It’s been a while since I had my heart broken
It's hard to believe that my first post about our new puppy, Fetch, is probably my last. No sugarcoating it here, this past few weeks have sucked. Big time. Skip this one if you're not in the mood, folks. I just wanted to make sure he was documented here, where all the things I love are...
Where to begin…
I've sat down to write this update post multiple times now. It's been a while, and there is a lot to catch up on. Stuff with me, the business, the house, finding my feet after the year that was 2020 and everything in between. But then the sheer volume overwhelms me, and I delete the draft and...
I stopped writing about confidence when anxiety took over
Writing a blog about confidence is pretty tough when you feel like a fraud. I should know; that's exactly how I felt. Looking back, I knew things were really out of control when I attended an event in Brisbane, pre-Covid. In a room full of people, most I'd known for years, I couldn't breathe....
New to me plus-size brands giving big summer energy
A beach baby since before birth, I'm team summer, even if it leaves me a frizzy, sweaty mess more often than not. Thankfully, after a little exploring online, some new to me plus-size brands with big summer energy popped into my feed. Everything you need for a Queensland summer, from swimwear...
What I learned when I gave up drinking
I'm serious when I tell you when I gave up drinking, I hadn't intended to. One day I was changing how I ate, looking to achieve a whole host of things, and I decided alcohol wouldn't fit in with those changes. So, I stopped drinking. Now, It's been three months since I gave up drinking, and I...
Make something, even if it sucks: Ask Suger
Considering I was in my office this morning before 6 am, you'd think I'd be ready to roll with this email early, right? Apparently not. I got caught up making a few changes to the blog branding I had a dream about last night. Saying it came to me in a dream seems a little out there, but that's...
How much I made on Fiverr in my first year
It all started with a simple question, can I earn money on Fiverr as a photographer? Keen to get into doing more product photography, I was looking for a way to find clients and generate more work for myself. A YouTube video about a freelance copywriter on CNBC's Millennial Money convinced me...
Feeling left behind in life: Ask Suger
A couple of weeks ago, I received an Ask Suger talking about the changes they had been going through in their life and how they felt behind everyone else they knew. And it wasn't that they were not getting what they wanted, feeling as if they were taking giant steps backwards. So, they wanted...
How did I disappear from my life?
Where did I go? That's the question I've been asking myself lately. How did I manage to disappear from my life? Somewhere around late 2020, I stopped documenting my life, being in pictures and outside of the weekly Suger News emails sharing. Where did I go? I don't know. All I know is I was...
Taking Shape x Elverina Johnson collection
Taking Shape is thrilled to reveal the first-ever First Nations designs by the highly regarded artist Elverina Johnson. A highly respected Gungganji Gurugulu woman from Yarrabah in Far North Queensland, Elverina is one of the Nation’s most recognisable and accomplished artists. Her belief is...
Puma x Modibodi
Modibodi has partnered up with PUMA to launch a range of leak-free period activewear and underwear*, created to help women stay comfortable and active during their period whilst making a positive environmental impact. Awesome news for my inbox this week, right? I love this range and was...
Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls reminded me why I started blogging
When I shared the Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls announcement post over the weekend, I was hoping for a little more opportunity to talk about this show, maybe even rave a little about it. I've seen it twice, some napping occurred the second time around, and I had so much fun watching...
A few of my favourite things…
A little while back, I thought it would be fun to do favourite things kind of post. Feature books and products, homewares to skincare—stuff I've seen on the interwebs in a roundup style post. But then, from memory, it was Afterpay Day. And the very idea of sending out a post flogging stuff,...
Where to Buy Wide Fit Boots for Plus-Size Women
Welcome to the next instalment of the Where to Buy posts. This week it is wide fit boots. Boots for the plus size, large legged amongst us. Some have extended shoe sizing. Others offer wide fitting calf and ankle boots. Earlier this week, it occurred to me that it was feeling like the cooler...
Do you still subscribe to magazines?
