I love this!
It is a fantastic free printable from
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Washi tape Easter eggs
I love Washi tape.
It is another purchase that I made form the fabulous
Chibi run
I have seen a few of these Easter egg trees floating around in cyberspace for a while now & I thought it was time that I gave it a go.
All you need is
Some Washi tape in various colours, polystyrene eggs & paperclips.
And of course you need some sticks. We found ours on a walk the other day.
All you need to do is wrap the eggs with the washi tape,
Open up a paperclip, leaving a hook at one end.
Poke the paperclip into the top of the egg & hang it on your “tree”
and there you have your very own Easter egg tree!!
DIY fabric tape bangle
A little while back, I brought some beautiful fabric tape from a beautiful online Australian shop called
Chibi run
I had been waiting for the right project to pop into my head to use this tape.
After joining in with
Fox in Flats
for this weeks style dare of an
it came to me.
A fabric tape bangle!
I am a big lover of scarves & every time I buy a scarf, I also inherit a scarf holder which is perfect for a bangle. So add fabric tape & you have the perfect addition to your arm party collection.
Perfect!
I also have some of this fantastic fabric tape in a pink floral so I think I will make another one too!
You could also pick up bangles for a discount or dollar store & make them into something fabulous by just wrapping them with fabric tape.
Monday, April 2, 2012
School holidays, ahhhhhh bliss!
Today is the first official day of the Easter school holidays here in QLD & I forgot just how much I love school holidays!
Everything is less rushed.
No fighting with the kids because apparently it is always the Mum’s fault when only one sock comes back from the washing machine. Always Mum’s fault when there is nothing good to eat. Always Mum’s fault when homework goes missing. You know the drill?
When Georgia asked me to put up her hair this morning, I said no. Wear it down. Who cares? It’s holidays!
On the weekend, we turned our back patio into a teenager's retreat where the girls can hang out & “chill”. Did you know that you don’t invite friends over for a play when you are a teenager but you invite them over to “hang” for a couple of hours or “chill” overnight? I am learning the lingo.
Georgia playing the WII while she “hangs out”.
The only thing that we “have” to do each day is Georgia has to keep up her running for the 800m, 2km cross country & the 5km bridge to Brisbane fun run. So to make it a little more fun than just going up to the school oval, most days she is going to run along the bike path at the beach. Kiara can take her basketball to shoot hoops & I will walk while Georgia runs. I am not the running type, it is not a pretty sight to see me run so I will just walk.
I am also doing a bit of redecorating over the school holidays. My Mother-in-law gave us a fabulous lounge suite which matches my “beach resort” them that I am trying to accomplish in the lounge room. These were originally going to go out the back for the kids but I though the denim lounge would be better for a teenage retreat. So now I have to change the colour scheme in the house just a little. I also need to repaint the front door, I am thinking a more calming blue colour would be nice.
I am also going to de-clutter. All the kids board games, toys, fitness equipment, etc is either going out into their room or into the shed. I think we have come to a time in our family life that the kids can have their own space & the adults can have theirs. Now I just can’t wait for to get the carpet in the lounge room ripped up & wooden floors put in. All in good time.
I have bread cooking in the bread maker & it is making so hungry because it smells so good! There is nothing better than the smell of fresh bread. So I am going to go & make a yummy Caesar salad for lunch.
Friday, March 30, 2012
The night I met Jackie Frank
Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love fashion. So when the chance presented itself to attend the marie claire James Street Up late fashion event, I jumped at the chance. I am so glad I did because now I have this….
This is a photo of my & the fabulous Jackie Frank {editor of marie claire magazine}
While some people go gaga for movie stars, athletes or pop stars……I go gaga for Jackie Frank!
Yes, that look on face is a look that I have never seen before & must make a mental note to try & be a little more calm when having a photo with an idol!
It was the main reason why I went to this event {apart from the fabulous clothes!}, I just wanted to catch a glimpse of Jackie Frank.
And that I did & more!
While waiting in the cue outside of the marie claire pop up store for a goodie bag, the fabulous Jackie appeared. Now when I say she appeared, eyes were instantly drawn to her. This woman oozes class & style. She is taller than I imagined & this woman has a body to die for.
