Simple cowl for little niece

Simple 4–rib cowl to keep little necks warm.

Mothers day playlist

1. Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) – Gotye 

2. Rolling In The Deep – Adele
3. Oh! Hark! – Lisa Mitchell
4. Shake It Out – Florence + the Machine
5. Black Sheep – Gin Wigmore
6. Wild Love – Gossling
7. Met Before – Chairlift
8. Rosebud – The Jezabels
9. Cloudbusting – Kate Bush
10. Breathe Me –  Sia
11. Hold On – Angus & Julia Stone
12. Perfect World - Gossip
13. Creepin' In - Nora Jones (feat. Dolly Parton)
14. Central Reservation (William Orbit remix) – Beth Orton

Perfect for a cold rainy day, mum and seafood paella.

The spirit the ANZACs left behind

The spirit of ANZAC is often spoken of. In its purity it recognises the qualities of courage, mateship and sacrifice that were demonstrated at the Gallipoli landing. But to many it means so much more.

In 2001, I spent ANZAC day at Gallipoli. It was so moving, beautiful and so eerie – an experience I will never forget. Atatürk's beautiful tribute to the ANZACs stands proud at ANZAC Cove. It shows the grief and respect shown to all men of the battle.

Those heroes that shed their blood And lost their lives...
 You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
 Therefore, rest in peace.
 There is no difference between the Johnnies
 And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side,
 Here in this country of ours.
 You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries...
Wipe away your tears. 
Your sons are now lying in our bosom And are in peace.
 After having lost their lives on this land, they have
 Become our sons as well.

M. Kemal Atatürk, 1934

Today I think of the service men and women and their families; their courage, sacrifice and pride. And I think of that ANZAC spirit.

Lest we forget.

Toast: the modern day luxury

In a time where every weekday morning I scoop my muesli into my mouth as if to break the world record for eating the fastest breakfast possible, I look forward to the more leisurely weekend meal of toast and a pot of tea.

Muscle cars

A nice lunchtime outing to the streets...

Bike family

L-R: Mike, Christina, Ruby Belle Charlotte, Mal, Mary-Anne

Happy new year!

Just Vision photography

Benefits of a bicycle

Not sure who to credit here (sorry cleaver illustrator)... but I love it!

Christmas eve 2011

I love the anticipation of Christmas morning. Even though now I'm officially all grown up, it's anticipation of a different kind. Of looking forward to the hustle and bustle of a hot kitchen, of nieces and nephews running underfoot with new toys, of just taking time out to spend with family.

This Christmas I am thankful for love, family and health. And know that I am blessed.

Christmas tree day

I love putting the Christmas tree up on the 1st of December. It’s a pretty big job and it’s nice to enjoy the tree for the whole month (plus those days in January, where I delay pulling it down as long as possible).

In my house, putting the tree up is quite the occasion – bad Christmas movies, typically sung Christmas music, special champagne and delicious party food. It’s an annual tradition that started the first Christmas Mr Couture and I were in our home.

For me, it also signals the start of the festive season. From here until New Year’s Day I will be full of festive cheer and excitement (read: partying, socialising and indulging).

Festive greetings!

Sunshine

After the rain, the sun shines through with the promise of warmth and hope.

Afternoon tea

My family knows how to put on a big spectacular spread. A couple of weeks ago we had a big afternoon tea for close family, visiting family, visiting inlaws, little ones and bigger ones. It spanned four generations and was a fabulous afternoon of laughter and conversation.

Portuguese custard tarts are quickly becoming my speciality. They're so delicious and are surprisingly easy to make. 

 

 

Portuguese custard tarts

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• ½ cup caster sugar
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 400ml Milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• One sheet of puff pastry

1. Grease a 12-hole muffin tray with soft butter.

 

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and continue whisking as you gradually add in the sugar then cornflour until you have a nice smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth.

3. Pour custard mixure into a pan over a medium heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from the heat, transfer the custard to a bowl and whisk through the vanilla extract. Cover the surface with cling wrap to prevent a skin forming and let cool.

