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I’m a bad SATC fan. Until three days ago I hadn’t seen the movie since the DVD release. SJP forgive me for I have sinned. I have to say it was spectacular. With no offence to any of the brilliant actors in the movie it has to be said that… erm… they really belong on the smaller screen. I had a touch too much time on my hands on the weekend so I actually watched the directors commentary on the DVD. I’m a total SATC Geek. It was awesome. Here is what I learned.

1. The tie dye maxi dress that Carrie wears in the lounge room scene with Mr Big when they are discussing the wedding was accidently sent early to a photo shoot in Mexico before they finished filming the scene. So they sent an assistant to Mexico to wait at the photo shoot, literally snatched the dress off the model and flew it back to New York. Apparently she had time for one cocktail in Mexico before her flight back.

2. The little red haired boy that plays Brady is actually the baby Brady from the series all grown up! The director called him back in for the movie and nearly cried because he still looked like Steve and Miranda.

3. The director always had African American women approaching him, saying how much they loved the series but kept asking – Where are the sisters? So he made the decision to cast Jennifer Hudson as Louis so there would be an African American representative in the film that was lacking in the series.

4. The clock that was beside Carrie’s bed for the whole series was actually RENTED from a guy who owned a collectables store. When they called to rent it again for the movie the clock owner tried to cash in on the big bucks so the producers told him to shove it and they found the exact same one on Ebay for $40.

5. Steve was really loved by audiences and when plans for the movie were discussed the director had heaps of mail requesting that nothing bad happen to Steve. So he had Steve do something bad instead.

6. It was a conscious decision to have Carrie in dark clothes for the middle ‘mourning’ part of the movie to allow for the gorgeous unveiling of the blue dress at Charlotte’s baby shower where Carrie really recovers from being jilted. Also when SJP dyes her locks dark… it’s actually a wig!

7. Aside from the fact that it was bloody good fun the reason behind the ‘wedding dress montage’ was purely people pleasing. The director knew that everyone would have a perfect Carrie Bride in their head because they had invested so much in the series and in Carrie as a character and he felt that everyone needed to see their ‘own’ Carrie Bride represented. I think it was an excellent choice.

8. When the Vivienne Westwood dress arrives at Carrie’s house as a gift from the designer… the hand writing is actually that of the gorgeous Ms Westwood. Fabulous.

9. When Carrie and Miranda have the fight and then they talk about it out the front of Carrie’s house in the cab in the rain, the Indian cab driver nodding along silently is the same cab driver that was used in series two when they had the ‘Up the butt’ conversation in the cab. Awesome.

10. Charlotte goes jogging in Chanel earmuffs.

11. The hat that Carrie wears in Mexico is by Hermes and was, for some unknown reason really valuable, so it arrived on the set with a personal guard and was whisked away seconds after they wrapped the scene. Weird.

12. When Patricia Field wanted to symbolise the unity of the girls she dressed them all in similar colours at the same time. Like at the fashion show when they are all happy and they have their lives together. They are all dressed in greys, blacks and whites.

13. When they were shooting the ‘I curse the day you were born!’ scene with Charlotte’s water breaking out the front of the resturant there was a fire drill across the road at the catholic girls school and all these wool kilted teenagers came screaming out of the building saying ‘We love you Mr Big! We love you Mr Big!’. So Chris Noth turned around and said ‘Shouldn’t you be in school?’ and one of the girls replied ‘Abso-fuckin-lutely!’. Gold.

14. Patricia Field had a pink tie and a blue tie all ready for Harry to wear depending on whether the baby was a girl or boy. She only found out it was a girl a few minutes before the scene.

15. The song playing at the end of the film was sung was Jennifer Hudson.

I highly recommend watching the director’s commentary. It’s going to be my new eccentric habit!

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

Typical. The second I leave Canberra I get offered tickets to a burlesque show. As sad as I was to say no to such a fabulous evening the publicist contacted me and offered the tickets as a giveaway to my readers. So yay… I’m thrilled for you. Bastards. Here is all the info…

The Burlesque Hour… She’s Back!

