Love Is All Is Alright...

Whakatauki - Māori Proverb

He kai kei aku ringa - There is food at the end of my hands

Said by a person who can use his basic abilities and resources to create success.  

Change One

So I got a diary...Over the past two weeks I have sporadically noted the food I've been eating, my thoughts and fitness (if any, lol). I won't be sharing a 'blow by blow' description of my diary data as it's pretty boring and really - who wants to know or cares what someone else is eating, seriously, lol. Oh, and I watched a TV programme: What's The Right Diet For You? Bloody brilliant! I went to the website and found out the right diet for me, downloaded the diet plan and now I'm away laughing. On Monday I started the Intermittent Diet (for cravers, like moi) - two days of restricted diet then five days of unrestricted diet (following the Change One plan which is smaller portions sizes, not so much fat, sugar, starchy carbs...) I must say it is going pretty well, feeling quite positive about it all - check it out, click on the link above :)

Red Red Wine

My little whanau and I went to a UB40 concert at Waipara Valley Winery, it was cool, I enjoyed seeing Herbs as well. When in Rome...Being in a winery I decided to try the merchandise, purchased and drank a bottle of Rose` - oh my gosh, was lovely but the next day....yuck, seedy, terrible hangover!

Cherry Oh Baby!...

Chill Bill...

This is how I calm the farm, chillax - paint my nails, the best part is choosing the colours, what ever takes my fancy  :)

Crazy Crush

Crazy Crush

Crazy Crush colours

Purple and White Dot Daisy

Purple and White Dot Daisy

Purple and White Dot Daisy colours and embellishment

Art Deco Gecko

Art Deco Gecko

Art Deco Gecko colours

Thank you for visiting, this is one of my favourite UB40 songs - hope you enjoy Love Is All Is Alright 

Ka kite ano

BCH :)

Communication Breakdown...sux balls!

Whakatauki - Māori Proverb

Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei

Seek the treasure you value most dearly: if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain

Change One

This whakatauki is about aiming high or for what is truly valuable, but it's real message is to be persistent and don't let obstacles stop you from reaching your goal.

Let me tell you, I know the biggest obstacle to overcome is me!  My negative thoughts, complacency, procrastination, fear of failure even my emotions - I am constantly fighting myself everyday. For example; my alarm goes off at 5:55am - set early so I have time to get up and go for a walk before Ryan leaves for work at 7:00am, anyway, it's got to the point where my alarm goes off and I'm like nahhh too tired, can't be fucked...so I sleep in. Then throughout the day I am cursing myself for not going for a walk - come tea time, I blow out my diet by eating a big fatty unhealthy plateful gahhhh!....Feeling defeated and useless at this stage, I crave for something sweet to eat, this is pretty much a daily cycle. Sometimes I go for a walk in the early morning, then something will happen, giving me an excuse to stop, until I realise I am overweight, out of shape, feeling ugly and unsexy, momentarily motivating me to start again.

...So last week, I started Change One - I changed what I eat for breakfast and portion size. It was a half-arsed attempt because I couldn't be fucked exercising (going for a walk), but, I am still motivated to keep at it.  This week I change what I eat for lunch and maintain my new breakfast. I haven't gone for a walk yet, I plan to set my alarm for tomorrow morning. I am still craving foods especially sweet things, so I've decided to keep a detailed diary of the daily goings-on, even my cravings and thoughts, bar the x-rated ones lol. Oh yes, I also need to get a battery for my bathroom scales.  I'm a bit apprehensive to get the measuring tape out - may have the courage to do that next week.  This means there will be additional digits to the ones I threw down last week.

BCH's Happy Place

Ahhh my happy place, this is what I do to calm the farm lol - paint my nails.  I do it twice a week, love the different colours and patterns - it's a bit rough but the more I do it the better I get  :)

Gold flowers on black.

Communication Breakdown

Have you ever been on the unreceiving end of a communication breakdown aka a person who has chosen to cut off all communication, as in - cut you out of their life?....Ooh ooh me, woefully holding my hand up :(  

If  you are capable of pulling a hurtful stunt like that, I have empathy for you - maybe you don't know what unconditional love is?...have you shut that out of your life as well?...maybe you are young, selfish, materialistic, superficial - surely you have a heart?  Can you look at what upset you and talk about it - to get past it.  

Daughter, I still don't know what I did to upset you so much that you wont talk to me?  Help me understand, what do I need to do?  I miss you.  Love you always your mum xox

Communication Breakdown - Roy Orbison

Ka kite ano

BCH :)

 

Aspirations - Saspirations - At Your Stations, Go!

Whakatauki - Māori Proverb

Ko te mutunga oranga, he timatanga kaha! - Winning starts with beginning!

This meme cracks me up, his eye rolling, classic!

Kia ora koutou
...Yes, the new year 2016 is almost upon us...and, yes it's that time when people like me consciously decide to change for the better, BUT - it usually involves a shit load of effort, time, money, and 100% commitment. I ask myself can I really do this?  Yeah, nah....

So, this new year I have decided that - yes I will make some changes, some improvements (I'm being realistic), all the while doing/giving the best I can and enjoying the journey.

Big Curly Hair Goals for 2016

1. Save money
2. Reduce debt (motherfucken student loan from a million years ago with compound interest)
3. Achieve Level 4 in te reo Māori
4. Drop down a dress size
5. "Stop and smell the roses", love myself....

