A Little Bit of This 'n' That

Hi guys! I am still wayyy in over my head with adjusting to uni right now, and having long, long days on public transport, but there are a few little things I wanted to mention today on the blog.

First of all, how was your weekend?

Mine was very lazy! I escaped to the boyfriend's house on Friday thanks to my dear friend, Ellie, who picked me up on her way down, got the news that I am now an Aunty to two (yay!) little cuties, got to see one of said cuties who is now talking all of our ears off in the third person (cutest thing ever) and got to see a pic of the new cutie, Eva May, who I can't wait to meet! Aside from all the excitement of Jake's sister giving birth, we basically just lounged around all weekend enjoying each others company, eating lots of junk and watching movies. I even got a rom-com out of him! Jake's parents went to Gosford to meet their new granddaughter, so we had the house to ourselves, and can I just say that absence really does make the heart grow fonder! Seriously, lately when Jake and I are together, we are just that - together. There is no squabbling, no needing space. We literally spend all weekend just enjoying each other's company, staring at each other, hugging, holding hands and generally making anyone who could be peeking through the window want to vomit with our cuteness. I feel whole again when he is here, and Jake didn't even pester me about the miserable weather!

That being said, however, yesterday morning when he left my place for work, I got a bit teary. Being away from him all week is not easy and sometimes I feel like I'm not coping. Moving out of home, having the car crash, starting uni, living by myself - it's all taking it's toll on me, and that's why I want to talk about a kind of sensitive issue right now. I had a major panic attack last week, and now I am seeing a counselor. Admitting this is not easy for me, and to be honest, I am a little embarrassed about it, but right now I'm not coping and I need the extra support the counselor gives me. Going into a panic attack, not  being able to breathe and feeling like I was suffocating in the middle of the night while I'm living by myself was not a good experience. I thought I was going to have an asthma attack and was scared that I couldn't even talk on the phone to call myself an ambulance if I did. Anxiety disorders and depression run in my family on both sides, so for me, waking up to the realisation that i'm anxious and depressed was a huge thing. Besides, the counselor is someone to talk to without making mum freak out, she is teaching me to control my panic and anxiety, to deal with my emotions as they surface and because I'm using the student service at uni, it's free. I feel like I'm really getting somewhere by seeing her, and hopefully this will help my blog mojo back too, since I know I've been shocking lately, too busy wallowing in self pity to post. You guys need to get up me for that, ya know? It's not good! Haha

Another thing I want to mention right now is I finally got my scholarship money today, and bought myself a MacBook! So yes, this is first ever MacBook post which is incredibly exciting, although I still have no freaking clue how to use this thing!

And last but not least, I think there is still a few hours left of my Giveaway if you haven't entered yet. There are two $50 prize packs donated by five very lovely bloggers, including tonnes of ad space, so I would really love it if you joined in!

Well, wasn't that a hodge-podge mix of topics to talk about? I really am sorry about that but since I'm run off my feet right now, I felt like I just needed to get some stuff down! I promise you will see me again tomorrow to announce the winner of the giveaway, but t be honest, I'm not sure when my next blog appearance will be. Definitely this week, though, and I'm working on thinking up some regular weekly post topics so that I can be a little more professional and organised on the blog! I hope you all had lovely weekends :)

Rhys' Story

My family is on a total high right now after getting some great news about my cousin, Rhys, early last week. Rhys is a totally inspirational man, who is one of my heroes, and I would just like to take a minute on the blog to share his incredible story.

Rhys, at his brothers wedding late last year

Rhys has been a sporty guy for as long as I can remember. A total computer nerd, which he won't deny if you ask him, but still incredibly sporty, playing everything from baseball to soccer and succeeding in it. That's why it was a major shock to Rhys when he crashed his car at the age of 19 and became a paraplegic. He knew, even then, while he was waiting in his overturned Toyota Supra for someone to find him, that his back was broken. What he didn't count on, was becoming a paraplegic and losing the use of his legs. 

I remember seeing Rhys just a few days before the accident. I was only 10, and we were having a family barbecue at the river in Evans Head. We didn't have much to do with Rhys back then, but he decided that since he had just got his P's he would come down to the barbecue to show off his flashy, new car and see the family. We had a great day, Rhys was looking great and he left with a smile and with us laughing at how long we could hear his car for after it disappeared around a bend. 

A few days later, my mum received a phone call. It was Rhys' mum, Marina and she told us she was at a Sydney Hospital. Rhys had had an accident.

It was a cold September night and Rhys had had a disagreement with a girl. He went for a drive to clear his head, but we had had a lot of rain, and the road was wet. He lost control of the car on a bend in a country back road, crashed through a fence, flew over a creek and would up on his side, resting against a creek's embankment. He lied there all night, in excruciating pain, freezing cold, and wet until he was found close to dawn the next morning. 

