Hits me in the heart...

There are some days when you just stop and admire what you have created. Sometimes I look at little Miss and I am overwhelmed with emotions. I want to kiss her all over, embrace her so she feels my love and tuck her in at night knowing she is safe and calm.

Here are a few pics of late that melt me to the core….

My Priceless Little Gem

Pink Dream....

Image: Price Scope

Late last year an auction held in Geneva set a record. A record for what you ask? The sale of the largest Pink Diamond in the world. Weighing a staggering 59.60 carats, you could question what piece of jewellery could this stunning gem be turned into?

Originally called “The Pink Star” it was quickly changed by the new owner, Isaac Wolf, a diamond cutter from New York  to “Pink Dream”, who handed over a mere $83 million to own this rare gem. Bidding lasted just 5 minutes.

The stone itself is ranked to have the highest grade for its fancy colour and for its purity, it ranks in the top 2 percent in the world. This gem looks to be pretty special.

What once was considered a star that turned into a dream, it looks as though this has come true for this simply stunning gem. You see, after bidding, it would seem the consortium did not come up with the money, how do you get your hands on 83 mil anyway?

Was it too good to be true? I think that will play out in court. 

Woman of Style

It’s the fiction character of Olivia Pope that got me admiring the actress behind the character – Kerry Washington… Olivia Pope is a powerhouse of a woman lighting up my TV in the series Scandal. I might just add, it’s my number one favourite show. I can’t believe it’s the first real exposure to Washington’s acting that I have seen. I love her – she is both ground breaking and mesmerising as an actress.

So – Miss Washington is the entrant this week in “Woman of Style”.

Kerry Washington

I have to say Miss Washington may be a powerhouse when it comes to the roles she plays, but with her jewellery choices, she stays to the more classic, understated approach of less is more. I like it……

Oh where did this collar come from? What a spectacular display of gems. I love how you’ve teamed curly locks with this look.

 Attending the MTV Music awards, Washington keep her look sleek with a bold pair of gold earrings.

 Every bit the vintage style goddess in this outfit and stunning vintage Fred Leighton earrings.

 Such a simply yet eternal look these earrings portray. Bold, yet understated

 I simply love the boldness and playfulness of this necklace from The House of Lavande Jewelry

Could she be any more chic in this Silver Multi chain Pearl Necklace?

Pregnant and timeless, wearing a stunning Fred Leighton Vintage Brooch

Welcome to motherhood – I look forward to seeing pictures of baby Isabelle who was born in April this year.

Enjoy life…. 

Ageless Style

There was an article in The Oprah Magazine in June called “Forever Gorgeous”, at first glance you’d be mistaken for thinking it was an article on naturally stunning woman that makes the mere ordinary girl feel just that ‘ordinary’. To a degree you would be right to think each page showed a stunning woman but what I loved about this article was the range in ages, you have a stunning actress at the gorgeous age of 17 and on the last page of this article was Agnes Zhelewsnik a gorgeous 100 year working teacher. Yes – a working teacher at the amazing age of 100.

Image: Oprah Magazine

 The article is solely about style being ageless, but it seemed to resonate more with me about age being no boundary.  Confidence in how you step out into this world and how you feel at any age was the true message of this article.

What a woman Agnes is, actively living life at her fullest. I think she could teacher us all a lesson in how to embrace life and live it wholly and fully.

I thought I would share a few other amazing women showcased in this article that I think will amaze you…

Tao Porchon-Lynch –an amazing 95 Yoga Instructor. What a powerhouse. Tao’s smile alone would brighten any room she walks in…

Image: Oprah Magazine

Beverley Johnson – wow, 61 and rocking the body of a woman half her age. She is simply inspiring to keep a healthy mindset and body. I think her view of staying passionate about learning and her view about longevity is worth taking on board. Use our brains ladies….

Image: Oprah Magazine

Daisy Fuentes – a beautiful 47 year old woman. Daisy oozes confidence in this shot. I like her advice for her younger self “Don’t be so hard on yourself and others. And try to live in the moment. Otherwise, you’ll miss it

Image: Oprah Magazine

The pages of this magazine buzzed in my head. We really should Age Brilliantly ladies without regret and in the form of our true selves. Brush off all that doubt and live your life for today. Stay true and be honest with yourselves and your life will fill with the happiness you deserve.  

To read the full article, click here.....

Enjoy Life...

Shadow Land

I took my gorgeous mother to see the opening night of Shadow Land in Sydney. I think I read somewhere the verse “To dance and dream in shadow” and that is truly what they did.  Imagery through body sculpting just took us away on their journey. We were captivated from the first scene, it was mellifluous to the eye and we were taken in and stay on their journey right to the final bow.

