Thursday Thirteen-

Thirteen Places I have been to and love (in no particular order) 1. Lord Howe Island- Australia 2. Heron Island- Australia 3. Silky Oaks Lodge-Daintree Forest- Australia 4. Brampton Island- Australia 5. Cradle Mountain- Australia 6. Daylesford-Australia 7. Bruny Island-Australia 8. Three Hummock Island-Australia 9. Cape Tribulation- Australia 10.The Grampians- Australia 11.Woolnorth-(prior to it going touristy!) Australia 12. Switzerland- Switzerland 13. Paris-Paris

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A bit of something...

A piece I did a while ago...I just found it again....it has no name.....

It's been

one of those days..and will probably be one of those nights as well...got to go boobies are required....

Yes Leonard Cohen...the hat doesn't help me at all at the moment.

Day 1 without Mr Octopus

Ok well I survived the day....Mr Octopus took his crying cake to work and enjoyed it.

He is also concerned that I am referring to him in this blog as Mr Octopus (not that he has even read any of it) he seems to think it implies he is a groper! I find that amusing and will continue to call him Mr Octopus regardless!!!!

There are possums outside as I write twittering away...ok so maybe possums don't actually TWITTER.....

So today the morning did not get off to a great start Miss A was being naughty, and acting like a smarty pants teenager, but the afternoon got better...and despite being a Breastaurant managed to:

• make fairy wands
• play with the Duplo (love that stuff it really does spark their imagination)
• draw on the chalk board
• watch Playschool
• buff the car 
• wash up, cook dinner etc etc

Mind you Mr Z was a very good sleeping boy today so that helped.

Orange Cake and Other....

Well today I made an orange cake for Mr Octopus to take to work tomorrow...he has been home since the birth of Mr Z. He said he would call it his Crying Cake- because he doesn't really want to go back! Except when faced with Miss A and her antics....she has been so impossible lately. Is it because of Mr Z ? She is gorgeous with him and loves him so much, but still it is an adjustment for her...at least I am hoping that's what it is.

I digress- I don't care what anyone says there is a huge difference to an orange cake when you use a REAL orange both for the cake AND for the icing....not rocket science is it? Smells delish.

So am a bit worried about tomorrow dealing with Miss A and Mr Z on my own....we will see how it goes. Unfortunately both our families are interstate....so everytime I get sick Mr Octopus has to take time off work to help! As I type Mr Z is very unhappy- does he want Crying Cake???He is farting alot and has a bad stomach......bit frustrating as there is little I can do to help.....sigh....

Paris....

I have a thing about Paris.....everything is just so well...elegant and beautiful and romantic..and just... well fine!

Fine chocolate (told you I would get back to it!), fine clothes, fine food, fine art...need I go on?

Only thing I didn't like was the man at the desk at the hotel where we stayed...he was creepy...but Paris itself made up for him....and next time no doubt we will stay here  or here (yes I am dreaming....)

And you know I still remember having a crepe from a street stall with citron and sucre....I'm getting a craving just thinking about it...sigh.

There's some pictures on this blog here and she mentions the crepes! Another blog with a Paris Diary again she mentions the crepes.....I have to stop this...it isn't good for me.....

Moving right along to photos  (no not of the crepes- I am avoiding that!) this photo for example of tables and chairs is evocative of French (and if you need more photo fixes just pop on over to ParisDailyPhoto  and Eric will look after you..dites-lui Mlle Slender Octopus envoyée vous!!

Then there are those at are living the sweet life in Paris lucky you David!! Please look at his links...he knows where good chocolate is at!

Another love of mine is painting and this blog combines pastries, chocolates all things Paris with her watercolours....

Ok....enough dreaming of Paris......

Looking forward to Ramsay tonight

"As sure as my a*******'s round..." it's Ramsay tonight...about the only thing I watch on T.V.

My aunt sent me this recipe- its doing the rounds...

