Seven Days of Koko

White Rabbit

Wilder Women

Wilder & Tamer

WILDER

~ Giggling at poop & fart stories, because juvenile is the new black. Also, this fart story had me crying the happy tears.

~ Lots & lots of lovely live music at Evil Genius for NZ Music Month. I love how the locals have embraced Fish & Chip Fridays & made 6pm on a Friday night in Berhampore one of the hottest new events in town.

~ Coffee (aka Mother's Little Helper).

~ Putting together a life list & dreaming big.

TAMER

~ Budget 2012. This says it all, really:

A Wilder Shade of Nail

OPI Bubble Bath

Another one that was hard to photograph This is a sheer, very pale pink I'm not that impressed with it to be honest ~ two coats with base & top coat & it is still streaky. I'm not into polishes that require more than two coats.

Nevertheless, this should be worn ~ of course ~ while taking a bubble bath. Preferably in a pink tub, & bonus points if there are flamingoes on the wall.

While in the tub you will talk to your best friend on a phone that looks like this...

...conversation will revolve mostly around your respective crushes, but will also include some career advice.

Wilder Wardrobe

The 25 Scarves edition

#5 ~ The Turtleneck

Headband ~ From a chemist (Ooh, fancy!)

Scarf ~ Gift

Earrings ~ Gift

Spencer & T-Shirt ~ The Warehouse

Bracelet ~ Wild Pair

Ring ~ Meadowlark

Skirt ~ Marks & Spencer (Op-shopped)

Boots ~ Number 1 Shoe Warehouse

Leg warmers ~ Hand-me-down

When my Mama saw these she said "Are those leg warmers? I haven't seen those in years. Where did you drag those out of?" And I thought to myself "Where did I drag run these out of, more like it."

No Apologies

As a self-professed literary geek I belong to a book club. This book club is full of incredible, smart Wilder Women ~ Lawyers, Doctors & Diplomats. I love being a part of this group of intelligent women because they challenge me intellectually. However along with these jobs come pay packets much larger than my own. It is easy to compare myself to them & feel inadequate. Which is ridiculous.

So I gave myself a challenge before hosting my book club last weekend ~ I decided I wasn't going to apologise for anything. I wasn't going to apologise for my small home. It's big enough for Apa, Kowhai & I, it's warm & dry, & it's all we can afford right now. I wasn't going to apologise for it being messy. I reminded myself of this as I vacuumed & tidied & cleaned the toilet. I wasn't going to apologise for not offering much in the way of food. I reminded myself of this as I baked chocolate chip cookies, peeled carrots & washed celery to cut into sticks, & roasted pumpkin seeds.

Isn't it ridiculous that I felt I needed to apologise for my life? My life that I'm actually pretty happy in. I love staying home with Kowhai every day, & I'm perfectly happy to do it knowing it means we have to make do with one income. The fact that my house is small means that is is easy to clean & to heat.

My first guest arrived & proclaimed "This place isn't that small". It was my first time hosting at this flat as I always felt it was too small for book club. Everyone who came brought food, so we had more than enough to eat. There were great conversations & laughs.

And I almost succeeded in making it through the afternoon without apologising for anything. As a friend was leaving she came into my bedroom to borrow a book & an "Excuse the mess" escaped my lips before I could stop it. This unfortunately broke the dam & I gave her a sort of tour of the things I don't like about the flat ~ things she probably would never have noticed had I not pointed them out.

So it's back to square one. I am going to go on with this challenge & try not to apologise for things that are out of my control.

Wilder Woman of the Week ~ Ladi6

Seven Days of Koko

Pink Poppet

Wilder Women

Here are some wicked tunes for a Wilder weekend:

Azealia Banks featuring Lazy Jay ~ 212

Erykah Badu ~ Honey

Cyndi Lauper ~ She Bop

Enjoy!

Stay Wilder,

GemXXXXXX

Wilder & Tamer

WILDER

Fish & Chip Fridays at Evil Genius for New Zealand Music Month. Last week I saw lovely alt country folk band Eb & Sparrow, this week there's a magic show followed by Maz from Roy G & the Bivinators, then Ginger Brown. Awesome!

~ City Gallery's Obstinate Object exhibition.

~ Having at least one room in my house that is clean & tidy.

~ Fresh baked choc chip cookies.

TAMER

The freezing cold weather that is setting in in Wellington. Yucky!

Wilder Wardrobe

The 25 Scarves edition

#4 ~ The Double Rainbow

Gold Scarf ~ Gift

Maroon Scarf ~ Hand-me-down

T-Shirt ~ The Warehouse

Cardigan ~ Hand-me-down

Skirt - Made by my Mama

Boots ~ Number 1 Shoe Warehouse

A Wilder Shade of Nail

Revlon Lavendar Light

This was incredibly hard to photograph as it is a sheer iridescent polish.

This should be worn on a movie style shopping trip. You know the kind ~ where you end up with arms full of bags of fantastic new purchases, only stopping for a champagne lunch in a swanky restaurant.



Wilder Wardrobe

The 25 Scarves edition

#3 ~ The Bunny Ear

It's really hard to try & take photos when the baby is fussing. This was the best I could do.

Scarf ~ Knitted by me

Coat ~ The Carpenter's Daughter

Bag ~ Monsoon (Hand-me-down)

Earrings ~ Artikel

I wore this to the Fair Trade Day celebrations at Trade Aid, where I picked up the gold heart sticker that you can see here. Then to see Mara Simpson play an instore at Evil Genius.

