What a trip to *finally* find this ol’ WordPress log-in, folks!
Now, a LOT has changed in my life (and of course, we are all currently dealing as best we can with this COVID-19 pandemic), so things might not be entirely the same as they used to be here. But let’s give this blogging caper a crack again, eh Katy?
Category Archives: blogging
6 tips for using the Olympus PEN E-PL8
This year, my splendid (and obviously very smart and attractive) husband surprised me with pretty much exactly what I wanted for my birthday, and I didn’t even drop any hints! I had been checking out small mirrorless cameras online for quite a few months (I’m the world’s best procrastinator when it comes to any purchase over $50) and had finally decided to say ‘Hey, I’d love to get a new camera’, but he beat me to the punch and asked me a few weeks before my birthday if I’d like to go camera shopping for my birthday.
After all my research, I pretty much knew what I wanted, and after I phoned around to see who had them in stock, we picked up a beautiful Olympus PEN E-PL8 in tan. After years of only using my phone to take snaps, it’s taken a little getting used to, but I’ve settled into it, and now absolutely love it! It’s a gorgeous bit of gear, and the tan leather detailing really goes well with my tan Kate Spade everyday cross body bag – and of course, that’s very important! With Wifi for exporting photos directly to my phone, remote shooting function, flip-down selfie screen, and compact but powerful lens, it was exactly what I was after – although I had no clue how to use it!
My big confession here is that none of the advice I’m about to share is my own, nor is it original. We bought my camera from Ted’s Cameras in Maroochydore, and the staff there let me know about a complimentary workshop offered instore by All About Photography with every camera purchase from Ted’s! This was SUCH a great incentive to buy the Olympus camera, because I knew that I’d actually get the chance to ask all the dumb questions which were rattling around my brain, and I would be able to really get the most out of my camera.
The three hour workshops are held on Saturdays, and the week after we purchased the camera, I trotted along to learn from Rich and Jay. They customised the workshop for each different participant’s camera type, and I felt super-comfortable asking questions about how to make my camera work for me (and for selfies)!
Here are my top tips for flicking your Olympus PEN E-PL8 off auto mode, along with a couple of handy-dandy cheat sheets:
Get used to touching the screen
If you haven’t already, turn your touch-screen on. To do this, check the little on-screen tap icon in the bottom lefthand corner. If this isn’t showing, press Menu and then go back to your active camera screen. If the ‘finger tapping a rectangle‘ icon is showing, then you can focus your shot by tapping once. If you want to tap the screen to take your photo, tap on that icon and it changes to ‘finger on two lines‘, or tap it again to turn off, the icon will go white.
Never crop again!
You can change your aspect ratio to square to take shots specifically for Instagram. I actually always have this set to square, because Instagram is of course my favourite place on the internet! To access your aspect options, press Menu, then scroll down through Shooting Menu 1 to get to Image Aspect, then select 1:1 for square.
Apertures and F-stops
So apertures and F-stops have always confused me, but attending the workshop really helped me understand what they do, and now I think of aperture as the controls for the pupil of an eye – the wider it gets, the more light it lets in.
Aperture is measured using something called the F-stop scale. Once you’re in Aperture mode (A on the big dial on the top), you’ll see F followed by a number on the bottom of your screen. The most important thing to know about these numbers is that, from each number to the next, the aperture decreases to half its size, allowing 50% less light through the lens.
With Rich and Jay running through a bunch of great settings for different types of shots, I made the following notes (and a handy cheat sheet below – save it to your phone for reference):
- f/2.8: Good for low light situations, but allows for more definition in facial features as it has a deeper depth of field.
- f/4: As autofocus can be temperamental, this is the minimum aperture you’d want to use when taking a portrait photo– you risk the face going out of focus with wider apertures.
- f/8: This is good for large groups as it will ensure that everyone in the frame remains in focus. Call it the party f-stop.
- f/11: This is often where your lens will be at its sharpest so it’s great for portraits.
- f/16: Shooting in the sun requires a small aperture (less light going into the iris, remember), making this is a good safe bet for most bright daylight conditions.
ISO
ISO is another manual setting that always terrified me, but it turns out that once you realise that it is the sensitivity of the film or sensor to light, it’s super-easy to manage! A higher number means higher sensitivity to light. If you’re in a dark place where you can’t or don’t want to use flash, increase the ISO. (Beware going too high however, as high ISO numbers increase the graininess in your images.)
Here’s another cheat sheet for you to save!
