Bonfire vanities: escaping to the wilderness for the weekend

Mount Ruapehu, located in Tongariro National Park, New Zealand

Whether it is about to head into spring or autumn in your neck of the woods, now is the perfect time to appreciate getting back to nature and cosy up while camping away.

Be brave and escape the hustle and bustle of city living for the weekend! If you usually barricade yourself in an intercity apartment after the work week has ended, it is worth taking some time out and getting back to wilderness. If you are lucky enough to live away from city life, make the most of your environment and head out on an adventure somewhere you haven't been before. 

Here are a few essentials to try and tempt you out into the wild for a weekend or two...

Deluxe S'more kit from Colorado based Scrappy Cocoa Company

The Great War Bar from the Wellington Chocolate Factory in Wellington, New Zealand

No weekend in the wild is complete without a luxury S'more kit. For the ultimate campfire indulgence, make sure you have a Deluxe S'more kit (pictured above, top) on hand from Scrappy Cocoa Company in Denver, Colorado. With marshmallow flavours to tempt you such as salted caramel, mint julep, apple cinnamon and peanut butter, these are well worth sleeping in the cold for.

There are also some great New Zealand chocolate treats to look out for. Wellington Chocolate Factory produce delicious organic chocolate made from ethically traded ingredients. Make sure you pack away one or two of their Great War Bars (pictured above, bottom) in your ration kit in case you get lost in the bush.

Pack up and go

Vegan eco-friendly camping gear from San Francisco based Hemd

Sustainable living is all important these days. Get back to nature with one of a kind eco-friendly camping gear from San Francisco based Hemd. Made from up-cycled vegan materials, the Misson Field backpack (pictured above) is super practical with a removable harness so you can carry a rolled blanket, sleeping bag (or bike helmet, as pictured) with you on your travels. 

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Flowerchild: winter florals

Be a rebel and fight the dreary days of winter with flower power. Whether you prefer to rock out in 1950's vintage prints, hippie styles of the of the late 1960's, or 1990's grunge baby doll dresses - take your pick.

Flowerchild style doesn't have to be super sweet and innocent. Just think Elisa Day, the haunting heroine of Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue's duet from The Murder Ballads (1996). Mix a pretty floral dress with a knock out red lipstick (either M.A.C's Damn Glamorous or Russian Red will do the trick) and a don't mess with me smile.

Embrace flowerchild style from head to toe with these gorgeous finds.

Crowning glory

Frida Kahlo style floral crown from New Zealand based Etsy store Miss Wild Flowers

Every proper flowerchild should don a crown of flowers à la Frida Kahlo. Whether you have long flowing locks or a short pixie cut, wear flowers in your hair while you are exploring where the wild roses grow. Hamilton based Miss Wild Flowers has a beautiful range of Frida style floral crowns, including this gorgeous purple rose and baby's breath headband (above) made with artificial silk flowers. 

For Frida style hair inspiration, check out how to style maiden braids from the A Beautiful Mess blog. If you feel like a spot of DIY, you can tie-dye an old cotton t-shirt and create Frida style braids to match your floral crown.

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Autumn days: new winter accessories on Felt

Autumn in the southern seas is starting to bite. In anticipation of the cold winter days ahead, here is a sneak preview of some new Cornflake Purl winter goodies on the Felt website. Keep warm xx

cornflakepur

$89.00

cornflakepur

$29.00

cornflakepur

$89.00

cornflakepur

$89.00

cornflakepur

$89.00

cornflakepur

$55.00

cornflakepur

$79.00

cornflakepur

$55.00

cornflakepur

$89.00

cornflakepur

$79.00

cornflakepur

$29.00

cornflakepur

$79.00

cornflakepur

$29.00

cornflakepur

$79.00

cornflakepur

$79.00

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Friday finds: Cats are my bag

If you intend to spend this weekend cuddled up with your fur baby watching Must Love Cats, it's time to embrace your inner crazy cat lady. Let the your animal lover side shine with these feline treats on Etsy.

Treats for furry friends

Hand felted marbled cat toys from Toronto based House of Cat

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Friday finds: for the boys

Brothers, it is well worth taking the time to think about what you wear and finding your own style. Find some inspiration from the greats with Esquire magazine's list of the 75 Best Dressed Men of All Time or be a rebel and strike it out on your own with the hints below.

If you want to invest in one single item that will make your wardrobe, the only thing that will regret you forking out for a statement jacket is your bank balance. Jeans a little worn? Shoes not polished? With classy threads like these no one will notice.

Be a lover and a fighter / Fighter jacket from Leather Monkeys

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Wishlist: punk punk riot grrrls

Show your indie spirit off to the world and have a little riot with your wardrobe on your days off. There's no need to be afraid of being a little different (in fact that's half the fun!). Chuck on your favourite band tee to show the world what's blasting on your iPod, chuck on some old Doc's, a little bling and away you go...

Recycled bullet necklaces with titanium quartz

Be a tough chick and throw caution and diamonds to the wind. Swap conventional bling for this crystal bullet necklace (above) from Xuanqi. Made with rough cut titanium quartz in a recycled copper bullet and mounted on an antique plated brass chain, do as Sia does and show your inner titanium strength.

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Time for tea

There is something special about a cup of tea. After years of being a coffee fiend, I am a recent tea convert with a secret penchant for being fussy about how I drink it. Thankfully I'm in good company, with high standards when it comes to tea drinking set down by Japanese Geisha tea ceremonies and the resurgence of the English High Tea.

Everyone has their own rules about how to make the perfect cup of tea, but whether you put the milk in before or after you pour your tea (or prefer yours au naturel) there is bound to be something to catch your eye. And I promise not to tell anyone if you prefer yours from a teabag in a big mug...

Witty mugs from Brittany Garner Design

Shhh... There's Wine in Here mug (above) from Brittany Garner Design in Roseville California, who makes witty mugs and tote bags along with pretty digital downloads.

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Wishlist: Handcrafted Designer Handbags from Weltfremd

On the never ending quest for the perfect handbag, the newest addition to my ever growing Etsy wishlist include these edgy minimalist style leather bags from weltfremd. Handcrafted in Austria from leather, there are a range of different styles to chose from. Each design is stylish yet practical enough to fit all the day to day necessities.

Take your pick from these fab investment pieces:

The Maddie bag (pictured below) is an oversized minimalist tote style bag made from woven Italian cowhide. Varying shades of leather are woven together to create interesting texture without any unnecessary detailing. An unwoven Maddie bag is also available in tanned Italian leather. Check out that inner pocket detail so your fave lipstick doesn't always get lost down the bottom.

Maddie bag

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Wishlist: Hodi Home Decor

There is something about walking into someone's home having their individuality and style speak to you. Too many of us want our homes to be cookie cutter versions of the latest homewares catalogue rather than having it reflect our own style and aesthetics. The best homes are ones that reflect bold style and the personality of those who live there.

Perhaps that is the reason I have been coveting the goodies that Hodi Home Decor have on offer. Not for the faint of heart or shrinking violets, this Sydney based Etsy store sell Australian crafted faux taxidermy. Check out them out on Tumblr or have a sneak peak of some of my favourite picks below:

For an edgy take on country and western style, this El Toro buffalo skull (above) is crafted from black resin and crowned with fushia pink paper butterflies. It looks stunning against a neutral wall, but the white version would be equally dramatic against a dark backdrop.

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