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

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 Life Less Ordinary

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Back in the days before The Man danced into my life and I was a single gal, I remember coming across people's dating profiles.

So many of them stated, "I'm just a normal guy, looking for a normal girl..." or some permutation of the like.

My reaction was always, WHO WANTS BORING NORMAL?? WHO WANTS THINGS TO BE 'ORDINARY'??

Okay, so we might not be searching for abnormal, but don't we want something a little different and unique? And I believe this doesn't only go for relationships - it is relevant for life in general. We deserve the best.

I want extraordinary.

 

I want my life full of magic and the 'impossible'. Of love soaring to heights I didn't believe true.

I want to be the best I can be. To experience wonderment and awe in my everyday.

To be and see the spectacular and the fantastic.

So how do we do that?

So much of this has to do with our perception of the world around us and within us. We can make ordinary situations into extraordinary ones with how we engage with them.

For example, you can just see a weed growing in an unlikely place or you can see it and experience the wonder of it being able to grow there. You can accept breakfast in bed with a gracious thanks or you can super appreciate it and shower the giver with gratitude and feel how lucky you are to have that person in your life. Notice the difference?

Appreciate how you react to situations and deal with things. Feel you are capable and pat yourself on the back for accomplishing even the smallest things. See then how it makes you feel! We can take for granted our innate abilities or we can look inside and cheer them on :)

Another thing we can do is raise our standards and expect good. If you are forever expecting little out of life or yourself how will you see when great things come along? Raise your expectation bit by bit. Expect good and you will see more of it around you. Yes it can be challenging but give it a go! Trust me - it is worth it! Can you see the good in that?

Are you with me SSSs?? Make it extraordinary and as you wish!

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!

10thousandgirl Episode 005 - Collaborative Consumption and the Entrepreneurial Journey with Lisa Fox of Open Shed

Just published a fabulous podcast interview with Lisa Fox of Open Shed on the 10thousandgirl blog. What Lisa discusses is well worth a listen if you're interested in the journey of an entrepreneur, starting a social business and the quite facinating area of collaborative consumption. Listen here

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

The Savvy Sassy She Manifesto

I've always wanted to create a manifesto. I love them. They give me inspiration and lift me when my mood is down. It is a bit of a framework to guide my life.

On my wall of inspiration I have the Lululemon Manifesto, The Holstee Manifesto, Goddess Leonie's How to Be A Goddess and the Hip Tranquil Chick Manifesto.

So, introducing The Savvy Sassy She Manifesto! I can't seem to upload it for download via the blog so if you would like a copy please feel free to email me (savvysassyshe@gmail.com) and I'll shoot a PDF version to you. Then you can print it out if you so wish!

If the pic is too small and you'd like to actually be able to ready what it says here it is:

THE SAVVY SASSY SHE MANIFESTO

Be You.

Define your ideal life and go about making it happen.

Get yourself inspired.

Feel the sunshine.

Review and plan regularly. Then prioritise and focus.

Be spontaneous.

Do things with enthusiasm. It makes a difference.

Give back.

Acknowledge and thank those who have helped you.

Trust in this moment. And in the future.

Celebrate and rejoice.

Write and dream in your journal.

Go natural.

Stop sleepwalking. Live on purpose.

Make time for you.

Improve all areas that are important to you.

Dream big. Take massive action to make them a reality.

Surprise people.

Make things your kind of beautiful.

Have a bucket list and start checking things off.

Nurture your strengths and talents.

Create memories.

Cherish loved ones.
Let go of things that don’t serve you.

Question the status quo.

                                                                                                                                                                                                       Believe in yourself.

Breathe deeply.

Show up.

Listen, then respond.

Define success for yourself.

Learn.

Surround yourself with things that make you beam.

Start traditions.

Stop beating yourself up.

Be grateful and appreciate the small and the big.

Take responsibility for your life.

Receive.

Give compliments.

Approach everything with a creative flair.

Leverage your skills.

Add value to everything.

Connect with yourself.

Do the things that make you feel great. Without guilt.

Feel it, then let it go.

Smile.

Laugh a lot. Laugh at yourself.

Create.

Care for others, but put yourself first.

Move your body.

Eat well, then indulge.

Sing loudly.

Reach out.

See the good.

Sip nourishing liquids. Green juice it up.

Love.

Ask.

Be adventurous. Try new things.

Give things a chance.

Be passionate.

I'm Making The Leap

Photo Credit

For years the Universe has been pushing and prodding me in a certain direction and while I have taken some heed of it, I've made the changes half-heartedly.

Always with one foot still in the status quo. In the 'safety' of what is 'normal' or what I 'should' be doing. But that safety never lasted long. Things keep rearing up and slapping me in the face to show me that I can't stay that way. They make me so uncomfortable that I can't help but do something drastic.

