Lavender & Twill : end of year

Showing posts with label end of year. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

༺ That Sea of Time ༻

Oh, it’s this time of year again… Although it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I love the rite of sitting down and remembering all the things that happened in the last twelve months. Especially as I don’t always get a chance to record those thoughts or events in my actual journal.

It was a very quiet year here on the blog, but that’s not so surprising. We’ve had a busy year ~ spending the first half of it in Australia, then coming back and really getting into the hard push to start up our own business…. But let’s leave the rest of the reminiscing to the post shall we?

As always, if you wish post these questions for yourself, please do! This was a great way to look back over the year. Here’s how 2018 went down at Lavender & Twill! ♡

1. What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?

I wish I could say “Started my own business” but that’s not true as I’ve started and run a few successful businesses previously ~ in fact, I first started my own business when I was 12 with an odd job service called “Helping Hands” where my sister and I worked to together cleaning, walking dogs, pet sitting, washing cars, etc…

So… Hm.

I can’t think of anything! Haha!

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions?

Yes, I kept some! One was to start Teacup Girl, so I definitely did that.

I also kept my resolution to take better care of my health. While this is still a work in progress as I do need get much more consistent with going to bed on time {I’m a chronic night owl and really wake up when it’s 9:30pm but it’s so bad for day after!}, and exercise, in the meantime I’ve discovered that intermittent fasting has really helped my body handle my tummy issues and thyroid problems a lot better so I’ve been making sure to stick with that and it’s been giving me some great results.

3. What countries did you visit?

Thailand and Australia. Nowhere new this year.

4. How many different places did you travel to in 2018?

As above ~ a bit boring this year compared to last!

5. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?

More organisation and forethought. I spent a lot of time playing catch up this year ~ I’d make plans and if they went smoothly everything would have been fine, BUT… Surprise, surprise, things didn’t go to plan, and I spent far too much time scrambling and I don’t want to be doing that at all this year.

6. What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

September 14th, when Teacup Girl launched.

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Oooh…. You are all going to get so bored of me saying this… but launching Teacup Girl! And getting Theo to the point where he can read quite well, Belle is starting to read and we’ve almost got Lottie completely potty trained, and I’m so happy see those as achievements too.

8. What was your biggest failure?

Being aware of the timing of things, or just being aware of time full stop! Half my problem is I just don’t know what the time is or how fast it’s going and that causes various issues throughout the day which will build up and become a problem for the week, and the overflow just keeps piling up!

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Food poisoning was the most notable illness ~ I ended up in hospital for three and a half days in October, and in bed for another three after that with the worst food poisoning I have ever had. It was dreadful.

10. What was the best thing you bought?

Things to help with…. Teacup Girl… Lol. I was seriously excited about my rolling drawers and divided containers though!

11. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Finally seeing one of my life long dreams turn into reality!

12. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Taking the children to fun places. I feel like we spend so much time just doing the everyday stuff, but I don’t want to miss out on the opportunities that living in Chiang Mai offer, and I really want to show the children the fun of exploring, so we need to get out and just do it!

13. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Aimless wasting of time… I spent too much time mucking around.

14. What was your favourite tv show?

Nothing, I didn’t really have a show that stood out. I liked watching Sugar Rush, Zumbo’s Just Desserts and Project Runway for downtime though.

15. What was your favourite film of this year?

I don’t have one, but I have high hopes for 2019 as I’m so looking forwards to the final instalment of How to Train Your Dragon! It’s my most favourite movie ever.

16. Where were you when 2018 began?

In bed, but awake this time! I think I was talking with the Mister and drinking tea.

17. Where were you when 2018 ended?

Out on our balcony peeking at the fireworks and lanterns floating up through the tree tops, in Chiang Mai Thailand.

18. Who were you with when 2018 started?

My family.

19. Who were you with when 2018 ended?

My family ~ the children were snoring away in their beds!

20. What was the best book you read?

I really haven’t had time for reading this year!

21. What was your greatest musical discovery?

BTS and BlackPink, and to a lesser degree, EXO. I have loved exploring K-Pop this year.

22. What did you want and get?

A new business. \ ^-^ / woo!

23. What did you want and not get?

To see my family for Christmas… To ride my horse.

