A Beautiful Space!

When you think of beauty, you may think of beauty in terms of skin care, makeup, hair styles, perfumes, -  really anything to do with your body.

Well I love all of the above things, but I have also found I love making the area around me beautiful too.

At night I have been lighting candles and playing soft jazz music. During the day I have been opening the doors (on a sunny day ;)) and allowing the fresh flowery breezes to wonder in my house. I also spray fresh vanilla essence on my table and benches and it fills the house with pure yum!

These little things really do create a feeling of beauty through sense, touch, sight and sound, in my life, especially in the 'boring' daily chores. It’s just simple stuff that can make a huge difference to your day.

This week, take time out to indulge in some beauty around you, it lifts the spirit and makes life amazing and you truly glow as a beauty in your beautiful world.

What are some of your favourite ideas and things to do that make your life feel beautiful, in any season...? 

i.e A bunch of flowers, an evening walk, a mug of hot chocolate, a ......

How to have friends!

Random Acts of Kindness. I love this. 
Have you heard of this concept? I would be surprised if you have not. 
I love it when people do 'kind' or 'caring' things to another. A lot of times this act is associated with doing things for a stranger, again I love this, and think we should all be doing this. But, sometimes I think we can forget a little about our friends!!!


Truth Moment: Bring back the TAF - Towards A Friend.

Sometimes in the dazzle and frazzle of life I feel like, and I know, I can take my friends for granted. 
I mean, they are always just there. 
They are a wonderful and vital part of my life and I could not live without them, but I can forget about stepping out in my tired, busy state and do an act of kindness towards them. - And I'm not talking about just being there for the big moments as you and I would be, this is in the 'just everyday'. 


With a "drrr" and a self imposed slap up the side of my head ;) , I need to simply show my appreciation to my close friends for being in my life and encourage them in theirs too. I attach 'TAF' to my life.


So this week I determine to do a TAF! Yep, a 'Towards A Friend'. 

What do you think? -Please share what you do for your friends that let's them know they are appreciated and loved in everyday Life?  

Pop that balloon!

Do you ever just randomly stop and think about your life, and no matter how good it is or maybe how frazzled you feel, the thought and feeling of not being in control sneaks in. You noticing that your life is not really how you ever thought it would have turned out as a graduating teen dreamer - Pop that balloon!

Sometimes it feels that so much of life is not a choice anymore and some of my ideas from my 20's where foolish dreams. 


Life is a real mix of responsibility, changing stages, unpredictable surprises (the good and the bad), some striving to stay in touch with youthful dreams, settling or forgetting or giving up on dreams, and it's all moving so fast that it can be hard to keep up. - Arrrgg, balloons popping, shrinking, and not being blown up anymore, everywhere!


Truth Moment: Keep blowing up balloons! -  But it's what you fill them with that is the difference.


I am learning that it is important to keep having dreams and forging ahead to make a happy, successful life, but I need to fill my dreams, my life, with the power of choice and live out of those choices. In what life throws at me or how I feel, I choose balloons full of:


- Love
- Happy
- Truthfulness
- Giving
- Friendship
- Peace

No matter what my life turns out to be in the end, no matter how many of my dreams I achieve, the stages I go through, and with those unpredictable, unexpected  curve balls in life I know, going forward and through with my 'balloons', I have lived well, dazzled!


Let's float some balloons: What do you think?  Share with us what  'balloon' of 'choice' you think is important to have in life.
(Click on the comment link below.)

Get a Tan!

Fashion is so much fun, and I find it to be a really great way to express yourself through the latest trends or stepping out and trying something new and unique.

At the moment I am loving 'Tan'. - Belts, shoes, necklaces, bags, ...etc.


It's springtime in Aus and I feel like this colour; leather or wood texture, big or small touches, adds a whimsical, earthy feel to my clothes and in a strange way connects me to the newness of blooming flowers, warm breezes and lengthening balmy evenings that hold a hint of summer. 
Try some 'Tan' today.


With so many cute, stylish, and fun colours, looks and feels, out there you just can't go wrong. So, do share with us: What is your favorite accessory colour or item at the moment and why you are loving it?
Can't wait to read what your all into! :)


(Click on the comments link below to view other, or add your own, comment.)

Wooden necklace and belt from: - You can browse heaps of cool necklace ideas.
http://www.shopstyle.co.uk/browse?fts=wooden+necklace

Spontaneous Rain!

It was just yesterday, that I put on my walking shoes and with the whole family = one husband, Miss 5, and Miss 18mnt old. We went for a walk around the neighbourhood.

