Dirt Road Catwalk- Autumn Pumpkin Tights.

Last week the Dirt Road Catwalk was on hiatus due to my Melbourne sojourn, but this week we're back baby! 

A couple of weeks ago I was walking around my shopping center when I wandered into Sussan to check out their PJ range. I had a gorgeous pair of flannette bottoms in my range when all of a sudden a glimpse of something in a gorgeous Autumn pumpkin colour caught my eye, and I had to make a beeline for it. 

Tights. Woolen. Patterned. Gorgeous colour. 

Sold. 

I really wanted a mustard pair as well, but unfortunately there weren't any left in my size (dammit!). I may have to keep checking to see if they'll restock them, as they're exactly what I've been coveting. But for now... bring on the photos! 

I'm pretty sure the day we took these was the very last day of warm weather. I'm looking back at these and desperately missing those suns rays... don't stay away too long Summertime! 

We decided to head out to the silo for a change in backdrop, and we spent a good hour talking lighting, posing and composition.. and once again I can't Susan enough. Gorgeous shots!

I wanted to make sure the tights really 'popped' as they were to be the feature of the outfit, so I chose the JeansWest blue denim dress as a complimentary colour. I've had this dress forever, and it's one of the most versatile garments I own. I just adore it. The Gino Ventori boots were actually a surprise- have you ever bought something then forgotten all about it? The poor suckers were buried at the bottom of my shoe basket, so it was lovely surprise to unearth them again! 

The feather necklace is from Lovisa, and the bangles from Diva. I have my old faithful Witchery sunnies on, and a watch from Roxy that I constantly wear for work. Just back to the tights quickly- these are value for money. They're soft and don't itch like other tights can, and seem quite hardy. They're quite stretchy too, and have a bit of give in them so they don't feel like they're cutting you around the stomach. I'd buy another pair of these in a heartbeat, and I'm totally kicking myself that I didn't check out the Sussan in Bourke St for the mustard pair. 

Thanks again Photographers on King Street.. love your work! 

Help! Breakouts!

Pinterest captioned this Emergency Makeup for Tired Skin. I may need to assemble this.

I don't know what's going on with my skin lately. 

On the weekend I noticed the start of a healthy blind pimple near my hairline, and that sucker grew into a monster. This morning I wake up and there's another painful one starting near the inner corner of my right eyebrow. I accidentally bumped it this morning and OH MY LORD THE PAIN. What on earth? Be gone, you evil red gremlins! For someone who very rarely breaks out, I've had quite a few small ones dotted all over my forehead too. Rah! I feel like this is entirely unfair, being that I've reached the thirties surely I should be past all these adolescent problems? I dealt with this when I was 16, it shouldn't be happening now! 16 year old problems are wonky skin, unrequited love and trying to bargin with your mum to put Sun-In in your hair. These are not supposed to be my 31 year old problems. 

It's not only the breakouts, but my poor skin is just looking patchy, tired and, well, blah. I look like I've aged five years in one week. Is that even possible?! 

It can't be diet, and I'm getting enough exercise each day. Maybe it's a combination of things. Maybe it's from Winter settling in. Maybe it's from not getting outdoors and the lack of Vitamin D (Sob! Come back Summer!). Maybe it's stress from moving or the type of cleanser I'm using or the bloody planets aren't aligned or something. Melbourne! Was it you that did this to me? Say it isn't so! 

That's it. I've decided that I'm going to blame Winter. Hell, I blame everything else on Winter, so this is just one more thing to add to the list. 

So, I'm reaching out to all you beauticians out there. Help! What do I do? Do I go for a facial? Change my moisturiser? Chant something three times backwards? Help, I'm desperate!

Edit: Eek! Another one erupting on my chin!! Argh!! How do I stop this plague that has besieged me? Otherwise... save yourselves! Run for your lives, I'm a lost cause! 


Edit #2: Another is now forming on my cheek. It's the start of the apocalypse. 


