Why Hello There March 1st....

WOW! March 1st already!! Where have the first two months of 2012 gone? Only feels like New Years was upon us and now its March and the beginning of Autumn here in NZ.... 

This week has been pretty full on so far, packing, cleaning, moving from Christchurch and flying to Wellington with Kitty and I. Unpacking what was in storage since March 2011 when I headed down to Christchurch due to the devastating Earthquake to help the famdamily. It was like discovering old friends again unpacking those boxes... Its like having Christmas over again! 

I have to say it has been a relief to be back in Wellington, admittedly I know Wellington has fault lines that cause quakes too but I have always preferred the North Island for some reason and Wellington has always felt like home!

I have spent this afternoon with one of my closest friends in the city, as my big brother gave us tickets to Unveiled which is the wedding dress exhibition at Te Papa.  It was great to see as J and I looked at the dress from an artistic point of view as well.. I love being around like minded people and this was a great example... I am so totally in love with Gwen Stefani's wedding dress! I never realised when I saw it in magazines when she got married the pink on it was actually spray painted!! 

We also managed to find a fabric clearance store so finally I have the fabric I have been after to create the dress I have been meaning to make since buying the pattern 2 years ago lol! So might have a couple of pretty dresses to take to the states for my trip... albeit it will be Winter when I get there #eeektwowinters!!

Tomorrow is kind of D Day in a way! Its my business meeting which will hopefully see weither it will go ahead or not... (how can it not! I know I can do it!!) and if it doesn't go well it will just make me even more determined to make it happen...

So thats life on the crazy ship so far the past few weeks....and as the saying goes... you have to decide to not stay where you are before you can move forward!!

Day 6 – List 5 places you want to go to

Hrmm a tough on today so I have done this as a countdown to my number one spot since its a tough choice...

5. Paris - Always had a thing for wanting to see Paris and the high fashion.. not sure where it came from but I also think my creative side would come out majorly there!

4. New York - specifically Broadway!!! its always appealed to my musical side... I may have given up my dream thanks to the parentals but doesn't mean I cant go watch someone else & their dream lol :o) 

3. Orlando, Florida - Well this has been on the to do list since I was about 7 so hence still there along with Disney World lol... You're never too old for Disney!! - Hopefully I will be crossing this one off come December 2012 when I head to Twi-con ☺

2. Vancouver, Canada - Ok so this is another that's been on the list for awhile, to be able to visit friends and to experience the ski season over there... well mostly snow boarding these days.. cant say I have skied for about 5yrs now lol....

1. Los Angeles - ok so this probably wasn't a surprise to many considering what I want to do with my photography etc... but there's so much I want to see & do in LA lol.. so as much as it seems crazy to most its not... lol

Day 5 - List 5 places you have been to

Okies, so apologise that i got caught up and forgot about this till now so im determined to finish it... I was always taught finish what you start ;) 

So.... 5 Places I have been to... 

1. Deep Cove - It is a right of passage in Form 2 before going off to High school that every form 2 student no matter what school in Southland makes the Trip to Deep Cove and stays there for about 5 days! Unfortunately I missed out due to NZ Marching Champs and didn't get to go till I was 17 and was asked to help my younger brothers trip.

2. Waitomo Caves - While studying at the University of Waikato a group of us did a trip to Waitomo.. Absolutely amazing place! The Glow worms are just awesome!

3.  Stewart Island - Really don't have anything exciting to say about Stewart Island lol.. apart from don't take a boat!!

4. Auckland Sky Tower - Lets just say my fear of heights is a lot better after my visit here a couple of years ago... and its an amazing view from the top!

5. Huka Falls - One of my fav places to stop while traveling in the North Island...

Day 4: Goals

Goals...

Ekk I really don't like sharing my goals so I find it hard to put  these ones out there to be honest.. 

• Get my business up and running fully 

• Visit the USA and a couple of friends by the end of the year... 

• Keep running & staying healthy

• Try to get work under my admired photographer and see how much I can learn from them in the states.. 

• Complete NaNoWriMo 2012 later in the year :)  

Day 3: Last year, in great detail...

Last Year, In Great Detail...

eeek This is going to be a lil hard so bare with me on this one...

January 2011 - My website for charlie was in full swing and we started Rave Run Radio for his birthday. 

February 2011 - This mostly was quiet till February 22nd when my home town Christchurch was hit with a magnitude 6.3 quake at 12.51 pm which killed 181 people. More Info Here

March 2011 - March saw me having a visit from my mother from Christchurch for two weeks and then me heading to CHCH for a brief holiday and to attend the memorial service for the victims of the Feb 22nd quake and the city.. 