It was just on dusk, the air was warm, full of balmy blossom scents, and because we live at the beach, was filled with fresh salt. It was really fun and refreshing just walking around our area. 
But, as we were heading home it began to rain, big splashy rain. Now, we were just a little to far away from home and I knew we were about to get wet. 




Yep, we did. After calming the girls down (lots of reassuring Miss 5 that it's OK to get wet), it was wonderful! It was a spontaneous moment of excitement.


Truth Moment: Sometimes I feel that in life; all the 'busy', responsibilities, and the 'frazzle'... There is no time anymore for spontaneous fun - and these days I don't have the mind space to think up any either.


However, thanks to the sky that night, I had some. It reminded me of how good it felt to feel really alive and it gave joy to my family - I had forgotten (sadly) what 'spontaneous' felt like. 
My girls squealed in delight at getting wet, and my hubby simply smiled at me and held my hand in the rain.
From this yummy taste, I am determined to have more spontaneous moments in my life and really enjoy the opportunity's of 'something a little different' or being caught in a 'unchangeable moment' that can always be fun if you choose it to be.
What do you reckon?


Ok, No matter your age or stage in life, do share your most recent spontaneous moment? - What it was, how you felt, or even share what activities you do with your family to keep the fun!

Spring = warm days, lemonade picnics, dresses and dry legs!

I am so loving this warm Spring weather, but my legs are not. 
I have been trying my fav dresses on and daring to bare my winter 'white' tan but I have discover I am also baring dry skin too. This will not do. 
Yep it's time to spend 10min (ok in my world it has to be 2min) rubbing some moisture into them. So...... what do I use that acts fast and makes my legs look summer ready???


We want to know what you do when it comes to dry skin.
Tell us what you use, how long you spend on your skin and when you rub that moisture in:
(Post your response by clicking the comment link below or view comments by pressing on the same link.)


Can't wait to hear how you get happy, moisturized, soft skin legs. 


Elizabeth.

'Share Your Life Moments'

Everyone has a life story or as I like to put it 'life moments', they happen to us all and they are like a bag of 'all sorts', each of us experiencing different types and each of us sharing a few too. 
We want to hear from you and hear about your life moments. 


Inspire, encourage, or just share with us a funny, exciting, painful, or heartbreaking, frustrated, something interesting, a lessons learnt, or an opps...etc...and more moment. 
It can be anything from: marriage, family life, shopping, beauty, health, friendships, having children, cooking, single life, broken relationships, building relationships,... and ...

Simply write in 100 - 200 words an event/situation/moment and comment on how you handled it, learnt from it, were inspired, or needed help and what you did. Don't forget to write a sentence about who you are i.e. Mum of 3, works part time, can't live without shoes, and have been seen pulling my hair out, women from QLD...:) - you get the drift!


Send it to fradazmag@westnet.com.au or through our Facebook page as a Facebook message.http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Fradaz-Mag/100578686657469?ref=sgm

I can't wait to share your 'real life moment' with others to inspire.

Help I've got nothing to wear!!!

With the change of season it is nice to run out and shop up a new wardrobe. New colors, patterns and styles. Big But: If you don't have the budget it can be a wistful time of 'I've got nothing to wear!!!!!! Here are three steps on how to turn your 'wist' into feeling new season dazzling beautiful.


1) The Basics. 
Team your clothes together in basic/base colors. We all have them in our wardrobes, if not save up and invest in some classic, timeless pieces. We're talking: white, denim, gray, and black's together - i.e. denim and a white shirt, or black pants, black shirt, and a gray or black coat...For Spring go for more denim and whites and for autumn start to go into the darks. Then...

2) Accessories. 
Accessories don't have to cost a fortune and they are an easy way to bring new season color into any wardrobe. So team your basic look with new season color: bracelets, beads, earrings, shoes, scarves, bags, sunglasses/glasses, headbands,....etc. For Spring we are loving fresh, happy, pale colors and for Autumn, try vibrant yet dark blues and metallic browns. Don't just wear one either, layer them up in the same tones. Finish with...


3) Makeup. 
It's all in the makeup so change it up. Tone down to paler soft colors for spring and add soft 'blush' cheeks. Step it up a notch with brighter and darker lip tones for autumn and a touch heavier eye shadow if you dare.

Most of all, it's about having fun, so try a few new colors and makeup looks this season.

Yellow wooden beads from:
http://www.fashionjewelleryhouse.co.uk/fashion-jewellery-blog/index.php/a-wood-bead-bracelet-is-the-easy-way-to-bring-colour-into-your-outfit/

How to be beautiful.

You feel spectacular! The best you've felt for awhile. Your hair is 'modern glam', your makeup pretty much perfect and you have spent weeks finding the most beautiful dress - You're actually out of jeans or worse 'trackies' for once and sticky finger or nose marks from the kids that usually accessories your outfits are nowhere in sight. 

