Favourite Links This Week

A day late! A day late! This post is a day late. I apologise. But yesterday was such a wonderfully hectic day. In the morning, Jon and I went out for breakfast. Lunch was at my dads and dinner, with my grandparents. As you can see, we went from place to place – eating yummy food and meeting amazing people. I came home late and tired and completely forgot that this lil post was sitting here waiting to go out and meet you : ) But here it is. Hope you had a wonderful weekend and here’s to a great week!

1. This dessert has got it all. Literally! Chocolate, pretzels, butterscotch chips, flaked coconut, pecans, salted potato chips.. the list goes on. Check it out!
2. Need to master this gorgeous side braid. It’d be perfect for weddings : )
3. A simple and fun way to decorate Easter eggs. Don’they look pretttttty?
4. Ever wondered if shopping in sweatpants at luxury stores will get you better treatment? Read this.
5. I’m so gonna make this for the next party at home. Gold glam. Yay!

9 Simple Valentine’s Day Crafts

Christmas is barely over and here comes another holiday! I’ve always thought Valentine’s Day was a little funny considering it’s probably the most girly holiday out there and yet, we’re meant to spend the day with our manly men. Still, that doesn’t stop us from whipping up some tasteful decorations and sweet notes for the special day. Here are a few ideas which caught my attention. All simple to do… I promise! I’m no DIY whiz either.

{DIY heart pillows from Design Love Fest}

{DIY valentine crackers from Lovely Indeed}

{DIY fold & send Valentine’s from Camille Styles}

{Heart balloons in a closet from Oh Happy Day}

{Heart cut out gift wrapping from The House That Lars Built}

{DIY lovestruck arrows from Somewhere Splendid}

{Valentine’s matchbox wraps from Camille Styles}

{Valentine’s message in a bottle from Camille Styles}

{Wax lips Valentine’s from Oh Happy Day}

Plus, I couldn’t resist posting this recipe to heart-shaped salted caramel brownies. Doesn’t it look divine?

Favourite Links This Week

Hello lovelies, it’s the weekend again! What plans do you all have? I hope something fun! We’ve been having a really relaxing weekend – which we just love. And as usual, here’s a roundup of some of my favourite finds from around the web.

1. I’m planning a holiday in September (gosh, this month!) and these luggage tags would look so pretty.
2. Raven Symone was super cute in The Cosby Show. I laughed and laughed and laughed when I watched this clip. She explains where babies come from.
3. It’s no secret that I’m a fan of a good breakfast. At home, it’s always a choice between scrambled eggs or simple fried eggs. But! I would love to make poached eggs – so classy. Maybe now I can.
4. This ring would make the perfect engagement ring. A little different and unique… yet traditional.
5. Butterscotch vs caramel. What’s the difference? Deb of Smitten Kitchen explains.

Painted Doors

I’ve been oogling painted doors recently. Yes, I told you I’m having a major fascination with colour (that’s why we went ahead and added these). And what would pop more than painting a door bright red? Or blue? Or pink? Ahh.. I’m spoilt for choice. What do you think?

Here are six beautiful options:

Or maybe you can’t decide on just one colour? Go for two!And if painting a whole door is too much of a commitment, maybe these options would work.

What say you? Will you give it a try? I’m soooooo tempted. 

(Photo credits, from top: Marcus Design Inc; purple doors, credit unknown; Design Sponge; Cobi Style; Atelier Decor; yellow door – credit unknown; yellow and pink door – credit unknown; painted doorway, because im addicted, painted door edge, Peonies + Brass)

DIY Pillow Covers

As those of you who read this blog already know, I love colour! In fact, I’ve been plotting away and dreaming up ideas of infusing bright colour into our living room. At the moment, we’ve got a really neutral palette except for our latest addition – bright red and orange pillows. I’m proud to say that these pillow covers are the result of little DIY project. Though I have to admit that the person who sewed this together wasn’t me but my grandma (I love her!). Still, Jon and I searched high and low for pillow covers (make that bright pillow covers) that were beautiful and within our budget. Who knew that everything we fell in love with would be almost RM100? That’s a whopping RM600 we’d have to dish out just for our pillow covers! Heck no. We had to find an alternative.

So off we went to IKEA with the idea of buying cloth. We quickly settled on plain red fabric as the base. I knew my living room needed some pattern but the selection of patterned fabric at IKEA wasn’t doing it for me. Then… jackpot! I spotted a pair of ready-made curtains (the Lappljung curtains) and figured that would work perfectly. There was so much material we ended up only using one side of the curtain to make three pillow covers. I’m seriously considering turning the other side into a blouse. What can I say, I love the pattern. The only thing is, I’d have to make sure I don’t wear it at home and sit on my couch. That’d be hilarious!

So here’s the finished product:

Have any of you sewn pillow covers together? Tell me all about it! I’d love to hear.

