I love decorating my bike and looking for new ways to add practicality (panniers, baskets, skirt guards, etc) or just a bit more personality (pom poms, spoke cards, name plates).

When I first started riding I rode C's 8-year old niece's boy's bike and had a hand-me-down helmet. I'd only ride at night, down back streets, for fear of being seen riding - the bike was ugly and I felt like a dork. Getting a bike (and helmet) that I liked and customising it was a really big step toward feeling comfortable regularly bike riding. The first few times I took it out in the day I still felt self conscious and thought I must look silly, but now I feel more comfortable riding down the street than I do walking. Learning to ride and feeling comfortable on a bike really boosted my self esteem.

I'm currently looking for a new bike because I know that this bike (the frame being near 50 years old) is too heavy and bulky for me to ride as often as I do. I don't think I could ever sell it and hope to still take it for short rides around the city. Riding any other bike will be a breeze compared to this guy! Hills - I will get you!

Some ways I've decorated my bike include:

Putting paint charts in the spokes (taping them in makes sure they don't fly out when you ride).



Adding pom poms, fabric yoyos and crocheted bits to my basket.


Buying some really sturdy panniers.


Adding some fun American state nameplates.


And getting this crocheted skirt guard made especially for it.

+ My next plans for bicycle decoration are ricrac & bunting.

Some of my favourite bike DIYS from around the interwebs:

1. Recycled wool seat cover 2. Crocheted skirt guard (in Dutch) 3. Disco ball helmet 4. Mail box bike basket


1. Glow in the dark bike 2. Bucket panniers 3. Washi tape decorated bike (in Dutch) 4. Rim lights


1. Scraper bike wheels 2. Helmet restyle 3. Bike planters 4. How to repaint your bike without using any tools


1. Stained glass bike light 2. Bike basket tutorial 3. 'Reel' storage 4. Panniers made from reusable shopping bags

+ Dress: Cream (Newcastle), shoes: thrifted, belt: Dotti, cardigan: Kmart, tights: Sussan, brooches: thrifted/unknown.

These shoes are probably one of my favourite thrifting finds. I found them in the Salvation Army when I popped in for five minutes before my drawing class this week. The dress is one of my current favourites too - that collar and that print! Today we're going on a bike ride (perhaps in more practical shoes than the ones above). Happy weekend!

Ps. I've misplaced my camera battery charger so apologies for the iPhone quality pictures!

The other day I was looking for something in our filing cabinet which contains a huge clutter of things in no particular order and I came across this little Moleskine journal. I asked C where it was from and he said that a couple of years ago he found it at a pub that he used to frequent and attempted to contact the owner via the number in the front but had no reply. I thought it was really interesting and wanted to share some pages from it. I even texted the number earlier this week but got no reply - so, if there are any Novocastrians reading this and you recognise the drawings or handwriting in this little book by a person named Ash, please hook us up. I'd love for this little book to return to its owner. I'm sure they would enjoy having a little piece of a particular time in their life returned to them, I know I would.

Reads: "(;)please understand, this little notebook means more to me than you could possibly imagine. it was sent to me by the woman i love whom i've not seen in many long momentsdaysmonths and this journal has her very fingerprints on it, the most tactile evidence i possess that she is still thinking about me somewhere on this big p planet. all i can give you if you return this is my eternal gratitude. i hope that this is enough. a."

Reads: "Dear Ash, I don't know if this is what you meant by the moleskine journal you were searching for, but I hope you can find a use for it. Love you, Tash. (small) Man, I tried so hard to be neat + then my pen leaked on my hands" and "dear tash, tonight was the 1st night ive even seen the face of the man in the moon. i < 3 u."

Small text reads: "wishyouwerehere" (x4).

Reads: "Tudor, 97 Dennison St Hamilton P/U Screens for Ross Taggart"
"found at the morrow" [NB. The Morrow is an old bowling club where some people I used to know lived near the pub where the journal was found].

Small text reads: "when love is not madness, it is not love - pedro calderon de la barca" 

Some of the text reads: "tim tam slam. hush - kula shaker. dinner 2nite: 2 bennett st near aldi. set list: more like get pissed - di. gone chopin back in a minuet" and "dear 7yr old with a bad shirt... You've Never Been".

Reads: "Milk teeth" and "Mow me down with a kiss."

Fortune cookie slip reads: "You find beauty in ordinary things. Do not lose this ability."

Reads: "GOLD LION's GONNA SHOW ME WHERE THE LIGHT IS" and "DEAR ASH, IT'S REALLY AWESOME TO SEE YOU AFTER SO LONG.. KEEP ON "TRYIN' TO EVOLVE..'"

1. Hot chocolate, biscuits and collage materials.
2. My spare room, finally looking kind of welcoming and not full of clutter!
3. About 75% of my collection of shopping lists (C says it makes me seem like a crazy person, seeing them all together like that!).
4. A dress I bought yesterday from Nanna's. This is what vintage dreams are made of.
5. Hot chocolate from Nanna's.
6. New bike basket decor. The crochet hearts were made by Katyha and the pom poms by my Nanna.
7. Apparently when we got married our first names merged?
8. A beautiful dress I didn't buy at Myer (it was the last one on the rack and too small) but took it into the change room to admire.
9 & 10. I made a bunch of ephemera packs for Milkbar to stock in their lovely back room. They are on display in an old suitcase.
11. My Sketchbook Project book arrived yesterday and the cover has been collaged - there's still time to sign up if you're keen!