Gilles Street Markets & Creative Spaces...

Welcome to my revamped blog! I finally took the time to make it a little more 'darling-esque.' Admittedly, I despised the last background/layout that I had, just because it was a generic one that I knew would be used by thousands of other people. But these are baby steps- I have never been very techno-savvy, so even setting this blog up with a generic look was a challenge for me! After much tweaking and copy-pasting of widget codes, I finally have this new look! I'm proud!

Choosing my new background was pretty easy, because I have done lots of art in this style lately. I love the convenience of my little kid's watercolour palate (yep, just add water!)- I even brought it to uni with me last week! It is handy because I can paint something, and then after a couple of minutes I can pack it away in my uni bag because it is already dry! I really like the style I have been working in because it has basically no structure and is very therapeutic! The peices don't take much time so I am starting to get a little collection. It is one of the only collections of my own art work that I have actually liked- I am usually just annoyed by the final products... but these ones can stay! If I make enough, I think I am going to finally set up an online Etsy store (something I have been meaning to do for a loooooong time). 

But the watercolour palate is not the only place I have been getting my creative juices flowing. My kitchen has also been a place of creation lately! I have been working on perfecting a few recipes. The first one is The Cauliflower-Base Pizza! This recipe has been circulating around the health blogs for ages now, and I have always wanted to give it a go. Last Friday night I had a drinks-thingy to go to so I seized the opportunity (and a large cauliflower) to make the pizza! 

For something so simple, I was amazed and pleased at the results. The base was just steamed cauliflower, two lightly beaten eggs and a bit of parmesan cheese (which I think would be optional). These ingredients are blended and then the mixture is spread out on a baking tray (I added a sprinkling of oregano) and baked for about half an hour. And there you have it- a flour-less pizza base! I covered it with whatever ingredients I had in the fridge- tomato slices, olives, onion and parmesan. It was sooooo tasty (and my friends agreed!)

Who says my favourite tea cup is just for drinking purposes?

I have also been creating some more complex recipes. The first is homemade CoYo. Anyone who has tried this will understand my recent addiction to this coconut milk-based yoghurt (as seen in the photo above), and will also understand my horror when I saw the price of a tub! So, my clever Mum suggested making it at home. We have some experimenting to do, but I will be sure to post about it once we have mastered the art of making CoYo! 

With all these creations- homemade skincare, new recipes and artworks- I should start up a market stall...

Oh wait, I did! Last weekend myself and a few lovely lady friends ran a Gilles Street Market stall. The Gilles Street Markets are Adelaide's top fashion/craft markets and attending them always means you are in for a fun and funky day. 

We were only selling clothes this time, but when I get back from France I want to do one selling art and/or my skin care products! 

We had soooooo much stuff to sell. Between five of us, we managed to fill more than 6 clothing racks and took up the space of a double stall site! 

The Gilles Street Markets are a fun day out whether running a stall or buying from one! I was selling clothes that I just wanted to get rid of, so I was pricing them at about $5-$10, and I still made a profit!

But apart from that, I had so much fun running the stall with some close friends. We just hung out there all day, chatting and eating yummy market food. 

We were really lucky to get such a nice bout of weather for our market stall. It was not too hot, not too cold, just right for selling our unwanted clothes to bargain hunters! 

Mum and I cannot wait to get our hands on a soy candle-making kit! Finally, an excuse to buy all the
cute tea cups that I see during my op shop raids!

I even picked up a few bargains myself- including these amazing white-framed glasses that I cannot wait to wear in Spain with my new bikini (which I bought with my market profits!). Our market day was a big success, I had a lovely time with my girlfriends and made enough money from my clothes...to buy more clothes! Haha! I can't wait to do a craft/art based stall in the summer...

Greens, Yoga and Uni Assignments: My countdown to Paris!

Yep, it is official- at this time in exactly two weeks I will be on a plane touching down in Paris, in a very anxious, nervous and excited state knowing that I am only minutes away from seeing a boy that I have missed so much for so many months. Because I have been so excited to see him, I have barely even thought about the travel side of things- like the fact that I am going to see the Eiffel Tower for the first time, or the road trip to Spain that we have planned. But now that it is so close, I have started to prepare for all that. I think that being healthy and fit is so important for travelling- especially if you have a GIANT backpack like I did on my last trip! I will have a suitcase this time (phew!) but I still want to be fit and feel healthy. When I am away, I think the most handy thing to have is clear skin. This way, I don't have to worry too much about makeup when I spontaneously decide to go for a swim or end up doing something strenuous. For this reason, I have been really focused on my skin lately.

I have a green smoothie everyday, not just because I like them, but because they give me clear skin. All the greens are full of fiber and nutrients (especially when they come from Mum's garden!) and whenever I don't have one for a few days I notice the difference in my complexion. 

This tea by Pukka was recommended to me by Soph. It is a peppermint tea with added nettle and dandelion, which are both really good for digestion as well as keeping the skin clear. I have been drinking it for a couple of weeks now and I am liking the results. Not only does it settle my stomach, but it also seems to keep pimples away! Plus it is a really nice tasting tea (unlike some health teas that taste like mowed grass steeped in boiling water).

Please excuse my paleness- unfortunately I still have to rely on makeup if I want to have any colour in my complexion! But at least it is clear!

But the winner of all my skin remedies has to be the Hot Yoga. I have always said that this kind of yoga does wonders for my skin, and this time round I have found the same results. It is not so much about it creating clear skin, it is more about the texture and complexion. After a Hot Yoga session my skin feels really plump. A couple of hours later it always has a nice glow about it that I have never got from any skin products.

Buuuuuutttttt..... I am not always so kind to my skin! Especially when there are chocolate treats about! But hey- yoga also teaches balance in life, which is always my ultimate goal! The chocolates above are from a date I went on with Beth a couple of weeks ago. We always go to Bracegirdles (the BEST chocolate I have tasted in life so far!) for our little dates. But there is also a new chocolate shop in Rundle Mall called Koko Black... good chocolate and I like their slogan!

Since being back at yoga I have been able to run again! I have always suffered from really tight and sore calves, which is such a shame because I love to run. Before starting hot yoga I could only run for about 10 minutes before my calves would feel like they were about to explode, and for the rest of my run I would be in pain. But now I am running about 8km without any pain whatsoever! Perfect timing, because I want to look and feel as fit as possible before I have to wear that bikini in Spain! Eeeek!

I leave two weeks before my Uni semester ends, so I have less time to hand in all my assignments. It has created a little bit of pressure for me, but nothing I can't handle. I actually really look forward to Thursdays because I spend the whole day studying and doing assignments in the sunshine...

 ... and it is especially fun when a little Koala friend comes to watch me study! Hello, Mr.Koala! Haha, I felt like I was in an Australian tourist advertisement when I looked up and saw him!

Just before I went on my big trip last year, Mum and I went to my favourite Adelaide cafe- Horner and Pratt. It seems to have been the start of a travel tradition because we also went there yesterday (I am going to be so busy leading up to the day I leave, so we had to get a little lunch date in!) As usual, I got the Halloumi and Tabouleh wrap with side salads.... To.Die.For! Hands down my favourite Lunch in Adelaide! Mum and I had a very pleasant time eating our lunch and watching the world go by from the cafe's upstairs window (and the parking inspector giving out about 10 parking fines!). I think we will have to continue this tradition and go back to Horner and Pratt before Mum leaves for Hawaii later this year!

There are no words that I could punch out on this keyboard to describe my excitement for this trip coming up. I can't believe it is only two weeks away now... I see it this way- 14 more green smoothies and I will be on that plane! Woo!!

:)

How a hot room and a kitchen made for the perfect day...

I want to write about the glorious day I had last week. I think it was a Wednesday. I'm not sure if I have mentioned yet, but I joined a Hot Yoga class a few weeks ago. Well, if I didn't mention it, I am doing so now! I have done Hot Yoga before, when I lived in the Gold Coast a few years ago, so I knew what I was in for when I went to do a trial at Peak Physique Yoga Studio. What I didn't expect, was how much I had missed it! I had forgotten what Hot Yoga does for me- not only physically but also mentally (in a very big way). At first it was very hard as I was not used to the heat- I had to lay down for most of my first couple of classes! But that is the beautiful thing about it- yoga is about individual progress, and it is the first 'work out' that I have ever been interested in that does not involve competing with the person next to me. After my first couple of classes, my body became used to the temperature, plus I started going to the 6am sessions as they are the first class of the day and are a little bit cooler- lucky I am an early bird!

After I finished my 7 day trial, I joined up straight away because I was already hooked! I have been doing it almost everyday and I love the warm, fuzzy, flexible feeling I have for the rest of the day. It also improves my mood, because I feel like the class is almost a 'break' from thinking, a time to focus on myself and set some intentions. I read somewhere that Hot Yoga also balances hormone levels (awesome for girls- haha!). I love it and have been feeling really happy.

So, on this glorious Wednesday last week, I started the day off with a Hot Yoga session. As usual, it put me in high spirits and gave me lots of motivation. Not that a needed much because, after finding out that I had the day off from work, I planned a market trip and cooking day with Mum.

As we do every time we go, Mum and I had an enjoyable little visit to the Central Markets. We got some bargains, some fresh food and a coffee! I had a whole menu planned for that night's dinner (I had some friends coming) so I bought all the ingredients fresh from the market shelves! 

When I got home, the ingredients that I had bought literally covered the whole kitchen bench... which pleased me... haha! I couldn't wait to start cooking.

This is my favourite corner in the kitchen- I think it looks like a little scene from a cooking magazine. I like the colour contrast between the lemons, the avocados and the red tray. Plus, this is where all the essentials are- coconut oil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, spices and balsamic vinegar! <3

My menu for the night was as follows:

--- Homemade Dark Rye Bread---

--- Leek, Broccoli and Almond Soup---

---Caraway and Pumpkin Pasties---

---Dark Chocolate---

Ok, I didn't make the last item- I would like to thank Lindt Chocolate for that one! But I did make everything else- even the wholemeal pastry for the pumpkin pasties! It was a LOT of work, but thankfully Soph came over to help me for the afternoon! It was really our ideal day- cooking in the kitchen talking about silly stuff... it is what we do best!

Mum pulled out her old Pritikin cookbooks from the 80's. It was a diet that was considered a bit alternative back then, but when you read through the books, all the recipes are just what we call 'clean eating' these days! Nothing processed, all natural, easy to digest, nothing packaged, minimal sugar- just like the clean eating ideas! Plus, they are full of clever healthy recipes, such as the Pumpkin and Caraway Pasties!

The soup was the easy part- I could make this recipe with my eyes closed, I make it so often! I like it because there is no precise way of doing it- just chuck all the ingredients in, simmer and blend- il est prêt! ('It is ready' in French- See!? I am getting better! Haha!)

The tricky part was the pasties. I wanted to have a go at making my own wholemeal pastry, just because I like making as much from scratch as possible when I cook... They were a success, but very fiddly! Wholemeal flour does not hold together as well as white flour, but Soph became the expert in this department, so I cheekily let her skilled hands finish that job!

This dinner was a perfect winter warmer. Cooking always puts me in a good mood, so that teamed with the Hot Yoga that morning made me one happy little housewife! 

Everything turned out really well- even the homemade Rye Bread! 

After all that, enjoying the meal with a few friends was the perfect end to my perfect day. 

My DIY natural skin care products... and some arts and crafts to match!

I have wanted to publish this post for the past week now, but I couldn't incase my Mum read it! The reason being that I got very creative with her Mother's Day present! I am always interested in anything natural, and have recently been reading a lot about DIY natural skin care. I have had some recipe ideas for a while, and thought they would make good presents if they were packaged in a cute way. So that is exactly what I got to work on for Mum's Mother's Day present!

I worked with fairly basic ingredients- although they weren't cheap! I used Organic Manuka Honey, Rosehip Oil, Lavender Oil, Coconut oil, almonds, sugar and cinnamon. While these ingredients were costly (about $50 for all of it) I think I will manage to get about three batches from this purchase. 

Making the skin products was only half the fun for me! I was more interested in how I could package them. I wanted to design the labels, complete with ingredient lists and instructions, and I also wanted to put the products in small glass jars to give the skin care a rustic look. I had an absolute ball one afternoon- painting minuscule water colour flowers onto tiny little squares of brown cardboard! They really were so tiny and intricate, and I was pretty proud of the result. I found some little jars at Ned's (oh god, how I love that place- I swear the shop assistants know me by name there!).

I ended up with a total of three different products (which I tested everyday for a week before making a second batch for Mum's present).

This is what I made:

--- Manuka Honey and Almond Sugar Scrub ---

Manuka Honey

Coconut Oil

Rosehip

Crushed almonds

Sugar

--- Manuka Honey, Rosehip and Cinnamon Cleanser ---

Manuka Honey

Rosehip Oil

Cinnamon

--- Lavender and Coconut Oil Night Cream ---

Coconut Oil

Lavender Oil

They were all a success, and I am proud to announce that Mum loved them. We have both been using them since I gave them to her and have had good results. I especially love the scrub because it seems to give my skin a nice 'bouncy' feeling to touch, as well as making it super smooth before putting on makeup. But my favourite is the night cream. The two oils were whipped together with an electric beater after they cooled, and this gave it a silky, fluffy texture. The lavender is also really soothing and puts me straight to sleep!

I also had some fun making a matching card to go with the present. I really love using the watercolours with the black felt tip pen- it is becoming a very regular art medium of mine.

I don't think I will be buying store skin products ever again- I am so happy with the results of my own! Mum reports that she is also happy with them. I was happy to make them for her- beautiful natural skin products for a naturally beautiful lady! 

xxxx

Sail away, sail away, sail away!

...Yes I totally just used an Enya song for the title of this post. And yes, I do love her. No arguments about that. But it is also a fitting post title because I have been feeling very nautical lately! The print shown above is what makes up a skirt that was given to me by the same friend that gave me the yellow vintage glove set from my last post. The outfit she gave me was actually a two-piece, but the top is a little bit small for me due to the...um, assets. But the skirt is very wearable and I do adore it! I think the little sailing boats are cute and I like the dotted clouds. The colour of the fabric is really different as well- it looks more blue in the photo but it is actually more of an olive colour- one of my favourites!

This outfit is completely made up of donations! Thank you to Rose for the sailing boat skirt, and thanks to Soph for the hand-me-down sparrow jumper! I think they go well together and I like that there is a non-typical nautical feel about it!

The earrings were also donated- thanks to Beth's Mum for those little treasures!

I have also got back into my vintage hair styles. After a few lurks of some of my favourite vintage bloggers, I was feeling all inspired and so put in a pin-curl set and threw in a victory roll for good measure. Not very sailor-esque, but it does keep the hair out of my face, which is refreshing for me! All this focus on sailing boats and pretty hair reminded me of Gabi- because she has both of those things! I won't see her for a while because she has gone away to work, but before she left we had the best time! She took me sailing a few times, which I just realised I forgot to blog about (as if I forgot something as cool as that!? Especially because sailing was an item on my South Australian to-do-list!). Of course, the GoPro Gals were at it again with some very snazzy shots... all courtesy of Gabi's camera!

I miss Gabi now she is gone! She is my little adventure buddy! But she has gone on a very exciting solo adventure now, and (being the neighbours that we are) I will see her when she gets back for some more outdoorsy fun!

But it seems that even without my much-missed Gabi, I still managed to get out onto the water lately! On Sunday it was Mother's Day, but also my cousin's birthday and she had a party on the Port River Dolphin Cruise.

The universe granted us a perfect day for cruising about the Port River. I was really excited to do this because I hadn't done it since I was a little kid. Plus, exploring the Port was another thing that I wanted to do- I have to organise some time to explore it more by foot! There is a lot of history around that area, not to mention the quirky little shops and cafes...

I was expecting to see one, maybe two dolphins, and so I was totally surprised and pleased at how many we saw. I am not sure if we picked a lucky day or the dolphins were out to enjoy the good weather as much as we were, but we saw quite a few!

A couple of ciders and lots of dolphin sightings, surrounded by family... perfect way to spend a sunny Sunday!

Winter, I don't mind if you stick around for a while...

I don't mind winter. Actually I like all the seasons because each one is beautiful in a different way. In summer I love the smell of freshly cut grass and the way everything looks happy, in spring I love the blossom trees (and my birthday!), in Autumn I love walking through the city looking at all those special trees that change to orange...and in winter... I LOVE SOUP!

I have had a few days off work lately, which has not really bothered me because I have been able to make some really yummy lunches. Last week I suddenly remembered a soup recipe that I used to love but hadn't made in a while. So after another enjoyable trip to the central markets, I was armed with some fresh ingredients to make it!

The recipe is 'Leek and Almond Soup,' but I always add broccoli. It is a really simple soup- just leek, celery, broccoli, garlic, almond meal and almond milk- sounds weird but I promise it is delicious! And filling!

Almond and Leek soup, with a side of rye toast with rocket pesto and blue cheese.
Fanciest lunch I have had in a while... probably since France!

I have to say I felt very French eating this for lunch. Mainly because it took longer to make than a normal Aussie lunch would (usually just a can of tuna and some salad!) but also because it involved some yummy bread (although it was rye loaf, not a baguette!). I guess I am just practicing for my next visit to France- which is in exactly one month!!!! I liked spending the time preparing this with some music playing in the background- it made my lunch so much more satisfying! Plus, I have left-overs for days!

Another good thing about it being winter is that when I have days off I don't feel the slightest bit guilty about getting around in my trackies and slippers and doing lots of art! I have started experimenting in watercolour. I am surprised at how intricate it can be for such an uncontrolled painting style. I have also been mixing my water colour patterns with my favourite medium- the classic black felt tip pen. I feel like this keeps it closer to my own style...

This one is my favourites so far. I want to try and make it the background of my
blog... let's see how computer savvy I can be!

I also like this one... just because I love painting in yellow.

Speaking of yellow, I just HAVE to mention an amazing gift that I received a couple of weeks ago. A family friend of mine was reading my blog and saw that I love all things vintage. I knew her Mum, who sadly passed away a while ago, but I remember her very clearly. She was a friendly little thing, with a contagious laugh. she was always baking, and when I think of her I always think of the smell of Anzac cookies- because that was something she always made. Because of these memories, the present I received from her daughter was made even more special...

This is a genuine 1940's glove set- all in yellow, and I adore it. The gloves are still lovely and soft without a stain on them. The bag has a brass clasp, which unfolds to reveal the gloves and a little coin purse.

I thought it was so adorable to still find a little pencil in the coin purse (they didn't have phones or iPads to write things down in back then!) as well as a tuppence! I have never even seen one of those before!

The bag still contains the original mirror, which is a bit faded but still in good condition. How interesting would it be to see all the reflections that this mirror has seen...

I love looking at things like this from my favourite era, because it makes it easier for me to envision it. But apart from just looking at it, I love wearing it! I am excited for it to get colder so I can wear the gloves! 

I was also given another bag and an outfit, but I will have to save those for another post!

xxx