Dreaming of Vintage Treasures

Orange you glad to see me? I couldn't resist that pun, as I've made the most delicious batch of glaceed oranges from the oranges on our tree. I cut them into thin slices and boiled them in a sugar and water syrup for one hour...  ...and then placed them onto an orange cake I made. Delicious! I treasure the sight, taste and fragrance of our oranges. I even like taking photos in front of the tree pictured behind me, as the pop of orange colour always delights me.  We've now picked the last of the oranges, so you'll just have to delight in my pink outfit instead. Outfit details: Shawl and block-heeled boots: Secondhand market finds. Corduroy skirt: Uniqlo sale. Turtleneck: Retail, years ago. I've worn this pink cord skirt quite a few times this winter and love the warm colour of it. And this shawl is a perfect way to add some visual interest and a layer of warmth to any outfit. I often find it har...

Hello! We're still in lock-down here in Melbourne and I have well and truly settled into a familiar routine. From Monday to Friday, I work from 7.30am to about 5pm, with quick breaks for breakfast and lunch. I have about 5 video meetings with my students as a whole class and in small groups. They're so eager to go back to school and often tell me that they miss their school friends and I.  Then I plan lessons for a couple of hours and finally do the mammoth task of checking every child's work which takes me 1.5-2 hours at the end of each day. After I've conquered that, I'm keen to get out and go for a walk. Having to wear a face covering while out of your home is not so bad as it keeps your face warm when it's cold.  Yesterday, mum and I got caught in the rain, which nowadays is a bit of an adventure in itself. I  was also happy about these wild flowers that I picked from the top of a hill. Before each weekday ends, I try to squeeze in some crocheting...

Hello! I hope you are all well. As usual I've had a very busy week teaching remotely from home. I was so tired last night and feeling rather strange but a marathon 11 hour sleep fixed that! I shocked myself waking up at 10.30am today.  Now I'm all refreshed and ready to share some fun pictures with you! Lizzie of vintage.glamour.mama instagram came up with this fabulous idea of inviting fellow vintage lovers to send in their recreation pictures and she compiles them into a video. The aim is to find a vintage photo that you love and try to recreate it. I was thrilled that she included me in a video here . Most people are very kind in the online vintage community but Lizzie goes above and beyond to include everyone, so if you want to join in, send her an email.  I actually wore this snakeskin outfit last year to the  Revolution: Rebels and Records exhibition but after watching Once Upon a Time in Hollywood , I realised that Sharon Tate wore ...

Hello! Another w eek in lock-down here in Melbourne - what a time to be alive!  It is  disheartening  to  see the daily corona-virus updates but I am trying to stay positive and count my blessings. I am fortunate to have a full time job where I can work from home. It is a lot of work and stress but every job has its challenges, that's just life. If you spent your whole life looking for the perfect, stress-free job, I reckon you'd never find one. My lovely students are doing their very best to learn from home and families are doing a wonderful job helping them. In a video meeting this week, when we were talking about the things we were grateful for on 'Thankful Thursday', I reminded them to thank their parents because they are their first and most important teachers, not just during this remote learning period but throughout their lives. Walks to the valley always renew me. Last week, my whole family ...

Hello! We're three and a half weeks into our second lockdown here in Melbourne and new restrictions have been imposed as the number of corona virus cases continues to rise. In such a tumultuous year, it's so easy to get caught up in all the negativity. In fact, throughout our lives there are so many events that can be traumatic to us, but that is simply the human experience and I am choosing to look on the bright side. In our morning video meetings, my students and I practise gratitude every Thursday - we call it Thankful Thursday! They are so sweet and love sharing what they are grateful for. And I try to practise what I preach, so here are some things I am grateful for: - Daily walks through a valley - Doing a bit of crocheting each day - Making some lavosh crackers and apple chutney yesterday - The sunshine we've had this weekend - A loved one coming back into my life   I could go on and on. It's the little things that count! During this ...