January 2024 - PLAYWORKEATREPEAT

January Fun! – What’s Up Wednesday

Hello friends and welcome to the first ‘What’s Up Wednesday’ for 2024! I have to keep reminding myself to write 2024 instead of 2023. The other day I nearly wrote 1993. I must be really losing it!! Anyway, I am so glad you are here and today I’m sharing some of my January fun! *This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!* WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK Up until this week, we were in complete holiday mode so I hadn’t worried about doing any meal planning. It was back to work for me yesterday so now I’m back on the meal-planning train again. Monday – Chicken and snowpeas Tuesday – Steak sandwiches Wednesday – Fish in lemon and garlic butter with homemade wedges and salad. Thursday- Chicken casserole and rice Friday – Turkey burgers Saturday – Nachos WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT I guess I’m reminiscing about how fast time flies! It feels like a minute ago we were all so excited about the end of the preschool year. We wrapped up the year with the children’s Christmas concerts and parties. Then did a whole lot of cleaning and packing away the classrooms etc. and just about ran out of the preschool gates like the kid on Home Alone. We had an amazing Christmas and a nice low-key New Year’s Eve. As well as a fantastic time over the five-week school holiday break doing relaxing and fun things with friends and family. Now we are back at work and the holidays almost feel like a distant memory. My director even commented today how it didn’t feel like we had a break. My sentiments exactly! WHAT I’M LOVING I have been loving the whole month of January! No schedules, no timetables, no work and no rush rush rush to go anywhere!! It’s been the best! WHAT I’M DREADING The weekday morning alarm going off again. WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT February means another month of summer! Yay!! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO A whole lot of January fun! We kicked off the first week of 2024 with a delicious Italian lunch in the city with my cousin and her family. Followed by a basketball game a few days later with some of our Cousin Connect crew. I also hosted our first Cousin Connect for 2024 and we had a big Italian feast in our little courtyard. I tackled some cleaning and decluttering as well as a closet cleanout. My husband’s swim club started back again for the remainder of the season. As a social and non-swimming member of the club, I went along to watch the races and enjoy the BBQ on the second Sunday in January. I visited The Powerhouse Museum with my lovely friend. We also spent a Saturday exploring Paddington in Sydney. Steve and I celebrated our anniversary at the Opera Bar. The last week of the school holidays, I caught up with some friends for a good chat over brunch. Last weekend I went to see Wicked The Musical with my lovely friend. I finished off the summer school holidays with a fantastic trip to my favourite vintage warehouse where I found my dream bedside table. It sure has been a great January! WHAT I’M WATCHING I’ve been on a roll watching foreign movies and series. I really love listening to the different languages and don’t mind reading the subtitles. A couple of weeks ago I shared that I watched a wonderful French comedy/drama called ‘Rumba Therapy’. This movie is so sweet that I think it’s a definite must-see! Then shortly after, we watched ‘Berlin’, the ‘Money Heist’ prequel. I also watched a Dutch movie called ‘Faithfully Yours’. It’s about two friends who use each other as alibis to go off on sneaky weekends away to have extramarital affairs. But there is a crime and a big twist at the end which I thought saved the movie. While I didn’t love this movie, I still found it intriguing enough to watch until the end. WHAT I’M LISTENING TO I have to admit that I often struggle with sticking to a quiet time routine and reading the Bible. There are times when I’ll be reading a passage and my mind will wander to silly things like ‘Hmm what should I cook?” or I’ll read a sentence only to realise that I need to reread it because I missed the meaning. I know, I know…not good! Well, I recently discovered this amazing app called Dwell, have you heard of it? In the app, you get to pick from over twenty voices to read you the Bible. I am currently doing ‘The Straight Thru Plan- Bible in A Year’. I chose a smooth, warm and playful voice from a lady called Kylie with a North American accent. She reads from the English Standard Version and I just love listening to her read the Bible to me! I find that I’m so captured by her soothing voice that my mind stays on the text and doesn’t wander away. Another great feature is that you can choose the type of music you prefer and it will play gently in the background, I chose ambient. Dwell also offers devotionals, stories and listening plans. If you would like to give it a free trial or sign up for the plan you can find all the details here. I honestly can’t recommend it enough. WHAT I’M WEARING It’s been so hot and humid this summer! I’ve heard that the temps in the Northern Hemisphere have been ridiculously cold. Over here we’re dealing with the opposite, hitting temperatures as high as 39ºC. So I have been wearing my usual basic colours for my summer outfits. But, I did get a new sleeveless top recently that’s a bit more colourful than what I usually go for. WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND I have no plans at this stage but after such a

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Wicked The Musical and A Vintage Find!

