New Year Plans

I can't believe it's the new year already. Where did 2017 go? We had an amazing year with an unforgettable trip to Finland and Japan (being there for the cherry blossoms has been a dream of mine for many many years), and lots of other memorable moments to cherish a lifetime. I am looking forward to even more adventures in 2018; we are planning a trip to France later this year for my brother's birthday, and I am planning to finally get some home renovations completed (more on those later!).

This year I want to cherish the time I have with my daughter before she starts school, and make even more time for family activities. On a personal level I want to keep doing what I love; interior styling and photography, and develop those skills even further. I will try and be more active here on the blog as well! Here's to a healthy, happy year ahead!

New Year's Party Inspiration

1. New Year's Resolution 2. Gorgeous Cupcakes 3. Prettiest party decorations 4. Platinum Peach Tassel Garland 5. Sass & Bide Pants 6. French Connection Top 7. Witchery Ballet Shoes 8. Essie Nailpolish in 'A Crewed Interest' 9. Mimco Clutch 10. Tassel Necklace 11. Double Hoop Earrings

Happy New Year's Eve from Sydney! 

Here's my peach, silver and white themed inspiration board for this New Year's Eve. I'll be adding some more gorgeous photos on my Pinterest board, so please feel free to check that out too. 

Thank you for following and all the best for the new year 2014! 

White NYE Tea Party + A Review

I have to admit, I am notorious for not having any plans for New Year's Eve. There seems to be a reasonable amount of pressure (although less so nowadays) to do something spectacular, along with a special New Year's resolution that will supposedly make you a better person in one way or another. I'm a pretty content person as far as resolutions go, but I think this is still a good time to stop and reflect on the past year and think of ways to improve in the coming year. 

I thought it would be fun to plan a little tea party for New Year's Eve and I decided to go with an all white theme. Somehow, New Year's for me is not so heavily 'season-infused' as Christmas is, but I still subconsciously go for a winter colour palate, rather than a summery one. Little meringues seemed like a lovely sweet thing to have with a perfect cup of tea (this is one of my current favourites). 

Do you make plans for New Year's Eve? Do you make resolutions? 

Recently, I was offered to do a review for an online store called KitchenwareSuperstore.com.au. As you may know, I don't normally do reviews or product advertising, but I had been wanting to try out the Cuisinart Programmable Kettle for a while, so I agreed to review it. Please note that this is an honest review, unaffected by the fact that I was given this kettle in return for a review.

My husband and I both enjoy a cup of tea quite regularly and a kettle with different temperature settings felt like a perfect addition to our kitchen gadgets. I am a rather impatient tea maker, so I've often had to cool down my cup of tea with a dash of cold water in order to be able to drink it immediately. With the Cuisinart Programmable Kettle, however, I can choose between six different temperature settings, set the temperature to 75°C (recommended for delicate teas with a short steeping time) and enjoy a perfect cup of tea immediately. For the same reason, we have also found that this setting is great for making a perfect bowl of miso soup! Another great feature is the 'keep warm mode' which means that the kettle automatically maintains the selected temperature for 30 minutes. This is particularly convenient for that much needed second cup of tea.

As a bit of an aesthetic, I also love the sleek and modern look of the Cuisinart kettle. The stainless steel colour is easy to match with other appliances in our kitchen.

Check out my other post: Ode to Tea

Cuisinart Programmable Kettle from KitchenwareSuperstore.com.au

Cherry and Camembert Salad

Happy New Year!

I'm starting the New Year with this summery salad that combines some of my favourite flavours: sweet cherries and dried cranberries with creamy Camembert, toasted nuts, peppery greens and tangy balsamic vinegar. I love salads like this on a summer's day - light, but perfectly filling to get you going until the next meal.

There are no exact measurements as I like to throw in ingredients as I please. Just follow your taste buds to adjust the flavours accordingly.

Cherry and Camembert Salad

a couple of big handfuls of mixed salad leaves

a handful of fresh cherries, halved and stoned

a few sliced of Camembert or Brie (in room temperature)

a small handful of mixed nuts, toasted until fragrant

a couple of tablespoons of dried cranberries

2 tablespoons of good balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil

Mix all and enjoy!

Looking Back at 2012

The final days of 2012 are a good opportunity to take a look back and sum up a few favourite recipes and other highlights of the year. It has certainly been a whirlwind year with many happy events, but also one particularly sad memory, with a passing of my dear grandmother at the end of the year. 

I started the year off with a 21-day vegan challenge that somehow prolonged itself to 9 months. I really enjoyed the challenge of creating new recipes with no animal products and looking back I absolutely love the colours and vibrancy of the foods I created.  

 

 

Our wedding in my home town back in June and the honeymoon in France was of course the highlight of the year. We had the loveliest time celebrating our special day with our closest friends and relatives, and France in its all summery glory was everything (and more!) we expected. I would love to go back one day, as there is so much more left to experience and see.

The end of the year saw me going back to my roots (literally, as well!) with more traditional Finnish recipes and more and more interior and craft inspired posts that I've enjoyed so much. I am looking forward to all the new ideas and challenges that the new year will bring.

I thank you all for following my blog in 2012 and I wish you all the best for the new year!