Import your photos directly from camera to phone
With the free Olympus App, you can easily import your photos directly to your phone to upload on social media on the go. The App also has the great option to use your phone as a remote to take photos!
Use the Scene setting
Pretty much all digital cameras now come with a Scene (SCN) mode, which is actually more of a menu than a mode. On the Olympus PEN E-PL8, you’ll find Portrait, e-Portrait, Landscape, Sport, Hand-Held Starlight, Night Scene, Children, Candle, Sunset and many more presets which means you can quickly flick to what you need without having to go into your menu and change your aperture, white balance and the rest. I try not to use Scene mode too often, but when I’m out and about and trying to snap on the go (such as going to Aussie World or Australia Zoo and being in constantly changing lighting) and don’t want to constantly be fiddling with camera settings, it’s a great failsafe option.
Have you upgraded your camera lately? Got any great tips or suggestions for me? I’d love to learn more!
The Bachelor Recap, episode 2 and it’s all about Jennifer
After an elongated recap of the previous episode, we open to the ladies having already moved into the mansion and artfully lounging around the courtyard waiting… for what, we wonder? And here it comes, the first date card.
Ellora seems like a smart girl, but it is hard to trust the judgement of a girl wearing big ol’ chunky heels to walk along SAND. We’ll forgive her for that however, because she said she doesn’t mind if it rains on their first date – she seems pretty damn low-maintenance. Turns out Ellora is a teeny bit more exotic than we first thought, as she’s of French descent, was born and grew up in Tahiti, and has been living in Hawaii. (Not exactly a gold medal for diversity for the producers, but they tried.) The folks at Instax should be pretty happy with their product placement deal, as Matty snaps a sweet selfie of the two of them with the Instax Mini70 as a reminder of this moment (and I’m guessing to also sell to the Daily Mail about a week before the season finale, to really keep us guessing).
Meanwhile back at the mansion, Jennifer is calling Ellora a threat and warning both Leah and Sian that while she loves them (really?), she would walk all over them for Matty’s heart.
A group date card arrives at the mansion, and Jennifer delights in announcing that Cobie, Liz, one of her personal faves Sian, Laura, Florence, Tara, Simone, Natalie, Leah, and her good self are headed off to ‘remember the first time they fell in love’.
Ellora and Matty are gazing at each other, before playing an annoying high school game of ‘what are you thinking?’ and Ellora starts talking about the temperature in the room rising. I like you, girl; but what on earth. This is dullsville. She then passes along a prompted question from the producers about how Matty is feeling about Georgia, and he gave a well-scripted answer designed to keep the peace in the Channel Ten stable. Wait, is Georgia still in the stable?
Matty is obviously concerned about ever having to move from Sydney, so he checks with Ellora that she doesn’t plan on travelling or moving on anytime soon, ignoring the fact that she throws the word ‘adventure’ into her answer. They trade a rose and a chaste kiss, and Ellora heads back to the mansion hoping to hide the fact that she’s head over heels by calling it ‘really real’.
Jennifer slugs a red wine, and proves herself to be incredibly jealous. (Remember Jennifer? She was the one who says that she’s not a jealous person.)
The group date takes the girls far away to a special location (the pool patio) to dress-up and enjoy a competitive fashion shoot for Women’s Day, which sounds to me like a special kind of hell. Also, who reads Women’s Day anymore? Seriously, are they not just reprinting early 90’s issues to bulk up the rubbish on medical centre coffee tables?
Florence prepares for her 80’s photo shoot with a lot of eyeshadow and some chewing gum in case of a sneaky pash; and Jennifer prepares by giving the other girls a LOT of grief about their hideous dresses before donning Straya’s ultimate non-sexy outfit – the red and yellow cap and rashie of our sunshine superheroes, volunteer lifesavers. Flo and Matty enjoyed great chemistry, before Jen jumped in the pool and tried to take over the shoot while the girls all side-eyed her.
Laura, Elizabeth, Natalie and Sian – the 80’s school formal shoot was fun and dorky and contained NO sexual tension, but Matty seemed to enjoy rocking the daggy dance moves with Laura. When Sian pulls out the Worm in her fuchsia sequin bubble dress, Matty seemed confused and impressed. Sian is officially friendzoned.
When Tara, Simone and Cobie come out wearing remnants of Glee’s cheer wardrobe, Matty’s little eyeballs almost explode; and when Simone gets some one-on-one time chatting to the man of the moment, Cobie is delighted as she’s not had many opportunities to talk to Matty while Leah (our resident show-off) rants about how Simone just wants to be the centre of attention.
