Busy Bee

Sometimes its good to be busy. Other times, not so much. Have you ever felt so busy that you just didn't know where to start? 

Lately I've been feeling like I need to take a step back to just relax. Work seems to be getting busier and busier, and sometimes the pressure is so much that it just gets a little overwhelming. And then when I get home, I have so many plans for myself, and so many things I want to get done, that sometimes I forget to leave time to enjoy the things that really matter. 

Work will come and go, and it's too easy to think that having a career is the most important thing in life. So from now on, I'm going to make sure I leave a little time for myself everyday. Time to enjoy the sunshine, to travel, to read and to write, and to take pretty pictures. To bake those cupcakes that I've been dying to bake, and take my puppy for a walk. To spend time with family and friends, and to go on all those bush walks I keep postponing. 

And so, I have officially banned myself from being too busy! And I think you should too!

Love from,
Emma Lou

EN POINTE

Image courtesy of the Australian Ballet

Perhaps because we all danced as children, one of the favourite past times in our house is to get dressed up and head out to watch a ballet. This only happens once or twice a year, but this only makes us look forward to it that much more. 

On Saturday night my mum, sister and I were lucky enough to see Peter Wright's The Nutcracker at the Opera House, and boy were we all impressed! 

We arrived in the city early, hoping to find somewhere nice to eat beforehand. On a friend's recommendation, we ate at Young Alfred, an Italian restaurant situated at the front of Customs House. An easy distance from the Opera House, it was a great option for us as it was affordable, and had plenty of non-seafood options (one thing you'll soon learn about me is that I can't stand seafood!) We shared entrees, opting for bread with balsamic vinegar, polenta chips, and mushroom and spinach arancini. They were all nice, and not having tried polenta chips before I was quite impressed! 

For mains my mum and I had a pesto gnocchi, which we both agreed was the nicest gnocchi we have ever had. It was so tender and fresh - definitely worth a try. My less adventurous sister had a mushroom and ham pizza which she also enjoyed. After finishing with a coffee, it was time to head back to the Opera House, take the obligatory photo in front of the bridge, and head inside to take our seats. The atmosphere there was buzzing. It's a wonderful way to spend the evening, getting all dressed up and spending the night with people who appreciate the talent just as much as us. 

The ballet kicked off at 7:30, and although it went for a good couple of hours, felt like it was over in two minutes. In case you aren't familiar with the story of the nutcracker, the tale is set at Christmas time. A young girl, the main character, is first seen celebrating Christmas Eve with her family. A magician hands her a nutcracker doll at the party, and at midnight, the doll becomes a prince and the fun begins. The night is complete with evil rats, a flying goose, the Sugar Plum fairy and so much more. It was most fitting with Christmas planning well underway. 

The Nutcracker was one of the most beautiful ballets I have seen so far. The orchestra played wonderfully, the costumes were amazing, and the dancers did a wonderful job. I'm sure it's sold out by now, but as you can tell, I highly recommend. 

Next up is Swan Lake in February! 

For more information, or to see what ballets are coming up, head to the Australian Ballet website by clicking here. 

Our obligatory photo in front of the Opera House! 

Love from, 

Emma Lou

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING

If you loved the movie Just like Heaven, or you read the story The Lovely Bones and couldn’t put it down, then If I Stay, and the sequel Where She Went by Gayle Forman are both definitely worth a read. If, on the other hand, you don’t like to read anything sad, then this book probably isn’t for you.

I first heard about this story first through movie advertisements. Whenever a movie based on a book comes out, I always make sure I read the book first. I am yet to find a movie (apart from the Lord of the Rings) that I have enjoyed more than the book. Most people don’t understand this, but as an avid reader, I can lose myself in a book in a way I can’t in a movie.

So I knew I had to read If I Stay quickly.

I finished the book in just over a week. Personally, I think the title of the book instantly gives a lot away – it’s not at all subtle, and there are few other instances in life that it could really refer to. You really know from the first page what the dilemma in the book will be. The book is written so well though that it doesn't matter that you know what is going to happen. 

But to save any confusion, I’ll tell you a little bit about the story. Beware though - there are spoilers below.

The main character Mia, her brother Teddy and her parents are involved in a devastating accident on a snowy morning. Mia is left alone, and it is her semi-present self (I'm not sure what else to call someone neither dead nor alive) looks over her lifeless body, trying to decide whether to stay and live or to let it all go. Throughout the book, various members of her family and friends visit in hospital, and flashbacks to her past help to explain Mia and her family. Mia is a classical musician, while her boyfriend is into rock, and the book explores the relationship between the two, and the turmoil teens go through as they try to find their place in the world.  The book ends with Mia's decision on whether to continue living or be with her family. 

Despite the predictability, I really liked the book. It is written well, the emotions are real, and there is a great mix between Mia’s past and present. Moreso, the story really makes you think about short life is. Especially once you read the authors note at the back of the book, and realise that a tragedy in Gayle's own life spurred her into writing this book. 

