Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Tinsley Mortimer's engagement ring

How gorgeous is socialite Tinsley Mortimer's yellow diamond ring?

Definitely on my wishlist for Right Handed Bling.


The Citrine is definitely my favourite and would be beautiful for evening.


This would be the only time I would be able to bear not wearing the ring already occupying the ring finger on my right hand. It is a Bvlgari B.zero1 ring which is a much loved birthday gift from a few years ago, and was on my wishlist for a couple of years before that! (I am a 1 ring on each hand at a time kinda girl).

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Quote of the week

Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
And today?
Today is a gift.
That's why we call it the present.

~Babatunde Olatunji

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Christmas has me wishing

well, more precisely all the food I have eaten due to Christmas has me wishing I chose a wedding dress shaped like this

as opposed to the one I am being fitted for in 2 short weeks. I am going to need to hit up the treadmill in a big way!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

This didn't make the Top 5

cos to me Beyonce's ring looks ridiculously huge!
Whilst I love the shape (Emerald cut is my favourite if you can't already tell), I find this borderline gaudy.

The 18 carat Emerald cut ring is Internally Flawless, E colour and reportedly set Jay-Z back around $5 million
.

Image and stats from Ringenvy.com

5 of the best: celeb engagement rings

I'm not one for celebrity gossip mags, but give me pics of their homes, rings or weddings and I am in! (forget the break-ups, make-ups and cellulite/no make-up pics).

These are 5 of my current favourite celeb engagement rings

5. Katie Holmes
Katie's solitaire oval is about 5 carats and is of art-deco design. The stone is flawless and D colour however the ring has received criticism from jewellers for being too big a design for Katie's slight hands.


3. Ashley Simpson

Pete Wentz proposed with this Asscher cut, 4 carat diamond reportedly valued at $100,000. The clarity is thought to be IF and colour E.


3. Sarah Jessica Parker
I am possibly one of the few women in the world who actually prefers SJP's style to that of her alter-ego Carrie Bradshaw. I love SJP's classic, elegant look and her
engagement ring is no exception. The emerald cut diamond weighs in at 5.5 carats, is E colour with VVS2 clarity.
2. Kristy Hinze
Has kept very quiet on the details of her engagement to billionaire Jim Clark. I imagine this is mostly due to the media interest in their relationship being mostly due to the
fact that as well as being Jim's 4th wife, there is an age difference of 35 years.
Regardless of all that they seem so genuinely in love and her rin
g is just stunning.


1. Eva Longoria
This beautiful 3 stone Emerald cut ring is my favourite, favourite celeb ring, and probably ring in general (apart from my own of course... which incidentally is a 3 stone Emerald shape).
Trey Parker chose well with this Flawless, D colour, 5 carat ring which is set off beautifully with a platinum band.

All images and ring statistics from Ring Envy

Monday, December 22, 2008

Things I hadn't thought about #1000

Almost every day I come across something I haven't even considered regarding the wedding and as the day nears I am sure there will be many more.
Brides and brides to be, did you know there is a correct way to the carry the bouquet?

According to Martha Stewart flowers should be held "with the handle securely in both hands, extend your arms downward so the bouquet is just below your waist. Point your elbows out just a bit, revealing the curve of your waist.
"

Image: Martha Stewart

Sunday, December 21, 2008

I'd go nuts*

To look like Karolina Kurkova, apart from good genes, it would also help to follow a diet and exercise regime like hers, detailed below.

Warning: Only for the brave!

"I eat very clean and fresh. I wake up and I have a green juice with a little protein powder and glutamine mixed in. Then two hours later I have two hard-boiled eggs,"

"Then, two or three hours later I'll have 10 nuts, like walnuts or almonds. Then I'll have grilled fish with vegetables and salads. And then again, a green juice. I just keep it simple."

KK's pre-show ritual is a little more intense - no carbs, no wheat and three hours of exercise a day.

Wow! The discipline these girls have is phenomenal! 10 nuts exactly?? Is that for real? If so she definitely deserves that body of hers. Even if the poor gal's belly button is M.I.A.

