Scarves – The Ultimate Accessory?

Continuing my journey to streamline my wardrobe and look…

Scarves are a definite part of my signature style and look.

Every women probably has at least one scarf in their wardrobe. If you have only one scarf, maybe you´re not so keen on them and were given it as a gift or don´t know how to wear it? Maybe its not your colour or it´s outdated.

Scarf lovers like me couldn´t begin to catalogue them….well, that is an exaggeration, however I have always worn them, from the 90s when when I worked in the corporate world and knotted silk squares round the neck with suits to now when I always carry a long wrap with me to guard against sudden cold, jazz up an outfit or use (currently) as a breastfeeding cover!

My scarves are animal prints, caramels, blues, pinks, greens and purples. I haven´t quite got all the colours of the rainbow as my tastes change frequently. Additionally because scarves are worn so close to the face usually (unless you tie one to a handbag or wear it as a belt), you have to make sure that the colour suits you and doesn´t make you look ill or tired.

I photographed the two I am wearing all the time at present. The purple cashmere/silk ombre scarf I bought at a market in Turkey last year and the pinkish one is a linen mix from Italy. Depending on the weather I will throw either the lighter or heavier one around my neck.

Once I create the wardrobe of my dreams, it is my intention to hang them all up properly so I can see what I have. Though it can be fun finding ones I had forgotten about (trying to be positive about my mess)!

I googled “how to wear a scarf” and there were more sites than I had time to visit, however here is one and another that had some real life inspiration. The way to look modern wearing them seems to be not to try too hard tying them (unlike my 90s days) and drape them casually around your neck and shoulders.

Not forgetting you can also wear them on your head à la Edie Beale or Grace Kelly.

Please post your favourite scarf inspirations or stories!

Filed under: Clothes, Signature Style Friday

The Colour Green

Succulents in Rhodes, 2007

Just for fun, I felt inspired to write about colour today.

Green is one of my favourite colours. I thought it must be natural to be attracted to green and as I read more about colour psychology I saw I was right.

Green is the color of nature, symbolizing growth, harmony, freshness, healing and fertility. It is the most restful color for the human eye suggesting stability and endurance.

Wikipedia says:

Green says ‘nature,’ which explains why it is such a powerful symbol in the eco-friendly movement, as well as ‘initiative’ and ‘wealth,’ but just as it symbols good, the extremes of green are considered to be bad as in “green with envy” or it’s association with money which is sometimes deemed as “the root of all evil.” It is a color that soothes the eyes and produces a calming effect when seen. This is likely due to the association with the greenery of nature. It’s also the color of spring, a time of rebirth and renewal.

Green symbolizes great intelligence, nature, spring, fertility, youth, environment, wealth, money (US), good luck, vigor, generosity, go, grass, aggression, coldness, jealousy, disgrace (China), illness, greed, Marijuana and drug culture,corruption (North Africa), life eternal, air, earth (classical element), sincerity, Cancer (bright green, star sign), renewal, natural abundance, growth, health, August, balance, harmony, stability, calming, creative intelligence, Islam, and the ordinary.

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I started to think about things I own that are green…

I have two green scarfs and a green ring of coloured glass. One pair of green shoes. A dress with shades of green. A few green tops.

Sunburnt me…

My bed sheets are green and the covers green and yellow. If I ever get around to it, I would paint a feature wall of green behind my bed.

I have a lovely piece of pounamu (NZ Jade) bought in Rotaroa 5 years ago.

My pounamu pendant with some sea glass and green stones I brought home from travels somewhere.

I thought that was probably all and then I picked up my camera and walked around the living room. Different shades of green peeked out at me from many nooks and crannies. Perhaps subconsciously I have been buying these things over the last decade to bring nature and renewal into my home.

Do you like or hate green? Do you wear green? Do you have green homewares?

Filed under: Colour

A Grand Total of….

…one kilo and I think I should be thankful that I lost any.

19 to go!

My resolutions for better eating unfortunately did not stay forefront in my mind and actions.

I am happy but stressed – I think that is possible, right?…so the stress of my new addition (but very happy stress) is sending me repeatedly to the kitchen.

I am drinking plenty of water and starting to move a bit more- that´s positive. My incision pain is gone and while I am still being careful, I feel hope for the future- my future of getting back to jogging

On the negative side, I am making bad food choices due to lack of thought and time. I have to work on that. Sitting down to a meal at the moment- impossible! I need to plan smaller snacks for myself and prepare them. My husband has been great when he has been home, which is another plus.

Today I did make it out onto the balcony though to pick loads of salad greens and had a big bowl of salad- my first for days.

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In other news, all my decluttering plans are on hold, its hard enough just keeping up with the daily grind . My poor garden is behind schedule as well.

Thank you to everyone who wished Baby well yesterday, hopefully things will be back to normal by the weekend

While I have nothing earth shattering to blog about, I am enjoying reading everyone else´s blogs and also discovering a few new writers and sources of inspiration along the way. Please forgive me if I´m not commenting a lot this week.

