S is for Snow!

Time for the photo diary of our day at Mount Perisher last Saturday.  Okay, I might have taken more than one picture an hour…  Instagram is so much fun and I seriously had to resist overloading this post with a billion photos of Theodore!  But just as much fun as taking photos ~ snowboarding again for the first time since last year.  Wow.  It was great…..  But let me get on with the pictures before I bore you all to death with recounts of my runs!

 

6:00am ~ We get up before the sun and say hello to Mr. Moon.  Early mornings are not my thing, but I do appreciate a beautiful sunrise. 

 

7:00am ~ Artistic photos while Husband and his brother do the boring stuff like load the car with an insane amount of gear!   We almost didn’t fit in the dog; but once I put my nifty packing skills into play we were able to drop her off at my parent’s place so they could dog sit.

 

8:00am ~ *sings* “On the road again; it’s good to be on the road again…”

 

9:00am  ~ Fellow adventurers to the snow; we were just in more of a hurry to see…. The snow!  I know you can hardly see it in the picture, but I promise that it is there. 

 

10:00am  ~  Hiring snow boards and feeding the baby at base camp {i.e. Jindabyne}.  Theodore with his fuzzy babyhawk is all “Whooo!  Rock on!!”

 

11:00am  ~  Up the mountain; I only wish we could stay at that motel!  Husband graciously lets me ride first whilst he keeps an eye on Theodore, so here I am on the Triple chair lift at Smiggens.

 

12:00pm  ~  Maybe one of these days I’ll try to take a shot while I am moving on my board, but for the moment here’s a snap that I took while “resting”….  Okay, so I fell on my butt a few times.  Hello!  Just had a baby!   So Feather {my snowboard} and I take a well earned break.

 

1:00pm  ~  Theodore’s Talkies:  “Zzzzzz”  Translation:  Happy Mommy!! : D  I look after the bubba, then Husband and I go for a ride.  Look!  He’s on top of the world!  Waiting for me again… 

 

2:00pm to 5:00pm  ~  Things get a little hectic at the end of the day; I pack up baby after finishing some runs with Husband and drive to my friends house.  We warm up in front of the fire while I feed and change Theodore{again}, while also fitting in a month or so of catch up chat into one hour.  Then I leave pick up Husband and his brother but end up running late.  Whoops! 

   

6:00pm  ~  We say goodbye to daylight, and to the snow, and by this stage I am too tired to be bothered taking any more pictures….   Really our day didn’t end until 10:30ish, but like I said, no more snaps! 

I may have been knackered at the end of the day, but it was sooo worth it.  I had a blast and as always, cannot wait to go again!

xox,

bonita

Quick Share ~ Homemade 1940s Pillbox Hat

Another fantastic post to share from Blanka of Minor Swing of O'Sullivan's Girl!   Not only does it contain some lovely 1940s hat inspiration pictures, but it also has instructions on making your own ever popular pillbox hat for the handy dandy vintage lady.  I am absolutely filing this in the “Must Do This” list.   

Have a sticky beak over at her blog ~

Homemade pillbox hat

1942 (23th of March) LIFE issue shows hat types which could be easily (more or less) made at home. ….there's also a detailed manual telling you how you can make the gorgeous pillbox no. 12.  Pillbox hats were very popular in 1940s and are significant for this era.

xox,

bonita

Cherished Collections Blog Tour ~ My Mother’s Pearls

Hi everyone! Welcome to Depict This! if you are visiting.  ^ ω ^   I am so pleased to be part of Casey’s Cherished Collections Blog Tour; I am a big fan of Casey’s and I think her tour is a really neat idea.  I have so many collections {no really ~ stamps, teapots, teacups, TEA, vintage doilies, books, plush horses & of course, shoes!} that it’s been pretty hard to decide which one to show you all! 

There have been some really special collections put up already, and I finally made up my mind as to what I would share.  I am happy to present one of my cherished collections featuring all of the pearl accessories & jewellery I have gathered together over the last few years.

