a day in photos >>>>

just a normal day.... a little work, a little fun, a few extra curricular groups, a new computer {yay!!!}, a little baking, baby cuddles and lots of madness!! love my life ♥♥♥

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diy // lotion bars >>>>

these are a given in my home there always have several hanging around. i use them for my hands, for my legs, the kiddos, and dry spots of skin. my husband swears by them to keep his hands from cracking when he's on the building site. they're simple to make, and fairly inexpensive.

you'll need:

one cup beeswax

one cup coconut oil

one cup sweet almond oil

melt all the indredients in a double boiler, stirring until they are combined. if you want to add some essential oils, now the time! then pour into your molds - i use silicone cake trays - this amount made 18 bars for me. leave for a couple hours to set, then pop them out.

essential oil suggestions - myrrh, sandalwood, lavender are good for dry, chapped skin

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intuitive heart sanctuary ebook // giveaway >>>

lauren is one of my favourite ladies in the blogosphere. she is an amazing inspirational lady, i was lucky enough to take part in her intuitive heart sanctuary when it used to be an ecourse last year. registration is now FREE for this {!!} so if you haven't already seen it, i highly recommend that you do so right now. it is an online space with an amazing community of like minded women.

lauren has recently released this ebook, designed to support your experience in the sanctuary, it retails for $44 or $37.50 if you are a IHS member.

The Intuitive Heart Guide offers:

• In depth & thought-provoking essays bridging your mind, body and spirit connection
  
• 15 Engaging Activities to help you explore your True Self within Community and Nature
• 7 Photo Exercises that build self-awareness and reflect your inner soul-work journey
• 8 complimentary Journal Work prompts with instructions and examples
• Enchanting Images to inspire and uplift you as you move through the pages
• Gentle reminders to keep you centered and aligned
• Direct links to IHS- to view videos, listen to podcasts/music, and read more, etc.
• Inspirational storytelling, quotes, and poetry
• Ideas and resources to utilize beyond this eBook and IHS
• Motivational “Real Talk” about current social and spiritual trends happening globally
• and much more!

lauren is offering up one copy of her ebook to one lucky winner! you can enter below 

a Rafflecopter giveaway



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shop update + free shipping

i've listed lots of new stock in the last couple weeks + this weekend only there is free shipping on everything!! no code needed :) {oh, and sale items are still buy one get one, put two in your cart and you'll only be charged for one!} go HERE to shop

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don't believe everything you think >>>

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learn to edit your thoughts. focus on the positive ones. ignore the negative thoughts. it's easy to fall into the trap of negative thinking and believing those thoughts. they drain us of our energy and prevent us from being fully present in the moment.

i know how easy it is to believe all the bad things that our mind tells us. "you're not good enough" "you're too fat/ugly/stupid" "you'll never be able to do it" believing those thoughts brings depression, and a crushing feeling of hopelessness. i've been there. i've also managed to come out the other side. i taught myself to focus on the positive, to ignore that little 'voice' inside my head telling me that i wasn't good enough.

smile - seriously, just smile. it will instantly lift your mood and make you feel happier

focus on the positive - teach yourself to only think positive thoughts.

surround yourself with positivity - find some quotes, or make your own, write them on post-it's and put them on your mirror, by your bed, in your purse, by the computer - any place that you'll see them throughout the day.

take action - all those things your mind tells you that you can't do? just do them. try one - and when you've done it, you can tell that negative thought where to get off

give thanks  - keep a gratitude journal, every night write down five things that made you happy that day. if you're feeling hopeless, read back through it and see how blessed you are

let go of perfection - no one is perfect, and it'd be pretty dull if we were. accept your mistakes and move on.

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slow roasted tomatoes >>>>

i love slow roasted tomatoes, in a wrap or a salad, or added to homemade soup for some depth. they're easy and inexpensive to make, i try and keep a jarful {or three} in at all times.

you'll need:
tomatoes, as many as you like!! halved or quarted depending on how big they are
sea salt
olive oil



halve or quarter your tomatoes, place them skin side down on a baking sheet. brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. roast in teh oven at 140C, 275F, gas mark 1 for 3-5 hours, until they look sun-dried and all the moisture has gone.



allow to cool and store in an airtight jar in the fridge.

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bits + pieces >>>>

we're still covered in snow here, it started to melt a little yesterday, but we woke up to fresh snow and it's snowed on and off all day. the kiddos are loving it. we've built snowmen and done lots of sledging. also played a lot of board games and drank lots of hot cocoa to warm us up!

i don't know if it's the full moon approaching or the weather or something else entirely... there's a funny energy around my house right now. we're all a little cranky, all a little short tempered. this mama is tired and all i really want to do is lay around and read or knit. i could use a few hours of solitude, it's been a couple months of papa having to work seven day weeks and i think they are starting to take there toll on us all.

i've been busy making a lot more custom mantra bracelets and also listed some mantra necklaces in my shop. - the 'awake your soul' one above is my favourite ♥ code 'snowydays' is still good for 20% off your order - i'm leaving it up until the end of the week, so now is the time to order!

pee.ess - have you entered the enchanted mail giveaway yet?

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le hatchery >>>>

i can't remember where i first came across le hatchery, either fb or instagram. but i quickly fell in love with their style and ethos. and i've been lusting after this yakadiyak poncho...  i've only resisted so far as i'm saving for a new laptop... then i'll be after one! i grabbed the lovelyleona for a quick chat...

*can you tell us a little about le hatchery?

