Passions Ignited - My Life is Crafted World!

Many of you know I am going through a rebrand of the Savvy Sassy She to Arienne Gorlach - Luxe Life Adventuress at the moment. This site will be going through a revamp over Christmas time to bring it in line with inspiration and education around life design (yeehaa!). There will be more how-to posts and ways to become an Adventuress in the biggest journey of all...your life!

In the meantime, here's a video to share some of the passion that I have around implementing the gorgeous life you are creating.The reason behind my diary/planner line, Life is Crafted :) Enjoy!




 Make is as you wish Adventuress!
Arienne

Goodbye Shiny Distractions, Hello Focus & Making Things Happen!

Found on  a lovely blog about Shiny Object Syndrome!

Those of you who know me know I have a lot going on. Like always. And not always in a good way. I know I have somehow chosen all of this as there are so many wonderful opportunities, ideas and people that it is hard not to jump on board all of them (I don't actually physically jump on that many people - but you know what I mean right?!).

Buuuuuuuuuuut, there are consequences to this. Yes...
I sometimes drop the ball and then follow it with a beat up session.
I drop doing some of the stuff that is good for me and I enjoy (ahem...yoga...double ahem...blogging)
I don't do a lot of things to the depth or with the care they deserve
I don't connect with a lot of friends and loved ones
Time feels like it flies by without accomplishing big things
I don't have the down time to rejuvenate or connect with myself and my creativity.

Do you ever feel this way too? What do you do about it?

So, I'm learning to:

• stay away from Shiny Distracting Objects (eyes on the prize Girl!), 
• saying a compassionate 'No' or 'Can we have a look at that later?' when required,
• asking myself 'Will doing this move me towards my goals?' and then 'Is this the best thing I can do right now to move me quickly to my goals?' when new things present themselves,
• not adding anything new to my project list until some a complete and, 
• focussing on what is important in the now so I can really dive into the things that will make my dreams come to reality.

What are your recommendations to deal with have too many things to do?

Make it as you wish Adventuress,

Arienne xo

Self Love & Sisterhood

Tara Bliss, Melissa Ambrosini, Amanda Rootsey & Jessica Ainscough
Photo credit via Earth Events

Self Love = Soul Satisfaction ~ Tara Bliss

Walking into this packed room for the event Self Love & Sisterhood took my breath away. I could feel the uplifting energy and looking around at the sea of eager faces was awwwwwwwesome! And this was before the panel ladies even stepped out onto the stage!

This is the world I have been longing for since I woke up from my sleepwalking life. Over the years I've made some amazing one-on-one connections with like minds, but seeing a sea of sisters in one place was truly encouraging - this heart-centered, authentic-life, soul-sista, make-a-difference community is truly growing. I'm excited to see what Earth Events has in store for us in this vein.

So, who were these magic ladies?
Tara Bliss from Such Different Skies, Jessica Ainscough of the Wellness Warrior, Melissa Ambrosini from Path to Wellness and Amanda Rootsey from AmandaRootsey.com.au. Amanda was one of the early followers of this blog and I got such a buzz realising that!! (hi Amanda if you're reading this!).

Me & Amanda - gorgeous girl - gorgeous dress! Photo quality - average ;)

These women are truly living their authentic lives and inspiring others to gracefully (and messily!) dive through the muck and magic and be our well, real, divine, wonderful selves.

I came away from this event inspired. Not only to earnestly practice my version of self love but to gain more confidence in putting myself out there and growing in the direction my heart desires.

The panel format was engaging and provided spontaneous wisdom and heartfelt sharing.

You know me and my love of paper and pouring my heart out onto the page, so, in typical Arienne-fashion, I took copious notes that I had a hard time deciphering! I took down words and phrases that captured me and left me nodding with my heart. I may not have gotten every word right but it the gist that counts right girls?!

In response to 'What does self love mean to you?'
Accepting and having your own back no matter what. - Jessica Ainscough (JA)
Having gratitude for what you have now - Amanda Rootsey (AR)
Everything doesn't work without it - JA
[if you don't have self love you're] Building yourself up with sticks instead of bricks - Melissa Ambrosini (MA)
When you love yourself you want to drink green smoothies....- MA
Working the Self Love Muscle - MA
One first step is awareness...see how you speak to yourself - JA
[affirmations are important in self talk] I deeply and completely love and accept myself - JA
We wouldn't be here if we'd not been so messed up - Tara Bliss (TB)
I have a choice in this moment - TB
What does the mean girl say in your head? Write it down. Look at it. No one else would talk to you like that so why do you allow it? - MA
Doing things for someone else brings self love back
No amount of darkness can ever blow out that candle of awareness and choice 

