Rainy day

What's a girl to do when the heavens open on a perfectly good Saturday afternoon? Organise her summer shoes of course. I've had somewhat of a buying spree lately - all necessitated by our move to a slightly warmer climate. No frivolous purchases at all.

I'm still totally in love with Chook Leaf shoes and can't wait to get out and about in my tan thongs, but my new shoe obsession for this summer is Saltwater sandals from Little Pinwheel.

I have three pairs so far (yellow, pink and red) and I think it's safe to assume I'm going to keep building my collection - if for no other reason than they come in Mummy sizes too and any pint-sized fashionista knows it's simply not cool for Mummy to have more of a good thing than you!

Beachy chic

What's a girl to wear when she's house-hunting in the morning and chasing seagulls and rolling down hills in the afternoon? It's quite the conundrum - on the one hand there's the need to look stylish and presentable to impress real estate agents and on the other there's the need to be comfy and able to run like only a toddler can run. Fortunately I had my trusty Neige jeans on hand and teamed them with this gorgeous blouse from Brusselsprouts. The caftan shape tapped into the afternoon's beach shenanigans whilst the colours and fabric looked oh so chic and 'rent my parents house please'.

Sunday Style

Sunday is all about relaxing. It's about bacon and eggs and coffee and lazily reading newspapers until midday- oh no, wait, that's what Mummy and Daddy used to do before I came along. Nowadays we're the ones waking the birds up with rowdy renditions of Rock-a-Bye Your Bear and the Alphabet song, not to mention confusing the poor things with our moo-ing. Bet they had no idea they lived near Old Macdonald's farm inhabited by some extremely vocal cows.

Style-wise it's a day that calls for a blend of comfort and creativity. Comfort because, well, it's a day of relaxation and creativity because if you can't be creative with your fashion on a Sunday when can you be?

My comfort pieces today are some blue and white stripe tights by And Me Too (if you peer closely enough at the first picture you can see them!) and my Sloppy Joe from Cotton On Kids. Absolutely perfect for a day of relaxing interspersed with random bursts of running and dancing. To mix it up a little I threw on my Three Little Trees tutu from Georgia's Garden and my Walnut gumboots. Both are a little big still, but that only makes them more comfortable, right?

Zoom Zoom

Mummy has a slight cushion fetish and early signs suggest I have inherited it. At the recent Mathilda's Market I simply couldn't leave this cushion - and its twin - behind. I love the bright Echino fabric and they're just the right size to sit in my playroom shelves or on my play table chairs. Or you know, scattered artfully on the floor with all my other toys and odds and ends. Mummy's hoping that Anastasia from Cheeky Textiles is at the next markets too so she can get some big cushions for our living room.

Mr Owl

I bought Grandma a subscription to a patchwork and craft magazine for Christmas and it turns out it was an inspired idea - it means I get handmade toys as well as clothes! Quite frankly I'm not sure why I didn't think of it earlier! This gorgeous little critter emerged from Grandma's suitcase when she came to visit a few weeks ago and it was love at first sight. I know he's mostly pink, but I'm very firmly of the opinion that all owls are boys. Hence, he is known as Mr Owl.

My Toddler Room - complete?

It's official - we're moving. So I think this means that this room has evolved for the final time. It's been a long and wonderful journey from my days as a newborn in my cot with just a few dresses hanging in the bookcase (yes, the bookcase - Mummy was still using my cupboard for her clothes!) to a room that is completely mine and a reflection of my growing personality and taste.

My gorgeous toddler bed from Ikea with my Coco and Ginger patchwork quilt and all my little friends who I tuck into bed and rock to sleep each night. I love the freedom it gives me and love to race into Mummy and Daddy in the morning and bounce on their big bed.

The bookcase has become my tutu hanging rack - I'm developing quite an addiction!

