Cool Find: Keep Calm and Carry On

I went to a Tupperware party a while ago and bought a can opener. (Aren't I clever? Not only is this an introductory sentence, it is also a way to lure you into reading some of my older posts.... Tricky B!) At the Tupperware party, wonder host, Cool Friend #231 had a poster on her wall that was very cool. It was this:

I just love it. The sentiment is so essential for my stage of life. Mr Cool bought me one of these posters for Christmas and I am going to (I still haven't decided where to put it) hang it where I can readily see it when I am busy making breakfasts, lunches, cups of tea, feeding a baby while also trying to tame my hair and get kids and myself dressed for school etc etc etc.


The poster was published by the Ministry of Information in Britain in 1939, just in time for the beginning of World War 2. It was the third in a series of three, this one being the least known as the first two were so popular. It was rediscovered in a second hand store in the late 1990s and with the copyright being open slather, it has become a kitsch cool thing to have in your home or office.


There are now many other versions of this poster.... Pictures speak louder than words, so here are some examples....

I recently had a birthday and another very cool friend (#128), gave me a present. Very cool... Check it out... Love it!!

If you really dig the original 'Keep Calm and Carry On' slogan - go to the Keep Calm and Carry on Shop. Very cool British inspired stuff.

May $10 Op Shop Hop

In May with my hard earned $10, I bought the following items....


1 x scarf with red and blue chain and lock motif
1 x Nina Ricci Silk polka dot scarf
1 x 'Every Occasion' book by Ita Buttrose

Now, it would not be bbeingcool without the stories behind these items.


Scarf with Red and Blue Chain and Lock Motif


No story, it is generic. But, it did look like something that would look great with a nice white shirt and jeans and cute red shoes for a nice dressy casual kind of look.


However, this is how it has been most recently worn.

Miss A, as a girl Pirate.... Too Cute.

Nina Ricci Silk Polka Dot Scarf


I was drawn to the colours of this scarf - the green and navy blue was so fresh and clean. I thought it too would look great with a white shirt and a great pair of navy trousers or a skirt, or yes, my favourite, jeans.


I did not know who Nina Ricci was, I honestly just liked the design. But, Nina was a fashion icon. My goodness. She began an aprenticeship in dressmaking when she was only 13 and worked her way up the fashion food chain. She married a composer, had a family and then began her own fashion label at 49 (hallelujah, there is hope for me yet!). Her company started in one room, a little while after World War 2, the design house took up 11 floors in 3 buildings. That is great!


Her designs were always feminine and she actually made the dresses on the mannequins so that the fabric fell in just the right way. Before long she was famous all over the world for her feminine and romantic dresses.


There are not too many pictures out there of dresses made by Nina, but here is one. This shows her interesting use of fabrics...

The fashion house of Nina Ricci is still going on strong. It pumps out dresses, handbags and perfumes. They are about to launch a website - if only they had it all ready to go for this blog post - sigh - you just can't get good help these days. But... It is a lovely display of beautiful dresses. I am honoured to have something from that fashion house scrunched up in my draw ... 

ninaricci.com

'Every Occasion' by Ita Buttrose.

Oh, Ita. What a snippet of Australian legendness. Before Madonna made the gap between the front teeth sexy, it was Ita. She had that great blonde hair and that fantastic lisp. She has done everything from radio, tv, magazines and even promoting weight loss products. Ita is Australia, honestly.


She was the founding editor of Cleo magazine and was the youngest serving editor for Woman's Weekly, the world's highest selling magazine. She was also the first female editor in chief for Mr Murdoch in the 80s. Ita is renowned for her appearance and has written a variety of books on manners and etiquette.


Being the hostess with the mostess, I thought it fitting that I have this book on my shelf. It has been quite an eye-opening read. I had not known how to introduce an admiral at a baby christening or how to eat a snail. But, with this book in my collection, I will not look like a numpty at any social gathering. It is kitsch in its presentation and has fabulous charcoal drawings. I love the way she writes, as if every one out there knows that to give gardenias is to tell someone you love them and that you must telephone from a payphone if you are going to be late for a dinner party (it seems pay phones are as rare as dinner party invites these days).


Ita has not been in the spotlight lately. But her homepage did make me chuckle.... Check it out...

itabuttrose.com

April's Op Shop Hop

Life is Cool: Autumn

I looked out my window a couple of evenings ago and was amazed by the colours that have taken over my street. The reds, oranges and yellows drew me out of the warm, cosy house and on to the footpath where I drank in the last rays of the sun.