How do you practice self love?
Remembering who I am in quiet time. - TB
Meditating and connecting - MA
What I put in my body are acts of self love.
What soundtrack I choose to play in my head each day?
Getting to know myself without all the external labels (ie party girl) - JA

 How do you support the Sisterhood

Compare no more. Support and encourage others. There is an abundance in the world

Acceptance and love of where you are now

How do we make self love fun?Be gentle and forgiving of yourself
Do things everyday that you love. I've designed my life to make everyday and every moment fun - JA

Self love is not selfishness to the detriment of others. It is realising the importance of taking the time and effort in loving yourself so you can truly love and support others from the right place and from the best reasons.

I went with one of my besties and healthy influencers Miss C and caught up with Ashley - Physio and Pilates girl extraordinaire! 

The beautiful and vibrant Jessica Ainscough of The Wellness Warrior

Some of the takeaways and reminders that I am taking action on now:

• Sitting in stillness or journaling to connect with myself more regularly
• Becoming more aware of what I put into my body
• Stepping up into my own brilliance so I can shine and reflect that to the women shining around me
• Reminding myself that I chose the way I am now living my life and to allow myself more fun and lightheartedness in this.

I love Tara's quote that I highlighted at the top - Self love is equal to soul satisfaction. That's what it is all about - doing the things that make your soul truly light up.

How do you practice self-love?
Make it as you wish,
Arienne

From Darkness to Light. What you going to do today Girlfriend?

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We all have those days that aren't so good. The ones where we feel low.

It is okay girl. Things will get better. You may not see the light right this minute but trust me - you will see the sunshine again. It may take time and it will take some effort on your behalf. But when you turn that corner, it will feel even better than before because you know what the darkness was like.

We may or may not know the reasons. If it is fleeting, the Why may not matter.

If it is not so fleeting, talk to someone. Reach out. I'll bet that at the core it has something to do with not being who you really are. Dig down darling, the answers are all there. Ask yourself questions. Work out what truly makes you happy. Your joy is no one else's responsibility but yours. You owe it to yourself to explore what makes you tick. It is a journey, a process, a never-ending one. But it is a path that is so rewarding. The start is the hardest. It does get easier but takes effort nonetheless. I'm travelling down that road and am so grateful to be on my way rather than how I was before I started. I am happier, healthier, more real, more in love, more appreciated...more me.

Don't forget to enjoy the journey along the way. Your life is made up of days. Make everyday something real. Something wonderful. Make a memory. Turn a corner. Laugh at yourself. Call that friend. Give yourself permission. Help that guy. Get to you know more about you. Take a photo. Wear that dress. Ask for that raise. Resign. Read that book. Send that email. Forgive yourself. Forgive your mum. Forgive him. Go to that yoga class. Love yourself. Say thank you. Go after that goal. Say yes. Say no. Listen to that song. Put on your red lipstick and dancing shoes. Live.

I sat down with the intention to write a completely different post. This is what came out instead. Did one of you need it? Maybe I did...

What are you going to do today girlfriend?

Make it as you wish,
Arienne

Feeding Inspiration Into My World

What a way to start the day!

This morning, I kicked the day off with a dose of inspiration and connecting with like minds. Every month, Vibewire and the Powerhouse Museum put on FastBreak, a pre-work morning event and breakfast with 5 presenters speaking for 5 minutes on the month's topic.

Today was on the topic of Craft (close to my heart because of Life is Crafted!). It was five entrepreneurs discussing their take on Craft and Crafting. I always take something away from these sorts of events. Whether a re-determination to take action, a specific thing to do or inspiration to fuel my work and my being.

The pic above was of the first speaker, Rupal Ismin of Andable. Andable is a wonderful online marketplace with a difference - you can buy 'products directly from indie sellers in Australia and around the world. 
10% of every sale goes to fund a micro loan (or 'small business loan') to a person in need in a developing country.'

I've had my Andable account created for a while now, I just need to start stocking my shop there. This morning reminded me to get my Life is Crafted diaries and products organised so I can list them! Meeting Rupal after the presentation was also a treat. I am always interested in the people and personalities behind the scenes of businesses I'm drawn to.

Then I rounded it off with a coffee meeting with my weekly mastermind posse - two kickass women doing wonderful things in the world with their social enterprises. As one of them said - it was 40 minutes of Goosebump goodness going around. It is such an honour to have my path growing alongside theirs and to be along for the journey!

