe again, I'll be wearing them a lot more in the near future. I'm really happy with the way this outfit came together. It's interesting that so many of you commented previously and said that coloured tights were not uncommon where you live- I absolutely never see anyone else wear them here.

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In other news, we decided to buy bikes this weekend! I'm so excited! Unfortunately they took awhile to construct this afternoon so we missed out on going for a ride while it was still light but I can't wait until the first ride. It will be a fun activity to do as a couple- I'm thinking, in addition to weekends, when we get home from work once summer arrives and it's light until after 8pm. I decided to go for this pretty red vintage style bike because it looks so cool. I adore the colour and the tan accessories. The vintage shape is just perfect- I never expected to find it. It's from Kmart- where all the bargains are located! Since it's such a lovely looking bike, it'll be great to take pictures with on our bike rides for my blog.

Here she is:

First picture together
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Kitten D'Amour Gigi Dress in Mint
RMK Two Tone Heels
H&M White Tights
Review Cardigan
Forever New Earrings
Kmart Holland Vintage Cruiser

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to be wearing the new Rouge Noir Dita Cardigan today (and yesterday and probably tomorrow). Last week, when Wheels and Dollbaby announced that a new colour Dita would be released, I was very surprised as it hadn't been long since the Emerald version was released. I only discovered these beautiful cardigans relatively recently so my collection has increased from zero to three in a fairly short period of time. The day the new colour was announced was so exciting. I loved talking to other fans on the Wheels and Dollbaby discussion group guessing what the colour would be and continually refreshing the page to see if it had been announced yet. It seemed like the most important thing in the world for that short period of time. I was very surprised to see that Rouge Noir was the new colour. Initially I was actually very disappointed as I had been hoping for a pastel colour (I can't believe Wheels and Dollbaby haven't realised a yellow or a pale purple Dita Cardigan!). Also, the Rouge Noir looked extremely dark on the website and there appeared to be not enough contrast between the main colour and the embroidery. I wasn't even sure if I was going to buy it (and that's saying something!) However, as I saw more pictures it definitely appeared lighter so I decided I'd buy it.

I received my new Rouge Noir Dita Cardian a couple of days ago and it is so beautiful in person. I actually think Wheels and Dollbaby were doing themselves a disservice by posting only a very dark stock photo on their website (although I'm sure they'll have no trouble selling them!) I was surprised to see that it's the same burgundy shade that's been my favourite colour for the whole of this winter- I've worn my coat that's this colour most days for months. I'm so pleased I added this one to my Dita collection. I have so many ideas on how I will style this cardigan but I thought I'd start off with a floral dress which picks up the burgundy shade. I also went for my pink/purple tights which I've been wearing a lot lately (so warm too!). It's not the same shade as the cardigan so I wasn't sure of the combination at first. But I believe it's close enough so I like how it looks together now. I've never been a fan of the popular keyhole look with the Dita Cardigan until now- I never liked how the stock photos showed so much bust. However, I've changed my mind and am a fan of the look in some circumstances now. Depending on the number of buttons that are left undone, it definitely doesn't have to be too low cut. It'll be a good way to show some of my dress underneath too. I can't believe the popularity of these cardigans- I've never seen anything like it. It's crazy that some of the more popular colours, which are no longer available, can be sold on ebay for $400. I doubt there would be any other piece of clothing which had such a following.

Today we were finally able to go for our first bike ride. It was so much harder than I'd expected. I know that cycling can be hard but, as this was intended to be a leisurely non-competitive activity, I foolishly thought it'd be a simple matter of wearing pretty vintage clothes to match my bike and sitting there comfortable the whole time. I could not have been more wrong. There were so many hills and it was absolutely exhausting. For my first 3km cycle, I could have run the distance in a faster time! I wish it wasn't so hard. However, it'll get easier and it's going to be a fun activity we can do together once we get into it more.

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Wheels and Dollbaby Dita Cardigan in Rouge Noir
Review Bellini Floral Dress
H&M Coloured Tights
B.A.I.T Footwear Gloria Flats in Black

Hi all. Today I wanted to show you my new bag from the Kitten D'Amour Castaway Collection. I've had my eye on this bag for months, ever since it came into the preview section of the website. It's the first time I've seen a Kitten D'Amour brand bag. I've always loved nautical inspired pieces and this one is even more detailed and adorable. It's beautifully structured and even has red and white polka dot lining. I'm not as impressed with the latest Castaway collection from Kitten D'Amour as I thought I'd be. It's rather expensive for what it is. There's only one item of clothing that I like which is the dress but $250 is much too expensive for a day dress. Also, the brand name printed all over the dress (in the same way as the bag) ruined it for me- although it's ok on a bag. I'm pleased I just came away with the bag.

