MGS WOMENS SERIES
MGS Woman: Mothers Day
A Letter to my boys -- To my little angels sent from heaven. (I won’t ever stop calling you this). Bugsy Boy, my big boy, it was you who made me a mummy. I will never forget the moment daddy and I found out we were having a baby. We had wished and prayed for you for a very long time....and there you were, safe and sound in my tummy and I knew you were there to stay. You were mine, ours and the intense love and bond was instant.The moment I got to finally hold you in my arms I couldn’t believe how much you looked like daddy, you had his forehead lines, exactly the same and it was the cutest thing ever. Your very first night earthside you and I were alone and I stared at you for what was most probably hours. My beautiful baby boy was here and I could now protect you forever. Two and a half years later your little brother was born. Our bossy, loving and fiercely independent Bobby Arrow. The look on your face when you first met Bobby is ingrained in my memory, so strong I will never forget. And just the other day you told me it was the best day of your life. How sweet you are my Bugsy Boy.You are growing up way too fast..as I always tell you, but I absolutely love watching the gorgeous little man you are growing into. Your passion and knowledge of wildlife and nature warms my heart. Your intricate and creative LEGO building skills are inspiring - although I would prefer not to have to step on a piece of lego ever again! Your ability to chat to people for hours about anything and everything is amazing. I’m so proud of you little guy in absolutely everything you do.Let’s always have our nightly chats on your bed and I will always sing your song to you as you fall asleep, I promise. Let’s also always drink Kombucha and eat soba noodles together. Thank you for being my best friend. My little Bobby Arrow. My baby who never wanted to sleep and just wanted to be cuddled, well things haven’t changed, haha. You were so tiny when you were born and daddy had to take you to a special place in the hospital to help you breathe properly and then bring you back to me. I couldn’t wait to have you safe and sound in my arms. You were the most perfect beautiful baby I had ever seen. I remember wrapping you up when we first got home and watching you while you were asleep (a rare moment) and your little face was so so perfect. Every little feature.You were and are so lucky to have Bugsy as your big brother, he helped mummy care for you, he was so soft and gentle with you when you were little. You didn’t want to be a baby for long though little guy, you were walking at 11 months old and two weeks later riding a scooter. The smallest and cutest scooter rider ever. You’re fierce independence started very young and so did your compassion and thoughtfulness for everyone around you. I always tell you to stop growing up, which we laugh about, but I absolutely love watching you and your little personality grow little man. You make mummy so proud.You are the best little helper a mummy could wish for. Lining the shoes up at the door, baking cakes and putting your pyjamas under your pillow. You definitely take after mummy with your neatness, not daddy, ha! Your attention to detail is really quite amazing and watching you love making people laugh is the best thing ever. (You definitely take after Daddy on this one).Your love for your brother is just so beautiful. Watching you and Bugsy play together for hours fills my heart.You will always be my baby. I love your kisses that you place all over my face and you give the best biggest cuddles. I will always sing your song to you as you fall asleep and cuddle you, I promise. I love you both with all of my full heart ❤️ x Mummy. A Letter to my Mum -- Dear Mum I often find myself thinking about how I got to the stage in my life, I mean how am I 41 years old? I vividly remember your 40th birthday, your Hollywood Party and that doesn't seem that long ago. And here I am now at that same stage in life with two babies of my own and loving every minute of being their mum. I see so much of you in myself as a mum, always trying to fit too much into my day but at the same time wouldn't have it any other way. Being a working mum of four had its challenges I'm sure but the love the you showered all of us never faltered. The warmth that you radiate to everyone around you is infectious and our home was always a busy hive of friends and family. Seeing you now as our Gigi to your nine Grandchildren absolutely melts my heart. You're the type of Gigi that wraps them up in your arms but also dances with them, you sing them songs but also play handball, shoot hoops and kick the soccer ball with them and always with a big smile on your face. I feel very blessed to call you my best friend as well as my mum. Thank you for teaching me unconditional love, something that I get to experience now as a mother. You are the strongest most loving soul that I know. You always told me the first thing I should do is smile when I wake up in the morning, it will make every day a happy one. I still try to do this every single day. I love you. xMichelle MOTHERS DAY 2019 Shot on location at our local fishing spot near our home. Photos by Husband and Daddy Extraordinaire @modernister
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MGS Woman: Amanda Reardon
