Shop Update

I updated the shop with the new ruffle scarves... I ended up calling them Swirly Twirly. Just because it makes me laugh.

I'm toying with the idea of knitting cushion covers and sewing cushions to fit whatever size or shape they end up being. I'll have to look into what stuffing does best with cushions -- I wouldn't want them going flat after a while. Or at all, really... it annoys me greatly when my cushions lose their poof.

New Favourite Find

I L-O-V-E this thing. Those 3M Lint Rollers are fine, but you need so many strips just to get a little bit of hair off. Now my couch actually looks like a couch, not just a large pile of cat hair. So thank you Pledge. Thank you for your Fabric Sweeper.

Just watch... Now that I've professed my undying love for it, it'll be discontinued in a matter of months. I got my eye on you Pledge.

Picture from Purr Magazine.

Coming Soon

I was about to update the shop with a couple of ruffle scarves I made but upon studying the pictures, I think they curl a wee bit too much. So I'm blocking them and they'll hopefully be up in a day or so.

Here's the before pictures...

Will have the after pictures soon!

A-frickin-men

I saw this and could not stop laughing. You KNOW there've been times you've seen a hot mess and thought those exact words.

Artwork by Mike Monteiro.

Looking Forward To...

I'm so dying to read Walter Moers' The City Of Dreaming Books. It sits on my kitchen table and everytime I pass it by, my eyes fondle it. It's supposed to be an amazing book about books, and because I loved 13 1/2 Lives Of Captain Bluebear, I'm hoping to love this book too. Just in case you're wondering, I haven't been able to start reading it because I'm currently reading Youth In Revolt. And I can't abandon it because I abandoned Then We Came To The End. It seriously failed to amuse me and I can only describe it as a lacklustre JPod. Which I loved. I refuse to start too many books and abandon them midway because it's a habit my mother has, and we tease her mercilessly for it. I shall not succumb. I need to learn to read whilst knitting... Only problem is I can't figure out how to hold the damn book open without ruining the spine, cover or pages. I'm OCD like that.

Easily Amused

The hubs asked why I got to bed so late last night. The reason was that I was so excited about turning the heel of my first pair of socks that I couldn't put it down. I know, I'm very easily amused, and proud of it.
    But back to the knitting... I turned my first heel! By myself! Plus I had to rewrite the pattern because the one I chose to follow stopped making sense (but of course) so I had to do a bit of math.
    They're so long because they'll be knee socks when they're done. Which makes perfect sense since I hardly wear any other kind of sock, even if I'm wearing shoes and not boots. And due to my tiny ankles and feet, I had to shape the calf, so they look quite odd when not being worn. I actually started to knit the socks because my mum-in-law informed me she'd like to learn to knit socks and would I be so kind as to learn how to so I could teach her. But she's deathly afraid of knitting in the round, so wish me luck.

Nope, Not Possible

I was reading A Cup Of Jo's article on Smitten about swearing in front of your parents. It made be giggle because at age 31 I still can't do it. I'm sure it's slipped out once or twice before, but I cannot purposely swear in front of them because it's been ingrained in me to never, never do that. Mum has a glare that's quite convincing.

Then I married my hubs, and was royally shocked. The first time I heard him swear in front of his parents was nothing compared to hearing my mum-in-law swear! I think my heart might've stopped for a second or two. I'm no prude, my friends will tell you. Without much effort, I could make a sailor blush a lovely shade of red.

But there's just something about hearing your parents swear, don't you think? In all my life, I think I've heard my Mum say the f-word once, and even then she was relaying a conversation, verbatim. A little too verbatim for me... it's too weird hearing Mum swear.

Latest Obsession

Everytime I see the Cynthia Vincent Luella wedges, my heart skips a beat. I would never wear it because I'd fall down a lot. And I don't particularly care for the colour of the heel... but the front of it is just divine! I just want to pet it and feed it strawberries.

By the way, if anyone's interested, Piperlime's offering a 20% discount plus free shipping. Just enter the code PVPV2Z2YUQNN at checkout by March 15th.

Remember This?

This song's been getting a bit of action in our home, so I thought I'd share. Enjoy!

 

Orla Kiely For Target

A while ago when I heard Orla Kiely was doing a line for Target, I near pissed myself. I've always loved her stuff, but I can't validate buying her bags or clothing in my current lifestyle.
 
Her line at Target starts at around $2.49 and goes up to around $19.99, so that's pretty reasonable. I managed to get myself a few mugs, oven mitts and a seat cushion (the latter was upon the hub's insistence, funnily enough)... I'd have bought the entire collection but I couldn't conscionably do it. I don't need any of these things, and definitely not mugs. But they were SO cute, I couldn't pass them up. I wanted the two-tier serving tray, canister and apron, but they cost $19.99 each, so I left them be. Anyone who knows me well would know that took a lot of self-restraint. A lot. The above is my fave design -- the green apple and pears. I got a couple of those mugs... they're so fat and stubby. Utterly cute. Great for warming cold hands, I think. Never have I looked forward to my next cup of coffee with such verve. Hee!

