E X T R A O R D I N A R Y .

So what may seem like a very ordinary day to most is now one of the happiest and most important days in my dairy planner. This day last year was the day i officially quit my full time job and walked out the front door to start an exciting journey with Gary Pepper Vintage - with no idea what lay ahead, where this road would take me or how many amazing opportunities or wonderful people were out there waiting for me. When i looked back in my archives i was surprised to see i had quit my job the day before New Years Eve. Maybe it was the overly sentimental part of me making a subconscious decision to try and start the New Year fresh or maybe i just knew it was time to start something new? Either way i was just as surprised to find this entry which i posted this time last year with only a few sentences i must of managed to put together on the day:

"Free. So it's Wednesday, and i quit my job today. In exactly two weeks i'm going to be a self-employed full time op- shopper... holy shit. Words cannot describe, but these photos can."

And you know what? If you were to ask me to try and describe how i feel every single day i would still write the exact same words. This is not a job, but a dream i can't believe i'm lucky enough to live in. So instead of posting some photos from weheart.it com like i did last year i thought i would take some more personal photos which really reflect how i am feeling today :)

(Vintage Yellow Dress - available in store soon, Topshop Heels, YSL/Camilla And Marc Rings)

When i thought about how i wanted to celebrate a few things instantly came to mind: hearts, balloons, colours and sunshine. I really love the view from this cliff and you can't help but feel like you're on top of the world when you're up here. You can see so far out to see you don't really know where the horizon ends, which makes it the perfect place for dreamers like me to come and imagine what a new year will bring! I wanted to make these photos brighter than my usual style so i paired this gorgeous yellow vintage dress (available in store soon) with some freshly painted pastel blue nails, By Australis, and a few brightly coloured helium balloons. You'll also spot my "one year" gift to myself in there too - my new triple barrel gold ring by Camilla and Marc which i absolutely LOVE!

When i was purchasing these cute heart shaped balloons the man behind the counter asked "Oh, are these for New Years Eve? That's a great idea!" little did he know i was really thinking "Actually, No. I'm planning on dressing up, climbing a cliff face and jumping up and down in the wind whilst my boyfriend takes photos of me". Sounds odd but it seems to have become one of the most normal parts of my week.

So after 12 magical and memorable months together I'd just like to say a very big and warm thank you to each and every one of you who have in one way or another supported my store, my work, and myself throughout 2010. Whether it be an email, comment, tweet, or message, i find inspiration in each of your kindly written words and feel overwhelmed by how quickly complete strangers can feel like some of your closest friends. I mean it from the bottom of my metallic foiled heart - thank you for making one of the biggest and most daunting decisions i've ever had to make one of the best and most rewarding experiences of my life so far. You bring colour into this life and make everything look so beautiful, exciting and new, so thank you for helping make this year just that little bit 'extra' ordinary and for making today something worth celebrating for. Bigger and better things are planned for 2011 so i'm literally jumping with excitement to see what this year will bring and I honestly can't wait to spend it with all of you!!!

Here's to a new year full of light, love, happiness and health, with no fear and absolutely no looking back. Wherever you are in the world, whatever you inspire to be, always remember to do what you love and to do it well. Leave them all behind...

Wishing you all the very best for 2011 and Gary Pepper and i will see you in the New Year! :)))))

C H R I S T M A S T I M E .

1. Relaxing on a wharf with clean fresh air and a beautiful view. 2. Picking fresh bunches of daisies to decorate the house. 3. Fishing on Christmas day in the middle of nowhere with my family. 4. Watching the plants next to our pickers hut slash cabin grow higher and higher each year. 5. One of the many things in this world that are even more beautiful on the inside. 6. Reunited with my puppy, Bailey, and enjoying counting the 11 freckles on this nose. 7. Curling up and keeping warm with this big ball of fluff. 8. Discovering an outside pizza oven Dad built hidden within our daisy bushes.

This is just a few of the reasons i love visiting my family in Tasmania for Christmas. Unfortunately i only get to see them once or twice a year but each time i go It's a refreshing reminder to not only enjoy the simple things in life, but also the limited time to you have together. It's makes me realize that sometimes the best kinds of gifts are the ones we take for granted every single day.

So Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful day and spent it with the ones you love :)))))))

S P R E A D T H E L I G H T .

