Day One- 31 in 31


I found this idea on the blog site of an amazingly strong woman. You will see why I say so if you get a chance to read her story, also named 'Living Our Love Song'.  Technically, I'm late to the game since this was supposed to start August 1st-31st but I've decided to try it anyway! On my way home today it began to storm and pour down rain.  As soon as I got inside I grabbed my camera, and viola... here is my Day One photo! 


I love a good thunderstorm. 
Wish I didn't have to drive in it, 
but if I'm staying at home 
I find it soothing.

Roxy on the other hand....
could do without the thunder :)

(Sorry for lack of photo quality, it was dark)

Sweet Treats

Sweet Treats by Torie Jayne

1. Cupcakes
2. Bake me I'm yours: Cupcake
3. Macaroons
4. Biscuits and Macaroons
5. Sweet Treats
6. The Cupcake Deck

This week in my series of posts, "Fridays Finds", I bring you a selection of my favourite Sweet Treat cookery books!

Cake Pops by Bakerella
On my wish list is "Cake Pops" from the fantastically talented Bakerella, which comes out on the 29th October 2010!

Don't forget you can click on any blue lettering in any of my posts to link through to the relevant store website or blog post for more info!

Have a sweet day!

Things I learned this week including how much I love a wedding (budget)


1. Winter is the perfect time for a swim. Going with my kids don't melt theme, on the first day of August we allowed them to strip off to their undies and wade into the (it has to be said) rather icy waters at Greenwell Point on Sunday. Swinging from the mangroves, wading knee deep to catch tiny crabs, the Tsunamis and their cousin were embracing their kidhood with a relish that made my heart sing.

2. A simple car game makes the journey go-'round. We played '500 points if you spot a yellow car' and the Tsunamis were quiet and happy for at least 50kms. Hardly any fights (luckily none of them can count past about 25 so we pretty much had the floor).

3. And frankly, there just aren't enough yellow cars on the road these days. Whatever happened to colour*, folks?

4. The fabulous Dawn over at Beat Until Fluffy taught me how to make Sweet Potato Cookies. I'm yet to bake them, but any treat incorporating hidden vegetables is a treat indeed.

5. Modern Family is my new best show. It never fails to crack me up. Now, I'm a bit nervous at how much I can relate to these crazy characters, but they're entertaining just the same.

6. Models should not speak. Ever. No good can come of it. Gisele Bundchen's ode to 'it's called labor not holiday' was so irritatingly smug I just want to throw her in her Prada nappy bag and run over her with a Bugaboo Pram. And be warned: she has a new blog.

7. People are so kind and forgiving. We took an extra day on Monday so we could stay with Gran and Pops a bit longer down the coast. I let the school know, I let the daycare know... I forgot to let the after-school care people know and I also forgot about The Slowest Boy in the World who Annabelle collects from after-school care on Mondays. A frantic call from TSBITW's mum at 5pm and the sudden realisation that TSBITW was still at after-school care as dark descended, had me worried that the support chain might be compromised. I needn't have worried, they saw the funny side. How I love them.

8. I love weddings. Now, hear me out. It's not about the big frocks, it's about the big budgets. I don't care what the bride wears, but I do care what stationery she chose and I'm more interested in how she did the tables than her hair (or the groom, for that matter). Check out Snippet and Ink for lashings of creativity.

9. "If you take too long in deciding what to do with your life, you'll find you've done it." -George Bernard Shaw

10. Charlie and Lola are quite possibly the best role models for brothers and sisters everywhere. We adore them in Maxabellaland.


Did you learn anything exciting this week? Was it a good one?


PS - Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, I look like a monkey and I'm mum to another three.

* Says she of the dark grey Ford Terror.


[Image from Snippet & Ink]

food stylin







I think it would be so much fun being a food stylist/photographer & dream up all things delicious to accompany the food. These are a few of my favourite styled images to get your taste buds going!

What's in a Name?

From the files of 'way too cute not to share' comes this little trinket... earlier this week, I realised that we have as yet no set name or even a shortlist really for our unborn bebe. This didn't seem such a problem a few weeks ago... but suddenly I flipped the calendar and it said AUGUST and I realised I was having a baby this month and a tiny bit of panic set in.

You know you're in trouble when you read an entire naming book and find not a single name you like.

Naming Fern was pretty easy. For starters, we found out we were having a girl pretty early on, which narrowed our decision down straight away! Secondly, the name Fern had been in the back of my mind for years, I first encountered it as the character of the little girl in the children's story Charlottes Web, and fell in love with it straight away. I pretended to consider other names, but really the minute I knew it was a girl, it was Fern thereafter. I just had to convince my husband! He liked Lucinda - we both did actually - and so that became Fern's middle name. Fern Lucinda. And would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?

It's different this time around. Our shortlist is way too short at this late stage and I'm beginning to fear I will be one of those awful and annoying indecisive types who waits until days after the birth to name their child. And I've had 10 months to think about it! The easy solution is of course to go back to the 'B' list from the first time around... and we have! But those names all seem so boringly 2 years ago now, and we're pretty much over all of them!

But perhaps all is not lost... explaining our predicament over a bit of burnt self-saucing chocolate pud the other night to our friend and Fern's godfather, Crawford, he offered the services of his slightly eccentric and agreeably adorable 10 year old Charlotte to assist. He got her on the phone and she agreed to draw up a shortlist... and true to her word, she did. Bless. I'm sure she won't mind my sharing it with you:
What do you think - any contenders? I kind of like 'Goobie' or maybe 'Chippie' for a boy and 'Lolly' for a girl! Out of the mouths of babes!
What was on YOUR 'B' list... anything I might like and be able to steal?
Have a great weekend x

The wonderful world of Etsy

Aqua and Coral Etsy Finds by Torie Jayne

Etsy Finds (clockwise from top left):

Now I know most of you know about Etsy already but I am still surprised to find that many of my friends and people I meet do not know about it. So, I thought it was high time I did a post about Etsy.

Etsy was founded in June, 2005 by American furniture maker and photographer, Rob Kalin. They now have over 400,000 worldwide sellers including 5,000 who are based here in the UK. There are just under six million handmade items from independent artisans for sale which are viewed by 39 million potential customers a month! Aside from the handmade treasures there is also a vintage section and for those that want to make their own treasures there is a supply section, full of great looking stuff from cupcake wrappers to the prettiest ribbons, fabrics and trims. All products are organised by categories, colour or location and you can favourite your best finds/sellers, making them easy to come back to. If you are at a loss as to where to start there are the Editor's pick pages.

Know what you want but can't find it? Well, you can turn your ideas into reality with Alchemy! Buyers can post requests for custom handmade items, and then sellers bid on the opportunity to make the goods.

I love the sense of community and the unique gifts from independent artisans you can find for loved ones and yourself! I personally can spend hours browsing this treasure trove! I will share my favorite finds here with you.

Have a sweet day!

top of my list

I have a pile of books next to my bed......several on the go all at once. I have projects I need to finish.....hand written cards I need to post....phone calls to make....recipes to try......washing to hang out.....nails to paint..... & the list goes on. 

but at the top of my list I need to put.....make the most of every day....step outside....cuddle my girls....play with them....read them books....push them on the swings.....sing them songs......because most days & weeks fly by & I have been too caught up in the every day routine to take a step aside & really make the most of every day....

image from here
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