I found a few more uber-cute Valentine's for you to print out and give with love...

These onomatopoeia Valentines cards and gift tags from Mmmcrafts are punchy and to the point.

  

The old-fashioned handmade charm of these Valentines from Ruffled will be perfect for grandparents and elderly relatives (or strangers too - I'm planning on handing out a few to the elderly people who catch my bus).

     

What about if you don't have a colour printer? Well, Kate Spade has those covered too. There is sure to be one of these quirky eCards to tickle your special someone's fancy.

  

Enjoy, and give Valentines. Lots of them.

        

No, really I did miss the plane to Paris! I had the most vivid dream last night, and all I can remember was that I missed the plane to Paris. The plane itself was fantastic, one of those shiny WWII-era four-engine fancies with a decal of Betty Grable or Veronica Lake flirtatiously posing on the side.  Kinda like this gorgeous girl...

     

I'm not entirely sure why the plane was vintage, I don't even remember if the dream set in the 40's or present day. Ah well. I'm sure the Paris-theme came from my soppy romantic nature around Valentine's Day. Sap.

I do remember being very mad that I couldn't go, something to do with the entire travelling wardrobe I purchased for the trip, no doubt!

If I was to take a trip to Paris, I'm pretty sure this it what I'd pack...

        

So, Christmas is over, but Easter eggs aren't quite everywhere. That must mean that it's my favourite time of the year... Valentine's Day!

I love this day because it's not just for lovers (although, hint hint BB, I'd love a romantic picnic next Sunday). I am planning to bake some sort of treats for my new co-workers - yes, I have a new job, altogether sing with me now, YAY - and am also hoping to organise some sort of V-Day Operation Nice-type event. Perhaps something on Friday the 12th in the CBD, spreading the love, reminding other people to do the same this coming weekend. Any ideas, folks?

I've found a stack of free printable ideas online which I may utilise for mass Valentine giving, and have created a few of my own, but I won't show you those until post-V-Day, lest I ruin the surprise for my friends!

These fantastic Asian-inspired ones were from Thompson Family Life - I love the face on the fox!

  

How about the squirrel-icious stylings of this clever Valentine from Mmmcrafts? Perfect for a witty, wordplay-loving friend.

   

The quirky illustrations of Emily of Inside a Black Apple make gorgeous Valentines too! She's got a stack of groovy printables on her site, take a look.

   

I've got loads more, and will post more wonderful Valentines ideas in the next few days. I'd love to hear if you have any Valentine traditions or perhaps suggestions? I'm off to find a perfect-sized heart-shaped cookie cutter, I've decided to make heart-shaped brownies for my girlfriends for next weekend!


Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

        

I was tagged in the sweet Sportsgirl 'we heart your blog' by the super-lovely Jessica via Twitter. She sent me a big hug and asked a few questions about my summer.

1. What are you wearing right now?

Well, I'm heading out for brunch with a darling old friend this morning, so am kinda halfway through the prep process. I've been living in two summer strappy dresses lately, identical cuts, one indigo and one multicoloured floral. OMG - how exciting for me to wear to death something that's not black. So today I'm wearing my indigo Piper dress with a little bit of ruffle on the bodice, Sportsgirl silver bangles, silver sandals (yep, I fixed the ones that were broken last weekend) and my fave new Mimco ring.

  

2. Post a picture that means summer to you.

  

Everything about this photo makes me smile. I can imagine I am back there, strolling through the Tambourine National Park with my girlfriends after a fantastic long lunch at the pub, hearing birdsong, laughing and gossiping for hours. Ahhhhh.

3. What tracks are essential to your summer play list?

For me, nothing beats cruisy country rock in summer - the new Keith Urban album gets a run obviously, and I also can't help but keep Eskimo Joe on repeat. So darn catchy, I'm finding myself humming in the supermarket!

4. What is your fave piece of clothing from the Sportsgirl summer collection?

I think the one item I can't go past are the Studded Ballet Flats - perfect for work, but still edgy!

5. Describe your perfect summer.

Gosh. Cold beer, hot days, sunshine, water (both drinking and dunking!), lots of friends, lots of love, barefoot bowls, cotton dresses, music, sleep-ins, camping. (wow - my 2010 summer ticks all those boxes!)

What about you...? What did you get up to this summer? Are there things you still want to do this summer?

                                                                                             
                                                                            

        

So, I got to catch up with such wonderful sweet friends yesterday. It's actually been over a year since I've seen them, but it's like no time has passed at all, due to Miss A's tendencies to email me all day every day at work to make the time go faster. (Don't you just love how I place all blame on her, and in no way admit to spending hours emailing her?)

I've been dying to go see the Asia Pacific Triennial since, oh forever. Like maybe the beginning of December when it opened. So it was with a huge sigh of relief that I finally walked through the GoMA doors yesterday afternoon. That may have been due to the extreme heat outdoors and the blissful air-conditioning within.

This is probably the piece of art that most Brisbanites associate with the APT6, as it is plastered all over the side of buses, back of mX papers, BrisStyle magazines and billboards. It's quite an interesting work by Chinese artists Zhu Weibing and Ji Wenyu, representing a witty take on Mao Zhedong's Hundred Flowers Campaign. It's also rather creepy, but certainly is a talking point.
 