 

Bleary.

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I'm sitting here, trying to figure out what to say. It hit me all of a sudden today, that we are moving this weekend. 

And I hadn't packed a thing.

Panic stations. 

Last week I was in a lovely little bubble in Melbourne where I flittered around the streets and time became suspended back home. Nothing mattered apart from which restaurant we were going to hit up for tea, and where I could find a new skirt. Simple, right? 

Coming back means reality has set in, and today I rushed around madly trying to pack essentials for our move. I've packed nine boxes.. and despondently I've realised that it looks like I haven't made a dent. The upside was that I had the chance to cull many a fashion atrocity that I've been in possession of for many a year now, and have found quite a few things that I thought were lost forever. Score!

Feeling a bit stressy though as on top of the move I have three block sets to complete, mid year reports to write and a Little Lion with terrible eczema that has had us up and down for the past three nights. Out of desperation we took a trip to the docs where a cream was prescribed, and I have all my fingers crossed that stuff kicks in soon. Not sure how I'm going to get everything done especially with working too, but I'll pull it off somehow.

Time. Need a lot more of it. 

But for now, I'm kicking back to watch The Voice.

Baking Bliss- Blueberry and Lemon Loaf.

Blueberries have always been one of my favourite fruits. A delicious little ball of superfood packed with antioxidants and all sorts of goodness. I had some frozen ones in my freezer that needed to be used up, so I finally got to make something I've had my eye on for a while now- a Blueberry and Lemon Loaf from Taste. Sooo good! 

Blueberry and Lemon Loaf from Taste. 

Ingredients (serves 10)

• 170g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (180g) caster sugar
• 1 lemon, rind finely grated
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup (120g) plain flour, sifted
• 1 cup (100g) Lucky almond meal
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbs milk
• 150g fresh blueberries
• 3/4 cup (125g) icing sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 tbs fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Line a 10cm x 20 cm loaf pan with nonstick baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat the butter, caster sugar and lemon rind until it is pale and creamy.
2. Beat in the eggs gradually. Fold in the flour, almond meal, baking powder and milk.
3. Fold in the blue berries. Spoon into the pan. Smooth the surface. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until crumbs cling to a skewer when inserted. Set aside for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Combine the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Spoon over the cake. Set aside to set.

Mine certainly didn't need 1 hour and 10 minutes, in fact I probably could have pulled it out after 50 minutes. This loaf has a perfect citrusy tang to it and next time I think I'll thrown in around 200g of blueberries instead of 150g. I took this into work for morning tea, where it was scoffed down instantly with a cup of tea. This one was definitely a winner! 

Those Grey Cobbled Streets.

I have a bit of a love affair with Melbourne. Walking along Collins st invigorates me, and I feel my soul lift every time I walk down those grey cobbled streets. The last four days saw myself, Margaret and eight students immerse ourselves into the CBD and enjoy everything that Melbourne had to offer. Yep, even the continuous waiting for public transport and that ominous drizzly weather. 

I love the little pockets of street art, the way the city never sleeps, how you can find a pair of knee high red velvet fringed boots in an instant and the beautiful architecture. 

I have a guilty confession though- I think that the food would have to be towards the top of my list when it comes to my fave thing about Melbourne. Garlic prawns down Chinatown... Macarons at NGV... Cookies 'n Cream Gelati at South Yarra... even my beloved Grill'd down Degraves st. I always go crazy on food when I hit that city! 

There was one thing that thing that creeped me out sightly though...

Oh look at the beautiful fountain in front of the Melbourne Museum! Isn't it gorgeous, what with all the frolicky nymphs and mermaids and... wait.

What the hell is that turtle doing to that little boy? Get away you perverted thing!

I swear, some sculptors have some, er, 'interesting' ideas. 

A big thank you to my guest posters for keeping my blog nice and toasty warm while I was gone! You're all fabulous.

Guest Post- Through Thick and Thin by Mez.