24. What did you do on your birthday?

I had a lovely evening out with the Mister! We had a date and we went to the Monsoon Tea House, walked around Nimman, ate Vietnamese for dinner and finished off with a lovely ice-cream sundae!

25. What kept you sane?

Drawing and making art. But I’m really starting to feel stressed and anxious as I haven't had much time to catch my breath and decompress and it’s beginning to be a bit much.

26. Whom did you miss?

Copper. *whaa* I reallllly want to ride my pony! Ugh, I need to get back in the saddle… I just miss Copper’s calm presence and how the things that bother us really don’t matter to horses. I miss the peace and quiet of the silent communication with your equine partner, and the openness of the paddocks. I miss the feeling of being grounded and at the same time, challenged by the complexity of working with another living creature that doesn’t use many verbal cues. It’s all about reading the signs, and there’s something in that exchange that calms my soul and brings me rest like not much else can.

I do also really miss my friends and family. I think it’s starting to get a bit lonely after not really being able to talk to anyone for so long.

27. Who were the best new people you met?

We’ve met a few people from our Moo Baan so that’s been nice, but mostly I’ve loved meeting new people through Teacup Girl! It’s been so amazing the conversations and connections you can make when you are talking to so many new people.

28. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018:

That you need to leave double the time that you think you will, and then double it again because nothing goes to plan so start way earlier than you even should to be regularly early!

29. What are your plans for 2019?

To created the most efficient systems for Teacup Girl that we can so we maximise our productivity. We also are working at applying that to everyday life so that we are not running around like chickens with our heads chopped off!

30. What are your New Year's resolutions?

1. Make Teacup Girl sustainable

2. To be mindful of the time I use

3. To not procrastinate so my plans actually have a chance of running smoothly!

xox,

bonita

༺ ♡ ༻
Find me:

Friday, December 28, 2018

༺ Rose Gold ༻

It has been a very quiet Christmas for the Vear family this year. We weren’t able to fly back home to be with our friends and family ~ and I must say, it really put a damper on the holiday celebrations for me.

So many of my favourite things about Christmas ~ and pretty much all of our holiday traditions centre around being close to, and spending time with, the ones we love. Playing table top games, making gingerbread together, driving around the neighbourhood to see Christmas lights, going to the carols ~ all of that is done with our family…

Not being in Australia for Christmas was hard.

But there were things we got to do and see that we did enjoy, so all was not sad!

There has been giant pink Christmas trees, delicious food for our Christmas dinner, sleepy days at home, Lego building, decorating with carols blasting and the whole family dancing as they put up lights and baubles, plus smiling Thai friends wishing us Merry Christmas, even though they don’t celebrate Christmas ~ and can barely pronounce it!

I also really, really loved the chance to do something different with our tree this year.

Usually I go for a traditional tree, as pine tree-like as a fake tree can look (!) with loads of wooden and folk style decorations. This year I wanted to satisfy my pastel princess and go for a more 1950’s atomic pastel explosion!

We bought a white tree ~ the last one in the store. It was on display, and I waited for half an hour while they found the box out back and packed it up for me!! Absolutely worth it because I love it so much.

Then the girls wanted pink decorations, and I was definitely happy to oblige. There were some “pinker” coloured baubles, more like a bubble gum pink, but I loved this peachy rose gold colour! So much that we got a ton of those, and I accented the peach with ice blue decorations and some yellow gold for nice contrast.

We even found wrapping paper to go all matchy-matchy our pastel aesthetic. Some of it was actual Christmas wrapping paper, and some of it was cupcakes and macaroon paper ~ neither of which where particularly Christmas-y, but you know, matching aesthetic for the win… Haha!

I wore my specially purchased Christmas skirt ~ I knew I wouldn’t be able to make anything for my Christmas ensemble this year, and paired it with a sheer net blouse, bow belt, and hair flowers that I’d found while out shopping in Malaysia, and local Thai markets and shops.

I had saved my Christmas Pavlova Wreath brooch from Fancy Lady Industries especially for the day ~ I knew it was so fun that I just had to wear it. And when I unwrapped a Peppy Chapette Christmas Angel from the bestest Mister ever, it was a pairing made in heaven! My Christmas angel now had a Christmas dessert halo!

Best.

Christmas.

Brooch.

Combo.

….EVER…!!