If I Stay also has a sequel – Where She Went. I'm not sure the sequel was necessary, and I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as the first. If I Stay did end on a cliffhanger, but another chapter or two and readers would have had a sense of finality and it could have ended there. However Where She Went seemed to drag the story out. It did look at an important aspect of tragedy, in that Gayle dealt with how the people who are left behind deal with the aftermath of death,  but I’m not sure I bought it. The characters no longer felt real to me. Perhaps it was because they were supposed to be in their early twenties, but it felt more like early thirties. Or maybe because it was no longer written from Mia’s perspective but her boyfriend Adam (or ex-boyfriend, depending on what part you’re up to).

I won’t go so far as to say I didn’t enjoy the sequel, but I definitely felt it was lacking the suspense of the first. But hey let's be honest, how many sequels are ever as good as the first? 

But I definitely recommend you read the books and make up your own mind. Even if it's not your usual style, they are a stark reminder of the fragility of life, and how we should appreciate what we have while we have it.

You can find more info on both books, and Gayle herself, here.

I’d love to hear what you thought about both books once you're done. Next for me is to watch the movie, and see how that compares - I’ll be sure to let you know.

Love from,

Emma Lou

Dealing with the dreaded criticism

As a writer, it can be difficult to deal with criticism. We writers are very emotional people, naturally - as the two go hand in hand. And as emotional people, dealing with criticism is often the hardest part of the job. 

Of course, this isn’t just the case for writing. Whether you’re a fashion designer, a painter or even a politician, there are always going to be people who don’t like what you do. And today, when everything is online and people can comment on one another's work so easily, there are always going to be those who aren’t afraid to pull your work to shreads. Everyone has a different opinion, a different style and a different take on matters. 

Over the years, I’ve developed a few mechanisms to deal with the criticism and to move on from it. I thought I would share them, and hopefully give you some pointers in case you ever find yourself in this position. Here are some of the ways I deal when I find out someone doesn’t like my work. 

1. Always remember that it is not a personal attack. While your first instinct may be to huff and puff and get angry, it’s crucial that you don’t do anything straight away. No one ever thinks clearly when they’re angry, and once the crazy gives way to calm, you may begin to see things in a different perspective.

2. Use it as a chance to improve. Whether you agree or not, chances are this may have happened at work and that you have a boss to report to. At the end of the day, that person is still your boss and though you may not like their opinion,  it’s much easier to talk to them, ask what they didn’t like about your writing and learn from it, than it is to make a fuss.

3. Next time you are asked to put something together, make sure you have a brief, or a good idea of what you need to do. Sit down with your boss or your colleague, find out what they want, what the piece is for, how it’s going to be presented and even ask for some past examples. Use all this as a guide. Now you’ll have direction, and you’ll be far more likely to meet the brief.

4. Last, and perhaps the most fun, is to create another outlet for yourself, where you can be as creative as you like. Whether it’s a blog, a novel, a diary, or even something as old fashioned as a pen pal, write how you need to at work, and save the good stuff for later!

If you have any other suggestions, or have an experience you would like to share, please let me know below!

Love from, 

Emma Lou

Hello friends. It’s been a while.

It’s a tough task working all day and then finding the time and energy to blog at night. My hand goes out to all the people who do just that.

For months and months now I have wanted to write a new post. Finding the time is one thing, and on top of that, I still can’t decide where I want this blog to go. There are so many options, so I figure, why limit myself?

From now on I will post regularly, telling you what I’ve been up to, where I’ve been, even what I’ve been eating! And if you don’t hear from me, feel free to leave me a comment and ask where I am!

Since starting my new job in the city, I have been reminded how precious time is. With little time to spare during the week, the weekends end up being jam-packed. Especially at this time of the year – I now have something on every Saturday until the end of the year. These Christmas holidays can’t come soon enough! So between work, assignments, the boyfriend, family and friends, there’s little time left for myself.

Yesterday I took a little break from it all and went on a picnic with my partner. The day started well when we didn’t have to pay for the carpark as the boom gate was out of order – a little bit of a triumph for us. The park was relatively secluded, so we just lay, watching the ducks and geese sleep, waddle around, swim and then sleep again. We indulged in cheese and crackers, laid back and relaxed. Sometimes that little bit of a time out away from it all is just what you need.

How do you relax when you need a break from the world? 

Love from,

Emma Lou

A day - no, a month - in the life.

Well hello there! Hopefully most have you have noticed by now that I haven’t posted on here in quite a while. If you haven’t, pay more attention! Just joking! As well as leaving my job in magazine publishing for the big wide world of construction, I have started a new graphic design course, and am about to undergo surgery on my hip next week! Oh, and I moved house. It really has all been happening over here lately! And so the blog was pushed further down my rather extensive to-do list (have I ever mentioned that I have a serious list-writing problem?).