Mez is a gorgeous, warm and funny girl who I felt an immediate connection with when I stumbled across her through a wedding forum around five years ago now. I shared her love of Buffy, reality TV shows and all things pink and it wasn't until she started blogging that we struck up a friendship. Although she's on a blogging hiatus at the moment, she's come out of hiding to share an incredibly personal, insightful and thoughtful post on Hummingbird's Song. Thanks Mez, love you! xx

Through Thick and Thin.

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It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that I’ve spent a good part of the last 15 years either losing or gaining weight. In fact I’ve lost and gained the same 20kgs about 10 times. Every time I’d get to my goal weight I would suddenly think yes! No more dieting and start eating like a crazy person. Let’s just say the whole idea of maintenance and moderation was lost on me. In fact, the way I would actually lose weight involved no moderation either. Cut meals, up the exercise to the point of exhaustion and if all else fails, diet shakes all round!  My body, the way I feel about it and the way I’ve treated it has been a constant source of stress and embarrassment my entire adult life. Mostly I would feel disappointed and ashamed; wanting to wear what my friends were wearing, hearing the nasty comments, shamefully struggling to cover my flabby arms or stomach rolls and knowing deep down  the real damage I was doing to my health and wellbeing.

When I fell pregnant in October 2011, I didn’t actually think too much about the impact on my body. We were both overjoyed and to be honest I was amazed at how quickly it had happened, especially after being told by a doctor that it could take ages due to being, yep, 20kgs overweight.  At 5 weeks pregnant I started to vomit. From 6am till about midnight I was sick, day in, day out. We were living in Los Angeles, far from family, friends and an easy to navigate health care system. I was shattered physically and emotionally and could keep down nothing except for Sunkist, water and oranges. I was for the first time in my life desperately concerned with what was and wasn’t going into my body.  I loved the little person inside of me and wanted nothing but the best for them.  I tried to introduce other foods but it was an awful struggle and most ended up in Wilson. (Our nickname for my red bucket.) On my final visit to my American doctor, before our relocation to Australia, I was sternly told I had lost weight and should be very concerned. I didn’t know what to say, I had never been told off for losing weight before. But what could I do? I was vomiting constantly! I left deflated, hating myself and my body even more. I was a failure for gaining weight and now for losing weight.

Finally at 20 weeks pregnant and living back home in Australia, I stopped vomiting. I was able to eat again! After a few weeks I stopped looking like I was on death’s door and actually had colour in my cheeks. My diet became varied and I stopped worrying about calories and instead began to concentrate on nourishing my baby and myself. And for the first time in a very, very long time I began to enjoy my body. I actually liked what I saw, the curves, the bump; everything just seemed to make sense. I started to believe people’s compliments and it felt good, really good. Then, at 32 weeks I developed intense pain in my back and abdomen; leading me to believe I was in early labour. It turned out I had gallstones. I was admitted into hospital and monitored; thanking the universe we were dealing with this in our healthcare system. A practical and informative doctor informed me that it was a common problem in pregnancy and not surprisingly it is a condition that is also common for many yo yo dieters. It dawned on me that at 31 I was now seeing the result of all the years of hatred I had shown towards my body. For 3 hours I cried to my hubby. Mostly because I felt like I had failed at motherhood before I had even begun, (despite repeated assurances our little pumpkin was feeling nothing) and partly because I was so angry with myself.  Eventually I stopped crying and started thinking; and then doing. Since being released from the hospital I’ve been on a fairly strict diet that rules out all saturated fats.  I’ve chosen to stick with it because the gallbladder attacks are akin to someone knifing you repeatedly and I prefer to watch Underbelly, not experience it. I’ve developed a keen interest in experimenting with recipes and my insanely wonderful husband has shown a flair for grilling a mean lemon chicken. That’s not to say I haven’t experienced any more attacks. I have; generally after eating something that you wouldn’t think would bring one on!

