Discovering cute new streets in parts of my city I haven’t explored yet. Coffee dates at a new cafe. Rainy weather calls for rain boots! Impending rain clouds. New product love. My Send Something Good package arrived! Opening up my Send Something package – it made my week! Rehearsing a new show. Playing Lego with my nephews.

L.

At the end of this month I am turning 23. If you asked me a year ago what I saw myself doing, it probably wasn’t a whole lot. Partying, travelling and working during the week and that’s probably about it.

Why crave adult responsibilities when youth is on my side? Fast forward a year and here I am, with big news and I am busting to share it with you…

GB and I bought a house! Wanna peek?

It all started a couple of months ago when we kind of decided, why not? We had everything necessary except the motivation and courage. After ploughing through numerous properties and seeing what was out there, we definitely had the motivation. I’m still not sure if I have the courage, but life would be so boring if you never took risks!

I cannot believe that the imaginary house I frequented my dreams in has finally taken a physical form. I could never visualise what my “real house” would look like, yet somehow this one fits the mould perfectly. There is still a lot to be finalised before I can officially call it my home, but it already holds a special place in my heart… because it is under this roof that dreams will be dreamt, lives will be lived and most importantly love will continue to grow.

L.

What a week!
There has been a lot going on behind the scenes of Foxy Whisker’s this month!
Firstly, don’t you just love Foxy Whisker’s new look? I have been working with Stephanie Anne from Yellow & Saavy to come up with this gorgeous new design! She is one talented lady and I am head over heels in love with the new look. It makes a heartening incentive to keep up blogging! There are a few tweaks to be made here and there, but take a look around and let me know what you think!

GB and I started French classes last Saturday, and I am so proud to have finally crossed off one of my New Years Resolutions. It is tres magnifique! Our lecturer is so enthusiastic and only speaks in French, so it’s sometimes a challenge to keep up.

On top of that, I am currently working full time on two theatre productions. I have no idea how I am doing it, but it’s not easy! I only see GB when I collapse into bed in the evening and when I dash out the door in morning. That’s the down-side to working freelance, you’ll have no work for weeks and then suddenly you don’t have time to catch your breath! My immune system has taken a battering, I fainted at work last week (how embarrassing!) and somehow overcame a cold over the weekend!

What has everyone else been up to recently? I have some really big news that I am busting to share, so come back tomorrow to find out more!

Love,

L.

So, not counting or anything but there are only 18 sleeps ‘til I turn another year older (totally not counting!) I love comparing where I was a year ago each birthday. Last year I was on tour with a show and GB drove all the way to the town where I was, just to spend the day with me. So sweet of him!

This year my birthday falls on a Sunday and I haven’t much planned. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be an awesome day. Dinner, homemade cake, lots of drinks and good company are definitely in order! And what’s that you say? A present or two? Why yes please!

Wouldn’t these Cath Kidston Cupcake Liners hold the most adorable birthday cupcakes? And this Kitchen Aid Mixer would definitely make the cupcakes taste a hundred times better. This perfect shade of Pale Melon Pink Kit Nail Polish would give my fingers a lovely birthday glow and Lola, the French Bulldog cushion would provide the greatest birthday snuggles. Finally, a birthday dinner of sweets from Angel Adoree’s Vintage Tea Party book would taste delicious when eaten from this range of Pip Studio bowls, along with this trendy set of Mismatched Cutlery… A girl can dream, right?

What would you like for your birthday?

L.

Some of you may recall a little while ago I mentioned that Foxy Whiskers will be getting a bit of a new look with the new season… Well, things have been getting quite creative back here and I have been waiting oh so patiently to give you guys a little peek…

I think the new look is pretty-super-freakin-awesome pretty much the cutest thing I’ve ever seen and I can’t wait to share it with you! Yay!

L. 

Dress – Dangerfield

Sunglasses – David Jones

I didn’t manage to get a good outfit shot, but I love these photos. We’ve now seen the last of the hot, sunny weather in Perth and autumn is definitely here.

I’ll miss the simplicity of throwing on a pretty summer dress but I can’t deny that the new autumn/winter fashion is making me a tad excited for the colder months. A trip down south with my love, drinking wine by the fireplace and watching cheesy movies whilst rugged up in bed are definitely in order I think!

L.

Items for my Send Something Good partner (Could it be you?) Sourced and refurbished three vintage suitcases. Wrapped and sent off my Send Something Good package (Bon Voyage little package!) Morning breakfast. Rain boot weather has officially rolled in.

L.

Owning a renovated caravan is my dream. Scratch that. Having my own renovated caravan is something I absolutely must tick off my bucket list. I cannot tell you just how badly I want one of these babies for my very own.

Well, today I very nearly purchased a caravan. Yesterday I saw it there on Gumtree, freshly listed for a very cheap price and without thinking I picked up the phone and arranged a time to view the van. One hour later, the ad had over 200 views and I was the first one in line to buy the sucker. I could not believe my luck! It was stripped, licensed and road-worthy, in perfect condition to be renovated and had my name written all over it.

