I Hope I Look Like Death

Only 137 years have passed since this lost luggage porter attempted to reunite Mrs Dingle's hatbox with its owner.
Instead, the sorry porter lost her footing on the slippery top step of the 3.17 leaving Park Road station and lost her head when the 3.15 express to Roma Street hurtled by.

The sorry porter still wears her uniform cap, cape, boots and gloves.
After all there are dress standards to uphold.
Or the underworld will go mad.

She's stuck with that blasted hatbox for eternity.

Fortunately the unnamed and long-forgotten porter has two young friends who visit her as she paces up and down the lonely platform.
They came out to play tonight.
The girl Wednesday had tired of her all-black ensemble and adopted a stray pair of pink sneakers.

She likes to scare the porter into fetching and carrying for her ... which is the porter's lot in death of course.
If you squint, sometimes you see blurry versions of them.

The young sorcerer's apprentice is also lost, but the porter can do nothing to help reunite him with his master.
Just fetch and carry for the undead boy.

The trio prepared to join their fellow lost and undead souls.
Despite the torrential rain on young Wednesday, she lost her deathly pallor and her rosy cheeks made an appearance.
She only smiles when the weather turns foul.

She bumped into a witchy friend and they managed a smile, which means they were thrilled to see one another.
The strange trio of Wednesday, the sorcerer's apprentice and the porter were invited to lead a magnificent parade of the undead at dusk.
The wee lassie threw lollipops at the sorry souls of children who lined the streets, their eyes huge as skull holes.

Thousands of spectators turned out to ogle at strange specimens such this beautiful rotting wench.

Slender Man was everywhere, the one at far left stayed perfectly still, watching, watching, watching.

It got dark quickly, which only excited the creatures even more into action.

When darkness fell, vintage hearses and cars rammed with corpses wowed the crowds, who thrilled at the chance to go all-out and impress.
Slasher nurses and orderlies, plus thoroughly demented doctors were de riguer, while the giant Rubik's cube amused and fire breathing, bloomered, carni-gal stilt walkers amazed.
Welcome to Halloween.
Check out more spooky goodness in Lakota's special Halloween link-up.
Desiree xo

"You Don't Buy a Kebab, You Rent It"

Words of wisdom from The Phoenix, my husband of one year.
Actually it's a year and one week since we got hitched.
It was a lovely spring afternoon in Melbourne where we shared our vows with sons number One, Two and Three, The Stylist and Miss Danni-Long-Legs.

Since that day, we have had more health scares and ups and downs than a crack whore on a bender.
But the kids are flourishing, The Phoenix has kicked some seriously screwy pain killers out of his medication regime, he's also lost about 13kg, which means his target joints have less strain on them and we understand each other a whole lot more.
We made plans to celebrate our first anniversary as husband and wife, but these were scuppered by intense fatigue.
Our health and well-being as individuals and a couple is far more important than marking an anniversary that could leave us even more exhausted and in need of precious recovery time.
We spent last weekend reminded of our remarkable ability to simply enjoy each other's company with talking, sleeping, laughing, sleeping, movies, sleeping, snogging, sleeping, tea, sleeping, eating and more sleeping.
It was blissful.
More pics of our big day out and other Melbourne adventures.
I'm linking to the Visible Monday hot wenches, I hope you've had a fabulous weekend:).
Big love,
Desiree xoxoxo

Hash-Tag-Totes-Amaze!

Did ma hair-did, done me brows, slapped on some purple glitter eye shadow and it was judging time.
Oh and since it was all in aid of Loud Shirt Day, I thought I'd make it Loud Everything Day.

Big and loud.
That's how I felt today ... big headband, big sequins, big eyeshadow, big bag, big stripes.
And for a worthy charity.
I hope Australia's Hear and Say centres made big money this week to help fund their free programs to help deaf infants and young children learn to speak and communicate with the world.

I think the outfit did the talking for me today.
And see what I did there?
I couldn't decide between two pairs of shoes so I wore one of each.
I am SO freakin' rock 'n roll.

