Living Our Sunshine with Susann Deysel
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10 things I learnt while wanderlusting

Don’t listen to what they say. Go see.

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  1. Plage is French for beach – thanks to our self-drive family holiday on Reunion Island. In Afrikaans, Dutch, German, Danish, Hungarian, Norwegian and Swedish it is strand.
  2. Taking a kid (toddler) on an international self-drive holiday isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Plus one day she will have amazing photos of her very first international trip that I can tell stories about.
  3. Knowing how to say please, thank you, hello and do you speak English in the local language is a lifesaver. Add a smile and even the French won’t give you a hard time.
  4. I can survive in Germany and the Netherlands without speaking the language – thanks to being Afrikaans. Plus the Dutch really love hearing Die Taal.
  5. Sometimes you have to ignore the third world argument from your husband – because he’ll love going to that destination in the end. There are no mistakes…
  6. Getting lost is not the end of the world, but not carrying spare batteries is.
  7. Driving in the south of Ireland is an adventure I would never say no to. I did it once on my own and got my new husband behind the wheel the second time round. We will never forget the single lane road that was actually a double lane… and the bus!
  8. When you visit a place a second time around with the love of your life it’s even better than the first time! Plus you get to be the tour guide and human GPS. It’s weird, but you can send me back to any place I’ve been and a map just switches on in my head – just don’t ask me to drive around in Pretoria.
  9. You learn a lot about life and yourself. You change with all the new experiences.
  10. The world is wonderful, but home is always Africa.
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Fragrance of the month: Elizabeth Arden Red Door Aura

Red Door Aura is a timeless, sophisticated and feminine fragrance that was launched in 2012. It was created by the same perfumer, Carlos Benaim, as Red Door.

Top Notes: Luscious Raspberry, Italian Bergamot, Freesia
Middle Notes: Orange Flower, Rose, Jasmine Petals
Base Notes: Creamy Amber, Sandalwood, Soft Musk

What did I think of Elizabeth Arden Red Door Aura

…when this bottle runs out I’m replenishing at the next Johannesburg Perfume Sale where I paid a whopping R145 for 50ml. This was the best impulse buy I’ve ever made.

This bottle is also my first Elizabeth Arden fragrance and I’m really impressed – plus my hubby loved it too.

There’s only one Elizabeth like me and that’s the Queen

Elizabeth Arden

How to apply perfume the right way

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5 steps to a clean house for a new baby

Before baby Lily arrived we wanted to make sure that her room and the rest of the house was cleaned “baby-friendly”.  It turns out that the cleaning materials we use is human use approved, but not tested for child safety. This time around we used Earthsap with all our CHUX wipes (and what-nots) to get our house in shape for the new baby.

Babies are such a nice way to start people.(Don Herold)

I know that you know how important it is to have a clean home when you bring baby back from the hospital – because they have no immunity systems yet.

Here are your 5 steps to a clean house for a new baby

  1. Get your cleaning materials ready
    Start with clean materials. Get “less chemical” with your cleaning products. Don’t rely on your housekeeper to clean everything 100% – once you see how much dirt you wipe, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
  2. Dust everything and don’t miss a corner
    I can’t tell you how many times I call my housekeeper to show her that I can see she doesn’t dust. She likes to cut corners on top of cupboards, the fridge and evening dining room table (that we never use). Also check corners… spiders love to spin their webs here.
  3. Clean the kitchen as if your life depends on it
    You will be preparing bottles in the kitchen so you might as well give it a good clean. Clean the fridge, countertop surfaces, oven and even the dishwasher.
  4. Wash all linens and baby clothes
    Do you know how many chemicals are used to keep clothes wrinkle free in shops? You will want to wash everything from burp clothes to blankets with baby washing powder.
  5. Disinfect your home – wipe everything including the light switches
    If I think of how many times people touch light switches and door handles in my house with dirty hands… I am permanently disinfecting.

Who and what is Chux?

Chux is an Australian-brand and has been on the market since 1968.

My favourite product (that I also used to wipe dry house paint from my new car’s exterior) is the Magic Eraser Spot Cleaner. This little magical cleaning buddy removes scuffs, crayon from walls and paint from cars… and you just activate it with water. It has micro-abrasives to help remove marks and grime.

The other products we use are the wipes for cleaning all those lovely doors, switches and surfaces plus scourers for the pots you can’t just chuck into the dishwasher.

Who and what is Earthsap?

