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

live love listen

homemade christmas treats

Tis the season! This weekend I made a few christmas treats.

Fruit mince pies... I used a star-shaped wire napkin holder to cut out the stars!

We then rolled out the left over pastry with a rolling pin  to make a second batch :)

Rum balls using my grandmas recipe ;)

Eggnog!!! I have always wanted to try this and now I finally have! Verdict? Delicious!

I used a recipe for one found here and skipped step 3 to serve it cool :)

giggles

Lots of giggles tonight and just wanted to share a few :)

1.  I Love Lucy's Job switching (chocolate factory) and Vitameatavegamin

2. This adorable "I love you" morning jump

3. The 15 greatest Google autocomplete fails

4. HelloGiggles - Hilarious articles like The indirect 'Come look at this' or No gifts please. Yeah right.

5. Postcardsfromyomomma

christmas time

This is a particularly special christmas for me as it is my first christmas living out of home! 

Here is a picture of me with our little christmas tree after setting it up last night :)

We had lots of fun christmas decorating and listening to christmas songs

Our baby Christmas trees 1st christmas in the new home.

They had sold out of the larger ones but when we got it home it looks so adorable we couldn't imagine any other!