First things first. Moving house. I finally got my butt into gear and moved house back in March. Yes, yes I know, I did the typical ‘move out of home only to move back home a couple of years later’ thing. But you know what, I love it! Of course I miss seeing Ben every day, but it really couldn’t have happened at a better time. I get home later these days, so it’s nice to have mum’s delicious cooking to look forward to on the way home from work – although let’s be frank, I’m already looking forward to dinner on the way into work. It’s nice to feel like a kid again.

My room was a disaster from the get-go, and not much has changed. Organised chaos is the best way to describe it. I know where everything is, and I know where I want everything to go, but the problem is getting the time to do it, and having the space to fit it in. Going from a house to a bedroom was never going to be easy, and I’m still quite amazed at how much stuff I actually have. But it’s getting better, slowly. I’ve sorted, I’ve donated and I’ve chucked. I still need to buy a few more bits and pieces to get the room to a standard I’m happy with, but I’ll get there eventually.

I hadn’t planned on moving jobs when I did either. Truth be told, I loved what I was doing, but I needed more of it. I’m not the kind of person who enjoys bludging. I love being busy, and feeling like I’m contributing to something. And then, out of the blue, I was offered a new position in the construction management industry. It was a hard decision. I spent days writing pros and cons lists, comparing the two industries and weighing up the longer hours that came with the new job. But, I made the change and am feeling a whole lot better for it. Sure I miss my old job at times, but the new one is exciting and a very different. I am a firm believer that change is a good thing. It might be scary, but more often than not, things usually work out for the better.

And that’s where the graphic design course comes in. I had been planning on doing a course for a while now, and the new job really spurred me into doing it. I’m only up to module one so far, but I have to say, it’s fun! Hopefully I’ll have this blog looking beautiful before you know it.

Last, but certainly not at the bottom of the list, is my rather daunting hip operation. For anyone who hasn’t heard me whining about my sore hip for the last three years, I first noticed the problem when my hip would basically cave in after sitting in a particular position. Fun huh? It only happened occasionally so I really didn’t think anything of it for quite a long time. The problem came to a head after a fall during netball. I could barely walk on it, and a trip to the doctors told me that my problem was the early onset of arthritis. I was told to have physio, keep an eye on it and come back if it didn’t improve. It took a whole year, but before I knew it I was back sitting nervously waiting in the doctors waiting room. Two MRIs, a CT scan, a blood test and three different specialists later, I was told that my problem was PVNS, a relatively rare issue that consists of a mass growing on the joint. It progresses slowly, so people often don’t notice they have it, which is exactly what happened in my case. I’ll be having open surgery on the 17^th – wish me luck!

So that’s what I’ve been up to lately! I’ll try not to let this blog slip again, and if I haven’t posted in a while, feel free to leave me a comment and hurry me up!

Cheers for now.

CAKE, BAKE & SWEETS SHOW

Pweh. March has been a busy month. I felt like this weekend was non-stop, but it was a lot of fun so I'm not complaining. 

The weekend kicked off at The Cake, Bake and Sweets Show in Homebush. I'd been looking forward to this for ages, so I was up bright and early to get ready. I had planned on going alone, but I managed to talk Benny P into coming with me - something he instantly regretted once he saw how few other males were in the line to get in. 

We arrived early to beat the crowds - this was our first mistake! Next time I go to a show, I'll definitely be going a bit later. Everyone had the same idea, so the lines were massive. 

Once inside, it was all worth it! We were handed a goodie bag from Bonne Maman upon walking in, and then I spotted a gorgeous cake buffet, totally decked out with a strawberry shortcake theme. It was stunning!

I'd definitely like to give this a try myself! I'm not sure who this set up was by, so if anyone reading this is aware, please do let me know in the comments below. Or send me an email!

Next I came across a candy bar with a completely different theme, but just as good looking. I loved the labels on everything - I'm a self confessed fussy eater so my pet hate at parties is not knowing whats in the food being handed out. This candy bar was by El Evento, you can find out more about them here.  

After looking at the first few tents, Mr B left me to my own devices while he went to watch a cooking show (I'm hoping he's going to surprise me and cook me whatever it was he learnt that hour one night this week!). 

There were a number of stalls selling decorating products, some cheaper than others. I did buy a few things, including a couple versions of 'The Mat'. If you haven't heard, these are a new kind of mat that you can roll fondant onto, without needing any cornflour. I can't wait to try it out and see if my fondant rolls off as easily as it did in the demonstrations. Things always look easier than they are! I bought a cake leveller too so I can have a second attempt at making an ombre cake.

Once all the shopping was done, I came across this set up, created by Cakes by Joanna. I love the blue with accents of pink, and the set up in general. 

These amazing cakes were some of the finalists in the competitions running over the weekend. There was an open category and a wedding category. It's amazing what some people can come up with!

These three cakes below were all by Shannon Wee. I'm a sucker for anything sweet or pretty, so these were definitely up the top of my favourites list. Click here to have a look at more gorgeous designs on her website. 

Hopefully I'll get some time this weekend to try out some of the new products I bought!

Love from,

Emma Lou x