“The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.” – Michel de Montaigne
As much as I love to be around people and their inspiring energies, I also deeply yearn for solitude….And perhaps it’s in part my Finnish heritage, though I think it’s more than that….it’s that time I get to refuel, to simply be and go deeper within, to reflect and create and imagine from a place of complete stillness.
These photos were taken on a quiet still morning in Bali at the magical Kubu beach at Ayana Resort. There wasn’t a soul in sight as I walked along the beach allowing my connection to the earth to centre and rejuvenate my being. I feel so thankful to know myself, to understand with love and compassion the needs I have, and to take action to care for them. Every single act of self love builds my energy stores and sets my vibration soaring to a place where only complete wellness can exist. For those suffering from illness of any sort, I urge you to step out in nature, somewhere peaceful, somewhere still, where it’s just you and the elements. Allow this space and experience to refuel your being and bring healing to every cell in your body.
Bare feet on the sand, wind in my hair, salt on my lips, dancing upon the edge of the ocean as the sun beams it’s glorious rays upon my skin. This is the magical setting that ignites my dreams and makes anything possible in my reality.
If you are feeling a little low and in need of a pick me up, find yourself some natural inspiration in your surrounds. Clarity and peace will come, and allow yourself the space and time to immerse yourself in it. Revel in the beauty that is all around you, and that is you. From this centred, nurturing space your passions and spirit will fire up. Now is the time to dream big and run wild along the earth as you plant the seeds of manifestation.
We are all powerful beyond measure. We all have the ability to create abundant and love filled lives for ourselves. Take some time to slow down, centre yourself, dream and acknowledge you are the creator of your life.
When it comes to fashion there is not much more that I love than exquisite jewellery….and especially when there is an amazing heart and soul behind the creations. I’m honoured today to share with you all a little about this amazing label I recently discovered – Ernest & Joe. Absolutely divine jewellery, simple, clean lines, incredible quality with great attention to detail, making them next level for me.
Behind the scenes of this label is beautiful mother and daughter duo, Sally and Mia, creating this magic together. The whole family is involved in this creative passion of theirs, and we are the lucky ones who get to have a piece of this art made with love. Here’s a little interview I did so you can find out more about this lovely duo.
How did Ernest and Joe begin?
E&J began after I came home from a big trip around South East Asia, Mum suggested that we do a short course in silver smithing together and from there we combined forces and created our little business. Ernest was my Pops (Mums Dad) middle name that he didn’t like, but I loved, and Joe was Nans Dads name, so masculine for such feminine jewellery!
What are your greatest passions in life?
We are very down to earth people and as long as we have our tight knit family around us we are happy. We are extremely devoted to E&J, we don’t get much time to do anything else…lucky we love it!
Who is/are your major style influences/inspirations?
We try to keep all of our ideas as original as possible, we don’t really go hunting for any inspiration, we just wait until an idea pops into our head and we work from there. We like the simplicity of our designs.. we probably like them a little too much, i am always pinching stock to keep for myself!
What do you love most about Ernest and Joe?
We love that Ernest and Joe is entirely hand made in my back shed. We love that our two employees are my Brother and Sister. We love that my little baby Violet scoots around in the shed under my dogs watchful eye. We love that we have created something that means so much to so many people. Most of all I love that I get to hang out with Mum every day making jokes and beautiful jewellery.
What are your future dreams?
We would like to keep building our little business up and be able to employ my Brother and Sister full time.
We are excited for E&J to become a recognisable name here in Australia and around the world.
We are pretty happy to keep taking the opportunities that come our way. We just want to make jewellery forever!!
I don’t know about you guys but I’m in love. These guys just peel it back to what matters most and their beautiful designs are a great representation of all that they are about.
Here’s to family, love, following your heart and doing what you love, each and every single day. Thanks for the inspiration Sally and Mia :)
“Dare to love yourself as if you were a rainbow with gold at both ends” – Aberjhani
I’ve been asked quite a lot recently about finding peace and love, so I want to share just a little in this post that I feel may be of help to some of you.
Each day I wake up I consciously choose to focus my thoughts upon LOVE. I focus my attention on all that I love, all that is working in my life, all that brings me joy. The more attention I give to it, the more I create and amplify my experience of this in my life. When I catch myself headed down a path of stressful worrying thoughts, I stop. I look at the layers that hold them in place. I provide these painful thoughts with the loving space they deserve. I question their validity, I imagine how I’d feel without them. I discover a blissful state of peace and lightness without them. I wonder if they are in fact really true and I look deeper at their roots. I dig these up and plant new loving, peaceful seeds in their place. Ones that will blossom and bring forth the great fruits of life. I feel a lightness wash over me as I empty out those stressful thoughts that really don’t need to be on repeat anymore. When we run the same painful programs over and over in our minds, we only cause more suffering to ourselves. We can choose what we wish to believe, and what we wish to think and feel. It takes some practice firstly to become aware of these thoughts, to question them, and to realise that you yourself are the one who can set free your mind and allow peace and love to flow in.
Each day practice the art of forwarding your focus to all that is magical, magnificent, amazing and wonderful. Focus on what you have with love and with gratitude. I guarantee you, the more you do this, the better you will feel, and the more awesomeness you will naturally attract into your life through the universal law of attraction.
A few weeks ago…or maybe even a month now (WOW!) I had the pleasure of visiting the Hobo + Hatch pop up shop down south in the beautiful town Cowaramup, in the Margaret River wine region. The vibe and beauty of this town and shop was so relaxing…I didn’t want to leave! If you get the chance to stop by on your travels it’s a must! So many of my favourite labels like Rue Stiic + Arrow Divine all in the one place. And what a space it is! So perfectly decked out with peacock chairs, divine tapestries, worldly jewels and cow skulls. See pics below!! I was lucky enough to pick up one of their yakadiyak wool/cotton shawls and it’s been keeping me warm and cosy during this sudden seasonal shift right into winter! And not only are they divine, each purchase supports communities in Nepal. “By purchasing from our Yakadiyak range you’ve helped make a small difference in the lives of others. We will continue to donate our time & money to the Nepalese community that touched our hearts & forever changed our soul” – Leona, Hobo + Hatch. Nothing better than wearing conscious clothing. Feels soooo good in so many ways :))))
These photos featuring this beautiful scarf, were taken a couple of weeks ago when summer was still hanging around for one last party :) The golden light in the afternoon seems to intensify during this time of year. The sunsets are so brilliant and deep, just like the autumn leaves. It’s yet another magical time of year with so much beauty to be thankful for.
Photography – Bobby Bense, Helen Janneson Bense
Model/Styling – Helen Janneson Bense
Location – Sorrento Beach, Western Australia
Outfit Details
Shawl (natural) – Hobo + Hatch | Instagram | Facebook | Visit in person shop 2, 64 Bussell Hwy, Cowaramup, Western Australia
And here are some photos of the Hobo + Hatch pop up store and bts hanging out with owner and beauty Leona..and seriously loving her outfit soooo much! Shop it HERE + HERE + HERE xx
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