Glad to say I'm already on the path of achieving the first three, working on 4 & 5. Here's some digits:  

11 100, 15 723, 89.8 - these will change each week, for better or worse lol.

Change One

Went to a book sale last year and picked up a book for a $1 called Change One, I thought it would come in handy one day - sure enough, that day has come.

In summary, this book is about a practical way to lose weight - simply, safely and forever.  So, each week I will be changing one thing in my diet eg; first week - change my breakfast, second week change my lunch and so on....until I have changed what I eat  throughout the day + I will be walking for exercise (building up to running).  I will weigh myself each Monday, hopefully see  the digits go down.  :)

Nailed It!

Since I have been busy at work and haven't had time or the will for card making or sewing :(  I have been fulfilling my artyfartyness by way of nail art - I have been prettying up my own talons, such a cheap and fun way of nourishing the creative soul and is quite aesthetically pleasing :)  Check out this link - she is absolutely amazing:   Drømmelakken

Kupu Hou - New Word

kī taurangi - 1. (verb) (-hia,-tia) to promise, guarantee, vow, make an oath, pledge, assure, swear an oath.

                      2. (noun) promise, guarantee, vow, oath, pledge, word, word of honour, assurance.

panoni - 1. (verb) (-hia,-tia) to change.  2. (noun) change. 

matikuku - 1. (noun) nail (of a finger or toe), hoof.  2. (noun) claw, talon.

...Yup it's been awhile, I have missed blogging about my Big Curly Hair journey.  Thanks for visiting :)

Ka kite ano

BCH :)

Good Grief...

Kia ora koutou

It's been awhile, how are you all? I feel ready to talk about where I'm at in life, and how I have learnt that it is not the destination but more about the journey...

Straight after my beautiful wedding ceremony at Christchurch Botanical Gardens, my dad had finally agreed to be taken to the hospital just up the road, as he was not feeling well and had a lot of pain in his leg. We all (the whanau) breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he's going to be alright now.  Later that evening dad went into surgery, the doctors were shocked and surprised at what they found, the severity of the flesh eating bacteria all through his leg, abdomen and up the side of his torso.  The doctors took him off the breathing machine late that night and moved him to a room where we watched him take his last breath at 12:20am on 20th October 2013.

The pain of losing dad is still strong, I cry a lot, I think of dad often - everyday things, smells, sights, sounds trigger memories of him, I still choke up when I speak of my dad or think of my wedding day, I am crying as I write this...It hurts like a mofo!  Grieving sucks.  I have decided to turn this into good grief.

Last year, at the one year anniversary of my dad's passing, I wrote a poem and put it to a song of one of dad's favourite bands. This was my first step to healing and turning it into good grief.

LAST DAY by Keri-Anne Halliday, music - Leaf and Stream by Wishbone Ash

...So a lot has happened since my last post Warm Winter Woolies, now that I'm getting back into the swing of things, I plan to do a catch-up update of my Big Curly Hair journey :)

Till then, thanks for visiting

Ka kite ano

BCH :)

Warm Winter Woollies...

Kia ora koutou

...Oh my gosh, winter's icy chill is upon us - freezing my akuna ma tahtahs off here, lol.  

Any hoo, since my previous blog (which was a while ago), sorry, you might of guessed - I've been

super-duper busy. 

Went to The Paper Peacock camp at Glentui, where I created a cool colourful album for myself and made my first box in card for mum's mother's day card, I've gotta tell ya - that was the beginning of the end for me - absolutely love this card, hence the many other box in a card that follow :)   Designed a layout  for the Sunday learn a layout group.  Made a couple more dresses, one for a very rare date night with my husband and I also made a very warm woolly winter coat.  Started training for my new full-time job with New Zealand Post and I stumbled upon a very fortunate opportunity to use my diploma - woop woop, will definitely keep you updated...exciting times!

I really need to get a new camera, my crappy phone camera just doesn't cut it - so I apologise for the poor quality pics.

Box In A Card

For my mum <3

Happy 60th Aunty Yvonne

Happy Birthday Latoya

Happy Birthday my friends - Maria, Sandy, Sandra, Julie

Creative Bunch Of Ladies At Glentui

I love this picture of us - spot the big curly hair sandwich, lol.

Not Even Owl - Album

My Project Life - Learn a Layout

This was my first Project Life creation, what a cool, fun way to scrapbook and you get to display heaps more photos :)

A Bit Of Sewing

My date night dress.

Opportunity knocks...

Last year I gained a certificate in Small Business Management through Te Wananga O Aotearoa and subsequently signed up to do the Certificate in Money Management this year.  It has been awesome, the things I've learnt and most of all the people I have met.  One of those like minded people I met was Louise, she has her own business in designing and retailing vintage (more specifically 'Rockabilly') fabrics....Yes! Oh my goshhh!  Right up my alley - I love that style...So we got to talking, needless to say watch this space!

Heres the link if you would like to check out her website Lady Lou.

Whanau

In my last post I mentioned how my family are not just pretty faces but are also very talented, well my beautiful sister Latoya has been at it again lol.  I am so impressed and inspired by her cool creations tutorial/demonstration videos on you tube!  Check it out - here are the links   

What's Your Flavour?  Chic Boutique Canvas Art

I chose a song - my sister Latoya reckons it's boring, lol...Have a listen, you tell me?  I don't think it's boring, it's one of those songs that stick in your head :)
Milky - Just The Way You Are

That's my lot for now, thanks for having a look :)

Ka kite ano

BCHC :)