(Gary Pepper Vintage Peach Skirt, Vintage Lace Top & Gold Necklace - Coming Soon, Miu Miu Heels)

Usually i don't mind chasing those last minutes of sunlight except for when we're shooting the new look book and i have zero time to get changed as we're racing down an empty back road. These are a few outtakes of the very last outfit we shot in the Hunter Valley, which would you believe were shot in a total of 5 minutes!? After copious amounts of swirling, twirling and swooshing i only came out with one photo i absolutely loved. Unfortunately you will have to wait until the look book is released to see it but until then i just couldn't wait to show you another one of my samples i have coming for the store. This is a sheer pleated maxi dress with a lace bustier top, complete with a gorgeous peach ribbon trim around the skirt. Here i paired it with a delicate lace top and gold pendant necklace, both vintage and will be available in the new web store. After having this sample made i'm thinking about just turning it into a maxi skirt? They're simple and can be styled a hundred different ways. I'm still undecided so let me know what you guys would prefer :)

So in other news I'm yet to lock in a date for when the web store will be online. I don't want to rush into something that needs to be 200% perfect before it's launched and after starting this project over three months ago i think a few more weeks won't kill me. Right now i'm aiming for the first week of January so fingers crossed everything goes according to plan. There's nothing more frustrating than a store who sets a launch date and then keeps pushing it back day after day because they've forgotten to perfect the smaller things, which surprisingly are the most important. I can tell you right now there is a ridiculous amount of work that goes into an online web store and even i wasn't aware of how long this process can be. From writing out privacy policies, copyright laws, legal issues to dealing with banks and having third parties approve your website before you can apply for an Efptos account, this really is such an exhausting process but worth every hair pulling moment when you can finally see it go online.

So my plan is, whilst the rest of the city sleeps and kicks off their shoes for Christmas and New Years celebrations, i'll be working as hard as i possibly can to make sure i can bring you the new Gary Pepper Vintage in the next two weeks. But like i said before, fingers crossed!

F B I P A R A D E .

(Vintage cream pleated maxi, Vintage gold belt, YSL ring)

Just a few photos from the other night when Chloe and i had the pleasure of attending the FBI end of year fashion parade at The Ivy. I hadn't been able to attend the past two years as a student because i could never get the time off work, so it was surreal to be invited as Gary Pepper Vintage this year and to be able to finally support fellow students of FBI. The venue was absolutely beautiful with white curtain walls lined with hundreds of candles, gorgeous chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and black and white zebra rugs covering every inch of the floor. I was so happy i could bring Chloe along with me and after what seemed to be an endless supply of bubbly that was flowing around the room we were giggling all the way home and downloading Christmas carols for our friend Katie in the car.

The highlight of the night was being able to meet the talented Sarah Jane and Heidi of Sass & Bide, who are unbelievably sweet and friendly in real life and just as inspiring as the clothes they make. Sarah Jane even commented on the vintage dress i was wearing so before i knew it we were taking about Gary Pepper and my store. It was the icing on what was honestly a wonderful night. Thank you FBI, until next year...

Well i'm off to Melbourne tomorrow for short three day stay. On Friday Adrian from I Do Believe I Came With A Hat, Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella and myself will be down at Federation Square in Melbourne's CBD from 3pm - 7pm hosting a wonderful Cornetto event and giving away free ice creams whilst the boys from Johnny Rock and the Limits DJ. If you're around be sure to come down - it would be lovely to meet you :)

P R E S S & P R I N T .

So after this long of blogging i can only hope you all know me a little bit better by now. It seems even after this amount of time i'm still not used to any sort of media attention and will try to avoid posting about it as much as i can. But after weeks of waiting i can't ignore them any longer, and want to show my gratitude with a few quick thank you's. Why? Because with every feature i feel like someone is saying "Dearest Nicole, i believe in you and your work and i know you'll do great things one day". So this is not a post about me, but rather a post dedicated to the wonderful people who believe in my work and who are unknowingly encouraging me every single day to keep climbing, to keep writing my own story and to keep doing something i absolutely love.

1. Modcloth.com - I couldn't believe it when Modcloth emailed to let me know i had been selected as their 'Blogger of the moment'. After only just starting my blog i would scour the net to find as many inspirational fashion blogs as i could and nearly every single one i admired had been selected as a Modcloth blogger. So for me, this is a dream come true. A very big thank you to Turi for welcoming me into their wonderful little family and for naming such a beautiful piece after my blog. It is an honor. You can see my top 50 Modcloth picks and read my interview here.

2. MTV.com - Well this was such a surreal feeling. Not only was one of my photos chosen as a 'top look of the week' by MTV Style but also because i'm wearing one of my own samples! I'm overjoyed that people like MTV would even acknowledge this dress, but seeing as it's made to purely make a serious statement i'm thrilled to see it's obviously working! A loving and warm thank you to Emily, whom i send my appreciation to all the way from the sunny shores of Australia all the way to the US.

3. Elle.com (Sweden) - A reader was lovely enough to let me know about this feature and i wouldn't have known about it otherwise. A very big thank you to Elsa, who published this adorable post and took Gary Pepper Vintage all the way to Sweden :)

4. Corridor40.com - After reading one of the nicest and sweetest write ups i've ever read i was honestly lost for words. I couldn't believe how a few short sentences could make my heart feel like it was going to burst with love and appreciation for someone i barely knew. A very big big thank you to Marylyn for featuring Gary Pepper Vintage, and for stringing together one of the most beautiful articles i've ever had the pleasure of being a part of. I will never forget this.

