OOTD | Weekday Wandering

 T-Shirt Keya / Skirt Nasty Gal / Choker eBay / Back Pack UNIF / Shoes T.U.K.

Hi lovelies! So I just the tastiest of breakfasts this morning with Erin. We went to Shouk Cafe in Paddington, where we feasted on a delicious Persian influenced breakfast. I just wanted to wear something comfy and simple for a wander through Paddington. 

OOTD | Sayonara To The Weekend

Kimono - gift / black slip dress - Target / Dr Martens - vintage/retro via Paddington Antique Centre / backpack - Pineland Leather via gift / sunglasses - Sportsgirl

Apart from with second-hand clothes my favourite way to dress is simply. I recently purchased this slip to go underneath a garment I found whilst thrifting and I think I have grown to like this than the dress itself. This black slip, that I picked up pretty cheaply at Target, is so ridiculously comfortable that its hard to want to put anything on top. I'm thinking this, and potentially similar items, are going to become staples for me this summer. 

OOTD | Riverside

 Concho Hat UNIF / Playsuit NastyGal / Jacket Vintage Levi / Backpack UNIF / Necklace Bella Donna Silver / Boots UNIF

Hi lovelies! So apart from my ridiculous allergies rearing their heads, this time of year is my favourite. Erin and I took a lovely stroll down by the river this afternoon. Then headed for a cheeky Friday beverage. 

At Home | Second-Hand Book Haul

On a recent trip to LifeLine I picked up a few very interesting books, mostly in relation to foods. I spotted The Olive Oil Cookbook by Louise Pickford, had a quick flip through before the other two jumped out at me from the shelves. I am hoping that these books serve as very useful additions to my house and life. 

The Complete Book of Herbs: a practical guide to growing & using herbs by Lesley Bemness so far looks to be the most useful. Aside from the detailed list of herbs and how and where to grow them, this book also includes endless uses for them. Herbs have a plethora of functions, from basic use in cooking to utilising their medicinal qualities and cosmetic applications. I will definitely let you know if I use any of the beauty remedy recipes.

My purchase of A Passion for Preserves by Frederica Langeland is an attempt at something I've never pursued but am pushing myself towards. I have always thought it would be great to make my own jams and preserves but never made the effort. I've had someone describe the most delicious strawberry, balsamic and pepper jam to be and wanted to make it ever since. However, after a quick browse of this book, the process is as lengthy as I assumed, so who knows, I may attempt it but might not be soon. 

Loving olives as much as I do, I could hardly leave the cookbook about cooking with olive oil behind. It really is just a compilation of recipes featuring olive oil, all of which look delicious but nothing is overly exciting about it. There is a feature about olives in the front of the book but nothing that couldn't be found at the click of a button today. Its always nice to have additional recipe inspiration though so this book won't go astray. 

Do you ever browse the book sections of your local op shop? What do you seek out?

Happy Wednesday lovelies!

Erin xx

Hair | A Fresh Do

Hi lovelies! I got a hair cut today. It wasn't anything drastic, just a badly needed trim, but now that my hair has grown out I have been thinking what I want to do with it colour wise. I think I'm definitely going to head down the ombre route. 

OOTD | How They Flow

Ben Caplan band t-shirt (with sleeves cut-off) / Burgandy Maxi Skirt - vintage Laura Ashley / The Jackson Sunglasses by *MKL Accessories - Karmaloop / Loafers - vintage via Shag Vintage / harmonica pendant - Corky Saint Clair / Eternal Lilac 210 gel nail polish by Maybelline New York

Happy Spring lovely readers! It's finally the perfect time of year for my favourite kind of garment: maxi skirts. This particularly gorgeous skirt was found on an op-shopping adventure several years ago and I have been loving it ever since. It is an old Laura Ashley piece made from a lovely crepe silk. I love the way it drapes and how it shimmers in the sun shine. 

The top is a piece of merchandise from a very beardy musician that Jess and I discovered at Woodford Folk Festival last year. Ben Caplan had some glorious shirts and this was my favourite; I love how wave-like and peaceful his beard looks. 

Hope you're all enjoying this beautiful warm weather. It is my favourite time of year. What have you been waiting all winter to wear in the warmer months?

