The Month That Was May

Tomorrow is the first day of June, the 6Th month and you know what that means? It means we're almost half way through 2012 already! Crazy stuff.

So, how am I going with my resolutions for 2012?

1. Spend $100.00 or less per week
2. Read a book per week.
3. Blog a minimum of once a week - Secondhand Sundays.
4. Support small local businesses where ever possible.

I've been good at sticking to my spending budget.

I started reading a book...I'm about 1 chapter in, does that count? I don't think it does...I have a lot of reading to catch up on if I'm going to read 52 books this year.

Whilst I'm not the most regular blogger I have posted at least once every week, usually at least twice a week as a minimum.

And most of my spending money has either been spent at the Riccarton Market or at various secondhand shops this month so I've done my bit to support the little guy!

Do you still hold yourself accountable for your New Years resolutions? Do you remember what they were?

I'm contemplating the idea of starting a bit of a spending ban...I haven't decided yet how long I want to commit too...

Tag you're it

A couple of days ago Catherine from Not Dressed As Lamb tagged me in a post so I thought I'd do a vlog since I've only ever done 1 before.

Below are the questions:

1) Favourite colour
2) Favourite number
3) Favourite animal
4) Favourite non-alcoholic drink
5) Facebook or Twitter
6) What is my passion
7) Receiving or giving
8) Favourite pattern
9) Favourite day of the week
10) Favourite flowers

You can answer in the comments if you like, or if you do a post please let me know, I'd love to read it or watch it as the case may be!

Camel & Claret

The past couple of days have been surprisingly warm here so I'm making the most of it, June isn't far away & it's typically one of our coldest months.

Anyway, on a totally different topic...after this post last week I was asked if I was Maori - I'm not. My man is though, he's Ngai Tahu. When he first told me I didn't believe him - he's as pasty as I am & he has a bit of an English accent because he grew up in Leeds so he doesn't look or sound at all Maori.

My bloodlines are English & Scottish. I don't really know much about it but one day I'd like to find out more about my ancestors.

Do you know your family history? Do you have a mix of cultures in your family?

Dress : Portmans
Necklace : Portmans ($7 - was on sale for $10 then had 30% off!)
Bangle : Sussans
Wedges : The Warehouse

Secondhand Sunday 22

Today I spent the day with Mum. We started out going to the market where we found some goodies and got a pumpkin spice & chocolate chip scone each, then we went to visit my house (which is in the process of being repaired), then spent the rest of the afternoon browsing in imported furniture shops.

These book ends were one of my finds from today and I brought each of these books for $1 each - one is a book about Yves Saint Laurent and the other is about women in medieval China. I have a pile of 2nd hand books on my nightstand, I really need to start reading some of them...

You may have noticed I haven't said much about our renovations lately - that's because not a lot has been happening! The builders finally started this week, the bathroom has been ripped out & the plumber has moved the pipes so I guess that's a step in the right direction. Initially we were told we'd be able to move in next week but now we're looking at at least another 6 weeks, maybe even longer.

Happy Sunday :)

Dress : Portmans
Jacket : Secondhand from Paperbag Princess in AKL
Necklace : Purchased at a crystal shop in Paris
Boots : Overland (4 yrs ago)

Guest Post

Today I've got a guest post & interview over at Life Like Honey
Teaka is a very talented designer & seamstress, she takes beautiful photos and bakes some incredible goodies - if you haven't already you need to check out her blog. Off you go..

Prints Charming

Well I'm not as sore as I thought I was going to be after yesterdays events. My knees are a wee bit bruised, I'm a bit stiff & still a wee bit confused but all in all not as bad as I thought I'd feel.

My man has been my chauffeur, he'll be taking me to & from work until I get a new car because there's no public transport where I live.

What sort of transport do you use?

Dress : Jacqui E
Scarf : Jacqui E
Wedges : Hannahs

Smash, Bang, Crash

Dear oh dear.

Today has been a bad day.

As you can see it was a very cold frosty morning...

