Style Me Gorgeous is all about print and web base design for small to medium businesses including logos, business cards, ads etc. but wait! there’s more! Sarah also offers print and party décor. yep, if you’re putting on a party then you need to talk to Sarah about everything from invites to decorations. Sarah is one amazingly talented and creative lady and i just had to share her and her awesome business with the rest of you. i met this lovely lady a few years ago when i photographed her handsome son’s 1st birthday party. the detail and thought that went into Max’s party just blew me away and I knew right then that Sarah was onto something special. since that time i’ve had her create custom designs for many of my parties and get togethers, always with AMAZING results! i wanted to take the opportunity to talk to Sarah more about her business and the success she has had over the time she has spent growing and nurturing her “Style Me Gorgeous” brand and asked her to share a little about herself, her business and her advice.
Sarah’s a perfectionist. she’s sensitive and she claims she’s a worrier but she has such confidence in person that you honestly would never know. dream vacation… well that stretches between two extremes. new york in the winter or somewhere tropical, or maybe both in the one trip. now that sounds like perfection to me. Sarah was born in England and lived there until she was 10 year of age. she’s hopeless at sport, loves the smell of tinsel, in another life would love to be Channing Tatum’s leading lady and her ultimate day would include blue skies, hot sun, the beach, a boat and friends and family.
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so now that you know a little about the personal side of Sarah, lets delve into the business side and find out how Style Me Gorgeous came about and how the business works.
so what motivated Sarah to start her business?
“I studied Graphic Design at university and have been a freelance designer ever since. After the birth of my children Jack and Max, I naturally became more interested in design for all things baby / mummy related and began to specialise in this area finding a huge demand for it as many other mums like myself were wanting to work from home and were starting small businesses that required my services.
When Max was born I was inspired by a few party blogs to design an invitation and matching decor to create a dessert table for his Naming Day. This became my first printable party decor set, the Baby Elephant theme, it was received so well I decided to design more party printables and haven’t look back ever since!”
now when Sarah says the baby elephant theme was received well, she’s being just a little understated and coy. Seriously… google “style me gorgeous baby elephant theme” and you come across blog posts and forum posts and pictures and reviews from hundreds of people who have used and fallen in love with this popular Style Me Gorgeous theme. it’s clear that right from the beginning Sarah was onto something big!
the name “Style Me Gorgeous” is perfect for Sarah and her business but how did it come about?
“When I began specialising in graphic design for baby/kids/mum related industries I of course found myself designing a lot of ‘cute’ and gorgeous’ stuff, I was creating a gorgeous and stylish image for small businesses so the name ‘Style Me Gorgeous’ seemed to be perfect.”
what does Sarah love most about her business?
“I love that I can work from home and be my own boss!”
oh i hear you on that one sister!!!!
now with such a gorgeous range of products and services Sarah must have a favourite right? we were interested to know exactly what that was?
“The printable party decor packages are fantastic. Personalised to suit your event, they allow you to be creative and style a gorgeous and coordinated looking party for an affordable price.”
ok so we all know it’s easy to come up with an idea or service but it’s not always easy to put that plan into action, get a business running and do it with success like Sarah has. so we asked Sarah from some tips for people starting their own business.
“Great customer service is key, always be as accommodating and helpful as you can, remembering that word of mouth is a powerful tool. If you are doing a great job and your customers are happy they will tell others, which will help your business grow. Work on building up a loyal customer base, and also join networking groups – these are great to help promote your business and to give you support and advice.”
and the thing all us working business owning mothers struggle with… what about juggling your own business with small children?
“I probably have enough stories to write a book on juggling small children and a home business, but I am yet to find the answer on how to create a happy balance between the two. Everyday if different, some flow nicely from start to end and I get plenty of work done and have happy kids. Other days I feel Im chasing my tail and accomplish nothing.
It is extremely hard to close the doors to the office and ‘switch-off’ from work when you are always there, it takes a great deal of discipline which I am lacking.
I do find that getting out of the house and having a coffee with friends does wonders!
Oh, I just started Pilates and really love it, I think it is going to be one of my tools to help me relax and handle the juggling act better ;-)”
it can’t be denied that Sarah is one very sensible, wise and smart business woman. she’s taken an idea and grown it into something wonderful. it doesn’t stop there though. Sarah has huge plans to expand the party printables range to cater for not only children’s parties but also weddings, engagements, teenagers and adults birthdays. what a fantastic idea and an awesome goal to aim for. i have no doubt that pretty soon there will be brides all over Australia using style me gorgeous to style their weddings. Sarah is open to all theme requests and also can offer you some great advice if you find yourself with a party to plan but no clue on styling.
now, i have a very exciting sneak peek of two new designs that Sarah is about to release. so happy to be able to share these with you all!!!
dinosour and masquerade…
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if you want to see or know more about style me gorgeous then visit the website at http://www.stylemegorgeous.com.au
contact Sarah at info@stylemegorgeous.com.au
and to keep up to date with all the latest news make sure you like the style me gorgeous facebook page at www.facebook.com/stylemegorgeousdesign
meanwhile, a few peeks of past designs…
Max’s first birthday featured in Little One Baby magazine
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the invitation from Liana’s circus themed party last year… you can see all the party pics here
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and the adorable elephant theme which can be found here
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Posted in local biz spotlight, things we loveTags: elephant theme party printables, local business spotlight, newcastle commercial photographer, newcastle photographer, nfe design, notforeating, party printables, print cut party, renee bell, renee bell photographer, style me gorgeous, www.nfedesign.com.au, www.reneebellphotographer.com.au
i’m sure by now you all know i am slightly crazy on occasion… and it is 1157pm and i did just update my status on facebook with:
yoga with Claire tonight has made me deliciously energetic and floaty… been cooking and baking and cleaning and writing and it’s very close to midnight… if i were pregnant may be called nesting, but i am not. so i think “you will most likely be tired in the morning” is what it is called… fun though ? — at Verve For Life.
