January 2016 – Hello Marie

Monthly Recap

28/01/2016 No Comments

I think I’m going to be saying this every month but January sure has flown by!

On Boxing Day we managed to get some tickets to the opening of the Hopman Cup and we saw Australia Green beat Germany. It was our second time at the tennis but a first at the Hopman Cup. It was a really great atmosphere and a lot cooler temperature wise than we thought it would be. I was excited to see them screen my Instagram picture live on the screen!

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I’ve been going strong with my no new clothes and makeup challenge. Well, almost but more on that later. I’ve started decluttering and it feels good!

In between work and study I’ve been trying to read more. I’ve finished 2 so far and have another 2 on the go – Long Walk to Freedom and The Wizard of Oz. I finally caved and bought the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy because it was on sale, which should be interesting.

It’s been a great month for food and my husband and I visited a few places for the very first time – Ciao Italia, Nene Chicken, The Old Brewery and my favourite for this month, Flora and Fauna Cafe. Think bright pops of colour, flowers and deliciousness in your mouth!

Summer is here and I’m looking forward to what February brings!

Lifestyle

Happy Australia Day!

26/01/2016 No Comments

Happy Australia Day!

This is an old photo of the Sydney Harbour Bridge when I was backpacking up the East Coast of Australia in 2012. It was my first time in Sydney and it was surreal seeing the bridge live in person.

Happy long weekend to those who had Monday off!

Books

Discovering Goodreads

21/01/2016 No Comments

When I lived at home I only had the space for a small bookcase, which was crammed full of the few books that I owned. I’ve always loved reading and I used to dream about the day when I had my own place filled with all of my favourite books.

I moved out a few years ago and now that I live in my own home, I’m the proud owner of 6 bookcases filled with books and other knick knacks. With so many empty shelves to fill up, I’ve been on a book buying frenzy ever since! The thing about buying books though, is that it’s extremely addicting. It doesn’t look like much but at last count I have over 150 books, not including my husband’s self help books, Mills and Boon, Lonely Planet’s and magazines!

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I started off buying books that I’d read and loved growing up and have branched out to buying classics, like my beautiful hard cover penguin books, and popular books that have had great reviews. I also have to admit to buying books solely on the basis of their covers when something really catches my eye. So it’s probably not a big surprise that I have a long list of unread books on my shelves! Embarrassingly though, I’ve started to lose track of what books I’ve bought and in particular the ones I haven’t read yet, which is where Goodreads comes in.

It’s basically a website where you can create online “shelves” to keep track of the books you’re currently reading, want to read, own and anything else you might want to create. I’ve just started using it and I love it so far. It also doubles up as an online community of fellow booklovers, so it’s a great place to read reviews and get ideas on what to read next.

You can also participate in reading challenges and in line with one of my goals this year, I’ve put myself down to read 50 books. So far I’ve read 2 and am onto another 2 right now. To check out what I’m reading and how I’m going with my reading challenge, click here!

Organisation

Keeping Organised in 2016

19/01/2016 No Comments

This year I’m using a small Kikki K diary from their Cute range. As the name suggests, it is super cute with bright, cheerful designs and stickers inside. So far, so good and I’ve been using it almost every day to keep me organised. If you’re still looking for something to keep you organised for 2016, I definitely recommend checking out Kikki K!

Goals

No New Clothing and Makeup Challenge

14/01/2016 No Comments

So in line with my one word, simplify, this year I’ve decided to take on a no new clothes and makeup challenge!

Late last year I had a moment and wondered why on earth was I continuing to spend so much time online and in stores, spending my hard earned money on clothes that I didn’t need or love? At home, I took a good look at my overflowing cupboards and drawers and saw that I had more than enough to get me by for any occasion that might be thrown my way.

I had a quick jump online and was pleasantly surprised to see that this was a thing and many other people had actually done this challenge. I took stock of all the makeup I have and thought that I might as well include it in the challenge as well! Below is about half of what I own, not as much as I’ve seen others have but more than enough to last me many, many years.

I’m really excited to do this and see how far I can go with it. Everyone I’ve told so far thinks it’s crazy but I think it’s definitely doable.

I’m hoping that this challenge will 1) free up my time 2) save money 3) make me appreciate and get use out of what I have 4) help me to cull my wardrobe into pieces that I love and 5) stop “collecting” more makeup and use what I have. I also want to stop the mindless click and buy mentality that I’ve cultivated.

So onto a few rules:

I’ve donated some clothes and plan to do this throughout the year. I’ve turned my hangers backwards to help me figure out what I haven’t worn.
No new clothes means no buying any clothes – firsthand, secondhand or swaps!
This includes underwear, accessories and bags.
I can fix or mend clothes (that should be interesting!) if I need too.
No new makeup includes everything except lotions that I use and run out of on a regular basis.
This includes nail polish and perfume.

This is my biggest challenge of the year and I’m excited to check in with updates as the year progresses.

Goals

Happy New Year and My Word for 2016

12/01/2016 No Comments

For the last few years Ali Edwards has been running a project called One Little Word, where she chooses a word to shape her year. It’s such a simple yet powerful thing to do and this year I’ve decided to jump on the bandwagon.

Leading up to Christmas last year and reflecting on the amazing but crazy year that I’ve had, I knew immediately that my one word for this year would be simplify.

Last year my now husband and I worked long hours, studied hard, sat for exams, planned not one but two weddings and went on our honeymoon. In between we laughed, cried, fought, made up and tried to remember to breathe amidst the whirlwind of it all. Needless to say we are very much looking forward to taking a step back, to enjoy life and being a newly married couple.

So here are my goals for 2016:

Declutter – a quick look around our house and we just have so much stuff and clutter everywhere. This year I’ll be taking a good look at everything and only keeping the things that we love. It’s going to be difficult but any unwanted items will be donated or thrown out. I’ll also be doing a digital declutter and clearing out old folders, consolidating photos and removing apps that aren’t necessary or adding value anymore.
Make do – this year I am committing to a no new clothing AND makeup challenge this year! Everyone I’ve told so far has said that I’m crazy and that it’s not possible … so we will see! Along the same lines, I also want to make do and resist buying (or accepting) things that we just don’t need – I love how this goal is linked to the first one.
Prioritise – even though I am so busy, I waste the majority of my valuable spare time watching too many YouTube videos and TV episodes. This year, I want to switch off more and spend my time doing things rather than being behind a screen. I want to get out of the house more, catch up with friends, and see more of this beautiful state that I live in. I also want to read more and am hoping to read 50 books this year.
Create – I think I will always have some sort of creative goal on my list. Last year I had learning how to use my sewing machine, which obviously failed miserably, so it’s back on the list this year along with knitting, French and/or German and scrapping old trips. I also hope that this blog can be more of a creative outlet for me and I want to keep writing.

Here’s to a more meaningful and creative year!