Pre-Europe frantic packing still lifes (still lives?)

The clothes pile


The stuffed sheep for the baby shower I will be missing.


Will post Europe-y pics soon ox

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'Thanks for your help' Jaffa muffins

At the end of the week I am off to London and Sweden for a few weeks. Wahoooooooooooo! While I am going for work, I will be eating, shopping and exploring myself silly through both places. (Yes, don't worry. I will definitely be sharing all my snaps with you as well.)

While I am away I need someone to care for my beloved hound. To say thank you in anticipation to the lovely person who has resigned themselves to caring for my pest for +2 weeks I baked.

Cue the jaffa muffins. 

Of course I did test one. I mean I had to make sure that they were tasty enough to ensure my dog will be fed for the whole duration of my trip! Hah. Please note that I am not intending that the dog is fed these muffins. Even though she would like it...

'Mom says chocolate isn't good for dawgs...' (Anyone as much of a tv-watching ad-quoting freak like me?)

Jaffa muffins

Adapted from Muffin Bible (Penguin Books).

Makes 12 muffins

• 125 g Butter, softened
• 1 cup White sugar
• Rind of 3 large Oranges
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Orange juice - about 2 1/2 oranges
• 2/3 cup Natural yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
• 2 cups Flour
• 3/4 cup Chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 190 degC. Cream the butter and sugar together.

Mix in eggs and orange rind. Then yoghurt and orange juice

Stir on dry ingredients until fully homogenised. 

Gently stir in chocolate chips to incorporate. 

Spoon into pre-greased muffin tins and bake until golden brown and top is springy to the touch - about 20 min in my ancient, conventional gas oven. 

Use to bribe people to do favours for you ad libitum. 

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I am nothing if not impractical

My most recent purchase?

Here are some clues...

1. I recently bought a house

2. It was a maximum of 13 degC today

3. I am a science nerd

Yellow, patent, peep-toe, sling back wedges. Of course!

While totally impractical, I love them oh-so-much.

They are just so pretty. 

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Top 3 & bottom 3

The other day I showed you the photos of the lounge etc. as it currently exists. It's coming together really well but it is still a work in progress. Essentially there are things in this room that I absolutely love, and others that I need to improve.

I love:
The different textures of these cushions, one silk and one weave, and the knit blanket against the leather lounge. I think that combining these textures help to make the lounge more comfy.

The corner lamp and side table. Again, I think it adds some warmth to an open room which has the tendency to be a little cool.

And finally, these french doors. These will be great in summer.

While I am really happy with the furniture in the room etc. The colours of the room combined with the down lights and the reflection of the floor just makes everything so beige looking. I'm hoping that this will be easy (and relatively cheap) to solve however.

I'm not loving:
The general beige-iness. Can anyone tell me if changing the colours of the down lights will alter this? Post a comment below if you can help me please!

The emptiness of the dining part of the room makes it look a little cold and empty. I am thinking of putting some kind of cool mirror on this wall.

And finally... I want to put something awesome on this wall. Simple task, no? What it is I don't yet know.

Let me know if you can shed some light on any of these issues!

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Living and casual dining

As promised here are the first few photos of my house, and I have specifically photographed the unpacked part for your viewing pleasure.

The living area is most furnished room of the house, and seeing as I had to buy the majority of the furniture when I moved in it is going to remain this way for quite a while!

The couches, side table, tv unit and bookshelf are all new. The coffee table is one I bought second hand off a friend and the 4-seater dining table is a hand-me-down from my lovely friends Allie and Heath.

Hopefully from these pictures you can get some kind of size idea of the room - its quite spacious and this makes it really versatile. 

As well as being the most furnished room, it is my favourite room of the house and is definitely the room I use the most, especially since the kitchen is just off to the right of the dining table. 

As an aside, please note the lack of technology in this room - 1000 year old tv (its square AND fat) and no DVD player. During the moving/storage process the tv has also developed a greenish tinge on the bottom left hand part of the screen. It makes everyone look a little sea sick, or envious. Highly suitable for Shrek however. 

I'll post more on the likes, loves, hates and plans for this room in the next post. I will be asking for some help as well so I will just let you mull over the room for the moment...

Yours in decorating, 

Bec

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Unpacking home stretch

Unpacking is coming along really well. Significant progress has been made, enough so that I could have visitors for the last 2 weekends. Yahoo! During the unpacking I unpacked something very important: Tess! Well, obviously she was not in a box - she was delivered here by one of my visitors.

It's all coming together down here! I'll post some pictures of it all this week!

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Home improvements

Alternative title: I have a power drill, and I am afraid to use it.

I have my first visitors to the new house coming today - my parents. I have spoken to them already this morning and can confirm that they are on their way.

Since they are already in the car, without internet access, and are over half way here it is now safe for me to post about what we will be getting up to while they are here...

Dear Mum and Dad,

I have lured you both here under false pretences. You are not here for a relaxing weekend in the country. You are not here to explore your only daughter's house. Instead, you are here to do this:

Convert this pile of boxes:

Into these:

After it took me the best part of 3 days to assemble 1 bedside table (haven't even started to contemplate the second), I am too scared to tackle these bigger and better items.

Forgive me for the deception.

Yours truly,
Rebecca E. Unhandywoman.


Now that I have that off my chest I am going to bake cookies in an effort to placate the visitors

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