{DIY} Hessian bunting!

Can bunting ever get old? I doubt it. It is such an easy, cute and pretty way to spruce up any party. We definitely thought it was something that had to be at our wedding and soon my mom (the most amazing woman on earth) started gathering materials to MAKE bunting for the garden area at our reception hall.

There’s only one thing I regret about bunting at my wedding, and that is the fact that I didn’t have more.

 

Making it yourself is also a great way to cut costs and provide some bonding time with your mom (and in my case, my sister-in-law). Grab your bridesmaids to help you with the cutting process, and it will also be easier and quicker.

 

Here’s what you need:

Hessian (our bunting was 10 m and 6 m long, respectively, so if the hessian is 3,5 m wide, you will only need about 1 m in length. You can find the fine hessian at your local haberdashery.)

A very sharp and sturdy pair of scissor

Patience

A couple of hands to help you cut (your hands will tire)

Bias Binding 

A sewing machine

Doilies or white paint - depending on how you are decorating your bunting.

Method:

1.  Cut a template out of carton. We used a piece sized 25 cm in width, and 30 cm in length.

2.  Cut the two top corners 0,5 cm shorter.

3.  Mark with the aid of the template the hessian in the following manner:

     For  10 m bunting you will need 30 flags.

4.  Cut the flags out and line the raw edges with Ponal or similar glue to prevent fraying. When using ordinary material, one can use fray check to prevent fraying of the material.

5.  I used bias binding to link the flags.  

     Start about 60 cm from the end of the bias binding.

     put the bias binding flat with the raw sides facing you.

     Place the raw edge of the top of the flag in the centre of the bias binding and stitch the flag to the bias binding a bout 0,25 cm from the edge of the flag.

6.  Leave an 8,5 cm space before attaching the next flag. Leave another 60 cm  bias binding at the end of the last flag.

7.  After attaching all the flags, fold the bias binding double lengthwise and stitch along the complete length of the bias binding. 

 

We rounded the bunting off with pretty circle doillies as well as heart cut outs, because it was our day of love!

Did I throw the bunting away? Oh hell no. It is now used to decorate some windows in my house

Wedding pics: Kikitography

10 Tips for losing weight in an office environment

Weight loss in an office environment is never easy. You sit on your butt in front of the computer all day, there is always some sort of celebration, where cake and pizza will be present and eventually, you can just feel the kilograms packing on. Well, you don’t need to feel utterly hopeless. I’ve found some solutions to this in the past few years.

Tips for losing or maintaining your weight in an office environment:

1.    Drink lots of water. Besides the obvious benefits of making your skin look healthier and younger, and the fact that it suppresses your appetite – taking care of those munchies – it also makes you go to the loo more. No, listen; this is a benefit in its own. Not only do you flush all the toxins from your body, but you walk more, which burns more calories. Ta da.

PS: refilling a bottle of water on your desk every time you went to the loo also ensures that you get enough water. Just don’t overdo it, because that has repercussions of its own.

2.    Pack your own lunch. This will probably be a healthier option than Steers or pizza and will also be a lot cheaper than the health foods at your local superette. {A friend of mine also suggested that we make turns every other day to pack for both of us. That way you also won’t get bored with the same thing every day.}

3.    Instead of phoning someone on the other side of the office, get up and walk to their desks. It burns calories.

4.    As I mentioned above, there is always a birthday or some or other, where people will bring cake, pizza, sausage rolls, fizzy drinks and so forth. If you have the willpower, kindly decline the calorie-oozing offerings. You will already be admired for it. If you really can’t decline and are so hungry that you start licking your desk, have as little as possible. Your body will thank you for it.

5.    Now, this might not apply to everybody, but it did to me when I was still a roaming journalist and it has the same principle as above. When you are at an event and there is food on offer, either steer away from the feast, or choose the healthier option.

6.    TAKE THE DAMN STAIRS. God gave you a good working body and you choose to take the elevator? The shame! (Hypocrite right here, I take lift just as everyone else does.)

