Mail art from Saylor Made

Look!  This is the amazing mail art package I recently received from Saylor Made - isn't it all kinds of wonderful?  I really love the way all the bits hang together so nicely, and I especially like the gorgeous floaty fleeting watercolours.

She included: a 'bonjour note card (with a lovely note!); two gorgeous water colour prints; a magazine clipping of some wintery red berries in a hand drawn frame ('for the birds'); a print of some of her favourite stamps (love this, great idea that I just might pinch...); an etching of a maple leaf from her nature collection; googly eyes; my initials in fuzzy felt; and last but most definitely not least - a 'blarg' print, which I can very much relate too.  All encased in a handmade envelope of perfection:

I am itching to show you my reply, but I'll hold off until I know my package has been received.  To be continued...

Seoul Sky

The rain has finally stopped in Seoul and we are currently experiencing what one might call 'Summer'.  It's been perfect sitting-on-the-balcony-with-a-glass-of-wine-before-dinner weather.  But there's still hot and cold air battling it out and isolated thunder storms do pop up here and there.  All of which means we have been experiencing some pretty spectacular skies in Seoul of late.  I took these photos a few days ago, when there was a rain storm in the distance just around dusk. Beautiful yes?  

ps. I saw on Instagram the other day someone calling these 'Jesus clouds', referencing images like this I guess.  Jesus clouds!  I quite like that.  And speaking of Instagram, did you see my post of the Seoul sunset the other night?  It was quite magical.

Death by Doxie: The Elfi Has Her Own Couch Edition

There is a couch in my office/study/craft stash/library/games room/disgrace.  It's a couch I bought many years ago in another life time - I was living in Balmain, Sydney and I so clearly remember finding the couch at a Freedom clearance centre.  It had a tiny little mark on it so was on sale for some absurdly cheap price, the only catch being that I had to get it home myself.  I can't remember how I got it home, I have a feeling I may have tried to carry it the 20 minute walk back to my little house. Or I may have tried to squish it in my Holden Astra.  Either way, it clearly was a traumatic process as I have now blocked it from my memory.

Anyway, no one sits on this couch unless the step sons are here and they're playing Wii (because the husband and I never play Wii without them here.  Of course not.  We wouldn't even know what Mario Kart was if we tripped over it.  Cough.).  And Ferdi is too short legged and physically challenged and, well, stupid to figure out how to get up there.  So Elfi is queen of this couch (up there she's sharing it with a little soft doxie friend, beautifully made by Kate Durkin).  

Wake up Elfi!

What I wore...

Well, I've finally succumbed to complete and utter narcissism - presenting my first (and possibly, though hopefully not, last) 'what I wore' post!  I've been toying with doing some of these after seeing them here and there over the past 12 months, and especially after seeing them on lots of blogs that aren't 'fashion' blogs.  But then I was kind of put off after asking the husband to take some pics of a favourite outfit one day - his reply? 'that's a bit weird, don't you think?'.

But then I read this great post by Jess from Epheriell Designs about fashion as play which really struck a cord.  Yes, dressing up should be fun!  As a kid I was a tom boy and a bit of a geek - the nerdy outsider with good dose of 'alternative' thrown in.  I had trouble putting together an outfit that I was happy with, putting together something that told the world a little bit about me.  So it's been a pleasant surprise that as I've got older I've started having fun playing dress ups.  And hence, you get to put up with the most narcissistic of blog posts.  Indulge me, please?

I bought this dress from Mango years ago.  I didn't love it at the time but it has gone on to become a firm Summer favourite, the kind of frock that you know you'll miss when it finally does fall apart.  I like how the fabric has aged to, with the background dark blue getting a lovely washed out look which makes the colours jump out even more.  Plus ruching.  And pockets.  Love.  The shoes are my current favourites - wooden platforms from the 70s.  The wooden sole is curved up at the front so you kind of rock back and forth with each step you take!

Dress: Mango

Belt: Zara

Cardigan: Hong Kong street market

Shoes: Vintage Marmalade

Dachshund: Jonathan Adler!

ps. Notice I don't say on what occasion I wore the outfit?  That's because if I dressed for occasions in my actual life I'd be blogging pictures of me in my pyjamas or my week old track pants saying 'what I wore whilst tweeting' or 'what I wore whilst buying the dog food'.  I realised I while ago that I'd have no fun (and spend my life in jeans and a t-shirt) if I always dressed appropriately for the 'occasions' in my life.

ps. Ignore my tan lines, okay?  Thanks...

Creative Collective Snail Mail Swap

What seems like a lifetime ago I took part in the Creative Collective Snail Mail Swap and I'm so glad I did because I got some really wonderful goodies!  A bit late but here's a little peak at the packages that made their way to Seoul.

First up, from the always amazing 74 Lime Lane a gorgeous collection of prints and other papery goodness.  I'd actually spied Kellie's post about her snail pail packages, and had left a comment saying I really hoped I was one of her swap partners, turns out I was!  So yes, I was pretty excited to pick this envelope out of the mail box.

And then there was this package of perfection from the mysterious Nancy.  A gorgeous hand written note, the best little notebook ever, cute envelope decorations, plus polka-dots - I adore every bit of it!  

Being part of this swap and soaking in the wonder of Saylor Made's Mail Art Monday posts has made me greedy for more!  There is so much thought and care taken with all of these wonderful packages, and I am absolutely brimming with ideas for more snail mail goodness, so please - if you are keen to start a mail art 'conversation' do get in touch.

ps. This month the Creative Collective project is all about photography - are you joining in?  I am rapidly running out of time but I do have a little something to contribute, if I can pull it together by the end of the month that is...

ps. I'd also like to say a great big heartfelt thanks for all your kind and thoughtful words over the past few weeks.  I've truly appreciated each and every one of them.  It really makes all this blogging and tweeting and on-line connecting mean so much more, so thank you.