Life After the Dress {Episode 1}...Natalie Hutton

I am very excited to introduce you to the first lovely lady in my new blog series entitled "Life After the Dress". In this series I am going to be interviewing lots of different women from all walks of life, and asking them about their lives after all the fluff and excitement of their big day. I hope that their stories and words of wisdom will inspire you, and that you enjoy following along in this series as much as I have loved putting it together. 

I also hope that those of my readers who may not be in a relationship or who may not be anywhere near ready for marriage, may feel inspired by these wonderful and very different stories. There is no cookie cutter for the perfect relationship. Life is about learning and growing, and trying to be the best version of yourself that you can possibly be. If you are able to be that person with someone else, how wonderful. But that is not always the case. Be happy and content with where you are right now, you never know what {or who} may be waiting around the corner.

I am very happy to now leave you in the hands of Natalie (who is actually my very own sister-in-law!). 

Welcome Nats! It's so special for me to have you here.

Enjoy!

x

Q1: Please introduce yourself (age, of both yourself and your husband, where do you live, what do you do & how long have you been married for?)
Hi there. My name is Natalie and I am married to a dashing Hutton called John. Our birthdays are 72 days apart (not sure why we know that!), making us both 29 years old at present and we are coming up to our fifth wedding anniversary in December! We live in our newly bought first home in a little village in the Midlands called Hilton, in South Africa. John is the best English teacher in the land, and I am currently loving children through remedial teaching at a local primary school. I'll be going back to university next year though to finish my studies towards becoming an Educational Psychologist.

Q2: Which Disney character do you feel sums you up to a ‘T’?
I think I would have to say Ariel from “The Little Mermaid.” Ariel is clumsy, I have no shortage of that! She is also a bit whimsical and shy, and she gets insecure about her decisions– but she is daring enough to hold fast to her dreams (especially when it comes to her prince). 

Q3: How did you and your hubby meet?
I used to joke that I was going to university to find a husband....and I did haha! John and I were in the same church at Rhodes University and we were both involved in similar things – he was a youth leader, I was involved with the kids church; we went to the same camps; we had the same friends; we took the same subjects...there were lots of places that we saw each other but we didn't really know one another. He was known as Twitch back then – he was one of the popular gentlemen amongst our greater circle of friends at Rhodes University. All the girls loved him! I, on the other hand, was a super-nerd and hardly had a social life. My nickname was Fishalie (my maiden name is Sturgeon which is a type of fish; Natalie+fish=Fishalie). I was shy and worked a lot! I remember the first time I hung out with Twitch in 2006. A group of us were in his res room and we sat chatting and cracking pecan nuts from his farm for hours. He was a third year then and I was a second year. He had long hair and really wasn't my type. Then Twitch started doing sweet things for me: he'd leave cryptic notes on my windscreen wipers; walk me home across campus with an umbrella on rainy evenings; wash my dusty car; plan his route home via my res in the hope that he'd 'bump' into me...And then for the 6 days leading up to my birthday in 2007, he left me a birthday present every single day – either on my car or on my res doorstep – and this just blew me away. He was so romantic about this friendship pursuit! However, I was terribly cautious and 'ran' in the opposite direction until one night. John arrived at my res one , unannounced. I was studying (surprise surprise!) We still hardly knew each other then but he asked if he could have some Rooibos with me. To this day he mocks me that I had no sugar or milk for him and assumed he drank it black and bland like I did. I brought it out to him and to my surprise, I walked with him to the garden outside my res where we sat for hours chatting, watching the moon and looking at the stars. If you'd known me back then, you'd know how uncharacteristic this was. It was all terribly romantic and I have been lost in him ever since....It was only months later that I visited him on his farm in Creighton and he took me for a walk which lead to a picnic laid out for us amongst hay bales, where he read me a hand-written poem and asked me to be his girlfriend! 

