Each church is different.

The one I regularly attend is quite new agey as far as churches go. Or at least, far from traditional. The band is a modern rock style band that play guitars, and the style of the sermons and music is very much in line with Hillsong which is a church that a lot of people are familiar with. I go to the service aimed at Young Adults that is held on Sunday evenings and tend to resonate quite well with it.

They tend to have a different series or topic each month that the sermons revolve around and August happened to be all about relationships and marriage. As most of the people attending the service are in their early-mid twenties, marriage is something that a lot of us haven’t experienced yet but most likely will in the next decade or so of our lives. This specific sermon happened to be based around sex.

When the preacher said he was going to talk about sex, I immediately got uncomfortable. I was expecting an abstinence only sermon that shamed people who had sex, but I was pleasantly surprised. The tone he took was more about why and how God designed sex to be within the confines of marriage, and that the reason why was because he cares about our bodies, and our souls. Sex is the ultimate bonding exercise on every level, emotionally, mentally, physically, and sexually.

He talked about how in this day and age people don’t value sex or look to the creator of it (God) for their knowledge, instead we learn about sex through friends, the internet, family members, or a magazine.

I am of the belief that people should be able to sleep with whoever they want, whenever they want as long as both/all parties consent. But I do agree that people in our current society don’t value sexuality, or their bodies which has led to this Tinder culture replacing courtship or dating culture.

There are positives and negatives to these new attitudes about sex. Positives being people (mostly women) are reclaiming ownership of their bodies from the men that have owned us for generations, and the negatives being that sex is not valued as it is so easy to come by in our current society. Men used to take out women on several dates, meet her parents and family, and months or years later they would have sex. They had to earn trust, respect, approval, and have patience. Why would they choose to do this now when they can go on their phone, swipe right a couple of times, send an unsolicited dick pic and send a direct message saying “wanna hook up?”

We have become lazy and entitled when it comes to love and sex, and I don’t think it’s our fault. It’s a result of our culture, and the technology now available to us. This is the first time in history where it is possible to communicate like this so easily with billions of people around the world, and we are all figuring out how to do so. Our teachers and parents have been unable to show us how to use it, because they have no idea.

Millennials are the internet’s test subjects.

Love, sex, and marriage have never looked like this before. Flirting and dating is almost non-existent for millennials. Getting to know someone takes a click, a scroll, and thirty seconds later and you know all their friends, their dating history, their previous hair styles and fashion choices, where they work, what like they to watch, read, and listen to. Why bother getting to know someone the old fashioned way when we can do it the quick and lazy way?

Since 1950, the average age of people getting married has risen from 20 to 27.5 years old. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think this is a bad thing – young people these days have so many more opportunities and goals for themselves. Back in 1950 the goal of young people was find a husband, get married, buy a house, have children. Nowadays our goals look more like: get an education, get a good job, travel, pay off debt, live our own life how we want to, find purpose and meaning, then find someone, get married, and buy a house.

The path forward isn’t as clear and focused. No wonder we are confused.

The Huffington Post wrote, “Young people want to have sex, connect and relate in a loving way with others, but cannot offer anyone their commitment when they themselves are still in flux.”

It’s hard to buy into the concept of life long commitment with another person when Gen X and Y are children of divorce. Very few of us had both parents in our lives until we were 18, let alone parents that were still together and HAPPY. When you experience that kind of abandonment or lack of a long term committed happy couple to look up to, it’s hard to believe it exists at all.

Both my grandmothers had very different experiences when it came to sex. My dad’s mother had several partners, and her children had different fathers. She was unlucky in love, and married my dad’s father one month before giving birth to my dad (to his surprise when he found out 35 years later after she passed away).

On the other hand, my mum’s parents were together for over 50 years. Her mother once told me when I was 18 years old, sitting next to her reading New Moon from the Twilight series, “I was still a virgin when I married your grandfather”. Literally nothing had prepared me for her to say it so it was very out of the blue and awkward to say the least.’

