Sunday Inspiration

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How gorgeous is this print? Apparently, it's a quote from Anne of Green Gables. I haven't ever read the books, but I really like the sentiment behind this: you take out of life what you bring to it. Wise words we should all live by!

You can buy this lovely print from Little Things Studio on Etsy.
 

Hope you're having lovely weekends!

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Sweet Treats Saturday

Happy Saturday! Say hello to my sweet blog discoveries of late...

THE FRAMED LADY

Having recently been pregnant for the first time myself, I'm a sucker for (tasteful) new mommy blogs. The Framed Lady is just that. I just love Tess' take on the whole pregnancy thing and can't wait to read about her take on life with a newborn!

Say hello! bloglovin' // facebook // instagram // pinterest // twitter

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LOVE AND LEMONS

I was completely sold on the name. I love everything lemon-y! But there's more than just lemons to this gorgeous food lover's site. You'll also find excellent healthy and seasonal recipes and one of the best recipe indexes I've ever come across. Bon apetit!

Say hello! bloglovin' // facebook // instagram // pinterest // twitter

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M LOVES M

I too am an M who loves an M, so I couldn't resist Mara's blog. It's clean, it's fresh and she's gorgeous. Stunning fashion posts sit nicely next to delicious recipes. What's not to like?

Say hello! bloglovin' // facebook // instagram // pinterest // twitter

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P.S. - If you'd like to be featured in a Sweet Treats Saturday post make sure you follow along and leave comments below so that I know where to find you! 

Hope you're having lovely weekends!

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Rooting for the Underdog

  Photo edited using the A Beautiful Mess app

Nil pois. The UK has heard that phrase way too many times at recent Eurovision Song Contests.

Since the competition's inception in 1956 the UK has won five times (tied with Sweden, Luxembourg and France). Ireland has been the top overall winner having won seven times. The last time the UK saw a win was in 1997 with Love Shine a Light by Katrina and the Waves. Unfortunately, it's all been downhill since then.

Being one of the four biggest financial contributors to the competition (along with Spain, Germany and France) hasn't helped the UK gain any favours amongst music loving Europeans. Perhaps it's because they don't take the competition seriously. Perhaps they've been sniffed out. Or, perhaps it's because they pick godawful songs. Past contestants have included Engelbert Humperdink, Scooch and Jemini. Oh dear. 

It's a sad state of affairs for ol' Blighty - the UK has been in the bottom three, four times in the past ten years. They're recognized across the continent as sucking - quite badly.

Bonnie Tyler will be taking to the stage at the finals this Saturday night to represent her home turf. The music video for her song 'Believe in Me' takes cheese to a whole new level. But if the Eurovision Song Contest has anything going for it, it's definitely the cheese factor.

Whatever happens, it's always a good - nay, hilarious - laugh watching the competition and I'll be rooting for the underdog all the way.

Who will you be supporting in the Eurovision Song Contest this Saturday? 

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Maria Loves... Caramel Cheesecake and A Beautiful Mess

How cute is this, right? I made it using the A Beautiful Mess photo app.

LOVELY LINKS

One of my favourite bloggers, Katie from House of Humble, has finally opened her Etsy shop, Dear Delilah. Her beautiful handmade necklaces and trinkets have set my heart a-flutter!

Have you seen this mind-boggling ad only children can see? It's for such a good cause too!

Some hilarious tips on how to nail parenting. I plan to implement more than a few of these!

Another one of my favourite blogs, A Beautiful Mess has just launched their own photo editing app (for iPhone only currently). It's choc-full of whimsy and all things pretty!

Oh, I've SO been there. This mother's letter to her heartbroken daughter brought tears to my eyes.

"I will always believe that you are entitled to share your romantic life with someone who honors and respects and loves you. A man who would move mountains, walk over hot coals and make whatever sacrifice is required to be your true partner."

A fun little game to test your geography skills. My scores are shockingly low. Eep.

This caramel cheesecake is just to-die-for. I think I might make it for the Eurovision party we're off to on Saturday. Woop!

This campaign to raise money to launch a publishing platform for beautiful work by women writers, photographers and illustrators is truly inspiring. They have 10 days to reach their $15k goal. Won't you help?

Make your own giant popsicle pinata. WOW.

This brilliant 19 year old Hungarian photographer imagines what the models of famous abstract paintings would have looked like. Surreal!

LOVELY THINGS

Morning baby smiles. Mini choc ices. Family BBQs. Finally learning to use our camera. Mother's Day gifts from my son (swoon!). Ankle weights. Summer rain. 