Q4: Was your wedding everything you hoped it would be? Would you go back and change anything? Do you have any advice for brides-to-be?
Our wedding day was a beautiful start to our marriage. At about midnight the night before our wedding, there was a humongous electric storm. It made me panic a bit, but I also believe that God knows every inch of our souls, and it almost felt like a gift because we both adore thunder storms. The weather played nicely for the actual day and it was cloudy for our photographs which allowed for gorgeous photos by our now world famous photographers – Jon and Tina Reid (based in London). Also, a good friend composed our wedding march, and two others wrote and performed a song for us. We were surrounded by love and beauty on the day. It really was a wonderful way to begin our precious journey together! 

If I could go back now, there are little details I would change, but it will always be like that because you grow up, fashions change, your relationships change and you get to know yourself better in time. All these things are unknowns on the days leading up to your wedding though. Your wedding reflects who you are on the day you say “I do,”and that is what is important.

For all you beautiful brides-to-be: 

Do pre-marriage counseling and ask those hard questions so that you are on the same page on the day you walk down that aisle to your prince!

Get someone to video your wedding. After 5 years, I find myself watching our video more and more - it is perhaps my biggest wedding treasure (and it is such a tear jerker!).

Enjoy your engagement season – it only happens once. Your wedding isn't the event, your marriage is. So build that friendship and enjoy that wedding day!

And finally, decide now not to worry about anything that goes wrong on your wedding day – your bridal party will take care of it!

Q5: Has ‘life after the dress’ been as you imagined it would be?
It has, by far, been the richest 5 years of my life. I feel like it has been unique for us in that we spent the first 3 years of our marriage in Japan which was completely removed from everything familiar and comfortable. So we became each other's comfort and companions and that was a treasured start to our 
marriage. We have had the opportunity to travel to fun places like Thailand, Philippines and China, and at times it felt like we were having a three year honeymoon. Marriage has been much more fun than I expected.

Q6: What have you learnt about yourself since being married?
I am a control freak and I am a lot more sensitive than I thought. I am not always right. God made John to complete my life and this has restored some broken areas in my life. Marriage has been a personal journey for me in getting to know my true self and that has been so exciting and wonderful! I have also discovered the hidden geek in me; that house work isn't my favourite hobby; and that I love 
TV series and desserts more than I ever knew I did (it is so nice to share with someone.)

Q7: If you could describe your marriage in 3 words, what would they be?
Speck. Tack. Cooler. (aka spectacular)
Real answer:
Friendship. Beautiful. Fire. 

 Q8: Do you have any pearls of wisdom you would like to share with my readers about being married? Perhaps something some wise person once told you, or something you’ve learnt the hard way?

I am humbled by marriage and it is a beautiful, challenging and constant refiner. I'll never forget these pearls from our pre-marriage counseling: Put God first because a cord of 3 strands is not easily broken; and just be the first one to say sorry.

I hope you enjoyed reading the first post in my new blog series. If you would like be featured here on my blog, drop me an email (citygirlsearching-at-gmail-dot-com). I look forward to hearing from you!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!

x

My Girls Middle School {Sports Day}

A little glimpse into my life here in South Korea, teaching English at an all girls middle school. Middle School is the in between stages of Elementary & High School (we don't have such a thing in South Africa, we just have Primary & High School). I am officially qualified as a Foundation Phase Teacher, and so am equipped to deal with the ages of five to nine years. Not sixteen year old girls! But, my girls are just so lovely, and I so enjoy the time I have with them. I think I have been very lucky with my school placement, had I been put into a mixed school, with sixteen year old boys, I think I would have a very different outlook on life.

So here you go, some jump rope, tug of war and volleyball, throw in a healthy mix of peace signs and you have your typical South Korean school...

{South Korea} Pretty Packaging

Everything here in Korea is packaged beautifully. Skin care products, stationery, hair care products, nail care...even the milk! I am going to have to devote a whole blog post to the stationery here (I have done a few before, click here for drool worthy letter sets, notepads and stickers!).  

Don't quit, keep playing.

I stumbled across this delightful story this morning that I want to share with you.

{source} 

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked NO ADMITTANCE.

When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.

Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy was sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was so mesmerized they couldn't recall what else the great master played. Only the classic "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

That's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful. Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are there helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces.

Remember, God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. And He'll always be there to love and guide you on to great things. Life is more accurately measured by the lives you touch than the things you acquire".

****

I found the above on a wonderful website called " Inspire 21" filled with inspirational messages. The site is the perfect place for those days when you wake up feeling a bit 'blaahh' and need something to remind you of where you are heading in life. Often we feel that we are so incapable or ill equipped to deal with the many challenges life throws at us, but you just gotta' keep playing. You will be given all skills and tools you need need to succeed along the way, but you've got to keep at it in order to get there.

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone.

x

{Life After The Dress}...interviews with brides after their big day

I haven't done many interviews here on the blog, but the few that I have done I have really enjoyed. Now, having been married for just over a year, I've been thinking about the weeks and months leading up to my wedding day. Did I imagine life would be like this? How much did I think being married would change our relationship? Has it been easy? Would all our issues disappear the moment we seal our futures with a kiss?

These were all questions I know I was asking myself before the big day, and so I thought it might be nice (and useful to those ladies out there who are about to get married) that I interview some women who are married and get their perspectives on married life. Being married has been one of the most wonderful adventures I have ever been on. There have been ups and downs, naturally, but it has been a fun-filled roller coaster of self discovery and joy.

I am wanting to interview a whole range of married woman here on my blog; young, old and newlyweds.

If you would like to feature here, I'd love to hear from you. Please do drop me a line here (or use the contact page above).

I look forward to hearing from you!

I hope you enjoy this new series, and if you have any questions, queries or ideas for what to include, I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

I will be introducing you to the first lovely lady next week!

Cafe Alice, Gwangju South Korea

One of our absolute favorite things about Korea has got to be the coffee shops . In every town, on every corner, now matter where you are, there will be at least one coffee shop for you to get your caffeine fix. And more often than not they are beautifully decorated and styled to fit the different personalties of the owners. How sweet is this little Cafe Alice in Gwangju?

Cafe Alice serves the most delicious bacon and cheese grilled bagels and a variety of other 'very Western tasting' sandwiches. Definitely worth a stop even if only to have on of their Paul Gaultier inspired glass bottle Cokes.

It's just around the corner from the Emart in Sangmu.

September through Instagram

 We are in the second week of October already, and it's starting to get very chilly here in South Korea. I miss last months lazy Autumn evenings, wearing pretty dresses with no need for a cardigan. Now its straight into jackets and scarves and hoodies and boots!

So long September.

x

Photography Styling Challenge {Morning}

I have joined a  wonderful new photography challenge held by Redesigned by M. The challenge is designed around styling your own workspace for your photoshoot and was created with two main outcomes: learning how to use your camera in its fullest capacity, and learning how to be your own stylist for a shoot.

I absolutely loved this challenge, as for me, the best part of any shoot is the styling element, where I have to move around objects to create the 'perfect' shot. Personally, when I take photographs, what I love most is the small details, the tiny bits that make up the whole. This is exactly what I get to do with this challenge. 

No editing may be done to the photographs, apart from edge cropping, and all photographs have to have been taken since the start of this challenge in June this year.

If you'd like to know more or if you want to join the challenge, pop on over toRedesigned by M.

This months theme was {Morning}

I spent a lot of time thinking about this theme, how to make it unique, trying to get all artsy farsty with it.  I really wanted to use the beautiful natural light that comes in through our bedroom window here in Korea and brainstormed how to style my shoot around that.

Here are the results. Hubby had to be very patient with me, but I quite like how the photographs came out.

What do you think?

Make sure to check out the following other bloggers and their entries for this challenge:

Redesigned By M

redlovinpixie

At The Corner Of Happy And Harried

My Food Tapestry
Inge Kathleen Photography

Pies And Puggles

A Woven Life

The Delicious World Of Chefette Spicy

Our {Love Story}

Farmboy and I have been married for just over a year now, so I thought I'd take a little time to tell you how we met and how our love story began. It's quite a long post, so grab a cup of tea before settling in.