Now, while standing in the cue & quietly hyperventilating while Jackie Frank made her way down the cue saying hello to everyone, I started to get nervous. You know, the kind of nervousness where you start to feel a little strange as though you are having an out of body moment. I know that some of you may be thinking that I am a little strange but Jackie Frank to me is everything I want to be.
As she got closer she looked at me with that look of “I know you”. I looked around to see if there was someone else she was smiling at. Nope, it was me! She grabbed my shoulder & said, “I know you, I have seen you before.” with a massive smile on her face that said she really had seen me before.
That is when it happened.
For the first time in my life, I was lost for words!
I mean seriously, I could not speak!
All that I could hear was tiny little angels singing in my ear.
Then came the moment that I could never have imagined.
“I love your handbag!”
Yes, Jackie Frank, the woman who has so much power in the fashion world & can dictate fashion trends, told me that she loved my handbag!
Oh be still my beating heart!
{Mr P, yes it is the handbag you hate because it is a Mary Poppins sized bag of mystery. Now it will be the only handbag that I ever use again! It may take an hour to find the car keys down the bottom but who cares, Jackie loves it!}
Ok, it gets even better.
She asked me, “Do you want a photo together?”
In my head I was screaming YES, YES, YES!!!!
I think I managed to get out, “Yes please Jackie.”
We had our photo & I thought that was it.
OH NO!!! THERE IS MORE!!!!
Jackie Frank proceeded to pull out her Blackberry & said, “My turn!”
YES!!!
Jackie Frank took a photo & said make sure you check twitter because I just tweeted this photo.
OMG!!!
Jackie Frank tweeted a photo & I am in it! It killed me to have to wait until I got home to check. {mental note to self, finally get around to setting up twitter on my phone!}
And here it is!!
A big thank you to my date for the night. My fabulous friend Kerri who you can see just behind me in the line. We shopped till we dropped. Well, we window shopped & brought tops from Lorna Jane.
Ok, I have to go & have a lay down. The excitement of the night is coming back to me!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Teenage dream
The best thing about a teenage birthday….
a simple cake is all they want!
Nothing elaborate.
Kiara just wanted a plain chocolate cake with pink rolled satin icing. I did put a Gerbera on top because it just didn't look like a birthday cake without it!
Gone are the days of wanting her favourite cartoon character, a princess castle or even having to make a number cake.
I like this new simple birthday cake!
And what else would a girl want for her 13th Birthday?
A school disco!
Yep, she had her school disco on her birthday so it was just like the whole school had a party for her.
It seems as though she grew up too quickly in the last couple of days.
Well, that is both girls birthdays done & dusted for another year.
Phew, as they grow up the presents seem to triple in price & my wallet & ATM card need a break.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Waffles, perfect for breakfast, dessert and everything in-between!
I have been going pretty well on the challenge to myself, 30 days without an oven (22 days down!). The kids have been getting into it to. Georgia’s favourite thing to cook right now is Buttermilk waffles.
A waffle maker cost around $15- $20 for a cheap one & I seriously think they are fabulous!
Waffles freeze really well (you buy them from the frozen section!) so they are perfect for having on hand for quick breakfasts, snacks or desserts.
I think they are best served with ice cream & chocolate sauce.
Georgia has them for breakfast with maple syrup or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar (sometimes both!)
Ingredients
2 cups of self-raising flour
1 teaspoon of bicarb soda
1/4 cup of castor sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
90g of melted butter
1 & 3/4 cup of buttermilk
Pre heat the waffle maker for 5 minutes or until hot.
Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Give it a stir with a whisk.
Make a well in the dry ingredients.
In a jug mix together all of the other ingredients. Pour them into the dry ingredients & mix well with a whisk until there are no lumps.
According to the manufacturers handbook of your waffle maker, pour in enough mixture to make the waffles.
Close the lid & cook for between 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow to cool on a cooling rack. This helps to keep them nice & crisp, not soggy.
Serve them with anything you want!