12 Comments / Family Life

Hi friends it’s time for the Hello Monday link-up hosted by Holly and Sarah. Thanks so much for joining me as I share a few of the things we got up to over the weekend. Wicked The Musical My awesome friend managed to find some pretty reasonably priced tickets to go and see “Wicked The Musical” on Saturday. First off, we both thought that it would be a fun way to finish the summer school holidays. Plus, it was also good to have something to look forward to. It sort of helped to take our minds off the fact that we both have to go back to work on Tuesday. We had lunch at a nice Italian restaurant beforehand and we both ordered pasta and drinks. Then it was time for the show and we found our seats. They were spot on! Right in the middle of the theatre where we could see the whole stage. I had no clue what “Wicked” was about and the only thing I had heard was that it had something to do with The Wizard of Oz. Well, I was blown away by how good it was! I won’t go into spoilers because if you get a chance to see it I think you’ll love it. I will say that absolutely everything that I thought I knew about The Wizard of Oz as a kid was completely shaken up for me – in a good way! Then after the show, it was time for a sweet treat. Ice cream from Messina! Mitchell Road Antiques Saturday morning my husband suggested we go out for lunch and then go to my favourite place – Mitchell Road Antiques. I could tell that he wanted to distract me from the fact that I had to say goodbye to the summer break. Well, it sure did work! We had lunch at a cafe called COOH. Funny name and I wonder what it what it stands for. We shared salt and pepper squid. Then I had the pumpkin falafel and salad. Steve had the beef burger and chips. Aperol spritz on a hot day. Yes, please! After lunch, we walked over to Mitchell Road Antiques and had a look at all of their vintage treasures. I love wandering around and looking at all the amazing furniture, clothes and decor from all the past decades. It’s like walking around a time capsule! They also play 80s music and once I’m there I never want to leave. So many interesting things to look at! I wondered where on earth the next two neon signs may have been from! A Vintage Find! Then all my dreams came true when I spotted an original Kartell Componibli designed by Anna Castelli Ferrieri. I had always secretly dreamed of owning an original. They are still manufactured in Italy but a vintage one has always appealed to me most. I mean imagine if it could talk and tell us how many homes it had lived in! There’s something about retro furniture pieces and decor that fascinates me. I stood there almost hyperventilating because I was so excited! My husband was saying “Let’s buy it, stop overthinking, he who hesitates is lost, it can be your birthday present, those people behind us are looking at it too. C’mon!!” If he wasn’t there I wouldn’t have bought it. Then I would have regretted it forever. We took my new/old baby home and I spent the afternoon cleaning it up and wondering about its previous owners. It was probably made in the late 60’s or early 70’s. We could be the same age! A New Bedside Table I decluttered my old bedside table which I had clearly been putting off for a long time! Here I was thinking that I was pretty good at throwing things out regularly. But still, there was so much stuff! I found some treasures from my childhood in the drawers that I will always keep. In the end, I was happy with the two bags of junk I got rid of. Here is my new vintage bedside table. Steve still has the old country-style bulky one for now. But I’ve listed them both on Facebook Marketplace. Once I sell them I’ll just get a simple white bedside table for him in a different style. I’m a bit over all the matching bedroom furniture. We need to replace our Ikea dining table and chairs as they are looking a bit old. But we’re not in any hurry so we’re hoping to stumble upon a vintage gem. I think I’d love a funky mid-century dining set. Back To Work And just like that in what truly feels like a blink of an eye. My summer holidays are over and tomorrow I go back to work. But I have had the best break and enjoyed all the fun outings, meals out and catch-ups. Most of all I have loved every minute of being at home and not having to worry about running out of time to get things done. It’s been total bliss not having to stick to a routine or schedule! So it might be a bit of a shock to the system when the alarm goes off tomorrow morning. But hey, at least it will be a four-day week for us. Trying to stay positive!! Thanks so much for being here today and I hope that you have a wonderful Monday. See ya!