This is Mummy and Daddy's chair where they sit when putting me to bed and where we read story after story at night - my current favourite is Miffy! The throw is from MiaHenry on madeit and it was initially a pram blanket until I grew too long for it. It looks perfect in my room.

These cute cushions we picked up on sale from Freedom and were perhaps the colour inspiration for my entire room. I love the bright and bold pink and orange. They match perfectly with my David Fussenegger stripey blanket I bought from a local boutique called Little Owl - the perfect segue really to my beloved owl trio sitting in their tree and watching over my each night.

Last but not least is a new addition from Mathilda's Market - it's by the same lovely ladies who made my scrapped birdie picture and I absolutely would not let Mummy leave the markets a few weeks ago without the 'elly-fat'. I'm looking forward to finding it a new home in my new room.

New curtains

Mummy and I have discovered Urban Outfitters. I suspect this discovery is going to cause the credit card to groan almost as loudly as Daddy does when parcels arrive. I am sure you will agree though that it was simply impossible not to order these divine curtain to finish off my toddler room. We just won't mention that it is only a few weeks until we have to pack it up and move ...

They're the Waterfall Ruffle curtain and we bought them in pale pink. It turned out to be an absolutely perfect blend for my room as the pink is not too overwhelming and blends beautifully. Given they were sent from the US they arrived incredibly quickly and the shipping was free to boot!

A day at the beach

It might be winter but sometimes I think that makes the beach even better. There are less people and the sun makes you nice and toasty without burning you within seconds of having emerged out into it. It also means the sand is the perfect temperature for playing in and no risk of third degree burns to little fingers making sandcastles!

As it was an impromptu trip, my outfit was a tad impromptu too. A Coco & Ginger dress over jeans and topped with my reversible Moppit hoody. I bought the hoody from All About Baby at the end of last winter as they cleared old season stock. Like my Oobi coat, it's turned out to have been a great investment - even more so given how cheaply I got it! One side is plain pink and the other is red with pink polka dots.

Of course any outfit would not be complete without a pair of Mummy's shoes - in this case, some black Havianas!

Friday morning shopping

Mummy and I went to our local shops this morning - we usually walk down on a Friday morning but this morning the mercury hit -4 and it was still hovering close to zero when we were ready to leave, so we opted to drive instead! I picked up a few bargains - including a cool purple ball that matched my coat.

I'm getting to be such a big girl now so I insist on carrying our shopping basket. Mummy thinks it's a ploy to slow us down so I can spend more time looking at things!

ps My Oobi swing coat has turned out to be a real workhorse this winter - it's warm and stylish

Last of the Autumn leaves

There's no question it's winter now - frosty mornings and cool clear days. But there are still some lovely Autumn leaves hanging onto the trees if you look closely enough. I'm a bit of a fan of climbing so when I scrambled up onto this windowsill Mummy thought it made a lovely photo (thank goodness for iPhones!). The leaves match my Chalk n Cheese blouse don't you think? And my Chook Leaf shoes highlight the green of the grass.

The most magnificent skirt ever

It's hard to find words or take pictures that do this exquisite pettiskirt justice. It was a present from my Aunty Meghan and even though I know she has impeccable taste (she regularly advises Mummy on her purchases) I had no idea a thing of such beauty existed anywhere!

I whirled and I twirled and pulled just about every pair of Mummy's shoes out of her cupboard to find the perfect pair of heels - these Tony Bianco black patents ended up being my favourite.

It took a lot of coaxing me out of it when it came time for bed, however, when Mummy promised me she would not sneak away with it while I slept I relented and let her hang it up where we could both stare at it for a little longer. I'm still not entirely sure Mummy doesn't have designs on it for herself ...

Slowly coming together

My playroom continues to evolve. The poster on the top of the shelves is an Isak counting poster Mummy bought the The Infant Boutique and has pinned into a canvas that is covered in pink silk. We're still deciding whether to leave it like that or find a frame for it.

