Every other time, if I came across a St Vinnies or a Salvos store, garage sale and even a roadside gem, I’d engage.  Perhaps it’s the stylist in me, but there was nothing better than finding amazing things for equally amazing prices!  I would scour and forage and come out smiling….those were the days.

It’s been a long time since I’ve done this, and I remember it fondly rather than longingly.  As with my sartorial style, my interior style has also taken on my new modus operandi ─ necessary.quality.capsule.

As I said it’d been a long time……until a few Fridays ago, when I was thrown a chance to dig deep in my hood’s Goodwill store.  Oh joy!  And oh joy it was, as this time, I came up GOLD!  There were so many fantabulous goodies for the taking (& re-making) but I simply let my imagination run wild with pleasure, & then stuck to my guns ─ that if something popped up that was also on my need-list, was in excellent condition and with the right price tag, then I could call on my consummate-consumer and acquire!

And this is what happened, and what came home with me…

♥ Some LuciteLove always!  I found these 6 dishes for just $3.  They are perfect for holding my jewellery currently located in drawers in my bedroom, & also for dainty desk-detritus.  This is definitely my interior aesthetic and I couldn’t help smiling big on the outside and in!

♥ Oh, hello leather max-pencil skirt!  This darling was so serendipitous, that as soon as I lay eyes on her, I knew she was mine, and the perfect fit for my impending, capsule Winter wardrobe.

♥ You know, I have never owned a mortar & pestle!  And I have always wanted to, especially of late, where making in the kitchen starts ‘from scratch’!  ─ this pair was still in the box with the original price sticker on it.  With its wicked weightiness, the ideal size, and $10 price tag, I gleefully scooped up the newest-addition-to-my-kitchen-family.

It feels great to feel so blissful, and not because I simply went shopping or got my retail-therapy hit.  It’s more that I can be frugal in my consumer-stance as well as with my dollars;  It’s that I can still consume and go shopping, but only more mindfully, and only for what I really need.  It makes sense.

I hope you enjoy the images of my Holy Trinity of Mindful Happiness, as much as I am enjoying using them.  I have to add that every time I am now in my kitchen, and I get a glimpse of my mortar & pestle, I have to smile…it’s true.  And for those of you who know me and know that I am not intrinsically master-chef-inclined, you’d understand the magnanimity of this simple joy

Oh, and I am looking forward to having my skirt on high rotation for both work meetings and drinks with my dames!

I give thanks in the morning, while still in bed, & starting with my bed!  It’s deliciously warm and comfortable, and had just provided the best platform for a stupendous night’s sleep; Makes a big difference to one’s day.

I give thanks at night, yes again in my bed ─ a popular pulpit for gratitude! hahaha.  And also everywhere and anywhere in between.  Whenever I remember, I’ll quickly shoot off one or a few things for which I am grateful……sometimes, I’ll take a moment in the sun, over my latte, to scribble a score of gratitude in one of my favourite Moleskines.

I gave my thanks its first public platform here on lieslg, & revisited it every Friday at Cocktail Hour.  I stopped for a while, but then I came back; I re-jigged the name and now it sports a simpler moniker.  It may no longer (strictly) be weekly, but it will continue to find its place here as it’s such a big part of my life anyway.

Being grateful really opens up my eyes to abundance…my own abundance.  There is no room or necessity to want-and-wish for anything or anybody else’s life or good fortune.  And it’s the quickest and simplest and cheapest way to happiness and…generating some more of that much-desired abundance.

So here I go……

Share Your Victory ─ it teaches me so much about myself, business and people.  It’s the 3rd member of our family.  It’s our heart.  It’s our livelihood.  And because sharing victories and supporting each other is what it’s all about.

lieslg ─ it gives me such pleasure hanging out here and writing and musing to my heart’s content.

A Cowboys-&-Indians party!  Yes, as you can see below, I’m half Indian (top) and half Cowboy (bottom) ─ a somewhat cheeky nod to my own mixed heritage!

