TV back in the day

The other night my best friend and I went on a trip down memory lane and spent a good hour looking up every TV show from our childhood that we could think of. Thank God for YouTube! It was amazing, after not having seen these shows for a good 10-15 years, the minute I heard their theme songs it all came flooding back. Surprisingly I still remembered most of the words!

I may be biased, but I believe that television from the 80s and 90s was so much better than it is today. Lift Off, Saved By the Bell, Ghostwriter, Johnson & Friends, Widget the Worldwatcher, Mr Squiggle, Samurai Pizza Cats, Alex Mack, Marsupilami, Aaahh!! Real Monsters, Genie from Downunder, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Darkwing Duck, Gumby, Full House, Mulligrubs, the Smurfs, Lambchop..... now they were quality shows. None of this Powder Puff Girls and Bratz crap that they have today.

Wow, I just realised I've officially hit the 'Back in my day...' stage. How scary.

But anyway, I've included the introductions from two of my favourite TV shows from when I was young. First one, Raggy Dolls. Loved that cartoon. But only on watching it back on YouTube did I realise that the females were all actually voiced by males putting on high pitched voices...Kind of gives it a different feel..



And another old favourite, Puddle Lane. All I remembered of this was a puddle on a cobbled street and a wizard.



I also came across this slightly disturbing Kinder Surprise ad from the 80s...I don't reaaallly get the point of it... Please feel free to enlighten me.

very belated memories monday

and today's photo iiiiiis....drumroll please...


I love this photo. That's my mum in the middle. This is one of her many polaroids from a European trip in the 70s that I sort through on a regular basis. I love everything about this image. The colours, the framing, the location, the bikinis - it's so retro. I think mum was in her early 20s here, so only a couple of years older than I am now. When I look through the photos from the France portion of this trip, it's funny, because I have practically the same ones with my friends from when we were over there.

I'd love to be on that boat right now. While I've been cooped up slaving away on my final assignments, I've been dreaming about travelling. Anywhere. Interstate, overseas, hell, a couple of hours away to the coast. I'm raring to get away from Melbourne to just chill out and enjoy my freedom. Been spending a lot of time on the Lonely Planet website too, and my list of places to visit when I travel next year is increasing practically daily. All I need now is a job so I can fund the trip and someone to go with....

kiss hug

so so close.

the countdown is on. 13 days and i'll be freeeee
after 16 years of schooling. AHH so excited!

but in the meantime blog posts may be few and far between. no doubt there'll be some time spent procrastinating, but i'm going to try and knuckle down for the first time all semester and get all my work done as early as possible. anything to get to the free time faster! nothing more depressing than sitting insid eon your computer all day while it's sunny and 29 degrees outside.

kiss hug

wise words.

w

cravings

i could so go this right now.



waaarm buttered Vegemite toast. yummy yummy.
and cutting it into triangles just makes it all the more appetising.
conversely warm buttery honey-y french toast would also go down well.

toast.... nothing beats it.

kiss hug

A-Z of Spring/Summer 07/08

A is for ANKLETS

Shorts and skirts and dresses without stockings means its time to show off my anklets again! Yay! Bought some strings of hemp up in Byron last summer, make me feel earthy haha.

B is for BBQs

Warmer weather means barbies with friends. My favourite thing to do on a sunny summer day or warm night. epitome of relaxation.

C is for COMPILATIONS

I've already made a compilation that will be blasted from the speakers in my car, on holidays and at BBQs throughout summer. I love compilations - the songs bring back so many memories later on.

D is for DRIVING

Another favourite pastime for relaxation during summer. Driving around with friends with the windows down, the sun shining, breeze blowing through the windows and happy, summery music playing. Ahhh bliss.

E is for EXPLORING

So many places to explore this Summer! I want to visit all the little places around Melbourne that I've not yet gotten to know - and there are a lot. Shops, galleries, parks and gardens, beaches... And once I've done Melbourne, I intend to make my way around Sydney, Canberra, and Byron Bay.

F is for FREEDOM

I'll be free!! My uni course finishes officially on October 31. So in almost exactly 3 weeks you can address me as Sophie - Professional Communicator.

G is for GRAPES

I love crispy grapes. Red ones or green ones - as long as they're firm and seedless. Yummy. Add some icecream or yoghurt and I'm in heaven.

H is for HIGH WAISTS

They're still everywhere in Spring/Summer fashion. Skirts, shorts, pants...as long as they're above your belly button they're in. Tomorrow I'm hoping to buy a couple of A-line hight-waisted skirts I've been coveting!

I is for ICECREAM

Wow I've been craving rich icecream. A Drumstick... yummm. Or a Billabong or Bubble O'Bill for old times sake. Or just a big tub of caramel or neopolitan icecream. Hell, I'll take anything that can pass as icecream. Even frozen yoghurt would satisfy me.

