Under Lock and Key

The sweetest baby gift

2013-05-22T17:32:00.000+10:00

My mother-in-law recently gave me the sweetest littlest baby gift ever - a coat and a bonnet she had handmade for Stu when he was a newborn!

Despite being over 40 years old, they are in immaculate condition. It's hard to imagine Stu, my tall, big, handsome husband ever being small enough to fit into these. Hehe. But then I was presented with photographic evidence:

I cannot wait to dress my baby up in Stu's old bonnet and coat. I am beyond amazed and so touched I cried happy tears. What was the BEST baby gift you received?

Upside down cinnamon plum cake

2013-05-20T21:21:00.000+10:00

I almost always buy plums when I see them at the shops. They're sweet and juicy and the skin provides just the right amount of tartness. But I've never cooked with them before.

Then I chanced upon this recipe via Sue's blog. I knew right away I would be making this on the weekend. I was so smitten with the colours of the cake; golden brown and yellow inside, red and dark purple on top. How gorgeous and very autumn like!

This recipe is adapted from here. I skipped the raisins and cloves because I didn't have any in the pantry. To compensate, I went a bit nuts with the cinnamon because as far as I'm concerned,there's no such thing as too much cinnamon.

Ingredients

4 plums, halved and de-stoned

1 cup self raising flour

150g of butter, softened

1 cup raw brown sugar

2 eggs

Generous sprinkling of ground cinnamon

1 pinch of salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius

2. Line a loaf tin with baking paper.

3. Place the halved plums cut side down on the bottom of the tin.

4. Put the flour, butter, sugar, eggs, salt and cinnamon into the food processor and pulse until the mixture forms a thick smooth consistency.

5. Spoon the mixture over the plums, smoothing over the top to ensure the tin is evenly filled.

6. Bake in oven for 40 minutes.

7. Allow to cool in the tin. Then place a wire cooling rack over the top of the tin and turn the cake out, upside down. Lift off the greaseproof paper carefully.

Antipodes Apostle Skin-Brightening and Tone-Correcting Serum: review and giveaway!

2013-05-17T07:30:00.000+10:00

Ever since when I was growing up, I had dry skin which meant that while my peers were battling acne and spots, I was blessed with spotless clear skin. Now that I'm in my thirties though, I found the same dry skin condition is now making my skin look dehydrated and dull. I very quickly realised that I was going to need something "supercharged" to combat these problems and I believe I have found it in Antipodes' Apostle Skin-Brightening and Tone-Correcting Serum.

This product was sent to me by the lovely people at Antipodes, a New Zealand based organic skincare brand that uses carefully select bioactive extracts from sustainably cultivated native plants to create products that are scientifically and clinically shown to help promote youthful skin. No synthetic preservatives or nasty chemicals here!

The Apostle Serum is water-based; more specifically, it uses Waiwera's artesiam water which comes from deep within the earth and is blessed with a variety of beneficial minerals. This explains its water-light consistency, which makes it super easy for the skin to absorb without leaving a sticky or oily residue. I pat on a few drops every morning and night before my day or night cream.

This products promises results in 5 days, but let me tell you this: my skin felt immediately softer and smoother after just 1 application. With repeated use over 4-5 weeks, my skin maintained that softness and I'm spotting a nice natural glow (though, I admit that might be also be due to my pregnancy). In any case, this is one product I'm happy with and highly recommend to anyone concerned about skin dullness.

Giveaway time! Antipodes is giving 1 lucky reader the chance to win a full size bottle of their Apostle Skin-Brightening and Tone-Correcting Serum (RRP: NZD$65.00). For your chance to win, simply tell me as a comment on this post, why you would like to try this product. There's just one condition: you must either 'like' my Facebook Page or follow me on Goggle Friend Connect or on BlogLovin.

Giveaway ends on Friday 24th May, 5pm EST and is open to Australian residents only. Good luck!

DIY embellished hair combs

2013-05-15T07:30:00.000+10:00

I have a little stash of old earrings, discarded rhinestones, beads and buttons that I knew someday I would find a use for. On the weekend, I put my crafting hat on and Voila! Inspiration struck and I set off to make these embellished hair combs. Here's how you can make your own too.

