Bubbalino

Christmas Cake Recipe

2011-12-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

I just noticed I haven't posted since July - WOW! Where has this year gone?

Anyway, this is a quick post for those of you who wanted my Christmas Cake recipe. It's super easy and I got it from someone a few years back when my brother bought a cake to a family gathering and he managed to track down the recipe from the maker's mother or something. I mean to say - it's been passed on because it's a delicious cake, not just some recipe I found in a magazine.

Ingredients:

1.2kg fruit mix
2 C brown sugar
2 C water
250g butter
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp baking soda
1 T golden syrup
3 eggs
2 T Sherry (I used Brandy as it was all I had)
1 tsp each lemon, almond & vanilla essences
3 C flour
1/2 t salt
2 tsp baking powder

Method:

Combine fruit, water, sugar, butter, spice, baking soda and syrup in a pot. Bring to boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Cool, stirring occasionally.

When cool, add well beaten eggs, sherry and essences. Mix well.

Fold in sifted flour, baking powder and salt.

Bake in double lined 23cm tin. Press cherries, walnuts, almonds etc on top of batter if desired (I skip this bit)

Bake at 160 degrees (celsius) for 2-2.5 hours until cooked, cover the top with baking paper if it starts to brown too much.

I let it sit in a tin for a couple of weeks prior to Christmas to let it moisten up.

Merry Christmas.

10 Things You Didn't Know About Me

2011-07-31T03:21:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since I posted, and I don't have anything really to report - busy in the swing of getting the new range ready for the Spring Gift Fair in 3 (eeek) weeks time.

And so, I thought it might be a bit fun to give you all a little insight into the person behind Bubbalino.

Ready, Set, Go...

1. I love food... eating it, reading about it, cooking it, smelling it, talking about it, did I mention eating it? I barely follow a recipe exactly though and I'm certainly no Master Chef candidate.

2. I love those annoying phone calls from Market researchers (although I wish they wouldn't call right on dinner time). I especially like it if they have an accent. I can't explain it without sounding like a total crazy person, but something about talking to them gives me a tingle in my head.

3. I planned on being a pop star and I have a few terrrrribly embarrassing demos recorded from my time in LA and London to prove it.

4. I am 90% deaf in my left ear. I had glue ear as a child and 2 sets of grommits didn't fix it. As a result, I find it really hard to find my bearings where sound is concerned.

5. I used to want 6 children. I still would love 4 but have left my run a little late so the plan is now for 3 (God willing).

6. I love to drive. I especially love driving a manual (stick shift), but find an automatic much easier now that I live in a city where traffic is ever present and I have other things that need to be done in the car like: replace dummies, hold little girls' hands, pass books, snacks, water bottles etc etc. You get the picture!

7. I was deported from the USA in 2003 and banned from reentering for 5 years. I have not tried to return yet, although one day I do hope to.

8. I've hugged Justin Timberlake. Let me rephrase that - Justin Timberlake has hugged me. :)

9. My siblings are some of my best friends. I love it when we all get together and laugh about everything and nothing.

10. I love listening to talk back radio - and can't tell you the number of times I've dialed the number to give my 2 cents worth and then hung up.

Hope you have a great week.

So Proud to Introduce...

2011-07-05T01:46:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited about the latest little product to join the Bubbalino Family. It's obviously different from the rest of our range because it's not 'handmade' and it's not clothing... but make no mistake, it IS an accessory and it IS fashion. So for these two reasons, I think it's a fitting addition to welcome into the fold.

Due to an overwhelming response to the "pre-order" offer I ran via our Facebook page, I have branched out from the Piccolo (which Bubbalino is the first in New Zealand to introduce!!) to include a whole 'family' of KeepCups - entirely suitable for your family!

Whatever your 'poison', there is a Bubbalino KeepCup for you and in a size to suit - Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Tea, or Fluffies - we got it covered! And because these beauties fit under most standard sized Barista machines, and also fit into your car cupholder, you'll find that you can use it anywhere, anytime.

Great as a gift for a little person or big, coupled with some gourmet coffee beans, a beautiful box of tea or a sweet wee bag of marshmallows - the options are endless. An affordable gift that will be appreciated and used for a long time to come!

We're selling these on our Bubbalino website so check out what we have available online. For now though, take a look at the gorgeous range we've got for you - all designed by me, for you and your styley family!

Little Miss T and I are loving our cups and we're just waiting for Daddy's one to arrive, and for Master A to be old enough to drink fluffy's to get his own one!

We're off to Rarotonga on Friday for a lovely weeks' holiday and to attend the wedding of some lovely friends. Miss T is beyond excited, and actually so am I! Better get back to packing. You can still shop online, and please note that the cups will be here and ready for dispatch on July 25th. Take care, have a great week

The Art of Time Suckage

2011-06-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

Anyone who indulged in the cult movie "Reality Bites" back in the '90's will recall the infamous line delivered by Winona Ryder's character to her friend Troy - " I have to work around here, and, unfortunately, Troy, you are a master at the art of time suckage".

I am a victim of the modern form of time suckage which is the internet and today I'm struggling big time to avoid it's pull! And how can I when there is SO much that is inspiring, inspirational and just down right delicious out there in cyber space!?

I do wonder how others of you get your housework/or any other kind of work done with a computer in your living space?

This is what I have been distracted by today:

Courtney Cox's a.h.m.a.z.i.n.g home (!!!) via Table Tonic

This to die for idea for shelves in your kiddie's room via Mamamia

and a good ol' favourite - Young House Love

and another favourite blog "Bower Power" - with this letter that has had me thinking a LOT about the concept

I hope you're getting more done than me today. As soon as I hit "Publish Post", I swear I'm getting off my butt to tackle the following chores:

- fold the pile of washing on the couch

- take washing out of dryer

- replenish with half dry load on the washing line

- handwashing

- do dishes

- ~~unload dishwasher~~

- unload steriliser

- put on dinner

- vacuum

- tidy counter & dining table

- keep fire going

- put together packing inventory for trip next week

Ciao, have a great day. Stay warm wherever you are.... I'm FREEZING!

Quiet Night In....

2011-06-24T01:37:00.000-07:00

It's Friday night. 7.59pm. I'm mindful of the fact that it's been over a month since I last wrote. I haven't had time for much lately. But hey, what's new.

I don't even have anything specific to blog about tonight. I wish I was sitting here with some beautiful music on low (think Adele's new album), a glass of Pinot to my right, a scented candle filling the night air with some intoxicating aroma and the blaze of the fire in my periphery.

Well, that's not my current scene, but the chocolate muffins in the oven do smell pretty good and the fire is burning brightly.

My Baby Boy just turned 6 months and I can't believe how fast my life seems to be going. I just want to press pause. My big girl is almost 2 and a half and come the end of this year (less than 6 months away now that we're passed the shortest day), I will be closer to 40 than 30. Sheeeeeeeeesh. I'd like to scream right there.

I find myself wishing lately that I had some way of capturing everything concerning my babies more succinctly. Now that Miss 2 is a talking machine, I wish I had a dictaphone attached to my person at all times, so that I could press record at any moment that she comes out with something hilarious - which is most of the day! Try as I might, even come the end of the day I can't remember all the little things to tell her Daddy when he walks in the door.

I remember when she was small and he would come home and I'd rush to the computer to show him a video of something cute she'd done that day. But he didn't want to watch it, he wanted to play with her: here and now. Maybe I need to live more in the moment too. I'm just kind of scared that I'll forget these magical moments if I don't grasp them tightly. Sometimes I just want to keep my babies small and gorgeous because I find it hard to believe they could possibly get any more so... I guess that's the beauty of being a parent - to me they will always be more so!

