Reviews: Jane Eyre & The curious incident

I rarely go to the movies, I am one of those "wait till it comes out on dvd" people, but whenever I do go I really enjoy it, especially if mint choctops are involved.

My friend invited me to see Jane Eyre with her and I jumped at the chance. The reason being I had no idea what Jane Eyre was about. I know so ignorant but my eyes have now been opened.

I literally sat on the edge of my seat the whole two and a half hours, I was enchanted by the story completely absorbed. It is one of the best movies I have seen for a long time. Oh and move over Mr Darcy, I now have a new boyfriend, Mr Rochester is a dreamboat.

  But don't just take it from me, my friend is a die hard Jane Eyre fan and she said that it was wonderful and better then she expected.

Have you seen it? What are your thoughts?

Our book club choice for August was 'The Curious incident of the dog in the night time' by Mark Haddon. It is a quick read and an easy read. The book is written from the perspective of 15 year old Christopher who admits to having "behavioural problems". From reading the book it is assumed that Christoper has Aspergers or a similar behavioural disorder.

I really enjoyed the story and you cant help but love Christopher and want to go along with him on his journey to find out who killed his neighbours dog. I found some parts of the book repetitive and  unnecessary but overall enjoyed this story and recommend it for a lazy weekend read.

slipped

//Blazer: dotti// dress: tightrope // shoes: kmart // bag: chinatown markets // ring : gorham house markets //

Last week I tried to enforce a shopping ban for the next four weeks. This dress however managed to slip through the cracks. It was only $12 and will be perfect for my trip to America because of the non-crush material....yeah I can justify anything, needless to say the ban is over and I am back to my old tricks. Do I get points for trying? Probably not.

Today I came home with grandeous plans of cleaning and catching up on lots of odd jobs but the motivation seems to have passed and I am ready to curl up with one of my new books and relax for the rest of the night, there is always tomorrow.

weekend away

Just a quick post after getting back from a whirlwind trip to New Castle.

Its a four and a half hour drive but it seemed like an eternity by myself.

It was all worth it though to spend time with these two gorgeous ladies.

We have been friends for over 7 years and even though I hadn't seen them for nearly a year it was as if we saw each other last week. It is so comforting to easily slot back into peoples lives.

A weekend was definitely not long enough and I cant believe it is Sunday night again and I am all tucked into bed ready for work in the morning.

Its a big week with dinners and sports and haircuts all scheduled through out the week. The busyness of it all makes it feel like Spring is on the doorstep.

Paris in a day

Do you love Paris? Do you have plans to go there? Or do you even just like to daydream?

I am lucky enough to be guest posting over at Rhiannes blog, 'For the Easily Distracted'. 

It is all about how to make the most of your time in Paris, even if its just for 24 hours.

I would love if you check it out.

Do you have any Paris secrets?

Tips for travelling with friends

Travelling with friends is often a really wonderful experience. Getting to leave the normal parameters of your relationship and experience new things together can be both rewarding as an individual but can also strengthen your friendship. I have been really fortunate to get to go on lots of holidays with friends and have pulled together a few little tips you may find handy to make sure you make the most of your time away together.

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♥ Don’t have unrealistic expectations – if your friend doesn’t like going out and partying to all hours of the night at home it is unlikely she will be like that on holiday. This can be really handy to keep in mind when planning activities for your trip and knowing what you will both enjoy doing.

 ♥ Read emotions – if you’re travelling together for a long period of time you’re probably going to experience your friend’s whole emotional ambit. Be receptive of this and act accordingly. It can make the trip go much smoother and you are likely to receive the same courtesy in return.

 ♥ It’s ok to do things apart – even though you’re travelling together it can be nice to spend some time by yourself and soak up your destination. This is especially handy if you want to do different things and don’t have time to fit them all in together.

 ♥ Keep track of finances – it’s sad to say but fights can happen over money. I have not experienced it personally but have been witness to a heated, very public, facebook exchange. For my trip to America my friends and I have had to pay for a lot of different things but we have managed to keep track of who pays for what so that it all works out evenly. Doing this from the start can reduce any problems later.

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The most important thing is to have fun and be flexible. Do you have any tips for travelling with friends? Or any horror stories that you have learnt from? I would love you to leave them in the comments so we can all share our experiences.

Speaking of friends I am off to New Castle tomorrow to visit my bestie so I will wish you a splendid weekend now ♥

Ray of sunshine

Skirt: target //shoes: kmart // cardigan: zara // scarf :overseas // shirt: myer

Yellow has never especially appealed to me until I saw a yellow cardigan on this lovely blogger. I was sold straight away and was on the hunt for my own yellow cardigan. It took a few weeks to find the right “yellow” but I am happy to now have it.

Yellow just brightens up the day, it probably sounds silly but I  definitely feel happier wearing it. It’s funny how something so simple like wearing a bright colour can set you off in a good mood for the day. I definitely intend on adding more yellow to my life and other bright colours.

