Bird on a Wire

Shhh... We're being Wordless.
Happy Wednesday xx

Day 31: The End is Nigh

So here we are. It's the last day of the month, tomorrow has come and this project is over.

I thought since there are 31 days in this month today's worked out nicely as a recap post.
Was it a success or a waste of time?
I hope overall you enjoyed reading some of my personal truths.

I've gained a few more readers since I first started it (a great big howdy welcome and thank you for joining!) so my fear of being so bland I would bore the life out of you hasn't been realised thankfully.
And I've learnt a few lovely things about those who are reading as well - thank you for sharing back with me xx

But now comes the scary bit again - what will I write about and share with you all next month...
and of coarse now that it's all over and you know so much about me I hope you can stick around to see what else in store for my random little life.

So lastly in honour of this Me Project and with the constant inspiration of Miss Amberlee I'll end this project by joining in on some i thoughts:

i love... having the middle of the week off so I can sit in my pyjamas posting to you.

i admire... people who get up at the crack of dawn to drag themselves to work every day.

i dislike... that a few of my friends have experienced misfortune over the past few weeks.

i want to achieve... cleanliness of this bombshell I call a house.

i am reading... nothing at the moment as I just finished Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho the other day.

i am craving... everything digestible - massive hunger issues these past few days (gee these hormones are annoying)

i want to change... my fitness routine which at the moment consists of sitting on my bum.

i want for tomorrow... sunshiny days.

i want forever... the company of great friends.

i am happy... I got to spend some much needed time with a few of them last night.

i am grateful... that people have stuck around on this blog for as long as they have.

xx
Kat

Day 30: Heart Song

Who actually has one favourite song?
The one song you love above all others...
I guess I can understand if it's like "your" song - you know the one you have between you and your partner, but we never really had one of those either.
I suppose we could count our bridal waltz as "our song" maybe... but I still wouldn't call it my favourite.
That's a big call don't you think?

If a favourite song is defined by such enjoyment that anytime it comes on I can never skip it or change stations and even after first hearing it years ago I still play it loud and sing my heart out to it (if I can without being noticed) then I would have to list Cosmic Love by Florence & the Machine as my favourite song at this stage.

Unfortunately I couldn't post the original film clip

thanks to my arch nemesis EMI.

I'll check back in a week as I'm sure they'll have blocked this one by then too.

I'm not sure how long this song will remain my ultimate fave but for now all I can say is this version in particular still gives me goosebumps whenever I hear it.

Hope you like it too but also I'd love to know; what's your all time favourite song?

Feel free to comment so I know you've passed by  :)

Happy Tuesday
xx
Kat

p.s. I know it's no longer Monday but I'm linking anyway... 

'cos I'm reckless like that ;)

Day 28/29: Now & Then

So that was me a year plus 10 kg's ago.

And that's me (& Copacabana boy)
at my hen's party this year.

The most obvious changes to me in the last year have been going from single lady to having a ring on it as well as dropping down from a size 14-16 to a 10 (even an 8 in some glorious stores).

Aside from that I'm still the same old me.

What I've leant about myself this past month is that I like sharing with the world openly and honestly but that, strangely, I seem mostly reluctant to do so and have to push past my fears and self doubt first.

(Although it's a lot easier to do it behind the shielded bravado of a computer screen & to perfect strangers.)

I think I fear the shame of judgement more than anything else and can often be afraid to be myself or really open up in real life which is why it's been so nice to put my true thoughts down in this blog.
Writing for this space has shown me I have an immense love of artistic expression and that a passion like that never dies, thankfully no matter how long I end up neglecting it.
Lastly I've come to realise my little corner of the web is a great source of comfort and joy for me, I only hope you've been enjoying this half as much as I have been  :)

xx
Kat

Day 27: Reasons

That's me.

Why am I doing this 30 day Challenge?

I'd like to tell you it was for noble reasons like letting my often guarded wall down, allowing people to get a glimpse into who I really am and what makes me tick or some other admirable excuse but the truth is my reasons were actually quite simple and not nearly as thought out.

Post inspiration.
I simply saw it on another blog and thought it would be a lazy way to fill my blog with content.
There, I said it. Will you hold it against me?

Well actually that's not entirely true or I would have just catalogued it and drawn from it for inspiration during times of writers block (although that thought had crossed my mind).

Plus I think I've proven I'm never short of crap to rant about no matter how random and pointless it may be to everyone else out there.

