Lee Caroline - A World of Inspiration

Vegetarian Almond & Vegetable Quinoa - simple one pot cooking using a rice cooker

2012-02-28T15:47:00.000+13:00

If you don't own a rice cooker you might want to dash out and get one after reading this post. I've discovered they're useful for far more than just cooking rice, you can whip up a complete meal in the one pot like magic.

This dish is easy peasy, lemon squeezy (a British saying for very simple!). This is my own recipe I threw together the other night when a friend came over, she loved it... (or was she just being polite)...no seriously its really yummy and she repeated so on the phone today. So, I've decided to put together the recipe and post it for you. As an added bonus it is gluten free for those of you who cannot tolerate gluten and full of healthy goodness. I tried to take some stylish photos with my "shoot and point" (still saving for that SLR)... thank you, thank you, Picasa for your photo editing powers!

Vegetarian Almond & Vegetable Quinoa (gluten free)

Ingredients:

2 zucchini (courgettes)

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 large carrot

1 medium sweet potato

1 (rice cooker cup) of Quinoa (red or white)

1/2 (half) Red onion

1/4 rice cooker cup of Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)

1/4 cup (ordinary measuring cup) sliced almonds

(reserve some for garnishing)

Method:

Wash all your vegetables

Slice the zucchini into 3/4" chunks

dice bell pepper or cut into strips

Peel and dice carrot into small pieces around 2cm square

Peel and dice Sweet potato into 3cm square chunks

Peel and dice red onion into small pieces (you can saute in olive oil until browned and add at the end of cooking) alternatively you can throw straight into the pot as I do.

Place your Quinoa (1 rice cooker cup full) into your rice cooker, add 1 and 3/4 cups (rice cooker cups) of water and the remaining 1/4 cup of Tamari (or light soy if you can tolerate gluten)

add all your prepared vegetables except the onion if you prefer to saute it first and add at end. I do throw all mine into the one pot.

Add most of your almonds, reserving some to garnish.

Place the lid on, press the button, and away you go, the rice cooker will automatically turn itself off when its cooked. It takes around 20 mins approximately depending on your individual rice cooker.

Taste it and season a little with ground sea salt if necessary, however usually the Tamari (soy) will have seasoned it enough.

Sprinkle with the remaining almonds and voila!

Handy Hint: Remove from the cooker as soon as cooked, do not let it stay warm in the cooker as it will continue to cook and over cook the quinoa.

This dish is also lovely cold the next day eaten as a salad with whatever dressing you may fancy. You can also add some diced feta cheese for extra "bite".

If you don't own a rice cooker I've found a great selection, just click on this link "Rice Cookers".

I'm excited about Lee Caroline collaborating with a fabulous food blog later this month which means there will be some wonderful recipes to share in the future.

Sharing this week with:

Show off your cottage monday at The House in the Roses

Craft-O-Maniac Monday

Mop it up Mondays at I should be mopping the floor

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Transformation Thursday at Shabby Creek Cottage

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Time Travel Thursday at the Brambleberry Cottage

Show and tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Bon Appetite!

Lee oxo

Poppy

The exquisite animal paintings of Ester Curini

2012-02-26T16:40:00.000+13:00

Ester Curini is a self taught artist born in Italy and based in the USA, Ester creates the most amazing acrylic paintings of animals. Her work she says is to capture the unique energy, essence and spirit of each creature she paints. Ester was a finalist in the 2012 International Artists Magazine's wildlife competition, this is the same magazine I was proud to have also been a finalist in 2011 with my painting "Inspiration" in their floral and still life competition.

I hope you enjoy Ester's work and pop over to her website to see more of her paintings.

Eye to Eye - Acrylic on Canvas 24" x 20"

Chet - Acrylic on Panel 20" x 16"

Candida - Acrylic on Canvas 20" x 20"

To see more of Ester's work, please click "here"

As a self taught artist myself, I often think that our work sometimes is less "rigid", as we do not adhere to strict teachings.

Lee x

Poppy

Colonial Cottage - The last of it's kind

2012-02-25T09:32:00.001+13:00

Would you believe this gorgeous 2 storey cottage is the last of its kind in the UK...not only that but it was originally available as a "flat pack" from Harrod's intended for the Indian colonies. It's not so surprising to me re the "flat pack" as we can buy houses in New Zealand by kitset to erect ourselves (if you have a savvy DIY husband or BF), we call them "Kit Sets". It does surprise me though that this is the last of it's kind in the UK, quite sad I think. However this cottage has real appeal and is basically in it's original design. This delightful home is full of whimsy and charm, with surprise pops of colour here and there. With no more hesitation lets step inside...

This delightful home is available for photo/film shots through jj locations. Please do not re-use these images without prior permission from jjlocations.

Sharing today with
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

looking forward to better weather this weekend but not looking

optimistic at the moment

Lee oxo

Poppy

My Latest Painting - Work in Progress

2012-02-21T18:56:00.003+13:00

Hi everyone, a brief update on my latest work in progress. I began laying in my umber layers which place my tonal areas but got so excited about this painting I started laying down colour where I had completed the under tones (just couldn't wait!). Therefore, you are seeing areas of this painting almost complete while other areas are still to have under layers completed. I am thrilled with my progress as I have a gallery very interested in a solo exhibition of my work and need to get this finished so they can see it.