Sprinkling inspiration into your everyday is super important to keep you heading in the direction you want. The good news is that it is not hard to do. Here are 5 ideas:

1. Find and attend events in your area that have inspiring speakers and attendees.
2. Find a blog to read that inspires you to be or do more.
3. Make a regular date with people in your world that uplift you.
4. Take a walk and find the awe and wonder in the everyday things that surround you.
5. Connect to your dreams and goals. Have a daily reminder of the why behind what you are doing to push you forward.

How do you feed inspiration into your world?

Make is as you wish,
Arienne

A Glimpse Into A Possibility Of How Life Can Be

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This may seem simplistic. When I wrote it out I wondered if it was as amazing as it actually feels. There can be such a difference between hearing a theory that resonates with you and actually implementing it in your life...

Ever had that experience? For example, where you know that forgiveness is freeing, it sounds simple, but that actually doing it is sooooo hard? But when you do - when you forgive and let go, that 'free-ness' is amazing.

Or, one that is close to my heart, that when you allow the fear you feel in and sit with it you can get through it. You get more empowered and the fear diminishes. Yeah. Not an easy one but when you actually do it, it is true and liberating.

So the other day I had an insight into how life could be for me.

What if I just stop putting needless pressure on myself and design my day the way I really want it to go - so I can enjoy it and look forward to it?

Simple? Sounds like it should be - so why have I not allowed myself this before? I've come so far in making significant changes in my life so I can live a life that is more mine. Now that I am here why am I allowing myself to not enjoy the things I have chosen??? I'm ridiculous aren't I??

We all put shoulds, musts and have-tos into our lives that drain so much of the fun and enjoyment out of our everydays. What if we were able to remove this needless pressure and go about doing stuff in a way that gives us joy, bliss and laughter? Plus how about ensuring we work in some obviously pleasurable things?

What if we could change our perspectives on some of those less fun tasks and see how they fit into our bigger picture and therefore do them with more delight? If they have to be done, why can't we choose to do them with more pleasure and enjoy the necessity?

My **SPARKLY** (I emphasise that because she does sprinkle sparkle wherever she goes with her tiara and awesome self) friend Denise over at Concert Chick wrote a fabulous related post about being Peacefully Productive.

I find that because I'm looking at all the things that need to be done that I am not doing I think I need to make more time for them so I don't schedule the fun stuff - catching up with friends, going for a lovely walk.

So now...
I am choosing to stop putting that needless pressure on myself. I choose to enjoy my days a whole lot more! I choose to view my shoulds/musts/have-tos with more understanding and have more fun with them. This is all done with the view of peaceful productivity, gleefully working towards my awesome goals and joyfully waking up and looking forward to my day.

Sounds good, right?! Here we go!

How do you want to feel everyday? How will you make that happen?
 
Make it as you wish SSSs!

My Portable Office

I mostly work from home, but also work at the 10thousandgirl shared space once a week and then at random places on an ad hoc basis when I just need to get out!

This means I have to have all my important stuff together so I can do what I need to wherever I am.

Some people are very minimalist. I am not one of those people.

I am visual - I need paper.
I need lists I can see and schedules that are in front of me.

So here are the items that make up my portable office (and yes, sometimes I am really daggy and I cart them around in a wheelie case - it was not sexy enough to photograph for this post.):

Phone & Headphones

I love listening to podcasts on the go and the headphones are also good for handsfree conversations.

iPad

I gave up on my internet dongler because it really was hopeless! Now I just quickly check and send emails from the iPad if necessary.

 

 Laptop & Mouse

I don't like the mouse on the laptop so I always have my wireless mouse on hand. It is especially helpful when I'm fussing around with excel spreadsheets and jumping between different programs.

Diary/Organizer/Planner

I cannot live without my planner. It has all my important information in it and its where I schedule and prioritise what is going on in my week.

 

Blog Planner

Since I created my own blog planner I wonder how I survived before! It helps me plan what posts should be ready when and keeps it altogether and clear for my chaotic mind.

 

Notebook

While my diary keeps me on track I use my notebook to scribble out plans and details of the projects I'm working on. I prefer paper first and then I put things together and edit on the computer.

Pencil Case

It makes such a difference writing and planning in colour with nice pens as opposed to just boring old blue or black ink. That's why I carry around my pink polka dot pencil case. It holds all the important writing and work tools including:

Whiteout

Pens

Coloured markers

Highlighters

USB stick

Post its

So, that is my portable office!

