DAY 14 // Music Monday

Hello Monday.

Thankfully today went by pretty quick out on the fields because the weeds were out of control and Cam and I kept screwing up. Like accidentally hitting the water hose that runs through the ground to water the pumpkins (the "tape", they call it) with our chippers, puncturing holes in line and causing leaks. Or mistaking a pumpkin plant for weeds and chopping the whole thing off.. oops. Lucky for us Ian never gets mad and he usually laughs at us, making a joke that we're still a sleep or that we're thinking about boys..the problem is usually the sleep bit. Today I felt like a zombie.

I've been listening to music a lot out on the fields and I'm getting pretty bored with my playlists so I spent the afternoon downloading some new music, most of which I've found through 8 tracks (for those who don't know about it..heres the link: http://8tracks.com)

These are some of my favs at the moment. I feel a bit out of the music loop lately..I haven't listened to the radio really in just about 6 months. But that's probably a good thing too because the radio is over played with crap most the time anyways, right? So though these songs might not be "new", they are new to my little ol' ears.

Goodnight!
xo

DAY 13 // This Is Life.

It's Sunday. How sad is that..that the weekend has come and gone so quick. But hey, we had some good fun. Today we paid for it a bit...having last night been our first night out on the town In Biloela.

Ian dropped us off in town at the bar and we started making some friends! Yay friends! There was an interesting mix of folks at this bar...older, younger..mostly dudes, I'd say 80%. There was this one 50-somthing year old lady..short and round, with a slicked ponytail and what looked like a men's collared shirt on, (sounds a little lesbian, but she was just a rough looking farm chick - her daughter was bartending) who was having the best time just dancing in the middle of the bar by herself. Jammin' to the music like no other. Cam and I found this to be super amusing so we started dancing with her. From then on, she was like our mom..watching out for us and keeping the boys away! Haha I wish I could remember her name, she loved us and she was fantastic. We also met two girls who were locals - 22 years old both married with kids! Wow, I guess theres not much else to do in Biloela..my as well get hitched and pop out a couple babies.

All in all. Solid evening..met some cool people and closed down the local nightclub "Bottoms" before heading to the truck stop for some greasy meat pies.

My Creative bit is a sketch and some photos. I spent the afternoon drawing on the patio..feeling a little down and needing some time to clear my head. Being out here in the middle of nowhere you start thinking about the awesome friends you've met throughout your backpacking journey..many who you loose touch with. It's sad continually saying goodbye to great people, knowing you may never see them again. It's like this rotating door of friends coming in and out of your life every couple days or couple weeks. It's an aspect of the nomadic life that sucks and as much as you try and hold onto the relationships you've made, often times its just inevitable that they fizzle. Being isolated on the farm, I feel like I'm loosing touch and missing out on time with these great people but at the end of the day this 88 days is just a stepping stone to gaining loads more time.

 There's always some good in the bad. This is life.

Thanks for reading,
Goodnight!

Until Tomorrow xo

{Cammie Driving the farm truck}

{Our Saturday in town}

DAY 12 // RUYS

OK!

Gonna jump right into the creative bit for today, because Camille and I will soon be making some dinner and mixing up some gin cocktails before our first ever...night out in Biloela. Exciting stuffffff.

So, after doing our "Wild and Free" photoshoot last weekend, I have been going over all the photos we took and editing them etc etc. and I've been thinking about a school project that I did in my final year in Uni with a good friend of mine named Jon. We partnered up for a semester long "major project" which we chose to create a brand called "Grit & Spirit".

Just a little background: Grit & Spirit is a West Coast inspired clothing label that combines the dedication of country lifestyles with the spirit of indigenous cultures. The men's side of the brand is designed and constructed with hardworking and self-motivated lifestyles in mind - essentially inspired by farmers and country men. While the women's side of the brand reflects earth-friendly, handcrafted and free flowing designs inspired by indigenous styles and principles.

The purpose of the brand is to not only to produce and sell amazing clothes, but also to encourage people in Vancouver to live proactive lives and live with their own purpose. This idea is encompassed by the launch campaign "Roll Up Our Sleeves".

Read more about this project at: http://www.behance.net/gallery/Grit-Spirit/3753261

SO, even thought I feel a bit vain putting up more photos of myself... I thought that they would look awesome as some potential ads for the brand. Not only is the setting totally ideal, but the outfit I chose to wear coincidently lines up perfectly with the look and feel of the women's side of the brand. Earth-friendly hippie vibes all the way. And I gotta give another thanks to the gal behind the camera for these, Camille captured some really cool shots! 

Enjoy!

Until Tomorrow xo

DAY 11 // Instalove

Hurrrayyyy! It's Friday!
I'm not going to lie, the cheap wine has been flowing tonight at the farmhouse, so I'm going to make this short..

We just got back from a little cruise around the fields with Reece and Ian in the truck. We had our torches out and were scouring the crops for foxes and rabbits. Well, we found a fox..deep in the lucin fields..and we gunned it right for the poor guy. Chasing it in the truck we almost ran over it, Cam and I were screaming like little girls and Reece was laughing his head off.. we swerved and fish tailed it all over the place and eventually scared it into the creek. With the lighting bolts illuminating the sky and the thunder rolling in..it was quiet the evening... gotta love the simple thrills of farm life!

