New Year Musings

I hurtled into 2014 on an aeroplane taking me back to Australia after a cosy Christmas at home in the UK that left me suitably warm and fuzzy inside.

There was lots of this:

And lots of fuss made over these cuties:

And lots of time spent with favourite people:

What has left me even warmer is the sweltering Queensland summer I've returned to. While lolling in an undignified fashion on my sofa in the direct and constant stream of a large fan, fighting the jetlag, I did some reflecting on where I am at with things at the start of 2014.

It's been a strange couple of years up until now in which I've experienced my first bout of real anxiety - not just the usual day-to-day worries, but the kind you need to see a doctor about. Luckily I feel like the worst is behind me, and somehow I'm entering this year with a sense of contentment - something that's felt missing for a while, despite the great things I know I have in my life. I now feel more at peace with my decision to live in Australia, 10,000 miles away from my family and friends. I'm feeling so appreciative of my relationship with my partner, his family and the new friends I have made here in Aus. Yes, I want to improve on healthy eating, exercise and saving money, but I'm taking small steps in the right direction and being kinder to myself along the way. I want to pursue my love of decor by doing a short course. I want to continue to improve my photography. I want to put more of myself into this blog as a creative outlet. I want to move closer to buying my first home. But when I hear the dreaded 'should' word creep into my head I will stop and remind myself that these are things I WANT, not chores I have to complete or things I need to do to impress others. I can choose to do these things or I can choose not to do them. Either is ok.

Sometimes I like nothing more than to curl up with a cup of coffee and browse my way through all the shiny, perfectly styled blog posts out there on fashion, beauty and interiors, but I do tend to fall into the comparison trap. I see all these young, bright and enthusiastic girls who are launching creative businesses and living their passions and I feel like at 31 years old, I'm seriously lagging behind. I have an ordinary job that isn't too stressful (most of the time!) and pays the bills, but I constantly feel pressure (admittedly self-imposed) to discover my grander purpose and to be forging a career path in a field that I love. When I moved to Australia to be with my partner I left behind a teaching career that was going well. It's the most challenging thing I have ever done and the thing that I feel most proud of to date. But when the time came to leave, I was ready to go. I'd had enough. I was burned out. Since then, I've drifted on the wind and haven't really made a proactive decision on the direction I want to take next. That was over three years ago and I cringe as I think of the time flying by. The truth is, I just don't know what I really want (and don't get me started on the question of having children - way too overwhelming!).

But right now, at the start of a new year with its promise of fresh starts and unwritten stories, I finally feel like that's ok. That's allowed. It doesn't mean I am failing. It doesn't mean I have to rush to figure out the answers before it's 'too late'. It doesn't mean that I can't be content with all that I have right now. I have so much to be thankful for and I know that.

From the sea of 'inspirational' quotations that are swirling about the internet these days, I've whittled it down to three that resonate with me the most here and now:

1. 'Make no comparisons. Keep your head down and do your own thing.' - Torrie Asai

2. 'There are years that ask questions, and years that answer.' - Zora Neale Hurston

3. 'You will never have to force anything that's truly meant to be.' - Unknown

Where are you at this new year? 

C

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Colour Popping

01. Yellow Bowl: Dreaming - Kikki K | 02. Queen of Hearts Blue Heart Vase - Love Star | 03. Into My Arms Cushion by Habitots - Hard to Find | 04. Raspberry Lacquer Box - Hello Polly | 05. Enamel Tray Cobalt - Adore Home Magazine Shop | 06. Colour Wheel Basket 004 - Fossik

It's the first day of December and I am HAPPY.  The countdown to Christmas has officially begun with the eating of the first (and always best) advent calendar chocolate and watching the boyfriend 'help' to decorate his parents' Christmas Tree (the 'help' involved haphazardly throwing tinsel at the tree, followed by artfully decorating the dog). In keeping with my mood, I'm totally loving this little collection of bright accessories. I'd keep the backdrop of the room crisp and white with neutral furniture in pale woods and greys, then sprinkle in these colourful items for a perfect pop of mood-lifting energy and fun. 

