OPTION vs PRIORITY

If you spend too long holding on to the one who treats you like an option, you will miss finding someone who treats you like a priority...

IN MEMORY OF DANIEL NEVILLE

[ABOVE] Daniel & I

A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet Daniel Neville.

I was lucky enough to have my photo taken with him as part of an annual Sydney Swans Celebrity AFL match I take part in & recently I have been lucky enough to meet & speak with his family, Dad Pete, Mum Ruth & his brother Ben. Daniel is 15 in this photograph - & if those gorgeous brown eyes didn’t get you, that killer smile will!

Today marks the 2 year anniversary of Daniel loosing his fight with cancer. I am writing this blog post on this day to remember a day when the world lost a beautiful soul all too soon, but more so, to celebrate the 15 years of life, laughter & (And heartbreakingly killer smiles) Daniel brought the world.

I was blessed to meet Daniel & the entire Neville family, who are truly some of the nicest, humble & giving people I have ever met. I was given this opportunity through a charity called REDKITE. REDKITE is an organization who supports families dealing with children young people with cancer; REDKITE are there the entire journey.

Working in the field of fashion, I am very adamant, there is no need for what we do, it is an industry based purely on want. It is my strong belief that every fashion brand / designer should be giving back in some way, weather it be through product donation, time, profiling or monetary, there is a way you can make a difference, no matter how big or small. REDKITE is one of my favourite charities, & I cannot encourage you enough, as an company or an individual to get involved in any way you can.

Daniel’s Dad Pete emailed me this photo yesterday, & in the email he said ‘He (Daniel) was SO excited to get a photo with you! He even took it to school the next day to show his mates.’… It brought tears to my eyes & enveloped my heart in a way I cannot explain. Today I remember Daniel & my heartfelt thoughts are with the Neville family. This photograph is very important to me & Daniel’s memory will be forever kept in a special part of my heart.

To find out more about how you can help to make a difference REDKITE visit http://www.redkite.org.au/

THE DREAMERS

"Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you, to leave this world better than when you found it." - Wilfred Peterson

VELVET UNDERGROUND

DIVING FOR PEARLS

I’M NOT SURE IF ITS VALID TO DO SO, BUT I AM ADDING SOMETHING TO MY BUCKET LIST, POST EVENT.

THIS WEEK, I SWAPPED MAKEUP & EMAILS FOR DAWN STARTS & OCEANIC ADVENTURES - I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO SPEND THE WEEK IN DARWIN, NT WITH ICONIC AUSTRALIAN JEWELLERY BRAND, PASPALEY. PASPALEY ARE THE WORLDS LEADER IN SOUTH SEA PEARLS.

I SPENT TIME OUT ON THE PEARLING FARMS, A 90 MINUTE SEA PLANE RIDE FROM DARWIN. STAYING ON THE MV ROSLYNNE, A $20MILLION SHIP THAT ACTS AS THE MOTHERSHIP TO SIMILAR ‘WORKING’ PEARLING BOATS IN REMOTE COVES THAT ARE HOME TO PASPALEY’S PEARL FARMS.

TO SAY I LOVED IT WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. UP AT 530AM WITH THE SHIPS CREW. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO EXPERIENCE JUST SOME OF THE MANY HANDLING A SOUTH SEA PEARL GOES THROUGH TO GET TO THE TIME OF HARVEST. I GOT COVERED IN MUD & GUTS WHILE CUTTING PEARL MEAT OUT OF THE SHELLS AFTER THE PEARLS HAD BEEN EXTRACTED. DE-PANNELLED SHELLS OUT OF THE NETS TO PREP THEM FOR THE TECHNICIANS TO WORK ON.

