Friday, April 29, 2011

Royal Wedding Fever!

I'll come back and add the link, I've misplaced it!!

Just in case you didn't know ( like if you've been off to mars for easter perhaps?!), British Prince, William, has just married pretty 'commoner' Kate Middleton!!!
OF COURSE YOU KNEW!!

So: CONGRATULATIONS WILL IAM & KATE!

It's quite exciting & lovely, and makes me rather homesick to be missing all those street parties
...well, I AM British after all!!

have a great weekend!
love,
Sally x0x

Thursday, April 28, 2011

INSPIRING but seriously addictive...

Hello!.....

I have previously, already mentioned my love for Pinterest, but boy am I hooked at the moment!!

Oh dear! But really it's quite amazing. It is honestly!!

It (almost) makes me feel kind of like I do when I am travelling - freshly inspired, full of ideas, enthusiasm and optimism!! Don't believe me? Try it.
You may feel the same, and even if you don't I bet you will have at least one new idea from your visit...

if you have not discovered it for yourself yet - let me explain... it is a site and plugin that allows you to collect images that catch your eye, as you surf the net.

You simply sign up and install the "pin it" plugin to your browser. Then when you visit your favourite sites or blogs and see an image you love, and would like to store in a safe place for later, you just click on 'Pin It' in your bookmarks bar, then you can save it with a comment to your Pinterest account into boards you make of similar things, be it by colour, by type, by any classification that takes your fancy!

You can also browse other memer's "pins" and add them to your own collection.
It is such a great tool for inspiration and ideas, to be kept in a quick, organised manner.

I have boards for colour inspiration, ideas collated for my future dream home (one day maybe...!!),
recipe ideas, clothes I like, quotes which inspire me, people whom inspire me and whom I admire,
products I love, a collection of clever ideas and tips....

all up - I have 55 boards at the moment.
There seems to be no limit to the amount you can store.

WARNING:
Pinterest is highly addictive, I can take no responsibility for any hours/ days/ even WEEKS you 'waste' being lost in the land of pinning!

HOWEVER, remember:
TIME YOU ENJOYED WASTING - IS NOT TIME WASTED AT ALL!!
Here are a few of my most recent discoveries:

Another similar resource is POLYVORE which is also fun website for collecting images (you may wish to check that one out too, if you haven't already! Many Pinteresters use it!) But, I don't find it as user friendly or inspiring, personally.

enjoy,

Sally

x0x

Sunday, April 24, 2011

HAPPY EASTER!

cute bunny garland

Hello Lovlies,

it's Easter Sunday.
I hope you are having a great long weekend. Here we are lucky, we have five days off. Yes FIVE! It's a public holiday on monday because it's Easter Monday, but it is also 'Anzac Day' (which coincidentally is ALSO my birthday!!). Well because the two holidays coincide we have been lucky enough to have Anzac Day on tuesday in lieu of monday. Yaay!!

Chocolate, family time and extra sleep, my idea of heaven!! :)

Aren't these brioche bunnies cute?! (pic on right).
Will you be having anything special this easter? Do you have traditional family recipes or meals?
We don't, just chocolate and maybe store bought hot cross buns.

from Martha Stewart

I love the pretty spring colours associated with easter, don't you? (Even though, for us it's Autumn,

having grown up in the UK, for me Easter is synonymous with spring).

have a lovely easter,

Sally x0x

Monday, April 4, 2011

French Macaroon is the new 'Black'!!!

photo from Bombini blog

...ahem, what I actually mean is:
~ French Macaroon is the new ~~'Black'~~ Cupcake!!!! ~
hehe!
You must have noticed just how popular this adorable little, sweet treat is becoming.

Just in case you have not discovered the pleasure yet, a macaroon is a small meringue cake characterised by a dome-shaped shell made of egg whites and almond meal, hard to the touch with a chewy interior,
and usually filled with a creamy centre.

Here in Australia, the popularity of Macaroons (aka macarons) has been largely down to the appearance on the HUGELY popular TV show"Master Chef" Australia of Adriano Zumbo, patissier extraordinaire!

I didn't watch it myself, but Zumbo's shop is in my 'village' (as we locals call the Sydney suburb I live in),
and I have loooong been a fan of these delectable lovelies!

They are not cheap and I am sure not very forgiving when it comes to my waistline, so they are an occasional treat.

But they come in an astonishing array of appetising varieties, such as Strawbwerry & balsamic, Pineapple and lime, Toasted Marshmallow, banana - flavours I've sampled, and these I have not:

Patissier Adriano Zumbo with his tower of terror dessert. Picture:
Tomasz Machnik Source: The Daily Telegraph

Pancake and maple syrup
Sweet musk
Basil and passion fruit
Macadamia and mango
Ginger
Smoked almond
Peach Tea
Francesco chocolate
Annunziata chocolate
Bloody Mary
Cinnamon
Salted butter caramel
Rosemary and apricot

...and also some less-appetising flavours, (I also have NOT tried!!), eg. Wasabi & pickled ginger, Salt & Vinegar, Eucalyptus, Blue Cheese...

My favourites so far have been 'Raspberry & Licorice', 'Blueberry & Lavender' and Choc-Orange. Mmmmmmm Mmmmmmmmmm!!!

There is something just so delectable and satisfying, biting through that crisp shell, then enjoying the chewy
texture and the oh-so-smooth, creamy filling.
Oh! Divine!
{With a cup of Earl Grey or peppermint tea in my favourite mug - it's a little slice of heaven!}

Sorry cupcakes - I love you because you are fun and kitsch and versatile, I have fun decorating you and you can be very, very tasty, but I have a new fave sweet treat.

But then again Cupcake old friend I think YOU are way easier to make.
For those that are game here's a recipe

For the rest of us - let's enjoy the lovely macaroon images!!!