*sorry! lame joke

Saturday, December 20, 2008

12 Wreaths of Christmas

The 12 Wreaths of Christmas is a design project that was undertaken by 12 retailers of the PYD building in Sydney's Waterloo area. Waterloo used to be a fairly dodgy area on the city's immediate outskirts however has recently turned into a mecca of all things design and food-y thanks to the below retailers, the Danks Street Depot restaraunt/cafe and Fratelli Fresh providores and cafe.

I wish I had known about these wreaths a little earlier- each store designed a wreath that reflected their signature style. The wreaths were then auctioned on ebay to raise money for The Smith Family, a wonderful charity devoted to families in need.
Each wreath is so unique and wonderful however I would have bid on the Arte Sofas and Rogerseller ones. Oh, and the The Mother of Pearl and Sons, and the Kim Snow and maybe the Exhibit interiors....

Rate my Space

I'd never heard of Rate My Space until this afternoon when I saw some gorgeous rooms featured on the very sweet blog Newlywedisms by Bryn.
Such a short period of time for one to develop an addiction yet I have managed to become a fully-fledged 'space-stalker' in a few short hours.

A few favourites-
This very pretty, very girly Parisan flea market style bedroom. Seriously the bedroom I wish I had when I was living with friends and didn't have to compromise with the Man of the House.

I am going to steal this idea for next Christmas! In my previous post I mentioned I don't have a real tree but I miss the smell and bringing 'the outdoors in'. Is this not the perfect way for an apartment dweller such as myself to have some live Christmas greenery around the house?

This bathroom is so divine I think I could live in it! Oh, if I only I could take a relaxing long soak in that tub. I am also totally drooling over the damask wallpaper which is my favourite print pattern on earth. I love when a bathroom is created with a luxurious space in mind. The wallpaper, chandelier and hard-wood floors create such an effect.


I love the mix of dark and light in this room. This is the exact kind of space I want to create. To me it is relaxing, luxurious whilst still light and bright. Also loving the glam silver touches.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree


This is our cute little Christmas tree, it is actually much prettier than it looks in this pic I promise! With limited space (and very limited disposal options) in an apartment we went with a fibre optic tree a couple of years ago and I must say, although nothing compares to a real tree- particularly the wonderful smell, it is super-easy! Each year we add a few more decorations and it is looking so beautiful.
We have stuck to a few of my favourite Christmassy colours; white, gold, silver and purple. (except for the one green bauble my Mum had made for us the year we moved in together to commerate our first Christmas)
I love the way it makes our place a cosy pretty space. I always miss it when it is put away each year!
Tomorrow will be spent wrapping the gifts to go under it... yikes.

Friday, December 19, 2008

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

The last couple of Christmas' I have turned to drool over a Lifestyle feature that featured in the December 2006 issue of marie claire, styled by Jane Roarty.
As we always spend Christmas with our families and friends I have not had the need just yet to set my own Christmas table... hence the living vicariously through features like this!

I DIE for this fabulous yet relaxed way to present the cutlery. I adore a complete table setting yet all that cutlery can seem so stuffy and formal.


A simple yet elegant table setting... perfect for lovers of white like me..

I love the idea of presenting the menu in a gorgeous photo frame which becomes a decoration in itself. Menus and table numbers at weddings are often styled like this however it is the little touches like this that can help create such a wonderful home-dining experience.

I dream of making this beautifully moulded Champagne jelly. I think I am going to add it to next weeks (already insanely long) to-do list. I am sure my Mother will appreciate my bringing dessert this Christmas Eve.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

I love a list

however that often means I have a zillion lists floating around at home, work and in my handbag. This notepad, The Long List from Kate Spade is made for me. Loving the price too. A steal at $15.

I'm also loving the Multitask! notebook which features check-boxes for lists (my favourite!), a daily planner and month-to view- all coloured for easy reference. $35.

Both available from Papier D' Amour, in-store and online


Thursday, December 11, 2008

1 more sleep til

Casper arrives!

eeeek! We are so excited!!
(the lovely breeder put him through a bit of a photo shoot for us!)

This could be dangerous

In recent months both Tiffany and Hermes have finally got their Australian e-commerce sites up and running. Convenient... but potentially dangerous. Online shopping is a little (um, very) addictive!


