10 things that made me happy this week

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Another week has passed and it's Friday again and to be completely honest I am very glad to see the back of this week, it has not been the best. It stared last weekend and, while I won't go into details as it's all very personal and complicated, it left me spending the week trying to pick up the pieces of my own feelings of confidence and self worth. However this weekend I am spending with my family for my brothers 30th and we interact in the comfortable, happy, silence of all good introverted relationships (see above comic) so it should be a relaxing and restorative one. But focusing on the negatives is not what Friday's happy list is for and amongst the negativity that has surrounded this week I have stopped to appreciate a few little things too. Stoping to savour those things is becoming easier and easier the more I write these little posts which is also something to be happy about.

1. Crossing things off my to do list - mostly mundane house chores like packing away all my summer clothes but still immensely satisfying. 
2. Waking up earlier in the mornings - while it's been a struggle my days have been more productive and I feel much more satisfied at the end of the night. 
3. Reading 'Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking' - I've been reading this book for a few weeks and I'm loving it, it's reminded me why I find psychology so interesting as well as really helping me understand the way my personality type works. It also highlights why out cultural preference for extroversion is misguided and shows the value of introversion in many different settings (including business and other typical extrovert orientated career choices). It's not only fascinating and useful but also reassuring that despite many opinions there is nothing wrong with the introverted personality type (mini review over - I'm just loving it so much!)
4. Spending a few hours yesterday playing with my housemates camera - it's much better than mine so I've commandeered it for blog use!
5. Very excited bunny faces when I give them their breakfast - so adorable.
6. A quick chat with one of my best friends, who I don't get to see much of anymore - plus excited planning for a reunion in September/October. 
7. The new bunny decal I got for my computer - no more frustrating laptop swaps for me and Mark! 
8. Doing some colouring - I'm definitely on board with the adult colouring in craze and don't want it to end any time soon!
9. Realising that Rome wasn't built in a day... and neither in a home - I've been very frustrated this last week with the little shoebox rental I live in, and my desire to be somewhere bigger, have this place organised etc has been getting me down but a few refreshingly honest blog posts have helped me realise that it  takes time and work (and sometimes many set backs to get where you want to be). Reading Vicki's old post on their home owning setback as well as her later posts on home renovations remind me even those picture perfect homes take time and overcome hurdles. Another refreshing and inspirational read that's helped me come to this (clearly groundbreaking) conclusion is Victoria's posts on buying their crumbling home and then their struggles to renovate it. Hilarious and so motivating, even if it does make me even more anxious to hear news on my potential crumbling home. 
10. Surprise leftover for lunch today - thanks to a certain housemate of mine forgetting to take them to work, bonus! 

Hope you all have great weekends and the weather is kinder to you than it's being to me right now!
A xx

*** Happy sharing inspired by Rosie ***

Recipe: Potato, Leek & Bacon Soup

As soon as the weather turns cold I start cooking up soup, my favourites being pumpkin soup or this deliciously creamy potato and leek, piled high with crispy bacon and fresh chives. Yum. I first came across this recipe in an issue of Recipes + back in 2007 just after I moved out by myself for the first time. I have been making this recipe ever since with only a few little changes. 

Potato, Leek & Bacon Soup (serves 4)

(adapted minimally from Recipes + magazine July/August 2007)

Ingredients 

25g butter or oil for frying 

1 large leek (white part only), thinly sliced

1kg of potatoes, peeled and diced

1-4 cloves of garlic, crushed (to taste)

3 cups chicken stock

2 cups milk

1 cup thickened cream

2-4 rashers of bacon, diced

chopped chives

method 

1. Melt butter (or heat oil) in a large saucepan over moderate heat. cook leek, potatoes and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring, until leek is soft. 

2. Add stock and milk. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

3. Cool for 10 minutes. Blend in batches. 

4. Meanwhile, heat oil an oiled frying pan over high heat; cook bacon, stirring until crisp. 

5. Return soup to the stovetop, add cream and stir over moderate heat until hot.

6. Serve topped with ample amounts of crispy bacon and chopped chives.  

7. Enjoy!

Homewares Wishlist: Modcloth

I've found myself ordering clothes from Modcloth lately but have often overlooked their range of homewares so I decided to take a quick peek. I've rounded up a few of my favourite bit and pieces in case they appeal to you too! I'll admit I'm now very tempted to put in a cheeky order!