The yellow photo frame is from The Rocking Horse and the blue one is from Typo. They'll get photos when Mummy works out how to make the ink print properly on her new photo printer!

Next up we're going to tackle the couch and the wall behind it. Mummy has an old - I mean vintage - fabric panel with numbers and animals of it thatwould make a nice wall hanging. Although that might also look good hung in the window. Decisions decisions ...

Coolest toy bag ever

It was quite the day for impulse purchases but there was no way Mummy could leave this divine Corban & Blair toy bag behind. The animals are educational, the colours are gorgeous and it's the perfect size to boot. It fits my entire kitchen/ tea party set in with plenty of room to spare. Not something you'd expect when you see how much floor space they can cover when tipped out!

Shopping spree

Yesterday Mummy went on a scoping expedition for some funky storage and decorating ideas for my shelves. She only intended to look around and make a note of what was available where to avoid impulse purchases that didn't really fit the room or what we want from it. That was until she walked into Typo. A very cool concept store by Cotton On. It also happened to be the very first store she visited - so much for no impulse purchases!




These letters were incredibly cheap so Mummy overcame her slight suspicion of initials being used as decoration and threw some in her basket. I think they look surprisingly good and are a good size for being displayed together or eventually split into different cubes. They also lend themselves to being painted or covered in some gorgeous paper. A craft project for a rainy day perhaps?





Mummy also found some lovely paper lanterns to brighten up the shelves. We're not entirely sure whether we'll end up hanging them from the ceiling like the ones in my bedroom or keep them as shelf features. Either way they're a lot of fun to play with!

Coffee for the workers

With Mummy working hard to create a gorgeous and functional playroom for me I've been keeping her plied with cappucinos to make sure she doesn't lose focus on the task at hand. My pretty pink machine makes a mean cappucino and a macchiato that really puts a spring in your step.

My black cord Sudo dress and some Country Road tights make the perfect uniform for a pint-sized barrista don't you think?

Transformation - progress

On Saturday morning we had a delivery from Ikea - three Expedit bookshelves. We've got the Billy's in the living room and Mummy and Daddy tossed up putting them in this room too, but decided the Expedit shelves would provide a bit of a contrast. Plus they're a little more playful looking I think with the cubes.

I've got to admit that I share Mummy's love of all things Ikea and flatpack. There's no better way to start a weekend than sitting on a great big pile of Ikea boxes to be unpacked. Mummy says there's nothing better than unpacking a great big pile of Ikea boxes and directing the assembly of their contents. Daddy just sighs.

It was a close run thing getting all the bookshelves to fit along the wall. When Mummy and Daddy measured the wall they didn't take into account the skirting boards on the floor so the skirting boards had to go. Mummy waited until Daddy went out for a few hours before she butchered them. Her secret is safe with me.

Then began the mammoth task of shifting my books. I've been very very lucky and given lots of lovely books as presents as well as having a lot of Mummy's from when she was a little girl. It's an unbelievable amount of fun to go through them all and find new stories.

It's still a work in progress, but at least my books have been put away. I will keep you updated on progress as the room continues to transform.

Playroom transformation - before!

This is the before shot of Mummy and Daddy's study/ my playroom. We've been trying to make it a space that works for both things, however, Mummy felt it was lacking storage and, well, a bit of style. As you can see there's my table and chairs and also my tubs of toys. Then there's the couch and at the other end of that is our computer (photos will follow when it's been prettified too).

These are my shelves in our living area where I keep my books. Mummy and Daddy are fairly keen to reclaim these shelves for themselves so my books will be moving into the study/playroom.

Winter woolies for an afternoon at the park

Any self-respecting toddler knows it's important to be comfortable when you're visiting the park for some fun on the swings and slide. But that's no excuse to look daggy! Nor is the fact that it is getting decidedly chilly at the playground in the late afternoons.

