J'aime la France

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Right now I am completely obsessed with all things French. And I do mean completely.... to the point where I am wishing I had bought an old house instead of building a new one so that I could decorate with a French Vintage Flair.

Here's some of the things that are inspiring me from Etsy this week....


1. Turquoise and Bittersweet Journal

2. Cottage Style Eiffel Tower Merci Card

3. Mini Print Set

4. Marie Antionette French Paper Bundle

5. French Love Quote

6. Vintage French Linen Pillow

7. Soap

8. Paris is for Lovers - Fine Art Print


Au revoir,

Tamsyn xx

Another Quick Getaway

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This week the Big Man and I took a quick up to Hervey Bay, the Big Man went for work and I tagged along so that I could catch up with my sister and her family. I love any excuse to catch up with my sister and hanging out with my niece is one of my favourite things in the world. She is such a darling and so funny. The things that she comes out with are adorable, but I wont bore you with them seeing as anyone with their own children or nieces or nephews will know exactly what I mean!

We took Cooper with us as well, he really likes being at the Big Man's parents house and always makes himself at home in his favourite chair.

I was completely slack and didn't make any effort to catch up with any of my friends, but I figure that seeing as it was a week night, no-one would have really felt like getting up to too much anyway.

T xx

Happy Blog-aversay to Me!

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Yep, that's right. It has been one year today. I have been so focused on all of the natural disasters that our country is throwing at us that I almost didn't notice.

I have been quite slack with my blogging lately, but I really do love having a place that I can share how I am feeling, what's happening in my life and all of the things that are grabbing my attention at any particular moment. I plan on making this year's blogging a little bit more regular than last years!

Here's a quick recap of My (not so) Perfect Life's existence.

February 2008 of course saw the birth of my blog. I also celebrated Valentine's Day with a less than romantic fiance, made cute labels for my kitchen jars, promised to get married and drooled over a cake that my Sister found on Martha Stewart.

In March I only blogged once, but it was a very a very special post because I showed off my newly purchased bridesmaid's dresses and spilled the details on my 'dates' with the Big Man.

I didn't blog at all in April or May...... I will make up for it this year, I promise!!

I got myself into gear in June and started the month by posting pictures of my muddy puppy and the ribbon caddy that I decorated. The rest of the month was punctuated with highs and lows, we had a trip to Heron Island planned, Little Miss Ava was flown down to the intensive care unit at the Royal Brisbane and my Mother-in-law and I went to Mt Buller, but it didn't snow.

July was my best blogging month of the year, with a whopping 13 posts! I realised that starting a weight loss blog had more hurdles that I first thought, I gave my blog a make-over, thought about eloping, started a diet, opened up and admitted to a serious weight problem as well as my battle with depression, posted an update on our home, dedicated an entire post to wedding preparations, wondered if getting pregnant before my wedding would be a good idea, posted a cute photo of Cooper feeling the cold and posted another cute photo of Cooper being a baby.

August was a month full of positives. I wrote my first Smily Saturday post and we finally moved into our new home. I also managed to buy more shoes that I needed for my wedding and wrote about the adorable things that my neice says.

In September the Big Man and I got married!! This meant that there really wasn't much time for blogging... I did get a chance to write about two very special birthdays though.

October was a great month for the Big Man and I. We went on our honeymoon, enjoyed spending time in our new home and wondered if Cooper would ever learn.

Not much happened on my blog in November because we still didn't have the internet at home, but I did make the most of the web whilst I was in Hervey Bay and then posted a quick update on what we had been up to during the month.

We got our internet back in December and I started to post a bit more regularly. Some of the highlights were, a fun personality based gift guide, more cute Cooper photos, a smiley Saturday post about lazy Saturdays, my finished Christmas cards, I did my first meme (fittingly it was all about firsts!), even more cute photos of Cooper dressed up in Christmas gear and snapshots of my very, very messy kitchen.

In January I did the obligatory New Year's resolution post and also did the Top 100 Aussie Things meme.

Looking back, I feel like I had a great year. Here's to 2009!

xxoo T

Victorian Bushfire Appeal

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I don't think that there is much I can say that hasn't already been said......

It still shocks me to think that a disaster of this proportion can happen in our own country, and I am all too aware of how lucky I am that none of my family or friends live in the fire affected regions of Victoria.

