Under the Weather

Apologies for the quietness here on the ol' Blogsie Malone, I'm still a little under the weather..and truth be told, still shellshocked by the images and stories emerging from the flood-affected areas in Queensland and northern New South Wales. I have friends and some family in the affected regions, so what little energy I have at the moment is being channeled towards making sure everyone is alright, and doing what little I can to help from so far away.

Be strong, stay safe, hug your loved ones.

xx Kit

P.S. Once again, any donations are gratefully received at the Queensland Premier's Flood Relief Appeal or the RSPCA Queensland Flood Crisis Appeal. Thank you. xx

[Photography by k-lia]

Deluge - Queensland Floods

A brief but heartfelt plea - if you have even a few dollars to spare, please consider donating to the Queensland Premier's Flood Relief Appeal, or the RSPCA Queensland Flood Crisis Appeal.

75% of Queensland has been declared a disaster zone - that's two times the area of Texas, or five United Kingdoms. The devastation is widespread, lives have been lost, entire towns have been washed away, and if current weather predictions are accurate, then the worst is yet to come for the most heavily populated regions of the state.

So if you have anything to spare for those Australians so desperately in need, please donate.

xx Kit

Migraine Misery

Not the ideal way to spend the first Friday of Eleventy, but hopefully it will be my last migraine of this year.

I hope you have a healthy, non-headache-y weekend!

xx Kit

[Please click on the image to check out more of Laura-Vancane's stunning gallery]

The Blues

I have them.

Wednesday Wisdom - Boys of Summer

This week I'm sharing a little wisdom in musical form. I just can't get enough of this beautiful cover of Don Henley's 'Boys of Summer' by the Custom Kings. As much as I adore my '80s power ballads, I love this version even more. Oh yeah, I went there - a cover that's better than the original. Boom!

Now if only the weather would match my summery vibe! Come on Sydney, less drizzle, more dazzle!

xx Kit

[Photography by 123Stella, EliseEnchanted and indiae]

An Engagement

I'm beyond excited! One of my close friends has just announced her engagement and I'm (quite literally) jumping for joy for her and her marvellous man. 

Touché, 2011 Eleventy. Touché.


[All images from Polka Dot Bride - you'll be seeing this a lot in the coming weeks/months!]

Happy...

...New Year

...2011 (or as I shall be referring to it from now on, Eleventy!)

...Monday

...Days

Weekend Bake Fest - Yoghurt Cake

Given that I often refer to my kitchen as being 'For Display Purposes Only,' it goes without saying that I'm not the most domesticated girl on the block. Back in high school I freakishly aced my Home Economics class, including cooking and sewing, but if I happen to mention this fun fact to anyone now, they'll nervously laugh and edge away slowly, no doubt thinking that I've finally lost the plot to a disturbingly impressive degree.

What does that all mean in the context of the recipe I'm about to share with you? It means that it's basically foolproof. No! It's better than foolproof, it's KitProof! Well, almost. So here goes...

Yoghurt Cake with Lemon and Cinnamon Syrup

Serves 8-10

Cake Ingredients

185g unsalted butter, softened

250g (1 cup) caster sugar

5 eggs, separated

250g (1 cup) plain Greek-style yoghurt

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

280g (2 1/4 cups) plain flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Whipped cream to serve

Syrup Ingredients

250g (1 cup) caster sugar

1 cinnamon stick

4cm strip of lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly grease a 20 x 10cm loaf tin.

Place the softened butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until light and creamy. (I misread this bit and melted the butter completely - don't do that!)

Add the egg yolks gradually and continue to beat well. Stir in the yoghurt, lemon zest and vanilla. Fold in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda with a metal spoon.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the mixture. Spoon into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake - this took about 1 hour 10 minutes in my oven, so wield your skewer wisely!

Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.*

To make the syrup, place the sugar and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan with 185ml (3/4 cup) of cold water. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, add the lemon zest and juice, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes. Strain.

Pour the syrup over the cake and wait for most of it to be absorbed before serving. Cut into slices and serve warm with whipped cream.

And voila, bready/cakey deliciousness! I will however note that I skipped the * part, left my cake to cool in the tin for a little longer, then poured the syrup over the top so that the runoff (of which there was a lot!) largely went down the sides and to the bottom of the tin and soaked into all sides of the cake. 

