BOOK OF THE MOMENT

If you enjoy reading a good romcom, you are going to love About a Girl by Lindsey Kelk. As an avid reader, I have gone through a lot of romcoms in my day. And to be totally honest, I am having trouble remembering one I haven’t liked – apart from maybe the latest Bridget Jones's Diary, it just isn't the same without Mr Darcy. But I absolutely loved About a Girl, to the point where my partner would stop and ask me what on Earth I was laughing about.

About a Girl is about a girl – ha! – who loses her job and the boy she thinks she loves all in the first few pages of the book. So, she pretends to be someone else, hops on a plane and lives the dream in Hawaii working as a photographer. My kind of heaven! On the way she makes a new bff, and hooks up with a guy I imagine to be most stunningly handsome. We know from the get-go that things don’t go well, but unlike most romcoms, it definitely doesn’t end how you’d expect.

Lindsey Kelk really has a way with words. Her descriptions are fantastic, she is superbly witty, and although it may not be the most realistic plot ever, she really makes you dive in head first and believe everything is actually happening. And that’s what good writing is all about!

I would definitely give this book 5 stars, and recommend it to anyone looking for something new to read. She is also currently writing the sequel to About a Girl, which is due out mid-year, and I positively cannot wait. I’ve just started her I Heart series, and am only half way through the first book – I Heart New York – but so far that is getting two big thumbs up as well.

If you read About a Girl, or have already read it, tell me what you thought of it in the comments below! 

You can buy yourself a copy here! 

Love from,

Emma Lou x   

PRETTY IN PINK

There's no denying that I'm a girlie girl. As a little girl my room was pink, and although I may not be able to have pink walls anymore, I can definitely incorporate this favourite colour of mine into my accessories. These are my favourite 'pretty in pink' pieces this week. 

1. Big Beautiful Sign, Lark  
2. Watercolour plate, Bonnie & Neil
3. Dipped Feathers in rose, Catching Cooper
4. Vintage Camera Print, My August Loves, Etsy
5. Sarah Ellison Wallpaper, Emily Ziz
6. Neon Pink Salad Serving Set, Wind & Willow Home
7. Retro Pop Handset, Moshi Moshi, Myer
8. Emma Spiral Notebook, Kate Spade

STYLE ICON

Since her days on The Hills, I’ve always had a bit of a girl crush on Lauren Conrad. Not only do I love her classic, feminine style, but I love the way she speaks her mind and rises above all the gossips and naysayers. Just like she did all those years on The Hills! Perhaps it's because I myself avoid confrontation like the plague that I really respect her. She's also a published author so that's another gold star from me! If you haven’t seen her response to being asked her favourite position during a radio interview, you should definitely watch it here (the question is towards the end). 

But anyway, as mentioned above, I love her style and her fashion line, and as a huge believer that neither butt nor boobs need to be hanging out to look attractive, its great to see someone designing genuinely pretty clothes. I'm also trying to work out whether or not her clothes can be shipped to Australia, so if anyone knows, please, do share in the comments! Here are some of my favourite outfits from her line, Paper Crown, so far. 

All above images were found via Pinterest and can be seen here! 

This outfit was included in a sneak peak of her new collection, have a look at the rest here. 

Let me know what you think in the comments below. And tell me who your style icon is! 

Love from, 

Emma Lou

WHAT I LEARNT THIS WEEK

A couple of years ago, I became incredibly interested in a little thing called photography. And ever since completing a course on it, I've been wanting to learnt the in's and out's of photoshop as well. As much as I believe photos should be taken well in the first place, there are a lot of handy elements that really are a photographer's best friend. 

I recently discovered the Sydney Community College based in Rozelle. They have a fantastic number of courses available, and I've just completed their three day intensive course in Photoshop. Although I  know I still have a lot to learn, the course was an amazing introduction into the world of Photoshop. It was specifically written for photographers, and written and taught by photographer Maylei Hunt. I was amazed at what I was able to learn in three days, and highly recommend this course to anyone who is interested in learning more about photoshop.

Here are a couple of images I worked on during the course. 

A cute little Meerkat I met at London Zoo during my time overseas last year. 

This photo of an abandoned house looked ok, but a few touches here and there have really brought out the best in the picture - and given it the slightly creeping feeling I was hoping for. 

Let me know what you think below! 

Love from, 

Emma Lou x 

STORAGE STUFF

I’m going to be moving in a few weeks, and I’ll be going from a whole house to a just a room. (Argh! If only I could write a letter and warn my two-years-ago self of the problems I’d be having now!) Anyone who knows me knows just how much stuff I have, so I’ve spent the last few weeks, nay months, trying to find the perfect pieces for my room. Although it will be a decent sized room, I won’t have a huge amount of space so I'm trying to find a balance between pieces that pull their weight, and pieces that look great. So, these are the pieces that have made the cut so far. You may notice there are a lot of neutrals - I’m a big fan of keeping the basics plain and bringing colour in with accessories.

1. As much as I hate washing, every room needs a laundry hamper! This one is from Freedom, and is my top choice so far. 

2. I'm a big fan of this lamp from IKEA. It's simple and neat, as well as a little industrial. 

3. I'll be putting some floating shelves above my desk and wherever else I can fit them. This one is from Zanui. 

4. I recently discovered a furniture shop called 1825 interiors, and fell in love! This bookcase is a definite must have. 

5. Finding the perfect desk chair has been the hardest part so far. I want something that's going to be comfy and practical, but I want it to be stylish too! At the moment, this chair from Matt Blatt is my top pick.  

6. My wardrobe needs a couple of chest of drawers, so I'll be investing in a couple of these IKEA chests. 

7. I love this desk from IKEA. It has a section for me to hide away any little bits and pieces, and leaves plenty above to put up some shelves. 

8. These IKEA boxes are perfect for storing papers, knick knacks, dvds and anything else laying around.  

THE MONTH OF LOVE

I was lucky enough to get a little loved up and experience a little of Darling Harbour's 'month of love' this past weekend. The night began with a delicious meal at Blackbird Cafe, and although I was melting from the heat, the yummy cocktails more than made up for it. We had a beautiful view from the balcony, and had a great time watching people row on the harbour. The row boats were being hired out as part of the month of love, and it sure looked like fun! I wouldn't mind going back before the month is up and having a go myself. Once night fell the boats lit up, and it made for a pretty spectacular view.

After dinner we set off in search of a good vantage point for the fireworks. They start at 9, but I definitely recommend getting there by 8.30 if you want to get a good seat. The fireworks were fantastic, even better than the usual Saturday night show. There were plenty of love heart shaped fireworks amongst them, which was pretty cool! And gentlemen out there, if you're feeling romantic you can even organise your own personalised display - hint hint! 

To find out what's on at Darling Harbour during February, click here! 

Love from,

Emma Lou x