happy australia day

 I spent yesterday in traditional Australia Day style at a friend's back deck BBQ - complete with sausages and tomato sauce, cricket, a blow up pool and Triple J's Hottest 100. While all the boys were watching cricket, the girls went inside and played Wii Bowling and Tennis doubles. It was my first time playing Wii and it was lots of fun once I got the hang of it! I even managed to get several strikes in bowling once my technique was downpat haha.

As I did last year on my blog (wow can't believe how fast a year of blogging has gone!) I wanted to make a special mention to some of my favourite music featured in Triple J's Hottest 100. I was very pleased to hear Matt Corby's moving song "Brother" make it to number 3 in the countdown.  

vintage ad

Speaking of body image check out this vintage ad. Oh how the world has changed!

I can't believe there was mainstream advertising of  products out there to gain weight- Isn't it just called cake????

true beauty: the unmask manifesto

How can we be the best version of ourselves in the world?

How do we inspire greatness?

Do looks define who we really are?

Should looks define who we really are? 

(Drawn by Charlie, age 11 )

What really makes us beautiful?

Pretty faces, cosmetics, plastic surgery, power, our job, our 2^nd job, shiny leather shoes, diet pills, photoshop

No. None of that gives meaning to true beauty.

We know that real beauty shines brightest when it comes from within.

We will remember that real beauty means questioning things that don’t add up.

Because our minds will always be more important than our waistline and wardrobe combined.

Real beauty means being mindful of important issues that…affect us, move us, shake us, change us.

We will remember that we are not just our skin.

We will live our lives unmasked.

…and refuse to change ourselves just to meet conventional standards of beauty, of appearance, of character.

Because we are in control of who we are.

I’m in control of who I am.

I am enough.

#unmask

so just live

i just dance the way i feel

Love this rendition of Dance the Way I Feel (Ou Est Le Swimming Pool) by Eliza Dear

seasons: now and then

A friend-of-a-friend is in New York at the moment and as I was scrolling through her photos on Facebook I exclaimed to her I had pretty much the EXACT same photo, only in a different season! As it is their winter over there, the trees are bare, whereas when I was there the trees were still green with lush folliage. We both decided we kinda liked the bare trees better... I said I thought they looked a little more whimsical :) But you be the judge... which do you like better, bare or green?

new years resolutions: happiness

This is one of the affirmations in my "A little bird told me" card set and a new years resolution of mine :)
This year I am focusing on doing what makes me happy. Often  I can put other people's happiness above mine in order to try to please them... but it dawned on me that it is unhelpful as how can I make other people happy if I am not commited, first and foremost, to being 100% happy myself? I have already begun to consciously shift my way of thinking and my actions and have started to see a positive change already. It feels kinda liberating- the freedom to let go and to focus on the awesome experience that is happiness :)

P.S. The  calendar picture is from Kikki K and it was a belated christmas present I received   :)

 Mum bought it for me last week when we spent the day at the Gold Coast. I took her to Marina Mirage as I wanted her to experience the chocolate phenomena which is Max Brenner but we had a slight diversion to my favourite stationery shop while we were there :)

P.S.S. Lots of smiley faces in this post- fitting seeing as it is all about happiness ! (I even made a new caterogy of happiness for my blog- see below label)  :)

christmas presents

I was very lucky to receive some very lovely presents over christmas.

Cute stationery

Pampering

Lots of domestic presents - especially for the kitchen !

catch up post: christmas hosting

Wow it has been a long time since I posted a blog! I have been meaning to post about my little christmas dinner I hosted a few weeks ago. Each  year, my friends from highschool and I get together over christmas to catch up and exchange secret santa presents. This year it was decided it would be hosted at my place :) My roomate Jess has a wonderful eye for design and helped me set the table to look most festive including a very masterfully arranged centrepiece.

All in all it was a wonderful night with good food, lots of laughter, and just a great time with old friends :)  

Table places

Our centre piece

Indoor table setting

The outdoor table setting

Hannah opening her presents

 Liz and Emma by the christmas tree

The boys chilling

 Some of the desserts spread