I love the change in Seasons. I love that the Seasons are just long enough so that by the end of one you are ready for the next. I also love how each season has its special little rituals.

Autumn for me is when I pull out my slow cooker and cook stews and casseroles, roasts and soups. Chocolate is often on my mind with a steaming hot milky coffee. I love to walk through the crunching leaves in the fabulous parks we have around us, and watch my kids ride their bikes in the cool mountain air.  Our back deck becomes a regular hangout (for washing also) as the sun floods it with warming sun.... Sigh. The freshness in the air is delightful and knowing that it is only going to get colder makes it vital to catch as many of those sun rays as I  can...


What things do you look forward to in Autumn?

Suitcases are Cool

I love this look from apartment therapy

We live in a 60s chamfer on brick house in the burbs. We have enough room (for now) and are quite comfortable. Storage however, is our biggest issue. Mr Cool would say we have too much stuff, but, you know, what does he know about it....


These pictures inspired me to think outside of the 'box' regarding storage. I love rearranging rooms in my house, my eldest child has actually had her bed or cot in all of the bedrooms of the house! This means that at times our cupboards get a bit higgedly-piggedly. Earlier in the year it was time to do some sorting, we had sent an old smelly cupboard 'to live on the farm' and this meant that the things in this cupboard had to go somewhere else, and that somewhere else had things in it so they needed to go to another somewhere else....  Know what I mean?


So... the craft stuff had to be moved out of the baby's room, for obvious reasons, and the coats had to go into his spare cupboard. But... the craft things had no-where else to go. Then I had my idea....


I popped across to a store in town called the LifeLine Emporium, which specialises in selling old things, some cool things and some creepy (furs - eek!) things. I have snapped up handbags, scarves, gloves and other bits and pieces from this groovy shop....  I then bought up some old suitcases. They are not truly vintage, I looked at some on ebay and oh-my-days they were expensive! I like to call mine 'Retro', they were in good condition, clearly had not held a decomposing body and all matched in a mismatched kind of way.  

All of my 'crafting' things fit into these. The bottom one holds all my fabric. The two brown ones holds most of my scrapbooking things (I have some more scrapping things under my desk - boy that stuff multiplies!). And the top one holds things like pictures and paintings and things the children have made that really have no-where else to go.


I was going to shove the stack of suitcases into a corner to just look kitsch from afar, but I actually love them where they are. I love the look, it reminds me of trips abroad, and formica counters at bus stops and percolated coffee served by a blonde with a bad perm. I like to imagine where these suitcases have been, I wonder if they have been to London or Paris - we could share some stories together....  


What cool things have you snaffled up from an Op Shop?

A very cool gift... Decades in the Making...

I have a very cool friend. She is clever, bright, funny, GORGEOUS, really smart and is oh so crafty.  She is into quilting, scrapbooking, blogging, cooking and she is an inspirational mum. She is so organised and will drop everything to help anyone who needs a hand. Once people get to know how great she is, they use her in anyway they can; tuckshop, women's groups, piano playing, classroom assistance, cooking for friends, babysitting, blogging tips, she is one amazing gal. She really is a keeper.  I love spending time with her, she is one of those people who make me feel empowered and inspired every time we have 'girl' time.


She is also generous. She made a very extravagant gift for my wee boy. Check out this quilt.

Isn't it just so totally amazing? I cannot imagine the amount of hours it took her to make this quilt. It is possibly one of the most precious things anyone has given me (apart from everything Mr Cool has ever given me ;0). The quilt is beautiful, I really love red and I love the combination of the red and white mixed with blues and browns. I simply love it! 


But it is the time it took to make it that really gets me. How generous to commit to sitting down to sewing this for my new baby. She has said that it was an easy quilt to make and it is not as hard as I may think.  But this has had me thinking....


She has been learning to quilt for around 8 years. Previous to that she was into cross stitch. She comes from a long line of sewing and needlecrafty women - so she can knit like crazy, crochet like a pro and makes gorgeous baby singlets that she sells in her madeit store.  So.... even though this quilt may not have taken her a long time - really it took decades due to all the skills her mother's mother built up and then passed onto her mum and then she learnt some more stuff. THAT is extraordinary!