I was in my third and final year of University, having decided that I was going to make the most of the short time I had left, I joined a campus based NGO called Galela Amanzi (which means 'pour the water' in one of South Africa's many languages). Galela Amanzi had been voted the Campus project for the year, and was aimed at setting up water tanks to collect rainfall for the local townships. So here I was; the epitome of a city girl, sparkling earrings, nail polish that matched my scarf, and perfectly done makeup...all ready and eager to get involved in something meaningful. And there he was, unshaven, barefoot, plaid wearing...ready to make the world a better place. 

Here are a few photographs to help you set the scene:

One Friday evening, after a long meeting about how we were going to manage to secure funding for our next water tank, it was time for the committee set up for the fundraiser we were having the next day. It just so happened that Dale and I were the only two available to make the t-shirts needed for the boerie roll (a South African take on the American hot dog) sale. I had no problem meeting Dale alone at his house, I did have a boyfriend at the time of nearly five years, and thought it would be absolutely fine to hang out with a rugged but all too intriguing (don't forget the barefoot part!) farm boy.

Something happened that evening, something that I could not even begin to explain. Maybe it was listening to a young man open up about the huge part that God played in his life, or listening to tales of real farm life, or maybe it was just the intensity of hearing someone not afraid to speak their mind and being open about their faith that did it, I'm not sure. Having been brought up Catholic, having a Jewish Dad, not really ever being interested in going to church, and having gone through the disintegration of my parents marriage, something happened to me that evening. I realised that I was far too attracted to Dale to spend any more time with him while having a boyfriend, and I flew home that Sunday (two days after making t-shirts) to do one of the hardest things imaginable... break up with my boyfriend. It was not an easy decision to make, I hod to break someones heart, to break something that was over five years in the making. But, although it was difficulty and there are a million different ways it could have been done, it was the right thing to do. 

I flew back the following day and began a whirlwind of a romance with Dale. In the beginning nothing mattered, it was all butteries and fairytales. But slowly, reality hit when Dale had to fly to Botswana for a research assignment, and I was left in my small University town, all alone, to think about what the last few months had meant. Had I jumped into this relationship too soon? Was I missing my ex? What did the future hold for Dale and myself? Did I need to be single to find out more about myself? Was I crazy? The only thing I never questioned, was whether I has made the right decision in ending things with my ex. Even though I missed him terribly in the beginning, our relationship had become one of deep friendship rather than romance.. I had peace about that decision, even if it was the only thing I had peace about at that stage.

A few months later I started going to church with Dale, and my eyes and heart were opened to the wonders of a living God. A god who loves and cherishes his children no matter what. All the terrible things I had done had been forgiven, I was washed cleaned of all I had been, and I was finally excited for the future and what it held for me, and my relationship with Dale. Nine months into our relationship, and Dale and I decided to move to South Korea to teach English. What an adventure. Living in a foreign country, having to adjust to a completely different culture and way of life was made all the easier by having someone special to share it with. The adventures in Cambodia and the Philippines, while managing to still find a good church to keep us grounded, was just a glimpse into life as a Foreigner in Korea.

We touched back down on South African soil in March 2011,  to the reality of life in South Africa. Dale spent six long months looking for a job, I decided to return to studying my life long dream of becoming a a teacher and we both moved to Pietermaritzburg (Dale first to live with his Grandparents) and me following later on once my University year began.

Dale propsed a year later (you can read and see all the photographs of that very special day here) and we were married six months later on Dales family dairy farm in Kwazulu Natal (click here) to see more wedding photographs).

At the beginning of this year, after much discussion, Dale left his job and we arrived in South Korea for our second adventure of teaching English here. We are in a very small town in the South West corner of Korea. Our plan is to spend the next few years here, traveling the world and saving enough money to buy a house back home. 

Adventures lie await for us, some disguised as difficult circumstances, others as interesting and new friends.   