Canberra, get out your fishnets and go glam!  Provocative, alluring, unmissable… The Burlesque Hour… She’s Back kicks off the Street Theatre’s 2010 season with a revved up mix of gobsmacking new acts, hot new stars, and spectacular requests.  Genre-busting, intriguing, provocative, totally unique - and beloved by audiences around the world, Finucane & Smith’s The Burlesque Hour has defined burlesque for the 21^stcentury.

FINUCANE & SMITH’S

THE BURLESQUE HOUR… SHE’S BACK!

VENUE The Street Theatre, Childers St Canberra City West

DATES OPENING NIGHT Thursday 11 February 8pm

SEASON Thursday 11 through Saturday 20 February

SHOWS Thurs 11 – Sat 13 & Tues 16 – Thurs 18 @ 8pm

Fri 19 & Sat 20 Feb @ 7pm & 9.30pm

VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL Sunday February 14 @ 6pm

TICKETS Standard: $37 Concession $33 Group +6 $30

Catwalk Tix: Only $10 more!

Valentine’s:  $43 Twilight Show w/ Cocktails all night!

BOOKINGS 6247 1223 or www.thestreet.org.au

The Street Theatre is delighted to offer 2 lucky Smaggle readers one double pass each to opening night, February 11, of The Burlesque Hour… She’s Back! To win, tell Smaggle a secret… what’s the most provocative thing you’ve done?

Anyone can comment but you must be in Canberra and available on Thursday 11th February to go into the draw. Please spread it around…. how often is there a Canberra exclusive competition? Entries close at 5pm on Monday 8th February. Oh and do let us know if you’re a Canberra dweller when you comment otherwise we won’t know!

So tell us… what IS the most provocative thing you’ve done???

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

Etsy

Why don’t you…

* Take photos everyday? Of you and your housemate eating cereal in your pajamas? Of your boyfriend cooking you dinner? Of you and girlfriends drinking tea and watching Sex and The City? Have photographic evidence of your everyday pleasure?

* Burn fragrant oil in your house? Rose? Strawberry? Frangipani? Let your house smell like a florist?

* Start everyday with a list? Write things like ‘Drink two cups of chamomile tea’? And ‘Rub yummy lotion into your hands after lunch’? Or ‘Text one of your friends to say that you love them’?

* Buy yourself expensive mineral water like lemon Perrier and take it to parties instead of wine? Be sober in style?

* Plant your own herbs? Have a delicious collection of mis-matched jars with bunches of green leaves growing in them? Basil? Mint? Lemongrass?

* Wear a brooch?

* Get up early and do a yoga class? Pretend to be a zen and centered person until the behavior becomes a habit?

* Play music in the kitchen in the morning? Rock out while you make your toast? Sing a love ballad as you cut up your salad for lunch?

* Go to bed early? Turn off the television and your laptop and read a book? Flick through fashion magazines? Leaf through those beautiful photography books you have collecting dust on a shelf?

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

Lady loves…

* Coming home to Melbourne to a vase of gorgeous lilies from Roomy Smaggle, a hand made ticket to her nieces and nephew’s theatre show for which I get a private viewing and a very inappropriate book from my friend Kai. I love welcome home gifts.

* Monday nights spent swimming and gossiping in the sauna followed by red wine and many episodes of 30 Rock.

* My new black sparkly nail polish which ironically looks quite matte. Lovin’ it.

* Australia Day Boulle Championships in the park with my mates followed by a visit to the arcade with too many games of Dance Dance Revolution Extreme and then wine and board games until the wee small hours.

* The weather! Below 20 degrees is just perfect for me!

* Making plans to do a boot camp with Roomy Smaggle. We are about to be so buff. Stay tuned.

* Making perfect decadent cupcakes from scratch. My auntie owns the Primrose Bakery in London and released a book which Mamma Smaggle bought for me for Christmas. Yesterday I made banana and chocolate mini cupcakes with chocolate buttercream icing and crumbled walnuts. They were pretty spectacular.

* Living in the same house as my tea collection. Rubarb and ginger, how I have missed you.

* Limes.

* Getting organised – paying bills, booking flights – I get off on completing tasks like that and filing them away. Oh yeah.

Lady Loathes…

* Driving to the wrong campus to enrol at school today. Dumb arse.

* The beginning of the year. I just want to be in the middle of it. I hate the slow dawdle start to the year.