No I did see the merit in sticking to the original project and knew it would be hard for me to open up but that it would be a worthy challenge. I just didn't expect it to be quite so hard to do - I know there are plenty of personal blogs out there but I'm not used to being quite so candid in real life.

I could have fluffed over a lot of these questions (and yes the temptation was there too) but I chose to be as honest as I could so I do hope it doesn't turn out to bite me in the bum...

Day 26: Friendship

So very true.

New Friends and Old Friends© Joseph Parry

Make new friends, but keep the old;

Those are silver, these are gold.

New-made friendships, like new wine,

Age will mellow and refine.

Friendships that have stood the test -

Time and change - are surely best;

Brow may wrinkle, hair grow gray,

Friendship never knows decay.

For 'mid old friends, tried and true,

Once more we our youth renew.

But old friends, alas! may die,

New friends must their place supply.

Cherish friendship in your breast-

New is good, but old is best;

Make new friends, but keep the old;

Those are silver, these are gold.

So now rather than boast about my friends many talents and strong points till I make you all fall down in a pile of schmaltzy shtick I thought I'd use this opportunity to flex my poetry bone in order to best describe how I feel about my friends.
Excuse me if it sounds adolescent, it seems this is my style...
no matter how hard I try to write otherwise :/

Blessed Friends © Katerina Berry

Without friends the world looks dreary,

Without friends my heart grows weary.

The love of friends it keeps me strong,

The Love of friends is a chosen bond.

So many friends by them I'm blessed,

They've chosen me out from the rest

To have and hold, kept by their side

In this roller-coaster lifelong ride.

Each friendship made and even those broken

a chapter of my life they have spoken

And even though I've been blessed with few

My friends please know I am blessed to have you.

xo

Kat

Couldn't agree more.

Day 25: What's In The Bag?

So that's my bag, care to see inside?

My Precious...

What's in the bag, in the bag, what's in my bag today:

This bag is magical as in I'm sure it's bottomless.
I've never been able to carry so much around with me before.
It even holds my cardigan!

• 34 Boulevard Saint Germain by Diptyque - My favourite fragrance of the moment. It's so complex yet subtle, both soft and fresh, floral but woodsy, I'm hopeless at descriptions so here's a review. It's supposed to smell like their Paris Store, a combination of all the lovely fragrances you experience upon walking into their boutique. I must say I get a few complements from it, no one seems to have smelt anything like it. Love, Love, Love!
• Kate Hill Purse - Having a little love affair with Miss Kate right now.
• My Business Cards - For opportune moments of shameless self promotion.
• A Hand Cream - Because sandpaper hands just aren't my thing.
• Cuticle Oil - If you haven't already discovered CND's Solar Oil do yourself a favour and nab some up.
• A Book - Depending on what we're reading for Book Club it varies but right now I'm reading Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho (even though I should be reading The Wolf of Wall Street.)
• Lip Balm - All Organic Tingling Honey for everyday & Carmex for when a cold sore threatens to strike.
• Lip Gloss - Lancome Juicy Tubes in Lychee for when you need to turn up the glitz.
• Shopping List - Without lists I'd get nothing done. It's been proven, I have chronic fishbrain.
• Comb - To de-clump this mess of a thing I call my hair.
• Sunglasses - Just picked up these babies over the weekend. Post titled "The World Through the Eyes of my Orotons" coming soon.
• Breath Mints - In this case, Tic-Tacs because aside from gremlin hands, dogs breath is another thing I loath to lay claim to.
• The only things I couldn't include in this picture are my Blackberry (which conveniently went awol again), my Cardigan (which I was wearing) and of coarse my Camera, which I was using.

Wow is anyone else bored of me yet???

This challenge is hard to stay focused on.... thank God there's only 5 days of it left.

I will blog about better subjects soon I promise!

(At least if I ever become famous there'll be this archive of useless information to fall back on for some misguided paparazzo to utilise.)

