Grazia

Truly exciting news today. And I mean actually exciting, as opposed to the exciting-only-to-myself kind.

So last week i sent a letter off to Grazia, in response to the Miranda Kerr article, which was in response to the response to her thin frame (excuse me, I'm having a po-mo moment). Anyway, so I bought Grazia today and remembered the letter I'd emailed in an thought "oh I wonder if I got letter of the week?!" (because of course, this is why we do these things- for the chance of recognition and free stuff)

I didn't actually think I'd gotten it, as I figured they would have emailed me some form of "congratulations, here's your free stuff!" notification, but i flicked through to the back anyway, with the tiniest glimmer of hope. I saw letter of the week and my heart fell. My title wasn't there. I sort of skimmed it and went "hmm, it's on the same issue as mine... wow it's pretty similar actually." Then i read those two words that really gave it away: "Keith" and "Richards" (i'll explain that later.) And of course, when i saw my name at the bottom, I realised that the Grazia Gods had smiled upon my sarcastic wit and rewarded me well for it, with $130 worth of Cacharel EDT and spray. Hoorah! (to keep in spirit with Grazia)
So, here it is, my winning letter:

It seems that when life on Earth is entirely wiped out by meteors and global warming, the "Weight Debate" will somehow survive, along with cockroaches and Keith Richards. The thing is, it's really no one else's business but Miranda's whether she's "too skinny." People need to stop comparing models to everyday women because, let's face it, they're not us and nor do the depict us. Models aren't meant to represent a size and shape we should all aspire to- they're meant to sell the clothes, which in relaity, look better on those lucky long-legged thin-framed individuals.

Jeez, I just read it and realised I sent it in with "too" where it's meant to be "to" - I changed it when I retyped it here. How embarrassing.

All for now
-Mel

Undesirable

So, last night, on ABC's Hungry Beast, there was a skit about how anyone can find out anything about you through google. And, as I obviously have a google account, I decided to google myself.

Nothing. Mostly, I got scary Spice, because we have the same name. I did however manage to find a tiny photo off my cousin's facebook of him and my sister- but nothing on me. I'm not sure whether i should be feeling relieved or insulted right now. Anyway, my shoe obsession has not died, oh no. So here, have some beauties I've been spying:

Left to right: Ariel, Footloose and Pesce, all Zu!

Left to right: Elfin, Harper and Leoni all Betts

I'm sorry it's tiny, but the Wittner website don't have savable photo files, so I had to go hunting... Not sure if this heel is high enough, it's only 9cm :p

And what are shoes without bags?

Ilka from Zu! and Graffiti from Betts (also look great in this nice royal blue and black pattern)

Both the cream Elfin pumps and the silver Wittner shoes are formal possibilities. Tough decision... I have a Betts voucher, so the Elfins would only be like $95. However, it's really hard to find a cream nude clutch that I LIKE (which is where the Ilka is a possibility, but might be a bit complicated with my multi coloured dress) and of course, pumps to a formal? In summer? I'm all about strappy shoes at the moment, and everyone else seems to be wearing black or nude pumps so the Wittner shoes would be more interesting, and I did see this great bejeweled silver clutch (in Gladesville pharmacy, of all places) that would look great. However the Wittner shoes are $170. But then again, the Zu! clutch is $70 more than the other so it makes up for it. But with my Betts voucher, I pretty much am obliged to buy Betts shoes by the 15th, which happens to be the day before the formal...

Or maybe I could get the Wittners and the clutch to match, and then from Betts get the Harpers, which i could wear on my birthday. And, since I like to buy myself birthday presents, guilt will be gone! It does however, total to about $350 in bags and shoes... a bit ridiculous? When i could just spend $200? Hmm... tough decisions. A trip to Parramatta is necessary for this one, methinks.

Oh and guess what? I've got an interview Monday, with Scene to Believe for like 3 weeks of Santa photography. Embarrassing, but all the same: any experience is good experience. So, hoping that goes well... And while I'm at Macquarie, I may as well check out Wittner (and perhaps find my mother a birthday present?).

Anyway, should have the photos from Granny Smith uploaded tomorrow, so chances are you'll be seeing a couple.

Man, I forgot how good old old Green Day is...

Princess in a schoolgirl's dream,

may I please speak to you?

I'm having troubles with control

and it's all because of you.

Today I kept on falling down,

I thought it was the street.

So I looked down at my shoes

they were on the wrong feet

Peace out- Mell xox

Nikon D90

J.

