shabby apple giveaway + winner of *bespoke* (CLOSED)

(Open to readers with a USA address only, really sorry international readers!)

Hello ladies! I have another giveaway to share with you! Shabby Apple has kindly offered to all of my US readers the opportunity to win a $50 gift voucher to their store! How snazzy is that? 

All you have to do is: 

Like Shabby Apple on Facebook

Leave a comment letting me know your favourite item from the Shabby Apple store

Bonus Entries

Like Avenue M on Facebook

Follow this blog with GFC or bloglovin

(Leave a separate comment for every entry. You can have up to four!)

The winner will be determined using the random number generator. The giveaway is open until the 10th of June, and I'll announce the winner on the 11th! 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

And, finally, the winner of the *bespoke* zine giveaway is comment number fifteen....

Marissa from Green Grass and Black Clouds

Congratulations, I'll be in touch!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered!

vintage house hunting

(Valleygirl blush blouse, Target skirt & wedges, Forever New belt, boutique bag and Sportsgirl hat)

This weekend was highly productive; I got lots of pesky homework completed, made some delicious fudge and had so much fun vintage house hunting with my family. We briskly walked along the pathways around the local town with a highly enthusiastic real estate agent until we came to a quaint, vintage cottage concealed behind rose bushes and a white picket fence. Naturally, I completely fell in love with this charming establishment even though some of the windows had been plastered over and it looked at least one hundred years old.

He unlocked the wooden door and we filed in, eager to see if it was a keeper or not. As well as been really dark and spooky, I felt like I was disturbing a ghost or other sort of celestial presence. The temperature of the house sent shivers down my spine, but more so when I opened up a bedroom cupboard (that smelled strongly of old lady perfume) and a strong gust of wind blew through, making the grey curtains dance and sway. Being the absolute wimp that I am, I squealed and ran out the door to find my sister.

Of all the cottages we ventured through, this one was my favourite. It seemed so... dreamlike and spooky. It had the eeriest rose garden, dark side ally-way along the house, uninhabited rooms and attic. It really did feel as if a ghost was living inside it and we had intruded on its home. Perfect for novel ideas!
Anyway, enough of my mindless ramblings. Onto the outfit! These shoes have become quite a favourite for going out lately. The cork platform is so comfortable now that my feet have moulded to it and I feel quite tall in them; bonus! This outfit was perfect for vintage house hunting ♥

I hope your week is really amazing! 

red & white romance

(Asos dress, Sportsgirl hat, boutique earrings, and Target wedges)

An outfit post was so overdue; I'm really sorry! This is probably one of the last times I'll be able to wear this dress by itself now that the colder weather is officially upon us! It's one of my favourite clothing items lately because a) it was on sale for $25 and b) it's so comfortable and pretty. I paired it with my favourite bambi earrings from a cute boutique where I live and a new sun hat from Sportsgirl and I was ready to go!

♥ Oh, and there's only four days left to enter my *bespoke* giveaway! ♥

the simple things that make life grand, part 2

Yet another beautiful creation by Caitlin Shearer. I really hope she starts up a boutique frock shop... my wardrobe dreams would most definitely come true. You can order one here: http://caitlinquiet.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/dresses.html

Carrie's newly launched magazine, WISH, is available for pre-order now! I'm currently jumping for joy and counting my pennies. It looks like a beautiful read. To flick through a copy, you can buy one here: http://wishmagazine.bigcartel.com/product/wish-magazine

One of my favourite things to do lately (I've been limited to books and my laptop in bed the past few days, being sick isn't fun!) is pinning decor ideas on my 'home' board on Pinterest. These vase flowers are my latest favourite. I don't have a window sill in my room (only a floor length window) so I'm wondering where else I could line up some colourful flower arrangements. Any suggestions? If you would like to be part of my epic Pinterest fest or any of my boards, feel free to email me: avenuemblog@gmail.com

These Nadinoo patterned blouses and dresses are so lovely, lovely, lovely. Nadinoo's A Print a day collection is a mixture of playful, quirky frocks with exquisite peter pan collar and bow details. I think there's only a few left, so you had better be quick if you want to snap one up!

Has anyone ever tried hot chocolate with lavender accents? It seems strange but this picture makes it looks very appealing and delicious... what are your thoughts? Have a sip here: http://www.alamodejournals.com/index.php/2010/03/hot-for-chocolate

A scrub that leaves lips silky smooth and taste divine... like sugar? Yes please! Weekend project coming right up. Find out how to make it here: http://honestlywtf.com/beauty/diy-sugar-lip-scrub/

Giveaway: Win a copy of *bespoke* zine!

(a sneak peak at the latest issue)

Hello everyone! A second giveaway on this blog was quite overdue and thanks to the delightful people from *bespoke*, I have a lovely giveaway for you all to enter! You can win issue #6 of *bespoke* zine; an amazing handmade quarterly creation bursting with unique DIY projects, delicious recipes and fashion spreads put together by contributors from various parts of the world. As soon as the  giveaway is finished, I'll pass on your shipping details to Jess and she'll send you the issue for free!

You can view their website here: http://www.bespokezine.com

To enter: 

Just leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Bonus entries: 

Like *bespoke* on Facebook

Like Avenue M on Facebook

(leave a separate comment for each entry)

The winner will be determined by the random number generator. The giveaway is open internationally and closes on the 30th of May (open for two weeks) and I'll announce the winner on the 31st. 

french food, diy stationery and fabulous fiction

Making my own stationery is my newest hobby. These envelopes were created using vintage wrapping paper I snapped up from an op-shop for 20c a piece!