Do you lug around as much as I do or are you much more minimalist or digital??


Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne

Building Confidence - Adding a Notch to My Belt

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At yoga the other day I was confronted with a situation I noticed I was totally resisting...

The instructor was demonstrating with a partner how to do an assisted handstand that he wanted everyone to pair up and try.

The voices in my head went something like this:
"You've got to be kidding me. I can't do that."
"I don't have enough strength."
"I have to pair up with a stranger and show them how I can't do it?"
"I don't want to look around and catch anyone's eyes."
"Of course he can make it look so easy, he;s been doing it for years."
"How can he expect us to do that?"
"I'll never be able to do it. Maybe I should give up yoga altogether?"
"I wonder if anyone would notice if I sneaked out of the room right now?"
"If I'm reacting like this does it mean I'm a chicken?"
"Yup, it means I'm a failure! I will never be able to succeed at anything in life..."
"I never do anything well. And even if I even try I will just stumble and crush some poor little yogi underneath my mammoth body..."
"Shit...he's finishing the demonstration...the door is only 3 metres away..."


Then, through the momentum of everyone starting to move and pair up I locked eyes (whoops!) with this fit looking girl about a head shorter than me - she smiled and started walking in my direction...

Then I gave in - better than resisting right?? She introduced herself and I warned her that I didn't really have confidence in being able to pull the position off and apologised in advance if I toppled her over. Brave woman that she was she still wanted to give it a go with me!

I offered for her to go up first with me assisting and she gracefully arched into position and went up into a perfect handstand. I was super impressed and told her so.

Then it was my turn. Buoyed by her success but still caught up in the distrust of my ability I reluctantly arched into position. She supported my shoulders and told me to start lifting my legs. I hopped up a little and my feet landed back on the ground. Another bunny hop and I could feel my face filled with blood and effort.

I stood up and said I didn't know if I would get it but that I'd have one more try since we were there anyway...

Deep breath, hands down, positioned outer shoulder width apart, core in, legs lifting, trusting in her support. Then...

SUCCESS

I was in an assisted handstand! My legs splayed wide, then came together again. Then I splayed them wide again just for fun and then brought them in to touch! WOW! I was in control of it. I DID IT! I was basking in my headstand glory! My red face was grinning wildly! I wanted to stay up here forever.

My mind was officially blown...

After all that blah blah bullshit that was raging on in my monkey mind, I managed something that I clearly didn't believe was possible for me at that time.

In that moment something shifted. I gained an understanding that I can do things I never thought I would be able to. I looked at the different situations that I am currently facing and it gave me renewed strength to tackle the daunting tasks I've set for myself.

From that experience I have gained a valuable amount of confidence. The issues that I am 'freakin' out' about I am much more willing to give a good old go with.

Maybe they'll be just like that handstand. Something I thought was impossible, but with some effort perhaps success will show up again...

What are you thinking is impossible in your life SSSs?
Make it as you wish!
Arienne
xo 

PS. A few months ago I thought the below position (wheel) was impossible for me. I worked on it and can now do it. Another notch on my confidence belt!

Photo Credit

Happy Birthday Puppy Dearest

Zander 'The Puppy Love Of Our Lives' turned a big ONE on the 8th April 2012!

We were going to take him kayaking on the Central Coast, but the weather wasn't the best so instead we dressed him up with a lei and took him down to the park with balls, treats and camera.

The three of us frolicked in the water, were models posing for pictures and played 'doggie in the middle' with Zander's favourite ball.

Zander's Party Outfit

I created a flyer in honour of him reaching yhis milestone...http://www.smore.com/zander-s-first-birthday

And no, we didn't sing Happy Birthday to him silly billies, that would have been going too far...

Your True Life Vision Takes Courage

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When you start acknowledging that you want 'more' in your life, it can be scary. The questions start to come up. Does wanting more mean you need to change everything at once? Does it mean all the good stuff will change too? Does saying it out loud mean you need to make drastic changes immediately?

Then that bloody unhelpful voice kicks in saying, "you can't do it silly, you don't have enough skills or confidence or knowhow AND you're waaaaaaaay too lazy/stupid/unworthy. Besides, even if you did attempt it you would probably fail, fail, FAAAAAIIIIIILLLLLLL!!!!!!"

Does any of that sound familiar?

These questions, answers and thoughts often overwhelm us so much so that we stay in inaction.  The result is that you are left yearning for the wonderful possibilities out there but feeling like you just don't know how to reach them. That gap then exists between where you are now and where you would like to be and that void is often a source of unhappiness...