So I got the D90 Thrusday after my interview (which went well, I thought. I certainly got noticed- but i got the rejection email Friday), and it came in super handy at the Ramshackle gig that night, heat 10 of the Lewisham Hotel band comp. Hopefully they win and therefore perform at the finals on Halloween. They got money, just for bringing a crowd of 27 people! Then Friday night i took it to Hilary's 18th and got a few shots, and Saturday I took it to the Granny Smith festival and shot Ramshackle at The Core (unfortunately the D90 battery is dead so they're not uploadable as yet)

Anyway, here are some "choice" shots:

Tony- Ramshackle @ Lewisham 15th October 2009

Halcyon- Hilary's 18th 16th October 2009

Sarah- Hilary's 18th October 16th 2009

Andy & Tony- Ramshackle @ Lewisham October 15th 2009

Andy, Mitch & Jared- Ramshackle @ Lewisham 15th October 2009

Dave- Hilary's 18th 16th October 2009

Ramshackle's Fans: Eveline, Maddy, Beau, John, Sam, Ronzelle

Ramshackle @ Lewisham 15th October 2009

Granny Smith photos will hopefully be up in the next couple of days, and I might even try to upload a video or two. Although, as it films in HD, the files are huge, so it might not be possible.

Stay tuned. Mell xoxo

You can Betts your bottom dollar...

Ok, so guess what?

(exciting news here)

*drumroll*

I have a group interview with Betts shoes tomorrow at 12! Woo!

First a gift card and now an interview? Surely it's gotta be a sign...

Anyway, so yesterday's shopping expedition in Parramatta was an epic fail but today i gathered my last inch of optimism and headed off to Burwood (yes... Burwood).

The day certainly started well. I popped into Vinnie's at West Ryde on my way and found this really cute tan mini-satchel for $3. It's basically like a wallet with an arm strap, it's tiny!

Then, my thrift store luck continued in Burwood, at the Anglicare, where i found this Free Fusion (Target) dress (looks bad on me as a dress but works well as a top with high waisted shorts/skirt) and a little pink clutch (really it's a purse, but my phone just fits!) to match, for the combined total of $14.

Surely I'd used up all my luck for the day?

Apparently not.

When i got to Westfields, I went on a hunt for a directory, but before I could find one, I found the Bluejuice store anyway! and they had like 6 of the dress I was after on display, including at least one size 8. And, if I may say so myself, it fits pretty darn well! I also found another dress in Bluejuice. It's turquoise and has sleeves and the back has a cut-out part and I feel like a sexy Dorothy in it (from Oz, not the purple dinosaur). So that's going to be my birthday dress, but it's awesome because it can be super cas. with sandals.

Now, because I have my Betts interview, I thought it logical to buy Betts shoes. So I got some tan gladiators, which I've been planning to buy anyway. They matched my little mini-satchel as well, but I couldn't resist Strandbags when I saw the "SALE!" signs, and I managed to find this cute tan bluebird handbag for $24. So I bought that too...

Anyway, you don't need all the details, so all up I bought 2 dresses, one top(/dress), a skirt, shorts, sandals, a clutch, a handbag, 2 cuffs and a mini-satchel.

Total spendings? Roughly $310. Go me!

Clockwise from top left: Turquoise dress - $79.95

and Multi-coloured bodice dress (for formal) - $80.95 from Bluejuice;

Skirt and High-waisted shorts - 2 for $25 from JayJays;

Tan mini-satchel- $3 from Vinnie's;

Tan gladiator sandals - $79.99 from Betts;

Fuchsia clutch- $1.50 and multi-coloured top/dress -12.50 from Anglicare;

Tan Bluebird bag - $24 from Strandbags.

Not pictured: blue cuff, and blue-flower cuff - $2 each from Diva.

Betts interview outfit:

High-waisted shorts, tan gladiator sandals and tan bag, cuffs from Diva, and sheer white man-shirt (or loose white singlet).

That's it for now, watch this space

-Mell

Overdue Overview

OK, I know I know, to anyone who actually ever reads this, I should be ashamed for my less than mediocre efforts at blog upkeeping. Less than a week, plaguing my blog with posts and then nothing for 3 months? Not the right way to go about things.

But you see, I have an explanation (meagre, I'll admit): third term of year 12 is unprecidentally busy, and don't you let anyone ever tell you otherwise. I thought, after the year book and my art major were finnished, it'd be a breeze. But no, there were assessments, revision, and not to mention those two pesky HSC exams I did in the final stages of term (German continuers and extension speaking- the worst is over, hence why I feel i can blog instead of study). And of course, as could have been predicted, the yearbook wasn't wrapped up untill it was almost too late. And, boy, can I say, there was drama there. Some completely blind people working for that publishing company...

