Birthday Shenanigans – What I Wore

Frostings, today was my nineteenth birthday. It’s been a lovely relaxing day of crafting and writing. On Saturday, I went for a fabulous meal with some of my friends, and yesterday I had a family gathering. It’s been a wonderful few days but it has meant a bit of a blogging absence, I’m back now however!

My sister is on the left and I am on the right!
Wearing: Jane Norman shirt dress, vintage denim shorts (not visable) and jewellery that was a gift from my lovely mother.

So, normal blogging will now resume frostings!
Thankyou to my wonderful family and friends for a lovely few days.

Lots of love..
Kat xo.

An Interview With.. A Fierce Frosting!

Operation Beautiful (www.operationbeautiful.com) is a fantastic source of hope and inspiration with an amazing message. I recently had the chance to interview Caitlin of Operation Beautiful. Here’s what happened..

1. What is Operation Beautiful, for those of us who aren’t familiar with the concept? 
Operation Beautiful is simple:  people post affirming notes in public places, take a picture, and e-mail it to me.  I post it on the site for others to read and enjoy.  The mission of Operation Beautiful is to post anonymous notes in public places for other women to find. The point is that WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL. You are enough… just the way you are!
 
2. How did Operation Beautiful start?
I was going through a stressful time in my life – I was working full-time, running my personal blog (Healthy Tipping Point), training for a marathon, and going to night classes at the local community college. I often found myself feeling depressed and miserable. I fought negative self-talk daily, a habit that I thought I had rid myself of when I trained myself not to engage in “Fat Talk” about my body. One day in June 2009 was particularly bad, so I decided to write “You are beautiful” on a piece of notebook paper and stick it on the mirror in the college bathroom. I felt happier and lighter as I wondered who would find my note and what they would feel while they read the positive affirmation. I posted a photograph of the note on my blog, and my readers began to write their own notes and e-mail them to me. Later that week, Operation Beautiful was born, and the site has been fighting negative self-talk in all of its nasty forms ever since
 
3. What is the ultimate goal of Operation Beautiful?
The goal is to raise awareness about Fat Talk and negative self-talk and teach people how to replace those destructive habits with more positive ones.
 
4. How can fierce frosting’s get involved with Operation Beautiful? 
Post a note, take a picture, and e-mail it to Caitlin at seebriderun@gmail.com.  Each note gets put on the site for thousands of others to read and enjoy!
 
5. What’s the best thing about running Operation Beautiful? 
The best thing is waking up each day and seeing wonderful notes and stories in my email inbox!  It makes me so happy to see so much positivity in the world.
 
6. How has Operation Beautiful influenced your life?
Running the site has made me a more sympathetic and understanding person.  People go through so much in life and it’s so important to take the time to understand why they are the way they are.
 
7. What is next for Operation Beautiful? 
The Operation Beautiful book will be released on August 3.  The book includes 125 of the most amazing, inspiring, and motivational notes I’ve received. The book also includes tips from real women and professionals on how to live a healthier, more balanced life. I really believe this book is a great gift for a friend, sister, mother, or even yourself!  It’s available for pre-sale on Amazon, Barnes and Noble,Borders, and Indie Bound.
 
8. How responsible do you think mainstream media are for society’s perception of beauty? 
I think the media has a huge impact on us, especially in creation of the false “Thin Ideal.”  99% of images in magazines are photoshopped.  How can little girls or teenagers begin to understand that this is not real or attainable?  It breaks my heart. 
 
9. What message would you to fierce frosting’s reading this?  
Change the way you see, not the way you look!
 
10. What’s the best thing to come out of Operation Beautiful? 
My favorite Operation Beautiful story was sent in by a teenager who was in treatment for anorexia. Her disease was very serious, and the doctors were concerned it might kill her. Her therapist had convinced her to eat solid food for lunch instead of a diet shake – something she had not done for months – and the girl snuck to the bathroom to throw up. As she closed the door of the stall, she noticed a little note that read, “You are good enough the way you are!” with the website address on the bottom. She wrote me to say that the little note literally saved her life – it was a tremendous turning point for her, and she was now out of the hospital and regaining weight. She felt the note was a message meant just from her from God. I’ll never forget reading that email!

What did you think of the interview, frostings? Let me know!

Lots of love..
Kat xo.

Thankful Thursdays

+ Visits to see my grandparents.
They are so wise and funny and special. They make me smile so much.

+ Retail therapy.
Yes, it may not last and isn’t the best solution, but it certainly put a smile back on my face.

+ Planning next year.
So, next year is ALL about travelling. And I simply cannot wait!

+ Gala Darling & Sarah Von’s e-books.
Fantastic sources of inspiration and guidance. Perfect! Reviews coming soon!

+ Trusting in the universe.
I’m still working on it, but I’m getting there. I’m so excited about everything the universe has planned for me!

Honorable mentions;
Lazy lie ins; delicious meals; creating cards; exciting career plans; making new friends; planning my secret santa for the BSB meet-up; anticipating my birthday.

Lots of love..
Kat xo.

Why Not Wednesday..?

+ Take fifteen minutes to clear out your space.

+ Treat yourself to something you’ve been lusting after, because you deserve it.

+ Tell someone how much they mean to you.

+ Plan out your next week. It will give you such peace of mind.

+ Look into the law of attraction and making it work for you.

Lots of love..
Kat xo.

Curious Tuesday

1. What is your very best beauty tip?
Use moisturiser. Drink plenty of water. Smile lots. Be confident, it shows.

2. Who is your arch-nemesis?
Procrastination and my own self doubt.

3. What are the three things you need to do in order to feel sane?
I need to write. I need to get plenty of sleep. I need to have time to myself.

4. What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
I’ve never eaten anything really strange. I’m a strict vegetarian so that rules out a lot of weird food.

5. What is one thing in your wardrobe which makes you feel invincible?
Any of my dresses. I feel fabulous about them all.

Lots of love..
Kat xo.

Creating The Perfect Routine

Routine is such a big part of our daily lives. It can affect our lives a great deal and establishing a wonderful daily routine can really enhance our lives.

So, how do you go about crafting the perfect daily routine?

Firstly, you must figure out what works for you.
Are you more productive in the mornings or afternoons? Do you have daily commitments to work around? Make a list of what you do day to day and how you can shake up your routine to work for you.
For example, I know I’m more productive and alert and inspired in the mornings, so I use this time to write and get work done. In the afternoons, however, I’m a little less alert and inspired, so I use this time to do more mundane tasks such as responding to e-mails, carrying out chores etc.

Secondly, create some goals.
Knowing what you want to achieve and by when can really clear your mind, and only then can you take steps to implementing these things.
For example, want to be an established author? Think about the steps you can take each day to accomplish this goal. It might mean researching your novel or setting yourself a quota of words to achieve each day.

Thirdly, figure out what you want your routine to be like.
Now you’ve figured out what works for you and created some goals, take some time to think about what you want your routine to be like.
For example, my routine consists of:
+ Awake – 7am + Have breakfast & make myself look presentable + Work; 8am – 12pm (writing, working on my novel, other publication posts) + Lunch + Work; 1pm – 4pm (respond to e-mails & comments, work for my internship, work on my upcoming e-book, household chores) + Evening spent reading and cooking + Bed; 9pm.

So.. how’s your routine looking? What would you like to change? What steps do you need to take to make the necessary changes? Take some time and think about it!

Lots of love..
Kat xo.

Quote Of The Week

The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.
- Mary Pickford

Lots of love..
Kat xo.