Filed under: Wednesday Weigh-In

Life is What Happens When You´re Busy Making Other Plans

My great wardrobe reveal is delayed…

Baby picked up my eye bug and we haven´t had a very happy household today. I feel so awful that he got it from me. I spent most of today just holding him as he was crying a lot and think it will be a long night cleaning his eye as he wakes.

I hope to resume normal service asap.

Oh, yes, I´ll still do my Wednesday weigh-in though I have been eating loads from stress today.

Here´s to counting my blessings and a night snuggling in bed with my little sweetheart as I try to make him feel better.

Filed under: Family

First Foray into Clothing Clutter

Right, this is scary, I am actually going to open my wardrobes and take some photos AND get rid of some things straight into the charity bag.

I am planning to discard anything that my instinct says NO! to too, that has seen better days, can´t be sold (ie not a “brand”) and isn´t going to contribute to a more pulled-together me.

Come back later for photos and details….

If you also feel like decluttering your clothes this week, please let me know I´m not the only one doing it!

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The Big Reveal…..the ugly ugly truth.

This is what happens when you move your wardrobes, have to take everything out, dismantle the wardrobes, move bedrooms and because you are pressed for time and 6 months pregnant, just stuff everything in any which way including a whole pile of stuff that didn´t fit anyway to begin with and was overflowing to other areas.

Yep, this is what happens….when you don´t need to wear anything except for a handful of pregnancy clothes.

See all the clothes stuffed in at the bottom?

This is what happens when you are a complusive shopper (was) who bought a lot of clothes….

I don´t dare open the other door!

Stay tuned tomorrow for details of what I have tossed- I may weigh the bags and reveal the kilos, lol.

Filed under: Clothes, Decluttering Monday, Decluttering to get my life back

Edit, Add and Appreciate Sunday

Edit one thing–material objects, negative thoughts, bad habits, or activities that don’t reflect who you are as a person. It doesn’t have to be a physical thing; Sometimes bad habits and negative thoughts are more detrimental than physical clutter.

Add something. Bring in something or reinvent one thing in your life–thoughts, habits, activities, clothing, objects…Add something that will help you be a better person; And yes, sometimes a new pair of jeans can help!

Appreciate something or someone already in your life. Hug your children and tell them how special they are. Call your spouse, just because. Be extra polite to the guy who makes your latte. Frame that favorite piece of art.

Edit: Start on Phase One of my clothes decluttering. Fill one or two large bags with clothes for charity- these should be the “no brainer” decisions I don´t have to think about- nothing hard or too emotional! REDO from last week, didn´t even get started.

Add: Some new knowledge- I started reading Kabbalah for Dummies last night to see if I want to explore this further. I am going to read through the book slowly and carefully, it seems to be quite comprehensive. REDO from last week, didn´t get very far.

Appreciate: My two older children and to make sure I find time for stories and games this week. ALSO a REDO (can you tell this was a tough adjusting week for me, LOL).

PLUS

Appreciate: My eyes and sight!

I have had a horrid bout of viral conjunctivitis (not allergic so it turns out) the last three days and after a trip to the out of hours clinic first thing this morning (HAPPY MOTHER`S DAY TO ME! lol), I have some drops and cream to at least help, permission to take paracetamol and also some anti allergy medicine for good measure. So, I will be spending the rest of Mother´s Day on the sofa with Chamomile compresses applied intermittently to my eye, instead of watching my kids play tennis..

I love my eyes and I love my sight, will not take them for granted again!
(I still managed to blog though…..oops, can anyone say Addicted to Blogging….?)

If you are interested in Edit, Add and Appreciate, please visit Graceful Creative and fill out the Mr Linky

Filed under: Edit Add Appreciate Sunday

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Souvenirs from Provence and Sicily

This weekend (in between hayfever bouts) I will be finishing my kitchen garden on the balcony.

The last two years I had mainly flowers on the balcony, however this year inspired by thoughts of frugality and fresh salads I have only a few flowers and am trying to build up enough produce to be more or less self sufficient for my daily salad.

Yesterday we went to one of our favourite (and surprisingly on a Friday afternoon most crowded garden center – it seems like everyone was playing hooky off work like us!) garden centres and came home with strawberry plants, cucumber plants, tomato plants (3 varieties), purple and yellow capiscum/paprika, a blackcurrant bush and because my son insisted upon it, a very prickly blackberry bush….I think this must be a first for balcony growing – not really quite sure how it is going to work – will put it by a railing in a corner and hope it looks after itself.

Waiting to be planted…

I also bought lettuce, basil and red and green capsicum/paprika seeds to plant in toilet rolls. We already have a blueberry and raspberry bush, herbs including mint, thyme, parsley, rosemary, and chives, lettuce, rocket and some beans growing from seed.

