Dates & Apes...

Dress- Op Shop, Jacket- Salvos, Bag- Market, Shoes- Tony Bianco

It's all too easy to get caught up in the monotony of everyday life. Following routines like over structured robots, we get up get ready, go to work/uni, come home, go to the gym, have dinner, clean up, go to bed. If we truly felt every task enjoyable our routine following would be fine and dandy. The problem is we tend to go into auto-pilot mode and half the time we're not even aware of what we are doing. It's so important to be living in the moment and appreciating every minute of our lives so when i find myself steering off track i'll do something spontaneous, random or exciting to throw me out of my routine. It could be going for a bike ride, visiting an unsuspecting friend, getting outside & seeing nature.. whatever makes you happy & re-energizes you. 

My favourite routine shaker is going on a date. Walking in the front door and being greeted with "Don't ask any questions, don't consider your options were going out for dinner and to see a movie" is an awesome pick me up. On Thursday night we went out for Thai & watched Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. I liked the movie, it was great to see the Apes point of view. The Apes are the heroes of this story. I give big kudos to director Rupert Wyatt for showing compassion & not using any real Apes in the film as well as bringing awareness to humanity's mistreatment and abuse of captive Apes.

Happy Monday
Tinkxx

Splendid Saturday...

Saturday at it's best starts off with having breakfast in the sun. Lately we've been totally obsessed with making tofu scramble. Tofu is incredible versatile so the possibilities for flavouring your scramble is endless. So far we've dabbled in curried, pesto, Mediterranean, veggie loaded, and lemony fresh. After breakfast a trip to the growers market ( preferably organic).We sample the goods like freshly squeezed blood orange juice, smell the scents of the freshly cut flowers and pick up locally grown produce free of pesticides and chemicals, the way nature intended it to be. We will generally grab a loaf of organic sourdough do (soy- linseed is my personal favourite) as it just tastes so much better than the commercial supermarket bread loaf, with the added bonuses of being vegan friendly and super healthy for you. After we've had all the fun we could possibly have at the market we will head home, pack away our goodies, make some freshly squeezed orange juice and vase our fresh flowers. The afternoon is spent relaxing, catching up on some reading/blogging/journaling and playing with our gorgeous pooch Lolly. Come night time we'll think of something delish to make using our fresh veggies. We felt inspired to buy a bag full of mixed mushrooms from the eveliegh markets. So we decided to make a mushroom strogonoff. A few tweaks of the recipe to take it from vegetarian to vegan and "wolah" we're making something pretty magical. The best way to end the night is with music be it live at a gig, coming from the stereo as you dance around the house or singing you to sleep.

Tinkxxx

Changing The Way We Dress...

Most days I question why do we even bother to purchase new (mass produced) clothing from chain stores. Generally speaking most of the clothing we buy is cheaply made fast fashion that we wear once or twice before sentencing it to the back of our closet. It just doesn't make sense to spend your hard earned pennies on that "little black dress" just because the last magazine you read told you too. For the most part over consumption just leaves you and your wallet feeling empty. I actually hate shopping in the mall these days. I find the experience as a whole tremendously dull. Browsing from store to store, I can't help but to notice that each garment on display looks scarily similar to the last. Interest is lacking.

Shouldn't we be opting to make our own kind of fashion statement? Shouldn't we be thinking more along the lines of "ones true style", style that's built on individuality, imagination & personal quirk? My wardrobe ( the bigger part ) is made up of handmade, recycled & vintage pieces. I would not and could not have it any other way. My awareness of environmental & ethical issues increases day by day to the point that the mere idea of over consuming is laden with guilt. Besides isn't it way more exciting particpating in clothing swaps, rummaging through cramped racks in charirty stores & transforming the peices already exisiting in your wardrobe? Amid writing this post I've stopped to take a look around my room. I instantly notice the clutter. I'm not saint but I'm open to changing my ways for a more sustainable future. I'll be re-opening my online store soon. It will be loaded with quality unique, vintage and recycled goods. I'll keep you updated on this process. As for this outfit, it's 100% recycled.

Dress: Vintage store in Springwood

Belt & Bag: Salvos

Shoes & Sunnies: Vinnies Kiama

Cardigan: I found it rummaging through my nunnas closet

Keep yourself inspired. Tinkxxx

Happy Belated Birthday To Me..

Last week I celebrated my 22nd birthday. The idea of 22 seems quite absurd considering it feels as if it were only yesterday when I was turning 21 and becoming engaged. Last year I went all out and celebrated my 21 years of life with a fancy tea party, dinner & bubbles & a themed dress up bash. Being another year older ( and a touch wiser) a low key dinner date with my dearest friends seemed more "age appropriate" not to mention a lot more fun. Basil Pizza in Newtown is your typical local pizza place. Simple, tiny with take-out menus lining the tables. My entourage of 17 filled the restaurant & it was a whole bunch of wonderful. They make the most amazing vegan pizzas, I would know, I ate a whole pizza to myself. One of the coolest things about Basil is that on Saturdays and Sundays its transforms into Naked Espresso. An all vegan cafe serving up the yummiest breaky & brunch. The staff there are super sweet too, adding a whole lot of smile to the start of your day.

Tinkxxx



Dinner Date With The Fiancé ...

Some days, there's nothing more that I look forward to than coming home and cooking up something delicious for dinner.It's even better when my Fiancé Nathan joins in. We play music, dance around the kitchen and fight over who's stirring the pot. It's turns into a date night for us. We picnic on the floor, turn off the tv and just enjoy yummy fresh food and each others company. 

"The most indispensable ingredient of all good home cooking is love for those you are cooking for."

Sophia Loren

Tinkx

Passionate blogging...

I stopped blogging a few months ago. For varying reasons, I was super busy with work/study, heading out and about, house sitting without the internet... but mostly I was just lacking in inspiration. I was bored of all that I had to talk about and stifled by my overcrowded box (in which i call my bedroom). After many a thought provoking articles, books, blogs and people, I was reminded of all the things I care about, my passions, my beliefs. These are things I've been dedicating my life to of late. Things like eating super healthy- vegan diet, using only organic chemical free skin products, practicing yoga and meditation, positive thinking & daily affirmations, being a voice to our poorly treated animals, cutting back on consumption/getting rid of all those possessions I've acquired over the years that mean nothing to me but could mean a lifetime of smiles to someone less fortunate, respecting our poisoned planet and encouraging others to do the same. I hope you can join me on my journey.

3 things is a global goodness movement (an initiative of Oxfam Australia). Following the belief that if each of us take small positive steps, we can make some big changes. It doesn't take much time nor effort. Think about it this instant. What three things can you do to help positively alter the world in which we live in? Add your three things here and why your at it check out the other great ways you can get board to create a more ethical, sustainable future. Nathan and I added our three things and I instantly felt a touch more positive.

My three things:
1.Be a vegan, be a vegan mama, raise vegan kiddies
2.Make it, mend it and make do
3.Be Kind and influence the lives of others

Tinkxx

Poster by Lauren Carney. Source