Happy Thursday! What are you loving today?

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Where I Talk About Milestones

For my baby shower back in February, my sis got me this gorgeous baby memory book. It was the perfect gift. Its beautiful words and illustrations are a real treat to behold when recording all of baby's big milestones.

I love to document life (one of the many reasons I started this blog), so this book was the most wonderful gift I could have asked for. I started filling it in straight away, making sure to capture the exact emotions I was feeling at every one of Bubs' milestones - what it was like when we first brought him home, when he first smiled, his first trip out...

But way back when, before Hubs and I started talking about babies, I went through a phase of being quite skeptical about having children. I must have been going through some sort of quarter life crisis. I questioned whether we'd be able to afford one; whether I'd ever have maternal feelings; if we'd ever be able to go on far flung adventures again. 

And for some (now strange) reason I was also saddened by the thought that once I started to have babies, that the milestones of my OWN life would slowly come to an end. Once babies (and then teenagers) come into the mix, everything revolves around them. Their first steps. Their first words. Their first kiss, first boyfriend/girflriend, graduating from college, first job, first house, first baby... You get the picture.

While we were absolutely elated to find out we were pregnant, towards the end of my pregnancy, these feelings started to rear their ugly head again. I was about to have my FIRST baby. Once this gig was done, would I have any more 'firsts' of my own?

BOY! Am I a worrywart or what?! I'm very happy to report that now that this precious little bundle has entered my life, all that unfounded anxiety has gone straight out the window. What was I thinking?! There's a WHOLE NEW SET of milestones to experience with my little boy! HIS milestones are MY milestones. I don't remember MY first steps but I'll get to remember - and record, and photograph, and write about - HIS. And that's so much more fun! There are so many beautiful memories to be had. So many 'firsts' to experience all over again. 

The milestones aren't over. They're only just beginning!

And besides, I turn 30 in September. Surely THAT'S a milestone worth celebrating?

What's your next big milestone?

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Sweet Treats Saturday

Take a gander at my favourite blog discoveries of late. Some lovely ladies in the mix this week!

SKUNKBOY CREATURES
She's got gorgeous style, fantastic red hair and the cutest kids EVER. Katie Shelton is a part of the A Beautiful Mess team, but I also love her personal blog for the snapshots of her adorable family life, her home and her creative pursuits.

Say hello! bloglovin' // facebook // instagram // twitter

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SWEET LAVENDER BAKE SHOPPE

Lovely photos coupled with mouth-watering immaculate baking creations keep me coming back to Christina's blog day after day. It's my guilty pleasure!

Say hello! bloglovin' // facebook // instagram // pinterest // twitter

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HENNA BLOSSOM

She's got gorgeous laid-back style, a stunning little boy and one of the funniest and friendliest voices I've come across on the blogosphere. It's a real treat to get a peek into Henna Blossom's (that's her real name!) daily life.   

Say hello! bloglovin' // facebook // pinterest // twitter 

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P.S. If you'd like to be featured in a Sweet Treats Saturday post make sure you follow along and leave comments below so that I know where to find you! 

Hope you're having a lovely weekend!

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Maria Loves... Hidden Messages and Coconut Mint Ice Cream

Hah! In the summer, I'm a Frappuccino. Source

This Thursday, I'm loving these lovely links and these lovely things in life...

LOVELY LINKS

A really helpful post by Rachel Phipps on how she earns money through her blog.

I LOVE this theme for a wedding shower!

Have fun getting happy!

Check out what Facebook used to look like in 2004.

I've been on the hunt for a movie-making app for my iPhone and I think I've found it!

I love hidden messages in well known logos. The Tour de France was my favourite.

Coconut. Mint. Ice Cream. That is all.

Top 10 Superfoods for Glowy Skin as per The Happiness Cocktail. You'll be pleased to know that chocolate makes the cut!

Kaelah Bee offers some GREAT tips on how to spread the blogger love.

I finally gone and bought this from Jo Totes. And I plan to use it as a diaper bag. Thoughts?

LOVELY THINGS 

Dreamy kitty whimpers. Red velvet chickadee cupcakes (as seen here). Making silly Easter themed Vine videos. Purging. Sunset chats with family. Summer temps. Lunches overlooking pools. Happy meetings. BBQs. Reading on sun loungers. Skydiving charity donations. Baby yawns. Homemade choc chip cookies.  

I'm also really pleased I've managed to figure out how to read while walking Bubs around the room: holding him tight against me with one hand, while the other holds open a hardback. And it only really works with hardbacks. Bliss!

Hope you're having a wonderful week!

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