I, myself, have never had a slutty phase, and in fact, I’ve not had sex at all. It’s not that I haven’t thought about it or wanted to, I just haven’t been in a situation where it would happen before. It feels strange to write this on the internet for the world to see as it is a very personal thing that for some reason I’ve got a lot of shame and embarrassment around. I think because it’s rare to have someone my age who hasn’t grown up religious to still be a virgin at 26 years old.

In a lot of ways I’m grateful and lucky that I’ve been in control of it – peer pressure hasn’t got to me, and I’m very fortunate to have no experienced any abuse in my life, whether it be from partners or strangers. In a way my virginity is a gift that I have – the gift of choice. I know for a fact when I do meet someone and choose to have sex that it will be my choice, I will be ready, and I will be educated.

I have realised since going to church that if I started dating someone who was saving themselves for marriage, I could wait with them. I no longer have the desperation to lose my vcard that I once had. I don’t necessarily need my first time to be ~special~, but I do want it to be with someone I trust and like. For some reason it’s nearly impossible these days to find someone of the opposite sex that is trustworthy but I know that is one thing I won’t compromise on when it comes to having sex.

I’ve been a late bloomer in general this lifetime. I moved out of home and got my driver’s license at 25 years old. When others were learning to drive and experiencing relationships and intimacy for the first time in high school, I struggling with grief and depression, just trying to survive each day without tears. During university when everyone was dating, drinking and partying, I would go home, binge watch my favourite tv series by myself, shop online, and practice makeup tutorials I found on YouTube.

Being a late bloomer is okay. You’re still blooming, just in your own time.

These days we ask ourselves how long after sex are we dating, instead of how long do we date before we have sex?

I may be someone with traditional values when it comes to love, sex and marriage. I want to date someone, feel all the butterflies and excitement, and then decide together once we’ve talked about it to take that next step in the relationship when both of us are ready.

Going to Church has made me feel normal for my beliefs and values in so many ways, and like a weirdo because of my new age beliefs about what life is about and what happens when we die, as they don’t align with Christianity. I believe in Jesus, I now believe in God, but I don’t agree or believe in so many things from the Bible. I also believe we can learn from Buddist and Islamic teachings. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to reconcile it all, nor do I want to. Not every belief system has to be completely defined or confined to one thing. My openness is one of my strengths and I’m grateful I live in a country that allows me the freedom to have my own beliefs and express them.

Am I going to become a church blogger instead of a new age one? Absolutely not. But I do think it’s important to share some lessons I’ve learnt on both sides and recognise the different messages I’m getting and how they connect.

Image Credit: Unsplash 

This month I’m doing something a little bit different on the blog – sharing a general reading for the collective energies around us this month.

I often do general readings for the collective and record them for myself but never share them, but seeing as with September comes a new season (spring for the southern hemisphere and autumn for the northern hemisphere), I thought it would be appropriate to share. A new season brings about a change in attitude and a change in how we live our lives. Those of us coming out of winter shed the layers we’ve been wearing (although, Australia’s winter has been hotter than England’s summer this year!) and look forward to a new beginning, while those who are coming out of summer look forward to snuggling up with some knitted blankets.

I picked one card from each of the decks I used (Starchild Tarot, Keepers of the Light, I Am Power, Vessel) for the categories of mind, emotions, body & soul. This is my go-to spread when doing monthly readings as it covers so much and tends to be quite accurate and gives us some practical advice.

Hope you enjoy.

Mind

 8 of Swords (reversed): I love that this card came out reversed as I see it as breaking free of any limitations we have had placed on us, or that we have placed on ourself. Swords are to do with the mind as well so it’s definitely breaking free of any old mindsets that have hindered our progress. Mind over matter.

Commander Ashtar – Call to Action: Now that we’re getting rid of those old limiting thoughts and beliefs about ourself, it’s time to take some action! To finally accomplish things we’ve wanted to for a long time but have put off because of a lack of confidence in ourselves or our abilities. If you’re not sure what that goal is, have a look at your New Years resolutions or a goals list from a couple of years ago. It’s so easy to not accomplish a goal because of a lack mentality, but we don’t realise how much we grow in just a few months or a year. Review those goals and see if there’s one you never got around to finishing that you feel you could accomplish now with ease!