I try to keep a 'journal' of sorts on their milestones and special memories, but it's never up to date enough. I think I just need to let go of the trying to hold on so tight to it and ride with it. Besides, how did the generations before us that didn't have all this technology do it? They just did and I guess the truth is that the more time we are caught up with technology and 'capturing' it, is less time actually spent with our child.

Oooooh Adele's new single just came on Juice TV so I'm going to log off - and go read my new magazine, perhaps with a 'Sultry Chocolate Muffin' - seriously, that is the name of this Chocolate Cake recipe. Let me know if you want it. It's THE BEST chocolate cake recipe ever - and I don't even like Chocolate cake!

These are a couple of the little nooks I wish I could climb into right now with said magazine and muffin.

(all images from Pinterest)

Night night x

A Little Late Night Pondering...

2011-05-11T04:45:00.000-07:00

I have always loved babies. But there truly is nothing quite like loving your own. That might have something to do with the fact that I helped make them, that they grew inside me and that they are the literal personification of the love that I share with my husband.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I can't help but wonder why we don't remember how amazing it was to be a baby. Why we can't recall the incredible amount of love that was bestowed upon us and the infinite number of kisses and cuddles that were lavished. Of course I realise that not everyone receives a happy introduction to this world but I can only draw from my own experiences.

The adoration of babies is universal, it's cross cultural and primal. A little baby is adored wherever they go. I think it's the only time in life when you are really completely, unconditionally loved. It's too early for negativity of any kind to infiltrate your world. You are innocent, precious, beloved.

Spending precious moments with my almost 5 month old son has probably got me thinking these thoughts all over again, but I do remember pondering this exact thing when Miss 2 was tiny - why don't we have any recollection of this amazing time? I suppose even though we have no recall, the positive influence those early days, months and years have on our grown up selves is paramount. The emotions we experience shapes who we become and how we are as adults.

Watching my 2 year old interact with other kids and becoming her own wee increasingly independent person now, it saddens me that her innocence is dissipating - only a little at a time - but occurring nevertheless. She is learning that not everyone loves her, that not everyone thinks she's cute, that other children/people aren't necessarily always kind and caring and compassionate. And although it's part of growing up, it breaks my heart to watch the shift. I don't want her to see that side of life, I don't want her to ever be hurt.

Arrrrgggghhhhhh, who said this parenting business was easy!?

I've just started reading a fascinating book called "Brain Rules for Babies" which may just answer some of my questions! I'll get back to you on that! Check it out if you feel so inclined, it came to me highly recommended.

Hope you're having a great week....

My Current Favourite Sin

2011-05-04T02:26:00.000-07:00

So when I tell you that you will LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe, I'm not lying. I'd be VERY surprised if you try it and don't totally get why it's called Magic Slice. It's soooooo good and I just can't seem to get enough of it... neither can my husband or any of my family members who keep dipping into the tupperware container in the fridge every time they visited in the past couple of weeks.

It's SUPER easy to make which is always a good thing when you are busy and hate anything that requests that you "cream the butter and sugar"... blah! I found it in the Ripe recipe book (which is fantastic BTW), but apparently it's just from the back of a condensed milk tin.

I'm going to try to avoid making this again for a week or so because I think I've eaten more than my fair share and need to do a lot more Zumba to work it off. Boring!!!

The thing I love about a recipe like this is that you can substitute to your hearts content. The first time I made it, I didn't have any sliced almonds or sultanas in the pantry, so I used walnut pieces and cranberries and it was just scrumptious. It would also be great with dried apricots and macadamias. Mmmmmmm.

I'd love to hear from you if you give it a go.... but be warned, one piece is never enough!

Magic Slice

1½ cups (180 grams) plain biscuit crumbs (I use super wine biscuits)
75 grams unsalted butter, melted
1 cup chocolate bits, melts, chips (whatever takes your fancy) - I use dark but you could use milk or white too
1 cup sultanas
1 cup coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1 375g tin of condensed milk
I blend my biscuits up to get a fine crumb. Mix with melted butter and press into swiss roll tin using the back of a metal spoon. Cover and refrigerate for approximately 15 mins.

Mix all remaining ingredients together. Gently poor over the base and bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden.

Wait until cold to cut.

I keep it in the fridge because I love the texture.

YUM YUM YUM. Just typing this out makes me want to make it right now... but I will have a glass of water and take myself to bed instead!

Let me know how you get on! Oh and sorry there isn't a photo... we ate it all before I even thought to take one.

Let's Get to 500 with a Little Pretties Giveaway

2011-04-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hello...

how are you? Hope you're staying warm and dry as Winter kicks in (Southern Hemisphere friends), or getting ready for a lovely Summer (Northern Hemisphere friends).

We have some exciting developments going on behind the scenes over here at Bubbalino headquarters, and as a consequence have been neglecting the blog and our FB page during the busyness that seems to be my life right now with two small children, a small business and l.i.f.e. Not complaining though, I wouldn't have it any other way - except for maybe a few more hours each day!!

We'd love to hit 500+ friends in the next few days so to help us achieve this little goal, we are giving away 5 sets of Little Pretties.

If you would like to be in to win, please help us out in the following ways.

Wanna be the lucky recipient of some gorgeous little hairclips - perfect to coordinate with every day outfits or special occasions or great to give as gifts - there is no shortage of ways to be in to win!

HOW TO ENTER?

(1) Leave a comment on this blog and you will get ONE bonus entry.

(2) Facebook about our competition by telling everyone you know to come and 'like' our page and you will get TWO bonus entries. Make sure you tag Bubbalino by using the @Bubbalino function when doing so I can see that you have done this.

(3) Tweet about this promotion on Twitter and you will also receive TWO bonus entries. Be sure to link back to Bubbalino so I can see you've done this.

We would love you to help Bubbalino get over 500 likers - and what's more, there will be more prize up for grabs when we reach 500!! If you refer a friend that becomes a new liker, make sure they let us know you sent them and you'll receive another bonus entry.

Terms & Conditions

Competition is open to friends all over the world

Starts Wednesday 27 April 2011 and finishes midnight Wednesday 4 May

Random.org will be used to draw winners

Bubbalino reserves the right to amend any or all T&Cs without notice

Winner will be notified via email

An Update

2011-03-06T01:24:00.000-08:00

I've been absent for so long - since the first day of this new year according to the date on my last post.

Wow, time sure has whizzed by and it's March already. Geez... is this year going so fast because I have a new(ish) baby and I'm in that sleep-deprived blur? Is it because I'm in total disbelief that my other baby just turned 2? Could it be due to the fact that the recent Canterbury earthquake devastation has been top of mind and the safety of my family and loved ones paramount? Or could it just be that as you get older, time seems to fly by faster?

Whatever the reason... it's March 6th and there are only 293 days left till Christmas! Eeek!

Bubbalino has some exciting things on the horizon... possible international stockist opportunities, new products in the pipeline and the continuation of wonderful people like you buying our gorgeous goodies for your lovely little people.

Front of mind for most New Zealanders at the moment is the devastation in Christchurch following the earthquake on Tuesday 22nd February. Everyone will have a story to tell about where they were when they heard the news and will no doubt know someone who has been affected by this tragic event. Within ten minutes of the quake, I knew that my Mama was alive, safe and very shaken. I didn't realise however, until I saw all the footage in the ensuing hours and days, just how lucky she was to be alive. She owns the gorgeous jewellery and accessories boutique One Big Sugar Bowl in High Street. High Street has suffered unbelievable destruction - like so much of the CBD - and once I saw images of the devastation of this area, I understood how different things could have been and really, really counted my blessings to still have my Mama with us. Life is so precious and we never know when those we love, or those things we take for granted may be taken from us. Things like this also make me think about what is important and what life is really all about.

