by Candice DeVille | Aug 15, 2014 | daily outfit, Home & Garden, Pets
I’m about to hit you up with a whole bunch of photos today because, well, puppies!
Actually there are a few things that I really want to show you today, including Loki, but the first is this wonderful vintage dressing gown. You may not know but I have a thing for vintage dressing gowns; they are a collection within my collection. Not being a fan of track suits for down time, I prefer to have the comfort of lounging pyjamas or beautiful robes that still look good enough for a school run or just hanging about after a long day. They aren’t something that I’ve invested much cash in, but the benefits are priceless.
Today’s robe is one I picked up last week at an Op Shop for $15. It is a gorgeous emerald green velveteen with a gathered detail under the bust, and a rear zip so you don’t need to mess up your hair when you’re getting dressed and ready.
The 3/4 length sleeves are also handy so they don’t get in the way of hair styling or even wet doing the morning dishes. Yes, this bright, bright sunshine is the actual morning light that comes streaming into my bedroom on a sunny winter morning. I was tempted to tone it down a bit for the pics, but I wanted you to be able to see the richness of colour in these shots exactly the way it is. Yes, my bedroom is an intense peacock blue and my favourite chair is that red!
Since we are turning over a new leaf on the blog, I’m working on all kinds of new things that you’ve asked for over the years, one of them being more pictures around my house. This morning, playing with Loki in the sunshine, was the perfect chance to show you my favourite corner of the bedroom. It’s a place to sit and read, to put on tricky shoes, or sometimes (let’s be honest) a secondary chair-drobe space. (I do try and keep it tidy!) Nearly everything in my house has been put together as an eclectic mix of pieces that I’ve bought second hand online, found at Op Shops or even rescued from hard rubbish. My decorating style is “organic” in that it develops along the way when inspiration strikes, and I’m always moving things around.
The little foot stool has become Loki’s throne, the place where he sleeps in that morning sun soaking up the rays. And yes, he is just as mischievous as he looks and as his name suggests!
Are you a fan of vintage dressing gowns? If you haven’t tried out these sorts of styles with their fabulous names, (house coats, hostess gowns, honeymoon gowns, dressing gowns etc…) I suggest you start having a bit of a look around as there are still easy to find at most op shops. Make sure to tell me if you try it out too!
by Candice DeVille | Jul 29, 2014 | DIY
Being at the mercy of anything isn’t a good feeling, and yet everyday I watch on as we become more and more dependent on the market around us. First it started out as marketing services for the time poor, yet gradually the insidious creep of helplessness is engulfing a generation.
It may sound dramatic, but I’m constantly amazed that many of the skills I take for granted have become the realm of specialist or obsessives only. What am I talking about? The simple ability to do things for ourselves.
We’re well aware of the huge resurgence in DIY culture, yet there seems to be some things we see as too technical or scary to do ourselves. Maybe we’ve forgotten how to read instructions, or maybe there’s never been anyone in our close circle to help teach us, but whatever it is I’ll be blowed if I’ll give up learning new things just because buying them is “easier”.
As someone who has a thirst for knowledge and a ridiculously positive outlook on learning, it may come as a surprise that there are some things that still completely mystify me and scare me out of attempting. Like math, arc welding and anything they cook on Master Chef. But knitting, knitting shouldn’t be one.
The number of times I’ve poured over vintage catalogues and wished I could Buy It Now, or purchased beautiful knitting patterns to drool over are too many to count. I have made several failed attempts at knitting in the past, ending up with rather (let’s just say) organic looking pieces rather than what I had in mind. When I consider all the things I’ve taught myself to do, drafting patterns from vintage clothing, web design and even learning Chinese, why oh why does knitting scare me so much? Frankly it is madness and I’m tired of being at the mercy of my wallet when it comes to satisfying this wardrobe want.
So I have started knitting again.
So far so good. It is all on the needles and all the stitches are there. I’ve joined up on Ravelry and a few Facebook interest groups. I’ve bought a stash of needles from Savers and I may even make a bag for it all this week. (Every new hobby must have all the applicable accessories around here, it’s like a family rule.)
I am determined to master this skill, I just have to stick to it and not completely crack it each time something fails. And if I keep going like this adding to my extremely diverse set of life skills, I may yet be ready in time for the Zombie Apocalypse.
by Candice DeVille | Jul 27, 2014 | blogging
I’ve been on this journey for quite a while now, back before blogging was even a “thing” here in Australia.
When I first started writing Super Kawaii Mama, I had no idea that anyone would ever read it. I initially wrote it just for myself, as a bit of a style diary; a way to keep track of the outfits I put together and the various style moods that took me over. It quickly became apparent that, even though I thought I was alone in my passion for vintage style, I was just one of a world wide army of devotees. And how wonderful it has been getting to know you all!
This July marks a big change for me, one I’ve been planning for a few years but the timing was never right. I’ve wanted to change the name of the blog for some time, but never happened upon a name that struck the right chord with me. I’d also wanted to find a clearer purpose to what it is that I write and share; to bring more of my historical perspective and hard learned lessons that contribute to the ‘vintage’ tone my life takes.