* Doing naughty things after having had a few drinks and not quite remembering how it actually happened… It wasn’t terrible. I just got told a secret (a nice one!) and kind of ended up discussing it with the one person I wasn’t supposed to… I’m still confused as to how it all happened. I need a muzzle when I drink champagne thats all I can I say!

What about you poo pie? Anything to share?

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

What was your first vinyl/cassette/cd purchase as a child? And what was the first/best/worst concert you’ve ever been to?

First ever tape purchase was the cass-single of Frente’s Accidently Kelly Street and my first CD purchase wasn’t so much a purchase but a thieving from Daddy Smaggle. Cher’s Greatest Hits. Yes, I’m serious. In his defence though it was 1990 and there was very little choice in the way of CDs back then.

Worst concert hands down was John Butler Trio. That guy is SUCH a wanker. He started the set late, wouldn’t let anyone take in bottled water (special request because someone clocked him with one last time he was at the venue and to be honest, I don’t blame them) and he played until around 1am doing this weird jam session with just his drummer. No one was into it and it was a really self indulgent performance.

Best concert ever – Michael Jackson. I was twelve and my parents took me see it. Changed my life.

Second Best concert was Matchbox 20. I was so in love Rob Thomas and I was sitting on my mates shoulders and I screamed out ‘I LOVE YOU ROB!!!!!!!!!’ and he kissed his two fingers, pointed them at me and then covered his heart with his hand. I shit you not.

My question is: is there a link to your jewellery? Can we buy it?
Also, another question: when you pack to go away for a weekend/week/month, what is your fail-safe list of fashion must-haves in your suitcase?

Unfortunately there is no link at the moment and no way for purchase either. BUT I’m working on it. When I’m brave I’ll do it. I just want to get it perfect. How unusual for Miss Uber Virgo.

When I pack for a weekend away I always take comfy walking shoes (that are still pretty), scarves because they can make any outfit look fresh, several skirts and tops that go together so I can mix and match, I always take my toiletries in mini bottles to save space, Panadol, my ipod, a good book and extra space to pack my shopping in!!!

Ok here’s my question…what are you deathly afraid of? (oh, and will you ever visit alaska? it’s cold here, you would like it)

I’m deathly afraid of failure. Perhaps that’s why I need to do so many different things all at once so I’m always succeeding at something. Or not failing at something. I don’t do rejection well. I’m not a blamer, I take full responsibility for my failures. That’s the problem. I’m also not the biggest fan of T.V screens in the dark. I can’t sleep in a room with one without covering it. The Poltergeist and The Ring totally screwed me over.

I would love to visit Alaska! Mr Smaggle and I discussing moving overseas somewhere really cold next year. We’d definitely rock Alaska.

Thanks guys for participating in question time. I love you all immensely and had so much fun answering all your questions.

My random winners (drawn out of a bowl by Mr Smaggle) are…

Tameeena, Nadist and Erica Lamb.

Please email me at

lady(@)smagglestyle.com with your full name and address so I can send you your Smaggle Pack!

Again thank you all so much for reading Smaggle – I’m sending everyone virtual kisses and little bum squeezes!

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

Alright I’ll tell you… It’s 2002. I’m in a theatre watching a play that my friend is in. All of sudden this tall, gorgeous blond thing walks on stage and my brain goes all ‘Well, hello delicious. Who the hell might you be?’. I’m a sucker for man who can act and he was doing the most perfect Scottish accent – swoon. We spoke briefly after the show and I congratulated him on his performance. My friend Gina who I was seeing in the show was watching this interlude. After he left she came up to me and said ‘Dude. Don’t even think about it. He’s fourteen’. Yeah. Awkward much. I was eighteen at the time so um… ew. In my defense he has been six foot freaking four since he was eleven with a baritone that rivals James Earl Jones. So bite me. Then we kept doing plays together and stayed in contact and then one day, four years later, when it was no longer illegal for me to touch him, we went to see a movie and well…. we will have been together for four years in March. He is spectacular. Totally worth the wait.

What places do you love in Melbourne, esp. for going out for a night on the town?

I love Shanghai Dumpling house and then just down the road is the Shanghai Club where we do karaoke. It’s awesome. Both are just on Little Bourke St at the start of China town. I also love the Toff for cool shows and Section 8 the bar next door to Shanghai Dumpling House. I also love the Westgarth Palace cinema, Mixed Business Cafe in Clifton Hill and Night Cat just off Brunswick Street… and those are pretty much the only places I ever go. Sad.

