Subscribing to Gloss (and lotsa colourful things!)

Hello! Just a little nugget of info for my friends - I don't always post blog links on Facebook as I try not to spam the heck out of the newsfeed. But there are a couple of ways you can follow Gloss and never, ever skip a post - oh, you lucky lot! Lols. 

1. Bookmark Gloss on your browser

2. Subscribe via Google Reader

3. Subscribe via email (just bung your email addy in that box below in the left column).
You'll get a post in your inbox whenever I blog summin. Google does that for me, thanks Google.

You can reply via email and I'm usually pretty swift to reply back:)

4. Subscribe via Bloglovin.

And some of you are subscribed via Google Friend Connect (merci!) although I don't use that feature anymore. Thanks to everyone who subscribes - I didn't actually realise how many of my own friends subscribe until they told me over the holidays - "Oh yeah, we get your posts via email." Cuteness!

I posted these pics on Smitten yesterday - they are some of my fave things:)

Nature

Nature is rad. x

Jolling in the Palmiet

Nikki and I missioned through the Palmiet in the drizzle on Saturday. We hadn't been there in years! I freaked out at how awesome it is - they could film Jurassic Park 4 there! I'm trying to find locations to snap people in...gonna scout some more spots next Sunday. Oh, and I erm, bought a toy guitar for a mate's baba but decided to scale it instead! I'll post a few snaps of the reserve tomoz. x

Jelly Beans!

Two new things for my kitchen - Jelly Beans and a pink spatula.

Hope you're having a lush weekend. x

My new website - Smitten Pictures!

The short story - I whipped up a website for Smitten Pictures - you can check it out here!

The long-winded ramble (!): Before the holidays, someone said to me, "Lauren, what do you want to do with your life? Where do you see yourself in five years time, aged thirty-five." THIRTY-FIVE! Yowzers, I'm 100% positive I'll still be watching South Park, playing Roller Coaster Tycoon and listening to Metallica but anyway....I thought about it and decided, "I would like to be living in a little cottage home with some sweet pets, and I would like to be working as a photographer full time." I love my job in advertising, I love my little flat but a girl's gotta have some big dreams to chase down! 

They may seem like small dreams to some but to me, they're biggies. 

And nothing makes me happier than editing pictures. Throw in a glass of wine cuppa tea and some stand-up, and honestly, I'm the happiest Panda you ever did see. I'm not sure what I enjoy more - taking pictures or editing them - I love the entire process! 

Over the past year, I've dipped my toe in and out of "shoot" photography, but I've been a little reluctant because I knew I owed it to my clients to be shooting with a more professional camera. Fortunately, I was able to upgrade my gear at the end of last year which was a dream come true! 

So, if all goes to plan, my weekends will be dedicated to photo shoots in addition to my regular shenanigans. 

Friends, if you're reading this, thank you for encouraging me and speaking faith into me. And thanks to every one of you, my beloved blog readers who often email me sweet things about pictures I've snapped. You guys inspire me daily. 

Now, who wants their picture taken, eh? We'll have a ton of fun! xxx

PS: Smitten is on Facebook too (Plug, plug - ha!)

Random Update - emphasis on random.

Whats up, gang! Sorry al Glosso has gotten off to such a slow start this year.  And Jan is nearly over - what? We won't talk about the Easter Eggs in store. And we won't talk about all the Valentines Fortune Cookies I've eaten - Saffers, have you tried those ones from Woolies? They are amazing! The fortunes depress me a bit (You and your lover will live happily ever after) but damn, they are tasty. Ok, what am I talking about? Just a random update really. So...when not at le office, I've been working on freelance stuff (while listening to stand-up - Dane Cook and Aziz Ansari destroy me!), reading a Bear Grylls book (Love Bear! He's brilliant and kind and his kids have the most adorable names.), following the Lance Armstrong debacle (oi, Lance...oi), watching Parks and Rec and I've finally gotten back into my work-out routine again. This Monday, I had to accept that holidays really were over and that spending ten zillion hours on Pinterest is not gonna help me get to goal weight. Also, just been busy with lots of house research - turns out you need a ton of loot to get going before you can apply for a building loan. But somehow, I will find the cottage of my dreams! So yeah, nothing really exciting to blog about but I wanna keep the pressure off blogging this year - like I did last year. I blogged when I was able to and I loved that. I like using Gloss as a scrapbook. Just means its a bit of a snoozefest for chunks of a time but that's life, eh! Hope you are well my friends of the internet. That's me in Paris below - check how short I am! I think I must blog about my 2008-2009 travels sometime. They were good times and I feel like the need to live on Gloss as well. x

Some cute new things!

Some of the sweet things I got over the holidays: Bronwyn gave me a clutch bag - with my face on it! Kathleen gave me a bunch of sewing goodies and cupcake cases! I found two new owls snuggling at a pop-up store. Tammy gave me cupcake lipgloss. Cath got me an adorable egg-cup holder and Tarryn got me an ice-cream timer. I treated myself to an orchid. I re-snapped my vintage camera flash just because I love it. My dad put Candi and Andy's Panda up for me! Tarryn also gave me a jar of wishes and I found a graduating owl at the SPCA. Thank you kindly friends and fam. x

'I'd go to a banquet in honor of those Somali pirates if they served bacon wrapped shrimp"

I'm sorry I have nothing to blog. I thought it would be a good idea to give myself four million projects to complete by the end of January. One of them is outright ridiculous but anyway, when I'm not scribbling, I'm watching every Ron Swanson clip on Youtube. The man destroys me. Dessssssssssstrroys me. And Leslie makes me crave waffles constantly. Seriously, my love for Parks and Rec knows no bounds. I literally did nothing but watch Seasons 3 and 4 back to back two weekends ago. It was great. What's hot DJ Roomba!? Yeah, I keep referencing P and R and everyone's like, "What now?" Please tell me some of you are fans!

Puppy Expeditions

The parentals and I took Mary to the beach for a New Year's walk. She was quite terrified of the carts and skateboards and pretty much anything on wheels, but she loved the sand, smells and sights...I think! We also met a golden fluffball along the way. Dogs are awesome. x

Rocking out with Olive

This precious little bundle came round for a jam on the weekend! Olive is just the sweetest thing ever. Gen treated me to carrot cake, flowers and home magazines to help me on my way for planning my dream cottage home. Such a kind pair they are. x