Jikana Damaru

Sweet Style has arrived

Finally it has arrived. After many months of planning and loads of encouragement from family and friends I am thrilled to announce the launch of my new website and online store.

Sweet Style is really a dream come true for me - what began 2 years ago as a blog about a new house we were building somehow has turned itself into something entirely of its own and it has nothing to do with building a house - funny the direction life can take when you find something you are passionate about.

Mrs A In the Cove - the blog - will continue as I hope to be able to take everyone along with me on this journey into the world of Sweet Style. I will continue to blog about the girls, Mr A and life in general, as well as work on my photography, create more dessert tables and show you new and exciting products in the store. Somewhere in there I hope to be able to find time for some sleep!

I must also add a word of thanks to some wonderful people who have helped me along the way - my gorgeous friend Natasha and her husband Daniel who have not only designed and built my website, but have also been an incredible sounding board for all aspects of setting up a business and always full of enthusiasm for my little hobby that has turned into something more.

To my lovely online friends who have been so encouraging - Katena, Sharnel, Tracey and Millie. Thank you x

And of course to my biggest critic but biggest supporter Mr A - if there is a spelling mistake - he finds it. If there is a sentence or picture that doesn't look right he tells me - he loves this blog as much as I do. He is currently travelling in the US for work so missing my launch party (nothing big - just me and the girls) but checks in regularly to pick up anything I may have missed.

So without further ado I invite you to take a visit to my new website and store

www.sweetstyle.com.au

As a special opening offering I will be offering 10% off everything in the store from now until Sunday evening.

Yes this includes the milk glass cake stands as well (they arrive on the 12th June so place your order and they will be shipped out to you on arrival). Enter the code "Launch" in the coupon box to receive your discount.

Finally, don't forget to like my Sweet Style facebook and twitter pages to be kept up to date with all the news including special offers and new products that will be arriving in the coming weeks.

Enjoy having a look around.

while walking around Melbourne

I could have stopped & looked at the amazing buildings & architecture all day long.
Simply breath taking.
This is the Forum theatre home to lots of live music & fun times.

On the road again

Imagine my joy when LOML turned to me earlier this year and said "Where are you going on your annual road trip this year?"

It's annual! My once-in-a-lifetime escape by myself is actually annual!

He's a good man, my man. He understands me and he knows how to make me sing.

The question remained: where am I going to go this year?

I'm heading out towards the end of July and I've always wanted to go to Tassie, so that was on the cards. I planned to visit Jane in Hobart and then mosey around the coast a little bit. But then LOML and I decided that we want to go to Tasmania for the first time as a family, so I've parked that idea for later in the year.

So now, I'm driving from Sydney to Daylesford and poking around there before driving home. A trip like that is going to be inspiration, creativity and promise all wrapped up in a handmade rug to warm the soul.

Any suggestions on where to stay, where to visit, what to do? I'm all excited ears!

__________________________________________________
Edited on 2.6.2011

Just wanted to say OF COURSE I'll be giving big smooches to Allison at Lark whilst in Daylesford (I am an avid eshopper already!). And I would have been having a cuppa at Kate's place too, but she'll be inconveniently off having a marvellous caravanning hol with the fam...

[Image by Margaret Metcalfe]

Gluten free Chocolate Soufflé

This is a super easy chocolate soufflé to make and tastes so good. You can make it in advance and leave it in the fridge until ready to cook. I recently made it for my guests at a dinner party and it went down a storm! I love serving it with fresh raspberries as it is very rich!

Gluten-free Chocolate Soufflé (makes 8 individual servings)

Ingredients

150g (2/3 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed
1 teaspoon (1/6 ounces) natural vanilla extract
175g (1 cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
6 large eggs
125g (1/2 cup) Gluten free plain flour
200g (7 ounces) Hotel Chocolat 70% dark chocolate drops
Raspberries to decorate
Single cream to serve

Cooking instructions

Preheat oven to 180-200 deg C (325-350 deg F)
Lightly butter inside of ramekins. (I use a sheet of kitchen roll and a knob of butter)
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bain marie (or in a bowl over a simmering pan of water)
Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until very light and fluffy
Fold in flour
Fold in the chocolate mixture
Divide mixture among ramekins
Bake for 8-12 minutes, the soufflé should rise and form a crust around the edges, leaving the middle slightly gooey
Place on cake stands and decorate with fresh raspberries
Serve with lashings of single cream

Chocolate Soufflé with lashings of cream!