If you have leftovers or make a double batch, freeze the remaining one is an extra large snap lock bag with baking paper between each layer.
You can thaw them out in the microwave or toaster.
Do you love waffles as much as we do?
What is your favourite topping?
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Time for me! A new do!
So I am off to a pretty fabulous event later this week
(more info to come soon!)
& I needed a new do!
Gone is the “in a hurry Mummy ponytail” & now it is short & sassy!
(sorry but there is no makeup! Horror!)
before after
It is also darker & the white hairs that are sneaking in now have gone!
This is what it looks like when it dries au natural & I am thinking that I may straighten it for the very special event.
I have picked my outfit & it is my dream outfit. It is classy, sophisticated yet simple.
I will take heaps of pics on the night to show you all.
Now, I am off to finish getting organised for Kiara’s 13th birthday tomorrow.
Woe with me!
I just don’t feel like I am old enough to be the mother of a teenager!
Time for an update
A little while back I wrote a blog post called
and I just wanted to give you all an update on what has been happening because you were all so supportive of my situation.
I really took things into my own hands & took control. I sent my husbands work an email letting them know just how much his job was effecting our family. It was a long email & I wrote & deleted it many times before I just pressed send. I sent it to all the managers & the owner. Things have changed in his work situation & it has been for the better. This week he is even driving during the day so I know that his company listened. Last night I slept so soundly knowing that he was also sleeping & not driving during the night. I also know that this means he will be able to spend time with the girls this weekend as he won’t be asleep all day & awake all night.
It took a lot of courage for me to send the email. I have a funny feeling that his work may think that he told me what to write but in actual fact, he had no idea what I was going to do.
That was the first step in me taking control of my life. It was the biggest & hardest step but also the most liberating.
I have also been looking for a job outside of the house. It is a little difficult as I have been out of the paid workforce for so long but I am not giving up. There has been countless, “Sorry but you have not been successful.” emails but with each one I am building a tough skin that makes me feel more successful than those people will ever know.
I am even taking the plunge today & getting a brand new hairstyle. I want the outside to feel as good as the inside. I look in the mirror lately & I know that the tired & worn out person looking at me is not how I really feel. I feel the most comfortable with my inside person that I have ever been. I need to start spending time on the outside.
I really need to exercise more. I have done the hard yards & lost a lot of weight by changing what I eat but I need to firm & tone my body. I need to cherish my body as much as I do my soul.
So with that, I am going to log off the computer & go & find my new fabulous me that is hiding behind this ponytail of convenience & unleash the real me!
Cheats chow mien. Even the kids will love it!
Since the start of this year, I have had a rule.
Try something new for dinner at least once a week.
We tried a cheats version of Chow mien a couple of months ago & it has become a firm favourite in our house ever since.
It is a simple dish that is just mince, peas, Singapore noodles & some flavouring.
It may not be an authentic chow mien but it got my girls interested in trying new things & now they know that there is lots of interesting foods out there.
Here is my Cheats Chow Mien
Follow the directions on the Singapore noodle packet.
{mine said to place the noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes then drain}
Fry 500g of beef mince in a wok or fry pan.
Drain off any excess liquid.
In a jug mix together 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of chicken stock powder, 1 teaspoon of mild curry powder & a splash of soy sauce
{you can adjust these flavours according to taste. My girls do not like anything spicey or hot & these amounts are just perfect.}
Add the liquid to the mince & 1 cup of frozen peas.
Let simmer for a few minutes & add the noodles to the pan. Toss well until the noodles are evenly distributed through the mince & peas.
Serve.
This meal also freezes well so make sure to freeze the leftovers for a quick & easy dinner on a busy night.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Meet my newest best friend, isn’t she perfect?
I want to introduce you to my newest & bestest friend.
Her name is Lumina
(that is what is says on the box so the name stuck!)
She is my newest addition to the vast array of kitchen gadgets that I have but…..
this one actually does everything that it promises to do!
It is a thermo wave oven type thing.
So far it has cooked buttercake cupcakes, mudcake, roast chook, lamb shanks, wedges, chips & there was something else but I can’t remember!
