Author: Yvette

A Swirling Treat

A combination of vanilla and chocolate S W I R L E D together to make a marbled effect. Oh, and be prepared for a few extra bowls to wash up. This cake is exhausting! Don’t get me wrong its a wonderfully delicious and moist cake, but it takes a little longer starting from scratch! But, of course all the more fun, when taking a knife, cutting a slice and seeing exactly what patterned you’ve made. Read on for the recipe…

Easter Simplicity

With the lead up to Easter…this year’s celebrations for me are a little different. The highs and lows, sadness and happiness all combining to signify how more important it is to live life and to it’s fullest each day.  Cherish and take joy in life’s simple little treasures. My sister decorated her home over the weekend for the celebration of Easter. Eggs, bunnies, olive vines and doves of peace. This wooden wreath holder, was on sale last week, I couldn’t resist it, and fell in love with it straight away…I’m not sure how I’ll get this in my suitcase…if not I’ll have to leave it behind. Fresh olive branches were used as a symbol of peace. Palm Sunday is being celebrated soon, and often, in Italy we’re given an olive branch. This Easter Bunny figurine is “Happy Together”  designed by Jim Shore – Heartwood Creek, you can see more of his beautiful Easter figurines here.  I love the intricate details and beautiful colour palette of his artistic works. The top right photo is of an …

Angel Powder Puffs

Hello All, This is an incredibly easy recipe,which can be whipped up in minutes, baked in 3 minutes, and then filled in no time, for a very impressive dessert. These are called Angel Powder Puffs. They’re so light and fluffy and literally melt in your mouth, even in one bite size. Not hard to make, I whipped them up this afternoon for a afternoon school break up treat. This recipe has been adapted from my local towns ‘Family Favourites’ Kindergarten Apex Cookbook. It was compiled by a couple of trained Home Science Teachers who compiled family proven recipes from the local ladies of the township, hoping to successfully raise funds from the selling of this cookbook to improve facilities at the existing Kindergarten. This cookbook has been on my families cookbook shelf for a while and consists of easy, no fuss and fail proof recipes…and the soiled sheets of this cookbook proves that many a recipe has been tried over and over again. However, a quick phone call to my Mum, to check on the …

Easter Tags

Today has been spent designing these Easter tags for my nephew and niece to give to their teachers. Tomorrow is the last day of school for the Easter break up…and we’re all looking forward to that! These tags were made with different coloured papers, embellishments, buttons, feathers, ribbons and vintage photo’s. These beautiful vintage photo’s are from The Graphics Fairy, Karen has some beautiful free downlands of so many images, which can be used for so many craft projects. Pass by and take a look, you’ll need a little time, as you’ll get lost amongst so many lovely things. You’ll also find lovely French typography…all inspirational images Linking to It’s a Keeper Thursday: Recipe & Project Linky Friends, hope you’re all having a lovely day, Yvette…x

Fluffy Pink centered Chocolate Eggcups & Tea

“Entertaining is a memory business because the pleasures of your hospitality become immortal in the memories of your guests.” The whimsical setting of our afternoon included feathered friends, Spring nests, Royal Albert teacups and charming chocolate delights filled with fluffy pink mousse.I couldn’t resist pearls, satin ribbons and silver. Antique Easter images and eggs. The afternoon sunlight filtering through the window, and the underlying music , left us under an inspiring cloud  capturing the finer things, and forgotten memories. I made these dainty coconut rough chocolate and mousse eggcups and used the same method in making these as my birds nests here   Continue reading to see my Tea Service and Recipe…

Hippety Hoppety..Easter’s..on its way!

Easter nest cupcakes have been on my mind for a while now…after reading about them somewhere..(honestly can’t remember), and then finding a recipe on the back of  the mini coloured Easter eggs. The recipe used the chocolate bar flake, but I decided to make a coconut rough mixture instead and actually make a nest form. I had a few ideas for these cupcakes and sort of rolled them all into one. Read on for my Easter nest cupcake ideas…

Egg-static!

What a lovely way to celebrate Spring, combined with a touch of Easter. Another Spring theme teaset  from my sister’s collectables. Royal Worcester – Arcadia. Tiny petite pastel flowers. Accompanied by my handmade salted encrusted eggs –tutorial found here. Sprinkle a little light in your day…read on for more…

Salted Eggs –Easter Tutorial

So come on friends get cracking and hatch a few whimsical dressed eggs for a festive statement in your home. These covered styrofoam eggs are delightful, and  bring a little ‘bling’ into your Easter displays. So easy to make, fun and charming. Decorative Easter displays will just shine and dazzle! Read on for a full tutorial of these  Easter eye catchers….

Food of the Gods

Easter is not far away, and it’s the sweetest time to indulge in some chocolate.Without the guilt factor – right! It’s also a time when I need to get cracking and hatch a few whimsically dressed eggs for festive Easter. We’ve only just said goodbye to Santa and his sleigh and it’s hello, Easter bunny. So it’s time to cook with chocolate. There are so many wonderful recipes that I’ve tried over the years and over the next couple of weeks will try and put together some of my favourites. This weeks recipe doesn’t call for chocolate, but cocoa powder, it’s a new recipe given to me from a friend, a chocolate taste with cocoa powder and maltesers. Maltesers consist of a roughly spherical malt honeycomb centre, surrounded by milk chocolate, and they give this slice a delicate ‘crunch’. Recipe: Malteser Fudge Slice 1 cup Self-Raising Flour 3/4 cup cocoa powder 120g Maltesers 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons  vegetable oil 2 x 200g tubs light vanilla Fruche *Frùche is a soft, …

Springtime’s Laughter

  Dear Friends, With the changing seasons, some of us are ready to snuggle in front of fires and candles, Autumn leaves, warm hearty soups and woolen jumpers. Others are ready to bounce into the joyous season of Spring, blossoms and new sunny days after a very long Winter.I’m joining in the Celebration of Spring- A Return to Loveliness. The Victoria magazine has been part of my life since 1997, and looking back on many volumes the Spring April issue read like a pleasant opened rose with it’s petals softly falling and every petal a new inspiration and influence to how I could recall the new Spring days.Back issues and more information can be found here. If we listen carefully, we can hear the music of Springtime’s laughter. The tittering of tiny blossom buds, fresh green leaves that seem to giggle in the breeze, the chatter of tiny flowers, the twittering of newborn birds, rose buds that smile in the suns rays. A rebirth of growth within our garden, and enchanting Spring, a newborn season. …