I was weighed last week and have lost 5kgs in 2 weeks. Remembering my experience in America, I braced myself for the onslaught but instead was gently told by a very diplomatic midwife that it was fine as I did have some to spare. I laughed and wasn’t offended in the slightest. Truth is I feel great most of the time now, (probably due to all the raw veggies I’m eating) and it has got damn near nothing to do with being told I’ve dropped weight! It’s my head that’s changed the most and rightfully so. Funny thing is I will most likely continue to lose weight after the birth, simply because I eat such a light diet now but my emphasis is no longer on weight loss as the end goal. It’s health and wellbeing that matter the most to me. Being able to chase after our pumpkin once she’s here and provide the kind of role model she should have. That matters to me, bugger my thigh circumference.

Tonight I stood in front of the mirror in the nuddy and marvelled at how I looked and how my perception of my body has changed. So I choose to look at every part of this pregnancy as being responsible for the most profound and effective change of my mindset towards my body that has ever occurred. My body is strong, it is useful, it is more than what the media and society wants me to think it is. I am not here to please the masses by wearing a Size 0, nor am I here to spend my days beating myself up for not being 5, 10, 15kgs lighter. I am here to celebrate who I am, where I’ve come from and where I’m going, the people I love and our little pumpkin growing away happily inside.

Don’t think thin, think healthy.

Guest Post- Tights Styling thanks to ASOS!

Are you sick of me talking about about tights yet? Well, I'm handing Wednesday over to the experts! Laura from ASOS will guide you on how to style tights for different occasions. Oh, and by the way, if anyone wants to buy me that second outfit I'll love you forever. It's so cute! 

Winter Tights for All Occassions

Winter is nearly upon us so wrapping up warm is firmly on our minds when picking out what our news season wardrobe should include. An easy way to add warmth and comfort to existing outfits is to add on a pair of chunky tights and simply layer up! So here are some top ideas for work, rest and play outfits using tights.

For winter at the office long sleeves and hemlines are a must to keep the chill away. A patterned blouse and knee length pencil skirt will be both smart and sophistiacted in one. To vamp up the look a notch without being too flirtatious try some black translucent seemed tights. To finish the look a chain leather bag and platform court shoes will look uber chic, nude is always a great shade as it will go with anything in your wardrobe. If the thought of heels at work is a little scary try ballet pumps as a cute alternative. Be sure to stay on time with a good dependable watch, a classic gold analogue style will be a perfect accessory to your smart work outfit. 

For a cute daytime look that will make use of all your summer denim shorts add on a pair of colourful chunky tights underneath and wear with a knitted sweater. To keep cosy a scarf is a safe bet but there are plenty of other possibilities such as snoods and collars. To keep your feet dry and warm choose well heeled and chunky soled boots or shoes. Knee length boots will not only look stylish but keep your legs warm too. The bag to be seen with this season is not just any old handbag, but a backpack. They can be found in all sorts of materials and shapes but leather is always going to be a winner.

When work is out and it’s time to party, guess who you will want to pull out of the drawer once again, tights! There are so many gorgeous patterned tights around at the moment you will be spoilt for choice. Metallic is a huge trend this season so a gorgeous gold skater dress will be perfect. Cute heart printed tights will add personality and fun to your outfit which can be completed with an oversized clutch, shoe boots and lashings of gold jewellery. 

So there you have it, a winter fashion round up showing you how to wear tights for whatever the occasion. Play around with pattern, colour and texture and you will be sure to find a way to wear tights that you will absolutely love! 

Guest Post- Threenage Love from Life With 3 Under 3.

Miss Liza is very special to me. I first stumbled across her in a forum when I was planning my wedding back in 2007, and we found ourselves in the same online mum's group when I was pregnant with the Little Lion. She's since gone on to have two more little ones which makes three under three... hence the title of her warm and funny blog Life With 3 Under 3! What a superstar! You can also find Liza on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. 

