0134: CARTOONS IN THE MORNING

I believe this to be the essence of childhood. There is nothing like it, really.

0133: MAKEOVERS

A bit of makeup here, some bobby pins there and a crazy outfit - although maybe we don't always end up looking as good as Anne Hathaway. 

0132: INCENSE

I'm not actually allowed to burn incense in my house because my dad can't stand it, but that means I go nuts everywhere else. I also really love when you go into those shops that just smell like incense and then all the things in the shop smell like incense. Ahhh... Pretty good stuff.

0131: PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT

Now we can't all play like Chico and Harpo Marx, but we can all experience the glee of playing an instrument. How many people when they see a drum kit, want to just go and smash out some rockin' beatz, when they see a violin want to play it and pretend to be Andre Rieu or when they see a guitar just want to strum the hay hay out of it?? Everyone. I have, since I started learning piano, wanted to learn Sabre Dance by Khachaturian and now that I am good enough, I play it all the time. And when I play guitar, I pretend to be the Emanuel Brothers. Why? Because playing an instrument is just wonderful.

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.  ~Berthold Auerbach

0130: DANCING

Dancing is fantastic, it feels fantastic. Even if you aren't a fantastic dancer. But these eight year olds, I mean, they are very suggestive, but they are such good dancers, I could never hope to be as good as they are at age eight, so keep with the boogie little ones!!

Anyway, I've said already, the best dancers are the ones who don't care what they look like. Let go and feel the beat. Worst case, just dance at home when no one can see you.

0129: REALLY WEIRD PICTURES

They are super duper strange, but guaranteed to make your day just a bit happier.

Type in something like "really weird animals."

0128: LITTLE OLD LADIES

Would you like a cup of tea dearie? How about a biscuit?? And those old ladies with sass. Gotta love 'em. They knit, they cook, they were once not wrinkly and amazingly beautiful, they reminisce, they are cute or totally want to do things themselves. I love the elderly women of the world.

0127: WISHING ON DANDELIONS

Some people hate them because they are a weed but blowing them away or seeing one float by is really lovely. We all need a bit of luck and something to believe in.

0126: HANDSHAKES

They are how you greet your favourite people. It takes a dull "hi there" to awesome hand actions that only a select few know. Oh yeah.

0125: BUMP-INS

The picture doesn't really work, I just thought it was super cute. Anyway, when you see an old friend after years and years (or a few measly weeks for those social butterflies out there), it's really quite nice to have a little catch up. Obviously if you hate the person and are avoiding them that could be quite an uncomfortable meeting and a failed attempt at evasion.

Today, I saw my piano teacher from primary school. It was the most adorable meeting and there were smiles all round.

0124: AMAZING CATCHES

When you just put your hand out and a thrown object magically lands right in the centre of your palm. Ahh...wow. Or perhaps a spectacular dive. It doesn't matter which. They are both pretty awesome.

0123: THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

It is my favourite thing. EVER. I love it more than life itself. If you think it's a bit lame - which I do not understand - you can at least smile at the crazy entries.

0122: AWESOME FAMILIES

Those families with a crazy mum, an amazing dancer dad who plays the banjo, super bohemian older brother, etc. They are the families who make up dances together, break at least one thing a day, turn the stereo up full ball in the car, throw parties of 300 hundred people on their balconies and spontaneously play 'the floor is lava.' You guys rock.

0121: POST-DENTIST CLEANLINESS

How good does it feel to come back from the dentist, knowing you have no issues happening in there. But that minty-fresh taste and ultra-clean feeling is even better.

0120: WEARING YOUR FAVOURITE CLOTHES

You feel like a rock star when you wear your favourite clothes. It gives you confidence and gets you compliments.

0119: BEING RIGHT

Sometimes, you come across as a bit of a bum-face, but it makes you fell pretty good about yourself.

0118: SURPRISE PRESENTS

I could really use one right about now, actually...

All the oh-yeah-ness of presents, but with the added woo-hoo-ness of a surprise. What more could you possibly want??

0117: DICK VAN DYKE

He was fabulous in Bye Bye Birdie, the Dick Van Dyke Show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Dick Tracy, Diagnosis Murder, Night at the Museum. But nothing beats this smiley, for some reason father-like, and perhaps quite the looker in his performance as the lovable chimney sweep Bert in Mary Poppins, who performs one of the best dance scenes in movie history. I adore you Dick Van Dyke, I cannot look at you without becoming instantly happy and you...well, you just rock.

0116: FISH

Fish are beautiful to look at.






And beautiful to eat :)

0115: ICE-CREAM ON THE BEACH

Ice-cream is always delicious, but it never, ever tastes better than when you eat it on the beach on a hot day.

0114: HAIGH'S CHOCOLATES

Yummo!! If you are not from Australia, you will not understand how divine they are. I take pity on you. I purchase some at every opportunity. My dad says it's "worth its weight in gold."

0113: FANCY RESTAURANTS

You can feel like a celebrity eating at some fancy restaurant. You get dressed up, get special service and sit on the sofas in the bathroom.

Ahhh... Lifestyles of the rich and the famous.

0112: FLYING

It's so exciting flying to a new place.

How great is the window seat??

0111: RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS

It is so nice when you have your hands full and you drop something, and someone picks it up for you. Or when the door is held open for you. Or when someone makes you a tea.

But as nice as it is to be on the receiving end of these 'acts', there is a certain satisfaction you get when you perform them. "If we all perform one act of kindness a day, we might just set the world in the right direction."

So as Ellen DeGeneres always says at the conclusion of her show "be kind to one another."

0110: COOKING SHOWS

 

I love cooking shows. The presenters are always so happy to be cooking and you can see how much they love their job (and food!), and it makes you happy, too. Cooking shows are just good when you can't watch something you actually have to watch - do you get what I mean? Well anyway, the happiness is just infectious.

P.s. I love you James Reeson and you too Heston!!

:)

0109: BLANKETS

Crochet and fuzzy blankets, "blankies", recovery blankets, cuddly blankets, comfort blankets and the list goes on. Multi-purpose objects of endless wonder. And you can build forts out of them.

0108: BARBIE MOVIES

They've really changed since the first one I saw, but hey. They still have the power to make you smile start to finish. Barbie and Ken's unbreakable love, Barbie's integrity and kindness and lots and lots of sparkles and pink.

0107: CLEAN LINEN

There's nothing like your bed awaiting you, all freshly made. I know that for me, I usually climb into a nuclear bomb site, throw some random stuff on the floor and arrange the doona or blankets into some sort of covering on top of me.

But Sunday night every three weeks...Clean sheets, clean pyjamas, clean hair. How wonderful is that clean feeling.

P.s. I wash my hair every two or three days, but I make my hair-wash coincide with the sheet change. Same with pyjamas. Just so you don't think that I'm a grot.

0106: OLD PEOPLE STILL IN LOVE

Love conquers all!! Even time.

I think in a time when marriages can span days in their single digits and divorces happen daily, it is so important to have these troopers around us. If you can live with someone, and love them when all their hair has turned grey and/or fallen out, their skin is all wrinkly and their brain doesn't quite work like it used to, then you have won the gold medal of awesome.

For those of us still in our youth and single, seeing old people in love is empowering, heart-warming and just wonderful.

Love is a many splendid thing.

0105: CRAFTERNOONS

Yummy snacks, quality time with buddies, scissors and glue everywhere, glitter in weird places and accidentally bejewelled furniture.


http://frankie.com.au/blogs/craft/frankie-exclusive-diy-dip-dyed-shoes

They are jolly good fun, and here are some spunky shoes to make on your next splendid gathering.