I started a new job yesterday, same organisation but a new branch. It is hard being the new girl again and I am looking forward to the awkward first two week stage being over. I find I go all shy around new people and take a while to really get comfortable in a new place. But change is as good as a holiday, right?

Outside in

Top: Target//skirt: dotti // shoes: forever new // ring: diva // bracelet: from prague // silver ring: diva // watch: fossil

I am going to start by saying I am not sure how happy I am with these photos. I wanted to take some outfit photos inside for a change and decided to use some props but they turned out a little wanky haha. I decided to share them anyway feel free to have a little giggle, not a big giggle just a little one :-P

 These photos are taken in my office/ wardrobe. I feel bad as Brendan and I were meant to share the spare room but I kind of took over.

Today has been a really lovely Saturday. I went op shopping this morning and found a really fun vintage maxi that I am planning to take the sleeves off for Summer. I then had lunch with a friend and hit the gym.

I have been getting really sore shoulders from work, the "office slouch". I am going to get some physio on Monday so hopefully that helps but am going to try and do more weight work at the gym to strengthen my shoulders so I am not a creaky old woman one day.

Hope your having a nice weekend.

Just the facts

Lately there have been a few new readers of this blog which makes me happy as I love to meet new people. I thought it would be fun to share some facts about myself  and I would love if you shared some fun things about yourself too,even if you have been reading for awhile its always fun to learn something new. 

★ I am not very good at sports but extremely competitive about board games, I am surprised I still get invited to game nights.

★My dirty secret is that I LOVE reality tv shows, I cant get enough - real housewives, pregnant in heels, bethany in real life, teen mom - you name it I have probably seen it. 

★I have had the design for my tattoo picked out for nearly two years but am to scared to make the appointment.

★ My two biggest indulgences in life are coffee and wine. Starting the morning with a fresh smelling coffee and ending the day with a yummy dinner and nice glass of red wine equals a good day.

★ I am allergic to cats and unfortunately the list seems to be growing to the point that I am now allergic to my own guinea pig. It makes me sad as I love having pets.

★I have never seen the whole of Beauty and the Beast as I use to get scared towards the end and turn it off.

★ I am a book worm; I always have a book in my handbag sometimes even two.

★ I live to travel, packing my suitcase and heading on an adventure makes me happiest. Whether its overseas or a couple of hours down the road I love exploring new environments.

Now over to you, what is a fact I should know about you? 

pleat

Necklace: betsey johnson// top: myer// skirt: target// shoes: novo// blazer: dotti// bag: mimco

I have been wanting a pleated maxi for the last six weeks and had been on a very unsuccessful hunt until this weekend. I found this gem in target and it ticked all the boxes. I wanted a slip that was as long as the skirt and a thick waist band as I feel it is more flattering with my curves. I wore it to work today and think I am definitely sold on maxi skirts.

 At Target I was behind an American lady who was on the phone saying how much she loved shopping in Australia. It was ironic as I am so excited to shop in America, I guess the grass always seems greener on the other side.

Today I found out one of my good friends is getting married, I am so happy for her but it has made me realise I am slowly entering the age of lots of weddings and babies. It is kind of scary to think about us all "growing up" but a really exciting new chapter as well.

I have a presentation to give at work tomorrow eeck, so I best go and finish preparing, hope you have had a wonderful day!

To market

♥ Fresh flowers, super cheap♥

♥ Fishies ♥

♥ Quite possibly the biggest strawberries of my life ♥

♥ Mussels ♥

♥ Seafood platter ♥

♥ My sister & dad (Peter) with Peter from the Fishmarkets - see what I've done there :-P ♥

♥ Walking back to the city ♥

This weekend I went to Sydney to catch up with my family.

After a rocky start, cue car battery dying and having to wait 45 minutes for NRMA and pay for a new battery, I had a really wonderful weekend.

On Saturday we went to Sydney Fishmarkets and got to eat lots of delicious seafood and fresh fruit.

That night we headed to Mary Poppins which was amazing, seriously if you have the chance to go and see it I definitely recommend it.

One of the highlights of the weekend was mum asking me if I am still blobbing- I replied yes I am still blogging. It kinda made my day and from now on am calling Time after Tea "The Blob". She also asked if she needed to bring a torch shopping with us, I cant even try and explain that one.

Wishful Spring thinking

Sunglasses: mimco// wedges: boohoo// hat: sportsgirl// satchel & heels: modcloth// rainbow & nautical dress: loveclothing // white stripe dress: ASOS

I am finding it really hard to resist all the sales that are currently taking place on northern hemisphere websites. It just seems to make sense to buy summer stuff now that it’s on sale as were only a skip, hop and a jump away from Spring.

 

Nearly everything in this collage is on sale but I am staying strong and trying to wait to spend my money when I am actually in the US.  This Spring I want to be surrounded by bright colours, florals and stripes. The weather is actually forecasted to be in the late teens for the next week so it actually already feels as though Spring is in the air.