so i am a little delerious maybe, and getting tired and coming down off my ‘yoga high’…
but a few things…. i realised today that i had forgot to share these pics that we took for juliet’s closet last month… so here i am sharing :) according to Megan this dress has been incredibly popular so if you want one for your little girl [or for yourself if you think you can squeeze in] then you better visit this page asap and grab yourself one…
secondly, i was giggling a little and smiling lots while looking at these photos at just how much Liana and i miss each other when we aren’t together… every morning she bounds out of bed and greets me with the biggest smile you could possibly imagine, every day at school pick up she races into my arms almost bursting at the seams to hug me. none of that cool and casual ‘i’m too embarrassed for hugs and kisses with my mum” from this little girl! if i leave her at mums, even for 10 minutes while i go to the shops to get something, she greets me when i return like i have been gone for 10 weeks. she is always so enthusiastic and so genuine in her greeting. argh, i love it SO.MUCH! so tonight she went for a sleep over at nanny’s so i could go to yoga, and have a bit of a break… all good in theory – nice to have some peace and quiet. but i rang her this afternoon to see how she was, how can i resist? i mean, it has been a whole 6.5 hours since i have seen her. and then rang again on my way home from yoga to say goodnight and ask how her evening was. and i was very tempted to drop in there on my way home just so i could have a hug goodnight… and i will see her tomorrow before she goes to school and we will behave like we forgot what the other looked like…
haha – i love my life, and my girl!!! lucky i have so many photos of her to look at – i can hardly forget what she looks like!
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photography NFE Design
dress juliet’s closet
flowers sapphire designs
Posted in liana banana, NFE Design [commercial], NFE Design [kids], renee and liana [personal]Tags: juliet's closet, lake macquarie portraits, newcastle child photographer, newcastle commercial photographer, newcastle photographer, nfe design, renee bell, renee bell photographer, www.nfedesign.com.au
so, i had an idea… a series of posts where people share the one thing they are most passionate about… in 5 minutes… inspired by an exercise that my wonderful friend jesh de Rox had us do at a workshop last year
5 minutes of passion!
i asked my lovely friend Bec if she would like to write as i have been so inspired by her dramatic lifestyle change in the last few months… and i am warning you, Bec was a little too passionate! so this is more like 15 minutes of passion all about health and fitness and her 12wbt experiences. definitely worth reading… So amazed of your achievements Bec, well done!!!
***
A little over 12 weeks ago I started a journey. I think originally it was a journey purely about weight loss, but it ended up being so much more. I wasn’t what you would call over weight and at 172cm I weighed 68kg. Pretty average I guess. I told myself I looked fine. Hell, I’ve had five HUGE 10 lb babies in my lifetime, I deserve to be able to carry a little bit of flab..right!?!?! WRONG! What a stupid bloody excuse for being lazy and unhealthy and making all the wrong food choices. I also had some health problems but I blamed that on everything else but my lack of exercise and bad diet as well. I was severely anaemic, had low blood pressure and suffered incredibly debilitating insomnia and lethargy pretty much every day. On top of that my blah days were outnumbering my good ones so I was quite likely on a fast track to a path of depression. That’s ok though because I’m a working mother of five. Of course I feel that way. I mean seriously, who wouldn’t when you’re dealing with five noisy, outspoken, active, demanding children (two of them pre-teen so even more stressful to deal with), a husband that works loooong hours, studying at uni and working??? I look at those excuses now and thing what a load of absolute crap! I wasn’t anaemic because I had five kids for goodness sake. I didn’t have insomnia because I was spending my afternoons being mums taxi. I wasn’t depressed because Blossy had dancing 4 days a week and it was hard to keep up with my study. Something had to change and it had to change fast. I had made other big lifestyle changes earlier on in the year and it was time to get the rest of me sorted. The half a block of macadamia nut chocolate a day habit… yeah that needed to go, like yesterday! The piles of white bread and other carb loaded foods I lived on… yep, they needed to go too. The softdrink that was likely to be eating away my insides and causing all sorts of destruction…going, going, gone! I also needed to get moving. This laying around studying all day and then spending weekends indulging in fatty foods and watching tv just wasn’t going to cut it. I needed to get my pasty white butt out of the house and walk, run, cycle, do whatever it took to feel good again. Ok, so I knew what I had to do but did I do it. Ummm I tried. I walked everyday for a little while. I ate fruit salad for lunch instead of bread (but I still had chocolate afterwards). I had some vegies with my steak and chips and I cut back to only two HUGE glasses of pepsi max a day. After a few weeks I was disheartened. Nothing was happening. I had lost no weight, I didn’t feel any fitter and I still had all my health issues. Well of course nothing changed. I wasn’t trying hard enough and I wasn’t committing myself to making real changes in my diet. I was doing everything half arsed! So I gave up. I went back to just doing what I had always done. Life wasn’t so bad. I could get by like this. It wasn’t like I had real major health problems and I wasn’t that over weight.