I have to stand up, take a deep breath and leap into what is authentic for me.

I know when I do that, the Way, the Path, will show up. When I am committed to my authentic direction, the Universe will help me.

So I am walking to that cliff edge, knowing the 'what' but not exactly knowing the 'how'.

I trust that the how will show up.

So come with me as my tentative steps become determined strides.

Let's jump!

From the Senses To the Mind To the Heart

Ears are wonderful things. Eyes are wonderful things. The mind is a wonderful thing.  And the reason? Well, because they are all tools that can help us expand, pull us upwards and grow.

Of course it is helpful to have the clips to listen to via the ears and the items to read via the eyes to process and enlarge our lives with! Like so many things we are exposed to on a daily basis, it is important to look at the quality of what we are allowing into our space and attention.

Just like we may become more conscious of avoiding negative inputs such as the news, we can also start to look at exposing ourselves to more uplifting, educational and inspirational ideas.

For me, doing this makes a world of difference. If I’m feeling a little off or unmotivated, reading one of my favourite blogs can make me laugh or inspire me to get back on track. When I am doing some mundane chore I normally have my iPod in or my laptop playing some podcast or audiobook (that is not me in the accompanying pic though). I love, love, LOVE audiobooks and podcasts (did I manage to stress my love for them enough??).  I think it satisfies the multi-tasker in me.

Podcasts to Listen To
There are a huge range of entertaining, informative, educational and inspirational things to listen to depending on what your interests are. Here are some ideas (and some of my favourites!):


The 10thousandgirl Campaign (surprise!): 1othousandgirl’s series of podcast interviews
Money Girl’s Quick & Dirty Tips For A Richer Life: While it is an American podcast with US references, it still has some great tips
TedTalks: The mind opening TED talks are available for download
A Vampire Story (for those of you who are missing Twilight)
Hamish & Andy: A barrel of laughs from the Radio duo
Tranquility Du Jour (my absolute inspirational favourite!!): One tranquility seeker’s sparkly lifestyle musings 
Working in Heels: Discussion of issues related to women in business 
herBusiness: Insights for women in business 
SocialInvest: Interviews with figures throughout the social investment and the civil society sector
iTunes University: This is something pretty amazing. Free lectures and seminars from universities around the world including Yale and Harvard

And of course the Savvy Sassy She Podcast!

When to Listen
There are a myriad of times when listening to a podcast or audiobook will add to your stimulation in the moment. These include:

Driving
Exercise/walking
Train/bus
Housework
Shower
Doing mundane tasks
Crafting
Cooking
Walking the dog
I’m sure there are lots of other times you can come up with! Share with us in the comments section.

How To
If you want to know a little more about how podcasts work and how you can use iTunes to access them visit: http://www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/

Sources
So where can you find podcasts and audiobooks from?
iTunes
Podiobooks
Audible
www.booksshouldbefree.com
The local library! There is normally an audiobook section in the library that you can borrow from.

Players:
MP3 play such as an iPod or your phone with a fab pair of headphones 
Your computer

If you’re already an enthusiast – share your favourites with us! If you’re a podcast or audiobook newbie, come and discover the new way of devouring content. And enjoy!

Arienne Gorlach is the content manager with the 10thousandgirl Campaign and can sometimes be a bit of a bookworm (okay, a total bookworm)…

Photo Credit 

http://www.10thousandgirl.com/2011/08/30/from-the-senses-to-the-mind-to-the-heart/

A Whimsical Weekend

This weekend reconnected me with Whimsy...

Sitting by a fire, sipping on wine, looking at gorgeous books filled with creative expression and dreams, bits of crafty inspiration. Being surrounded by wonderful women, food, music and the elements you'll find in the pictures below. What a wonderful time it was...

 Artfully arranged scrabble letters by the door...

 Inspiring quotations met in every direction...

 Flights of feathery fancy...

 Beautiful natural elements intertwined with practicality...

 Teacups and Teapots and Tea (and wine) galore...

 DIY stamp mania...

 Lavender and Doily touches abound...

Beauty in a teacup...

It was a day and a night spent in the Blue Mountains that was soooooo nourishing to the soul. It really was a beautiful, dreamy time and the hosts were fabulous (thanks gals)!

Thank you for reconnecting me with these simple but forgotten pursuits. 

I am planning on cracking out some more nurturing time and creating some more beauty around me. Some soothing music, red wine, surrounded by inspiring pieces, writing what comes up in my journal, comfy place, warm clothes...Simple, luxurious bliss!

How are you nurturing your souls lovelies? 

Make it as you wish SSSs!

Arienne xo 

Photo Credit: Me & Bryanna Pearl

Shower Power

 

I wish I could look more like the lady above and less like a drowned rat when in the shower. Maybe I should start wearing lipstick as I am scrubbing down...