The tiny roses I clipped in as a band/crown across the top of my head were also a lot of fun, and felt very 1940’s in style to me even though the rest of my outfit was totally more of a 50’s look. I don’t know if it was because of my outfit, but I had a couple of random strangers taking my picture that night when we went to look at Maya’s gigantimungous pink Christmas tree, and even had someone jump next to me as her husband snapped a picture!

So random! But I think because Christmas isn’t celebrated in Asian countries that it is funny to see people dressed up for Christmas! Mind you, my outfit would still be considered “dressed up” in Western countries too, so there’s that.

Having the chance to view the pink tree was really delightful, it felt very Christmasy and festive! I enjoyed it a lot. Plus, dinner was soooo good. We went to The Duke’s, which is an American style Chiang Mai chain restaurant. We like to go there on special occasions, as it’s the perfect place to celebrate. If you can’t celebrate with family and friends you might as well celebrate with a super delicious meal!

So Christmas was really different this year, but it was a good one. As we go into the beginning of 2019, I want to wish you all a joyous holiday season, a belated Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!

xox,

bonita

Friday, January 12, 2018

༺ A Year Flies By ༻

It’s been a while since I’ve done an end of year review, over 365 days in fact! Although it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I love the rite of sitting down and remembering all the things that happened in the last twelve months. Especially as I don’t always get a chance to record those thoughts or events in my actual journal.

As always, if you wish post these questions for yourself, please do! This was a great way to look back over the year. Here’s how 2017 went down at Lavender & Twill! ♡

1. What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before?

Moved overseas! What else? Rode in a tuktuk, learned a smattering of Thai {literally only four phrases, but it’s still a new language}, learned to ride a motorbike/scooter by myself, flew with with three little children, went overseas with carry on luggage only… Well, that didn’t last long, but I did it!

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions?

I didn’t make any as I had no idea what 2017 would bring. But if a decision to pack and move the family to South East Asia counts, then I guess I did.

3. What countries did you visit?

Yay! I get to answer this one! Thailand and Malaysia, and technically Australia too as we are only here for a visit over Christmas.

4. How many different places did you travel to in 2017?

Koh Lanta, Krabi, Thailand
Penang Island, Malaysia
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Although I’m not really counting the layover stops as we never left the airport, but Singapore and Kula Lumpa as well.

5. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?

This probably is a redundant answer, but good health. I am still struggling to get on top of my Hypothyroidism, so fitness and wellness in my body is so foreign to me right now. I am really desperate to regain strength.

6. What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

April 24th. Our departure date from Sydney to Thailand.

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Packing up and moving our family overseas. We had deliberately picked a short time frame to get it happening. We started planning our move at the beginning of December 2016, but nothing was confirmed until mid-way through February. We set the end of April as our leaving date, booked some flights for the 24th, and that was that. We then had roughly two and a half months to pack up the house and prepare for an overseas move.

Some people thought I was crazy for trying to do it in such short amount of time considering we’d never even been overseas as a family ~ let alone moved there. The Mister hadn’t even been out of Australia before this trip!

But I knew I could get it done, and I did. I had help, of course I needed it! But in the end I got it done and I am proud of that.

8. What was your biggest failure?

I’m not sure ~ there where lots of little things I failed at during the year. But I can’t think of anything that was a stand out, out and out failure. Unless it was failing to keep my blog going. Haha, I was so slack this year.

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Yes. Hypothyroid sickness dogged me all year, and kept me very, very ill for long periods of the year. I also had to get a crown on my front tooth, which hurt a lot. And I suffered from an inner ear infection in both ears.

10. What was the best thing you bought?

Nothing that I can think of particularly… Oh! I know! Trunkis for the kidlets. These are little wheeled suitcases that the children could pull themselves, or sit on and be towed. The Trunkis were, without a single ounce of doubt, absolute life savers when traveling through the airports with three small children.

11. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Seeing new places, learning about new cultures. Exploring! Adventure!

12. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? Happier
ii. thinner or fatter? Bloated…
iii. richer or poorer? Both!!

13. What do you wish you'd done more of?

I wish I got to do more exploring. I didn’t do enough as I got too tired.

14. What do you wish you'd done less of?

I’m not sure; spending time in bed? Of course, I wish I had been well enough not to be stuck in bed. But it’s not something I had control over.