7.    Have some healthy snacks in your drawer. {Personally, I don’t do this, because I don’t know how to stop snacking, so I just prevent it from happening, but sometimes I will steal a healthy snack from a colleague or two. And by stealing, I mean begging.}

8.    Find someone who will hold you accountable. This morning, I quit coffee and I told everyone in the office about it, because I want them to chastise me when they see me reaching for a cup. It might also work with other things, like junk food or chocolate.

9.    Instead of sitting at your desk during lunch hour and eating there, ask a colleague to walk to a nearby park with you. We have one just down the road, which is lovely to walk to and relax in.

10.  Don’t forget to stretch. You will find that you are a little more relaxed and not as stiff at the end of the day.

There are obvious other things that you can do, like jogging to work – or biking – going to gym before work {firm favourite}, but if you just try these 10 things for a week, you might already see a difference.

Last minute Valentine's Day ideas

If you are anything like me, a true romantic but a little bit of a procrastinator, then these ideas are perfect for you! I always think that my greatest ideas come to me at the very last minute - or I always finished a school project within the nick of time.

This year is no different. So here are my sweet picks for this year's Love Day!

Nautical Love Print // His and Hers Zana Pillows // Little Honeypot Puppy Love Bowls

Happiness Is... iPhone cover // I love you Woolworths Mug // Leathim iPhone Cover

And, if you are on a budget {let's face it, who isn't?}, or just flat out of ideas, here are some tips: 

Watch the sunset together {sigh, so romantic}

Bike ride around town {or, as we normally do, take your puppies for a stroll}

Plan a romantic dinner in for your other half 

{I paired it with a treasure hunt once, it was so much fun!}

Take a cooking class together

Play Truth or Dare

Go bowling or play putt-putt {loser buys the winner a treat}

Find a quiz night and take part! {love it}

#loveweek

Hello everybody! As some of you might now, I am an editor and was recently sent this video by someone in my team. I asked my co-editor what she thought about it, and we decided to make it happen.

Check the video first.


The idea is that you, for the next week, do something special for the person whose name you drew from a hat. We drew names this morning and I cannot wait to start on Monday.

Here are the rules again:

Everyone adds their names to a hat. You then draw names at random. Gender does not matter.

The name you draw is your 'human'. And your job is now to be a secret angel for this human the entire week. As a secret angel you should pamper, treat and surprise your human for five days.

You get the idea, check this link for the rest of the rules, because it won't copy paste.

s a secret angel, you should pamper, treat and surprise your human for five days, and you do this anonymously. Your identity as a secret angel should only be revealed after Love Week is over. Remember that while you are an angel — someone else is being an angel to you. So you too will be receiving ‘love’ all week long. - See more at: http://www.mindvalley.com/culture/love-week#sthash.nKmYT12y.dpuf

I will also be sharing my gifts on instagram under the hashtag loveweek. So find me on instagram under waitingformeg. Let me know if you and your company are also doing it! 

The rules of the game?

1. Everyone adds their names to a hat. You then draw out names (at random). We do this with 120 people. Gender roles don’t matter. The name you pick can be of any gender, or even your supervisor or boss.
2. The name you draw is your ‘human’. And your job is to now be a secret angel for this human for the entire week. As a secret angel, you should pamper, treat and surprise your human for five days, and you do this anonymously. Your identity as a secret angel should only be revealed after Love Week is over. Remember that while you are an angel — someone else is being an angel to you. So you too will be receiving ‘love’ all week long.
3. From February 10th – 14th, every Secret Angel has to show love and appreciation for their human in creative, mysterious, and secretive ways. (Note: Angels can employ friends as “agents” to do their bidding. For example, ask a friend to rub your humans shoulders for 5 minutes on your behalf)
4. Show the world how the world how much love you are spreading! Join the movement with the hashtags #loveweek. Post your pictures, videos, and stories on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

On Monday 17th, Angels reveal themselves and get to hug their human.
Tips and Ideas:
We’ve had some generous and creative angels in the past who surprised their humans with flowers, notes of appreciation, paid-for massages, and even a serenade by the more vocally-gifted of us. Other sweet ideas you might consider are: inspiring messages, chocolates, flowers, a delicious lunch, a personalized music playlist, a decorated desk, massage-o-grams, a cup of their favorite coffee, or even something quirky from Fiverr.com.
- See more at: http://www.mindvalley.com/culture/love-week#sthash.ijtxeTB0.dpuf

The rules of the game?

