Sunshine

I love sunshine.

I have always been a sunshine girl. Warm rays with light that is soft and yellow, that glows happiness.

Sunshine is beautiful especially after it has been grey and raining for days.

We all have rain in our lives don't we? I'm talking challenges, heartbreaks and disappointments. Some have lot's, the kind that is big and hard that drowns out everything.  Others have drizzle that leaves the day simply grey, cold and unsure. Then there is every other kind of rain in between.

These rainy day moments and feelings are tough to navigate and can leave us feeling downcast, hurt, alone, lost and confused but I am learning that I get to be the sunshine when it rains. Despite my circumstances,  and yes the circumstances are very real and how we feel is how we feel, I still chose to be sunshine to myself and to those around me.

I can care in a loving way for my needs, my families needs and my friends needs, even strangers who we share this world with. In the rain I can still be encouragement, hope, health, peace, a helping hand and cheer. I can give, I can be real and inspire by facing the rain and I can love - all rays of sunshine.

We all need and long for sunshine when it rains. It's not about being perfect, a loner, self-pity or living in denial but just allowing and sharing the beautiful that you are - your heart - to others, me and you because all need to feel the rays of people giving a damn, giving some care and giving love.

I chose to be sunshine even when it hurts in that rain.

I love being sunshine with you all.

Wardrobe Essential's: Gumboots.

My wardrobe must haves:

I love gumboots.

Jumping in puddles, easy to slip into - maybe a little hard to pull off but that's the fun of it right! Bright and colourful or patterns and prints.

There is just so much rain at the moment. I'm not one to complain much knowing that our land needs as much water as it can get since the last decade of drought but it sure is heartbreaking to watch people being flooded over and over - I send you love, cheer and hugs wishing I could hold back that water for you.

Where I am we are soggy. With a school run to do everyday the fighting of cars galore and the people storm of picking up kids at 3 o clock is hard enough some days to navigate, then it rains. Lot's of rain. It is school drop off and pick up mayhem nightmares with water going everywhere. I am wet, cranky and over it - just saying.

Gumboots!  Gumboots are the answer to those puddles and wet hems - I hate wet hems (yep I hate stuff too).

Gumboots = perfect, easy and fun. We need fun.

Gumboots really will revolutionize your life in the rain.

Gumboots are beautiful.

Is there anything cuter then pink children's gumboots!!!

Miss three's sick of the rain cause I want to go outside and play face (complete with vegemite). 

It's even too rainy for gumboot puddle play.

Some yummy gumboot ideas and swooning:

I just can't go past red gumboots!

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Stylish plaid.

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How cheerful are these happy orange gumboots perfect for the little ones!

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Swoon - I love these.

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So Sweet and Pink.

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Loving this fold down flare.

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Love the bow.

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Tartan!

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More dots - you can never have enough!

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Snazzy.

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Yes please heels and laces! 

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Stripes and Nude = perfect.

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Bow scream.

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Grrrrr!

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Pink candy.

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Even more dots.

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In love - my personal fave.

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Hope these give you some great gumboot style ideas - go on cause 

you get to have beautiful fashion fun because you are the beautiful. 

xxx

Stills: A Weekly Collection

I love spotting the beautiful in my unfolding week. 18/2/2013 - 24/2/2013

1. Some yummy dinosaur cookies for arvo tea. The bakery down the road is doing my head in with yumminess - or should I say my hips!

2. My fave words of the week that I swoon over and am inspired by. I love posting beautiful words to instagram for all us girls. Feel free to follow along with me, I would love us to inspire each other.

3. Sick! My little, usually very active and bright girl sleeping in the day, with a flu (she never sleeps in the day - since 18 months old. YES I KNOW, it was a shock to the system back then - I think I'm still in shock). If you knew her you would know this means she is sick.

4. A vintage yellow button up blouse with cute bow that I was wearing on Day 22 for Fox In Flats #FABruary style challenge.

5. Spice scented candle reminding me that autumn is on it's way.

6. Spotted over at Shoppe Girls - 100 ways to be elegant. My fave is number 100. Have a read here. (Image from Shoppe Girls.) 

7. Cubby house fun.

8. Blue sky and white clouds for a minute before the next lot of Queensland rain pour down will arrive. Stay safe my loves if you are in the rain zone these next few days. 

Have a gorgeous new week beautiful as Monday is soon to be upon us.

I can't wait to see what your week fills with.

xxx

Linking with the beautiful Emily over at the Beetle Shack.

Friday For You - The Perfect Weekend Blue Jean Look

I love hanging out all casual like in blue jeans on the weekend.

Laid back, doing a bit of this or a bit of that, out the door or stay inside, movie watching, cooking, playing with the kids, magazines and a glass of vino.

