While on our trip with Master 6 and 3/4 to Te Papa Museum in Wellington this easter, he saw a huge snake skin up on the wall. After yelling at me to come over and take a closer look and discussing where it might have come from, he suddenly said – ‘Just like your shoes Mum’……oh my god – it was busy and people were standing next to us looking down at my shoes with all these judgey eyes (cue flushed face)!  I had to laugh through my embarrassment and tell people they were fake – because they are! But still…..the looks lingered.  Mr Bohaute and I had a good laugh afterward though.

Anyway, while my shoes are not real snakeskin (the jeans are not either thank goodness), but they sure look gorgeous.  The Longest Night – Zippora Jean by Sass and Bide teamed with a simple black singlet and black heels, really need to find their way into my wardrobe.  You can buy them for AU$250 right here.

As I type it’s teeming down with rain and Autumn has well an truly set in, so I went in search of a warm pretty knit. Mondegreen is a New Zealand online boutique for stylish clothes, funky jewellery and cool homeware.  The knit above I would love for Mothers Day (Mr Bohaute that info’s for you) – it comes in two colours, either light or charcoal grey marl. And made from merino, cashmere and silk.  Get it right here for NZ$249.

Swoon – comfy and pretty shoes –  I don’t have many that come in that combination.  Nike and Liberty has teamed up to give us a great range of great looking sneakers.  Right now you can buy the ‘Tatum Print Blazer Mid Dunk’ right here while they last!  £72 or NZ$150.  Oh man, I really really want them.

Now it’s cooling down, I have been looking for some pretty sweaters/jumpers/tops or whatever you call them!  Over at her Etsy store Roselabiche, Lucy makes the basic stuff look beautiful.  Based in Paris, France her pieces start at about US$70 (NZ$95) and she ships worldwide.  Not only does she make adult clothing, but childrens as well.  Take a look at her range right here.

The Thomas Sabo line of jewellery is flashy and fun.  I purchased the large four-leaf clover for my sister’s 40th birthday this year and she always gets great comments on it.  I like that you can pick any style bracelet or necklace for your pieces.

For the few who love charms, there are loads to choose from (especially flip-flops/jandels/thongs) and then there are the themed ranges.  Angela Daniel Jewellery, who have three stores in Auckland, now stock Thomas Sabo and if you can’t find what you’re looking for in-store, they are more than happy to order it in for you.  If you live in Australia, you can buy online.

Can you believe you can geek out with fabric!  That’s right….these great covers are handmade using felt and cover original and 4g iPhones.  I really want one for my phone to protect the screen in my handbag.  Take a look at her etsy shop L´atelier de Luluu for other felt creations that can cover other mp3 players and phones.  The iPhone cover starts at about NZ$54 dollars plus shipping from Spain, which is so worth it for all that geeky detail.

My yoga bag is really old and doesn’t really fit my black mat, but instead of a replacement I’ve ended up with a string around it.  Up until now it’s been fine, but I would like to carry straps and notes and other bits all together.  After a look around, the Prana Carry All is it for me, the colour won’t show dust or dirt when you put your bag down in public places, and it has room to carry more than your mat. Get it here for US$70 (about NZ$90), plus shipping.

Oye Modern is an Australian, online jewellery shop filled with groovy, funky pieces.  There are so many I love, but if I had to choose a favourite it would be the measuring tape ‘I Heart’ necklace.  Right now, they have a competition on that finishes August 15, so go get something cool and take a picture of your beautiful self;  best bit, they ship worldwide and their pieces start at about NZ$80.

Fabric flowers always catch my eye and B.Poetic‘s over at Etsy are feminine and perfect for a special occasion. I have wanted to try making my own, but Miss 1 is taking up the ‘craft’ time at present.  These romantic flowers go from loose rose shape, to chunky ranunculus and work in hair, on tables, clothes or shoes and they range in price from US$20-$45, plus shipping.  I would love one of the belts to brighten up a winter outfit.

Why do I like this shoe…all those facets, it’s a bit like jewellery; and for sure, people will notice these babies on your feet.  Also they look waterproof, which is great in rainy Auckland.  United Nude is a ‘brand at the intersection between design and fashion’, making for some crazy looking footwear – go take a look here.  If you desire any of these fantastic pieces of art, they ship down-under for NZ$45…and the heels above (called Lo Res) are NZ$335.00.  Otherwise, here is the link to stockists in Auckland, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Taupo, Timaru and Warkworth.   Oo, might have to call and see if they stock these, but probably are ridiculously priced here.