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Kitten D'Amour Castaway Bag

These pictures are from the long weekend where we had the most amazing summer weather. After the coldest winter I remember in recent years, I'm so happy whenever the sun is shining. The weekend was crazy though- 36-38 degrees for the whole three days which is uncharacteristic of this time of year. I'm one of the few people who loves ridiculously hot weather! One of the advantages of this was I could finally wear my Little Mermaid top for the first time! I've been looking for a Little Mermaid top, or any type of merchandise, for an incredibly long time but it's always so difficult to find. I was surprised and pleased when I saw them in JayJays a number of weeks ago. They must be popular because they are sold out in most stores now. The store had a special of two for $40 so I also purchased the Bambi t-shirt. I love them so much! Also, Ariel is very special to me- she's always been my favourite and reminds me of my childhood. I just wish I could get my hair is red as red as Ariel's hair.

It was a little challenging deciding what to wear with my new top. I didn't want it to clash with, or detract from, the feature of the top. At the same time I didn't want anything too boring such as plain black. I thought the patterned black skater skirt worked well. I love my B.A.I.T Footwear flats which are my most worn shoes; I'm planning to create a separate post on this soon. Of course, I couldn't resist using my new bag for the first time. The print is so adorable and the nautical print also fits in with the sea theme of the top. I LOVE how red my hair looks in these photos.

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Jay Jays Little Mermaid Tee
Forever New Skater Skirt
B.A.I.T Footwear Gloria Flats in Black
Kitten D'Amour Castaway Kitten Bag

Linking to: Fashion Should Be Fun

Hi everyone, I've tried a number of beauty product for the first time recently and added a few of them to my favourites list:

Too Faced Melted Violet

I discovered the Melted range from Too Faced a few months ago at Mecca Maxima. I have a number of Melted lip colours now but the Violet version is most definitely my favourite. It's such a unique and beautiful shade. I don't see too many purple shades and, when I do, they can be too dark. However, this is undoubtedly the most beautiful colour ever. It's also a good texture as I prefer gloss instead of matte. As a bonus, the packaging is sweet too. Some of the colours in this range don't stay on the lips particularly well and end up on my face. Luckily this isn't the case for Melted Violet.

Miss Dior

I've never owned a Dior fragrance before and obviously they can be rather pricey.However, there was a 50% off sale at Priceline a few weeks ago so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to add Miss Dior to my perfume collection. Priceline has some amazing sales; if you wait long enough, most things will come on sale. I'm not great at describing scents so I won't try but it's one of my favourite fragrances. It's really light and beautiful.

Soap and Glory Rich and Foamous Body Wash
After hearing so much about Soap and Glory on blogs and youtube channels, I thought I'd like to try it. I didn't know which product to try so I went for a body wash. The scent is really lovely and it's light and a good texture to apply. It's so relaxing having a bath and applying this product. Of course the packaging is super adorable and part of the appeal. It's very much like the brand 'Dirty Works' in terms of design which is much more available here in Australia. I've posted a couple of times before about 'Dirty Works' and particularly enjoy their bubble bath.

L'Oreal Preference Hair Colour in Pure Scarlet
This is the colour I've always used since I started dyeing my hair red earlier in the year. I've seen mixed reviews on it but its been great for me and deserves a mention here. There were limited options to choose from when I made the decision to go for red hair so this one stood out. I still wish my hair was brighter, just like Ariel the Little Mermaid, but I never wanted to bleach my hair so I think I've done really well with just a boxed hair dye. I've had a number of comments of this nature. It also lasts long and fades much less than I would have expected. I plan to continue using this product for quite awhile.

OPI Nail Polish in Rising Star
What is there not to love about a gold nail polish!?! This one is a gorgeous vibrant and shiny gold. The consistency is nice and thick and it doesn't chip too easily. It's definitely my most worn nail polish at the moment.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo Eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze
I've mentioned a number of times that the Maybelline Colour Tattoo range is my favourite makeup product ever (in any category). It's so easy to use, even for those of us who are terrible at eyeshadow. It is incredibly long lasting and lives up to its claim of being a 24 hour product. For many months I alternated between Silver Strike and Bold Gold. However, I've recently added Bad to the Bronze into the rotation. I hadn't previously considered it as I thought it was too neutral; I'm more into bolder shades. However, it's actually a really beautiful shade, not at all boring and less brown than I'd expected. I definitely recommend giving it a try.