C

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White and Gold: Cork Coasters DIY

For me, when it comes to craft/DIY projects, it's a case of the simpler the better. I don't do them as often as I'd like, but when I do I'm always impatient to get to the end result so I end up taking shortcuts on anything even slightly challenging -  and it shows in the finished product. That's why these little painted cork coasters are my kind of DIY - easy, fast and cheap as chips! I'm sure they'd have turned out better if I'd slowed down and put in a bit more thought, but with some leftover white paint and a few items from the two-dollar store, they look perfectly fine and I now have something cute to rest my cuppa on. It barely needs explaining but here's what you do:

1. Get yourself some cheapo cork coasters, a small tube or tub of acrylic paint in a colour of your choice, leftover wall paint (I used primer too but I'm sure this isn't essential), a paintbrush, a stencil brush, masking tape and some clear gloss spray (also from the $2 store).

2. Paint on a layer of primer (if using), leave to dry for half an hour to an hour, then paint on a coat of white paint, leave to dry and repeat until you have enough coverage.
3. Once the final coat of paint is dry, take your masking tape and mask out simple patterns on your coasters - stripes are by far the easiest.

4. Squeeze a small amount of the coloured acrylic paint onto the stencil brush and dab on newspaper to work it into the brush a bit. Dab the brush onto the coaster until all the gaps are covered. Leave to dry and repeat until you get the coverage you want.

5. After you have applied the final layer, peel off the masking tape while the paint is still wet.

6. Once the coasters are dry, spray them with a coat of clear gloss spray to protect them and make them more waterproof.

And voila! Time for a cup of tea...

C

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Shine Bright Like a Diamond

Catching my eye today is anything gem-shaped. Maybe it's the weddings I've been to lately that have put diamonds on my mind - the boyfriend better watch out! Luckily I'd be perfectly happy with any of these four faceted favourites!

Diamond Hemmeli Light Pendant by Panselinos via Etsy | Hanging Planter by Raw Design via Etsy - $52.69 | Diamond Box in Natural by Areaware via Safari Living - $20 |  | Shine Bright Like a Diamond print by Michaela via Society 6 - $15

C
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Somewhere Over the Rainbow

It didn't occur to me until I was walking home from work today that seeing a rainbow in the stormy sky yesterday afternoon was actually wonderfully apt. With it being Remembrance Day today, my thoughts turned to my Grandad, who served in the RAF during WWII, and whose favourite song was Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland. During the war, his plane was shot down and, according to Grandad, he sang this song as it descended the sky. He survived the crash and spent the next few years as a prisoner of war in Germany, in conditions I have difficulty imagining. He gave us small snapshots of what it was like when we were children, but being so young I couldn't fully comprehend the magnitude of it and now my memories of his stories are faint. I'm certain that so many grandchildren feel this way - I wish I could speak to him now that I am older to try and understand and learn from what he experienced. It's strange because I remember knowing back then, as I listened to him describing his past to me, that I would feel like this now. I do still hold an image in my mind of Grandad returning home after the war, weak and shockingly thin, a stark contrast to the Arthur his family would have remembered. In spite of this, Grandad recovered and he went on to raise two wonderful daughters and live long enough to see his grandchildren through their childhood. So as well as remembering his service in the War,  this is how I'll remember Grandad:

He loved being outdoors in the sunshine - in the summer he would sit for hours under the shade of a tree, reading his books.
Whenever he could, he would listen to classical music.

He loved birds - there would always be a collection of well stocked bird feeders dotted around his garden.

He had a talent for 'magic' tricks - as children he would inexplicably pull sweets and coins out of our ears, which naturally scored him major brownie points!

He was a great story teller - he must have been good because he made a story involving a robin and cucumber sandwiches seem like the best thing ever!

Who are you remembering today?

C

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Weddings Galore

I've totally abandoned Into the Bright over the last few weeks, partly (ok, mostly) due to a prolongued bout of procrastination and partly due to distractions in the form of two lovely weddings that saw us heading West to good old Toowoomba.  I'm finally back online and I've sorted through a sea of photos to share some highlights with you. Both weddings were held at Preston Peak Chapel, which is the cutest, picture-perfect location and the weather couldn't have been better for both couples. I love being a wedding guest - the atmosphere is always so warm and friendly and uplifting. I've thoroughly enjoyed getting glammed up, spending time with my partner's family, meeting new people and sharing in a HUGE number of toasts! Here's to the fizz, to my beautiful partner for delivering a killer Best Man speech and, of course, the happy couples!   

C

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