These rings are gorgeous and mod and different.  Some of my precious stone rings are my favourite pieces of jewellery and I sometimes get lovely compliments on them.  Now, I don’t own any of the above, but one day would like to.  Seventy Six Design is based here in Auckland, and you can view some of their rings online here or go and visit their store.  They can also design something just for you.

I love the thong (or ‘jandel’) necklace in the Pink Lou Lou necklace collection.  The range is a little Aussie inspired and is the creation of Skye Campbell.  You can purchase any of the pieces online and have them shipped to your door – prices start at about AUD$128.00.  These would make a great Christmas present for someone special this year.

image [Pink Lou Lou]

As it’s warming up down-under, I had a look through Etro’s 2010 ready to wear collection and fell in love with these dresses. Can’t wait till it’s warm enough here to drag out my dresses – I really want that dress on the left, and can I just say [ahem] that it’s perfect for breastfeeding.

images [style.com]

Here’s a handbag that will keep any dodgy person from coming close…and are apparently very cool in Europe.  In NZ it is illegal to carry a gun but perhaps the small purse on the left would be great for your makeup or coins!  Actually, you don’t even have to carry your gun…the outline on these Guardian Bags is all you need!  You can get the Vlieger & Vandam bags here in Auckland and Nelson, and most major cities in Australia, just click on the stockists link to find a store closest to you or shop online and they ship to your door. Prices range from NZ$80 to NZ$450.

Here is a great skirt for little girls that I found over at The Long Thread.  It is reversible, and you could make it with different fabric on the inside.  If they spill anything on one side – whip in inside out and voila! – they have a clean skirt for the rest of the day!  You can buy the pattern over at their Etsy store; it downloads as a PDF pattern with all the instructions.  Sizes range from 4 through 6 yrs and it costs only NZ$12.  

Now if only they had a reversible pants pattern for boys, I would sure find them handy for those hot chocolates at the cafe.

When I visited Manhattan, I had my map almost glued to my fingers trying to navigate.  This piece of handy jewellery would have been so helpful (and kept my hands free for shopping bags)! The New York City Metro Cuff shows you numbers, streets and subway lines in Manhattan!  You can get it at Design Hype for US$23 and they ship only in the US.  It would be a great gift for travelers.

via [NotCot.org]

Recently I had a shopping spree at the cool new store We’Ar Yoga Clothing.   I start teaching again after 8wks off with Miss New Born and it was a treat to get something special to kick it off.  They stock groovy, funky functional exercise clothes for men and women, and put them into a cotton yoga-mat bag that you can re-use.  With stores in Hong Kong, Bali, Canada and California, we are all pretty much covered, or you can shop online and they ship worldwide.  Go take a look at their range here.

Oohh err….I love the look of the new Sony Ericsson Satio.  Before I got my iphone, I had a Sony Ericsson and really liked it, and this one with a great size screen and a 12 megapixel camera is so handy for phone calls and pics of the kids when they get up to cute things.  It’s got tonnes of features (see here for more) and I like the fact it has a qwerty keyboard.  Not sure when it arrives here in NZ or in Australia, but keep your eyes open when you walk past the mobile phone stores…could be worth a look!

Yes, I have an addiction – it is the store Anthropologie, and although we don’t have it down-under, I still swoon over the seasonal ranges online.  They do ship across Europe and North America, but sadly, down here in Oz and NZ we are forgotten once again; which is actually a good thing or I would really give the credit card a beating!  If you aren’t familiar with their store (everything from clothes and shoes to kitchen and bedroom) go take a look and fall in love with….well…..everything!

I discovered some more helmets out there for adults and kids by Nutcase.   I always keep an eye out for cool helmets, as Master Four will need a bigger size next year for his big boy bike!  His favourite is the Caution Helmet, which is from the Little Nutty range.  The company launched in the US in 2005 and the range is now sold in Canada, Europe, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.   You can purchase online from the Australian site and they ship to NZ, so go take a look at their range here.