John Frieda Colour Refreshing Gloss

I've only used this product once as I bought it last week at the 50% off hair products sale at Priceline (best sale, I've never been so excited by hair products before). I've always wanted to try a product of this nature. It's supposed to be applied to wet hair after shampoo and conditioner, once a week, to refresh the colour. The colour was very noticeable after a hair wash; my hair was much less dull and faded. I don't usually have much success with hair products of any variety so I was happy with this result.

Do you have any new favourite beauty/makeup products?

This is my new favourite outfit and I’ve been wearing it frequently over the past couple of weeks. The Kimono Cardigan by Wheels and Dollbaby is a very coveted piece- it’s almost as popular as the Dita Cardigan. It was sold out on the Wheels and Dollbaby website so I initially missed out (although there has since been additional stock available). I was lucky enough to obtain this from a small boutique in New Zealand. A friend who knew I was after the Kimono Cardigan informed me of this and fortunately I was able to buy one of the few remaining pieces! It’s one of the most beautiful cardigans I have ever owned and I’m so happy with it. The floral design is unique, colourful and pretty. I prefer to wear it over dresses or skirts rather than tucked in so it doesn’t cover the black floral design. As you can see, I also love wearing double floral- you can never have too much of this lovely design. The skirt is one of my favourites due to the shape. It's a lovely full skirt with netting underneath. The design reminds me of a water colour.

As you may have noticed I've been posting more regularly again. Let me know if there's any specific posts you'd like to see.

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Wheels and Dollbaby Kimono Cardigan
B.A.I.T Footwear Gloria Flats in Black
Victoria's Secret Bag
Forever New Molly Printed Tafetta Prom Skirt

Linking to: What I Wore Wednesday

It's been forever since I created a remix post and there's no better piece to do it on than the shoes I wear most days- my Gloria Flats by B.A.I.T Footwear which I have in both red and black. There's never been a pair of shoes (or item of clothing) that I've worn more. I've actually re-purchased both colours as I wore them both out. I've never had to re-purchase a piece before. I have so many pairs of shoes but I'm always drawn to these. They are very practical as they go with everything and I keep reaching for them because they are incredibly comfortable. If I have a day which involves a lot of walking I'll always go for these shoes. I even go bike riding in them too. I love how adorable and beautiful they look. I initially bought the red version from Modcloth about a year and a half ago and then this year I added the black pair to my wardrobe. Kitten D'Amour also sell these shoes now but they are extremely overpriced compared to B.A.I.T Footwear and Modcloth (even with the international postage charges). These are the best shoes ever!

Which piece in your wardrobe have you worn this frequently?

Hi everyone! Today I've put together a few things which have made me happy in the last week. It's very beneficial to take a moment to recognise the little aspects of life. I also need to make sure that these are not always shopping/spending money related as it would be good to broaden the range of experiences which make me happy. I've included both. I'd like to do these posts from time to time.

Favourite Outfit
As you can tell from my previous post, this is my current favourite outfit. I feel so much satisfaction from wearing one of my favourite pieces, regardless of whether or not it is new. It's great to get enjoyment from an existing item in the wardrobe rather than needing to go shopping for something new to feel the satisfaction. I love feeling good about myself from dressing up.

Gold Dita Cardigan release
Today I pre-ordered the limited edition gold Dita Cardigan from Wheels and Dollbaby. Could I even begin to explain my love for the Dita Cardigan? You can see my previous posts on them here and here. A gold version is the absolutely best cardigan I could possibly imagine- it's something I could only dream of and never actually thought would be created. I never expected it to be released so quickly as I was expecting it for around Christmas. My bank account isn't too happy about it being released so close to the Rouge Noir version but my wardrobe is! I'm sure I'll be showing a lot of it on my blog in the future, I was also one of the first 50 to purchase the gold Dita Cardigan so I'll be receiving it in a signed box.

Best time for 6km run
I'm so happy with this run but it was tough for me to finish at this pace. However, I love the feeling of achieving a personal best and pushing myself (have to be careful asthis sort of attitude leads to injury). Frequently, this feeling is actually better than the rush and satisfaction I get from shopping. I've really enjoyed getting back into running over the last four months and I'm happy with my progress. However, I've struggled a lot with injury so I still need to manage the situation.

Juliette Princess Miracle
My little JP Miracle is the love of my life! She's so pretty, fluffy and beautiful. I adore being with her and looking at the extensive collection of photos I have of her. I always say there is nothing like a warm cat on a rainy day! As you can see below, these are my two gorgeous ragdolls together- they are the best of friends.

