Happy New Year

Here's wishing you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR filled with peace, health, love and prosperity!

What I Wore

1  W O R K

Zara Shirt | Zara Trousers | Witchery Blazer | Nude Shoes Heels | Mulberry Bag

2  B B Q

Shakuhachi Dress | Sandals (Bali market stall) | Michael Kors Watch | Sportsgirl Clutch

3  X M A S  P A R T Y

H&M Dress | Zara Heels | Vintage Beaded Clutch (not holding in the photo)

Dreaming of a Glam New Year's Eve

Well Christmas has been and gone - I do hope everyone had a lovely time with their friends and family. I've eaten my weight in ham, turkey, pudding and chocolate and have been left feeling a little bloated. I'm having to pull back a little on the chocolate if I hope to fit into my clothes for New Year's Eve.

Anyway, better eating aside, as far as I'm concerned, New Year's Eve is one special occasion that requires you to party like a rockstar. If my plans called for a fabulous dress (and allowed for an unlimited budget), I’m pretty sure this is the look I’d be going with to ring in 2013…

Moschino Cheap and Chic Dress | Marni Earrings | Bottega Veneta Clutch | Diane Von Furstenberg Heels

Blogshop

Last weekend I attended Blogshop Melbourne. If you haven't heard of Blogshop, it's basically an intense two day Photoshop workshop for bloggers that shows you how to improve the look and feel of your blog.

Blogshop creators, Bri and Angela, who have run sold-out workshops all over the world, ran the Melbourne workshop (they are so so cute btw) and made it super easy to follow - starting with the basics and working up to more advanced techniques like animated gifs. I already knew my way around Photoshop but I'm new to Mac so it was great to learn Mac shortcuts and tighten my skills so I can do things in two steps rather than fifteen (which is great when you have a full time job and blog in your spare time). Plus, I got to meet a whole bunch of lovely new bloggers along the way!

If Blogshop are coming to your city, I highly recommend you take the workshop. You'll use the skills you learn every time you open Photoshop.

Christmas Cookies

This is Donna Hay's basic vanilla butter biscuit recipe that I now use all the time as it produces really delicate snap cookies. They're gorgeous plain, coated in chocolate, sandwiched with jam or dusted with icing sugar. I've made them numerous times over the last few weeks for Xmas parties and I've even boxed some up as little gifts.

250g butter

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

2 1/4 cup plain flour
1 cup dark chocolate melts, for decorating

Preheat oven to 180°C. Beat the butter and caster sugar with an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add the vanilla and egg yolk and beat well to combine. Add the flour and beat until a smooth dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 3 sections, roll out each section between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to 5mm think. Use cookie cutters to cut out the dough. Place onto a lined baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes until light golden. Cool on a wire rack. To decorate, melt the chocolate and pipe onto the cookies.

Currently...

1 Wearing: Summer dresses and sandals - when the Melbourne weather turns it on! Just bought this gorgeous Zimmermann dress for Christmas day.  I thought it was a little festive looking and light enough if it's a scorcher of a day.

2 Watching: Sons of Anarchy Season 5 - Jax Teller...swoon!
3 Reading: Cookbooks - particularly loving Small Plates and Sweet Treats by Aran Goyoaga. Fresh, vibrant recipes and beautifully styled food photography.
4 Buying: Christmas presents and gift wrap supplies
5 Drinking: Way to much at all the Christmas parties. January will see some serious detoxing.
6 Wishing: for an Hermes enamel bracelet
7 Eating: Shortbread
8 Listening to: Christmas Carols

What I Wore

1  W O R K

Vintage Dress | Sportsgirl Belt | Siren Heels | Mulberry Bag | Michael Kors Watch

2  W O R K

H&M Top | Zara Pants | Nude Shoes Heels | Mulberry Bag | Michael Kors Watch

3  D I N N E R

Topshop Dress | Nude Shoes Heels | Unbranded Clutch (Old) | Michael Kors Watch | Ebay Necklace

Double Braid

This is a relaxed boho-style double braid - very messy but suprisingly easy to re-create if you can master a basic braid. This look will work best on hair that hasn't been washed for a day or so as it will be easier to keep the hair in place with bobby pins.

STEP 1 Make a deep part and separate two sections at the front of your hair (section with butterfly clips or pull to the front of your head to keep separate from the hair at the back)
STEP 2 Separate the back section of your hair into two parts
STEP 3 Twist the first section and secure at the back of your head with a couple of bobby pins
STEP 4&5 Grab the other half, twist and secure at the back of your head with pins
STEP 6 You should now have the back section pinned in a messy 'bun' at the back of your head and be ready to start on the front of your hair
STEP 7 Section the side with the most hair into two pieces (these become your braids)
STEP 8 Braid the section closest to your forehead and pin it into the bun at the back of your head
STEP 9 Braid the second section of hair, again securing into the bun with a pin
STEP 10 Twist the final section of hair on the other side of your head and pin it into the bun at the back
STEP 11 Look at the back and pin any additional fly-aways into place and set with a mist of hairspray
STEP 12 The finished look from the side

DIY Christmas Wreath

I made one of these last year after seeing it on Minimoz and my mum liked it so much I thought I'd make her one this year. They are so easy you can literally make them while watching TV. To make one yourself you'll need:

1 wire coat hanger or wire/metal hoop (from a craft store)
Wire cutters or pliers
Fabric (I got 6 different fabric off cuts)
Scissors
Christmas decoration (for the centre)
Ribbon

Push your wire hanger out to form a circle and cut the hook off with wire cutters. Cut your fabric into strips approx 2" x 9". Tie the fabric onto the hoop and continue, alternating the fabric until the entire hoop is full. Push the fabric tightly together as you go. Next tie your Christmas decoration to the wire with ribbon. Finally, tie another piece of ribbon to the wreath and form a bow so you can tie it to your door.

Xmas Gift Guide

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas! I am mad for the decorations, the carols, the food, the smell of the tree, the busy shops (yes I’m crazy), and who doesn’t love presents!! Christmas is a lot different in Australia than it is in the UK (where I’m originally from) for one thing it’s usually a stinking hot day, so making a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings can prove difficult, but still, no matter what the temperature, I insist on making a roasted Turkey, a glazed ham, roast potatoes and chirstmas pudding with brandy custard – it just doesn’t feel like Christmas without it. And to this day, my mum calls me - no matter where I am in the world - to read ‘The Night Before Christmas’ before I go to bed. Now don’t get me wrong, we know it's silly and that I’m way too old for it (I’m 33), but if she didn’t call we would feel like a part of Christmas was missing. So until I have my own kids, we continue with the tradition. I hope you’re all getting excited for the holiday season. I would love to hear about your family traditions.

Seeing as I love shopping, I thought I'd provide you with a Christmas gift guide with a number of gifts at various price points. Happy shopping!!

1 Apple iPad Mini $369 | 2 Diptyque Candle $99 | 3 Jonathon Adler Zebra Dish $24

4 J.Crew Bracelet $172 | 5 Anya Hindmarch Clutch £300 | 6 Origins Hand Treatment $29

7 Chanel Nail Polish $49 | 8 J.Crew Statement Necklace $190 | 9 Paul & Joe Make-up Case $44

10 Taylor Swift 'Red' $20 | 11 iPhone Case $35 | 12 Jamie's 15 Minute Meals $33