What recipe are you most proud of and can you give us the step by step instructions to make it?

Easily Smoosh’n'freezin.

It’s a no bake slice that you smoosh in the pan and freeeze. Hence Mr Squiggle naming it ‘Smoosh’n'freezin’.

Ingredients -

70 gms butter

1/2 cup condensed milk

250 gms Gluten free plain biscuits (or if your boyfriend is normal you can use Scotch Fingers or Milk Arrowroots)

1/2 cup of chopped apricots

1/2 chopped white chocolate (or more… I’m usually quite generous with the white choc in this recipe)

1/2 chopped sweet baking ginger

1/2 cup desicated coconut

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1 Packet of Milk or Dark melts

You throw the butter and condensed milk in a small saucepan and over low heat. Stir until butter is melted and mixture is all nice and mixed up.

Break up the biscuits with your hands into a bowl. Make sure to leave some chunks for crunchy goodness.

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add butter and condensed milk and mix well.

Firmly press mixture into a lined slice pan. REALLY firmly press the mixture. Only if you want it to stay together. If you want it to be a crumbly mess then don’t.

Spread slice with melted chocolate and place in the fridge until firm. Once you have removed it from the fridge let it reach room temperature before you cut the slice otherwise the chocolate will crack.

This is a great recipe because it’s all in 1/2 cup amounts so you can exchange any ingredients  - I’ve used cranberries, pecans, dried bananas… this recipe is so popular as well. I’ve never left a party without an empty plate when I take this.

If you could wake up with any skill – not superpower, but actual skill, like knitting or something – what would it be? In other words, what would you love to be able to do really well without any practice whatsoever?

Singing. Hands down. I wouldn’t say I’m a terrible singer… I can definitely be given a microphone with out fear of puncturing eardrums but a naturally amazing singing voice would be absolutely number one.

Do you have someone whose blog you read or maybe a writer/author/artist, you love their style, you think they are witty and smart and you just think you could be friends with them, like drinking wine and talking?

Oh great question! Yes. Yes and Yes. Daddy Likey. What Claudia Wore. Seth Godin. I actually laugh out loud when I read these blogs – Except Seth’s. I just silently nod in awe. I could prettily easily eat dinner with anyone at Design Sponge too. Actually, screw it. Let’s just have a big old dinner party and invite them all shall I?

What’s in the Smaggle Pack?

A hand crafted Smaggle made ring and some of my favourite tea, chocolate and lip gloss.

What exactly are you hiding in that hair of yours?

Right now…? You don’t want to know. Previous items include bugs, pen lids (after having my hair in pony tail at school all day I came home and washed my hair and TWO pen lids fell out of it), hair bands that I thought I had lost and we also had a yellow budgie called Buddy who loved to hide in it but sometimes he got a bit tangled and couldn’t get out and Mamma Smaggle had to rescue him.

What does Smaggle mean? why did you choose it as your nom de plume? do your family/friends know what it means?

Smaggle – violent affection. I chose it because it sort of defines me I guess. I’m really feisty and forceful but it’s only because I’m just so freaking excited about everything all the time. Plus it’s just a great word. And Mr Smaggle fought tooth and nail for the domain so we felt it was meant to be. Family and friends know the meaning and lots of them now refer to me as Lady Smaggle.

How would you classify your style? I tend to go off-duty-dominatrix/sexretary at work & blogger-casual in evenings/weekends, et vous?

I’m like an art gallery owner in the office. A gypsy in the jewellers workshops. I’m a kindergarten teacher meets house painter when I’m teaching – the kids are gorgeous but very dirty. I’m a fashion week wanna be when I’m out for dinner and on weekends. I experiment the most in my free time. I don’t really have an identity… it’s a bit bizarre actually.

Would you blog if you had no audience? What would your superhero/alterego look like/dress like? If you could rock one look you currently can’t for whatever reason (i cant rock dresses, because i haven’t the presence of mind to sit like a lady, for instance..) what would it be?

