The Design Kids Thumbs Up

Earlier in the year Australia based The Design Kids spent 10 weeks hitchhiking around New Zealand. As they travelled they asked designers to submit place name signs for them to use on the road. The competition was run via instagram, the perfect place to showcase the amazing type that was received.

An exhibition was also held in Auckland at the end of the trip. More info and a sweet video of the whole thing over here!

Dog Shirts

I still don't have a dog of my own, but I'm thinking next year we'll be able to get one. Until then I'm channelling my dog love into admiration for these new dog shirts from Lazy Oaf .

Elizabeth Barnett

At last year's The Design Files Open House I spotted two small paintings that just charmed the hell out of me. It turns out they were by Melbourne artist, Elizabeth Barnett, who I have since come across again on instagram (which seems to be the place for most art related discoveries these days). 

Barnett's paintings have a familiarity about them. Anything with plants instantly wins me over, but there's something very personal about them too. Like peeking into a place you might once have lived, or wished you lived in now.

See more of Elizabeth Barnett's work on her website, and webshop, which is surprisingly affordable!

Girls stuff

I'm still thinking about last week's Girls finale. So many great moments! Ray's brutal Desi smackdown was a highlight of the whole series. And Marnie smugly declining Spike Jonze's offer to accompany her on guitar, saying 'I'm pretty good too'. SO GOOD!! How am I going to get through the rest of the year before Season five?

Elaine pin

Graphic artist Georgia Perry's new 'Elaine pin' is killing me! The Celebrity Heads range also includes Oprah and Kanye, so it's pretty hard to choose a fave. I'm just having an 'Elaine moment' right now. See the rest here!

YAYlesford

At the beginning of Spring some good friends got married in Daylesford, a beautiful country town an hour out of Melbourne. It was the first wedding for our family of three. We dressed Ray up in the cutest little bow tie, which was soaked through with dribble after about five minutes.

The morning after the wedding we headed to the Daylesford Markets, which are held every Sunday behind the railway station.

There was such a good selection of plants. Unfortunately because our car was full to the brim with baby items I couldn't really buy much. Ray does not travel light!

A bumper crop of BSC's.

These Ken Done placemats were the find of the day.

This quiche was damn good washed down with a delicious juice.

We spotted so many lil' sausage dogs here! Daylesford is my kind of town.

Artlexa Chung

{ Clotilde Seated on the Sofa, Joaquín Sorolla (1910) / Alexa, Harper’s Bazaar }

{ Lotte by Christian Schad (1927) / Alexa MET 2010 }

{ Seated Nude, by William Adolphe Bouguereau (1884) / Alexa Sitting on the Bed }

{ After The Bath, William Adolphe Bouguereau (1875) / Alexa’s shoelace }

Images from ARTlexa Chung, a tumblr and instagram started by spanish sisters Beatriz and María Valdovín. Even Alexa herself is a follower!

Instagrams '14

Happy New Year every-buddy! This year sure has been a blur. Thinking back to the start of 2014, my two big goals were to find a new house, and wean Ray off his feeding tube. I'm SO happy to say that both of these things were accomplished!

{ JANUARY }

There was a vicious heatwave in January, with temperatures of 40 degrees four days in a row. UG.

There were plenty of pool visits to cool off.

Toasting the 'cool change' when it finally hit.

{ FEBRUARY }

Ray turned one! We survived his first year, and had a party to celebrate. Ray was in the party zone!

And he got some pretty cute passport photos taken.

Dry hot days at the park.

{ MARCH }

Ray and I had a trip to New Zealand, where it was considerably cooler.

{ APRIL }

We moved to our new place before Easter, and this was our moving day breakfast.

{ MAY }

We went to New Zealand at Easter time and Ray loved playing on the beach and visiting all his grandparents.

I loved the saltwater hot pools.

We spent a few days in beautiful Queenstown.

Feeding ducks and making friends.

{ JUNE }

Keeping cosy at home.

Winter meals with wine.

We escaped Winter for a bit and went to the Cook Islands for my Dad's birthday.

Dog Patrol! Our friendly dog pal.

{ JULY }

Back home again and rugging up in the cold.

{ AUGUST }

Early signs of Spring. I love it when the jasmine starts to bloom.

{ SEPTEMBER }

Coffee and doughnut treats in our new 'hood.

Lovely Spring garden.

Ray started walking which meant a lot of time spent at the park.

{ OCTOBER }

Furry face.

Amazing jasmine hedge.

Toy chaos.

{ NOVEMBER }

Backyard mussel feast.

More fun at the park, this time back in New Zealand again.

At the beach with my parents. My Dad was catching flounder.

I finally met my friend's dog Thelma, the best dog ever!

{ DECEMBER }

Ray has gotten really into climbing now!

I got Mr Meet-Cute Simpsons monopoly and we played a game on Christmas Day.

And we ate pulled pork and 'slaw.

We spent a few days in Phillip Island.

The last day of 2014 I got a new bike so I could get a baby seat for Ray. It's so fun riding with my small pal on the back! I'm looking forward to lots more of this during 2015!