Kitty And Buck: March 2014

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Meet My Lovely March Sponsor Team

I'd like to introduce you to my March advertisers. This month I asked them to share what makes them happy. I love finding out more about my sponsors each month, I hope you do too! Show them some love by visiting their websites and following along if they rock your boat.

shop // facebook // pinterest

If you love rose gold, love sterling silver, love everyday pretty, love personalized jewelry, Color Me Missy is the shop for you. Color Me Missy personalizes your jewelry with initial and color of your choice, together with custom length. Color Me Missy has new designs every week, and you will never get bored of what we have to offer.

☺ Every little thing makes me happy, from my plants have finally sprouted, to a home cooked meal by my husband, to a short getaway trip to an island nearby. Life is short and I always remind myself to be happy and to appreciate what we already have.

my favourite product // Rose Gold Minimalist Triangle Necklace

blog // instagram // bloglovin'

Amy Grace is a petite blog about life and the joys that come with it! I'm twenty and a lover of all things beauty! Come join my little world full of makeup rambles, life adventures and a junkies stash of cookbooks ♥

☺ I'm happiest when I'm around people I love; my family and my closest friends. Usually {But not always} with full bellies, empty wine bottles and lots of laughs. Although a good book, a pot of chai tea or a fresh bunch of flowers will always make me smile :)

my favourite post // L'oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint

blog // facebook // bloglovin' // twitter

HI + LO is a blog about my experiences as an Indiana farm girl living in Hawaii. The culture is so rich here and there's always interesting things happening on this island, so I never find myself short of things to write about. Come join me in paradise on HI + LO!

☺ Reading makes me blissfully happy and I am very unapologetic about it. I love reading everything from magazines to blogs (obviously) to books, and the range of books I like is pretty odd. I'll read everything from Austen to Rowling to King.

my favourite post // Monogram Flower Arrangement

blog // bloglovin' // instagram // twitter

This is the story of a flawed girl. She's indecisive, unrefined, and honest to a fault. Join me in the trials and tribulations of this little thing we call life?

☺ Sunshine, red wine, and chocolate!

my favourite post // weekend wanderings + giveaway

Creating Happy | Simplified // Food Plan Progress
Chantilly Songs | DIY Lip Scrub 4 Ways

If you'd like to advertise on Kitty & Buck in April, simply head over to the advertise page now, or email me for more info,

Kitty
xo

Friday, March 28, 2014

Found #89

I still haven't committed to the knuckle ring trend, simply because I haven't bought said knuckle rings. These shiny guys from Fox and The Fawn look like they'd fit the bill perfectly (and they're only ~$11)

via: Fox and the Fawn

This dress from Anthropologie has such an interesting pattern, and is probably my most worn silhouette.

via: Anthropologie

Another favourite of mine, I Love Mona, have just released their spring/summer range. Pastel colours, feminine shapes and ice cream. What more could you ask for?

via: I Love Mona

If you're going to look pretty, you should smell pretty too, don't you think? And if you're going to smell pretty, you might as well wash with soaps that looks like a precious stone. Logical, right? (spotted on The Design Files!)

via: Third Drawer Down

This colourful painted iPhone case from Rifle Paper Co. is, like just about anything these folks produce, gorgeous.

via: Lark Store

image via: A Pair and a Spare (type by talented Aussie gal Jasmine Dowling)

This post from A Pair And A Spare talks about "Doing What You Love". Geneva doesn't just tell you to follow you heart, but offers some assistance in figuring out exactly what it is that you love, and how to go about nailing that slippery sucker down.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Kitty
xo

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Make, Eat, Embellish, Think v.06

make // DIY Ombre Gift Wrap
eat // Shiitake + Cabbage Gyoza Recipe
embellish // Homemade coconut and coffee body scrub
think // 10 Life Lessons to excel in your 30's (I think they're pretty god for any age personally!)