Sometimes though, the store experience just can't be beat- I am sure I have dreams of walking Castlereagh Street with a certain Orange bag over my shoulder!

The e-sites are great for price-stalking. It's worth noting also, that the prices on the Tiffany site are cheaper when you buy online and it's worth a visit to Hermes just for the beautiful ilustrations.



Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Fashion with Heart

Lauren Bush, model, anthropology student and spokesperson for the United Nations’ World Food Program (however best known as "First Niece" of George W. Bush and girlfriend of Ralph Lauren's son David) created a line of burlap tote bags in 2006 to raise funds for the World Food Program’s School Feeding Program.
Lauren modelling her FEED bag at the Australian launch

The money raised from the sale of the totes will be donated to the United Nations World Food Program and will provide a school year of meals for one Rwandan child in need and give them the hope of an education and a regular meal.

“Creating the FEED 100 bag was inspired by the need to take better care of children and the planet at the same time." - Lauren Bush


To date the FEED Projects bag program has raised almost $5 million.

Lauren with the collapesed version of the FEED bag

The bag is a reusable eco-friendly tote bag made from organic cotton and natural burlap that folds away into wallet-sized pouch.

Make an eco-friendly fashion statement and buy yours here or at David Jones for $69.95.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Bride Wars

How good does this movie look??


In cinemas January 15th

Sunday, December 7, 2008

So Marc Jacobs sent Madonna an SMS

asking if she would be in the next Louis Vuitton ad campaign.
5 minutes later she replied "I'd love to".


Photographed by Steven Meisel

Garters... tacky or not?

I'll concede that there are some very pretty garters around however I am just not sure about them personally. I cringe at weddings where the grooms head disappears up the brides dress and almost always look around to see if anyone else is, which I think they often are.
I told my fiancé that the garter-toss was one tradition I wanted to forego and he happily agreed that it was not for us. That said, if the garter is for you, here are some very pretty ones from Etsy.





Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Quote of the week

"I love thee, I love but thee
With a love that shall not die
Till the sun grows cold,
And the stars grow old..."

Bayard Taylor

Post-Nuptial Depression

All I have been noticing lately is articles and TV features on Post-Nuptial depression. Not something someone who is 4 months (and 1 day!) off getting married wants to think about. Nevertheless, I bit the bullet and read the article and I have to say it made me feel a whole lot better, cos if I know about it I can help manage my expectations after the wedding and also know that it is completely normal. Someone (sorry, can't remember who) recently gave me some fabulous advice; "Plan a marriage, not a wedding"

This is the article from Time, by Jeninne Lee- St. John

I got married in August, and — I'll admit it — I'm still slightly obsessed with reliving my wedding day. But I don't think my friends want to reminisce anymore about the miraculously sunny hillside ceremony or the super rockin' dance party at the reception. I can't really turn to my husband either, the only other person as emotionally invested in my wedding as I am, because he's 9,000 miles away in Vietnam. After the big to-do, which we spent a year planning long-distance, he's back living and working in Saigon and I'm back in Manhattan — living with my grandmother. Talk about a letdown.

It wasn't until I received an e-mail from a friend that I realized there was a name for what I was going through. It read, "Hope you're not too deep into the wedding blues (the depression you get after the wedding is over, that no one really tells you about)." Bingo. (See the Year in Health, from A to Z.)

Postnuptial depression may not be a clinical diagnosis, but it has entered the lexicon of marriage in the past few years, and newly hitched couples will tell you it's real. The blues typically hit early in married life, psychiatrists say, as newlyweds begin recognizing that expectations of how their partner or relationship will change postwedding are unrealistic. Worse, once the Big Day has come and gone, couples are forced to step out of their much-cherished and often long-lived "bride and groom" spotlight and just get on with real life.

Dr. Michelle Gannon, a San Francisco psychologist who conducts Marriage Prep 101, a weekend workshop, with her husband Patrick, says there's been an uptick lately in the number of recently married couples who enroll to deal with their postwedding doldrums. Newlyweds often blog about it, while brides-to-be fret over the anticipation of it on websites like TheKnot.com. Therapists say most people experience at least some minor disappointment as they settle into a new marriage, but 5% to 10% of newlyweds suffer strong enough remorse, sadness or frustration to prompt them to seek professional counseling.

