Fancy a Fire

In this horrible cold weather I'm often envious of the smoke wafting out of neighbouring chimneys and can't wait until the next round of renos when we put a fire in.  Nothing beats that type of heat.  A friend of mine is toying with the idea of painting her exposed brick fireplace white.

Image from here

 Image from here

 Image from here

 Image from here

 Image from here

Image from here

I think it's a fantastic way to freshen up old and dated brickwork.  How about you?

Nicolex

Tuesday Torture

Will try to keep these Tuesday WW reports to the point - this week I lost 400g bringing my grand total lost to 4.5kg.

While a loss is a loss, I will confess that I'm rather disappointed that it wasn't more (the last 2 weeks have been -2kg and -2.1kg) as I feel like I've been SO GOOD this week!   Have already had a cry to my husband (why me?) and pep talk with my BFF so here's to onward and upward...or should I say downward :)

Nicolex

PS  I won't subject you to my personal theory about the hostile weigh-in lady not reading the scales correctly this week (they've already made one mistake in my book that cost me 500g). No, I'm not grasping at straws, not at all!

Bold & Beautiful

I for one could definitely be a little bolder with colour when decorating, so here is some inspiration from the San Francisco home of Joe and Kim Boswell (as featured in Traditional Home).

In this next picture my instinct is to love everything about this room except the curtains, too yellow.  BUT that is the point, push yourself out of your comfort zone and the result could be fabulous.  It could also be a disaster but if you never try...

The geometry of the wallpaper pattern, the mirror itself, the subway tiles and the cabinet doors is just PERFECT.

Just love everything about this breakfast nook (OK, not the painting ).  The muted teal and orange work so well together.  Adore the light and of course the blinds.

I could definitely take this sort of bold wallpaper risk in a guest bedroom.  Really like that shade of blue.

Can't make peace with these bar stools so clearly I have yellow issues :(

Love the simple lines on the armchair, and I like the colour too (I really am embracing my inner coral Bec). Couldn't do the drapes as well but definitely the chair!

All images from Traditional Home.

To read and see more of interior designer Julie Massuco Kleiner's work in this house pop over here.

Nicolex

Confession

Have been debating whether to write about this but as it seems to be consuming so much of my focus and effort at the moment I've decided to go ahead and do so.

It's quite simple really, after being one of those skinny bitches right up until my late 20s it was with great shock that I found myself putting on weight, so much so I didn't even realise it was happening for the first number of kilos!  I'm serious.  A few weeks ago (2 and 6 days to be precise) and 8 years and 30kg later I finally decided to do something about it (again) and joined up with the local Weight Watchers group.

2002

I'm not sure if it's a true confession without relinquishing control of all details so let me tell you exactly where I'm coming from - 93.7kg (or "ninety three point f***ing seven" as I snarled to a group of girlfriends after my first weigh-in).  Pardon mon Francais but it is seriously gutting to hear a number you didn't think your weight abacus went up to!

I have to say though, as depressing as that first step onto the scales is, it's also a relief as you realise you're finally doing something about it.  So every Tuesday at 5:45pm I trundle off to my weigh-in and make myself sit there for the mind-numbing meeting afterwards (I use the time to reflect on what I've done during the week to give me the good/bad result and it stops me from rushing off after the scales and celebrating/commiserating with food).  And without being too trite, there is something to be said for the camaraderie of bulge battling.

Of course I'm rewarding myself handsomely for this latest bout of self control & focus and have set myself lots of little goals along the way with fabulous rewards (which of course get better as I get closer to my goal weight).  My first was to get under 90kg which I did at weigh-in last Tuesday so I bought myself that pair of red Pip Duck boots I was lusting after here .  There I am gardening, wait, taking a break from the gardening (complete with flanny and peculiar camera smile??), in them yesterday.  Why include the current pic when it is such a departure from my former self?  It's part of the healing I'm sure ;)

SO, each Tuesday, you'll be treated subjected to my weigh-in ecstasy or hysteria (depending on whether I lose or gain) as I slog towards my ultimate goal of reaching 63.7kg.

I do realise this has been a VERY self indulgent post but then isn't that what most blogs are full of.  They're allowed to be, their ours.

Nicolex

Orange Cake

We had a little evening tea for a friend's birthday the other night and I made this cake.  Now, I don't consider myself to be much of a baker AT ALL so you can trust me when I say it was really very simple.

CAKE INGREDIENTS

2 eggs

125g softened butter

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 and 1/2 cups sifted self-raising flour

1/2 cup milk

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

SYRUP INGREDIENTS

1 orange sliced in the round

1 cup caster sugar

1 and 1/2 cup cold water

METHOD

Combine syrup sugar and water in a large saucepan over medium heat.  

Stir for about 8 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.  

Bring to the boil then cook for a further 5 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly.  

Add orange pieces and cook for another 5 minutes.  

Using tongs remove orange pieces and line base of greased cake tin with them.

Combine all cake ingredients in a bowl and beat thoroughly for 3 minutes (my sister had my electric beater so I did it by hand and it was fine).

Pour mixture into greased cake tin.

Bake in centre of 180C oven for 45minutes.

Turn onto wire rack and allow to cool.

Serve with cream.

The cake looks so pretty when you turn it out.  Am thinking I might try this recipe with pink grapefruit (just so I can weave a different ribbon around my little cake stand) next time.

Really scrummy and I will definitely be making it again!

Nicolex

Simple Things

It's not always the grand homes that stand out to me though of course because they are stuff dreams are made of it's easy to be distracted by them.  This morning, I was very taken with this simple Denver apartment featured on Apartment Therapy.

I love the living room and in particular the mismatching his and hers armchairs.  Every piece in the room looks like it tells a story. and not in a contrived way I might add.  In a real and considered way.

Image from here.

The same goes for this space here, like there's been traveling and important pieces and memories have been brought back to nest.

Image from here.

See and read more about Elizabeth and Jon's apartment here.

Nicolex

The Good Wife

In my opinion, the very best show on TV at the moment is The Good Wife.  Julianna Margulies is superb as conflicted Alicia Florrick and I defy anyone to watch a couple of episodes and not be head over heels hooked!  A friend and I watch the US episodes together (we are nothing if not current) and tonight I am off to watch the finale for this season.  Woot woot!  

While I'm gone, soak up some of the interiors of Alicia's marvelous Chicago apartment as created by production designer Stephen Hendrickson and set decorator Beth Kushnick.

The living room.

A traditional dining room.

A sleek and modern kitchen.

Daughter, Grace's bedroom.

Alicia's bedroom.

Alicia's vanity and closet.

Pop over here to read more and if you're not already watching it, you really should be.

Nicolex