Kitty
xo

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Instagram Challenge - March Colour Inspiration

In case you need some final inspiration to snap some images for the March Instagram Challenge, here are some amazing {pink} snaps from some of my favourite Instagrammers:

1 | Teklan - This girl. Her feed is a beautiful rainbow of perfect colour.
2 | Oh So Pretty Blog - You can count on Oh So Pretty for pale pastels anytime
3 | Hello Emilie - A beautiful collection of small details and carefully curated photographs
4 | Mermaidens - I can always count on Kailey for pretty, pink and pastel!
5 | Ahoy Miss - Having pink hair helps, but check out this feed for all kinds of pink inspiration
6 | Jenny Everyday - Behind the scenes of Everyday Is A Holiday, there is always pink

I'd love to see your shots before the end of March, it's so easy to join in. Just take a look around, on your way to work, or when you're going for a walk and pay attention to the small details that you might normally miss. You'd be surprised at the places you'll find unexpected colours! You can even build a little vignette or stage a scene with found objects as well (like my donut picture). There are no limits! Simply tag your images with #kittyandbuckcolor and they will be added to the feed. I'll feature my favourites at the end of each month, and each month will have a new colour to look out for.

Kitty
xo

Monday, March 24, 2014

Under The Shade Of A Bonsai Tree Giveaway!

Jacquie from Under The Shade of a Bonsai Tree has long been a friend of Kitty & Buck. A creative Australian lady, based in Tasmania, Jacquie creates beautiful jewellery and accessories from Tasmanian wood, Japanese paper and other materials such as polymer clay and acrylic. You can see me wearing a number of her pieces on the blog, including her Origami Crane (and here), the Harajuku Bows range (and here), and her Patchwork Brooch (and here). I have to admit, I was pretty chuffed to be able to take the Harajuku Bows on a visit to Harajuku in Japan!

Under The Shade of a Bonsai Tree has obvious Japanese influences, especially when you consider the use of Japanese Chiyogami paper in pieces like the gorgeous faceted wooden bead necklaces. There are origami inspired pieces, cherry blossoms and koi featured in the designs. But it's not all Japanese, there are aspects of arts and crafts in the patchwork range, bold geometric designs, and always, the influence of nature in both the materials and subject matter. There's something for everyone, while still maintaining a distinct style that tells you that this is a piece by Under The Shade of a Bonsai Tree.

Not only is Jacquie's work unique and beautiful, but it is all handmade in Tasmania and a percentage of profits also goes to Kiva.org, which provides micro-loans for people in poverty stricken countries in order to enable them to open or grow their own businesses. So you get extra feel-good points for supporting an indie business lady as well as others around the world.

Today I'm really excited to be offering one lucky reader the chance to own their own Harajuku Bows! The winner will receive either a Harajuku Bows Brooch OR Harajuku Bows Necklace in the colour of their choice, with a matching pair of Harajuku Bow Earrings as well. All you need to do to enter is follow the directions on the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Kitty
xo

Advertise on Kitty & Buck in April

It's time to start thinking about advertising for April (already!). If you have a small biz, shop or blog, why not pop yourself in front of a bunch of new eyes over there on my sidebar? Don't worry, I won't put you over there and forget about you... Each size ad comes with extra benefits, ranging from organic social media mentions all the way up to featured blog posts all about you. My large and XL advertisers will be featured as a 'sponsor' of a monthly giveaway, driving lots of extra traffic to your selected channels (for example, social media accounts, mailing lists, blog following)

If you'd like to find out more, head over to my advertising page. If you're interested, but not sure what is right for you, or have any questions, please feel free to email me! I'd love to help promote you in April.

I also offer solo giveaway posts, so if you're a business looking for some extra exposure, check out a previous example here, and see if it might work for you.

Kitty
xo

Friday, March 21, 2014

Colour Me... Teal

It's time for another Colour Me... with my friend Kyla over at Kyla Is Inspired! Each month we'll be choosing a colour prompt, and finding an artwork or illustration in that colour, along with some extra goodies to create a nice moodboard. March's colour is the gorgeous blue-y green-y shade of teal. Be sure to visit Kyla's blog to see what she comes up with. I gave myself a fairly loose interpretation of "teal", feel free to share your favourite teals in the comments.

Main image: Draw and Roll by Alisha Allport

1 | Nippon 2015 Mimou Wallpaper

2 | Sunburst Ring Dish

3 | Tokyo City Map Card

4 | Teal Tights

5 | Herringbone Handmade Rug

6 | The Holy Mountain Polish Movie Poster

(via: 50Watts credit: Homework)

Kitty

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Cat Ears Ring Giveaway!

Welcome to my March sponsored giveaway! This month, my sponsors and I are giving away a gorgeous gold plated cat ear ring from The Rogue and the Wolf on Etsy. This is one of their most popular pieces, but I really love everything in their store! The giveaway is open worldwide and the winner will be able to choose the size ring from the available sizes on The Rogue and the Wolf product page.

