Blushing Ambition... yes please!

This girl has a really sweet blog. A student who loves food and fashion. She puts together really cool (well I think so) outfits and eats lots of different food. It goes well together.

With blog titles like Parkas and Pancakes.. I'm sold.

Clogs! I remember BEGGING my mum for a pair of black Andrea Biani Clogs when I was about 12... I was absolutely desperate for them, and I had these ridiculously awkward stick legs. I must have looked ridiculous... but now I miss my clogs... almost... not quite... but yeah..

Food!

Add it to your list - about 20,000 other people in the world do...

Blushing Ambition

Families, Mothers, Fathers, Brothers, Ben 10 Watches...

This year I decided I needed more subject matter for photography - so I asked friends if they wanted me to take some photos. They let me! Thank you friends.

How gorgeous is this family? They were awesome, and I loved the fact that I had to put the camera in sports mode most of the time to catch these little guys.

There were so many shots, but I have just got a few for you today. Thanks Gabby for letting me share them.

Say Thank You

Leah Dieterich's mother always told her to write thank you notes. So she does. To everything. thxthxthx is her daily exercise in gratitude

 
 
Be Grateful. Everyday.

It's free to dream...

Dear Book Shelf Fairy - If you're reading this, I would like a book case that looks like this. I understand I need to consult with the architectural dream home fairy also, so if you are talking with her, could you ask her to give me a call about making my wishes come true? I'd be most appreciative.

I would read a new book every day and clean my house at least every day week.

Best wishes

Victoria x

p.s. if you can't manage the book shelf in the first picture, I would also be rather happy with this one. And if you have time, could you please organise me one of these grand pianos. thanks.

pps. I think it's only fair, that if you do manage to find a grand piano for me, you also discuss with the dream home fairy about an artists nook for my husband like the one pictured below.

I can just picture my husband sitting here writing his amazing childrens books!

It's free to dream.

Yummy packaging

Such a great concept! I'm a sucker for cool packaging.

Designed by smartemma.co.uk

Food. I freaken love you.

I'm currently rather hungry, so food is on my mind.I thought it would be appropriate to blog about food.
I am a hopeless cook, and an even more hopeless baker...

For example- I tried to make a pavlova in France to compliment my husbands roast leg of NZ lamb he made (which he cooked perfectly!) I got the treasured family pavlova recipe from his mum... I ended up with a brown, chewy flat mess and made an emergency trifle style dessert... with layers of fresh berries, butter sponge cake, yogurt with marshmallow and grated chocolate... it was...edible.

I tried to also make hokey pokey cookies for my flatmates once. Guys eat anything right?
No. They actually don't. It's a myth.
The cookie started out well until everyone had a burning sensation start up in their throat and started coughing... cookie fail.

I've taken to buying Mrs Higgins frozen cookies which you place in the oven for 15 mins. White chocolate and macadamia! Fool proof.... and they make your house smell nice.

Although I fail in the cooking department quite often, I've found a niche talent for making dips. Talent may be too strong a word for it... ability is perhaps more accurate.

I have two to speak of so far in my repertoire, and only one photo.

This is a dip I made to compliment a baby spinach, walnut and pear salad. The dip/dressing is served in the jar with a spoon and you drizzle it over the salad. I always like to dress up the jar a bit to detract from the possible disaster looming under the lid. As they say "you eat with your eyes".

Blue Cheese Dip (from memory)
Blue cheese (creamy, crumbly stuff)
1 tsp Whole Seeded Mustard
Juice from half a squeezed lemon
Half a cup of sour cream
Half a cup of Mayo
Salt + Pepper

I mixed it all up in a kitchen whizz thing. I added more blue cheese and whizzed again until I got the right strength.

Yum.

Now for the evidence that I did actually make this:

I also made this beetroot dip for a pink themed baby shower recently which was surprisingly delicious! I upped the cumin to 2 tsp rather than 1.

Taste.com.au

If you are a total foodie - check out my friends new blog about food and travelling... yum!

I'm hungry.

Shana Rae of sunshine

Shana Rae takes and makes beautiful pictures. Her style is really feminine... Check out these pics.

Here is my amateur attempt to do a "Shana Rae" inspired pic with a photo I took back in Feb this year...

Did I mention I freaken love organised cupboards?

Those of you who know me, know that I used to be a wee bit of an obsessive compulsive when it came to organising things...

Those of you who know me and have been to my place or office also would have noticed that I have become increasingly slack in this area...

Nevertheless, I still have an underlying obsession with disgustingly organised things... in particular cupboards.

This picture almost took my breath away...

designsponge

I feel so inadequate when I see this... not to mention sick with jealousy. I'm sure if I had an architecturally designed walk through pantry and a hefty bank balance I too would own this organised monstrosity.

While we are on the topic of organisation - here are some more which tug deeply at my obsessive compulsive strings.

countryliving

s_ripperton photostream flikr

Do I dare reveal my cupboards?

There I did it... only a little part of the cupboard..you don't want to see the other half.

But! despite the overall lack of organisation.. I did make some labels so when you do find something you know what it is. Success!

I think that's enough about cupboards for one day... 

oh ok... just one more time...

Poor winter... don't worry, I like you.

Winter gets a hard time from people  I think, especially those diehard summer supporters. I feel a bit sorry for winter.

I actually don't mind winter, apart from the getting up in the dark, getting home in the dark aspect.

I like being able to wear lots of layers, winter coats and tights and I get to hide my pasty legs. I like big chunky warm scarves, and I like the fact that my nana in-law likes to make them for me!

I like sitting around the fire singing singstar with the in-laws at their house by the river after a day at the snow and frequent road trips to the mountain with friends on a Friday after work....

I like dunking fresh bread into big bowls of homemade soup.

I like it when the cats get cold and snuggle under the blankets on Saturday mornings...

I could go on... because there are so many reasons why I like winter... I think people just see the gray skys and feel the cold, and hunker down waiting for a sign that it's ending, reassuring themselves that "this will all be over soon"...

Speaking of winter... there a few winter styles that I am liking the look of, and fortunately in Auckland it doesn't get too cold so we can still get away with tights, instead of burry, saggy long johns.

I like the grey socks and boots on the end.

holliefernando

lookbook.nu

This pic reminded me of a not so fashion forward self in NY last year - freeeeeeeeeeezing my a** off. I had 2 pairs of tights on a 6 layers...

Look how cold I am.

I'd wear this with tights....I like her shoes...

vanessajackman

lookbook.nu

lookbook.nu

lookbook.nu

Time for a cup of soup... It's cold and I'm wishing I had a log fire.