When the photo shoot groups were announced, Leah terrified Matty by announcing that yes, THIS is happening; and then terrified the girls by wearing a Bad-Sandy outfit – leather leggings and jacket and all. the. blonde. curls. Matty delights everyone by pulling away from Leah as she moves in for a kiss, although she doesn’t seem self-aware enough to know he was REALLY off it.
The next day, Matty arrives at the mansion unexpectedly in a spunky little vintage sports car (which is much too small for two tall people) to take Lisa for a game of tennis; and she certainly dresses to impress in a country-club worthy white outfit. After about eleventy million lost serves, Matty listens to 12 seconds of Lisa’s coaching suggestions and aces it. A friendly game with a kiss and some Pimms at stake ends with Lisa giving a pity cheek kiss, and Matty looking around for some medical assistance and a solution to his clicking elbow (not a sound you ever need to hear on a dating show, BTW).
Lisa should feel robbed by the strawberries and Pimms promise, as there were obviously bikini strings attached – feeding each other whipped cream in the pool looked WAY less romantic than I think Matty had hope for. To remind us that we’re all here to find love, the traditional ‘What are you looking for in a partner’ conversation ensued, with the date rose given to Lisa, so she’s still a frontrunner.
And to the cocktail party… Jennifer starts by eating her feelings again and stating that Matty isn’t just there for the taking (has she seen this show before?), Florence reveals ALL THE LEG, and Leah turns as green as her dress as Ellora swoops in to take Matty for a chat and a kiss, even though she’s safe and holding a rose. Ellora keeps it clean, and says to Jennifer ‘I don’t think you’re very nice’, and somehow Jen manages to sound like she believes herself when she claims to be a bright and vibrant person. What?
Who receives roses:
Cobie, Alix (who is even taller than Lisa), Simone, Laura, Akoulina, Elise, Michelle, Sian, Elizabeth, Florence, Stephanie, Tara, Jennifer, Sharlene, Belinda, Natalie, Leah.
Who goes home:
Sweet Laura-Ann. I’m disappointed because she seemed like a closet party animal and that Italian fire just never got lit.
My style picks of the evening:
Lisa again, in this bombshell Wheels and Dollbaby rose gold sequin dress
Simone in this J’adore two piece was stunning, and hello abs! She could give Matty a run for his money with the whole washboard stomach situation.
I feel like I’m already choosing favourites, even though I know I should wait a little longer to commit my heart to one contestant. (Hang on, I feel like Matty should do the same!) And is it just me, or is Jennifer’s jealousy too painful already?
Showcasing Small Biz in 2017
I know that Christmas is behind us, and all that most of us are thinking about is spending less, eating less and exercising more. (No… just me? Righto then.) But we’d be lying if we said we were going to stop spending altogether, right? Why not make that spending as pleasurable for the store as it is for you?!
This year, I’d love to introduce you all to some of my favorite shops, both online and locally on the Sunshine Coast. Supporting local and small business is supporting continued growth, prosperity and healthy competition, as well as providing local entrepreneurs and business owners (real people, not giant companies) with continued cashflow. Not only are you more likely to find something unique but it really does feel awesome to to shop small and support these people who are trying to make a living doing what they love!
This month, my blog will be getting a long-overdue facelift (yes, from a local small graphic design business), and I’ll enjoy hanging out here and writing so much more when it’s all pretty and tidy. Along with sorting the the aesthetic side of the blog, and my irregular random thoughts (blogger/oversharer = same/same), I’m hoping to showcase fabulous stores and businesses each week, so if you know of a small Australian-owned business which you think I’d love, let me know!
Now, to my first little round-up of small biz awesomeness.
1. Dew & Rose teal crystal stud earrings – These oversized teal crystals in a simple rose gold setting aren’t just the perfect accessory, they come beautifully packaged and ready for gifting. Dew & Rose supports girls’ education through partnering with One Girl onegirl.org.au, so you’re really giving the gift that gives twice. Winning!
2. H&G Designs black grid mood board – Getting organised for the start of the school, uni or work year never looked so good, with this black wire mood board to display current projects, goals, ideas, photo’s, design objects and memos. The suede straps to hang are super-cute too!
3. The Hello Workshop 2017 desk calendar – Still on the organisational theme, this quirky desk calendar has more than a little nod to the fun-lovin’ 80’s, with bright pastels in geometric designs.
4. MinPinShop Grumpy mood ring – This sterling silver mood ring is definitely the grown-up version of a piece of jewelry you might have worn as an angsty teen. With other mood options available too, you could fill your fingers and really confuse your friends!
