Thursday, July 31, 2014

211/365 Frankie God Of Hair | Brunswick Heads


Frankee God of Hair. As seen in The Footbridge Cafe.
Brunswick Heads.

Hahaha. So loving this! Come to be a devotee...
Are you scared or are you in?!

Amber. XO


Wednesday, July 30, 2014

210/365 Stop. Collaborate and Listen!


** Sneak-peak alert! **

I've been working on a little collaborative project with the FANTABULOUS Claire Atkins of Pinky and Maurice fame { this is her beautiful calligraphy } for SLOW magazine. Exciting!!!

You likey? 

Can't wait to show you the final product :D
Amber. XO

p.s. Like they say - if it's good enough for Vanilla Ice! ;)
Okay, no one ever said that... #iceicebaby


Eat Lunch: Quinoa Bread


I bought quinoa bread for the first time today.

No grain, no gluten. Lots of protein. Okay!

I toasted it { most gluten-free breads are extra nice when they're a little crispy in my opinion! } and topped it with kale, avocado, cheese, a soft-egg. And HOT sauce!

My God. It was so damn good :) The end.
Have you tried Quinoa yet? 

p.s. This is the one. xx


Easy Gluten-Free Jam Drops Biscuit Recipe


My niece and I got our bake on yesterday afternoon :)

Buster drove us crazy trying to eat the dough from the mixing bowl, and the dawg worked his best sad-puppy-dog looks. 

Gluten-free Jam Drops. In.The.House.

They may be gluten-free, but they don't necessarily fit the 'healthy eating' category. Sugar and butter and jam - Oh My! But personally, I think every kid needs a sweet treat occasionally - even the GF kids { especially the GF kids mine would say! Hahaha }.

So, I know you want the recipe to see if they're as yummy as they look and you're in luck OF COURSE - it's at the bottom of this post. Drool on...




Gluten-Free Jamdrops | RECIPE

Ingredients:

150g butter { I might try using Coconut Oil next time, but I didn't with these }
A dash of organic vanilla essence
1/3 cup caster sugar { again, this could be substituted for a healthier version }
1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour { I used White Wings }
Fruit Jam { I like using 100% fruit jams - pure fruit. no added sugar }

Method:

1. Cream butter, vanilla and sugar { I used a food processor but you can obvs do this by hand }.
2. Add the flour and process for about a minute until smooth.
3. Use a tablespoon to portion out each biscuit, rolling each into a ball by hand.
4. Space each biscuit about 5cm apart on a lined baking tray.
4. Flatten with a spoon, adding a little dip in the centre for the jam.
5. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each one!
6. Cook at 170 degrees Celsius for 12-15 min or until just golden
7. Cool on tray for 15 min { important tip; they'll crumble if you move them too soon! }


Voila! Rustic GF Jamdrop-love.
Quick, go make some :)

Tell me what you've been baking / making / creating this week! 
Amber. XO



Tuesday, July 29, 2014

209/365 History, Secrets, Memories... | Bangalow Beauty



I'd love to know all the stories from this gorgeous entrance on Bangalow's main street...
What do you think?

Amber. XO


Tuscan Afternoons { When You're Not in Tuscany }


When I woke this morning, it was weirdly hazy.

And it's funny because it was also warmer than usual, and as I stepped outside, I felt like I was somewhere else...

The warmth and the subdued light.

Then, this afternoon as I drove north along the Pacific Highway towards the Gold Coast I realised that it was smoke; there was obviously a rather large fire just to the south of Tweed Heads and as the sun started to set everything was turning to honey.

And I was in Tuscany. 

Beautiful, beautiful Tuscany! Ahhhhh, to travel when you are not travelling. Dreamy bliss!!

I pulled the car over to breathe it in and capture its glory. A few minutes later as I crossed the Tweed River the golden ball of sun slipped deeper into the smoke and turned into a perfect crimson sphere. There was nowhere to stop so that moment just stains my memory with its beauty right now... but I at least have this one to share with you.

When was the last time you were transported to another time and place? Tell me, tell me.
Amber. XO



Bed Rest


I thought everyone was feeling better in our house; and then the littlest one woke up sick... :(



Monday, July 28, 2014

208/365 Bangalow Glow


Good morning from Bangalow!