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Summer Favourites

8 Comments / Friday Favorites

Hey friends! Can you believe how quickly the week has flown by? I’m happy to be back on this scorching Australia Day – 39ºC and counting! Thank goodness for air-conditioning and the joy of staying at home on this public holiday! Now it’s time to share some summer favourites! My First favourite has to be this beautiful silver nameplate necklace I rediscovered during a recent cleaning and organising session. That’s the upside of doing this chore, you sometimes find little forgotten treasures. I’ve had this gem since 1982, a thoughtful gift from my cousin. It’s engraved with our names and the year she gave it to me – how special. I have been wearing it a lot to make up for lost time! I bought contouring and highlighting sticks from Mecca. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with different types of makeup and watching some YouTube videos to catch ideas. Makeup has never been a big part of my routine, until a couple of years ago, I rarely bothered with it unless it was for a special occasion. Nowadays, I like to add a bit of natural-looking colour and highlights to my face. It not only makes me look more put together but also ensures that I don’t appear like I’ve been haunting houses. So, that’s a win! Sheet masks are my favourite especially when they are on sale at half price! They are such a relaxing treat and my face feels so hydrated afterwards. These wax strips are amazing and I’ve got the quick-rip-it-off-your-face-and-don’t-think-about-it technique down pat! I once went to a beautician who got carried away and ripped the hair and skin off my upper lip…ouch! I picked a shimmery bronze for my toes when I got a pedicure the other day. It seems that quite a few of this week’s favourites revolve around treating myself to some serious pampering! Long summer holidays are perfect for this. Sadly, the reality of returning to work next week means blissful moments like these are going to be super scarce. Shhh…let’s not talk about that. I got another jar of Speedy Spaghetti Spice from Gerwürzhaus when I went shopping in the city the other day and it’s the best. Spaghetti is my favourite but not my family’s. When I make it with this spice they all agree it tastes great. But they still don’t love spaghetti- I don’t get it, what’s wrong with them? I bought a couple of double-wall thermo latte glasses on the same shopping trip and I love them. There’s something about sipping from them that makes me feel a bit fancy Haha! It took me ages to decide if I should buy them because I’m being extra mindful of what I buy. Trying to avoid impulse purchases in 2024-not a resolution, just a goal. My hands got ridiculously dry recently. Not sure if it was the weather, hormones or just that I had been careless and not wearing gloves when I was cleaning. Probably a combination of all of these. Back in the day, I used to battle with terrible dermatitis, and I definitely didn’t want a repeat of that! So during my recent doctor’s visit to get a new script for thyroid meds, I showed him my hands and he wrote me a script for some cortisone cream. Now I know that cortisone is powerful and it clears up dermatitis in a flash but the downside is that it also thins your skin. So I used it for a couple of days and then continued with this CeraVe cream diligently. In the past, I have used heaps of other moisturisers. But either the perfume scent is too overpowering and makes my hands even itchier. Or they leave a residue that drives me nuts. CeraVe does neither of those and I’m so glad! Dry hands are not a favourite but smooth hydrated hands sure are! Time for some food favourites! Yum! These cheese crackers are just so deliciously cheesy. It’s summer but I still love comforting carbs so I made a lasagna with chips and balanced the heaviness with a light refreshing side salad. That’s acceptable, right? I had a great time in Marrickville with my friend. We spent the morning shopping for fresh produce at the fruit and veg shops. Then we got some tasty Vietnamese pork rolls from a famous local place. It was another hot and humid day so the ‘summer delight’ juice I got from a juice bar really hit the spot. Summer fruits are my favourite! I sliced the mango I got from a Marrickville fruit shop and oh my goodness, it’s the sweetest juiciest mango I’ve tasted in ages! Supermarket mangos just don’t compare and now I want to go back to the same place and buy some more. This coffee from Aldi is my favourite and no it’s not just because it’s from Peru hehe. It has a rich, bold flavour and aroma and I enjoy every single sip! That’s it for this week’s summer favourites, friends. A huge thank you for being here and reading along and I hope you have an amazing weekend. Happy Australia Day to all you Aussies out there! Linking up with Andrea and Erika

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How To Create A Minimalist Home – 8 Tips!

3 Comments / Health and Well Being, Home Improvement Ideas

Hi there, it’s time for Wellness Wednesday! I thought we could explore the topic of minimal living and look at how we can create a minimalist home. There is no doubt that life is busy and we’re all feeling it! But what if we could break free from the chaos and create amazing clutter-free homes that reflect simplicity and exude calmness? Let’s discover how paring down possessions and embracing a minimalist approach can boost our wellness and enrich our daily lives. Come along as we take a closer look at what a minimalist home looks like. UNDERSTANDING MINIMALISM Minimalism isn’t just about white walls and empty spaces. It’s a philosophy that encourages intentional living with a strong emphasis on quality over quantity. In a nutshell, minimalism is about simplifying your life by removing excess and focusing on what truly matters. Adopting a minimalist approach helps to create a living space that promotes a sense of calm. Firstly, I have to say that I am not a minimalist. But I do try and be mindful of making impulse purchases that will clutter up my home. I guess you could say that I am on a journey to simplify my world and I aim to live with less. One reason I find minimal living appealing is that clutter and too many things tend to stress me out. Even before minimalism became a buzzword, I was always drawn to the notion that less is more, preferring clear open spaces free from clutter as well as simple decor, and neutral colours. HOW TO CREATE A MINIMALIST HOME DECLUTTER YOUR SPACE To create a minimalist home, the first step is to declutter! Take a deep breath, find some motivation and set aside a dedicated time to go through each room in your home. Ask yourself: Do I love this item? Do I use it regularly? If the answer is no then consider saying goodbye to it. It’s ok to donate, sell or recycle items and possessions that no longer serve a purpose in your life. Give yourself the freedom and permission to let go of things. EMBRACE A ‘LESS IS MORE’ MENTALITY In a minimalist home, each item has a purpose as well as a designated place. So when you are out and about enjoying some shopping remember to be intentional about what you buy and bring into your space. Invest in quality items that will stand the test of time and survive passing trends. Additionally, consider the versatile beauty of multifunctional furniture. A coffee table with hidden storage or a sofa that turns into a bed saves space and fits well with the idea of keeping things simple. CREATE A NEUTRAL PALETTE Choose calm colours for a minimalist look. Whites, greys and earth tones create a calm feel. This doesn’t mean that your home will lack personality and feel sterile. If you incorporate softer colours and natural materials such as wood or stone this will give your space warmth and depth. STREAMLINE YOUR FURNITURE Furniture is crucial for the visual appeal of your home. Therefore if you want to create a minimalist home then a good idea is to choose pieces that are both practical and stylish. Go for clean simple designs as they will make your space look better and feel more open and calm. FOCUS ON MINDFUL DECOR Stick to the motto of less is more when decorating your home. Instead of filling it with countless trinkets, opt for a few meaningful pieces that tell a story or make you happy – simple yet meaningful. DIGITAL DECLUTTERING In today’s digital era, minimalism applies not only to physical belongings but also to our online spaces and digital possessions. So consider taking time to declutter your digital space. Arrange your files, tidy your desktop, and unsubscribe from those spammy emails that you don’t need. A clutter-free online life can really boost your mental well-being. EMBRACE A CAPSULE WARDROBE Simplify your closet with a capsule wardrobe. Choose good quality pieces that effortlessly mix and match for a variety of looks. Additionally, having a curated wardrobe will set your days up for a win by taking the stress out of getting ready in the mornings. KEEP IT SIMPLE WITH REGULAR ROUTINES Minimalism is a way of life and an ongoing effort rather than a one-and-done deal. Therefore it’s a good idea to set up daily or weekly routines to keep your home clutter-free. Regularly go through your things to make sure they still serve a purpose in your life. In other words…declutter, declutter, declutter….often! CONCLUSION – YOUR TRANQUIL HAVEN Embracing simplicity to create a minimalist home goes beyond tidying up – it’s about giving your mind some space to relax and breathe. Create a calm haven that nurtures your well-being and reflects your true priorities. Find your rhythm in the balance of simplicity and style. Let your minimalist home show off the beauty of mindful living. Related Articles Negative Effects Of Clutter