Lettuce in hanging baskets- I send the children to pick leaves as I need them…

I am going to be busy for a few hours and then busy with the watering can everyday. I am happy that my children can hopefully enjoy the cycle of nature, learn about how things grow and pick their own food to eat – even on a balcony in the middle of a city!

Flowers on the blueberry bush, fingers crossed…

I do however long for the day that we can have our own garden somewhere which is not 10 feet off the ground. My husband and I have big plans to plant groves of fruit trees for our retirement and live somewhere warm and spacious – maybe in Italy or France… so this is what I will think of while I repot, dig and water this weekend.

Do you have or have plans for a kitchen garden (large or small)?

Filed under: Garden

Hats, Bags and Sunglasses

So what am I going to add to my basic wardrobe of jeans and black clothes so I don´t get lost in a sea of drabness? The coloured shoes are pretty occasional, usually they are black too.

I love hats and the way I look in them. I have a large collection of winter hats which keep my head warm and the snow off my face and as I am trying to protect my face from excess sun, I also have a number of big floppy summer hats like the one above I was wearing last summer in Turkey (and see black dress too!, though I also have print/colourful ones).

The hat I took to Turkey is black and white and I also have a black one and a white one….hmmm, I think I have mentioned before that I have a problem with buying multiple versions of the same item.

I also love BIG sunglasses. I have really embraced this trend and can´t imagine going back to the small metallic ones I used to wear in my 20s. I am really really trying to be careful with the two pairs I own currently and not lose them!

I don´t like cheap sunglasses only because I seem to break them within days- the arms snap off or the lenses fall out. I have never had problems like that with my indulgently labelled ones HOWEVER I have in the past left them in changing rooms and restaurants . These ones though I have owned for nearly two years, so I am doing well….I also religiously put them put them in their cases when not on my head to avoid scratches.

I have long left behind me the days when I dressed all in black and also carried a black handbag! Not to say I don´t currently own a black handbag anymore, but I realised not so long ago, that its just all too much black.

My current favourite is this mustard yellow bag.

Its my “it” bag for summer and the only one that belongs on this post, which is not supposed to be “RML photographs the contents of her wardrobe”, however about less is more. I made an exception with the hats as they are so important in the fight aganst ageing .

Don´t forgot to check out Kirwin´s Signature Style post too!

Filed under: Clothes, Signature Style Friday

Balance With Children

I am finding it really hard to balance the needs of a newborn baby with two children – why am I so surprised?

While baby and I are alone together throughout most of the day, things go smoothly. Its when the children come home mid afternoon, that it all falls apart for me. So many needs and wants from everyone!

Combined with minor sleep deprivation, a husband who has been away two nights this week and when he is home tries his best, however also contributes his own brand of chaos, I feel I am going up the wall!

So, how do I find a new balance?

1. I have been managing to get the house “tidy” before the family comes home. So, I am at least at ground zero with laundry, tidy floor, kitchen etc

2. I need to have a stricter bedtime policy. They are running rings around me at present with delaying tactics. Pyjamas and teeth much earlier before stories etc.

3. Today, I started cutting way back down on their TV – none today. They complained they were bored a few times, however ended up outside and playing with the neighbours. I am going to be stricter here, as when I was in the late stages of pregnancy, I let them watch far too much just as a way of getting some peace.

4. Finding time for them – stories and board games in the evening pre-bedtime. I need to start this pre-bedtime routine about 45 mins before bed.

5. Miss 7 has a far amount of homework most nights, so we get that done almost as soon as she comes home or it becomes a problem later on. Middle son doesn´t like the attention I need to give to her while doing homework and starts attention seeking tactics. Need to be calmer…. I try to get him to sit down and do his own “homework”- must try harder.

6. Other things – piano practice and keeping their rooms tidy. Eating more raw vegetables and fruit.

Yes, I need to be stricter. One day they will thank me! (lol). Well, at least they might thank me for not having a mother that went bonkers.

Filed under: Home Matters

Health Matters – Wednesday Weigh-In

I have been avoiding this for some time (two weeks and one day to be exact), however today is the day to start eating healthy so I can make headway on my initial goal of losing 20 kilos (44 pounds)…eek. I say initial as another 10 kilos on top of that would be optimal in the long long term.

The last two weeks have been filled with far too much bread and butter (bored in hospital), chocolate (bought by my well meaning husband), icecream (ditto), cookies and takeaway food.

I think I can safely say that I have had enough indulgence and even though I am breastfeeding and need my energy, that I don´t need that much energy! I know from past experience that I have to put the brakes on and due to being overweight already, I don´t need to eat extra. Luckily, the warm weather is here (mostly) so I feel more motivated to try and eat properly.

I haven´t fully got to grips with my apple three times a day plan, however I can always start again today – I have been a bit sporadic.

The other thing I am going to do as of today, is chocolate only once a week (Sundays?) and reread some healthy eating and cooking books this week for inspiration.

I will report back each Wednesday on how the scales have moved…

Filed under: How I´m being Healthy, Wednesday Weigh-In