Favourite TV Shows
There's nothing like catching up on favourite tv shows in bed at the end of a long day. One of the few shows I watch regularly is Eastenders- in fact I haven't missed an episode in 10 years. There are times when I hate the story lines but it's such a familiar show to me now that I can't imagine not watching it. As Lacey Turner is my favourite actress in Eastenders, I decided to watch Our Girl. I think her acting is brilliant. I loved the series, with the exception of the inappropriate love story towards the final few episodes. I mainly enjoyed watching it because I felt so proud of the self development and bravery displayed. I just wish Lacey Turner was returning for the second series.

Bike Riding
As I mentioned here, we got bikes! Unfortunately I haven't had as much time to ride as I'd expected to but I think that will change soon. The bike rides I've been on have been very fun and enjoyable. It's especially a great activity to do on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

Sunny Weather
The first weeks of spring/warm weather are always such a treat after being cold for the long winter. This picture speaks for itself. I love being able to walk down there at lunch time during spring and summer when I have the time.

Florsheim Kilt Flats Arriving
I ordered the turquoise version of these gorgeous flats and they just arrived today. I'm going to show them more in my next post. I'll be wearing them for the first time tomorrow which I look forward to very much. They are absolutely adorable, the bow is super cute and the colour is so perfect in person. I wish I could have these in all thee colours. I am also impressed by the quality of Florsheim shoes and it's even better they were less than half price.

What have you enjoyed this week?

Hi all. The much anticipated 'Forget Me Not' Collection from Kitten D'Amour was released on Thursday and I cannot believe how popular it's been. By the time I went to the store after work, one of the dresses was sold out in my size and I heard that 80% of the whole collection sold in the first 24 hours. This dress was extremely pricey but I had some store credit and I'd skipped the last couple of collections in order to save for this one. When I realised how quickly it was selling out I decided to get it immediately in fear of missing out. There are too dresses in the collection and it's a shame I didn't get it try on the other one but I'm happy I came away with this one as I'm not sure which one I liked better anyway. There is very minimal difference as only the neckline is varied. I think the other dress was longer which I would not have liked. I like that the 'Forget Me Not' dresses are more of a dress material so I'll get more wear out of it. The colour is so pretty and I don't see a lot of this shade around. The lace detailing is so beautiful and I love the cut out neckline as I don't have many other dresses like that. There isn't much styling required for this dress as it can just be put on and makes a good outfit. I wore it with my B.A.I.T Footwear Robbie's which is also what the models on the website have paired with the dresses. However, in saying that, on other occasions I'd like to show more of my personal styling and I have a few ideas. I think so many colours of shoes and cardigans would pair well. Also, the blue flats with the black bows which I showed in my last post would be perfect too.

It was a lovely sunny day today so I thought I'd add some effects to my pictures which fit in with the theme. It's a shame my hair looks so dark in these photos since they are in the shade. I actually dyed it last night so it looks more red than usual at the moment. In other news for the weekend, I completed my first 10km in under an hour! It's a goal I've had for a little while now after my first 10km took 1 hour 3 minutes. It was so incredibly tough to finish keeping up the pace I needed for the time but I can't explain how good it is to complete that. I certainly won't be running a 10km for awhile now as it hurt a lot and I need to be careful not to injure myself again. This week will have to be slower and shorter runs. What did you do for the weekend?

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Kitten D'Amour Forget Me Not Peekaboo Dress
B.A.I.T Footwear Robbie Heels in Black

It's feeling a little like last Sunday- an outfit post of the Forget Me not Collection from Kitten D'Amour. I don't usually show the exact same dress for two posts in a row but I'm wearing this dress so frequently, I have so many styling options and it's my absolute favourite right now. Plus my blog is supposed to be a representation of where I'm currently at in life, right?! When I came up with the idea to wear a low v neck cardigan with this dress it created many opportunities. I just love how it still shows the peekaboo design and the tie neckline. I adore how the lace pastel cardigan goes with the lace pale blue. I was also lucky to find a cardigan which so closely matches the shoes in colour. I haven't worn these shoes in well over a year and I've just re-discovered them- isn't that the best! I love these shoes but I hate to say, I'd forgotten about them for awhile. I'll be wearing them much more now since they are on my radar again. I have the exact same cardigan in green so I'm going to try and replicate this look with that shade too. My bag is a recent purchase from ASOS. There's a story behind these- I actually ordered it for my sister for her birthday. Since my sister now lives in London I wanted to order her gifts from a UK website to save on postage costs. I bought from a couple of different stores but there ended up being a mix up with the ASOS order. Instead of this bag being shipped to London to my sister, it ended up coming to my parent's address which is an old address I had stored in my account. I don't understand it as I haven't even lived at that address for three years and I certainly didn't select it. I'm getting my sister another one and I'm still sorting this out with ASOS. I have no idea why it happened but actually I don't mind. I got this bag I wouldn't have normally chosen for myself. I love it and it's even better in person. It's a good size and very practical. I have no idea what I'm doing in the first picture but I like the way it shows off the lace detailing.