It's so pretty out there { and so chilly inside } I must go and get out into it! Have a great Thursday everyone. It's almost the we-we-weekend!!

p.s. I'm off the the Byron Bay Writer's Fest on Sunday. What are you weekend plans? 
Amber. XO


Sunday, July 27, 2014

207/365 These Moments...


Sunday.
Brunswick Heads Dog Beach.



Saturday, July 26, 2014

206/365 The Decider


Deciding on something at the DVD store is a full-time job when you're Eight. 


Friday, July 25, 2014

205/365 Getting Gritty


Power pole. A mess of wires. Lennox Head.

I have to admit that I love discovering an urban smack to the otherwise idyllic surrounds of country / beachside life. I love the rush, the energy, even the grit of city life, but, at the same time, I need the simple beauty of life here. It's a tear. And a tangle. Somewhat like these wires.

Are you a city or country dweller? Where would you ideally live? And, do you like a bit of grit? 
A. xo


Thursday, July 24, 2014

204/365 Red Wine Nights


I knooowwwww I've been detoxing and eating well the past few weeks...
but sometimes it's good to say YES to drinking a little red wine with friends on a Thursday night ;)

Don't you think?
Amber. XO


Wednesday, July 23, 2014

203/365 Double Rainbow | Lennox Head


Wednesday. 4:30pm.

Double rainbows rock my world. 
I spotted this beauty dancing above Lennox Head.


Tuesday, July 22, 2014

202/365 Pre-Splendour Ziggy | Byron Bay Busking


Tuesday night, listening to Ziggy play on the footpath outside Cafe Mokha in Byron. He's performing in the Busker's Tent if you're going to Splendour - go check him out { he's really good! }


DETOX Day | Part 2 of my Forest Detox Adventures!


Following on from Part One of my Detox series...
It was yoga time!


Breathe.


Stretch.


Centre.


I got a little lost in the shadow-play. Oh, and I learnt that it's a little hard to do yoga AND take photos at the same time. Who knew?! ;)


We were all beautifully hot and sweaty { yes I said BEAUTIFULLY hot and sweaty, hahahaha, because we were ;) } by this stage. The sun which had tentatively heated our cold bones on arrival had kicked into full effect during the yoga session. We all peeled off a few layers and happily accepted our next drink; a sparkling probiotic Coconut Water Kefir from local Byron Bay business Peace Love & Vegetables. Not everyone loves Kefir, I admit it's a taste that you need to get used to, but it is SO good for you. Tick, another thing to add back into my life - probiotic food and drinks. Why, thank you.



One of my own pieces of jewellery; pearl and turquoise mala beads. A gift from my own precious Mama, I wear them everywhere. Just not during yoga :)


Our bodies now stretched and full of probiotic goodness; it was time to release some toxins.

The full-size infrared sauna was hot and ready for us to sweat it out four at a time. I hadn't been in an infrared one before, and I must admit that I'm not the biggest sauna-lover but this suited me a lot better than the traditional ones I've tried. Plus, it  has its own sound-system { we listened to the music of Deva Premal and Miten who previously lived and recorded on this property - how cool is that? } which added to the experience.

A quick post-sauna shower and I joined the rest of the women in the hot-tub. Glory glory! The sun may have been hot, but the air was still brisk, and the water was glorious. Oh, I do like me an outdoor spa! Some of the women even braved the river for a few moments; that was all - it was bone-chillingly cold apparently - but it would be the most perfect place to swim in Summer.

Soaked to perfection, it was time to SCRUB.


I need to remember to have someone take a few photos of me for this kind of post. Or at least take a selfie. Hahaha. In lieu of that, here is my scrub-sparkly leg :)



I got to talk to Rosa while we exfoliated; our Winter skin relishing the attention { Sahar's scrub was a handmade mix of Coconut Oil and Epsom Salts - absolutely.making.some. it was SO good, my skin absolutely L-O-V-E-D it! }. Rosa is represented by Chadwick Models in Melbourne and Vivien's Brisbane. Softly spoken with a beautiful smile we made an easy connection and I look forward to photographing her again.


A little sitting in the sunshine letting the oil soak in, one last hot shower, we dressed and regathered on the grass. 


Green smoothies. Round #2. Hooray!