My partner in fab, The Stylist, helped pick winners of the Loud Shirt Day competition, plus she and #3 Son drew lots of raffles, with wonderful prizes donated by artists who sell their works through Creative Treasures.

 He found an astronaut suit ... 

 ... and looked rather fabulous:).

A pose-off with Tom and Jose who run the shop and organised today's event.
Jose wore a beautiful repro 1950s frock, made by one of her shop's sellers, in bright pink cotton.
It was perfect, especially with sticker pipple pasties attached;).

This is Marion who makes beautiful corsets, fish-tail skirts, rockabilly and steampunk-style gear.
She always looks gorgeous and she's wearing one of several Chloe silk blouses she snapped up from Camberwell Market in Melbourne.
I love the cartoon-like embellishments.

I think Marion and I should have gone out on the town and sprayed the joint the colour fabulous!
But this mama's only had four hours sleep so ... not going to happen.

 Marion commissioned this ring to be made from a piece of 1920s jewellery.
Stunning.

She made this fabulous corset and fishtail skirt set, which stands proudly at the front door.
Need.  Them.  So.  Bad.

My sister and mentor while growing up, Mere, sent me this amazing 1950s tapestry bag brought over from NZ by my brother-in-law Pete when he visited us last week.
It's huge, lined in pillar box red, the design is on both sides, it's in the colour scheme I have been dreaming of forever and it's perfectly fabulous!
Isn't she a wonderful sister?  Yes she is:).

Thanks darling Mere, I'm growing ever more disgraceful...

... and a shocking role model. 
Oh dear.

 Sequin top - gifted by that beautiful soul, Heather

Knicker shorts - gifted by Jayne of BOODWAH

1950s tapestry bag - gifted by my beautiful sister

Purple floral headband - more styles in my shop, Sassy Vamps!

Beaded bracelets - gifted by Krista, Curtise and Em

Bangles and earrings - thrifted

VW Melissa Lady Dragon Heart shoes - gold pair from eBay, red pair from Amazon

 I hope you've got some big and loud plans for the weekend, I'll be continuing my patchwork curtain project, doing a bit of spring house reshuffling and gazing at my eyelids.
Enjoy!
Molti baci,
Desiree xo

I'd Like Ta Kiss Ya But I Just Bleached My Hair

I smell the week's end approaching.
It reeks of hair bleach, eyebrow dye and musty clothes.
My summer frocks are slowly getting a dust-off and it's like greeting old friends.
Well, they are fussy old dears and I certainly can't let those hard-working gals down by not slapping on a bit of muck, plucking my eyebrows to buggery and sizzling my roots can I?

I think La Dama might like today's 1950s cotton frock, but I really think I should have worn a feck-off crinoline and girdle to channel our favourite puta.

I had four minutes to make myself decent this afternoon to pick up The Stylist from school.
This frock said "pick me" and the ethnic jewellery just came along for the ride.

1950s cotton frock - eBay

Earrings and green ring - craft shops

Jewellery and granny bag - thrifted

Leather bangle - gifted by Erica Louise

VW Melissa Wing shoes - Amazon

I hate to pay full price for cosmetics and fripperies, so I was stoked about finding these Sally Hansen nail strips for just five bucks - they're usually $15 around here.
And I only realised when I took these pics they're a dead-cert match with the whole lotta-lotta I've got going on here today.

October 19 is Loud Shirt Day and The Stylist and I have been invited to judge a competition tomorrow afternoon at an amazing local art, music, craft and second-hand emporium.
All proceeds from the event will go towards helping deaf children learn to speak.

Now I just know if you're reading this I'm probably preaching to the converted but this Friday, go loud!
Oh and don't forget, Lakota's Faith Hope and Charity Christmas Swap closes on October 28.
It's a great way to express your vintage desires, by swapping wonderful second-hand and handmade gifts with like-minded lovelies:).
Desiree xo