Hello Marie – Page 13

Bonjour! Learning French

19/05/2016 No Comments

Before I visit a new country, I like to learn as much as I can about the people, culture and its customs. If I’m visiting a non-English speaking country, I also like to learn some of the language as well. Prior to visiting South Korea for the first time I learned Hangeul, which is the Korean alphabet, along with some basic vocabulary and common phrases. I was nowhere near fluent when I arrived but it helped me to feel less like a tourist and immerse myself in the culture. This year, I’m really excited to share that my husband and I will be heading to Europe for the very first time for our proper honeymoon! We haven’t confirmed all the details yet but we’re definitely visiting France, so I’m trying to learn a bit of French before I go.

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After searching and checking out a few different resources, I found a free app called Duolingo. It’s a fun app that’s structured like a game, where each topic is a level that needs to be passed before you can ‘level up’. As you finish each topic you earn ‘lingots’, which you can save up to purchase fun items or bonus topics from their store. Topics range in increasing difficulty from Basics 1, Basics 2, Phrases, Food and Animals, all the way through to Economics, Sports and Spiritual. But what I really like about this app and what’s been bringing me back each time is how fun it is!

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Within each topic, there are a series of mini lessons and each lesson has a variety of different methods to help you learn and keep things interesting. There are pictures to match with phrases, sentences to translate, sentences with missing words to be filled in, word pairs to match up and many more. The other interesting aspect of this app is that it focuses on repetition. Anyone who’s tried to learn a new language would know that if you don’t use it, you lose it and underneath each topic there is a ‘strength bar’ that keeps track of how long since you’ve completed the topic. The goal is to keep the bars full and regular reminders are sent from the app to keep practicing!

The only thing that I don’t like about this app is that you need to complete each topic before moving onto the next one but I suppose that’s the whole point of it. Other than that, I really like this app and wanted to share it with anyone who’s thinking of learning French or any other European language. Au revoir!

Travel

Photo Diary of South Korea

17/05/2016 2 Comments

Late last year my husband and I went on our mini-moon and I’m finally getting around to sorting out all of our photos to put in an album of some sort. After our second wedding in Singapore, we were absolutely exhausted and a short 2 week trip to South Korea was exactly what we needed! We’ve both been to South Korea previously, so we skipped most of the traditional sights and spent our time shopping, eating and relaxing. Here are some of my favourite memories from our trip!

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Stay tuned for a mini-moon album in the very near future!

Knitting

Online Knitting Resources

12/05/2016 No Comments

As I embark on my knitting journey this year, I thought I’d share a roundup of links to some knitting Youtube videos that I’ve found really helpful. There are so many online resources out there and it can be overwhelming at first, so I hope this post helps anyone who may be thinking of learning how to knit but doesn’t know where to begin!

The Basics

Different Stitches & Easy Knitting Projects

Knitting Websites & Inspiration

Sheep and Stitch – this is easily one of my favourite websites for knitting inspiration. It’s modern, bright and colourful! Sheep and Stitch also have an awesome Youtube channel with a how to knit series along with some simple step-by-step pattern tutorials.
Delia Creates – this is a general craft website that’s got a little bit of something for everyone. Although the focus is on crochet rather than knitting, I still love seeing the amazing woolly designs and I’m wondering if learning how to crochet is next on the list!
Little Things Blogged – this is a crochet and knitting website that has lots of fun articles showcasing current projects and inspiration around the web. Be prepared to bookmark lots of future crochet and knitting projects!
The Green Horn Knitter – all of the previous websites are more commercial and have shops linked to them but this is a more traditional blog, which is what I really like about it. There are still lots of tutorials, free patterns and posts about knitting projects to satisfy knitters!

Have any other suggestions? Let me know in the comments below!

Goals

No New Clothing Challenge Update

10/05/2016 No Comments

In line with my one word this year, simplify, I’ve embarked on a no new clothing and makeup challenge! When I started this challenge earlier this year, most people scoffed at the idea but I’m pleased to say that it’s been really easy to stick too. So here’s an update on how my no new clothing challenge has being going!

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(Almost) No New Clothes

The basic premise of this challenge is a pretty simple one – no new clothing including secondhand or swaps. Unfortunately, almost immediately after starting this challenge, I had to break it! On one unfortunate day, I arrived at work to discover that I had a sizable hole about the size of a 50 cent coin in the back of my skirt! Fortunately for me, the underwear I was wearing that day closely matched the colour of my skirt but I was still pretty mortified. Because of the challenge, I hesitated and wondered if I could get away with hiding the hole in my skirt by sitting down all day. However, common sense prevailed and I was able to buy a similar looking skirt. I’m pleased to report that since this incident, I haven’t bought any new clothes!