You'll need:
Beads, rhinestones, buttons, earrings, brooches, pearls etc
Plastic hair combs
Fabric ibbon
Thread and needle
Hot glue gun
Scissors

For the rhinestone hair comb:

1. Tie a knot with ribbon at one end of the hair comb.
2. Weave the ribbon in and out of the teeth of the hair comb. When you have reached the end of the hair comb, weave back in opposite direction and tie a knot at the end to secure.
3. If using old earrings, twist off the spikes using a pair of pliers
4. Add your rhinestone, beads, buttons or other pieces to the hair comb using a hot glue gun. Make sure to overlap so the ribbon doesn't show.

For the beaded hair comb:

1. Tie a knot with ribbon at one end of the hair comb, making sure to leave enough ribbon to tie into a bow.
2. Weave the ribbon in and out of the teeth of the hair comb. When you have reached the end of the hair comb, weave back in opposite direction and tie a bow at the end to secure.
3. Thread pearls through and weave in and out of the comb. When you have reached the end, make 3 or 4 back stitches to secure the thread and cut off the excess.

Herbarium series #3

2013-05-13T14:59:00.003+10:00

My vegetable garden is in a bit of a state at the moment. Only the toughest, most established herbs and chilli plants have survived; everything else looks a little bit sad and dry. So today, I'm bringing you herbs from my mother-in-law's garden!

I love the dandelion-esque flowers on the garlic chives - how pretty and unexpected. I've been told the flowers are delicious in stirfries when they are still tender but these were too far gone for me to try. The basil flowers seem to bring in the bees in drives, it must produce some sweet nectar.

Are you growing any herbs at the moment?

Happy Mother's Day

2013-05-10T07:30:00.000+10:00

Mother's Day has always been a bit of a non-event for me. But this year, that changed.

My mom and her mom

Ever since I fell pregnant, I have a greater sense of respect and appreciation for my mum, as well as for all mums in general, having experienced for myself just how uncomfortable pregnancy is. When I first found out I was having a baby, I was dying to tell my mum; I knew just how happy she would be and I yearned to hear her stories of pregnancy and childbirth. When I was feeling sad or sick especially during those first few months, she was the person who gave me the most comfort, even if it was a just quick chat on the phone.

I also noticed that I had almost immediately developed a great sense of protectiveness towards my unborn child. I now understand why my mum does or says certain things and why she still tries to mother me. I think for a lot of mums, this comes instinctively, and probably doesn't ever go away.

Yes. This year, Mother's Day carries that much more significance to me. I look forward to Sunday, when mum and I have our weekly phone conversations. I look forward to hearing her nag at me to eat well, rest well. I look forward to her weekly gossip updates or simply chatting about nothing in particular.

Happy Mother's Day, you all.

Baby's first gift

2013-05-08T07:30:00.000+10:00

I've been under strict instructions from Stu to hold off buying any baby things until our home (namely, bathroom) renovations are complete. But one look at this children's book set and I was so smitten, I just had to bring it home.
I know. It'll be years before baby will grow big enough to pick up a book and start reading. But reading is a hobby instilled in me from a very young age (thanks to my parents), which I still enjoy tremendously. It brings me to magical lands and faraway places where candy grows on trees and fairies and gnomes dance around a toadstool. Reading has brought me so much enjoyment and allows my imagination to run wild, I want my baby to grow up to experience the joys of reading for him/herself too.

Did you enjoying reading as a child? What will you or did you buy for baby's first gift?

From garden to kitchen: pickled green chillies

2013-05-07T11:31:00.003+10:00

You may have seen these pickled green chillies at your favourite Thai, Malaysian or Singaporean restaurant, and if you've been game enough to try them, you would know that they're actually more tangy than spicy, with just a hint of sweetness and they are the PERFECT condiment for a stir fry or noodle dish.

Our chilli plants have been so heavy with fruits this year, so I decided to make some pickled chillies of my own. It's ridiculously easy and tastes great.

Pickled green chillies

Ingredients
10-15 green chillies
1 cup white rice vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup boiling water

Method

1. Slice the green chillies and place in a medium bowl.
2. Add boiling water to chillies, and let sit for about 10 minutes.
3. Drain and place chillies in a sterilized jar. (To sterilize, boil jar and lid in hot water for 15 minutes)
4. In a separate bowl, mix vinegar, sugar and salt, stir to dissolve.
5. Pour vinegar mix over the chillies. Top up with more vinegar if required to cover all the chillies.
6. Leave in fridge overnight.