Just two days before the earthquake, we had celebrated Little Miss T's 2nd birthday with a fun Morning Tea party at a local park. My Mama had been here to celebrate with us. She'd returned home to Christchurch just 24 hours before the quake struck! Beautiful weather, lots of yummy food and a whole bunch of wonderful friends and family gathered with us to celebrate. So much fun. Yet I still can't believe it was 2 years since we welcomed our little princess into our lives. Here is the cake she requested ... an elephant because her favourite movie is Dr Seuss' "Horton Hears a Who". Thanks to Cake Bitz for the fantastic tin which made my job so much easier! Honestly, how was I going to create an elephant free-form?

Bubbalino isn't showing at the Autumn Gift Fair this year - I'm still adjusting to life with two under two (although I guess can't say that any longer now that Little Miss T has turned 2) - but I'm very excited for the Spring Gift Fair in August which we'll be attending with some gorgeous new prints and new designs! I hope your 2011 is going well. I promise it won't be another 3 months before I visit you again.

Take care and give your loved ones an extra special squeeze today!

xxx

Happy New Year

2010-12-31T17:47:00.000-08:00

Hello friends!

January 1st 2011 - can you believe it? That sounds so futuristic!

We've entered the next decade - we've survived the "Noughties"! The past ten years of my life have been so great and though there have been challenges and hurts in amongst it all, I've loved every minute - varied, colourful, exciting, experimental, educational and never-to-be-repeated. I've lived in different countries, made many wonderful friends, met and married the love of my life; more recently, been blessed with two beautiful, beautiful children and along the way I've learnt a fair few of lifes' necessary lessons.

My goals for the coming year are simple:

~ to love my children & husband the best I can

~ to honour "date night" on a monthly basis

~ to not sweat the small stuff & to let a bit more water roll off my back

~ to manage my time well (although this could be a challenge with a new baby and a small business)

~ to cook from the many amazing and delicious recipe books I've been given for my birthday & Christmas this year (including Donna Hay magazine subscription, Donna Hay Seasons, Annabel Langbein "Free Range Cook", Ripe Recipes)

~ to entertain more frequently - which could incorporate my use of above mentioned recipe books!

~ to continue to appreciate & cherish my friendships and those special people who make each day lovely

~ to read a good deal more books

~ to get back in shape and be diligent with my exercise intentions this time around (!) - easier said than done right?

~ come up with some gorgeous new designs/creations for Bubbalino

Things I'm looking forward to this coming year:

~ my Dad's wedding in February

~ a family holiday to Rarotonga in the middle of the year

~ spending time with my brothers who are back in town for limited amounts of time this year

~ the possibility of my baby sister relocating to the big smoke

~ watching my gorgeous bubbas grow, learn & develop

~ spending time with special people and creating lasting memories with those good friends

Of course I have other goals and aspirations for 2011, but those are perhaps too personal to share on here. Mr S and I sit down and compose our "Goals" list every year in the first few days of January and it's always interesting to look back at the end of the year and see how many we've accomplished. For 2010 our biggest goal and achievement was to have another baby.

We welcomed Little Master A on December 19th at 3:28am.

We are completely in love and utterly besotted again. Isn't the magic of making little people mind-blowing? It just gets me every time. I can't believe that you can make and grow a small human inside your own body and that in just 9 short months (although let's be honest, it felt like 100 years time time around!) you have a tiny person to love and hold and care for. I had another caesarean section so I'm a little housebound at the moment, but looking forward to getting away to the beach in the coming days with the family for a bit of R & R.

I hope your Christmas and New Years celebrations were festive, fun and magical. Thank you for joining me on this ride & helping me as I learn along the way. May the coming year bring you all your hearts desires.

Until next time

Bring on Christmas

2010-12-12T16:44:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful time of year this is - sunshine, Christmas cheer, cake making, present wrapping, carol singing and happiness all around.

I love Christmas - and all the more now that we have a young family. This year Little Miss T will be 22 months come Christmas day and she's SO very excited about it. She's loving "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" as her nightly bedtime story, she is fascinated by "Saaaaaaanta" (said with a VERY kiwi twang), the Christmas tree, presents, reindeer, Christmas music, Christmas mince tarts - you name it, she's into it...

... which is precisely why I am hoping that soon to arrive Baby Button - due on December 23rd - gets a wriggle on sooner rather than later. I so do not want to be either in labour, giving birth or still in hospital come Christmas day when my big girl will be looking forward to her Christmas day. I guess we can always replicate the experience a few days later, but it's not the same!

I've done my shopping - thank goodness for internet shopping and not working during the week so that I can traipse the malls minus the crowds - wrapped the goodies, made the cake, and sent out Christmas cards to friends and clients. I'm never usually this prepared - but the weight of my unbelievably massive baby belly has meant that things take a little (translate: LOT) longer than normal to do and my increasing discomfort means I thought I'd get it all taken care of as quickly as I could.

I perhaps haven't put as much effort into the gifts this year as I normally would, but I don't think anyone will be disappointed - especially when they meet the beautiful baby I'm giving all the Grandparents, Aunties & Uncles this year! Who could complain about a little token gift when you have the gift of life to celebrate??

I have been encouragingly talking to our unborn child for the past couple of weeks - letting he or she know that we are ready for their arrival and giving many reasons for why it would be a great idea to grace us with their presence now. They don't appear to be listening to me though... stubborn already maybe? haha.

Anyway, thank you for what has been a fantastic year for Bubbalino - those of you that follow the blog and like us on Facebook, those of you who have purchased off our website or from one of our 23 fabulous stockists dotted up and down the country or visited us at Mary's Market or entered one of the many wonderful Giveaways we've been privileged enough to be a part of this year. I truly appreciate your support and your enthusiasm for my wee brand. I hope 2011 brings us unparalleled success and brings you love, happiness and good health.

May Santa bring you everything you wish for and more. Have a mince tart with me...

Until the New Year...

Family Love

2010-11-01T01:56:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more special or important to me than my little family. And it's true that there is nothing like absence to make the heart grow fonder.

Mr S has been away for 2 weeks, and is now away for another week, but thankfully Little Miss T and I were able to travel to Rotorua on the weekend just gone to see him for 2 nights and 1.5days. It was such a whirlwind, but it was very worth the road trip.

Seeing my daughters face when she and her Daddy reunited was priceless - one of those moments that will replay in my mind for years to come - and for me, being able to hug him after what has been our longest time ever apart in the 6 and a half years we've been together (albeit with a HUGE belly in between us) was like eating the yummiest sticky date pudding with caramel sauce - pure comfort!

I can handle the next week at home alone having had this brief encounter and despite the pain and discomfort I'm in, I know that the days will rush by until we are all together again and planning for the arrival of our precious little Button in 8 short weeks (although at the time of writing I will confess that 8 weeks feels more like a lifetime!)

Family - it'd be an empty life without one.

Make sure to love and appreciate yours today.

Pity Party

2010-10-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

I'm a very strong-willed, independent and self sufficient individual - at least that's how I see myself. Right now I'm having a pity party as I feel anything but those above listed things. I'm visiting my fabulous Mama in Christchurch for a week whilst Mr S is in Sydney pursuing his dream for 3 weeks. I support his dreams and feel grateful that I have the chance to spend time with my Mama in his absence and to enjoy the help she's giving me with Little Miss T. Yesterday however I managed to hurt myself and now can barely walk.

I suffer from extremely painful pubic pain during pregnancy, and find it difficult to get comfortable at the best of times towards the end of my pregnancy. Yesterday afternoon I was visiting a cousin and her adorable children with my little one. At some stage during the visit, I realised that I couldn't hear Miss T and went inside to see if she was still playing with her wee cousin. Little Miss 3 told me that Miss T had gone outside - I looked outside to discover that someone had left the front gate open when they'd gone out and my little munchkin was nowhere to be seen. I leaped off the deck, straddling two steps and sprinting as fast as my massiveness would allow yelling her name, through the gate and out onto the street where I found my Mini Me Miss Independent by the car on the road trying to open the door, completely oblivious to the fact that she was in a supreme danger zone. As I ran looking for her - despite the fact that it only took twenty or so seconds to find her - I had that awful feeling where you feel like you're in a dream and can't run fast enough but your adrenalin takes over and you are just on auto-pilot.