You feel gorgeous, elegant, stunning, hot in your own right and... ...Oh my, across the room is another women wearing the same dress!!!!!

Your heart sinks instantly, you feel that beautiful feeling you had just a second ago disappear, "does she look better in it?" -You can't help think. 

You look around to see if anyone has noticed yet. You have a second to work out what you are going to do, and you:

a) Get out of there as fast as possible, race home and change into something, anything, else...

b) Laugh at it, declare that the other women has impeccable taste and get on with enjoying yourself and congratulation the other women on fine taste...

c) Cringe and spend the rest of the evening hiding behind your friends or hubby with one eye on 'that women' while trying to stay at all times at opposite ends of the room from her...

...Well what ever you do it doesn’t really matter, because the real question is: Why do we care so much when this happens???? 

We've all had this moment and we all feel a touch deflated when it happens. Why? - Because every women wants to feel and be beautiful as her own unique and diverse beauty.

Truth Moment: You already have been created: beautiful, diverse and unique, valuable, important... and we need to embrace it.

It is so easy to feel, and quite unknowingly, that we are competing with every other beauty out there and it doesn't help living in a media age with 'beauty bombardment' every where you turn. 

Competing is all about comparing. When you compare yourself to another you always come up short because it's your flaws that you see which only serve to overwhelm, depress and suppress you. 

Embracing you, your own beauty, your own uniqueness, and your own value may not come easily, especially if that chocolate bar you ate last night is bulging out of your hips right now, but when you do, you have within the essence of being free. 

Free to be: you, happy, being able to stand confident, to not have to be absolutely perfect, to be proud of what you do love about you, and not being bothered deep inside by other beautiful women around you. 

The only way to embrace you is by choice. It is a choice to accept you, by you.

When you choose you, and choose to believe you are 'the above Truth Moment', you can: smile, know you really do light up the world, and you realize this world needs your diverse, unique, beautiful self, and that you are the only one who can take your place as the beauty you are amongst the beauty of it all.

There is nothing more beautiful, rare, original, elegant and stunning as a women who has embraced herself.


How to be beautiful? It's a choice.

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! Psalm 139

Top 5 fun!

1) Check out these cute meal time fun plates for the kids. Face plates to inspire your children to eat while having fun at the same
time. http://www.alfrescoemporium.com.au/index.asp?p=store&l=2134&r=142

2) Overnight hair moisturising! Banish the dry winter season away and get your hair into spring silky shape with: Pantene Night Miracle Cream http://www.pantene.com.au/en-AU/product/PANTENE_NIGHT_MIRACLE.jspx


3) Ever forgot to pick up 'that card' for a friend's event, birthday or life happening moment, well never fear just get your self a emergency box of cards to cover any occasion.
http://www.papierdamour.com.au/index.phpPCID=7688&PSO=188&PSID=VB03&PSV=Primary&CDO=


4) Feather jewelry! So whimsical, soft and very spring! Check out these soft pink feather earring from Diva http://www.diva.net.au/#/product/1775


5) Vanilla. The smell of vanilla is gorgeous. Simply fill a spray bottle with metho add some vanilla essence and you have a beautiful surface spray that will fill your house with the smell of cupcakes, candles, love and fresh peace.


Tell us what you love. Send your ideas, hints and beautiful things to fradazmag@westnet.com.au
Check out these earrings I found, and that you can purchase too.

It's time for some Food!

These days it seems like everywhere you go people are talking gluten free, lactose intolerant and more. Below Amanda Bradford shares with us some insights into this world...  

Are you one of these people who don’t understand why other people would want to be or have to be Wheat Free, Gluten Free, Vegan, etc, etc, etc…..

There are so many ‘new’ titles for food allergies these days that it’s hard to know what they all are and not to mention do they really exist or is it all just in our heads.

I was one of these people who would secretly scoff when someone ordered a soy latte… why would you want to drink that stuff!

Ok, I am making a formal apology to all persons who fit into the above category because I was judging you from my ignorance. Recently I was not feeling myself and I visited a naturopath who put me on a good old liver cleanse. Not only did she prescribe a really disgusting herbal mixture morning and night but my diet for 3 weeks includes no wheat, dairy, gluten, red meat… oh, let’s just say ‘everything yummy’! And just to top it off - no caffeine - so I hide in the pantry, sniffing the coffee beans…. feels like I’m doing something naughty J

The first week my body ached and a number of other unmentionable changes invaded or maybe better described as escaped my body. It was not nice but then neither was the way I was feeling before all this began. There is 10 days remaining and have to say that I do have more energy and I have started to wake up before the alarm… what’s with that! It certainly is still a work in progress but along this journey the meals I have had to invent have actually been tasty and if only we could continue to incorporate a few of these healthier options into the normal weekly meal plan, our bodies might just thank us!