Suigo Hair - review and giveaway

2013-05-03T07:30:00.000+10:00

I had the pleasure of trialing Suigo's range of products recently, which is a natural hair care range developed in Japan, using naturally derived, top quality active ingredients. I was so excited when I got my bag of goodies - as you may know, I have a very sensitive scalp and dry, damaged ends, so I'm constantly in search of some suitable TLC for my tresses.

For my hair concerns, I was recommended Suigo's Ultimate Range as well as their Lavender hair spa range. I ended up loving both - my scalp has not once felt irritated in the time I used Suigo and my hair feels strong and looks shiny. I give it a big tick.

The Ultimate range shampoo I love for its rich lather, clean smell and the way it leaves my hair feeling clean and strong. The conditioner is light and rinsed off easily but at the same time it felt very hydrating and makes my hair smooth and soft.

I save the Lavender hair spa range to use for days when I need extra pampering. It smells absolutely gorgeous and with it, I feel like I can massage away the stresses from my day and week. The hair treatment is wonderfully rich and I love using it as a weekly treat to restore dull damaged hair.

I would really love for you to try Suigo for yourself so today, in colloboration with the lovely Joe at Suigo, we are giving you the chance to win 1 of 4 Suigo Ultimate hair care pack (pictured above), consisting of shampoo, condition and treatment!

To enter, simply tell me as a comment on this post, what is your hair care concern. You get 1 extra entry if you 'like' my Facebook Page.

Giveaway ends on Friday 10th May, 5pm EST and is open to Australian residents only. Good luck!

Update: And the winners are....r.kuchel, beachcomber, ursula soutter and peach. Congrats!

Apple turnover

2013-05-01T07:30:00.000+10:00

I had just a couple of apples left over from our time at the Bilpin Orchards and I was trying to figure out what to do with them when suddenly, I had a a picture of an apple turnover in my head. I began to dream about biting into that crispy flaky pastry, the warm sweet and tart apple filling oozing out and into my mouth, leaving sticky stains on my fingers for licking up later....

Of course I ended up making it. I was a tad greedy though and overstuffed my turnover and the filling ended up oozing out and bubbling over....luckily they still tasted delicious! If you're making this at home, I'd suggest you split the portions over 3 or 4 pastry rounds, as per the recipe below. Oh, and the filling is very hot, so make sure you give it a few minutes before you bite into it.

Apple turnover (makes 4)

Ingredients
4 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry, thawed
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons corn flour
a dash of ground cinnamon
2 medium tart apples, peeled and cubed (I used Braeburn apples)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons water

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line baking tray with baking paper. Using a plate as a guide, cut 4 14cm rounds the pastry sheets.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, corn flour and cinnamon. Add apples and lemon juice; toss to coat. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes or until apples are tender, stirring often. Remove from the heat.

3. Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons filling on half of each pastry round; fold dough over filling. Press edges with a fork to seal. Place on baking sheet.

4. Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden. Transfer to a wire rack. Stand for 5 minutes.

Halfway there

2013-04-29T15:15:00.002+10:00

Here's a little first look at my baby bump. (Can you believe I'm already halfway there?)

Stu and I went for our 2nd trimester scan this morning. It was an emotional event especially for Stu as the last time he came along, our baby was just a blob with a heartbeat. This time, the little one is fully formed and moving around with proper little arms and legs and hands and feets.

I think it is harder for men to connect with the reality of having a baby as they are one step removed from the pregnancy process. Stu confessed to me that seeing the scans today made it more real for him, and he is even more freaked out now than before. Which is normal and sweet and makes me want to laugh at him.

Today I would like to share some random bits and pieces about my pregnancy just in case you're interested....

1. Boy or girl, you ask? Well, we have decided to wait to find out, so we'll both have a nice little surprise on the delivery day. I'm not too concerned about buying gender specific colours for my baby - it's not like he or she will care! I rather have baby things in a spectrum of colours instead of all pink or all blue things.

2. Can I just say I'm enjoying the second trimester so very much? I feel full of life again and my appetite has returned. My emotions are in check and I feel good about myself.

3. My ever growing baby bump gives me pride and I love patting it so much. Though I must confess when I see the reflection of a pregnant lady in a shop window or mirror, it is still shocking to realise that that person is actually me.

4. I may be pregnant but I'm still very vain. I'm still wearing my usual makeup and taking care of my general appearance, in fact I seem to favour brighter lip colours these days. It makes me happy.