My little man, affectionately known as Monkey Man will be 3 in July. 

Not that you'd guess it by looking at his cheeky smile, angelic blue eyes and blonde cherub like hair but at the moment we're in the hellish land of threenager. There are daily mega tantys, lots of 'NO' and lots of arguing, stamping of feet and hitting out. And thats just me. I love him dearly but he is a bit of a handful right now. There are however moments of pure joy that make you forget all about the episodes and embarrassment;

• hearing him tell my Mum 'I missed you Nanny'

• seeing the way his whole face lights up when he sees my Mum or my hubby. watching him run to them for cuddles and kisses

• hearing him tell my hubby 'miss you Daddy'

• hearing him tell my hubby 'you left me behind Daddy' complete with sad face

• hearing him comfort his baby sister, telling her its ok and there's no need to cry

• hearing from his daycare teachers what a delight he is, how helpful and how he listens and does as he's told and asked. how they wish the other kids were like him. trust me, I've asked they're sure they're talking about MY son??

• having him tell me at the top of his lungs 'that man is brown mummy' as we walk through the supermarket. well yes he was but perhaps we could tone our observations down a little as I'm sure they heard you in China

• seeing him play with and teach his younger sisters new things and words

• having him ask for a cuddle

• watching him learn and grow, in particular seeing him do something I've shown him, like share or build a tower

• going to get him out of bed this afternoon from his nap and finding him completely naked. why? because he needed a wee of course. thankfully he didnt wee in the bed!

and the piece de resistance for me??

• hearing my son tell me he loves me, un prompted and totally heartfelt. Makes all the shitty times totally worth it, makes all the bad times disappear. I love you too Monkey Man, nawww.

Guest Post- Eco Chic with Arcadian Lighting!

If you're a regular reader, by now you're aware that we're building a house and that I have a love of all things eco and sustainable. I'm handing Tuesday over to the lovely Mari from Arcadian Lighting where she talks about Eco chic... drool! Such gorgeous images! 

Hi, I'm Mari from Arcadian Lighting, the online place for discovering fabulous light fixtures and lighting ideas and trends. I am so excited to be here visiting at Hummingbird's Song. What a lovely name! Today's guest post is all about ways to get the beautiful and earth-friendly eco chic look with vintage pieces and reclaimed wood. Whether you want to add lovely recycled and reclaimed elements to a new home or simply give a more vintage look to your older home, we hope you'll enjoy the spaces we've brought to share with you today. Please enjoy! 

 

Reclaimed wood and vintage furnishings can look beautiful with modern and contemporary architecture and decor. The contrast of old and new, sleek and rustic can make for a stunning living environment as in this soaring space.  

                      

Any one or all of these vintage pieces could mix well with new furnishings. I especially love Tolix chairs in all kinds of spaces from traditional to contemporary, eclectic and vintage.

                      

Color can add an appealing dimension to reclaimed wood in furniture and walls. The green of the wood works beautifully with artwork that leaves us with a haunting environmental memory.

                     

Vintage signs can add personality and interest to just about any room. Here, signs imprinted with the names of authors speak to a special interest of those who live here. I love the contrast of a glossy black pendant light and the rustic look of the wall and table.

                     

Paint left intact from the previous lives of the table and bench adds lovely color to this vintage dining room. Antique rugs are passed from one generation to the next and grow even more beautiful with every passing year which is the epitome of sustainable decor. 

 
                     

Wheeled industrial tables have found their niche in eco chic spaces around the world. This one holds well-loved recycled objects that add vintage appeal. Pale picture frames remain empty and lean against the wall as they become part of a lovely vignette at the end of the table.  

                     

One of my favorite interiors, the open living space of a New York brownstone is filled with eco chic style. Reclaimed wood at its best is seen in a long dining table, bar stools, beams and even art work. The white on white sculpture over the fireplace is created from wood scraps. The dining area is a great example of how beautifully rustic and modern mix with Panton chairs surrounding the reclaimed timber table.