We have started a blog together, it is called, Friends who Cook - which one day will be a ROARING success and will no doubt make us famous. You should check it out... 

Friends Who Cook....

Thank you Crafty Mummy - you are amazing and I love having you in my life. Thanks for the advice, the laughs, the long chats, the short chats, the chats over soup, the chats of coffee and the plans for future fun, the time to give to my kids and just being one of my peeps.

The uncoolest thing to say, "I have NOTHING to wear!"

First things first, when you find yourself in the position when you have NOTHING to wear, here is the emergency list of what I would suggest you get ...

1) Get yourself a cute t-shirt

2) Get a skirt - either denim or black

3) Get some sparkly shoes
4) Get a cute cardigan or shrug for mid-season coverage

This at least buys you some time to get other things to add to wardrobe....  


However, can I challenge you to actually check what you already have?


Check if you have the following hanging in your closet:


- a really nice cardigan or knit that goes with jeans or a cute skirt?
- a great jacket - like a trench or something that could be retro with some new buttons or a brooch?
- some groovy scarves you have had scrunched up in the back of that drawer that holds your knee high stockings?
- a crisp white or black shirt that can be ironed into pristine condition for a change from t-shirts?
- some cool pairs of jeans? They can be wide leg, straight leg, skinny leg - just make sure that they fit well and accentuate your good bits... Finding good jeans is H.A.R.D. (esp on a tight budget or with a big bottom, or in my case - both of these things....)

I hope you find some treasures lurking in your wardrobes that can add some nice features for this season's look.... 

Vintage B - Bad Manners & Switzerland

Why Vintage B?  Check out the Page.....


Date: Saturday, 10 April 2004

Subject: Belindaland: Travelling with Opa Michael and Oma Belinda

Howdy, I am currently in the middle of the

Mediterranean.  But I will get to that in the next

edition....

Well, Mike is officially 28 and celebrated his

birthday in Zurich, Switzerland.  It was a great time,

unfortunately my poor possum was not well with a

severe head cold and blocked sinuses.  

The title of this Belindaland referring to Opas and

Omas is quite relevant to us at the moment.  The

longer we've been married the more we have realised

and have got a glimpse at what each other will be like

as old folks.  Mike will be the type to check that all

of his socks are rolled and arranged in an orderly

fashion and that he has checked that his shoe laces

are firmly tied and that he has used the bathroom and

had a drink then used the bathroom again before

leaving the room in a tidy and orderly manner:

regardless of the fact that at the beginning of the

process he was already five minutes late.  

I on the other hand will forget everything, won't be

able to decide what to wear so try on every piece of

clothing spreading them across the room as I fluster

around, making it everyone else's problem, I will

forget to pack keys, passports, refuse to organise

anything in advance yet still insist on being ten

minutes early for everything.  Between the two of us

we will have it sorted though.....

Upon arriving at Zurich airport I had one of those

experiences so embarrassing, that if I tell you, you

must swear not to tell a living soul.  Agreed? 

Okay...first, the excuses.  Our friend Scott was going

to meet us in Zurich to do the marathon with Mike, he

had been in contact with us the day before and told us

that in all of his travels, he had never had language

problems like in Zurich.  So being armed and ready

with the phrasebook Mikey packed (of course I didn't)

we headed off.  

We like to get our passport stamped wherever we go,

some places don't do it automatically, so it is best

to ask.  We went through passport control at the

airport and the man just looked at my passport and

gave it back to me.  I handed it back and asked if he

would stamp it.  He took it back and began looking

through it, eventually he looked up at me and said

words I never thought that I would here (something I

say to rude children!) he said, "You know in

Switzerland we have a magic word, it is 'please'."

Then he gave me my passport back.  I was so

embarrassed, I had used hand gestures, as I thought,

you know, Scott had said, and well......  I could have

limboed under a piece of Gruyere cheese; I felt so

stupid.

Upon telling this story to Scott when we had met up

with him (finally after being lost and Mike REFUSING

to ask for directions, preferring to follow a map in

an foreign language) I looked through my passport to

find that the rotten cheese eating, cow hugging,

chocolate spreading Swiss Nasty man hadn't even

stamped my stinking passport!  The weekend was spent

with Mike and Scott paying me out constantly for

having bad manners, I mean really!  I have been so

damned polite since, you would not recognise me!!!!