This weekend I am heading to Sydney to stay with my sister and go to Mary Poppins on Saturday night for my mum’s birthday. I think a weekend away is exactly what the doctor ordered – what are you up to this weekend?

Oh and a quick ps – apparently people haven’t been able to comment on my blog lately but hopefully the problem is now resolved.

Little life updates

♥ Lemons on our tree ♥

♥ Friday night in ♥

♥ Dessert from Grazing, a delicious local restaurant ♥

♥ Pretending its Spring in a floral skirt ♥

♥ New make up ♥

♥ Fresh strawberries ♥

♥ Brendan's belated birthday present, brewing his own beer♥

Reading... The curious incident of the dog in the night time: Mark Haddon

Watching... Lincoln Lawyer

Talking... to my best friend and organising to visit her at the end of the month

Thinking... about filling out the census tonight

Buying... a new camera

Planning... a trip to Sydney on the weekend to visit my sister & see Mary Poppin

Wearing... a red cardigan and big fake pearls
Picturing...a very clean house and hoping it will manifest itself.

Tweeting... about my ginormous papercut

asymmetrical

Outfit: dress: little boutique in Sydney// hat: jeanswest // belt: portmans //shoes: kmart // jacket: target // bracelts: equip // watch: swatch

Sunday is such a lovely, lazy day. I usually get active about 5pm Sunday afternoon when  I realise its nearly time to go back to work and I haven't accompanied half of the jobs I had set out to achieve over the weekend.

Luckily this Sunday was a good mix of relaxing and getting a few things done. Brendan and I have cooked our little hearts out today. We made silver side for lunches, cookies for morning tea and I am just about to make a goats cheese tart for a dinner were hosting for our neighbours tonight. 

I also did a few things for my US trip like booking tickets to a Vegas show, finally getting travel insurance and my visa waiver form submitted. It is nice to feel a little more organised. 

I really love the pattern on this dress but have barely worn it this winter, now that its warming up a little I thought it was time to bring it out. I only wish I had have slapped on some red lipstick to finish it off. Hopefully the mandatory twirl photo isn't too much leg, whoops..

How was your weekend? Hopefully we have a good week ahead, stress free would be nice.

Learning to say no

Why do so many of us find it hard to say no? Instead we get ourselves stuck in hard or awkward situations in an attempt to avoid that dreaded feeling of guilt. Whether its saying no or standing up for myself I manage to talk myself around, to assume that others know what is best or to avoid hurting anyone's feelings. Lately I am learning that sometimes you just have to put yourself first. Here is a few little tips I have been finding useful...

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♥ How long is the decision going to effect you for? Hours, days, weeks, months....Sometimes we have to say yes to things we don't really want to do, especially in relation to our careers if it means getting somewhere better in the future. However if its really not something you want to do and your going to be doing it for a significant amount of time it may not be worth the mental anguish. You can always try and negotiate before coming out and saying no or ask to have some time to think about the request.

♥ What would the person who is asking you to do something do in your situation? You shouldn't feel guilty for saying no when other people in your situation would easily say no. Sometimes you can get targeted for being the nice guy - its important to know when people are being genuine in their requests or taking advantage.

♥ Will there be a financial burdon? Social commitments add up, dinner and drinks with friends, movies, birthdays and so on. It's ok not to go to everything, if your invited to something that is out of your budget politely decline but offer to catch up in a more money friendly way - like a walk in the park or invite them over for dinner at your place.

♥ If you say yes are you going to have feelings of dread?Will the situation make you feel really uncomfortable? Yes feeling guilty sucks but so does dreading an upcoming event for weeks and then having to get through the uncomfortableness of the whole situation. Yes, you will feel guilty if you tell your mums friends daughter they cant stay on your lounge for a month while they look for a place but it may be a better option then explaining to your house mate why someone you barely know is staying at your place.

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Saying yes and pushing my comfort zones can be rewarding but I am slowly learning that there is a difference between challenging myself or helping people out than letting people take advantage of me or get into situations I am really unhappy in. How about you? What do you do to get the courage to say no?

P.S Thankyou for all the sweet comments yesterday, I am feeling much better today.

colour and laughs

Outfit one: jumper: zara // skirt: portmans//necklace: diva// shoes: kmart// jacket: target

Outfit two: jumer: zara// skirt: target// shirt: barque// shoes: joanne mercer // ring: pandora// nails inspired by cupcakesandcashmere

It can be really hard to create exciting work looks everyday, pretty near impossible for me, when some mornings I struggle to even get out of bed. These Zara jumpers have been getting me through these days, definitely not a fashion breakthrough but something that adds a little colour to work days, their super comfy too so that is a plus.
Lately life has been a little tough and I have been feeling a bit down in a number of aspects of my life. My blog is somewhere I like to keep pretty positive so I wont go into all the details but it is times like this that I try and not take things for granted and just not take things to seriously, remember to have fun and laugh.  This video is something that has been making me smile and I thought I would share it with anyone else who needed a pick me up or just wants a laugh.