6 ways to get happy

Happiness 'experts' report that spending on luxury goods, rather than making you happier, tend to create one-upmanship behaviour, and that wealth may in fact interfere with your ability to enjoy positive emotions that come from life's small pleasures, eg eating some chocolate. Alternatively, investing in an event-related activity like travel or cooking classes is less likely to incite competitive behavior with others (hmmm haven't they heard of masterchef) and therefore lead to more feelings of happiness.

Personally? I disagree - buying a pair of beautiful shoes really and truly does make me happy, not just in that moment but for ages afterwards. I have pairs of shoes that still enrapture me years later. And I'm sure that there are others who agree with me!

But for those days when shoes can't do the trick (ie when the bank balance doesn't stretch that far) here are six activities that should get you feeling cheerful.

1. Climb a mountain,go on a hike, or simply take a walk in your closest green space/park/garden.
2. Smile at/compliment a stranger: make new friends, build relationships.
3. Pamper yourself with a spa treatment. This can be as simple as filling a tub with hot water and bath salts and soaking your feet for 10min.
4. Enjoy guilt-free fine dining in a paradise setting - take a drive to the country and munch on some of your favourite fresh fruit out in the open air.
5. Get in the flow of your life: do something new, challenging and fun. Remember that challenging yourself is fun - even if you are a little frightened by that!
6. Breathe in salt air, listen to wave sounds, feel the sand between your toes (this is definitely one of my faves).

What do you do when you're feeling blue and shoes won't do?

6 ways to get happy

The fastest shoot in the history of mankind!

Absolutely brilliant shoot yesterday afternoon.

Photographer Juan Carlos Calixto (Jaycee to us) is a wizard. We set it up, we shot it, it was done. Bang. Just like that!
So thrilled.

We worked on a 'gambling your heart' kind of theme. We were thinking about the idea that at this time of year, you send off a Valentine and its a bit of a gamble, you can't be sure you're going to get the result you hope for. But with a gift of a Queen of Hearts necklace, your luckiness is love is set to win big time!

Now its time to send it off into the world of media and see if anyone picks it up.

Fingys crossed!

The fastest shoot in the history of mankind!

3TTC Lookbook ready!

Yip yip yippee!!!
THE LOOKBOOK IS READY TO LAUNCH!!!
So pleased to have finally got it finished. It was sent out to someone to final-draft-triple-double-check, we made some changes to it, and now its ready to float out there into the world.
Ahhh I feel so good about it. It feels like I have been working on this one for months and months. Which, in actual fact, I have been. This one has really taken a long time to put together.

And my blurb as follows:

Third Time’s The Charm is the third collection from Melbourne design brand Joolz, and it’s simple as black and white to see why this collection is already causing an international buzz. Classically beautiful with contempory styling, compliments are all yours when you step out in these designs.
Gleaming pearls, the only organically sustainable gem on the planet, are teamed with glossy obsidian and onyx. They match prettily with hand-crafted vintage playing card butterflies that flutter perfectly on necklaces and bracelets in a display of delicate symmetry. Beautiful black recycled umbrella silk teamed with pearls becomes a stylish bowtie choker, and the Lady Luck necklace of vintage dice is perfect with hand-cut crystal.
Eye-catching elegance is the key, allowing you to be effortless in making your style statement.
Pre-ordering your preferred card symbol is available for this collection (customisation fee applies). Recycled Las Vegas casino cards & dice are available for customised pieces (from Bellagio, Casino Royale, and Caesars Palace). I also have Crown Casino (Melbourne) playing cards and dice. Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing a specially personalised piece.
My vision for this collection was for something that was both grown-up but playful, strong on classic black and white colouring, with eco-friendly components. It has taken me quite a journey to bring this to you, from antique stores in Brisbane to the casinos of Las Vegas.
I absolutely love the results and I certainly hope you do too!

Well, geez I hope people love it enough to buy some pieces. Its been a long haul!
And our shoot:

3TTC Lookbook ready!