15. What was your favourite tv show?

Trollhunters on Netflix.

16. What was your favourite film of this year?

Thor: Ragnarok. I loved it!! It was hilarious!!

17. Where were you when 2017 began?

In bed.

18. Where were you when 2017 ended?

In bed. I’m old.

19. Who were you with when 2017 started?

My family.

20. Who were you with when 2017 ended?

My family and extended family. We’ve been staying with my Mom and Dad during our visit to Australia, and it’s been super lovely.

21. What was the best book you read?

“Hands Free Mama: A Guide to Putting Down the Phone, Burning the To-Do List, and Letting Go of Perfection to Grasp What Really Matters!” By Rachel Macy Stafford

I read this book in one hit on the plane from Singapore to Sydney at 1:00am in the morning when I couldn’t sleep. It was good and a lot of it resonated with me, particularly the parts about the unconscious choices we can be making without realising what they will cost us.

I have resolved to make a greater effort to engage and really pay attention to my family, to make the deliberate choice and effort to spend time with them.

22. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Eleventyseven’s newest album; “Rad Science” as it had my all-time favourite, most relatable song of my life currently ~ “Holding On”.

23. What did you want and get?

A trip overseas. A new lens for my camera.

24. What did you want and not get?

To be healthy.

25. What did you do on your birthday?

I spent the day with my family. Wore a whirligig brooch and birthday candle brooch and had nachos for dinner.

26. What kept you sane?

Swimming. Surprisingly!

I wouldn’t call myself a water baby by any stretch of the imagination, but that changed when I was overseas. I think it was because my usual comforts weren’t really available. I couldn’t ride, I didn’t have my crafting supplies, so I couldn’t sew or create. I didn’t have my friends or family to hang out with. So I would jump in the pool every night before bed and float my cares away.

We didn’t have a private pool in Malaysia and Chiang Mai, so when we moved I really missed that nightly routine. But the pool is still really good place for me to go and relax for a bit and I’ve been relying on that. I have discovered this only works with outdoor pools though! I hate indoor pools and never swim in them.

27. Whom did you miss?

All my family and friends. And Copper. Oh boy, was I so homesick for my horse while overseas. At least I could talk to everyone on Skype and messenger, but I missed my ponyboy soooo much, it hurt.

28. Who were the best new people you met?

I met a bunch of new people, and met a friend in Malaysia I’m still in touch with, as well as my awesome coffee lady in Thailand.

29. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017:

Patience. Things NEVER work out like you plan. But you’ve got to plan them and try them anyway. And maybe if you’re lucky, with patience, time, and hard work, things will end up closer to what you were imagining. But it will not happen straight away. You’ve got to work at it, and wait for it.

30. What are your plans for 2018?

To keep plugging away at things. We are heading back to Thailand in a month or so. We will keep pursuing business plans, and figuring out what the best life for our family looks like.

xox,

bonita

༺ ♡ ༻
Find me:

Friday, January 15, 2016

༺ Times of the Year ༻

Last year I did a fun end of year review, and although it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I love the rite of stting down and remembering all the things that happened in the last tweleve months! Especially as I don’t always get a chance to record those thoughts or events in my actual journal.
( ^ _ ^)∠☆

As always, if you wish post these questions for yourself, please do! This was a great way to look back over the year. Here’s how 2015 went down at Lavender & Twill! ♡

1. What did you do in 2015 that you'd never done before?

Graded a pattern ~ more on that one later. Turned 30 ~ haha! But really, I haven’t done it before! Started drinking coffee. I never used to ~ it gave me migranes and I am a tea girl through and through… But with three little ones under five, and thyroid issues… I caved. It was either that or take four hour naps every afternoon, and who has time for that?

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions?

Yes ~ well, sort of… So I only made two goals for 2015 ~ to be more mindful, and to sew more.

While I struggled with mindfulness all year, it certainly was on my radar and it was something I was working towards. So I guess I sort of did it; but not to the point that I’m set. I definitely have to keep working at this.

Number two ~ sew more. I certainly did that, but I don’t know if this was such a helpful goal. I think I ended up putting more pressure on my sewing, and that stressed me out, which made the sewing harder, and so on and so forth… Or should that be sew on and sew forth??