5. Clutch Zuha beaded clutch – Need a clutch fancy enough for the big events, but also neutral enough to go with every outfit in your wardrobe? The new arrivals to Clutch are all gorgeous, but this tan, ochre and black beaded zip clutch is my pick, the detachable cross-body strap was the clincher for me.
6. Inactive Wear Can’t Even tank – Created by local genius and all-round sassypants Lauren Jane, Inactive Wear is for the fit and not so fit, who don’t want to take themselves (or their gymtime) too seriously. I’m dying over the Can’t Even, but wait until you check out the Good Fat or the Gluty Call designs, they’re too cheeky!
7. Miss Monogram Miss Victoria large pouch – Sunshine Coast local Natalie Tink recently launched her new personalised accessories line Miss Monogram, and the simple and elegant styles have caught my eye – especially the A4-sized Miss Victoria. In pink, taupe, black or navy (my fave), it’s a classic.
8. Indah Koin Australian 2 cent coin necklace – I have one of these gorgeous silver necklaces from my husband’s birth year, and I get so many compliments about it – one of these necklaces would make a fabulous gift for a special birthday or anniversary! Indah Koin also have bracelets, bangles and rings.
9. Soak Society rose wellness bath soak – Another clever local, Natalie decided that she was sick of seeing lurid and bright bath bombs full of all kinds of nasties, and got back to basics with a range of gorgeously-scented products; and has recent;y branched out into beautiful gift packs too. (Don’t worry everyone, I’ll remind you with plenty of time for my birthday, hehe!)
Now head on over to these amazing stores run by incredible people. Let’s all shop small a bit more everyday!
Do you run a small business?
Brisbane Fashion Weekend 2016 – making a weekend of it!
Inaugural events can be a little hit and miss, but the first Brisbane Fashion Weekend held last month was, in my entirely non-fashiony opinion, a smashing success!
I wore a stunning Yannika Designs (local Queensland brand) shift dress to BFW, perfect for the 30 degree day and rushing around like Andrea Sachs. Low nude heels and a bright yellow Mimco clutch borrowed from Brooke of Blonde Ambition and French Connection raffia tassel earrings finished my outfit.
Held at the recently opened Royal International Convention Centre (where parking was a breeze!), BFW featured two days of runway shows, a well-curated pop-up precinct, a Pamper Room where a small donation to fabulous local charity Dressed for Success got you a hair and makeup freshen-up, and two stages with programs full of styling advice and fashion industry experts and influencers. If all that got too much, the Moet Lounge was the place to sit and rest those weary high heel-clad tootsies!
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.
I headed down to Brisbane the evening before Day 1 of BFW, as Adelaidean Jenni of Styling Curvy was in town and had organised a meet-up for some of her Queensland blogging mates. That’s how lazy relaxed Queenslanders are, we wait until someone comes to visit us, then let them organise it so we all go catch up with them. #hakunamatata
I’d planned to get ready at Brooke‘s place, head out to the meet-up and not get lost (yikes… alone in the Valley, as Brooke had fancy Singin’ in the Rain plans) and then crash on her couch, so was pleasantly surprised when I arrived at my host’s apartment and asked ‘So, where’s this hip venue I need to get to?’ and her response was ‘See that building less than a block away? There.’ GOLD.
Traffic had been pretty decent heading into Brisbane, so I had time for a shower, wash and curl my hair, to give myself a mani/pedi and catch up on some work emails. Instead, I napped, watched the end of Season 2 of UnReal, showered super-fast, then helped myself to Brooke’s plethora of dry shampoo and hairspray options. My fingernails and toenails would have to wait.
Keeping it simple in a Country Road flutter-sleeve frock – basic black is always a great comfort zone for me when I’m meeting bloggy-types.
I know I’ve said it before, but blogger events and meetups are usually pretty awkward for me. And even more so when it’s stylish people like fashion folk. *insert hand-wringing and excuse-making here* Unless I know someone really well to latch on to, it’s typically just me standing in the corner near the food.
So many gorgeous girls crammed into one terrible-quality photo!
Jenni had arranged for the event to be held at the Tryp Hotel‘s rooftop bar, Up on Constance, and it was perfect for a bunch of blinged-up ladies enjoying champagne cocktails on a warm October evening. It’s a gorgeously NY-inspired open space, with chilled music and great views. One of the brands that Jenni works with – Capriosca Swimwear (stunning styles!) – unexpectedly and generously put on the lovely spread of food and drinks, thank you so much Marcia!
