Argh! Melbourne hates me! I didn’t get a grant that I applied for, Centrelink is KILLING ME and it’s school holidays so I’m not getting any work. No money for Lady in Melbourne. 

* Dress from DFO Melbourne

* Boots from Target

* Obi belt thrifted at Salvos

* Kenneth Jay Lane tiger bracelet from Mr Smaggle

* Knitting needle bangle from Mr Smaggle

* Ring from Mama Smaggle, a director of a play I was once in and a ring from Queen

* Pinky ring Smaggle made

Now I’m just chilling with my Melbourne family (Oadie, Co-Dependent Smaggle and Roomy Smaggle) for Underbelly night. Which is delightful. 

A few things I’ve been getting up to in the past few days…

* Serious jogging with Co-dependent Smaggle. 

* Drinking copious amounts of red wine with Mr Smaggle’s bestie and talking about how splendid he is. 

* Being woken up by Roomy Smaggle at 3am on Monday morning because Daniel McPherson called her and left a message on her phone. True story.

* Working on a super cool jewellery collection for a friend. SO STOKED!

What have you been up to my lovely one?

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx 

Etsy

Been a bit busy here in Smaggle Land but here’s a little list of lovin’ and loathin’ for this week!

Lady Loves -

* Having a whole evening in my apartment alone to blog, wash my hair, make my lunch for tomorrow and watch REALLY bad TV. 

* Rock melon with yogurt and honey.

* Going for jogs with Co-Dependent Smaggle. We used to exercise all the time in Canberra but we replaced exercise with pizza and wine when we moved to Melbourne. Bad Smaggles.

* Free magazines. I only wish I had more.

* The school for students with special needs that I taught at last week. My kids were DELIGHTFUL! And they called and gave me work this week too! Seriously. Give me some kids with autism over bitchy 15 year old girls any day. I’ve decided that being mean is a learned behaviour and that kids with special needs are just too special to learn it!

* Chilly nights with fresh sheets and piles of blankets.

* Baywatch! Roomy Smaggle and I have the first series on DVD and it’s actually really good. Not in a 90210-this-is-so-bad-it’s-AMAZING kind of good but it’s actually a really cool show. I find myself losing my breath when someone nearly drowns. Wow that’s sad. 

Lady Loathes - 

* Breaking ten saw blades in one day. Those things are EXPENSIVE!!!

* Mr Smaggle being in San Francisco. I don’t sleep well with out my bed time snuggle phone call. It’s just not the same at 5pm. 

* The fact that nits are now a threat to me again. Working with kids can be really hazardous. 

* Roomy Smaggle’s sweet tooth. There is chocolate ALL OVER MY APARTMENT!!! I’m not sure how much longer my willpower can hang on. 

* The Melbourne traffic. It took Co-Dependent Smaggle 25 MINUTES to drive 3kms this afternoon. And it wasn’t even peak hour. I just don’t understand how drivers keep their brains from exploding. I spent 15 minutes in eye sight of my house stuck in traffic the other day. It would have taken me thirty seconds to walk from where my car was jammed.

* My life being ALMOST perfect minus stability. And knowing that I won’t get stability for a really long time. And knowing that stability means more to me than it does to most people.

* Being too shy to ask someone to take my outfit shots at school. Which means I have to do them myself on a little tripod and I often don’t have the time. I’m working on it!

What are your loves and loathes of the week? Share! I feel like we haven’t spoken for ages!

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

Today I woke up late, ate chicpea bake for breakfast and met Co-Dependent Smaggle at the markets. I then came home, made a risotto and I’m currently awaiting the arrival of Roomy Smaggle and her little nieces for a sleepover!

* Dress from Tree of Life

* Black Obi belt thrifted

* Bangle from Diva

* Cricket ball bangles from Bowling Arm

* Melted record necklace borrowed from Roomy Smaggle

* Shoes from Sportsgirl

* Ring stack of gift rings

* Heart ring Smaggle Made

And here’s a close-up of the first ring that I made! Hand cut and forged. It was just a beginner project so it’s not too exciting but I thought I would post a picture of it for all my curious readers. 

Have lovely weekends!

