Lick My Cupcakes

I will sell you this xanax for five dollars & we can go to the waffle house.

Does this face look 28 to you? Probably. Regardless, I don't act it. Yes. On Wednesday I turn TWENTY EIGHT YEARS OLD. That's so adulty-like. What is this nonsense? I think I've lived enough unfortunate grown-up experiences to proclaim "FUCK IT!" And eat ice cream for breakfast.

You can see how mature I've grown by this little dorky video I made an as introduction for IGGPPC. Let's all watch this while we eat popcorn & pretend I'm not a complete embarrassment of a person.

 

SUCH WISDOM! I'm so mature & put together that I have given up on this post & that's all you're getting.

Black bird, from the blue.

1 & 2) Souldork outfits
3) Easing our way out of our Melbourne breakfast routine.
4) A gig for my good friends band.
5 & 6) Finally, I get my rain back.

Who never ever learned to read or write so well, but he could play the guitar just like a-ringin' a bell.

If you haven't already heard of the International Geek Girl Pen Pals Club, it's obvious don't have the internet.

And if you don't have the internet, it's true that both a) You are not here & my hallucinations must be getting much worse, & b) You can't be my friend anymore. Ain't noooobody got that fo' dat. Especially if you come from a modem-less land where you've never even heard the phrase "Grumpy cat" uttered with sheer delight.

As I'm sure you've seen splattered all over your various favourite spots online, this thing is off the chain, hook, hizzle & so forth. Round 1 reached it's capacity of 1,000 sign ups in 3 short days & round 2 hit the 1,000 mark in just 26 hours! WHUT. And excitingly for me, I'm going to be the representative over this side of the world! 

If you like Kawaii stationery, Lisa Frank stickers, Hello Kitty, Unicorns, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If you geek out over Rainbow Brite, My Little Ponies, Babysitters Club. If you can't contain your "O" face when you watch Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, Masters of the Universe. If Poetry makes you swoon, or you play a mean Metalcore Cover on the Ukulele. If you still collect Trading Cards, Pogs, or know how to Walk the Dog like a boss on your Yo-Yo. If you have basically any remotely dorky hobby or interest & enjoy writing & recieving letters & packages & making new friends- this is why this club exists. To connect people, all over the world, who are just as awesome as you.

If you haven't already signed up, start following the updates via Facebook or Twitter (hashtag #IGGPPC) for when Round 3 is announced, who knows how quickly that will fill up!

There & gone & there & gone as we pass underneath the orange lamps that line the sides of the highway.

Yesterday the Batman & I arrived home (grudgingly) from a quick 4 day Melbourne adventure. I'm devastatingly sad to be back in Perth, however happy to be back with my lovely bed & small squashy dog. If I can manage to relocate both of those things to Melbourne in the future along with my life & boys, I'll be a pretty happy lady.

We successfully managed to eat the entire time, which was our plan after all. We wandered across Shawcross Pizza & I'm so glad that I  pointed it out. It was amazing, & there was a great vibe in there. Also hit up the Snag Stand. I had a cheese Kranksy on a Brioche Roll, with Sriricha Mayo & Cheddar. Died. Other than those couple of highlights, we had a bunch of great meals I didn't manage to get pictures of. Examples include Banana Praline crepes at Max Brenner that I was too enamoured by to photograph before they were gone.

I brought a myriad of cameras along, but I surprsingly didn't feel like taking any "real" snaps.

I mostly wanted to explore without lugging my camera bag around, so I stuck with my iPhone to get a bunch of pics of the awesome architecture & street art that surrounds the city.

The most exciting part for me was that I finally...FINALLY..I mean finally you guys, this is 14 years coming...got to meet my best friend Tamz. We met online through blogging back in 1999 & have been through more highs & lows than you can imagine together. We spoke every day. Babies, breakups, marriages, all of it. She knows me better than anyone, & for some stupid reason we had never met in person. I have met SO many people from the internet, but I guess the fates just never really aligned for me & Tamz until now.

It was, of course, as great as I imagined it, albeit far too quick. With just under 4 hours together we managed to squeeze in giant Burritos, delicious stuffed Churros, lots of giggles & inappropriate humour, a train trip to an incredible toy store to nerd out & some quick silly photos. She also spoilt me with a bunch of amazing gifts including MATCHING UNICORN DRESSES & a lawn flamingo, which I've always wanted! I didn't buy much at all for myself in Melbourne so it was nice to come home with a bunch of awesome loot!

We met outside my hotel, by basically flashing each other thanks to the wind blowing our dresses everywhere, in true "us" fashion. Then we jumped in the elevator for an awkward ride up to my room with a bunch of other people staring at us while we giggled at nothing. With no time for awkward meetings or introductions she gave me a bunch of presents & then I changed into my dress so we could be matchy-matchy douchebags!

Giant burritos were giant, then we decided to jump on a train to the vintage toy store, Lobos collectables. To say it was awesome was an understatement. I died over Dinoriders, Skeletor, every Batman figurine you can imagine, My Little Ponies & Ninja Turtles galore. They even had a FLUX CAPACITOR & A HOVERBOARD YOU GUYS.