This late-night phone photo is about as fuzzy as I expected, the Apricot Dream tequila cocktail really made some heads spin!
My pineapple glo-mesh clutch from (of all places) Domayne loves an outing, and a city view.
On to the main event!
Of the thirteen stunning labels appearing on Brisbane Fashion Weekend‘s Runway, including Tengdahl, Saylor & Saige, LouenHide (always love their stuff!), 400 Co and Kahlo Kahlo, my favourites were SunSoaked and Wilde Willow. Brooke loved Wilde Willow so much that she punched me during their runway and whispered ‘Gotta BOLT outta here the minute this show finishes and buy that sequin kimono’. So she did.
Brooke in her new prized possession, the Wilde Willow Charms of Light Kimono.
I’d love to share more photos, but you’ll find that the best photos and videos I took were on other people’s devices! I loved being there to help my mate Brooke as she prepared to speak on the Centre Stage as an online fashion influencer (we both cringe at that word, but she DOES influence me to buy things I don’t really need, so applicable), and then rock her model socks for the awesome Cate Massi of Individual Style 101. I will also take full credit for making sure Brooke turned up where she needed to be, at the times she needed to be there – I feel that without a ‘PA for a Day’, she may have been found wandering the foyer in one shoe, loaded up with purchases from the Pop-Up Precinct stores.
Thanks so much to BFW for the invitation, and for such a spectacularly well-run event – kudos! Cheers to Jenni for her perfect timing, it was wonderful to see local ladies that I never really get to see. And big ups and proud mama feels to Brooke for nailing her presentation, saying no to bootleg jeans, and generally being a babe.
For more comprehensive wrap-ups of the event, I highly recommend you check out the following:
Sally of Steele My Style‘s blog
Brooke’s Centre Stage appearance
Instagram ate my photos
Instagram is my favourite social media channel, for two solid reasons.
It’s just too easy, I can just take a picture, add a mildly-amusing caption, and boom. Done. No sitting down at a computer, logging into Blogger, editing (apart from a quick caption scan for typos) or typing with both hands required. It’s just so user-friendly.
And it’s engaging. It’s the fastest way for me to see what my besties are up to at any given moment, and I can comment on huge brands’ fashion photos and they can respond almost immediately.
I love the beautiful little community I have on Instagram.
But right now, I’m trying not to pick up my phone and check into Instagram, because it ate over 200 of my recent posts. Posts about fun times with my friends, posts about coffee, and posts that featured gifted product or were sponsored. All goneski.
I know it’s not just me, that thousands of other people are dealing with this first world problem, but I’m praying that my Insty feed will be restored sooner rather than later.
I promise I’m trying to think positively about it (now, that is – yesterday I was ready to murder over it!), but in the meantime, there will be minimal Instagram cruising, and a lot of puppy-cuddling and coffee-sipping.
All without me taking photos of it!
Have you ever lost some of your social media and thought you’d just DIE?
16 to try in 2016
Ahhhh January. You were but a fleeting visitor.
How are we already one-twelfth of the way through this year already? I can’t even deal. Between working in retail over Christmas and New Year (which is the easiest way to make Summer disappear, let me assure you), a quick camping trip, then back to school, I feel like last month was really only been 10 days long. Gah!
In the spirit of making the most of 2016 (without making it my best year ever because CLICHE), I’ve come up with a list of 16 things I’d like to try, or if I’ve tried them – commit to them, during what remains of this year.
1. Handwrite a card/letter a month (starting in February, so 11 in total)
2. Learn a new skill from Udemy. Last year I tried Udemy for a few small programming courses, and actually really enjoyed learning this way. Any suggestions on something new I could learn that might be a little useful?
3. Listen to podcasts instead of the radio driving to and from work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The drive to Lorna Jane is much longer than my quick trip to school, and I sometimes feel like listening to drivetime radio is killing braincells. There’s only so much blatant sexist stereotyping (it’s like the guy is always the funny one and the woman is the nagging one who knows nothing about sport – blah) that I can take for 90mins a day. I can highly recommend the new Sweet Teen Club podcast by Veggie Mama and Smaggle, because they’re both sassy as all get out, and who doesn’t love the thought of rehashing the excellent Sweet Valley High series with fresh eyes? Children of the 80’s and 90’s, this podcast is for you.
4. Visit a dairy and take a cheese-tasting course. Because my jeans aren’t tight enough already.
5. Cook a three course meal once a month – and no, cheese can’t be the entree or dessert!
6. File all the random photos on my computer and iPhone properly, because I can’t find photos of Stevie when I want them!