;)

xx Kat

Day 24: Parents

Dearest Mama & Baba,

For all the times I disobeyed when you were only guiding me out of love and concern, for worrying you with my apparent lack of direction in life and total disrespect towards you as a teenager - I'm sorry.
Because you have loved me despite the pure undiluted rebellion that has always coursed through my veins, I thank you.
For all the ways in which you have and continue to help me, for being the unique and special beings that you are, for raising me in your own way - You are appreciated more than words can say.
Thank you for sharing with me your wisdom, your stories of another world and time that would otherwise be long forgotten.
I'm glad I persisted in trying to understand who you both really are underneath the titles of Mum & Dad for you are both exceptional people that I am blessed to call my parents.
Everyday I learn more and more of your struggles, your bravery and success in life both past and current. I couldn't look up to any two people more.
For the most simple, which are equally the most beautiful, reasons
I love you.
xoxo

- For if there's love dear... those are the ties that bind, and you'll have a family in your heart forever  :)

Day 23: Constant Cravings

Something I crave for a lot has got to be peanut butter by the spoonful but my ultimate favourite way to eat it would be in peanut butter & jam sandwiches.

I could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

In fact I think I did once... a whole loaf of bread gone just like that!

Oh yea, and who could forget Reece's peanut butter cups!

Or even peanut butter ice cream...

Oh my, this post has got me all excited, I think I need a fix!

Day 22: Different Strokes

What makes me different from everyone else?

via

Hmmm... that's a really hard one as I don't think I'm SO different from everyone else.
How do you explain the unique combination of quirks and traits that make up any persons individual personality?
Maybe I take these questions too seriously.
Maybe I'm a bit too deep of a thinker.
Maybe that's what makes me different?!
I don't know, you'd have to ask someone who knows me to tell you what makes me really different.

For now I'd say what makes me different is my ability to be a contradiction and my refusal to be pegged into a stereotype.
I'm both dumb & smart.
Both quirky but mainstream.
Both silly & serious.
Pretty & Ugly.
Kind but cruel.
But then I couldn't say that's all that different from everyone else.

Oh to hell with it... here...
This is what makes me different:

Surely that's as different as any person can get hehee :)

Much Love on a Monday

I can't help feeling immense love and joy on a day like today when the sun is shining, the birds are singing and I actually have some time to get out and enjoy it. (God I love my job)

Anyway here are the things I'm Much Love-ing today  :)

♥ The view from my front door.

I love that Spring is on it's merry little way.
Just 9 more days to go! (But who's counting?)

♥ Sunshine and blue skies as shown here: 

♥ The colours yellow and blue as seen on my post: Happiness.

♥ Being able to pamper a lovely friend today who is moving away to London at the end of this week. (Not loving the fact that he's leaving all that much though)  :(

How could you not miss this face?

♥ Getting to spend the afternoon having lunch in the sun thanks to some last minute cancelations. 

(There's always a silver lining even to this recession.)

♥ Getting to spend said lunch break with these two lovely people:

So while today is a bittersweet Monday there's still so much of it to love, so excuse me while I head off to make the most of it.

xx

Kat

Day 21: Happiness

Q: What makes me happy?

A: The colours yellow & blue  :)

Shadow Shot Sunday

Meditation is something that not only makes me feel happy

but also brings me some much needed inner peace.

Happy Shadow Shot Sunday. Namaste xx

A Breath of Fresh Air?

When I first discovered Air thanks to their wonderful song All I Need it prompted me to buy their album Moon Safari, (which I still highly recommend 13 years later by the way).

If you're not entirely convinced just listen to the smooth sounds of La Femme D'Argent and tell me you're not blissed out after only a few minutes:

Unfortunately the same can't be said of their much anticipated new album.

While I wanted desperately to like it I really struggled to find a song on there worth sharing today....

maybe my expectations were too high but I felt less of the magic included in their past tracks and far too much 60's kitsch - which can be fun mind you if done properly, but in Love 2 it simply comes across as psychedelic cliche.

They have real vintage pop smarts which you can hear in

Playground Love for example but in my opinion they've lost something vital this time around. Very unlucky...

So after much deliberation this is my list of least disliked songs and therefor my breath of "Fresh Air" kind of:

• Heaven's Light - Lovely accompanying video and by far my favourite from the entire album.
• Missing the Light of the Day - Could've done without the synthesised voices I thought.
• Love - Maybe this album grows on you... much like mould.
• Tropical Disease - Ummm, I envisaged Austin Powers in an elevator actually... perhaps contracting a tropical disease.
• Be a Bee - Sort of cool in a Spy Who Shagged Me kind of way.
• African Velvet - No, I can't believe they gave it this title either.

Rather disappointing don't you think or am I just not appreciating the Woodstock feel?

(Maybe this album's supposed to come with a magic mushroom for greater appeal?)