Work In Progress Wardrobe

Part of the reason why I took on this challenge was because I wanted to have a wardrobe full of clothes that I loved. Last year, I was buying new clothes almost every month but I’d often find myself going through my clothes wondering what to wear! At the start of the challenge, I did an initial cull and donated quite a few items. I got rid of things that I hadn’t worn in a long time or that just wasn’t my style anymore. It was such a great feeling and I’m hoping to get rid of more clothes as the year goes on. To help me, I’ve turned all of my hangers backwards to see what I haven’t worn. I’m enjoying the challenge of wearing items that I haven’t worn yet and am interested to see what hangers don’t get turned around. It’s almost halfway through the year now and I’ve probably worn about 40% of my wardrobe.

Breaking Bad Habits

I’ve never been a big shopper but working in the city meant that lunchtimes were often spent wandering around the stores and buying an item here or there. At home, I’d get bored and spend my time checking out online stores and doing the same thing. It wasn’t necessarily bad but when I look back at it, I think of all the wasted money, time and effort that could’ve been spent elsewhere! I suppose my priorities have changed as well. Nowadays I try to be more conscious when I’m buying something and spend more time doing things that I like rather than mindlessly trying to find the next best deal. It’s also helped that I’ve unsubscribed to a lot of stores because trust me when I say that there’s always going to be another big sale!

Looking Ahead

Hopefully, by the end of the year I’ll have a wardrobe full of clothes that I love and items that I wear all the time. Now that I’m getting older I find myself gravitating towards classic pieces rather than flashy seasonal items. I also want to be more conscious of the things that I buy and put my hard earned money, time and effort towards things that actually matter to me. That’s not to say that I’m not looking forward to the end of the challenge but it’s great to shake things up a bit every now and then!

PS Check out my no new makeup challenge update!

Lifestyle

Bacon Chutney

05/05/2016 No Comments

In itself, chutney is a deliciously sweet and tangy condiment that satisfies the taste buds but bacon chutney is on a whole new level! Sadly, I only discovered the joys of bacon chutney a few months ago at a local cafe called Sprolo and I knew that I’d have to try and recreate this at home. I found a recipe online and adapted it with the ingredients I had on hand. The result was sweet, salty, tangy goodness and needless to say it didn’t last very long in the house!

With Mother’s Day coming up this Sunday, I thought this would make a fantastic edible gift, so I’ve doubled the quantities of the original recipe to make an extra large batch for the 2 special ladies in our lives. I’m sure they’ll love it as much as we do and I hope you do too!

Bacon Chutney Recipe

Fills 2 large jars | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Big glug of olive oil
Canola oil cooking spray
4 leeks, roughly chopped
4 onions, roughly diced
2 bulbs of garlic, roughly diced
10 strips of bacon
2/3 cup honey
1 can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the leeks, onions and garlic until the vegetables become soft. Add the honey and stir well to dissolve. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, oregano and chipotle pepper sauce. Stir well to combine everything together. Bring the heat down and let the chutney simmer with the lid on for about 1 hour.

While the chutney is simmering, preheat the oven to 180 degrees and lay out the strips of bacon on lightly sprayed baking paper. Bake the strips of bacon in the oven for around 15-20 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside on paper towels to cool. Once cooled, dice into small pieces.

Once the chutney has finished simmering, add the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust any seasoning. Gently stir in the diced bacon. Enjoy some warm chutney on toasted bread and pop the rest in an airtight container in the fridge to enjoy for later.

Bon appetit!

Books

Currently Reading

03/05/2016 No Comments

To make up for not reading much last month, I’ve ambitiously put together a pile of books that I’m hoping to read this month. I’ve finished 1 so far and am halfway through 2 others. I’ve read Not Quite Nigella before, but wanted to re-read it again given I’ve just started up my blog. All the books look so lovely piled up together and I swear the colour theme was completely accidental!

To see what I’m currently reading, follow me on Goodreads here.

What’s on your list of books to read this month?

Lifestyle

Monthly Recap

28/04/2016 No Comments

This month I’ve been buried under work and study, so I’m really looking forward to a break early May before it all starts back up again. With uni in full swing I’ve been struggling to re-find my balance and despite my earlier advice, I’ve been spending more time working and studying than anything else. Nevertheless, I forced myself to get out and take a walk every now and then, which was a nice change away from my desk!

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I didn’t go out much this month but I did go to a friend’s farewell lunch where we had a fantastic 2 course lunch special at The Painted Bird. It was such good value at only $30! The entree was a tasting plate, which consisted of a delicious duck tea (similar to bone broth), cracker with cottage cheese, smoked salmon and pork croquette. I chose the crispy skinned salmon as my main and it was cooked to perfection! The restaurant is great for something a little bit more special and has fantastic service, so I’ll definitely be back!

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Unfortunately not many books read or much knitting done this month because I haven’t had much down time, so I’m hoping to make up for it next month.

