- THE CHRISTMAS TABLE -

This Christmas I went crazy with Kraft paper - wrapping the presents, the handmade chocolates and even the table with it! Below are a couple of pictures of said table:

Hope you had a GREAT Christmas!

- HOT PROPERTY -

Lately I been itching to own property. Not a cute one bedroom apartment or studio but something much much less reasonable. Like a Russian Medieval Mansion buried deep in the forest. A likely dream.




Images available here.

- CHEEP READS -

Friend Recommend: www.bookdepository.co.uk/
I love love buying books (or just about anything), but in the last few years it seems to me as though they've become tres pricey... or maybe because I'm no longer reading books from the teen fiction section... you knows? A friend told about the site above and since then I've been going CRAZY with book purchases! Cheaper than Amazon PLUS free shipping means that you can pick up a new release paperback for between $10 and $15 and have it in your hands in a week or two. Cook books are also nicely priced! Next on my list is Cake Chic:

Image available here.

- PAPER HEART -

I hope they release this in Australia soon - its looks like a really sweet movie!



UPDATE: Saw Paper Hearts - it was great awesome take on mockumentary!

- TRUE BLOOD -

Since finishing my dissertation, its been nice to read books that don't have complex footnote/reference systems! After realising I'd read everything I already own (and haven't picked up anything new since last year) I went on a hunt through my house to see if my mother or brother had anything decent... I quick scan of my mother's books showed nothing of interest, but my brother's bookcase was much more promising. He'd just purchased the Sookie Stackhouse Boxed Set by Charlaine Harris. The Sookie Stackhouse novels read like a (much) more grown up Twilight. Vampires have just come out of the 'closet' and revealed themselves to the world and the books follow Sookie's interactions with them as well as wereanimals (wolves, tigers and more!) and shapeshifters. Part romance, part fantasy, part mystery, the books are a interesting look at how people deal with otherness and ideas of humanity. This isn't a masterpiece of literary fiction, and like Twilight could have been better written, but worth picking up nonetheless. If reading ain't your thing then never fear - the series has now been turned into a TV series on HBO called True Blood. I've only seen the first episode and can't wait to see the rest - especially when they bring in the shapeshifters. I'm intrigued to see how it will be done and how it compares to the digital effects of the big screen. You can take a look at the opening credits here (I love the song they used!).


Image available here.

- BAKING: RELOADED -

I desperately need to restock my baking paraphernalia. At the moment I'm making do with some wheel and barrow Silicone Cupcake Moulds (round ones in pink and star shaped ones in white - both of which were presents from my lovely friends!)
While they make a beautifully shaped cupcake and are pretty much foolproof, I still love love the pretty designs they you can get from paper pans. And the fact that you don't have to wait for them to cool (with the silicone moulds, you have to wait til they're cool before poping out the cupcake), which can be a bit a problem if you make about 100 at a time like I've been known too!
I've come across a gorgeous website and blog called Bake It Pretty, based in the US, that sells the most wonderful range of baking products and on they blog they show the many ways that you can get creative with their products. So far on my cupcake wishlist is the Fluted Flower Cups, the Black Rose Designer Baking Cups, the Animal Print Cups and the Retro Spot Fairy Cake Cases! And I wouldn't mind picking up a few of their candy and chocolate moulds, particularly these mustache ones.

Images available here.

- BEGINNINGS -

I've started this blog to chronicle some of my favorite things, wishes, inspirations, ideas, plans for the future and things that brighten my day...

Image available here.