Channel4- Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares

What would Ramsay do Forum

Here's a link to a gorgeous sewing blog....what's that got to do with Gordon Ramsay you may ask...well in this post she gave him a passing reference in relation to breastfeeding...

Chocolate

THE BALD MAN WALL- MELBOURNE CENTRAL

Well a few weeks back I was at the Maternal Health Centre for my sons weigh in. I was telling the nurse how one day he had been really unsettled and all he wanted to do was get on the boob all the time. She started asking me about my diet- had I eaten anything unusual or different. She said sometimes things like chocolate can affect babies. I told her straight out that I was a chocoholic but added that I only eat the really good stuff! I told her my son would of had quiet a bit of it while he was on the inside! She looked at me laughed and said good on you! Have to love a health nurse like that!

So today thinking about chocolate thought I would share my favourites not in any particular order......of course there are chocolates to eat...and then there are chocolate experiences...

Me I'm a purist and prefer dark chocolate. White chocolate is fake and is NOT chocolate.

Koko Black- beautiful shops, gorgeous furnishings, and you can if you are very good watch the chocoletiers at work....Love their iced chocolate........

The Bald Man- ok well I practically lived on this stuff when I was pregnant with my daughter...everyone used to comment that she was such a happy baby- so I would always tell them it was due to me doing yoga and eating copious amounts of dark chocolate. My favourites here -the chocolate souffle is just delish! and the dark (always dark :)) suckaco! 

                               

This is the actual real Bald Man! I stalked him (ever so nicely) while he was at Melbourne for the Food and Wine Festival way back in 2005. He didn't realise I was taking pics of him! Call me sick but he's done good things!! As you can see....

     

Haighs- are so yummy. Infact we loved them so much we took a boxload interstate for our wedding bonbonerie (the Sparkling Shiraz truffle- cause thats just so good, and the Violet cream - only because it has a lavender accent on top which matched our colour theme). Apricot bars, Mandarin cremes, drinking chocolate...its all there- its all good.

Hahndorfs- the thing I like about Hahndorfs is the free chocolate you get to pick with any drink! (pick the solid dark one...its very nice!)

Lindt- melt in your mouth dark lindor balls, and I even like their milk chocolate too!! I am pretty unimpressed that we do not have a Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Melbourne. (I'm waiting Mr Lindt). And I am very sad as I have run out of Lindt Piccoli for my cooking.....and now have to find where I can buy it locally....(I bought a 2.5 kilo bag and we have since moved!)

Green and Blacks- dark nice good.

Dagoba- Have only tried the dark- nice!

'Anvers- Tassie based! 

I guess that is enough chocolate for now......I'm sure I will return to this topic.....:)

Here's a link to make a chocolate portrait if you are that way inclined......

Shoes

Well I was bumbling along and found this post over at the second stitch and the post there reminded me that I had stumbled across some shoes in pristine condition...still wrapped up in their box...never worn and now with a new baby I doubt they will EVER be worn...sure they are not HIGH high heels but I bought them ages ago for work with a specific suit in mind...and well I resigned from work when my first daughter was born so it's a pretty safe bet I won't be wearing these. I could of course sell them on ebay, but I think they might end up in the charity bin....unless you want them Brenda : )           

         

Hmmm I think they are size 8 and a half!

I have too many tentacles!!!!!

Ok well lying in bed last night I thought -yes too many tentacles- see them???wiggle wiggle....

I have decided that my paper loving friends are probably not particulary interested in all my other tentacles...so I've created another blog...Paper Tentacles..just for my art/crafty stuff...and all the other stuff can stay here...right?? 

And no I haven't posted there yet...so bear with me...

Hair Band drawers

Here's an altered item I just finished- it's for holding hair bands obviously!!

Using the Lily Kate papers from Basic Grey (still my favourite range so far!), Collections Chipboard alphas, Matisse Derivan paint.

Beautiful things to look at.