I can't even imagine the mess that would have resulted if I just did this on a wire rack! That is, of course, if I had a wire rack. Which I do not. Heck, I just bought the cake tin last week!

So there you have it, KitProof Cake! Enjoy!

xx Kit

Happy New Year!

 

Bring on 2011!

Sponsor Spotlight - Scrapbook Society

I'm dropping in again today to introduce you to one of my endlessly patient sponsors, Krystina Montemurro of Scrapbook Society. Krystina has been paper crafting for 10 years and now chronicles her love of scrapbooking and photography on Scrapbook Society. She also runs lollipops cards, a beautiful Etsy store full of 'sweet like candy' cards and stationery.

In amongst all the cuteness are her crowd favourites, playdate cards - they're like business cards for kids! I can absolutely picture my little nephew strolling around the park and handing these out to all the cute girls - such a heartbreaker!

In the new year (eek, officially two days away!) Scrapbook Society will be undergoing a name change to fit under the lollipops banner, so keep an eye out for all things lollipops! In the meantime, feel free to stop by Scrapbook Society and enjoy Krystina's photography, designs, ideas, cookie-related ramblings and musings of being a desperate housewife to a surfer guy (some ladies have all the luck!)

Thank you again to Krystina for all your support in 2010!


xx Kit

The Wright Stuff - Christmas at Falling Water

There's nothing like a bit of edible architecture to get you in the Christmas spirit! This amazing 'Christmas at Falling Water' marvel is a delicious gingerbread version of the Frank Lloyd Wright classic.

Made by Melodie and Brenton over at Garden Melodies, this ArchiTreat took around 12 hours to design and over 40 hours to build and decorate! I estimate it would take me about 12 minutes and 40 seconds to demolish, om nom nom!

Have a wander over to Garden Melodies for more fun facts about this good lookin' gingerbread house, plus the recipe if you feel like creating your own stylishly tasty abode.

So...who's going to take on a Gehry masterpiece? Gingerbread Guggenheim, anyone?

xx Kit

P.S. If Mr. Unreliable Santa is reading this, the Falling Water LEGO Set is still on my wish list. January Christmas presents are also more than welcome.

Wednesday Wisdom - Thinking of Christmas

Christmas waves a magic wand 
over this world, and behold, 

everything is softer and more beautiful.

- Norman Vincent Peale

I will honor Christmas in my heart, 

and try to keep it all the year.  

- Charles Dickens

It is Christmas in the heart 

that puts Christmas in the air.  

-W.T. Ellis

Annnnd one more for good measure, though as someone who wasn't able to make it home to be with my family this holiday season, it's a little bittersweet (but still funny and true!)

Christmas is a time 

when you get homesick -

even when you're home.

- Carol Nelson

[Photography by jojobatanesi , penny-layne and amarand]

Happy Holidays!

A little late (as always) but nevertheless, I'd like to wish everyone all the best for a relaxed and wonderful holiday season!

I'll be a busy little bee for what remains of the year, but I'll try to pop in before 2011 strikes to share a few thoughts on the year that was...

Until then, stay safe!

xx Kit

Happy (Crappy) Snaps

A few little happy snaps of the gifts I'm currently wrapping, courtesy of my beaten up old iPhone. 2011 will be the year that I upgrade to a real camera, oh yes, yes it will. (Recommendations welcome!)

As for the presents...quite a few this Christmas are to me, from me! I'm seriously considering signing some of the cards with a paw print. My cat has impeccable taste, she definitely would have chosen some of these if she had opposable thumbs and/or access to money. Without doubt.

[ Eiffel Tower Earrings from ASOS.com * ]
[ For moi, oui oui! And now only £4.00 too! ]

[ Cloud Brooch from Mein Design ]

[ An early present from Singapore from Mr. Unreliable ]

[ Owl Pillow Set and Owl Earrings from Urban Outfitters ]

[For my best friend...still unwrapped and unsent, oops!]

[ Tea Necklace from Equip ]

[ From the cat, to me - oh Soda, you shouldn't have! ]

Only 2 more sleeps! Hope you're rocking the Christmas Zen like me this year!

xx Kit

*After developing an unhealthy obsession with ASOS, I've decided to bring them on board as an affiliate. In other words, the two ASOS links in the post above are affiliate links, and if you just so happen to click on them and go grab some goodies for yourself, I'll get a small commission...and one small step closer to finally buying a proper camera so I can provide you with more original content than ever before - everybody wins!

