Enjoy the Little Things..... {free print for you}

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back & realize they were the big things!" Robert Brault.

I've always loved this quote....and on this sunny Sunday morning, I decided to make it into a simple yet meaningful print for FREE for YOU!!

I've made 3 versions of it.....a black & white, a brown background with white text & a pastel colour pallet :)

Simply download from my site for free, print, trim & frame.....easy :)

It's an 8x10 inch size.....20cm x 25cm.....which is a standard photo frame size....and a little smaller than A4, so it's easily printed on most home/office printers. 

To download each versions simply click on the links below:

For the Black & White version, click HERE.

For the Brown & White versions, click HERE.

For the Pastel Pallet, click HERE.

Feel free to download all THREE :) Give them as gifts, put them up in your home or office...you could even use it in a photo album or scrapbook!

Spread the word about this FREE print....and ENJOY!!

Happy Sunday All :)

P.S. Find me on FACEBOOK!! 

P.P.S. Want to take better photos???? I highly recommend this eBook that is 30% off at the moment.....but only for 3 more days. It's $19.99 PLUS you go into the drawer to win a DSLR camera valued at $1000. QUICK!!! Click on the banner above that says: CLICK!!!!

Closing Doors. Moving On. And Living Life!

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” {Alexander Graham Bell}

Last Friday, I closed my classroom door! 3:30 that afternoon, I switched off the lights, grabbed my final box & closed the door behind me! It was the last time I will be 'closing that door' for......1 year, 2 years, forever.....who knows?! I've taken 15 months leave, but have no exact plan on when I'll really return! I'm on Maternity Leave.....yahoooo!!

And I love that about life......you can plan, you can organise, you can imagine & you can dream.....but there's no definites! I like the feeling of not knowing what the future holds for me....for us! It's kind of scary & exciting at the same time!  

Closing that door actually felt symbolic! Last time I started Maternity Leave {when pregnant with Ella}, I left work knowing I would be back part-time after a year off and that was a decision I was happy & content with....something I had to do to help support my family whilst also fulfilling my career aspirations! But it felt different this time as I shut that door. With the contentment that I can return whenever I need/want to, I also felt liberated that closing that door would allow new doors to open to me....new opportunities to cease.....new dreams to chase! 

We're going to have a new baby soon & that's really cool! But I also have goals & aspirations to use this 'time off' as a 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunity to focus on being ME....being a MUMMY....being a WIFE......changing & growing Scissors Paper Rock.....focus on my writing, my hobbies, my friends, my home.....MY life! It feels good! 

I have a feeling that things will be ok! They always are......it just depends on how you look at the situation! Coz closing one door in life isn't always doom & gloom & goodbyes.....it's a chance to open a new door, walk through & move on! 

I turned 29, three weeks ago :) I was spoilt by Chris with a new dishwasher & washing machine & gorgeous flowers delivered to me at work.....but more importantly, I was spoilt with Love & Hugs & Support from my amazing family & friends! We celebrated that night....MEXICAN style :) I wonder what the last year of my 20's will bring?? Life is Good! 

{Ella with the giant Tequila Worm.....haaaa.....looks suspicious I know!!!! Haaa! And it was even more suspicious when it burst & shrivelled up LOL FUNNY!}

Another door we closed.....was a goodbye to my car! With Chris being a 'car lover', we go through cars regularly! In fact, I never get 'attached' to a car.....because usually we only have it for about 6 months! BUT....I've had my recent car for almost 4 years. We bought it 10days before Ella was born! Besides my first ever car when I was 17......It's the longest I've kept a car. And being the car that we bought Ella home from the hospital in....the car that has driven us to some amazing places over the past 3.5years.....the car that Ella & I live in some days as we run errands...I think some attachment may have been made :) We had tossed up with the idea of selling it....but after 'the crash', both Chris & I decided it was time to close that door & move on! Good bye Bluey :)

Spring is officially here!! And I love it!! The weather is clearing up, the air is warm & full of hope that a new season always brings! The grass {and weeds} are growing again, blankets & winter trackies are being stored away and we're enjoying beach trips & long park plays again.....

{I love SPRING in Australia!}

{ABOVE: and as I rested my swollen feet.....this is what I saw! My girl....happy....enjoying the park, the fresh air....LIFE! What's not to be grateful about that? Life is good.....just depends on the way you look at it!!!!}

{ABOVE: and this is my view when I look down at the moment! a BIG round belly with 2 little pudgey, sore feet poking out the bottom!}

I'm 34 weeks pregnant! WOW......not long to go now :) And to be honest.....I feel big and very sore and VERY uncomfortable, but I love having a life inside me, a life that is growing & blooming & very-much-loved! He moves a lot....more than I think Ella did at this stage, but I like the constant reminder that he's there & he's doing ok! I'm excited about his arrival & curious as to how life will be with TWO little souls to love! Ella has been MY EVERYTHING since she was conceived & I am ready to have that equal love for another little life! EXCITING TIMES ahead I think!!! New doors to open!!