April 2011 - I moved home to Christchurch to help family and friends after the earthquakes... 

May 2011 - I remember the fact it was all over the tv that Osama bin laden was killed. I also remember May was filled with a little excitement as I started working again... along with getting my new upgraded Dslr.

June 2011 - Christchurch was rocked by a double-whammy earthquake on the 13th  which did more damage to our city as you can see here. The month was also filled with mostly work, along with the launch of my Jewellery page Pixie Creations. 

The Almighty Johnsons stars & I

July 2011 - Armageddon Christchurch happened the first weekend of July where I got to finally meet one of my fav NZ Actors Jared Turner (from Almighty Johnsons).  It was also my 29th birthday where we got to attend the midnight screening of Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Pt 2. 

August 2011 - I got to meet Lauren Kate author of the Fallen Series in Dunedin. She was amazing to talk to and very encouraging. I also went to Wellington to have a photoshoot with Krystol after the prize we won in January. Along with catching up with friends up there that I hadn't seen since I left in April.

September 2011 - This marked one year since the 7.1 earthquake that started it all in Christchurch in 2010.

October 2011 - This was the month I moved out of my mothers after deciding enough was enough.  Don't remember much else of October as I was working for most of it... 

November 2011 - Breaking Dawn Part 1 screening with Pip. Where I made up some small goodie bags and we had a blast. Also decided it was time to stop doing a job I don't enjoy and do what I love and get closer to my goal....

December 2011 - My website became a year old, and relaunched on a new format with its own website addy after months of work after having no laptop...It also gave me a secret which I had to hold onto for several weeks...  December also was marked by major earthquakes again on the 23rd of December as you can see here.  December also saw the launch of my own business for my photography thanks to the support of friends which you can check out here.

January 2012 - This month has seen me decide to move back to Wellington at the end of February to get my business up and running properly. It also finally saw the announcement that we had to keep a secret for a month or so that Charlie was coming to NZ for Armageddon in Wellington & Hamilton in April... 

Lauren Kate & I in Dunedin August 2011.

Day 2: Meaning behind your blog name

What's the Meaning behind my blog name...

Ok so this is an easy one for me to answer today....  Basically my Profile name on Blogger is because I have been called Pixie for quite sometime due to an ex who called me pixie and then my family and friends followed suit and I have not been able to shake it since.... 

As for the name of my Blog "Butterflies and stars" I came up with it when I started my blog in 2011 because someone who inspires me  told me to keep reaching for the moon and If  I missed it would still be ok as I would land upon the Stars.... 

The Butterflies part comes from the fact since I was 16 they have been significant for me since my closest friend was murdered over New Years. When I think about her or talk to her I seem to have this affinity to Butterflies and they seem to come around me... Mostly Monarchs... 

So I thought a good name for my blog would be "Butterflies and Stars" because its everything that means a lot to me ♥

Day 1: Blog 15 facts about yourself

oh heck, yep I really don't like this first one but I accepted the challenge so here goes... 

15 Facts about Me...

1. I was born in Hastings, NZ but grew up in Southland! 
2. I have never had a white Christmas .
3. I am the Oldest child on my mum's side of the family, but the baby on my dads side of the family, yet I have not met any of my older siblings from my dad's side & just to add to that - My big brother & big sister are not blood related at all as it comes from the saying your friends are you family you choose for yourself, and I love them both even though we are not actually related! ♥
4. I am Kiwi-born Brit and in the next few years plan on heading to visit where my dad etc grew up in the UK.
5. My favourite city in the world is Paris yet I have never been there.
6. I have won Gold, Silver & Bronze medals for the sport I was involved in for 20years.
7. My favourite colour is Aqua blue.
8. I live in the country that developed the Bungy Jump yet I have never been on it as I have a slight anxiety problem when it comes to heights but I plan on conquering it.
9. I have two favourite flowers, Daffodils & yellow roses. 
10. I love anything artistic (thanks to my dad who was an artist) so love Art History, Painiting, and am a qualified photographer and have been since 2001. 
11. My favourite animal is a Tiger although I love all cats. 
12. When the mood takes me I can write short stories and poetry and have been told I am really good at it. 
13. I make jewellery.
14. I am a major bookworm and when I am not crafting or writing or working on photo shoots you can find me with my nose in a book or my kindle.
15. I have eyes that change colours in different lights but tend to wear contact lenses instead of my glasses so people don't notice too much...