Can we just take a moment...

                     

                         

                     

... to revel in the beauty that is Karen Walker's latest eyewear collection. My favourites above are modelled by the equally beautiful 92 year old, New York artist Joyce Carpati. 

I spotted this campaign in some boutique stores here in my new hometown of Christchurch and found it head turning for all the right reasons. I am now lusting over the pair of Intergalactic frames.
With my unfortunate luck with sunglasses, I'm not sure I can justify the price without full accidental cover accompanying them.

If any of you are better at treasuring these things dearly, what are you waiting for, shop here.

Risks of taking YASMIN contraceptive pill

  I really enjoy my time in coffee shops when it's just me, my latte and a new monthly magazine that I have the time to read. It's not often I get a chance to just stop everything I have going on and take the time to really enjoy all the articles.

It was on a sunny morning recently at Coffee Culture in Sumner that I made myself comfy with Australia's latest issue of Marie Claire and boy was I shocked at what I read.

The article was on the contraceptive pill Yasmin (or yaz) and it detailed a women's story of how she fell blind after having a stroke, relating to the pill. A sudden rush of emotion came over me, I had been on the same pill for nearly three years and never knew the increased risk of:

• Blood clots - resulting in Strokes, Brain Injury, Heart Attacks, Lung Collapse
• Increased risk of Anxiety and Panic Attacks (worryingly - I had been prone to high anxiety over the past couple of years and thought it was due to stress)
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Chronic Fatigue
• Extreme Bloating
• Muscle Weakness
• Low Libido
• Blurry Vision
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Depression and Mood Swings

This list could go on and on and sadly this lady's tragic tale of going blind isn't the only case of Yasmin  ruining women's lives. I thought it urgent to share this with others as I was completely unaware of these side effects being so extreme and the manufacturing company are somehow getting away with still producing this pill in its thousands even thou more and more women are coming forward with horror stories.

It's not rare for this pill to be destroying women's lives. Marie Claire found one in three could be seriously affected by Yasmin and it's going undetected by GP's. This blog is dedicated to women's experiences on the Yasmin pill, please educate yourselves and others and be safe!

You are the poem

Inspired by Oprah and her delightful magazine O. Here is a rather interesting take on poetry:

"For in this moment, you are the poem. After years of looking, I can only say that searching for small things worn by the deep is the art of poetry. But listening to what they say is the poem."

                       

Single speed obsessed

My beau has always been a keen bike rider, then during his two year stint as an overnight manager he bought himself a sexy (his words, not mine) single speed bike from good ol' Evan Cycle. He's really missed riding since we've been travelling and points out a good bike whenever he sees one on the street or on the roads.

I've now got into the same habit. When in LA we saw loads of customised bikes; colourful stand out front wheels, cool handlebars and slick matte paint jobs. Now we're both obsessed with customising our own single speed bikes when we get home and getting out and riding as much as possible. Especially for Summer, these bikes really are the perfect fashion gal accessory, add some flowers from Columbia road in the front and a shopping/picnic basket attached to the back.

Any of you have a customised bike? Thinking of getting one?

Here are some of my favourites from Aussie brand Jelly Bean Bikes and International brand Foffa Bikes
 

Inspired

After a big deliberation over my blog and its purpose I've been struck with inspiration about its future. Where I've lost the joy in writing my blog is where it feels too documented, too diary like, my other social platforms document my fashion work and world trip enough. My blog needs to fill in the gaps of all of the passions and inspirations and thoughts that make me, me.
Books I've read, films I've watched, designers I lust, articles that made me think, styles I adore, places I enjoy, I need to go back to blogging about all of the little things and not concerning myself too much with documentation of my most recent events.

It looks like I'll be here to stay a while yet...

Thanks for those tweeting me with encouragement and advice. We got there in the end.

 I've been a busy bee during my blog break updating my travel Tumblr. Enjoy!