Oh, Dahling

I have expressed how much I love, the fabulous Miss Dahl many times.  I have also expressed how much I love, Hugh and all things fabulous cooking.

Sophie Dahl, is the queen of fabulous cooking.  I know, I know, Nigella is gorgeous, and noone can whip up a batch of brownies, or a beef hot pot better than this voluptious and lovely lady, but I personally think Sophie Dahl, gives her a run for her cooking apron.

The whimsical new installment, to Sophie's Voluptious Delights, is a new cook book that does justice to her recent television hit, The Delicious Miss Dahl.

I had this bad boy on order since January, when I found out that it would be in print, early September.  It arrived on plane via London, and I am loving this delightful cookbook with every turn of the page.

It's set out similar to her last book, with seasonal chapters, featuring recipes that dictate the vegetables, fruit and flavour in season. 

There are those recipes that are for special occasions - and the ones for Sunday afternoon picnics with a spiked cranberry punch.

I love the fresh produce, the frisky pictures, and the fabulous design aesthetic of vintage cups, enamel cooking pots and embroidered napkins. 

After flipping through this cookbook, you'll want to find a tin watering can to water your herbs and a wire egg basket with a vintage apron to accompany you on an afternoon walk down to the chicken pen to collect eggs for a home-made breakfast fit for the English.

Skip. Don't walk.

*I have an extreme girl crush, to the point where I'm concerned.
** But, who wouldn't?

Positive Post 5

1. Hand watering plants

2. Sarah's mulberry bush

3. Making red velvet cakes adorned with fresh flowers

4. Crumpets, 'Furberry' collar

5. Henry enjoying the summer sun, and watermelon

What is making you think positively lately?

A new pair of vintage Ray Bans? Soft serve ice-cream, or a poodle in a fedora?



Lazy days at Lowmead

Over the weekend Jake and I packed up our camping bits and bobs and headed to Lowmead for two nights camping.

After a morning of grocery and camping supply shopping on Friday we had a mini road trip full of plenty of music and laughs until we pulled off the highway onto dirt road en route to Lowmead just outside of Miriam Vale.

After driving past many cows, some very cute calves, and about 15 beaten up old cars, we found a lovely camping spot beside some water. We set up the tents, cooking supplies, and motorbikes before getting started on the fire.

It was absolutely freezing, with the rain picking up in the afternoon, and nearly blowing all of our tents away; luckily we had the fire and oodles of hot Milo to keep us all warm.

The boys set out on the motorbikes, as the rest of us sat around the fire, taking in the sights and getting dinner ready. Jake even took a little (forced) dip in the water.

We got to test out our new camp oven, as we roasted vegetables with rosemary on the hot coals, and drank beer well into the afternoon as it cooked away.

It was so peaceful and beautiful, as we sat beside the fire, looking at the sun set, as we ate, laughed and listened to music all night, toasting marshmallows on dirty twigs we found on the floor.

The next day we were up very early, and Renee, Lisa and I drove into town to fill up the gas bottle – completely worth the 2 hour drive, as we got home to have nice hot showers in the built in shower shed’s that the landowner had built for all the campers that inhabit the area over the weekends and 4wd competitions held annually; such a lovely luxury to be able to shower while you camp. It’s the little things that you take for granted at home; like showering without worrying about generators or gas bottles, being able to boil hot water in seconds and not having to worry about guns shooting through your tent as people drive around pigging at night.

Guns blazing at night aside, it was a beautiful weekend. We went hiking around the river, took naps during the day, drank plenty of cups of tea (and wine and beer), cooked blueberry pancakes on the gas stove and sat around the fire with friends listening to the radio as we got excited about trying out new ways to cook vegetables and meat in the camp oven. I really enjoy camping, and Lowmead was a fantastic spot full of quaint little nooks, beautiful scenery and cool breezes that made sitting around a toasty fire, just that more amazing.

Tabitha Emma

Her blogs gives you a rare glimpse into her beautifully designed life. White wash walls, flowers in glasses and tea cups resting on antique surfaces around her home. Punchy pink cushions with vintage telephones, and Polaroids strung up on twine. Her home, houses everything that inspires her illustrations.

A beautifully talented Designer and Illustrator based in Sydney, Australia, Tabitha Emma dreams, creates and constantly scribbles down ideas on napkins.

After training at the Whitehouse Institute of Design in Fashion and Textile Design and at Enmore Design Centre Tafe in Graphic Design and Communication, Tabitha set out to design her own work that is self described as soft, feminine, handmade and organic.

Blending graphics, illustrations, sewing and all things crafty, her designs ooze her described aesthetic with fine lines and bursts of pastel colours that when hung on any wall in your home, would boast feminine art not only for display, but for an escape into nostalgic imaginations.

“Art has a way of opening up the imagination and taking you where reality can’t. Nothing better than having beautiful pictures on the wall and knowing you are supporting young emerging talent,” explains Tabitha.

Young, emerging talent, she definitely is.

Her illustrations ink images of owls resting on tea cups, bunnies beside a posy, and kitschy design elements of tea stain droplets splashed across the matte paper.

Tabitha Emma makes you want to grab a cup of tea and a cupcake as you browse through her illustrations online, purchasing, with each sip of Earl Grey.

Her self titled blog means you may have to also bake a fresh batch of scones to keep you content. As you scroll through the posts, you spend hours becoming completely aware of how her designs are created.

Tabitha is just as captured in the blogosphere, as her loyal followers are with her words. “Making discoveries, sharing ideas, inspiration and finds, blogs are an amazing resource and a great way for like minded people to share things,” she says.

Her daily musings not only showcase her pending work, but also point out her latest blog crushes and inspirations that she finds.

Lately, these are vintage props, glass jars and posy arrangements that are swirling around in her own mind for her upcoming nuptials.

With her own wedding, Tabitha Emma faces her most exciting design yet. “I think my wedding is going to be the most exciting thing that I will be designing. I am designing my own invites and doing my own styling, so stay tuned for the pretty things I create for it.”

She might just have to fashion a pen on her dress somehow, so that she can quickly jot down all the beautiful ideas that stem from her special day, full of soft, feminine touches, and possibly a vintage tea cup or 30.

* All images via Tabitha Emma

Blog Lovin'

Bonjour,

I am a fine lover of all things blog.  I follow many, and try to trawl through them each morning while I enjoy my cuppa.

There are just so many beautiful reads out there, and so many inspirational words, thoughts and images that are worthy enough of a *ghasp!!!!

Below are my favourite's...The ones that I have been reading everyday for the last year or more, without fail.  

1. What Katie Ate
2. A Cup of Jo
3. Che & Fidel
4. Fash n Chips
5. Tabitha Emma
6. The Man Repeller
7. Must Love Popcorn
8. The Seventy Tree
9. Rummey Bears
10. The Satorialist

Enjoy, you crazy coconuts.

What are your favourite daily reads?

Positive Post 4

1. New makeup, gosh I love Bobbie Brown, Mac and Clinique.

2. Camping at Comet River

3. Spring has sprung

4. New Shoes

5. Listening to Phoenix, Gotye and Whitley as Jake works on his car

What has been making you happy lately?

On a negative note, Jake shaved his moustache. I am deeply upset.