2011 - the good the bad & the 'to do' in 2012

i came into twentyeleven off the back of twentyten (as did we all, duh)

but twentyten was an amazing year for me personally & so i had high hopes for twentyeleven

Whilst it wasn't the worst year, it certainly wasn't the best

i tried my hardest in alot of areas & am proud of myself for that, i'm ending this year on a good note, i know i'm a much better person that i was when it started.

Once again, i have high hopes for twentytwelve

(I'm beginning to think that even-numbered years hold the best for me)

Anyway, in the coming 12 months we shall see

For now though, its all about twentyeleven & the year that was

the good...

- saving enough for a deposit on the house of our dreams

- reaching the '1 year' mark with M

- going to Hawai'i in March

- quitting the job i knew wasn't right for me

- getting the job that was right from me

- buying lots and lots of homewares, at incredibly low prices, in anticipation for our new house (this was before we had found it) people said we were silly to start so early, those people were very wrong :D

- finally curing my acne (it plagued me for 5+ years)

- growing closer with old friends

- making a whole lot of new friends

- loosing weight & getting healthy, there really is no better feeling

the bad...

- having a car accident

- loosing touch with a few people

- not being organised or time efficient

- focusing too much energy on things that dont matter

- not appreciating myself

the to-do's for 2012...

- celebrate EVERYTHING !! We never know how long we have left

- look after myself, maintain my weight, eat healthy & exercise regularly...easy right ?

- slow down ! drink more tea, stare at photos and art, take deep breathes & sit in the tree ( a standout feature of our new house)

- cook more, i love to cook & to feed

- spend more time with friends

- let things that dont matter, not matter...dont dwell on the small things

- travel more, somewhere relaxing & with a beach

- try my very best in the new job

- love more

- indulge in the things i love, not necessarily new louboutin's every pay but to buy good chocolate or a bunch of flowers. To take long baths every now & then, to burn candles each night rather than 'saving them' for when company is over.

Ah twentytwelve, i am welcoming you with open arms & a few cold drinks

Can't wait to see what you hold

Happy New Years xx

Surprise...

Yesterday was my last day at work, not just for the end of the year, but forever. We had a team lunch, it included a bar tab, lots of hugging & everyone saying goodbye

I packed up my desk in the afternoon, said goodbye again & left...that was the end of it, so i thought

...

M had mentioned a few weeks ago he was taking my out for dinner to celebrate my last day, nothing real suss there, just a nice thing to do right ?? little did i know that he & J, my closest friend at work, were plotting a surprise dinner party !!!

...

So after leaving work with all my boxes & feeling hungry & exhausted, M suggested we go look around Westfield before dinner, we had a few last minute gifts to get, so i went along with it, he told me we had a booking for 6:45

After we left Westfield, M got a text whilst driving which i offered to read for him, he said no ! usually he would ask me to read it so as not to text and drive, but not this time...i was a little suss on that !! But whatever, i was so hungry all i could think about was getting there and eating heheeh. When we got there & as i was putting my shoes on he messaged all my friends on the sly to say we were about to walk in

We walked in & BAM !!! Everyone shouted surprise

I've never been surprised before but my gosh ! i did not know how to react, i was shaking with excitement, hugging everyone & getting a bit teary ! I just sat down & smiled at everyone like a weirdo, it was such an awesome surprise !!

I am sad to leave this job & the people there, but its not the right industry for me. My friend L who used to work there was also at the Surprise dinner, i still keep in contact with her even after leaving so i have faith i will keep the friends i made.

Below are some of the lovely presents i was given, i also got a massive farewell card & gift voucher, but thought it would be lame to photograph that lol

Such pretty presentation

She's much cuter in reality

Eskimo & Snowflake, from the recent winter collection

Carousel from the Dumbo collection

i really love the intricacy of Disney Couture jewelry

My other piece is featured here

They also gave me a gorgeous potted African violet, but that was as a housewarming gift

I will miss them dearly

Defining torture !

Toture is...

Sitting at your desk, next to 3 big, delicious chunks of your favorite Lush soap & knowing that you have to work late & therefore wont get a chance to properly use them until the following night.

For a girl who loves to bathe, this is the definition of torture

Cue the tears

There is something in the air...

Tonight i had the strangest feeling,

I was driving home from M's house after we'd just had dinner with some of our closest friends & told them about our news of moving out...im usually a paranoid driver, especially at night, so its not uncommon for me to check & re-check my rear view mirrors, ya know for murders in the backseat & the like !!

Anyway, i began to notice that the way the light was reflecting off my car and mirrors was different, almost creating like an aura ? I was driving along, thinking about why it could be & maybe that there was a full moon. Then i just felt overwhelmed with a sense of safety & excitement, i was thinking about 2012 & all the good things it's going to hold, i thought about how lucky i am, with work & M, our friends & families. I don't believe in God, but i am very 'spiritual', i think there is more to us that just flesh & bone, tonight i definitely felt looked over.

I can not wait to see what next year brings, there are alot of resolutions i have for 2012 & alot of potential that next year holds

So Guess What...

We're (almost) Homeowners !!

Let me tell you how it all went down / is going down

Last Saturday M & I went to view a villa for sale in one of our very favorite suburbs in Sydney. I had already looked at the description / pictures on Domain.com.au but as soon as we pulled up & walked in the whole mental image i had, came to life

In short, i LOVED the place

I was walking around trying to find flaws and imperfections...things i didnt like ! Alas, there were not alot. The worst thing about the whole place, was the fact that the second bedroom was a nursery !! Clearly not a bad negative right ? I am not ready for children yet, not at all ! So it spooked me a tad, but that was the worst of it

There were hardwood floors, downlights, freshly renovated kitchen, internal laundry & a huge bathroom. My favorite feature of all though is the splendid tree in the backyard!! It is beautiful & leafy, its climable & i can see it all lit up with fairy lights on a summers night, ahhhh i love that tree

^^ something like that

We're currently waiting for contracts to be exchanged, once thats all over i will be officially excited for moving in to start

For right now though, i'm stressing that something wont go through or wont get cleared in time (read: stamp duty exemption ends on dember 31) But i would love to hear some advice & helpful tips about moving out for the very first time ?

Scary to think, isn't it ?

Skinny Brown Belt

Evening ladies,

I finally got my hands on a skinny brown belt

There are so many dresses i have bought with the intention of pinching in the waist by way of a thin brown belt

It's such a versatile accessory, i'm rather annoyed that i didn't buy one sooner

So, behold the belt...

In all it's loop through goodness