Life is what you make of it, it's time to stop worrying about what the future will bring and whether all your ducks are in a row. Enjoy every moment of every day. If you don't like what you're doing, stop. Take a break. Go on holiday. Tell that special person how you really feel. Smile at everyone. Thank God for the small, as well as the big things in your life. 

And most importantly, take lots and lots of photographs as you go along. 

x

{Cat Cafe} in Seoul, South Korea

A little while ago, Farmboy and I visited a dog cafe in Seoul (it's not what you're thinking...click here to see more) and this time we popped by a cat cafe to give these little ones some love and attention. The idea behind these animal cafes is that people, who are unable to keep pets in their homes (usually due to lack of space here in Korea) are able to spend time with animals in a 'controlled' environment.

The place is kept very clean, with you having to remove your shoes and wash your hands thoroughly before entering. Cats are generally very hygienic anyway, and their 'bathroom' area is a secluded, walled off area in the corner so no worries about that side of things. You simply pay an entrance fee which includes a drink of your choice, and then enter the kitty den and cuddle to your hearts content. These little guys were all pretty sleepy, but when the chicken liver treats were brought out we suddenly became very interesting to everyone. A delightful way to spend an afternoon in Seoul.

There are lots of cat cafes in and around Seoul, this one in particular was in the Myeongdong district. It's pretty hard to explain how to find it, but if you wonder around the busy streets you're bound to come across a banner filled with images of cute cats.

They are usually on the third/fourth/fifth floor of buildings, so keep an eye out on the upper levels of buildings.

Snail Mail and my new PenPal from Malaysia

There are so many wonderful people to meet on Instagram (come say hello to me too @roxypearce). While perusing for pretty bits of stationery, I stumbled across the lovely @win_naa who is from Malaysia.

I instantly started following her feed and every day I am able to get my stationery fix from her lovely images. 

We have since become pen pals, and the images below are from my very first pen pal snail mail package from her. I can't wait to put together all the pretty pieces I have for her (I am after all in stationery heaven here in South Korea) pop on over to my Facebook page if you don't believe me. Everything she sent me was so thoughtfully put together, including a whole bunch of interesting facts about Malaysia.

There is something very special about receiving something in the post, isn't there?

Thank you so much for the wonderful package Win Naa, I so look forward to the many letters we will be sending across the seas to each other.

x

Portrait Session {Caitlyn de Beer Life Coaching}

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting up with a client (who has since become a lovely new friend!) who needed some branding done for her new website and blog. During the weeks leading up to our meeting we also decided she needed some new photographs for the website as well as new graphics. 

Caitltyn is also here in South Korea teaching English, but she is also a qualified life coach and helps people set and achieve goals to get them to where they want to be in life. Her aim is to make your dreams come true through her guidance (and the odd shove) in the right direction. If you're interested in hearing more about what she does, pop on over to her website CaitlynDeBeer.

Here are some of the photographs from our shoot. Caitlyn was so easy to photograph (I mean, just look at her!) and I had such a fun time doing it. 

If you are here in Korea and want some new pretty pictures for your blog/website/facebook/family, please feel free to pop me an email here citygirlsearching{at}gmail{dot}com or use the contact page above. You can also see more of my work on my Facebook page RoxyPictures.

I look forward to hearing from you.

x

The FaceShop - Arsainte EcoTherapy {review}

This is my second review of products from The Face Shop (you can read my review on the Chia Seed collection here) and the reason...I just love all of the products I've used so far from this brand of skin care  here in South Korea. 

With all my reviews I aim to be as honest as possible with the products I review. I have not been sponsored in anyway, and the views here are entirely my own.

Most skin care lines here in Korea consist of the following types of products:

Cleanser

(cream/oil/foam)

Toner

Essence/Serum

Lotion/Emulsion

Cream

This may all seem a little excessive, but Koreans (and I think I can generalise to most Asian people) have the most incredible skin. All the ladies at my school look at least 10 years younger than their actual age. They must be doing something right, and I think their skincare (and the fact that they spend NO time in the sun baking like us Westerners do) has a lot to do with it.