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

Roomy Smaggle has a few funny quirks that I find endlessly amusing. Like boiling eggs and putting them back in the fridge with the un-boiled ones. Another is that she likes to clean the apartment wearing bunny ears. On this sunny Friday I have much washing and cleaning to do… so I decided to frock up and clean in style. Wearing bunny ears.

* Dress from Myer around 10 years ago. 

* Lace stretch belt from Supre

* Flower garland necklace Smaggle Made (DIY coming soon!)

* Silver chain necklace from Diva

* Clear bangles from Equip 

* Glitter bangles from Diva

* Shoes from Nine West

* Bunny ears borrowed from Roomy Smaggle

Oh and make-up! This charming lass that I sit next to at school works at Mecca Cosmetica and she has been bringing me bags of free samples. I’m wearing a crap load of Stila eyeshadow. It’s awesome!

This evening I’m cooking dinner for some friends but first I’m going for a jog around the park. I’ve been chained to my apartment all day and I’m starting to go a little crazy. Obviously. 

Love Lady Smaggle

P.S A huge hello to the lovely gal that stopped me in the street yesterday and said hello. It totally made my day!

Photo

Okay so we all know that I’m broke at the moment because I don’t stop bitching about it but the truth is I’m learning to live bloody cheaply here in this big old city. Here are a few things working for me…

* The Queen Victoria Markets – I go every Sunday and buy fruit, vegetables and meat. I rarely spend over $15 and I have everything I need for a full week. 

* A big mofo vegetable stir-fry – We all know I’m a bit of a health nut but at the moment I can hardly afford my avocado and baby spinach salad and low-carb protein shakes. Instead I’ve been making an ENORMOUS vegetable stir-fry on Sundays and dividing it into my beloved tupperware for my lunches. It’s brilliant, filling and cheap. I can feed myself for five days on around $5. 

* Morrocan Soup Bar - If you’re feeling a little cashed up and want a delicious takeaway just grab your own containers (the bigger, the better) and mosey on into this little heaven. Ask for a  takeaway banquet for two. It will cost $15 and it will feed you for days. Although the chickpea bake rarely lasts longer than 5 minutes in Smaggle land. Too delicious.

* Aldi wine – I’m serious. I’m so pov-core that I’ve resorted to purchasing ALDI WINE!!! And to be honest it’s not too shabby. Give the Dearborn Cab Sav a go ($5 a bottle) and the cask of Dry Red ($8) is also rather enjoyable.

* Get a thermos – Take your tea and coffee with you. If you buy a take-away coffee every day for a week and impulse buy a cheeky cookie one day you’ve spent $21. That’s enough for a movie, a couple of magazines, a gorgeous lipstick or when times are really tough your weekly groceries. I know which I’d prefer…

* Shanghai Dumpling House - Massive plates of dumplings for $5 and $4.80 imported Asian beers. What’s not to love?

* Socialise at home – This is a foreign concept to most Melbournians but it’s a SERIOUS penny saver. In Canberra we have a huge lounge room culture because there isn’t really anywhere else to go. In Melbourne you have so much choice but if you have four beers in a pub and a plate of chips when you get hungry and take a tram there and back it’ll cost you around $45. If you grab a six pack and head to your mates place you’re looking at around $20. Cha ching!

* Savers - Needs no explanation. Although I found this thread on the Vogue forum with a reader having a polite dig at the staff for nabbing the best stuff. Well der! If I worked there and had to plunge my hand into a mine of unidentifiable and possibly soiled material and happened to pull out an Allannah Hill coat and a Chanel 2.55 you can bet your arse I’m keeping them. And good on the little suckers who work there – their sense of smell may never recover. 

* The Tan – As much I would love to I simply cannot afford to join a gym. But I’ve been keeping fit with Co-Dependent Smaggle running around The Tan – the track that goes around the outside of the Botanical Gardens. It’s GORGEOUS! And free… Pilates DVDs (that you already own) are also free. They are just deathly boring. 

* Mie Goreng – I’m in no way endorsing these noodles as a healthy meal. They will literally solidify your arteries with fat and salt and render you a vegetable at the age of 30. They are, however, the most delicious and nutrient negative pile of MSG that I have ever encountered. Chop up some vegies and toss them in. It makes you feel less revolting. 