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Let’s Explore Paddington, Sydney!

13 Comments / Discovering NSW Australia, Home

Hey everyone, I hope you all had an amazing weekend! It’s great to be back today on this much cooler Monday. Let me tell you that it sure has been a hot and humid weekend here in Sydney. But I’m not complaining because I love summer!! I’ll leave my whingeing and complaining for the winter, which is my least favourite season. Anyway, thanks so much for being here today as I share a bit about my fun weekend exploring Paddington on Saturday and celebrating our anniversary on Sunday. Saturday I had been eager to visit Paddington for ages and I was determined to make this happen before the end of the school holidays. Paddington is a suburb in Sydney and it’s famous for its lively atmosphere, pretty streets, and historic terraced houses. Oxford Street runs through the heart of Paddington and is full of trendy cafes and boutiques. Additionally, the suburb is home to the well-known Paddington Markets, held on Saturdays which is full of handmade crafts, vintage finds, and gourmet food stalls. I love Paddington and if I ever won a gazillion dollars ( it’s a very expensive suburb!) I would love to live there. But for now, I was happy to spend most of Saturday exploring with my fun friend who came along with me. We caught the bus from Martin Place and it dropped us almost in the heart of Paddington. First up we stopped off at a cafe for a bite to eat. The next stop was a quirky shop that sold vintage designer fashions, accessories and other random vintage finds such as old phones. I found some bracelets made from guitar wire and thought they looked nice as a stack with my watch. A gift and stationery store sold these funny cards. We went in and out of so many shops that I lost count and then we reached the markets. After the markets, we walked back along the other side of Oxford Street and discovered Paddington Reservoir Gardens. The reservoir was an important water source for the growing population in the 19th century and today it’s a beautiful heritage-listed site. It was a fun Saturday visiting Paddington-there was so much to see and do and we sure did a lot of steps! Sunday Steve and I had plans to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary last Sunday. But it was windy, rainy and generally a bad day to go anywhere. So we moved our plans to yesterday and it was the best decision because the weather was amazing – boiling hot but still amazing! We decided to go to the Opera Bar and spend the late afternoon and evening there. We caught the light rail from Town Hall to Circular Quay. Then walked along the waterfront and made our way to the Opera Bar which is right near the Opera House. I never get tired of these views! The bar was so busy when we arrived but we were lucky and grabbed a great spot not too far away from where the band was playing. I don’t know if you can see clearly in the photo. But the giant shade umbrellas had these jets that sprayed a fine mist of water to cool everyone down. About every 5 or 10 minutes the cool mist would land on me and it felt so good! Cheers to 34 years! Hot chips and sauce to start with. Then we ordered the cold seafood platter and it was spectacular! It had Sydney rock oysters, tiger prawns, salmon gravlax, scallop ceviche and crab rolls. Everything tasted so good!! We stayed at the bar until 10 pm listening to the band. Neither of us was in a hurry to leave because the atmosphere was just too good and we were enjoying such a gorgeous night. The walk back to the station was so pretty with all the lights. It was such a lovely weekend and now I’m heading into the final week of the summer school holidays. I’m still determined to make the most of every minute and hoping like crazy that the week moves along nice and slow! I have a couple of catch ups with friends this week. Then I also need to get back to my mental to-do list. Because if I don’t then I won’t get onto them until the next school holiday break – I’m looking at you house blinds! Thanks so much for being here and I’ll see you on Wednesday! Linking up with Holly and Sarah

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The Powerhouse Museum- Last Visit Before Renovations Begin

