Hatty Reads #1

Betty's bookshelf... a work in progress :^)

Hi guys!

In the midst of this (freezing) winter, cozying up with a good book has never felt better!

Finding stories in pages, and heroes in words, immersing yourself in a good book is a must do to have that quiet moment and stray your thoughts away from the worries and chaos of life.

Hopefully, it'll keep your head in the clouds for just a little while. 

If you're struggling to find a book for that next read, we've compiled a recommendation list of  ideal books for any mood you're in . So chill out, snuggle yourself into a mountain of blankets, grab a mug of tea and get reading! 

FEEL-GOOD FINDS:

Sometimes a cute romance or hilariously witty character is all it takes to get you out of that debby-downer mood. Breeze through  these cutesy light-hearted reads and your spirits will be lifted in no time :) 

• - Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (SO CUTE)
• - To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
• - Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson ((*starts belting Kelly Clarkson*))
• - My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

TEARJERKERS:

*rivers of tears* *sobs*

• - I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
• - The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand
• - Orange by Takano Ichigo (the most beautiful manga ever)

EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTERS:

For when you need a reason to feel confused or stricken, laugh spastically, or just to mentally punch a hole through a wall. No seriously, these books will make you feel all the feels. WARNING: there may be crazy plot-twists

• - November 9 by Colleen Hoover
• - We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
• - The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

CUT-THROAT DRAMAS:

Packed with drama and a slightly creepy edge, these will be sure to make an impact. If you scare easy (like us), don't read with the lights out.  

• - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin 
• - Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Vivian Siobhan (read the entire trilogy!)
• - Tiny Pretty Things by Dhonielle Clayton & Sona Charaipotra
• - Don't Look Back by Jennifer L Armentrout

MYSTICAL OTHER-WORLDS: 

Lose yourself in a world weaved entirely from the author's imagination, usually served with a heaping of adventure, drama and maybe just a sprinkle of magic

• - The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury
• - Starflight by Melissa Landers
• - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
• - These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

WATCH OUT FOR:

Excitedly anticipate the impending release of these finds with us as 2016 continues to dish out those literary gems ;) Definite adds on the ol' TBR list. 

• - The Odds of Lightning by Jocelyn Davies (New York, nighttime adventures, breakfast-club inspired teens, need I say more?) ; Scheduled release 20/9/16
• - Gemini by Sonya Mukherjee ; Scheduled release 26/7/16
• - Heartless by Marissa Meyer ; Scheduled release 8/11/16

[Keep in mind we mostly read the genre Young Adult fiction. So if you don't think these books will be your cup of tea, don't worry! There's definitely a book out there for you :)]

Tunes of June

In June, we discovered a bunch of new artists, spammed each-other with song recommendations and eventually bought concert tickets together (*squeals* Troye Sivan on august 3rd, hell yeah)!

And to conclude the month of music-mayhem, we decided to compile a playlist of songs we've been loving and/or have been jamming to this month! Featuring June photography, a little too much troye, and songs found on Betty's Spotify 'Discover Weekly'. 

hella rad jellyfish because look! at! that! colour! *heart eyes emoji*

Without further ado, here are the songs.

TUNES OF JUNE

1. Drive - Oh Wonder
2. BLUE ft. Alex Hope - Troye Sivan
3. Old Money - Lana Del Ray
4. Little Numbers - BOY
5. Medicine - Daughter
6. Inside Out - The Chainsmokers
7. ILYSB (stripped) - LANY
8. Stardust - New Politics
9. Chasin' honey - Wild Party
10. Bloom - The Paper Kites
11. Start A Riot - BANNERS
12. Four Walls - Broods
13. Happy With Me - HOLYCHILD 
14. Breaking Up My Bones - Vinyl Theatre
15. Dazzle - Oh Wonder

You can find this playlist on Spotify and 8tracks.
Enjoy these tunes and comment down below which songs you've been loving this month, or any other month! :)
Lots of love,

you can never have too many polaroids! (especially not taylor swift ones <3)

Friends are timeless

Hannah and Iris being cute on an art excursion to MCA. So much love for these two munchkins :^)

If there's something I know about friendships, it's that they rely on time. 

