Garden hideaway

I'm with the band

Cakes of Origin

Red Velvet cupcakes

Foodie

Nothing beats a night out with good company and amazing food. 

Berber spices

It doesn't look like much. But this is the secret 'Berber' spice recipe my friend Michelle made for me not long before she tragically passed away, only three years ago.

It's delicious and I save using it for special dinners of chicken in the tajine, each time thinking of her and remembering a time we shared – and missing her terribly.

I'm sad that we won't share anymore stories; her view of the world was colourful and special.

See also, Michelle.

A birthday shawl

A birthday shawl for Grandma Lily's 99th birthday.

Pattern source: The Lonely Tree Shawl – Soft Sweater Knits & Fibres
http://softsweaterfibres.blogspot.com.au

Tea time

Cabled tea cosy

Pattern source: Tea Cozies (book)  

La Chaîne Simpson

Mum and I finally made it to the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia this weekend.

He was such an interesting man and artist­. Of course famous for his colourful posters of the Moulin Rouge, his work had me captivated as it told the story of a theatrical, elegant and bohemian life for people in Paris in the late 1890s.

One of my favourite pieces is the advertising poster, La Chaîne Simpson (1896). Looks great on my wall too! (Well, a copy of it)

Being authentic

“Why is free will wasted on a creature who has infinite choices but pretends there are only one or two?”

Novel—A Fraction of the Whole, Steve Toltz

A new year

Isn't it great facing the first day of new year; being washed clean of everything that didn't come to fruition exactly how you thought it might and looking at nothing but 365 days of new promises and hope.

I try not to make 'new year resolutions', but I'm always tempted. This year feels like not only the start of a new year, but the start of a new era... Meaning that the past few years have been a fabulous and glamourous blur of weddings, engagements, new babies, parties and holidays. I now own more cocktail dresses than workwear, more party shoes than office heals and more clutches then I really know what to do with! Need an emergency outfit to attend a last minute party? Come on over, I'm your girl!

So I plan to start the new year quietly, tending the garden, taking long scenic nature walks, sitting by the lake with Mr Couture and a good book, feeling the sunshine, smelling the flowers, noticing the little things that glide by and loving the simple things in life.

Happy new year!

Carols by the Christmas tree

Clockwise from left: 1. Santa; 2. Musical tree; 3. Disco bauble; 

4. Football at Christmas time; 5. Macaroni angel.

Photo essay: Melbourne

Clockwise from top left: 1. Planning the day; 2. Mysterious terrace house; 3. Piano busker in Bourke Street Mall (it was raining, so he brought his an umbrella––along with his piano!); 4. Capitol Arcade.

Transit

Christmas tree day

This year we had a couple of helpers.

Courage

"Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow. ” 
― Mary Anne Radmacher

Moments of laughter

"Life isn't measured in minutes, but in moments"

–– Jonathan A. Dublin

Nothing beats the feeling or the sound of a good hearty laugh. I love this photo, taken the day before Bestie Couture's wedding. It's pure happiness. 

The best place to be in the morning...

Wedding poem

For Bestie Couture and her soul mate on their wedding day. 

Wedding poem
The sound of his love is the laughter from his lips

The room is dark until the sparkle of her smile

It is time ticking on, yet so peaceful and still

Their love as today, as they pledge to love everyday

With everything

And the promise of everything more. 

The third anniversary is leather

The traditional gift for a third wedding anniversary is leather. Although traditionally Mr Couture and I don't exchange gifts, choosing instead to share delicious food and spectacular wine under an indulgent ambiance––this time on the Wednesday night that our anniversary fell on.

There's something wonderfully outrageous about getting dressed up to have degustation on a Wednesday night, especially when I imagine everyone else going through their regular Wednesday night routine; doing as I normally would have: finishing work, going to gym, heading home for dinner and chores and finally plonking down in front of the telly for the evening.

Instead we were sipping old world wines, reminiscing and making plans for the future. Plans that involved a new leather lounge––it is the traditional gift after all.

The girl's in love playlist

1. Goreki — Lamb
2. Perfect Day — Lou Reed
3. This Old Love — Lior
4. In your Arms — Kina Grannis
5. Stuck on You — Lionel Ritchie
6. Love You –– Maxwell
7. Heat Wave (love is like a) — Martha and the Vandella's
8. The Sweetest Taboo — Sade
9. Love at First Sight — Kylie Minogue
10. Crazy in Love — Beyonce
11. Feel so Close — Calvin Harris
12. Don’t Look Back — Tommie Sunshine & Disco Fries
13. Walking on a Dream — Empire of the Sun

To celebrate love, life and the promise of a lifetime of happiness. For Bestie Couture's wedding to her beloved and amazing soul mate.

Listen to it on YouTube.

Piano recital

Concert time with little niece 

Tea for one

A birthday present for Bestie Couture
Velvet Couture pattern: Tiny cat paw cosy 

Tidying not

I promised Mr Couture that I would tidy up this afternoon. Of course, to me, this meant sorting through and organising my yarn, sewing some buttons on a cardigan that I finished a couple of weeks ago, taking photos of some finished projects with my new camera, picking up a dropped stitch and just doing a 'few' rows to make sure everything was in order, and finishing off a fine pot of tea.

I should tidy up more often.

The cake bet

Coming first place on the footy tipping ladder for six weeks went straight to my head. Sadly, I couldn’t handle the pressure of success and have slid down a few spots. But this doesn’t stop me mouthing off before every round about making a comeback to take the glory of first place at the end of the season. Or making crazy bets with people when our teams play that my team will win.

My team did not win. And I am the loser of the cake bet.

Round 21: Bulldogs V Cowyboys

Chocolate orange cupcakes

A winter hat

In the office I was asking after a colleague who went into hospital unexpectedly for an operation. "I should knit her something..." I remarked without thinking in that off-handed way. "Yeah, she likes hats" was the reply. 

Challenge accepted. 

Pattern source:
The Meret
Woolly Wormhead

A shawl

A lady from work lost her husband recently. I could not express in words my sorrow for her loss and emptiness. I knitted her a shawl so she would know I was thinking of her and sent it with prayers of love and courage.

Pattern from: Soft Sweater Knits & Fibers

The Sunlight Shawl for Sad People

Cake of origin

It's the highlight of the footy season. Although for some it's about a tri-series game.

Red Velvet cupcakes in team colours (and a couple of referees)

Mum's birthday cowl

Modelled by me, given to Mum

Happy 1st birthday little keeper

Another Quick-Knit Hoodie: Very Pink

A little cardigan for a special little lady

Pattern source: In Threes: a Baby Cardigan––Kelly Without a Net