Then I saw a friend on facebook who had signed up for some weight loss program. I thought to myself, Oh yeah big deal. It’ll be like very other weight loss program. She’ll have lost the weight but after it’s done she’ll go back to her old ways, the weight will creep back on and nothing will change. Afterall that’s what had always happened to me. Weight Watchers, Calorie Counting, Fat Blasters, Weight Loss Shakes. I had done them all! I even did a diet back in the 90’s where you had to eat a whole cabbage before you started every meal. No wonder I can’ t stand the site of cabbage now! So although I had my doubts, I kept a watch over this friend’s progress. She looked damn hot and every facebook post was about how awesome she felt, how motivated she was and how this program changed her life. I could tell just by the way she was talking that her whole attitude had changed. She seemed happier. Ok, maybe, just maybe I was starting to be swayed here. Then, she posted a photo. Holy Moly! Really! Was that really her?!?!? Skinny, toned and looking healthier than pretty much anyone I know. Clearly I had to look into this program now because whatever it was, it worked and I wanted to look and feel like that!
Turns out the program was the Michelle Bridges 12WBT (12 week body transformation). Who’s Michelle Bridges? Well for those of you without televisions, Michelle Bridges is a trainer from The Biggest Loser television show. I won’t lie to you. I had my doubts. I wasn’t a fan of The Biggest Loser and figured that like any other reality tv show, it wasn’t all it seemed on television. I signed up anyway but had a few weeks to wait before pre-season started. What did I do in those weeks? I ate of course. It was Christmas afterall and pavlova is only egg whites and fresh fruit. It couldn’t be all bad!
Christmas and the following few weeks flew by in a haze of presents and parties and sunshine and lots and lots of food but before I knew it, pre-season tasks were upon us. What are pre-season tasks? Personally I think they’re what make this program different from others. In the weeks leading up to Season 1 starting, you are asked to complete a series of tasks to prepare you for what lies ahead. There’s no going into this blindly, being shocked to the core and retreating back to the safety of chocolate cake and ice-cream. Nope. Everything that could possibly become a road block in your success at a healthier lifestyle is approached, talked about and handled in a way that creates the right headspace for you to begin this life change. Because that’s what it is you know. It’s not a diet. It’s a lifestyle change. This isn’t temporary. It’s forever. This isn’t about losing a few kg’s and going back to how it was before. This is about changing the choices you make and not wanting to go back to the old you. Believe me, I did the pre-season tasks and I know that without them, I would never have succeeded like I have. I would have gone into it like any other diet and would have been back on the chocolate within a month.
Season 1 started and I was set. I had my menu plan, my exercise plan and my plan of attack! All supplied by the lovely Michelle Bridges. I’m celiac and so must avoid gluten at all costs. I was worried this would make it difficult for me to follow the menu plan but I can honestly say I haven’t had an issue. I’m now a pro at converting your every day recipe using gluten free alternatives. It’s just a case of making sure you adjust the calories as well. The food on this plan is amazing and I’m pretty sure I had my instagram followers drooling over my low fat yet tasty meals on more than one occasion. I will admit that yes, there were a few duds in there (Lentil loaf = puke) but most meals were a huge hit. The food is packed with flavour and serves are substantial enough even to satisfy my husband’s huge appetite.
They say losing weight and getting healthy is 80% diet, which is absolutely true but hey, there’s no gain without pain and yes you will need to exercise. This is the part I dreaded. I’ve never been an exercise kinda girl and the idea of having to burn 500 cal a day (as recommended by Mish) was something that kept me up at night during pre-season (or maybe that was the 20 cups a coffee a day I was still consuming at that time). So I got myself one of those fancy shmancy heart rate monitor thingy’s and away I went. First workout I did was the Michelle Bridges Shredder DVD. Sounds painful huh? Yeah well I almost died. I did it all but my legs were like jelly and I swear my 3kg weights were labelled wrong and actually weighed 10kg. So here I am at the end of the workout thinking, hell yeah baby, that’s gotta be 500 cal burnt easy peasy. Nope. 345cal! Ok, where is the polar customer service number because my heart rate monitor is quite obviously faulty. I sucked it up though. Started the dvd again and kept going till I got to 500 cal. I felt so good when I was done. I had done it! I had burnt 500 cal, followed the meal plan to the letter and completed day 1 of the 12 week challenge. I was pumped and ready for day 2.
As the weeks went on I felt better and better and slowly it became routine to exercise every morning and cook yummy, nutritious, low fat meals at night. After around 3 weeks I began to see changes. Of course there had been weight loss on the scales before then but at three weeks was when I could see that I looked different. It wasn’t just my weight though. My skin was clearer, my hair was shinier and I realised I had been sleeping. All night, every night. The insomnia, well it was gone. I hadn’t even noticed, as I was too busy thinking about meal plans and exercise routines. Mentally I was so much happier as well. Nothing seemed to get me down and things that would have been major dramas in my before life no longer bothered me. I felt happy, I felt fit, I felt fabulous. Eight weeks in I had dropped a dress size and now my family were noticing the difference in me, both in weight and attitude.
The one thing I couldn’t have done this without, is my support network. I surrounded myself with positive like minded people. Some of who were on the same journey as myself. We motivated each other, congratulated each other and supported each other through the whole process. It’s not easy to change the way you have lived for your whole life. It’s scary and it’s bloody hard work but it can be done.
By week 12 I had reached my goal weight, smashed my fitness test and done things I never ever thought I would do. I run 8km’s a day now. I lift weights, I do push ups (proper ones on my toes) I have biceps and a flat stomach for goodness sake! Who would have thought 12 weeks ago that flabby old me would have biceps? I no longer eat chocolate, or cake or pavlova. I make healthy food choices and avoid situations where I may be tempted to eat the wrong things. I’m confident, happy, active and completely and utterly satisfied with what I achieved in the 12 weeks and in what I have learnt. The 12wbt is not a gimmick. It’s not a quick fix to your weight problems. It’s hard work. It requires complete commitment, honestly and integrity. It’s life changing. I couldn’t even begin to imagine going back to how I used to live and I’m ashamed that I was bringing up my children in the same way. We now eat healthy together and exercise together.