Happy saving my little chickens! Please feel free to add suggestions in the comment – I’m only new here and have barely scratched the surface of cheapness here!

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

P.S You can find Mie Goreng in the asian section at your supermarket. The one exception is my local supermarket because my ‘asian section’ contains only taco and burrito packs. Riiiiight. I think we need to have a little chat with the manager about geography. The Mi Gooreng in my supermarket is near the rice. Neither of which are anywhere near the asian section. I just don’t think that grocery shopping should be that difficult. 

Today I got up at 5.30am to drive Mr Smaggle to the airport. I then went to school, drew a couple of REALLY bad ring designs and now I’m watching 90210 before I start sending my desperate job hunting emails of the day. Woot. 

* Tights from DFO in Canberra (these are awesome! They are from the Table Eight outlet and are really thick stocking-like tights. I love them a lot.)

* Boots from Red Paths in Canberra

* Knit dress thrifted from Salvos in Canberra

* T-shirt from Target

* Hooded cardigan from Harem in Melbourne (this awesome store I discovered on Brunswick Street a few years ago it’s very Allannah Hill only half the price)

* Scarf from DFO in Canberra

Here are a few lady loves… I’m looking on the bright side today!

* Spending the whole weekend with my face planted firmly against Mr Smaggle’s. Just where it should be. 

* Roomy Smaggle leaving little cheer-up books in my room for me to read. 

* Co-Dependent Smaggle inviting me for a pasta sleep over tonight. 

* Making plans to hang with old friends this week. I’ve been a bit of a recluse lately. 

* The Queen Vic Markets. I’ve been going every Sunday and stocking up on veggies and fruit and spending less than $10. Yay! 

* Tiffany Amber Thiessen. I’m seriously ensconced in Season 5 of 90210 at the moment and minus the high waisted jeans, tummy tops and uber-layered 90’s bob, I truly believe that she is the most perfectly proportioned female specimen. She is also deliciously complex and needy. I’m so jealous. 

* Finding things at school that I’m actually good at. Rivetting. Drilling. Anything involving power tools. I’m doing Daddy Smaggle proud. 

What about you lovely one? Anything tickling your pickle today?

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

Today was my first really awesome typical Melbourne day. After staying at Co-Dependent Smaggle’s awesome new apartment for a wine and pasta sleepover we woke up this morning and went to the Queen Vic Markets. It was awesome. Then we hit up this fabulous asian supermarket and stocked up on some funky asian treats. Tonight we are heading to Oadie’s for his famous roast. Delish! 

* Scrunchy Sass and Bide rip-off tights from Itrip Iskip

* Black slip from Target

* T-shirt dress from Target

* Shoes from Ebay

* Clear bangles from Equip 

* Earrings from Diva

* Bangle from Diva

* Silver ring Smaggle Made

* Sunglasses from Hot Dollar

I’m off to drink beer and wine because tomorrow I’m detoxing. 

How was your weekend possum?

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

Photo

Don’t be dirty! I’m referring purely to physical appearance. The other day I was watching TV and this image of Leonardo Dicaprio circa Titanic flashed across the screen. My heart leapt to my throat and I got a wee little tingle in my nether-regions. Twelve year old Lady Smaggle had a serious Leo addiction that lasted a good four years and still rears its love-struck head occasionally. This fixation materialised in the form of Leonardo poster-wallpapered walls and several different combinations of ‘Lady Dicaprio’ ‘Lady Smaggle Dicaprio’ ‘Mrs L Dicaprio’ scrawled across every blank surface that I came into contact with. I’m now twenty-five and for some reason Leo still leaves me weak at the knees. Why? Because he possesses one of my Poonani Tinglers… those weird little physical quirks that will have you chasing an acne-ridden teenager down the street just because he has dreadlocks. Here is my list… 

Floppy Leonardo Dicaprio Hair - Specifically, the scene in Titanic where he is sketching Kate Winslet and he keeps flicking his fringe out his eyes. Swoon. This Poonani Tingler is probably my strongest one. I once dated a guy because he had hair like this and I actually have difficulty speaking to pretty boys who stare at me through their floppy fringes. I know it’s terribly 90’s of me but I love it. 