Check out this gorgeous handmade t-shirt (seriously how cute are the ribbons on the pigtails?!) at B & Me. I stumbled across it when I was on there buying another gorgeous dress (Hummingbird Dress) and couldn't resist. It comes with a matching polka dot skirt too!

I teamed it up with my fave Neige jeans, an Ollie and Max quilted military jacket from Little Living, some Chook Leaf shoes (what else?!) and a beanie from Sheep's Clothing. The beanie actually came with a gorgeous vintage fabric and button brooch that I have pinned on another favourite jacket of mine.

Introducing Henrietta and Olive

Meet my two gorgeous partners in crime (right) and Olive. Henrietta was a present from Mummy and Daddy for my first birthday and Olive recently arrived to join my little mischief-making posse.

They're my favourite companions for tea parties and are my arbiters of style when I go shopping in my cupboard. As you can probably tell from their own edgy outfits they are keen proponents of bold colour and pattern choices. Lacroix would be proud!

Henrietta and Olive are both one of a kind Posy dolls from MiniLala but you can buy one of their gorgeous sisters or brothers if you hurry in!

New Dress

While the arrival of a new dress can hardly be said to be an unusual occurrence in Puddleduck land, there are some that cause more excitement than others. This divine red Chalk n Cheese number (from Minifashionista) being one such dress. As soon as I unwrapped it I wanted to wear it. So what that it was bedtime - I can't see why Mummy thought that that made any difference at all!

I finally got to wear it - seriously I had to wait 3 days and was not impressed - when we went for a picnic on Mother's Day. Teamed with some red tights it was the perfect outfit for an autumn picnic. I simply adore the pockets on the skirt - perfect for squirreling away all sorts of treasures!

I'm not inclined to be gentle with my clothes and I can happily report that this one stood up to as much running up and down a dirt hill as I could manage!

Bad Hair Day

Even with my enviable curls I occasionally have a bad hair day. I generally don't like any sort of hair accessory - clips get ripped out, ribbons and bands thrown as far as my little arm can manage - however, when the occasion calls for it I will tolerate a bandana. This red and white spotty one is from Eternal Creation and the perfect way to jazz up a plain tee and jeans.

Reading corner

When I come home from a hard day at the office I like to unwind in my little reading corner. I've got a lovely comfy Cocoon Couture beanbag (red and pink - my fave colour combo) and it's right next to all my books. Last night I pulled out Mummy's old Meg and Mog Birthday book where she'd written all the birthday of her family and friends. It was so much fun going through and reading about them - and seeing the way Mummy wrote when she was a little girl!

Waste not want not

It seems such a waste to pack away all my gorgeous summer dresses now that the weather has turned positively chilly so Mummy and I have been hunting high and low to try and find some long sleeve tees to layer under them so I can keep wearing them for a little longer yet.

So far we haven't had a great deal of success (seriously what is with the need to embellish everything these days?) so I thought I'd show you some of my favourite summer dresses instead!

On the far left is my Dragonfly dress by Three Little Trees. You can pick one up for yourself from Georgia's Garden Boutique - throw on a bright cardi and some tights and it's just as cute for winter as it is on a warm summer's day.

Next to it is my adorable Polly playsuit by Miss Haidee. It's made from lovely vintage floral knit material - you know the kind your grandma's dresses were always made from? It's definitely going to fit me next summer as well, but it's too cute to put away for winter so I am on the hunt for just the right top or jacket to wear with it.

Then there's my Thula Thula dress that looks divine with a cream turtleneck undernearth on cooler days.

In the middle is my bright and bubbly Andalucia dress from B&Me that is going to be just perfect for brightening up a freezing cold winter's day. I can't go past the red and pink combo and combined with polka dots and flowers it's been an absolute favourite this summer.

My Loz and Dinny dress is next - the colours in it are so lovely yet I still haven't stumbled across anything in the right colour to match with it yet. Any suggestions?