Photo Credit

So, I had a very powerful shower on Sunday. Strange I know! But it is truly a place for thinking, for problem-solving, for dreaming and setting intentions. So much so that I am going to put a shower-proof writing pad on my wishlist :)

Why was it such a powerful shower do you ask?

Well, I had two clear intentions pop up in my head...
1. That I wanted to meet some interesting women that I could interview for the podcast
2. That I should talk to Dad about actually starting the memoirs he's been talking about for years.

Well, I'm sure you can guess.

Yes. I started to meet really interesting women (and it is only Tuesday morning!). On Sunday evening I went to a friend's birthday gathering. The friend's sister was up visiting from Melbourne. Lou is a fabulous young going through some really interesting life overhaul changes and is moving to India. Bingo, I asked if she would be interested in being my first interviewee and she said yes!

Then last night, I put on my artistic outfit and trotted out to visit a friend's father's photographic exhibition.

My Artistic Look last night - Flower Power and looking a bit vampy!

 The photos were beautiful double exposures of leaves and Sydney scenery. It really inspired me to get cracking with a camera. I've found that you do look at the world quite differently when you think of it in frames.

Anyway, I met another interesting young woman who has come back from a holiday in Morocco, Dubai and Thailand who is an interior designer. We had a chat about her views on going back to study, design and the impact it can have on people. So voila, I have sourced another lady to interview!

Then on Monday morning, Daddy-O came downstairs and said that he is going to start working on his book!

So there you go - those Sunday shower intentions were powerful!!!! And I didn't even do it that consciously. So what will happen if I do??

What are you putting out there? Do you use the shower for dreaming, planning and setting intentions?

Make it as you wish SSSs!

Arienne xo

So you may have noticed...

That the blog is pinker! I've wanted to create a website for a while (and it is probably going to be a little while longer...), but I really wanted a little bit of a lift on the blog in the meantime, so I found a site with free templates, the beautiful http://smittenblogdesignsgallery.blogspot.com/ where you can download free 'prettiness' and go through some easy steps to add it to the blogger template.

So voila - a very pink and refreshed Savvy Sassy She blog site :)

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

Beautiful!

This picture just made me happy. Butterflies & Pink & a Berry Bush. Lovely!

What makes you happy to see?

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

February Dreams/January Review

So, what is this picture about? We associate stars with dreams and goals. Not quite sure why, but its a pretty pic huh?!

Anyway, with the start of the year behind me and returning to Sydney to start the year off properly I have to say I didn't do as well with my January Dreams and new habits as I would have liked.

I wrote in my January Dreams post about a few things that that I wanted to implement for 2011 that would enhance my year. I've been on and off with them during this month... What I wanted to do was:

• Take a photo every day of the year
• Have a one sentence journal for 365 days of the year that I have on my computer desk top
• Write my morning pages in my diary
• Do my monthly dreams and review
• Write a week in review

I've been pretty good with the last two, however the first three are happening in fits and bursts. But that is also better than nothing!

My dreams for January were:
1. Find a personal trainer that is aligned, motivational and educational; POSTPONED
2. Enjoy a girly weekend away for Chloe’s birthday - DONE but we had an amazing couple's weekend away instead, it was magical
3. Cut down on cigarettes - IN PROGESS - some days are better than others.
4. Get my goals for 2011 written down and action plans created - SEMI-DONE I've done it for the main ones regarding my health
5. Create a vision board for 2011 - NOT DONE yet...
6. Streamline my office systems – files and desk space - NOT DONE yet...
7. Confirm routines and put in organiser - DONE
8. Implement routine - DONE but I need to maintain!
9. Enjoy rest of holiday with family in Switzerland - DONE and awesome it was
10. Start putting together the new family tradition of individual’s questions and photos for the year - IN PROGRESS - so I've started, but not furthered it yet
11. Include vision pictures in organiser - DONE - but for January only. I've ripped out the picture for February, but not stuck it in yet
12. Enjoy flying premium economy London to Sydney - DONE - how can I go back to economy?!
13. Decide of personal insurances and start implementing financial plan
14. Create a workable budget for 2011

So my dreams for next month:

1. Attend my first Toastmaster's meeting
2. Organise the first Steering Committee meeting for 2011
3. Start my one month trial on Raw Food (more on this to come!)
4. Celebrate an authentic Valentine's Day
5. Attend Dale Beaumont Seminar
6. Maintain daily routine for 5 straight days
7. Get on top of my finances - receipts, bills, budget
   
8. Sort through paperwork in office
9. Tackle the upstairs bookshelf - clean out the old magazines and work books
10. Dream with The Man about our shared future and put down some tangible joint goals

Well that's it for the moment.

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

Photo Credit