We were lucky enough to sit down and catch up with the gorgeous Gemma behind the account @gemma_peanut to chat about her recent trip to Japan, mum life, work life and all about the gram life. 




I loved watching your most recent trip to Japan, what was your highlight of the trip?
 
Gosh, where do I begin?! Japan exceeded all of my crazy high expectations so it’s tough to distill it to just one highlight. But I think I’m going to have to go with THE FOOD! Ramen, sushi, goyaza, Takoyaki, Shabu-shabu, you name it, we tried it! Hubs and I had a hard and fast rule that throughout our 14-day affair with Japan, we were committed to eating only Japanese food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And you know what? We never got sick of it. In fact, since arriving back home, we’ve missed it!
 



Most people might not know this about you but you had quite a large role as Jade Mitchel for nine years on Neighbours, what was your highlight of being on Ramsey St?
 
I was a full-time cast member on Neighbours from 2010 to 2013 and while it does feel like a lifetime ago, it was a career highlight and one of the most significant chapters of my life. The best part about the job was hands down the people I was lucky enough to work with. Not just the other actors but also the crew. Everyone felt like family.

 
Raffa is absolutely adorable! What is her best personality trait?
 
Her best personality trait is also the thing that happens to be turning me grey. Her fearlessness! I admire her fearlessness and the way she approaches everything with gusto. Whether it’s crawling or walking, she just throws herself into it. Unfortunately, this also means she’s a fearless climber and endlessly puts herself in dangerous situations. I cannot take my eye off this kid!

As William Shakespeare would say...
“Though she be but little she is fierce”.


 
Your Instagram feed is on pointe!! What are your top tips for curating the perfect Instagram feed?
 
Posting thoughtfully rather than thoughtlessly. It’s better to post less often with purpose than posting frequently just because you feel you should. I also favour higher quality images. As a photographer, the vast majority of the photos on my IG grid were taken on a camera. Although iPhone cameras are seriously stepping things up, I still think it’s got a way to go to match the quality of a camera. And with cameras now having inbuilt WIFI, it’s so easy to transfer photos directly to your phone to post. I also recommend being consistent with the color palette and tone of your grid. This means finding a filter you love and sticking with it.
 
During those rare “me time” moments, what is your number one go-to treat for yourself?
 
Your question has basically highlighted to me that I don’t allocate enough “me time” because nothing came to mind straight away.  But I will say that my guilty pleasure of the moment is watching Lego Masters. It is the most adorkable, daggy yet somehow utterly compelling show. Next on my watch list is Netflix’s Ted Bundy film starring Zac Efron. And next on my Listen List is a podcast series called Cold.


 
We love how open you are with what goes on in your house and the less glamorous and real side of parenting. What made you like sharing such personal stories to your audience?
 
I wasn’t always an oversharer. I think the most rewarding thing about being so open and honest is the amount of women who have reached out to me privately with their shared experiences. I guess I realized that keeping things like my fertility struggles a secret doesn’t lend itself to opportunities to help and connect with others. And hearing their stories also made me feel less alone. Plus, the people I enjoy following on Instagram aren’t perfectly polished.  Although I will be the first to admit that my grid looks polished but my stories and captions reveal the truth. I’m definitely someone who loves pretty pictures with honest words.
 
You lead a very busy life in between parenting, working and everything else. What is your go-to tip for finding time to spend with your partner?        
 
I think making time as a couple is a discipline. It’s easy to shelve your relationship as hubby + wife and put your children first because (let’s be honest) parenting is exhausting! So, unless you park your ass down and commit to a date night in the calendar, it ain’t gonna happen. But I must admit, my favorite quality time is actually after Raffa’s bedtime. We’re pretty fluid when it comes to her routine during the day but quite strict about her 7pm bedtime. Once she’s asleep, I can finally exhale the chaos of the day, enjoy dinner together and catch up.
 
I know you were born in Thailand (what an amazing place to have spent part of your life!!!) could you I ask what is your favorite Thai meal that you love to eat? (If you have a favorite Thai recipe that you love whipping up in the kitchen please feel free to share that xo)
 
So first up, I’m horrified to admit that I don’t cook. It’s on my to-learn-to-do list, promise! And at the top of that list would be to learn to cook Thai food. My mum has a kickass Thai green chicken curry recipe I’m hoping to make one of these days! Wish me luck.


Please be sure to head on over and give Gemma some love & follow along with her journey xo