I've been working day and night on this piece. You may remember my post on the reference photo that inspired this new work. I chose 5 photos and asked for your opinion. The one I selected was image 3 which was a popular choice. I have slightly cropped the top a little more so the Queen Anne's Lace will not show in my final painting.

Oil on Italian Linen 1 metre x 1 metre (3 feet 3.3 " x 3 feet 3.3")

I had a major problem with my computer yesterday which I cannot resolve, I've had to use my mother's computer and it means I don't have all the applications I need to resize photos etc, so you may have to bare with me till I sort this out. Meanwhile I am sorry the images above are a little small. I have just also realised I don't even have "word" on this laptop... this will cause all sorts of problems for me :(

Sharing with:

Not Just A Housewife.net

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Transformation Thursday at Shabby Creek Cottage

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Time Travel Thursday at the Brambleberry Cottage

Show and Tell Friday at Romantic Home

(If you have found me by a "link" party I would really be thrilled if you

could add yourself to my linky friends or followers on my side bar ☺)

Hope you had a great weekend. I will be asking

for ideas on a title for this work when it's

finished so get your thinking caps out ☺

Lee oxo

Poppy

DIY Ottoman & Ottoman Inspiration

2012-02-19T20:36:00.002+13:00

Today I'm sharing some ottoman inspiration. Ottomans are traditionally found in bedrooms, however, they're making a comeback and turning up in living areas as coffee or side tables. I've created a slide show to inspire you and also a link to Jenny Steffens Hobick a well known blogger who has a wonderful step by step tutorial to make your own ottoman from scratch. Jenny made a lovely one for her new baby's room for only $50. Jenny's website has lots of lovely food inspiration so even if your not interested in making your own ottoman I'm sure you'll get lost in Jenny's site ☺

Click through the slideshow to see more Ottoman Inspiration

For Jenny's ottoman tutorial click "here" (you will find step by step instructions and clear images)

Sharing today with:

Craft-O-Maniac Monday

Mop it up Mondays at I should be mopping the floor

Hope you found some inspiration, I know I have

And think I might re upholster an ottoman of my

Mums and replace my coffee table. Maybe get a nice rattan tray

To go on top of the ottoman.

Lee oxo

Poppy

Chanel - Sharing A Special Couture video

2012-02-16T21:17:00.000+13:00

When we hear the word "Chanel" we think thousands of $$'s, Chanel No5, designer handbags and couture fashion. However, we don't usually think of the painstaking hours and attention to detail that goes into making some of their more intricate pieces. This short video however, shows the immense intricacy that goes into a piece of Chanel couture clothing. I found this little video so intriguing and now I understand why I will never be able to afford their beautiful garments but still be able to splash on that Chanel No5.

Hope you enjoyed this little video as much as I did.

Lee oxo

Poppy

Bathroom Bliss, Absolutely Divine Bathrooms.

2012-02-15T19:20:00.002+13:00

Bathrooms to inspire, vibrant, classic, dramatic or serene. Minimalist bathrooms with a touch of drama. Maybe its the mirror, the colour, the design, each one is unique in it's own special way. I'd love to know which is your style.

Original images (without comment overlays) sourced from House to Home.co.uk

Sharing with :
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
Transformation Thursday at Shabby Creek Cottage
The Brambleberry Cottage

I hope you found some inspiration, I'm finding it hard to decide which

I prefer. I know for sure that if I get a new bathroom it just has to have a

free standing bath!

Lee oxo

Poppy

Happy Valentines To My Readers

2012-02-14T12:23:00.001+13:00

♥ Wishing everyone a wonderful Valentines day, whether sharing it with the love of your life, your family or your best friend ♥

If you need a last minute gift to make for the one you love,

click "here" for my strawberry and raspberry tiramisu in a mason jar, my most popular valentine post

Lee oxo

Poppy

♥

Image credit: Via pinterest (unfortunately I could not find the original source. If you know the source or own this image please let me know and I will credit accordingly.)

Valentines Cherry liquer Chocolates and Sugar cookies gift pack

2012-02-12T16:33:00.001+13:00

Some simple Valentines sugar cookies and home made cherry liqueur chocolates..Yum!

basic sugar cookie recipe

ingredients:

3 cups (390grams) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (227grams) unsalted butter

room temp

1 cup (200grams) of granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

method:

In a bowl mix together flour, salt, and baking soda.

In your food processor/mixer place your butter (I cut into small cubes), and sugar and beat until light and fluffy, almost white in colour (approx 3 minutes).

Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Add the flour mixture and mix until you have a smooth dough. Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in centre of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove one half of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch (1 cm). (Keep turning the dough as you roll, making sure the dough does not stick to the counter.)

If the mixture is too sticky you can add more flour to your surface and roll it into the dough.

Cut out your heart shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter and transfer cookies to baking sheet.

Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking.

Bake cookies for about 8-10 minutes (depending on size) or until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Frost with royal icing, if desired. Be sure to let the royal icing dry completely before storing. (This may take several hours or overnight.)

Frosted cookies will keep several days in an airtight container. Store between layers of parchment paper or wax paper.

Makes about 36 cookies.

I used store bought Royal Icing mix to decorate my cookies, you just mix it with a little water and I added some pink food colouring to get a lovely pink.