~ * ♥ * ~ L to R:  My mother’s bracelet gifted to me when I was quite young; eleven or twelve I think?  A necklace I bought at an antique store.  My mother’s costume pearl necklace.  I can’t remember when she gave it to me, but I think it was the first piece of jewellery she passed onto me. ~ * ♥ * ~

My Mom’s pearl necklace is definitely the first piece in my collection and I have had it for years.  I never wore it when I was younger, so it’s been tucked away in a box gathering dust for the better part of my ownership. Thanks to my recent interest in vintage I dug it out and now I wear it a lot because I love pearls.

In my mind, pearls are timeless and classic pieces of jewellery and I love how they make me feel when I put them on.  I always feel elegant and feminine when I wear my pearls ~ like I can take on the world, and then some! There is nothing like feeling pretty and confident at the same time. ^ u ^ ~ ♥

 

~ * ♥ * ~ Picture 1:  Fresh water pearls ~ I bought the necklace in Florence, Italy and the earrings at the Parklea Markets in Sydney.  Picture 2:  Fresh water pearls ~ this tri~strand set necklace, bracelet and earring set was a 2007 Christmas present from my family. ~ * ♥ * ~

Plus, pearls have such an interesting story.  Did you know that saltwater pearls take between 6 to 18 months to develop whereas freshwater pearls can up to 4 to 6 years to grow?  However, saltwater pearls are more expensive than freshwater pearls is that saltwater pearls are grown in oysters and can only grow 1 to 3 pearls at once, but freshwater molluscs can grow up to 20 to 30 pearls in one go. 

 

~ * ♥ * ~ Picture 1:  Freshwater pearl set in a marquise flower; a Valentine's Day present from my darling Husband.  Freshwater pearl set in a fan; bought in Hong Kong. Picture 2:  Some of my favourite costume pearl earrings ~ * ♥ * ~

Saltwater and freshwater pearls also differ in the type of lustre. In appearance freshwater pearls are noted for a softer lustre, a glow that comes from deep within the pearl; whereas saltwater pearls have a more brilliant superficial lustre.

Freshwater pearls tend to be more durable due to thicker nacre{the material pearls are made out of}, which is a good thing as far as I am concerned, because I wear them a lot, but I really would love to be able pass them onto my daughter{if I ever have one!}.  

 

~ * ♥ * ~ Picture 1:  Vintage hair comb bought from Etsy and hair clips from Equip.  Pearl and chain sweater clip made by me.  Picture 2: Glass pearl bracelet made by me and a costume pearl bracelet. 
~ * ♥ * ~

Pearls vary in colour from white to those with a hint of colour, often pink, to brown or black. Each coloration will depend on the type of mollusc and the water where the mollusc lived. Because the nacre is organic, pearls are very sensitive to extreme heat, acids, dryness, humidity and scents.  I don’t put any perfume on my neck when I am wearing my pearls because apparently they can pick that scent up and it isn’t good for them.

 

~ * ♥ * ~ Picture 1:  Pearl and seed bead necklace made by me.  Picture 2: Pearl headbands.  ~ * ♥ * ~

Also, did you know that pearls used to be really popular as an engagement ring jewel until the diamond companies decided to do a huge campaign promoting diamonds as the symbol of forever? 

There is a lot of interesting symbolism and history for pearls.  Pearls are considered to offer the power of love, money, protection, and luck. Pearls are thought to give wisdom through experience, and to cement engagements and love relationships.

Early Chinese myths told of pearls falling from the sky when dragons fought while some ancient legends say that pearls were thought to be the tears of the gods.  The Greeks believed that wearing pearls would promote marital bliss and prevent newlywed women from crying{which would be a great reason to put them into an engagement ring!}.

 

~ * ♥ * ~ Picture 1:  Vintage angora collar embellished with pearls; bought off Etsy.  Picture 2:  Vintage gloves embellished with pearls and seed beads; these are my most recent addition to my collection as I thrifted them two weeks ago.  ~ * ♥ * ~

I must say that I can’t really remember when my obsession with pearls started, but I do know that they are my favourite jewel.  Diamonds may be other girls’ best friend, but pearls are mine! 