The Perfect Business Shirt Tuck – I have always had a thing for tailored pants with tucked in business shirts and shiny black belts. I love a neat, tight bum in business pants. I know it sounds dirty (and slightly illegal) but I very occasionally get a tingle from a well built boy in a school uniform. Only on an aesthetic level of course.  

Dark, intense eyes – Not necessarily a dark colour, I mean dark in intensity. Like Giovanni Ribisi. It’s a bit creepy but I kind of like that beaten puppy look. It makes me want to make them tea and give them a bath. 

Boys who wear lots of bracelets and rings – With tanned arms. Swoon. 

Boys who are lovely to their girlfriends in public – Obviously these ones are off limits but there is nothing more sexy than a man who opens a car door for his lady or gives her sneaky kisses when he thinks no one is looking. 

Long, lean boys – With the exception of one, all of my ex-boyfriends have been very tall and very slim. Just the way I like them. Mr Smaggle is physical perfection – six foot four, slim hips, broader shoulders and a deliciously toned torso. I love the way clothes fit him and I LOVE it when he leans against walls. Does anyone else understand the wall leaning thing? 

Over to you poppets! What weird and wonderful things turn you on? Boys – please participate! What do you love in a potential lady? 

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

etsy

Lady Loves

* Potato and leek soup and a glass of red wine on windy Melbourne nights.

* Watching Roomy Smaggle and Oadie (Co-Dependent Smaggle’s housemate) whip eggs with a beater jammed in an electric drill. We were having a pavlova emergency so our boyfriend (Oadie is the collective faux boyfriend of myself, Roomy Smaggle and Co-Dependent Smaggle) compensated by making this hybrid drill/beater. It was hilarious.  

*  The tiny little Indian boy that lives on my block and wears traditional costumes in his little stroller. Long full jackets embroidered with gold thread and fabulous hats. 

* Her gadgets. Ipod, GPS, camera, laptop. My fabulous four. 

* The challenge of having to wear boots everyday. I’m wearing more make-up and head scarves to compensate for lack of pretty shoes. When I have the money I intend to go all Courtney Love in dresses, heavy eyeliner and combat boots. 

* The cooler weather. Wearing cardigans and sleeping under blankets. Bliss. 

* Roomy Smaggle singing and dancing in the kitchen and making my shitty days way more tolerable. 

* Knowing that even though I’m torn as to where I belong (Canberra or Melbourne) it’s nice to know that my Saturday nights are always the same no matter what city I am in. Hanging with people that I adore, drinking wine on a balcony, laughing, planning and scheming.

* Spending a crazy lunch time with my mates coming up with alternate food-themed names for the couples in our friendship group. It was a fabulous waste of time. 

Lady Loathes

* Job hunting. Still. I’m serious. I have two degrees and ridiculous amounts of experience but apparently that’s not enough. 

* Being so far away from Mr Smaggle. He is rather spectacular so it’s a little difficult. 

* People who do mean things to you and then act really surprised when you react. Like you’re the one who is the jerk. Pisses me off.

*  Having no money. And knowing that I won’t for a really long time. It’s not like I need heaps of money or I spend heaps of money, I’m just a control freak and I like to collect it. 

Oh and one more Lady love… that I don’t really have that much to complain about. I’m healthy, happy and surrounded by people who love me. Life isn’t too bad after all…

What’s tickling your fancy or getting your goat this week my lovely? Come on! Share! I feel like I haven’t seen you guys for ages!

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

Yesterday was good and bad. I made my first ring at school (good), got a rejection email (bad), visited my friends at lunch (good), had to drive home to check that Roomy Smaggle hadn’t left the iron on (bad), had Underbelly Night (good), ate too much food (bad). I really must fly though because I’m running late for school. I’m actually running late on purpose because I’m trying to figure out the best time to leave so I can avoid the irritating traffic. I think this experiment is futile by the way…

* Dress from Gorman House Markets in Canberra

* Obi belt thrifted at Salvos in Canberra (I lost this for a few months but I found it again! Yay!)

* Boots from Target in Canberra

* Sequined headscarf… I believe it was the belt of a dress. 

* Earrings from Centrepiece in Canberra

* Ring – Smaggle made! You can’t see it very well but I promise to take better pictures and show it to you soon. 

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx