A couple of months ago, after some trouble with my sweet old bike, I decided it was time to retire her and get myself something new and well made and that was going to last me a long time. I researched bikes for a long time but kept coming back to this Lekker Vintage bike (vintage in style, but not actually vintage) - it was on sale, so it was meant to be!



I'd like to say that it's a total dream bike, but I've actually had a series of problems with it from the day it was first assembled (the wheel rubbed against the frame and skirt guard due to a part missing as well as gear problems). Thankfully I have a great bike mechanic and Lekker are fixing the problems for me under warranty (at the moment, the gears don't stay in well). I'm looking forward to it being my dream bike soon!



It is lovely to ride otherwise - nice and upright, light and smooth. I didn't realise that there would be much of a difference in rideability between this bike and my old one. I really love the vinyl skirt and chain guards. I also love the back rack with its elastic straps (where I keep my coat) and the double kick stand. One of my very favourite features though, is the built in lock - it cannot come off without completely disassembling the bike - it connects around tyre and then there is also a covered chain that can be attached to secure the bike to a pole. My lovely Basil basket is actually supposed to be a side pannier, but I liked it better on the front. It's great because it has a handle and you can just take it off when you park and put your shopping in it. My basket liner is actually a bag I bought from the post office near my house - apparently the one of the receptionists at the doctors next door makes them - the pattern is to die for. I wish I knew where the fabric was from, I have dreams of a dress in that pattern.

My new bike is obviously a bit less eye catching than my old one, but I'm hoping to add a couple more pops of colour (mauve coloured puncture proof tires to begin with!).


Pulling faces at Theo who was out of shot.


+ My dress is from Ishka and my necklace is a teething necklace from Jellybeads.



Here are some fancy bike things I'm currently coveting:



1. Across Town Bicycle Shorts
2. Violet Rain Coat
3. Bolt Bike Reflector
4. Fixie Upper Bike Tool Kit
5. Cat Valve Caps
6. Heart Bike Mirror
7. Bike Planter
8. Dyno Light Set
9. Diamond Bike Laser Lane Tracker (shoots out lights behind your bike that create a 'lane' for drivers to see)
10. Green Leaf Bike Pannier
11. LED Wheel lights
12. Tannus Musai Punctureless Tires
14. Red Pannier Bags
13. Heart Spoke Reflector

Happy riding!

This week was Theo's first birthday! He and C share a birthday which I love. He got a bunch of lovely items from family members (and my mum bought ME a sewing machine for his birthday so I'll start making him clothes) - we got him a few things over the past few weeks, so there wasn't really a present opening ceremony from us. A lovely blog reader named Maria sent Theo the sweetest book too. The three of us went out for breakfast at one of our favourite cafes in town, Fresh on Charles, where Theo got to ogle his favourite waitress; the very beautiful Lizzie (she loves him too). Then we came back home and got ready to have some friends over for dinner. Theo ate his first cupcake (red velvet with cream cheese frosting). C is pretty militant about Theo not eating things that aren't good for him (and me too usually), but everyone has to begin their relationship with cake at some point. He mashed a lot of it into the floorboards and put some in Holly's drink, but seemed to enjoy what he did taste. All of those cliches about time are true when it comes to children - it flies. He is a lovely, happy little person and a total joy.

Theo in a list:
+ 6 teeth: two bottom & four top.
+ walks around holding things, but not yet without holding on
+ says "cat" and "dad". Can spot a cat from a mile away (in someone's yard, on packaging, on TV, on a mobile phone).
+ climbs over things and up stairs
+ tries to explain things in babble speak
+ extremely flirtatious and coy with strangers
+ plays peekaboo with us, hiding behind corners and popping out
+ likes to make music, plucking my guitar strings
+ dances to music (a sweet little side to side head bop)
+ drinks cow's milk
+ eats mostly by himself except for runny things
+ loves all food especially pumpkin, cheese and pasta
+ understands the word "no" and "stop" and responds accordingly (most of the time)
+ has a bunch of hair (but it's so fair it's hard to see)
+ laughs at daddy being silly, at me blowing in his face, at the cats, at himself, when everyone else is laughing, when I blow raspberries on his belly, when he hurts me.
+ likes to take all of the cans out of the pantry and put them back in in his own arrangement
+ would prefer to play with the packaging from toys or with empty cartons and bottles in the recycling bin than with toys
+ has to have some of whatever we're eating
+ gets very excited about bathtime, jumping up and down holding onto the side of the bath while the water runs
+ blows raspberries on my belly
+ is learning how to pat the cats and not tear their fur out
+ will put a pillow over C's face and lie on it if C's laying on the ground with him
+ sleeps mostly in his own bed, but we still bring him in for early morning cuddles sometimes
+ does this funny little smile sometimes where his mouth is open and you can see all of his teeth and his nose is scrunched up and his eyes are closed

To many more lovely birthdays!