A cluster of feathers and a bubble gun!  Oh, the little things ─ hahaha!  This is an old Sportsgirl necklace that I quickly fashioned into a my version of the Indian headdress. I bought the bubble gun from a local toy store & then gifted it to the kidlets after the party. Here’s to thinking creatively (to avoid unnecessary costume shopping) and supporting local, small businesses as well.

Cerulean skies.

Curly hair.

Meeting new people all.of.the.time, and giving time to friends who have been in the fold for a while.

Old jewellery coming out to play again.

Manly, and hanging out on the harbour.

Green juicing, always.

‘All that I need to know is revealed to me.  All that I need, comes to me in Divine Right Order’

Discovering Kundalini yoga.

Jewellery design sketches!!!

Collaboration!!

Letting go and allowing.

Long ocean swims.

Kayaks!

Old photos of my dad, his dad and his mum.

White Moleskines!!

The distillation of my 2013 Core Desired Feelings: self-acceptance (enough)│believe (confidence)│purpose (excited) │focus (accomplished).  Sweet-Swoon!!

Organic almost-everything!

Raw milk!

Trieste limited edition coffee pods ─ such lovely smooth chocolate-y undertones.

Amazing sunsets and magical moon nights.

Visiting family in Canberra.

Entrepreneurial ventures.

Meeting up with blogger buddies.

Sundowners with friends at Belgrave Cartel.

Taking up with Pinterest again ─ so good!

Sugar-free snacks.

Anzac Day.

A Friday lunch-date with a beautiful friend.  A bonus that we were spoilt with mazarine skies, a balcony with ocean views, a gorgeous apartment, yummy food, fab company, music and good ole fashioned laughter!

Herbal teas.  My current favourite is planet organic Chai Spice, while my ongoing love is for Genmaicha with roasted rice.  Ahhh…wicked work companions.

Imagination.  My imagination.  It’s such a blessing.  An escape and also home…as well as a  fabulous foundation for birthing ideas and collaboration and business ventures and your Dreamality™

Getting up super early on a Saturday to experience the second-last day of a pop-up cafe. It helped that the view to the sky, beach and ocean was magical, and that the service, coffee and food was fantastic!  Here’s hoping the pop-up becomes permanent.

Getting shit done! hahaha.  And Sundays are simply super for this very reason.  I got my dye-ON, my writing too ─ hello 4 articles, in the space of about 3 hours!  And cleared out my jewellery and more clothes!

Snippets…of TIME!  This is precious and divine, all in the one breath.  Shit.can.be.done.in.snippets.of.time!  I was never one for that ── I’ve always preferred long stretches of time…to start, keep going until that ‘thing’ was finished!  Oh, the old ways! Hahaha.  Well, the snippets…of TIME thing is gratifying with a capital G!  It’s called life, it’s called this-needs-to-be-done-along-with-everything-else, it’s called focus, it’s called “no more excuses”, it’s called ‘Yay, I can do this’……and I quite love it, because it’s getting shit done!

Lazy Sunday mornings (before getting shit done!)…in bed!  Being ridiculous, silly, narcissistic…whatever…it’s about trying shit (as well as getting it done!), experimenting and putting it out there.  I call this my grainy rendition of the 1980s-Elle-Macpherson-in-bed-for-Gilles-Bensimon’s-Sunday-morning-photographic-experimenting!!

Plunge in and Prosper!  My mantra for 2013 and beyond.  So good.  Incidentally ms brownskin came up with this one, and I love her for it!  So, I am super thankful to be able to get my PIP on!

Snacking on Love and Forgiveness.  And being reminded to do so just when I most need to.  It’s so-good soul-food I tell ya!

Letting go of “my plan”.  Oh boy, so hard to do, but I’m blinking determined to Plunge in and Prosper!

My kitchen corner ─ much body-&-soul-food is prepped here with joy (the joy bit, more and more these days!)

Clearing out the physical junk to allow my much-loved and treasured possessions to shine and give me joy, make me smile every time I catch a glimpse of them or that one thing.  I am enjoying my improved plan of having, in my home (and wardrobe), only that which I absolutely adore.