I piped around the edges of my cookies with a fine line and then flooded the middle with a thinner mixture of the icing. I then sprinkled mine with tiny silver stars I had left over in my cupboard.

my simple cherry liqueur chocolates

Ingredients:

200gms of dark chocolate (preferably 70%), makes approx 25 chocolates.
25 glace cherries
1/4 cup of a fruit liqueur (I used Creme de Cassis which is a blackcurrant liqueur)
1 plastic flexible chocolate mould
Method:

1. Gather ingredients.

2. Soak the cherries in the liqueur for around 30 mins, overnight is best.

3. break your chocolate into pieces and place in a bowl.

4. Place a steamer over "simmering" water and place your bowl of chocolate in the steamer. Stir continuously at low heat until the chocolate is completed melted and lovely and shiny. Remove from heat and leave for around 1-2 mins before pouring.

5. Pour a small amount of chocolate in the base of each individual chocolate mould, I used a teaspoon to do this. Once they all have around 1cm of chocolate then you place a cherry in each mould.

6. Fill the moulds with the remaining chocolate, making sure not to overfill them.

7. refrigerate until set, this can take up to an hour then turn out the chocolates being careful not to handle as they will mark.

8. Place your chocolates in a cellophane bag and tie with curling ribbon.

After I made my cookies and chocolates, the next day I packaged them up in cellophane bags, tied them with curling ribbon and placed them in a gift bag which I had filled with crushed tissue paper to raise them up so they would poke out of the tops of the bags.

You then simply add a gift tag, please click "here" for my free download.

You may also like these two lovely valentines deserts:

Valentines fail proof pavlova recipe

Valentines raspberry and strawberry tiramisu in a mason jar

Sharing with:
"Mop It Up Mondays" at I Should Be Mopping the Floor
Craft-o-Maniac Monday

Hope your weekend has been, or is a bit drier than Auckland,

just when I think Summer is finally here it starts to rain again :(

Lee oxo

Poppy

Free Valentines Gift Tags for you

2012-02-11T12:29:00.000+13:00

I've created some simple Valentine gift tags for you to download. They're best printed on some white lightweight card which will work with your home printer. Once printed, cut them out, then use a small hole punch in the corner for your hole then thread with narrow string or ribbon and "voila" your free gift tag.

I'll be sharing how to put together this last minute valentine gift bag filled with delicious DIY cherry liqueur chocolates and homemade sugar cookies tomorrow. If you sign up for email you'll not miss out on any of my posts.

If your having trouble downloading, please click "here" to print.

Oh well back to the drawing board...

Or should I say, "Linen canvas"

Lee oxo

Poppy

Romantic Interior with French Flair

2012-02-10T09:35:00.000+13:00

Bringing you some Valentine romance with the interior of this beautiful Victorian house. This home has a surprising interior as it floats between French Period decor and contemporary to the extreme. In all cases it takes on a "minimalist" feel. My favourite is the French period doors leaning against the wall, I adore the aged patina. I love "distressed" and used old French Shutters for my own bedroom makeover. I have only included the romantic images, if you want to see more of this home and it's modern surprises, please visit the link below.

Click "here" to see more images of this amazing interior. This property is available for photo/film shoots, through jj Locations.

Please do not reproduce these images without prior permission from JJ locations.

If you love this style you will also enjoy this post:

White and Romantic Interior full of Swedish Antiques

or click "here" to see how I used some distressed shutters for a headboard

Valentines & Other Ideas With Doilies

2012-02-08T15:58:00.001+13:00

While looking for valentines ideas I came across this little slide show, via Houzz. Susan Duane has put together some great ideas using paper doilies, I especially love the stencilled bags but was thinking you could actually stencil onto cushions/pillows too which would look just as good. Susan also has a blog, "Hometown Girl" where you can find more of her ideas and a link to her lovely fabric store, "Paperhill Fabrics" where Susan is selling authentic fabrics from the 50's,60's and 70's.

Please visit Susan's blog "Hometown Girl" for more ideas.

And did you know you could hand dye doilies....

For instructions to make these pretty, hand dyed doilies using food colouring, please see "Charlotte's Fancy".

If your looking for some yummy valentines deserts before you leave you may want to check out my fail proof pavlova recipe also my Strawberry & Raspberry Tiramisu, made in a mason jar.

Hope your having a great week

Lee oxo

Poppy

9 Things I’ve Discovered This Week

2012-02-07T21:53:00.000+13:00

Some Girly Discoveries ♥

1. Boutique embroidered satin shoe bag UKPounds 16.00 from Bombay Duck

2. Aluminium etched money box for those Jimmy Choos your saving up for UKPounds 19.50 - Bombay Duck

3. Cute Bon Voyage Passport cover with flip flops - UKPounds 9.50, Bombay Duck

4. Simple link silver charm bracelet - US$39.00 - Bamboo Pink

5. I love the sea jewel colours of these Maltese cross charm earrings with pretty stones - US$99.00, Bamboo Pink

6. I really love this beautiful La Croix silver bracelet - US$69.00, Bamboo Pink

7. Acrylic rhubarb cake stand from Allium Interiors NZ$49.90

8. Stunning & colourful feminine chandelier from Allium Interiors NZ$345.00

9. Love, Love, Love this designer guild cushion from Allium Interiors NZ$235.00

OOPS - ADDENDUM TO PAVLOVA RECIPE

2012-02-06T13:38:00.000+13:00

I'm so sorry folks, I made a wee error in my pavalova recipe and the fail proof pavlova might not be so fail proof after all unless you have an incredibly sweet tooth. The recipe should say 1 and a half (1 1/2) cups of sugar. The problem was the original recipe said 2 x 3/4 cup and my terrible Math tried to add it up at 1am, seems my brain was a bit foggy at that time of the morning... I hope you haven't gone ahead and made it, if you have I would say it might be a little bit on the sweet side.

Click on image below or link beneath for re-direction to amended recipe:

Amended Recipe

Lee oxo

(can't blame Poppy for this error)

Valentines Pavlova - Fail Proof Recipe

2012-02-05T20:26:00.007+13:00

This Typical NZ Pavlova recipe was given to me by my mothers care-giver, Thank you so much Jane for sharing your recipe and for being such a wonderful, gentle caregiver to my mum ☺ I've adapted this recipe for Valentines by forming a valentines shape and adding pink food colouring but normally Pavlova is white. There are a few secrets to making the perfect Pavlova, please read these before you begin.

Perfect pavlova recipe

Ingredients

6 egg whites separated

1 ½ cups of castor sugar (fine sugar)

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon cornflour

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

3 tablespoons cold water

Pink food colouring

Fresh whipped cream for topping
Fresh strawberries or other fruit for topping

Method:

Beat egg whites until stiff (food mixer is invaluable here!)

Add water (replace 1 teaspoon of the water with pink food colouring if you are adding colour), add sugar little by little continually beating until thick peaks start to form.

Add vanilla essence, cornflour and vinegar and continue beating until it is so thick and shiny that the peaks stand up on their own without flopping over.

Place your sheet of non stick paper onto a baking tray. Draw the shape you wish to make your pavlova, in this case a large heart. Then take a large tablespoon and big scoops of meringue filling, dropping them in the shape spoon by spoon making sure they all join together. Once you have covered the shape then add another layer of your meringue on top. If you smooth over the top then it will not crack on cooking, however, I keep the rough shape as I like the more rustic look to my pavlova and I feel the cracking is part of its character.

Bake at 150 degrees Celsius or 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes then turn off the oven and leave it to cool completely, this could take around another hour and a half. Be patient and don’t peek.

When cooled completely you can whip your cream for topping and then add sliced strawberries or any other fruit you may wish.

A medley of fruits such as kiwi, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are also lovely , mix and scatter rather than placing perfectly.

Make your pavlova the night before, leave it in the oven until your ready to decorate and serve. Once you add the cream it will need to be refrigerated, hence leave the decorating until the last minute...it is doubtful you will have a trace left to store away!

This recipe is absolutely delicious and turns out perfect if you follow the secrets to a perfect pavlova. You will crunch through the top and the marshmallow centre will melt in your mouth!...Yummy!

If you like this recipe you may also like

my valentines Raspberry Tiramisu which is a no cook easy recipe

created in a mason jar.

Sharing with
Craft O Mania Monday
Mop it up Mondays at I should be mopping the floor
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Lee oxo

Poppy

More valentines to come so visit again soon ☺

Valentines Desert - Strawberry & Raspberry Tiramisu

2012-02-04T17:02:00.005+13:00

This simple desert can be whipped up in minutes the night before Valentines...a great desert for a picnic too.

Raspberry Tiramisu

200gms of ricotta cheese

1 x 200gm packet of crème fraiche

1 x 400gm tin of raspberries (drained of juice) or 300gms fresh raspberries

1 tablespoon of liquid honey

8 Italian sponge fingers (savoiardi/ladies fingers)

Liqueur ( I used Crème de Cassis) as I also used in the Oreo
Truffle recipe.
Fresh Raspberries or strawberries to garnish

2 x (250ml) agee jars/preserving jars with screw lids

Method

Mix together the crème fraiche and ricotta cheese in a bowl until smooth, then stir in the honey.

Break the sponge fingers so that they fit in the bottom of the jar.

Pour 1 dessert spoon of Crème De Cassis liqueur over the sponge fingers

Then add a 1” layer of tinned or fresh raspberries and spoon approx 1” of the ricotta/crème fraiche mixture on top of the raspberries. (If using fresh raspberries you can sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar over or drizzle some honey but not if you are using the sweeter tinned raspberries.

Add another layer of sponge fingers pouring a dessert spoon of the liqueur over the fingers. (you will have to break up some of the fingers to allow them to fit).

Add another layer of raspberries and then repeat layer of ricotta/crème fraiche mix.

End with the final layer of raspberries topped with crème fraiche mix,then cover the top with sliced strawberries.

Screw on the lid and refrigerate overnight (can be kept for 2 days).

Valentine Hint: Tie with a red or pink ribbon, a lovely vintage spoon and a valentine heart tag, adding that extra special touch for your valentine.

Another lovely gift would be a jar of Rocky Road Bark click "here" for recipe

I'll be featuring more valentine treats this week including a special Valentine Pavlova recipe. A true NZ Fail proof recipe, crunchy meringue on the outside, and delicious marshmallow in the middle.

