All About G

Because there must be more to it than Facebook

2012-01-23T21:43:00.000+01:00

Do you ever feel that the Internet sometimes dwindles down to email, Facebook and Twitter? Seriously, there are millions of sites out there (this is by no means researched or meant to be exact, but it sounds right) yet I sometimes have no idea where to virtually venture. So it all boils down to pressing F5 every few minutes on FB and Twitter in the vain hope that someone will post something interesting.

So this is an appeal to all you out there. What sites do you browse when whiling away time? Please don't say that you read Wikipedia or all the stories on The Guardian (although you may and I'm sure it helps while away the time), I'm after something that's a bit more... enlightened.

Blogging Freedom

2012-01-23T08:43:00.003+01:00

Once I fire up my computer there are always the standards tabs and windows that I open - and Blogger is typically one of them. My intention to write a blog post is always there, yet somehow the resolve doesn't always follow. I get writer's block, I lose train of though, I simply go blank.

Every blog/site that has writing tips and tricks will tell you, write about anything. Write about the fact that you're not sure what to write about. So I've jumped on that bandwagon. I'm sure that there are other people out there who encounter the same problem. That's probably the reason for the hundreds, if not thousands, of blogs that are started and abandoned. People always start out with the best of intentions thinking that they have tons to write about, and they probably do, but somehow the fount of inspiration runs dry.

I've been blogging since 1999 (I believe) so that's a good few years, and definitely not something that I should just allow to run dry. Yes, there might be some dry spells and pockets of silence in the archives; however, should I allow that to bother me? Of course not. I'm in control of my blog.

There are bloggers who can maintain daily updates (most of which are great) and there are others who cannot. That's the beauty of the blogosphere - the mix and dynamics of people coming together to share their stories, ideas, bouts of wisdom and inspiration... all in our own time.

Liquid Leftovers

2012-01-09T09:45:00.000+01:00

There are some festive season leftovers that you don't get fed up of...

Transitioning Years

2012-01-05T09:18:00.000+01:00

Welcome to 2012! This is my big year :) I'm turning 30 and I'm getting married. These are a couple of milestones in everyone's life so hitting them both within months of each other can be somewhat daunting but definitely something that I'm looking forward to.

I ended 2011 on a great note. We had a small NYE party at home with friends and it turned out really well. I love throwing parties but I'm always a bit anxious until people arrive... then I get into hostessing duties and have a great time.

I bought some great NYE decorations on a gold and black theme to add a bit of sparkle to the place which worked really well.

So Happy New Year to you all. May 2012 be a great one!

Approaching 2012

2011-12-27T21:10:00.002+01:00

Well that's Christmas Day 2011 over with. How was yours?

We had a relatively quiet day with lunch with the immediate family, followed by tea with more family members and some extended family too. I love seeing the family going through cycles of growing larger and then smaller and then larger again, as the kids grow up and then have their own kids and then they grow up and have their own kids. Seeing Christmas through a kid's eyes is rather magical.

We always have Father Christmas who comes to visit at Christmas time and hands out presents to the kids and the little ones, the 2 and 3 year olds, were mesmerized by his appearance. So cute!

So now we're in that final week of the year - the one between Christmas and New Year - and there are invitations to houses and parties and just generally meeting people which is always nice.

And soon we're going to be heading in 2012 which is going to be a huge year for me! Turning 30 and getting married - those are two major life landmarks and I'm looking forward to both :) Yes, even the turning 30 one...

What are you looking forward to in 2012?

Season's Greetings

2011-12-25T09:00:00.000+01:00

The Leaning Tree

2011-12-20T13:32:00.001+01:00

Having posted pics of my latest Christmas tree ornaments, it's only sensible that I post pics of the actual tree! Obviously these photos don't show it all lit up but you get the general idea. This is likely to be the last year that this particular tree will be used because if you look closely at the photos you'll notice that it's leaning rather precariously! It's especially evident in the second photo, leading it to be nicknamed The Leaning Christmas Tree of Maple Court!

Christmas tree ornaments 2011

2011-12-11T16:38:00.000+01:00

I love Christmas tree decorations and every year I try and add a couple of new ones, so these are my Christmas 2011 oranaments :)

This is a hand-blown pink glass ornament from local glass blowers. It's a beautiful piece although it's a bit heavy for a tree. So I've managed to place it on the shorter branches which won't droop. I bought this after the President's Fun Run in Valletta.

Flying snowman and flying Santa from The Soap Cafe. I saw them last week at the Frock Swap and I thought that they were totally cute. I love Santa pieces.

A closer look at the Flying Snowman. I love his starry, red top and scarf.

A closer look at Flying Santa. He's got a green hat, very un-traditional :)

These Irish angels are totally adorable. I got these during our Ireland trip in September!

I like having edible ornaments on the tree. Last year I had Milkybar baubles; this year I bought locally-made rum balls from Patches Market. I can't wait to try mine!

Walking for Charity

2011-12-10T13:30:00.000+01:00

Last Sunday we participated in the annual President's Fun Run/Walk. This was the first time that we entered so we decided to do the walk; however, having done the walk we're sure that we can do the run next time round. The run is 7km and the walk is about 4km I believe which we did at a very leisurely pace within an hour. It was good fun and all for a good cause.