"From a simple idea to an international online vintage clothing store, Gary Pepper Vintage has come a long way in a short time. The brainchild of Nicole Warne, Gary Pepper Vintage is an ever-evolving establishment currently composed of beautiful, delicate and attention-grabbing vintage clothing and an ethereal blog featuring a model (Nicole) who is as captivating as the clothes she sells. The epitome of a modern-day fashion visionary."

5. Mylookbook.com - The one thing i'm more grateful for than any sort of feature itself is the opportunity you get to meet wonderful and inspiring people who actually write those features. After months of emails back and forth i feel like Krista and i are more friends than anything else, and i'm consistently grateful for how much she supports and encourages my en devours. Yet another thank you to this wonderful lady, i cannot believe we've never met in person before but i know it's not very far away now.

And last but not least i'd like to thank Laura from Nina Ricci, who was kind enough to interview me for a feature on their new facebook page which you can become a fan of here. I also just finished interviews for Sweden's biggest magazine, Sofis Mode, and seventeen.com!

My latest blog post for Cornetto is up on their website too so be sure to head over and have a look here. They've started their online campaign and are giving away amazing prizes every single day which include Falls Festival tickets, Bid Day Out tickets, Jetstar travel vouchers, Ipad's and lomography cameras to new a few, as well as 2 x $300 Gary Pepper Vintage gift vouchers! A winner is drawn every single day so be sure to sign up to enter. Today i'm giving away a $1,000 ticketek voucher which is honestly just insane. I could spend that on so many concerts this summer!

It seems i'm only just keeping up with everything these days and the past few months kind of feel like a blur. Who knows what this new year is going to bring? I can't help but feel extremely frantic this time of year and I think it has something to do with the fact it's just manic at the shopping centers at the moment and everyone is fighting over car parks. But I've booked my tickets to visit my family in Tasmania for Christmas so i think it's going to be a well needed break away from this mayhem and into the countryside. I can't wait.

S N E A K P E E K .

(Vintage Floral Dress - Available in store soon, Agent 99 Hat, Topshop heels)

Oh my goodness, can you believe i haven't blogged in over a week? You know it's summer when time slips away from you so quickly and you've unintentionally double booked your weekends. Next thing you know a week has flown past and you've neglected your blog for a whole seven days! I think the guilt kicked in on day three...

So what have i been so busy doing? Well for the past week i've been trying to prep for the new lookbook for the store and as soon as it was set i motion i quickly remembered why i don't do them very often - they're just a nightmare to organise! After trying to work around four people to all lock in a date, gaining approved permits to shoot on location and praying for the rain to stop for just one day of sun, i'm extremely happy to announce Gary Pepper's new summer lookbook is finally complete and will be accompanied by a new video too! It seemed all of my wishing paid off, perhaps a little too well, and we were blessed with 30degree heat which resulted in a very long, exhausting and sticky day, but as long as there was sun i won't complain :)

Here are a few outtakes of one of the outfits i wore. I absolutely love this little red and turquoise floral dress and it's a sneak peek of one of many amazing new pieces i have coming for the store this summer. I was a little bit hesitant about being in my own look book so i just hope you all like the rest of the photos. It was shot in such a breathtaking location - The Hunter Valley Gardens, which covers an unbelievable 60 acres with 8km of walking paths, 6,000 trees and over 65,000 roses. It's Australia's largest garden display and it was utterly perfect for Gary Pepper Vintage. A very big thank you to HVG for granting us permission to shoot here, and to Wendy who personally escorted us around on a cute little golf buggy for the day :)

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and i promise i won't go missing for another week anytime soon. I have plenty to share with you this week, that's for sure, so i'll be seeing you very shortly.

G I V E A W A Y : B E C & B R I D G E

If you're a fashion lover then there's no doubt you would of heard of Bec & Bridge by now. Their collections are always so beautifully constructed and their new high summer 2010/11 collection looks just as covetable. On trend and full of soft pastels, dusty pinks and nautical stripes, i've fallen head over heels for their feminine and wearable range.

But the exciting part of my post? The lovely girls from Bec & Bridge have teamed up with Gary Pepper Vintage to offer my readers the chance to win some of their goodies! Yes that's right, Bec & Bridge are the next people in line to help celebrate our one year anniversary and i've been dying to tell you all ever since i found out!

So Bec & Bridge are giving three lucky readers the chance to win themselves one of the amazing mineral rings or wishbone necklace pictured below! Up for grabs is a Bec & bridge Cluster ring (left), Bec & Bridge Amorphous ring (right) and wishbone necklace. Both rings are dipped in rose gold and are the perfect knuckle rings to stack on this summer. I absolutely love these statement rings and am already envisioning how pretty one would look at my hand right now. Sigh.. If only i could enter myself!

To enter: Simply head over to the Bec & Bridge website here, have a look around, then comment on this post with your name, email and answer to the following question: what is your favourite Bec & Bridge piece and how will you style it this summer?

Please note; Entries have now closed.

Congratulations to Isabella Fabuleux, Lisa Steinbruck, Michelle Ng! You'll be receiving an email from me shortly :)

We heart Bec & Bridge!