LOL my facial expression...

Kitten D'Amour Forget Me Not Peekaboo Dress
Wittner Flats
Alannah Hill Having Said that Cardigan in Pink
New Look via ASOS Panelled Libby Bag

Hi all! These outfit pictures are from this morning- it’s very rare that I get up early to arrange for a set before work. The lightening even looks different, with a slight haze over the photos. There's a common theme to most of my outfits right now- pink cardigan and pink shoes paired with a pretty dress. I have a lot of pink clothes so this combination comes so easily. This is the Orchid Cardigan from Wheels and Dollbaby. I only discovered the brand rather recently after falling in love with the coveted Dita Cardigans. As it turns out I love many of the other cardigans from the brand (including the Kimono Cardigan which I styled here), but unfortunately the dresses and skirts are not really my style. The colour is amazing, I adore the print and I really love the buttons on all Wheels and Dollbaby cardigans I've seen. What looks like a skirt here, is actually a dress from Kitten D'Amour. It's a dress I've wanted for months based on the previews. However, when it was eventually released, it was too big in the bust and too long in the bodice. It was very sad. I tried to make it work but had to walk away. A number of weeks later I still couldn't get the dress out of my mind. I tried it on again in the hope that some magic had occurred and it'd fit differently. Unfortunately not but I decided to get it anyway and make adjustments. Until I find the time to do this, I'm wearing it more like a skirt. I'll show you the bodice sometime as it's amazing. The shoes are a new purchase from B.A.I.T Footwear- when I saw a sparkly pink version I knew I had to have them. It's not every day you see sparkly shoes. I had so many comments wearing them today. I know they will continue to be comfortable as I have the 'same pair in black also (posted here and here). Actually when I had some trouble with my ankle lately, I was in less pain wearing these kitten heels compared to flats.

B.A.I.T Footwear Robbie Heels in Pink Sparkle
Kitten D'Amour Eloise Dress
New Look via ASOS Panelled Libby Bag
Wheels and Dollbaby Orchid Cardigan

Linking to: Weekend Blog Hop

Hi everyone. On Saturday night it was one of my favourite times of the year which is my husband's work Christmas party. It's the same every year and this is our sixth year of attending. It's a cruise around Sydney Harbour with free drinks and amazing food. It's the perfect opportunity to dress up (at least for me, no one else was quite this dressed up). I've been waiting for three months to wear this scarlet lace dress and I couldn't be happier I finally had the chance. It's my favourite dress I've ever owned. This dress was released as part of the Dolce Vita Collection at Kitten D'Amour and I fell in love with it instantly- there is no other dress which represents my style so perfectly. The lace is so beautiful and I adore the ballerina length. The detailing is so pretty and delicate. I also wore a petticoat underneath to make the dress have even more of a vintage silhouette. As the dress is exclusively a special occasion dress and was the most expensive piece I've ever bought, I could only justify it knowing I had the cruise to attend, in addition to a wedding (which coincidentally is next Saturday). Isn't it just the best when you finally get to wear a piece after waiting for a long time!? I very rarely go out on a Saturday night so it was nice to have a change, it was a really enjoyable night. I feel like I've turned into an old boring person as I really struggled to stay out so late and even fell asleep on the way home on the train haha. The night would have been perfect if the weather wasn't quite as cold. I look forward to our annual tradition of attending next year.

Kitten D'Amour Dolce Vita Lace Dress
Carvela Kurt Geiger Heels

Linking to: Creative Mondays Blog Hop

Hi all. I just wanted to share with you a few of my favourite things at the moment.

Favourite Outfit
As I've mentioned a couple of times before, I'm totally loving the Forget Me Not Collection from Kitten D'Amour with it's intricate and beautiful blue lace design. I ended up buying the skirt too, it's very rare I'd buy both the skirt and dress in the same design), but I just love it so much. I adore how a variety of my tops look against the pretty blue skirt. I'm wearing this a lot lately- need to post this set of outfit pictures sometime.