How have they managed to lose their telltale uncanny ability to make schlock sound beautiful and instead give us this "strange reversal: beauty rendered schlock, pop melodies and space-age wonder curdled by damaged whimsy." - Pitchfork: Album Reviews: Air:2 

Is it me?

Am I just too school for cool?

Linking up this debate with Thea's Sunday Session to see what you all have to say.
So fire away!

Day 20: Hubby

Day 20: Someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future.


Well this one's easy since I've already married him.

Anyone who I can spend 11 years with having fun and feeling love is someone I would definitely spend the rest of my life with.

To my hubby: xox
Kat

Day 19: Nicknames

While my actual name is Katerina the following is what I've been called throughout my life by various people at various stages...

Jokes... Pinterest

Alright, so are you ready for them?

Here we go:
• Maracas - During Primary School, this one came with a song while gesturing with imaginary maracas. "Ma ma maracas, ma ma maracas falala lala lala" (to the tune of la cucaratcha) Lame...
• Daddy Long Legs - Again in Primary School because of the fact I was the tallest pupil in my grade. Even taller than the boys. I'd reached my full height of 170cm by grade 5.
• Markis the carcass - This one began in grade 6 but stuck with me throughout High School. It originated from the mispronunciation of my surname and as another cruel taunt. Not only was I the tallest girl at school but I also seemed to be one of the thinnest. I got accused of being anorexic and bulimic and teased to the point where I refused to wear anything that showed my arms and legs as they were "sticks" and refused to pursue my love for swimming as I couldn't bare the shame of exposing my so called emaciated body in public. I wouldn't even wear sandals because I thought my toes were too long and skinny. (I weighed 55kgs at 170cm with a bust size of 90cm. In this day and age I'd have been considered a model - I always said I was born ahead of my time). Kids can be so cruel and jealous teenagers down right evil.
• Princess Panda - Once I reached my 20's suddenly I got my wish of no longer being skinny and managed to gain a whopping 20kgs. So this name was given to me by my hubby/then boyfriend when I wasn't exactly at my thinnest anymore. This prompted my eternal struggle to get back to the size 8 I once was but never appreciated until it was gone.
• Katherin- A name from an Uncle who thought it was much nicer than Katerina since his own granddaughter had that name too. I refused to answer to it. Stubborn child that I was.
• Kato - From my parents who thought themselves very witty to call my sister and I by our abbreviations - Ano, Kato since together ano kato also means topsy turvey. Which is what they say we did to their lives :)
• Kathy - Mum and Dad thought it would be best to enrol me with an anglo name for school to save me from bullying. It clearly didn't help...
• Keti - My mums way of saying Kathy
• Kath - Short for Kathy
• Katsicles - which was a retort back to me after I dubbed a friend called Jessica as Jessicles testicles. We were a mature lot weren't we?
• Kat - Short for Katerina
• Kitty - As in Kitty Kat
• Katerinche - A really Macodonian way of saying Katerina with affection. (My family are from the North of Greece and so also have Macedonian heritage.)
• Zoozouni - A Greek petname meaning "little buzzing bug" which is also a term of endearment believe it or not.
• Pumpkin - Another term of endearment from my family.

pinterest

Told you it'd be a long list  ;)

Australians have a real knack for nicknames and abbreviations.
I think we have one of the laziest vocabularies in the world.
Even the shortest name can be shortened some more.
Eg; Aaron = Azza = Az.
Why not go all the way and just call him A? (which in fact is another way of calling out to someone aside from Oi. Ay of coarse is short for Hey. See what I mean?)
Although you have to be able to have a thick skin as an Aussie since I've noticed the more liked you are the harder you seem to cop it.
Well it's all in good fun and some of these names have taught me to do exactly that, grow a thick skin and worry less what others say of you or at least take it less seriously so for that I guess I'm grateful.
And besides not all of them have been nasty... for instance:

• baby
• babe
• sweetness/ sweet/ sweets
• darling
• huni and
• gorgeous

So you see it's not all bad. Although I like my nicknames of the present far more than the ones from my past  :)

Devastation & Salvation: Part II

Feeling sick and ready to puke mostly due to my blind panic but partially due to the fact I hadn't eaten all day thanks to retracing my many steps across Melbourne town hoping someone would have handed my precious phone in which took me all bloody day since I didn't realise it was missing until 2 this afternoon.