 

4. Preheat the oven to 200C.

5. Fold the sheet of pastry in ½ and roll up tight from the short end. Cut 12 slices off the roll. On a floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll out each slice to a circle-ish shape and fit into each muffin hole.

6. Spoon in the custard and roll the pastry sides in slightly. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the custard starts to brown.

Enjoy with friends.

Buy nothing new month: over and out

This last month was surprisingly easy. Highlights included cleaning out my over-full wardrobe and donating 3 garbage bags full of clothing I no longer need to charity, not replacing old/small/wrong clothes immediately and then realising that I don't even need to; and remodelling a fascinator that I’ve had for years with some extra tuille I had stashed in the craft box to wear for the office Melbourne Cup festivities.

Buying nothing new is so much more fun with craft!

Buy nothing new month: the home straight

I've been avoiding thinking about this non-spending business too much in an effort to avoid the seemingly long lists of things I'll be rushing to the shops for in November.

But seriously, this month has been good. I've unsubscribed to a lot of fashion type emails I don't really read and it's nice not to hear about every sale going on for shops I don't really frequent. Of course I've kept connected to my favorite labels that are always top of my list.

So will I be rushing to the shops, credit card in hand at 9am on the 1st of November? Many (including Mr Couture) would say yes. But I'm not so sure. I've been enjoying the down time.

The second anniversary is cotton

The traditional gift for the second wedding anniversary is cotton. It is said that as both durable and versatile, cotton represents these two important qualities in a successful marriage and is seen as a symbol of great prosperity.

Mr Couture and I are not big present givers, preferring instead to spend some time together sipping a fabulous wine, sharing a delicious meal and chatting away enjoying a beautiful scenery.

This anniversary was spent lunching at Southern Highland Winery. There’s something so delightfully decadent about lunching on such a beautiful estate looking over vines, playful calfs and lush green fields; wearing simple, durable cotton.

Credit: iStockphoto

Buy nothing new month: one week down

So immediately after I took the pledge to buy nothing new in October my shopping self went into survival mode: I was mentally making lists of all the things I absolutely needed... couldn’t live a moment longer without. I was cursing all my favourite shops sending me emails that proudly described the fabulous sales they were having – as if to mock me.

New dress this, gorgeous shoes that.... never to be repeated sale this weekend only...

Deep breaths. And the initial panic subsided.

I’m even planning to look in the back of the wardrobe to see if there’s anything I’ve forgotten about and can drag out to wear for the weekend. I’m pretty sure there is...

Buy nothing new month

October is buy nothing new month. What does this mean? It means only buying the essentials such as food, drink, medications, hygiene products (by which I assume they mean food, wine, hair products and make-up) and then begging, borrowing, bartering, swapping or buying secondhand everything else. For the whole month.

As an expert consumer, I’m breaking into a cold sweat just thinking about.

But I’m also intrigued. So here it goes...

Artist: Marco Eychenne

Just two of my favourites...


The band
Marco Eychenne



The Yawn
Marco Eychenne

A glimpse of spring to come

Today was just a reminder that spring is coming round the corner. Such a welcome relief from our relentless and bitter winter. And a perfect day to be out in the (balcony) garden.

A poem about a napkin

I think perhaps the story behind the poem is richer than the actual poem: Mr Couture and I were away on a trip to the seaside. It was winter and the beach looked so intense - it had so much going on, so many differing depths and colours of clouds; a cranky winter sea tossing and turning its way onto the shore, onto that rough stoney sand. It was relaxing yet invigorating to walk along and I was feeling all my creative senses tingling. 

In the evening, Mr Couture and I were recalling our day over dinner and having a nice chat and I mentioned that I thought I might write a poem, to which he asked "on a napkin", but which I wrongly heard as "about a napkin?". I was puzzled and we spent the next little while giggling at our miscommunication and what could very well be the subject of my yearned-for poem.

