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    • Jeans aren't normally my favourite type of pants to wear. They can be tight and uncomfortable, and my style is all about being slouchy and comfortable to the max, in the most stylish way possible. So while I've always loved the ripped or distressed denim trend, I couldn't bring myself to fork out the dollars on something I knew I wouldn't be comfy in. Then the boyfriend/mum jean became a thing, but I've always struggled to find a pair that didn't just make me look like I was drowning in denim. I almost caved and forked out about $50 when I finally found a pair of distressed mum jeans I thought I would like, but they didn't have my size. I felt like this was the universe telling me I should just make my own; so I hit the op shops and got cutting.


    You Need:
    ; a pair of jeans (old, new or thrifted)
    ; marker
    ; scissors
    ; tweezers


    You Do:
    1. Raid your closet or head to your local op shop (like I did) and find a pair of jeans you like. The big plus of op shops is they are way cheaper than buying jeans from your regular store, and the variety of washes and styles you'll have to choose from will be unlike anything you'll find in your usual chain store. I actually managed to find a pair of Dotti jeans, which I can guess would have originally retailed for around $50 or $60. Mine were $13, and though you can probably find cheaper still, when I tried these on I knew they were exactly what I wanted and I knew it was already a bargain on their original price, so I brought them.


    2. Next I grabbed some inspiration from online stores. I just browsed the jean sections on sites like Boohoo and Misguided for an idea on how I might like to style my rips.



    3. Grab your marker of choice and mark out where you want to cut the holes. Remember to mark these holes a little bit smaller than the result you actually want because we need to cut around the outside of the mark to get rid of it. The best way to do this is put the jeans on and, while looking at your inspiration pictures, draw the holes.


    4. Cut out the holes.


    5. Distress away. I started by just pulling on any loose threads that were hanging around. Then I grabbed the tweezers and started pulling out strips of thread from in front of and behind the holes. Depending on your jeans and how you cut your holes, the type of distress you get will be a little bit different from everyone else's, so just have fun with it.

    6. Chuck them in the washing machine. This will help to fray all the threads a little more and give the distress a more natural look.

    7. Now you can pop on your distressed denim and look like a badass.

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    posted by . 3/31/16 .
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    D.I.Y Distressed Denim

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    posted by . 3/31/16 .


    Jeans aren't normally my favourite type of pants to wear. They can be tight and uncomfortable, and my style is all about being slouchy and comfortable to the max, in the most stylish way possible. So while I've always loved the ripped or distressed denim trend, I couldn't bring myself to fork out the dollars on something I knew I wouldn't be comfy in. Then the boyfriend/mum jean became a thing, but I've always struggled to find a pair that didn't just make me look like I was drowning in denim. I almost caved and forked out about $50 when I finally found a pair of distressed mum jeans I thought I would like, but they didn't have my size. I felt like this was the universe telling me I should just make my own; so I hit the op shops and got cutting.


    You Need:
    ; a pair of jeans (old, new or thrifted)
    ; marker
    ; scissors
    ; tweezers


    You Do:
    1. Raid your closet or head to your local op shop (like I did) and find a pair of jeans you like. The big plus of op shops is they are way cheaper than buying jeans from your regular store, and the variety of washes and styles you'll have to choose from will be unlike anything you'll find in your usual chain store. I actually managed to find a pair of Dotti jeans, which I can guess would have originally retailed for around $50 or $60. Mine were $13, and though you can probably find cheaper still, when I tried these on I knew they were exactly what I wanted and I knew it was already a bargain on their original price, so I brought them.


    2. Next I grabbed some inspiration from online stores. I just browsed the jean sections on sites like Boohoo and Misguided for an idea on how I might like to style my rips.



    3. Grab your marker of choice and mark out where you want to cut the holes. Remember to mark these holes a little bit smaller than the result you actually want because we need to cut around the outside of the mark to get rid of it. The best way to do this is put the jeans on and, while looking at your inspiration pictures, draw the holes.


    4. Cut out the holes.


    5. Distress away. I started by just pulling on any loose threads that were hanging around. Then I grabbed the tweezers and started pulling out strips of thread from in front of and behind the holes. Depending on your jeans and how you cut your holes, the type of distress you get will be a little bit different from everyone else's, so just have fun with it.

