Friday Favourites!

Thank goodness its Friday! 

The last week has been a blur of work, chores, washing and post holiday recover / blues. But there is no rest on my horizon, with THREE birthday parties this weekend! Other than celebrating a few of my favourite people I plan on snagging a sleep in, enjoying some great food at the Night Noodle Market and starting the packing process for my trip to New York! All in all I'm pumped for the weekend and hope you are too! 

Here are my favourites from this week which I know you will love. 

One 

Super cute loafers for under $30? Um yes please! I mentioned these shoes earlier in the week and have had a few questions about them. In summery, they run true to size - although mine have stretched a little as I have worn them in. They are super comfy and they REALLY ARE only $30!!!! Check them out online here!

Two 

If you missed What's Up Wednesday this month or are new to the blog you need to check out this post! Basically a catchup on all things from food to fashion and little bits and pieces from the month that was! If you missed my July WUW you can read it here!

Three 

How sweet are these Tiffany and Co. earnings? We bought these for our friends birthday this week and I'm pleased to say they where a huge hit! She loved them and I happen to think they are pretty darn adorable too. You can find them in store or online here.

Four 

You all know how I love my OPI. Well I have found a new colour that I have fallen hard for and just had to share. If you are looking for a neutral with a hint of pink than this is the colour for you. This shade is 'Sweet Heart' and I have been wearing it all week long! 

Five 

Finally, some wise words to seat your weekend! 

Have a great few days friends and I'll see you Monday! 

Lou 

xxx

Classic Chocolate Caramel Slice

Morning Friends! 

This weeks recipe is an absolute classic and all round favourite. With thanks to the genius that is Donna Hay I'm sharing the worlds best chocolate caramel slice. Although it takes a little while to put all the elements together this slice is well worth the wait! So here you have it!

You Will Need

1 cup plain flour, sifted

½ cup desiccated coconut 

125g unsalted butter, melted

 ½ cup brown sugar

Caramel filling

125g unsalted butter, chopped 

 2 x 395g cans sweetened condensed milk

 ⅓ cup (115g) golden syrup

Chocolate topping

200g dark chocolate, chopped 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the flour, coconut, butter and sugar in a bowl and mix to combine. Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture into the base of a lightly greased 20cm x 30cm tin lined with non-stick baking paper and bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden. 
2. While the base is cooking, make the caramel filling. Place the butter, condensed milk and golden syrup, in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the butter is melted and cook, whisking frequently, for 5–7 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly (see tip). Pour the caramel over the cooked base, spread evenly with a palette knife and cook for 15–20 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly and refrigerate until cold.
3. To make the chocolate topping, place the chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and stir until melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate over the caramel mixture and spread evenly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm. Using a warm knife, cut into slices or squares to serve. Makes 20 squares.

Enjoy! 

Lou 

xxx

What's Up Wednesday

Happy What’s Up Wednesday Friends!

If you are new to the blog the last Wednesday of every month is basically one big catch up on the blog, where I share what I have been up to, eating, buying etc. Basically the low-down on the past month!

You ready? Lets do this!

What we’re eating this week

Last week on the blog I shared my new favourite chocolate cake recipe. This cake not only looks gorgeous but also tastes divine. Plus it is one of the easiest cakes I have ever made, WIN! If you missed the recipe post you can find it here!

What I’m reminiscing about

An absolutely fabulous weekend away with a few of my girlfriends! We went camping, drank wine, caught up and laughed a lot. It was bliss!

What I’m loving

My new $30 shoes! I mean how cute are these loafers! They are great day-today shoes that are as pretty as they are comfy. #shoppingwin You can find them online here!

What we’ve been up to

Apart from camping (and freezing our socks off) not a whole lot! I have been struggling through the mountain of post vacation washing and trying to get organised for the next few weeks, before I head off on my girls trip to NYC!

What I'm dreading 

Not much! Life is pretty fabulous at the moment!

What I'm working on 

Planing planing and more planing for New York. No matter how many times I visit there is always more to see and because I will only be in town for a week and a half I want to make the most of it! So planing is key and in full force at the moment! 

What I'm excited about / What I'm looking forward to next month 

NEW YORK CITY! Need I say more? 

What I'm watching/ reading 

Suits is back and I'm pumped. Ah how I have missed you Harvey! I plan on snuggling up in front of TV this weekend and catching up with my two favourite lawyers :) 

What I'm listening to 

The new The 1975 album ... on repeat... all day long. #noshame 

What I'm wearing 

The last few days has been all about camping, so my wardrobe has been very 'outdoorsy'. If you want to check out my post about my recent camping wardrobe you can find it here!

What I'm doing this weekend 

This weekend I'll be celebrating my friend Laura's birthday. There will be a party, speeches and wine! I'm so excited to spoil and celebrate such a sweet friend! Happy Birthday Loz! 

What else is new 

Not a whole lot, and that is fine by me. The last few weeks have been crazy and they are only about to get more hectic. So for now I'll just have a lay down ;) 

So thats Whats Up! I'm off to do some washing and let the dog take me for a run :) See you tomorrow friends!

Lou 

xxx

Weekly Wardrobe Camping Edition!

Morning Friends!

I'am home and officially back to real life. Which at current consists with a whole lot of washing *sigh . We had a great time away but I'm thankful for my warm shower and clean clothes! I have said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not all that outdoorsy. So camping for me and especially packing for such a trip is a struggle. However I think I have finally cracked it! 