Mothers’ Day and being with family, for the whole weekend.

Burgers with a twist!  Yes, that’s sprouted rye & spelt and oh, so yummy!

Cafe love and new ingredients…hello mustard cress + chilli on avocado.  I will be re-creating this combination at home.

Exercise.  Honestly, not as anticipated as my hit of morning nectar, but very satisfying once it’s done (and yes, good for the mind, body and soul!)

Each.new.day…full-stop!  And realising the magnanimity of this daily gift.  It’s not just another day to endure, it is carte-blanche on repeat if you’re lucky enough to be alive and in receipt.  I sometimes need reminding (day-dredge can be persistent in her visits!) and when I am reminded, I can deeply realise and deeply appreciate.

Give thanks…appreciate…when you least feel like it too, because it will flip your switch to feel-good pretty much pronto!

BIG love xoxo

“Plunge in and Prosper!” ─ ms brownskin

Don’t worry about whether you are ready or not.  Don’t worry about how well you’ll fare. Don’t worry.

When you plunge in, you’ll be in!  You’ll be doing it, and you’ll figure it out.  That is the lesson, that is what counts.

That you took the plunge, makes you prosperous.

Dreams + Reality = Dreamality! ─ ms brownskin

No doubts necessary.  No rationalising required.  No coming-back-down-to-earth!

Just being real [ity] smack-bang in the middle of your dreamscape…because who said it had to be mutually exclusive?!

It’s rather fanciful, taking photos of one’s outfit for the day.  It’s part of being frivolous and fun, and exactly my aim.

I don’t angst over what I’m wearing.  In the last three years I’ve barely scraped the cream off the retail offerings, in fact, let me rephrase, I decidedly did not have any cream!  Hard to believe, but I did it and am still 100% supremely happy (I lie, I am happier!)

Perhaps it’s age or wisdom or knowledge or a mix of all three, but I’ve swapped out big gulps of mindless and entertaining consumerism for savouring sips of deliberate and excellent quality delights.  I still love perusing and making a purchase, only my modus operandi is vastly different now.

So this outfit is about working with what you have…over and over and over again, and happily surprising yourself with your sweet remixed creations.  It’s simple, comfortable and still stylish.  Let’s just say I had a great day…I think it went something like this: MagicalMonday

Details:

Boots:  Wittner ─ birthday gift from the family.

Jeans: St Vinnies Bondi ─ part of my stash from a scouring trip to find jeans to dye!

T-shirt: ASOS

Cardigan: Michelle Ludek ─ purchased in South Africa about 4 years ago.  It was originally designed with a draped cut-out at the back.  Recently, I decided to cut through it for a re-newed look ─ it now has draped sides.

Sunnies:  Marc by Marc Jacobs

Bag: River Island via ASOS ─ best buy ever!  It’s so easy to wear, for both day and night, and it holds  plenty!

Necklace: The Swinging Girl ─ another oldie, and my inauguration into online shopping! Yes, my first foray into the online world of shopping, & via Etsy too!  I don’t remember the seller’s name (it was a cool name, and long)  but I do remember that she was delightful.  I had ordered 2 ─ a white and a black one ─ and the black one arrived broken.  She sent me a new one immediately, no questions asked, and added some other little goodies along with her apology note!

Ring: Hmmm…possibly from a high-street store like Diva?  It was so long ago…

Bag: Funkis ─ bought an age ago from the original Funkis store in The Strand Arcade.  In it, I carry my MacBook Pro,  my Moleskines and Marimekko pencil-case.

Hair: freshly washed and taking curly-shape quite nicely

Make-up: I’ll be putting on my Ere Perez ‘Healthy’ lip and cheek balm when I’m in the car!

Clearly no manicure, but a heart full of purpose, focus and excitement!

