Champagne Women: Malinda from My Brown Paper Packages

We are excited to have Malinda from My Brown Paper Packages as our special guest today. If you haven’t checked out her blog, you really should. It’s a gorgeous mix of travel, family, food and craft – all tied up in one gorgeous package so you can create your own inspired, beautiful and happy lifestyle.

And who doesn’t want that, right?

Take it away, Malinda…

 

What do you wish you had more of in your life?

Time. Everyone says this answer though, don’t they! I wish I had more of all the good things like time with friends and family, more travel opportunities, more good food and, while we are wishing, I may as well add more money because who wouldn’t say yes to that.

What do you wish you had less of?

At the moment I am on the sustainable living bandwagon. I’m not all ‘green crusader hippy dippy’ but just getting more conscious of my footprint on the environment. So I’d like to have less rubbish. And while you’re at it, maybe you could throw in less whining noise from the kids, less housework, and less of that post-baby never-going-away flubber.

What’s your favourite ‘me time’ activity?

If I’ve only got 5 minutes I will sit in the sun and do absolutely nothing but sit there blissing out. If I have half an hour I’d grab a good supply of amazing food to snack on and find a comfy spot to read a book or flick through a magazine. If I have a bit longer I will jump in the car and drive down to sit on Burleigh Beach headland with a coffee.

141023 malinda time out collage

What’s the best gift you’ve given yourself recently?

I honestly don’t remember the last time I bought something just for me – sounds sad doesn’t it – but I have been spending money on lots of little projects around the house and the most recent one is pretty fabulous: chooks! We have our very own backyard chooks and are in the midst of passionate family debates on what we will name them, any suggestions?

141023 malinda chooks

What’s your favourite song to belt out in the shower?

Most of the time my showers are rushed affairs and usually with an audience so I am either answering questions that only a 5 year old can ask, because asking questions when in the shower is much like when in the car (they are doozies!), or I am singing songs to my 2 year old about rainbows or cows that go moo between yelling, “No, Don’t touch that…Don’t unroll the toilet paper again!” If I had the shower all to myself I think it would be blissful silence.

You have a night off from the kids and unlimited funds: what do you do?

I’d check in to a fancy hotel with a great view, get a full works spa pampering before crashing into a big soft bed with hubby to eat, drink and be merry. Hopefully I’d make it through all of that without falling asleep at 8 o’clock! I’d then wake up when I wanted to, rather than being awakened.

What’s the secret to striking a balance among your life’s competing priorities?

To do lists. That’s pretty much it. And spending some time prioritising what is truly important at the beginning of each week gets me off to a good start. Whatever I do, I make sure it contributes to my happiness somehow.

Do you have a favourite memory involving champagne?

My most recent champagne was toasting our new house which was pretty exciting. My favourite though would have to be my wedding day, though that seems cheesy so maybe it should be that moment in Provence in the South of France when hubby and I were sipping champagne and relaxing on the patio after a day of exploring and reflecting on our upcoming adventure of living in Thailand for 12 months … but all champagne memories are good memories.

 

my brown paper packages headerHello, my name is Malinda and My Brown Paper Packages is a reflection of my favourite things in life. I share simple ways to create an inspired, beautiful and happy lifestyle. After a year living overseas in Thailand, I returned to Australia and my days are now filled with giggles from my 2 gorgeous girls. I blog about travel stories and advice, including inspirational wanderlust ideas; I share what’s on my plate with recipes and reviews of what I am eating; I show my creative side with my handmade and DIY creations around my home and my random ramblings about life and all of my (and my guests!) favourite things.

Written By

Carolyn is the editorial director of Champagne Cartel and a freelance writer. In her spare time she is a long-distance runner, peanut butter enthusiast, and single mum to three incredible humans.

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