This is the glorious selection of goodies from the French bakery I ventured to with my family last week. Those macarons were scrumptious!

What I've been reading lately... I finished The Notebook in the space of five hours (one of the most beautifully written stories I've ever read and not to mention a can't-put-it-down read). I'm halfway through The Help and it's excellent so far. The Lucky One was marvelous too. Nicholas Sparks and Kathryn Stockett are truly gifted.

This is the cute frock I received from Darlene a few weeks ago! I only just got around to taking pictures. In real life it's a lovely, rich, plum colour and complements my pale skin perfectly. Thank you, Darlene!

Today was quite chilly (the cooler weather is finally upon us Aussies) and I loved wearing my rose tights for the first time. They were so warm!

I surprised my Mum on Mother's Day with some delicious pancakes drizzled with chocolate sauce. I love her more than words could explain. ♥

This was yesterday's outfit. I love this navy ruffle blouse, it goes with just about everything in my closet and it's surprisingly cosy so it's perfect for cooler weather outfits! And, as you can tell, I'm a little obsessed with plaits... it's makes me feel like a child again!

And, I just had to say another thank you to each and everyone of you! I was so surprised and delighted at the response to my anniversary post. Thank you for all the heartwarming emails and comments; you made me feel so special. 

If you like you can follow me on instagram via @avenuemaria!

Happy 2 year blog anniversary!

On May 13th 2010 I started this little blog, Avenue M. 217 posts, 3309 comments and 500+ pictures later it is still one of my favorite hobbies and one of the best things I've decided to do. Thank you all so much for the constant support...

♥ Happy 2 year blog anniversary to Avenue M! ♥

A few of my favourite moments:

(Beware, my archives are highly embarrassing!)

Taking my first set of photos 

Visiting the Valentino Exhibition in Brisbane

My first DIY for a handmade bow

Hosting my first giveaway

Winning Teen Vogue snapshot

Getting two fabulous pen pals

Going from three blog layouts this this one!

three favourites thursday

Flower hair clips. Easy, pretty and fun. I would definitely like to create something like this flowery head piece from Free People. It would also be a lot of fun to create glitter headbands too!

Free People: Details in full bloom

Lemon souffle pancakes! I've never made a souffle before due to the constant bad luck that pairs with my usual French cooking (ehem, macarons resembling squashed whoopee pies!) but these 'pancakes' with a souffle and lemony twist look quite delectable and fool proof. My Mum better get excited; Mother's Day is going to be a feast (inspired by Pinterest) to remember! You can find out how to make these here: kokken69: Lemon Souffle Pancakes

Who thinks up these things? Storing my earrings in a macaron is basically a dream come true. Ruche: Macaron Trinket Boxes

Three days left until my 2 year blog anniversary ♥

long weekend bliss

First photos by the oh-so talented Isabella, and the last two by me 

It's a long weekend for us here in Australia! Having a break from the usual routine (even if it is just for three days)  makes a whole world of difference for me. Today was spent with Isabella and we did the usual fabulous things that chew up time and make life blissful; experimenting with pretty lipstains, paint nails in pastel colours, read the latest issue of Teen Vogue, dream up different outfits, take pictures of braids and flowers, eat muesli bars and laugh non-stop. I obviously couldn't keep my hands off of her Canon camera and began to snap everything in sight too... hehe!

Well, the fun is regretfully over for today and I am now off to snuggle up beneath my doonas, watch some Mrs Fisher's Murder Mysteries, catch up on some linear equations homework and sip some chamomile tea. Hope the rest of your weekend is beyond lovely!

P.S: A huge thank-you must go to Isabella again for doing an amazing job on the top photos... I couldn't have done it without her! 

may blogger: yesterday's sweetheart

I first discovered Emily's darling blog on the Modcloth website in a Fave Finds segment she was featured in. I instantly fell in love with her girlie style and her colourful photos. Yesterday's Sweetheart is a fresh, beautiful blog that I am sure you will all love as much as I do!

What’s the story behind the name of your blog?

The name of my blog actually comes from the name of a song from the band Sheer Terror. I listened to the band a lot at the time and that title just stuck with me! Like my blog name, most of my post titles also come from names of songs. I'm definitely a music junkie!

What inspires your style? (Any particular era, style icon, vintage etc?) 

 Honestly I don't really have a particular person, era, etc that inspires me. I've been really into pinning lately over on Pinterest and I'm always finding inspiring outfits! For the most part, I just look around the internet and local stores and find items I love. 

What shops can you always rely on to find gorgeous clothes?

As you probably notice I do most of my shopping either at ASOS.com or Forever 21. ASOS never lets me down and my wishlist is always a mile long! Forever 21 is a great fast-fashion resource for affordable and cute clothing. Lately I'm also loving on eBay for some vintage dresses I'm swooning over! 

Vintage or new?

I would have to say new... As much as I love vintage clothing, I have a hard time finding my size!  

In your spare time, you would most likely be found...

Shopping downtown or at the mall, antiquing at a couple of my favorite shops (although I'm trying to stay away so I can save some money!), or enjoying the day with my boyfriend.  

What blogs do you read for inspiration?

Oh my! So many I could name but I'll stick with a few. Fashion: Kendi Everyday Beauty: That Is All DIY: Carly Kmyta Photography & Design: Hello Vanny

Your photos are so beautiful! Do you have any tips on capturing the perfect shot?

Thank you so much! I am such an amateur when it comes to photography! I've found that having the perfect lighting (outside) is key to a great photo. What works for me is testing out lighting, positions, angles, etc and taking lots of shots so you have a lot to choose from! Don't forever detailed shots as well!

All photos courtesy of Emily