Happiness Is...

A warm chocolate chip pecan cookie.

xoxo

I have a severe girl crush on Zooey Deschanel. Just thought I'd put it out there.

Blast From The Past

The other day I was at a store, and I heard the strains of a song I used to play over, and over, and over again when I was a tween. There's lots of things you forget, but when you carry a guy's picture in your wallet, you tend to remember him. I give you Chesney Hawke... And you're welcome.

 

I Miss Australia Sometimes

Once in a while I get a flash of stupid and I find myself looking at my two fave Australian labels' websites. My soul gets destroyed but my eyes get so happy. I know, I know, I need help.

The Hexagon Big Day bag from Mimco. *Sigh* I do love it so.

Country Road... So, so, SO much pretty.

The One I Love

I thought I'd take some inspiration from here and post a couple of pictures of the one I love.

Hope everyone has a wonderful and sweet Valentine's!

Want... So Much Want

I love this Herkimer diamond solitaire ring so much. The simplicity of it is amazing, and it doesn't even matter to me that it's a quartz. I don't discriminate. I have been stalking it online for a while now, and I just want to cradle it in my arms and sing it sweet lullabies.

I'd like to take this opportunity to announce that for our 2nd wedding anniversary (it's not till year-end, but I can be a patient girl if I put my mind to it), I would like my darling hubs to 'surprise' me with this. I'll make the appropriate omigod-I-had-no-idea face with relevant sound effects and all. Promise.

Yup, My Womb Wept

I saw this Microsoft ad on telly a few days ago and I am completely taken by this little girl, Kylie. The first time I saw her, my womb did somersaults and then cried for an hour.

Upon seeing this, the hubs announced that we need to go make babies and have a little girl just like Kylie. Riiiiiiight. Calm down, Buster.

This Made Me Cry

This picture's been around the Internet the last couple days and for the most part I'm doing a post on it just because I want to remember it. For so many reasons, but mainly because it made cry and smile at the same time.

Home Sweet Home

One year ago, our darling Matilda came home to live with us. I love our cuddly fuzzy bear so dearly... even though she teases her sister Isobel mercilessly hehe

Here she is in one of her favourite spots... laying on the kitchen rug while I dart around and try not to fall over whilst cooking. Don't you just want to smoosh that face? I know I do.

And honestly, if I could have a dozen Ragdolls I would. But I believe to be Crazy Cat Lady I'd need a whole new wardrobe, and this chick can't afford that right now.

Just so she doesn't feel left out, here's her sister Isobel. Do you see how smooshable they are? These girls make my heart melt.

Confessions Of A Man

Hubs: "You know, I never liked biscotti... but then I found out you need to dunk it."
Me: "And this was yesterday?"
Hubs: "Very possibly..."

He makes me laugh :)

There's A Nutella Day???

Right after I published my last post, I read on Serious Eats that there's a Nutella Day!!! I'm the unofficial queen of Nutella! How could I not have known of Nutella Day? I love the stuff, I'd bathe in the stuff if my hubs would allow it. Okay, I wouldn't. Maybe? No, no... I definitely would.

I saw this cute little write-up on 50 ways to eat Nutella. The first one made me giggle because as someone who grew up with Nutella, you KNOW I ate Nutella with a spoon. Actually, I still do on occasion. Which is why when I'm at the supermarket I cannot make eye contact with the Nutella jars or I get myself into big trouble.

On the other hand, the article also has a recipe for hazelnut macarons with a Nutella filling.

I do believe that's a sign.

Pictures from Ms. Adventures in Italy.

Hazelnuts + Chocolate = Happiness

I'm a fan of anything chocolate with hazelnuts. So of course when I saw this recipe for chocolate hazelnut biscotti, I knew I had to make it. And make it I did. They tasted amazing but of course not having made biscotti before, they look a little odd. And quite large. So no pictures yet. Next time, I promise. There's something else I want to bake... French macarons.
    Not to be confused with macaroons, which I think of as American, has no filling, and usually made with coconut. Anyway, as for the macarons, they scare me. There seem to be a squillion steps to making them and the failure rate seems unusually high. Which kind of also makes me want to make it more. I'm rebellious like that. And when I do, you know there'll be chocolate involved. Oh I do love chocolate.

I'm going to go gaze longingly at the biscotti now. (It's too late to eat them plus you need to dunk them in coffee prior to eating unless you want chipped teeth. Not a good look for me... I tried it on when I was 16. I'll tell you about that later.)

Picture from Serious Eats.