So, my babygirl was fine, no harm came her way and though my nerves were frazzled, all fears were allayed. It was only after we got back inside that I realised I had done some serious damage to myself in my valiant efforts to find her and I discovered that I could now barely walk.

After a more uncomfortable than normal nights' sleep, I am now awaiting an Osteo appointment in a couple of hours time. I hope this can provide some relief - I'm most concerned about the flight home tomorrow - namely the passage between check in and the plane and off at the other end. Carrying Miss 20 months for this distance, as well as my carry on luggage is just not possible in my current state. Perhaps I will have to swallow my pride and ask to be escorted in a wheel chair? Eek!

What I am enjoying least of all during this process is the feeling of helplessness. Emotionally I feel weak because physically I am somewhat incapacitated. I have 9 weeks of this pregnancy left and just hope that given a few days of relaxation and taking it easy will be able to return to my previous (though not perfect) state of being where I can at least carry my daughter when need be and walk more than 2 metres without feeling excruciating pain.

More than ever I am now hoping for a natural birth second time around, because the thought of being this immobile again following a c-section and having to feel useless for 3-6 weeks post labour with a toddler and the mountains of laundry that accompany a newborn thrill me less than you can possibly imagine.

Anyway, I should get off this 'feeling sorry for myself' bandwagon - it doesn't suit me at all! I hope you're having a fabulous week wherever you are and that sunshine and good health are your friends! Here's to the beautiful weather we're experiencing - roll on Summer!

My Mommyhood Sacrifices

2010-09-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

I know this has been a long time coming and I've been absent for far too long, but things really have been busy. I'm mindful as I say that of not assuming my life is busier than anyone else's. I'm all too aware of the crazy pace many, if not, most of us live our lives at these days so I am sure you understand me when I say.

I had wanted to do a blog a while back about the things that I've given up since being a Mama in a financial sense. And not in a moaning way, for I wouldn't change a thing in being a parent. But if I had to name something that I have noticeably missed since welcoming my little one into the world, it would have to be nice beauty products.

Nowadays when I go shopping, I definitely tend to overlook myself and find a cute little garment for Miss T instead... but again, I think many mothers suffer from that affliction. I guess also now being a Mum - or maybe it's just reaching a certain age and stage of life (?) I don't go out that much at night - the days of clubbing and parties is a long ago reality so my need for make up and beauty products is less than I once would have had. But I do wear make up on a daily basis - a little concealer, blush, a sweep of shadow and a lick or two of mascara.

I have always been a M.A.C girl. I don't know whether I love M.A.C so much because their products are so fabulous or because they all just look so pretty in their packaging. Either way, this brand has always been my make-up of choice. When I lived in LA I distinctly remember visiting the M.A.C store on Hollywood & Highland every Friday evening as I made my way home from work with my pay packet. I'd buy a new eyeshadow and lipgloss for that night because they were so affordable and it was my weekly treat. Unfortunately in New Zealand, the price of this brand makes it not so affordable and come to think of it, since returning home, I rarely treated myself even when working full time. Fortunately for me, my best friend worked as a make up artist for M.A.C for a while and so every now and then I would receive beautiful parcels in the post of little pots of treasure and tubes of some sumptuous new gloss. Sadly though, those days are over. Although thanks to Facebook, I have recently found an amazing way to purchase authentic M.A.C products at wonderful prices so I may be back on the bandwagon again soon. Check out MAC Oh Licious for more!

Due to my obsession with this brand and my complete and utter satisfaction with it, I never ventured to any others - except for a few items of Benefit Cosmetics, which you can't buy in NZ anyway. I hadn't ever explored the pharmacy level brands because I was faithful to my one true make-up love.

Skincare was also something I used to spend a bit of money on and it was a sad day when my Dermologica supply ran out. I've been a moisturiser whore since then and buy whatever looks good or smells good at the chemist or supermarket when my last batch has run out.

But all of this leads me to my actual point which is that I have made a recent discovery of a couple of products from a cheaper line of cosmetics that I am really very happy with and thought if you are in the same boat as me, with not as much disposable cash these days, you may wish to try. Here is my wee review of them in case you're interested:

Covergirl have this fabulous new product called ShadowBlast.

It comes in a range of colours and is a double ended eyeshadow stick. Because I often apply my make-up in the car, I find the best thing about this little product is that because you just sweep it on, there is no need for brushes or anything fussy in it's application. One side is rounded and goes over your entire lid and the complementing colour at the other end of the stick is shaped to perfectly place in the crease of your eyelid. Genius!

Apart from gloss, my all time favourite make-up product is Mascara. I don't rate expensive mascaras above cheaper brands though. I've bought the pricey, pricey ones but personally think they're over rated. I generally go Maybelline, because let's face it, their jingle gets me everytime. But this most recent time I removed the blinders and opted for this new Covergirl product called LashBlast.

The bright orange tube caught my eye and the size of the brush was alluring. I gotta say, for a relatively inexpensive mascara, this one packs a punch. I have long lashes anyway, so my main objective in securing a good mascara is all about the volume. This one does not disappoint. You don't even need to apply more than one coat, although I do if it's for a night out - like my weekend getaway with Mr S recently sans child. But that's another story.

I hope to be back in touch soon with an overview of the recent Spring Gift Fair we attended - where we were totally and utterly overwhelmed by orders and rave reviews of our products.... especially our new and beautiful Lola dress.

Talk soon, have a great weekend and if you're in NZ, stay dry in this storm!

Somebody Help

2010-08-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

So we moved house. And we're living with the in-laws for a few weeks whilst they are travelling in Europe. Because Little Miss T spends a day a week here and always goes down without a fuss for her Nan, I thought there would be no issues with the settling or transition to a new place. Not so!

It's not until you no longer have something that you realise just how lucky you were when you did. And by that I'm referring to a 'perfectly sleeping angel'. I had just been saying to Mr S a week or so before we moved how putting our little bundle to sleep during the day and nights was almost too easy these days - we'd had no fussing, no crying, no unsettled-ness to speak of for mooooonths. We were really very lucky. I jinxed myself - it's true.

We've been out of our house for 5 nights now and not one of them have gone smoothly. I thought "they" said it takes only 3 nights to break a habit????? Somebody help me! To make matters worse, we're only here very temporarily, so does that mean we'll have to go through all of this again in a few short weeks in either a new home or rental? Perish the thought!

I am especially tired because this morning she awoke at 5am and I have so much to do in preparation for the Gift Fair this coming weekend and for which I set up on Friday and having a non-sleeping toddler is making things more than just a little complicated.

Anyway, I should probably be soothing her instead of venting to my blog, but it's just been one of those days. And the tantrums we're experiencing at the moment, as a result of lack of sleep, are another story.

Hope your day is going well, wherever you are and whatever you're doing. I must away...

Countdown

2010-08-12T17:04:00.000-07:00

We are very busy around these parts. Our house sold at auction a couple of weeks ago and although we had hoped to negotiate as long a settlement as possible, our buyers didn't have the same ideas and we therefore have to move out in 1 weeks time. It's a little sad to be saying farewell to our first home as a married couple and the first home of our first child. Of course it's exciting to be moving onto bigger and hopefully better things, but for the sentimental sap that I am, it's bittersweet. Little Miss T will never remember anything about this house and the memories that were created or her life that was created and started here. I know I'll be teary on the day we bid adieu. Heck, I cried when my Dad's place sold earlier in the year and I only ever visited him there and stayed on the odd occasion.

Anyway, as if that's not enough to keep me consumed and overwhelmed, the week after we move out Bubbalino are very excitedly attending the Spring Gift Fair in Auckland where we look forward to greeting our existing stockists and meeting prospective new buyers as we show off our Sweet Like Summer Collection for 2010. We are thrilled with the new designs that are now more than drawings and visions, and can't wait to see them on some little babes.

I am also 20 weeks pregnant and as much as I love to be pregnant, I'm feeling like perhaps this time round I've missed the 2nd trimester honeymoon phase - my belly is already huge and I can feel it stretching, the pubic symphysis I experienced late in my first pregnancy is already upon me, making walking an uncomfortable action and I'm quite tired quite often. The definite kickings I'm feeling though make up for it as I know my Button is joyously growing inside and that makes me excited for the next few months to rush by and the day when we meet will be here.

Oh dear, my 17 month old, who is (not) welcoming her final 4 molars has awoken after a grand 40 minutes of sleep so I best attend to her and provide some motherly comfort.

Here's a little Cherry Blossom - I'd love to be lying on the lawn looking up at this right now...

Will try to talk sooner rather than later.

I Survived!

2010-07-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

So.... I survived 2 nights away from my little beauty - even though my last post indicated that I was a blubbering mess who wasn't sure how to pick up the tiny pieces of my heart that were shattered on the ground following my farewell to Little Miss T. I had also finished breast-feeding her just a few days prior to my going away, so it was a big week for us in many ways.

However, once I got in my car and began my journey northward, I was fine - just like you all said I would be. Seems I don't know everything. ;)

And I had the most fabulous weekend away. It was a long planned getaway with 4 of my favourite girlfriends with whom I enjoy a monthly bookclub soiree. We already know we enjoy each others' company because most 'book club meetings' involve a lot of chitchat, plenty of gossip, lots of vino and delicious food, followed by a brief overview of our books; so we were all very much looking forward to this 'holiday' together!

We had had our weekend away planned for a few months and over the months had all had to reshuffle schedules to keep it locked in, but we finally got there! We hired a house in Omaha that was close to the beach and planned to spend our days lounging and eating and doing whatever took our fancy. Because I am with child, my darling friends allowed me the luxury of the master bedroom, with it's own ensuite, all to myself! It felt like I was staying in a beautiful hotel. The shower was incredible - both the size of it and the pressure of the water - and as I love to sing, the acoustics in there made me a very happy girl. It's been a while since I've been able to sing at the top of my lungs in the shower - normally I am trying to be quiet as a mouse if I shower in the daytime whilst Little Miss T naps, hoping not to wake her; or if I shower at night, she's in bed asleep so again, I can't sing my heart out like I used to.

We arrived in torrential rain at around 6pm and were welcomed inside by one of our kin who had arrived early and spent the afternoon setting up our new digs and preparing the most incredible meal. The remaining two ladies arrived a short while later and after marvelling at our surroundings, we got cosy and sat down to enjoy champagne cocktails (not me, I enjoyed water as I really need to drink more my midwife says!) and delicious canapes - devils on horseback, smoked salmon bites & white bean dip with crostini. Then we sat down to a beautifully set table, complete with printed menus (see below), to indulge in beetroot risotto with french goats cheese, accompanied by Cos lettuce salad with freshly shaved parmesan and followed up with Marscapone & Vanilla Bean Semi Freddo. Bliss! We spent the rest of the night in front of the fire playing charades.

My one objective in going away for two nights was to make the most of the chance to sleep in, and to try and catch up on some sleep. But as is common practice when hanging out with friends (especially if you're girls), you tend to sit up chatting until all hours of the night and midnight was my bedtime both nights. I returned home more tired than I left. But I had a marvellous time.

The next day, after a sumptuous breakfast of pancakes with Piako yoghurt and blue & boysenberries and poached free range eggs on toasted ciabatta with incredible streaky bacon and homemade tomato relish, we perused the local boutiques. After browsing the stores, we returned home to enjoy a late and lazy lunch of Mexican Tortilla Stacks with guacamole and sour cream.

After several hours sitting at the table chatting, we lounged on the sofas and then reluctantly ventured out for dinner to the Leigh Sawmill. None of us was very hungry since it felt like all we'd done all day was eat!!

I think the thing that struck me the most after this sojourn was the things that girls talk about when there are no boys around. We covered topics that men would never dream of discussing. Everything from sex to cuisine, botox to business practice, make-up application to whether you prefer a top sheet or not! Blokes may cover sex, but the rest of their conversation would only be about sports or cars I'm betting!

This wonderful weekend away with my girlies emphasised to me how important it is to enjoy time with girlfriends - whether you can take the time away and get out of town like we did, or just make a regular date to catch up with your friends. The opportunity to be yourself - without a business identity or a child relying on you constantly, or husband or partner demanding your time and attention, or whatever your everyday pressures involve - is refreshing and necessary sometimes. Conversation with friends and the chance to truly relax and not have to think about what to cook for dinner tonight was a welcome break for me, and although I didn't return feeling necessarily refreshed, I came home with a renewed sense of love and appreciation for my husband and daughter and some great memories. Plus, I'm really looking forward to next year's weekend getaway!!

Thanks girls - it was a blast!

The First Night Away from my Baby

2010-07-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

So my baby isn't really a "baby" anymore... she's 17 months, going on 3... but as every mother will relate to - she'll always be MY baby. I have just literally bid her farewell as she drove off with Daddy to stay with the in-laws for the weekend while I spend two nights away with my girlfriends. I knew I felt strange about it, I knew it would be weird, but I didn't expect to be so overwhelmed with emotion and unstoppable tears.

I am a bit of a sook when it comes down to it, I felt like she was growing up too quick when she was only 3 days old and was jokingly making comments about how she'd soon be getting married and leaving home. Heaven forbid she decides to travel or live in a different suburb, let alone city, when she is of age. I know I'll be the mother that cries when she starts school and have tears of pride rolling down my cheeks at every sports day, school production and graduation ceremony - even if it's only from Primary to Intermediate school. I have always been emotional in that sense. And yet I know it is a fine line between being that involved, interested and caring parent and being overbearing - a helicopter if you will! I never want to be a helicopter.

I am one of the most independent people I know, so perhaps that is why it scares the bejeebers out of me that I may end up reaping that very same quality in my own children - even though I'd love nothing more than to raise well rounded, independent, free-spirited children. I love that my parents always gave me the freedom and encouragement to explore the world, do the things I wanted to do and let me "go". That invariably meant that I came "home" and despite the often gargantuan geographical distances between us, we have always enjoyed a very close emotional relationship.

I know I'm going to have a wonderful weekend with my girlfriends - even if I can't indulge in glass or two of vino with them (because of the other little miracle growing in my belly) - and I know that I deserve this time away, having never spent more than a few hours at a time away from my precious little Miss T, but that doesn't change the fact that I feel so sad. I suppose this is a feeling that only a parent can relate to. It's healthy for us to spend time apart. I know that she most likely won't even notice I'm not there, she'll be having a fabulous time with her Daddy and her grandparents and chasing the goats around the paddock, playing on her swing and taunting the dog. And the kicker is that she won't ever remember or appreciate the emotions that I'm experiencing right now until perhaps she has her own babies in the future and she'll come to me (or she won't) one day and tell me that she understands. Because it really is amazing how much you understand, appreciate and relate to once you have become a parent yourself. Gives you a whole new appreciation for your own - the choices they made, the morals and values they tried to impart and the love they gave and always give.

So, here's to you Ma & Pa... love you both.

And Mama will be home soon darling girl. Love you forever and a day.

XOXO

And the rest of you... have a great weekend!

Wishing you a Great Weekend

2010-07-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

Don't know about you, but it's been pretty busy around these parts! Hence my absence from blog land. I finally feel like myself again after weeks of nausea and yuck. We are expecting Baby Button - due 1/11/2011 and he or she has been making Mama feel awful for weeks now. I haven't been able to stomach the computer, work, Bubbalino, housework, food or people really! But.... thankfully, I'm back - with a vengeance!!

Bubbalino will be showing our brand new Summer 2010 Collection at the upcoming Spring Gift Fair in Auckland which we are super excited about and all my time is being directed at getting ready for that now.

But I just wanted to check in and say Hi! Here is a little piece of stillness and tranquility that my baby girl and I enjoyed yesterday on a fun outing together. Something so magical about the butterfly - not sure if I love them so much because my name means Butterfly, or if it's simply because they are so carefree and beautiful.

Have a wonderful weekend and look forward to chatting again soon.

A Few of My Favourite Things...

2010-06-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

It's been a rough few weeks around these parts lately with winter bugs and sickness getting under our skin. At times like these, I try to think about what makes me happy and what I am thankful for. I find it a useful exercise and it helps keep things in perspective ~ and besides, I love to sing so this little "raindrops on roses" ditty keeps me smiling...

What makes you happy?

Have a great week!

Winter Warmers

2010-05-31T01:34:00.000-07:00

So Winter is definitely here. I've had my electric blanket on full blast the past few nights (before getting into bed of course!) and getting out of PJ's in the morning is painful - even with the blessing of a heat pump!

This is my first Winter with a toddler. Last winter our days were spent snuggled inside and needing to keep a mobile madam entertained for many hours a day was not on my agenda. Roll on 2010 - what do we do to keep ourselves happy in a little house in the 'burbs?

Here's Miss T's brand new coat for the cold days -

We've been busy the past couple of weeks - hence the neglect of said blog - getting out and about and finding new things to do. I'd love your suggestions of fun & original (preferably free) ways of keeping your little ones out of trouble and amused for a few hours at a time! Feel free to leave comments with ideas!

Little Miss T and I met with some friends at the Auckland Museum last week. It's been years since I visited the Museum and wasn't sure if my wee one was too little to appreciate what a museum has to offer - I implore you to take your kids if you live near a museum. It's an absolute treasure chest of fascination: amazing displays, variety galore and a real feast for little eyes everywhere you look! We spent most of our time in the Weird & Wonderful Discovery Centre which was perfectly laid out for children and included both live and dead beings/bugs/creatures. My princess decided she'd like to make this conch shell her relax station - I had to capture it because she doesn't relax for long!

There were books, big cushy seats and plenty of ramps for little legs to run up and down - I spent most of the time chasing my Miss Independent to ensure she didn't come to harm on the stairs that she was determined to take on. My only suggestion to the Museum would be to put a little gate on the seated area to keep the little ones in, and allow parents to relax for a moment! If you live in Auckland, check out the Museum - it's free to visit for Auckland Residents too which is pretty impressive. A donation is always appreciated.

Another place I'm looking forward to visiting (although we'll be doing this one with Daddy in tow) is the Howick Historical Village. The Howick Historical Village has around 8000 items on display and in storage all relating to early Auckland life and many gifted by the local community. But what's really appealing to me is that every third Sunday of the month they have a "live day" where costumed actors roam the village and put on an all day display of authentic life in times past. Coming up on the 20th June they have a Fireside Stories session which sounds pretty interesting! Check out their website for more details.

We've also been spending a lot of time at our local library. Perfect as a free outing and a way to get out of the house and find new books always captures our attention for a while. I like to intersperse Miss T's own books with a few from the library to keep things interesting since she simply can't get enough of reading - and Mr S & I are getting sick of reading the same stories over, and over, and over, and over.... you fellow parents can sympathise I'm sure!

I also discovered the educational DVD section which has been a huge hit. My daughter has never been interested in TV so the fact that she's now enthusiastically standing by the television at any given moment of the day making noises indicating she'd like me to put on the Brainy Baby Animals DVD is somewhat exciting. I have to be careful not to let her watch it all day every day, because it is her new obsession!

A fantastic little tool which may come in handy for you is located here at Kidspot and gives a myriad of suggestions for activities for kids aged 0-8+. You can select your criteria and it spits out some ideas for how to keep them entertained. Don't you love the internet?

Well, I do look forward to your suggestions of good ways to spend our days over the coming months. And until then...

The Weekend - Farmers Markets

2010-05-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking this weekend calls for a Farmers Market excursion. I haven't visited the Clevedon Market before and I'm interested - very interested - in checking out one of their vendors who makes Buffalo Mozzarella as featured on a TV show a few weeks back. One of my favourite combinations of flavours would have to be the tricolour splendour that is Insalata Caprese - must be my Italian heritage.

Anyway, Clevedon is a gorgeous little village where I would love to live, but location and real estate prices mean it's not going to happen anytime soon. So perhaps a little drive will suffice.

Farmers Markets are all the rage these days. Borne of our desire to eat fresh produce and care about what we're putting in our bodies (and those of our children), these markets are flourishing all over the country - and I'm sure internationally.

In fact the very first time I ever encountered a Farmers Market was back in 2003 when I was living in LA. My appreciation for these things wasn't so cultivated at that time (being more concerned with celebrity shoulder-rubbing and what I should wear out on any given night) that I probably didn't pay it much attention, but it stayed in my memory.

The Matakana Market is one I adore and I'm very much looking forward to a visit in July during a girly weekend with some special friends. We sometimes visit the Auckland Farmers Market at Britomart and the Alexandra Park Market in Greenlane.

J'aime Les Macaroons got their start at the Christchurch Farmers Market at Riccarton House. And you know that's gotta be good!

We'll also be checking out some Open Homes, just for a browse more than anything.

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

Home Sweet Home

2010-05-03T00:33:00.000-07:00

We're back. Little Miss T and her Mama had a wonderful time in Christchurch visiting family and hanging out with Nonna (a.k.a Mum to me). Three nights and 2.5 days whizzes by when you're having fun and it came to an end all too quick!

But let's not dwell on that. Let's dwell on what made our fleeting visit so fantastical (I love that word and thought it appropriate right there!)

We spent Wednesday morning at the Botanical Gardens with two of my cousins and their children - 5 kids between us - and were joined by a friend and her daughter, my Aunt, my Mum's cousin & her daughter in law and her gorgeous little boy. So, quite a tribe of us. We let the kids run around, clambering up slides and chasing each other around the swings and jumping on little see-saws. In truth, I sat and chatted whilst Nonna attended to Little Miss T and her friends and then we had lunch at the tearooms. It was a nice way to spend a fresh Autumnal morning.

As soon as we left there, babygirl fell asleep in the car so Mum and I thought it perfect timing to visit the Cupcake Parlour. We journeyed across town to the quaint little establishment and I rushed inside to choose my goodies. There was a great selection on offer - including cookies, slices & cakes, a blackboard displaying coffees & teas and beautiful mismatched sets of fine china caught my eye. Too bad I wasn't sitting to indulge so I could sip from a pretty little teacup.

From there we drove across town in the other direction to another cupcake establishment that I had no idea existed - it pays to be in the company of a local right!? We arrived outside the very, very lovely Cupcake Collection. They don't have a website unfortunately, but their premises are beautiful decked out, with a fresh & bright outlook and the staff wear lovely pinny's, and is also furnished in shabby chic detail.

We'll get to the taste test and feedback shortly, but I must digress to tell you about the best part about this Cupcake Hunt. And that is... discovering an absolutely gorgeous childrens bookstore right next door called The Reading Bug. I had intended on buying Little Miss T a new book whilst we were away, and couldn't help but feel this chance encounter was more than chance! What a lovely space.