‘le hatchery’ was officially born mid 2011. Having taken a break from the design/buying fashion world, to graft on superyachts in Europe, I started having withdrawals & dusted off the trusty ol' sewing machine. Making dresses, tops, jewelry & pouches using the inspiration absorbed from all the wonderful places, creative atmospheres & ports I’d visited. We are currently based in the South of France, a mecca for boho garments & once ‘le hatchery’ started, the company grew momentum. Originally it was just friends, friends of friends & then I was introduced to storenvy & opened up an online store! 

Adding other one-of-a-kind & vintage products to the otherwise handmade collection is another lovely part of being an indie. The range now includes clothing, jewelry, accessories & shoes with collections being released every September & March with fresh product drops in-between. Our photoshoots are usually a collaboration of small business owners; hair & make-up artists, photographers & models… our latest shoot ‘a hatchery fairy tale’ might just be my favorite yet!



* who are the faces behind the business?
The faces behind the label are really just myself & Mr H! There are a few other little fairies that help us in times of need. We like to think it’s a personal experience shopping with us. Taking great love & pride in handmaking garments & using organic or re-purposed fabrics we try to offer a unique range as an alternative to the mass-produced world.

*what do you see in the future?

We are now stocked in a few retail stores whose customers appreciate unique handmade items. Lexi & Roy in Perth, Australia is a fashion-forward boutique stocking the best of Australian labels & Turtles Surf Store in Antigua, Caribbean is a laid back chill zone that only sells recycled goods… & we are in discussions with a few stores in France. We are hoping to grow further in 2013 & excited by the prospect of a move to Western Australia where the label is suited towards the mellow sunny state. The ultimate dream is to have our own store where people can discover handcrafted goodies from around the world!

Having an online store is hard, all consuming work as all of us with a small business know, however it also brings the freedom to source, create & find items that others have been longing for & present these in the most eco-friendly way.

We have a similar ethos to This Enchanted Pixie; free-spirited, boho, up-cycler & would love to give you all 15% off at ‘le hatchery’ for January! Just use the code PIXIE15 at checkout. Enjoy! 

leonie also offered to share le hatchery's latest lookbook, so beautiful!

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what mama wore // ombre hues >>>>

{ outfit details }

boots - ebay

skirt - handmade

t-shirt - thrifted

sweater - c/o oasap.com

locket - whispered truths

so... i decided it was time to change my hair. i loved the colour on the ends, but wasn't really digging the black. so. i stripped it all out. i tried out the hair colour removers that are around - first time, and they worked pretty well! all the colour came out of these ends leaving me with blonde {oh! it's been so long since i've had blonde!!} and the black came out too {it's not an easy colour to get rid of}. now i've got a kinda reddish brown. i'm loving it. i think the warmth of the colour leaves me less washed out looking than the black did. i haven't done anything to it since stripping it. leaving it rest and recover for a while. i might lighten the ends a little more, take the blonde a bit higher. but for now i'm loving this ombre effect!

and... snow!! i was fuh-reezing out there ha! i thought i'd manage while i snapped a couple photos. but by the time i went back in my fingers were numb. on my weekend switched off, i did a little sewing, fixing up a few things, altering some others. this skirt was one of them. made from the softest vintage fabrics, i love the shape  of it. i made a couple and i've not worn anything else all week. paired with this cute sweater i got from oasap.com i'm a happy mama. 

what do you think of my new 'do?? it's the first time in years i've had no crazy colours in my hair!

pee.ess... one of my lovely sponsors, the albedo sisters are having a giveaway on their blog - and if you haven't seen their blog or shop yet i suggest you check them out - they are amazing ♥♥♥

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snowy days >>>>

we finally got some snow!! the kiddos were so happy. they spent all day in and out... playing in the snow then coming in to warm up! we fitted in a little crafting too - these cute stacking russian dolls were a big hit {with mama too!} *you can find them here to print out!*

the chickens weren't too keen on the snow, they spent most of the day hiding in their house, only coming out to eat some warm porridge!

when papa came home from work, we wrapped up warm and went out sledging :D

pee.ess... don't forget - code 'snowydays' gets you 20% off all my shop right now! {apart from sale items - they're buy one get one free!}

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shambalah// giveaway >>>>

i have a fantastic giveaway today from an amazing sponsor of mine - alma da lua (soul of the moon). i was so excited when i checked out her shop, such a peaceful, spiritual corner full of beautiful art and accessories created by sofia. a 37 year old cultural creative, multicultural artist {portuguese living in france}, sofia is also a poet who publishes and exhibits around the world.

a reiki practitioner engaged in a path of spiritual empowerment, putting all that she has learnt and her heritage passed from her mother into practise. an idealist and a healer, a gypsy and a intuitive, a maker and a daydreamer, a traveller and a listener, a visionary and a dreamweaver. sofia's aim is to inspire women to live a holistic magickal life, to embrace and to nurture life as a whole.

the first time i browsed through her shop, the one listing that made me gasp aloud was her 'enchanted mail'.  a love letter to you, words of support and uplifting encouragements. a handmade letter just for you, shipped from france. you also get 1 stone, handmade oil, incense or herb mixture to enchance your life. i love snail mail, and the idea of such a beautiful personalised letter is wonderful. it would be a great gift to yourself or for a loved one. sofia is offering two of you lucky readers the chance to win an enchanted mail! {i'm jealous ;) }

you can enter below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*the winner of the custom mantra bracelet giveaway is erica simpson! check your email :)*
if you didn't win - you can use 'snowydays' at checkout to get 20% off your order!

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a simple life >>>>

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