I hope you enjoyed this guided tour of my collection.  : )

xox,

bonita

In the Navy ~ Outfit Forty

 

Pearl Hair Comb  ~  Etsy    Earrings  ~  Equip    Cardigan  ~  Thrifted    Knit top  ~  Tightrope  
Gloves  ~  Thrifted   Belt  ~  JayJays    Navy skirt  ~  Thrifted   Stockings  ~  New Look {UK} 
Shoes  ~  Best&Less

~ * ♥ * ~

Can I just say first off that I adore this cardigan?  I found it on my latest thrifting jaunt on Saturday and in all seriousness I think it is the bomb diggity.  The shape, the buttons, the knit pattern; this piece screams 1950s knit to me although I suspect it’s actually modern.   However, I don’t care.  I love it.

And I love my new skirt!  It’s made out of a jersey material so it’s nice and warm for winter.  I also picked up a teal & a purple skirt in the exact same material, style, and size, so I suspect that these three skirt were owned by the same person.  The other two aren’t in as good condition as the navy one, so I guess that this skirt was reserved for “going out”.  I plan on wearing the purple and teal skirts for pottering around the house in, but I can see this navy skirt becoming a new favourite for outings.  ^ u ^

I have to say I really like this outfit all over, because I really feel like I’ve finally pulled together a really truely vintage look with this one.  I think I could probably improve on the shoes, but other then that!  *is excited*   My vintage wardrobe is finally expanding and coming together.  It’s taking a while, but hopefully once I can sew faster and better, than I can have it grow even quicker. 

Speaking of growing, I cannot believe how big Theodore is getting! He is six weeks and four days old today, and he already barely fits in both my arms any more!  Crazy times.  They just grow up so fast.   I could get sentimental over the fact that he’s not really a newborn at all any more, but to be honest I am so looking forwards to him running around and being able to do stuff that I don’t mind how quickly he is growing up.  I cannot wait to get to know more and more of his personality as he gets bigger.  Babies can be such fun!

xox,

bonita

Teacups & Treasures ~ A thrift haul

Live from Depict This!

~ * ♥ * ~  A close up on the bead work.  ~ * ♥ * ~

So those are the best picks from my haul from last weekend.  I also took home a whole stack of books {around about 20 I think} including some by Janette Oak who is an amazing Christian romance author.  I am going to have a great time reading them all, but what I am really itching to get started with is my nightgown upcycled into a dress idea.  I will keep you posted on how that goes ~ I shall have to do a tutorial if they turn out like I hope they will! 

By the way, if there are any particular topics you’d like me to vlog about, just give me a shout out in the comments.  Have a great weekend!  ^ ω ^

xox,

bonita

P.S. ~ Sorry for those of you that might be viewing this post twice.  I had problems with the video, and did not realize this until I had already posted it.  I promise it works properly this time!  > o <’

Quick Share ~ DIY Lace Earrings

I found this post on Fashion Hacker by Em, and I love it!  A fantastic and easy DIY that will make something special to add to your jewellery collection.  I cannot wait to try it myself. 

DIY Lace Earrings

Those earrings! So pretty. I had to try to make my own!

…..I have had so much fun wearing these, and I can't wait to make more. Have fun with your own DIY!

xox,

bonita

Some awesome tech that I ♥

I have a few websites & iPhone apps that I wanted to share & review with you today.  I having been loving these ever since I found them and I think that they are just too good to keep to myself, so here you are!

Instragram

Okay, so a lot of bloggers already know about this free app for the iPhone, but I want to share it anyway just in case. 

Instagram is a great app for anyone who loves to capture an instant photo, and with the added advantage of a polaroid type picture, it produces some pretty cool snaps.  It’s simple and easy to use, so this app is superb for everybody! 

The thing that I personally like the most about Instagram is that it forces you to work with limited lens and capture technology.  It’s a challenge to get a good picture, but once you do, you can make it look pretty spiffy with the tilt shift function and the awesome range of filters.  I like that I can grab a shot when I see it, and still have to rise to the challenge to put the shot together in a way that looks good.  I think that this is great app for furthering my photography skills and technique so that’s why I am loving it!*

Verdict:

4.5 /5  ~  could be faster to load up into the camera view, other than that, fantastic.