6 Comments / Discovering NSW Australia

Hi friends welcome to Friday favourites! Today I wanted to show you a favourite highlight from my week – a fun day out with my lovely friend for lunch and a visit to the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo, Sydney. Lunch At Darling Harbour We got off the train at Town Hall station and then walked to Darling Harbour. It was cloudy and oh so humid!! We had lunch at a cafe called The Blackbird Cafe and we both ordered the chicken quinoa salad. It was a healthy, light and delicious option. But I can’t lie, I could have done with a big bowl of chips as well! After lunch, we made our way to the Powerhouse Museum and walked past the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre. The Powerhouse Museum Here’s the entrance to the museum. The Powerhouse Museum is a science and design museum that displays a huge collection of artifacts related to technology, science, design, decorative arts and social history. It’s well known for being interactive and immersive so it’s a perfect place to take kids. Well, my friend and I have grown-up kids now so while we walked around we were reminiscing about our past trips with our kids. I used to buy a yearly family pass and we would often go in on the weekends for a day trip. We would see all the paid exhibitions for free as part of the yearly pass. It was so worth paying for this back then and we made sure to make the most of it. We both agreed that it even though we miss those days. Now we can enjoy exploring places like The Powerhouse Museum together. Yay! There was so much to see and a whole lot of new exhibits that neither of us had seen before. I took a whole lot of video and I meant to post it to my Instagram stories. I may still do that soon so you can explore with me. One thing both my friend and I noticed during this visit is that there are no clear signs to the exhibits and they all seem to flow on into one another. We seemed to be saying ‘Where are we?’ and ‘What’s this exhibit about?’ a lot of the time because the whole museum is kind of built on different levels and it’s hard to know which level you are on! I don’t think either of us noticed this obvious detail when we took our kids along for a visit. We were always just busy chasing after them and walking through the museum in no particular order. Back then I just remember hearing this a lot ‘Hey mum look at this!’ ‘Hey let’s go here’. Ok then, but hey let poor mum catch up!! Haha, those were the days! So I’ll just show you a whole lot of pics of what we saw on the day. Fashion Here is the outfit that Kylie Minogue wore for the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games in the year 2000. Costumes from the famous Australian movie ‘Strictly Ballroom’. ‘Strictly Ballroom’ was directed by Baz Luhrmann and it’s a movie about the dazzling and competitive world of ballroom dancing. In true Baz Luhrmann style, the movie is amazingly colourful and full of eccentric characters, extravagant dance sequences and quirky offbeat humour. It really is such a fun movie. Have you seen it? If you haven’t then you should, it’s a unique experience that’s for sure! A puffy shirt designed by Victor and Rolfe from 2005. Ha, does it remind you of the Seinfeld puffy shirt? A giant kewpie doll and characters from Sydney’s Luna Park. Doll House This intricate Victorian (I think it was Victorian) doll house was amazing. Transport Exhibit The transport exhibit took us on a journey of various modes of transportation throughout history including trains, planes and horse-drawn carriages. Here is what the train timetables used to look like and yes I remember seeing similar ones to those at my local train station when I used to catch the train to school. Oh man, I feel old! Some fancy jewellery displays from various decades. Uranium Chandelier This chandelier is made from uranium glass that glows fluorescent when it is lit in the dark. Isn’t it beautiful? Here’s a blurb that explains everything in detail. The Arnotts Biscuit Display. Arnotts is an iconic Australian biscuit company founded in 1865. We have all grown up eating delicious Arnott’s biscuits such as Assorted Creams, Tim Tams, Scotch Fingers, and Shapes. Hmm I’m getting hungry! We all love Arnott’s biscuits over here! Arnott’s biscuits are very nostalgic and I guess that’s why it may have served as an inspiration for this dress. It’s called Iced Vo Vo just like the Iced Vo Vo biscuit. Old Australian Advertisements Australian Design Label – Studibaker Hawk Then I spotted this dress and all my memories from being a teen in the 80s came flooding back. This dress made by the design label Studibaker Hawk was everyone’s dream back when I was in high school. If you turned up to the school formal with a Studibaker Hawk dress you were the envy of everybody! Well everybody except me because I thought they were way too over the top. All those ruffles and lace under the dress…nah…not my thing, not even in the good old 80s. Plus they were also ridiculously expensive too. I guess I have always preferred a much more minimal style of dressing. Interactive Displays Here’s me and my friend! I’m not sure how this interactive display worked exactly. But if you stood in front of a giant screen your image was projected in the form of black lines. We both stood there waving our arms up and down and may have broken out in a dance too. Time For A Break We stopped for a coffee and cake then walked back to Town hall for a quick look at the shops before heading home. I loved visiting The

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Closet Cleanout Tips – How To Keep Your Closet Tidy