Below is a mobile pic of us and my friend during the walk :)

Winter Frock Swapping

2011-12-09T17:38:00.001+01:00

Last week I attended my second frock swap of the year organised by the lovely Abby. This time it was held at The Soap Cafe which is a lovely shop full of... soap! Soap in all shapes, forms and colours. But you'll also find lovely ornaments and other bits and bobs.

This time round I got myself a lovely faux wrap dress, a striped shirt that ties up at the back and a very pretty necklace (which I've already worn about 3 times!)

It's such a great idea and everyone seemed to have a good time. Some girls found loads of clothes!! We were also treated to some yummy cupcakes and chocolate balls, and wine and cheese... just fabulous.

If you've never been to one of Abby's Frock Swaps, be sure to attend the next one! She's promised to organise a Spring one so that's something to look forward to for 2012 ;)

THE Dress

2011-11-25T20:22:00.001+01:00

It really is true what they say. Once you wear it, you just know. Yep, I've found THE Dress :)

It's beautiful and just the thing I wanted. And, I'm not sure how to explain it, but there's something special about it too. Something whimsical and magical.

I tried on about 6 dresses but once that one went on, it was a gasp-worthy moment. It fit perfectly which is great because I could see exactly what it looked like. They often have you try any larger sizes because they can be altered, and hold all the extra material in with clips; however, they still don't stay on properly. But this one was made for me.

So happy with it :)

Colour Board

2011-11-21T21:46:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I went for a colour and style consultation to the lovely Melanie Geraghty who is a qualified CMB consultant. It was such a fun experience and I learnt a lot from it.

Being an avid fan of shows like What Not to Wear (both UK's Trinny & Susannah & USA's Stacey & Clinton), How Do I Look, Tim Gunn's Guide to Style, and all the rest I already had a good idea of the styles that suited me, but it was great to actually have a personal consultation.

Meanwhile the colour consultation was totally new and I now have my colour Bible to take shopping with me so that I'll always know what colours to opt for. The good thing is that most of the colours that suit me are colours that I like so I already had clothes in those colours which is a great start.

My colour palette is Deep, Warm and Clear and my dominant colouring is Deep and Strong.

"To achieve harmony and balance, you need to wear strong dark colours either together or in contrast. Avoid wearing pastel shades on their own."

I've got 42 different colours to combine and co-ordinate with each other in order to combine outfits that would make the most of my colouring; skin, hair colour, eye colour.

The below is a colour & style board of the kinds of clothes that would suit me. If you notice, there's no silver-coloured jewellery in there. Apparently yellow gold, copper, bronze and pewter are better suited to me. It's really quite detailed.

Colour Board by allaboutg featuring jersey shirts

Sunday Morning

2011-11-20T10:24:00.001+01:00

Sunday morning - the one that's really meant for relaxation. After waking up at about 2 a.m. feeling unbearably hot and thirsty I was then woken up at 8:45 a.m. by a promotional SMS!! Something like that makes me want to boycott the store that sent it; although I don't even buy from them anyway in all fairness.

So I decided to go back to sleep; however, by then I was restless so what's one to do? Read, of course! I had the perfect surroundings of enough natural light and a comfy bed, with a sleeping Paul next to me and a great book by Cecilia Ahern. It was just great.

Then I got up and did some chores and came online. But I think I'll go back and read some more now.

Advert worth sharing

2011-11-18T11:35:00.001+01:00

It's still a bit too early for me to think about Christmas (unless it's about my presents!). I think December has to arrive first and then it all comes together. December = Christmas.

However, I was sent this John Lewis ad and it was too cute not to share :)

Kiss Competition

2011-11-16T23:33:00.001+01:00

We attended the annual major Weddings Fair last week and got roped into a FB competition where we had to kiss, have a photo taken and then people have to 'like' our photo for the chance to win.

I think it's hilarious and am not much of a canvasser for 'likes' however I will share it here; also because I think the photo is cute.

So if you want to take a look just follow this link - https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150390469638521&set=a.10150390468518521.359500.114846283520&type=1&theater

Be a Part of It Too!

2011-11-16T23:13:00.001+01:00

By the way, if you also want to promote Mrs. Stephen Fry's book and have your name included on the cover you can do so by following this link http://unbound.co.uk/books/how-to-have-an-almost-perfect-marriage/promote?promoter_id=7828

Site Sharing: Letters of Note

2011-11-14T22:29:00.001+01:00

I came across this wonderful website that I thought I would share with you. It's called Letters of Note and is described as "an attempt to gather and sort fascinating letters, postcards, telegrams, faxes, and memos."

It's a great collection of various notes and letters from all sort of people from Albert Einstein to Prince to Walt Disney - a real treasure trove of 'literature'.

Go take a look, I think you'll enjoy it.

Whenever I come across a great site, I'll be sharing it in my new 'section' called Site Sharing:. If you have any recommendations please leave me a comment and let me know.