Lee oxo

Poppy

Sharing with:
Transformation Thursday at Shabby Creek Cottage
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
Show and tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Craft-O-Maniac Monday

Laura Ashley's Spring Collection 2012

2012-02-02T11:04:00.002+13:00

A peek at Laura Ashley's new Spring Home/Fashion collection 2012, products will be available in stores February/March 2012. I was surprised to see a lot of blue with their "Twilight Tones" and "Shades of Blue" ranges. I had planned to replace my blue and white china this year, but now decided to work with it and make a few other changes in my home. I see there is also a lot of mirrored furniture which is great in smaller homes and works wonderfully where there is a lot of bright natural light such as we have in New Zealand and Australia... I love to see colours reflected in glass. I feel this years collection caters for all tastes, from contemporary to classic. My personal favourite is the "Casual Chic" range, I also thought the fun "off the wall" range was smart, modern and a little bit different from the norm for Laura Ashley.

The Spring/Summer fashion range is lovely, lots of cute nautical themes and my favourite, the natural cottons with touches of embroidery. The rattan bags are interesting and will look great with most of their new Spring fabrics. I'm hoping we have an Indian summer here so I can purchase a few items myself and catch the last of the sun in NZ before we head for Autumn.

I hope you enjoy the preview, please click on the video below, I would love to hear your comments, thoughts and your favourites from their new range?

Lee oxo

Poppy

White & Romantique Swedish styled Interior

2012-01-31T10:51:00.001+13:00

This unusual Grade 2 listed ground floor flat in West Sussex in Hove is full of unique features such as the trompe loeil angel wall painting, an amazing 1800's sleigh made into a sofa and many other beautiful pieces of authentic Swedish furniture. If you love white interiors and shabby chic you will love this home, although I hesitate to use the word "shabby Chic" as this interior goes way beyond this and is in a class of it's own. The location is available for film shoots/magazine/styling use, please contact jj locations at the link below if you are interested to see more photos or wish to make an enquiry for filming.

Images from jj Locations, please do not re-use without prior permission. If you wish to see more images or contact JJ locations please click "here"

Sharing with

Shabby Creek Cottage

I hope you found inspiration in this wonderful home

Lee oxo

Poppy

9 Things I’ve Discovered This Week

2012-01-29T17:11:00.005+13:00

1. Beautiful, Intricately inlaid bone tray $350.00 - from Cush & Nooks (a homegrown NZ store)

2. Cute Pug cushion, illustration by Hawkes Bay artist Martin Poppelwell, $79.00 - Cush & Nooks

3. Black bone inlay bedside cabinet (only 2 available so be quick!) $1,000 - Cush & Nooks

4. Pinny Flowers day bag $80.00 - Kath Kidston

5. Love these Shabby chic look cake tins - Royal Rose set of 3 tins $42.00, Kath Kidston

6. Gorgeous Antique Rose Bath sheet $70 - Kath Kidston...I think this is just so pretty!

7. Hummingbird dinner plate $24.00 - Anthropologie

8. Avenida Pillow/cushion $128.00 - Anthropologie (Design inspired by South American Street Art)

9. Hand made glass tumbler signed by artist Massimo Lunardon $58.00 - Anthropologie...this may be a little expensive for a tumbler but I was thinking that it could also be used as a small vase. Love the touch of Tangerine Tango around the top of the tumbler.

I encourage you to click on the links to learn more about these products, especially the beautiful inlaid bone furniture that is available at Cush & Nooks as these are just a small sampling of what is available in this lovely shop.

Click "here" to learn more about artist/designer Martin Poppelwell whose pug design features on Cush & Nooks cute cushion.

Hope your enjoying your weekend, I'm off to the dog park with Poppy to give

my eyes a bit of a rest from this Pc.

Lee oxo

Poppy

New Blog Banner

2012-01-28T18:42:00.001+13:00

Today's post is a "BIG" thank you to Robin Stubbert a professional photographer whose work I have featured on LC in the past. Robin has kindly allowed me to use some of her photography in my new blog banner. Thank you Robin, I personally feel your images have made a huge difference to my blog, enabling me to have a fresh, sharp and professional looking banner.

LC is still evolving and I have a lot of work to be done on my pages so gradually changing to the new look over the next month or so, plus I'm still working on branding. I hope everyone likes the new banner, I wanted to portray the main theme of my blog which is really "house and home inspiration". You may have noticed the word "Art" has disappeared from my blog, this has been done on purpose as the blog is far more than just my art and so will be known simply, as Lee Caroline. FYI ☺, Lee is my first name and Caroline is my middle name, I didn't want to use my surname as it just didn't flow and I have always wished I was named Caroline as my first name instead of Lee, so this way I get to see it in print ☺

I will finish this brief post with a lovely image from Robin. I chose this particular image as I love it and for me it tells a story. If you receive this post via email you will have to go to my page to view the new banner.

Image by Robin Stubbert

This image is reproduced with permission from Robin Stubbert, please do not re-use this image.

DIY - French Washed Furniture

2012-01-26T21:41:00.006+13:00

I've been looking for over a year for a drop leaf table in a French wash to no avail, however, just prior to Christmas I found a lovely antique pine table at Yvonne Saunders Antiques. The table was a perfect size but unfortunately didn't have the French finish I'd hoped for. After doing a lot of research I took myself off to Porters paints in Auckland to find out about their French wash which I heard was the easiest way to achieve the look yourself.