7. Keep our houseplants alive (it’s way harder than you think), and buy more houseplants. By the end of 2016, I’d like at least one in every room of the house!
8. Deal with my fear of toads a little better. Try to overcome it enough that I can deal with toad-related situations and not call my Mum if BB isn’t home.
9. Find the best strapless bra ever. (This could be tricky, I don’t think it exists. But I’m willing to search.)
10. Learn to meditate and practice it for ONE month without fail.
11. Write 100 blog posts, not necessarily for this blog, guest blogging might be awesome too.
12. Be an awesome best friend. If you don’t know, my spunkrat bestie Peta of Trainee Mama is pregnant with twins, which means her 2 year old son Ned (one of my favourite humans ever, especially since he’s now saying the words ‘Love you’) might be looking for some one-on-one time with an adult once the newbies (both girls!) arrive. I plan on being the best auntie and stealing him away for lots of Big Boy time while Peta settles into twin-mum mode. Also associated with this goal, pamper the heck outta Peta before the birth, too.
13. Give more compliments. And get better at receiving them.
14. I asked Brooke of Blonde Ambition if she had any bucket list ideas for me for the year, and she came up with ‘Be the first in Australia to see the sunrise’, which I absolutely LOVE! So I think there’ll be a girl’s road trip to Byron on the cards sometime soon!
15. Donate blood – I’m a reasonably regular plasma giver, but I’m really keen to stick it on the list so I don’t forget.
16. Go to the drive-in. This is actually something B and I used to do occasionally when we lived in Brisbane and had a convertible; I think it’ll be slightly less sexy in the ix35, but we’ll give it a go!
There you have it – a list of 16 pretty cool things I want to get stuck into during 2016. Let’s see what I can tick off!
Are you a Bucket List kinda person? Anything missing off here that I just HAVE to do?
In other awesome news, I have been given three awesome iCare Eyewear family sunglasses packs to giveaway, featuring each of the great sunnies I reviewed in this post. For your chance to win a great eyewear pack, simply check out the Rafflecopter below, and follow iCare on any of their social media channels. Good luck!
If you want to check them out in person, head to the iCare website where you can find your closest pharmacy which stocks the range.
Hey 2016. What’s new?
Nothing much, what’s new with you?!
Seriously though, it’s a New Year and that is awesome. I really enjoyed 2015, it took me a while to get into the swing of it and I tried a few things that didn’t work out (not least of which was a new shampoo – ewww), but I ended up with a great balance of people, work and creativity in my life. And you can’t ask for more than that.
This time last year, I was quietly nervous about trying a new job/contracting role, and whilst it didn’t suit my current life season, I’m so glad I did. If I hadn’t, I’d still be doing the same thing, working full-time in retail, missing out on weekends and holidays with my husband, family and friends.
This time last year, I was spending a lot of time on Pinterest and Instagram trying to find the right ‘look’ for our home. I think we’ve started heading down the interior path that we both enjoy and are loving coming home to our house, which truly feels ours now.
This time last year, I was getting used to having a third ‘person’ in my relationship with BB, our new rescue pup Stevie. I talk about her all the time, and I’m constantly bombarding friends with Stevie photos via text message, and every time I share a photo of her on Instagram or Facebook, anyone who doesn’t have pets says ‘Oh, I’ve been thinking about adopting a pet sometime soon’! To those folks, I say Nike the Shizzle Outta It – just do it.
Adopting a pet is a great joy and a huge responsibility, so it’s not a decision to be taken lightly. There are lots of things you need to consider to make sure you make the right choice for you, your family and your lifestyle. For example, if you travel a lot and/or work long hours away from home like BB and I were doing for a while, it’s probably not the right time for you to adopt. If you’re planning a major lifestyle change, such as moving or a new baby, put your pet adoption plans on hold until things settle down in your life. Are you prepared to pay for everything your pet needs for the next 10 to 15 years? Food, pet supplies, grooming, and veterinary bills – it can easily add up to thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the pet (although we have pet insurance, and I would highly recommend it). I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer, but all these are reasons people give animals to shelters in the first place. So think long and hard.
If you can adopt though… I promise it’ll be the best decision you ever make. Head to the RSPCA website to find out where the next great pop-up-adoption day will be near you.
So what else is new in 2016? Well, so far, not that much. I’m pretty thrilled that one of my favourite trends from years gone by has cycled back around again, and off-the-shoulder frocks and tops are everywhere.
