The thing I missed most in China...

I can't stop marveling at the colour of the sky. I forgot it was so blue and magnificent.

Who's so pretty? Who's a pretty sky? Yes you are!

Cara's Birthday Party!!!

Hello friends/ Nihao pengyou!!!

After 4 months in China I have returned AND IT IS MY BIRTHDAY! Fabulous! Please join me to celebrate another year of my life and my return to Australia (again)!

Sunday, December 11th from 3pm until late at my house in West Melbourne. As always, drop by to visit, nibble &dine. Bring something to share and hugs (China was lacking in the hugs department).

YAY! Can't wait to see you all!

Cara

Packing for China summer in Aussie Winter!

Think. Pack. Roll and band everything. Pack all the essentials. Who know's what they'll have in China. Surely they have that...maybe not. Put it in, take it out. But it's pretty! But it's shiny! But I like it! But it's heavy. Put it in, take it out. It's expendable, take it. It's precious, leave it safely at home. Envision it being hot, but its cold right now! Envision it being hot...it will be hot...very hot!

Off toooo....CHINA!

Dear friends,

I'm off to China (on a scholarship)!! I am going to Tianjin (1 hour from Beijing) to take photos and learn Chinese.

Please join me for a farewell soiree on Sunday, August 7th from 3pm until late at my house in West Melbourne. Drop by to visit, nibble &dine. Bring something to share and hugs.

I will not have access to Facebook in China so you can follow me here as usual or email me. I hope to send out regular messages, telling you about my adventures, if you want off the Chinese mailing list, just let me know =)

Much love,

Cara

Visiting Strawberry on the Gold Coast!!

this is not my photo

Hello!

My friend Strawberry had an extra ticket to the Gold Coast for the weekend and so here I am! I left straight from uni and have nothing but a phone, wallet, photoshop book, hard drive, some chocolate....so as I sit here typing I'm in a beautiful dress of Strawberries', have been given a toothbrush and borrowed a Cannon SLR to take pictures with! The stars are aligned and Strawberry is so happy to have me here and with nothing shows my dedication!

Last night I flew into the Gold Coast airport, got a ride with the guy sitting next to me to Surfers Paradise and met up with Strawberry and her contingent of friends. We went to beach and the surreal night view of skyscrapers on beach was my first experience of the Gold Coast and something like an Asimov novel. After, Strawberry took us to 'the Swinging Safari' which is the funkiest place yo hang out apparently. There was live music and a friend of Strawberries started rapping along with the band while we dressed up in floral costumes provided by the establishment!

Strawberry leaves for Europe soon so we are visiting her family (it's nice to finally meet the people I have heard so much about) and relaxing after a busy uni and work schedule last semester! Home Monday night to see my friend Jarrod before he leaves for Peru. Then get some editing done and start working on projects for the holidays. Submitting an application to go to China today through the Australian government and RMIT...life sure is interesting!

Shooting this gig tomorrow!

Want more info?

Girls night photos!

The girls party was amazing! I was so happy and elated to have my house full of wonderful women both friends and new faces! So many new faces! I will upload photos soon! The night kicked off slowly with ladies trickling in and food being prepared and sampled in my cosy and bright 3rd storey kitchen...slowly that is until garbage bags of clothes were unleashed all over the living room. Shirts came off & the party was in full swing including three fellas who were trying on clothes with the ladies and I must say they came up with some fetching combinations!

Girls Night/Clothing Exchange Party, May 13th =)

Hey ladies and men who would like painted toes,

I am having a clothing exchange party/girls night next Friday, May
13th at 7pm. It us at my new house so if you didnt make it to the
housewarming come have a look: 32 Abbotsford St, West Melbourne.

I would love to see you there. Further information about what to bring
and the idea is below. Ladies are already offering up skills! This
party will be in honor of my friend Rachel as she hosted the last
parties I had and we were planning to have a girls night together in
my new place. So now, we will have a great time in her honor! I would
love it if you came or even stopped by so we could catch up. Life is
too short to not see each other.

Cara

BRING:
-Clothes, jewelry, anything (the ones you never wear or have enjoyed
but would like to find another home).
-Beauty suppli
-Nibbles or a dish to share
-A gold coin if we buy ingredients for some creations.

DIRECTIONS:
-Tram 57 leaves from Melbourne Central or Flinders St on Elizabeth St.
It turns at the Vic Market. Get off at Eroll and Victoria and walk 5
mins.
-Any TRAINS that go to the west go through North Melbourne station! My
house is a 2min walk from that station (Upfield, Craigieburn, Melton,
Sunbury, Weribee, Williamstown lines


If you missed the last event, here is the concept:
WHAT TO BRING:
Beauty supplies: raid your cupboards and those of your friends, see
what you can bring to share! Nail paint/varnish + remover,products,
make up, curling iron, straightener, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO SHARE.