Manda’s Meal Plan for a day

Breakfast: Brown Rice Flake porridge

Lunch: Salad - cabbage, carrot, capsicum, shallots, celery, olives & pumpkin seeds with dressing of: - Gluten Free soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and honey

Dinner:  Lots of free range chicken done a number of ways but my favorite:

Chicken with Tomatoes & Olives

Marinate 800g diced Chicken for 30 - 60 mins in 3tbls olive oil, 3tbls lemon juice & 2tsp

garlic.

In the meantime - roast a capsicum (I did this directly on the gas burner - continue turning every few minutes until totally black then when cooled, rub off the blackened skin and dice the beautiful soft red capsicum.

Cook 1 diced onion in 1tbls olive oil till soft but not brown. Stir in 2tbls of Tomato paste & cook till it begins to darken in color - few of minutes. Add a 400g can of chopped Roma tomatoes in juice and bring to a simmer. Drain chicken and discard marinade, then add chicken to the sauce - add 1tbls of fresh oregano or a tsp of dried oregano, the diced capsicum, half a cup of green olives and season with ground pepper. Simmer for 15mins or till chicken is cooked through. Serves 4-6 YUM YUM!

Extra Tips: Eat bananas and tropical fruits in between meals and drink plenty of water!

Amanda Bradford: 30 years old, 15 years working career = long service, 8 weeks

holiday, caravan, car, awesome hubby, doggy, NSW, VIC, SA, QLD and all this to enjoy

my hobbies of reading, painting, drawing, drinking 'good' black coffee and delicious

Food!

Why not follow Fradaz own writer, Elizabeth, on her 30day challenge to better health.

http://fradazhealth.blogspot.com/

Got any recipes to share? Email them to fradazmag@westnet.com.au - We'd love to

hear from you and share your stuff.

How to make friends!

We love friendships and doing life with other people but sometimes it can be tricky making new friends and we can feel a little lost at how to go about it. Below Amanda shares with us how to be a great friend and get the friendship 'ball rolling'.

Friendship from the start.... it doesn’t matter what age, gender or type of person you are, we all need friendships and we all need advise at times in how to make friends and how to keep them.

I personally had an advantage growing up that forced me to make friends. Approx every year my family moved to a new house, meaning I had to change schools constantly. It can be so difficult being in a new place with no friends and having to figure out how to make them as the new girl!!!
Growing up like this I learnt that I simply had to be the one who would go up to people and talk! BUT, that seems to be where it can stop.... u meet them, u introduce yourself to them and start a conversation...but how do we go from the ‘initial introduction’ to a friendship?

When making friends there is always that bit of nervousness. You’re wondering if they want to get to know you also, if they think you are weird, or if they are wishing you would leave them alone...and how often do we finish our introduction, or second, or third meeting, with “we should have a coffee sometime!”

Now how many of you have had that offer...or made that offer....and NEVER organised something??? Yep!! My hand is up!!!
One of the keys to friendship is following through on our ‘sometime’ moments - from both ends.

We invite people to “coffee”, we get invited to “coffee” and we need to make an effort to go through with it. 

When you get an invite I have learnt that you need to organise something then!! Not say “yeah that will be great sometime” but “yes, I am free fri...when suits you?”

Sure sitting down together might be awkward at first and those silences where you don’t know what to say are uncomfortable, but it’s the same for everyone starting out.

Here are some tips that can help get the ball rolling:

1) Ask appropriate questions about the other’s life i.e. Do you work? Do you enjoy your work? How long have you lived in this area? Are you married? Do your children do sport or dance, Have you seen any movies lately? If there is an awkward pause simply ask another question. Don’t interrogate though – not what we are going for!!! lol

2) Really listen to what they share.

3) Simply encourage, care, and compliment the other person in their life and experiences.

4) Organize another "coffee". - Keep building the friendship.

You’ll soon find familiar ground and a friendship blooming.

CHALLANGE.
So, I make you this challenge, and yes I am setting it for myself also!

In the next fortnight, I want you to invite someone for coffee (someone you haven’t yet established a close friendship with). Then follow through and organise it too!

Don’t let the usual “sometime when we are less busy” excuses get you: make time, and this fortnight!
Also, if you are invited by someone you too want to get to know, don’t just say ok, organise a day and time in the next fortnight!

I would love to hear about how people go with it, so share with us your experience in the comment box at Fradaz.
I am hoping out of this challenge many of us will meet a new friend or finally get to know that friend we were meant to 6 months ago!!!

Amanda. xx