This woman is no stranger to a photoshoot however it is usually on the other side of the camera. Amanda has been the master behind the makeup for some of the most beautiful campaigns and editorial shoots in the country, working with the biggest names in the industry such as Elle Macpherson, Miranda Kerr and Erin Wasson. I was so so happy Amanda agreed to get on the other side of the lense to capture her incredibly kind heart and her most amazing hair! She has taken on an inspiring new life with a sea and tree change, it’s a far cry from the places and people that involve her work. Amanda and her husband Josh and gorgeous little cherub Marlowe have recently packed up their Sydney home and settled in the rolling hills of the Byron Bay hinterland. They purchased a classic farmhouse that was built in 1909, but somewhere along the way it had lost its’ soul. So they took on the arduous task of restoring and breathing new life into its bones. Amanda has an exacting eye for detail and you can see it in the considered method that she took on this project. After driving through a rather heavy storm we arrived as the sun peeked through the clouds and lit up her beautiful farmhouse like a movie set. We captured Amanda barefoot in her garden showcasing this new idyllic life her little family has embarked on. We hope you love this feature as much as we do. xMGS Woman Amanda is wearing The stripe Social Shirt, The Caftan in black, The Safari Shirt in Ivory and The House Slacks in Ivory. Photography: Liz Looker
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MGS Woman: Jes Saddington
Pure Sunshine and Chilled Mumma Love are just a few words I would use to describe this woman. Jes Saddington opened her home in amongst the craziness of the day to allow us to capture a few moments with her. I met Jes via Instagram, I love her aesthetic and admired her honesty of working from home while raising her two heavenly little boys, Banjo and Dash. Jes is the founder of Dazed But Amazed hand dyed linens and she manages to produce the most beautiful colours. Each piece is hand dyed with so much love and care that when you receive your package you can almost feel Jes giving you a big hug. We shot Jes at her home overlooking the ocean on a delightful sunny day. There were linens hanging on the line, boys running mad, cuddles with Dash and it could not have been more perfect. Jes oozes freedom with a generous side of cool. I love how she rolls with the chaotic. There is something so wonderfully simple about how she packs up her tribe in Summer and heads north in their caravan = heaven! We hope you love this as much as we do. MGS Womanx Jes is wearing The Paprika Social Slacks, The Yellow Safari Shirt, The Smock Shirt, The Shirt in Paprika and The House Slacks in Safari. Photography: Liz Looker
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MGS Woman: Renae Cohen
When we decided to feature strong inspiring women, this lady was at the forefront of my mind. Renae was pregnant with her second child, an incredibly exciting time but a long wait to get here for her, hubby Julz and Macie who has just turned five. She has also recently packed up her little tribe and moved north to Byron Bay to set up a simpler and more relaxed life. My dear friend and I have been inseparable since we became neighbours when we were three. I love this woman for many things however watching her on this most recent journey to have a second baby made me love her even more. Her determination to try everything in her power to get her body to its most healthy natural state was truly inspiring. The decision to try IVF for their second baby was not an easy one, I witnessed Renae not wanting to give in on many occasions. IVF is no stranger to Renae and Julz, Macie was conceived via IVF, so that difficult road had been travelled before. After years of trying to fall pregnant, rounds of IVF and heartbreaking miscarriages, Renae was blessed with falling pregnant naturally with her little man. Struggling to fall pregnant is all too real for many women these days and sometimes it seems actually falling pregnant naturally is a miracle. I was so excited to shoot Renae roaming the shoreline with her belly out, capturing the beauty and the excitement of the little person growing inside her and the delightful innocence of the big sister in waiting, the adorable Macie Moo. -- Last week little Ziggy Winter Cohen made his debut earthside 14-06-2018. Welcome little man. We love you. MGS Woman x Renae is wearing The Caftan in Moss, The Shirt in Paprika and The Shirt in Stripe Photography: Liz Looker Location: Tallows Beach Byron Bay
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MGS Woman: Emma Lane
My General Store Woman will feature women that we know and love. Strong and inspirational women, captured beautifully and naturally in their world. Mostly the pictures tell the story with just a few words from us. ~ As Mothers Day is upon us this week we launch the series with a beautiful mum of four from Byron Bay, Emma Lane. Alongside her two delightful daughters Matilda and Lulu we spent an afternoon amongst the sunflowers, an idyllic afternoon. The girls sang “You are my Sunshine” and ran through the fields, pulling huge sunflowers from the ground to take with them. We shot on location at The Farm in Byron Bay which Emma co created with her husband Tom. A working farm, growing, feeding, educating their community so that everyone can actively participate as sustainable food growers, producers and consumers. Such an incredible gift that they have created. We hope you love this as much as we do. MGS Woman x Emma is wearing The Caftan in Moss Green, The Safari Shirt and House Slacks in Safari and The Shirt and The Social Slacks in Paprika. Photography: Liz Looker Location: The Farm Byron Bay.
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