Mike ran a brilliant marathon though, he came 49th in

his age group and in the top 10% in the whole race of

thousands of competitors.  It was awesome, especially

after the disasters of his last marathon.  It was a

sterling performance and I am so proud of him.  He did

it against all odds, being sick really was hard for

him to take, but he is such a star and he cruised

through.  Onya sweety!

Well, our time in Switzerland went by so fast, and so

much has happened.  I am currently off the coast of

Italy on our cruise (as you do, climbed Vesuvius

today).  But I will save that for another Belindaland.

 But for a quick preview, I can assure you that I have

done lots of embarrassing things to give you some good

stories to tell your friends, stay tuned.

Lots of love,

Belinda

The Rules of Shopping

I again state that I do not position myself as being 'cool' or any kind of fashion icon. However, I do love to shop and have become quite good at looking okay on a reasonably undetermined but by no means extravagant budget.  So.... here are some rules to remember when you are confronted with the bright lights and dizzying array of fashion....


1) When shopping, don't go looking for just one item  - trying to find a white v-neck t-shirt with butterfly sleeves is really hard. Have two or three things you are after and browse for those.


2) Some shopping trips will result in no purchases - DO NOT buy something for the sake of buying something, you must be completely happy with each item


3) Look through bargain racks in the brands you like, and even in the brands you don't know well - you just never know....


4) If an item is on sale, the right cut and you can wear the colour with at least 2 of the items in your wardrobe snap it up!


5) Spend time in the Op Shops, but remember it is only a bargain if you can wear the item with a variety of things in your wardrobe


Need more tips?


You may like this post or this one....

35 Cool things about turning... well....

These are in random order.... Except #1 - it is THE coolest thing...

35) You have your own credit card
34) You have owned clothes long enough for them to be back in fashion - Retro Rocks
33) Your shoe size doesn't change
32) You can finally afford the clothes that as a teenager you dreamt of owning (although now you are too responsible to actually buy them)
31) Your parents trust you with their cars
30) Your sisters ask for advice and are excited to see you
29) You have friends who appreciate girl time and write it into their diaries - in pen
28) People younger than you start calling you 'Mrs'
27) Fun nights out involve coffee, friends, laughing and stories.... Not short dresses, clubs and spiked drinks
26) Cool things to do involve: parks, juice, muffins and scooters... Not spikey hair and lots of eye make-up listening to pulsating music
25) Your hair dresser can keep your hair looking current without looking like an aged Bratz doll
24) Your mother-in-law asks you for fashion advice
23) Kissing isn't restricted to the car
22) You can laugh at teenagers and how stooopid they can be, and forget that when you were a teenager you were equally stooopid, if not more so
21) You say, "Oh, I remember that, I was in grade... " more than you care to admit.
20) You appreciate the importance of correct spelling and grammar
19) You don't have to worry about being stalked by creeps on facebook - you know they are your cousins
18) You appreciate the rare quiet still moments you get, like filling up the car
17) You are known for your children's achievements, and that is cool with you
16) Your parents are starting to enjoy seeing you work out how to deal with lippy children, it is like revenge for all the arguing you did with them as a child
15) You know what make-up suits you and how to put it on
14) You see the benefit of buying things that will last
13) You don't need to have a party to celebrate your birthday - nice food, bubbly and a good dessert is more than enough
12) You become cheaper to insure
11) You can leave your clothes on the floor of your room if you want to
10) Your kids think that hot chips are a rare delicacy
9) You don't look out of place buying kids clothes
8) You know what kinds of things children like to eat and receive as gifts
7) The people you hang out with don't really remember how geeky you were in highschool
6) You don't get confused filling in forms at the bank as much
5) You know the right things to say to get discounts at department stores
4) You can walk away from a bargain if you know you will never use the item
3) You can help other people in lots of cool ways
2) You are usually smarter than you were 10 years ago
1) You realise that life is good when it is filled with lots of people. Friends who are like family and family who are like friends.

Things you need to be cool....

The pre-claimer to this post is that I do not see myself as cool.  I am stocky, spotty, outspoken but shy, self conscious and intimidated by people who are either better looking than me, thinner than me, smarter than me or more successful than me: this means I am intimidated by just about everyone!


But....


I am beginning to understand cool - a bit...


A friend of mine has been struggling to find her coolness after having kids. She is GORGEOUS, has great hair, great skin and has such a great personality that people want to get to know her more. To me, she has so many things about her that are cool. But she just doesn't see it *sigh*....