5. Speaking of vain, when I outgrew my regular clothes a few weeks ago, I was absolutely devastated. I struggled to find clothes that fit and didn't look tacky. Thank goodness that I found out about Soon Maternity (via Ronnie's blog), which stocks lots of beautiful stylish maternity wear. I bought 2 dresses so far (including the one pictured) and I love them both.

6. In terms of cravings - it varies day by day and is normally extremely specific. Last week I wanted, no, actually make it needed banana and chocolate. Before that, I was hankering after pandan chiffon cake. Other times it was vegemite toast or banana smoothie or Hawaiian pizza (I usually don't even eat pineapples).

7. We have not started on the nursery yet as we're waiting to finish with the current bathroom renovations and the fitting of new carpets and curtains before we do so. But I'm very much looking forward to putting the room together!

8. I'm only just starting to feel movements from within but sometimes I'm not sure if it's baby or just gas!

Are you pregnant now, like me? Or already had your baby? If yes, I would love to hear about your pregnancy too!

Our Living Room

2013-04-24T14:54:00.000+10:00

"A house is made of wood and stone, but only love can make a home" - author unknown

How time flies - it has been 2 and a half years since Stu and I moved into our home and yet I still constantly refer to it as "our new home". So far, I've shown you our bedroom, guestroom and kitchen. Thought it was about time I showed you our living room too.

The reason I waited so long is because Stu had to fix up the lighting as well as paint the walls and ceilings. Plus it took forever to find the perfect pieces of furniture that we both love. Without any further ado, let me present to you....the living room (TA-DAH!):

Our home is a 1960s brick home so we wanted the interior to reflect that traditional look and feel too. We made a conscious decision to part with more money in exchange for items that we simply love and must have; that's of high quality and will last decades. We ended up sourcing most of our furniture from Coco Republic, Jimmy Possum and La Maison; most of which are one-off and hand-crafted items.

We were so SO lucky to be gifted with this beautiful vintage English Oak dining table and a couple of sideboards that have been in Stu's family for over a hundred years. These pieces bear the scratches and marks of generations before us and had been lovingly restored by Stu's dad. When we first got them, Stu even excitedly pointed out the scratches that he had made as a naughty little boy.

Vintage dining table and sideboard

How have you decorated your home to make it home?

While walking #3

2013-04-22T12:22:00.002+10:00

Autumn has well and truly descended and pops of colours have appeared in the form of shedding leaves and these mini berries I collected. My idea of a perfect autumn day is one where the sun is shining and the air is crisp and cool; me wearing my light layers and walking Frankie. Unfortunately we've not had very many of those days. Lots of rain and the sun disappears before I even get home so our evening walks have become infrequent and rather short.

Not complaining though! This cool change is very welcome and suits my pregnant condition. On Saturday, we got our fireplace going for the first time this year and cosied up on the couch with hot chocolate in hand. Bliss.

Mini pine coves, macadamia flowers, unidentified mini red berries

How's the weather going on your end?

Bits of Brit giveaway!

2013-04-19T10:00:00.000+10:00

Today's giveaway is close to my heart. Bits of Brit (B.O.B.) is a new business venture of an old school friend of mine who personally handpicks and sources a selection of cake stands, aprons, tea-towels, vintage porcelain tableware, tote bags, make-up pouches, small purses, stationery, vintage dresses, hats and handbags, from all across the UK and currently unavailable in Singapore. To say that it is a treasure trove is quite the understatement!

All items in store are selected for the individually-minded customer who desires personally chosen products. So, the giveaway winner will receive this beautiful handmade fabric tote (worth S$39.90) by UK designer, Granny Doreen. Her range of bags are produced exclusively for B.O.B, and there is only one bag in every design, making them truly unique.

To enter, simply visit B.O.B's Facebook page to
a) Like it
b) Leave a comment
c)Share page on timeline

* Open to Singaporean readers only, 1 winner will be chosen at random and ends on Friday 26th April 5pm SGT. Good luck!

PS: Bits of Brit officially launches at the Public Flea Garden at the National Museum of Singapore on Saturday 27 April and Sunday 28 April. If you're in town that weekend, make sure you drop by.

Update: And the winner is....Veraday Poh - congrats! We will be in touch with you shortly.

Pear and almond tart

2013-04-17T06:30:00.000+10:00

Just used the last of our hand picked pears on the weekend...

This is one of my favourite tart recipe because it is so easy and it tastes absolutely delicious. I love the use of almond meal which adds moistness and a rich nutty flavour. I normally use brown Beurre Bosc pears but I had a couple of Yali pears that were ripe so I decided to use those instead.

