Monday, March 8, 2010

I heart the Oscars

Because I LOVE the Oscars and they are an annual ritual I look forward to them for the first few months of each and every year, this post is solely and utterly dedicated to them, no P&P correlation in sight (unless I play up the 'princess' angle of the female actors, no, it doesn't work). Of course, like all good award shows it starts with the red carpet and bottle of bubbly.

So my highlights and low lights...the out and out winner (and this is before she went on to be the actual out and out winner!) on the carpet was Sandra Bullock BY A COUNTRY MILE. No one came close, in my humble opinion. The dress was fabulous, she looked super sleek (even on my wide screen TV that stretched out a few of the other ladies eek) and definitely got the metallic is the look of the season memo. But what I loved the most was her hair and make-up. B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L, classic, Hollywood glamour at it's finest. And then her accessories, IE the earrings and purse were perfect in their understatement! Love, love, loved it.

Image from oscar.go.com

Getty Images

I thought Meryl Streep looked lovely for a woman of a certain age (am I allowed to say that?). What I mean is, I thought she looked radiant and classy, with no mutton in sight. I love Meryl, and while I wanted the little gold man for Sandra, if anyone was to beat Sandy B, I wanted it to be Ms. Streep.

Image from oscar.go.com

Now I am an unashamed, shout-it-from-the-mountain-tops SJP fan. I am die-hard. I launch to her defence if it even looks like someone might be thinking about sticking a knife in. I wanted to love her outfit, I really did and maybe on paper it works. Vintage Chanel, what's not to love? But the most I could muster, was I quite like it. There were parts of the outfit that I did love, like the be-jewelled neckline and her hairstyle (apart from wanting to take a brush to the fly-aways around her forehead). Maybe it's just that the dress is a little too shapeless or maybe that's the beauty of it and only someone like SJP could carry it off?! Who I am to judge, am sure Karl Lagerfeld knew what he was doing...

Image from oscar.go.com

Image from oscar.go.com

I also think Demi sans Ashton should get an honorable mention for her dress. I thought she looked lovely. I love the colour and the the frills! This picture definitley doesn't convey the gasp heard in the room of girlfriends when we were watching it this morning, we thought she looked fabulously age-defying!

Image from oscar.go.com

So the low-lights, I have three that I'd like to mention...Jenny from the block what were you thinking? The fabric was tragic, like some sort of lining/plastic/foam/bubble wrap concoction, which of course it wasn't, but just terrible!

Image from oscar.go.com

Then Diane Kruger, almost unrecognisable in this frothy disaster. Does anyone remember how chic she looked at the SAG awards. Crying shame.

Image from oscar.go.com

And last and least...the beautiful Charlize Theron in a dress that looks like it was thrown together by a well meaning aunt for the Year 12 formal (who ran out of rouging material on the bodice so decided to just make two circles). Classy with a capital 'K. We've come to expect such big things from Charlize on the red carpet, maybe that makes it easier to disappoint.

Image from oscar.go.com

And therein lies my very uneducated critique of the beautiful people...back to reality.


Friday, February 26, 2010

Sarah Jane Studios


Just before Christmas we were so excited to receive our first set of prints from Sarah Jane. They are one of the topics I've been wanting to blog about for awhile as I think they are so special and remind me of illustrations I recall from my own childhood. They're simple and sweet yet beautifully detailed and coloured. They are printed with archival pigment ink on heavy weight Hahnemuhle Museum etching paper that is 350gsm, natural white, 100% rag and acid free. I especially love the tea party prints, in fact my current mailing cards are also printed with one of the tea party themes. I sent one to a friend not so long ago and she's framing it to hang on the wall in her daughter's bedroom.

As it is always so much easier finding lovely things for girls rooms, and I dare I admit it - more fun eek - we're really striving to expand our range for the little fellas this year. In light of that, have to say I'm really liking SJ's new dinosaur print. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not crazy about pterodactyls strung from the ceiling or snarling jurassic-parkesque creatures scattered all over the floor but I do think I'd be very happy to put this print up on the wall and feel very much like I was participating in the theme...


Monday, February 22, 2010

This one is just right

My old wooden office chair literally gave way beneath me today...oh dear, what is it trying to tell me? Of course it is very, VERY old and so I'd like to think that the extra kgs I'm trying to drop didn't have too much to do with it (please no!)...so I'm on the hunt for another. Of course I'd love something like one of these wonderful presidents chairs...