J is for JOB HUNTING

I'm currently unemployed, so this Summer will involve searching for a new place of work so that I can afford to satisfy my shopping and socialising addictions. I've got my heart set on a book store at the moment. Somewhere like Readings or Borders where I could never get bored, surrounded by awesome books and magazines and CDs and DVDs. Wouldn't say no to a discount either.

K is for KERCHIEFS

i've developed a fondness for kerchiefs. So much so that I popped into Ikea today to buy myself a special scarf holder for my wardrobe. Now it'll be extra easy to pick out which scarf to wear each day :)

L is for LAUGHING

Hopefully my spring and summer will be full of laughter. And come Autumn my stomach muscles will be extra firm.

M is for METALLICS

Definitely huge this season. Doesn't matter where, wear it on you feet, on your legs, on your wrists, on your head, on your chest - Just wear it. But my word of warning: everything in moderation. You're going for an extra bit of sparkle and sophistication, not a C3PO look-alike competition.

N is for NEW YEARS

Hmmm not too long to go until 2008. Plans to be made. Going to the coast is looking like a promising move.

O is for OP SHOPPING

Hell, op-shopping is a regular occurrence all year round, so why not in Spring and Summer too? More time off leaves more time to trawl through the goodies. Definitely have to throw in a visit or two to Camberwell trash and treasure market too.

P is for PARKS

A lot of the activities I have planned for Summer seem to take place in parks. A picnic is definitely on the cards after last year's attempt turned into me and my best friend sitting in the Botanic Gardens with slurpies. Yoga in the parks looks like a bit of fun. And of course our yearly dance lesson in the park! We did salsa last time - crowds of people gathered around a stage while a Latino instructor calls out 'side together side, side together side..' Followed by a picnic and trying out our new moves as a band plays Latin tunes. And all for free. So much fun!

Q is for QUIRKINESS

It's time I embrace my inner quirkiness. Mainstream = boring. This is kinda linked to my E entry.

R is for ROAD TRIPS

We've been talking about a road trip for ages, so it's time it comes to fruition. My best friend, me and some of our guy friends in a car, driving down the coast with one of my compilations blaring. Bring it on!

S is for SHIRTS and SHIRT DRESSES

Another Spring/Summer staple. I ♥ shirts and the shirt dress. Oh so classy, and the dress makes me feel surprisingly feminine.

T is for TSHIRTS and TSHIRT DRESSES

Another top turned dress, I love the casual feel of a loose tshirt, whether long or shorter. It can look so stylish, and yet always as if it's just been thrown on, rather than painstakingly styled. Definitely a staple of a relaxed summer holiday. Perfect for all those coastal trips I have planned.

U is for UNWINDING

Ahhh... my intention for the holidays. Long overdue.

V is for VISITING

Visiting is fun. Visiting new places. Visiting friends at their homes unexpectedly. Visiting your favourite shop, or beach. Visiting a holiday house. Visiting a different state. Yay.

W is for WHITE

If you don't realise that white is extremely in this season, you haven't been doing your fashion magazine homework. Lucky for me I have always been drawn to everything white, floaty and lacey. This is my season, oh yeah.

X is for eXTRA FAKE TAN

I currently glow in the dark I'm so white. Not a good look. So until I get a bit of a natural glow happening, my fake tan will be getting a work out.
Disclaimer: I do not subscribe to the 'fake tan until I turn orange' way of thinking. Natural glow is the key word.

Y is for YES

As in the opposite of No. I will say Yes to everything this Summer (within reason). If I'm to uphold my promises to explore and experiment, No should not enter my vocabulary. A positive, flexible outlook is a definite requirement.

Z is for the ZOO

I want to have a group trip to the zoo to see the Jazz Twilights concerts. Jazz, friends, food and monkeys. What more could you ask for in a Summer outing?

kiss hug

Top 10 Most Played Tracks of the Moment

1. Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap
2. Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson
3. Edge of Seventeen - Stevie Nicks
4. This Old Love - Lior
5. Wrap It Up - Whitey
6. Sea Lion Woman - Feist
7. Sunshowers (Diplo Mix) - M.I.A
8. URAQT (Diplo Mix) - M.I.A
9. Summerfest - Miami Horror
10. Portions of Foxes - Rilo Kiley

kiss hug

So much love to give

I've been busy hitting the op shops of late! Dropping into all my local favourites, and coming home with my arms full of treasures.... I love second hand stores! I find it so satisfying to search through other peoples discards to find things that can be reworked, worn or used differently and born again. It gives me a way to be a bit creative and to think outside the square. Chain store shopping just doesnt do it for me anymore.