I Am Surrender: I feel this card is telling us to surrender to our newfound power and strength of mind! There’s no mental hangups in September so take on the month by taking charge.

Self Care: Self care is sooooo important. I know that I’ve been feeling a bit burnt out mentally at the moment as I’m adjusting to a new living environment. I’m ususally pretty good at carving out time for self care and having a bath, taking some quiet time to reflect or create, or to just chill out and watch a movie, but as I’m adjusting to this new routine I’ve been spending most of my time with others or working. September is the time to get back to a self care routine, or start one if it’s not something you’ve done in the past. Even an hour a week will give you the space you need to clear your mind and to feel more connected to your heart.

Emotions

The Moon (reversed):  Yep, our emotions are definitely going to be front and center this month. The Moon reversed is about releasing fear (similar message to what we got above) but also about confusion. We may feel like we’re not quite in control or clear with our emotions this month. We may feel a little bit on edge and moody as we experience the change in season and energy this month. I do feel like Mercury retrograde made all of us put our guards up, and now that it’s ending there will be a lot of emotions being released that we have held onto.

Master Jesus – Forgiveness: I truly feel first and foremost this is about forgiving ourselves. Of course if you have anyone you need to forgive or be forgiven by, reach out to them as you may find they will be more responsive to what you have to say this month. I had a friendship breakdown in January of this year and after months of reaching out to them, they have only just responded to me and we are trying to repair things. People need people and if we hold grudges we’re not going to get anywhere. Jesus is a great figure to call on when you are confused emotionally as he can help to provide insight and perspective on the situation. I’ve only started working with Jesus this year and I find his energy so loving, comforting and honest. He delivers things you may not want to hear in a loving and kind way.

* I really love the song Hey Jesus by Tyler Hilton. Give it a listen here.

I Am Travelling: I do feel there will be a bit of a rollercoaster when it comes to our emotions this month. Mood swings galore so be patient and forgiving with others as you don’t know what they are dealing with. If you are overwhelmed by everything going on, taking a small weekend trip could really help you to get clear on how you want to proceed and how you’re feeling. It’s easy for a lot of us to take on other people’s energies and end up not knowing what is ours and what is theirs. By getting that distance you will feel like you have more clarity when it comes to your emotions.

Spirit: Absolutely call on your people on the other side this month to help you through any emotional stuff that comes upin September. I will be calling on my Dad (it’s Father’s Day in Australia as I’m writing this) as I know he is very kind and understanding of my fluctuating emotions. Spirit is always with us and they can provide the comfort and emotional support we don’t necessarily get from the people in our lives.

Body

The Lovers: This is definitely a month for connecting with your partner, or potentially meeting a romantic partner if you’re single! The Lovers can also be read as a card about self love, but I don’t feel that in this reading, it definitely feels like a month to connect with others. I would highly recommend carving out some time to mingle and have a bit of a flirt this month!

Krishna – Devotion: I feel this card has a double message – devote some time to your body this month, and devote some time to your significant other. That devotion will lead to success and transformation in your physical life and with your body if you are looking for those results. If you are already pretty active physically, I think it would be great to incorporate a different form of exercise into the routine (such as adding 20 squats each day) and if you lead a pretty sedentary life it would be great to do the same as it will get you started. Those few minutes will kickstart something in your mind and make you want to devote more time to your physical body. By dedicating that time each day it will start to form a good habit that will be the foundation for other exercises in the future. .

I Am Success: I was so excited to see this card! Although I feel like this is a very sexually-oriented month, if you are wanting to take up a new form of exercise or a new sport, or join the gym, this is definitely the right time to do it. Body confidence is something a lot of us struggle with these days but if you use “I Am Success” as an affirmation every single day and choose to stand a bit taller with your shoulders back, you can fake it ’til you make it!

Romance:  This is definitely the month to get out on the town if you are single! If you’re already coupled, plan a few nice dinners or outings with each other or try to make things extra romantic this month as you will both be in the mood for it. Overall I am definitely feeling some sexual energy from these cards (lets call this month Sexy September)! It’s a great month to intimately connect with others whether you’re single or in a relationship. If you don’t relate to this message, I do feel like it’s a great month to be more playful and flirty than normal.