Verdict? The Yali pears retained a bit of crunch which was pleasant. I also found the pears to be much sweeter than the brown ones so will recommend using less sugar than the original Donna Hay recipe. I've adjusted the amount of sugar below:

Pear and almond tart

Ingredients
60g butter, melted
½ cup (90g) brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (120g) almond meal
¼ cup (40g) plain flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
2 yali pears, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices
½ cup (50g) brown sugar, extra
raw sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.

2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until just combined.

3. Add the eggs, almond meal, flour, baking powder and lemon rind and process until just combined.

4. Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased 9.5cm x 33cm loose-bottom fluted tart tin.

5. Place the pears and extra brown sugar in a bowl and toss to coat.

6. Press the pears into the tart mixture and bake for 35–40 minutes or until cooked.

7. Sprinkle with raw sugar and allow to cool in the tin.

DIY Daisies frame

2013-04-15T12:45:00.002+10:00

When I saw these paper daisies (aka strawflowers or everlasting daisies) at the florist a few weeks ago, I fell in love with them. They are so vibrant and gorgeous, plus they dry beautifully, so they are perfect for crafting with. I used them to line a plain picture frame, I think it makes for cheerful home decor! The daisies retain their colours really well when dry so this will last for years.

To make your own daisies frame, you'll need: picture frame with flat edges, dried paper flowers and a hot glue gun. *To dry your paper daisies, simply air dry upside down in the dark.

1. Once the daisies are dry, cut off stems as close to the flower as possible as well as any foliage.

2. With the hot glue gun, glue the flowers close to each other so the frame doesn't show through. I used flowers of varying sizes to make it visually more interesting.

Preparing Frankie

2013-04-11T07:00:00.000+10:00

As my belly swells by the day, I've noticed that Frankie no longer launches herself on it when I'm lying on the couch, like she used to. I wonder if it's because she knows that there's a baby inside? And more importantly, I am curious to find out how Frankie will respond when she meets baby.

I know that Frankie doesn't like sharp shrills and high pitched sounds that babies and children make, so I've been preparing her in the last few months by playing sound clips of babies crying while feeding her some of her favourite liver treats. My friend pissed himself laughing when I told him but it actually works. Frankie's initial reaction to the cries was to bark ferociously but after she realised the strange noises are usually accompanied by lots of yummy treats for her, she began to make a positive association. These days she doesn't even blink when she hears a baby's cries.

Did you have to introduce a pet to a baby? How did you do it? I would love to hear your experiences and will be grateful for any tips or advice.

Boronia Tea Room

2013-04-08T15:58:00.000+10:00

It's ladies high tea! To celebrate a dear friend's birthday, I, together with a group of pretty girlies gathered at the Boronia tea room on Sydney's north shore for some tea sipping and delightful nibblies. Here are some shots of our lovely afternoon.

We had a long table lined with gorgeous tea sets in a beautiful sun-lit room with large picture windows that looked out into the courtyard. We toasted with sparkling wine (and herbal tea for me) and shared sandwiches and mini tarts, melt-in-your-mouth lemonade scones and a variety of dainty sweets almost too pretty to eat. It was such a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, all frocked up and chatting away with the girls.

Happy Birthday Claire! xx

Golden delicious apple cake

2013-04-05T06:30:00.000+11:00

You knew this was coming, didn't you?

Even after giving away half of our haul from our recent apple picking adventures, we still have a ton of apples left. Amongst them, the Golden Delicious were the biggest and most beautiful and smelled absolutely fantastic, so I was most eager to use them first. They have a softer texture and are supposed to hold their shape well during cooking, making them perfect to bake with.

I had a wonderful time making this cake. There's something really satisfying about using the apples that I've personally hand picked from the orchard; I know exactly where it's come from and just how fresh it is. The smell of the apples and sugar caramellising in the oven made me so happy with anticipation. I couldn't wait to taste it.

And it was divine. It's moist and decadent without being overly rich, perfect for tea time. Apples, sugar and cinnamon - now that's a winning combination in my books.