I've always loved the glossy pages of a magazine. Not literally, the glossy pages drive me nuts with fingerprints, but you know what I mean. Whether it was about fashion or home decor, far off adventures or food. A lot of why I wanted to be a writer when I was a child was because of magazines....
Rising water doesn’t differentiate {Gympie Floods 2022}
As some of you know, my home town is under flood as I write this. A major flood with a level that is predicted to continue rising. Expected to exceed the previous highest flood on record; February 1999 (21.94m). I've been awake since around 5 am reading the overnight updates of the water...
I know all about being fine
Starting the year out rushing to get back to work with emails flooding my inbox wasn't ideal. I was overwhelmed, and on the brink of panic most days, I got on with things. And when asked? Of course, I was fine. Tired, but fine. Busy, but fine. I know all about being fine. Being fine is such a...
Need a plus size one-piece swimsuit? I’ve got you covered.
Around here, we embrace the bikini body, especially for the fellow long torso friends. But as much love as I have for the bikini, tankini and all their 'ini friends, sometimes I want something more. I want to be able to move freely, without concern for what I'm wearing and any potential 'cup runneth over' moment. So often, that...
Diaries and Planners you recommended
Planners? Handwriting? But what about digital calendars? I admit it; I'm a paper-and-pen kind of girl. Especially when it comes to planning and scheduling my LIFE. I've often failed with digital planners and calendars (RIP Google Calendar) and keep returning to a good old fashion, usually hefty, planner. However, I'm starting to...
Take the time to celebrate your wins
It's been big news around here. The kids' YouTube channel finally (fiiinnnnaallllyyy) reached 100 subscribers. We are all pretty pumped to achieve this first milestone. Especially as a channel made for kids with no specific purpose and, thanks to me, sporadic videos. It was level 100 excitement around here when the number ticked...
How I became a Level One Seller on Fiverr
When we left off in my last post, I was 45 days into my experiment. I was hopeful that a conversation would turn into a sale and asked you to keep your fingers crossed. Cliffhanger! It's been pretty much two months to the day since my last blog update. Even then, I knew I'd follow up and share my progress with you all, success or...
Summer’s Best Cheap and Cheerful Wines
While I have smugly advanced past the cheapest of wines, that doesn't mean I'm not interested in getting value for money. I think maybe I just drank too much of the Accomplice Sav. Blanc back in the day to even stomach anything like it these days. Haha. Recently I shared a post asking for wine suggestions and the hot tip. You...
Was Mr Big Carrie’s retirement plan all along?
Recently I was watching Sex and the City and as a thirty-something trying to do her best to run a business, live life and prepare for the future I found myself adding up the outfit changes and designer pieces, the apartment and meals, not to mention the taxis. Sure, I don’t know much about living in NYC, but I know what everyone...
Plus-Size Shorts for Summer; Get Your Legs Out!
It's that time, team, shorts season! I mean, as a Queenslander, pretty much every season is shorts season, but you know what I mean. I've talked about how to find and wear shorts as a plus-size woman on this blog before. Of course, I have; this blog is a million years old. There have been many, many posts about shorts. Check them...
Show Your Work
Ever wonder how TikToks can, as is the case with XXL Scrunchie & Co, one of my new favourites, exponentially grow their business? How can social media sell out an entire line of products in a few hours, less in the case of those with larger platforms? So what is it about these creators and businesses that makes them so...
Is snoozing the alarm stopping you from starting the day right?
We’ve been having work done at the house recently, so when my alarm goes off, I’ve been bouncing out of bed to avoid being spotted by tradies in my PJs. After a week or more of doing this, I had a tradie free day ahead of me and decided to snooze the alarm a few times. A present, a reward of sorts, to myself from myself. So,...
Can I make money as a photographer on Fiverr? {Part 1}
The videos pop up on YouTube all the time, twenty-somethings making tens of thousands of dollars a month online. When you dive a little further, you’ll find a few main ways they do this. But the one that grabbed my attention (first) was Fiverr. I knew of the site, of course, but hadn’t been on there for years. Are people still...