Jun 30, 2010

I miss the sunshine!


its so cold here in Sydney tonight...
3 degrees cold (thats 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit!) 
it sounds so much more impressive in celsius...
I'm wishing I were back here. California dreaming it up.
With the waves at my feet, enjoying theme parks, those tall tall palms and soaking in the bleached sun.
Summer - I MISS you!!
ps. more photos (and words) from my US trip to come soon.
the following images from California Adventure, Disneyland and Santa Monica.
been having fun with images here.

dry me.

I just came across this great online tea towel shop 'To Dry For' via Young House Love and I just love all their designs.  I've always had a soft spot for fun and funky dishtowels (I brought some cute birdy ones at Spotlight the other day that I plan to put some fun colourful poms on).
Here are some of my favourites:


I think I also need to get this one for M because it is totally his humor and maybe, just maybe if he owned it then he would believe in wiping up - or then again maybe not :)

Jun 29, 2010

The one where I admit I don't have it all together ...

One of the reasons I haven't been blogging recently I've been struggling a little lately ...
with lots of little and big things...

with wedding stresses and decisions - Have I mentioned how we dropped M's suit of to be altered and they completely butchered it?! ...
with being 'unemployed' right now and trying to get into my chosen career in a market that doesn't seem to have many opportunities for a recent college graduate ... (it's scary and humbling to watch your bank account dwindle while not being able to keep topping it up. But then I don't want to complain because I do have some amazing work coming in - paid interior design experience. Which is great but also hard because it's rather sporadic work, paid monthly and takes up a lot of job hunting time) ...
With receiving 'unsuccessful applications' for simple reception jobs - something I hoped would tie me over till something in the design field came up - and with a wedding coming up, a dress and honeymoon that needs to be paid for - it's all kinda scary ...
Like desperately needing new car tyres and being a victim of a shopping center hit and run (I now have a lovely scratch up the side of my car) ...
Of still trying to find 'our' church home where we can serve and grow and  a cell group to be part of too. Because spiritually I am feeling quite dry right now....
And then there's stupid things like being a baby about Sydney winters - which I think are freezing but now know are kinda like Seattle and Chicago springs! - yup BIG baby who shouldn't complain, I know. But this season is so not my favourite! ...
that and there's nothing new and exciting to report here.
No crafting. No real silly fun times.

In all of this I feel like I've lost a little bit of me too.

While having a lovely chat with this lady awhile ago. We talked about how we all want everyone to think that we have it together all the time. and it's true.
But the truth is I don't have it all together, because I am a human and the truth is we constantly goof up and fall apart and make mistakes and one thing I am learning a little more and more during this season is there is one thing to see me through - one thing to cling to and trust upon ...
My saviour Jesus Christ.
And that's what I'm trying to do and relying on right now.
Because seasons, they don't last forever but my God, he surely will. 

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Jun 28, 2010

pretty.

No words today (hopefully soon) but here are some more of our favourite engagement photos... they make me smile.  A little over 4 months to go till the big day. I can't believe we are getting so close now - I still have SO much to do! Remembering to breathe and lift it all up to the Lord (or at least trying to) :)

Jun 24, 2010

seven sushi rolls.

Some days you just need to stay in your jim jams until 3pm and make sushi... lots and LOTS of sushi. Because when things have been busy and stressful it's sometimes good for you to step back and do something you enjoy. Something simple and relaxing and ... delicious! And sometimes you need to spice it up a bit and make bacon and egg sushi rolls. Because all sushi is healthy right??!
It's been one of those weeks.. months...
I am trying to get back to posting here regularly I really really am ....
I have month old posts half written and no words to finish them off.
Hopefully soon.
Until then enjoy this link to Bakerella's Red Velvet Cake Balls Like I have been.
And her cake pops too
Aren't they cute?
I am hoping to make a few of these for our wedding :)

Jun 16, 2010

seven.