Saturday morning Parkruns

Four weeks ago I started participating in the Parkrun which is a free weekly timed 5km at 8am at multiple locations all over Australia (and I hear some other countries too). My friend from work told me about it and I'm so thankful as I absolutely love participating. I adore being a part of something like this. It's very popular with about 140 people each week participating in the location I attend. The field is extremely fast (I can't believe the winning time is often around 15:30 for the 5km). My first race was so slow but my best time has substantially improved. On Saturday I was so happy to complete the race in the time of 27:59. My longer term goal is to take another minute off that. There are photos taken each week and some are absolutely shocking as running is certainly not always flattering, but this picture I don't mind.

Kmart Big Giraffe
On the weekend my husband and I purchased a big giraffe from Kmart (to add to our collection of other oversized safari animals). We wanted to buy one many months ago but just missed out when they sold too quickly. We were so excited to see that Kmart had restocked these beauties on the weekend (the husband insisted on buying the big elephant too).

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Juliette Princess Miracle
My little daughter (some say cat) JP Miracle. She is beautiful and it's always such a treat to spend time with her. She's soooooooooo fluffy!

New Shoes- ASOS
I love shoes from ASOS especially ASOS's own brand. I've actually only discovered it recently but I'm quickly building up a little collection. The gold detailing against the black velvet is such a perfect combination. I also adore the thick heel and the mary-jane style. They are very high and a little hard to walk in (even for me) but that's ok a I absolutely love the way these heels look.

The Little Things
Why am I posting a picture of a plant stuck in a vending machine at the gym? Because it represents the small things in life which make me laugh. It's so important to find these little aspects which can make us smile even for a moment. This one I probably found way more hilarious than anyone else would!! It's great as a conversation starter too.

Kmart Late Night Shopping Trips
These Kmart runs are so much fun. I am lucky enough to live across the road from a late night Kmart and it's always amazing to go in for a relatively inexpensive shopping trip. It can also be fun to do the same after work as it's the only store often. Kmart seriously has the best stuff! My sister and I used to go there all the time before she moved to London. I wish she would come back so we could do it again. Kmart is what she misses the most about Australia so I often take pictures of myself in there to make her jealous.

Hi everyone! Yesterday I went to the opening of the new Kitten D'Amour store in Chatswood. There was free champagne and macaroons which were very tasty! They also had a sample sale (the first one that's ever occurred in Sydney) and the new collection was available for purchase, despite it not yet being officially released. The best bargain I found was a beautiful pink fit and flare dress which was reduced from I think $250 to $59. The dress in this post is the piece I purchases from the new Kitten A Go Go Collection. It also comes in blue and in white. I wasn't sure which one I liked the most but decided on red once I'd tried them all on. The Kitten A Go Go Collection is predominately made up of the one print- cherries, Kitten D'Amour logo, vintage cars and vintage girls in crop tops and shorts. The print has been very popular among fans, however I actually don't like it. I thought that would rule out the whole collection for me, so I was very pleased to see this dress. It's actually a red and black tartan print close up. As with most Kitten D'Amour collar dresses, it was way too big in the bust, but luckily a couple of stitches fixed that. The addition of the cherry is adorable and makes the dress unique. I'll definitely be getting a lot of use from this dress over the summer.

The husband and I sure have our own unique style. It was so sunny in this picture, that's why I didn't even try and look at the camera. It's been so hot lately- 30-35 degrees most days and a few days reaching 40 degrees. I like how it makes my hair look more red.

Yesterday I went in the weekly Parkrun but struggled with the race as I'm injured again. I shouldn't have run but find it hard to take breaks as I really want to get good at running. It has also been such a positive for me in terms of mental health and lifestyle, so it's tough to stop running. My ankle problems have been on going for months now and I can't seem to find a permanent solution. This time it's another ligament tear. It's very painful and I can't walk properly. Send some positive vibes my way! I feel really sad about it.

Kitten D'Amour Kitten A Go Go Red Collar Dress (not yet available online)
Kitten D'Amour Petite Bow Belt in Black
Kitten D'Amour LouLou Red Handbag
B.A.I.T Footwear Everline Flats in Red
Modcloth Kitten Necklace

Hi all. Yesterday, the husband and I went to the park- a location we used to visit frequently but haven't visited at all for the last couple of years. It's lovely there, one of the biggest parks I've ever been to, but isn't as accessible ever since we moved and no longer have a car. The reason for the trip was to celebrate a birthday- that of an extremely important being called Yakamitsu Yak (also known as the husband's toy plastic yak). We've had him for 6 years now. One year we even took him to KFC on the 13th of December. No, we are not weird at all. Yaksmitsu had an amazing day. We quite enjoyed it too. The park always has good opportunities for photos. Pandora, our panda, joined us too- I have to resist the habit of calling her Sue.