Soul

The Magician & Starseed: I usually only pick one card from each deck but these two fell out together. When I turned them over I had to laugh just because I was so overwhelmed by the energy of these two cards together. The main message I was picking up was about how 2017 is a ‘1’ year aka, the Year of The Magician. In many ways 2017 is a fresh start for a lot of us and we have been focusing on manifesting (and working our asses off) the things that we want in our lives. Combined with the Starseed energy (in other decks known as The Fool), it goes to show just how powerful we are! Our souls are capable of so much in this lifetime. Another message I was getting was how The Magician is using everything at her disposal to climb those mountains and to overcome any hurdles that have previously stood in her way, but the Starseed has risen up above the clouds. We have not only climbed the mountain and gotten to the other side, we have elevated so much that we are now looking down on the mountains.

Hilarion – Divine Healing: This card in combination with The Magician & Starseed just goes to show how strong our souls are, especially those who identify as lightworkers! After climbing that mountain and overcoming many obstacles in our way (specifically picking up on mental health issues), we are now able to help and be a light for others.

I Am Human: This is a reminder that we are a soul having a human experience here on earth, we are not humans that happen to have a soul. Being a human is something I’ve struggled with and a couple of years ago I really wished that I was just a floating soul and that I didn’t have a body because I found mine to be a burden rather than a gift. However, being a human has some great things about it. The five senses are uniquely human and we should embrace them while we are here for this short period of time.

Release: This month I think we are definitely letting go of and releasing some negative mindsets and even some things that we have held onto from past lives. August was an intense month for a lot of us – the eclipse and mercury retrograde were some intense energies that brought up a lot of old stuff we thought we had dealt with. Mercury retrograde likes to test us by bringing up some of that stuff again and moving through that and into September, I think we have dealt with what we needed to for the most part.

Lets enjoy the month ahead of us. Please let me know if any of this resonates with you, I’d love to hear what rings true for you.

“Ah, September! You are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul.” – Peggy Toney Horton

As a lot of you will know by now, I have really been getting into spirituality and the whole concept of mind, body & soul. Most of my life I’ve been a big believer in angels, spirits, guardians, guides and so much more. It provides me with comfort and helps me to connect with my inner self more than I would otherwise, as well as my loved ones that have passed. Being a believer in spirituality and owning oracle cards helps me to gain wisdom and insight from somewhere that isn’t just inside my own head.

Late last year I purchased the Wisdom Of The Oracle Divination Cards by Colette Baron-Reid and have been loving them so I knew I had to share them with you.

There’s many ways you can do readings with oracle cards. My favourite way to do a reading for myself with this deck is to think of a question or situation I would like guidance on before I start shuffling the cards. Then I shuffle the cards and wait for any to fall out and lay them out in order. One of my favourite spreads to do is life-love-career. Sometimes I like to do a past-present-future reading but I find that I gravitate towards other card decks for that type of reading.

The cards themselves are the most beautifully designed oracle cards I have ever seen. If I was to ever design a deck, it would look a lot like this one – bright, beautiful colours and surreal images. The quality of the cards is great, which adds to just how incredibly beautiful the cards are. The one thing I did find a little odd with this deck is that the cards are numbered – I think it’s unnecessary and would’ve just preferred them with the message and the artwork.

Some of the recurring cards I get are: A Leg Up (always to do with my dad), Soul Mates (for my future love life), Yin (for me/my energy), The Fates, and Imagine.

Something that is very important to me with oracle card decks is that they come with a good Guidebook. This one is fantastic – as you can see next to the card deck it is pretty thick. It has a black and white image of each of the 52 cards, as well as an essential meaning, oracle message, relationship message, prosperity message, and a protection message to use if the card is reversed when drawn.

I do readings with this deck every couple of days and am always blown away by the cards it gives me. My mum loves this deck as well and I’ve found that her energy lingers on the cards for a little while after as I draw cards that I never normally get, so I cleanse them to make sure I get an accurate reading for myself.

You can purchase the deck for just around $20 over at Amazon. It truly is one of the most beautiful decks so I highly recommend it. If there’s any oracle card decks please do let me know in the comments – I have quite the collection brewing now but am always on the look out for new ones.