The time you take to send a quick message or call, and ask about their day. 

The time you take to have those spontaneous conversations that take you from cats and homework to clouds and galaxies.
The time spent together that fills you will so much warmth that you're overflowing with the electricity of love.

      Time.

The glass of time that always seems full, never fails to make room for a few drops of friendship. 

Personally, happiness is not something  I necessarily find within myself, but rather within the people I surround myself with, and the places that not only exude comfort, but also excitement. Filling you with positivity from head to toe, you feel brighter and more colourful than strings of christmas lights. 

And honestly, without the daily doses of irrelevant chatter and giggling at inside jokes, it's hard to stay grounded (although, adorable cat videos are almost just as good).

But what I'm trying to say is, friendships, old and new alike, can wear and become fragile if nothing is done. 

Nothing, as in no time, no words, no second thoughts, no nothing is put into stopping those cracks from appearing.
And although time and conversation may seem like a huge effort at the time, and you really "don't have anything to talk about anymore", it doesn't hurt to take a second to text a sentence or two. 

    How have you been?

    Do you remember that time we...
Because believe me, a friend within reach to keep that chin up and smile glowing, is better than one already having inadvertently slipped away.
Slipping, drifting, floating, holding onto a tether of weekly one word responses. 

It gets awkward... but it shouldn't.

Group chats turn silent and you begin to wonder whether saying hi as you walk past is weird. And when eyes are averted and a simple wave suffices, it hurts.
You feel an uneasy mixture of regret and disappointment, but for the most part, a series of thoughts on what could have been often runs through your mind.

The gap between messages turns from minutes to months. But how?
How does an ocean of conversation, words, moments to reminiscence, whirl down a drain so fast that even the only ones that cling on seem to mean nothing.

             Hey what's up?

                 Not much

                      Cool

But it's not cool. And what's up? Doing something about it?

By all means, don't start to force it all, but just be aware that time can slip through fingertips like grains of sand.
And even if it feels like it's too late, brush off the sand, and use those fingertips to dial a call.
Or organise to meet up.
Because the years of memories are worth the time.

Friends are friends, maybe not for forever, but for as long as you allow them to last.
Don't let negligence change that.

Lots of love,

A shot of my sisters on our rainy boat-trip last Christmas. It was wet, freezing and we didn't catch any fish, but we sure as hell made a bunch of rad memories.
I also have this re-occuring nightmare of us three sisters drifting apart as we grow older... But don't worry, I'll make both of em stick by me even if I become that annoyingly nosy aunt

Foodie Fun; Passiontree Chatswood

bottom left and top: salted caramel pancake stacks (definite recommend, but make sure you eat it before the ice cream melts into oblivion)
bottom right: matcha pancake stack (with oozing matcha sauce, a generous heaping of vanilla ice cream and tiny little balls of white chocolate goodness, this was a solid *100 emoji*)
top right: white peach soda (for the supposed not-hungry person of the bunch)

A few months/weeks ago, we visited a dessert cafe in Chatswood before a completely-productive-work-session turned movie marathon sleepover at our friend's place. After all the insta-hype, we'd already seen countless grams of the bingsoos, pancakes and hot chocolates, basically figuring out our order before even stepping through the doors! After lugging our sleepingbags and duffle bags around, we acquired seats in the back corner, ideal for giggling over facebook videos (using the free wifi of course; SIDE NOTE: check out the 'loca the pug' video, you won't regret it) and shamelessly taking an insane number of photos of both the food and interior. Besides the food and wifi, the cafe was simply beautiful to look at! The white walls and furniture helping out the food photographers out there, the contemporary chairs hanging from the ceiling (we debated on the practicality of those... they were hanging by a single wire! were our lives at stake?) and especially the display of cakes and macarons *drools at the thought*.

interior design brilliance? or imminent death trap...  

THE DOS AND DON'TS OF TO DO LISTS

/the intricacies of your thoughts will create galaxies in your head/ 

"that moment/feeling when..."