...in May.


We saw a cute grumpy cat near our house.


I found a stack of old 'Home Beautiful' magazines.


I lost my wedding ring a month or so back at work (I think it went into a customer's bag!), but I replaced it this month with this sapphire and opal ring I saw at a local jewellery shop - this one is going to stay firmly on my finger!


I had a crit at uni and this was some of the work I showed. I keep saying it, but I'll share details about it eventually (it's why I haven't been blogging much lately).


I noticed this nice street art in an alleyway.


I made some little sketches.


C's parents came over and helped me to work out how to tame our garden (this is a before shot). I really enjoyed it and it is really nice to know how to take care of the beautiful plants in our garden. Here is Rigby enjoying the scenery.


I like to take pictures of books I want in bookshops so I'll remember for when I can afford to buy them.


I took this picture of my breakfast and then had a bite of the raisin toast and it was horrible (gluten free raisin bread that had been frozen for too long). It made me think of Sally's excellent and quite affecting post she calls 'Insta-bollocks'. Basically, it's about the way in which we present ourselves unrealistically, stylised, curated. I really enjoyed her post.



This sweet boy of mine turns one in THREE DAYS. What?! (also, he enjoys eating cats).


He likes taking all of the cans out of the pantry and then putting them all back in his own arrangement. He also likes to take lids off things and put them back on.

Watching | Inside Llewyn Davis (really enjoyed it), Orphan Black, Girls Season 3 & Game of Thrones.
Listening | The soundtrack to Inside Llewyn Davis & one particular Bob Dylan song I love called 'This Evening, So Soon' (you can listen to it here).
Reading | Home Beautiful magazines from the 50's.
Visiting | Deloraine (for a day drive), Evandale (for the markets) and Hobart (for a rally). We were also visited by a friend of mine from high school, Margaret, and her cute little boy Marshall. I haven't seen anyone I went to school with in a long time and it was lovely to see her doing so well (she's going to be a doctor one day).
Consuming | Bagels (still) & peanut butter cups (I bought C a HUGE box as an early birthday present).
Purchasing | Presents for C's birthday (most of which I've already given him) and new tubes of gouache.
Coveting | These red shoes.
Guest posting on | Uncustomary and Thriftcore.
Looking forward to | Theo and C's birthdays next Tuesday, finishing up my uni work for this semester (I'm making a zine full of all of the work).

How was your month? I'd love some recommendations for films, TV shows and music. I'm feeling hungry for new things. What have you been consuming lately?

Today C, Theo and I attended an anti-budget rally in Prince's Square. I tend to remain fairly apolitical online, however I think it's important not to shy away from important issues (also, it looks like there is a fountain coming out of my head).




I spent most of yesterday painting a sign for the occasion - it was fun to come up with (I could think of a dozen more butcher themed references - telling porkies, we're on the chopping block, etc), but uni was cold and it took me forever to mix the colours of the gouache! There is a Facebook group called the Abbottoir which was the inspiration - if you weren't aware, our prime minister's name is Tony Abbott. There was a great show of people. I made C hold my sign for a lot of the time because I was feeling shy. He got his photo taken by a bunch of people including the local newspaper and then when he had to hold Theo (who wasn't really enjoying the loud crowd, though told a stranger about the two "cats" he could see, that were actually dogs), I held the sign for a while and had my photo taken by some people too. I saw a picture of it on the Instagram page of our local newspaper and C's parents told me they saw the rally and my sign on our local news.



I haven't worn this coat in a while because, well, it doesn't quite button up anymore. It only just buttoned up when I bought it, but these days, no dice. It's also not particularly warm and today was absolutely freezing. I saw Jacqueline's mustard coat and thought I'd pull mine out. My dress is a recent acquisition from Dangerfield. It is the last day of Autumn and I'm bracing myself for a typically freezing Tasmanian Winter.



Our friend Sylvia sent Theo this shirt and so far this is the second rally he's worn it to. His face in this photo makes me laugh a lot - those teeth are so far apart!