Inspiration:  ’Do what you can, with what you have, where you are’ ─ Theodore Roosevelt

The taupe trench is a classic and an excellent piece to have in your wardrobe.  It’s perfect for when the weather still has one foot in the afterglow of Summer and the other in Winter’s shadow.  The perfect transition-piece ─ it’s weekend casual without being slipshod.

It’s easy…but let’s face it, it can be beige-boring.  Solution?  Add a pop of colour.  Swap out the matching belt for a colourful one!  Primary, patterned or in my case, neon yellow!

Another very simple (and inexpensive) way to accessorise and remix!

Happy experimenting!

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain

Source

Anzac Day ─ 25 April ─ marks our most important national occasion, commemorating the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.

I am so proud to be Australian.  And so supremely grateful for all of those brave and young souls who fought for the freedom that I enjoy today.

I have never been to a dawn service, and this year for some reason, my desire to attend was strong.  I had planned on attending the Manly dawn service, but ended up missing the call of my alarm clock!  Insert all kinds of ‘damn!’ equivalents here!

My sister attended – also her first time.  She was in the nation’s capital, and despite the early call and the infamously cold Canberra-morning, she rugged up and attended.  In her words, it was amazing, and humbling to see so many people at the  Australian War Memorial, in the dark, in awe and in complete silence.  It was worth the alarm trilling on a ‘sleep-in’ day, and having to literally wear half of her winter wardrobe!

I took in her experience with as much humility and awe, and vowed that not only will I attend next year, but that I’d attend the dawn service in the nation’s capital;  It will be the 99-year Anzac Day anniversary.

Missed-dawn-service aside, I decided to do a pictorial stream of the things I did on Anzac Day.  It’s quotidian for sure, maybe even utilitarian, but be sure that because of this day and our Anzacs, I get to do these things, and more ─ today, tomorrow and the next.

And for that, I salute you all ─ past and present ─ in my own post-dawn tribute!

I breakfasted on yummy pesto eggs!

I wore some Aussie art ─ hello Ben Quilty on my chest!

I did some work.

I swapped out the early-morning Uggs for some sweet summery thongs.

I drank a jug-load of water.

I found Action man!

And did the laundry.

I snacked on some sugar-free treats.

And wore sparkles in my bed-hair.

I watched as the sun set.

And kissed the moon.

With love and gratitude in my heart….till we meet again next year!

I love books.  I love reading.  And I read a.l.o.t.

Funnily enough, I rarely remember the content or rather the details of the books that I have read once I put my full-stop on the final chapter.  Funny, given that my memory is quite sharp!

And I never read a book more than once.  Just can’t.  I ride the tantalising wave, of ooh-what’s-next, far too well.

Until of course You Can Heal Your LIfe.  At the time I didn’t know it.  Now, it’s my most emphatic exception-to-the-rule.

I bought Louise L. Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life in 1991, and have since read it at least 4 times (possibly more).  It’s filled with anecdotes that act not only as that, but as loving reminders and examples of how one can apply it to one’s own life.  Love that.  I am currently reading it again which as a result, became the catalyst for this article.

Louise wrote YCHYL in 1983, and 30 years later, it is still as relevant today as it was then ─ perhaps even more relevant today.  A book well before its time ─ the proverbial and first drop in today’s ocean of the all-encompassing metaphysical thought-thread.

It’s relevant.  It’s easy.  When you read it, it’s like reading your favourite author ─ you can’t wait for the next bit of the story.  The chapters are succinct yet voluminous ─ the message you need, is the message you get.  It’s heartwarming and encouraging… it’s gentle.  It is also practical, and the exercises and affirmations are simple and easily assimilated.

This article was not intended to be a book recommendation, but as I draw to its close, it feels like an apt segue.  If you need some love, some light yet real and grounded teaching, borrow or buy You Can Heal Your Life ─ it has the power to heal your life and change your life…at the pace that you choose.

I like to call it my BlissBible™!  Indulge if you can ─ I often do and in fact, am about to go back for a second serving right now!

“In the infinity of life where I am, all is perfect, whole and complete” ─ Louise L. Hay