Life for us has been crazy lately.....unpredictable & busy. Lots of changes happening. Lots of doors closing & new ones opening. Friendships breaking down, yet others getting stronger! Big decisions to make and being made. Exciting opportunities being presented. Hard work being paid off. Kicks-in-the-guts being experienced {literally & metaphorically}. Amazing memories being made & love and happiness taking the lead. But, I feel calm & optimistic & happy! 

BTW: I will continue our USA holiday posts soon. The Canada leg is next :)

Also, welcoming new blog sponsor VISTAPRINT. I get all my business stickers, labels & postcards from them....they rock! Check them out!  I feel honoured to have them here.....paying me to write :)

Happy Days Everyone! 

What doors are you closing & opening lately?

What would your theme song be?

I'm a big sucker for a great theme song to a movie or a show. If a theme song, catches me, raises emotion, inspires me, makes me sing along, or allows to me to dream.....then it's a successful song choice :)

I saw this image this morning & it got me thinking......if your life had a theme song, what would it be?

Would it be something slow & dreamy & full of lovely lyrics.....or something fast & dramatic & action-packed? Maybe something with no lyrics & just a powerful mix of melodies & sounds?

I'd love to know.....what song would you have as your LIFE'S THEME SONG?

I'll give it some more thought today, and leave my theme song in the comments box later :)

Happy Friday Folks!! Yay....I can smell the weekend....can you?

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A Full Heart! Never Say Never......{week-a-boo}

"Never say never, for if you live long enough, chances are you will not be able to abide by its restrictions. Never is a long, undependable time, and life is too full of rich possibilities to have restrictions placed upon it." {Gloria Swanson}

Wow, did anyone watch 60 Minutes tonight?

I rarely watch TV...but we've fallen into a comfortable habit on a Sunday night. I'll put Ella to bed with books & cuddles, and then come out to snuggle with Chris to watch 60 Minutes before I head into here, our home office, to do my week-a-boo post with a hot mocha in hand! And after tonight's episode, I was again left with tears in my eyes & a very heavy heart! Tonight's story that touched me was about Dereck Paravicini ~ A blind, brain damaged & highly autistic musical genius! Wow....what a talent! What an amazing soul! Watching him tonight.....made my pre-planned words for tonight's week-a-boo seem so unimportant & not-worthy, so I changed my plan...I scrapped it.... & now have that quote {above} rolling over & over in my head! Never Say Never!

Yesterday, I had another heavy-heart moment that made me really dig deep in a world of empathy & acceptance & gratefulness. As we basked in the sun & seeped in so much goodness of a perfect Summer's Day with family, picnicking by the beach.....a small boy {maybe 5 yrs old} came confidently over to us & started playing with Ella & her bubble-blowing kit! This boy was heavily disabled {physically} and had some obvious mental development issues as well. But, boy oh boy, did he have a heart of gold. I congratulated him on his great bubble blowing skills & clapped as he blew a big one.....that couple of seconds of positive words, made him feel so good....he leaned over, cuddled me & kissed me on the cheek and then continued cheering Ella on as she blew bubbles. His Mum rushed over, apologised & took him off.....him, all smiles & happiness! He wasn't being down on himself for his imperfections! He wasn't shying away from a world of beauty & reason....NO, he was seeping some serious goodness out of life with a full heart! And I think that full heart of his was screaming...."Never Say Never!" and his little Soul was already answering & living the question: "What is it you plan to do, with your one wild & precious life?" I think he plans to live BIG! To live BOLD! And to live BRAVELY!

And that....made me feel so inspired & so grateful!

And our little Missy, had a heart full of happiness & pride....with her sticker from Miss Parker for beautiful dancing on Saturday morning :)

And...with a weekend full of swimming, playing, beaching, 'park'ing, living, laughing, loving, McDonalds-ing, out-to-dinner-ing.....Ok, I'll stop with the 'ings' already..... But it was a weekend that truly made her heart feel full, mine & Chris's heart feel full! And as sad & as harsh as this may sound: I think we {as a society...as a human race} can learn & SHOULD learn so much from people like Dereck & like that little boy at the park.....because they are special, and they are a pure & simple concoction of magic, soul & love! 