Porters Paints helped greatly with selecting my paint colour, the type of finish I would require and how to apply it, they even mixed a special colour for me as I wanted a slightly greyer look than the ready made mixes available. Basically they can mix and match any colour or swatch you take in. I have endeavoured to put together some simple step by step instructions to achieving this look.

Sand and prepare the areas you are going to apply your wash. I had to completely replace some of the moulding on one of the legs as it has been chewed away by some animal. I used an epoxy putty (you can see it in white). As the pine had not been painted before I simply gave it a light sanding after repairing the one leg. I also filled any chipped areas with wood filler and sanded these too.

My table all prepared for it's undercoat, 2 coats of Porters low sheen acrylic (I used snow white).

I applied the paint with a 2.5" flat bristle brush with random strokes, you don't want perfect strokes as the texture of the paint will help you achieve the French look. Apply your first coat and allow around 6 hours in between before applying your second coat. 18-24 hours must elapse before applying the specialised finish as seen below.

The French wash is really a two person operation if your working on a large area. A table such as this is fine for one person as long as you work on one leg or section at a time.

First apply the french wash using a similar flat brush to the undercoat. apply the wash in a random pattern. I actually applied it more in up and down strokes as I wanted this look on the legs.You must apply the product to completely cover the undercoat.

Only a brief time after, say 1 minute you then proceed to wipe off the French wash, again in a random pattern depending on the look you wish to achieve. To rag it off you use clean muslin cloth.

Dab or roll with the muslin cloth bunched in your hand but make sure you keep using a clean part of the muslin, don't use a part of the muslin covered in the wash when moving to a new area. Continue until you have covered the whole area you have applied the wash. Then start again on another section, apply the French wash to fully cover, wait a minute then begin to rag/wipe off, do not wait more than a minute or it will dry and you will not be able to remove it.

If you are doing a larger piece of furniture then you will need someone to help you wipe off while you are applying the wash. If there are two of you make sure that it's the same person who does the ragging/wiping off as each person will have their own technique and you will find the pattern is not consistent.

The finished leg once I ragged it. Because I applied the undercoat with downward rough strokes the effect I achieved is one more of lines as the French wash remained in the underneath brush strokes when wiped off.

The finished effect I was wanting to achieve. Once this has dried for 72 hours you can apply a sealer or a wax to the wash.

I'm sorry this is not a clear photo but it gives an impression of the finished piece. I purposely left the top of my table "natural" pine as I prefer this look.

This photo was taken in a big rush and I am annoyed that the bowl is not central, sorry but wanted to get the post up. I prettied the table top up for this photo but planning a different look which I will share with you soon.

I have included some images that inspired me in my quest for this look:

These two images are from a gorgeous home I have featured previously, please click "here" to see more images.

Sharing with Transformation Thursday at Shabby Creek Cottage
The Brambleberry Cottage Time Travel Thursday
Open house party at No Minimalist Here
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Show off your Cottage Monday at - The House in the Roses

I hope you’ve enjoyed this DIY

Tutorial. Next week I’m applying this technique to a

Corner cupboard I've rescued from the depths

Of my mothers garage and think I've found the perfect corner
in my cottage.

Lee oxo

Poppy

Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread From Joy The Baker

2012-01-25T16:19:00.001+13:00

Lee Caroline Art is about inspiration from around the world and recently I've been stumbling upon all sorts of wonderful inspirational blogs and websites and have been busily bookmarking them to share with you on a regular basis. Today I want to share one such website belonging to Joy The Baker. Joy's website is a simple no frills site full of gorgeous images of food for which she shares her recipes and secrets. I also love the way Joy writes about her food, it has a humorous warmth about it. On Joy's site I've discovered the most delicious, scrumptious cinnamon bread you could imagine, real comfort food at its best. If you click on the link beneath the image you can visit Joy's site and grab the recipe for this bread, its printable and believe me you won't be able to stop eating it once you've made it. The trouble for me with research on food posts is that I usually test the recipe's and then promptly devour the spoils myself and this bread needs to come with a warning, as I can assure you it will be hard to refrain yourself from consuming the whole loaf!

Click here for instructions to make this yummy bread and see more images and great recipes from

Joy the Baker

Joy also has a wonderful cookbook, click on the link below if you wish to purchase or read more about it.

Recently inspired by food in jars, I've been experimenting with my own

recipe for the most yummy no cook valentines gift/ desert to die for! I tested it out

on my older son the other day and he loved it and then went on to make one of his own as its

so easy. I'll be sharing this recipe and images with you shortly.

Lee oxo

Poppy

Lake Front Home by Visbeen Associates

2012-01-24T21:17:00.000+13:00

This stunning Lake front home was built for a family of five in Rockford, Michigan. Designed by architects, Visbeen Associates, alongside interior designer Julie Holmes, this house has been meticulously designed with family in mind. There are lots of wonderful features in this home, wait until you see its study area designed for several children to be working at a time. Please use the arrows to click through the slide show images below.

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More»

Disclaimer: comments on this slide show are via Houzz they are not my own.

It was gloriously sunny in Auckland today. Poppy and I had a lovely

Long walk along the bays. I also finished my prep work on my new canvas, 4 coats of gesso sanded in between. I hope tomorrow afternoon I can start to draw up my new painting.