    6. Chuck them in the washing machine. This will help to fray all the threads a little more and give the distress a more natural look.

    7. Now you can pop on your distressed denim and look like a badass.

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    D.I.Y Distressed Denim
    posted by . 3/29/16 .


    Why do I do what I do? Why do I run this blog?

    What inspired me to really think and answer that was this Ted Talk.



    I highly encourage you to watch it all, but here's a very, very simple breakdown of what Simon Sinek talks about.

    The question essentially posed is, why do certain companies or certain people in the world stand out from among the rest? Why does Apple stand out so brightly in the technological world when there are hundreds of other companies floating around that create phones, computers, etc? Why is Martin L. King's name so well known when there are probably hundreds of people from that time who made inspirational speeches?

    The simple answer is because they knew why they did it, and they shared that with everyone else in the world, and they shared that why before they shared what exactly it was they did. They explained their motivation and their dreams behind their actions and creations before actually talking about what excatly it is they believed in or what exactly the products were that they made.

    This inspired me talk about why I've created this corner of the Internet; but first it made me really sit and think about why I was doing this. We have a reason for doing the things we do, but sometimes we never really sit and think about those things, and so when someone asks, though there is obviously a reason, we're not actually sure what that reason is or how to put it into words because we've never given it any attention.

    So why do I blog?

    In reflecting, I've realised my original reason for blogging, and the direction I really want to pursue better with my blog, is actually a reflection of many aspects of my life. That is, I want things to be simple. My style, though currently evolving, is simple - oversized shirts, some pants to match, a few pieces of jewerelly that I wear all the time because they go with everything, and a coat or jacket if it's cold; simple. My style is always the same and most of the pieces in my wardrobe can be paired together, so throwing on an outfit in the morning is .... simple. The things I cook myself on a regular basis are 100% delicious and consist of something more than pasta and salads, but they're all simple (most consist of throwing things in a pot, cooking it all together till it's hot, then spooning it out to eat). My makeup routine is always pretty much the same, with a few different products here and there to cater for different occasions.... simple.

    One reason behind why I started this blog was to create posts about photography, because I love photography; but I wanted those posts to be simple. I wanted to break down the main concepts and functions behind photography and make them super easy to understand, so that anyone with any slight interest could then potentially get out there and have a go. I explained this in one of my first posts I did, and I found people received these quite well. 

    Admittedly I've probably fallen off the bandwagon in terms of keeping my blog flowing in this direction, but it's inspired me to tip it back upright and get going again. I never planned to be a pure 100% photography blog, and I probably never will be, because I have so many other interests in life and I want to sure them all. However the point of anything I post is that it will be simple; simple to read and simple to understand. The point of the post, my reason or my opinion being expressed in the post will be there in black and white, there won't be any big words or longwinded sentences that will need to be deciphered.

    I do this because I think life only needs to be simple. There is plenty of other things out there to stress us out and make us worry, so if we can simplify as many things in our life as possible, the happier we will be, and the smoother a ride we will have in life; all of which should make us do nothing but smile when we take the time to reflect when we're old and grey.

    On this blog you'll find posts on so many different topics and no I don't think you can, or ever will be able to, fit my blog into a niche, but one thing you can be sure of is that everything will be simple.
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    Why Do I Blog?
    posted by . 3/26/16 .


    It's the feeling I have because I have a doctors appointment this morning. It's nothing but a routine checkup, I think the word 'doctor' just generally makes me feel this way.

    It's the feeling I get when I'm walking around and I catch one or two people staring at me and I convince myself everyone around me is now staring for some unknown reason. I begin to feel so self conscious and worry something about my outfit or the way I look is causing people to stare, and when I find a mirror next I'll realise what it was they were staring at and die of embarrassment. I get this feeling particularly bad when I'm walking around University and the level of discomfort I feel sometimes is almost unbearable.

    It's the feeling I get when I have to call up to make an order or get in touch with a company, because I know it's a stranger who will be answering the phone.

    It's the feeling I get while sitting in class and the teacher asks a question and the room goes silent and I fear I might have to answer (even if I know the answer).