  

Another rather special installation was the dark room, with many different plays on spinning, spiralling, and circles. It was incredibly dark and cool, with one particular large black & white projected film of flocks of birds migrating in beautiful swoops and swirls. The background sounds in this room were provided by a series of spinning speakers, which were playing the sounds of... get this... spinning. You know, the sound a plate makes when you spin it on a wooden table? Or the sound of a child's old-fashioned spinning top? Way cool. Probably my favourite part of APT6, really. I would love to go to sleep with those sounds quietly playing next to my bed. I suspect I'd wake up dizzy. (Obviously no pics of that room. It was very dark, ok?)

        

           

(Clockwise from top left)
* Hundreds, perhaps thousands of sheets of A3 paper and bulldog clips swoop across the ceiling of GoMA.
* Close-up detail of a gorgeous paper-art piece
* Replica Ming Vase, with a slightly more political bent
* Fantastic two-storey high still life of fruit and tropical foliage. Really great. I just wish it was presented somewhere that I could have stood back from it a little to really enjoy it. This was in an elevator lobby/stairwell. Boo GoMA.

After so much culture, we just wanted to sit down with a cold beer or three and discuss really important things. You know, the fact that Brisbane is so much better than Melbourne, some of those artworks were slightly wanky, and that really fast-walking museum staff member who looked just like the long-haired Aryan Henchman from Die Hard. He really did. His evilness was exacerbated by the fact that he wouldn't stand still long enough for me to set up a photo of my friends with him over their shoulder. Every pic I snapped, he was striding fast around a corner. Possibly off to blow up an LA-based Japanese corporation or the Chester A. Arthur primary school in New York.

We didn't manage to have a beer at a GoMA cafe. Just one though. At 4.01, we asked for seconds, but apparently even though the opening hours sign claimed they were open until 6pm, they were closing. My money's not good enough for them.

The Asia Pacific Triennial is a free exhibition on until early April. Go. Enjoy. Just don't expect food or beverages after 4pm.

        

Browsing through some recent pics I've snapped of flowers, I found myself drawn to today's market roses. The colours inspired some thoughts about the colours I've seen lately in fashion.

These ballet flats are the sweetest around, perfect for brunch picnics, boating on rivers, or general swanning about. (Forgive me, I watched Audrey Hepburn in Paris When It Sizzles this afternoon.)

        

The best thing about the Jan Power's Farmer's Markets at New Farm is that unless you are desperate for the freshest fruit, vegies, meat and fish, you can still arrive mid-morning and find something lovely. I was only looking for ideas and coffee this morning, and I found them both... the coffee was sensational, by the way!

      
   (Image via Brisbane Powerhouse)

As always when I am at any markets, I purchased some gorgeous flowers. I'm a sucker for roses in vintage colours, and these were perfect!

      

      

I also bought a bag of peaches to hopefully create some nommy peach muffins with cream cheese frosting this afternoon. I may not bake though, it's a bit hot, and I'd much prefer to lounge around a pool and drink champers with peach puree. Not entire sure how that will go... we haven't got a pool.

I like alternating between the New Farm and West End markets, there are enough differences between the two to not get boring, and they both have such different characters strolling around. Isn't that the best part of markets - the people-watching?

I'm planning on heading to the Asia Pacific Triennial tomorrow - woooo! (I know, I was planning on it last week, but you know how it is...)

Have a fantastic Saturday, whatever you are up to.

        

It's not just me. It's really muggy in Brisbane. My lounge room is deliciously air-conditioned though. (I complain about it all the time to BB as he has it running so much, but really, I love it. Shhh, don't tell.)

What to drink on hot nights out? Those nights when it's too warm to bother blowdrying your hair, or even to risk putting on makeup and it will just slide straight off? Well, if you can get past the 'what to wear' question and make it out of the house, I recommend asking for one of these babies.
  
  

A refreshing Hawaiian Martini, recipe and photo found at Design Crush. If I wasn't having a great evening watching the cricket and drinking beer right now, I would frock up and head out, just to teach my local bartender how to throw one together!

Mmmm. Possibly suitable enough for an Australia Day tipple, methinks! The golden pineapple, maybe a sprig of mint on the garnishing toothpick - Aussie Martinis!

What will you be drinking on Australia Day? Something traditional? XXXX or VB? Or will you concoct your own holiday beverage?

        

Machinarium is awesome. I'll say it again, more than once. It's enchanting, and enticing. Just look at the steampunk-inspired world that the game creators have devised...

  

  

  

You can play the free online demo, or go the whole hog and get the game. Cute. Kooky. And ever so awesome.

I wanna be a robot!

        

It's entirely possible that I'm thinking about Valentine's Day much too early this year (am I setting myself up for disappointment, I wonder...?) but I can't stop thinking about it!

I am planning on a Valentine's Day Eve brunch on Sat 13th with some dear girlfriends, and have thrown together an outfit for just such an occasion. The best thing is... all these items are available here in Australia!