Lee oxo

Poppy

Tangerine Tango - Pantone Colour of 2012

2012-01-23T19:30:00.089+13:00

Tangerine Tango, the Pantone colour of 2012, a vibrant orange hue, energising and warm. The simplest way to introduce this wonderful colour to your home is with accessories such as cushions, rugs, throws, vases or paintings. Alternatively you could paint a "feature" wall or just simply introduce some tangerine coloured flowers to brighten your room, tangerine flowers in an all white room would look simply stunning! To add a "pop" of colour to your bathroom, some fluffy towels in Tangerine or even tangerine soaps and candles would look great.

Some Tangerine Tango Inspiration...

1. Worlds away oval wastebasket - Layla Grayce $119.00

2. Vintage French Design chair by available from Layla Grayce $873.00

3. DL Rhein Circle Link orange embroidered pillow from Layla Grayce $90.00

4. Polkamania orange shag rug from Layla Grayce $193.00

5. Le Versha chair in orange from Anthropologie $248.00

6. Penelope Standard pillow case $32.00 from Layla Grayce

Or you could simply cool down with some...

Tangerine iced green tea, please visit New Nostalgia to see how to make this tea which is an excellent antioxidant

Well, we're off to the park,

Have a lovely evening

Lee oxo

Poppy

Hyperrealism - Tom Martin

2012-01-22T13:55:00.000+13:00

Are these photographs of food or 2 dimensional painted images? Are they edible or are they created from a brush and acrylic? Click on the link below to find out more about this incredibly talented artist?

The Amazing hyper realism works of Tom Martin

These images have inspired me to push on with preparing

My new linen canvas for my latest painting.

Lee oxo

Poppy

9 Things I’ve Discovered This Week

2012-01-20T15:27:00.000+13:00

1. Tweet door knob $10.00

2. Tattered tapestry journal $68.00

3. Paris Paper tape, assortment of paper sticky tape for your crafting and gifts $18.00 (includes 5 types tape)

4. Tea & Toast butter dish $12.00 ...love the colour and gentle shape

5. Dotty match pot holders $12.00 pair...these would brighten up any kitchen

6. Flamenco shower curtain $118.00... Adorable!

7. On the Wing sticky notes and pads $16.00...cute birds on sticky notes...no boring yellow ones!

8. Vase by Molly Hatch $48.00

9. Beyond Gouda pencil cup...so sweet! $16.00. I have a friend who is an artist and she always hides a little mouse in her paintings and designs as her trademark... she would love this!

All items above from Anthroplogie's House and Home section

wer'e wondering what your choice would be?

Lee

Poppy

Flower Carpet, Brussels

2012-01-19T23:48:00.006+13:00

A friend forwarded an email this week and I want to share the images with you as the theme is spectacular. Bi-annually in Brussels a huge flower carpet is created out of a million begonias, the images below are taken from the email.

You can read all about the carpets and how they are created, and more "here" plus when and where you can view the 2012 carpet which will open on the 14th August 2012.

I know one thing,

Poppy would tear through this flower carpet doing her

"Schnauzer 500" thing... grabbing as many flowers as she could on the way!...(the link is not actually poppy just an illustration of what the Schnauzer 500 is ☺)

Lee oxo

Poppy

Shabby Chic Cottage By The Sea

2012-01-18T12:51:00.011+13:00

Today is glorious weather, the sun is shining, the sky is powder blue and I feel Summer might finally be here! I've just been for a long walk with Poppy down to Mission Bay beach, walked briskly along the promenade as Poppy pranced along beside me on the sea wall. We walked through Kohimarama towards St Helier's and back and in between I introduced Poppy to her first time in the sea (a whole new post :))...Poppy is now lying comatose beside me as I'm typing, she is utterly worn out but a very happy little dog.

I am full of the joys of sea, sun and sand, so in keeping with how I feel, today I'm sharing a delightful cottage also beside the sea but in the UK in Kent. This unique home is full of interesting items and decorated 1930's style, don't you think it has a "shabby chic" but nautical feeling? The cottage has it's own private beach and the property is available for film/photo shoots through jj Locations, you will find a link at the end of this post.

I think this place is really quite unique and the pretty blue lends a real seaside feel to the inside. I hope you enjoy looking inside as much as I did.

Images from jj Locations, please do not re-use these images without their permission. Please click "here" to see more images of this delightful cottage or contact jj Locations for more information.

If you like shabby chic you may also like these homes:

A Lincolnshire house with a touch of Shabby Chic
A Victorian Apartment

Sharing this post with:
Wow us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Hope your week is bright and sunny

Lee

Poppy

"Beanies for Baldies", A Story Of A Courageous Little Boy

2012-01-16T10:37:00.006+13:00

I used to post a lot of Etsy products when I first started my blog and realise I haven't done this for a while but today I'm going to share far more than just an etsy shop, this is a story about a very brave and courageous little boy called Preston Allen.