A poem about a napkin

Are you writing a poem about a napkin?

Said he

Uh? 

Said I

A napkin

Said he

No 

Said I 

Oh

Said he

2 June 2011

Flashback: to the 80's

Cocktails & dreams

I'm guilty of loving to reminisce. It's true, I'll usually bombard my friends with my romantic feelings of past memories, fate and destiny when I'm in one of these moods. But Bestie Couture and I share a birthday (one day apart) and I can't help but get a little sentimental this time of year - especially now we have to negotiate living a distance of over 1,200 kilometers apart. This is particularly heartbreaking considering we used to be neighbors once upon a time.

Anyway, tonight I felt loved and special thanks to my newer friends, and their consideration to get together and have a couple of cocktails to celebrate my big milestone of 35. It was a great night.

Happy birthday yogi

Earlier this year a friend said that she always went to yoga on her birthday as her present to herself. Of course, she is a much more disciplined yogi than me. But nonetheless, this thought has been bubbling away for months. So off I go this morning, to enjoy my birthday yoga!

Happy birthday yogi!

Everyone's wearing: yellow

Congratulations Cadel Evans on becoming the first Australian to win the Tour de France!

It was an epic ride.

Knitting circle

Today I joined my very first knitting circle. It was fun and inspiring knitting with talented and creative expert knitters. And my new friends were eager to help me out with my knitting disaster, insisting that my work was a design feature and not the over-ambitious project that it was.

Design feature. I love it. I can see myself using these two words constantly to justify my projects.

You see, the beginner scarf patterns are a bit boring for my liking. I want to make lace knitted scarfs and shawls and elaborate tea cosies with embellishments... if only I could understand the pattern charts and knew the stitch moves and had more needles and yarn and know how...

But today in knitting circle, I was filled with new hope and new tricks; thinking that surely I’m not far away from knitting all I desire.

Knitting: a new winter sport

Feeling very pleased with myself as I came home with knitting needles, wool and a knitting for beginners handbook.

Think I'll bask in the imagination of my own glory a little more before actually trying to make my first scarf...

Michelle

Michelle... your sense of adventure and compassionate heart shone through your cheeky grin. I miss you and hope you knew that you were loved by many...

Michelle Elise Gilet 12 February 1981 - 13 June 2010

A country break

I love escaping to the country. Walking through national parks and feeling like I'm a million miles from anywhere.. drinking fresh delicious rain water, breathing the crisp unspoiled air, smelling the trees, scrubs and grasses... just being along side the universe and marveling at the simple beauty of it all.

The recent couture holiday had the Mr and I touring around a little bit of Australia that neither of us had ever been to - beautiful central New South Wales.

It was fascinating to come from the north New South Wales coast into the beautiful green hills, forests and waterfalls, before seeing the stark and equally beautiful contrast of the flat plains of Narrabri that stretched all the way to the horizon - only the memory of cotton left after the season's harvesting.

It was easy to appreciate how vast and varied Australia is. And I couldn't help thinking of Dorothea Mackellar's poem My Country with the iconic line I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains, which she wrote in neighboring Gunnedah in 1908 while on her brother's farm. There was certainly plenty of inspiration all around.

Taking a break to enjoy the views at the Mt Kaputar National Park, Narrabri, New South Wales

Love in the sea air

4 June 2011

The bride was stunning; beaming with happiness and looking like a movie star. The groom didn't take his eyes off her as she walked down towards him. He was shinning with pride.

It was a beautiful day. A perfect occasion. A magical start to their married life.

Photography by Mike & Amy 

Preparing for zen

There’s a panic that comes over me when I’m about to head away on holidays. Whether it be for a weekend or a couple of weeks I suddenly find myself scheduling to catch up with everyone I know, planning to clean out the kitchen pantry and do other questionably important chores and writing endless lists of products that need to be purchased, items that need to be packed, things that need to be remembered and actioned… 

But then there’s hitting the road, knowing that for the next couple of weeks I am free.