Does any of that ring a bell?

Change can be daunting. It is the unknown! Is full of uncertainty!  Breaking out from the status quo often is. It means stretching out of your comfort zone when sometimes staying in the 'zone' is well...comfortably warm and safe - like those favourite gungy trackie pants you have (comfy but really not really all that exciting). Plus, the future can feel like it is fraught with potential challenges and 'danger'.

But is it really safe to stay there? Well, if you want an 'okay' life then yes it is. But if you want an amazing life, one that you are truly enamoured with, then the comfort zone becomes a dangerous place to be. It becomes unsafe because you are already aware that there is a better option of life for you out there while you are where you are now. In my experience, if you know it but ignore it, 'things' (blocks barriers, frustration, mediocrity, sickness, unhappiness, unease) happen until you pay attention.

You have to ask yourself if the vision you see in your dreams is worth leaving the status quo and making the effort to get there:

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anais Nin

All I know is that I want a great life. A great life on my own terms. A life I can look back on and say, "Wooooohaaaaaa I gave it my all! I tried and I got more than I could ever dream of. Sometimes I attempted something and even though I was reaching for the stars and I ended up catching the dreamy moon and other times I tried and and I 'failed' but I learned and at least I wasn't left wondering...what if and kicking myself because I didn't have the guts to give it a go."


I am finding the courage to make my life the way I want. I am stepping out of my comfort zone and putting myself out there into the unknown. I am being brave in the face of difficult questions and challenging situations.  I am looking things in the eye and trusting myself that I will find a solution. It is not easy and I get scared. I question myself. I sometimes wonder if another way would be easier. But because I TRULY know it is worth the effort, I'm building my strengths in self-belief, courage and taking forward action. I'm enjoying my today while putting things in place for my tomorrow. For this I am being rewarded with so much magic and so much support showing up in my world.

Trust me, you want to do it without the need for life/death experiences to wake you up to what life can be.

Wake up now if there are parts of your life that are just okay. Wake up now if there are parts you love and parts you hate. Wake up now if it all seems not so fabulous. Because if you do, if you really stand up and look for it, there is a lot of great out there and your life can be so much more than you once thought was possible.

I say all of this as a person who was once in the darkest hell hole you could imagine and is now living in much more sunshine. I'm still on my journey with all its challenges and all its glories but I am so grateful I gave life a go.

What is something you can do today to take a step towards where you want to go and who you want to be? What could you acknowledge or admit that feels true to you without necessarily having to do anything about it yet? How can you give your life a go?

Make it as you wish SSSs. MAKE. IT. AS. YOU. WISH.
Arienne xo

10 Ways to Light Your Creative Spark

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Sometimes when we HAVE to work on a project (business plan, report, blog post, whatever) the motivation, enthusiasm and inspiration can leave us. The creativity is all there somewhere inside, you just need to find the spark to get the juices going.

It's often just a change of activity that subtly entices out your imagination.

Here are some actions I have found useful to help me light my creative spark:

1. Take yourself out on an Artist Date
This is a solo excursion somewhere that will be nourishing and invigorating to your creative soul. This could be to the movies, the shopping centre, a beading shop, the beach, an art gallery, a session at cafe, a cupcake bakery, a tourist attraction - basically anywhere that screams out INSPIRATION to you.

Immersing yourself in a different environment while you observe the happenings of nature or of other humans can help you get into the flow.

You could have your notepad, ideas journal or laptop at the ready to capture your creative work when it starts pouring out.

Julia Cameron advocates this as one of her two important tools in The Artist's Way (a fabulous book and well worth a read).

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2. Write in your journal
Just getting 'stuff' out of your head and onto paper can free up space in your mind for more. Write whatever comes to your head whether it makes sense or not! It is not about cultivating the perfect sentances and capturing the right sentiments. It is about expressing yourself.

I soooooooo strongly recommend journalling for working through emotions, getting to know yourself more, getting unstuck, venting (we all need an outlet!) as well as dreaming and planning. There is something magical about getting things written down.

Write everyday if you can, or just as often as you can. If you do it on a regular basis it will change something in you - I've learned that from experience!

Write down whatever is going on in that head of yours for 15 minutes and see if that jolts a spark in you.

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3. Flip through a magazine
One that is visually appealing, not one where you're going to be reading about 'trash' - you know, about Miss Two and questions about discharge (sorry, I just had to ;). One that appeals to the aesthetic in you where there are beautiful pictures or typography. Immerse yourself in that world for a few minutes and see if the spark ignites!