I blogged for three months before I made the site live. It was like a dress rehearsal to see if I could commit. So yes, I have blogged when I didn’t have an audience and I would blog without one again. Although it’s so much for fun with you guys around! I would do sleek sophisticated like Audrey Hepburn or Cate Blanchett. I can’t pull off this look because of my hair and general urchin like appearance, most of the time I look like a crawled out from under a rock. If I could I would wear long silk dresses with no accessories and fitted pants and blazers. I look weird when I try to dress too ‘neat’.

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

Today I got up early…ish. Did some writing, spent some quality time with the Wii Fit, who by the way, I am not longer speaking too because he makes me have guilt. Then I went and did some bead shopping and made some some delicious truffles for dinner at the Smaggle’s tonight. It’s becoming my signature dessert.

* Dress from Ebay years ago. I love it.

* Shoes thrifted in Canberra.

* Coin necklace from Poppy Smaggle.

* Earrings from Girlprops.

* Men’s watch from Fossil.

* Rings from Mlebourne, Mamma Smaggle and a director of a play I was in around ten years ago.

* Head scarf from that place that sells socks from a table in the mall.

How was your weekend my dear?

Love Lady Smaggle
xxx

I would like to know who, in your opinion, has taken the greatest fashion risk in past 12 months and totally rocked it? And what was it?

Hmmm… interesting question. I can’t think of anything in particular that was a huge risk although I loved the L.V Bunny Ears but I never saw anyone wearing them off the cat walk except Madonna and she looked like a freakin’ idiot. In terms of fashion risk takers in general here a few people that rock my sartorial world Daphne Guinness, Tilda Swinton, Queen Michelle, Susie Bubble and Vivienne Westwood.

Best place/area in Melbourne to shop for affordable but still stylish clothes? Annnnnnd … in your opinion, top ten staples/must haves for a rounded wardrobe?

I don’t really shop much in Melbourne because I’m insanely busy but the DFO there is fantastic. Co-Dependant Smaggle and I clean up every time we go there. I love Alice Euphemia, IDS, Brunswick Street in general but particularly the Alannah Hill outlet and a truly divine store called Harem. For not affordable but flipping pornographic clothes go to Gorman. That shop is beautiful. Avoid Chapel Street – I’m disappointed every time I go there. High street in Westgarth and Northcote are great too for little boutiques and cute things.

My top ten?

* As many dresses as you can get your hands on

* Scarves

* Tights

* Comfortable heels

* Boots

* Cardigans

* Good underwear

* A gorgeous winter coat

* Big earrings

* Eye shadow in natural colours

What do you like about living in Canberra (besides the obvious family/friend/life partner thing)? Anything that drives you crazy about the nation’s capital?

Oh I love Canberra! I grew up here. I know where everything is, the roads are wide and easy to drive on, I know where to get the best Bi Bim Bab in the city and I know which restaurants to avoid. I have been a part of some incredible theatre there and I had a wonderful, creative and awe-inspiring childhood there. Obviously the fact that a good majority of my favourite people live there helps a bit too. Things that drive me crazy would be that there are so many areas that could be used to give Canberra more life but it seems to be happening quite slowly. The lake would be incredible with bars, shops and cafes but developers seem to have a mind block with building there. I hate that people hate Canberra but I know why. It’s a difficult city to visit but a great place to live. I also have contacts in Canberra – if I want a job, an artist to collaborate with, wholesale beads or a part in play I can get it. I’m finding Melbourne to be a bit difficult in that regard and also there is so much more of everything it’s hard decifer what’s legit and what’s not. It’s always easier to live in the city that you were born in but if you stay there forever you’ll never appreciate it.

I don’t want to know everything about you in stalker-ish detail as I like random disclosures, that air of mystery and the way you often channel the divine Miss Vreeland. But I would love the Smaggle-made swag – so ….. the kaftan hour – is it now like, so over? Also – your thoughts on the kimono.

The kaftan hour is definitely not over. Never will be. Kaftan is in your heart. I love the kimono – Roomy Smaggle is Japanese and we often have evenings in our kimonos drinking brown rice tea and watching Scrubs.

Hello! The thing that got me attracted to your blog was “Why don’t you?” which was one of my favourite old columns in Cosmo magazine (I have no idea if they still have it).
So my question is, was that your inspiration? If so, good job. And I like your ideas better.

