cake off

Here's the cake my niece decorated her Friday night for her son's birthday party yesterday - isn't it awesome? She had the icing topper made up in the US, and made a mudcake which was then covered in fondant icing dyed blue. Then check out all the amazing shells and seaweed she made out of coloured fondant using only chopsticks as a tool. Cool huh? The 'sand' is sugar coloured with food colouring, there are a few Guylian seashells around the base - and those cute little sugar fishy lollies. I can't believe that this was her first cake.

I only supplied the house, the KitchenAid, the oven, the colours and the cheer-squadding - she did all the amazing decorating herself and I think she did a fabulous job. He had quite the party yesterday!

say aaaaahhhhhh

Oh, I do so love the weekend. Last night our gal had a friend over for a sleepover so while they swam in the pool hubby and I sat in the pavilion and ate chips and sipped on an icy cold beer. Hello, bliss. I also helped my niece make her cake - well, I supplied the fondant, colourings and KitchenAid - and lots of ooohs and aaahs. It looks fabulous - I'll try to snap off a shot tonight.

Today hubby's taking the gals to buy the birthday pressie - while I do a little more work - just a tad. Then it's party followed by a trip to the Red Lantern Markets - I'll tell you what, Newcastle's market scene is positively blossoming at the moment. Love it!

So, you, what are you up to? Tell me, tell me, tell me do.

fabulously friday

Hurrah, oh weekend, I do love you so. We've got another busy one planned. Tonight my niece is coming down and we're baking and decorating the cake for her son's birthday party tomorrow. The gorgeous little fella will be one so he's having a nemo-themed party. Bless. There will be fondant, there will be painted fondant, there will be fondant formed into seaweed... Wish us luck...

Saturday afternoon we have his party, which, as it starts at 4pm will take us into the evening. Then on Sunday afternoon I'm finally off to see Harry. I know!!! I'm also giving the new Gold Class cinemas a whirl which I'm really looking forward to.

In between there shall also be swimming. Ahhhhhhhhh.

oui, oui, OUI!

Tom Ford is guest-editing the Christmas edition of French Vogue. Surely I can expect this in my Christmas stocking?

the whole tooth

I remember when I was pregnant I spent a lot of time wishing and hoping that my child would have my husband's teeth. See, mine have caused me a lot of grief over the years, but realistically that's mainly because of antibiotics that I was given when I was a baby caused some of my second teeth to grow through weird. Luckily the stains and pitting are all covered up thanks to cosmetic dentistry. But my husband has lovely white, straight teeth - and I knew he'd never had braces - but I didn't know he'd had plenty of teeth removed.

Sure enough our child has inherited her father's teeth - and our dentist has inherited a patient who helps fund his European holidays. Yesterday I got a call from the school to say Miss A had chipped a tooth - but vertically, taking off a whole slice. Of course I quickly called the dentist to book in for an emergency appointment and picked up the gal.

The poor little poppet had to have the tooth removed - the third tooth she's had extracted as the damned things don't really like to come out on their own accord. That's three times I've held her hand while she's bravely had huge needles inserted in her gums and a tooth reefed out. Ouch.

But on the bright side, at least the tooth fairy pays double for an extraction...

lip service

I do not do nude lips. I need some gloss, some balm, or, when the fancy takes me - lipstick. Ordinarily I'm a lipstick at night and a gloss or tint during the day kinda gal. Lipstick feels too heavy for daytime. But allow me to introduce you to my new paramour.

These Benefit Full-Finish Lipsticks are so creamy and delicious that you'll want to sleep in them. Now I just so happen to have found the perfect summer pink - Pillow Talk - oh, it's pretty. It looks bright and rosy, and on your lips it just so happens to morph into the ideal summer shade that brings a fresh glow to your entire face. I am in love.

Benefit always win me over with their foxy packaging - and these were no different. The matt black with white polkadots on the box had me squealing with delight. A lippy costs $34 so when you do a cost-per-week factor taking in all your festive functions it's worth every penny.

Go on, give your face a fresh new look and check these out - you won't be sorry {ps: Saucy? You're the next shade on my list...}

what's cooking this week?

And let the festivities commence. We're just home from dress rehearsal and photos for my daughter's ballet concert, and that always signifies the start of the festive season for me. Next week we've got the theatre rehearsal and then, before we know it - the concert. After seven years I'm finally getting the hang of it all: three dances mean three costume changes, but this year, there's only two hairstyle changes which is a bonus.

Here's what we're eating this week:

Wednesday: Chicken schnitzel, mash and broccoli.

Thursday: After a two-week absence I'm attending French lessons. Hubby can cook he and the gal steak and salad. Because it starts early and ends late I'll just have toast.

Friday: Prawn linguine

Saturday: We're off to our nephew's 4th birthday party at 4pm - so I imagine we'll just grab some takeaway on the way home.

Sunday: Pork belly and roasted vegies - have I been craving pork belly lately. Mmmmmm.

Monday: Theatre rehearsal from 4.30 to 7pm for the ballet concert. Something simple I think. Let's say bbq chicken salad.

Tuesday: Final ballet lesson for the year - chicken and chorizo bake with rice.

