Avenue M: About Me

About Me!
I'm Maria, a sixteen year old vintage lover living in Queensland, Australia! I love drinking tea, taking pictures, op-shopping, decorating my room, drawing, reading fantasy and romance novels, baking and spending time with family and friends.
Avenue M is my frequent creative outlet where you'll find posts about my personal style, the adventures I get up to, my vintage finds, DIY projects and photography. Best enjoyed with a hot tea, chai latte or cocoa in one hand, and the latest issue of Frankie in the other! ♥

FAQ {Frequently Asked Questions}

What camera do you use?

Up until late December 2012, I was using a Panasonic point-and-shoot that truly wasn't working for me. I had to branch out and use an SLR like my life depended on it! Then finally I had saved up enough money to get the camera I had been wanting for a copious amount of time -- the Canon EOS Rebel T3/ 1100d. All photos from January 1st, 2013 have been taken with said camera unless otherwise stated. I highly recommend it!

What is your dream job?

Being a professional blogger would be a w e s o m e . Could you even imagine how much fun it would be to attend fashion events all over the world, write and take pictures as a full time job?! AND get paid for it?! In the mean time, I am hoping to study a Bachelor of Creative and Professional Writing at the Queensland University of Technology. I'm really excited about it!

How do you edit your photos?

I use Adobe Photoshop CS5 and adore it! It's incredible and makes a world of difference. I usually just use Julia Trotti's free curves then fade them slightly until I have the desired effect.

Who takes your outfit pictures?

Believe it or not, but my nine year old sister takes them! She's a bit of a pro and caught onto the camera personality very quickly!

How can you afford your clothing/ room decor etc? I am 100% self sufficient! All of the money for clothing and room decor that you see in blog posts I have worked hard for. I currently work at a restaurant in my local town about 2-4 days a week. I love the independence and don't know what I would do with out the freedom of having money! When I shop I always try and look for the best deals and compare prices.

What is your favourite makeup item?

My Revlon Colorstay foundation is an absolute must-have! I don't know how on earth I would function without it!

Where do you buy most of your clothes from?

I buy the majority of my clothing from Asos, Target, Ally, Portmans and thrift stores. Op shops are my favourite out of all of those though because you never know what you're going to find!

Do you have a favourite book?

I love anything written by Nicholas Sparks (despite the crying fits that usually ensue after finishing a book), The Help and the Harry Potter series. I also love the works of Beverly Lewis, Lemony Snicket, Gail Carson Levine and Enid Blyton.

What is your instagram account?

I'm obsessed with Instagram! My username is @avenuemaria if you'd like to follow along :)