If you really want to have a toxic free home, use Earthsap’s natural products.

  • Natural and without dyes and synthetic fragrances
  • Contains no Artificial preservatives, phosphates ,petrochemicals , chlorine or bleach
  • 100% biodegradable – Earthsap products will not harm your plants if you water plants with used bath/ sink water
  • Vegan and not tested on animals
  • Made in South Africa

Stockists: Wellness Warehouse, health shops nationwide, www.faithful-to-nature.co.za selected Spars and Pick n Pay stores.

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Discover Khao Lak

To escape and sit quietly on the beach – that’s my idea of paradise.

Emilia Wickstead

When we visited Thailand I hated the more touristy areas, but Khao Lak… now that was paradise. It was probably low season and tourists still haven’t returned to Khao Lak completely after the 2004 tsunami. It was one of the worst hit towns in Thailand . We visited in 2013, 9 years after the tragedy. 250,000 people across 14 countries lost their their lives. It brought out the best in people in in what is one of the worst natural disasters on record.

You can also watch this movie based on a Spanish family’s experiences during the tragedy.

Khao Lak – beach paradise

Khao Lak was at the end of our holiday and we felt a little adventurous and hired a scooter on our second day. Yeah, we should never have done that..

However, we loved the beaches, restaurants and quiet shopping in Khao Lak! Plus the Khao Lak Bhandari Resort was so amazing!

This is why Khao Lak should be on your Thailand holiday itinerary

  • It’s only 80km from Phuket airport
  • Less tourists and cleaner beaches
  • No garish neon lights in sight (a-la-Patong)
  • Perfect for quiet family holidays with better snorkeling

What to do when you stay in Khao Lak

  • You can catch a (long) boat ride to the Similan Islands (if open to tourists)
  • Visit the Surin Islands
  • Krabi Elephant Sanctuary
  • Khao Lak Lam Ru National Park
  • Eat delicious food and enjoy the amazing beaches
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Corporate to freelance, a day in the life of…

Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.

Anais Nin

I love to get to know my clients but sometimes they are on the other side of the world or a 5 hour plane ride far in an amazing location. This is when I get creative… Last week I wrote website content for a hotel on an island and I had a beautiful cocktail and coconut pieces – and photos of the hotel – to inspire me.

How did I become a freelancer?

When people first hear that I was responsible for managing an ecommerce site with a 40 to 60 million turnover per year the first question is always – why did you leave? The long answer is, when you aren’t happy and you put in a lot of effort in making other people lots of money and you don’t see enough return on investment – is it really worth staying?

I wanted more from life than sitting and wishing I wasn’t at the office, never receiving a thank you for overshooting my targets and a manager that was a complete bully that I had shouting matches with on a regular basis.

The first few months wasn’t easy. I had to find clients and make sure that I still paid the bills, but once it clicked everything just fell into place.

What else do I do?

I don’t just sit and write content! I build websites, manage social media pages and also assist with marketing for some of my clients. Oh, and I go out when the sun shines to have a coffee or lunch – and get to go on holiday whenever I want.

Sometimes I will take on design work, but only for my existing clients. In a previous life I was a designer too – can you belief it?!?!

How do I get clients?

Hard work, marketing and referrals.

Do I have processes?

Yes I do, I’m very disciplined. I don’t just sit at my desk and twiddle thumbs. Each day has a plan of work that I would like to complete and each brief or work piece has a plan behind it.

My content writing process

  1. Receive brief
  2. Story research
  3. Content/page planning & keyword research (if it’s a website)
  4. Switch off from the world and write
  5. Edit
  6. Send to client
  7. Tweak

Who are my clients?

If I told you I would have to find a place to hide your body.

Am I hiring?

No. I already have an accomplice or two and we work together well.

Goals for the year

  • Increase client base
  • Make more money
  • Go somewhere awesome

Follow your dreams

If you want to run your own business or work for yourself, take a chance on yourself and go for it.

Don’t let your dreams be dreams.

Jack Johnson
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Die nagmerrie van Jan Tuisbly se karretjie

My idee van vakansie hou is nie om met Jan Tuisbly se karretjie te ry nie. Ek hou nie daarvan om stil te sit op een plek behalwe as dit op ‘n strand is.

Die jaar met ‘n klein babatjie kon ons nie see toe of Kruger Wildtuin toe ry nie, ons moes die tuisbly-ding doen. Boonop bly ons in een van daardie versamelvoëlneste bo-op iemand anders – ek kla nie, ek sê net dat ons nie ‘n tuin het nie.