    It's the feeling I get when I'm taking photos and people stop and watch what I'm doing.

    It's the feeling I get when I know I'm about to walk into, or already am, in a situation where there will be people I don't know but will need to make conversation with. I know I'll struggle to think of things to ask or talk about and I fear my silence will make them think I'm weird or be mistaken for me being rude.

    It's the feeling I get when I think about my current freelancing situation (or lack of it).

    It's the feeling I get if I sit and think to much about the fact we all have to die one day and we really have no idea exactly what will happen when that day comes.

    It's the feeling I get about having to go places alone ... and so much more.


    Anxiety is a topic I feel a lot of bloggers and YouTubers talk about, and it seems a lot of them have it. Maybe we're all just kidding ourselves, or maybe this type of environment attracts those with the problem because it's a safe way for us to tackle the issue and do something productive in life without having to constantly be at the mercy of it.

    I'm not sure if any of this would actually be medically diagnosed as anxiety, or whether I've just got it in my head, after watching and reading so many other people's descriptions of it, that I do. I'm not in any way denoting this issue because it is that, an issue, which many people deal and suffer with on a daily basis. I guess I'm not sure if I truely do, or that simply because I found myself somewhat resonating with what others had to say that I believe I do. All I know is that I do feel extremely uncomfortable, sometimes borderline terrified and ready to turn and run, in the above situations.

    However I do also want to note that with some of things I mentioned above, I am getting better, such as having to go places alone or having to talk to strangers on the phone. There are also some situations that I've found I'm completely cured of feeling overly anxious about. I use to have anxiety over driving, particularly on new, unknown roads. It wasn't something I really realised until I would reach my destination and turn off the engine. Then I would feel how tightly my hands were gripping the steering wheel and how fast my heart was pounding. I use to have anxiety about having to do an interview. This is one of the more crazy ones when you consider what I've been doing for a living for the past few years and what I want to do with the rest of my life. However I think the constant throwing of myself into this situation because I simply had to helped me.

    I don't know if I have anxiety, and I definitely can't tell whoever is reading this if they do. I guess I mainly wanted to share this post because 1; I don't know if many people in my day-to-day life would realise how often I am feeling uncomfortable and scared (for lack of a better word) because I like to think I can hide it pretty well. 2; I want others to know it's okay and you're not alone if you ever feel like this in any of the above situations or any other time.

    Being anxious and having anxiety is a real thing, and I guess we can all suffer from different levels of it. Just keep on pushing, keep on doing, and things get better.




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    Anxiety
    posted by . 3/24/16 .

    I've shown you Florence and I've shown you Venice, now Pisa!

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    Photo Diary: Pisa
    posted by . 3/22/16 .


    Grab a box of tissues and a block of chocolate, because the realisation is about to dawn on you that the first day of uni is getting closer. Not only does this mean no more days lazing around on the beach, but it also means the start of some unwanted expenses. To help out your wallet, here are a few money-saving tricks you can keep up your sleeve.  

    Find free parking

    This will depend on what uni you go to, but many campuses tend to charge for parking. Usually, you either have to buy a ticket for the day or fork out a hunk of cash for a yearly parking permit, neither of which do any good for your back pocket.
    If you’re not too keen on throwing away money for parking, try finding some free spots. Most universities with parking will have some free areas, but you might just have to jump on them early to grab one - better set that alarm. If not, you can always utilise the streets around your campus. Sure, this might mean a bit of a trek to class, but just think of it as killing two birds with one stone: you’re saving money and working out.

    The library is your bookstore

    A massive money-eater can be those bulky bounds of paper we call textbooks. It’s not hard to spend a few hundred dollars on them, and you’ll often find them going to waste if you never even open the front cover.
    There are a few ways you can save yourself throwing away dollars on these expensive paperweights. One option is to find someone selling their textbooks. Scour Facebook pages or look up textbook exchange websites where people list their second-hand goodies. If you really need to save some coin, you might even consider just borrowing them from your library. Most of the time this unexplored part of your campus will have at least one copy of the compulsory text. If you plan to take this path, though, be sure to jump on them quick. Once uni starts it’ll be hard to loan those books, so get in early and do some readings in advance in preparation for when you have to hand them back.