Below are several links to places that we can make donations or links to information on how we can help out in other ways.

Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal

4BC Breakfast Adopts Eaglehawk

Coles To Donate Friday's Profits

A Pair of Love Birds

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The other day when I was drooling over all of the gorgeous home wares on Etsy I came across these two little love birds.

I've waited and waited and they finally arrived today....... and they are even cuter than in the photo.

I haven't decided what to do with them yet. I originally planned on using them to keep rings and earings, but now I'm not sure. In the meantime I have them on display in my living room.

I am one hundred percent competely obsessed with Etsy at the moment and I go on there at least 3 times a day to see what has been recently listed. Let me know if you have any favourite sellers for me to check out!

xx Tamsyn

In the Meantime

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Regular blogging will resume shortly...... in the meantime here's my 100 Aussie Things questionnaire that I stole from here.

The ones in purple are the ones that I have done :)

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited The Great Barrier Reef.
5. Stood under the stars in the outback, the real outback – think Uluru.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to the Gold Coast’s theme parks – anyone, you take your pick.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.

10. Sung a solo.
11. Bungee jumped, jumped out of plane, been paragliding or hang-gliding, hot air ballooning – you get the idea, you’ve been hundreds of metres about earth in a seemingly flimsy contraption.
12. Visited Melbourne.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Had a child. Raised a child. Worked with children.
16. Had food poisoning.

17. Been to the Snowy Mountains.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Visited the Brett Whitely studio in Surry Hills, Sydney.
20. Slept on an overnight train or bus.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Been backpacking.
23. Taken a mental health day.
24. Been buried in sand with just your head and toes sticking out.
25. Held a possum, kangaroo or koala – or any other native Australian animal.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Been in a fun run.

28. Been on the Blue Mountain cableway.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Played, or watched, summer cricket.

32. Sailed, kayaked or canoed our beautiful waterways.
33. Seen the Daintree.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Visited an Aboriginal settlement or mission.
36. Learned a new language.

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Toured the Sydney Opera House.
39. Tried rock climbing (indoor or outdoor), abseiling or just simple bush walking.

40. Visit Queensland’s Gallery of Modern Art.
41. Been to the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
42. Sunbaked at Bondi.

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Broome.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone fishing.
49. Seen Tasmania’s old growth forests.
50. Been to the top of Q1, on the Gold Coast.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling.
52. Kissed in the rain.

53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theatre.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Driven the Great Ocean Road.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.

59. Visited Norfolk Island.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Guide biscuits.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason.

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma.
65. Gone jet boating.
66. Visited Port Arthur.
67. Bounced a cheque.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favourite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Australian War Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Federation Square.
74. Been on the Murray River.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Traveled, or climbed, over the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Three Sisters at Echo Point, Katoomba.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited St Mary’s Cathedral, in Sydney.
82. Bought a brand new car.

83. Been to Hermannsburg.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited Parliament House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Saved a pet.

95. Been to the site of the Eureka Stockade.
96. Swum in The Whitsundays.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a mobile phone.

99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.

xx Tamsyn

New Year's Resolutions 2009

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Every year I make New Year's Resolutions and every year I am guaranteed to have broken every single one of them by Australia Day. With that in mind, here is this year's list.....

1. Lose 20kg. This is going to be my year long goal, which means I really can't break it before Australia Day, looks like I am off to a good start!!

2. Finish the house. The things that we still need to do are; build the front deck, build the back deck, fence the yard, landscape the front yard, turf the back yard, build the side garden, pave down the side of the house, tile the main living areas, install fans and have our proper lights installed. Phew..... Looks like I won't be doing too much shoe shopping this year.

3. Pay off the credit card and then significantly reduce the limit on it. My theory is, the lower the limit the less damage I can do at Myers!

4. Go to the gym at least 3 days a week...... for the whole year!!! (Except when I am away on holidays of course). I just realised that I am on danger of breaking this one already........ looks like I will be going to the gym today, tomorrow and Sunday.

5. Join a sports group.

I am going to stick with just five so that I can increase my chances of success! There are a million other things that I want to do this year, but these are the big ones.....

I hope you all have a wonderful new year and I look forward to hearing about your resolutions too.

xx Tamsyn