Favourite Links This Week

Hello lovelies, happy Sunday! Isn’t it a most gorgeous Sunday morning? Jon and I have just had a leisurely breakfast (English pancakes with honey and homemade marmalade jam and the strongest coffee). Soon, we’re off to an art gallery. What could be more fun? As always, here are some goodies from around the blogosphere.  Hope you have a rocking Sunday!

1. With the really hot days we’ve been experiencing, I think this toasted coconut and pecan ice cream would be the perfect thing to make.
2. This is such a good idea: A camp just for adults and children with autism. How life changing!
3. Planning a fancy dinner party or a wedding? Wow your guests with these DIY floral napkin rings. So easy to make.
4. And speaking of rings, these minimalist, delicate gold rings would go with everything. I want!
5. I’m going on a holiday in September and am so tempted to get a new swimsuit. This one, to be exact. Doesn’t it remind you of something the girls on Mad Men would wear? Love.

Floral Crowns

When I think of a floral crown I imagine the simple white baby breath’s one that my cousins wore on my wedding day. Aren’t they such darlings? But as it turns out, floral crowns are all the rage now and getting more and more bold. They would look beautiful for a garden wedding and is a nice alternative to the more traditional veil. Here are some that I’ve fallen head over heels in love with…

And if you’re after something more subdued, how about just a string of leaves? Also super pretty.

What do you think? Would you forego a veil in lieu of flowers? If you’re a fan, like me, then perhaps you could try making one for yourself by following the step-by-step guides found here, here or here. These guys make it look really easy!

(Images, in order, are from Green Wedding Shoes, Style Me Pretty, The Cherry Blossom Girl and 100 Layer Cake)

Favourite Links This Week

Hi dearies, what are you up to this weekend? Jon and I just got back from a relaxed breakfast at Milk & Butter. John Gunther said, “All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast” and I totally agree. What a smarty pants he was! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and here are a few great internet finds.

1. This sweet summery salad makes me want to run to the grocery store and buy each ingredient now.
2. Here’s a viscose convertible slip which I’d also wear as a dress or a maxi skirt. Triple function. Yay.
3. It’s a lashline study. Same eye and same upper eye makeup but six different lower lashline applications.
4. I’d love to have fresh herbs growing in my kitchen, especially rosemary so that I can make this everyday. Now and I know how and don’t they look oh so pretty?
5. A quick and easy handmade card in case you have someone to thank.

Homemade Body Scrub

Nothing is worse than dry, flaky skin. We all want that perfect baby smooth touch and I’ve got just the solution for you. Go ahead and treat yourself with this wonderful, all natural body scrub! It’s so simple (and cheap) to make. Your skin will thank you for it. Here’s what you need:

1. 1/2 cup of brown sugar, the more coarse the better.
2. 3 tbsp of organic coconut oil.
3. A few drops of any pure essential oil you like. I used ylang ylang because it smells of sweet flowers – Love that! Some alternatives are argan oil, lavender and rose. You could also use a little vitamin e oil or squeeze 1/2 a lemon into the mixture.

Mix all ingredients together, step into the shower and scrub yourself silly. Rinse with lukewarm water (No soap, please!) and say ‘hello’ to gorgeous skin.

Store any leftover in a dry jar and place in the fridge for up to 3 days. See, didn’t I tell you this was the simplest body scrub ever? Try it and let me know what you think.

DIY Happy Birthday Glitter Banner

I stumbled upon gorgeous gold glitter banners (like this and this or this) and thought it’d be the perfect thing to add for Jon’s 30th birthday party. If money was overflowing, I would have just purchased a ‘Happy Birthday’ banner directly from Etsy and be done with it. But, since spending over RM70 for a banner that would be up for a day (at most) seemed a little outrageous, I had to do the next best thing – make one!

Here’s what you need:

• thick glittered cardstock (make sure you get really thick paper so that it holds up once cut) or glittered foam (I used gold glittered foam like this one)
• regular paper for printing out letters
• x-acto knife or a pair of sharp scissors
• hole punch
• 0.5 cm thick ribbon (2.5 m long is more than sufficient)

1. Some people are good with free hand but I’m certainly not one of those people. I resorted to printing ‘Happy Birthday’ using the ‘Franklin Gothic Heavy’ font at size 600 on Microsoft Word. To save ink, I changed the letters to an outline rather than a full fill.
2. Once printed on regular paper, I cut out each letter following the outline using an x-acto knife.
3. Then, I traced the letters onto the back of the gold glitter foam. Make sure to reverse letters that require it. I kept forgetting and made quite a few mistakes here.
4. Cut out each glitter letter using the x-acto knife.
5. Next, punch out two holes about 1.5 cm apart at the top of each letter using a hole punch.
6. String your pretty ribbon through each set of hole punches and tadaa… you’re done!

This is a really simple and quick project and turned out beautifully! So lovely that I’m bringing this out for every birthday party we host : )