I went to bed ecstatic dreaming of the possibilities, where the van would take me and what adventures I would have… But then I started thinking about where I would keep it. Sure, I could keep it at Mum and Dad’s, but not long term. Would I need to sell my car and buy one with a tow ball? Where would I get the money to renovate it? And HOW do you renovate one of these things?!

After a sleepless night tossing it up, I rang the seller the next morning and told him I wouldn’t be coming to look at it anymore. I may have died a little on the inside after making that call but it was for the best.

I hope who ever winds up buying it is fulfilling their caravan dreams. I know there is a perfect caravan out there for me, and it will show its single-axle, pre-1970’s face when the time is right… I just hope that time is not too far away!

L.

I have wanted to purchase a set of vintage suitcases for some time now, and last week I finally bit the bullet and bought a range of suitcases (five to be precise!)

When I received the suitcases I was a little disappointed with their quality, but I knew there was nothing a bit of elbow grease couldn’t fix! I deal with vintage suitcases all the time at work and over the years I have become a dab hand at making them look presentable. This is the method that I use to restore these babies back to their prime!

To clean and restore a vintage suitcase, you will need:

1. Spray Disinfectant (I used Glen 20)

2. Soft Sponge for wiping down the cases

3. Bucket of warm, soapy water

4. A soft cloth for polishing (I used a microfibre cloth)

5. Stainless Stell Scourer (or preferably an electric wire brush if you happen to have one!)

6. Silicone Spray (I purchased this from a car detailing store)

7. WD40 (not pictured)

8. Vacuum or dustpan and brush (not pictured)

The first step is to thoroughly wipe down to exterior of the cases using warm, soapy water. Be sure to squeeze all the water out of the cloth before wiping down. Some cases have cardboard or wooden outers and you do not want to cause any futher water damage.

Once the cases are dry, give the insides a quick sweep out or vacuum. Using a damp cloth gently wipe the insides, again being careful not to use too much water. If the case is lined with fabric and you would like to remove it, now if the time to do so.

Removing the fabric lining will help relieve the “musty” smell associated with old suitcases. Fortunately, only one of my cases had the dreaded Grandma scent and luckily that can be easily remedied!

To remove musty smells, give the insides of the cases a generous spray with Glen 20. (Hold the can about 20-30cms away from the case when spraying) Storing cases in damp conditions can cause mould and mildew to grow on the inside (which is what usually also contributes to the musty smell) Using a spray disinfectant will not only kill the mould and mildew, but it will help eliminate any odours. After spraying the cases with Glen 20, I left them in direct sunlight for a good hour. Sunlight acts as a natural bleaching agent and will also help kill off any other germs inside the case.

If the inside of your suitcase is fabric and you plan on keeping the original lining, there are other methods you can use to help eliminate the Grandma smell. Natural methods such as a vinegar spray work a treat! (I will share some links with you at the end)

Next I try and remove rust and restore the latches. WD40 is the best for this as it helps clean off rust and prevents more from forming. Spray a very small amount onto the latch using a nozzle…

And use a stainless steel scourer to really scrub the rust off. This takes some serious elbow grease, but I think the results speak for itself!

This is with only a few minutes of scrubbing. You can achieve much better results if you have an electric wire brush. The WD40 will also help loosen latches that have rusted open or shut, as well as alleviate squeaky hinges.

Now for the final step! Take your Silicone Spray and give each side a coating. Silicone Spray will provide a protective coating, protect against water and revive your cases (If your cases exterior is made of leather, I would recommend using a leather creme or leather moisturiser)

Next simply buff off the Silicone Spray with a soft cloth for a lovely lustrous finish!

Your cases are now ready to be used! I have a stack of lovely brown cases which I plan on using as a bedside table. I’m not sure what I will do with these blue ones, but I would love to re-do the insides of them so they look just as nice when they are open. In the mean time, they are great for storage. The uses for these wonderful vintage suitcases are endless!

Here are some further resources for restoring your suitcases. Some of these websites have some great tips for removing smells (other than the method I use) and also making over the inside of your case.

The Dear Little House

Go Nomad: How to Clean Luggage

Gentri Lee: Suitcase Makeover

Most importantly, have fun!

L.

The one and only photo I took at Penguin Island last Wednesday, because I was too shy to pull out my camera.

I am seriously camera shy. And no, I don’t mean strike a pose in front of a camera type of shy… I mean I am too shy to pull my camera out in public.

I bought an Olympus Pen Mini a couple of months back. This is my first “real camera” since my point and shoot carked it in Europe. I love my Olympus, but it has a bulky detachable lense that makes it look like I should know what I’m doing… I honestly don’t!

I don’t know why I feel so silly taking my camera out in public. Maybe it’s because cameras have become such an accessory these days, or maybe it’s feeling that perhaps societies obsession with documenting things has come just a little too far (So what if I want to take a photo of my coffee?!) I just want to take photos with no inhibitions! Taking photos on my iphone? No worries! Pulling out my Olympus? Oh man, so hard!

Does anyone have any tips for care free outdoor shooting? (especially in public places!)

L.