The point being: I found out that I can’t be that much faster with my sewing or bad mistakes start to happen, and also I will burn myself out if I try to do a big stretch of projects over the year ~ like I had planned for my sewing all the things. Though really, that title alone should have given it away!

I think I just fall into the trap of trying to keep up with everyone and everything ~ forgetting that I have to balance my own life, not try to live someone else’s…

3. What countries did you visit?

None. Again. *sigh* One year!

4. How many different places did you travel to in 2014?

Let’s see. We went to:

- Sydney
- Merry Beach
- Perisher, Jindabyne

Not much in terms of traveling, but we did go to Sydney three times this year, and the snow fields for three day trips.

5. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?

More humilty to lean on God when I need help. This year has been a bit rough at times.

6. What date from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

16th of Feburary, 2015 ~ when we got to meet our baby girl. My 30th birthday! And all the resulting parties ~ so October. May the 9th because I got meet Nora of Nora Finds and A Wild Tea Party, and of course, the 14th of November, because it was the first Aussie Vintage Girls Meetup, and I just had a blast meeting all the lovely ladies and hanging out with them!

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Little Lottie Bug ~

‘Nuff said. (•ᵕ ᴗ ᵕ•)❀

8. What was your biggest failure?

Not keeping up with healthy eating habits or the house work… We have slipped back into very bad habits of eating heaps of takeaway, and don’t get me started on the continuous loads of wet washing that have been sitting forgotten in the machine or the washing basket!!
Ugh… (″･ิ_･ิ)っ

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Mostly just hay fever ~ we seem to be keeping well otherwise.

10. What was the best thing you bought?

My overlocker. That thing is awesome. I love how neatly it finishes everything up inside!

11. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Meeting Nora! The Fifties Fair! The Aussie Vintage Girl Meetup! Moving my horse to a new equestrian facility!! So many fun things!

[AVGM_94.png]

12. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? Happier for sure. I’m not pregnant. Lol!
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner; again, not pregnant. Fatter; I can’t fit 80% of my wardrobe. The struggle is real.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer. I have so many wonderful people to enjoy life with! And I’m grateful that my Savior never lets me go.

13. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Funnily enough to everyone who knows how much I hate being the kitchen ~ cooking, and cleaning. Like I said, a lot of old bad habits I’d worked very hard to grow out of are back and it’s killing me. (〒︿〒)

14. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Eating bad food. Comfort/stress eating.

15. What was your favourite tv show?

I’ve not really had any ~ but we have been watching Hawaii Five-0 and it’s been fun.

16. What was your favourite film of this year?

Avengers - Age of Ultron

17. Where were you when 2015 began?

At Khancoban, in a tent, fast asleep...

18. Where were you when 2015 ended?

In my bed, at home, fast asleep…. Haha! Life with little ones, that’s all I’ve got to say about that!

19. Who were you with when 2015 started?

My little family, and extended family on my side.

20. Who were you with when 2015 ended?

Family!

21. What was the best book you read?

Can’t think of that stood out, so ~ I don’t have one.

22. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Home Free ~ because accapella wins at all the things! (~￣▽￣)~

23. What did you want and get?

A spot at an equestrian complex that has everything I could wish for!! Didn’t think I’d get in as there is a long waiting list, but a last minute spot popped up and we are settling into our new home. It’s fabulous!

24. What did you want and not get?

To lose weight so I can fit my clothes again. (*´Д`)ﾊｧﾊｧ *big sigh*

25. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I went out on a lunch date with the Mister, and we had a burger at our favourite park sans the little people. It was lovely and relaxing. I reached the big 30. Not that you can miss that ~ I must have mentioned it a dozen times by now!

26. What kept you sane?

Hanging out with good friends, my Mister, cups of tea, horse riding and prayer ~ same as last year, but you can’t beat it!

27. Whom did you miss?

I actually made a bunch of new friends and was able to hang out with lots of different people aa bunch of times this year ~ that’s been so wonderful! However, my sister-in-law was over in the USA for a long time, and I missed her a lot.