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 4. Doodle, scribble, draw!
Go get yourself a blank piece of paper and some coloured pens, markers or textas. Then draw something. Anything! An item in front of you, something from your imagination, scribble, create an ocean of multi-coloured love hearts, draw a bubble alphabet. Use lots of colours. You don't need to show ANYBODY. So don't judge. It doesn't matter if it doesn't look like anything - be an abstract artiste! Set a timer for 15 mins. Ready, set, go! Are those creative juices starting to flow??

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5. Flip through a cook book 
Or a cooking blog and then look at your cupboard and make something. Measure, chop, slice, stir. Add pinches of salt with exaggerated flourish. Blast some italian opera (because I know that is just loaded and ready to go on your iPod). Present your dish pretty on the plate. Take a pic of it for creative prosperity. Eat it. Then go back to work - that spark is ignited!

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6. Organise something!
A shelf or a drawer or your desk. Clear out your handbag and wallet. Plan out your week ahead. Putting something into order always seems to spark my creativity.

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7. Read or browse something inspiring
Catch up on your fav blogs, browse Pinterest (request an invite if you're not on there yet!), or look at images on we heart it. Seeing the things other people are working on, their perspectives and inspiring articles can be motivating. But only do it for a limited amount of time. It is super easy to get carried away and forget the thing you really should be doing!

8. Get dressed up
Hop in the shower, wash off the cobwebs, put on an empowering outfit, do your hair, paint on a face, spray on some perfume, stand up straight, slip on some heels and voila. You've created a new person with a new perspective! All ready to charge ahead and get some things done (even if no one else can see you!).

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9. Listen to music
LOUD and dance around. Self explanatory...Right? Dance like nobody is watching.

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10. Go for a walk
Get into nature and observe the little things and the big things around you. Breathe deeply. Crouch down and look at a blade of grass. Lie down and gaze up into the sky. Raise your arms and your face to the sun.

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Now go and get that creative project underway! Vamos!

How do you get your creative spark going?

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

Just about to run off to an International Women's Day event - happy IWD everyone!

Yoga With A View

Our friends Luca and Lidia are amazing people. After getting fed up of losing friends and loved ones to cancer, they decided to REALLY do something about it. Dedicating much of 2012 to fundraising towards cancer research, they have been hard at work organising events around Sydney and Italy.

One of the most mindblowing upcoming events is their Tour of Italy -  running 20 marathons in 29 days in each region of their country of origin. To support them in any way you can please visit Outrun Cancer.

A few weekends ago, they organised Yoga with a View. It was a beautiful Sunday morning at Cremorne Point full of nourishing outdoor yoga, fresh juices and yummy food. They ended up raising $700 toward the cause.

Does this get you thinking about the little things you could do to give back to a cause that is important to you?

Make it as you wish SSSs,
Arienne

Poolside

So we finally christened the pool with rubber ducky, Zander, delicious cocktails, Justin Timberlake and watermelon. Sydney weather hasn't really been cooperative with warm, outdoorsy activities but we managed to jump in for a few minutes before it got too cold!

Zander enjoyed his 'beach' perch :)

Looking forward to a few more dips in the pool and hope the weather supports us!

Make it as you wish SSS!
Arienne xo

Breathe through the Christmas craziness!

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Sending you all some happy cheer and to remind you to stop and breathe during this busy time! Enjoy the lead up to Christmas and remember why you are running around like a madwoman (or if you are super organised and gliding through this time let me know how you are doing it!!)

Happy 23rd of December :)

Make it as you wish SSSs!

Arienne xo

Sculpture By The Sea

Well, after living in Sydney for 11 years I have gone to the amazing Sculpture By The Sea! Finally, I can cross it off my Sydney To Do List (and the Bondi to Bronte walk while we're at it)!

Since my Aunty Ursula is in town, we decided to do the stunning oceanside walk. We chose the best day weather wise (though not crowd wise as it was the opening weekend). The Man and The Little Man (aka Zander) rounded off the foursome.

It was a great day to get my white winter skin out in my first bit of summery sunshine (though totally sunscreened up). It is a fab day and well worth a visit if you're around.

Aunty Ursula, Zander and I in a frame

Having lunch under a shady tree

It was sooooo hot the Little Guy had enough and luckily my personal hot Man was close at hand

 This was a roadside garden we saw walking through the back streets of Bondi