Just because the 12 weeks is over doesn’t mean we go back to our previous lives. It just means we’re 12 weeks into our new, improved, healthier way of living. I have signed up for round 2 though and I’m currently in pre-season. I enjoyed the program so much that I just wasn’t ready to let go just yet and will be following the lean and strong section. Give me another 12 weeks and I’ll be just as committed as I am now but I’ll have even bigger biceps and hopefully some pretty impressive quad muscles to go along with them!
I guess if you’ve followed my journey this far then you want some stats right? Well here they are…
Weight Lost – 11.5kg
Cm’s lost - 61cm
Workouts - 111 sessions
Cal Burnt – 67 084
And I finished the program in the top 8%. Wahoo. Go me!
If you feel like its time for a change then you really need to sign up for the 12wbt. It works. I’m proof of that!
Bec
anyone who wants to sign up for the next round starting in two weeks please message ilovetowrite@nfedesign.com.au and we will hook you up with an invite
Bec’s before and after shot ~ wow amazing!!!
has anyone else done 12wbt and had amazing results, i’d love to hear from you in the comments below!!
Run Sheet vs The World
It’s 10:38pm and I desperately want to go to bed. At over 27 weeks pregnant, my tiredness has stepped it up a notch and I feel like I’m running at ‘half empty’ for most of the day.
The MacBook on my lap feels like a lead weight on my body. Worse is the excel document that i have just created to start putting together a run sheet for our wedding (now only two weeks away), which feels like a lead weight on my mind.
Tiredness starts to win. I save my empty shell of a run sheet and make a move toward the stairs. To my left is a mountain of clean clothes waiting to be folded and put away. Straight ahead are piles of paperwork that needed to be filed away in the new filing unit we brought in a mad rush to get our shit together. Turn to the right and the dishes are stacked next to the sink, begging to be washed up. Take a step forward and feel the graininess on the floor that means it’s time to vacuum.
Tears begin to well up as that overwhelming feeling takes over.
Truth is this feeling has been creeping up for a while now. I’m overwhelmed about all this change to my life and body. I’m overwhelmed about planning a wedding largely on my own. I’m overwhelmed about the change I see happening in my closest friendships. I’m overwhelmed about the fact that my parents are leaving for a months holiday on the very day i’m due to have my first baby. I’m overwhelmed about the changes to my professional life. I’m overwhelmed about buying maternity lingerie for my honeymoon. I’m overwhelmed by the thought that in less than 13 weeks I’ll be a mother to a real person. I’m overwhelmed about the disorganised state of my home.
My name is Renee Howells and I am overwhelmed.
You know what the funny thing is? I’m actually shocked by this feeling – completely floored. For a person that keeps things fairly ‘controlled’ in life and generally just rolls with what the world throws up, this feeling feels wrong. It feels like I’ve lost something…
Nobody talks much about this side of marriage and pregnancy. I’m sure it happens to all women (and men) at different times and to varying degrees. We go so far as to celebrate these life changing milestones with showers and parties that we forget to mourn the things that sometimes have to change in order for life to move forward – the shape of our bodies, relationships with others, our careers, how we feel about our family.
Why?
Why are we so afraid to share our fears and real feelings about two of the biggest changes or journeys that we go through in life?
Is it guilt? Do we feel like we have so much to be thankful for that it would be rude and ungrateful to ‘whinge’?
Is it fear? Are we scared that we are the only ones that feel this way and we will be judged for being uncertain/disorganised/scared/frustrated?
Is it expectation? Do we place the expectation on ourselves to just get on with it and deal with it? That everyone goes through this and it can’t be that hard?
For me I guess it’s a combination – D all of the above.
But I’m resolving to speak up. I’m going to share my feelings and I’ll be honest about what’s going on for me. I’m sure I’m not alone.
But, for now I’m going to bed. I’m going to hug my soon-to-be husband (who is shaping up to be a master wedding planner) and tell him how much I love him and how grateful I am for all his help and support. I’m going to lie there and enjoy the kicks and somersaults that come like clockwork at bedtime. I’m going to tell Dean to stop leaning his head so hard on my stomach (I’m certain he is doing it to encourage stronger kicks). I’m going to say good night to our baby and I’m going to sleep.
The run sheet can wait until tomorrow.
with wit, humour, honesty and a little sarcasm, 28 year old ReneeH shares her take on ‘what do expect when you have no idea what to expect’ as a nervous and excited first time mum…. all while putting the finishing touches on her dream wedding. follow ReneeH as she shares with us her excitement, nervousness, uncertainty and joy about what lies ahead.
part of our real life. real stories series
see all of ReneeH’s posts here
Posted in ReneeH - what to expect when you have no idea what to expectTags: #realliferealstories, baby bump, lake macquarie pregnancy photos, mummy diary, newborn photos, newcastle maternity photographer, newcastle photographer, nfe design, pregnancy diary, real life. real stories, renee bell photographer
Tobey. a little man with many facial expressions, fluffy blonde hair and that gorgeous silky soft roll of baby goodness at the bottom of his neck. perfectly perfect in every.single.way. Tobey was named by his daddy who incidently seems to be the only one that can calm this sweet man down when he’s feeling a little unsettled. he is also a carbon copy of his father, so perhaps they share some special little bond that only they’re aware of. either way Tobey is a treasure to his family. a gorgeous little boy loved and cherished by all.
Tobey did take a while to arrive though and Anna describes the lengths they went to in order to meet their little man.