28. Who were the best new people you met?

These girls: Harlow Darling and A Wild Tea Party

The Aussie Vintage Girls Crew! | Lavender & Twill

It has been soooo much fun getting to know these two lovely ladies this year, and I’m so happy that we’ve been able to hang out and be friends! (♡◠‿◠)

{Funny story; I almost wrote down that I met Wild Tea Party last year, because it feels like we’ve known each other for forever, but in reality we only met for the first time in May!}

29. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014:

Slow down. If you rush, you make mistakes. You might have a lot to do, but if you are calm and systematic, it’s more likely to get done smoothly than if you rush around like a turkey with your head chopped off!

30. What are your plans for 2015?

Work on cleaner eating, better housekeeping practises, maintain my 3-4 rides a week, try out Working Equitation, maybe start looking into a business plan of mine that been on the backburner ~ basically, work hard and go for it!

xox,

bonita

༺ ♡ ༻

Thursday, January 8, 2015

༺ Year End, Year Anew ༻

I found this series of fun questions on A Collection of Madcap Escapades, which is an equestrian blog I follow. I thought they looked interesting, so after I amended them to suit, I got stuck into writing down the answers. As always, if you wish post these questions for yourself, please do! This was a great way to look back over the year.

Here’s my version of how 2014 went down. ♡

1. What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?

I learned to quilt… Sort of. I haven’t finished learning the very basics of quilting yet, nor have I finished my first quilt {yes, this is the baby’s quilt}. But it is something I’ve never tried before. And I like it.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

In a word ~ yes! I did! Wow, that’s kind of cool. (ง •̀_•́)ง ☆ So I blogged about my 2014 New Years Resolutions, and I’ll probably write about my 2015 New Years Resolutions ~ when I get to figuring out what they are that is!

3. What countries did you visit?

None. There was no international travel for us this year sadly, but we do have plans for a trip to South East Asia for a couple of weeks around September/October this year. I must say, I am super excited about this. I haven’t been travelling since 2008 and I miss it a lot.

4. How many different places did you travel to in 2014?

Let’s see. We went to:

- Ulladulla
- Sydney
- Khancoban

Three places then. Not many, but we were very busy selling our house!

5. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?

An interesting query. I don’t feel like I “lacked” anything particularly… Except maybe a healthier dose of self-discipline! I really need to work on that, so that is something I would like work towards this year. It is a work in progress though ~ not something so easily obtained.

6. What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

I can’t say it’s etched upon my memory, because I had to look it up in my diary{!}, but probably the 23rd of April, 2014. That’s when The Mister and I decided to sell our first home.

We knew we want to make that step at some point ~ we just weren’t thinking about doing it so soon! That launched us into a whole pile of changes that took the rest of our year to settle into. They have been good changes however.

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Publishing the first novel that I co-authored with my sister! Gamenian is a Science Fiction/Fantasy Space Opera that has lots of adventure, a smackerel of romance, and a heaping of questions about humanity.

“Freedom is a lie.

It’s been four years since Tori escaped the desert planet of Esandira and her life as a drug-mule and assassin for a dictator named Craik, but she is as enslaved as she ever was. While she is physically free, inside her mind, the past blurs with the present, and she’s desperate for a cure from the faces that only she can see, and the voices that only she can hear.

On the run from an assassin and a bounty hunter, she crosses paths with Spencer, a seventeen-year-old who isn’t sure where he’s going. Spencer doesn’t want anything to do with her, and while she shares the sentiment, their lives are twisted together by the death of a mutual loved one.

With her enemies drawing closer, Tori is getting tired of running. And she sees only one way out. Craik must die. It’s a dangerous cat and mouse game, but the closer she gets to Craik the more her dark secrets begin to surface and the more she begins to question the path she has chosen.”

Find your own copy of Gamenian on Amazon, or you can visit A&B Novels to find out more about my partnership with my little sister and how we wrote this book together.

*end shameless plug* ….. (~￣▽￣)~

8. What was your biggest failure?

I didn’t do hardly any sewing at all. I think I started one blouse ~ or may be that was last year? Anyway, I got stuck on attaching the sleeve cuff to the sleeve, and haven’t really touched my machine since.

Oh, I did sew an 6 gore 1940’s skirt in grey wool, but hardly wore it because it was super scratchy when I put it on. I need to line it now, or wear a petticoat with it forever more. I didn’t even notice this while I was sewing the fabric up, so you might call that a fail too! : P

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Yes. I sprained my right ankle badly on Mother’s Day {in May ~ Happy Mother’s Day to me!} and it has been a bit problematic for the last six months. I kept re-spraining it and injuring it slightly. It does seem to be better now, but it’s still tight and not in the best state, so I’d say it’s still recovering from that.