She's OUR sunSHINE! And now, that she's 3, and she's noticing differences in people, it's our job to tell her, to show her, to make her see that everyone is different....and that's OK! 

Dinner out with Baby Indi & her Mummy & Daddy was the perfect Saturday Night:

And as always, Ella found so much joy in the simple pleasures of a free face paint :)

 

And....today, spent with a gorgeous friend & happy family.....on the beach & by the pool!

Does Summer really have to end? I mean....c'mon.....can't we live like this every weekend? :)

And to wind down the weekend with Chinese Takeaway & a play in here: {constructed by Ella & Nanny on Friday....and it's still standing pretty strong after a weekend of meals in there....cuddles in there....drawing in there....and of course hiding from lions, bears & snakes in there....as you do!}

And, so with a heart so full & a lot on my mind, I'm logging off tonight :)

But, please tell me.....what made your heart FULL this weekend?

Link up below :)

Drive.

“To believe in yourself and to follow your dreams, to have goals in life and a drive to succeed, and to surround yourself with the things and the people that make you happy - this is success!” {Sasha Azevedo}

Today, I ask you.... What Drives You?

No, I'm not talking about the car you drive :) Your motivation? Your inner strength? Your reasons?

Whether by choice, or by fete or by luck, I'm surrounded by some pretty amazing, 'driven' people. People who work hard. People who have BIG dreams....and chase them. People who make a difference. People who care. People who make changes to 'be better'. People who achieve. People who prove they can do it!

And lately, whilst I surf the bloggy world & read some pretty inspirational stories & posts.....I've been thinking about motivation and what it is that drives each & every one of us.

I've recently received a few emails & comments, saying "Claire, how do you do it all?" And the answer is.... I don't. And I honestly don't know anyone who does DO it all.....and all perfectly! Like a lot of other women, yes, I do a lot. I juggle a hell of a lot of balls & I wear goodness-knows how many hats. But where I may be shining in one area....I'm probably lacking in another. On days when my work is up to date, I've blogged, I've played, baked & crafted with Ella, dinner is cooked & served & cleaned up all before 6pm and I've fit in a trip to the grocery store, post office & ballet lessons......is the same day where the housework maybe neglected or yesterday's washing is still hanging on the washing line getting rained on, or I hear the bin-truck driving off up the street & I haven't put the bin out for the 2nd week in a row! And vice-versa....on the days I clean & work & change bedding, my blog is neglected or my emails build up out of control, or I'm filled with guilt for not playing with Ella enough, or my started-projects are left gathering dust. And whilst I try to manage my time.....I blog instead of watching TV, I drink coffee instead of sleeping :) and I teach part-time instead of full-time so I can still have set days a week to just be MUM! You get my gist....we all just choose which areas need to be focussed on each day and our priorities & then we rely on whatever is driving us that day.

What drives me? Hmmmm......several things I guess!! And it all depends on what I'm trying to set out to do that day, to which 'drive factor' I'll draw upon! My main driving force is LIFE! I love life! And I want to make the most of this life of mine. I don't want to look back in 50 years time with regrets. Regrets that I didn't have a go, that I didn't love enough, that I didn't make more effort, that I didn't follow that dream!

So....I work to provide money for my family, so we can have a good life full of great adventures & opportunities. But, I also stay home part-time, so I can be a Mother. I'm a business owner, because I want control & I need a creative outlet. I dance because I need to have "ME" time & I need to express myself. I eat way too much chocolate....coz it tastes so damn good. I love BIG, because at the end of the day.....all that matters is PEOPLE! I'm driven to be good....to be better.....to do lots.....coz I'm a MUMMA....I'm a role-model and I want to show Ella that there's a big beautiful world out there & we're only given one chance to experience it! I'm driven by inspiration! Inspiration from quotes {hence my positive quote prints!}, and writers & artists & real-life stories of miracles & human spirit. 

From the Mary Oliver poem which I studied in High School English {The Summer Day} "Tell me, what is it you plan to do, With your one wild and precious life?" Wow...just stop & think hard about that closing line of the poem!!!

THAT DRIVES ME!

So, again, I ask you {please leave a comment below or shoot me an email} What drives you? What's driving you today? Yesterday? Tomorrow?

top image from here

Wordless Wednesday......{Dancing In The Rain}

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, but about learning to dance in the rain!"

If you love that quote that I've featured above {it's one of my favourites!}, you can buy it as a large wall print here....in any colour!

I'm playing along with WORDLESS WEDNESDAY over here!

I hope you have a 'dancing in the rain' kind of day :)