Well, not so much a postcard as an adorable letter and gift.

Back in February (my how time flies!) the lovely simi of [the now disappeared] Postcards from Simitopia ran a tag giving five people the chance to receive a gift made by her. I was one of the lucky ones and I received my specially made gift yesterday wrapped in black tissue and a sparkly ribbon, with a letter addressed to the Cupcake Factory, a special Simitopia stamp on the front and the Simitopia deer on the seal. So cool!

simi is a crafty little lady and it really shows in the beautiful brooch she made me in my two favourite colours, pink and black.

Thanks simi! You’re great. :]

As America heads into Summer New Zealand and Australia sink into a wet, cold, depressing, winter. Working in an office brings many great things like always boiled water for hot tea and reasonably consistent temperatures via air conditioning, but there are still essential items you need to make sure you survive the dark months.

Your winter essentials:

• A long coat with a hood for Wellington wind – If you live in Wellington like me you should know that there is nothing more essential than a hooded coat in winter. Umbrellas are turned inside out and there’s no use for them when the rain is coming at you vertically anyway. A long hooded coat will keep your head and most of your legs dry.
• A pashmina or wide scarf – Wont take up too much room in your bag and it can be used as a scarf, as a whole head covering to keep your ears warm, and you can wrap it around your shoulders when the meeting room turns our to be colder than the rest of the office.
• Fingerless gloves – Even better if you can find the mittens that fold back into fingerless gloves. Sometimes the air conditioning can take a while to kick in and it’s difficult and painful to type with freezing fingers. Fingerless gloves are perfect for typing in.
• Knee high socks or stockings – Wether you’re a pants or skirts type of girl knee high socks will keep you warm.
• Long sleeved undershirts or polyprops – Wear them under your short sleeved tops and dresses and you wont have to go without your summer wardrobe or cover it up with jackets for 6 months.
• Bright nail polish and accessories – If they don’t keep you from being depressed then they might at least keep you from being hit by a car.
• Shoes – You’ll need at least one pair of closed toe shoes, with proper grip, and no details cut out of the sides and top that can be worn with socks. For those freezing days when you’re running down the hill to the bus in the rain.
• Waterproof bag – If you usually use a bag made from a material that absorbs water now is the time to switch to something more like leather or vinyl. There are not many things worse than discovering that not only is your bag soaked but so is every single thing inside it.
• Miso sachets and heat and eat meals – For when you haven’t prepared lunch and can’t face going outside on your break.

What helps you survive the winter months?

Quick reminder that it’s the last day to enter the Cupcakes and Mace jewellery competition.
All you have to do is leave a comment on the competition post!

No excuses.

If you win you could be as cool as my sister.

Maybe when I’m a fulltime blogger doing a whirlwind world tour with Em I’ll wear this to hand out heart shaped marshmallows and unicorn cookies.

Why don’t I dress like this all the time? by Ms Constantine

I like to call Xmas Present Day because it’s they day for presents and family and food. Celebration of a god I don’t believe in is insignificant.

These are the things I’m lusting after in a perfect world:

1. Petticoats – I REALLY want a big fluffy petticoat. REALLY!
2. Prettyfull sneakers – I already have these ones but I’m dismayed over the lack of pretty individual sneakers available. Note to shoemakers: Not all girls like wearing heels!
3. Loungefly bag – I love Loungefly gear. I especially love this bag though. I WANT it. Damn you exchange rate. I’m not really asking for this stuff but if someone got me this bag I would love you forever!
4. Marie Antoinette DVD – So I can play it on my computer and screen cap all the prettiness for inspiration. That’s going to be a whole lot of screen capping.
5. Camera – I don’t actually own a camera of my own :S I currently use the boys one that I bought for his birthday a few years ago. He uses it at work a lot now so I can’t steal it. What kind of blogger am I?!
6. Mindless Self Indulgence CDs – With the opening of JB Hi-Fi I have been lucky enough to score the CD Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy. I’m keen to get the rest of the discography though.
7. Jewellery – Chunky jewellery, including this super cute baby bunny charm bracelet which I have the possibility of winning via Annie’s giveaway :D The site mentions an adult version but there’s no search function on the site and I can’t find it :[
8. Hospital bracelets – I love them, I’m refusing to take off yesterdays hospital bracelet. I’d like to style them like Tilda Swinton as Gabriel in the movie Constantine. She wears them with the extra length of bracelet left in tact and words like passion and hope written on them. A metal version would be pretty damn awesome too, I found a Ksubi version a couple of years ago but it’s not for sale anymore.
9. Labrets – Pretty labrets with attachments that are long enough. The pretty blue one I own now needs to be checked constantly to make sure it’s screwed on properly because the thread isn’t long enough. It’s fallen out more than once, luckily only when I’m sitting at my desk. It did come out in the shower once but I managed to save it just before the drain.
   Labrets need to have more than one twist before they fall out.
10. Darwin Fish – One of the little car plaques would be nice, but what I’d really love is for everyone to come to their senses and realise “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life”.
11. Glasses – Still need some scene glasses.
12. Sprout the life you love – Perfect for aspiring female entrepreneurs.
    Wreck this journal – I also REALLY want this. I think it’d be an excellent way to nurture my baby creative skills.
13. Tattoo – This is more about finding something I love enough that I will want it inked onto me FOREVER.
14. Glitter – I like sparkles so a glitter bar would be ideal :D

I’ve loved seeing everyone’s lists around! They’ve been my favourite posts of late. If you haven’t done one yet get onto it and leave me the link. Otherwise let us know what you want in the comments.