Right after I published that last post I heard my knight in shining armour pull up in the drive.
Greeting hubby at the door, forlorn and inconsolable he informed me he'd already sent a message to my phone promising a reward to anyone who handed it in.

Reasonably he suggested calling it to see if I'd simply dropped it in the car.
"Don't you think I'd think of that?" I chastised biterly.
More than one concerned retailer offered to follow me to my car to test that very theory and I had all 7 places I visited call it incase it was maybe hiding somewhere in their store, to no avail.

"When do you remember using it last?" he asked me.
Well I could recall messaging a client back before carrying it to the lounge room where I was sure I had put it in my bag before gathering my jacket and list of chores and going on my absent minded way.

Smugly he asked "Are you sure you put it in your bag? You didn't put it down anywhere?"
"No" I shot back at him.
"I remember slipping it into the back pocket of my bag like I always do then leaving for the bank. I had so much on my mind so I thought maybe I'd left it here too, but I've checked all the places I would put it down in the house and it isn't anywhere!" Exasperated I flopped onto the couch where a little flash blinked urgently willing me to take notice from the corner of my eye.

"Maybe you should stop putting your phone on silent" is all he said knowingly while gesturing to the fold of my seat...

He really is my hero and I, his bumbling fool xx

Devastation & Salvation: Part I

So I've lost my mobile phone and after trawling across the Earth in hopes of finding it I've come to the conclusion all is lost.

As much as I whinged about my Blackerry it was my life line to the outside world!
Bit dramatic?
Well let me tell you why.

I hardly care about the phone, it's the client contacts, the photos, the e-mails and all that stored information some dirty little thief is molesting with their dishonest little fingers.

Stupidly, even though I run my whole business through it and therefor should have known better, it isn't insured.
Moral of this story drop what you're doing, get on to your network company and get yourself some coverage.
Oh, what's that? You're not one of the minority of idiotic people with expensive shit left uninsured?
Lucky you.
Un lucky for me I am that minority.

You'd think I'd learn when earlier this year my 2 year old car was side swiped and completely written off without insurance. I narrowly missed certain bankruptcy since the other driver was at fault not me.
Needless to say, YES, I got insurance on my current car.

But the phone... ah that bloody phone. No insurance, no back ups.
All. Is. Lost.

To say I'm devastated is putting it lightly.
All I can bear to do until hubby gets home is to sit here and document this on my blog as there's no one else I can cry to.
Well I can't even cry properly since I have a client coming in about an hour and I'd rather appear mature and cool and nonplused instead of puffy eyed, snot nosed and delirious.

There's still a little flicker of hope in my heart that someone will hand it in somewhere and I'll be contacted somehow saving me from my own stupidity.

Just as soon as hubby gets home I'm going to use my last ditch attempt at reconnection.
The desperate message to your own phone:

URGENT ATTENTION
Please if you have my blackberry just know that it's not only for personal use but is my source of income as I run my home salon with it and was stupid enough to not back it's information up.
Please hand it in or at least just the sim card to your nearest police station with whatever details you can obtain - I don't even care about the phone you can keep it as a reward of your kindness. It's the contacts that I need the most as they are linked to my business.
Please find it in your heart to return my livelihood to me.
- Kat
katerina-83@live.com

What do you think?
Desperate enough?
I can only pray it works.

Day 18: Directions

Plans, Dreams & Goals I have....


First one's obvious, Baby
Second one too, Baby
and lastly...
hmmmm....
Baby?

Haha - Seriously I'm not that obsessed, really... well maybe...
but I have faith...

Plans:

• To cut this mane or at least get it treated so it no longer looks like a birds nest
• To look into ways to get better at this photography hobby.
• To book this bloody Honeymoon before it's more like a 50th anniversary trip. It already feels less like a Honeymoon and more like a holiday.... sads :(
• To fill out our passports (won't be going far without them!)
• To get serious about buying a home. The longer we wait the more expensive the market gets and the longer we'll have to work to pay off that mortgage.
• To get pregnant (obviously) in which case we may end up renting for the rest of our lives...

Dreams Of:

     ♥ Sapphire waters and cream puff clouds dotting an azure sky.

     ♥ Sand between my toes.

     ♥ Moving somewhere lush and green or wide and airy by the sea.