Extragram

And if you are taking all these gorgeous photos how are you going to share them?  Why, with the Extragram website of course!  You can share your photos and follow other people, and much like Twitter, receive the feed of the people you are following on you iPhone.  Sweetness!   There are some great pictures out there and it is really inspiring to see what you can do with a simple phone camera.

Ravelry

Okay, now I heading off in another direction and into another hobby of mine; knitting and crochet.  If you are a knitter or crocheter { or both; like me! } and you’ve looked up patterns on the internet, Ravelry might be old news to you.  However, I only just discovered it recently and I am impressed! 

It provides a nifty way of not only finding patterns, but also storing them, keeping track of your UFOs { Un~Finished Objects! }, your yarn stash, and, of course, the successful projects that you have finished and want to gloat over.   I like that I can put up photographs of my projects and keep them all organized ~ so again, loving this site. 

2Do

Speaking of organization, I have to mention 2Do.  It’s an iPhone app, so it’s limited in availability, and you also have to pay a $7.49AUD fee for it{ it’s gone up since I bought it{ !! }but if you consider how much you pay for an organizer, it’s still worth it and you never have to throw it out or buy new pages }.  If you are wanting something to help you stay on top of things however, and you happen to have an iPhone, I can really recommend this app. 

Usually { as you probably know } I am a traditionalist.  Give me good old paper over tech any time!  But the thing is, I can only fit so much in my tiny vintage handbags and using this app helps me to loose an address book, a to-do list, shopping lists, a social calendar, a blogging calendar, an art & craft ideas notebook, etc ~ basically the brick of paper that is a Filofax/organizer!

I like that I can bundle most of my life into my phone and I am good to go!  Okay, so I still keep a separate journal, but between 2Do and Instagram I am pretty much set.  I have slimmed down the contents of my purse, and as a bonus, feel a lot less “scattered” with all my bits and bobs in one place.  Yay!   > ω <   ~  ♥

Verdict:

5/5  ~  You know what?  No complaints from me.  I was trying to think of a downer, but there just isn’t one.  All in all it’s a really great app!

What apps/websites do you use to help keep you organized?  Are there any that you just love?

xox,

bonita

*All the pictures were taken with Instagram.  Theodore makes the best subject!  ^  U  ^  ~  ♥ ♥ ♥

Back to Old School ~ Outfit Thirty Nine

Earrings  ~  Equip      Blouse  ~  Etsy     Belt  ~  ICE      Skirt   ~  Thrifted   
Socks  ~  Thrifted      Shoes  ~  Amazon

~ * ♥ * ~

Definitely feeling the 1940s “collegette” look today!  I love my saddle shoes….  >  <   I have been wearing them everywhere {which is mostly around the house btw!} to break them in and slowly they are getting more and more comfortable.    Awesome potatoes. 

I over did it last weekend {too much horse riding  T ^ T } so now I am all sore and tired, but I am still excited to show you some thrift finds I picked up on Sunday!  I am planning to do a video soon to show you.  I love thrifting and I haven’t done any in ages, so it was a lot of fun to get back into it.   How about you?  Had any good finds {thrifting or not} lately?

xox,

bonita

Pretty 1940s & 1950s Inspirations

Here are some pictures that have been tucked away in my fashion folder for future reference and inspiration!  I did the ol’ “click&save” so I do not know where some of the pictures came from, but they are not mine and if anyone does know the source, please let me know I will hyperlink to the original. 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed the 1940s & 1950s inspiration and the pretty accessories.  Have a great weekend!

xox,

bonita

Quick Share ~ Restyle vintage trousers into shorts

This tutorial from Tasha of By Gum By Golly is a useful one to have tucked away in your bookmarks folder!  It’s easy to follow and she makes up the cutest pair of shorts, so check the post out here:

Tutorial: Restyle vintage trousers into shorts

Today I have a little tutorial for a fun idea that I claim no credit in inventing!

We're probably all familiar with the concept of cut off shorts. Many of us wore them when we were younger, and I saw a pair just yesterday. You know the kind. Often born out of a pair of jeans with ratty knees, cut off and left to fray unceremoniously…..

xox,

bonita