July: Desktop Calendar

Here is this months calendar for your desktop.

I've got a serious thing for polka dots at the moment.

Polka dots and neon.

Have a great month.

tara louise. 

Read more...

Do you do this too?

I'm a big fan of doing this! 

I do it quite often.

tara louise. 

PS. Sorry for the pixelated photo - the only version I could find.

Read more...

A few new scars for tara

I had a little operation today. 

A laparoscopy. 

Nothing major. Just a baby making boost hopefully! 

I was starving after my bowel prep yesterday 

(and I won't go into that anymore because it's yuck).

I was most concerned about the bowel prep and having to get stitches out.

The actual operation didn't bother me at all, but scared husband the most.

I got to lay under the warm blanket. My fave part of having an operation. 

While they were cleaning the theatre before I went in, it sounded like they were clearing a dinner table.

My GP turned up + said hi. That was a nice surprise. 

I got to wear a red wrist band. It was a nice red too. 

I rocked some pretty blue shower cap type slippers. 

It made me realise I seriously need a dressing gown. Do you know how warm they are!?

I scored another pair of hospital grade pressure tights for my next plane trip.

I got to eat a roast beef and tomato sandwich in recovery. It was really good.

I now have 4 new little scars. That's a total so far of 4 little ones and 2 big ones. 

I have spent the day on the couch in my PJs with the heater on catching up on my shows.

It was a cold, rainy day and a perfect day to rest on the couch. 

I hate the feeling that I've got from the oxygen build-up in my body. 

I feel like I have air bubbles between my ribs and lungs. 

I probably do and it's annoying me. 

I'm super excited though that I don't have to get stitches taken out. 

Hip Hip Hooray for that!

And that's my story for today.

Tomorrow is more resting and catching up on the rest of my TV shows. 

Kardashians, Tabitha Taking Over + Revenge. 

Crappy shows that I love and I can't wait. I've been saving them up in preparation. 

Thanks husband for looking after me today.

Thanks a bunch. 

What have you been up to today!?

tara louise. 

Read more...

Wake up your inner child.

I have just read this article about waking up your inner child and how it can be important to your every day life. 

Do something fun childlike today.

Here's a few fun/stupid things to make you giggle:

Jump in a puddle

Run through the rain

Roll down a grassy hill (this isn't as easy as when you were a child, but still fun!)

Blow bubbles

Pop some paper clips onto your nails and make creepy long claws

(If you eat cheezels/burger rings) pop them on your fingers like rings

Buy some hubba bubba and shove the whole pack in your mouth and try blow a super big bubble to cover your whole face.

Dack someone (I do this on a weekly basis! Not in public though)

Buy a pack of allen's lollies and pop the teeth ones over your real teeth

Buy some liquorice and leave a stick over your teeth for as long as you can and see how green you can get your teeth.

Make + eat fairy bread

Walk in shoes that are bigger than your own feet ( i like walking in my husband thongs - practical when i can't find mine but it makes me laugh coz I feel like a bit of a clown).

Dance like an idiot.

Pick some teeny tiny weedy flowers and give them to someone

Blow a raspberry on someone - preferably someone you know.

There's a few to get you started.

It makes me laugh just thinking of them all!

Kids are great. Release your inner child.

tara louise. 

Read more...

Treasure Yourself: Week 4

Well I am coming up to week 4 in the Treasure Yourself Project and feeling on top of things for the moment.

I had a week last week, maybe the week before where everything kind of got on top of me and I was feeling super sorry for myself - woe is me - that type of rubbish. 

I was worried about money, work, an upcoming operation (and how I was going to get the money to pay for it), starting school again (and how I was going to pay for it) and the ever growing pile of laundry and chores to do. (Did you notice the money worries pattern!? I'm pretty sure everyone has this worry these days!)

I blogged about it, i thought about it (far too much probably) and got over it. 

Life really isn't as bad as my head makes it out to be sometimes. 

I started doing yoga again (well i've started with daily salute the sun exercises) and am really making an effort to cut down on the amount of processed foods and sugar I'm eating.

My life is back in control for the minute and I have one crazy busy week left, but I'll get through it. It's not the end of the world. It's really not. 

I'm looking forward to this week and how I'll be feeling cleaner and fitter than ever. 

I am continuing to add pins on pinterest to by "treasure yourself" board and you can follow my pins here.

Here's to a healthy week where we turn our lives around and just get on with it. 

image found here

tara louise. 

Read more...

I'm one week in...

I started studying again last week.

It's been 5 years or so. 

I am going part-time, 2 nights a week after work. 

It's week one and I'm shattered.

So tired from working all week (that's the full time job + tutoring and cleaning) and not getting home until nearly 10pm twice a week.

I'm usually in bed by 9pm every night. 

Fast asleep by 9:30 at the absolute latest.

I'm getting into the routine.

I'm getting used to it - I have no choice.

I'm looking forward to the end result.

tara louise. 

Read more...