No way! My inspiration came from the divine Ms Vreeland who wrote ‘Why don’t you?’ columns for Harpeer’s Bizarre when she was the editor. I assume Cosmo got their inspiration from her also. I remember a reading a few of her ‘Why don’t you?’s in a book and then I found a whole book FULL of them and I was so sad when I finished the book because she’s dead now and obviously wouldn’t be writing anymore so I thought I’d just write them myself. Glad you like them!

What character from the ORIGINAL cast of Beverly Hills 90201 would I be?

By the way for everyone else it’s Grant from Ink and Leather who is asking this question. Jackie. Kelly’s mum. She’s a total queen who loves shopping, dining out and men. Plus I have a feeling you may be a closet alcoholic. Just a hunch.

What is your guilty pleasure music?

All of my music is guilty pleasure music. I love Whitney Housten (seeing her live in March. Squeal!), Cher, Michael Jackson and musical theatre soundtracks. At any given time I’ll either be singing ‘Beat it’ or ‘La Vie Boheme’ from Rent or singing the entire score from Les Mis – playing both Val Jean and Javert. I’m a musical disaster. Let’s stop talking about it now.

Please keep doing what you’re doing & don’t ever become a sellout?

Okay! I’ll try not to. What exactly constitutes a sell out though?

I love your posts where you talk about fitness and your ridiculously healthy lunches and exercise sprees (i like exercising vicariously through you  ), would you tell us how you developed a healthy balance between life and being healthy throughout your life until now, and any exercise/diet tips etc?

I’m a really busy person and I lose the plot if I don’t take care of myself. Here are a few tips that I live by -

* Generally speaking I don’t eat carbs. I rarely have bread and pasta. If I eat any carbs it will be rice or crackers  - my two big weaknesses in the white refined cards group.

* I eat vegies all day, everyday. I have carrot sticks, celery sticks and a big salad for lunch. I also have green smoothies and fresh vegetable juice as snacks.

* I rarely eat packaged food on a day to day basis. The one exception is canned tuna.

* I try to exercise every day but if I don’t exercise for one day I try to do a whole hour the next day to make up for it. I HATE cardio but I make myself do it and I love pump classes and strength work. I’m an ex-ballet gal so I love to stretch and tone.

* It’s important to eat for well being not weight loss. I struggle a lot with my weight. I always have. I find that it’s easier for me to resist sugary, refined foods if I think ‘I’m going to feel really sick if I eat that’ rather than ‘I will gain weight if I eat that’.

* I keep a food dairy where I track my calories and exercise everyday. It’s sounds obsessive but I have terrible genes and if I stop concentrating on what I put in my mouth and taking responsibility for it I gain weight really, really quickly.

* I’m not too strict about my ‘rules’ because I hate fussy eaters. If I go to friends house and they serve me rice I’ll eat it but I’ll go easy on dessert and work out a little harder the next day.

* I believe in eating like cave men. I think if you can hunt it, catch it, pick it or grow it then you can eat it. Which is why I don’t eat Mars Bars. Or McDonalds.

* I make my lunch everyday. It’s easy once you make a habit of it.

* I always pack my gym gear and schedule in classes. I drive there before I can even contemplate not going.

* I rarely weigh myself because my weight is bizarre. I fluctuate in a horrifying way so I go on measurement and how my clothes fit me. Otherwise I get unhealthily obsessed about it.

* All bets are off in Friday nights when I have a glass of red in my hand.

I’m a new-comer to your blog and you may have revealed this while you lived in Canberra but…do you spend more time north or south of The Lake?

South side bro! I’m a Kambah gal from way back. I used to work at the Kambah Village newsagent. My parents and Mr Smaggle are still technically Southsiders in Barton and Griffith but we spend most of our time in the city and in Manuka.

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

How on earth do you get your headscarf to do what it’s doing in this photo?

It’s all about the scarf being thin, soft cotton and tying it very loosely. I fold a square scarf in half (triangle way) then the fold the point in a few times so the scarf is a long, thick rectangle. I place the centre of the scarf on top of my head, flick my whole head/upper body forward while loosely wrapping it around the back of my head. I bring the two points to the front and LOOSELY tie them in a messy bow. Loose, loose, loose.

