I set up my Etsy store Mode Studio Designs around 6 months ago and have learnt so much along the way. I have listed my six main tips I wish I had known when I first set up my store. I hope this helps anyone considering Etsy! 1. Make sure your products are profitable It is so important run the numbers on every product that you plan to offer BEFORE you buy the supplies, put time and effort into…

Shirt: Massimo Dutti | Pants: Zimmermann | Shoes: Charles & Keith | Bag: Oroton A little different to my work outfit last week, this is more formal, and more put together. I love these pants for a funky look on a night out or for a more interesting work look – they are super versatile, a flattering style and adds a point of interest.

Jumper: NA-KD | Skirt: Massimo Dutti | Jacket: Reformation | Boots: Mi Piaci | Necklace: Anton Jewellery I love anything knit and during winter, why not wear knit on knit? I’ve gone for a basic colour palette for the skirt and top which is perfect for a winter work look. BUT just because you are going to work doesn’t mean you need to be boring. I’ve added a really funky pink jacket with a fur…

I have been loving neutrals this winter and these tan corduroy pants are perfect to match with comfy jumpers. The pants are nice and thick so they’re super warm for winter. Top: NA-KD | Pants: NA-KD | Sneakers: Gucci | Sunglasses: Max Mara | Bag: Gucci | Necklace: Anton Jewellery

Top: Finders Keepers | Jeans: NA-KD | Heels: Filippo Raphael | Bag: Gucci On a road trip to Sydney we stopped off at the National Gallery of Australia to visit Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Room. For our quick stop off I went pretty casual with jeans and a peasant top. I added a bit of interest to the outfit with green sandal heels and my Gucci shoulder bag.

Dress: Charcoal Clothing | Sandals: Mi Piaci | Bag: | Earrings: Jackie Mack Designs | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban On a beautiful sunny day in the Barossa Valley, winery hopping was the only thing to do. Since the sun was shining, I went for a light, floral summer dress with my crochet bag for a comfortable and airy look.

If you are in Melbourne and looking for a day trip hike I highly recommend visiting the Mornington Peninsula National Park. The national park is about an hour and 20 minutes from the CBD and full of walking trails. On the weekend, I hiked along the Bushrangers Bay Walking Track – an easy 5.2km round trip with a beautiful beach at the end of the trail. Having been in lockdown for most of 2020 I…

Top: Saba | Skirt: NA-KD | Sneakers: THEY New York | Bag: Italian leather market | Sunglasses: Ralph Lauren | Face mask: Culture Kings | Earrings: The Fossilsmith | Socks: Calzedonia

In Melbourne, we are slowly inching our way out of lockdown and are now allowed to have picnics outside for 2 hours. On one of our first warm weekends of spring I decided to take advantage of our parklands and…

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Serves: 2

Unlike my last non-traditional pasta recipe, this risotto is quintessentially Italian. I ate this dish on a holiday in Florence, Italy and had to recreate it. In saying that, my risotto recipe is a ‘cheat’ risotto that doesn’t have you ladelling stock for hours, but is just as delicious!

Ingredients

• 1 cup arborio rice
• 3 cups…

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4

This creamy chicken pasta is definitely a crowd favourite for us. While it goes against all teachings of simple Italian cooking, it is deliciously creamy and flavourful which makes up for it!

Ingredients

• 400 g spaghetti
• 30 g butter
• 500 g chicken thigh, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 250 g mushrooms, sliced
• 250 g…

On one day of our trip to Queenstown, we decided to venture out of the town and down the lake to Glenorchy. It is a beautiful 45 minute drive along Lake Wakatipu.

This is hands down one of the most scenic drives I have ever taken. The lake is beautifully still and surrounded by snowy mountains.

We decided to take the road less travelled and follow the signs to the Earnslaw Burn which…

On the anniversary of a beautiful trip to the South Island of New Zealand, I am left thinking how much things can change in a year. One year ago this week, I was skiing down some of the world’s best slopes, and today I can’t go further than 5km from my home! While we are in this lockdown, I have loved looking at past travel photos and dreaming of when I can next jet off.

Last year we spent…

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour | Serves: 2

As someone who is gluten intolerant, I haven’t been able to eat or make ramen for years. However, I recently came across some gluten free ramen noodles in a Japanese pantry and was so excited at the prospect of making my own ramen. Of course, you can follow this recipe using normal noodles and achieve the same outcome!

Ingredients

Cha…

Dress: Reformation | Sneakers: THEY New York | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

I will take any excuse to have some wine in the sun, especially at such an interesting winery. I took a trip over summer to d’Arenbergwinery just outside of Adelaide and not only is the wine fantastic, it has an incredibly creative exterior design, and an art gallery inside. On this casual day trip, I opted for my trusty…

Top: & Other Stories | Skirt: & Other Stories | Stockings: Calzedonia | Bag: YSL | Shoes: Gucci | Earrings: ASOS

A bit of a throwback today to my favourite city in the world – Florence. I spent some time in Florence late last year and am feeling very nostalgic. This was a semi dressed up dinner look because of course you always have to look like you put in some effort in Italy. I am always a…

If you’re in the lucky position of just being plain bored right now and have exhausted Netflix, I have put together a little list of the things I have been doing and some tips to occupy yourself while maintaining social distance.

  Get active

Staying active is incredibly important for your body and your mind. Whatever activity you may choose, there will be an app for it! My favourite active…

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Dress: Keepsake the Label | Shoes: Edward Meller | Hair clip: ASOS | Earrings: ASOS

  While in this strange time, I have decided to get through a bit of a backlog of posts to keep me preoccupied and I hope they provide a bit of entertainment!

I attended a wedding a while back and decided to stick to a pink theme to go with my dress. My favourite elements were the pearl earrings and pale pink…

One of my favourite things about Portugal were the beautiful colours. I was always in awe of the beautiful tiles and paint that adorned each building so I thought I would put together some of my favourite colours I saw along the way.

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    Leah x

One day we decided to venture out of Lisbon to the wonderful towns of Sintra and Belem. Within the cities, we were able to see three of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.

  Sintra

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We had a lovely Uber driver who encouraged us to see the Castelo dos Mouros, or Castle of the Moors, and we weren’t disappointed. I recommend heading here first to walk around the grounds and explore the 8th Century castle.

Following San Sebastian, we continued south to Portugal. The town is so bright and colourful, and has an incredibly relaxed atmosphere.

We took an overnight train with Trenhotel and I highly recommend avoiding this. It was old and rickety which made the ride very unenjoyable. I was very thankful to arrive in the beautiful city!

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  Lisbon is one of my favourite places I have ever travelled to. The…