Golden Delicious apple cake

Ingredients
150g butter, melted
3/4 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 and 1/4 cup self raising flour, sifted
1- 2 golden delicious apples (or other apple variety)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon raw sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Lightly grease a 20-cm round cake tin
2. Core and quarter the apples, then slice thinly and leave aside
3. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in eggs, one at a time
4. Add flour to the mixture and fold in
5. Pour mixture into the cake tin. Arrange apple slices in a circle on batter, making sure to overlap.
6. Mix cinnamon and raw sugar and then sprinkle evenly over the apple slices
7. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden

Wolgan Valley resort and spa

2013-04-02T14:43:00.002+11:00

This Easter long weekend, Stu and I got spoilt rotten at Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa, which is a beautiful luxury resort nestled between 2 national parks in the Blue Mountains region.

Wolgan Valley resort from a distance

We stayed in the Heritage Suite, the perfect couples retreat, which is beautifully furnished and comes with a private heated pool, complimented with views of the valley. As soon as we arrived, we felt this immense sense of serenity, being so close to nature and in such comfortable settings. To help ease us into a complete state of relaxation,we treated ourselves to a facial and massage at the resort's Timeless Spa. Bliss.

The Heritage Suite

Did you know that Wolgan Valley Resort is the first carbonzero certified resort in the world? This is not an opulent, wasteful, over-the-top resort; it is extremely respectful and sensitive of its surroundings and we especially love the beautiful furniture and fittings made with upcycled materials such as old timber fences, canvas tarpaulin, railway sleepers, old rocks - all sourced from the area and given a new lease of life.

One of my favourite things to do was to jump into the private pool, which was set at a lovely 25 degrees. Swimming certainly agrees with my pregnant condition; it is low impact and the extra weight I'm carrying is cushioned by the water so I can comfortably exercise and that made me feel so revived. In fact, one day, I woke up extra early for an invigorating morning swim - much to Stu's bewilderment (he knows how much I love a lazy sleep in!).

The resort offers a number of nature activities each day such as horse riding, guided walks, mountain biking and so on. Given my pregnant condition, we opted instead to pat and feed the horses at the stables, went for a couple of slow, easy walks and my favourite - the wildlife safari and sundowner tour whereby we explored the property in a four wheel drive, drove over creeks and hills, were educated about highly endangered Wollemi pine, spotted native birds, mobs of kangaroos, wallaroos and the most exciting of all - an albino wallaby! I only had my iphone camera on me but you can just see it in the photo below.

The tour ended at the 1832 colonial homestead which had been painstakingly restored by the resort. There, we visited the kitchen garden which provided for some of the nuts, fruits and vegetables we were served at mealtimes. We had drinks and canapes while watching the sun set over the mountain cliffs.


1832 colonial homestead

Sunflowers at the kitchen garden

We had such a splendid time, there's hardly anything I can fault about our stay at the resort. The whole time, I got this feeling that nothing bad could ever happen to us here in Wolgan Valley - so cocooned I was in comfort and style. I reckon this must be the real-life "Tiffany's" that Audrey Hepburn had been searching for!

Fitskin naturally - review and giveaway

2013-03-28T06:30:00.000+11:00

I think it's safe to say I'm somewhat obsessed with natural skincare. I have tried and reviewed a number of natural skincare brands in this space in the last year and it has reinforced even more my conscious decision to use natural sustainable products. I love that the products I use are free from nasty parabens, petrochemicals and harsh sulphates. This to me makes a whole world of sense.

In the last month, I have been using Australian-made natural skincare - Fitskin, whose philosophy is to coach your skin, so it looks healthy and fit, much like a sports coach but for the skin! I was sent the Fitskin Intro pack that consisted of cream face cleanser and scrub, sculpting face cream and eye lift cream.

The Cream Face Cleanser was very gentle and hydrating - which fulfilled my dry skin needs. It is packed full of anti-oxidants to fight against oxidative stress as well as anti-bacterial, antiseptic & anti-inflammatory ingredients to inhibit bacteria, reduce inflammation and any itching, swelling or redness. It is a very gentle and light cleanser so it did require a dose of double cleansing to remove all dirt, makeup and impurities at the end of the day.

In relation to the Face Scrub, my initial thoughts are that it is a bit watery and the beads a little too gentle for my liking (when I scrub, I really like a good scrub). But that said my skin did feel smoother and softer so it does a good job of removing dead skin cells and also I’m confident that I’m not doing any damage to my skin.

I do have to say though that my favourite product is the Sculpting Face Cream, which is a day and night cream so lightweight I was initially dubious about its moisturising properties but upon a few applications, was very pleasantly surprised to find that light as it was (and therefore also absorbed really quickly into the skin and non-greasy), it was actually extremely hydrating and felt just lovely. The product has ingredients that encourages ageing cells to act young and supports cell activity to cope with stress – just what I need!

