Bonjour Spring!

The best remedy to a case of the SADs? Spring!

Although I must admit, it has brought on a case of mild anxiety - just where has this year disappeared to?

Does anyone else feel like the year has just flown? I feel sick to the stomach that it's nearly Christmas and I'll be a whole year older in a couple of months. I'm not sure if it's because I'm working in a school or what, but the weeks fly by and I can't keep up. 

I can't even imagine what it's like once you have kids - every milestone must feel like it's in fast forward . . . sitting, crawling, walking then before you know it, driving and graduating from high school. Slow down!

But the small things bring you back. Mum and Dad gave me a gorgeous Kate Spade bangle for my birthday and it's a constant reminder to me: Stop and smell the roses. 

Or ranunculus in this case - don't they just scream Spring to you?

This pic was my fave instagram welcome to Spring yesterday - care of @clarestuart. Isn't it pretty? 

Grab the wallpaper download for your desktop or mobile here.

Pop goes the weasel

Have you heard?

It's so exciting!

Brown Button Trading is going 'real life'!

The gorgeous Kimberlee is holding a Pop Up Shop in a few weeks' time, perfect lead up to Christmas.

She'll have all the BBT goodies we know and love, pre-wrapped to make your life easier.

And did I mention there'll be bubbles!? Perfect.

If you're in the Adelaide hood, drop Kimbo an email and she'll send you through all the deets so you can head along.

From where I'd rather be . . .

Happy Melbourne Cup Day!

To get you in the mood and make you totally green with envy as you sit at your desk, here are some gorgeous pics from the team at Georgeous - event planners to the stars.

They do The Races like no other. I have a serious girl crush on the owner, Georgie Kay. What an absolute talent!

From David Jones at Caulfield to the Herald Sun at Flemington, they spoil their clients with beautiful blooms, innovative design and personalised finishing touches like nothing I've seen. Their interiors are mind-blowing and ground breaking, it's not the stock standard hospitality marquees you'll see at other events.

Follow them on Facebook here and while you're at it, look them up on Instagram (@georgeousoccasions), I love their behind the scenes shots.

All pics from Georgeous Facebook page

Dotty for the races

So I've been slack on the blogging front but with Melbourne Cup tomorrow, I thought I'd better share with you my Spring Carnival outfit.

I'm so thrilled with how my hat turned out! I've never had so many comments on my outfit before, I said to someone I felt like Miranda Kerr . . . without the body! Heather Clark of Studio Hats was the creative force behind it, she's brilliant.

Some may say I'm breaking all sorts of protocol by recycling my hat time and time again (as of tomorrow, I would've worn it four times in three weeks) but I've changed my dress each time and love how the price per wear is looking much nicer each time!

So here it is . . .

And this was with Jourdanne (the girl behind my freezer full of meat!) at our friend Jo's 30th birthday at Caulfield Cup Day at Morphettville . . .

And most recently at Cox Plate with my Mum and Dad at Moonee Valley.

It would've been perfect at Derby Day on the weekend.

And yes, I'll be wearing it again tomorrow at Morphettville for Melbourne Cup Day.

What's your Cup Day inspiration? Are you embracing neon or going more traditional this year?

No guilt here

So if you're like me, you get home from work and want something quick and easy that excites the tastebuds.

Something that's filling and satisfying but not heavy on the calories.

Well, I think we may have found a winner, lovely readers!

(Actually, credits to my Mum who whipped this up after our Zumba class last night!)

Enter the Weight Watchers No Guilt Pizza.

I've experimented with a few of their suggested toppings before, but this one was a bit left of centre and really fresh and light.

And soooooo easy. Were there enough 'Os' in that sooooo?

Here we go . . .

Take one wholemeal pita

Spread with a tablespoon of pesto (we just used the stock standard basil)

Scatter a shake or two of chilli flakes over the pesto

Thinly slice zucchini and layer over the pizza base

Top with halved grape tomatoes (not too many otherwise it goes soggy)

Dollop low fat ricotta cheese on top

Bake in a pizza oven (or normal oven) until crispy

Serve with a scattering of torn flat leaf parsley and fresh mint on top

(We added chicken and grated cheese to Big John's - being a retired meat wholesaler, he's not really down pat with the whole vegetarian thing)

TDF readers. It's amazing.

Enjoy x

Spring nose best

Two of the best things about going for a walk after work . . . 

The smell of jasmine creeping over front fences

. . . and BBQs cooking in backyards.

There's no smell like it (Dad would be proud!)

Spring is in the air . . . and not long until daylight saving.

Happy times x

Pics from Pinterest

It's raining Spring

Spring is a beautiful time of the year and what better way to ring it in than with a celebration of new life?!

The girls threw a beautiful baby shower for Michelle last week that was full of colour, fun and lots of bubbles!

We had lots of fun creating singlets and bibs and Emily and I were {not so} quietly thrilled when Mum-to-be chose our clothesline version as her favourite!

Anna made the most fabulous lemon curd friands and I just wish I had a photo of them to share, I ate them faster than you could say 'taste.com.au'

Here's to the healthy arrival of the little one next week, Pete and Michelle xo

Lemon Curd Friands

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Makes

10

Ingredients

1/2 cup (75g) plain fl our, sifted

1 1/2 cups 185g almond meal

1 1/3 cups (200g) pure icing sugar, sifted, plus extra to dust

5 eggwhites

200g unsalted butter, melted, cooled

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

5 tsp lemon curd, plus extra to serve

Whipped cream (optional), to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 10-hole friand pan or line with paper cases.
2. Mix the flour, almond meal and sugar in a bowl. 
3. In a separate bowl, lightly beateggwhites with a fork until foamy, then add to dry ingredients with butter and zest and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. 
4. Divide batter among friand pans. Place 1/2 teaspoon of curd on each friand and use a wooden skewer to swirl through batter.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden. Cool, then dust with extra icing sugar. Serve with extra lemon curd, and whipped cream if desired.

Recipe from taste.com.au

Spring in my step

Spring is in the air, can you feel it?

Went for a walk on the weekend to buy some supplies for winetime and struggled to find a bag suitable to carry my groceries home in.

Settled on my bagladies Adelaide bag (which I love because I can wear it over the shoulder) but it's a bit deep and hard to find your keys and phone at the bottom!

I dream of looking oh so effortlessly chic on my weekend shopping adventures. Like a Parisienne, with a baguette poking out the top of my shopping basket, plus a big bunch of flowers, possibly a bottle of bubbles . . . and even a little puppy if you so desire.

Enter Lady Chatterley's Affair and her totes gorge shopping baskets. AND they're environmentally friendly. Score.

I have ordered the pink one and am desperate for it to arrive so I can take it blossom hunting with me. Found some good solid trees on my weekend walk and it would feel far less criminal in the dark of the night with my scissors at the ready, if I had a pretty pink basket at my side!

Get one for yourself here

Pics here and here

Spring into frills

Loving the new Spring range that Kayce Hughes has just launched.

I received two gorge dresses and one fab frill blouse a couple of weeks ago (hello Hop Shop Go!) and have already debuted the floral shirtdress at The Races last week.

If only our seasons (and clothes sizes!) aligned with the Northern Hemisphere . . . but the end of season sales make it all worthwhile!