Finding Something New and Different

I sometimes think its very easy to fall into ruts. We do the same things because we know and like them without trying anything new.

Yesterday I experienced something new and different .... I discovered the joys of a sushi train.

That's right, I was amazed at all the little plates with weird looking food strolling past me, I loved watching people picking things off, trying to figure out what it was, I watched the machine like precision of the chefs as the rushed to fill the empty spaces on the conveyor.

This 20 minute lunch reminded me just how much I love new and different experiences. It reminds me to stop and try something new and different. To enjoy every day like its an overseas holiday ....

Wishing everyone a very happy Easter and a little teaser ... I have exciting housey things to show you next week.... think media room and alfresco!!!

I'm Back .... With my First Ever ... Ikea Hack!

My apologies for my less than stellar presence lately ... I have been flat flat flat out with everything from work to planning the new business to attempting our very first "Ikea Hack"

The plan - to take some plain Billy Bookcases and turn them into built in DVD storage units that look like the were built in.

Obviously its a nerve wracking experience buying cabinets and the modifying them so they look like built in units. We already has 2 small recesses either side of the door. each recess was slightly too big for the cabinets and also slightly to deep so modifications were in order.

We are currently only half way through but here is what we have so far ....

Build the units ....

Add 1 door for reference ...

Move them out of the space and build a fake floor to raise the units up for a skirting to be fitted ...

Add spacers to the back of the unit so they sit flush with the wall ...

Cut the cornice before you put the cabinets back into the space .....

Move the units back into the recess, drill them both into the back wall ...

We actually found some of these handy little screws we were given when we put together the pantry to fix the units together...

So that is all we have so far .... we are doing this very slowly and methodically thinking through each step before we commit. Obviously I will keep you updated as to our progress but for now .... the hack has started.

Stepping off the Ledge

The other day I was thinking about my strengths and weaknesses and while I was more than happy to acknowledge that I have a ton of weaknesses one of my strengths is my attention to detail. A perfect example of this was the party, I am a detail orientated person and the party went well because I obsessed about these details months before the event.

Ok so here is what I am getting at - Right now I am considering using this strength to step off that safe little ledge and try something a bit different.

I am thinking about perhaps starting my own company. It would be part time / weekend type thing. I am afraid I'm not nearly brave enough to jump off the ledge so I would still be working but I was thinking about moving into the event styling arena. I like decorating, I like adding unique and pretty details that make up the whole picture.

I was thinking I could start small, perhaps a candy / desert bar type arrangement, both just the rental of the basics and also a full service option with various themes and colour combinations.

I haven't quite fleshed out all my thoughts yet, I would need to put together a business plan and see if it is possible for it to work however .... its something to think about. Something I can own and maybe something little that could possibly turn into something bigger further down the track.

Its the stepping off that ledge that is scary .... taking the first step no matter how small!

A Glass and A Half of Pure Joy

Yesterday was the first day we were allowed to take Tilly the Terror out of the house. Her injections were all up to date, she was ready to go.

On the whole we did well, we found out she LOVES water jumping into the ocean without a care in the world. She also comes back when we called so we are all good off lead.

The only thing she did struggle with was other dogs, a Labrador which stepped on her causing her to scream like someone was cutting off a limb. After that whenever another dog came close Tilly did the scream sending the other dog running with tail between its legs.

It was truly wonderful watching her have such a lovely time out of the house, exploring the new sights and smells, seeing the ocean, getting covered in sand.

A wonderful afternoon at the beach!

007 Bond Style Party - The Party

So Saturday night when off with barely a hitch, the casino people did get lost however arrived before most of the guests so I'm not going to consider that a huge problem.

The night was warm, the guests dressed up, the food was divine and the atmosphere was so great. Casino tables are a great way of getting everyone mingling and I must say, I was oh so impressed with how everything turned out.

The photo's are still coming, we had a professional photographer there helping out but I do have 1 or 2 to whet you appetite.

I had a lovely time and while I'm so glad everything went well I am also glad its all over, planning and trying to foresee all possible difficulties is exhausting and so I'm now happily going back to my hum drum house obsessed life.

Im also sure my family are glad its over, the amount of effort they put into making sure things went well was amazing, I could not be blessed with more wonderful parents, my mum helped me with all the little details and my dad had a ball helping to set the theme from the Casino Royal sign at the front of the house to the body floating in the pool everything was just so perfect I couldnt be happier.

My sister also surprised me with just how great she is at this type of thing. She said to me the other day "I could not plan this type of desert buffet but I could build the table it goes on" after saying this she then goes on to help me hot glue gun hundreds of ferrero's to styrofoam balls so they look like chocolate trees. More talented than she realises.

Obviously I can help but show you more pictures of the event when I get them but for now ... party planning season is officially over.

Bumps in the Road

I should know by now that whenever I desperately NEED hubby home, something goes wrong.

In this instance a chopper broke down meaning I am on my own with a list as long as my arm of final party preparation.

Obviously the fact that I have a list is wonderful because I know what needs to be done but come on .... just for once can someone please give me a break.

A better update tomorrow but for now I'm going to go nurse my anger and disappointment with a double shot latte!

007 Bond Style Party - The Look

So lets be honest ... I dont wear alot of makeup. Actually I wear very little at all - I always try to look nice but life is just to hectic to spend hours in front of the mirror trying to get my eyes to look dark and smokey or god knows what.

This is a rather large problem as from the pictures I have seen Bond Girls tend to go for the dark and smoky looking eyes, stacks of makeup and a sultry pout ....

