diy dinosaur bookends

Posted by Sharon Pakir on Jan 8, 2012 in Home & Decor | 2 comments

Last week, Anita and I decided to take a little day off to do some crafty fun. She’d seen this nifty little tutorial online on how to make bookends out of some dollar store plastic animals and plastic photoframes, and once she showed it to me, I got a wee bit excited as well.

Surprisingly, it was pretty hard to find plastic animals that were suitable – we hit up the Reject Shop, as well as several asian variety stores, and settled on some dinosaur toys from Kmart. Instead of photoframes, we got point of sale signage plastic holders, so that there was no slant in them.

We tried several methods of cutting them up in half. They didn’t cut well at all with sharp scissors, so we went for the next option in our arsenal:

nyahahahahahaa!

A little bit of overkill? Perhaps. But it was fun.

In hindsight, doing that with shorts and no protective shoes on was probably not a good idea.

Moving on!

We soon realised that a sharp box cutter worked MUCH better to slice through the animals cleanly.

that's MUCH easier!

see? much easier.

You will have to ignore the “bloodstain” on my hand. It was actually some 24 hr lipstick I’d tried on 2 days before. Yes, I bought it because its staying power is evidently impressive! (You can buy it too!)

Whilst I worked hard on the slicing and dicing, Anita busied herself with completely useful exercises, such as making a mutant managerie.

very very helpful.

After cutting them all up, we stuck them onto their plastic frames. It was hard to get them to stick, even superglue was pretty useless. The hot glue gun didn’t work at ALL, though we did have a fun time playing with it. In the end though, Gorilla glue did the trick.

Anita magically becoming helpful when it's not manual labour.

drying in the sun!

To be fair, Anita’s skillset is the fiddly stuff (like gluing these animals on delicately). I have no such claims to such skills. Once they’d dried, we took them to the very official spray-painting station in my backyard to get made over.

official. spraypainting. station.

Anita went for silver, and I went for (surprise surprise!) GOLD.

And yes, S did come home and ask why the garden rocks were metallic. He wasn’t impressed.

We used plastic spray paint primer, let it dry for 40 minutes, and then 2 light and thin coats of our colour of choice.

Annnnnnnd, TA-DA!

finished products! our own metallic zoo!

pwetty!

indoors under nice light...

in use...

And yes. I am aware that my bookend bodies don’t match. And that has everything to do with the fact that I LIKE mutant animals and NOTHING to do with the fact that we may have botched a few of the first specimens, OKAY?

Good.

Now that’s sorted, one last gorgeous photo of our wonderfully productive day!

TA-DA!

single happy moment

Posted by Sharon Pakir on Jan 5, 2012 in Happiness, Lifestyle, Travel | 0 comments

Having come home from our dance trip in Asia after a gale of a time, and then a few days later being presented with this gorgeous card from the group that went.

It’s always nice when you travel with an AWESOME group of people who come together and bond particularly well, especially when touring foreign countries – but even better when the time you have is really quite amazing and leads to catchphrases, thousands of memories (that span the whole alphabet!) and lots of laughter upon sharing stories.

Nice. Very nice.

2012 thoughts

Posted by Sharon Pakir on Jan 2, 2012 in Capability, Dance, Happiness, Lifestyle, Womanhood | 0 comments

Last year, just in time for new years’ eve, I wrote the 2010 redux. I didn’t do that this year, mostly because I spent most of my last days before 2012 painting a fence and was way too exhausted! I will though. I promise.

I know many people like to think about the new year and the year past as the 31st of December approaches, but not me. I find I like to live out the last few days of the year to my best and savour every moment, and leave reflection to the delightful and inevitable New Years Day holiday and the first few days of the year before the hustle and bustle begins.

I don’t make new years resolutions, never have, but I do have a few things I’d like to do, that vastly improve my quality of life. Some are simple and easily achievable, and others are more intangible but I’d like to remind myself to keep at them.

Things I started in 2011 and would like to continue:

• making fruit bags once a week so we have fruit every day
• hiding vegetables in everything I cook, as well as vegetables at most meals
• investing in making our house a home
• looking after myself and ensuring I always feel tip-top
• composting, worm farming, gardening, and living more eco-friendly
• listening to my body and believing it when it says it’s at its limits
• keeping our home better organised and functional
• enjoying dancing for myself more and feeling passionate about it again, and feeling like a GOOD dancer again
• living more slowly and meaningfully rather than running around like a crazed lady
• becoming more sure of what I want and need, and not being afraid to ask for them
• understanding the power of my community and seeing its wonderment, rather than dwelling on its shortcomings

Some things I haven’t started/been able to do and want to do in 2012:

• eat salmon once a week
• taking a walk in the evening with S on my non-dance night of the week
• putting up photos of the people I love everywhere in the house
• live painkiller-free
• drink 2 litres of water a day
• be less of a hermit and more ready to face each day
• rekindle past friendships that this injury caused me to let go (I just went through a long phase of NOT COPING).
• take more photos
• take a trip to a significant dance event overseas and dance my head off
• also – become the best dancer I’ve ever been – determined to get faster and better than I was… slowly
• wear little to no black
• wear something different each day to keep me feeling pretty
• be free of my injury (24 month end of prognosis is in August 2012)
• be a better friend, daughter, sibling, girlfriend

The 2012 stuff is mostly very functional things to make life better. I find that as long as I live the best life I can everyday, I’m a pretty happy person at the end of each year when I reflect, and growth is inevitable. “Just Be Better” is a good one – and one I like to remember for most things. So rather than make resolutions about emotions, I just try to be better every day. And I’ll find that 2012 was a year of growth, yet again.

You know the saying “dress for the job you want”? Well that’s my everyday goal, but not in dressing – instead, I try to make every decision and live each day like I’m that intangible amazing woman I wanted to be when I was a kid – inspiring, glamorous, talented, visionary, intelligent, witty, tall, tan, young, lovely. “What would future Sharon do? What would that amazing woman do?” And then I try to do it, not always successfully.

And hopefully, one day, I’ll feel like her. That woman I want to be. It may not be in 2012, but I’ll sure try.

What thoughts do you have on 2012?

5 happy things

Posted by Sharon Pakir on Jan 2, 2012 in Happiness | 0 comments

Hello everyone! Did you have a good Christmas/New Year season? I sure hope so!

To kick off 2012, I thought it would be fitting that I start with a 5 happy things since they’re the posts I love to look back on. (See others here, here, here, here, and here).

Here goes!

1. Antiquing day with baby girl

it ain't easy being green...

Spending an entire Saturday of glorious weather driving out to Mornington and antique shopping with Shamster. And picking up this beauty of a couch, amongst other things, to complete the loungeroom after a year of living here! We had a wonderful day, thrift shopping, having a lunch in the sun, yabbering non-stop in the long drive, and buying slurpees coz that’s how we roll.

2. Weekend away with S

Spending an amazing weekend away with S (also written about here and here and more to come!) – and 2 weeks later still glowing from it. We were long overdue for some alone time, and it helped that he spoilt me rotten.

perfect moments

I am still thinking about the long meals filled with amazing banter and hand holding, walking around sharing our thoughts and hearts as we vintage shopped, and silent happy moments as we relaxed all weekend. Sometimes a little break is all you need.

3. Sunny days

The weather in Melbourne has had some real bad moments over the last few weeks, but more often than not, I’ve been delighted by the days full of brilliant sunshine, and allowing my home office to be so utterly conducive to productivity.

why of COURSE that's an ergonomic chair!

And yes, that is a large hunk of gingerbread house from Christmas on my plate. WHAT? GIRL NEEDS HER SUGAR TO STAY PRODUCTIVE.

4. A meaningful New Years Eve

Having what I think has got to be one of my best new year’s eves’ ever with my best friend and soulmate. I haven’t had a very good holiday season due to lots of bad news, and I’m feeling especially homesick. S knew I didn’t feel like partying or socializing, so we ditched every invite we had and he constructed the best intimate celebration ever.

recipe for happiness

He went out and bought a crapload of candles, oysters (my favourite), prawns, salmon, and lots of antipasto and crackers… We cracked open a bottle of Veuve, lit everything up, and watched a rom-com whilst he gave me a backrub and we ate and drank for what seemed like hours… we even slow danced to some lovely music, and counted down the new year to a spectacular kiss! Just what I needed.

5. Tickets Booked

Like I’ve been saying, I’m pretty homesick and it’s a time where I need to be with my family. This morning, I kicked off 2012 by booking my tickets home, and in just a few weeks I’ll be right where I need to be. I’m taking a bit of a chance as this is our busiest period in dancing, but I feel like it’s the right decision for me, and family always comes first. I am so anticipating this trip like you wouldn’t believe.

Do you have 5 happy things to start off 2012 with? Share them!

salix in mornington

Posted by Sharon Pakir on Dec 29, 2011 in Lifestyle, Travel | 1 comment

Salix is part of the Willow Creek Vineyard, and on a recommendation of a girlfriend who just KNOWS the kind of thing I like, we booked dinner there on the Friday night to kick off our Mornington weekend of bliss.

Many vineyards in Victoria are just gorgeous – we are pretty spoilt for choice in terms of wineries on our end of the world – but Salix was particularly sublime when driving up to it just before the sunset, the glow of the sun just cast over the vast grape fields.

I’m sure it helped that it was just about devoid of any other people – we had obviously come at the right time.