THE DOS AND DON'TS OF TO DO LISTS

we all know that moment when... you love to make to-do lists but never actually accomplish all of the goals listed. to-do lists are great, in theory; they give the satisfaction of feeling organised and help get your thoughts and tasks in order. however, gathering the motivation to complete the tasks put down is a whole different obstacle in itself. so, without further ado, your official guide to to-do lists for maximum success and productivity rates! :) 

DOs:

• let's be real - setting realistic goals is basically the key to a successful and effective to-do list. don't bite off more than you can chew. if you set too many tasks to do, it'll leave you feeling overwhelmed and diminish the clarity of the list as well. also, too many tasks = less chance of completing them all, which is quite discouraging as the end aim of a to-do list is to check off all your tasks! 

• be old fashioned - when it comes down to to-do lists, the ol' pen and paper definitely trumps the digital age in all aspects. it is so much better to pen down your goals on paper instead of typing them into your notes on your phone or laptop. here's why: first, if you write it down on paper it can look as wild and wacky as you fancy which channels your creativity and gives it that extra pizzazz that, let's be honest, tedious to-do lists sometimes need. also, there's nothing like that feeling when you're able to put a crisp, accomplished tick next to a job well done, compared to the casual placing on the emoji tick on a digital to-list which doesn't really celebrate the feat you've achieved ((side note: always acknowledge your achievements! :) whether to be just finishing off that little bit of maths HW or climbing Mount Everest)) also, a digital to-do list just seems more detached and impersonal than a paper one, like letters and emails. bottom line: pen & paper are the way to go. 

• crystal clear - don't fluff around! writing a to-do list isn't the same as writing an english essay; convoluted, eloquent language and sentences won't be of any use so don't bother making it fancy, direct and straight-to-the-point is how your to-do list should be. another important tip: if you're aiming to finish a long assignment or task which needs to be done in parts over a few days, write down a general amount of the task you want to finish as a to-do instead of just writing down the task as one to-do which is ineffective because it really depends on your productivity how much of the task you end up getting done ;). 

• in the moment - to-do lists are all about getting things done, usually and ideally over the course of a day. aim to finish what you can in a day and don't plan too far ahead as it just jumbles everything up and in the long run, isn't effective in maximising tasks done. if you're thinking about a long-term to-do list type of thing, you should create more of a planner or schedule as to-do lists are best short and sweet! *insert food analogy here* ;)

DON'Ts (that haven't already been inadvertently covered in the DOs):

• productivity - to-do lists don't  magically mean your tasks get completed without your effort and hard work. if you aren't productive and motivated to actually finish the work, it won't get done (in any universe). 'nuff said. 

• don't let it go off (like food) - if you reach a point where your to-do list is stressing you out because of all the things you need to do more than motivating you to actually do them, it's time to let the list go. the purpose of to-do lists isn't to stress you out or become that nagging worry or annoyance that's always telling you to "do your work!" and to "not waste time!" ((cough cough that may or may not have been inspired by the universal struggle of nagging parentals)) but is to motivate and spur you on to finish all your tasks because of it's day-to-day nature that makes large tasks seem small. milk is great and healthy to drink (although, sadly, I've never had a fondness for it) but when it goes off, drinking it will cause more harm than good- the same applies for to-do lists! ;)

so there you have it! a few easy tips on how to reap the most benefits out of your to-do list ;) hopefully this helped shed some insight into the supposed foolproof success of to-do lists and you now feel ready to tackle your own. stay motivated! :) 

currently loving - APRIL '16

texture+colouring credit; deviantart

CURRENTLY LOVING

As we whizz into the month of May, already almost halfway through the grand year of 2 0 1 6, it is the perfect time for a lil bit of reflecting and sharing! Over the course of the past month (APRIL), we've accumulated our fair share of fond memories and favourites (in terms of everything and anything!) and so as we look back, here were some of our personal APRIL FAVOURITES that we'd love to share as we move in a new month. :)

left to right; 'little numbers' - BOY, betty's precariously dangling fuzzy socks (kmart), Suits promo poster, 'twelve ways to spend one's christmas' wattpad book cover [images found on google unless otherwise stated, cough, the socks]

