The Graduate



















In the build up to Graduation Day I was haunted by mental images of me tripping and falling while walking across the stage. I could just picture myself sprawled in front of the Vice Chancellor and all the deans with my dress over my head. Now, this wasn't my first rodeo and my undergraduate graduation last year went by without a hitch, BUT my fears were completely validated because my track record for embarrassing myself at important events is pretty impressive. Allow me to illustrate with three stand out examples.

1.) When I was in primary school I sang in the choir. I was tall for my age (although I seem to have stopped growing since) and I was in the top row on the choir stand. We were singing at some celebration of excellence of some sort and there were a lot of teachers, parents and students as witnesses. I really don't know how it happened because you are supposed to be standing still, but somehow I fell off the choir stand. The choir had to stop singing and wait for me to climb back up onto the stand. I swear these things only happen to me.

2.) In junior school I played the recorder. Okay, so it's not the most bad ass instrument but I was very good at it and eventually redeemed myself by moving on to the piano which is much cooler. (And also, Jethro Tull are really awesome and their music is all about the flute, which is basically an upgrade of the recorder, so there). Anyway, because I was very talented at playing the recorder, my music teacher arranged for me to play a solo at yet another celebration of excellence or prize-giving or some event where everyone was serious, dressed smartly and there were a lot of witnesses. So there I was, one of the shyest, nerdiest kids you could ever imagine, playing a solo piece in front of this massive (well, it probably wasn't that big, but in my mind it was the size of the Super Bowl) audience. And then a gust of wind (which I have no idea where it came from because we were indoors) blew my sheet music off the stand and onto the floor. I had to stop playing mid-song and retrieve my book off the floor, relocate the page the song was on, and start again. Floor swallow me up now.

3.) I decided to join the ballroom dancing society in high school. It was a lot of fun and every year, all the schools in town that offered ballroom dancing got together to plan a Ballroom Ball. It was all very exciting. We dressed up in these big ball gowns, had our hair and make up professionally done and slipped our feet into the most gorgeous heels (the girls, not the boys). Anyway, it was a very glamorous and elegant affair. One year the ball was held at one of the other schools which had a massive foyer with a considerable sized flight of stairs leading into the hall. So when we entered the hall we had to walk down these stairs in front of everyone else either entering or milling around the foyer. And let me tell you, it was packed when I walked in. There I am, entering the foyer and walking down the stairs in my beautiful puffy dress, and then I slip. And slide, yes slide, down the remaining stairs. My dress?? Over my head. And so I'm lying at the bottom of the stairs with my dress over my head and everyone is completely silent and staring at me. I have two options. I can either laugh, or cry. I decided to laugh, at which point I think I heard an audible sigh of relief from the on lookers and someone came over to help me up. Inside I was crying with humiliation.

So, as you can see, I had perfectly good reason for being nervous about walking across the stage at Honours Graduation. And the shoes I wore didn't exactly help because they are pretty high and very uncomfortable (by the time it was turn to be capped I couldn't feel my toes anymore) but they were the only ones I could find to match my beautiful vintage dress so I sucked it up. But, to my pleasant surprise, everything proceeded without a hitch and it was an amazing feeling to hear them call my name. I guess hard work does pay off after all and I now have my Honours degree. Now just to get through Masters...and then try to change the world :)

What is your proudest achievement?? :)

Love & light,
M xx

P.S. Lovely photos of my friends and I taken by my equally lovely dad :)

Shop My Closet



I know, I know. I have been super quiet on the blogging front of late but I have been extremely busy. Life is totez cray cray at the moment. I am so sleep deprived I actually just used the phrase "totez cray cray". In other news, I have my Honours graduation on Thursday, which is very exciting. I will share my graduation outfit here once all the pictures have been taken of me, in my cap and gown, with a cheesy grin plastered on my face, hoping and praying that I don't fall flat on my face while walking across the stage. Additionally, things will (hopefully) start returning to some semblance of normality so I will (probably) be able to start posting regularly again :) 

In the meantime, as a result of my ever expanding and overflowing wardrobe, I am selling some of the clothing I don't wear anymore on Facebook. You can find the album HERE
I am willing to post anywhere to anywhere in South Africa for an added postage fee. If you are anywhere else in the world and you see something you really want to buy I'm sure I can arrange shipping but I can imagine that it would become quiet pricey. 

Again, I apologize for my prolonged absence from blogging but you have my word that I am back with a vengeance :) And am currently in the process of responding to all the comments by visitng all your blogs too :)

Love & light, 
M xx 

P. S. The DIY post I promised is still coming soon and I still have a backlog of outfit posts so check regularly! :) 

With Flowers in Her Hair















I love how the world looks just after it has rained. Everything seems brighter and greener - a vibrant shade that seems to light up any surroundings. And then the first rays of sun begin to gently pierce through the grey, ominous expanse of storm clouds and every tree and building seems new and fresh. Swallows and starlings cautiously creep out of their hiding places and begin to sing with delight. The sun hits the wet roads and the streets are suddenly paved with gold. I'm Dorothy, skipping down the Yellow Brick Road. I think that this is my favourite part of the rain. Those magical moments just after it stops, when everything is still and anything seems possible. I guess the point of this poetic tangent is that things aren't perfect all the time. Sometimes it rains, sometimes it storms but there are these fleeting moments of joy, of pure unadulterated bliss that we should savor, because they make the difficult parts fade into oblivion, if only for a minute. 

Anyway, my philosophical ramblings aside, I just want to give a shout out to everyone who reads my blog - I can't put into words how grateful I am that people actually take the time to read what I have to say. As a writer, it is difficult to put yourself out there and hope that you are well received. 

Also, thank you to everyone who leaves such lovely comments on my blog, I love reading through them and I will always respond by visiting your blog and returning the courtesy. I've been so busy lately (I'm house/cat sitting at the moment) and I haven't had time to respond lately, but I promise I will get to it as soon as I can

Love & light, 
M xx 

P. S. Lovely photos courtesy of Pat Sydie :) 

Gimme Some Blog Lovin' Baby!!!

Okay, so I'm pretty sure most of us have heard the rumors that GFC (Google Friend Connect) will no longer be operational from June. I don't know much about it, or how true it is, or the how and whys of the situation, BUT what I do know is that GFC closing down means that a whole community of bloggers will become separated from one another. UNLESS, we all make use of a wonderful little thing called Blog Lovin'.

I would really love for all my followers and all the blogs I follow to be able to stay in touch if GFC does close it's doors on us bloggers, SO please follow my blog on Blog Lovin'?? Pretty please with a cherry on top?? :) You can do so by clicking the handy link below! :) And I will return the courtesy :)


Follow on Bloglovin

Follow on Bloglovin 

You can also transfer your reading list in Google Reader across to Blog Lovin' by following these steps!!! :)



Love & light,
M xx

P.S.: You can also find me on: