Remembering 2012

As the first day of 2013 comes to a close, I am going to attempt to recap 2012 with a few of my favourite pictures from each month of the year. The hope is that each of the pictures reignites an important (and hopefully happy) memory for me.

Here goes:

January

February

March

That's it for now. I've spent a lovely time this evening going through photos and reminiscing, but I'm tired, and it's time for bed. 

I'll try and get more done tomorrow.

G'night all.

K x

Taking Flight

I have always wanted a copy of "Taking Flight" by Kelly Rae Roberts, and for the life of my I can't work out why I have never bought one. But I was doing a bit of blog-hopping today and came across this giveaway.

So to satisfy the entry requirements for the giveaway, I am sharing this button.

 

Wish me luck.

Before the year ends......

I thought that I should probably get a Blog post in before we bid farewell to 2012.

I had this wonderful idea that 1012 was going to be the 'year of the blog' for me, and that I was going to become one of those really cool 'mummy bloggers' that we've all been hearing so much about. I was becoming obsessed with increasing hits on my little blog, and search engine optimisation, and earning money off it..........what a load of shit! I started my blog to write my thoughts and let my friends and family interstate keep track of our lives. And that's what I will continue to do with it.

In October I tried to participate in Blogtober, where the goal was to blog every day for the month of October. I tried to do that thing that professional bloggers do and plan my posts, prewrite them for publication at a later time. I found that's just not me. My blogging is spontaneous, and not that structured.

I tried to think about getting some structure to my blog by making sure I make a particular type of  post on a particular day of the week......BUST!!!!!

For 2013, I have taken the pressure off. Not just my blog, but my life in general. I had a friend mention recently that I seem a lot calmer and less stressed. I am. I honestly feel awesome! I mean of course I still get some of the usual day to day cerebral implosions that I'm sure we all have every now and again, but considering how I have felt over the past few years, I can honestly say I feel great.

I have taken the pressure off.

No need to impress anyone but me.

Time to put some time back into me.

If I am not happy, the world around me will be a dark and gloomy place to be around (I make sure of that), so I need to be happy.

What makes me happy???

My family and spending quality time with them.

Typing away here for a bit of R&R.

Online communities - yes, I may sound like a computer hobbit, but I have met some wonderful people online from all corners of the world, and I am happy to put some time into those relationships even though they are not 'here'.

Being creative. Again, I have connected with some wonderful creative people recently, and look forward to doing more with them in the months to come.

Friends who are willing to put the time in to me, as much as I am willing to put the time into them. I have this on my wall:

So true.

So my word for 2013 (for those people who do the 'word of the year' thing) is "ME". It's time to put some time back into me. And that's not being selfish, I think it's just being smart.

I hope that you can look back on 2012 and take some lessons from it that will make 2013 as happy and fulfilling as I hope it will be.

Kirst x

Blogtober Day 8 - Prettiness

I have been attempting to clean up the study/craft space/storage area/general dumping ground.
I HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF!!!!

I won't call myself a hoarder, in fact I am pretty particular about where things go and the way things are in the rest of the house, but for some reason this room is my dirty little hoarder's cave.

I am keeping my eye on the end product, as I know that this can and will be a fabulous space once I'm done. I can't wait to share my space once I'm finished.

In the meantime, during my tidying, I came across some tear sheets that I had obviously torn out of magazines for inspiration, and they ended up at the bottom of a pile of paperwork. So inspiring, huh? But the pictures are still beautiful to me, and I thought I'd share.

This first two are from a Domayne ad, but I just loved the way that the tables were displayed and the colours that were used. They just make me smile.

This next one is Natalia Vodianova in Alexander McQueen S/S 03-04. Isn't that dress just AMAZING!!!

Lastly, Mia Wasikowska in Louis Vuitton.

She is a beautiful girl, and that dress just makes me go weak at the knees.

Enough sharing. Back to purging.
Kirst x

Blogtober Day 7 - Failed at "Never Fail"

I enjoy cooking, and I think I'm actually an okay cook. However, if I was to be specific, I especially love to bake. I love the process of creaming butter and sugar, I love playing around with recipes, I love the eating part. I can often be heard singing "Baked goods are my weakness" to the tune of 'Young boys are my weakness". Yes it's true, my knees go weak around cake.

My speciality is cupcakes. That sounds a bit cliched. I mean, EVERYONE does cupcakes these days. I feel so 2008!!!
Seriously though, they are quick, simple, fun to decorate and the perfect serving size. What's not to love about a cupcake?

I have had my standard cupcake recipe for some time.......8oz each of butter, sugar and self raising flour, 4 eggs, baking powder and vanilla. Simple. Light and fluffy. YUMMY!

The problem I have had with my yummy, scrummy old faithful recipe, is that it is so light, that it can flop in the middle during the cooling process. Kind of like a souffle. Then to decorate, I an restricted to using frosting to fill this hole. And if it does keep its shape, it's so light that it can be destroyed with anything more than light frosting. Limited!!! Don't like these limitations.

So I've been on the hunt for a denser cupcake recipe. One that would have more chance keeping its shape in my dodgy oven, and hold it's shape so that it can be decorated by my kids' loving (but certainly not gentle) hands.

During Blogtober I have been reading Blogs that I have never visited before. I stumbled across Debbie Does Handmade, and her recipe for "Never Fail Cupcakes" and thought I'd give them a go. The recipe was for a Thermomix, but I thought that there's no reason that they couldn't be made "Kirsten-mix".
I can't believe it! They failed!!!!!

They sunk in the middle and were gooey and not cooked inside.

They tasted good, but no good for decorating.

So I tweaked a little in the oven temperature and time to bake department, and didn't add the milk. A very basic and simple recipe.

And out they came!!! Check out these absolutely perfect cupcakes!!!

I mean, is this not the most perfect cupcake you've ever seen?

And because they were so perfect and round, they were iced with a sweet, runny icing glaze.

Just in time for afternoon tea.

Couldn't get a photo of the kids eating them, as they basically inhaled them. Too quick for me and my camera.
Thank you Deb, you have supplied me with my NEW 'go to, no fail' cupcake recipe, and my family and I are thankful.

Kirst x

Blogtober Day 6 - Guilty Pleasure

I'll admit to my guilty pleasure, if you admit to yours. Everyone has guilty pleasures. Something that they don't want anyone else to know about. It may be embarrassing, taboo, or just a little bit naughty.
But I have a theory.

I think that nearly everyone has a guilty pleasure to do with reality TV. There is some reality TV show out there that you enjoy to watch, but don't really like to admit to. What is it????

Big Brother?
X Factor?
Dancing with the Stars?

You have one, don't you? C'mon.....share.

Could it be a design show? 60 Minute Makeover?
Real Estate? Selling Houses??
Child Rearing? Supernanny???

Everyone has one.
Even my dear husband, who says that ALL reality TV sucks, loves to sit and partake in a little bit of Deadliest Catch of an evening.
I think he's in complete denial that it's reality TV.

Mine?
I do like some reality TV, mainly design-type shows, but I believe that this one really hits the mark as a true "guilty pleasure".
Mine?
You'd better leave a comment and tell me yours.

Mine is Beauty and the Geek.

What can I say?
The girls are SOOOOO dumb naive. The boys are so sweet and completely unaware of how geeky they really are. The challenges. The makeovers. The romances. I love it all!!!!! Australia? USA? Who cares. Gimme! Gimme!!!!!


I am a little embarassed that I've let it out of the bag. Whatever will the school mums say???? Oh well. Sharing a little isn't such a bad thing. Is it???

So now you must share yours. Include a link so that we can all enjoy your guilty pleasure too. The more obscure, the better!!
I look forward to hearing about it.

Kirst xx

Blogtober - Day 5

BUGGER!!! It's Day 5 and I've already failed. Miserably.

I have in front of me a list, a planned list of blog posts. Day 2 contains photos that I have half edited, Day 3 is half-written in my drafts, and Day 4 notes are in front of my ready to be typed.

Procrastinate much?

This is not meant to be my post for Day 5, but here it is.

K x