                     

In the same home as the living room above, this lounge area has a lovely global vibe. Reclaimed tree trunks make for beautiful eco chic style tables. You'll notice that in both spaces light is provided by recessed ceiling fixtures which is simple but very effective. 

Is eco chic decor something you would consider in your home? If so, you'll find a fantastic selection of both energy efficient and eco-friendly lighting at Arcadian Lighting here!   

Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 

 

Guest Post- High Tea with Absolute Amy!

I'm putting Monday in the capable hands of the lovely Amy from Absolutely Amy. If you're a bit of a stylista make sure you check her out as she blogs about motherhood, fashion, beauty and more. You can also find Amy on Twitter. Go and say hello to her! 

High Tea : An Invitation

I've adored high tea for as long as I can remember, mostly because it combines two of my absolute favourite things - fashion and food.  I love the sense of occasion, getting dressed up, sitting at a beautiful table adorned with delicious treats, tea cups and flowers and enjoying a lavish afternoon catching up with girlfriends.  

When I saw that one of my favourite bloggers at The Vault Files had a high tea guest post here, I was so inspired to re-create a virtual high tea.  So ladies, it's time to pick out your favourite dress, slip on some heels, pop on some lipstick and prepare to enjoy a sumptuous high tea.

Images:  

Macarons

Tea Cups

High Tea Sandwich

Alice + Olivia Dress

Tony Bianco Shoes

Michael Kors Necklace

A xxxx

Toasty Winter Gear.

I was mentally going through what I needed to pack for the trip to Melbourne I was taking with my students next week, when I realised that I was in dire need of a new pair of Winter PJ's. I was all good for Summer ones, I happen to have a draw bursting with them but my poor Winter ones were lacking. Now, I'm not sure how this situation came to be about as I'm quite fond of my flannies, but I realised that Deon had thrown my fave pair of well worn PJ pants with the hole in the butt out in protest (he hated them) and the ones I was currently throwing on at night I wore back from when I had just had the Little Lion... so they were pretty sloppy and saggy. 

This would not do.

So, I raced into Sussan's- my number one place to go for PJ's, and scooped up a gorgeous pair of soft flannelette pants in lilac, grey and white. Teamed with a long sleeved grey top and all was perfect. 

I checked the weather on my phone, and little part of me died when I saw that Melbourne would greet us with showers and temps of around 14 or 15 degrees. Flashing lights and sirens went off in my head as I threw myself towards Target and straight to their Winter accessories. The Gods were smiling down on me as Target currently has a 40% off scarves, gloves and hats, so I picked up a super soft long scarf in biscuit and a pair of fingerless gloves. Yes, I am a sucker for fingerless gloves. 

Now that the gloves, PJs and scarf situation is sorted, I'm off to stock up on some bed socks. Yep, my secret weapon in beating the cold is to wear two pairs of socks, one of them being bed socks- in my boots. Result- super toasty toes! Seriously, there is nothing worse than not being able to feel your toes due to the chill factor.

So lovely readers, I'm off with my students for the week so I'm leaving in the hands of some wonderful guest posters for the next five days. Please show them some love! They're keeping my little space nice and warm for me until I return. See you next Saturday! 

Amazing Eye Makeup thanks to Pinterest!

I'm the kind of girl who likes pretty things. I'm in awe of makeup artists and how they use the human body as a canvas, creating amazing temporary artworks from powders, eye pencils and teeny tiny little jewels. Pinterest has opened up a whole new world of incredible eye makeup to me, and I just had to share them with you. The artsist who creates the Disney pictures is all sorts of special- it inspires me so much that I wish I could learn how to do it! 

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Now, I might be pretty handy with a brush and a box of watercolours, but I'm not that flash when it comes to makeup application and these take my breath away. I'm so inspired that it makes me want to do a makeup course for fun! 

All images can be found on my Pinterest Board.