What would be your dream outcome for your blog? Do you have one? Do you want to start selling merchandise? A book? A cook book? A jewellery line? A reality show? Custom made Smaggle gin? I get the feeling you just started this more as a hobby but it seems to have really taken off for you so are you thinking about a big bright blogging future out of this? Also one of my other blogging faves Gala Darling calls her followers “nonpariels” the shiny adornments on cupcakes. What would followers of Lady Smaggle be?

Blogging is really unpredictable and I don’t think you can plan any outcomes really. I’ve been published in Cleo, Cosmo and Bust last year which was great and I’m hoping to do some more print work this year. I will have jewellery store eventually I just want to take my time and do it right. I’d love to write a book one day. As for a reality show… I’m thinking no. But if Getaway ever needs a new presenter *raises hand enthusiastically*. I’m open to any opportunities that may arise from my blog but I’m not counting on anything. As for a name for my readers… Smagglets?

I myself make jewellery, beaded leather/felt/semi precious wire work/found objects etc…and have been rather enjoying the success of sales at my local community market, and have finally decided to take the plunge and begin listing on Etsy (Etsy = frickin’ drool-inducing awesomeness!!). As I usually make only two or three pieces in a similar style – and each of those being quite different in their own right – I find pricing very hard. From my years managing jewellery shops I know that things – in a retail sense – are usually only worth what people are willing to pay for them…
How can I learn to balance the passion/business acumen ratio and price fairly for the market , whilst remaining true to my craft and effort?

I always think that you should charge what your stuff is worth. Don’t just account for materials and labour. What about design? If you spend three hours designing a product and one hour assembling the product and only charge for the labour you’ve just short changed yourself for three hours of legitimate work. I think that consumers need to be taught to appreciate the design of a product. Sure they might be able to get something similar and cheaper in a chain costume jewellery store in a mall but it won’t have been made with purpose and by the hands of an artist. Package your product beautifully and be fussy about where you sell your stuff. Make your pieces special, give them a history and story. I once bought a single strand of tiny red beads with a charm on it for a ridiculous amount of money because it had a poem attached to the tag. The product was also really thoughtfully put together and the identity of the designer was strong and showed through the marketing. Also ask yourself – would rather sell 50 cheap pieces? Or 5 exceptional pieces? Both answers are fine – you just need to figure out which one you want to do.

Smaggle – so cute! What is the story? Are you a primary or secondary teacher? Why the shift to jewellery making?

Smaggle is a word that Mr Smaggle and I invented. It’s a cross between a smash and a snuggle. It’s really violent love. Like when a kitten is so cute you kind of want to squish it to death. That’s a smaggle. I used to be a secondary drama teacher but now I teach kids with special needs. The shift to jewellery making wasn’t so much a shift it was just me doing something that I always wanted to do. It would be great if I could make a full time career out of it but I love teaching my special kids so I might not ever stop doing that. I just like to do a lot of different things…

I would like to know what Lady Smaggle plans to do when she grows up. Where does she see herself in 5 years? 10 years? And how does she plan to get there?

I want to be everything when I grow up! In five years time I would love to be designing my own jewellery line, writing regularly for a few different magazines, perhaps publishing a book and doing some theatre work too. In ten years time I would love to own my own house somewhere near a rain forrest with a studio where I can work. I would love to be able to work for myself. Plans to get there? Participate in life. You’ve got to be in it to win it right?

Any recommendations on new styles for curly girls?

I had my hair cut at Barbarella on Gertrude Street in Melbourne and it was the best hair I’ve ever had. Get it cut all unevenly so it’s a big tangly mess. Ask girls with awesome curly hair cuts who their hairdressers are. That’s how I found my last two hairdressers. Embrace the messy look – realise that with curly hair you’ll never look polished. I also love wearing fake birds and bugs on clips in my hair. Makes it look like a fairy tale nest.

Can you talk about how your style evolved? You seem to really know what you like and what suits you.

I think style is a rather spiritual thing. I have a serious aversion to pants not because they look bad on me but I feel strange in them. Like I’m wearing someone else’s clothes. My style has always been quite girly with dresses, skirts and lace. I do actually think a lot about what I am wearing before I leave the house. Sometimes, even if something looks okay, if it doesn’t feel right I take it off. Also, when someone catches my attention in the street I try to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes their outfit so special. I also think I owe a lot to Mamma Smaggle. She has a beautiful eye for detail and was very honest as I was growing up about what worked on my body and what didn’t. Like mini-skirts and low cut jeans were bad. Dresses and long skirts were good. I also read a lot. I devour style books and read lots of magazines and blogs. I worked in a newsagency through out high school and developed a serious magazine addiction.