     ♥ A long and open highway, remote with no body else on it.
     ♥ Music blasting from my stereo and a picturesque country side
        blurring past my window.
     ♥ Going on a road trip.
     ♥ Building a proper little salon connected to the property
        but separate from my house.
        (Right now my salon is a renovated spare room in the house I
        live in so I would love to have the two divided.)
     ♥ A quaint little home to call my own.
     ♥ A cute little cherub to share it with and call my own.

Goals:
   ★ Celebrate this blogs 1 year anniversary
   ★ Start my own business
   ★ Find a loving man to share my life with
   ★ Get married
   ★ Have a baby
   ★ Move to a bigger house
   ★ Own my own home
   ★ Get into teaching... Possibly training budding beauticians the
        tricks of the trade.
   ★ Take an arts course, painting or photography etc...
   ★ Celebrate my 10 year wedding anniversary
       (which will coincidentally be the same year as our 20yr
       "day we met" anniversary!)

See? Simple dreams... I don't ask for much  :)

xx

<images can be found on Pinterest>

Wordless Wednesday: Flower Power

Will be linking up with Faith, Hope & a whole lotta Love

as soon as the linky wants to play along  :)

x - Kat

Day 17: Trading Places

First, I'm gonna get all philosophical and boring for a minute.

I've never really given this question too much thought except for the odd absent minded "gee must be nice to be them " here and then.
Truthfully, I don't think I'd ever really want to trade places with anyone else as we all have light and dark shadows to our lives - No one's life is ever as perfect as we perceive it to be from the outside looking in.
Secondly I'd definitely never want to be a celebrity.
All that responsibility and pressure plus the constant attention to everything you do only to get trashed by the media - No thanks.

But for conversations sake - if it were only for a day, I might like to be a surfing legend.
Being Kelly Slater might be nice as I have a real affinity for the ocean but can hardly swim let alone surf.

A very old picture, but I think I prefer him with hair

If I could teleport into his body but keep all of his knowledge as well as my own that would be awesome.

I'd love to feel the adrenalin rush of surfing a mega wave.

That's if I could pry myself away from the mirror long enough to test those skills out. I'd be liable to to just stare at my hot bod all day (amongst doing other things to it).

Wouldn't you? C'mon don't lie...

Hmm.... maybe being his current girlfriend might be better suited to me then ;)

Although I'm a bit concerned by that freakishly long big toe.
Do you think it falls in the same category as the large hands & large feet theory?
Just joking, it's actually weirding me out a little.

xx

<images all curtosy of Google>

Day 16: More Me, Sorry

I'm seriously considering cutting my hair short again.

I've really enjoyed having thicker, longer hair (as has hubby, my natural hair is so limp and fine) but the maintenance for hair extensions is so high, not to mention expensive.

Drying takes 10x longer and I've found styling hasn't been as versatile as I thought it would be.

You can't have an up-do for instance, or braid it or even tie it up in a damn ponytail without it looking all buldgy with the weft showing through.

Yea, come summer I think I'll give it the chop.

I can't imagine having to blow wave and wear out a thick mane of hair only to have it turn frizzy and stick to my skin from all the humidity and sweat. Ugh! I can hardly stand the thought of it!

Oh but I do love long luxurious locks...

Not sure what I'll end up going for, Long hair don't care or Short and sweet.

Which do you think is best?

Hmm... I think I'll have to wait and see.

Reflections

This one is nicer enlarged.

More playing with picnik

Original shot

Much Love Monday

Reflections of Love - Ginger Wemett

• I love the effect the glass has on these reflections (and I quite like the glass itself too.)
• I love this blog by Ashley Jean. In particular the soft, pastel, over-exposed look to her photos. (Does anyone know how to achieve this look? I've asked numerous bloggers that use this process but no one seems to want to share their knowledge. Is it some kind of BIG secret in the photo world? Wish I knew...)
• I love honey and lemon tea especially with fresh ginger (fighting this cold for the past week is turning into a losing battle but a delicious one at least.)
• I love that I got to have a little sleep in today (my weary body needs all the rest it can get at the moment.)
• I love leisurely Monday mornings that postpone the usual hustle of the day.

Wanna see what everyone else is loving today?

Check out Anna's page and share in the joy ♥

xx

Kat

Honey, I Shrunk The Pimples

After all the stress leading up to the wedding my lady cycle went AWOL and my once clear skin hotfooted off with it replacing me with acne to rival my teenage years.