Phew.

magnificently maggie

I was just one of the throngs of voices who screamed "Nooooooooooooooooooo" when hearing that Maggie Alderson's column would no longer be appearing in my Good Weekend {presumably they'll be changing the name to just Weekend...}. But, excitedly, Maggie's going to be posting each week on her new site Maggie Alderson Style Notes. Quick, go check it out and subscribe. Ahhh, Saturday mornings shall return to normal. Bless.

gorgeously gucci

I just so happen to like these ruched suede Gucci shoes.

A lot.

oh stella

Oh, how I'd love to wander up Stella McCartney's garden path. Isn't it just positively delicious?

house-keeping

I think it's important to regularly invite guests to your home - just so you can do a 'kick-your-butt-into-gear' serious clean every so often. My step-sister and her partner are arriving any moment now so husband and I have worked like maniacs to get the house ready. Not in a weird show home way, just in a 'good lord how on earth did the floorboards in the pavillion get into that state?' kind of way.

So now, front of house looking good. Guest bed made up. Kitchen looking okay - with a big chunk of beef marinating in red wine, thyme and garlic ready for bbqing tonight. The pavillion by the pool is pristine again, the bar fridge in the pavillion packed with beer, french bubbles and wine. Yep. We're ready.

Hopefully this nice weather will hold so we can eat on the newly cleaned back veranda. If not, no worries, I'll simply cook the beef and potatoes inside and we'll eat in here as well.

How about you? What are your plans for the weekend?

this is literally high-lair-ius

Thank you Reality Raver for finding this Uh-Maze-Ing clip. I die. I literally die.

guest posting

See this pretty pic of my gal? You can read more about it over at Corinne's Daze of my Life where I just so happen to be guest posting today. Go on, tell her I said "hi".

friday flowers

If you need a garden shed {as we do} why not make it a wee, pretty one encircled by flowers and shrubs so it's hidden away? Doesn't this look intriguing?

if you'll excuse me...

I've had quite a busy week, gee, wouldn't mind a wee bit of a kip in this...

rachel zoe is pregnant

As soon as I saw this photo over at Crazy Days and Nights I knew. After watching the show last night and seeing Rachel's terrifyingly skinny chest I couldn't imagine how she'd actually be carrying enough weight to menstruate, but she's just confirmed on Twitter that she's pregnant. And look at this shot - no, not the tummy, the chest - not airbrushed and there are no visible bones.

Wow, Rodger must be over the moon and I hope it all goes well for them...

pink peonies: so pretty

My desk is currently overwhelmed with prettiness thanks to my beautiful bunch of peonies. Oh, they are just the most incredible flower. I love their tightly budded heads - so tight that you can't imagine how on earth they possibly hold so much promise inside - and then, when they bloom, oh it's magnificent.

Yesterday I was doing some work, and my gal sat beside me filling out her Christmas cards {all the gals in her class get a card so she wanted to get started early - and actually finished!} and I heard this funny little sound. I looked over and realised it was my peony unfurling!!!!! We actually sat and watched it, like some macro-time-elapsed photography on a wild-life documentary - but in real life. Absolutely magical.

I don't buy flowers often enough, even though they bring me such joy. I think I need to rectify that.

what's cooking wednesday

Busy will be the theme of What's Cooking Wednesday during the silly season. Which is why I'm totally and utterly besotted with the whole concept of meal planning. Knowing I'm going to be busy, and knowing that I have meals planned to prepare for this makes me happy. Here's what we'll eat this week - hopefully!

Tonight: Prawn and broccoli skewers on a lemony, herby rissoni salad.

Thursday: Gal at school disco, husband coming home late from a meeting in the big smoke, me at French lessons. Eep. He can cook himself a t-bone steak and some steamed microwave vegies. I'll have some yoghurt and salad.

Friday: Lamb, spinach and pinenut pies in a filo pastry next {I'm going to line cupcake cases with squares of filo pastry and blind bake them. Then I'll fill them with lamb mince cooked up with onions, garlic, grated carrot and some tinned tomatoes. Some toasted pine-nuts will add a new texture dimension. I'll serve it with a salad - tomato and onion with some fresh mint perhaps.

Saturday: My step-sister and her partner are visiting from Melbourne. We've got a lot of chatting and catching up to do so I'll prepare a couple of salads and do something on the bbq - standing beef rib roast perhaps and carve up a couple of viking cutlets when I serve. Are blood oranges in season? If so I want to make a blood orange tart. Mmmmm.

Sunday: Roast dinner. Chicken perhaps - lots of veg.

Monday: Final Twilight Netball for the year. Home-made pizza when we get home - home-made by husband and child I think.

Tuesday: Pork cutlets with gremolata and panko crust. Apple and red cabbage slaw. Lemon roast potatoes.

Yep, that'll do.

daisy, daisy, daisy

So, you know how Baz Luhrman's working on a remake of The Great Gatsby? Well, excitedly, he's cast Carey Mulligan as Daisy. Perfection.

Now, if only he keeps ol' frozen face out of it I'll be happy {that'll be Nicole Kidman for newer readers, and for older readers - I know - I haven't mentioned her for yonks!}

well read

Hey, do you like a good mag? May I suggest this one? Sure, I may have written the odd article or two in it, but I'm not really biased - it's a fab mag.

Thanks x