Clockwise from top left:

1.  Elemental My Dear Spice Rack
2. Way Back Den Pillowcase Set
3. The Art of Disney Postcard Set
4. Long Overdue Notecard Set
5. The Still of the Night Light
6. Got This on Loch Ness Tea Infuser

I have been busy with work the last few weeks, hence the shorter posts, but should have some outfits and recipes up in the very near future!
A xx

10 things that have made me happy this week

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This week has been a very mixed week full of some great days and some not so great days...  as well as a few really terrible nights that resembled the cartoon above! It's also been a very busy week and blogging has taken a back seat to all the other things that have needed doing, I decided to do my (now) usual 10 things anyway because I feel like I need to spend some time focusing on those little things. My weekend looks to be another busy one, but also a good one, with a trip down to the city to do some shopping and go to the football. Here are the little things that made my week a happy one:

1. Wearing my blanket coat to work - it's so warm and cozy and makes it feel a little like I'm bringing a little part of my bed to work with me.
2. Solving the problem of my leaking washing machine, kind of - By packing old towels around the base of the washing machine I managed to get two big loads done without completely flooding the laundry, so satisfying. 
3. Listening to Marina and the Diamonds on the way to and from work - such up beat happy music never fails to lift my spirits.
4. Carrot cake for morning tea at work for a colleagues birthday - unexpected and delicious. 
5. Sunny afternoons - perfect for drying laundry, working outdoors and airing out the house, a nice sunny afternoon always lifts my spirits. 
6. Lasagne at the pub - comes in a huge serve that never fails to satisfy, I just can't get enough of it!
7. Mulder kisses - after a few long months of 'delinquent teenage' rabbit he's finally starting to go back to licking my hand when I pat him.
8. Reading through the archives of Story Monster - lots of laughs as well as some lovely heartfelt moments, it's a good 'un. 
9. The way Jack looks in his little doggy jumper, so cute and keeps the chill at bay. 
10. Soup weather - time to dig out the slow cooker in preparation for endless batches of potato and leak and creamy pumpkin soups, nothing better.

Hope you all have a great weekend planned.

A xx

*** Happy sharing inspired by Rosie ***

DIY: Animal Silhouettes

I started this project late last year but I only just got them hung up in the last few weeks and thought I would share this quick DIY with you.


Supplies:

• Burlap 'canvas'
• Black permanent marker
• Black paint
• Paint brush
• Animal silhouettes (I used these: rabbit, fox and owl)
• Printer

Instructions: 

1. Print off your animal silhouettes, cut them out and lay them onto your 'canvas' 

2. Trace around the image with your black marker

3. Paint the inside of the image black - I used a small paint brush around the edges so as not to go over the lines and a bigger one in the middle to speed up the process.

And thats it! Here's some pictures of where they are hanging now, I think they turned out pretty good. 

I can think of lots more animals and designs you could use to make something similar, what design would you use?

A xx

10 things that have made me happy this week

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Somehow it got to Saturday already... Sorry for the late post, I seem to have spent all of this week feeling like I'm a day behind in everything. It's been a busy week and I'm really looking forward to a lazy weekend at home featuring good books, TV show marathons and endless cups of tea (and probably catching up on all the house work I didn't get done during the week). In the midst of all the busy heres what made me happy this week:

1. Pink nail varnish that's lasted since Tuesday without chipping.
2. A very cuddly cat keeping my lap warm on cold evenings.
3. Finally finding a breed of dog Mark and I both agree on (now we just need a house big enough for yet another furry friend)
4. The slow but steady progress of organising this house - seeing that extra shelf sorted or seasonal decor sorted and packed away in unbelievably satisfying.
5. Warm puddings - they might just be store bought puddings and pies but the hot fruit and warm pastries satisfy my in a way summer desserts never do (bonus points for combining it with cold melting ice cream)
6. Freshly dyed hair - nothing beats the vibrant shade of red in the first few weeks after a colour, not to mention how lovely and soft it is after a nice condition.
7. Leisurely scrolling through the archives of some of my favourite blogs during my afternoon tea break (my current selection in What Olivia Did, A Clothes Horse and Cider with Rosie)
8. Getting into a routine with blogging - while it's early days yet I'm loving spending a bit more time writing and focusing on some of the things I enjoy, even when I'm busy!
9. $3 sale socks and stockings - as winter approaches I find myself stocking up on the cold weather basics, it's lovely to find a bargain and it enabled me to make a cheeky extra purchase of a blanket coat.
10. Pub meals after a long day at work - sometimes it's just wonderful to let someone else do the cooking for once!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend planned!
A xx

*** Happy sharing inspired by Rosie ***

Home Inspiration: Craft Storage

At the moment I'm living in a little rental house I like to refer to as 'the shoebox' this is not a loving term so much as a voicing of my frustration at the fact I can barely fit all my things in the place and end up falling over anything and everything (yes, I am also clumsy but this place is crowded, I promise!) While I have been trying to pare down the amount of stuff I have crammed into this place I'm also dreaming of the, hopefully, not to distant future when I get to move out of this little shoebox and into a much larger space! One of the main things I'm dreaming of is being able to have craft room again so I have been madly scouring Pinterest for all the clever ideas on craft storage so I can transform one of the room in our hopefully-soon-to-be-new-house into a crafting haven.

Clockwise from top left:

1. Buttons displayed in glass jars
2. Gallery wall displaying craft supplies
3. A cluttered but organised desk
4. Shelving unit used to store and display scrapbooking paper
5. Baskets to hide a jumble of supplies
6. A colourful and inspiring notice board
7. Glitter stored in vintage salt and pepper shakers

Click on the number to link through to the sources and to see more of the things that have been inspiring me head to my Craft Room board on Pinterest!

Be sure to link me to any great ideas you have seen in the comments!