This giveaway is made possible by my March sponsor team, please visit them to show your appreciation!

Color Me Missy | Amy Grace | Hi + Lo
Whispering Sweet Nothings | Unrehearsed Kickline

To enter, simply follow the rafflecopter widget instructions below. There is one compulsory entry and a bunch of bonus entires to give you more chances to win. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, March 14, 2014

Found #88

There are many good things about living in the Southern Hemisphere. But one thing that sucks is seeing all of the new spring fashion releases, knowing full well that it is folly to purchase a cute dress as we enter winter. I'm kidding, but there's been some adorable fashion passing me by lately. At least I'm not too tempted to use up my free wardrobe space*.

via: ModCloth

This week on Twitter, Kate managed to round up a group of ladies to join an exercise support group. It's been really great so far, just getting to know some new people (and finding a few fellow ex-ballet dancers too!) and finding out other's motivations and goals in terms of their health and wellbeing. Coincidentally I came across this app, I've seen it before but perhaps didn't really read it properly? Or thought it couldn't possible be true? Guys. Earn money to exercise. One catch - you have to pay if you slack off ;)

via: Pact

Of A Kind always has unique and interesting products on it's limited edition shopping list. This necklace from Myers Collective is no exception. Play geometry class to your heart's content, there are so many configurations that you can create with this copper and brass necklace.

via: Of A Kind

Let me be a crazy cat lady for just a moment.... Honestly, my cats would go bonkers for this! Nico's favourite thing in the whole wide world is sitting under a low shrub that drapes on her head like a green wig. I think she'd lose her mind (with happiness) if this was in our house!

via: Etsy

I don't have a post of the week to feature this week, even posts here on Kitty & Buck were thin on the ground, I apologise! It's been a hectic week, and I'm a the (very) pointy end of a deadline, so hopefully I can keep it together next week, because after that, I'm done! I'm still loving this freelance business, there's always something new to look forward to (like a break! ha!)

*Aside from working over the weekend (bor-ring) I hope that I will have time to set up my "Shop My Closet" store. I've photographed a bunch of clothes that no longer fit in my closet in a brutal culling exercise. Honestly, everything in the "to sell" pile is something I do not want to part with. But let's be realistic for just a moment. I don't have space and I would like someone else to enjoy them rather than squashing things into storage where I'll forget about them. I'll be sure to let you know when I have everything listed so you can check it out.

It sounds like I will be desk-bound for a few more days yet. What have you got planned? I'm really hoping someone can get outside and breathe some fresh air on my behalf, ok?

Kitty

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Take A Deep Breath

In case you are feeling the tension and stress of the start of the working week, I'm sharing these images from my Pinterest board Q U I E T | S T I L L to calm your nerves. (Original credits listed below)

1 | Big Sur by Kevin Russ
2 | Fog In The Firs (Blue Ridge Parkway) by Oldoinyo (available as a print)
3 | Lost Lake Whistler by Owen Perry
4 | Riding The Skies by Anoop Negi

Kitty
xo

Monday, March 10, 2014

Instagram Challenge - March Colour Announcement!

To bring you up to speed, the Instagram challenge is designed to keep our photography flowing throughout the year, in the form of creating a nice collaborative rainbow. Each month will have a different colour theme. I'll announce a new colour monthly and then showcase my favourite shots on the blog at the end of the month.

If all goes according to plan, I think we'll be able to paint a beautiful spectrum on Instagram through the year, which you can watch unfold by searching the hashtag #kittyandbuckcolor

If you'd like to join in, there are no rules, other than using the hashtag #kittyandbuckcolor and taking a snap (or multiple snaps) that predominately features each month's colour. You can create a scene to photograph, or walk around your town and find new places that show off the colour of the month. Just use it as an excuse to exercise your creativity and photography skills!

March is {PINK} And no, it wasn't just an excuse to buy donuts... maybe ;) Tag all of your pink-hued Instagrams with #kittyandbuckcolor! I'm excited again to see what you guys shoot.

If you'd like to spread the word, feel free to grab this button to share on your blog. You can resize it to fit your sidebar by changing the width and height values in the code when you copy it to your blog's sidebar. (just keep them the same so it stays square!)

