Outfit Post - Lavender Sky Above Me

 Black Jacket - Kmart, Lavender 1 button shirt - Glassons, Lace Bodysuit - Shop on Taieri, 

 Lace Skirt - Shop on Taieri, Black Tights - Kmart, Black Boots - The Warehouse,  

Star Earrings - Lovisa

I wore this outfit last week and I liked it so much I pulled it out again yesterday. I picked up this shirt from Glassons last week - I still have a bit of credit left from my birthday vouchers so I'm using it up slowly! I love how it's all floaty, perfect for layering over a fitted skirt. II'm wearing my lace body suit underneath - just a touch of lace was peaking out, it looked so pretty. I love these photos!! I got so many good ones and it only took about 20 minutes - awesome!

I've worn this jacket over every outfit for about 4 days straight - I wanted something I could use throughout all the seasons and I think this jacket will be perfect! I went up a size so I could layer cardigans and jerseys underneath it for winter. I'm trying to build a capsule wardrobe of pieces that go with everything else, it's hard work but I'm getting there. I know they say spend a bit of money on pieces that will last a few years, but I'm prone to changing my mind and usually the ones I don't spend much money on are the favourites I keep for ages. 

I love the sunrises and sunsets here in winter. Mainly because for once I don't have to drive to work with the sun in my eyes - at the moment it's behind me both ways! It's so nice driving along the motorway and watching the sky change from blue, to lavender and peach out of my window. 

I received exciting news today - I'll be heading down to Invercargill next week to review the Royal NZ Ballet's 'Stravinsky Selection'. I'm looking forward to it! It's been a while since I have done a review, and I'm hearing very good things so far about the show. Plus Karen Walker designed the costumes!

I hope everyone is enjoying the start of their week, I'm looking forward to Queens Birthday weekend this weekend and a 3 day holiday!

Food Post - Bento Box Lunches

 Monday: Marmite and cheese toasties, Kiwifruit and orange, Cucumber and carrots

 Tuesday: Mini homemade cucumber sushi, Assorted nuts and choc buttons, 
Greek yoghurt with berries, Sliced kiwifruit

 Wednesday: Carrot sticks, Greek yoghurt and apple and strawberry puree, olives, pretzel sticks, 
hummus and peppermint lollies

 Thursday: Leftover Salmon sushi, Greek yogurt and maple syrup (small container), 
Homemade poptart, pretzel sticks, sliced apple

 Friday: Vegetable dumplings (from frozen) and dipping sauce, carrot sticks and cream cheese, 
seaweed rice crackers, leftover chocolate pudding and Greek yoghurt (small container), 
peppermint lollies

I've enjoyed the odd bento box while out with friends at a nice little Japanese restaurant in town. I love all the little compartments with their separate tasty dishes, and I'm always on the look out for a suitable lunch box to create my own. I finally found one last week, and for once went a whole week taking my lunch to work which was great for a change!! The photos were all taken on my iphone, the boss might have given me some strange looks if I took my DSLR to work to photograph my lunch...

I still need to work on what to put in them I think. It takes a bit of thinking going through the ingredients in my fridge and cupboards and coming up with suitable and tasty options to fill up the containers. Thankfully there is a bunch of handy blogs out there full of awesome ideas! Check some of these out;

1. Lunch in a box - Check it out here

2. Pikko's Bento Blog - here

3. Jacki's Bento Blog - here 

4. What's for Lunch at Our House - here 

5. Cooking Cute - Check it out here 

Anyways now I can't get the idea out of my head of owning a nice little classy bento lunch box. Unfortunatley Dunedin isn't exactley a hub for these sort of things (in fact, I'm pretty sure you can't buy them here at all!) So if anyone has any ideas on where I can get one, fill me in. 

Better go make my lunch for tomorrow. I'm looking forward to another sun-shiny day - might eat my bento lunch outside tomorrow!

Outfit Post - Sweet Velvet

 Black Velvet Dress - Shop on Taieri, Lace bodysuit - Shop on Taieri, Black Blazer - Recycle Boutique,  

Boots - The Warehouse, Tights - Kmart, Skull 3 Finger ring - Lovisa,  

Purple Leopard Scarf - 1 2 3 Dollar Store, Effiel Tower Earrings - Diva

This is my new favourite dress!! All business down the front, a little bit special at the back. A perfect piece for a Friday at work with a blazer over top, that could easily transition into night time to wear out for after work drinks or the usual eating out that gets done on a Friday!

I picked it up from Shop on Taieri the other day. It's actually from Glassons originally, but I don't know how old it is, either way I've been relishing its velvety goodness!!