“Given Tobey was engaged for 3 weeks before he finally decided to arrive, I tried everything to try & get him out…. Walking, yoga, pineapples, curries (and paid for it with terrible heartburn), baths – everything!!!”
i asked Anna and Kris what was the biggest lesson they had learnt since Tobey was born and their response rang so true…
“Biggest lesson learned is there is such thing as a “normal” baby. They are all very different & thinking there is a “norm” will only stress you out that something is wrong all the time! Common sense is a much better approach.”
and how did Anna, Kris and Tobey find the experience of a session with me…
“Renee is fantastic at what she does. Tobey was unsettled during the shoot and she had so much patience with him. You can see she loves what she does and it shows in the beautiful photos she takes.”
Anna is right you know. i do love what i do and i loved photographing Tobey. here he is in all his cuteness…
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Photography NFE Design
so, i was trying to be good this morning… a 10am yoga class means a whole extra half an hour to get ready and time to kill after dropping Liana to school…
what else to do but stop along the way and go for a quick run along the lake.
now, let this be clear, i am not a runner. for one i am incredibly clumsy, so it wouldn’t be surprising at all if i tripped over my own feet, secondly i have bad ankles and knees so if i wasn’t actually tripping over my big toe or getting confused as to which is left and right then it is quite common for either my ankle or knee to just decide that it has had enough for the day, and literally just collapse. not nice!
but anyways, a run was the plan. or at the very least a little running and a little walking in between… you would think, given the size of my wardrobe that i would have tights that are full length, but nope, turns out i have three pairs of 3/4 length and nothing at all to keep the bottom half of my legs warm. besides leg warmers, which i did seriously consider… so, off i set on my run, very impressed with myself for even considering it, let alone actually getting in the car! and the combination of the intense cold on my legs and my nose and my ears and the burning in my chest was kinda weird. and kinda cool and exhilarating.
so, my excuse for not running too much was of course time, since i did only have half an hour, but also i didn’t want to be too sore for yoga… and i must say once i was breathing regularly again and i got to class, i actually felt really awesome. i felt much more centered, and relaxed and able to go deeper into my poses because my body was already warm. so there you go! i’m not sure if exercising before yoga is a very “yogi” thing to do, but i might try it again sometime… maybe once i get some long tights… or once it is summer again.
btw, class was with Amy at Verve for Life ~ fabulous!!!!
a pic from along the way…
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so, while on the topic of yoga, Liana has been learning at Verve for Life also… this afternoon while admiring the gorgeous sunset on our way home Liana was dancing about so i told her to show me a few of the poses she has been learning…
and here you go :)
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all photos taken with hipstamatic for iPhone
i LOVE how much the light and colours changed just in the 10 minutes we were there!!!
Posted in an instagram life, liana banana, random snippets and newsTags: instagram, iPhone, kids yoga, lake macquarie portraits, liana banana, newcastle child photographer, newcastle photographer, nfe design, renee bell, renee bell photographer, sunset yoga, verve for life, www.nfedesign.com.au
a few random facts…
the most important of course, would be that it is my birthday
Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for “fifth of May”) is a celebration held on May 5 as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride and Childrens Day is celebrated in Japan and South Korea on this day also.
both Chris Brown and Adele were born on this day [maybe i should have a go at singing?]
really though, after about 10 mins of googling i couldn’t find much else exciting about the 5th of may – so i think the decision has been made – the day is all about me :)
i did have a lovely day, and here are a few pics…
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so, i was thinking, and since the 5th of May is a pretty special day, i have an offer to make!!! i have a little space in my schedule early next week, so i would love to meet a special little baby who was born on the 5th of may 2012 to come into my Belmont NFE Design studio for a newborn photo session. i have a few ideas i want to try out, so the session booking fee [baby photos only] will be complimentary (save $175) and i will also offer one 8×10 matted print as a gift (total value $270) additional prints can be purchased if wished…
if you or someone you know had a baby on this date then please contact me asap, i look forward to hearing from you…
my newborn photography portfolio can be viewed here
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a little impromptu shoot with Liana this weekend…
when she looks this adorable dressed in red stripes and flowers who can resist!!! who says you have to be matchy-matchy? i love the contrast of this shirt and dress, i love that Liana shares my quirky taste in clothes and i also love that we went searching through the cupboard for the two-sizes-too-small converse because they were red and would work perfectly in the photos. 5 mins to squeeze her feet into them but we got there eventually – all in the name of art!!
skirt and top are both from Juliet’s Closet
i hope you all had a fabulous weekend!! i had a lovely birthday and am truly grateful for every message, hug, gift and phone call that i received, i have some of the most amazing friends and family that anyone could wish for!!! i will share a bit more about my birthday, and some pics tomorrow, but for now some pics to enjoy and i am off to bed to warm up… i think winter is nearly here!!!
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Juliet’s Closet is all about suitable, gorgeous, age appropriate clothing and gifts for girls… their range is designed to make little girls feel pretty and special and comfortable while still being fashionable and feminine. i came across the Juliet’s Closet website through a friend of mine recently and instantly fell in love!! the person behind this wonderful concept is Megan King. being mum to four wonderful kiddies, Megan is more than experienced in how to encourage children to feel confident and comfortable in their own skin. it’s obvious that Megan’s own children totally adore their uber talented mum. in their own adorable words she can be described as…
“inspirational, talented, driven
lovable fashionable, sporty
hot, kind, loving
beautiful funny and fast.”
i think that pretty much covers any positive aspect you would want in a mum! these are some lucky kids right here!