It was amazing to have the opportunity to wear my Cameo dress. It's such a pretty print and colour scheme. I love the neckline and the general vintage inspiration. I randomly decided to pair pink with it and I'm pleased with the way that turned out. The shoes I've had for many years now but haven't worn them in awhile. I've brought them to the front of my wardrobe again. I'd forgotten how much I love them with the floral design and pink detailing.

I'm sure this is going to be the busiest week of the year so I won't be around here as much. I also need to take an exam for a course I'm doing through work which couldn't have come at a worse time. We've decided to go away for a few days just after Christmas. I'm looking forward to it because the husband and I hardly ever do things like that. I'm not really into Christmas (sorry everyone!) but this provides something to look forward to in the break.

Kitten D'Amour Cameo Dress
Wittner Shoes
Bow Belt via ebay

Forever New Imogen Scalloped Bag

The weather this weekend has been insane - it' been 40 degrees for most of it. The temperature gauge up the road from where I live actually clocked 46 degrees this evening. I usually love the heat, even of a rather extreme nature, but this weekend has been different- it was really uncomfortable. I tried to do the Parkrun again on Saturday but the heat made it the most awful experience because by 8am it was already well over 30 degrees. I couldn't keep up with my usual pace and was barely even running as I somehow struggled across the finish line. I felt like such a failure. It was so incredibly frustrating not being able to properly finish the race when I usually can. On another negative note, it was my first run back after taking an injury break for the past two weeks. Unfortunately, I returned too early and my ligament tear is not fully recovered. I'm so disappointed. I've mentioned my ankle injury many times here before and it's been an ongoing issue ever since I took up running again in July. I cannot find a permanent solution. It's frustrating seeing some potential in my times and distances, but not having the opportunity to train properly. I'd do anything to find a permanent solution.

From a more positive perspective, I've decided to train in the pool especially while I can't run. I hate that when I take injury breaks, even for a couple of weeks, I've lost so much of my fitness level and it's almost like starting again. I'm hoping swimming will help with that. I googled it and apparently swimming is the best possible option for me and greatly improves running. I didn't know how helpful cross training could be- one site told me swimming will be the best possible return on investment. This has made me feel better about the whole situation as, when I swim, I know I'm really training for running. The best news is that swimming isn't hurting my ankle. I started this weekend swimming 1km yesterday and 2km today. I've mentioned a couple of times before on here that, while growing up, competitive swimming was such a huge part of my life. So every time I get in the pool now, it takes me right back!

Now onto the outfit. Given the weather, I found myself reaching for a cool white dress. I love this dress with the lace and the neckline detail. It was a bargain too- half price a few months ago. Then I randomly added a yellow belt, liked how it looked and decided to make the yellow a feature. I've adored yellow this whole year, despite previously hating it. This is also a new bag from Guess, same as the version I have in red, and I'd been looking forward to styling it. My shoes are another successful purchase from B.A.I.T Footwear. I'm majorly into their flats because they are both comfortable and adorable. I'm planning to do a separate post on my B.A.I.T Footwear collection soon, once my new pairs arrive for Christmas.

Forever New Lace Dress
Forever New Earrings
Guess Korry Small Classic Tote
Bow Belt via Ebay
B.A.I.T Footwear Everline Flats in White

Here are a few of my favourites right now:

Kitten D'Amour Black Coffee Dress
I initially didn't like the whole Black Coffee collection because it was inspired by corporate wear and I don't wear much black or blouses and pencil skirts. However, I tried on this dress recently and it became the exception- it certainly isn't too corporate inspired with the oversized flower and lace. It's such a beautiful dress in terms of quality, design and fit. It would be such a classic piece to have for many years to come. I just wish it didn't cost $329!

Kitten D'Amour LouLou Black Handbag
As you can see from my earlier post, I already have this bag in red. I think I'm going to buy it in black also given how much use I've had from the red version (used it every day since I bought it). I love the patent finish, the structure and the pretty bow. It's also proven to be very practical as it's large and even fits a laptop inside.

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B.A.I.T Footwear Sindy Flats
B.A.I.T Footwear have impressed me again with another pair of adorable and unique flats. I have a few different pairs now and seem to be developing the habit of purchasing multiple colours. I was very happy to notice last week the 'Sindy' collection. There's such a lovely range of colours and I love the cutout design. My favourite would have to be the seafoam version.

Miu Miu Fragrance
I really want to try the Miu Miu first fragrance and add the cool looking bottle to my existing perfume collection. I’m sure part of the reason I’m drawn to this fragrance is because of the pretty black and white cat all over the advertisements. I often receive fragrances at Christmas so I definitely associate this pretty with the current time of the year.