Here's what was under the coat:

Cardigan ~ Gift

Necklace ~ Equip

Bodysuit ~ The Warehouse

Belt ~ Monsoon (Hand-me-down)

Skirt ~ Hand-me-down

Boots ~ Number 1 Shoe Warehouse

Wilder Woman of the Week ~ My Mother

It occurred to me that my Mother's Day Wish List was all about what I wanted, & not what I wanted for my Mama. Selfish much? So this Wilder Woman of the Week is my Mama, Nancy.

Proud Granny meeting Kowhai

Here's my wish list for my Mama:

A beautiful bunch of flowers

Some pretty hankies

And finally, because I inherited my passion for dance from my Mama, I would have taken her to see First Position.

I love you Mama Crass!

Stay Wilder,

GemXXXXXX

Wilder Wardrobe

Wherein I work my way through 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf.

Here's #2 ~ The Classic Drape

This scarf was a gift from my sister, & I wore it with a black coat, black T-Shirt & sweatshirt, black jeans & black boots. I wore this to a lunch date with a friend & then to see Eb & Sparrow at Fish & Chip Fridays at Evil Genius.

Wilder Wish List

It's Mothers' Day tomorrow ~ my first as a Mama. Here's my dream wish list for the day:

The Alfred Knit Tee by Salasai

A bouquet of pretty flowers

OPI RapiDry Top Coat

Sea Fever: From First Date to First Mate by Angela Meyer

Brunch & thickshakes at Maranui

A bottle of Elie Saab perfume

Wilder & Tamer

WILDER

~ Delicious food: Melting Moments, homemade roasted pumpkin seeds with the husk on, Whittaker's chocolate in Peanut Butter or Hokey Pokey, homemade pumpkin soup with peanut butter, red curry & coriander, CHEESE!!!
~ Sweet baby grins & giggles.
~ Planning a retreat with girlfriends.
~ Lunch dates with old friends.
~ Family days.

TAMER

~ The state of national & international politics at the moment. Fracking, Asset Sales, Colin Craig, John Key, the fact that gay marriage is still not legal...it all makes me want to bury my head in the sand some days.

A Wilder Shade of Nail

Revlon Street Wear in Goldmine

This is one of my all time favourite polishes. It's not gold, it's not blue, it's not purple ~ it's Goldmine.

This polish should be worn to a disco, with a skin tight shiny black jumpsuit & a giant black afro sprinkled with gold glitter.

Wilder Wardrobe ~ 25 Scarves

Have you seen this video clip '25 Ways to Wear a Scarf'?

I decided for Wilder Wardrobe I am going to work my way through each method. So, without further ado, here is #1, The Modern One Loop:

Scarf ~ Trade Aid (Gift)

Earrings ~ Gift

Cardigan ~ Country Road

T-Shirt ~ The Warehouse

Skirt ~ Hand-me-down

Boots ~ Number 1 Shoe Warehouse

Ten Things I've Learned Since Becoming A Mama

1 ~ Babies are hard work. Really, really hard work. Even my sweet, calm, easy going baby is Really Really Hard Work.

2 ~ Mothers do not get a day off. Hell, I'm happy to get five minutes off to wash the dishes or go to the toilet on my own.

3 ~ Small victories are to be celebrated. If I manage to not only have a shower, but WASH MY HAIR (!!!) I want to announce it to the world like I've found the cure for cancer.

4 ~ Don't sweat the small stuff, like the fact that my house is an utter pigsty & will likely never be clean again. Instead, you sweat the tiny, miniscule, far-fetched stuff. Like: Is the baby breathing? Has she pooed today? What if those crazy people are right & my baby gets autism from her immunisations? What if she's too beautiful & people compliment her all the time for being pretty & she grows up shallow & vapid & vain? (Yes, this is an actual concern of mine. Yes, I am ridiculous.)

5 ~ Babies provide hours of entertainment. Which is just as well because I won't be making it to the movies any time soon.

6 ~ People LOVE little babies. The Supermarket cashiers love little babies. The Intermediate boys at the bus stop love little babies. The elderly Italian man at the Island Bay Festival loves little babies. And people want to give babies presents. I have received so many presents for Kowhai, from so many people, including my next door neighbour's mother who I have never even met.

7 ~ Some people are scared of babies. They are tiny & helpless & vulnerable & OH MY GOD WHAT IF I BREAK IT?!?!

8 ~ You can survive on very little sleep. However, some days surviving means staying home in your pyjamas, ordering in Pizza & watching Gilmore Girls all day long.

9 ~ When people offer to helo you out with your new baby they really, genuinely mean it.

10 ~ NOTHING WILL EVER BE THE SAME AGAIN! (Especially my stomach.)

Some days motherhood looks like this

Some days it looks more like this

Wilder Woman of the Week ~ PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey likes to wear feathers in her hair. So do I.

PJ Harvey is the only artist to have won the Mercury Prize twice, for Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea & Let England Shake.

 In 2002, Q magazine named Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea the "Greatest Album of All-Time by a Female Artist."

'Good Fortune' is surely one of the best songs to sing along to at volume in your car.

PJ Harvey had a relationship with Nick Cave, & he wrote 'Into My Arms' about her.