Anyway, since my personal life isn't nearly as interesting as I would like to pretend, I'm going to get to some things that someone (maybe) might actually care about. Firstly, and quite exciting for me and any photography enthusiasts will understand, for the coming weekend I am borrowing a Nikon D90, to get the feel of it and get an idea of which lenses I would most like. Conveniantly, the weekend isn't empty, and I will be clutching tightly to that gorgeous SLR at the Granny Smith festival, where up-and-comers Ramshackle (i.e. the band my boyfriend plays guitar for) are featuring in The Core (be there or be an equal sided quadrilateral).

I should hopefully be able to get some choice shots up over the next couple of weeks, when I'm not suffering the "severe death syndrome" that is the HSC (30 days till my last exam- happy days!) As well as the looming beginning of the rest of my life, it is (as of today) 39 days until my 18th birthday, 47 until schoolies, and 60 until the Green Day concert. So it's all uphill from the 11th of November onwards, really.

In other news, I found a shop that actually stocks Ray-Ban clubmasters in blue, so I no longer have to worry about the pesky business of buying them online! Unfortunately, I had spent an entire day unsuccessfully searching for a formal dress, so I was in no mood for the possible further let down of trying them on and finding out they don't suit. Anyway, plenty of time for that.

Unfortunately, I have still not found my formal shoes in solid form. There is a "coming soon" section on the Siren website, where you can pre-order the shoes that aren't released yet, but there is no mention of the Apollos there. I emailed Siren, and haven't got a reply yet, so hopefully I find out something, or find a suitable, if not better replacement. Which is where Grzia magazine deserves a mention. Sweet Grazia, who have served me well for the better part of this year, have gone one step further. This week, within those sweet, fashion-filled pages, was a $25 Betts gift card. And, in a bitter sweet turn of events, I can only use it on an item priced at $80 or more, which rules out the clutch I've been eye-balling, but makes it the perfect reason why I should find formal shoes at Bets, and, failing that, justification to buy Betts shoes simply because I want to. (I still haven't got the essential nude pumps, so this might be my oppurtunity?)

On to ANTM news, and may I just have a brief gloat over my apparent ability to pick winners (well... almost). Dedicated readers (or those who enjoy browsing past archives) may well remember my post about my favourite for the 12th cycle of America's Next Top Model: Allison. And let me tell you, she was my favourite from the very first episode. Now, she didn't win, which I accidently found out while googling pictures of her at the very start of the cycle, but she did come as close as possible- second place. This, despite doubts from many of her deserving a place in the final 12. I still think she should have won, but I guess I'm a little biased. She's just so damn cute!

Allison Harvard

Even though I've been resisting the urges to buy buy BUY, I have cracked a few times and splurged. But i must say, I have not regretted any purchases, and I've managed to only buy one pair of shoes since April (and they were $50, from target, black, strappy and teetering, and have quickly become my favourtie pair). Along with these, this term I've bought a blazer, (also target, and cheap, but you can't tell at a distance) a high-waisted floral skirt from Net.Girl, a cream satin bow that has both a hair clip and a clothes pin attatched and a purple glass flower ring, both from Diva, a black clutch from West Ryde Vinnies, a gorgeous scarf from Gladesville Vinnies and a Dangerfield clutch in the shaped of a red heart - a purchase I was very happy about, as Grazia raved about the "heart trend" the following week, featuring a bag almost identical to mine at 9 times the price. I was extremely proud, I even texted J immediately, but i don't think he quite shared my enthusiasm. I've also been getting into the DIY approach lately, and my first completed project came about 4 weeks ago: acid wash shorts. I used this old pair of jean from JayJays, that never quite fit right and were of that ugly cheap looking blue with white stitching variety. a snip here, some bleach there, some twisting here, some more bleaching there and voila! perfect summer shorts, for free! although they do still smell heavily of chlorine... I'll put up a picture when I have a more reliable camera (mine's 6 years old and the photos come out pink and squiggly sometimes)

I'm also part way through altering a high waisted skirt i bought ages ago and never once wore. It buttons up, and has this white bow thing on it which is cute but i feel it limits what i can wear it with (i don't like black white and colour all in one outfit, unless the colour is one statment item or something) so i picked out the stitching to get rid of that, and I'm also going to get rid of the buttons and add a zipper instead, as the gaps between the buttons gaped at my wider points. Hopefully all goes well with that project. I also plan to make myself a tutu (or two!) which could be interesting since I'll be guessing how to make one...

My quest for a formal dress continues tomorrow, when I'll follow up some possible options- find my size in one dress, see if i can make a dress work for a formal by using a satin bow where a belt belongs; that kind of thing. I'm dragging J along, so hopefully he'll look at some suits as well. He said ages ago he wanted a new suit, a grey one, so I'm holding him to it, because we all know grey is the new black in the suit world.

I think I've covered all I wanted to, so untill next time

- Mell