Find me on Instagram @kittyandbuck - I'm looking forward to seeing your beautiful photographs! Remember, if you are private, let me know your username in the comments if you'd like me to see your pictures and I'll follow you.

Kitty
xo

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Found #87

The photography of Stefano Bonazzi caught my eye this week. It's surreal subject matter and painterly quality is so beautiful.

via: I Need A Guide

How fun is this? A cork globe so that you can add a pushpin to all the places you've been (or would like to visit!)

via: The Awesomer

The Bewitching Blues dress from Nectar is gorgeous! I won't lie, I'm also taken by those amazing wooden floorboards in the background...

via: Nectar

Kitty & Buck favourite Isabel Knowles has just released "Cabbage", a collection of one-off pieces, just in time for spring! Beautiful floaty cotton numbers with pretty prints... how can you go wrong?

via: Isabel Knowles

Love this "Tessera" ring from Acre.

via: Acre

image via: A Blog Made Vibrant

Roadtrippin' and Values. I only discovered Caroline's blog this week, and I'm really enjoying it! This post about her planned roadtrip talks about the value in being flexible (yes!). I'm also in agreeance with her opinion on travel and new experiences being a catalyst for growth and change as a person, they are so important. Head on over to A Blog Made Vibrant and check it out for yourself.

Happy Friday everyone, I hope that you have a lovely weekend planned!

Kitty
xo

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Make, Eat, Embellish, Think v.05

make // sequin phrase sweatshirt diy via a beautiful mess
eat // european coleslaw via the design files
embellish // nude nailart via pshiiit
think // man's search for meaning - the definitive book on happiness

Kitty
xo

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Instagram Challenge - February Recap

Whoa, February. That was fast! I'll be announcing the colour for March soon, but before I do, here are some of February's favourite Red snaps:

1 ◆ @sadeydarling
2 ◆ @sombrasblancasdesign
3 ◆ @ohemmadeer

4 ◆ @apurplerat
5 ◆ @jess_emers
6 ◆ @everydayandrea

7 ◆ @begoodnatured
8 ◆ @bytheporchlight
9 ◆ @gypsybeee

10 ◆ @maryandrikus
11 ◆ @sincerelysara22
12 ◆ @rumneymarsh

I'm hosting this Instagram Challenge all through 2014, where the intent is to refresh your view on the world around you by searching for the month's theme colour. Hopefully we have the added bonus of improving our phone photography skills, too. Each month I will announce a new colour, and all you have to do to take part is tag your coloured images with #kittyandbuckcolor. At the end of each month, I'll feature a few favourites on Kitty & Buck and at the end of the year, I imagine we'll have a lovely rainbow streaking through Instagram!

If you'd like to share your participation (and encourage your readers and friends to join in) you can use this button on your blog:

Tag as many images as you'd like, and don't forget to let me know your username if your profile is private, I'll follow you along once I know (if you want me to see your #kittyandbuckcolor shots!)

Which shots are your favourites?

Kitty @kittyandbuck
xo

What I Wore | Pretty in Pink

I think I blinked and missed summer this year. Just like that, it's Autumn and, as though the sun sticks to our arbitrary calendar religiously, there is a sudden chill in the air. I'm wrapping up a job in the next couple of weeks, so I've been pretty caught up in the excitement of a deadline ;) And in the middle of all of that, I have managed to start organising our next trip, we are taking our immediate families to Japan in November for a very intimate wedding, so I'm planning for not one, not two, but nine people! I'm definitely channeling my inner Francis Whitman, though, honestly, he's not to far from the surface.

I've decided in some alternate reality that I'm a Japanese tour guide, running about with a trail of delighted duckling-people, wondrous gazes lighting up their faces as we round each corner. I'm pretty sure on one hand it would be really rewarding to share a completely new place with people, and on the other, it might get a teensy bit stressful. I'll let you know in December ;) If it goes well, hey, who wants to come on tour to Japan in 2015?

I've been polishing up on my Japanese, as per one of the items on my 2014 to-do list, and I'm really pleased to say that it's actually going well. I think in 8 months, I will be able to speak enough to have a simple conversation and also deal with hotels, restaurants and shops as head translator for our group! Plus my reading and writing skills are flooding back! Fingers crossed, guys. While it's fine to have no Japanese skills for one or two people, I think logistically it's going to be much better if I can communicate effectively with such a large group.