After our little adventure we took some classy bathroom selfies, cos it's just what we do, & I combed my fringe for the 376th time much to Tamz' delight, then we made our way to Spanish Donuts. I had a Peanut Butter filled & a nutella filled Churro. Tamz had something resembling a Unicorn penis that was filled with cheesecake & a chocolately creation.

Time was running out so Tamz' did a quick breakdancing fakeout & then left me with a fistbump, & we both cried after we separated because we are great like that. This pretty much sums us up as well as possible. It occurred when The Batman tried to get a nice photo of us & we exclaimed "What do we do with our faces & hands!?"

And if you're curious, no, we didn't actually get a nice photo. Hahaha. Worst guys.

I wish I could have spent a little more Tamz-time, & caught up with the billion other friends I have in Melbourne, & eaten ALL THE THINGS, but there will most definitely be a next time, & eventually it's probable there will be a forever, so I'll continue to look forward to that in the meantime.

Everything I learned I'll soon forget it.

Here's some pictures of cake, just to make you hate me. WHEEEEEE!

I make these far more often than is good for my health - but I can't help it, they're my #1 most requested treat!

Chocolate fudge brownies filled with Peanut Butter sauce, topped in Peanut Butter Buttercream frosting & broken up Reese's Peanut Butter cups. 

PEANUT BUTTERZ IS GUD.

And let go of the ropes, nothing into nothing.

...& other random catchy-uppy photo things.

1) Yellow.
2) Taking some fun snaps.
3) A fave hang.
4) My dreamy plaid camera bag.
5) Woods.
6) Forever adventuring with this guy.


I've been wearing some of my fun jewellery to work lately & I think it makes a cute little photography series! I always used to- but stopped without realising. I have changed positions & I know it seems silly but I feel like I can let my personality shine a little again now that I'm in a new role & much happier. Plus no headset, so I can wear hair accessories again! You'd be surprised how much that changes the way I dress. I tend to pick my accessories first & base my outfits on that, so it feels good to have a little fun with my decorations again!

I've also been taking a bunch of fun photobooth pics with my lady friends that I seem to have somehow acquired. FEMALE FRIENDS THAT I HANG OUT WITH. Bizarre I know. I don't even know me anymore! That's what happens when my bestie moves away, I'm forced to female companionship. LEWIS. Uncool.

On the friends note, I've been contemplating over the last couple of months whether I should have some sort of birthday party- which I've never really done before but I really, really want to do. My anxiety has been causing my mind to flail rapidly between "Yeah man let's have a party" to "ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY WHY WOULD YOU HAVE A PARTY WHO WOULD EVEN GO YOU DON'T EVEN DRINK WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO AT A PARTY?" So, eventually I decided nope, couldn't do it, but today on a whim I made the picture below & threw up a facebook event, so now I have to! I'm glad though. I'm sure it won't be remotely as big a deal as it is in my head. And now I have an excuse to wear a pretty dress! YAY!

How fucking crazy, I was starting to be.

So, for a long time I've avoided being diagnosed. I finally did so, & while it's absolutely no surprise to me, I now "officially" know I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and an Anxiety Disorder, both of which contribute nicely to my Insomnia that I've had for as long as I can remember.

I guess in a way, some of it kind of works for me. I can't imagine if I had never had insomnia. It's where so much of my creativity has come from. Late nights of crazy drawings & baking creations & writing because I'm so overtired my head can't think straight & instead comes up with weird & wonderful ideas. If I didn't have the OCD I wouldn't be so much of a perfectionist. I wouldn't bake the way I do.

There's plenty of downsides. It gets frustrating trying to set 6 alarms every night. Having to start all over if I set 7 by mistake. Touching all the door knobs & oven knobs even though I can see by looking that they are closed, & off. Asking the Batman one by one if each door is locked, even though I've already checked them myself multiple times. Throwing away cakes (YES, I SAID THROWING AWAY CAKES, WHAT THE HECK EVEN IS THIS?) because they are slightly imperfect & I'm too worried about letting down whoever they are for. The anxiety I could live without. While my sleeping has gotten infinitely better over the past couple of years, my other stuff hasn't, & the anxiety has heightened slightly since that fun mugging I had on New Years Eve. Being scared to walk alone to the bus stop, or go into the city to have lunch with Batman on my day off really blows.

According to the doctor, the best thing for me is anti-depressant medication, but being as happy & bubbly a person that I am, they are likely to have more of a negative effect than positive, so aren't worth the trouble. I'd certainly prefer not to take that route while I have the option - so for now I'll keep on being me, & I'll deal with all my crazy & the good & bad that comes with it. And in terms of living scared..I'm pretty much just gonna have to man the fuck up.

I want you to know, deep in the cell of my heart.

Oh yes, that old my-favourite-photo-apps chestnut. I know it's been done. Again & again.

But never by me. Many of my wonderful interwebz friends (I don't know why I specify, because I barely have real-life ones) often ask how I edit my phone photos. Because apparently I'm a photographer when it comes to my IPhone despite sucking testicles at being able to shoot in manual on a real camera. Not that I've really tried. But I want to. So I guess that counts for something. 