I decided to wear my vintage lace bodysuit seen in this post underneath, I love the little touch of lace. I have to say I didn't wear my ring at the office (can you imagine typing wearing that?!) but it's one of the items I carry around in my handbag for a bit of extra bling when I need it. My scarf was an impulse buy the other day, but hey, at $7 it wasn't a big splash out. 

I've got a busy weekend ahead with readying my house for an open home on Sunday, there's so much cleaning and gardening to do! Hopefully the weather holds up for me. Enjoy your weekends everyone!!

Food Post - Cacao Nib Museli

For those in NZ who love chocolate and cashews - you have to try this cacao nib muesli from New World. It's in the bulk section of the supermarket. It's quite sugary and sweet so you wouldn't eat a whole bowl of it, but it's perfect sprinkled over thick, Greek yoghurt!

Perfect for a snack or a quick breakfast. Yum!

Outfit Post - Marie Antoinette Costume

As requested, here is a couple of pics of me wearing the dress I made. Please excuse my hair and boring background!! I took these not long after I had finished it. I didn''t get any good pictures on the night so this is all I have.

Thanks for your awesome comments!! :) I'm stoked it came out this well and the pattern is perfect.

Well I'm off to watch the bf play soccer, I hope you all enjoy your weekends!

DIY - Marie Antoinette Costume

I completely forgot to post these photos of the dress I made for my birthday party. I had a "French Theme" party and decided to dress up in a Marie Antoinette inspired get up. 

I had a dress at home I was going to use, but then I saw a bedspread at the Salvation Army Store in this material and I thought it would be perfect. $5, 1 un-picked old dress, (to use as a pattern) 1 hacked up bedspread and a couple of evenings later I had this little number ready to go.

I learnt so much from just chopping up one dress and turning it into another!! I'm pretty happy with how it came out. I tried out some tricks I hadn't perfected before - using gathers, making sleeves and using the elastic for the gathers around the bottom. 

I can't wait for my next attempt with the sewing machine...now I just need an excuse to make something... 

Recipe - Rhubarb Crumble Muffins

For Mothers Day I made my Mum her favourite muffins I used to make when I was working as a Chef at a cafe in town. One of the favourite regulars used to bring in bags of rhubarb from her garden which we would turn into yummy rhubarb crumble muffins! 

You can use fresh or frozen rhubarb, frozen takes a little less time to stew then fresh which is always nice when you are in a hurry.

Rhubarb Crumble Muffins

2 C All purpose flour

3/4 C Sugar  (I like raw sugar, you could use white or castor)

2 t Baking Powder

2 Eggs

100g Butter, melted

Vanilla Essence

1 C Milk

Lemon rind and Juice

2 C Stewed rhubarb, plus extra pieces for garnish

Crumble Topping:

1/2 C Flour

1/2 C Rolled oats

1/4 C Soft brown sugar

Pinch of cinnamon

Melted butter to combine

To stew rhubarb:

Chop rhubarb into small pieces and place in a saucepan with the juice and rind of a lemon and 2 large tablespoons of castor sugar. Cover rhubarb with water and bring to the boil. Cook until  the rhubarb breaks up. Remove from heat and strain through a sieve to remove the excess liquid. Add more sugar if still to sour at this point. If the rhubarb is quite green I sometimes add a couple of drops of red food colouring to make the fruit slightly more pink.  Set aside.

Heat oven to 180 degrees. Grease 12 muffin tins. Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl and add sugar. Stir gently to combine. 

In another bowl combine eggs, melted butter, milk, vanilla and lemon juice and rind. Whisk to combine then add wet mixture to dry ingredients. Fold together until they are just combined, then half full muffin tins. Add a teaspoon of the rhubarb to the centre, and top with remaining mixture.

Combine dry topping ingredients and add enough melted butter to combine, then sprinkle over muffins. Add a couple of pieces of leftover rhubarb to the top of each muffin.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden.

Cool and eat!! Yum!

Giveaway - And the Winner is...

 

It may have taken awhile, but I've finally had time to sit down and enter the numbers in to the number generator - and the winner is...

 Danelle from ellecupcake!! Congrats!!

For those who are interested I numbered the comments as followed;

1. Michelle Lee - Google connect

2. ellecupcake - Google connect

3. ellecupcake - Twitter

4. Tinker - Google connect

Thanks so much guys for entering! I really appreciate it. Welcome to all my new followers too!! Thanks for stopping by, I'm trying to check out all your blogs and leave you a comment :) I love all the feedback it's so nice reading all your comments.

Better get back to eating muffins and watching movies - Rhubarb Crumble Muffin recipe coming up tomorrow!