Alright, so I may or may not be cheating a bit with this post. I haven't exactly made or done anything creative tonight, but I do want to share some people that inspire my creativity on a daily basis. A true Instagram fanatic, (I will admit) I follow some pretty awesome "IGERS". From local creatives (In Vancouver, BC), to awesome aussies, to european foodies, I am ever excited by my morning instagram feed.

So, here are 10 of my favorite Instagram Creatives.. IGERS that I believe are very much worth following.

Cheers to Cheap wine Fridays!

Until Tomorrow xo

Koakai Supply Co. is a local Vancouver brand inspired by the sea. They create sick surf inspired apparel for men and women with hand-rendered graphics by the talented @ericaleecraig. These "Defenders of Local Beach Culture" are killing it in Van and I'm stoked to see what amazing things they will create next.. check out their gear at koakaisupplyco.com 

A super creative food artist from Norway, this girl even has a book published on Amazon. Her food art always brings a smile to my face. 

Spell has been a favourite of mine even before my journey to Australia. I was so excited to step into their amazing store while I was in Byron Bay 5 months ago and even more excited to walk away with one of their leather fringe purses. Still a staple for a night out. I'm truly inspired by this brand, two sisters who have built a unique and creative clothing boutique from the ground up. 

check em out at spelldesigns.com

A Sydney based Vintage clothing label. Amazing photography and amazing vintage fashion.

Los Angeles based Vintage inspired clothing label that I have a huge crush on. Their Tee's are cool as. 

A local Sunshine Coast bohemian brand based out of the cute beach town of Mooloolaba. I had the pleasure to check out their store when I was there 4 months ago and I fell in love with their designs. fringe on fringe on awesomeness. check out their new website at gypsystone.com.au

This awesome Ista-feed is brought to you by @sticks_and_stones_agency. Not much to say about this other than...LEO & FRANCO. sticksandstonesagency.tmblr.com

An amazing artist. I only wish I could sketch like her. check out more at ponygold.blogspot.com

A "moroccan gypset collection for the bohemian soul" .. some totally rad custom skateboard decks. see more at amescollective.com

Amanda Malm makes lovely bags, and has a hell of a style. love this chick. check out her blog at modette.se/amandamalm.

DAY 10 // Missing the Sea

Helloo All,

Today was a scorcher once again, around 36 degrees. Maybe because it's almost friday and our bodies are giving up on us for the week or maybe it's just the intense heat but today seemed extra tough. One more day though and we've conquered week deux.

My creative bit tonight is inspired by my desire to be near the ocean again and the fact that I'm missing it like crazy. 

If I've learned one thing while being in Australia it is that I'm most happy near the sea. I'll always remember the week I spent couch surfing in Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast and Jodi and I were staying in this little beach shack apartment literally two minutes from the ocean. We would wake up early every morning because the sun was too hot to sleep in and I would head down to the beach for a morning jog or we would both walk down with coffee and just sit there and take in the salty air while watching the local surfers catch some waves. I loved it so much. 

So I pulled this quote from my collection and decided to practice hand-rendering type with it. I've always been a fan of doodling typography. And I think these words are lovely.

The ocean sets a good example for us humans.

Thanks for reading!

Until Tomorrow xo

DAY 9 // Finders Keepers DIY

Alright, DAY 9! And its wednesday so that means only two more work days till a nice little weekend break. STOKED.

Today was long and hot..36 degrees hot.. and I burnt my ears! what the heck? I've NEVER done that before. I guess it serves me right for choosing not to wear a hat. It hurts.

Ok, so creative bit for the day.

I had this idea a few days ago.. I love cutting clothes up and making them more awesome or just, new. So I found this dude's "singlet" in our dorm room in Cairns a couple weeks ago and there was no one in the room but me and cam, no one to claim it, so I took it. It's just a plain white shirt, loose fitting and comfy..but for creativity's sake I thought I'd transform it a bit and cut the crap out of it.

I cut the bottom all the way around so that the front is shorter than the back, and then cut the back into a deep "V" with horizontal slits. Then for the front I added some gold studs that I randomly bought at Jay Jay's, (while buying a sweeeet pair of overalls..) to each shoulder.

Something like this is super easy to do while traveling. I don't condone stealing of course...BUT at hostels a lot of the time there are "lost and found" type boxes full of forgotten stuff. So if you're not weirded out my second hand clothes, give it a wash and make it your own.

This project literally cost my 99 cents. Perfect on a poor backpacker's budget.

{Excuse the quality of the photos- not my best work..a bit rushed tonight.}

Thanks for reading,

Until tomorrow
xox

DAY 8 // I Heart the Kidney

So, We just crushed day 8.  YESSS.
More chipping weeds today..we're pretty much pro's. But we can officially say we've survived exactly one week on zee farm! And

I'm pretty much ready for a nap, but before I do so, I thought I'd post this.