5 Comments / Cleaning and Organising

Hey, friends! Welcome to the first edition of the ‘Let’s Look’ series for 2024, hosted by Erika and Shay. Today we are diving into the world of closets and looking at how we keep them clean and tidy. I’ll be sharing five closet cleanout tips that I find incredibly useful – let’s get started! This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through these links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! Five Closet Cleanout Tips We are in the middle of the summer school holiday break and I am enjoying every single minute of freedom from my usual work routine. Apart from having an amazing time doing relaxing things like binge-watching TV shows, shopping, eating out and catching up with friends and family. I also have a mental list of a few things that I want to do around the house before I go back to work. Of course, at the top of my list was a closet cleanout, and I managed to tackle this task just the other day. To begin, I started by… SORTING MY WARDROBE The first thing I do when I start my big closet cleanout is to sort my clothes. As I separate them into piles, I take a little time to think about each piece as I sort. This helps me to maintain a useful wardrobe that suits my lifestyle and tastes. I choose what I really like and I let go of what I don’t need anymore. This way I make sure that my closet is made up of pieces that I enjoy wearing and work for me every day. I create three distinct piles to help me with the whole decision-making process: KEEP: These are the items that I absolutely love and wear on repeat. No doubt about it! UNSURE: The clothes that go into this pile are the ones that make me go “Hmmm, I’m not quite sure.” It’s usually a piece of clothing that I haven’t worn in ages. Or something that I don’t feel one hundred per cent attached to. DONATE: The clothes that go into this pile are the ones that I know for sure that I want to say goodbye to and they are still in good enough condition to donate, pass on to family or even sell. After sorting into ‘Keep’, ‘Unsure’, and ‘Donate’, I focus on the unsure items and then if I don’t see myself wearing any of those items any time soon I pass them on to the donate pile. SEASONAL CLOSET REFRESH Giving my closet a seasonal refresh is a practical move. Whenever the weather starts to shift, I take a good look at my clothes and I separate the ones that are suitable for the current weather. Then I set aside the items for another season. But I don’t rush because, in the past, I have made the mistake of doing a complete seasonal wardrobe change. Only to then have to fish out clothes from storage because the weather hadn’t made a full commitment to the change of season. So annoying! Now I make sure that I keep a few transitional pieces where I can easily find them. I have found a few great options that help me optimise the space that I have in my closet. Vacuum-sealed storage bags are amazing for reducing the space the clothes take up, especially those warm but bulky jumpers. I also use the high shelving above my closet rods to store the clothes that I won’t need for the time being. In addition, I store my coats in garment bags and keep them in a closet in my office/garage. You need to get creative when you don’t have a ton of space! I know that you can use under-bed storage containers and these are a great option. But I don’t as I prefer not to keep anything under my bed (except dust hehe). ONE-IN-ONE OUT RULE I try super hard to stick to the one-in-one-out rule. This means that every time I add a new piece to my wardrobe then I need to say goodbye to an existing item. This principle is always in the back of my mind whenever I try something on at the shops. It really helps me to keep a balanced, clutter-free collection. This matches my love for keeping my closet neat with a minimalist touch! KEEP IT NEAT DAILY I try to make sure to keep my closet tidy every day and that way I don’t have to tackle a big closet cleanout very often. I have developed a habit that 15-year-old me would find astonishing. My closets were anything but tidy back during my teenage years! Now I fold my clothes and keep things in their designated spots. This simple habit prevents a big overwhelming mess and it just makes life a whole lot easier in the long run. To keep everything tidy I also use black velvet hangers and these are wonderful because they prevent my clothes from sliding off and ending up on my closet floor. In addition, they are also great for maintaining the shape of my clothes and they don’t leave those dents on the shoulders of my tops the way the wire hangers do. I also use the hangers with clips specifically for skirts and pants, these keep them secured in place and (almost) wrinkle-free. ARRANGE CLOTHES BY COLOUR AND TYPE I have found a practical way to keep my closet tidy and it makes choosing an outfit easy. I organise my clothes by both colour and type. It’s a simple method that begins with grouping similar such as jeans, skirts and shorts etc. Then within each of these groups, I take it a step further and organise them by colour. This way things look visually pleasing and it also serves a very important sanity-saving purpose. When I’m in a hurry or trying to piece an outfit together. I