HANNAH;
+ the song 'little numbers' - BOY.
this song is actually magical. somehow, whilst listening to it I found myself wrapped up in a dreamy haze that really had me feeling the vibes of adventure and wandering, cities that never sleep and independent explorations. go listen!
+ fuzzy socks.
definitely towards the end of April, as the cold weather was just creeping in, I was in raptures for these cosy wonders. knee-high fuzzy socks, leg-warmers, fluffy boots, you name it... they were all on my TO-BUY ASAP LIST.
+ "twelve ways to spend one's christmas eve" by defend (available on wattpad).
even though I've read it a million times over, this story is one of my all-time favourites. perfect for a rainy day with the additions of a cup of tea and said fuzzy socks, it never fails to make me laugh, cry like a baby, get my spirits up and suddenly feel the urge to go on a cookie baking spree...
+ SUITS. 
getting hooked on this tv show was the most brilliant mistake of my life (brilliant because it is solid 100 emoji, a mistake because of the countless hours of sleep lost binge watching). now currently eagerly awaiting the release of the season 5 dvd comes the beautiful period of re-watching and reliving all those feels once more. a show which revolves around the careers and lives of high-flying lawyers in NYC... it's full of drama, wit and promises a crazy ride.

left to right; 'battle scars' - paradise fears, mochi!!, betty's old and outdated collection of movie tickets, still from 'spirited away' asdfghjkl the feels in this scene [images found on google unless otherwise stated, aka the sad ticket collection]

BETTY;

+ cinemas.
In the past month/few months I've seen a solid number of films at the cinemas (predominantly DISNEY! Double release of Zootopia+Jungle Book hell yeah). With the huge squishy seats and chilly AC, no matter how action-packed the film is, the atmosphere somehow stays relaxing. And when the crowd pools out the exit after the credits, jittering with laughs, exclamations and opinions on the film. That's the best part.

+ Paradise Fears (alternative rock band)
Whilst perusing Spotify last year (probably procrastinating on some sort of studying), I came across this alternative rock back somewhere on the wavelength of bands like 'We The Kings' and 'A Rocket To The Moon', and boy did I become obsessed. Their Battle Scars album (both the original plus the acoustic version) was on repeat for months. Whilst on a drive to the beach this April, I decided to listen to one of their songs (Lullably), and then another, and another... Before I knew it I had the lyrics all memorised again. LISTEN TO THEIR ALBUM, you won't be disappointed. Or check out their collection of covers on their youtube channel for a bit of familiarity.

Click here to find their youtube channel, and here for their Spotify page.

+ Studio Ghibli Films (Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro).
During the Autumn break (featuring a backyard-tent sleepover), my sister's and I revisited these two classic Miyazaki directed films (it was my first time watching Spirited Away!). Spirited Away really explored a fantasy-filled tale, with wacky elements and strange characters (and I mean strange, no really. Think pungent-blob-spirit strange!), and made you experience all kinds of feels (absolutely deserving of it's Academy Award). Although I fell asleep as we were watching Totoro... I'd seen it before so I know how adorable, quirky and beautiful it is!

+ Mochi!
As in the literal balls of rice-cake sunshine *drools*. After exploring asian grocers and even making my own, although the quality of the homemade ones were almost enough to make me stop loving mochi (yikes!), I still shamefully crave them at most times of the day.
P.S. They're especially good on matcha pancakes ;) inconspicuous reference to foodie post, up soon!

Phew that was a whole lot of rambling. We hope you decide to check out any of the mentioned songs, books, films, feet-covering fabrics and food!

Adventure Awaits!

HI THERE! Let's introduce ourselves. We're Hannah and Betty, two 14 year olds from Sydney Australia looking for a way to document our lives in unnecessarily long words and saturated photographs.
We love most things (both a blessing and a curse in disguise), ranging from christmas baking (GINGERBREAD) to busy cities (ALL THINGS NEW YORK), and hardcover books to hilarious films.
If there's one thing we know, it's that life has it's crazy (synonym: hatty) kaleidoscopic moments.
So let's begin this journey, adventure awaits!
(disclaimer: philosophical ramblings and day-to-day explorations will be encountered

"If you don't know where you are going any road can take you there" - Lewis Carroll

Off with their heads? More like, in with the new.

Lots of love,

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