so what else do you need to know about Megan? well she’s extremely fit and likes to start the perfect day with a 10km run. she loves coffee, and not just any coffee, it has to be STRONG! the smell of gardenias is a favorite that comes to mind when asked and she loves to fill her home with candles and flowers and beautiful smells – instant mood uplifting!! Megan sometimes wishes she had the opportunity to be a dancer and likens herself to elastigirl from the incredibles; constantly being stretched in different directions, while always trying to save the day. in all seriousness though, Megan is extremely passionate about her business. this isn’t just about clothes. when asked what motivated her to start Juliet’s Closet, Megan gives a clear explanation of what she hopes to achieve with her business…
I was completely frustrated and annoyed with the lack of suitable clothing and gifts available to girls in the 7-14 year old age group. I wanted to source clothing that was designed and made well and would make young girls feel comfortable and feminine – empowered through a sense of style. Clothing that allows them to be children and do child like activities like ride a bike, go for a picnic, run and play imaginatively. I also wanted them to have access to gifts that encourage their creative, artistic and intellectual talents. Gifts that are interactive and rewarding.
What I am most passionate about however, and the main reason why I eventually started the business, was to provide a hub of information for parents and for girls, to explore and to use in learning how to become confident and successful young ladies.
I want Juliet’s Closet to be a community, where young girls can find positive role models to aspire to and where their inner talents are revealed and rewarded. I welcome any parent or individual to our community, who wants to see young girls succeed in life for their individual talents and not compromise themselves by conforming to the latest, often inappropriate trends in in fashion.
so how did the name “Juliet’s Closet” come to be?
“Juliet” is the name of my youngest daughter and symbolises femininity and timelessness. Closet refers to a wardrobe of goodies with a vintage, old-fashioned feel.
it’s quite obvious that while Megan is completely passionate about Juliet’s Closet, she also has another very important passion in her children. when asked how she handles the juggle between running her own business and being a mother to four Megan said…
Oh heart break!!! I am often torn between being with the children and working on my business & it is so hard because I am passionate about both. But I have realised that I am setting such a good example to them by having a dream and following it through. I can see a new respect in me for that – especially with my eldest daughter Emily.
and what does Megan love most about her business?
I love working with other professional and amazingly talented business women, who are passionate and driven like me and juggling family and work commitments. They are way too busy for school yard gossip & they inspire me to believe in myself and realise I can be a great mum and still achieve personal success. Product wise, I have to honestly say, I don’t have a favourite. Everything on my website has been purposely and thoughtfully chosen with the girls and my mission in mind. I absolutely love every item.
by now we all know that Megan is one very switched on, smart, driven lady. so we were interested to know, if she had to give a 5 min speech about the one thing she was most passionate about, what would that be?
I am living by the motto …. “live lightly & elegantly”!
I’m not one for unnecessary objects cluttering up our planet, but if I am in need, I will try to purchase something that has great design and practicality and becomes an object of importance in my home. If you have a think about all the things you purchase, I am sure the objects you put great thought into and probably paid a little more for, are the one’s that take pride and place in your home and are never thrown away. The item you bought one in every colour because it was cheap – where is that now? Probably in the rubbish tip. Objects of great design and beauty offer so much satisfaction and they don’t compromise the planet…
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Megan, tell us one thing that not many people know about you.
I love fairies and still believe in them!
If you could go back in time, who’s life would you love to experience for a week.
I would be Audrey Hepburn, for her style, spunk and sense of humour. Oh and I want to have Breakfast at Tiffany’s in NYC!! My modern day hero would have to be Kate Winslet – she always carries herself with such grace!
are there any new and exciting projects you have coming up for Juliet’s Closet that you would like to share with our readers?
Yes definitely… I have some wonderful workshops planned for the girls to participate in moving forward. There will be opportunities for the girls to join in on workshops focussed on a specific talent – it might be story writing, jewellery making, floral art, painting, drawing, sewing, dancing, photographing….the possibilities are endless. Each of the workshops will have a talented artist as a guest speaker and then a turn for the girls to get interactive. Some of the workshops will be run online also. Whilst it won’t be a reality tv show, it will still be a wonderful way to find some hidden talents in our community.
lucky for me, and my gorgeous girl, we were recently asked to attend the launch party of Juliet’s Closet and we had an amazing time! Megan and her successful business were celebrated and appreciated by those who know and admire her. proof that with hard work, commitment and drive, you can turn a dream into something real. something that will inspire others and in this case, teach girls to love who they are, how they look and enjoy their youth in an innocent, fun, playful way.
you can talk to, follow, email and learn more about Juliet’s Closet through the following links. if you have a daughter between the ages of 7-12 then Juliet’s Closet really is a must!
facebook website twitter instagram @julietscloset
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meanwhile, here are some images from the launch party…
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photography nfe design
to view some images of the Winter 2012 range at Juliet’s Closet please click here
a gorgeous name for a beautiful girl. all it took was a quick glance at some movie credits and this tiny baby growing within her mummy was named. it was instant. it was perfect. she was Perri.
perfect, adorable, divine Perri…
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photography NFE DESIGN
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Posted in NFE Design [newborns]Tags: baby photographer newcastle, baby photos, central coast newborn photography, lake macquarie newborn photography, newborn photographer newcastle, newborn photos, newcastle photographer, nfe design, renee bell, renee bell photographer, www.nfedesign.com.au
First time mum, food challenged, pet-obsessed born and bred Newcastle TV journalist trying to find her feet in a whole new world.
learn more about Kate and her journey over the coming months here as part of our real life. real stories series…
Week 3
Embracing the inner-slob
I have a confession to make. I haven’t left the house in four days and it pains me to admit that in that time I have worn a total of two outfits, both of them mismatched tracksuits. I have two bulging wardrobes full of clothes, and yet the lure of the daggy tracksuit has just been too strong. Aria, on the the hand, has had more outfit changes than Suri Cruise. Partly because she has so many cute clothes and is like a real life dress up doll, and partly because she can’t keep her mess in her nappy. Unlike her parents, Aria is fortunate enough to have skinny thighs. This will be good when she is a teenager, but it’s not so good now, as even the smallest nappies provide little protection against the dreaded number three. You know, when the poop flows straight out of the confines of the nappy and all over the nice outfit I have put together (and usually the person holding her). Aria is also quite adept at what I’ll call the one and a half. It’s where the wee completely misses the nappy and flows straight out beside her teeny legs. It seems to happen more frequently in the dead of night when I’m trying very hard not to wake her up completely. We have failed at that quest many, many times already!