Edna's here for Christmas

2011-11-14T21:54:00.001+01:00

Today was a Twitter day for me. As much as I love Twitter I'm usually so busy at work that I don't log on because it's very distracting. However, there are days that are quieter and so I can allow myself some Twitter time. And as it turned out today was a good day to be on Twitter because Mrs. Stephen Fry announced her much-awaited news - a new book is on its way. But there's more. This book is being published by Unbound, this great company whereby people support authors financially and in return get their name in the book, amongst other perks which depend on the amount that you pledge.

It's an absolutely wonderful idea and I was very excited to show my support (and have my name mentioned in the book). Paul recognised my excitement (he has a knack for this) and suggested that this be one of my Christmas presents! How wonderful is that?!

Some photos from my camera

2011-11-12T19:56:00.000+01:00

I like taking photos, the only problem is that sometimes I forget to remove them from off the camera and upload them! So here are some photos from my camera. They're not too old...

Bagpipe players at Valletta Waterfront

Kite flyers at Golden Bay

View from Golden Sands Hotel

More views from Golden Sands Hotel

Our lovely white wine at Golden Sands

Beautiful Mediterranean sunset

A minute later and the sun has dipped some more

A plateful of macaroons :)

My first Cinnabon (clearly way too much hype made)

Say Yes to the Dress

2011-11-03T20:46:00.000+01:00

This evening I experienced the first event that most girls dream about. I tried on my very first wedding dresses :) It is such a fun experience and seeing yourself in the mirror decked out in a wedding dress is such a special moment. Planning this wedding has made me realise that most people tend to make a fuss about things. Yes, it's a busy time and there are a 101 things to think about and do, but if you take it in your stride and approach it with the right attitude, it's tons of fun.

I tried on a great dress which looks stunning; however, I don't think that it's The One. I've still got more appointments to make and dresses to try on so I'm not ready to make a commitment as yet. All I know is that I'm looking forward to the next appointment.

The Positive Spot

2011-10-31T23:12:00.000+01:00

Clean Therapy

2011-10-30T20:00:00.000+01:00

Cleaning is therapeutic. Not for everyone, I know, but for me it is. Over the past few days I've tackled certain areas in the house that needed some attention and I feel so good once it's done.

Case in point was yesterday afternoon where I decided to sort out my shoes. I marked each shoe box with summer or winter (in one case, Spring) and I packed shoes away that I knew I wouldn't be using until next year. Hello, floor space!

I even put aside 2 pairs of footwear that don't fit me for the next frock swap.

So tell me, how many of you find cleaning/clearing therapeutic?

The Coupon

2011-10-29T20:41:00.000+02:00

A few weeks ago we attended a stand-up comedy show which was sponsored by a local search-directory company who gave everyone a branded mug and a booklet full of coupons. Here's the admissal - I love coupons and bargain and saving schemes.

If a packet of tea comes with a biscuit offer, darn right I'm going to buy it. Having said that, I'm not coupon crazy. In fact, the following paragraph will probably give an extreme couponer a stroke, or something equally bad.

Yesterday evening we decided to go out for dinner and I suggested that we go for a curry. (I love me some Indian food!) And we knew that we had a 15% discount coupon so I diligently cut it out, put it in my purse and off we went.

We ordered, had a great meal and then asked for the bill, paid up and left. As soon as we arrived home, it hit... we didn't use our discount!!

I would probably be kicked out of any coupon club after that. However, it just means that we have to go back for more curry!

Do you cut out your coupons? And do you actually use them?

Perfect Shopping

2011-10-27T21:07:00.000+02:00

The bridesmaids' dresses have been bought :) I'm really happy with them, they're beautiful and they look amazing on my ladies. It was such an easy buy; we met at 9:30 at the shop, they got me the dresses which were kept aside for me, they each went into a changing room and came out almost simultaneously. The dresses fit perfectly, they liked how they looked and they were really comfortable in them, so I was really happy. I don't believe in putting your bridesmaids in dresses that don't make them look their best, after all they're going to be in the photos so they should look lovely. In just 30 minutes the dresses were in hand. It was really smooth and hassle-free - just perfect.

Until now I've not been a bridezilla so I'm hoping that things will continue to go smoothly :) Next on the agenda is my dress :) I'm really looking forward to that and trying on different styles and just making the most of it all.

Oh, and I'm still deciding about the shoes!

Cluck Cluck

2011-10-17T22:22:00.000+02:00

What are your thoughts on hens nights? Or bachelorettes as you might better know them. I think they're a fun tradition; however, I think that the key to enjoying it is to not place too much emphasis on it, and definitely not to worry about what's happening at the stag do.

My maid of honour is already concocting ideas of what she's going to organise and (thankfully) I trust her taste! I'm sure she's going to plan something special and fun but just to be on the safe side I did tell her that I don't want a meal. Idon't want to be stuck at a table eating - we can do that anytime. I believe that a hen's night needs to be innovative and fun, although not necessarily embarrassing. I'm not fussed about being dressed up but I don't want willies on my head or anything like that.

This is when the wedding planning starts getting really fun :)