Some things I like the look of....

Lamborghini Reventon- which won the most beautiful car in the world award.

Apple Iphone -it just looks so pretty and this Laptop is yummy too.

Natural Selection Tallboy in Jarrah- I actually have this in my bedroom along with a matching jarrah chest..Love both these pieces...and the workmanship in them is beautiful.

Trunki- Very cool design and functional- Miss A might get one if she's lucky.

Bang and Olufsen BeoSound 3200 and the 9000- these are smooth operators.....

Phil and Teds Vibe- yummy....if I had another baby would get one of these! 

Dyson DC11 HEPA- I have this and its not only gorgeous (yes a vacuum can be gorgeous) but it is brilliant....you will never see so much dust in your life. I no longer vacuum I DYSON!! 

Bertil Vallien- Brains- Karolina and White Heart can't find a pic of the heart- I have both these objects and they are so beautiful. His work is beautiful.

Ok so decided to make a cheesecake....I'm always on the hunt for a good cheesecake recipe :)

Last one I tried was this one which was ok...but today I am trying this quick and easy one from Kraft site out.

Might not be ready for tonight's dessert but just had the urge to make one....:)

Dinner tonight is marinated lamb steaks -again a new recipe based loosely on this recipe from mealopedia.

Low grade movies

A couple of friends (and I do literally mean a couple!!) have asked me what happened to the movie I was helping Peurile Productions with...they are so peurile they can't spell my name!

Well here it is in all its glory- I am in NO WAY responsible for anything to do with this movie- other than the opening and closing credits & music...and I was one of the voices. It was shown at various seedy film festivals around the traps including Trasharama

I have also done the music for another one soon to be launched involving a psychotic cat....and there's another short I am waiting to receive before starting on the music.

If Peurile Productions had their own blog they could post all the seedy details of all their seedy undertakings there- but they don't so....

Click link to change your life forever.

House Warming

And the very fact that this film is listed on the Australian Film Commission site proves what a sad state the industry is in!

Menu Planning

My new slow cooker is gone and I am patiently waiting for a replacement. Now, I didn't have the slow cooker for long - I got it late February because I had heard so many good things about them and thought it would be handy when our little one arrived...It was great because I could plan out (in my head) what we would have- prepare it all early in the morning and have more time to play with my daughter (hereafter known as Miss A). Anyway it developed some strange markings that looked suspiciously like cracks...I had my son on the 7th March (hereafter known as Mr Z) and somehow a week after he was born got on to the manufacturer which I must say have been totally fantastic....and they are going to replace it......but I am lost without it...which is quite funny considering I had it for only a fairly short time. 

Anyway until it arrives I have decided to commence menu planning- just writing it down this time- which will be alot more efficient when shopping, and just more efficient all around really-and should be even more efficient when I get the slow cooker!

So did a bit of googling and there are quite a few sites around that will let you do it (menu planning that is!) online. Like this menu planning one for example....there are heaps more.

Then quite inspired I downloaded a piece of software (freeware!) for the laptop its a mac but there are heaps of freeware/sharware menu planners available ....so we will see how it goes.

Have planned this weeks set of meals already.

It's official

Have decided to make this my graphic design, art, craft, photography, cooking, techno, miscelleany type blog- see told you I had many tentacles!!....just one problem. 

I no longer have a craft room to work in- as my new gorgeous boy has that room. He's surrounded by craft trolleys on wheels..not the typical nursery but at least the corner with the cot is his!!! So I'm not sure how its going to go..I loved having a room to work in...but I love my boy more so I am sure I will find a way around it.....anyone got a spare house they don't need?

LOL.

So I haven't made anything for a while....the last thing I made was this card and tin for a friends new born baby- I put some goodies inside.

Now that I have a boy of my own I am keen to scrap his first page.....when I work out where I can do it! Plus I need to get some more boy type papers- (any excuse :)).

Will post some more stuff soon.