Kitten D’Amour Pretty Ballerina Dress in Lemon

How unsurprising- another dress from Kitten D’Amour is on my current loves list. I didn’t expect an additional collection to be released at Kitten D’Amour this year given there have been a number of new ones recently. However, this one snuck in without much notice earlier in the week. It was fun being able to check it out in store on a Tuesday night given the Christmas extended trading hours. The dress comes in pastel colours- yellow, pink and blue. I’m especially drawn to the yellow version as the lemon is incredibly pretty. The lace detailing is so beautiful and I adore the lovely silhouette. The dresses remind me of the Angelina Ballerina series which I used to love when I was a child (before it turned into a cartoon and became less good).

Glass House Galapogos Candle

The husband and I have developed a love for scented candles this year. We found out from the staff at Peter Alexander that the Galapogos scent by Glasshouse is the candle which is usually burning in store. I’ve loved the scent of Peter Alexander for ages but never realised it was a candle and that it was available to purchase there. I think we will have to go back and get it.

What's on your wishlist at the moment?

Swimming
If it wasn't for swimming, I would be mega depressed right now about my ankle injury. Swimming has helped me to remain in training, made me feel productive and provided me with a goal to work towards. I've mentioned a couple of times now that my background in competitive swimming means that so many memories come back to me every time I return to the pool. It's been over ten years since I walked away from the sport but I'm surprised how much of the technique I've retained. The feelings of success and purpose that I used to feel all those years ago from swimming are still there and make me feel good about myself whenever I train. I'm even thinking of joining a weekly swimming club again. I've been pushing myself . This afternoon I swam a 3km training session and now my arms hurt so much!! My husband came to the pool with me this afternoon. Its the first time he's ever seen me swim. He took some videos.

Juliette Princess Miracle
My little kitty cat has made it onto this list again. It was amazing to spend time with her on Christmas Day and Boxing Day- I look forward to more time with her during these holidays. This is a picture of us together on the 25th.

The End of Work
We made it to the end of another working year! Usually I hate it when it's a break from work as I tend to get depressed when I'm unproductive and I over think things with too much time on my hands. I often get lonely. However, this time I don't mind the holidays. My husband has taken annual leave at the same time as the compulsory shut down period at my work and we have our trip at the coast to look forward to. I'm also very tired from working hard this year so I'm ready for a break. This is me in the lift at work in the last week- great for checking out a look.

Christmas Presents
I'm not majorly into Christmas but I do enjoy the presents and always receive some amazing treats! I am sure you'll see some of my pretties in coming posts. This collection of presents were the ones which my husband and I bought for my parents- I just had to show you the amazing wrapping paper! My Mum received her gifts wrapped in Disney Princess paper and my Dad received his gifts wrapped in Frozen paper. It's the best paper ever.

Shopping
I've purchased a few new pieces recently but the best bargain was the Dolce Vita dress from Kitten D'Amour. I'm getting the hem taken up at the moment but once it's ready I can't wait to wear it. It's rather different for me to wear black but the lace cut out detail at the back makes it unique and a standout. I've wanted this dress for many months now but couldn't justify spending $250 on it especially given that I'd already purchased one of the other dresses from the same collection. However, I did the right thing and waited until it was on sale. It often pays to wait! I got it for less than half price- under $100!

New Collection at Kitten D'Amour
This pretty collection of pastel coloured day dresses was released at Kitten D'Amour early last week. I didn't expect a new collection this quickly so this was a lovely surprise. With the extended trading hours it was fun to go and check out the collection after work. The dresses are so beautiful and some spending did happen- more to come later. What I love about the release of a new collection is, not just the new pieces, but the discussions I have with other KDM fans over social media. I've met so many people over the Internet just from our mutual love of Kitten D'Amour clothes and it's been great.

In other news, tomorrow the husband and I are going on our trip to the coast!

Hi everyone! We've made it from Sydney to the Central Coast and are on day one of our holiday. I'm posting this from the hotel room- two posts from me in 24 hours! Today was taken up by travel, checking out the area and a walk to the beach. The area is very beautiful and there are so many pelicans! The scenery makes the perfect location for outfit pictures. It was a little cold this morning but it's become better as the day has progressed. I just wish it wasn't so windy on the beach when taking the photos. We about to go out for dinner which will be enjoyable and I look forward to wearing one of my new dresses which I received for Christmas. I'm not too sure what we will do for the next couple of days as the husband and I are not really into the beach but I'm sure we will be able to occupy ourselves. Here are the photos from the walk to the beach earlier this afternoon.

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