...a replica of JFK's Oval Office chair from the History Company

...or Jimmy Carter's, also from the History Company


I love this McConnel Office Chair from www.housecharm.co.uk

Or if I could get my hands on this secondhand one from Hoppers Used Chairs it would be perfect. Sadly, I'd have to be a Los Angeles local or be willing to handover some serious shipping dosh. Because I'm neither, I think it will be a trip to Ikea to grab one of the following:

The Snille may be a bit too flamboyant for my particular office?
The shape of the Skruvsta looks cosy but while I like the print of the fabric, I'm not crazy about it. But then, do you have to be crazy about an office chair that won't be around forever?
So chances are, I'll settle for something boring but comfortable like the Moses...


Sunday, February 21, 2010

As time flies by...

As I sit at my desk looking at an unfinished note to someone that says "Even though it's already August I feel like I'm just starting to catch my breath...", I am completely overwhelmed by the notion that was August LAST YEAR when I wrote that and here we are in February 2010, and, may I say, in the latter half of Feb! Am horrified at how long it's been since I blogged (November 1, 2009) and it's taking a bit to get my mojo back!

In a nutshell, had a lovely and very relaxing Christmas, celebrated twice for good measure. Once, this side of the border with my family, and once south of the border with his family. Slowly got myself back into the swing of the shop this January and now right back in the thick of it...P&P has had the great fortune to be featured in some fabulous magazines over the last little while so I thought a breezy way to get back into blogging would be to show them off...

First of all, our red tiger moth is the February 2010 issue of House & Garden...




And then just last week a couple of other products were featured in the Autumn/Winter 2010 issue of Shop 4 Kids:


Our fabulous pencil rolls (red riding hood style pictured) which are a great present and also available in prints that boys will love.


...and our vintage door stops (#5 above) and coco mirror (#8 above).

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Ode to Pottery Barn

For some reason today I'm particularly bitter that we don't have Pottery Barn Kids here in Australia! If we did, (or let's face it, even if they shipped to Oz I'd happily pay the price) here are a few of the things I would get...sigh

Monday, October 19, 2009

Come fly with me

Now funky is not usually a word I like to describe our bits & bobs but have decided that there is just no other way to describe these, well, funky new backpacks we've just got in from Zid Zid kids. I love them! Made with silver vinyl and trimmed with colourful embroidery, I think it's just the thing for your little aviator's toys, snacks and books.




Sunday, October 11, 2009

Gums that aren't glum



Well it seems my darling niece (I do realise I'm wearing rose coloured glasses, but really, isn't she just the SWEETEST thing!) is already teething. Poor gal. The good news is we've been able to try out first-hand our cute Sophie le girafe on her gums and let me say she loves it! Sophie, is hand-made in France in exactly the same way as when she was first produced in 1961. Not only is she lovely to look at and squeak she provides genuine relief for infants during teething. She is unbreakable and the only teething toy in the world made from 100% rubber and decorated with food paints. I just love her retro colours and lines, a real child of the Sixties...



And it seems my niece is in good company...

...Isla Fisher's daughter loves Sophie,


Naomi Watts' son loves Sophie,

and Nicole Ritchie's daughter loves Sophie...

Monday, September 21, 2009

Wondertime is wonderful



Last week I bought my first issue of
Wondertime and I have to confess it was for narcissistic reasons - products from P&P featured on a number of pages. HOWEVER, as I hungrily flicked through the magazine looking for our products (yes, we're still new enough for editorial coverage to be a major deal, and to be honest, can't see the thrill wearing off!) I was hit with what a great magazine I was leafing through. Not only are the articles insightful in their handling of a diverse range of subjects including the change in friendships when you have kids, nurturing kindness in children and the community of mums who blog, the magazine itself has a nice physical feel to it...but I digress, here is a look at all the fabulous P&P items in the mag...




The little girl on the far right is wearing our cute camellia pants and daisy hair clips.


#2 is one of our fabulous Rosie Flo colouring books
#11 are our gorgeous Beatrix Potter masks

Think the masks look so cute in this scenario, great for a themed garden party...

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Spring Clean


There is nothing quite like the feeling of a spring clean! Here at The Princess & The Pea we have been madly sorting through our collection and have decided to say a fond farewell to more than 60 different products as we streamline our cyber-shelves and make space for some fabulous new goodies. We have reduced their prices considerably, making it an absolutely fantastic time to grab them as they disappear for good. Pop over to our spring sale page and have a look. Here are just a few of the lovelies we are saying au revoir to:


now $12.00

now $30.00

now $8.00


now $23.00 each