Aussie Curves : Vulnerable Side

The title says it all..vulnerabilities. No matter how strong, confident and in control we all look there is still that little voice deep down inside that occasionally lets loose. I've read "fake it, 'till you make it" numerous time on Aussie Curves in the last 12ish months, and hell I've used that motto way more times than I care to admit. But do you want know what I've read more over the last twelve months? I've read and followed a mixed bunch of gorgeous women who from reading their vulnerabilities this week have no idea of the impact they're making on other people's lives. I've smiled, I've laughed and I've cried along with them. I see new people with their shy first "what the heck am I doing" faces and I've seen others totally strutting their stuff and I love them all. If only I had discovered something like Aussie Curves when I was a teenager, I think my life would've been a lot different.

In light of that, I'm giving a bit of a glimpse into me, the old me, in a letter to me, telling myself things I should've known but never did.

Dear fourteen year old me: Life does and did get better. You will become a strong, confident and beautiful woman. And even though you are broken and hurting right now, you deserve to live. You are a fighter.

Dear twenty one year old me: You had no reason to be horrified by this photo. Yes I know you're in tracky daks and an old favorite top with your hair not brushed but you are rocking those curves. There was no need to be ashamed of them. Screw what the media portrays and stop with the vicious cycle of dieting. All you're doing is screwing your metabolism for life. 

Dear twenty eight year old me: Your wedding day will be one of the most fabulous days of your life. You are marrying the man of your dreams surrounded by family and friends who love you. They won't have any clue that your hair looks nothing like it was meant to be. They will not be looking at your "fat" arms. They will not be thinking "Gee you think she would've lost some weight before the wedding". So you shouldn't be thinking about these things either. Focus on the man that's about to be your husband because a moment you will cherish for a lifetime is just about to happen.
Dear thirty year old me: Not everyone sails smoothly through pregnancy. You are going to be one of the unlucky ones. But that is NOT because you are overweight. You will get sick, very sick. You will put on 32 kgs in the whole pregnancy through no fault of your own. Do not beat yourself up over it. Your child will be healthy and beautiful and adored. Yes you are much bigger than you were before, but don't focus on pre-pregnancy weight, focus on that little boy because before you know it his brother will be on the way.
Dear thirty one year old me: Having a BMI too high to deliver your baby at the local hospital will devastate you. You will be inconsolable over it. Rest assured though, that the hospital you do deliver in is fabulous. The standard of care you receive is much higher than the local hospital was with your last child. This hospital will save your life giving birth to your next child.

And now to current me. I still have many insecurities. Like most people I have good days and bad (admittedly the bad ones are usually PMT driven). I have days when I look in the mirror and am really happy with what I see and there are days where I lament my fatness. Where I well and truly degrade myself, but those days are becoming less and less.

So what am I currently vulnerable about? Let me give you a few acronyms which I'm sure you've seen around: FUPR (pronounced Foopah), you know "fat upper pelvic region". Then there is GUNT. I leave that acronym for you to decipher. Either way that's what I'm vulnerable about. Oh and my fifty billion chins. It's where I carry the bulk of my weight. It makes it hard to dress. I'm always pulling at my tops and tees just to cover it. I struggle getting clothes to fit properly as tops need to be bigger to cover that area but that leaves them too big around my shoulder, neck and chest area. I need pants with adjustable waists as my waist is much smaller than my hips. So yeah, this is what I struggle with.

But I'm going to harden up and leave you with some outakes. The ones I deemed too hideous to put online but in the spirit of Aussie Curves, I'm breaking them out..FUPR, GUNT and all.

Don't forget to check out these wonderful women I'm taking about below.

Aussie Curves : Lovable LBD

This week starts with another trip in the Delorian but not quite the kindergarten years, this time were talkin' 2011.

A time where a girl's bestie gets married and I get to play bridesmaid complete with the lovable LBD.

I've seen a few people asking recently about Light in the Box, so I'll add my two bobs because this is where this gorgeous dress came from, all for the *cough hefty sum of $79 (well at least I think that's what it was). And it was custom made. The cut was beautiful, it was made really well and in super quick time. The only issue I had with it was that I had to adjust it a tad (but I think that says more about us doing the my measurments than the actual supplier). So anyway, check out the LBD.