Today I head back to my ‘proper’ work, although let me tell you retail is as serious a job as any other. But education admin is what I really love, and I’m excited to push the envelope and try new things with my equally-adventurous boss this year at school.
I hope that whatever you did over the Summer holiday break was great for you, and that you’ll stick around through 2016 for more fun.
The 9 best 2016 diaries to get your life in order
Inspired by the fresh start that the new year offers, I decided to go on the hunt for beautiful diaries and planners. Better late than never, right?
Paper planners are more my thing lately, and they’re more difficult to ignore than a calendar tab on my browser that I can easily close – or scrawled post-it notes that my otherwise amazing boss leaves stuck all over my desk. (New Year resolution #1… to work on his organisational skills!)
I’ve collated a few of my 2016 diary favourites here, in all shapes and sizes and range from boudoir pink to eye-catching neon orange and seductive dark blooms. With one of these diaries, you need never miss an appointment again.
Sassy and fun, with a little bit of glamour, this Mi Goals diary comes in navy too… but hello pretty pink with rose gold embellishments. I’m not normally a rose gold girl, but that’s what a new year is for… to try a new you, and to like new things! (The cool kids at Mi Goals also have a killer range of diaries with sneaky little swear words on them… I’m a fan.)
Draw attention to your big year ahead with this Rifle Paper diary. It will be an eye-catcher on anyone’s desk, and you can even match your notebooks and phone cover to this decadent design from Paper Source.
You definitely don’t need to spend a lot of money get an ontrend planner with clever features, this Molli & Mimi style from Target is just $10 but will keep you as on track as more expensive styles. And I’m a sucker for the nifty elastic band closure, too!
4. Inaluxe Diary (available from Biome Eco Stores)
I adore the bold designs of Inaluxe, and they’ve backed up the phenomenal success of their calendar last year with this week to a page diary. One for the modern art lovers.
5. J Burrows Neon Orange Diary (available from Officeworks)
Another super bold style, this neon orange PU cover is awesome for those of us who *may* occasionally spill coffee on their diaries and notebooks. Wipe clean? Yes please. It is a classic week to a view, with extra telephone and address pages so it’s a one-stop shop. And neon orange. Did I mention that?
Another genius organisational diary, this limited edition beauty features a soft leather cover with gold press stud closure, inspirational quotes at the beginning of each month, monthly planner spreads, tear-out to do list pages and tear-out DIY business card pages. Literally everything you’ve every wanted in a diary! Blokes will love the sleek style of this one, too.
Always a popular planner with Australian women (and an awesome gift for any mum), this hardcover diary is filled with valuable health information for women of all ages, and more importantly, funds from the sale of this diary supports the Breast Cancer Institute of Australia research programs to help provide a brighter future for women with breast cancer and their families.
Whatever your goals or intentions are for the New Year, making them happen will require a little bit of soul-searching and a whole lot of planning and the 2015 MNB Diary will help you do just that. I’ve used the 2014 and 2015 MNB diaries, and am thrilled to see that next year’s version is in a classic navy cover, with lots of gorgeous watercolour illustrations inside.
My gorgeous gorgeous friend Nikki of Bliss Inventive has really upped the ante on her new Daily Dream Creator. If you need a 2016 diary that can handle your incredibly busy, incredibly creative life (and those lives around you), this is the planner for you. Definitely beautiful enough to leave out on the desk or kitchen table, and portable enough to take everywhere. It’s larger (both wider and taller) than A5 notebooks, but smaller than A4… Nikki planned this so it would fit in most handbags, genius eh?!
How do you like to tackle your new year resolutions? Any hot tips to sticking to them?
Also, I’d like to very briefly say thank you for stopping by my blog this year – thank you and I love you. It’s sometimes crazy to me to think that there are people sitting on their couch, on public transport, at their desk or anywhere, reading the words I write. I’m not changing the world, but I’m hopefully making you smile and think good thoughts. Happy 2016, awesome folks.
Celebrating two years of #everydaystyle with Styling You
Last weekend, Peta and I headed to Brisbane to attend a beautiful lunch hosted by Nikki of Styling You to celebrate two whole years of the #everydaystyle hashtag she created. Yep, hashtags have birthdays, and they know how to party!
The gorgeous #everydaystylers; image from @stylingyou instagram
Honestly, blogger events and meetups are usually pretty awkward for me. And even more so when it’s stylish people like fashion Instagrammers. *insert hand-wringing and excuse-making here* Unless I know someone really well to latch on to, it’s typically just me standing in the corner near the food.