I wish we had something this fabulous in Auckland. The brightness of the store, the layout and the display of beautiful book after beautiful book make it somewhere I will be looking forward to visiting again and again. There's even a cute little reading nook for the wee ones! I bought a beautiful book called Welcome to the Zoo which I thought fitting given our recent purchase of the Zoo Pass and the fact that we'll be there regularly this coming year.

So, back to the cupcakes - I purchased four in total - top two from Cupcake Collection, bottom two from Cupcake Parlour.

They were all pretty good, but the Sticky Date was definitely my pick - that may be because Sticky Date pudding with Caramel sauce is my absolute favourite winter dessert!

I hope you're still reading because I've left the best for last. Trust me when I say that the visit to J'aime Les Macarons was well worth it. I haven't tasted anything quite that incredible and exquisite in a very long time. We returned the following morning to buy another lot to bring back to Auckland. I've shared them with Mr S, my Dad & given some as a gift to a very dear friend. Reports thus far have all concurred - they're delicious! They send all over New Zealand so don't let your geographical distance from the Garden City stop you from experiencing the magic.

Time to snuggle on the couch.

Have a great night.

A Little Trip Outta Town

2010-04-21T22:38:00.000-07:00

Next week Little Miss T and I are leaving on a jet plane. We are going to visit my Mum (Little T's Nonna) who lives in Christchurch. This will be my little one's 11th flight (in as many as 14 months) - can you believe that? Some would call her a baby jet-setter! Anyway, we are leaving Mr S behind for a few days to play poker with the boys and fetch his own dinner. Meanwhile, we'll be spending time catching up with loved ones including cousins & second cousins, and three great grandparents. I feel incredibly blessed to still have 3 living grandparents at my age - and the 4th one only died last year - or was it the year before? Anyway, they've all lived to a ripe old age and I can only hope I am fortunate enough to get to know my great grandchildren.

There are a few things on my 'to-do-and-see' list whilst in the Garden City. I am usually only ever in town for 3 or 4 days at a time, and the last few visits were with a very small baby, so getting out and about wasn't high on my priority list. This time however, little Miss T and Mama are going in search of sweetness.

I have a chronic sweet tooth - although as confessed in my Easter post, I don't have an obsession with chocolate. Give me a cookie, a slice of cake or a plate of dessert however and I'm a goner. I'll even have seconds if I'm allowed!

My personal view is that this sweet tooth is a direct result of my parents using "sugar free" as a punishment whilst growing up. Sounds crazy huh? It was! If we were naughty, one of their punishment strategies was to deny any consumption of sugar for usually a week! Geez... way to make a girl love love love sugar later in life!

So, there are two places in particular that I will be visiting this trip and I'm so looking forward to these culinary experiences!

Before I had a baby, and before Bubbalino was born, I came very, very close to opening a cupcake store. There isn't one in Auckland (shock, horror) and a couple of years back when the likes of Magnolia Bakery in New York & Sprinkles in LA were all the rage, I thought this would be perfect addition to the scene in the City of Sails. But alas, I got pregnant, got distracted and never got much further than the business plan and research stage. It would have been a gorgeous establishment though, I can assure you. So, it was with great interest that I read in a magazine a while ago about two cousins who opened The Cupcake Parlour in Christchurch. I've been meaning to visit for a while now and will do so on this trip! Would you just look at some their gorgeous offerings

Another current obsession is Macaroons. You may recall from a few posts back, I shared my absolute favourite Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache recipe. But the kind of macarons that seem to be sweeping the world by storm at the moment are these gorgeous little morsels of French origin.

Imagine my sheer delight when I discover that there is a specialty macaron store in Christchurch!! I stumbled upon this fact whilst visiting one of my favourite new blogs Li'l Magoolie. And so, Miss T and I will also be paying a visit to Jaime Les Macarons. I will be sure to report back upon our return on our findings and describe in absolute detail all the flavours we sampled. But in the meantime, check out these beautiful looking delicacies.

I love this display because it looks just like our Little Pretties Wish Tree.

And coconut ones - mmmmm

I'm salivating already!

The Birth of Bubbalino

2010-04-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

The Bibette is Bubbalino’s ‘signature piece’. It is what the Little Black Dress was to Audrey Hepburn, what the cigarette was to James Dean and what the Mona Lisa was to Da Vinci. (perhaps not the best analogy with the old cigarette, but you get my point!)

It’s fair to say that the birth of this fabulous creation was necessary. It’s simply not fair to dress our delicious babies in their Sunday best, only to cover up that pretty little dress - that Great Granny Gertrude smocked - with a bulky, unsightly (no matter how practical) bib to mop up spills and dribbles. Simply put – it’s a crime. And so, out of that necessity, I designed for my darling, a fashion accessory that could complement her ensemble, but still provide the ability to keep her clean and dry during those spilly and non-stop teething times. Ok, so ‘spilly’ isn’t really a word, but you all know what I’m saying! You all know a baby who’s done that – allll over their trendy threads!
As is often the case when we become parents, we find a gap in the market. Inadvertently, we take things into our own hands, if only to provide for our own child. It was never my intention to take things global. ;) But it’s pretty hard not to think that you might have cottoned onto something when everywhere you go (and I do mean everywhere) you get people telling you ‘how fantastic that little neck scarf looks’.

I made them pretty, I made them girly, with frills and ruffles and vintage floral fabric because I hadn’t seen anything like that in the marketplace. I made them bold and bright and fun, because I hadn’t seen anything like that in the marketplace either. And I made them different and non-whimsical, purposefully non-baby because I hadn’t seen anything like that in the marketplace and I see no reason why we can’t have our little ones in stylish prints. If our 4 month old can wear skinny-legged jeans, they can wear a bibette that doesn’t scream baby by virtue of the pattern. And it works. That's the best part!
We’re in our very early days, but the response has been absolutely overwhelmingly fantastic and we’re thrilled to pieces about that!
This post is really a shout out to our stockists who have come from far and wide and embraced us, welcoming us into their family. If you have a chance to visit them, if you live in their part of the world, go say hi. Touch and feel our products, try a bibette on your babe and see just how adorable it looks and appreciate that all our products are 100% cotton – which means good for baby; fully machine washable – which means good for Mummy & Daddy; plus they’re designed AND made in New Zealand – which is good for our economy. Sadly not many products are still made in their country of inception. I understand why, but I’m proud to buck the trend and bring you products that are authentic and locally made.

The Animals Went in Two by Two

2010-04-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

The Zoo has recently become our favourite place to visit and spend some time. Auckland Zoo has New Zealand’s largest collection of animals and is recognised as one of the most progressive zoos in the world. It’s a winner of national and international environmental-related awards, and proud home to 119 different species and over 730 animals. That’s pretty impressive wouldn’t you say?

My husband and I went there for our Anniversary one year and I hadn’t returned until just recently when we took our daughter for the first time. We had been waiting until we thought she would be old enough to “get it” and appreciate the animals and actually be interactive.

Perhaps due to the anticipation of that first visit or perhaps because it really is a fun place to visit, we had so much fun!

I love, love, love the Zoo. I’m not so much an animal person; we don’t have pets and I didn’t grow up with a family dog or anything, but I just find such fascination in creatures like the Tiger who from far away always look to be such a lithe, sleek animal. And yet, when you see one up close and personal (as we were lucky enough to) you see that they actually have seriously sizeable paws and are a solid as a rock. If it weren’t for that glass…

The Giraffe is simply bizarre to me – because really, what IS that thing? Don’t you find it extraordinary that there is a creature out there that is so completely unlike any other animal on the planet? They always look so sweet and innocent and almost a bit geeky. See what I mean?

And how about those Monkeys. I could watch them for hours. No matter whether it’s a Spider Monkey, an Orangutan or a Siamang I always find them an intriguing, entertaining and captivating species.