Here's a pic taken of me looking refreshed waiting for the ceremony to start and getting the pre-wedding pics done. It's really amazing what a great makeup artist and hairdresser can do because even I don't think I look like me.

Doing the nervous walk down the aisle. For all my loud outgoingness (for want of a better word), I'm not really a fan of being in the spotlight so walking down the aisle while everyone is staring waiting for the bride really made me nervous. Can you tell LOL?

And on to the beautiful ceremony. Was short and sweet and a tad emotional - just how a wedding should be when your standing in the same spot in a pair of killer heels.

And lastly to show off my hair (cause I loved it) and my tired baby girl (cause I love her too).

 

Please take the time the check out all the other gorgeous LBD's below.

Mood Board Monday {Geometric}

Welcome to Week 2 of:

As soon as I saw Geometric, I knew what my base piece would be. Recently Suger over at Suger Coat It, posted a gorgeous new rug she bought and ever since I've been lusting over it. My lust is made worse by the fact that it just wouldn't suit my house but for MBM it's on.

All of these items can be easily sourced for your own pad. 

1. Lappljung Ruta - Ikea
2.  Arc chrome floor lamp kit with chrome shade - Beacon Lighting 
3. Karlsfors - Ikea
4. Triangles (red) cushion cover by White Horse Home - Down that little lane
5. Black and white geometrical scallop cushion cover - Down that little lane
6. Pyramid brights - Adairs
7. Strind - Ikea 
8. Cow skull with fabric wrapped horns - Hard to find

Getting my Susie on : Cake of Win

Anyone see that pic I posted on Fb of the ice cream cake that was just awesome?
If not, here's a refresher.

So because biting off more than I can chew is how I roll, I was determined I could and would make this cake. Next time I'm buying one of those Peters ones because by the time I'd bought the fifty billion Kit Kats and two 2lt tubs of icecream I'd spent double what an ice cream cake costs and that doesn't even include the time spend making the damn thing. See the crazy shit that Mummy guilt makes you do?

So this is how it went down.

 Two very happy little boys. Mummy guilt, all worthwhile.

Come on, you gotta admit, it did look all kinds of awesome.

Aussie Curves : Worthy Work

Of all weeks to do a work challenge, this was an unusual one for me.
Most days are the same day in, day out so my work attire doesn't really change too much. Our dress code is black and white (and a color of the season that each individual store chooses) and business casual. So tailored pants and a nice top and cardi are usually the go.

But this week was out of the ordinary. Firstly we had stocktake which is about a 14 hour day and it's casual clothes. Comfortable clothes. So jeans, hoodie, t-shirt and cons was the go. So casual, that I forgot to take a pic in fact. Oops. Then we had a managers meeting. And not just your run of the mill meeting, this one was a special by invite only Rainbow Theme, think like a kid fancy dress meeting. Yeah, so not in my comfort zone but what the hell, if there is anything I've learnt from Aussie Curves, it's embrace something different. So embrace I did.

Oh and a PS, if you are worried that I'm looking rather serious and almost makeupless for the start of a workday it's because they're taken at the end of each day by a five year old...who was not so happy about being the photographer.

So here's to the working week:

Cardigan : MODA for Target

Top : City Chic

Tank : K Mart

Pants : Avella for Big W

Shoes : Ruby Shoes

 





Top : City Chic

Bangle : Thrifted

Pants : Avella for Big W

Boots : Famous Footwear

Cardigan : Mix by Coles

Camisole : City Chic

Pants : Avella for Big W
Shoes : K Mart

And now we have the Rainbow Party attire:

Hair bows : $2 type shop

Necklace : Big W

Bangles : Best & Less

Cardigan : Mix by Coles

Dress : City Chic Bunting Dress

Tights : City Chic

Socks : Best & Less

Shoes : Authentic *cough Cons from Bali

Check out the links below to see how everyone else dresses while workin' hard for the money.