-Cleanser

 is your first line of cleansing the skin to remove all traces of makeup and impurities

-Toner

 is to get rid of oil & dirt left after cleaning, to moisturise & to neutralise the ph balance of the skin

-Essence/Serum

 is a light, concentrated treatment to correct skin problems. It is easily absorbed and penetrates deep into your skin. Some beauty experts advise waiting 5-10 minutes AFTER applying your essence before you apply any other moisturizer. Essence or serums are essentially clear, thick, liquid moisturizing products. Some companies tend to label their products as serums, while others label them as essences. Serums tends be slightly more concentrated than essence.

-Emulsion

 is a much lighter, daytime moisturiser 

-Cream

 is a much more rich product, usually used if your skin is very dry or in need or more moisture

Arsainte Ecotherapy Multi-Care Cleansing Foam

I've only used this cleanser a few times as I am trying to finish up the vast array of other cleansers I seem to have amassed in my short time here in Korea (I just can't be helped when it comes to products!). But it seems to do a good job of cleaning my skin without stripping it and leaving it feeling dry and leathery. The product description says that it can be used as a mask too, when left on the skin for 5 minutes. I'm looking forward to trying that out in the next few weeks. I'll let you know how it goes on my Facebook Page. 

Arsainte Ecotheraphy Extreme Moisture Tonic with essential

"An essence toner that needs to be shaken before usage to mix the aroma essential oil and golden palm oil, uses bamboo extracts instead of water"

I love the fact that I have to shake this toner to combine all of the essential oils and bamboo extract before using it as I can actually see the different levels of moiuture that will be absorbed into my skin. The fragrance  is light, fresh and very exotic, leaving my skin feeling renewed and glowing after each application. 

Being an 'essence' toner it is a multi-beneficial product, combing essence and toner in one, allowing me to save a little time on my beauty regime (ok, not a lot of time but still, those few extra seconds do count!). It prepares my skin for my moisturiser and aids in retaining moisture.

I then follow with my Olay eye cream (which I have been using and loving for the past 2 years) and finally my Chia Seed Lotion. I had been using the Chia Seed Watery Lotion and although I liked using it, I have used this toner the last time I was in Korea and wanted to try it again. Both the Chia Seed and this Arsainte toner are wonderful products, but I do feel that the Arsainte is more moisturising as it contains essential oils, and so its perfect for me here in Korea as we are heading into winter when my skin is always more dry.

With winter approaching, I am on the lookout for a new moisturiser/serum. If you have any recommendations, please pop me a comment below, I'd love to hear from you.

x

OPI *Nail Envy* {review}

I have never been a very firm believer in nail hardeners/strengtheners, and have always just defaulted to Rimmel Stronger Double Duty which works super well as a base coat. But i recently borrowed Nail Envy and was pleasantly surprised. It comes out clear, and looks almost gel like when left plain on nails. I didn't use it long enough to see if it really does strengthen nails, but when having my nails done recently I was told by the nail tech that she swears by this little goodie.

Get yours at your local Dischem for somewhere around the R200 mark (rather pricey in my opinion). 

Click here for OPI's Facebook group in South Africa

One year after saying {I do}

My dearest Farmboy made me the sweetest gift to celebrate our one-year anniversary. Click here to see the post he wrote and the video he put together after blog-napping this blog. I love him to bits for his creativity and thoughtfulness (and for a million other things that he does everyday). 

So here we are, 365 days after me walking down the aisle to meet my prince charming (click here) to see more photos of our vintage farmyard wedding which took place of Farmboy's family dairy farm in South Africa).

In the past year we have moved into our first little home together, unpacked wonderful wedding prezzies and started getting used to a daily routine and house hold chores together. Then we packed up all those wedding presents and our lives in South Africa and moved to South Korea where we are now living and teaching English. We adventured in Malaysia and have furthered our love for Korean coffee shops.  All of this in what seems to be such a short time. 

Well my dear Farmboy, the best is yet to come and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life having adventures with you.