One major lesson I have learnt this week, is that the parents need just as much training as the baby. You only have to meet our other child, Lola the sausage dog, to gain some insight into our parenting skills up until now. You see, Lola gets all the attention she wants and does pretty much whatever her little doggy heart desires. We have only disciplined her to the very basic level, because she is just too cute! Translate that into raising a baby, and you can see some potential problems. Both my husband and I have fallen victim to every single noise Aria makes, and she makes a lot. A whine, grunt or sneeze and we’re at her cot side. Even worse, we have a monitor with a camera showing us live pictures of what she is doing (after all we both work in tv) When I’m not in her room staring at her, I’m staring at this little screen like it’s the most riveting tv show I’ve ever seen. What I’m just beginning to realise, is she is fine, I’m the one who needs training!
It is the steepest learning curve I will ever endure. Three weeks down and I’m only just now flying solo. My support network (my husband and mum) are both back at work, leaving me and my little doll to fend for ourselves. The first day I didn’t get out of my pjs and only just managed to brush my teeth. Aria had a fussy day (I choose to blame a growth spurt) and didn’t want to sleep. When my confinement nurse (my mum) arrived in the afternoon, she found a battle weary me laying on the lounge with little Aria fast asleep on my chest, because that’s the only place she would sleep. I didn’t think it through though. I felt like I was on Survivor. I hadn’t showered, had no water, didn’t eat lunch and could reach the tv remotes. Important lesson learned!
:) Kate
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is this not the most adorable squished up face you have ever seen??
Aria at 10 days old. Photography by Nfe design
Posted in Kate - pregnancy and beyond, NFE Design [real life.real stories]Tags: #realliferealstories, baby photographer newcastle, baby photos, central coast newborn photography, lake macquarie newborn photography, mummy diary, newborn photographer newcastle, newcastle photographer, nfe design, pregnancy diary, real life. real stories, renee bell photographer, www.nfedesign.com.au
i see wonder all around me.
colours and patterns and shapes and texture and contrast.
beauty.
hopes and dreams.
each time i open my eyes, i see something different, and find new reason to appreciate…
here, on the eve of my 33rd birthday, i share with you my latest project… my space to share. if just one person reads, then i am grateful. if that one person smiles, and enjoys so much that they share with a friend then i am over the rainbow happy!
take some time to look around. enjoy. smile. and most of all, have a fabulous day!!
Renee
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i quite often get asked how i do all that i do. how i seem so busy all the time. how i am always working on so.many.projects!
“seriously girl how do you find the time to do it all??” said one friend recently…
do i have an endless supply of happy pills? [unfortunately not] have i worked out the secret to not needing sleep? [i wish] is there a magic guide book to the universe that i haven’t shared with others? [not that i know of] there was even a rumor going a while back that i had won the lotto, and i still cant work out how that would be relevant. [but i haven't. not more than $10, ever!] i was reading a blog post a few days ago by my lovely friend Lisa, which discussed the concept of
do what you
LOVE
what you do
and it got me thinking… about how much i do what i love, and how much i love what i do! so much that i cram as many hours of “work” into each and every day. and i am happy to do that. happy to miss all those stupid talent shows and episodes of CSI on television to sit in front of the computer, or with a journal, or photographing or searching for inspiration instead. happy to work late at night at times, or on weekends. i am so happy to do this, this thing that i do, to live my LIFE, the life i have chosen for myself, that it almost hurts. like that feeling of being so overwhelmed because there is so much exciting stuff to do, and you cant work out which thing to do first. then you do that whole body wriggle and dance around the room a little because it is so exciting. then you realise the curtains are open, and you decide you don’t care. remember, back when you were 5, and excited! which toy to play with? green block or red block or blue block? argh – the decisions! how about i work out a way to hold them all?
i love what i do so much that i get butterflies in my stomach every time i think of all the amazing things that i have accomplished, and all that i will do in the years to come. i love love LOVE what i do!
and not only just my business, but everything i do, i try to inject as much hard work and bouncy, giggly, fun happiness into. i love being a single mum. i love how close Liana and i are. i love every second with my gorgeous girl. i love being busy with activities, and cooking yummy food and cramming in time for a bike ride, and teaching her “yoga moves” and just 5 minutes more of hair brushing time with Liana before bed. i love yoga, and i love using my iPhone to take photos. i love seeing something new every time i look out the window. i love grocery shopping [honestly, yes i do!] i love putting on an outfit in the morning and deliberately adding something that will make people stop and smile [or roll their eyes, depending on what kind of mood they are in] i love taking a shower! seriously, one of the best things ever!!! and way cheaper than therapy! sometimes i even like mowing the lawn… the fresh cut grass smells so darn good, and i love the feeling of accomplishment when it is done…
how many of you reading out there love what you do? love the life you are leading…. and i don’t mean every little part of what you do. lets be realistic here. baby steps. i certainly don’t like cleaning up after i cook dinner [boring]. or ironing [though it is fun to find clothes i forgot i had at the bottom of the pile]. and i am fully aware that some people work 9-5 jobs that are a necessity to pay their bills. but pick one part of your day, and make it about YOU. make it fun. LOVE it. love it like you are 5 again. it only takes one step, then you are on your way! run a hot bath, take a magazine and lock the door so the kids cant get in. enjoy it!