The feedback I’ve had from you over the years, both online and in person, shows me that there is still so much to be written. Sometimes as bloggers we think we’ll run out of ideas, (and occasionally we all suffer from creative fatigue) but like clockwork, I find myself awake at strange hours of the morning with a plethora of stories I still want to tell.
As I lay there one night wondering when, if ever, I will finally teach myself to knit, I had a thought. Since I was very young, elements of the vintage world have always romanced me. At times I’m more in love with one style than another, sometimes I don’t want to dress and go out, but simply stay home read the books of my childhood. But no matter how I feel and how I’ve grown, one thing has always remained the same. That through the stream of my life, there always runs a vintage current. And so, a new name, and a renewed purpose was born.
Over the next few weeks you’ll notice a lot of changes around here, all for the better. A more streamlined, simplified look that should enable to navigate to the things you’ like to see with ease. New resource pages with entirely new content designed to help share all those old world tricks of the trade that keep things running smoothly around here. I want to share with you more of my vintage collection; all the pieces you’ve never seen as they are squirrelled away waiting for their moment in the sun or a mannequin with a much smaller waist.
For now you’ll see that I have changed the name of the blog and the look of the page. You’ll also notice the name change on social media over the coming weeks, and then a change over to the new URL in August. I’m doing my best to ensure that the transition is a smooth as possible, but if you notice any broken links or funky formatting issues, please be patient with me as this is a DIY job. From the ideas to the basic coding, I’m doing this one myself and working over time to get it just right.
I’m more than a bit excited by this time of transition and growth, and I’m planning ways I can celebrate and share this milestone with you all. I can’t thank you enough for your support and friendship over the years, it has truly transformed my life and I don’t ever feel like “the weird kid who wears dead people’s clothes” anymore. Xx
by Candice DeVille | Jul 21, 2014 | sponsors
A sponsored post brought to you by Nuffnang and Uniformdating.com
When I was about twelve years old, my best friend and I packed our little duffle bags with clothes, muesli bars and a box of bandages. We were planning to run away, (on her horse to America) and meet some wounded soldiers we could tend to. Watching Gone With the Wind too many times will do that to a girl.
We never stopped to really analyse where we would meet said soldiers, nor whether they would have the time to meet us. (It didn’t even occur to us at twelve that the whole scenario was a total fantasy; until we were very cold and standing by the top gate).
But now, Australians have a new way to meet people in uniform looking for love.
Uniformdating.com, a prominent UK online dating service, has just launched here in Australia to help people in uniformed professions meet each other. Doctors, Nurses, Firemen, Police; the list goes on. Each of these uniformed service roles bring a unique set of job challenges and hours that can often make it difficult for them to meet Mr or Ms Right.
Being on call, dealing with people in times of crisis, long hours, working in high risk conditions; all of these elements can make meeting the right partner in a relaxed environment pretty darn difficult. After eight years in the UK, Uniformdating.com felt it was time to bring their tailor-made dating solution to Australia, a place where these everyday heroes play a big part in our communities.
But what about the reality of online dating and what does this have to do with me?
I can’t say I have any first hand experience with “internet dating” per se. I do however, have a whole lot of experience in meeting up in real life with people that I’ve met online, and I’ve learnt a lot that I can share. In fact the very first time I meet someone from the Internet, I’d met him on a BBS (bulletin board system) in the days before the internet as you know it! (His name was Phoenix and we met up at the milk bar).
Here is the advice I’d give to anyone wanting to try online dating:
- Go into each exchange with your eyes wide open.
- Never give out your home address, personal particulars, bank details, mother’s maiden name (you get my drift)
- Always organise your first meeting in a public venue and, if you can, make it a group date.
- Make sure that someone knows where you are and when you are expected to return. A great way to do this (and an added security benefit) is to send an MSS pic of you and your date to your contact at the beginning of the night, and another once you’re home safe and sound.
- Be honest about your expectations of what you want from a relationship. There’s no need to go into the first date with a wedding planner, but by the same token if you’re a homebody and you pretend to be into adventure sport to impress someone, it’s going to end in tears.
- Never give anyone money; even if their cat / grandmother / child needs an organ transplant.
- Remember that good relationships take time. You may really hit it off with someone and think you’ll be together forever (this goes for friendships too), but only time will truly tell the measure of a person’s character.
They tell me joining is easy. You can join for free in the standard membership, which allows you to create a profile, upload a video, and use the search function. Once you’ve created your profile you also have access to five free messages with your matches.
To get the most out of the site and all its features, it’s $14.99 a month to upgrade to a full membership. This full membership will give you complete access to all aspects of the site including chat, messaging and upcoming new features.
Uniformdating.com is now open for business in Australia if you fancy finding yourself that special someone. (No box of bandages required)
Disclosure- brought to you by Nuffnang and Uniform Dating
by Candice DeVille | Jul 18, 2014 | Uncategorized