Erin xx

Favourites | Beauty Bits

Clockwise from top left: Charles Worthington Salon at Home Texturising Spray, Stile Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner, Savvy Matte Lip Colour in Lights...Camera, Maybelline The Rocket Mascara, Face of Australia Contour Kit, NYX Eyebrow Brush, Urban Decay Naked Palette

Hi lovelies! So I thought I'd do a quick post about the beauty bits I have been loving using lately. Whilst there aren't many new bits, they are all things I've been doing everyday recently. 

Recipe | Broulee Baked Beanz

Homemade baked beans have been popping up on cafe breakfast menus of late. This is a delicious version my lovely friends, Sam and Rhianna, taught me and I'd like to share it with you. 

This recipe takes over an hour to cook so I like to cook it the night before and heat it up when I'm ready to eat.  

Ingredients 

olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 red onion, finely diced

400g crushed tinned tomatoes 

2tbsp tomato paste

2tbsp red wine vinegar 

1tbsp brown sugar

400g cannelini beans

fresh bread, sliced and toasted

avocado, sliced

lemon wedges

Heat olive oil in a frypan over very low heat. Add garlic and onions to the pan and cook until caramalised; about 20-30 minutes, stirring occaisionally. 

Pour in crushed tomatoes and paste and cook for another 20-30 minutes, continuing to stir. Add in the red wine vinegar, brown sugar and continue to cook for another 20 minutes. Finally add the cannelini beans and cook for 15-20 minutes. 

Serve on toasted fresh bread with sliced avocado, a wedge of lemon and cracked pepper. 

Sorry for the double recipe post but ice just been cooking a lot lately and wanted to share. 

Erin xx

Jewellery | Silver Bells

Hi lovelies! So I am a pretty fussy person when it comes to jewellery. I tend to prefer simple pieces over flashy ones. Something that I can wear everyday, regardless of what 

I'm wearing. And it has to be silver. That's something I've always been very definite on. I'm not sure why I have such a strong preference for silver over gold, I just always have. 

Recipe | Berry Pink Sangria

Ingredients

1cup chopped strawberries 

1tbsp balsamic vinegar 

1tbsp brown sugar 

sparkling rosé

120ml black raspberry liquor (Chambord)

cucumber, chopped and frozen

juice of half a lime

half a lime, quatered

125ml orange juice

350ml mixed berry juice

1/2cup strawberries, frozen

Playlist | Time Out

Time Out from aroseandapeony on 8tracks Radio.

Hi lovelies! I've been flat out with assignments and uni in general at the moment. So I've really been relying on some chilled out music to get me to sleep at the end of a long day. This is just a combination of the artists I've been tuning in to recently. 

The photo's from a more relaxing time too, last year at Woodford Folk Fest, can't wait to head back there soon.

Happy weekend!

Jess x 

At Home | Crystals and Cookware

Its been quite a while since I've posted about vintage home-wares finds. To be perfectly honest, I plan on moving in the near future so I have been quite restrained with my purchasing. I picked the crystal-ware in the first photo up at my local Salvation army store whilst the vintage Sunbeam Mixmaster was a gift from my mother; no it wasn't hers she found it in a Ballarat vintage store. 

You might remember a post a did a few months ago about some neat jewellery organisation pieces I found op-shopping. Well I have now added and fiddled with it and am even happier, for the moment. I used to use a crystal ring dish and blue porcelain bowl. I've now upgraded all of the jewellery storage to crystal-ware with a bowl and a flat dish. I really love the way my fairly simple collection looks sitting in the glass. These dishes sit on my dresser intermingled with my makeup collection.

It is no secret that I love old things nor that I love cooking. My mum knows this all too well, so when she saw this vintage Sunbeam Mixmaster she was almost certain I would fall head over heels.  Considering I don't own a new mixmaster I am hoping to get a lot of use out this machine (fingers crossed it lets me). I love how the dial at the back instructs the user about what is best for tasks; that would never happen with modern appliances. 

That's my favourite second hand items from the last few months. I've got a few months before I move so I'm in the process of culling and figuring out what I do and don't need. These things definitely go on the 'Do' list. 

Happy hunting fellow thrifters! 

Erin xx