In the end of 2014, I became obsessed with palmistry. It was around the time I started getting into new age spirituality and after scouring the internet for information on how I could read my own palm, I finally came across Tony Leggett on YouTube. He did quick palm readings of some of my favourite celebrities and after watching him non stop for a couple of weeks, I decided to get my own video palm reading in January 2015. All I had to submit photos of each of my palms and a face picture and wait a week.

As it was one of the first readings I’d had in my life and I was excited to have a 20 minute video dedicated to me. Someone who understood me from looking at my palms. My palms are the road map I was given in life that I couldn’t read myself. Towards the end of the video reading he said he hadn’t been that enthusiastic about a palm in a long time which gave me a lot of hope for my future.

I had a follow up palm reading with Tony in early 2016 when I was feeling very lost, and he said he was disappointed that I hadn’t followed his advice from the first reading and that I shouldn’t have another palm reading done for at least a year.

I was a bit nervous about contacting them about getting an update but seeing as it had been nearly 2 years since my last one I thought it would be ok. I dedided to transcribe the reading below in case you are curious about the type of reading you might get from a palm reader, especially one like Tony. I have had readings with other palm readers but I always gravitate back to Tony and can’t recommend a reading with him more if you need some love and light for your soul.

Note: Text in bolded italics are my words. 

Hi Erin. Ok, this is a wake up call, listen to your Uncle Tony because you’re on the move and you’ve just got to move in the right direction. And you’ve got to let yourself be as free as a bird. No constraints of any kind. You’ve got to taste the flavours of life, get into the feeling of it. And it tells me you’re doing an awful lot of things and I’m thinking if you really want to get into a relationship to somebody, it’s got to come from learning together, learning something. I don’t think it’s just going to be eye to eye relationship, it’s going to be talking, discussing, feeling. I think a toastmasters – I know you have toastmasters in Australia, and if you belong to a toastmasters club, it will open you up into so many different ways, if you can find that.

I also think that photography is a hobby that you should develop and do as a sideline to make some extra money, whether you’re doing all sorts of portraits of children, all sorts of different things. I think because here you’ve got a-if I had hands like this, it shows that you’ve got to be a worker. It shows that you’ve got power in your hands, strength, quality. You shouldn’t be afraid of anything, you can punch anyone in the nose and get away with it. Really, really powerful hands.

You’ve got this mount of Venus which is so strong and energised. Anything you tell yourself you can’t, you can – without a doubt YOU CAN. So therefore you’ve got to go after what you really really want.

Again, the first finger of Jupiter and the Apollo finger, the same length, there’s real power there of being who you really really are. And coming from past lives out of Apollo which is so many different experiences – one of the things you’re searching for is soul food. One of the things you are searching for is to find the real you, who am I really. And it’s not on the outside, it’s on the inside, right deep down in your gut. You’ve got to make a list of things you want, things you don’t want and work from that vibration.

The other thing is I think you are communicating with people very well, and I think that you are clever in so many different ways. But I think you need a total makeover. In clothes, your hair, and fashion – so you feel different. Why you’re feeling the same every day especially with the breaks you’ve made which are very very bold, leaving home and all that kind of thing is very very powerful. I left home when I was 18 and I never went back again and things just got better after that. There is stuff going here that is allowing you to feel freedom. It is all about-this lifetime is all about freedom. It’s all about freedom of the arts, freedom of humans, freedom of the works, and I think I’ve told you this before again and again.

So you can’t be afraid of anything, just walk around smiling at people, give yourself a makeover in hair, makeover in colour, I would wear blue-greens a lot to help you open up into that vibration to attract. You say here you are working in administration for engineers and architects. I think you should be in sports of some kind, maybe get into a newspaper or maybe television or whatever. Somewhere you can deal with sports, whether it be women’s sports, or men’s sports. And I think it will open you up into a new horizon where it will attract different people and you will get the flavour – you will get the flavour of life. You’ve just got it, it’s getting stronger, and I think you’re right, that job is not for you anymore, so you’ve got to open up something really powerful. When the student is ready the teacher will appear and you are ready. So I’m saying, just take on different things – take on different classes, take on different people, take on all sorts of other things and smile and be lovely. Think freedom, think free, think free. Because that’s where you’re coming from.