And so, we’ve purchased a Zoo Pass which enables us to visit as many times as we like over the next year. Already we’ve been again with some friends and we’ll be going again next week with our Playgroup friends. I am looking forward to seeing the Elephant this time. He’s been hiding out the past few visits. I love Elephants.

A Sweet Treat

2010-04-15T03:08:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember - which since having a baby is nowhere near as long as it used to be! - I have followed the fabulous, wonderful and scintillatingly delicious blog of Molly Wizenberg ~ Orangette. I don't recall how I stumbled across this amazing individual and her entertaining and mouthwatering updates, but once I discovered her, I was hooked.

Since then (whenever that actually was), I have been an avid follower and so was beyond excited when I learned that Molly was going to be published! Living in the land of the long white cloud sometimes puts me on the back foot. Especially when I have to wait longer than anyone living in the US or UK for releases of things like movies, books, DVDs etc.
And even more so on the back foot when I realise that some publications will never actually make it to our shores because who knew that this little lady (me) loved Orangette and would purchase this book should it make it into Borders? Thank goodness for the internet and sites like Amazon that make life a little more bearable for those of us who are impatient and live so far from the action.

I ordered A Homemade Life and waited patiently for this little gem to arrive. The most fabulous thing about this book is that it's a recipe book (and I love recipe books), but it's also a collection of beautifully written tales on everything important in Molly's life from the pain of losing her father Burg, to meeting, falling in love over the internet and finally marrying the love of her life and food obsessed equal. I was definitely not disappointed and encourage anyone who loves a good story, AND some really, really good food to try this book on for size. I have cooked just about everything the book suggests and some things I have made twice. There is one recipe however that has stamped itself into my regular repertoire and I can not emphasize enough how perfect these little morsels are.

If you love coconut, if you love sweetness, if you love chocolate and if you love simplicity, these Macaroons are to die for!

I make them way more often than I ought to... my usual excuse is that I use a lot of egg yolks for a custard recipe that little Miss T enjoys and of course I'm left with the whites which are exactly what this Macaroon recipe calls for - nice coincidence huh!? I have made these as a little cheer me up for friends, for my husband when he needs a sweet treat (which is often), and for book club gatherings. The first time I made them, I was so in love with them that I packaged two up and sent them to my mother who lives a few hundred kilometers away! Everytime I've shared them - even with myself - I have received nothing but praise, which is I'm sure why Molly included them in her fabulous book.

Give them a go if you want and be sure to let me know how delicious they are!

Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache

These macaroons are dangerously good. The coconut base is moist, sweet, and wondrously crispy on the outside, and its cap of chocolate is a perfect, slightly bitter counterbalance.

3 cups (lightly packed) sweetened shredded coconut - I just use regular shredded coconut

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup egg whites (about 5 or 6 large eggs)

1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

125gm bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 cup heavy cream

Place the first three ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan, and stir to combine well. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, about 10-12 minutes, until the mixture is pasty but not dry. (The uncooked mixture will look sort of granular at first, then creamy as it heats, and then it will slowly get drier and drier. You want to stop cooking when it no longer looks creamy but is still quite gluey and sticky, not dry.)

Remove from heat. Mix in vanilla extracts. Spread out the coconut mixture on a large baking sheet. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 140 degrees Celsius (fan bake) or 160 degrees Celsius.

Line another baking sheet with greaseproof baking paper or a Silpat baking mat. Using a ¼-cup measuring scoop, scoop and pack the coconut mixture into domes, and place them on the baking sheet. You should wind up with about a dozen. Bake the macaroons until golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool.

Set macaroons on rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it is very hot and steamy (not boiling), remove from the heat, and pour it over the chocolate. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate is thoroughly melted. Spoon the glaze over the macaroons, covering them almost completely and allowing the chocolate to drip down the sides. [You will have leftover glaze, which can be refrigerated or frozen.]

Refrigerate the macaroons until the glaze sets, at least 2 hours. Transfer the macaroons to an airtight container, and refrigerate or freeze.

These little morsels will keep up to 5 days in the fridge or will freeze suitably for a month or two.

Here's my little friends fresh out of the oven this evening

and with their chocolate ganache topping, ready to go into the fridge to set

Competition Time

2010-04-14T16:15:00.000-07:00

We have a fabulous offer for you for the months of April & May - check out the details below and then head to our website to place your order.

As the saying goes ~

"you've gotta be in it to win it!"

There are so many exciting prints to choose from - you might have to order more than one!

Reading is Good for the Soul

2010-04-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

My youngest brother has recently returned from a year living in South America. Amongst other things explored and accomplished during his travels, he has written a novel. As an avid lover of books, I offered to be the first reader and provide feedback to him – a kind of first edit I guess.

I struggled prior to Easter to find enough time to do this task justice, and so relished the opportunity to just kick back and give it some focus whilst we were away. I have to say that it’s not quite the same when you’re reading a book with a red pen in hand - felt like being a school teacher all over again! But I did it and I finished and I am just so proud of my brother – I didn’t even know he knew how to write a letter, much less a novel.

I read a lot, have a monthly book club with girlfriends and have loved reading for as long as I can remember. I only tell you this because it think it qualifies me to say that this book is really, really, really good! Sure, it needs a little bit of tweaking here and there, but overall, it’s fantastic, gripping, exciting and well written; enough so that I think it’s going to be a best seller and will be sure to keep you updated on its publishing progress.

But in the meantime, I thought I'd let you know a little more about me, by sharing some of my all time favourite reads.

Easter on the Island

2010-04-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

Easter was a lovely chance to take a break and escape the city for a few days. We couldn’t go away for the entire time due to other commitments, but we made the most of a three night getaway to Waiheke Island.

Our annual Egg Hunt was this year able to be enjoyed by our daughter who recently turned 1. Usually it’s just a chance for Mr S to scour the backyard for as much chocolate as he can possibly find. It was so fun this year to include a little someone. I never hunt for chocolate, hiding the eggs is my thing and I get a huge kick out of creating the hunt. I must have missed out somehow on receiving a fairly typical female gene because I am not a huge fan of chocolate. That's not to say I don’t have a sweet tooth however – give me a bag of Licorice Allsorts or Sour Worms any day!

So, off into the garden I go, bulging bag of chocolate eggs in hand (and a cute little marshmallow lollipop thing for the wee one) and find some worthy hiding spots. It was different this time in that I had to place some a lot lower, yet still find some difficult spots for my husband & the grandparents to reach. I issued some rules this year - like "if you find more than your share, make sure you don't just pocket them because you can, share them around". Yet once the hunt began, it was pretty obvious that everyone just wanted to watch little T find her loot and help her seek out the next one. It's amazing how a baby or cute small person always commands the most attention just by virtue of their presence!

Look how pleased she is with her finds

We enjoyed a few walks along the beach, read lots, met up with some friends for coffee, had a family dinner, watched some Easter movies and generally just relaxed.

Our little one did a spot of reading herself. She’s obsessed with books at the moment and can read and re-read the same one a million times in a row. Check out how adorable she is just chillaxing (my Dad’s newest word!). And that’s her wee friend Dora beside her. However, I think Dora got sick of listening to the same story again and again so has rolled over and gone to sleep!

Hello, Kia Ora, Bonjour, Gidday, Buongiorno

2010-04-10T18:44:00.000-07:00

So welcome to my blog... this is my first post. And as such, it will be short and sweet.

I'm not sure this is my thing yet, but as a new business, I've been advised to begin a blog to get in touch with my customers and to share a little more of me. Perhaps nothing of what I will post will be of interest to anyone out there in cyber space, but I'm giving it a go.

I hope to reference great products, share information on wonderful ideas I've stumbled across and to also let you into little bits of my life.

Let's hope we begin a long and warm friendship.