I am planning to have a laid back weekend. I am going to listen to some old 80's music, watch a chick flick, cook some lemon slice that I mentioned in yesterday's post because now I am craving it, read that magazine with that vino. I may even sneak a nap on the couch while my girls think I am watching a Barbie movie with them for the zillionth time.

Most of all I want to be comfortable, but not a slob. I want to know if I have to run out the door for a spot of ice-cream or because we ran out of milk that I can just slip some sandals on and feel confident that I can be seen in public.
For me this means blue jeans casual style.

Here is some inspiration for wearing your blue jeans for a laid back weekend -  I am swooning!

Blue denim jeans are beautiful.

Tights under your ripped jeans - this is cool.

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Aztec love.

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Oversize everything.

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I love a hoodie for those cold rainy weekends - pair with some 

really big gold bangles if sunglasses are not needed in the drizzle.

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Go for the brightest.

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Black top of choice, and a relaxed style belt - think scarf, 

leather strap, material strip of choice - but no buckles.

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Checks and rolled cuffs swoon.

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The oversized knit, it screams casual style.

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Stripes are never wrong ever and a chunky watch finishes the look.

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Classic white and denim, you just can't go wrong. 

Why not add a pop of colour with some bright colourful earrings.

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Hope you found something here to be inspired by and denim it down this weekend for some casual fun.

Remember you get to be beautiful cause you are the beautiful.

#othursday (Other Thursday) and Tea.

Showing off the beauty that others are being and bringing.

I love others!

My #othursday goes to teacups too.

This blog is delightful, honest and your heart feels so warm after visiting Em. You want to smile and share with this gorgeous gal who just makes you feel glad to be in life for everything it holds - the ups and downs. You will fall in love with and look forward to reading her blog - every post. Click here to see for yourself.

Today I am linking with Em to share a cup of tea. This is fun because it's here that we can just be ourselves and chat about all things that fill our hearts and our daily "do" in the weeks.

So... If you were to tea with me this week I would be delighted to see you. I would run around the house before you arrived making it clean and shiny and hope you did not notice the playdough ground into the chair fabric from Miss 3 and her daily playdough addiction.
I would have a couple of simple tea light candles going just because I would want you to feel beautiful while here. I would then pick from my tea pots one that I would think you would find lovely to have tea poured from and the same for the cup. We would be saturated in sunlight that is streaming in along with the lovely breeze of late summer.

We would sit and chat. You would hear me talk about how my kids have been sick this week and I've been up most nights cleaning up vomit and then soothing sore throats and fevered brows with hair stroking and special juice drinks (juice with inner health plus in it).

I would blush and share with you the child's book I am attempting to write and illustrate and how I hope young children would just adore my fun character then agonize and suggest that maybe I am crazy and need to get a real job???

We would discusses some deep heart to heart matters because tea with me always ends up with us going really deep and into the heart matters of life but I would have your back and listen. I care and I hear you.

I would then share with you the recipe to my lemon slice which is the yummy goodness that we are munching on as we begin to talk all things health because I have a not so secret passion for health knowledge and nutrition.

We would have to have another piece of that slice as you shared your grand plans for the year. I would encourage you to believe in yourself and totally go for that dream or to try that idea for you, or your children, hubby, or work.

I would tell you that you are simply so beautiful and look forward to tea again as we realize how much time has passed while we were caring, sharing and enjoying.
xxx

See you next week for tea.

As Promised Those Cupcakes

I love cupcakes.

In our house the pinker the cupcake the better and my two daughters fight over who will lick the beaters while sneaking fingers into the mixture for that yummy batter swipe to taste.

Cupcakes are a fave to bake in our house and I am proud to share with you today my mum's original cupcake recipe that I as a little girl enjoy helping her make and sneaking my own mixture swipes.
Nothing is nicer then cooking and sharing handed down recipes that your mother or grandmother or even great grandma baked = perfect.

I swoon over cupcakes and I don't know who can resist these yummy treats in sweet patty cases.

With giggles, chats about all things butterflies and flowers, the girls and I cooked and iced these cute little cakes of happiness. They are simple but yummy and not a crumb was left.
I hope you enjoy them with your precious children, lover or friends.

CUPCAKES: - Note: Have all ingredients at room temperature.

100g butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup of milk with a big squirt of lemon juice - trust me this is key to light fluffy cake when it hits the bi-carb.
1, 1/4 cup self raising flour
1 tsp bi-carb
A good splash of vanilla.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer for around 2 minutes.
Allow mixture to stand for 1 minute so the bi-carb and lemon can do it's loving thing!
Spoon mixture in your choice of divine patty cases.
Cook in a Moderate oven (180 degrees C or 160 degrees C for Fan Forced) for around 10 - 15 minutes depending on amount in cases and size - best to keep an eye on them.
Allow to cool and then ice as you desire and decorate.

EAT, FEEL THE LOVE and SMILE.

Cupcakes are beautiful.