Tomorrow, my husband has a day off so we’ve planned a Mega Date! We’re going to The Atrium for a leisurely lunch buffet, followed by a movie. With the month we’ve had I’m really looking forward to having some downtime with my one and only!

Lifestyle

Anzac Day Biscuits

26/04/2016 No Comments

As an Australian immigrant, Anzac Day doesn’t have the same meaning for me compared to others who have had or continue to have family members in the Armed Forces but it’s a day that I’m respectful of and reflect how fortunate I am in being able to live in such an amazing country.

I’ve attended quite a few dawn services in the past and it’s something I definitely recommend doing if you haven’t done so yet. Nowadays though, I like to spend the day with family, food and of course, baking Anzac Day biscuits! This year my wonderful husband helped me out and it was amazing having the smell of baked oatmeal goodness wafting throughout the house. Not bad for a first timer!

My husband asked me if I knew about the origins of the humble Anzac Day biscuit and I was surprised that I hadn’t really wondered about it before! Turns out they were a bread substitute for soldiers used with ingredients that were easily available and wouldn’t spoil, so no sugar or eggs. They were originally savoury, extremely hard and often ground up to eat like porridge. Today, there are so many different versions of this recipe and our biscuits were inspired by Maggie Beer’s recipe. They were absolutely delicious and well worth the effort if you have the time!

Scrapbooking

Melbourne Mini Album

21/04/2016 No Comments

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Earlier this year my husband and I went to Melbourne for a short week long trip. While he was busy at a conference for the majority of the time, I had a lot of fun exploring the city, visiting old haunts and some new ones. I had a lot of fun putting together my first mixed paper mini album for the trip. Pictures below!

I was determined to use my stash so I used a combination of 6×6 paper and leftover scraps. Whilst I love the look of the double sided patterned paper, it doesn’t bother me enough to cover the blank pages, so I’m leaving it as it is and calling this one done! I kept the decorating pretty simple and mainly used little alphabet stickers, stickers from kikki K as well as stickers from an old Japan trip.

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I really loved how this mini album came about and it’s such a great opportunity use up what you’ve got!

Organisation

10 Tips for Better Work Life Balance

19/04/2016 No Comments

As I write this, I have 2 major deadlines to meet this week, whilst trying to juggle work and having some semblance of a life. At some point, I think everyone’s struggled with maintaining a good balance between work, study and life, so I wanted to share my top 10 tips for achieving a better work life balance.

10 Tips for Achieving Better Work Life Balance:

1. Figure out what’s important – you might have a lot going on but not everything will be important. Take a step back and figure out what’s actually important now and prioritise accordingly. As new things pop up, make sure you re-prioritise.

2. Break it down into smaller doable tasks – once you’ve figured out what’s important, break it down further into smaller, doable tasks. Lists are great for this and ticking off each task will also help you feel more motivated and that you’re making progress.

3. Be realistic about your time – when you’re planning out what you’re going to be doing for the day, make sure you’re realistic about the time you’ll be spending on each task. Travelling between appointments? Make sure you pop that time in.

4. Let people know when you’re busy – whether its work or study, it’s helpful to let people know when you’re going to be busy and need some interruption free time. People should come to understand over time and give you space to get your work done.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – people are often more than happy to help if you ask. While you’re super busy with work and study, you might not have time to do simpler errands such as picking up someone from the airport or cooking a meal. This is where partners, family and friends may be able to help.

6. Expect the unexpected – as much as you plan, Murphy’s Law says that something will come up when you’re least expecting it, or something might not turn out how you thought it would be. Just being aware of this means you’ll be less inclined to freak out when unexpected things happen. Building in buffer time during your day can also help and if all goes smoothly, you’ve gained extra time to do as you like!

7. Don’t forget to take care of yourself – yes, you’ve got a million and one things to do but if you’re racing at full speed all the time, you’re going to crash and burn! So make sure you schedule in some ‘me time’ and do something you enjoy. Having a good night’s sleep also works wonders.

8. Take purposeful breaks – while you’re working, it can be tempting to procrastinate. However that enjoyable feeling that you get from not doing what you should be doing is usually short-lived and often replaced by guilt. Rather than getting off track, take dedicated breaks as a guilt free reward for spending a certain amount of time working or completing a task.

9. It’s okay to say no – we all lead busy lives but if you’re starting to stretch yourself too thin and you’re finding it difficult to keep things together, remember that it’s okay to say no.

10. Know that no one’s perfect – realise that you’re going to have awesome days along with those days where nothing seems to be going right. That’s okay because nobody’s perfect! Everyone’s different and work life balance also means different things to different people. Don’t be too hard on yourself and remember, tomorrow brings a new day and fresh start!

Do you have any work life balance tips to share?

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