Spring Has Spring

I have been sick and it has been very rainy here in Melbourne but today I'm feeling better and the sun is shining again! 

I worship the sun!

When it's sunny I'm happy!

 And I'm ecstatic it's finally Spring here

And the bulbs I planted are turning out to be such amazing colours!

laura x

Love has done it again!

Wow!

Love magazine has another rocking cover series. 

I wish I was collecting them!

I have always been a huge Gisele Bundchen fan, 

she's a total glamazon!

laura x

Positive Posters

I think every one needs a positive poster in their space for those days tinted by the blues.

Positive Posters comes to the rescue with their competition for graphic designers to create a poster around the "a glass half full" theme. 

The winning poster will be posted all around the streets of Melbourne.

Very cool!

Would it be too naughty to steal one off the street?

Here are some of my favorite finalists...

laura x

Mina + Oli Fashion Show Pics

The pictures from mina + oli's first fashion show 

arrived today!

I'm very excited to share them with you!

Photos taken by Patrik Nemes

laura x

Dear Santa

I would like to start my wish list a bit early this year....

 As my favourite designer is John Galliano 

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE the new Backstage Dior book by photographer Roxanne Lowit.

My coffee table will not be the same without it!!

laura x

Intense Violet

I have been experimenting with dyeing lace and love the results!

I used Dylon intense violet permanent fabric dye. 
Good for cottons, wool and silk.

First wash your fabric and leave damp. 
You then mix the dye with 500ml warm water, add 5tbsp salt and

add that mixture with 6 litres water. 

Stir for 15 min.

Thankfully I have a big stainless steal sink in the laundry room that's perfect for this!

What great colour!

After your 15 min is up stir occasionally for 45 min.

Let dry way from direct sunlight.

Voila!

The end result...

A mina + oli bag with some intense violet lace!

laura x

Vogue Italia's Unnervig Shoot

Tongues are wagging at the latest shoot by 

Steven Meisel based on the oil spill on the 

Gulf of Mexico. 

 Vogue Italia website says they are "Unforgettable images, created purposely to unnerve the viewer, capture the reality of the situation."

I say good for them, fashion has always been influenced by world issues, so why can't the editorial pages as well! 

What do you think?

laura x

Post Card

The fashion show was a huge success! 

Pics on the way! 

This was the mina + oli post card that was a little present in all the gift bags!

laura x

Fashion 101

Big news in the land of mina + oli!!

I am very excited to be apart of Melbourne Spring
Fashion Week. 

Where mina + oli handbags will be strutting down the Fashion 101 runway!

The show is Wednesday September 1st from 7:30pm
to 11:30pm Alumbra Bar - Docklands.


There will be fantastic fashion, DJ's, yummy nibbles and gift bags!

I hope to see you there!

Visit the MSFW website here

Click here for tickets

laura x

The Kills

The Kills have been one of my favourite bands for a while now. I went to see them live when I lived in London. 

They had such charisma, energy and gave us a great show. Allison is all rock and roll and I love her style.

laura x

Snail Mail

I love getting the knock on the door from the mail man with parcel in hand, or the little note saying I was not home and to come pick up your surprise.

It's the anticipation, the packaging, the opening - the old fashioned snail mail has a warm place in my heart!

It helps that my family are overseas and I happen to get quite a few "care packages" packed tight with my favourite chocolate bars, news clippings, and fluffy warm socks that only moms seem to be able to find.

So this week when I took my "you weren't home" card to the post I was very excited to find such a cute little package waiting for me all the way from Thailand.

It was the studs I had bought on from a Esty store to do a little stud action on some new mina + oli designs. 

I love the little hand written post-it note and whinny the poo/ piglet sticker, great details that made it feel like it was sent by a friend.

laura x

Radio City Music Hall

On our trip back home to Canada we stoped off for a few days in New York!

One of the highlights for me was the amazing 1930's art deco Radio City Music Hall. 

We went on a behind the scenes tour around the theatre which I highly recommend! 

I expecially loved the old photos of the Rockettes, their costumes and was even lucky enough to meet one!

I would really love to go to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes, who make 8 costume changes throughout the show.

Some slightly fuzzy (sorry) pics below...

laura x