Vanilla Cupcakes

Lately I'm finding myself at more and more baby showers and kid's birthday parties. To keep things easy, I've been putting my hand up to do cupcakes and this is my go to vanilla cupcake recipe. I normally spread my icing on with a spatula but for something a little special, I piped the icing and was VERY impressed with my first ever attempt. I did watch a couple of youtube videos for tips beforehand and turns out it's not that difficult - keep your nozzle pointed down vertically the whole time and start at the edge working your way slowly from the outside in.

100g butter, softened
½ cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line a 12-hole patty cake tin with patty cases. Beat the butter, caster sugar, vanilla essence together until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the flour and mix. Add the milk gradually and mix. Divide the mixture between the 12 patty cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. To check, you can stick in a skewer and if it comes out clean, they're ready. Allow to cool on a wire rack before icing and decorating with sprinkles.

For the icing:

125g butter, softened
1 ½ cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Beat the butter with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Gradually add icing sugar mixture and milk, beating constantly until combined.

Colour Block

Country Road Dress | Zara Heels | Balenciaga Bag | Ray-Ban Sunglasses

Even though it's winter, we're still having weather in the twenties here in Melbourne, so I'm taking advantage of this and wearing my summer dresses as long as I can. This Country Road dress (which I picked up on sale) is actually a great trans-seasonal piece as it's made of a thickish knit fabric and will take me through winter with tights, boots and a long sleeve top underneath.

Adoring Aqua Accents

I have documented my love of white interiors a number of times but I also have a love for aqua accents - cushions, ottomans, doors, knick-knacks...

And don't you just love the chevron print cushions in the first image? I have a never-ending adoration for all things chevron too.


*Images via Pinterest

Not Your Average Bun

This bun is extremely easy (it will literally take you 5 minutes) but looks like you've made a little extra effort thanks to the plait. All you need for this hair tutorial is a hair tie, bobby pins and a butterfly clip/hair grip. As with any hair up, this will work best on hair that hasn't been washed for a day or so as it will be easier to keep in place.

Step 1 Tie your hair up into a ponytail.
Step 2 Take a section of hair from the top of your pony tail.
Step 3 Plait this section and secure it away from the rest of the ponytail with a butterfly clip (you will use this later).
Step 4 & 5  Divide the remaining part of your ponytail into four sections. Loop each section under, one at a time, and secure at the base of the pony tail with a bobby pin or two. You should now have a messy little bun.
Step 6 Unclip your braid from Step 3, loop the end under and pin into the base of your bun.
Step 7 Loosen the plait slightly with your fingers and push it to one side.
Step 8 Finished look from the side.

Yellow Shoes

J.Crew Top | Gorman Skirt | Canape 770 Heels | J.Crew Necklace | Balenciaga Bag

I first wore this outfit to the LMFF and I've been been wearing it on weekly rotation since. The skirt is current season Gorman and made of the softest buttery leather and the patent yellow heels are now on sale at Zomp - they're so comfy I want them in every colour.

March in Instagram

Sequins & stripes | Rained in Byron Bay every day | Leopard & stripes | Easter breakfast

Soda bread | Green for St Patrick's Day | Chocolate brownies | San Pellegrino print

Selfie | Coffee at Ground Up Toowoomba | New yellow heels | OOTD

Gingham & bling | Leopard Pants | Breakfast at Harvest Cafe Byron Bay | Easter eggs

Currently...

1 Wearing: My J.Crew Flower Lattice Necklace – I’m obsessed and it seems to go with everything, which is good seeing as I’m wearing it with everything.

2 Watching: Girls – Love it! If you’ve been living under a rock, it’s about 4 young twenty-something women living in New York who are trying to sort their lives out after college. It focuses on their relationships with each other, with friends, lovers, bosses, ex’s, parents. The characters are so self-absorbed they’re not even that likeable (I wouldn’t want to be friends with any of them) and be prepared to see Hannah naked in every episode! It’s at times painfully raw, embarrassingly real and I think I enjoy it so much because I can relate to it – we’ve all been there or know someone who has - the scene where Lena Dunham’s character, Hannah, is face down on the couch awkwardly trying to pull her tights off…oh the humiliation! I can’t wait for Season 3.

3 Reading: ‘They Storyteller’ by Jodi Picoult. The main character, Sage Singer strikes up a friendship with an old man who is highly respected in the local community. One day he confesses his darkest secret and asks Sage a favour: to kill him. An Amazing novel about forgiveness and redemption – riveting and thought provoking it’s Picoult at her best. I was hooked from page one and couldn’t put it down.

4 Buying: Jumpers, sweatshirts and knits for Autumn/Winter. I’ve already started layering these on even though the weather in Melbourne is still in the mid twenties. The 'Hello' sweatshirt by Hello Merch is so comfy and soft.

5 Eating: Easter Eggs - I have so many left over I’ll be eating them for months.

6 Drinking: Pimm’s and Lemonade – my all time favourite with or without mint, cucumber, orange slices and strawberries.

7 Wishing for: A new parka – doesn’t need to be expensive but I need to replace my old shabby looking one. I do like this J.Crew version and I've spotted a couple of cheaper ones on ASOS too.

8 Listening to: Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience. I love me some JT and I’ve been enjoying this on my long drive to and from work.