13/52

Dancing with Daddy is exhausting.

There are a few, Portrait a Week options out there. A lot involve taking a portrait of your children each week. Jodi over at Che and Fidel has inspired me to pick up my camera and turn the focus inward. Since I already take 100s of photos of my children each week, so I thought I would twist the idea a little. What I never seem to get is group shots, images of the family together, whether it is my two children, Tamika and Jarvis, or me with the kids, or shots of Justin and I. So I am going to challenge myself to get one image of "my family" per week.

CHANGE OF MIND

Last week I wrote a post about kindness, about how women have stoped being nice to themselves and to other women. Tamika and I tested the theory of random acts of kindness to someone else, with good results. I elicited a smile from a previous sullen face. But it left me thinking it was time to suck up my own advice, and start being nice to myself.

I have been wearing my cranky pants, actually more like my stressed out pants, way to often of late. The stress of no money has made me a very unhappy person. While I cannot change the lack of money in my life, I can make a change on walking around feeling grumpy.

So I set myself three ground rules

1 Stop obsessing about it (easier said than done when you have an OCD personality)

2 Accept life for what it is (I want to be a stay at home Mum, so money is not going to appear from no where)

3 Fake it until it becomes real. (Put a retail smile on my face, until I can find my real smile)

Over all results? Not bad, I am still worried about money but trying to stop being obsessive about it. Attempting to look at the over image of my life. instead of the tiny details. I am smiling more and getting better at not always faking it.

I went grocery shopping with Tamika and Jarvis, (oh yes how exciting is my life?) and got told compliments by two separate people. One on my hair and the other on my skirt. I colour and cut my own hair, and have done so for the last twenty or so years. So when a woman approached me, telling me my hair was stunning, and could she have the name of the salon I go to, I was…. I was clumsy in my thank yous. But I did get a thank you out, and said I do it myself. Another girl came up to me and said that she loved my skirt. I just replied “it is an old tablecloth’ and walked off. Tamika got up me, and told me I should have said “thank you I made it myself; here is a business card if you want me to make you one”.

Goals for this week, practice saying thank you and remember to say positive things to others.

Again, the images really have nothing to do with the post. I discovered this old beach house on one of my explorations and thought it was like me, old and run down, but still had a certain charm. Each time I feel myself getting stressed I imagine myself sitting on that chair by the ocean. Does it work? Nup, but it would be a bloody nice place to be. 

VACANCES EN FRANCE: PARTIE SIXTEEN/ HOLIDAYS IN FRANCE: PART SIXTEEN

After the enthusiasm I felt documenting the streets of Paris, and its people, I wanted to continue this in Korea. However, during the one day we had in Soul I could not continue the energy I had felt in Paris. I am not sure if it was the limited time we had in Soul or because it was the end of our journey. But the flavour of Korea remained elusive to my lens. But here is a small sample of my images of the people of Soul.

I felt sadness during our day in Korea, much like I do in writing this, knowing this is my last post on our holiday in France and Korea. Reliving our journey with these posts each week has been an amazing way to re-experience it. Now I am sad to say goodbye once again. Au revoir France, I hope to see you again,

12/52

This week’s portrait was taken by Justin. Jarvis was in a mood, he was so upset he would not let go of me for the whole evening. Even for his bath-time which he normally loves. I can tell you it is way too small a tube for the both of us. 

There are a few, Portrait a Week options out there. A lot involve taking a portrait of your children each week. Jodi over at Che and Fidel has inspired me to pick up my camera and turn the focus inward. Since I already take 100s of photos of my children each week, so I thought I would twist the idea a little. What I never seem to get is group shots, images of the family together, whether it is my two children, Tamika and Jarvis, or me with the kids, or shots of Justin and I. So I am going to challenge myself to get one image of "my family" per week.

PEOPLE I MEET: 'Rianna Maree' A Nymph in Ballet Shoes

Model: Rianna Schuh

Make up and Body paint: Rachel Dent

Assistant and Stylist: Tamika Collins

Photographer: Iliska Dreams

ACTS OF KINDNESS

When has it become okay to not be nice to other people?  I watched a comedy yesterday, but instead of laughing Tamika and I were left questioning why the three lead women were such bitches. And this was meant to be funny?

I have been told to be nice since I was a child. But what exactly does that mean for me as an adult? "Nice" is such a vague term. My Grandmother was religious and we once had a big in depth conversation about religion, and she said to me it does not matter what religion you follow as long as you follow the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. And respect them for who they are. Another way of saying Do unto others.

But we, (well I am thinking of women/girls in general) have become such bitches to each other. It has become all too easy to tear someone down. Why else would those magazines with covers that scream, “she is too fat”, “too thin”, “too much cellulite”, oh and “check her out with out make-up” sell so well. The do unto others has become, do horrible and say horrible things to others.

What about a random act of kindness? How could it change someone’s day? Tamika and I decided to test this theory.

We were sitting in the food court of our local shopping center and a surly looking girl was approaching us, she looked angry, sad, like she was ready to punch someone. Her hair was a work of art, turquoise blue that she had set into the most perfect victory rolls. She was even dressed like someone from the 1940s. I walked up to her, she stared me down, and I told her how beautiful her hair was.

At first she looked at me as if I was crazy and said it was a mess. I disagreed with her and said it was lovely, then I smiled. Finally she smiled back and said she had taught herself to do it watching You tube videos. I told her how impressed I was, as an ex-hairdresser I know how much work it takes to get this look perfect. She thanked me and walked away smiling.