The lovely Kat from Tea and Cupcakes has tagged me to answer this seven question meme. Which is great because hopefully this will help me get out of my non-blogging rut and back into full swing posting around here?! Well we can hope :)
So thanks for choosing me to play along Kat and here are my answers:

1.what is your favourite food?
Ummm… 
This question is hard because I really REALLY like food! Also this past year has seen such a change in our household menu and also our tastes - so much so that this topic will have to be saved for another post. But one thing I can never resist when it's sitting in front of me is brie or cambert cheese and bikkies :) My fav take away would probably be Thai - or recently Vietnamese. And I crave fresh organic salads and juices (my current favourite being apple, pear and carrot juice), home guacamole, brushetta and lots of fresh herbs in every meal - my adore corriander and basil! I am also a BIG sushi fan. And enjoy making home made sushi - a lot! And then on the other side of this (the more unhealthy Kt side) after my recent US trip M and I have been enjoying smores in front of the fireplace at night - He loves them so that I think we may need CM care packages around here soon when our supplies run out so he can survive! ;) side note: does anyone know what bikkies we have here in Aus that are like graham crackers?
see I told you that I LOVE food!


2. What is your favourite childhood memory?
I am lucky to have had a really blessed and amazing childhood, it holds a lot of truly lovely memories. Our two week holidays to Moreton Island (off the Coast of Brisbane) hold some of the best. Mum and dad would pull us out of school for a week or two and we would pack the car full, leave home very early in the morning and spend our time swimming, beaching, 4wdriving, being pulled along behind the car on sand boards, playing with solider crabs and running up and down sandunes. Also too each trip dad would make a new sand board - which he wouldn't unveil until we were ready to leave or already at out destination. It was always exciting to see what he had come up with and how fast we could slide down the hills with it.

A close second memory is the time my crazy cousins and I were in my grandparents spa and it started to hail slightly. So instead of getting out like sensible children we instead dragged the plastic childrens chair and table set into the spa with us and held them above our heads. All except Sarey - who instead insisted on sitting there with my brothers baby floating ring on her head and making the small hail stones bounce comically of it. I love this memory because it always makes me laugh and is such a Sarey thing to do - I love how she still has that fun sense of humour!

3. What is your guilty pleasure?
Buying real living magazines - even though we monthly get sent Home Beautiful, Vogue Living and Inside out magazines too. There's just something about Real Living that totally clicks with my personal taste (and probably budget too). You can check out their blog here.
I'd also have to say fabric and craft supplies that are brought for no reason other than the fact that I liked them at the time, they inspired me and thought it could be used on a possible one day project - a rainy day kinda stash!

4. If you won $1 million tomorrow what would you do with it?
I know we would definetly buy a property that could get us a great start in life. But I wouldn't be able to keep all the money to myself. In our life M and I simply want to be 'blessed to be a blessing' and be able to have the ability to give to people in need. Some of the money would be put towards really helping people who do not have what we take for granted here in the Western world and also to help family. Was that a boring answer of what :)

5.who is your biggest inspiration?
Blogs and the amazing online crafty community out there.
But because that is such a broad answer I thought I would share the two blogs that have me at hello right now ...
smile and wave by Rachel Bowden  + ashleyannphotography
Because they have amazing homes done on a budget and with unique DIY projects, they also have great eyes for design and tonnes of eye candy on every blog post!
see ...
All images are from Ashley Ann's website.

6.what are you reading at the moment?
My parents church and small group have been going through the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and so M and I joined in too. We've finished now but I'm still reading because I am behind. I would so recommend this book - it is really clear on the bibles perspective of not just how to live your life - but how to live with purpose and really held some lovely eye openers for me. I am also still reading Before you plan your wedding plan your marriage by Greg + Erin Smalley, What Katy Did (an absolute childhood fav) and our date book too.

 7. If you had a theme song what would it be?
Wow I found this question really hard! So I txt'd M to which he replied "I don't know hun. You are so many things!" Which I thought was kinda a sweet compliment and probably quite true, especially right now. All I know is my theme song would be a total mix of tunes, genres and lyrics. It would be soft and mellow and sweet but fun to dance along with too :)

SO now I tag Fairlight, Chelle, Jacy, Leslie, Amanda, Cassie and my newest bloggy friend Becky. Who is new to blogging - so why dont you stop on over and say hi :)

oh and my questions are:
1. What book(s) are you currently reading right now?
2. Whats your favourite song ever - or just right now?
3. Whats the best piece of advice (funny or sweet) that anyone has ever given you?
4. What is the once place that you really want to visit that you haven't been to before?
5. What is your most embarassing moment?
6. What is one of your favourite family traditions you have?
7. What is something fun and inspiring you have seen online lately and would like to share with us all?