Certain things in my life haven’t changed, I have not dated anyone. Why? You’re very attractive! Why? Do you smile at people? What kinda guy do you want? What kind of person do you understand? That’s why I’m thinking photography will be a connection there, and also other classes of some kind.

Look in the mirror every morning and say, “I give you permission to be free. I give you permission to be happy. I give you permission to do whatever you want”, and look right into your eyes,  right into your heart chakra, right into your stomach chakra, right into your soul. And allow yourself the feeling of freedom that is your right to grab hold of and live and work with ‘cause that’s what you’re here for.

Erin, you look playful. You look like you’ve got a sense of humour. And you go up to a guy that you like and say, “Hi want to go out, want to have dinner?” Something like that. And if you get rejected that’s alright, I was rejected for 20 years, nobody ever wanted to go out with me, but it turned around after a period of time when I did all the things I told I’m telling you to do and it will change your life too. It’s not that late, maybe you’re a late bloomer when it comes to relationships. The best is yet to come for you, I’m absolutely sure. So don’t panic about not being with the guy, not being married, not doing this or doing that, but just make yourself right with you. And that can’t happen if you’re finding fault, worrying about what didn’t happen rather than what did. You’ve taken that first step and I’m very proud of you.

If I should be looking or doing anything for work. I am good with administration, communications, social media, photography – boy that’s a lot! That’s a lot to be getting involved in. I’m working an administrative role for engineers and architects – that’s boring! That’s dull, that’s not what you are. You should be in the arts of some kind and really involved in it. I feel that path is coming to an end soon – well so it should because you don’t fit in there, and you don’t fit in there because it’s not for you. And your feeling is right because it’s not for you.

Now, the thumb is very solid, you are so set in your old ways that the more you change that the better-but look look at this line of life – what a power! And it shows here, this coming out of the head line – this little bit here, it lasts for about 10 years, where something kicks in where you find your purpose. You find your karma, you find out what you’re here for. This is coming out of Saturn, and it’s going to give you the flavour and then you can do it and you will as you have your free will.

I think you may be looking at your own business of some kind down the line but because you have such a working hand it means you’re going to have to work harder than most people who were given a job, or what you are doing. This is very, very powerful down here, coming out of the Mercury finger, the Mercury finger has a lot to do with intelligence, understanding, and opening up to the real world, analysing for what you have lived.

You have lived so many different lifetimes, been so many different people who are doing so many different things that it’s got to be confusing. If you died unhappily in your last incarnation, then you’ve got fear coming into this one and you don’t want to make mistakes ‘cause you don’t want to get bumped off or killed again. But lines coming across your line of heart, coming across your line of head, coming into your line of fate, coming out of Apollo, which all indicates your natural talents. Your natural talents are very, very good. Also connected to the finger of Mercury here coming out of the Lunar into the-coming out of the upper Mars into the Lunar, into the Mercury into the Pisces shows a lot of power in your spiritual abilities. You know you were born very, very spiritual and a lot of that tells you when you’re brought up by church, school, and all that kind of thing. Blah blah blah blah, atheist, not religion. But there’s a deeper power in you of gifts. And the more you work at this and the more you develop yourself, the lines here, the hope is absolutely most important – hope and doing, hope and doing and not giving up is very, very powerful for you. These bracelets here are so strong, they give a length of life too. And as I said, it’s the line of life it’s mighty mighty powerful.

Now, you have the flexibility of will at the tip of your finger, but you have this stubbornness here, that holds you back in so many ways. It’s like you’ve got the flavour, it’s like you want to go fishing, but you’ve got the rod and you don’t want to throw the rod into the water because you don’t want to pull a fish out that’s going to die – the end product is not what you think at the beginning. So you’ve got to do some beginning products so that the end products can come up to you to see what you really really want.