Now, let me explain that cool is a combination of things. It is attitude, personality, life experience and then it is outward appearance. So, my dear friend has the first few things down pat. Her attitude is amazing - she will try anything and gives her heart to things that mean a lot to her. She has a great bubbly, quirky personality as previously mentioned. She has had a great deal of life experience from study to having babies to helping kids with stoopid names in some weird way out schools. Basically, I am proud to know her and learn more about grace and kindness every time I have a chat with her.


But still, she feels uncool. And I have surmised that it is her outward appearance she is struggling with.  The other night I suggested she throw out (literally) every item of clothing that she either doesn't like, is really old or doesn't fit quite right - to which she said she would then be walking around naked (not cool in the 'dropping kids off to school' kind of set).


So, for my lovely locked friend, and anyone else out there who is trying to regain some cool, here are some things for you to think about that I have learnt over the past 10 years or so.... Get right back to basics and think through the following things....

• Determine what  'look' are you going for? Like; hippy, conservative, boho, biker, sporty, classic etc.
• Work out which colours suit you?  Think about seasons such as; Summer = aqua, yellow, blues, oranges etc; Autumn = browns, greens, greys etc.
• What items in your wardrobe make you feel good? What items could you not live without? I could not live without jeans, t-shirts and shirt dresses....
• What are the best parts of your body are worth accentuating? I have a waste and I like my hair .... that is where I start every time I have to think about buying items for my wardrobe.

To become cool is about discovering yourself and then investing time into learning more about yourself and your style. Oh, and get your hands on anything written by Trinny & Susannah - a good place to start....

Here are some quotes to get you started on your 'Cool Quest'...

You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.  What you'll discover will be wonderful.  What you'll discover is yourself.  
Alan Alda (I know that Alan Alda is Hawk-eye from M.A.S.H - but you know.....)

The most beautiful thing in the world is, precisely, the conjunction of learning and inspiration. Oh, the passion for research and the joy of discovery! 
Wanda Landowska




May the cool force be with you.....


Coming up next time on bbeingcool - Rules for Shopping

I found a song that I so, like, like...

When it comes to current music - I am a bit behind the times.  These are the kinds of songs we are listening to in the car at the moment....

or this....

 Sigh...


But... Over the last few months, I keep hearing a song about fireworks. I didn't know who sang it but I just loved the lyrics. I would find myself humming along to the little bits I knew ... "dee dee a firework, come and show em what your worth.... Make em go ah ah as you shoot across the sky dee daa dee" etc.... 


I finally made the connection that it was Katy Perry (thanks to Logies build-up ads), so yesterday I bought it on iTunes. I then went out to fold washing with my iPod (knowing Mr Cool was 'babysitting' aka watching football) and found myself listening to it over and over and over again. At one point I was even in tears, this was great stuff. How amazing to have something so affirming. 

This song has come to me at just the right time. Being a stay at home mum has been tough. I am such a people person and love having goals and plans and things to research and things to do. But being at home with a baby again has not been all that I imagined it to be. Throw in a school run and a naturally stressy personality, the last few weeks (or even perhaps months if I am honest) have been a bit rough.


But, I know that this is going to sound really corny, but I think yesterday saw a turnaround for me. I don't want to put the beginning of my recovery down to Katy Perry, that would be, like, so, like, 8th grade.... But, alas, I needed affirming and I got it through this teeny-bopper-pop song.


I then thought that I had best look into this Perry character and find out a bit more about her. I was imagining a Lady Gaga story of spoilt little rich girl who was allowed a bit too much freedom with wardrobe (or lack thereof) and make-up. But, there was nothing all that dodgy in Perry's background. True, she sings songs about kissing girls and her film clip for 'Firework' has boys kissing boys, which in this day and age is unfortunately accepted. Surprisingly, I found a girl who was raised by a Pastor and even recorded some gospel songs. She is known for wearing fruit themed jewellery and accessories and uses ProActiv. She has married a bit of a weirdo (but who hasn't) and she does like to get her kit off....  So, I don't know if I will 'like' her page on facebook or follow her on Twitter, but... 'Firework' is a cool song.

I am pretty selective about the music my kids listen to, therefore the music I listen to. I love that I can buy single songs on iTunes and just allow my kids to dip their toes into the modern pop music scene with my ever watchful eye.