Our local hospital doesn't have a spinal unit, so it was agreed that Rhys would be rushed up to Princess Alexandria Hospital in Brisbane for treatment. Instead, he ended up waiting 14 hours with a broken back, a broken shoulder and a punctured lung for doctors to find him a bed in a NSW spinal unit - administration would not admit him in Queensland, despite it being 6 hours' drive closer, because he was a NSW patient. 

Rhys, in the early stages of rehab

Finally, Rhys arrived in Sydney Royal North Shore Hospital and begun to undergo treatment and rehabilitation to get his life back on track. He has admitted to me before that he became pretty depressed at one point, while he was in rehab in Sydney, but he soon realised that he was not the worst off in the facility. There were people there with far worse injuries than what Rhys had suffered, making them quadriplegic or affecting their brain in some manner. Rhys soon realised how lucky he was to have escaped his accident with his life, and quickly decided to do all that he could to live as normal a life as possible, and help raise awareness of the dangers of speeding to young people.

It took a while for Rhys to get to where he is today, but a few years ago he moved to Sydney with his then girlfriend, Sharon, to focus on his wheelchair sports and find a way to help others who are going through the same situation he went through after the accident. Rhys has become a spokesperson who travels around to schools, sharing his story and raising awareness of the dangers of speeding, he now works for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, offering support to those who are undergoing rehab for spinal injuries in Sydney hospitals, and the most exciting news of all...

Rhys has made it onto the Australian Wheelchair Rugby League team and will be competing in the World Cup! (He is in the far left of the above team photo)

I can't even begin to describe how proud I am of him having made it this far! He is such an inspiration! Competing on an international level in sports has been a dream of Rhys' since he was a kid. He is literally living his dream right now! 

Rhys' accident, while tragic, has opened his eyes to a whole world of opportunities. Even though his life would be easier if he hadn't had the accident, he has now had the opportunity to raise awareness in schools of the danger of speeding, potentially saving lives through this work. He has given new hope to others in his situation through his work with Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, boosting the morale of spinal injury patients, which is absolutely critical to their recovery, and now he is representing his country in a sport he loves!

Rhys and his teammate, Dan, about to appear on Fox Sports News

Not only that, but he has taught all of us, his family, that people with disabilities are no different to anyone else. He has taught us not to take pity on the disabled, or turn away when they go past, but to treat them as our equals - because that's exactly what they are. I know that it might sound trivial to have to learn this from him in the first place, but it's true. So many of us are guilty of treating disabled people differently, whether it be by shunning them, or just as bad in some cases, treating them like they are useless or going out of our way to try to help them in tasks they are capable of doing on their own. Rhys is the same person now that he always has been. He is a strong, capable man with a great sense of humour, a big heart, good taste in music and a comfy chair to coast through life on. I am so proud to call him my cousin!

Marina, Aunty Bridget, Mum, Shoni, Rhys and Kobi on a visit 

to our house in 2009. Not sure where I was?

Disclaimer: This post was put together by me, with information as recalled from my memory, from conversaions with my cousin and from articles on www.northernstar.com.au. I give credit of all photos to their respective parties, Rhys' mum, Marina, Wheelchair Rugby League Australia and the Northern Star. I am sharing this story to inspire and because I am proud of my cousin's achievements after facing such a massive obstacle in life. He is a truly amazing person.

Friday's Finds - A Digital Find

Well, since I haven't had any luck with op shopping this week, I thought I would share with you all a vintage find I came across on Facebook. If you know me at all, then you will know that I am fascinated with anthropological studies and I think this advertisement is a great reflection of how society has changed over time. It was found in a 1950's newspaper and I'm sorry that I don't have a source, but as I came across it in Facebook, that can't really be helped!

It really gives us something to think about, doesn't it? Oh how the world of fashion has changed!

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Reality Check!

I'm sorry if things are a little quiet on here at the moment (and I feel like i'm saying that a lot lately, since i'm going through such a transition period at the moment) but this week is my first week of uni and boy has it been straining!

Now, I consider myself an intelligent person, and an enthusiastic and fast learner, but right now I am facing a major reality check - university is hard work! Especially after having a year off from study where the only work you did was teaching in child care centres where the furthest you strained your brain was to come up with another nursery rhyme to entertain the children! (There are only so many times you can listen to yourself sing "if you're happy and you know it, clap your hands" without wanting to rip out your own larynx, you know.)

Don't get me wrong, I knew this wasn't going to be easy, and I love it for challenging me this way, but I am coming home from Uni every day absolutely exhausted and feeling headache-y from information overload!I'm sure I'll get used to it in time, and adjust to this style of learning, but for now I need a little lenience on the blog front to get through the transition phase, and hopefully get to a point where I am no longer to exhausted to think when I get home. I will try to post as much as I can, but while I'm adjusting to a new schedule and new lifestyle, I would appreciate a little lenience :)

And hey, you never know, but this new lifestyle and  new learning endeavour may open up a whole host of new ideas for me to explore on the blog in the future! Already I can see myself becoming more engaged in the world around me, and especially in the media and films, thanks to my Journalism and Screen Analysis classes. Yay for new ways of thinking! Even if they are mostly about the fashion in the old films I'm watching! Shh, don't tell my lecturer!