there is no secret to me. no easy, surefire way to have my life. or my energy. to have my successes. they weren’t handed to me on a platter, and therefore they cant be handed to you either. there is no instruction booklet. i worked hard for every success i have had, and for every aspect of my life to be the way i want it to be. but mostly i am learning along the way, through trial and error. i am not afraid to try, or to fall flat on my face. if something doesn’t work, i try another way. if i have an idea for a project, then i make time somewhere, somehow to do it, i add it to the list and i get it done [eventually] i have good days, and i have bad days. i get sick, or tired or grumpy. someday’s i have a really bad case of ‘butter fingers’ all day long. does that happen to anyone else? omg – so annoying!! but looking at everything from a positive point of view goes a long way… try it – you may like it, you may see!
but, i am passionate and determined and above all else i am doing what i love, and loving what i do. as many times as i can in each and every day. and that is all that matters really… i truly hope that so many of you out there are doing the same!!! i’d love to hear from you in the comments if you are :) or not. either way, i’d love to hear from anyone who has something to say!
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i thought i might share a little peek, of a new project i am working on…. this one has made it’s way to the top of the pile leaving many others in it’s wake. it is a space… for me, to share with you. with all my wonderful friends out there reading. with all the new friends who will hopefully join in. and i am so very excited… on Saturday it is my 33rd birthday and that will be the day it gets released. be sure to come back then and check it out… and in the meantime you can follow on facebook here
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last weekend Liana and i went on an adventure. a last minute adventure! because that’s the way we roll :) i had been contemplating heading away for a few days before school went back but kept putting off actually making a decision. i had too much work to do. there was gardening that needed to be done. ironing. maybe some grocery shopping. maybe even we needed a weekend chilling on the couch with dvd’s. so it got to 1230pm on saturday. i dropped Liana off at a birthday party, telling her i would see her at 230, and to be ready as we *might* have to go out. i got home, wandered around a bit, had some lunch. cleaned up a little. finally sat down at the computer to look at accomodation options. then decided what the heck lets go for it… madly pack bags. book accomodation. pack all the necessities for a car trip with a child (food, toys and ipad). camera gear. teddies. book tickets to Luna Park. print tickets to Luna Park (to give Liana in the car on the way – she had no idea what i was planning) from nothing to ready in just over an hour… pick up the child and GO. adventure here we come!!
so, fancy room at the Vibe hotel. night time Luna Park. yummy breakfast the next morning. train trip to the Rocks for shopping and more yummy food. a fabulous launch party for Juliet’s Closet. dinner and great company with the fabulous Lisa, a few shopping expeditions (ikea – yay!!) and then home again… all the while with lots of photos along the way (and i love every single one of them so i have to share!)…
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pics of the party for Juliet’s Closet coming soon, along with a fun little photo shoot we did in our hotel room!!!
a fabulous weekend had by all… [even doggy moggy!!] we must take off on last minute adventures more often! and in case anyone is wondering, the ironing is yet to be done [we are both almost out of clothes], the weeding i am avoiding thinking about [weeds have a right to live too, don't they?] i need to grocery shop [again!!!] and the work is getting there [new website SOON - yay!!]
you’ve all seen this little sweetie on the blog before. i mean seriously, how could anyone forget Charlotte in all her newborn squishy beauty!?! anyway, i wanted to share this series of photos for a few different reasons. 1. because i love them and i thought you might too. 2. because this part of the session was me trying something a little different and 3. because i ‘ll use any excuse to feature a cute bébé more than once.
so what was so different about these images? well this was the first time i had taken the plunge and used blue as a feature colour while photographing a baby girl. not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but i know that Charlottes’s mum and dad were a little apprehensive when they saw me drag out a blue hat and blanket. the bow of course reasured them that yes, i hadn’t forgotten that little Charlotte was in fact a girl. lucky for me (and them), my clients trust me and so i was left to continue on with the shoot. as you can see from the images below, blue is totally Charlotte’s colour and her parents were so happy with the “blue” images that the first one has even been printed up in a HUGE canvas for their wall. during their order session they told me that they loved this particular series of images so very much!
i guess this is all proof that sometimes it pays to think outside the box. it also shows my clients that while you may think what i do during a shoot is sometimes a little odd, there is always a reason for my madness. have faith in me and my knowledge in what colour combos will look good and which textures will photograph well and in return you’ll find yourself with stunning images for your collection. and worst case, they will look awesome in black and white!!!
now, enjoy Charlotte wrapped in blue but still as girly as can be.
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photography NFE DESIGN
Posted in NFE Design [newborns]Tags: baby photographer newcastle, baby photos, central coast newborn photography, lake macquarie newborn photography, newborn photographer newcastle, newborn photos, newcastle child photographer, renee bell, renee bell photographer, www.nfedesign.com.au, www.reneebellphotographer.com.au
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thank you lovely lady!!!!
oh, she absolutely is Megan!!!
just love this <3 and I cant wait to work with sarah on a special project later this year :) another beautiful post by renee at notforeating.com.au <3.
Wow love this notforeating.com.au. Thank you for sharing these pics….”eye candy”. Sounds like Sarah is another inspirational, talented and professional business woman, balancing family and passion. xx
thanks so much Sarah Thompson for sharing with us…. you should be very proud of what you have achieved with Style Me Gorgeous :) and the new designs look fabulous!