Image: From the production

The story is of a young girl who is coming of age. She has the challenges of not being understood by her parents and feeling torn. At night as she falls asleep, she dreams the most unusual of dreams, encountering bizarre circumstances along the way, she is even turned into a creature, half girl-half dog. Although, it would appear to be an unexpected story line, the production was breathe taking to watch. 

What I really loved was their tribute at the end to Australia. It showed a great deal of gratitude toward those who came to enjoy their production. They played to the song “Downunder”, producing the Opera House, Bondi Beach and the outback. They even moulded their bodies to make the word Sydney. Fan-bloody-tastic.

It is well worth the viewing.

Enjoy Life....

Reminiscing

Six wonderful years of marriage this coming Saturday. We married on the day of the winter solstice , the shortest day and the longest night of the year. It was a very chilly 9 degrees (48.2 F) as I walked down the aisle to my true love.

As we head close to knowing each other for 14 years (8 of those together), life together is just getting better and better. We have such an amazing bond, a bond I know like know other.. My Sweet Boy may be quiet in nature but he is the most considered man I have ever meet, he is gentle, respectful and when he smiles my heart lights up. I have always loved his smile and it still melts me after 8 years together..

Thanks for being the other half of us, we truly make a great team and I couldn’t imagine our life any other way.

Oh – Sweet Boy might add that he has never consumed so much chocolate in his life but for the past 8 years. I’m addicted to life’s sweet treasures.

xox

Country Crazy

Image: BPM Music

To say I love Country music is a vast understatement. I’m not the crazy type that buys all the merchandise or travels around following their every show and I definitely don’t have posters… But!! I just LOVE the sound of country music. Not the country western kind that I grew up listening to, although I do like a bit of Dolly and Cash but the pop country of today.

Sweet Boy and I are off to see Keith Urban this weekend, his concerts are inspiring to me. I love the rawness of his performance and the story telling of his songs. Oh – and he’s an aussie which is great too..

Image: 96.7 Coyote

So – where did my love of country music develop from? My Father. He would play the likes of Anne Murray or Kenny Rogers on long car trips and it just stuck. I’m at my happiest when I’m listening to country music, house work gets down quicker, I cook more when I’m listening to country music and trips in the car don’t seem to be as long when the radio is belting out a country ballad.

I think it was Reba McIntyre and Clint Black that I first started listening to as a teenager, but over time I’ve come to love all styles of country. My first country concert was back in 1998, it was Reba and Kenny playing in Sydney and I was over myself excited, I think I was the youngest their at 23 but I didn’t care, I belted out every song, off key, much to the surprise of the oldies around me. Kenny even threw me a signed tambourine, I still have it today.. I was 2 rows from the front, maybe he heard me singing and thought a gift may keep me quiet. 

Image: Pintrest

I think the song that I was belting out was – Scarlet Fever…..

      

It’s fantastic that with technology I can be listening to any radio station in the world - amazing. I’d say that it’s got me listening to more country then I have ever before and it’s introduced me to more artist that I don’t think I would have ever heard of had I not been able to listen to Nashville radio stations. I stream through Tune-in online.

Enjoy Life, feelin’ a little country…….

Woman of Style

Let us all bow in honour of this fabulous woman. I first admired Kate in Titanic, not for just the role she played, dear Rose but for her fantastic hair colour. I was empowered to stay true to my red hair and to this day, I still am…

This week’s entrant into the Woman of Style is:

Kate Winslet

Could this woman be any more timeless, her choice in jewellery and fashion seems to be seamless? Kate continues to seduce her audience with her style. I feel that Kate is a heart wrenching actress and I am always captivated by the roles that she plays.

 Aren’t these earrings simply timeless? Walking the red carpet for the Titanic 3D Premier 

 Walking the red carpet sporting a Diamond cuff by Cartier. I’ll take one thank you.

Who can resist these Roger Vivier Earrings?

Who needs to wear an impact dress when you have earrings that are stealing the show? Just look at these Emerald and Diamond Earrings by David Morris.

Oh WOW – A killer dress to say the least, she takes an elegant pair of Pearl and Diamond Earrings to complement her bold outfit. I Love it.

Ladies, for that special occasion, how about you ask for these little beauties? A pair of Chopard Diamond Earrings

 Simply Spectacular – I would say these are my favourite earrings on Kate. They have such a whimsical effect draping from her ears.

Oh to dream…… You have outdone yourself Tiffany & Co. This one of a kind, Art Deco inspired Yellow Diamond necklace has stolen the show. Worth a staggering $2.5m.

Now who can say that a pregnant woman can’t rock a red carpet? Kate is glowing like a mother to be should. Love the simplicity of her jewellery here.