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Quick Weekend Recap

14 Comments / Family Life

Hi there friends I hope you all had an amazing weekend. It sure was a very hot and humid weekend over on this side of the world! I’m happy to be back today joining Holly and Sarah for a quick weekend recap on today’s Hello Monday link-up. SATURDAY The Ramsgate Food market opened for the first time this year after a short break over the Christmas and New Year period. My husband Steve and I spent the morning there catching up with a friend for a coffee. We also wandered around and bought a couple of things before we headed home. We always park the car a bit further away from the market and walk through a beautiful park with a pretty stream. It beats fighting for a parking spot in the car park which is right outside the market. Plus we get to admire the pretty view as we walk along. Oops sorry about the blurry pic. I feel as if all I have done for the past few weeks is eat!! It’s been wonderful but now I am trying to eat simple and smaller portions when I am at home. So for lunch Saturday, I just had a turkey burger pattie with sliced tomato and avocado. Then I worked on the blog for a bit before I sat down to watch ‘Wife Swap UK’. Haha! Have you seen this series from about ten years ago? I used to watch the American version but I had never seen the UK version. It’s a very addictive show!! SUNDAY Sunday I went along to my husband’s swim club.The morning started so sunny and hot then as it got closer to lunchtime it got cloudier and cloudier. It was still hot but while we were enjoying a delicious BBQ lunch it started pouring rain. Luckily we were eating under shelter so it wasn’t much of a problem. That is until the wind picked up and blew the rain in toward where we were sitting. All part of the fun I guess! Steve and I had plans to go into the city in the late afternoon to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The weather was so bad we switched plans and agreed to go to Allawah Pub for dinner and then go to the city next weekend. Then we scrapped all the plans and decided to stay home and camp out on the sofa in our dry living room instead. It turned out to be the best decision because the weather was just awful and neither one of us could be bothered getting dressed to go anywhere. We had a fantastic date night at home watching movies and we even ate dinner in front of the TV. After we ate I picked a French movie called ‘Rumba Therapy’ to watch. I loved this movie so much! It’s a comedy/drama about a father who tries to reconnect with his daughter. I won’t spoil it because I really hope you watch it! It had such a beautiful ending I couldn’t help but cry! Do you cry in movies? I do and I refuse to watch any movies with dogs because they always make me cry the most! After ‘Rumba Therapy’ Steve wanted to watch Novak Djokovic play in the Australian Open. We watched for a little while and then it looked as if the match was going to go on forever so we decided to finish watching ‘Berlin’ on Netflix. It was another foreign pick since this series is in Spanish. Even though I’m fluent in Spanish I still have to read the subtitles because they speak so fast! In addition, the Spanish they speak is from Spain not from South America so there are a lot of th th th sounds that I’m not totally used to. I do get a great refresher course in current Spanish swear words though!! LOL! Well, ‘Berlin’ is just such a fantastic limited series and it’s a prequel to ‘Money Heist’ which we were completely hooked on. It was so good that I didn’t want it to end and the plot twists and turns are so clever! We don’t mind watching movies with subtitles because the dubbed versions always seem to sound so weird. My son Sam also prefers the original language version of TV shows and when we watch Japanese anime together we always watch it in Japanese and read the subtitles. That’s about all we got up to over the weekend! How was yours I hope it was a good one! Thanks so much for being here today for a quick weekend recap. I’ll be back on Wednesday for Let’s Look. Originally I thought the Let’s Look link-up was last Wednesday. But then at the last minute, I realised that it got switched over to this week. The topic is ‘How We Keep Our Closets Tidy’ so it’s going to be a good one with lots of tips to share. I hope you will join me! Happy Monday!

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Friday Favourites Catch-Up

9 Comments / Friday Favorites

Hi friends and welcome to Friday Favourites! Today I’m excited to catch up and share some favourites from the past few weeks. Between the holiday festivities and my brief blogging break. I’ve got a few faves that I want to tell you about. So let’s jump right into this Friday favourites catch-up post! It’s no secret that I love lots of delicious froth on my coffee and hot chocolates (in winter). My lovely cousin got me this frother for Christmas and I have been enjoying some deliciously frothy coffee breaks over my summer holiday. I’ve had my eye on this beautiful Marimekko tealight holder, and I finally decided to order it online. I came across it while browsing for Christmas gifts for my boys. Does this happen to you too? I often discover things that I love and get a bit sidetracked while shopping. Oops! Marimekko is a Finnish design company (for some reason I used to think it was Japanese!). Anyway, it’s well-known for producing vibrant iconic textile patterns and they also have gorgeous home goods. I love my tealight holder, it radiates a warm glowing light and it looks like a small lamp when I light it. Merry Christmas to me! I was excited to visit a Marimekko store in the city when I went shopping with my friend back in the first week of the school holidays. I’m still on track with ticking off some household chores and trying to stick to doing one thing a day. The other day I gave the fridge a good clean. I’m not sure if I love this method or if I prefer to smash out all these chores over a couple of days. But I am happy to get them done so I guess that’s a win! We had our first Cousin Connect dinner last Saturday and I cooked up some Italian food. Caprese pizza and cheese board for an entree. Meatballs and roast chicken (I forgot to take a pic of the chicken) for the mains. Panzanella and pasta (forgot to take a pic of the pasta) as sides. Baked nectarines with Italian trifle for dessert. It was fun eating in our small courtyard! I had a playlist full of fun Italian music playing in the background creating a lovely vibe. It’s ok that I forgot to take photos of all the dishes individually because here they all are! I tend to over-cater, maybe because I always have my mum’s voice inside my head saying ” Ruth! Are you sure there’s enough food?” Haha, she always over-catered too. We had leftovers for the next couple of days. We love leftovers! After dinner, it was our usual board game madness. One of my favourite things about summer is all the delicious fruit. We have been so lucky with the berries and grapes as they have been so sweet this year. Sam even commented about how this year’s summer fruits taste better than ever. I always think of Kramer from Seinfeld who claimed that “fruit was a gamble”. I totally agree because sometimes you win and sometimes you don’t! We played some super fun Christmas party games which I shared in my Christmas recap post. For the reindeer hands game, where every player had to wear red plastic cups on their hands and pass a ball. I needed some rubber balls or tennis balls. However, they turned out to be expensive and I needed quite a few. I had a lightbulb moment and opted for a bag of fresh oranges and they worked perfectly! Then about a week or so later I juiced all the oranges and we had delicious sweet orange juice! I’m going to finish off my favourites catch-up post by sharing with you someone very special and one of my most favourite people in the whole world. My uncle Bill. Today marks the tenth anniversary since he passed away suddenly, leaving us all utterly devastated and missing him every single day. He was my mum’s youngest brother and the kindest man you could ever meet. He wasn’t just an uncle; he was like my father, my go-to person whenever I had a problem and my hero. Words cannot describe how much I loved him. I know that I’ve been incredibly blessed to have had such an amazing uncle. I just miss him so much. Today, I am going to visit his grave with my aunt (his wife) and say hello to my mum too as she’s buried not far away. Then in the evening, we are getting together to have dinner with his kids (my cousins) and remember the good times we shared. Thanks so much for joining me in today’s favourites catch-up. I hope you all have an amazing weekend and please give your loved ones an extra big cuddle! I look forward to being back here on Monday. Linking up with Andrea and Erika.