1. Everyone adds their names to a hat. You then draw out names (at random). We do this with 120 people. Gender roles don’t matter. The name you pick can be of any gender, or even your supervisor or boss.
2. The name you draw is your ‘human’. And your job is to now be a secret angel for this human for the entire week. As a secret angel, you should pamper, treat and surprise your human for five days, and you do this anonymously. Your identity as a secret angel should only be revealed after Love Week is over. Remember that while you are an angel — someone else is being an angel to you. So you too will be receiving ‘love’ all week long.
3. From February 10th – 14th, every Secret Angel has to show love and appreciation for their human in creative, mysterious, and secretive ways. (Note: Angels can employ friends as “agents” to do their bidding. For example, ask a friend to rub your humans shoulders for 5 minutes on your behalf)
4. Show the world how the world how much love you are spreading! Join the movement with the hashtags #loveweek. Post your pictures, videos, and stories on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

On Monday 17th, Angels reveal themselves and get to hug their human.
Tips and Ideas:
We’ve had some generous and creative angels in the past who surprised their humans with flowers, notes of appreciation, paid-for massages, and even a serenade by the more vocally-gifted of us. Other sweet ideas you might consider are: inspiring messages, chocolates, flowers, a delicious lunch, a personalized music playlist, a decorated desk, massage-o-grams, a cup of their favorite coffee, or even something quirky from Fiverr.com.
- See more at: http://www.mindvalley.com/culture/love-week#sthash.ijtxeTB0.dpuf

The rules of the game?

1. Everyone adds their names to a hat. You then draw out names (at random). We do this with 120 people. Gender roles don’t matter. The name you pick can be of any gender, or even your supervisor or boss.
2. The name you draw is your ‘human’. And your job is to now be a secret angel for this human for the entire week. As a secret angel, you should pamper, treat and surprise your human for five days, and you do this anonymously. Your identity as a secret angel should only be revealed after Love Week is over. Remember that while you are an angel — someone else is being an angel to you. So you too will be receiving ‘love’ all week long.
3. From February 10th – 14th, every Secret Angel has to show love and appreciation for their human in creative, mysterious, and secretive ways. (Note: Angels can employ friends as “agents” to do their bidding. For example, ask a friend to rub your humans shoulders for 5 minutes on your behalf)
4. Show the world how the world how much love you are spreading! Join the movement with the hashtags #loveweek. Post your pictures, videos, and stories on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

On Monday 17th, Angels reveal themselves and get to hug their human.
Tips and Ideas:
We’ve had some generous and creative angels in the past who surprised their humans with flowers, notes of appreciation, paid-for massages, and even a serenade by the more vocally-gifted of us. Other sweet ideas you might consider are: inspiring messages, chocolates, flowers, a delicious lunch, a personalized music playlist, a decorated desk, massage-o-grams, a cup of their favorite coffee, or even something quirky from Fiverr.com.
- See more at: http://www.mindvalley.com/culture/love-week#sthash.ijtxeTB0.dpuf

The rules of the game?

1. Everyone adds their names to a hat. You then draw out names (at random). We do this with 120 people. Gender roles don’t matter. The name you pick can be of any gender, or even your supervisor or boss.
2. The name you draw is your ‘human’. And your job is to now be a secret angel for this human for the entire week. As a secret angel, you should pamper, treat and surprise your human for five days, and you do this anonymously. Your identity as a secret angel should only be revealed after Love Week is over. Remember that while you are an angel — someone else is being an angel to you. So you too will be receiving ‘love’ all week long.
3. From February 10th – 14th, every Secret Angel has to show love and appreciation for their human in creative, mysterious, and secretive ways. (Note: Angels can employ friends as “agents” to do their bidding. For example, ask a friend to rub your humans shoulders for 5 minutes on your behalf)
4. Show the world how the world how much love you are spreading! Join the movement with the hashtags #loveweek. Post your pictures, videos, and stories on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

- See more at: http://www.mindvalley.com/culture/love-week#sthash.ijtxeTB0.dpuf