Today's creative bit goes out to my mom. This past weekend was the celebration of "the kidney". Kind of weird yes, but wait.

Three years ago my mom selflessly donated one of her kidney's to her best friends son (our close close family friends), who was born with polycystic kidney disease. He was then, 20 years old and living with two kidney's that were functioning at very low levels..in need of a match pretty quick. None of his family members were matches so my mom decided to get tested. Sure enough, she was the perfect candidate. There was no hesitation, once she found out, she jumped in ready and willing to do it. What a champ.

That was 2010, and today Chad is 23 with plenty more years of life ahead of him with a healthy kidney. My mom is great too and every year we celebrate the anniversary of "the kidney" and all get together for dinner..two families as one.

My mom is an inspiration. She would do anything for anyone and I admire her strength and bravery. An amazing human being. Love you ma.

here's a link to an article from transplant BC if you'd like to learn more about about organ donation:
http://www.transplant.bc.ca/press%20release/2010%20Nov%208%20BC%20Transplant%205000%20NR.pdf

ALL in all,  I'm sad to have missed the annual dinner this year but I'm thinking about all of you and missing you like crazy!

Cheers to the Kidney!

Thanks for reading,
Until tomorrow xo

DAY 7 // It's Monday, I Need a Coffee

Hi friends,
Its late so I'm going to keep this short and sweet as I have our usual early start on the fields tomorrow. There's no really farm update today other than..It's monday, and we chipped weeds. THE END.

As for my creative bit, I was a little stumped at first as to what I was going to do today... but I had remembered a post I saw on pinterest awhile back about Coffee in Australia and I thought, since it's monday I'd design a little fun graphic with the same concept as the one I saw, but with a completely cooler and more playful look.

I love coffee, and that is all thanks to my pops. The smell of coffee is always lingering in our house and a pot always seems to be brewed and waiting there to be consumed. For me, with plenty of sugar..even hot chocolate most the time. But when I'm out and about, a double double is how we do it. Canadians love double doubles, and we love Tim Hortons. It's shit, but its cheap and it does the trick.
Well, try asking a Australian barista for a double double.... blank stare. Even the words "just a drip coffee please" confuses them, so here ya go dad, get to know the coffee lingo before you come visit me in the land down unda !
Goodnight, Thanks for reading!

Until Tomorrow xo

DAY 6 // Small Town Thrifting

Hellooo Day 6!

Today Cam and I mostly chilled out, BUT we did motivate ourselves this morning to do a little run around the fields and some ab excersises, YES.  It was a great start to our relaxing sunday lounging by the kiddy pool. Yes we found a kiddy pool.. in a dusty box in the sunroom.. and we built it! It was perfect to read a magazine in and for a little cool off, such a great find.

Now to the creative bit of the post - I styled a shoot today using two thrifted shirts I found at this random second-hand stall at the markets yesterday. There was pretty much just a table with a pile of clothes on it and the bearded man said to us "girls, fill a bag for 5 bucks!" ..what a steal of DEAL. So we rummaged through the stuff, mostly crap..but managed to find a lululemon workout top and these two beauties. He was disappointed we didn't fill a bag, but I was happy paying $5 for my three finds..still a stellar deal.

Since I'm a thrifting freak and half my wardrobe is second-hand, I paired the two shirts with as many other thrifted item's as I could. The teal shoes I bought in noosa for $1 and the shorts I bought back home at value village and cut & distressed them to make shorts. The brown belt is also thrifted from Van and I guess you could say the orange bra-lette is thrifted two because my lovely friend in Noosa gave that to me when we did a clothes swap!

All in all, these looks were super easy to put together, and dirt cheap! I've always said: you don't have to spend heaps of money to look awesome and have great style.

Thanks again to my gorgeous model Camille for letting me dress her up and put her in front of the camera. She rocked it.

Goodnight All! thanks for reading
Until Tomorrow xo

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DAY 5 // Wild & Free

Hello! Day 5 and I gotta say..I loved today. First off, we didn't have to work! It's our weekend now and that means we can frolic in the yard and wander into town and do what we please.

This morning around 10 am Cammie and I scouted out the three street town of Biloela, managing to find the "night club" and one bar along with a subway. We then took a stroll around the Biloela saturday markets. The markets were cute..maybe about 10 stalls max, lined with mostly little old ladies selling crocheted blankets and tea cozies, some selling hand made mugs with "I love grandma" and "I love cats" painted on them. I did however find a couple cheap and awesome finds amongst the granny nic-nacks so stay tuned for tomorrow's post.

After a Woolworth's shop for groceries and a chill afternoon of reading in the sun, we decided we'd get all "chicks" as Cammie likes to say (she's french Canadian FIY..love you cam)  and do a little photo-shoot! With me choosing the hippie styles and Cam opting for a sexy cowgirl look (denim on denim) we had so much fun playing around and getting weird looks from Ian and Reece who were hard at work on the farm.

We tag teamed the role of photographer and for rookies I was pretty pleased with the end results!  Its also hard to take terrible photos when you have such a beautiful backdrop, like glistening wheat fields and the sunset ..

Enjoy!
Until Tomorrow xo

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