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Reset For The New Year

2 Comments / Health and Well Being

Hey there friends! Even though we are more than two weeks into the new year, that fresh start feeling is still very much in the air. So there is still plenty of time to hit the ‘reset for the new year’ button. Let’s take a moment for a mid-January check-in and bid ‘Adios’ to the past and look forward to the future. Right now feels like the perfect time to think about the journey ahead for 2024 and set some intentions for how we want our new year to look. Here are a few tips to reset for the new year – Let’s go! RESET FOR THE NEW YEAR REFLECT ON THE PAST YEAR A good place to begin a new year reset is to take stock of the past year. What were the successes, challenges and lessons we learned? Reflecting on the past is a great way to high five our achievements and identify areas where we might need to improve. Think about keeping a journal to record your thoughts and emotions, as it can be a fantastic tool throughout the reset process. I like to keep it simple when it comes to journaling. So I use my Twigseeds diary as a planner and to briefly record what goes on for me throughout the year. I don’t write a whole lot. Instead, I keep a summary of some key events and jot down some emotions and thoughts. It’s great to go back and read what I wrote at the beginning of the previous year. SET CLEAR GOALS I used to embrace a ‘Que sera, sera’ mindset – “Whatever will be, will be”. However, since I started blogging, I’ve been gradually stepping into a more intentional mode, putting on my big girl pants and setting some goals! So a good way to begin is by thinking about what success means for you this year. Whether it’s about your personal life, professional or even a mix of both, be clear about what your goals are. Then make it even easier by breaking them down into small tasks. Set a timeline for each goal to guide your progress and keep you motivated and on track. CREATE A VISION BOARD Imagine your goals with a vision board! It’s one of the most enjoyable parts of resetting for the new year and my personal favourite. Collect images, quotes, and symbols that represent your aspirations and arrange them on a board. It’s like creating a visual roadmap for your dreams and aspirations. You can then go ahead and look at it every day for an instant boost of motivation! You don’t even have to physically cut out pictures and paste them onto a board. Instead, you can make a vision board using apps like Canva or Pic Collage. Then print this off and there you have it-your very own vision board created by you. DECLUTTER YOUR PHYSICAL SPACE A cluttered environment can be a real no-no for personal growth. So take the time to declutter your living space. Clean out closets, organise your drawers and simplify your surroundings. A tidy space is essential for a clear mind and it makes it a whole lot easier to focus on your goals. CULTIVATE HEALTHY HABITS Part of the process of resetting your life is to adopt healthier habits. Whether it’s committing to doing some regular exercise, practising mindfulness, or improving our diets. Small changes can mean mighty big transformations. Create a daily routine that boosts your overall physical and mental well-being. LEARN SOMETHING NEW A great way to keep those brain cells active and motivated is to learn a new skill or expand your knowledge in some area. Consider taking up a hobby, enrolling in a course or attending a workshop. Learning something new and stretching ourselves outside of our comfort zone will increase confidence and flexibility. REDISCOVER YOUR PASSION Get back to what makes you happy! Whether it’s an old hobby, creative activity or a social activity, rediscovering your passions can reignite a sense of purpose and enthusiasm for life. NURTURE GOOD FRIENDSHIPS Check your social circle and invest time with those who uplift and inspire you. Surround yourself with friends who will support and share your values. Positive relationships are gold and they make life so much more fulfilling. Everyone needs their own personal cheer squad! PRACTICE GRATITUDE One of the best ways to cultivate a positive mindset is gratitude, nothing beats this powerful tool! Take time to regularly acknowledge and appreciate all the positive aspects of your life, no matter how teeny tiny. EMBRACE CHANGE AND ADAPTABILITY Finally, be open to change (no matter how scary it may initially feel). Life is ever-changing and therefore flexibility is the key to navigating those twists and turns. Embrace the inevitable shifts, learn from them and adjust as needed. You can do it! So go ahead and reset your life for the new year. It’s the perfect opportunity to design the life you truly want. Reflect, set clear goals and adopt positive habits for personal growth. Step into the new year with purpose. You’ve got this!

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