Everything cooks in half the time & tastes super delicious.
There is no preheating so I am pretty sure it is using a lot less electricity.
It is making it really easy to stick to my 30 days without using the oven challenge.
The best part is that it cost me $32.99 from Aldi!
Do you have one & what have you cooked in yours?
Friday, March 23, 2012
I am still here!
I am still here!
Just wanted to stop by & let you know that I am still here. I know I have been a little quiet on the blog of late. Living has got in the way of blogging.
My Mum is up on holidays & the last time she was up was just before the Brisbane floods last year.
I have cleaned & washed & cleaned & washed to get ready for her visit & I think I may have over done it because I am feeling a little exhausted. We are still in the middle of Birthday month in our house. A big dinner party for Kiara’s birthday tomorrow (I am NOT cooking!).
I am starting to realise just how expensive teenagers presents can get! I am taking her shopping at D.F.O. {direct factory outlets} to buy a nice outfit for her dinner tomorrow. She is a t-shirt, denim shorts, high-tops & flat caps kind of girl so it gets a little hard to find things she likes. You would think it would be easy but oh no…………..she is so fussy about her clothes.
I hope you all have a great weekend doing whatever you are doing & make sure you find time to
Friends of Suger, My style
Today I am visiting the fabulous Melissa {Suger} who blogs at Suger coat it.
Melissa {Suger} is one of my fellow fabulous Queensland bloggers & she has style!
I know she has style as she now also has her own regular blog feature over at Mix Apparel
I recently got the chance to meet Melissa at the awesome Brisbane Bloggers Lunch where she hosted an awesome meet up for all of us awesome Queensland bloggers {yes, we seem to use the word awesome about blogging a lot!}
Ok, I have a confession. Melissa is my blogging goddess!! She gives all of us blogging newbies (I am nearly a 1yr old blogger!) so much great advice.
{we worship you}
So please stop by
and say hi to Suger!!
And while you are there, check out my ideas on style
Monday, March 19, 2012
Easiest Chocolate mousse ever. 3 ingredients.
This would have to be one of the easiest desserts that I have ever made!
3 ingredients!
That’s it!
You need 600ml of thickened cream
1/4 cup of icing sugar
450g of chocolate
(I used Cadbury cooking chocolate)
Simply whip the cream with the icing sugar.
Melt the chocolate & fold gently through the whipped cream until all combined.
Spoon into serving dishes.
(I used vintage tea cups)
Let set in the fridge for around 1 hour.
It makes the richest chocolate mousse that I have ever had!
It is not the normal light & full of air mousse, this is out of this world!
You could garnish with chocolate curls, sprinkles, etc but I think this is simply perefct the way it is.
This amount would feed up to 8 people.
Or if you are like us, it means that you can have more for dessert the next night.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Making raincoats funky!
How cool is this raincoat????
Very cool according to my girls!
Rain is becoming an everyday part of living in Queensland & I am fed up with getting wet.
So, I am starting a campaign to make raincoats cool again!
Gone is the bright yellow plastic raincoat, here to stay is the latest fashion raincoats!
Who is in???
If you are wanting to make a fashionable raincoat, I used the
that I purchased from Wrapped in Fabric
Yep, it was raining when I decided to act like a crazy woman for this photo shoot but I can say I was loving every minute of being able to get wet & know that my clothes would stay dry.
I like to make simple things so I opted to leave the pockets out. I really don’t like pockets because they just encourage me to carry more things than I need to.
I also did not put any buttons on this at all because when you are wanting to get a raincoat on quickly, the only thing you need is a belt.
You can add the pockets & the buttons if you wish, all instructions for them are in the pattern.
This is a great multisized pattern & I think that both my 11 & 12 (nearly 13, can’t forget that!) daughters will both be able to have one made in their size from the same pattern.
I made this from thick quilters cotton & 2 layers of Scotchgaurd (spray waterproofing for fabric).
You could use oilcloth or a laminated fabric.
It is completely lined & reversible if you don’t add the buttons.
Now I just need to do is pimp an umbrella to match {tutorial}
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)