I was left thinking how easy was that? To be nice. Plus I was left kicking myself for not asking her name or getting her photo. 

Why is it so hard to be nice to others? Also why is it so hard to accept a compliment? Basically this ramblings in this post, is why can we just stop being bitches to ourselves and other women?

Photos have nothing to do with this post. They are just some images I took of Tamika awhile ago and thought I would share them because she looks so beautiful. 

VACANCES EN FRANCE PARTIE: LES QUINZE/ HOLIDAYS IN FRANCE: PART FIFTEEN

I immersed myself in the streets of Paris. I wanted to drink in my surroundings, I knew our journey was nearing the end. and I wanted to capture the vibrancy of the streets and taste the quiet moments of movement around me.

Since Paris is widely accepted as the birthplace of street photography, I knew I had to end our holiday attempting to show a vision of a situation and place; a place that was going to forever capture my heart. Paris is such a cosmopolitan city and it has helped to define street photography as a genre, and the photography has helped to form the city as people know it.

I had captured the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre and now I wanted to show its true spirit, the people of Paris. This collection of images is from the last two days in Paris.

I normally do not use vertical images to keep a continuity to the images here, but so many of my street style images of people are vertical, so I broke my own rule for this post.

11/52

My Mother made a rare visit (it feels like forever since we have seen her, especially not seen her in hospital). A quiet day, lunch at Stones Corner, with Mum, my Aunt and my little sister; and then just hanging out at the FOTT house. Today has got me thinking of memories and lost moments in life. 

There are a few, Portrait a Week options out there. A lot involve taking a portrait of your children each week. Jodi over at Che and Fidel has inspired me to pick up my camera and turn the focus inward. Since I already take 100s of photos of my children each week, so I thought I would twist the idea a little. What I never seem to get is group shots, images of the family together. Whether it is my two children, Tamika and Jarvis. Or me with the kids. Or shots of Justin and I. So I am going to challenge myself to get one image of "my family" per week.

PAJAMAS AT THE FOTT HOUSE

Pyjamas. Pajamas. PJs. Jammies.  There is nothing like comfortable pyjamas.

A loose-fitting garment consisting of trousers and a shirt or top, worn for sleeping or lounging. Often used in the plural.

We had dinner last night at my little sister’s house for my big sister’s birthday. Our matching pajamas were worn. I bought the fabric to make myself a pair, and rather than waste the left over fabric, Jarvis scored himself, yet another pair of PJs. This time I put elastic around the ankles of his, that way I could make them extra long to allow for growth, but to stop him tripping over the hem. I also like how they look a little like puffy clown pants. 

It is the first time I have ever drafted a pants pattern. For Jarvis I use a pattern I had on hand. However, for mine, I got out the pencils and paper and created my own pattern. For the next pair I make, I will do a few minor adjustments to the pattern. But over all, I am happy with the fit.

You can see some of my sister’s gorgeous house in these images. Which Tamika and I have named the FOTT House. Also I am super happy that Jarvis and I are in photos together. It is such a rare thing, even if I am embarrassing him by matching him! Yeah I know how daggy.

Now I am about to make Tamika and Jarvis a matching set!! Hmm wonder if I can convince Tamika to do a matching photoshoot with Jarvis?

Please note that that above images were not taken by me, they were taken by Jam Photographics

BLOGLOVIN

If you haven't already heard the news, Google Reader is shutting down on July 1st. If you use Google Reader to follow me, I would love if you would consider switching over to Bloglovin'. I use Bloglovin to follow all of my favourite blogs and I love it. Just look in my sidebar on the right and follow the Bloglovin icon.

thanks

Julie

FUTURE MEN

I love Mondays. Yes I know most do not, but Justin has Mondays off, so we always spend the day doing something together. We try to make it our day, now we have Jarvis, it has become our ‘family day’.

As with every Monday, Jarvis has his swimming lesson in the morning then we do something. 

This week we went into GOMA, Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, at South Bank. I love it there, so much so I use to work at the gallery. Lucky for me Jarvis also loves it there; this is because the gallery always has spaces dedicated to children. The whole bottom level is just for kids, The Children's Art Centre; it has interactive projects, activities and publications for children and families.

However, at the moment Jarvis’s favorite space in the gallery is up on the third floor, Paramodel joint factory 2012’. Jarvis will spend ages re-arranging the train pieces. Also he loves to flirt with a young red hair girl who works there.  

The other exhibition Jarvis likes is the Richard Maloy, Yellow or blue? 2012. Justin and I made Jarvis a costume out of the cardboard, however, Jarvis was not impressed with it.

After a couple of hours at GOMA, we wandered across the bridge into the city, stopping off at the Shingle Inn to have a hot chocolate. Who knew that hot chocolates came with instructions? Jarvis liked the booth, and that he got to colour in while we drank our drinks.

Over all a lovely day together being tourist in our own city. The only blimp on the radar was on the walk back over the bridge a man purposely slammed into me. (There was heaps of space, so I assume he did this on purpose). At the same time grabbing my breast. (Buddy after breastfeeding and at my age there is not much to grab). At first I was upset, then I thought why let this arrogant aggressive male get to me, But then I also thought, “What would his mother think?”

All of this left me thinking… I am raising a boy, a future man. How do we know when we are ‘getting it right’? Or how do we stuff up, some mothers must have raised this type of male. So mothers of boys out there, how do we raise our boys to be the men we want them to be?