Hang it

Form is every bit as important as function, that's my interior motto. Little things and small details that make your lips curl into a smile are the best. So how could I resist this beautiful hanger named Hwoarang from Dan Hoolahan. The fact that it forms an A (for Arts), is a bonus. It hangs in my bedroom on my beautiful Hayman mini coat rack from SMD Design.

 

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Cinnamon butterflies

Well I quite like baking and do so basically every weekend. Mostly quick things to satisfy a needy sweet tooth or two. One thing I love but make less often is cinnamon buns. Mostly because of the time they take. But they are oh so lovely and hold special memories for me as I made them the night before my daughter was born and again just before my son arrived.

I decided to make them last weekend and they were as good as remembered. I forgot cream cheese and so had to wait a day for the full effect. An exercise in restraint. Could you believe, Daan was the one insisting on making the frosting. He who hates cheese. Come on, who can resist the lure of the cinnamon bun with vanilla frosting? Cheese hater or not.

My daughter looked at them and called them butterflies. Here is a link to the recipe so you can make your own cinnamon fluttery butterflies. Enjoy. We sure as heck did.

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Give me the stache

In the same vein as the polka dot I think the moustache, which is just about everywhere, is super cute. It is however so trendy and I see staches all over the place it is a bit off-putting but then their cheerful quirkiness makes me giggle all over again. For any needed clarification I like moustache on just about everything other than people, but mostly accessories. So don't go getting any ideas hubby dear.

Pour moi

For the home

Doing it for the kids



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Do the polka

Spotted, polka, dotted. I am totally digging these little circular shapes. I usually go for blocks of plain color and am not a pattern person. Polka dots being the exception. They just seem so happy and free, fun and young. How I love them so, for me and my daughter (just got some fun new tights in from H&M for when the heatwave dies down). Check it.

The peg pants are a style I like because A.they work with my figure and B. they showcase heels to perfection. The blouse is super flirty and geeky all at once, totally my thing as I were glasses and am a Syfy nerd. Both via Asos.

Once again an Asos find. This spotted pencil skirt works well to give one, I mean me, a rocking bod and butt. Alas, no longer available in my size.

I  do not wear sneakers that often, but when I do they are converse style and not athletic trainers. I think these canvas ones from Romwe are super cute. Plus they are on sale.


Tights are a fun and useful cold weather staple in my closet. The first pair are from Gipsy and the second from House of Holland. Available via their own sites, Asos, Topshop, River Island and so on.



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Autumn loves...

Food

As it the rest of my life, less is just less. Food is more than just a base need, it is a opportunity for enjoyment. Not just of that which you are eating, but the whole experience. A special treat as a kid, a romantic dinner with the love of your life, ice cream after playing outside on a warm summer's day. Today was all about biking, laying in the park and getting ice cream with my husband, toddler and baby. Sitting side by side, walking hand in hand, slurping up melting, leaking ice cream. Little drops of heaven. An ode to a few food favs for the memories they made, the ones in the making and the ones yet to come.

How to be a domestic goddess

Hands down the favorite, most used, best cookbook I own. I love the simplicity, the sometimes kooky sensibilities and above all the food. The cupcakes are so simple they get made every couple of weeks. The cream cheese brownies I adore and the list goes on.

Eggnog

I remember my first tasting of eggnog at a church gathering at Christmas time; true love. I have since been hooked on this beverage at Christmas. Being hard too get in the Netherlands, I have ordered it from France speaking no french, had it brought over by visiting relatives, stored in the cupboards in bulk and tried making it (epic fail). I love it so.

BBQ

Baby back, baby back, baby bacccckk, ribs! Chicken, coleslaw and rice. Yes rice, not fries. As a kid on an island you barbecued. It seemed like every week there was a fundraiser with tickets being sold for a plate of BBQ in a polystyrene, environmentally unfriendly tray with partitions that kept nothing seperate, ahh the memories.  Fast forward, say ahem fifteen or so years later, and no one does that style of serving or combo in my neck of the woods. Que, the sad music..

Malaysian satay

Food is very memory-tied for me. I remember my honeymoon; eating leftover satay we picked up before the boatride to the island, while on the porch watching the sea with a fresh breeze on our faces. The best I have ever had, even cold it was delicious. The sauce, oh man the sauce. Licking my chops just to think of it and feeling all relaxed and easygoing just to think of it. Irie, mon.

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Autumn loves...

Kids design

Since the birth of my daughter in 2010 and my son in February our household has acquired an amazing amount of baby gear. With an active toddler and her toys, plus a baby a couple of months old, the place seems at times to be a daycare facility. To combat this ill effect, I recommend the following.. good looking crap, I mean kids gear.

I love poufs and think the products from Chic Sin Design and Woouf! are amazing. The bear bean bag would be lovely in my girl's room to expand her current reading cushion. The record cushion would be a perfect addition to the seating area's in the baby's room.

Storage, storage, storage is the key to a minimal look, but is also necessary to keep from slipping on some kind of toy. I have stepped on enough Lego, thank you very much. I already have the giant Lego storage bricks in eight and four, but would like some more for her newer Hello Kitty Lego speciality sets.







Alas, Lego is just one of the many toys that need a home. I have been on the search for good looking, child friendly (easy open, soft shutting), reasonably priced storage for awhile. Surprisingly hard to find this trinity of qualities. Slightly disregarding the last quality, I think two of the ash veneer basket by Mint via the Collection would look good in the living room and the wire basket in rose from the new Ferm Living collection would do well to coral the stuffed animals now spread across the floor in said girls room. And staying in building block mode, how cute is the Ogle toy box.

I recently added some artwork to the baby's room and like the idea of having art that appeals to the kids as well. When I finally get around to doing the kids play area, I think it would be fun to add some artwork to the back wall. Maybe loosely taped with fluor masking tape? So nothing to costly or precious. I adore the Mustache Moon by Martin Krusche and Pirum Parum print from from Fine Little Day.





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