I am completely obsessing over big petticoats right now, I don’t own any yet but I have found so many I want. If the exchange rate wasn’t so bad right now I would be purchasing many, but it’s basically at 50 cents to the US dollar and in affect costing me twice as much as it costs Americans. :[

In between my 6 year anniversary dinner and trying to find a free file recovery program for SDcards I’ve spent a few hours looking at pictures and prices. I think petticoats look cute for so many occasions like a fancy night at the casino or a girls night out to a club. I can’t wait to get my hands on one, so I can start rocking some great looks! (If anyone does know of a free file recovery program I will love you forever. I’ve downloaded a couple of free trials and I can see the files there but I can get to them unless I pay :[ )

So much pretty!

Petticoats by Ms Constantine

Super Summer Starter – Yep, it was amazing. Beautiful weather followed by a four day working week.

Angels and Demons – By Dan Brown. I started reading this book while camping and I’m almost finished, I’ve got the added distraction of work, internet and TV back in the real world though. If you liked The Da Vinchi Code then you’ll probably like this one. It may seem like you’ve read it all before though, it is VERY similar to The Da Vinchi Code. Religious guy is killed, Robert Langdon is called in as specialist and helps daughter of dead guy to save the world.

Sales – It’s that crazy time of year again. An emailed voucher for Glassons got me the bright blue purse for 30% off. My camera completely refused to take a photo to indicate its true colour, it’s bright 80s style blue. Awesome.
The necklaces were cheap to begin with but I’m not going to complain about 50% off! The plain black one is a long strand of star beads :D

Like my dance?

Fluffy skirts – After feeling like a slob in grey pants and a faded t-shirt yesterday I decided today had to be different. You’ll have to excuse everything from the shoulders up, the photos were taken after work and even though it was a short work week it feels like I’ve been dehydrating in my air conditioned office forever. I was also very bored and therefore falling asleep, it was beginning to feel like poking my eyes out with sticks would be a good option because at least then I’d get to take a trip to the hospital.
It’s amazing what a fluffy skirt can do to perk up your day and have everyone commenting!

Also note the bag from above, you can see the colour a lot better in these photos. I swapped the provided strap for a pink ribbon too :D

• Star bead necklace – Bling
• Tails style blazer – Portmans
• Misery t-shirt
• Blue purse – Glassons
• Silk check skirt with netting petticoat – Portmans
• Black over the knee socks folded down
• Sneakers – Babycham

Summer – I’ve always said that winter is my favourite season, mostly because it means I don’t get too hot or burnt. But with summer gradually returning I’m changing my mind. If I can see this from my bedroom window between 8 and 8.30pm what do I really have to complain about?

Can’t beat Wellington on a sunny day.

Isn’t that amazing? My best friend has now arrived home from her trip and she treated me to some cupcakes and pretty things for my birthday and cooked me dinner! All the cupcake photos are taken with her huge digital SLR (jealous!).

This means my birthday wishlist has almost been fulfilled! I got cupcakes, a road trip, pink pretty stuff, I finally got my hair cut and I ordered a new computer on Monday! Yay. I’m so excited about my new computer! It’s going to be flamingo pink :D

Along with the beautiful cupcakes she got me some earrings; 2 cupcake pairs, a lollipop pair and a pink pair. And to match my bag perfectly she got me some bright pink socks with skulls on them and some bright pink undies (hehe) with skulls on them, she said when she saw them she new they’d be perfect. That was even before I got the bag!

Excuse the hideous photos but I’m just too excited about my new backpack to wait and get pretty ones!

I’ve had the white skully bag for a while now and it’s starting to break and it badly needs a wash, and then, like a guardian angel a co-worker told me she’d seen a pink one at the shopping centre near her house and wanted to know if I’d be interested in something like that. Well duh?! pink & skulls & a bag, woohoo.

So there on my desk this morning was my new bright pink bag with 8 pockets (I love pockets) and a shiny chain dangling off it, she’d also chucked in a a pair of pink skully socks for good measure.

The good thing about being unusual and having a clearly identifiable “brand” is that people know what you like.

Now I just need this Loungefly handbag which totally matches my backpack and shoes and I’ll be sated for a few weeks.

Nerdalicious (people that make up words like nerdalicious) accessories for you or the geek chick in your life.

All the better to show your geekness my dears

Clockwise from top left

• Pocket Protector – Blue and Orange Meteor Shower
• I Have Mad Computer Skills Adjustable Ring
• Scrabble Tile Pendant – GEEK PRIDE
• Math Signs Coaster Set
• Computer Mouse Geek Earrings
• Match Point Stud Earrings
• Geek Chic Tetris Charm Bracelet with Old School Nintendo Controller
• Charged – Earrings
• Nerds Nerds Nerds – 1973 Eco-Heather Crew T-Shirt

Center

• Robot Love Ring
• Monopoly Hotel Earrings