Today I'm sharing a few of my favourite fashion items that are durable, appropriate and cute. The perfect camping combo! 

Toms are legitimately some of the lightest and comfiest shoes I own and I wore mine everyday while we camped. These canvas slide on's will keep your feet clean, comfy and cute all trip long! Plus they come in about a 100 colours, check them out here.

The military jacket is a must! Camping = little bits and pieces thus a jacket with pockets is a YES. They are also super cute and you probably have one in your wardrobe. If you don't you can pick up this one here! *I have two, one denim and one caramel, I took both and used them everyday! 

Every girl needs a pair of denim shorts, but I didn't want to sacrifice my more expensive ones to mud or other camping related marks thus I headed to good old H&M for these beauties! $19 worth of cuteness, that aren't too short and where worth every penny. Pick up a pair here. 

Speaking of H&M. I love love love my felt hat which I bought a few seasons ago for under $30, so that was thrown in the suitcase and came camping as well. These hats are pretty great quality for their price and I'm tempted to get another. Here is my personal favourite from H&M's range at the moment  *very similar to mine! 

I mentioned these FANTASTIC gum boots a few weeks ago, but after a few days of mud and rain, these are officially my new favourite shoes! #lifesavers If you are looking for some funky new gum boots then check out Gummies stock here!

So there you have it, must camping fashion must haves! 

See you all tomorrow for What's Up Wednesday!! 

Lou
xxx

I heart my friends!

Morning Friends! 

We are home bound this morning after a wonderful few days camping. It was cold and wet but it was a ball of fun. I love spending some quality time with my girlfriends, even if it is in the wilderness! 

While I was away enjoying some quality time with a few of my favourite people I began thinking about the importance of our friendships and the little ways we show those loved ones how much we appreciate them. Today I'm sharing three ways I like to show my girlfriends that I appreciate them, I'am thinking of them or how thankful I'am for them. 

Hand Written Letters 

I don't think there is anything sweeter or more personal than a hand written letter. Sure emails are faster and probably more convenient but they just aren't the same. I have written letter to my friends most of my life, no matter if we are countries or states apart and I have kept them all. I love me a hand written letter and I know your friends will appreciate the effort and love that goes into yours. 

Send Flowers / Care package

Is there anything better than being surprised with flowers ? I don't believe there is! I love sending flowers or care packages to friends going through tough times, a bad break up, study week, birthdays, basically anything :) Flowers are bound to put a smile on your face and won't break the budget.

In terms of care packages, I often make up my own but there are hundreds of sites online that have pre-made ones! 

Make a Meal

When you are sick, moving house, have a new baby or are just totally stressed out, is there anything better than a home cooked meal *prepared by someone else ?? I think not! It is so simple to make up dinner for a friend who is struggling and something that will 100% improve their day. It doesn't cost much and can be as simple as you please. But it will mean a whole lot to that sweet friend! 

These little 'tips' are things I have been doing for years and really want to focus on in the next few months. Life is busy and sometimes we can forget the importance of reminding our favourite people just how much we love and value them. 

This is my 'hand written' thank you letter to all of you lovely gals! 

Have a wonderful day friends! 

Lou 

xxx

Wednesday Wardrobe!

Morning Friends! 

We are headed camping today so I will be away from my laptop and civilisation until Monday :( However I have a great wardrobe re-cap from this past week to keep you hop shop shopping while I'm gone! It has been rainy and wet almost all week long. So my wardrobe has been all about keeping dry and warm. With a few exceptions on those sunny winter mornings! Here is a little look! 

Shirt here

Jeans - Zara, Last Season 

Shoes similar here

Bag here

Jeans here

Shirt here

Boots - Seed Heritage 

Jacket similar here

Shirt here

Jeans here

Boots - Seed Heritage 

Shirt - Country Road 

Jeans here

Shoes here

Dress Similar (different colour) here

Boots - ASOS

Jeans here

Shoes here

Shirt here

Have a wonderful few days friends and remember I will be back and blogging on Monday! 

Lou 

Xxx

Chocolate Fudge Birthday Cake with Raspberries

Morning Friends! 

This past weekend we celebrated my grandfathers birthday with a family lunch. I was on cake duty so turned to my trusty Pinterest friends for some inspiration. This was a new recipe for me and I'm pleased to say it was a smashing success. My cousin and I prepped the cake on Saturday and assembled it Sunday *The cake is quite dense so remains fresh until the following day #partywin Check out the recipe below and spoil your family this week!

You Will Need
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup boiling water 
125 g unsalted butter, softened
11/4 cup castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
1/4 cup plain flour

Icing
120 grams unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
11/3 cups icing sugar sifted
11/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Rasberries to decorate 

Method  

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease 3, 6 inch baking pans and line the bases with non-stick baking paper.
Mix the cocoa powder and boiling water form a smooth, thick paste. Leave aside.

Use an electric mixer or by hand,beat the butter, sugar and vanilla essence together for 1-2 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until combined,

Sift together the flours. Use a large metal spoon to fold the flours into the butter mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture, in 2 batches each, until well combined. Divide the mixture equally between the 2 prepared pans. Smoothen the surface with the back of the spoon.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Stand for 30 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Icing

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy(about 1 min). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy(about 2 min). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2-3 min).

Once  cake is cooled completely, frost with chocolate fudge frosting, either by spreading the frosting with a spoon or piping it onto the cake layers. Decorate with fresh raspberries.

Enjoy with family and friends! 

Lou 

xxx