    Make your own food

    One you’ve probably heard before, but one you’ll inevitably end up getting too lazy to stick to. However, making your own food is something you should really try and keep at in order to save some dollar bills. Buying that Subway three times a week, no matter how delicious it tastes, will add up. Even if it’s just some snacks to help pull you through ‘til you get home, it’s better than nothing.

    Hitch a ride

    This can save you money on fuel and parking, and also help the environment. If you’ve got a bunch of friends nearby all heading to uni at the same time, jump in the car with them.

    Limit your nights out (yeah, we're serious)

    When you’re a uni student, you’ll probably find you love nothing better than heading out for a night on the town to drink those stresses away for a few hours. That’s totally understandable, but it can get damn expensive. If you really need this weekly dose of de-stressing, try and stick to just going out on student nights. The drinks and entry will be cheaper, and when you wake up with that hangover the next day, the sight of coin left in the bank might just help cure it.

     Originally appeared on Hijacked
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    OMFG I'm starting uni and I've got no money
    posted by . 3/19/16 .

    A few weeks ago Priceline were having some type of sale (as they always seem to be doing these days) and items from the brand Formula 10.0.06 were particularly cheap. I'd used one of their face masks and face washes in the past and found them to be pretty good, so I figured, seeing as they were so cheap, it was the perfect time to buy and try some more stuff from the line. I also love their packaging, simple yet beautiful to look at.


    I picked up two packets of their 'Down To The Pore' pore strips, to small 'Deep Down Detox' mud mask packets, their 'So Totally Clean' toner, the 'Absolute Dream Cleanse' face cleanser which is cucumber and grape scented, and the 'Keep Your Cool' Breakout cleansing face mask.


    I haven't had a chance to use every single product yet, but I have tried a few. Grabbing the 'Down To The Pore' pore strips I was fairly excited to try them out because I normally just use Biore pore strips, and have never noticed any other brand selling them. My only other alternatives have been those black goops you can buy in the tubes from eBay or Diaso, but I've never found them to be as effective as the Biore strips. I've only given the Formula 10.0.06 strips one go, and to be fair I don't think the pores on my nose were particularly full of dirt at the time, however they did manage to pull some crap out. They're a little bit cheaper than the Biore strips, and I think they would make a great alternative. I'm keen to give them a better test run.


    I've also used the 'Keep Your Cool' Breakout cleansing face mask a few times. This mask is all about helping calm any annoying breakouts you might have your face, helping to reduce their redness and overall obnoxiousness. I use this in combination with a different branded face mask that is a more tougher, declogging-type product and follow with this to help give my face something nice to cool down and relax with after being given some serious dirt-ridding treatments. You spread this one all over your face and let it set. It has the coolest texture when it dries; I don't really know how to explain it - it feels like there is a really, really, really soft layer of rubber sitting on your face. I'm honestly not sure this one is majorly effective, which is a bit of a shame because other masks I've used from the brand before did seem to do a good job, but it still feels really fresh and relaxing on your face and I'll happily use the rest of it; not sure I'll grab it again though.


    The last product I've managed to have a crack at is the 'Absolute Dream Clean' face cleanser. Have to say I love this stuff. You only need the tiniest bit in your hand because this stuff lathers up really, really well. It definitely leaves my face feeling super clean, though I have noticed when I use it twice for those nights when I'm making sure I get all my makeup off my face, it can leave me with a really squeaky clean, almost dry-type feeling on my face, but it's nothing a good toning and moisturiser afterwards doesn't fix, and it does remove all the makeup and dirt from my face. I'd probably purchase this one again.


    Overall this brand delivers some great products at really affordable prices. So if you're ever looking to try some new face products, or there's a sale on in Priceline and you're not sure what to pick up, maybe give these guys a go.
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    Formula 10.0.6 Haul
    posted by . 3/17/16 .

    Back in February I posted a photo diary of my time spent in Florence, Italy on a winter exchange. I said there would be more parts to follow, and without further ado here is the next one. This bunch of photos are from a weekend I spend in Venice, Italy while I was completing the course.

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    Photo Diary: Venice
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