Also, I was very happy with the Eye Lift Cream which was similarly lightweight and smelt uplifting and makes my skin feel rejuvenated and fresh. It's a great product, but if I have to nit-pick, I'll have to say that I'm not a fan of the pump dispenser, which squirts out way more product than I need. Otherwise, I'm pretty pleased with Fitskin – the products work well and the price is right.

Giveaway time! Fitskin is giving 2 lucky readers the chance to try the Fitskin Intro Pack (pictured above) which retails for $112. For your chance to win, simply tell me as a comment on this post, why you would like to try Fitskin's products. You get 1 extra point if you 'like' my Facebook Page.

Giveaway ends on Friday 5th April, 5pm EST and is open to Australian residents only. Good luck!

Update: And the winners are: Greenthumb and Carol! Congrats and thank you all for playing.

Apple and Pear season

2013-03-26T16:04:00.000+11:00

It's a beautiful time of the year to be at an orchard laden with apples and pears, just ripe for the picking.

A friend is visiting from Singapore and we decided to bring him to the little town of Bilpin for some good old fruit picking that he wouldn't normally be able to experience in Singapore. We couldn't have picked a better day to go; the sun was out and it was so lovely and warm. We drove past rows and rows of trees heavy with beautiful red and green fruits and it was just picture perfect.

We went to Bilpin Springs Orchard where they had a number of apple and pear varieties in season. I went for the soft pink Fuji and gorgeous Golden Delicious apples which were crunchy and sweet and juicy with every bite for eating fresh on its own. For cooking, I picked the bright red Braeburn apples that were sweet and slightly tart and less crunchy.

I don't know a lot about pears but I did get a couple of Yali pears to bake with. Also, the big round brown Korean pears looked particularly enticing, so we picked some of them too. What a score. They were absolutely delicious; great in a salad and works wonderfully paired with cheese.

Thank you for your wonderful comments on my last post. I am feeling the love!

My happy news

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When Stu and I returned from holidays last December, we had absolutely no idea this little stowaway was in our midst.

But when we did find out, it was the most wonderful news, and has filled us both to the brim with happiness. I'm 3 months along now and am looking forward to meeting Baby in September.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it and say that everything has been great and wonderful. Truth is, the last couple of months has been a bit of a roller coaster ride for me. Even though I was one of the lucky ones who did not experience morning sickness, I felt uncomfortably bloated and unbelievably exhausted. I spent most of my weekends simply catching up on sleep (and therefore not crafting or baking or blogging!).

While I was extremely happy and excited, I also experienced an irrational and downright terrifying fear of losing the pregnancy in those first fragile weeks. My emotions were wildly out of control; I'd sob my eyes out at the drop of a pin and get annoyed at the smallest things. And then I developed an aversion to meat before completely losing my appetite. Cooking and eating (my favourite pastimes!) was no longer enjoyable. In short - it wasn't fun.

But...and thank goodness there is a but - now that I'm in my second trimester, I've noticed a dramatic improvement in the way I feel. My energy levels are back up and my emotions are much more in check. Stu and I are delighted to finally be able to share our happy news with family and friends (and now you). My baby bump is just starting to show and I'm sporting that famous pregnancy 'glow', all thanks to the increased blood flow to my cheeks AND my hair has never been thicker and healthier. People around me have never been kinder and more supportive, and I can honestly feel so much love around me.

A belated Thank You

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These beautiful 'Tea and Flowers' cards arrived in my mailbox late last year. I won them in a giveaway hosted by a blogger friend over at Lucent Imagery, who took the lovely images herself. They are available for purchase in her little shop, by the way. I'm so happy with them, I wanted to properly say thank you (albeit 3 months later), so here goes: Thank You, Lucent. They made my day.

While Walking #2

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It has been a slow start to Autumn but the signs are certainly there. Only the most resilient of bottle brush and eucalytus blossoms are hanging on; in their place, seed pods of the most fascinating shapes and sizes are starting to appear.

I'm still continuing with my evening walks with little Frankie but it won't be long before the days start getting shorter and colder. I'm hanging on to the sunshine and warmth for as long as I can.

Casuarina pods, Eucalyptus blossoms, Bottlebrush seedpods

Hope you have been well. I'm sorry for my absence in this space but I do have a pretty good (and exciting) reason - this I will share with you sometime next week! Have a beautiful weekend x