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100 Followers Giveaway!

Hi guys, so here it finally  is - the giveaway!

Five lovely ladies have been kind enough to team up with me to celebrate making it to the 100 mark on this little blog this week, and boy have they been generous! Each and every one of these bloggers are people whose blogs I read every day and who have inspired me to continue on this journey through the tough times, so it means so much to have their support in the form of this giveaway and I hope that you all show them lots of love!

I have split the prize for this giveaway in half to share the love a little more evenly, with each prize being worth upwards of $50 all up! Want to see what you could win?

Prize Number One

2 months "Stallion" size ad space on Little Foal

"Let's Blog Some Shit" Notebook from Typo

"Dainty Frames" Clip Art Package from The Ink Nest

Custom Digital Image by Kim at What Peggy Said

1 month "Medium Stitches" ad from Chevron Stitches

Prize Number Two

1 month Large Ad Space on Kitty and Buck

Social Media Icon Set (up to six icons) from Kitty and Buck's Design Service

2 Months Ad Space on Being Erica

Handmade Hair Bow from Erica's Etsy Shop

1 Month Ad Space on Three Inch Stitch

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Oops, no Friday's Finds! But here is something else for you instead...

I was really slack this week and didn't make it to a single op-shop! I do have a good reason though, and I'll explain it to you later. For now, check out what I picked up out retail shopping today!

Good score, huh?

I can't even remember the last time I went crazy, shopping like this! It was a much needed bit of retail therapy after a tough week and I picked up some great stuff.

My original reason for going to the shops today was to pick up what stationery I needed for uni on Monday. As you can see, I went a little overboard in Typo, my favourite stationery shop, picking up all sorts of goodies including an adorable stamp set on top of the lecture books I bought.

How freaking awesome is the "let's blog some shit" notebook!!! I grabbed two of these - one for me and one for my upcoming giveaway, with a spare (the typewriter one which says "my homemade blog" for in case the winner doesn't quite approve of the language on the first.

The rest of the stationery is pretty bland and i bought some basic winter clothes, as you can see, but see that trench in the top left over there? That was 25% off at Portmans! Yep 25% off at the start of the season! Can anyone say awesome? That saved me nearly $40!

I've been wanting a trench like that for aaagggeeessss and last year I just swooned over the Portman's coats from a distance because of their rather hefty price tags (or maybe it's just my tight-arse attitude that kept me at bay) but bottom of the line is, everybody needs a good winter coat, Portman's is excellent quality, It was on sale and it's classic and won't date. Purchase totally justified!

I did mean to stop by the oppies on the way home today, but being totally laden down with bags in the pouring rain, I opted to stay on the bus and head on home as quick as I could! I also meant to do an outfit post today, but this morning every photo I took just looked so awkward, and when I got home this afternoon I was soaked through and looked like a drowned rat. The outfit gods just aren't on my side right now, are they?

Have you had a good bargain out retail shopping lately? I'd love to hear about it. The start of a season is always so exciting for clothes shopping, isn't it?

DIY Coaster Tutorial

I don't know about you, but I hate the look of water rings on wooden surfaces! It is so disappointing to come across a nice table with little, dark rings mottling the surface! After spending a week refashioning my dining table, the last thing I wanted was for people to plonk their drinks down on it and create water rings, so I set about making my own pretty, blue and white coasters for my dining table to protect that pretty, wooden surface!

I also made these cute vintage bicycle ones for my non-existent coffee table (hopefully we will find one soon!)






















To make your own pretty coasters, you will need:

Blank Wooden Coasters 

(Mine were from Kaisercraft and were less that $1 each)

Scrap booking Paper 

Mod Podge 

Foam Brush

Spray Sealer

(highly recommended)

Exacto Knife/Rotary Cutter

Cutting mat

Pencil

Scissors

Here's the how to:

1. Turn your scrap booking paper upside down and trace the outline of the coasters onto it.

2. Cut around the outlines with scissors, making sure to cut outside the line! This is important so you don't end up with wood showing on the top side of your coasters. You can trim off overhang later with your exacto knife.

3. Mod Podge your scrap book paper cut-outs to your coasters, using a wide, foam brush. Let it thoroughly dry.

4.  Turn your coasters upside down on your cutting mat and trim off any overhang using an exacto knife or rotary cutter.

5. Give your coasters a few coats of Mod Podge to seal them, letting each coat dry before applying the next, and making sure to seal around the edges. I gave mine about 5 coats, but I was probably being excessive.

6. To eliminate tackiness, spray your coasters with a light coat of acrylic sealer once Mod Podge is dry, and they're ready for you to enjoy!

I hope you found this tutorial helpful. You don't have to use the spray sealer if you don't want to, but I would highly recommend it. I haven't gotten my hands on any yet, and my coasters are constantly stuck together when I stack them! I used matte finish Mod Podge for my coasters, and some people have told me that the shiny finish is less tacky, but I'm not entirely sure whether this is true.

Happy crafting!