YUM: frozen yoghurt drops

FROZEN YOGHURT DROPS

I am seriously in love with these right now. 

A quick story: i hate strawberry yoghurt. always have always will.

My husband bought me strawberry yoghurt last week (lactose free of course).

I was grossed out by it and wondered if i'd find it as yuck frozen.

Turns out I didn't. Score.

I found this recipe - I feel a bit silly calling it a recipe - on pinterest right here.

Here is the recipe:

Put yoghurt into a snap lock bag.

Snip one corner - this is your non-fancy schmancy piping bag.

Pipe little dots onto a plate.

Shove it in the freezer.

Pick them off and put them in a container and leave in the freezer.

I am loving snacking on them after dinner or lunch.

The ultimate in healthy snacking.

I apologise for the crappy photos too.

Try these. They are just yum.

I need to make some more.

tara louise.

Read more...

a pity party for one

i'm snapping myself out of it.

tara louise.

Read more...

it was pick on tara day today...

first pic   |   second pic

I felt more like the first pic after a number of phone calls at work today. My dad, who i work with, thinks most of the crap was more like the second pic. 

Either way, I'm glad to be home and even more glad to be not too far from a large glass of wine. 

It's been one of those days. 

tara louise. 

Read more...

This made me smile...

it's lovely right!?

pretty clever too if you ask me.

tara louise. 

Read more...

YUM: Bliss Balls

these are absolutely delish.

a must try!

tara louise.

Read more...

DIY: Basic Stamp

Here is a DIY to make a stamp using a few bits of cardboard, some tape and foam. 

Here is the stamp in use...

The possibilities are endless with this quick DIY. 

Wrapping Paper | Patterned Paper | Printed fabric

tara louise.

Read more...

Todays to do list...

I've got a few things I'd like to get through today.

I love long weekends for the fact that I can get so many extra things done!

And it's miserable and rainy again today so a perfect day to be indoors.

tara louise. 

Read more...

Thought of the Day | Ready

Read more...

Work Style

This is what I've been hanging out at work in...

as you can see I'm clearly steering away from the norm of how blogger photos of fashion are supposed to go. you know with a nice background, beautiful natural lighting, designer clothes (usually given to them for free), an accessory - like a handbag or something, a coy look over the shoulder. 

I'm taking on my own style of blogging photography and styling photos. 

I was also pretty bored at work where these were all taken. 

So the ones above are the "normal" shots and the ones below are the silly shenanigans ones. I tend to do a couple of simple normal ones and get a bit crazier and nuttier as I carry on. 

I think they are more fun. 

You can just see my clothes less. 

And you can tell it was quiet, as I had my husband take these photos in our reception area. 

I must have looked quite the fool to anyone walking past. 

Fool to some. Fun girl to others. maybe!

tara louise.

Read more...

Treasure Yourself Project

I've realised over the past couple of weeks that when work is busy I completely lose the plot at home. I don't look out for what I'm eating, I don't exercise as much and all the housekeeping goes down the drain. I'm exhausted by the time I get home from work and can just about manage to plonk myself in front of the TV and grab some dinner. 


Enter the Treasure Yourself Project. 


I started the 8 week challenge last week and while at the moment it feels like  bit of a chore and just something else I have to do, i need to get out of my unmotivated funk and get stuck into it. The lovely and inspiring Lori Harding started it and it's really taken off. 

Last week was all about goal setting for the next 8 weeks and what we hope to achieve from it.

Here are my goals:

I would have liked to quit sugar for the 8 weeks, however I feel like if I cut out sugar I won't get to eat anything but fruit and veg. overly dramatic? yes. but that's whats going through my head. So I've decided to make a conscious effort to not eat as much sugar and not as much bread as I have been eating. I'm taking the more clean eating approach to things. 

I also want to get back into a better exercise regime and start yoga/pilates again. I have downloaded a number of apps on my phone and a fitness program to do each day but just haven't started yet. I'm using the excuse that it's too bloody cold at the moment (a stupid excuse i know because when i start to exercise i'll be warm. i know!). 

This week we are to get a vision board happening. I'm working on mine on pinterest and on my blackboard wall by my desk. I will post photos of this next week and will recap how my week has gone. 

Would you like to join in? There is a Facebook group you can join and Lori posts links to her blog posts from there too so you can keep updated!

Join in. It's great to look after yourself and really appreciate what you've got and what you're grateful for. 

tara louise. 

Read more...

Desktop Wallpaper: June

I'm late, I know. Sorry! 
Had a crazy busy week and couldn't decide what to do with this months calendar.
I've decided to be inspired by the Queen's jubilee. Thanks for the inspiration mumma!

To download:

Save the picture to your computer.

Open it in photo editing software and type in your goings on for the month.

Save it again.

Open up the calendar in the folder where you saved it and right click.

Press "set as desktop background".

Hey presto - pretty desktop!

I've got a super busy month ahead.

Fun + games!

tara louise. 

Read more...