Anyway. First up, the obvious choice, Instagram. Despite all the misguided defiant folk who tried to leave when the terms really didn't even change only to come back an hour later pretending like nothing happened when the lovely people from Insta clarified. I couldn't leave if I wanted to. Instagram has played a strangely large part in my life for a phone app. It showed me a new medium of creativity when I needed it most & helped me get back to my happy, crafty, life documenting roots during a divorce. It also provided a wonderful stalking medium & a great way to connect with the fellow who turned out to be The Batman. What a guy. (I mean Instagram, not The Batman, but he deserves a "what a guy" too.) It's a quick & simple way to document your life, friends & self.

With it's simple, easy-to-use filters, tilt-shift & ability to meet awesome people, Instagram is a no-brainer. I use a bajillion other apps, but I run everything through instagram in the end, to share with my online friends. Though I do miss Gotham, & I'll never as long as I live even touch that Lord Kelvin douchebag. Or just Kelvin as he prefers to be called these days. What does he think he's Madonna or something? I hope he got demoted from his lord-hood.

VSCO cam, like many photo apps these days, let's you get down to the nitty gritty of photo editing with controls for things such as grain, temp, exposure & highlighting. But it's classy, & they manage to keep it simple. Many similar apps can be too overwhelming for the amatuer. Made by the Visual Supply Company who make incredible photoshop & lightroom presets, you'd expect nothing short of awesome. It might be a little overwhelming for those who prefer selfies & cute pet pics to visually appealing photography, but explore a little & I'm positive you'll be impressed with yourself as to how awesome your photos can be.

 

 

Afterglow, made by a couple of cool young guys is visually pleasing in more ways than one. The intro screen of the app itself is dreamy, with it's simplicity & cute font used for the title. For your photos, it comes with a ton of beautiful filters, all of which are adjustable to your tastes, & comes with a bunch of white-background shaped borders (perfect for re-posting to instagram!) that appeal to hipsters & trendy kids these days. There's a triangle you guys. 

Pictureshow is a bundle of fun. You can make multi exposed pictures & it has some old school gel coloured filters, plus some rad Lomo & Holga styles. I mostly use it for the Black & Whites & light leaks. Almost all the Black & White photos I post are edited first through Pictureshow. It does an awesome job of covering both ends of the spectrum, but I love the intensity of the Noir filter & there's some cool grey & faded B&W's. The lightleaks are super fun & you can make some really dreamy scenes if you play around.
 

  

 

Lumie is a silly fun lighting app, mostly used for the bazillion different kinds of Bokeh it offers. There's heaps of different heart & star shapes, & even space invaders! Has some rad galaxy-esque filters too for when you feel like editing a space tree from spaccceeee!

 

Pix is pretty rad & in my opinion way underrated. I particularly love the interface, & the fact that you can overlay the filters. I'm someone who tends to run a photo through 3 different app programs and filters before reaching the desired effect so it's awesome to be able to see how they'll look & play around in the one app. It also has a randomise button that will throw a few random filters & leaks over your picture with some unexpected & often cool results. This one is surprisingly nice for food photography.

Pocketbooth is just how it sounds, a little photobooth for your pocket! Cute & fun to be a dork with. Which The Batman & I excel at.

So those were just a few of those I use the most; I have a plethora of photo-editing apps on my phone. And I'm not kidding. I literally have 4 folders of photo apps alone. I think I might need to do a part 2 to this post sometime in the future! If you have any you love, please let me know! Chances are I've tried them already, but I'm always on the lookout for something new & different!
 

Ramble in the roots, had the marvel.

So, The Batman & I, in case you didn't notice from our Christmas Sweaters, enjoy taking dorky photos together.

Last weekend I finally got to take off my human mask & let my true Unicorn self fly free for a few giggly moments.

It's definitely not weird that we drive around with these in the back of our car, ready to pull out when we drive by a pretty forest.

I think we're gonna frame the his & hers ones of these & put them above our bed. We're pretty romantic like that.

The hair in your eyes, it never disguised what you're really thinking of.

So, lastnight I was on a creative kick & dying to do something with a heap of amazing Unicorn fabric I've been saving. I'm pretty new to sewing & have really just winged a couple of messy dresses that have turned out cute- but I don't want to ruin these amazing Unicorns, so I felt a pattern was in order. Turns out, my printer decided to be broken so I couldn't get the pattern I needed. 

Since that was an utter failure & now I need a new printer, I dug up these scraps of Dinosaur fabric & decided to make a skirt! I'm really happy with how it came out- it's my very first time trying to make a waistband or use a zipper, & rather than looking it how, I just guessed, because that's what I do.

It definitely isn't perfect but completely wearable & much neater than anything I've made in the past, & it's my ideal inbetweeny length! It's my new comfy go-to skirt I think, & I'm pretty sure I need one in every pattern I can find!

It's sitting a little loose on the waist as you can see below, but that should be fixed if I pop a little hook & eye closure at the top of the zipper. Cute right?