When I received the invitation from Nikki, the very first thing I did was text Peta and hit her up. I was all ‘Did you get invited? Are you going? Are we going? What are we wearing?’ and she was very casual and ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, I dunno’. This is because my bestie is now what I like to call a big deal. She was Nikki’s gorgeous model for the last two Styling You shop seasons, and hence had her face plastered all over the Australian style interwebs. I bask in her reflected glory.
Peta just babin’ it up on the Styling You shop
Nikki had arranged for the event to be held on the Hilton Pool Deck right in the middle of Brisbane City, and oh my, it was perfect for a bunch of blinged-up ladies enjoying champagne and chit chat on a stinking hot late November day. There were fans and a cool breeze from across the pool, and we were handed a chilled champers the minute we entered. Nikki’s sponsor Olympus generously put on the lovely spread of food and drinks, and there was a lot of ooh-ing and aah-ing over the new Olympus selfie camera.
After a nice mingle getting to know the folk that we hadn’t previously met and catching up with old friends, we were seated at an enormous table, with placecards featuring our own favourite #everydaystyle Instagram photos, and lovely gifts from Louenhide – my red journal and cream clutch are going to be well-used, I’m sure.
I’ll always love sitting down to a meal and finding goodies at my place setting. Always.
Thanks Louenhide. My love for you runs deep.
After a light lunch, Nikki introduced Simone. A former international model (hanging on the catwalk with the likes of Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford no less!), Simone got us all up and giggling, sharing her top tips for posing in outfit photos. I learned a lot, and think I should probably focus a little on having ‘softer’ hands in photos, instead of my usual Cancerian claws!
I wore a Seed off-shoulder dress, Witchery wedges (old – similar here), Samantha Wills Bohemian Bardot ring, and Adorne necklace (old – similar here)
The fun didn’t end there, Nikki and her assistant Alisha had pulled together an amazing table chock-full of lucky door prizes and I won a lovely hair and makeup transformation from a well-known Brisbane makeup artist who comes out to your home, Bruce Rehbein. I was looking forward to using this, but after a little thought, I decided to offer it up in a swap to the other recipients, as I’m just not getting to Brisbane as much as I’d like these days. Fellow Coastie, Bev of Iris May Style had won a sunshiny yellow Louenhide bag-in-a-bag that I was swooning over, and she quite fancied getting her hair and makeup done for her daughter’s upcoming law degree graduation, so swapsies worked out perfectly!
The gorgeous yellow/biscuit Sydney Louenhide that now has pride of place in my Louenhide collection.
Nikki’s assistant Alisha was there to help out, and we had two other awesome attendees. Helen of Rhubarb snapping posed and candid photos, as well as the oh-so-talented Jakomina who is such a skillful fashion illustrator!
Jakomina‘s sweet watercolour fashion sketch of me is stunning, I’m definitely framing this baby!
Find her website here
It was great to get the chance to speak to women who I’ve connected with previously online, and also to meet and follow new people. Of course, we all took a million pictures with the silver STYLE balloons before heading downstairs to the Hilton Bar to continue our chats. Everyone was so well-dressed, pulling out some #notsoeverydaystyle glamour for the event! (And I’m pleased to see that kaftans as daywear are still a thing. Big fan.)
It was a really fun afternoon and I’m so pleased we both headed down to Brisbane for it! Peta and I made a bit of a weekend of it, staying in the city that evening, heading for dinner at Southbank and then enjoying the morning by the river the next day; so I’ll share all those photos in the next blog post – here!
The gorgeous #everydaystylers*; image from @stylingyou instagram
Thank you very much to Nikki and the Styling You team, I’m so pleased to have been a little part of the celebrations of the #everydaystyle hashtag which has been such a hit online. Thanks also to Nikki’s sponsors and brand supporters who contributed to the occasions. I’ve met such awesome-sauce women through #everydaystyle and felt honoured to be invited.
Have you met people in the ‘real’ world after meeting online through social media such as blogs, Instagram, Facebook, etc? How did it go down? Are you besties now?
*I don’t want to single people out, but there were some key kids that I was stoked to see at the #everydaystyle party. @traineemama (duh), @what_brooke_wore, @mrs.lauren.roney, @ilovethatskirt, @sisterinstyle, @retailgenie, @kirstyashestyle in the most amazing Mister Zimi set, @style_scouting_, @istyl, @styleloving2, @loveface_beauty, and of course @stylingyou (obvs).
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The winner of my November email subscriber giveaway was Kirsten D. I’ve emailed you, Kirsten so holla me back with a postal address! Congratulations!