Then comes my Anna and Sally bright pink smocked top. It's just the most amazing colour and looks great with my plain cream Babylegs leg warmers. However, I have also bought these hand crocheted leg warmers which will really make this a special outfit for winter! I can't wait for them to arrive!

Last but not least are my Right Bank Baby happy pants. I've worn them to death since last Spring but I just can't get enough. There's something about the mix of colours and the pattern that means they can be worn with almost any coloured top. Call me crazy but one of my favourite combos with it is an orange and white striped tee from Seed. Shame I've grown out of that though!

Anyway, as I continue to sort my winter wardrobe out I will be sure to share it with you!

Corridors of Power

This is my daycare building. Pretty impressive, huh? Just quietly, there are quite a few grown-up kids who come to visit every sitting week and throw some fairly spectacular tantrums in the Chambers!

There's a school of thought that says you should only wear old and daggy clothes to daycare to avoid getting anything good ruined. I can see the theory behind it, but what's the point in having lovely clothes that you grow out of before you wear them out? I'd rather my clothes reflect the fun I have had in them than still look as pristine as the day I bought them.

This combo of Country Road dress and Ouch frilly knickers is one of my all time favourites for a day at daycare. I've almost grown out of it but can say with absolute confidence that I have gotten wonderful wear out of it and I've had some amazing fun in it!

Sunday Funday

Cute dress, huh? It's by Thula Thula and I simply couldn't resist the beautiful vintage print. I love the line of the dress too - it sits out just over my shoulders and skims in at the waist before falling into an a-line. It also has the cutest little pockets for any treasures I might pick up in my travels!

We went on an impromptu picnic on Sunday and I teamed it with my Neige jeans and of course my favourite Chook Leaf sandals. For racing up and down the hill on top of Parliament House I added my polka dot hat from Wild Things of Noosa . Running down a hill is just not as fun if you don't have a hat to fly off!

Fountain fun-having

Daddy and I recently had a Daddy-daughter excursion around the local city centre while Mummy brunched with friends. We had a great time exploring and indulging in my extreme enthusiasm for fountains.

It was a gorgeous warm and sunny day - you'd never know it was creeping towards the Anzac Day arrival of 'winter' here - so I picked my divine Whitten Grey Front Box Pleat dress from Belles and Whistles Boutique to wear on our adventure. I simply love the lime-y green colour and the shape is perfect for running and climbing, yet still looks a little dressed up.

Whitten Grey also gives away a dress to a little girl in an underprivileged country for every Whitten Grey dress you buy. Each dress has a unique code that allows you to log on and choose the country the little girl lives in, what colour dress you send and what you want to say to her on the card with the dress. Lovely!

Winter Wardrobe

All of a sudden the leaves are turning yellow and orange and the mornings are getting just a little bit chilly. Of course we all know what this means - time to start putting together my winter wardrobe! I went for an exploratory mission on the weekend and I must confess I am very excited!



I realise trackies aren't everyone's cup of tea, but where I live it does get really quite cold so I think they count as essentials. I wasn't super-fussed on the velour numbers so I ended up settling for some super-funky grey harem pants that I will team with a hoodie or two. I've got my eye on a few already!

I'm a girly girl (lucky - or Mummy would have wasted a lot of money on all those dresses!) so I tend to head straight to dresses when I'm picking my own clothes. The added bonus is they can then become tops when they get too short - see, I am such a practical shopper.

I've also been doing some fairly intensive trawling of websites for the perfect pieces to help make up my winter wardrobe and over the next few weeks I thought I would give you a sneak peek at my "wish list" - all the things I'm saving hard to buy.

So what did I wear on my exploratory mission? My Sudo Misha dress (it's still a little big but as I told Mummy that's just tough, I'm not waiting until next Summer to wear it!) and my silver Choof Leaf sandals. Mummy pulls them out at every opportunity as apparently my feet are growing too quickly (she mentioned something about Chinese and their lovely foot-binding techniques but I am sure she was joking?!).