Through The Vines

A few years ago I never imagined that I would exhibit my photography anywhere, let alone a vineyard. I'm so excited to announce my third show with Ventana Creative Collective and their first exhibition since re opening this year. Opening on the 5th of July, my latest collection Through The Kitchen Window will be on show at Colombo Vineyard in Martinborough.

My family has a house in Martinborough, so we spend a lot of time over there and it has become a place of relaxation and holidays. I don't get over the hill much anymore but when I do it's bliss. We go for walks in the neighbouring vineyards, shop the second-hand stores in Masterton and end the day with a glass of wine and nibbles at Colombo Vineyard, my parents all time favourite spot. When they heard I would be exhibiting my latest collection there I think they were even more excited than me!

I'm so grateful to have been given this opportunity to work with Ventana for the third time, and the first time since their change of ownership. It's so nice to feel supported by people who appreciate your work and want to help you grow your creative career. The team at Ventana have been supporting me for several years now and have been a huge help to me and my art career. So, I can't wait to collaborate with them again.

It will be amazing to finally see my new photos in print and hanging on the walls of Colombo. For me, Through The Kitchen Window is a series of images that create a sense of calm, the colours and tones are soft and almost pastel like. I can't wait to see how the scenery of the Colombo Vineyard compliments these images and how the public will respond to them.

If you're planning a trip to the Wairarapa in July or fancy an evening of good wine and art, Through The Kitchen Window is opening on the 5th of July, it's end date is yet to be confirmed. I also plan on sharing lots of behind the scenes progress updates on my blog, so stay tuned.
See the full collection here.

Bella 🌼

Sofa Blues

Welcome to my little fashion time capsule, featuring my best friend Fran. If there's anyone who understands my weird and wacky sense of style it's Fran and we've often bonded over this crazy aesthetic. I've been wanting to take photos with her for a while now but I couldn't find a good location to match the vision I had in my mind for this post. Then we found the room of sofas.
Sofa Blues is an edit that represents our love for retro style and funky kitsch colours. This over the top floral carpet just says it all.

Like me, Fran often enjoys experimenting with a mixture of 90s / early 2000s and retro style. She's a big fan of The Beatles but has also watched The OC several times over. I love the colours in Fran's outfit, especially the bright orange of her mesh vest top and puffa jacket. All of the pieces in Fran's look are either second hand or thrifted. She accessorizes with an orange floral headband and bright orange eye makeup to match.
Fran also wears black Doc Martens on her feet and asks that you please ignore her Nike socks!

I have so much fun experimenting with different looks and when I was at high school me and my friends became known for always having crazy colour coordinated outfits. There's just something so fun about matching colours together in a look, even when they clash. Fran's outfit is bright, bold and funky with orange and warm colours in her shirt and jacket. She tones this down with the white collared shirt underneath and light wash denim jeans. The vest over the collared shirt is one of my favourite easy retro looks and immediately makes any outfit look ten times more put together.

I'm super happy with how these photos turned out and I love the old school setting with the bright garish carpet and funky sofas. I can't wait to take more photos with Fran soon and share them on here, we have lots of fun ideas for creative projects we want to do together too. Watch this space!

Follow Fran here,
Instagram

Bella 🌼

The Gypsy Curation - Depop

(All prices have been converted to nzd at the current exchange rate as most sellers are from the US. All original listings have been linked in each description, any images belong to sellers.)
Items Listed Top Row to Bottom Row (left to right)

My current Depop wishlist is growing by the hour, there are so many clothes that I'm inspired by and loving at the moment. I'm still sticking with a style that mixes the 90s and early 2000s with a retro 70s vibe and beginning to transform my closet into my dream style. Recently, I've been loving funky coloured turtlenecks, something I've never really worn before. Bright green, yellow, blue and orange. I recently picked up a yellow turtleneck with big flared sleeves from another Depop seller, which I can't wait to style. I love layering pieces over turtlenecks too, a chunky vest or tee shirt looks so nice. It's a great way to add another element to any look and layer some of your favourite summer pieces, whilst still staying warm this winter.

I'm also obsessed with flared sleeves (what else is new), especially those that could be suitable for the Fleetwood Mac concert in September. Flared sleeves add such a funky retro twist to any outfit, even when paired with more modern pieces like a grommet belt. I love the balance between these two styles and I've curated twelve of my favourite pieces at the moment for you to drool over too. I am seriously tempted by that green stripey turtleneck...watch this space.

Vintage Green Striped Turtleneck - $18.25 nzd
The nicest turtleneck I've ever seen, I love the different shades of green and the slightly cropped cut, which would make it super easy to style with high waisted pants. I would love to layer different tee shirts and vests over this piece and match earrings to the different shades of green. Someone should really buy this before I do.

Green Juicy Couture Terry Cloth Dress - $63.87 nzd
This piece is a lot more pricey but very cool. I wouldn't usually be the first person to jump at a Juicy Couture item, but I love this piece. The fabric is a green terry cloth with a funky retro pattern. This dress is the perfect mix of 90s with 60s style and would look so good paired with some big chunky brown boots.