I wrote my car off on the way to work this morning :(

It was a 3 car pile up on an open road (100km speed limit), luckily no one was killed or even seriously hurt - just minor concussions and a few bumps & bruises.

The long & the short of it is that the first car stopped suddenly (I still don't know why), the second car hit them - which I saw, and slowed down but couldn't stop in time since the road was so slippery and bang. Hello whiplash.

Wanna know the best part? Because I would rather frivolously fritter away my money on clothes and tea cups than pay for practical things like full insurance; I only had 3rd party insurance so I now have to pay my excess, the tow truck fee, a doctors fee and I have to buy a new car. All up it will probably cost me about $3000 minimum.

We've already poured everything we have & more into the renovations for our house so it couldn't be worse timing....Murphy's law...

Have you ever had a decent car crash?

Coat : Portmans
Snood : Number 1 Shoes (last yr)
Dress : Jacqui E
Wedges : The Warehouse

Mid-Week Treat

It's dangerous working in a mall at times.

Today was a very long day, my colleague was sick and I had a tonne of stuff to get done, which would have been a challenge even with her there.

So when I saw that this was down from $229 to $69.99 I really couldn't help myself. It is winter after all.

Have you given in to a little pick me up lately?

Portmans Coat

Times change

Note : totally unrelated ramblings below

Why am I taking Maori classes?

I was an obnoxious teenager, and at the time I thought that there was no point in teaching Maori in schools - why learn a language that almost no-one uses any more?

But that's exactly why, if we don't make an effort to learn these things now eventually they will die and the next generation will miss out as a result.

For example, how many of us know how to make jam or preserve fruit? We don't (most of us anyway) instead we pop down to the shop and buy some and I'm beginning to think that's kind of sad.

Were you an obnoxious teenager? Have you had a change of heart as you get older? Is there something you'd like to learn before it's too late?

Dress : Portmans
Merino : The Warehouse
Wedges : The Warehouse
Belt : Glassons

Secondhand Sunday 21

I usually love Sundays but today I'm having a cranky day.

Technology is driving me stark raving mad!

I've been having major trouble with our internet connection all week and I've just discovered that my phone isn't working either, people have been sending me messages that I'm not recieveing...gggrrrrrrr!

So to cheer myself up I brought myself a couple of cheap & cheerful tea cup sets.

Do you have days where you wake up on the wrong side of the bed???

Jacket : Portmans (over a year ago)
Sequin top : Secondhand from Lasting Labels
Skirt : Secondhand from Second Love
Boots : Overland (about 4 years ago)

Whero

Today has been a really nice day.

My man & I took my Mum out for a high tea lunch to celebrate Mother's Day since we spent time with his Mum yesterday.

It was wonderful. We had English breakfast tea in vintage china cups with proper sugar cubes, bite sized sandwiches, devonshire scones and lots of lovely little cakes & treats.

In case you're wondering whero is the Maori word for Red.

Last week at our Maori class we started learning names for colours, I wonder what we'll learn tonight...

Have you learnt something new lately?

Did you do something special to celebrate Mother's Day?

Top : Secondhand from Northcity OpShop in Papanui
Skirt : Portmans
Belt : Glassons
Scarf : Jacqui E
Bangle : Diva

Secondhand Sunday 20

Happy Mothers Day :)

Another Sunday has been and gone.

I spent most of the day at the Riccarton Market like I usually do and then went on the search for a nice bunch of flowers to take to man's Mum's house tonight.

I brought this gorgeous wee picnic basket a few weeks ago at the Salvation Army for $2.

When I got it home my man said "Why did you buy that? We don't go on picnic's?" but now that we have a basket we can go on picnics...once winter is over that is.

Dress : Trendz
Necklace : Lovisa
Bangles : Sussan
Boots: Overland (4 years ago)

Lady in Red

Just a quick post from me today.

I've been wearing this red coat a lot over the past few days, it's going to get more than it's fair share of wear over the coming months!

Dress : Jacqui E
Coat : ASOS
Belt : Jacqui E
Heels : Secondhand from Time & Time Again