The answer to this conundrum ... youtube. I was overwhelmed with just how easy it is to search "Bond Girl Makeup" and come up with a thousand different "how to" video's walking you through the process step by step.

Obviously imagine me getting my eye lid stuck to my finger trying to get those stupid fake lashes on ... stabbing myself with an eyeliner pencil, banging my head on the mirror as I try to colour in my brows but finally .... there is some semblence of smoky going on.

I am concerned I look more street walker than bond girl but I think thats half the fun of dressing up, you get to walk this very thin line that during normal every day life you avoid like the plague ....

Oh yes, and my bestest friend in the world told me the other day, now in our 30's we can no longer claim to look "street walker" we are now officially "mutton dressed as lamb!"

007 - Bond Style Party - Candy Buffet

So one of my exciting moments at the party is that I am having a desert buffet set up ... lots of yummy deserts, cakes and sweets and mountains of chocolate.

Here are a few items to whet your appetite.

• Choc Avalanche Tart
• Blackberry Apple Crumble
• Lime Brulee Tart
• Chocolate Marshmallow Mousse
• Salted Caramel Macaroons
• Death by Chocolate Cupcakes

 So many lovely items ... so much to do! Oh and I was surprised at just how many containers and cake stands I actually own that will be used to make the table sparkle.

Today’s post was going to be a continuation of party details however I have heard new this morning that has tilted my world slightly. Over the last few days I have found out about two couples we know who have had their marriage break down.

For me these separations are unexpected. These are solid couples who appear to have it together … I feel sad that they are going through so much hurt and pain, I feel terrible that for both of them it was so unexpected, obviously they have felt things aren’t right but didn’t realise the drastic thoughts their other halves were contemplating.

It makes me think and worry about just how solid the whole concept of “marriage” is. For me, its forever, when I looked into my husband’s eyes on my wedding day I was promising that he will always be the MOST important thing in my life and I would always put him first. In my head when he said “I do” he was promising to do the same.

Yes I realise that my idea is totally black and white and that all sorts of shades of grey twist their way into your perfect little world but I would hope that we are strong enough as a couple to work through them. But these breakups have me doubting that, these were not passionate, high emotion relationships. These are quiet, steady couples who to all intents are purposes seemed to have it together.

It makes you think, wonder and question – if it can happen to them … really it can happen to anyone.

As you would know, my husband is away A LOT and I have always had this unwavering belief that if our relationship is strong enough to survive that … we can survive anything. The question is how do you actually KNOW that its all going to work out like a fairy-tale. How do you know if there is a happily ever after if the ever after could end at any moment.

Obviously this has shaken me, I don’t like shades of grey … they make me doubt myself and others. You love me or you don’t, I am enough or I’m not ….

I feel like I should put in a lesson learnt here about never taking things for granted. Think about your other half the same way you did in those first months you found each other …. Make time to remember and relive all those romantic, special moment and just hold on to each other as tightly as you can with your eyes squeezed closed.

One thing I can tell you is that I can’t wait till Wednesday when hubby comes home and he can cuddle me close and tell me it’s all going to be ok.

007 - Bond Style Party - Catering

So obviously with a bond style party the food has to be AMAZING ... really can you see the darling Mr Bond chowing down on some subway? Nope - me neither ... so catering was a priority.

I decided on a small local company called Chica Catering who I have used alot in a corporate capacity.

Their food is amazing, their staff very professional and I can trust them to do a good job.

Now the food choices .... Stacks of food choices but here is what I have come up with.

Cocktail Food

• Seared beef on a roast garlic crouton with peppered cherry tomato

• Beef, Porcini and shiraz pie with

• Chicken and grain mustard roulade with golden puff pastry

• Spiced duck and orange salad with beetroot crisps served in a cocktail spoon

• Petite chicken ciabatta burger with tomato relish, aioli and spinach

• Lamb and feta kebabs with a tomato and mint jus

• Japanese crumbed pork belly with chilli and soy served in a pine boat and a cocktail fork

• Coconut prawns with mango salsa

Something more Substantial at the end of the night

• Fish and chips box with lime mayonaise and lemon wedges

• Sticky pork belly with Asian rice

007 - Bond Style Birthday .... Invite

Well .... Now that the room is done I can afford to focus on more exciting things, the main one being my bond inspired birthday party.

Obviously with only 10 days until the big event plans are well underway but I thought I might show you a few bits a pieces I have been putting together as a teaser to the big event.

Today is the invite ... and I think its super cute. Obviously my darling husband laughed and called it geeky! That's right, geeky!

What do you think ... cute or geeky? Would you be excited to get this in the mail?

Budget Black and White Bedroom - Done!

So my challenge was to complete a room on a budget.

Obviously the word "budget" is a bit hard because my idea of a budget and someone else's are totally different.

My biggest challenge was making it practical now as a guest room but also be able to change it out for a nursery for very little additional costs.

My thought ... black and white was a safe clean smart looking option which gives me so much potential down the track.

Overall the room came in at $2,930 for everything, below are a few of my costs;

$400 - Curtains

$50 - Bed

$500 - Bedding, pillows, quilt, quilt cover, mattress protector ect.

$1,600 - Furniture, Drawers, bookshelf and chair

$230 - Chandelier

$150 - Prints, frames etc

How do you think I did - although the price still looks a bit high I'm thinking i didn't do half badly. The room looks luxurious and to be honest, I want to be a guest in own house!