This is actually better than it was for my wedding day :(
By now I had isolated the breakouts to my cheeks and the ones on my chin and jaw aren't really visible.
Thank God for make up!

You may remember, back when I started doing the Dry July Challenge one of my aims was to clear my skin. (along with save some money and lose some weight. Oh well, what's that Meatloaf? 2 outta 3 aint bad?)

Yea, I lost a bit of pudge (2kg's all month is not nearly enough) and the breakouts weren't as bad but they hadn't left completely.

Plus I was left with some scaring and pigmentation.

Cue lightbulb moment!

Two weeks ago I was blog surfing and crashed into this old remedy at Lola's Buddhatropolis.

Having come from a holistic background in beauty myself I remembered the age old properties of this wonderful creation of nature and figured I'd revisit the routine after seeing so many positive reviews on acne.org.

I chose to try:

- One tablespoon of pure honey

(mine was from Daylesford so it was probably Organic

but I think any honey will do so long as it's unprocessed)

- A little squirt of lemon

(I dab this onto the spots and scars BEFORE I rub on the mask)

- A teaspoon of Cinnamon (mixed in with the honey)

METHOD:

Step 1: Pat the lemon onto the spots you'd like to lighten and allow it to dry.

Step 2: Apply the mask to your face in a gentle circular motion.

I like to wet my fingers and pat them on my face a little before I do this as it helps the honey to spread more evenly,

(just so you're skin's damp not too wet or else the mask gets all runny.)

Step 3: Leave it on between 15-60mins

(depending on how long you're willing to sit around looking like a swamp monster)

Step 4: Simply wash off with warm water.

You'd think it'd be really sticky and messy to get rid of but it comes straight off with ease just by splashing your face as you would in the morning.

Step 5: Pat your skin dry. Never rub.

That's it, there's not even any need to moisturise - the honey does that naturally.

Don't I look hot?
Especially while making "the duck face" haha

Please ignore the one disgusting pimple (on my neck of all places!)
As you can see I wasn't applying it far enough - who would've thought?

Still it's pretty plain to see there's been a massive improvement since the start of July.

My skin is not only relatively spot free, the texture is smoother,  my blackheads have disappeared and my pores are tighter & clearer.

Even hubby noticed how soft and smooth it felt!

I highly recommend you give it a try.
I mean what have you got to lose right? It's only Honey.

Wishing you a sweet week.

xx

Kat

Day 15: ipod Shuffle.

I know I'm jumping ahead but I really wanted this to be part of Thea's Sunday Sessions.
It's post overload today!

Popped my ipod on shuffle and these were the first 10 songs to play:

1. Infinite Canyons - Miami Horror (another great Melbourne band, although this is not one of their best songs. From their album Illumination I prefer "I look to You", "Moon Theory" and "Soft Light")
2. All I Need - Air (best version I could find... EMI continue to screw with me)
3. Truth - Alexander Ebert (I've been obsessed with Breaking Bad for a while. Wish the next episodes would come out already!)
4. Ordinary World - Duran Duran (an oldie but a goldie)
5. Red Sails - Custom Kings (love the chilled out vibe of this song and the imagery of the video)
6. Terrible Love - The National (alternate version) (this version sends shivers through me. I heart it so)
7. Somebody To Love Me - Mark Ronson feat. Boy George (Mark Ronson is THE business)
8. Diamonds on the Inside - Ben Harper (so much wisdom in this song)
9. Breathe In Now - George (shame I couldn't find a better quality video for this song so you'll have to turn it up. Truly beautiful lyrics)
10. Best For Last - Adele (what more can be said about this angel? She is Ah-may-zing!)

So there you have it, my eclectic little mix for this Sunday.

Hope you like some of them or that I could introduce you to something different at least.

Happy listening

xx

Kat

Day 14: Family Portrait

Having such a large family what with in-laws, brothers, sisters, their partners and children I would be posting my whole wedding album before you knew it and I've already bombarded this blog with enough

of those. They're the the nicest recent pictures of family and friends I have though so what to do...

Anyway this is my narrowed down immediate family: My wonderful Papa & Mama along with my brother and two gorgeous sisters.

(If I wasn't so bird brained I'd have remembered to take my camera to Ma's birthday lunch today and would have a perfect shot to post to you of everyone. Oops. Well it was a lovely way to spend a lazy Sunday, I guess I was too busy enjoying the feast to take photos anyway.)

Hope you've been having a glorious Sunday x