BLAAARGGGGHHH.

My family is nothing if not a caring and sharing bunch of people, and the cold my brother so thoughtfully gave to me for my birthday is just the gift that keeps on giving. After karaoke on Saturday night, playing my old high school's speech night on Monday night and playing with the Sisters of Sass on Tuesday night, I pretty much crashed and burned at work on Wednesday, so it was off to the doctors for antibiotics and a blood test (why? I have no idea, but I've had 20 or so by now so one more hardly matters) and I've basically been grounded ever since. I'm admittedly starting to feel better with all this forced rest, and my voice is slowly coming back, although it is terribly frustrating not being able to shout upstairs or indeed hold a decent conversation. Unsurprisingly, I've kind of been living in pyjamas for the last few days, but do have a video for you to enjoy in the meantime, from Tuesday's performance.



- Robyn

PS I have just found out that the lovely Connie, who started the Sisters of Sass, has just started a new blog, The Life of a Lonely Jazz Singer. Connie is definitely one stylin' lady so I highly recommend you check out her blog.

Karaoke one, my voice nil.

Despite the cold which I am finally battling, I somehow made it to Brendan's and my birthday drinks/karaoke on Saturday night, buoyed by the miracle that is 12 hour Sudafed. While this meant that I could not take any great advantage of Charlton's wondrously cheap happy hour, it also meant that I was well enough to belt out a couple of karaoke numbers. I have a feeling though that belting out Loveshack was my vocal undoing, as two days later I'm still struggling to sound like a normal human being, and have in the meantime developed rather a nasty cough. It was worth it though.



Top - my sister's wardrobe; skirt - American Apparel; shoes - Rubi; bag - Roxy; necklace - birthday gift from Brendan.

Saturday was the debut of my fantastic fluoro yellow skirt, and I'm now glad I went with the bright yellow instead of the mid blue I was going to get instead. The necklace is actually a piece of circuit board, and has gotten comments from customers at work and strangers on the train. For all Brendan's faults (of which there are few), he has amazing taste in jewellery. It's also his birthday today, but I don't get to see him because I'm playing at my old high school's presentation night tonight.

- Robyn

Comic Relief

So, at the moment I'm going for a new job, a customer service position for a Government agency. As of half an hour ago I found out I'd gotten to the next stage of interviews (yay!), having not sucked in the group interview yesterday. Where I had a cold, and had to borrow a suit. Namely, my mum's. Funnily enough, as a waitress/mediocre musician I own not a skerrick of corporate wear. Now, my mum is a pretty stylin' woman (I believe the term is 'uncommonly fetching mama') as the photo below shall prove:



And she looks awesome in her suit. I, on the other hand, looked like I was playing dress ups:



I think I have to get used to this corporate clothing business (oh, and buy stuff what actually fits if I get the job).

- Robyn

PS Cepacol throat lozenges are the weirdest things ever. They're anaesthetic to make your throat go numb but they also do it to your mouth, which is the strangest feeling.
PPS Not to sound like a revhead, but HOW COOL was Top Gear Australia on Monday night! Driving hands and feet free around that Holden test track was rather awesome, as was lawn bowls with Astras.

So you think you can sew?

Well, actually, I really can't sew very well. A few buttons here and there is the extent of my seamstress skills, but I'm determined that this year is the year that I learn how to sew. I've got a couple of dress patterns yearning to be made up, but have started for my first project with the old converting jeans into a skirt trick. These comfy and trusty old Levis saw me through most of high school, but years of wear and tear and badly frayed inner leg seams saw them retired a while ago. Now I'm hoping I can breathe new life into them, with my wonky handstitching (our sewing machine is broken) and a bit of a crooked hem (I just realised that after taking the photo. oh well).



It's taking me quite a while what with hand stitching as slow as I do, but I'm hoping to have it done by the end of the week(!).

- Robyn

PS Thankyou for all the birthday wishes everyone! Unfortunately my brother's birthday present to me was his cold, so I have been spending the day napping, watching TV and sewing. Quiet dinner tonight and Top Gear Australia - woot!

I'm baa-aack!

Hi guys, glad to be back and hope everyone's been well. This is part of the reason why I haven't posted in a couple of weeks:



My mum went rather unexpectedly to hospital a couple of weeks ago having suffered a minor heart attack (she's completely fine now and was only in for a couple of days). It's not every day you get to ride in a turbocharged Mercedes Benz, but next time I would like to be in a sports car rather than the front seat of an ambulance with my mum being poorly in the back. Unsurprisingly, I haven't really thought much about clothes the past couple of weeks (apart from when everyone in my household started clamouring for clean underwear and I spent an evening doing neglected laundry).

Anyway, before all the drama in my house, it was my dad's birthday and my first attempt at orange and poppyseed cake. As with all of my cooking adventures it would not be complete without a very cute apron my grandmother gave to me a few years ago:





That was two weeks ago...it really has been a long time! Today was really the first day I wore something other than the least smelly jeans and t-shirt from the piles of clothing on my floor (my aunty and uncle came to look after my mum from Singapore, which meant my sister was on a mattress on my floor and I couldn't open any cupboards).


Singlet - Cotton On; Skirt - from an old dress; Cardigan - Jay Jays; Shoes - Rubi; glasses - Dotti.

I've also had a haircut but it's hard to see there. It's also hard to style. I'm not sure I like it but oh well.

Kat trying to disguise her poorly cut work trousers with some leaping about:


It's my birthday tomorrow, and I'm taking next Saturday night off work to go out. I've got an AWESOME fluoro yellow denim skirt from American Apparel (so freaking expensive, but I do love it) which will be making its debut then, but hopefully I'll be back to wearing interesting outfits before then...so long as no more members of my family are carted off in ambulances that is...take care!

- Robyn

Hiatus

Hey guys,

Just letting you all know that I won't be able to blog this week, but will be back next week with some new posts. Take care til then.

- Robyn

Two Kinds of Right

Woohoo! My internet connection is finally working again (I think) so hello and sorry for not updating or reading many blogs this week, I'm back with a vengeance now! Just a quick one with Sunday's and today's outfits.

Sunday we went to St Kilda (again) to meet up with some friends visiting from Auckland. Ate at Big Mouth, great food and slow service because of a busy day but they shouted us coffees so we didn't mind. Their BLT is ah-sum, as was Brendan's pumpkin and coconut soup, which I ended up finishing (I was kinda hungry). We tried a walk on the beach but it was terribly windy.


Dress - some surf shop; Jacket - Op Shop; Boots - Nine West

Today mum and I finally went to see the Art Deco exhibition at the NGV before it closes on Sunday. There were some beautiful pieces of art, furniture, cars and clothing - my favourite was a cream beaded dress which had a very clever effect to make the fabric look like it was folded in pleats. The weather started out nice but it's all grey and rainy now so I changed about four times before leaving the house.


Skirt - my sister's; Shirt - Jay Jays; Cardigan - Target; Shoes - Rubi.

Also, I've been meaning to post this but haven't been able to because of my dodgy connection, but the fabulous Laura from Jezzabelle's Women's Clothing Store has created a special discount coupon for all you bloggy blog readers. Use the code 'Chainstorewhore' to get a 10% discount - this also applies to sale items. There is some great stuff in the store and I am particularly loving this minidress from VOOM by Joy Han:

Cute, right? If I had the money to go to the races this year I'd wear that with ballet flats and gloves and a little headpiece. If only.

- Robyn

PS Two Kinds of Right is a Grates song - I'm seeing them next Friday! Yay! Anyone else going to that gig?