We had a really lovely short walk around the vineyard and watched the sun dancing on the lovely roses around us. I know, I know, it sounds like hogwash but it was LOVELY!

prancing around in the gardens!

S showing his love for agapanthas. (he hates them with a vengeance)

aww.

After a short stroll, we sat down by our full glass window seat and enjoyed a spectacular meal as we watched the sun set, over some truly lovely conversation.

S' entree - charcuterie

my entree - oysters NOMNOMNOM

side dishes - potatoes and heavenly mushrooms

my main - the delicious duck

S chose the steak. It. Was. Amazing.

Let me just tell you. I’m no food critic, but I’m pretty well versed at the fine dining thing, and that steak, I’m still thinking about it. It wasn’t as good as my out of body Rockpool experience, but it was certainly VERY high on my list of perfect steaks I’ve eaten. I almost wrestled S for his meal but that’s not what ladies do in nice restaurants.

I kicked him in the shin under the table instead until he let me have more bites.

More gratuitous photo taking because I brought the good camera and I was determined to get better with it.

oh HAI HANDSOME MAN *shy smile*

S is getting better with the camera too!

So pleased that S loved the first outfit I put on for this weekend away – a bloody awesome steal too at AUD$10 from Kuala Lumpur. So very pleasing and comfortable (read: baggy) enough for big meals.

And lastly:

what's not to love about a man who wants to spoil you all weekend and all your life?!

Salix Restaurant (not the bistro) was INCREDIBLY pleasing and such a gorgeous way to start the weekend after the hustle and bustle of driving up after work. Watching the sun set over great wines, luscious food and in beautiful greenery was just sublime, especially with wonderful conversation and date night excitement. HIGHLY recommended.

Go. YOU MUST GO.

And order the steak. That’s what I’ll be getting next time!

Details:

Willow Creek Vineyard

166 Balnarring Road, Merricks North 3926

Victoria, Australia (Melway Ref. 162 H9)

Salix Restaurant

12noon – 3pm daily; 6pm – 11pm Friday and Saturday

ph. 03 5989 7640

the mornington on tanti hotel

Posted by Sharon Pakir on Dec 29, 2011 in Travel | 0 comments

A couple of weeks ago, S and I booked in some R&R over a weekend in Mornington to take advantage of the great weather.

We stayed at the Mornington on Tanti, which we chose mostly because it was the only decent option available at our last minute travel booking. It turned out to be truly delightful despite its outward appearance of being a sportsbar/bottle shop – the hotel section was gorgeously renovated, very quiet and classy, and really quite the haven you want on a weekend away!

our gorgeous room with a gorgeous lounging man

I also liked that it was incredibly central – Mornington town centre was a 3 minute drive away, which made for easy breakfast options and being close to convenience stores and supermarkets.

We got a spa suite – which had a lovely large bathtub (nothing worse than a tiny tub) and an impressively clean and spacious bathroom in general.

Overall, there are certainly more romantic wineries and places to stay in Mornington – but S and I were really happy with our accomodation choice because it gave us drives to wineries to chat over, and a quiet, gorgeous room with a lovely comfortable bed to chill out on in the evenings when we retired at 9pm each night.

Would we recommend it? Absolutely. You could do a lot worse for that price – and since Mornington can get pricey when you’re looking at 4star and above accomodation, we felt that it was great value whilst staying incredibly comfortably.

When we were in that neck of the woods, we squeezed in an amazing amount of activity in just 2 days, as S and I tend to do, whist finding it incredibly relaxing, and I’m looking forward to all the posts I’ve got lined up about it so I can reflect on some wonderful summer memories instead of dwelling on feeling homesick in this holiday season!

season’s greetingments

Posted by Sharon Pakir on Dec 28, 2011 in Family, Happiness | 0 comments

Happy holidays everyone, albeit a little belatedly! I hope everyone who stops by here had a wonderful silly season with plenty of great family and friends time, some relaxing, and soul food, whatever form those may take for you!

Christmas seems to have been an emotional time for many this year, with the horrible weather here in Melbourne affecting homes and cars of many that I know. However what has really affected me more is the sad family news received by a friend, and some from my own family back in Singapore. If you have had a week of feeling down at a time when everyone is celebrating – don’t feel alone. There’s been a few of us this time round.

Thankfully, I was surrounded by S’s beautiful family who plied me with lots of support and distraction, and though I’m still feeling horribly homesick for Singapore and my own family, it’s not been entirely unbearable.

Christmas with S and his gorgeous mum (and our GIANT tree!)

So anyway, back to the sentiment of this post – of wishing all of you a very happy new year, of counting our blessings, and of remembering to express to your own loved ones at this time of year that you truly care for them.

xx