The White Couch of Doom

A little while ago (okay, a long while ago) I put together this concept for my living room. Inspired by the colours of my then tiny, harmless kitten, I drew upon her grey, white and apricot shades and put together a palette that's a little bit feminine, but not so much so that Mr. Unreliable would flip out. This scheme also works in with my apartment's grey/beige greige carpet and silver/grey/beigey-brown fittings.

The problem, in case it's not already glaringly obvious, is The White Couch of Doom.

Let me say that again.

The White Couch of Doooooooooooooooooooooooom.

Sadly, it's the only item from that image that I actually own. I bought it pre-kitten (and pre-reality) and I love it...but it doesn't stay white for long. Removable covers are all well and good, except that I'm the only one who ever cleans them and they need to be cleaned at least fortnightly. Mr. Unreliable not only makes most of the mess, but he also promised me (when he chose the white cover!) that he would help keep it clean, including never putting his feet on the couch. Never. He broke that last promise within half an hour of getting TWCoD home.

So now I have a dilemma. 

Being the consummate party animal, I asked for a rug for my birthday. Yes, a rug. That rug. The one in the picture there, under the Impossibly Pristine White Couch On Which Unicorns Drink Fairy Dust Martinis.

The issue is that the whole palette has been (foolishly) built around The White Couch of Doom. It provides balance, contrast, lightness. If When I finally get jack of grubby footprints and grey cat hair coating the couch and give in to buying a dark grey cover (like I should have from the outset!) then the whole dynamic changes, the whole palette becomes darker and less vibrant.

So, impeccably stylish readers. What say you?

xx Kit

P.S. Have any lovely Australian readers come across the pictured coffee table (or similar) anywhere? I've only been keeping a casual eye out, but I haven't seen anything even vaguely resembling that design...and I must have it, I must!

Snowed Under

Figuratively speaking.

(But I'm still totally Zen about it!)


[Photography by Ginsui-rin]

Christmas Zen

If, like me, you've made the mistake of venturing into any form of shopping centre or store within the last few weeks, then you probably need a little bit of calm and relaxation. Remember those?

Despite my rookie errors however, my Christmas shopping is complete and I've come out the other side of some seriously crazed crowds (swarms?) feeling surprisingly Zen about the week ahead. Perhaps this is what it feels like to be organised? Obviously it's an unfamiliar sensation for me, I've never been this organised in my life, but if this whole peace and contentedness is related, I think I might just keep it up in 2011.

Happy (Zen) Monday!

xx Kit

[Photography by leonard-ART]

Happy Frursday!

I have a little shindig on tomorrow so I may not make it home in time and/or in any state to do a post...and you know by the name of the blog that I'm not organised enough to schedule that kind of stuff in advance. So as I'm treating today as my official Friday (aka Frursday) I'm going to start pondering the weekend a little early.

I've decided that my weekend is going to look like this. I might even make some origami cranes just to complete the effect. Instead of a book filled with just boring words (I kid!) I'm instead going to be poring over the pretty pages of my newly acquired Frankie Spaces magazine/book mook (boogazine just doesn't have the same ring to it) allllll weekend long. I may also take a quick break to try out my new Matryoshka measuring cups! Not to bake or actually do anything productive, just to measure stuff. Yeah. Anyhoo.

These new goodies came to me from the lovely Sammie via the Aussie Vogue Forums annual Kris Kringle. 101 'Voguettes' took part this year, and it's so uplifting to read through the 'received' thread and see all the excitement and thankfulness. The spending limit it relatively small (even though I KNOW Sammie spoilt me!) but the reward is so much bigger than the gift. Woo, Christmas cheer! And not the "OMFGINEEDTOBUY8000CHRISTMASPRESENTSAT11:59PMONCHRISTMASEVE-GETTHEFECKOUTTAMYWAY" kind of Christmas cheer.

Indeed.

On that note... I might just see you back here before Monday, but just in case, have a stellar weekend!

xx Kit

P.S. Another huuuuge thank you to Bec for organising the Vogue Kris Kringle once again - she does an amazing job every year. Hopefully her KK spoilt her rotten (muhahaha, it was meeee, and I did!)

P.P.S. Look at Sammie's beautiful wrapping! I should have put these presents under the tree for at least a few days, but I took one look at them and just had to know what was inside. So pretty!

[Photography by Liis Klammer], my cruddy iPhone, and Sammie]