Have a sweet day!

Rainy Day Activity - Make a Table Playhouse!

Hello my sweets! Well, as promised today I have a guest post from a new blogger on the block - her name Emily and her blog is The Beetle Shack. Emily contacted me out of the blue on a day I received an 'anonomous' scathing remark from a reader about my noticeable lack of parenting skills (remember this post) and was considering throwing it all in (my blog, that is!) when a lovely email came in telling me how refreshing my blog was with its lack of sugar coating motherhood and thanking me for providing an entertaining read! Emily was just starting her blog but upon visiting her I was immediately inspired. She's from the Central Coast like me, she's crafty, shes into decorating, she's got little kids and - AND - coincidentally, her rainy day activity comes from a book I mentioned a while ago on my blog, called Cool Spaces for Kids! I love what Emily has done here, and I'm inspired to make one for Fern and Elliott... just as soon as I finish the other 47 billion sewing projects I currently have on the go.

Emily's project? A table cubby house! I'm loving the retro inspired fabrics; the cut-out windows, the little string of bunting across the doorway... love love love!

Check it out:

Wouldn't YOUR kids go spare for one of these? I know mine would.

Inspired? Why not give it a whirl yourself! The following instructions are sourced from Cool Spaces for Kids, which you can buy here. And I recommend you do - it is full of ideas for creating fun and stylish spaces and projects for kids; I reread mine all the time! Have fun!

Materials:
Large sheet of sheeting fabrice to fit over your table
Tape measure
Tailor's chalk
Scissors
Fabric scraps
Pinking shears
Sewing machine and matching thread
Plastic sheeting
Dressmaker's pins.

Instructions:
1 Decide on the height and width of the door and windows needed. Measure and mark up on your sheet with tailor's chalk and cut out.

2 Cut a door 'curtain' from a scrap of fabric using pinking shears and making it 2cm wider than the doorway. Stitch it to the top of the doorway.

3 Measure and cut out plastic 'windows'. They should be about 4 cm bigger than the window opening. Pin these in place behind the openings and stitch down.

4 Measure and cut four curtains from matching scraps of fabric, using pinking shears. Attach thse to the 'outside' of the sheet, carefully stitching them to the house along the top of the window, and taking care to conceal the plastic window seam beneath. Make two fabric tie backs per curtain and stitch in place.

5 Cut out window box flowers from floral fabric and hand stitch to the 'house' just beneath the window. Or collect beautifully made silk flowers and glue into place.

Source: Cool Spaces for Kids (2009), Sam Scarborough, Octopus Publishing Group

Have YOU got an inspiring rainy day activity that you'd like to share via my blog? I'd love to feature you! Email me!

6 Months & Nursery Update

Six Months!!
I can't believe I'm at this point in my pregnancy already! I get more and more excited each day.

Nursery News

Her nursery is coming along so well! First click here to see the before photos!

Here are the during pictures...

And here is what is looks like now!

We still have to add decorations, blinds, and well more baby stuff, but I'm loving it so far!

Momma & Baby Update
Overall, I'm feeling good! According to my anatomy scan I had a low lying placenta at 19 weeks. They say it's pretty normal and will likely move up but doc is sending me for another ultrasound so we can take another look at it in three weeks. So I will get to see my baby girl again! Thinking positive that everything will be in normal position! As for littles..she is now weighing over a pound and almost a foot long, she will begin to put on baby fat. As of a few days ago her heartbeat is at 150. My 24 week check up went well. At my 20 week appointment I was at my starting weight. Since then I have packed on a whopping six pounds. Eek! But my doctor is happy and so am I. I needed to gain a little weight for my little bug.

(I promise the mirror isn't dirty, it was all the sun glare!)

wordless wednesday

Playing along here with the lovely Sarah.