As usual, I’m keeping it real and Kate is like most woman. A mother, wife and career woman. I think she has the right balance, and her children are kept out of the limelight.

Enjoy Life.....

My Pa's a Fireman....

Every time we visit Sweet Boys family and spend the weekend we become a part of a custom in their family. Pa’s fire Bridge life….. You see, he has been a fireman since 1978 and in a month from now he will hang up his boots for the very last time. It has been such a wonderful career, Pa has gone from a fireman to a Deputy Captain and now he signs off having been the Captain of the fire house for the past 9 years.

 

It’s a stella career and I’m glad Little Miss has been able to understand what her Pa did for a living… She knows that he has to get dressed up and go and help people, sometimes he has to use the siren and get dirty. She even understands the beeping that happens in the house when Pa is being called out..

36 years on – I can tell you that Pa has seen a lot and I can only imagine the stories he will tell in the years to come to our little girl

Enjoy Life Pa now that you have retired.

A Home To Love

As I sit down to write my first blog for “A Home To Love”, I realise that I haven’t owned my own home for over 7 years, or should I say, I haven’t owed the banks with a mortgage. We sold up everything to buy our business and we have rented and we’ve lived with family ever since. So, in some ways I only dream of one day again having a home to love, decorate and seclude to in my future.. Don’t get me wrong, we have a lovely place we call home but it is not ours, we are blessed that we have all the joys of living in the space created by others but isn't it so lovely to daydream about how you would like you future home to look.

Here are just a few pictures from Houzz that get me dreaming….

 

Image: Houzz

Image: Houzz

Image: Houzz

Image: Houzz

Image: Houzz

Image: Houzz

Image: Houzz

Real Beauty

A girlfriend sent me a link to watch a video on body image. Straight away I thought it was going to be about weight loss or even worse, how I need to loose 10kg in 10 days. Much to my surprise, it was neither of these and in the end left me emotional and slightly sad, sad that we as woman are still struggling to acknowledge that our bodies are beautiful however they come and that we need to focus on the healthy aspects of diet not image alone..

Liv & I when she was a bubba

Her name is Taryn Brumfitt and she is the founder of The Body Image Movement. In a nut shell, what Taryn is wanting to accomplish is a change in how woman see their bodies. She wants to facilitate positive body image, teaching woman to value and love their bodies. You must read her journey to understand that she had the epiphany of all epiphanies. Read Taryn's Story

Image: From Body Image Movement

To be really honest with you, I have never really obsessed over my body image, don’t get me wrong, I have in my life focussed on eating right and exercising frequently. I have been thin and I have been heavy but I guess I have what I call my “Feels Right” weight. It’s not the recommended weight for my height or bone density, it’s the weight I am when I feel my best. So – I’m not in my healthy weight range and my BMI is off the chart according to stats but I look and feel great. Isn’t that what we should be focusing on? I’ve never obsessed with it but I sure know that it has and always will be a part of my life. We see it everywhere – there are days when I see a picture and I think “I’d love to have her body – Jennifer Aniston” but in reality, that is not who I am. I would have to say that my gorgeous mother never focused on body image with me or my twin sister. We were never judged and in all honesty I think that has made me view my body the way I do today – we just felt loved and she let us guide our way through our teenage years without any judgement. By the way – I am not FAT, I am just a healthy version of my skinnier self. 

My Strength Comes From These Two

As a mother to a beautiful girl I to need to be mindful that I set the right example for her when it comes to how she sees herself, not how the world sees her. Now – that is my challenge in life. We don’t use the word “Fat” around her. She knows the difference between everyday foods and sometimes foods and in our house all is on offer. She needs to learn the choices and I will guide her as best I can. I want her to love who she is, not just her image. I want her to know that just her smile, lights a fire of happiness in our hearts and her laugh is pure joy, both of which have nothing to do with her body shape…. She is sweet and pure and I plan to make sure she focuses on being a healthy, balanced, kind, respectful young lady. Then I know I have done the best job I possibly can.

Pure Love

 Watch this empowering video 

Enjoy Life….

Reminiscing

So – it’s my anniversary coming up in a couple of weeks and it has got me thinking about our wonderful honeymoon. Every morning at breakfast we were greeted with this divine fruit platter each and freshly squeezed orange juice. Oh – to be back there now….
We stayed a one of the most Luxurious resorts in Australia – Qualia… We had 8 beautiful, sundrenched days and 9 evenings where we were spoilt with a 7 course degustation with wines to match. Wake up Paula, Stop dreaming – that was a once in a lifetime holiday….

Qualia - Simply Stunning. Check it out!

Enjoy Life…