Plus die nagte en dae was ook maar deurmekaar. Elke tweede aand het jy ‘n beurt om onder by die kinders te slaap en ter alle ure moet bottels en doeke ruil. Naderhand was die dae net een lang slapelose hel.

Ek is dankbaar om die tweede dag van die jaar al agter my rekenaar te kon inskuif en te begin werk. Dit was dalk ‘n hoogtepunt van die vakansie.

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Live the life you dream of and not the one you’re stuck in

It’s easier to just go with the flow, accept the cards we were dealt and just stay where we are. It takes guts to stick your neck out and swim against the stream, to do things differently… to believe in yourself when nobody else does.

You deserve a life that you dream of. You don’t have to accept your circumstances. You can define who you will be, where you will go and what your life will look like.

How do you change the direction of your life?

  • Plot your course to the life you want. You can do vision boards or make lists – as long as you make it a visual that you can look at regularly. See it, breathe it, say it, believe it.
  • Stop relying on others to get you there. You are responsible for you. 
  • If you put in the time and effort at school, university or work with your end goal in mind you are one step closer.
  • Don’t step on others to get ahead, it will one day come back to haunt you. Do some good along the way…
  • The more you earn, the more you should save. Your lifestyle shouldn’t consume all your earnings. What you buy should help you in some way. Example: buy clothes for an interview.
  • Surround yourself with good people.

Here are some of my favourite stories of South Africans that reached for a life beyond their circumstances:

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Staycation – what to do with kids in Johannesburg this holiday

I try not to swear anymore. It is hard. I heard that smart people swear I lot – which means I must be very (bleeeeeeeeep) smart because I
(bleeeeeeeeep) swore a lot. My new swear word is fudge or fudgenarian or oh fudge. I think I can keep myself on the straight and narrow so Lexa doesn’t sound like a sailor one day!

 I love the Christmas period, flickering lights, Christmas catalogues, fruit cake and that general feeling of ‘I made it’. What I don’t like is that the pre-primary school closes and I am on duty (with the kids)while still working. I’m not a spring chicken and I can’t always run around after a toddler so I have come up with a list of things to do in Jozi for all the parents going through this rough patch.

Johannesburg Parks & Nature Reserve

Did you know that Johannesburg City Parks takes care of 22 278 hectares of open space and green areas made up of more than 2 343 parks, 22 nature reserves and 15 bird sanctuaries? Find your nearest City Park here.

One of our favourite parks is Rietfontein Ridge Nature Reserve because you never know when you are going to be photobombed by one of the “bokkies”.

Johannesburg is also rich in walking trails – check them out here. I do love the outdoor lifestyle in my city jungle 🙂

Montecasino

Use your Tsogo Sun Loyalty Cards for discounts – ok?

  1. The bird gardens at Montecasino! One small area with good visibility and of course BIRDS. I don’t like birds and Lexa chases them, but… it is a good outing.
  2. Christmas Market at Montecasino – this weekend! Love this little market and I will be taking Lexa because I also need to escape my home sometimes.

Gold Reef City

A theme park is always a hit – but be warned… queues are always a real possibility every single day. Remember to use your Tsogo Sun Loyalty Cards for discounts – ok?

Without a reward card With a reward card
  • Thrill Rider – R215 per person above 1.3m
  • Non-Rider – R125 per person above 1.3m
  • R135 per person under 1.3m
  • R180 per pensioner 60+ years (incl. thrill rides if physically safe)
  • R180 per student, upon presentation of a valid student card
  • R550 family ticket (2 Adults and 2 Children under 1.3m) This package excludes children under 3 years
  • Children under 3 years are admitted free of charge
  • Persons above 1.3m
    • Gold Cardholders: R190 per person
    • Platinum Cardholders: R180 per person
    • Black Cardholders: R170 per person
  • Persons under 1.3m
    • Gold Cardholders: R120 per person
    • Platinum Cardholders: R110 per person
    • Black Cardholders: R105 per person
Cardholders may not claim 4 tickets on each card they hold, should they hold more than one card.

Fourways Mall

Free parking at Fourways Mall all holiday! It is under cover in the newly built multi-story parking garage. Plus bring your Fourways Mall shopping (with receipt) to Santa’s elves for free gift wrapping.