Blog-napped by hubby. Yes this is happening

Words to self...

OK this is going to be fast, brutal and messy, she is sitting next to you and could peep over at any second.

Words to innocent bystanders...

If you guys out there, the readers, are confused about the change in tempo, tone, poor grammar and general lack of prettyness - its because this blog has been taken over, kidnapped, hi-jacked and blog-napped.

Yes you read right for one brief moment today I have managed to get the queen away from her Mac-Book-throne, and its given me the chance I have been waiting for. You might wonder why Im using the her blog for this and the truth is Im not sure but I know she will love it to bits and thats all thats important right now. And lets be honest, she is a blogger and everything that ever happens in our life eventually winds up here anyways.

Words to my princess...

Hello my dove... I figured this would be a fun way of getting your attention. Its been 365 of the best days of my life, heres to many more. You are my everything.

Our one year anniversary.

{Away in Seoul}

Farmboy and I are spending a few days in Seoul to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary {which is on Monday} and to see more of the sights and sounds of this fascinating city. The past 3 days have been public holidays here in Korea (Korea has a LOT of public holidays!). These holidays have been for Chuseok, Korean thanksgiving which is traditionally a time spent with family, making lots of traditional Korean dishes  and honoring ancestors. 

I won't be blogging for a little while, so if you'd like to follow along on Instagram (@roxypearce) you're sure to find lots of strange and interesting photos of our time here in Seoul.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

x

{South Korea} the Food

Lots of friends and readers have been asking us about the food here in Korea. There are a lot of noodles, a lot of rice and a lot of meat (in-between some rather strange veggies). So here are some snaps of food here, in between one or two home cooked meals and a yummy cheese burger.

Would you buy Korean stationery from me? {A short survey}

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a wonderfully relaxing weekend and that your Monday has been off to a good start so far.

After lots of requests from readers, friends and even family I have decided to seriously look into a new business venture. I have been doing lots of brainstorming and researching, and am wanting to start a small business in sending some of the gorgeous bits of Korean stationery we have over here to you, wherever you may be in the world.

I have created a little survey with 10 short questions to help me gain a better understanding of what is is you would be interested in buying, how much you would spend and how much you would be willing to spend on shipping etc. Please click the following link to take the survey:

Click here to take the survey

I am also trying to work out where to host the shop, whether it should have its own blog, whether I should go onto Etsy, or whether to open up a whole online store. If you have any experience from owning your own online store and want to give me any advice, please leave a comment below or do drop me a line citygirlsearchinggmailcom. I'd love to hear from you.

So, this is all very exciting and I hope it's exciting for you too! There is so much gorgeousness here that it's criminal not to share it with all of you.

I'm looking forward to sharing more of this project with you all soon!

x

Happy Friday and {Oh Joy!} blog love...

I love finding new blogs to follow. They leave me feeling inspired and ready to get out there and make things happen on my little blog.

While searching for a cute 'Happy Friday' graphic on Pinterest this morning for my girls (I am an English Teacher at an all girls middle school here in South Korea) I found this lovely one created by OhJoy!:

Whenever I re-post other peoples work on my blog or Facebook I always try to credit the source. This can be frustrating when people don't credit the source properly on sites like Pinterest and Facebook. So it can take a lot longer than usual to find a lovely image and of course to make sure to credit the creative properly. Anyway, to cut a long story short, this lovely image is from Joy's wonderful blog Oh Joy!

Joy Deangdeelert Cho is a graphic designer, blogger, food enthusiast, and the founder and editor of Oh Joy. Launched in September 2005, the Oh Joy blog covers inspiration and design with a focus on Joy's favorite things: design, fashion and food.

 Her blog is full of inspiring photographs, delicious eats and of course her cute little girl Ruby. Here are some wonderful photo's from her blog for you to enjoy. 

It's because of blogs like OhJoy! that I have my own space here at CityGirlSearching. I hope this little ol' blog leaves you feeling inspired when you pop by.

Lots of love 

Roxy

x