And illness? The list is too long ~ we had the worst cold and influenza season that Canberra has ever had this last winter and I was sick for six months of the year because of it. Yuck.

10. What was the best thing you bought?

My DIY gel polish manicure kit. Seriously, that thing is the bomb-diggity and I love it. Gel polish for the win!!

11. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Snowboarding! I hadn’t been the year before {2013} because I broke my elbow in four places when my horse decided to turn me into a lawn dart, so it worked out that I couldn’t make that season. Which meant I was really, really, really excited to go this year!

12. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? Just as happy as before. ‘ ‘٩(⁎＾ᴗ＾⁎)۶’’

ii. thinner or fatter? Pregnanter… Lol.

iii. richer or poorer? Richer. I have a wealth of friends and family that I am grateful for more and more every day. I have faith in a friend who will never let me down ~ the closer I draw to Jesus, the more He grants me joy.

13. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Exercise. I didn’t keep myself very fit at all this year, and it’s been hard on my body because of that.

14. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Wasting time derping around on the internet looking at endless stuff that I don’t really care about, and can’t even remember in the end. A truly pointless time suck that would keep me up late, or from getting on with things I really wanted to do. Silly. I don’t want to do that this year… Hey! First 2015 resolution found!

15. What was your favourite tv show?

Dragons: Riders of Burk

16. What was your favourite film of this year?

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (¬ ᴗ ¬)

17. Where were you when 2014 began?

At Ulladulla, in a tent, fast asleep...

18. Where were you when 2014 ended?

Khancoban Lakeside Caravan Resort, in a tent, fast asleep…. (─‿‿─) I’m sensing a theme here.

19. Who were you with when 2015 started?

My little family, and extended family on my side.

20. What was the best book you read?

“The Pocket Measure” by Isabella Arden {Pansy} because it really made me think hard and make some good decisions to support my husband more as I ought too.

21. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Erm, how about my favourite song? I don’t think I made any particular “discoveries”.
(◕ . ◕) ... “Counting Stars” by One Republic

22. What did you want and get?

I thought I would like a Surface Pro 3, but didn’t think that I’d be getting it any time soon…. Surprise! The Mister secured one for me, and it’s been total awesomeness! I ❤ it so much!

23. What did you want and not get?

New agistment for Copper {my horse} with an arena to ride in for winter. It wasn’t the best thing for him though, so I didn’t end up moving him.

24. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I looked after my little ones, crocheted Isabelle’s baby blanket and watched Cupcake Wars! It was a very pleasant day, and I turned 29.

25. What kept you sane?

My Mister, cups of tea, horse riding and prayer.

26. Whom did you miss?

My sisters. Busy university students that they were this last year, I didn’t get to spend as much time with any of them as I would have liked to.

27. Who were the best new people you met?

A lovely couple from the States. He was a childhood friend of The Mister, and though they hadn’t seen each other in over nine years, when we met up all together we got on like a house on fire and had loads of fun. I wish we had the chance to spend more time with them, but sadly they were only able to stay for a short while before moving on.

28. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014:

I learned so many I don’t know how pin-point just one! I guess one of my favourites was about de-junking and de-cluttering. I hadn’t realized how much cleaner and neater your home can feel when you get rid of those odd piles and stacks of stuff that seem to just… grow!

After throwing my first garage sale, however, I was so surprised at how much nicer the house felt without all the extra stuff everywhere. So now I like to try to keep things to a minimal ~ although that’s difficult with my collector tendencies. (> - <)

29. What are your plans for 2015?

Have a baby, settle into looking after three little ones{yikes!}, run my household smoothly, travel to South East Asia with the family, and compete at a dressage show or two with Copper. Beyond that? I guess we’ll find out!

xox,

bonita

༺ ♡ ༻

Pages

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

༺ That Sea of Time ༻

Friday, December 28, 2018

༺ Rose Gold ༻

Friday, January 12, 2018

༺ A Year Flies By ༻

Friday, January 15, 2016

༺ Times of the Year ༻

Thursday, January 8, 2015

༺ Year End, Year Anew ༻

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