‘how many clothes do you own?’ Numbers please! How many skirts, dresses, cardis, tops, pairs o’ shoes?

Dresses – 40, skirts- 10, tops – 50, jeans – 3, pants – o, shoes – 40, cardigans – 10, jackets – 6. Guess-tamations of course because half my clothes are in Melbourne.

I’m curious about your day job, how you got there & what it consists of? We know bits and pieces from the blog, but I’m nosy, I want to know more.

Well I graduated from a double degree in secondary teaching when I was 21. I went straight to a college to teach drama to 18 year olds. It was great but I didn’t really fit in there, I loved the students but the school was full of teachers who were about to retire and they were cranky, bored and really uninspiring. I then went to work at a university in the English language institute and stayed there for two years running English tests for immigrants. Then, when I started my course in Melbourne I sent resumes out to local schools for relief teaching work and the first one to call me happened to be  a special school. I totally shat myself on the way there in the morning thinking ‘What the hell are you doing?’ but I had the best day teaching that I had ever had in my life. Slowly I just stopped teaching mainstream and I only teach special kids now and I love it.

I do all kinds of things depending on what type of needs the kids have. Lots of music, games, puzzles and sensory activities like playing with shaving cream. If they are higher functioning I do life skills which I love – I take them shopping, teach them how to catch trams, do sex education and teach them social skills. They are gorgeous creatures. Every one of them. I always finish my day with a smile on my face and the people I work with are amazing. The profession just attracts these great people so it’s always lovely to be at work with them.

Would you rather be a pirate or a ninja? Why?
Which are your favourite spots to socialise in the ‘Berra?

Please. Ninja. I fall over a lot so the idea of being stealth is quite appealing. Also I like boxing classes at the gym because they make me feel like I’m a Charlie’s Angel. I imagine being a ninja would give me equal amounts of please.

For socialising in the Berra… to be honest I like my friend’s balcony. But it would be weird if you hung out there so I’d say Knightsbridge in Braddon for cocktails, Regatta Point is great for afternoon coffee, I love meeting a girlfriend at the Gorman House markets on a Saturday and having yummy Lao food for lunch, Iori is great Japanese restaurant in Civic, A Bite to Eat in Chifley is a fabulous cafe, Chairman and Yip is my favourite for special dinners, I have to have Sammy’s at least once every time I come to Canberra, Tuesday night Trivia at University House is also a place that my friends and I frequent, I love a walk up Mt Ainslie or ride around the lake, there’s some lovely Thai resturants in Manuka. Also Braddon is quite up and coming these days. There’s some great stores like Unit Concepts, Itrip Iskip and Bourgeois Pig and pretty decent resturants and galleries. We also have some great tourist attractions that are great even if you live here. War Memorial, National Gallery, Portrait Gallery… most of which have great cafes with pretty views.

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

P.S Don’t forget that question time ends on Tuesday.

Etsy

* Seth Godin rocks my world. That man is a genius. If I ever meet him I’m going to touch him in his special place.

* Eyeliah, if you ever get sick of that dress I know someone who could give it a really good home… just putting it out there.

*These leather necklaces at the Coveted are giving me serious DIY hankerings…

* Awesome celebrity mug shots over at Cat Party. I love the picture of Myra Hindley. She is a disgusting woman but so fascinating. Her boyfriend was Ian Brady together they were responsible for the Moors Murders.

* The new collection from Lover that Rhiannon blogged about is pretty much what my new fashion concept is all about. I love cream, brown and beige. Sounds boring but I think dressing like pastry treats is a beautiful thing.

* These illustrations at the Clothes Horse are so delicious.

* I’m an old fashion gal and I love to send thank you cards and I just ordered some of these little bargains over at Etsy. They come with PERSONALISED ENVELOPES! That deserves capitilising.

Love Lady Smaggle

xxx

P.S The questions are making me so excited. I’m having to stop myself from responding immediately.