Emily Summerhays, 30, felt regret immediately after her 2002 wedding ceremony. She found herself crying even as she said goodbye to guests at the reception. "It was sort of buyer's remorse — 'What did I just do? This is really permanent,' " she recalls. That feeling of losing one's selfhood can be overwhelming, especially when it's coupled with a sense of duty to do everything as a pair, says Dr. Jane Greer, a marriage and family therapist based in New York City who has taught a seminar called "Are You Ready for Commitment?" Greer says: "It's a question of how prepared you are to become 'we.' " (See pictures of the busiest wedding day in history.)

For months into her marriage, Summerhays remained in a funk. "There was a lot of me being sad and sullen, wishing I could be married and somehow also be single," she says. She felt afraid of sending the wrong message to her new husband. Summerhays recalls thinking, Will he think I don't love him enough if I don't want to snuggle with him all night or if I leave him for the weekend? And she felt trapped in her own melancholy, feeling ashamed that her new marriage wasn't living up to the fairy tale. Dr. Terry Eagan, medical director of the Moonview Sanctuary in Santa Monica, Calif., calls postnuptial depression the secret sadness — women who experience it are often too embarrassed to tell anyone, while men are simply less open with their feelings to begin with. "A lot of my friends had experienced it," Summerhays says. "It was just hard for us to admit that we were happy in our marriages and yet so indescribably sad on some level."

The so-called honeymoon period, say psychologists, really isn't. But so many couples buy into the myth that when they start arguing about sex, money or time — issues that all married couples battle over — it can seem catastrophic. Gannon finds herself correcting patients all the time. "Where did you get the idea that you weren't supposed to fight?" she says. "You are. It's normal." It's also normal to remain independent and to be responsible for your own happiness. "It's unreasonable to assume your partner is going to be everything to you," says Eagan.

Even couples who cohabit before marriage and who have presumably tempered their expectations and reconciled their petty differences are not immune to the day-after blues. "People who have been living together think they're going to feel something different once they're married," says Gannon. But there's no magical transformation that comes with signing a marriage certificate. In fact, if anything changes, it might be the couples' biology — which may only worsen postwedding blues. When people are newly in love — or feel a rekindling of love just after getting engaged — their bodies release more of the feel-good hormones dopamine and oxytocin, which stimulate bonding. But as the relationship wears on, the levels of those hormones drop. That accounts in part for the fact that "in the transition from dating sex to married sex, the interest, frequency and effort goes down," says Gannon. But having less sex precisely when couples think they should be having more is understandably stressful.

For many couples, it's not about sex or arguing; despite good sex and open communication, they still feel adrift. The problem may be that after months consumed by wedding preparations and feeling like the center of attention, the sudden shift back to everyday life can be a shock. "I put a lot of time and effort into the wedding-planning process," says Erin Hastings, 28, who got married in 2006 after an 18-month engagement. "Where do you redirect your energy once it's over?"

The answer, the Hastings learned, is to direct that energy on themselves and their marriage. "We have a date night every week, without fail," Erin says. Taking time to be with your partner and to think about each other is always important. Ideally before the wedding, Greer says, couples should take a step back and remind themselves of at least two things: the reasons their partner is the right person for them, and that their beloved's annoying little habits aren't going to disappear at "I do."

After the vows, to defeat the postnuptial blues, doctors say, couples should get adequate rest and exercise; communicate constantly; focus on the benefits of marriage, like having a built-in support system; and start thinking about the future in terms of family or finance. Women should stop thinking of themselves as "the bride" and throw out those wedding magazines, then plan social events for after the honeymoon, so they have other parties to look forward to.

Since my husband and I are half a world apart, all I can do for now is rest and exercise, and learn to relinquish the spotlight — to one of my bridesmaids who just got engaged. It'll be worth it, as I know the high point of her wedding roller coaster will be another rockin' dance party.

Image from Getty