... the perfect accompaniment to a spot of flower petal mandala creating :)


As she started to lay petals, Sahar explained how she often creates these beautiful impermanent artworks with her children. We eagerly followed her lead. And it felt like we were one; a community at work, manifesting harmony and love through our mindful creativity.



The sun was starting to drop behind the mountains that set the home like a jewel in its grasp. Elke and Sahar brought us our fourth drink; a cold-pressed juice called Winter Love.


Group photo time!

I did attempt to balance my camera most precariously on a rock to get into this shot, and the results were hilarious - and completely ineffective! Lol. But you can see me in here on the Organic Miracles blog { I'm the giggly one in white with the crimson scarf } if you need proof that I exist as more than a pair of exfoliated legs ;)


Cheers! 
Nine blissed-out babes toasting to a magical day. 


Empties :) Of the best kind.


Our day here was complete.

We had run out of time for the planned forest walk, but I don't think anyone minded. We were all ready to return to our families and process the day and the changes that it was going to help us make.

But before that, I wanted to take my last photos. Of Sahar.


Sahar is charismatic, approachable and... absolutely gorgeous. She is also the mother of two young children which adds another dimension to this healthy / healing journey that she is on. Something I extra-love.

She is not only creating a beautiful life for her family, but she's doing it with the intention of sharing her knowledge, her vision and her intimate spaces with other people; so that they too can extend this bountiful energy into their own lives. And THAT is something to inspire us all.

Her forest detox days will soon become a monthly event, and I urge anyone that can attend to do so. Connect herehere or here for more details. And tell her that I sent you!




My camera packed away, there was one final trip back into the kitchen, for the two last drinks we were given to take home with us. The first was an Almond Dandy { homemade almond milk, Wilsons Creek spring water, roasted dandelion root, roasted chicory root, cinnamon bark, vanilla bean powder, dates and coconut butter } and the second was a slightly sour grapefruit and chia blend. 

Instagram names exchanged, hugs shared, and it was time to say goodbye.
The perfect end to a perfect day.

By this stage, I had a mild headache { which is a common side-effect of detoxing; as the toxins start to transition from your system } and even though I had brought a bottle of water with me, and we had been drinking juice and smoothies all day, I was feeling a little dehydrated. Detoxing is an intensive process, and it's important to be well hydrated. I drank the entire Almond Dandy when I got into my car - okay, to be completely honest, I was looking for the slight coffee-esque kick that was hoping it would offer { it did! } plus it was delicious - and hit da' road. 

That night, I slept for eleven hours. ELEVEN HOURS (!!). Sweet bliss! My headache also kicked into full effect - grrrr - but I knew the cause, and it settled by the next morning... when I had a cup of coffee.

Hold up, WHAT?! 

Hahaha. Yes, I had a cup of coffee. 
I did a 24 hour detox and then woke up and drank a cup of coffee :)

But here is the thing: I already knew that I just needed to shake up a few bad habits and realign my usually-pretty-good eating patterns - see Part One of this post here - and that when I want to throw myself into something I'm pretty good at it { like last year when I did a 10-day juice cleanse #wishIhadbloggedit #photosoninstagram }. But that what I need to practise is that little things called MODERATION; how to live in the times between a detox or a food fad and your regular busy life.

Ahhh...

So, yes I'm still drinking coffee. But limiting it to one one-shot. Which in contrast to my previous four / five shots is a huge improvement { Yay Amber! }. I am drinking Dandy in the times where I want to reach for a second coffee, I am switching my usual black tea fixes for herbal tea or coconut water { allowing myself one cup of black tea at night when the boys are in bed; a sweet, simple pleasure that I don't want to lose } and setting some boundaries around when I'll have a glass of wine with dinner { weekends good / weeknights not so much } and I'm feeling a lot better for it :)

I've made a lot of other healthier snacking / meal choices too - lots more fresh fruit, leafy greens and other vegetables { a bag of fresh peas for morning tea; please, please! } and I got my mamabake on; doing a few batches of bliss balls, a gluten-free Raspberry Banana Bread and some savoury GF dinner muffins { amongst other things }. I'll be sharing these recipes so please subscribe / like / love / follow / insta / pin / bookmark my blog if you want some more healthy inspiration in the next few weeks!

But in the meantime, let's talk detoxing! Have you done one? Could you do one? Do you need to do one?

Amber. XO


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