1. What is the best advice anyone has given you?
Many words of wisdom have been spoken over the years, but I cherish the ones from a person whose life on Earth was cut too short.  On my wedding day ten years ago a groomsman went around with a camera and asked for advice for us from our family and friends.  My father’s advice for marriage was that if each person gave 75%, everything will work out just fine. We live in a world where people hold high expectations of others, hold selfish wants and desires,  and think things should be 50/50.  To go above the 50% in a marriage and give more of yourself to your partner, instead of desiring things, or wishing for what you do not have still rings true to me as golden advice for any couple.  Thank you Dad!

2. If you could meet any blogger in person, who would you choose?
Honestly I have a very long list and if finances were not an issue I would travel the world to visit them all and then blog about it for all my readers.  One of the first expat/travel bloggers I met online this year once restarting my blog was Chelsea from Lost in Travels.  She has always been so friendly, gracious, and inspiring.  I love how down to earth she is coupled with her love of life. I honestly see us meeting somewhere in the world to go on a trip together and would love if that happened one day. Chelsea I also have an air mattress with your name on it.

3. Who Inspires you?
As a creative I find inspiration all around in people and the world around me.  However there are two celebrities who have been role models in my life since I was a young teenager.  Audrey Hepburn and Angelina Jolie.  They both inspire me in so many ways. From their career in film to their humanitarian work around the world.  Their role as mothers and their iconic fashion style.  I am inspired by Audrey’s early history during WWII with her involvement with the Dutch Resistance and the way she has inspired her children to carry on her legacy.  I am inspired by Angelina’s personal journey from a rebellious teenager to a mother going through and elective double mastectomy all in the public spotlight.  For Angelina to go through as much as she has and be judged by millions for any detail of her life and come out as strong as she is now, says a lot about her character.  When I feel discouraged or struggling, reading about either one of these women inspires me to see the world anew.

4. What is your biggest struggle in life?
The art of balancing it all. Which is a struggle we can all face with different factors.  For me it is balancing being a wife, being a mother, being a third culture kid and expat, being a creative professional and loving to work outside of the home.  Finding a way to balance it all, have it all, and make it work has been a big struggle through out the years when a major factor is living a highly nomadic life where you are always starting over.  What helps is knowing my priorities and having a supportive family and loving husband who encourage my passions.

5. Favourite piece of jewelry (other than your engagement/wedding ring) and why?
To be fair I wish I could say my engagement/wedding ring.  However I lost my rings during our separation, only to find the wedding band some time later. Due to the unique shape of my engagement ring the wedding band I wear is a bit awkward looking on my hand.  However I love that I at least have it still, since the engagement ring is long gone and it is the only ring that I can wear that feels 100% comfortable all of the time.  My husband lost his ring in our home in Hawaii thanks to one of our kids so ideally one day we will both get new rings. Since I was not supposed to answer about wedding related rings I will say that my mum got me the Evenstar necklace that Arwen wears in Lord of the Rings. As a Tolkien fan from a very young age, I really love that she picked it out for me for my 30th birthday.

6. Favourite thing to do in your spare time?
I feel like I am always on the go. I am never far from a camera and seem to be doing something blogging or social networking related any time of the day.  So when I truly have time away from all of that and time just for myself (to be considered ‘spare time’) I would have to say I love to write.  More specifically in regard to a novel. I do not know if I will ever finish it or if it will be something I will ever share.  I write for myself when I am inspired. Sometimes I am not writing chapters, but writing about the characters, the places, book themes, or anything that comes to my mind about the story. Just so that I can write and flesh out this world I have created in my mind.  It is nice to have something just for me and as a lover of books its a nice place to get lost in for a awhile when time allows.