Creative Inspiration

Last weekend, through sleepy eyes and maybe a slight hangover, I awoke in the guest bedroom of friend, Nantanarran. N is one of those people that has an artistic spirit—she always has a creative project in the works—whether it's an idea unfolding on the right side of her mind or a unique work of art that takes on the form of a light fixture, a painting or a magnet!

As a new mom, N's projects have taken a side-step to inspiring the imagination of a very cute and very active little boy. Lying there, in my morning haze, I decided to take a few pictures of some of the things I found in the room. 

Mad Men Wedding

Last Saturday, we went back in time to the 50's and 60's—where men sported fedoras and ladies wore pearls—to celebrate our friends Mad Men themed wedding. 

Close-up of me at the front entrance and welcome sign.

The lovely bride and dashing groom.

Dressed to fit the times.

Check out those pin curls. See the how to below.

My handsome date.

Cool ad poster that was used for decoration.

Fun on the dance floor. Is that the monster mash?

The bride letting loose!

What a fun time! 

If you want to try out a fun 50's hairstyle check out this video.

Photos: A mix of my own and Fatherazz 

Keep it Simple

When I thought about posting a recipe and sending it out to the world I thought—it needs to be creative and really have a wow factor. I flipped through cookbooks and searched online for inspiration. Then it hit me—well actually it was served to me by my husband after a long day at work—it was a grilled cheese sandwich. 

Although the ingredients are few and the technique not overly complicated the outcome delivers high satisfaction. And creativity, well, that comes in the presentation. The sandwich emulates a heart and the side of ketchup adds some colour and doubles as a flavour enhancer. So simple. So tasty. So then, here it is folks. Enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1. Slice a baguette in diagonal slices. This will give you more surface area and a good foundation for the cheese.

2. Slice up your favourite cheese—I suggest an aged cheddar with some grated parmesan but this is where you can add your own unique touch. 

3. Heat up a frying pan to medium-high heat. A non-stick pan is best.

4. Butter one side of a baguette slice and place it butter side down in the pan.

5. Layer the cheese on the baguette slice.

6. Butter another baguette slice and place it butter side up on top of the cheese.

7. Using a spatula, press down on the mini sandwiches, use just enough force to assist with bread to cheese fusion.

8. When the bottom slice turns a nice golden brown, mindfully flip the sandwich over to the other side. It's all about balance here.

9. When both sides are equally grilled to perfection and the cheese filler is oozing out the side—your sandwich is done. Remove from heat.

10. Cut the sandwich diagonally—flip one of the halves over and place both cut ends together to create the heart shape. Place the sandwich on a plate with a side of ketchup and serve immediately.

This post was inspired by the teachings and feedback of my yoga teacher Chris Chavez—teach what you know and keep it simple. You don't want to burn the onions!

Quieting the Mind

They call it the monkey. It is the ever present noise-maker in the mind, reminding us of what we need to do, what we forgot to do, replaying past events, scripting future conversations, and so on.

Lately my monkey is working overtime and short of a vacation, I am looking to create a little space between my thoughts or 'clear my cache'. I have tried to meditate on my own in the past and the results have been mixed. I fidget and get distracted easily but there have been times where I have been able to create some space, quiet the noise and feel a sense of calm.

Like most things, mastering the art of blissfulness will have to come with some practice. My self-challenge for the next month is to try to take at least five to ten minutes each day and just, well, sit still. 

Here is a link to 100 benefits to meditation. 

Namaste.

Image found here.

The Extra Effort

It seems so simple. If I put forward a little extra effort—in my job, my relationships and my life goals—I will be rewarded with positive change. Talk to me after having a restless nights sleep and a long list of tasks to complete and the simplicity starts to fade and the effort seems insurmountable. C'est la vie, non?

I have been looking at how I can put in some extra effort in all areas of my life— whether it's picking up the phone more often to connect with family and friends or doing a really great job on a work project. I notice that sometimes I have to fight off a feeling that I am sacrificing something or that it's just too much work—but really, is it?

As I pondered this thought, I looked for some inspiration to motivate me and this is what I found:

The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems. - Mahatma Gandhi 

10-4 Gandhi.

Photo: Putting in some extra effort for a delicious backbend. 

One step, two step. Small steps, big step.

I am thrilled to announce that I have completed my Yoga Teacher Training with Chris Chavez!

Last Sunday I received my certificate and celebrated with the yogis and yoginis that went on this amazing journey—deepening our understanding of the philosophy and principles of Anusara yoga. This marks almost a year of training! 

I am so happy to have found a wonderful kula to help me grow and take the next steps to develop my skills—both as a student and an instructor.

Thanks to everyone for your support!

Namaste.

Day 1—getting to know you.

Final training—sporting our grad class t-shirts. "Don't toast your monkey!"

The goods!

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie

The recent flooding in Australia has our hearts and our minds on friends down under. It has been over 10 years now since we were there for our working holiday. I rummaged through our storage closet last week and pulled a few pictures from that trip. In total we were in Oz for nine months—where we had the best of times and some very challenging times.

Highlights:

• Learning to surf
• Seeing a dolphin, a kangaroo, a koala, an iguana and a huntsman spider in the wild—except the spider, he was in our bedroom!
• Retrieving our car after it was stolen
• The adventure to Caboolture Wreckers to pick up a new transmission
• Playing the pokies
• Singing live on the Footy Show
• The RSL's that serve up amazing dinners and cheap drinks
• A hot Christmas with cold turkey
• Big Day Out and the Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Catching up with some old mates and meeting some awesome new ones

Oi! That was a pretty awesome trip.

Photos: my own.