I WITNESSED THE JAPANESE PEARL TECHNICIANS AT WORK & MET SOME OF THE MOST AMAZING PEOPLE, WITH AMAZING STORIES. IT WAS SUCH A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE, HAVING WORKED WITH JEWELLERY FOR A LONG TIME, TO SEE HOW MUCH TIME, EFFORT, NATURE AMAZING WORK & HUMAN CARE & PASSION THAT GOES INTO HARVESTING THESE PEARLS WAS SURREAL. EXPERIENCING SUNRISES & SUNSETS IN THE REMOTE SILENCE OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIA, WATCHING SHARKS CIRCLING OUR SHIP DAY & NIGHT, & TALKING TO THE CREW WHO JOURNEYS ON THE PEARL FARMS & BEYOND HAD TAKING THEM ON SOME OF THE MOST AMAZING ADVENTURES I HAD EVER HEARD.

BELOW ARE SOME PHOTOS FROM MY TRIP TO THE PEARL FARMS, NONE OF WHICH DO JUSTICE TO THE BEAUTY & SERENITY THAT GREETS YOU & ENCAPSULATES YOU IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY.

A HUGE HUGE THANK YOU TO PASPALEY FOR ALLOWING ME TO EXPERIENCE THIS. THANKYOU CHRISTINE, RICHARD, SKIPPER RICK, NUNNY, TONY & THE ENTIRE CREW....

AN EXPERIENCE I WILL NEVER FORGET & HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN ADDED TO THE TOP OF BUCKET LIST, WITH A BIG TICK NEXT TO IT. – SW

[ABOVE] HEADING OUT TO THE PEARL FARMS VIA PASPALEY MALLARD SEA PLANE

[ABOVE] DINGY FROM PLANE OUT TO MV ROSLYNNE

[ABOVE] ON BOARD WORKING SHIP MV MONTARO WITH A HANDFUL OF FRESHLY HARVESTED PEARLS


[ABOVE] GETTING DOWN & DIRTY CLEANING THE PEARL MEAT OUT OF SHELL ON BOARD THE MONTARO

[ABOVE] CLEANING THE PEARL MEAT!

[ABOVE] COMMUTING BETWEEN BOATS - NOT A BAD OFFICE!

[ABOVE] SKIPPERING THE MV ROSLYNNE!!

[ABOVE] ENJOYING AN EXQUISITE NT SUNSET

[ABOVE] ONBOARD MV ROSLYNNE

[ABOVE] A MAGIC SUNRISE ON THE MV ROSLYNNE LOOKING OUT TO SUPPORT VESSEL MV CHRISTINE

[ABOVE] SHARK!

[ABOVE] WITH SKIPPER & NEW FRIEND, RICK.

[ABOVE] COMMUTING BACK OUT TO THE SEA PLANE

[ABOVE] PASPALEY MALLARD SEA PLANE WITH MV ROSLYNNE IN THE BACKGROUND

[ABOVE] LEAVING THE FARMS - THE MV ROSLYNNE

[ABOVE] BACK IN THE PASPALEY DARWIN SHOWROOM WITH 'THE PASPALEY PEARL'

'THE PASPALEY PEARL' ; ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY SOUTH SEA PEARLS IN THE WORLD. THE PASPALEY PEARL IS POSSIBLY THE FINEST PERFECTLY ROUND GEM-QUALITY PEARL EVER FOUND & HAS BEEN DISPLAYED ALONGSIDE THE HOPE DIAMOND AT THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM IN WASHINGTON. THE PASPALEY PEARL WAS HARVESTED AT A PASPALEY PEARL FARM IN 2003 & IS A RARE 20.4MM WHITE ROUND SOUTH SEA PEARL WITH A MAGNIFICENT PINK ORIENT.

FRENCH LACE SHOES

Dear Exquisite French Lace Shoes;
You make my heart beat a little bit faster.
Come home with me? - SW

DANCE IN THE RAIN

'LIFE ISN'T ABOUT HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE STORM.
IT'S ALL ABOUT HOW TO LEARN TO DANCE IN THE RAIN...'

FAIRY LIGHTS + RAIN