Some of my most recent finds...


Little saucer - i couldn't resist it, i've got a bit of a soft spot for anything pretty and flowery.


Ceramic figurine - it's pretty kitsch, just as i like it. Quirky little ornaments are my latest obsession.

Golden Books! Stores that realise their collectable quality sell them for $5-$8 each. I got 6 for $1.20.


Love this ooooold book. It says inside it was a Christmas present in the 30s. I found it in an antique store and couldn't resist it. It's falling apart a bit though, have to be very careful.


Bow hooks- I love anything with bows really, and these are so cute! I found them when i was about to leave in a little discount bin for 50c each. Discounted at an op shop. Does it get any better?


Silk scarves - these are an assortment i've found in vintage stores, op shops and my mum's drawers. I've started wearing them instead of necklaces sometimes, to add a little colour. Trying to work out some more interesting ways of wearing them though. Any suggestions?


blue and white checked shirt - i've been searching for a good shirt for a while, and this one was perfect! Looks so cute tucked into skinny legs jeans, or belted around the waist with an old brown leather belt.


BAGS - I have only ever bought myself 2 full price bags. The rest have been presents or second hand. In this pic pretty much all the little ones are from op shops - the navy one, the little brown one, the pale blue mesh one, the bright blue one and the metallic one. They're all I use when I go out at night!

Ahhh second hand is so much fun. i worked out recently that more than half my outfit was preloved. At least I know no-one else would be wearing the same thing!

Can't wait to set myself loose on the local Salvos this week!

kiss hug

blaaaaaaah

its late.
i'm tired.
but i can't be bothered getting ready for bed.
so i'm using a crossword help site to finish the crossword in today's paper.
oh what an exciting life i lead.

after a brief hiatus....

Extreme laziness has been causing me much frustration of late.

eg. 'I should clean up the house'. naaaah...
'I should get that assignment due tomorrow done.' naaaah....
'I should write another blog post.' naah....But I have been berated by my friend (and probably the only person who actually reads my blog) and so am forcing myself to get back to it! Plus it's another (more productive) way to put off doing my homework...

Anyway, I've spent FAR too much time lately browsing through various fashion sites. I've given in to my total obsession for 'street' and 'model chic'. Screw the catwalks, screw the fashion mags (wow...I never thought i'd hear myself say that..) - what i find most interesting and inspiring is seeing what people actually wear. What models sit around in backstage. What celebrities wear out to lunch. What normal people wear out shopping in the cities around the world. I love it! I bought the most amazing book the other day of photos from the 80s and 90s taken in the streets. It captures all the random, wacky stuff that people wore during those decades. Such a good find.But back on track. While i've been sifting through the hundreds of photos, I've definitely found myself drawn to some key trends. Basically they encompass everything I'm looking for in my spring/summer wardrobe (though that's not to say there won't be one or two - or ten- spur of the moment extra items bought through the season).

Can't get enough of the white floaty clothes that are everywhere this spring! Shift dresses, shirts, tunics, singlets, tanks, tshirts, skirts...makes me happy because it reminds me of summer and the beach! I also love this trend because it means I can put a white shift I bought in Byron Bay last summer to good use again!

Shirts have been something I've loved for ages. I've spent years looking for a nice white shirt - one that isn't too tight or too loose, is the right length (somewhere between top and bottom of the backside I think), has a nicely shaped collar, and doesn't cost a month's worth of pay. Still on the lookout, so if anyone knows of any...do tell. Also loving the chambray that's around this season. Probably going to hunt a shirt or dress down in the op shops.

(ps. gemma ward's denim dress is my absolute outfit of the season. love it. LOVE IT.)
Checked shirts deserve their own category. They're everywhere at the moment, on girls and guys. I've noticed a fine line between pulling them off and looking funky and stylish, and just looking plain bogan. I think it's something to do with a) the fit and b) the colours of the checks. I love this trend for guys even more than girls. Was in K-mart the other day and noticed hot hot hot guys' checked shirts for only $15! Why didn't they come in girls' sizes...

Maybe more of a winter trend... I've been wanting a little cropped leather jacket for a while now. They're a bit of a staple for celebrities and models it seems, but they do go with everything. Literally. Can't really think of any outfit that would look bad with a little black leather jacket thrown on top. Dark brown leather also looks awesome.

Hmmm I've been getting mixed reactions when I ask people about this, but I've developed a bit of a thing for boyfriend jeans. They've been around for quite a while, but I've only really noticed and embraced them lately. Don't get me wrong, I still love my skinnies, but there's something appealing about getting around in a slightly baggier style. I'm not into the fully loose, crutch down around your knees type, but just one with a bit of room for movement, rather than looking sprayed on.