  1. Skype with Santa at Fourways Mall! Your kiddy (or you) can talk to Santa at his workshop in the North Pole. Get down to this fun activity in front of Dischem. You can also have all your gifts bought at the mall wrapped for free by elves.
  2. Everblock pop-up PLAY ROOM at Fourways Mall. This is my kind of building block fun – and it is free. This is next to Bounce.
  3. Big screen movies at Sterkinekor! Popcorn and a Slush Puppy beats sitting at home and watching it streaming… unless of course you are a mom to a toddler! Sterkinekor at Fourways Mall now has a wonderful kiddies cinema with slide and smaller seats that even Lexa loved. R68 a ticket and R40 for some snacks sounds good to me.
  4. Adventure Golf is one of the things I would love to do with Lexa, but right now her little temper flares up and everything goes flying. Maybe she could have her start as an adventure golfer before going off and becoming a professional golfer. Three rounds of adventure golf will set you back R80 per person.
  5. BOUNCE – Mega Mania at R180 for 2 hours during the holidays – if you take your own special socks along with you. The Epic Pass will set you back R295 but will give you all-day access to the trampoline park’s awesome facilities… as well as a 10% discount off selected items in the shop.
  6. R300 will get you a full morning of joy at The Fun Company in Fourways Mall, with this amount covering the costs of a ten-pinbowling game, a bumper car ride, and 4D theatre, with some change left over to play arcade games.

Cedar Square

  1.  We know it’s not legal for you to race your kids on theroads – but if you head to Xtreme Go Carting in Cedar Square, you can show themjust how much better IRL driving skills are than gaming ones at XtremeGo-Karting, for R150 per time slot. You could also get a group together and take advantage of one of the party packages on offer, if you want a longexperience.
  2. If your kids are thrill seekers, then head over to Avalanche also at Cedar Square where they can enjoy skiing, snowboarding, bum boarding and tubing on a 65-metre ski slope for just R170 for 90 minutes.

Cresta

To thank shoppers for supporting Cresta throughout this year the Centre will take care of wrapping your gifts at their free gift-wrapping stations so that you can spend your time, and hard earned money, enjoying your shopping outing! To ensure shoppers get the most from the festive period, Cresta Shopping Centre will be extending their trading hours between Friday, 14 December until Monday, 24 December as follows: Mondays to Saturdays:09h00-19h00 and Sundays and Public Holidays: 09h00-18h00.

Special Trading Days:

  • Sunday, 16 December: 09h00-18h00
  • Monday, 17 December: 09h00-18h00
  • Monday, 24 December: 09h00-19h00
  • Tuesday, 25 December: Optional trade for stores 
  • Wednesday, 26 December:  09h00-18h00
  • Tuesday, 01 January: Optional trade for stores 

Remember that you can browse the Internet for free inside the Centre, just connect to Cresta’s free WiFi services.  

  1. Take the kids to share their wishes with Santa and pose for pictures in the Santa Zone (FNB Court) and receive an instant print to take home for only R40 each.
  2. To add more jingles to the bells, shoppers this December can enjoy live, pop-up entertainment on Fridays(14 and 21 December), Saturdays (15 and 22 December) and Sundays (16 and 23December) with a variety of live performers bringing joy to the Centre.
  3. Bring the little ones to the Kids Craft Zone in the Banking Court where they can learn to make festive decorations with recycled materials, colour in or adorn their own festive cookies at the Cookie Decorating Station with sprinkles to make any face beam. In the Food Court (upper level) kids can also learn how to draw cartoon characters at the Imagination Studios and create their own Power Puff avatar to print out and take home. Cresta also presents a Cartoon Network meet and greet with characters from the hit shows Adventure Time and The Amazing world of Gumball on Fridays, (14and 21 December) Saturdays (15 and 22 December) and Sundays (16 and 23December).
  4. The award-winning Cresta Festive Charity Tree makes an amplified comeback after the great support shown by shoppers in 2017, which resulted in over 5000 books being donated to the locally-based Tshepo Community Development Project Library.In place of a ‘traditional tree’, the Charity Trees found in the Banking Court will again allow and assist shoppers to donate this festive season.  A giant tree will be decorated with name tags of children from local partner children homes and what they wish for this Christmas. Cresta shoppers will be able to select a name from the tree, purchase a small gift (toy or clothing) in the Centre for the child and drop it off for Cresta’s team of wrappers to wrap and distribute to the children most in need of spoiling this season. The bookshelf tree will also be available for more book donations. 
  5. Feeling lucky this season? You stand to win one of ten great prizes worth over R1000 when you spend R250 or more at any Cresta shop. Make sure you enter your till slip with your name and contact number at the Giant Advent Calendar and you stand to win every day from the 15th December to 24th December. View Cresta’s Facebook Page for more information.
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Instax Mini 8 VS Instax Mini 9