CLOTHES/ JEWELRY/PRODUCTS (anything) TO SWAP! The idea is you pile
everything into the middle and everyone tries on what they like and
somehow we decide who gets what, nicely, usually by fit/look.

THE AIM:
I'd like to paint nails (I have paint I never use anymore!), learn
more about make up (a bit clueless really), make some recipes from a
beauty book (I will buy ingredience and we can all put in $2 or
something), learn how to braid hair, mud mask...ya know, anything like
that. We can share what we know how to do and help each other. Hair
cuts are on offer apparently.

MEN- Beware you may end up nail painted!

YAY! It's April!

I talked to my friend Kris last week and she said 'You must be happy March is over' and I've decided that's a great way to think about it! March was terrible, it really was awful. April looks much brighter. House warming party coming up and connecting with local friends.

Thank you to everyone for your support in March. I have had some lovely letters from couch surfers and friends and so many people have offered to help.

Cara

Missing person: Rachel Funari

Rachel Funari went to visit Hobart on March 1st traveling backpacker style. She was scheduled to return last Tuesday (March 8th) but no one has heard from her. Perhaps she is stuck on a mountain somewhere but safe and well, however her lack of contact is uncharacteristic and she has now missed 3 days of work. Everyone is becoming increasingly concerned and I hope we are all over reacting.

I believe the Mercury is writing an article on her disappearance for tomorrow's paper.
http://www.themercury.com.au

The police are investigating, the American consulate is involved and a
report has been made to Interpol. This is serious and as Rachel's best
friend I will do everything I can to help.

Any information would be appreciated!

Thank you

Rachel Funari 2009

would you say my house is ready or not ready?

Despite what the agent says, I'm going for not ready!

Moving tomorrow, it's all clean now supposedly!

Linden Postcard Show Opening

Cara and Julia

Cora, Cara and Strawberry

Happy Valentines Day

It was an interesting Valenteine’s Day of death, disability and real love. The love of a community, a church, a daughter and of friends and family. So although I didn't go out on a date this Valentines Day, much to the dismay of the gentleman at the pool who profess 'if I was 40 years younger...', luckily I was asked to a funeral. And I am okay with that =)

After I posted the above, google responded with advertisements for life and death, just to sum up my day:

'Come on on guys, that is pathetic...and a bit eavesdropy!' is how I responded

Caramel Cake

Q:What do you get when caramel cake filling dribbles onto the counter?

A:Counter licking good!

As my Mother practices cake creation, we get to practice cake consumption, or left over bits anyway. Apparently I have no shame when it comes to caramel. Hey, I know, I'm being environmental!

My favourite Post Secret

http://www.postsecret.com/

Sometimes you come across things that you completely identify with. Something that personifies what you were thinking or dreaming. For me, it is this postcard.

What's the go?

From a recent letter to my Aunt Pat in Texas:

So for me in Jan 2011, I am house hunting with 3 different friends, triple your chances of finding something as the market in Melbourne is very very difficult to get into here. There are more tenants then housing and so it is $pricey$ too. I am not looking too far ahead because I am unsure about pursuing my photography course further (as usual) but first things first, house and new job, then we'll work on that later *sheepish grin*. 

I went to a local market today and had a garage sale yesterday and made around $300 so thats a weight off my mind, all that unwanted stuff that I had. My car is currently reversed in the driveway with all unsold items thrown in the back so that tomorrow I can sort out the mess which looks like a 'dogs breakfast' as they say here. Tomorrow I also have to pick up some items from the library which I am quite excited about (and get a few more, I like finding about things and hunting for them at the library rather then randomly selecting items for the library although I am hoping to try it the other way soon, one day when I have time), visit the framers, call my work about a mistake in my pay, look for houses, was a tent and clean my sink, write a web designer about my photography site, invite my friends to an upcoming exhibition which is a fundraiser for a contemporary art gallery in trendy St Kilda, tell a few friends about a meditation-ish workshop on Thurs and on top of it all I am aiming to accomplish something big like submitting paperwork for my dentist or writing a prospectus for a non profit I'd like to start.....no rest for the wicked and I dare say I wont get everything done tomorrow....the curse of optimism, this glass is overflowing. 

Christmas with cows

Hey look over there and say.....

"Why Hello pretty cow!"

The general picture

Xmas is about presents right?

Jan and Cara

Cara and the Cockatoo, the only things missing is feathers, poor fella.

Bday dinner...photos posted in hindsight

Atmospheric french dessert, it's French for Yummy!

Cara and Patty =)