Square hands show that you are conventional in so many different ways, you know that. And the tips of your fingers are all very round which is easily influenced by other people’s thinkings, doings and feelings. Well I give you permission to be who you really are. Every morning you look in the mirror and you say, “Erin, I love you. I give you permission to be who you truly truly are, and we are going to get into life and love.” And anything else you want to tell your soul. You do that on a regular basis, so you get it your chakras, in your energy centres, and you get it in your psyche. And I think once you do that, once you understand it, once you’re comfortable, once you’re loving yourself enough, once you change your vibration, things are going to get a lot better all round and you’re going to finish up being happy, not confused.

I hope I’ve helped you. Good luck, god bless you and goodbye.

You are loved.

At the start of the year my mum arrived home from Brisbane with a Nutribullet. I thought she had gone mad and bought into the Nutribullet craze, but after seeing her first two concoctions I realised that I might be able to get some use out of it and recreate my go-to order at Boost Juice – the Mango Tango Crush. After just three attempts at making it, I’ve perfected the ingredients for the perfect Mango Tango Crush.

Ingredients:

• Mangos (frozen or fresh – I like the frozen ones because it’s easy and it keeps the crush cold)
• Passionfruit Sorbet (you can interchange this depending on other flavours you like – you could obviously use mango sorbet but I like to balance out the mango & passionfruit flavours. We have also tried lemon which was nice but I definitely prefer the passionfruit and think it gives the closest result to the real Boost)
• Passionfruit (I use one passionfruit but if it’s out of season where you are, passionfruit is also available in a can)
• A large handful of Ice Cubes
• Mango Nectar Juice (just less than one cup is perfect)
• Water (helps make sure the mixture isn’t too thick – I use around one cup but sometimes have to add more)
• Black Chia Seeds are completely optional but it’s good to add them for the health benefits

Then all you have to do is put it in a blender. I used the Nutribullet and blended for 15-25 seconds but you can blend until you get the consistency you’re after. I wanted mine less like a juice and more like the consistency of the Mango Tango Crush at Boost – smooth, kind of thick, but thin enough to be able to go through the straw.

In the future I’m thinking of adding some supplements to the drink like protein powder, chia seeds, almond meal, or something else that’s really healthy and good for you. Making your own juices or drinks like this one is a great way to add some extra healthy goodness in there.

Please give this recipe a go – it’s so simple and is just like the real Mango Tango Crush!

This roll had some hilariously embarrassing results that will remain for my eyes only. Shooting underwater is really fun but I definitely need to think a little bit more before taking a picture.

* All photos taken using this Disposable Waterproof Camera from K-Mart.

View more from the Disposable Diary series here.

I had such a great time in Sydney! It’s the city where I grew up and it has a special place in my heart. I took a couple of cameras there so you will be seeing more of my Sydney snaps in future Disposable Diaries.

All photos taken using a FujiFilm QuickSnap (Fujifilm Superia ISO-400 speed film) disposable camera. I got back 24/27 shots.

View more from the Disposable Diary series here.

Over the last few months I’ve been bringing my Kodak underwater camera into the pool with me. I found it while cleaning out a couple of cupboards in the house and knew I had to start playing around with it.

I’m loving shooting film at the moment. It’s really frustrating for me waiting to get the shots back, but it’s so worth the wait when you do. I’ve said this before, but film is warm. Digital photos can feel so cold and emotionless sometimes but film is nostalgic and the colours are always beautiful, even if they don’t turn out the way you expected.

View more from the Disposable Diary series here.

Shooting film with an 35mm SLR has been a life changing experience. I’m becoming so passionate and so invested in film photography. I’m hoping my photos will improve in time, and I’ll have more interesting subjects to take photos of. I’ve always enjoyed photos of people, photographers who capture life as it is. I hope I can do the same.

Anzac Jets

Went for lunch with my friend and 22 was the number for my order! I had an immediate positive reaction as 22 is my number

I have no recollection of taking this!

I got this charm bracelet for my 13th birthday but I recently added the airplane to it

Lets pretend this is not a life size cardboard cut out of Harry Styles with a witch hat on

This spider scared the living daylights out of me

Spying through my mail box

Photos taken with my Pentax ME Super and Fuji Color 200 35mm film.I think this camera has really made me fall in love with film again.