Sometimes we are tempted to buy the cheaper of the 2 because we can’t see the difference – or it doesn’t matter because we want a specific colour. I used to have an Instax Mini 8 and although nothing is wrong with it I was just too happy to pass it onto my sister when I received and Instax Mini 9 – and this is why:

The Instax Mini 8 and Instax Mini 9 is so similar that you could easily think they are the same, but the Instax 8 was released with a limited colour range and without a selfie mirror or close-up lens attachment.

Key differences between the Instax Mini 8 and Instax Mini 9

Instax Mini 8 Instax Mini 9
Available in white, pink, blue, yellow, black, raspberry and grape Available in lime green, cobalt blue, ice blue, flamingo pink, smoky white
Can buy selfie mirror attachment Has a selfie mirror built in already
Can buy close-up lens attachment Close-up lens attachment included
Strap is a round rope Strap is a flat ribbon

There are however a few limited or special edition colours and cartoon model Instax cameras like the Instax Mini Hello Kitty and Minions.

Be on the lookout for my next Instax post with tips to take better photos with your Instax Mini 8 or Instax Mini 9.

If you are planning to buy the Mini Instax 8 you might want to check out this video:

To get see the Instax Mini 9 in action check this video out:

This video is a treat for all the Hello Kitty fans out there:

If you are a Minion fan…

I have seen the Instax Minion Camera being sold on Takealot on special for R799 marked down from R1189. There is also Minion themed film! It is all about timing when you buy…

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Gift Guide for the Geek Goddess

I can talk about geeks, because I am/was one. Back in the day I used to be the only female in an office filled with male developers. It wasn’t weird, that’s just how the tech landscape looked. My desk was filled with toys (and it still is) and if there was something new to try out I was right there.

Today I am paying homage to my roots as a geek and have chosen a few gifts that gets my geek juices flowing.

This year I discovered Funko… and it is a horrible temptation for someone like me. There is DC, Marvel, Disney and everything else that you could possibly desire. So, let me start off with the Mickeys – because it is the year of Mickey afterall.

You can get Funkos on Takealot and at selected stationery stores. I didn’t add the Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse Funkos, because I’m not too fond of them.

  1. Funko Pen Disney: Mickeys 90th Anniversary
  2. Funko Pop! Disney: Mickeys 90th Anniversary – Conductor Mickey
  3. Funko Pop! Classic Disney: Mickey Mouse
  4. Funko Pop! Disney: Mickeys 90th Anniversary – Apprentice Mickey
  5. Funko Pop! Disney: Kingdom Hearts

It wouldn’t be a real list without at least one comic related item…

“Because no matter how small an act of kindness or generosity or simple positivity you put out into the world, it will make a difference.”
—Wonder Woman comic

  1. I am the ultimate DC fan girl – because the Justice League & DC Universe has the only female superhero that matters, Wonder Woman. If I had this Funko she would have a place of honour on my desk.
  2. One thing that drives me up the walls is the situation with cables and all the devices that need to be charged… seemingly at the same time. I would love a Snüg Mouse Pad with Wireless Charger that will just sit on my desk charging my phone while I work. 2019 is the year where I want less cable frustrations – seriously!

There is something about being a geek with your head in the stars… This list wouldn’t be complete without something from Lush South Africa.

  1. Shoot for the stars – honey-scented stardust to grant all her heart’s desires. Fair trade organic cocoa butter stars is just the icing in this fizzer.
  2. American Cream Perfume – vanilla with a hint of strawberry and subtle floral notes
  3. Coalface facial soap – simply to wash the day off her face

There is but one place on planet earth that I call my true home. It is a place so magical that it can only be where all of Africa comes together! If you love Jozi as much as I do, you would want to get your hands on something from Love Jozi…

    1. The Love Jozi Skyline wrapped around a candle holder, filled with a black patchouli scented candle.
    2. City map tote – A heavyweight, double-sided lined canvas Tote Bag.

    “A deal is a promise and a promise is unbreakable.”
    —Diana reminds Steve, Wonder Woman movie

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