Vintage Brown Suede Boots - $18.25 nzd
I'm absolutely in love with these chunky suede boots and so sad they're several sizes too small for me. For only $18.25 nzd, these boots are a crazy good price and would look amazing with any retro style outfit, especially a maxi dress with big flared sleeves.

Pink Handmade Fluffy Flower Earrings - $8.00 nzd
These handmade earrings are so cute, super cheap and local, so no expensive shipping costs! Handmade by a Kiwi seller, these fluffy flower earrings would look so good with a pink-themed outfit and are a super unique accessory.

Brown Gypsy Bell Sleeve Top - $39.54 nzd
Probably my dream top and a serious candidate for the Fleetwood Mac outfit! I would style this amazing flared sleeve shirt tucked into some high-waisted flares with my big chunky boots. The sleeves are so floaty and pretty and I love the neutral earthy colour scheme that would go with just about anything.

Pink 1970s Striped Flares - $98.84 nzd
Such amazing vintage flares from America, they're fairly expensive but so worth it, if they're your size. These would be the perfect pair of statement pants and would look amazing with a simple white floaty top and big boots. I love groovy pants like these and they're great for special occasions, as they can be dressed up really easily.

Vintage 1970s Great Wall Tee - $182.48 nzd
Although I would never fork out this kind of cash for a tee shirt, I so wish that I could. This epic vintage 70s baby tee is so cute and would look amazing with a funky patterned collared shirt underneath. Made from a terry cloth material, with vintage green and red 'I have climbed the great wall' text across it.

90s Does 70s Mesh Daisy Dress - $31.93 nzd
My Depop curation wouldn't be complete without a classic 90s does 70s piece. This mesh mini dress is so cute and has the funkiest colour scheme. If I owned this piece, I would style it with a white collared shirt underneath and some brightly coloured tights.

Acrylic Retro Daisy Earrings - $15.44 nzd
For a cheaper equivalent to my favourite MindFlowers earrings, these acrylic daisies are such a good statement accessory. I love any retro floral earrings and these are some of my favourites. With a simple colour palette, you could style these earrings with literally any outfit.

Groovy 1970s Bright Green Shorts - $22.81 nzd
If I suited big baggy shorts and I was brave enough to style them, I would wear these every day! These shorts would be a great statement piece, with a flared sleeve shirt tucked in and some platform sandals for a retro summery look. This bright green colour is one of my absolute favourites and goes so well with orange and yellow accessories.

Brown Patchwork Off The Shoulder Bell Sleeve Top - $38.61 nzd
Another possible candidate for the concert, I adore the vintage patchwork design on this shirt, and although I'm not usually a fan of off the shoulder tops, I love it in this context. Then, of course, it has big bell sleeves, what more could I ask for?

Slime Green Knit Tank - $35.00 nzd
I would love to style this green knitted tank over a collared shirt, especially one with a crazy bright pattern. I love having simple basics like this in my closet because they're so great for layering or throwing on when you can't be bothered putting too much effort into a look. Plus, this slime green colour is an absolute dream.

Bella 🌼

Our Mind Flowers

Have you ever seen such amazing and funky 70s style earrings? Gorgeous colours, hand made and all the way from the US, MindFlowers is a small business run by creative genius and designer, Olivia Cupp. Each piece is crafted by Olivia herself in her home studio, she uses ethical and sustainable practices to create a brand worth supporting.

I'm not gonna lie, the MindFlowers earrings are expensive, especially getting them shipped to New Zealand. But the upside is that they aren't mainstream here, they're special pieces that barely anyone else will own. I weighed up whether investing in a pair was a good financial decision for a few weeks. I eventually came to the conclusion that it probably wasn't, so I bought two pairs.

I wouldn't usually splash out on such an expensive purchase, but I love supporting small business', especially those who are prioritizing such important things. MindFlowers creates conscious accessories to power your flower. Their designs are bold, colourful, psychedelic and very retro-inspired. They're made to empower those who wear them and make the wearer feel just as bold and colourful as their accessories.

I can now confidently say that they were well worth the money, I absolutely adore them. Not only is the quality of the make exceptional, but the whole presentation of the product when it arrived was so gorgeous. My two pairs, 'The Candy Daisy Stud' and 'The Hazey Dazey Dot And Chain' came in a cute little box branded with their signature sticker. I also received a complimentary sticker of my own, I'm still waiting to find the perfect place to put it.
I've been wearing my new favourite earrings on rotation since they arrived and have found they go with just about all of my clothes and add a funky retro twist to any outfit.

The MindFlowers brand is inclusive, expressive and original. They use locally sourced and recycled materials to create their beautiful products and believe in creating funky jewellery for funky people. Fortunately for me but unfortunately for my bank account, this will not be my last MindFlowers purchase. These are a few of my favourite products from my MindFlowers wishlist.


(These images have been sourced from the MindFlowers Instagram page and website)

The Candy Daisy Daisy Stud Earrings in White & Canary
The Nova Butterfly Chain Earrings in Transparent Orange
The MindFlower Dot & Chain Earrings in Transparent Orange

See more of their products below, including their latest collection 'She's In The Band' full of 70s
rock n roll inspired chain belts, charms and earrings.
Mind Flowers Online
Instagram

Bella 🌼