Preston's only 10 years old but has already had cancer twice in his life. Preston comes from Murfreesboro, Tennessee in the USA and was first diagnosed with cancer at only 5 months old, battling his disease for the next 5 years of his life. 8 months after Preston's initial diagnosis his father was also diagnosed with cancer (stage 4 colon cancer). Preston's father fought his cancer for 8 years but sadly Prestons father passed away in April 2010. This was devastation enough to Preston's family and very sadly in August 2011 Preston was again diagnosed with cancer this time Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Preston is now undergoing treatment for his cancer and this has caused him to loose all his hair so Preston decided to make a hat for himself "The beanie for baldies" he called it. Preston then came up with the idea of making the beanies for other children at the hospital where he attends treatment. With the help of his mum Tonya, Preston has now started an etsy shop to help pay for the materials so he can make hats for lots of other children. One hat costs only US$5.00 and the money from one hat pays for the material for that hat and in turn makes three more hats which Preston will give away to 3 other children undergoing chemotherapy.

Preston in one of his hats

Preston has come up with some really cute fleecy beanies in lots of bright patterns. "Beanies for Baldies" currently has some new stock, I recommend you visit his store, you can read about Prestons background "here". I bought a hat myself but instead of Preston shipping it to New Zealand I asked for it to be donated back and given to a little girl, this is the pattern of the hat I chose below....I seem to be drawn to pink at the moment.

It would be lovely to help support Preston on his mission, he's already made 65 hats and dontated them to the Vanderbilt Children's hospital and 45 to the hospital in Denver. If you would like to buy a hat, make a donation or do what I did, buy one and donate it back, please visit "Beanies for Baldies" for more details. I could not think of a more deserving little shop.

ps...There are lots more designs available.

Lee oxo

Poppy

2012-01-14T20:30:00.003+13:00

Pink Interiors - so pretty

If you want to feel feminine and brighten up your day, introduce some pink to your decor. You needn't go overboard and paint all your walls pink with the possibility of driving any men in the house to turn tail and run, introducing some accent cushions and throws will work just as well.

Pink &

Feminine

I hope we've managed to brighten up your day

on a rather wet Saturday in Auckland

Lee oxo

Poppy

Image 1. source unknown Image 2. from "here"

2012-01-13T16:39:00.006+13:00

Mix Classic, Contemporary and Rustic it works!

Although I love French interiors and clean whites, I also love eclecticism and after living as an expat in various continents you end up with quite a mix of furnishing. I'd love to have my whole house with a French feel to it, but this would mean I'd have to part with pieces I've collected and cherished for years. So for now my own living area is a mix of periods, styles, fabrics and textures not dissimilar to the image above.

The room above is an eclectic mix of contemporary, antique and rustic. The contemporary clean lines of the sofa and the stark contrast of the rustic table are balanced by the elegant wooden antique side table. The dark grey silk lampshades of the side lamps are striking and draw the eye... (Gosh the artist in me wants to go and straighten up that lampshade on the left ☺). The beautiful fretwork screen seen in the second image balances the dark tone of the lampshades. To soften the overall appearance of the room, cushions have been introduced in muted tones. I think the silver cushion enhances the silver lamp stands, personally, however, I would have brought in another silver cushion instead of the green one as I am a bit of stickler for balance. There is a lot of texture going on in this room (so important), from the velvet of the cushions, slubby linen of the sofa to the rustic wood grain of the coffee table with it's heavy studs around its perimeter.

Overall I think this room is inviting and comfortable. I love the original shutters framing the exterior view of perfectly clipped hedges and topiary. I like that the owners are not afraid to display their collection of interesting ornaments. Sometimes we are looking for the "perfect look" and get rid of our ornaments but this is the difference between a "home" and a "showhome". I also enjoy the brave way they have introduced an assortment of cushions in differing sizes, colours and textures.

I wonder what you think about this room, I love to read your comments.

Images are reproduced with permission from jj Locations

The image is the living room of a Regency ground floor apartment in Battersea, London. The apartment is available for film and photo shoots, please visit jj Locations if you wish to see more of this apartment or contact jj Location them with regards to this property.

I've been inspired and definitely

heading to Laura Ashley's sale this weekend to

check out their cushions.

Lee oxo

Poppy

2012-01-12T00:59:00.005+13:00

9 Things I’ve Discovered This Week

2012 I'm am doing a bit of re-structuring of my blog and contents. I'll be making a few discreet changes and also tidying up my side bar, a bit of a Spring clean in Summer☺. You may have noticed I've removed the linky buttons, I'll be re-introducing these on a separate page. Today I'm introducing "9 things I've discovered this week", a new weekly post with an eclectic mix of surprises for my readers.

1. Rice melamine Flamingo cup from Cush & Nooks a home grown kiwi store
2. Teatime Blue digital print - Cush & Nooks, a touch of shabby chic
3. Rice melamine Green Dove cup, Cush & Nooks (great for the outdoors so had to include another design)
4. 5 yrds continuous cotton print ribbon, a multitude of uses from We Love Citrus
5. Fabric covered magnetic clothes pins exclusive to We Love Citrus (great to pin photos/notes to the fridge)
6. Cute striped paper straws from We Love Citrus
7. Dabney Lee cell phone cases from Rock Paper Scissors
8. Rifle paper fruit calendar from Rock Paper Scissors
9. 2012 desk calendar, comes in its own gift box and cute gold stand, from Rock Paper Scissors

If you don't want to miss out on my new posts, please subscribe to LCArt (see my side bar). Your email is totally confidential and you can cancel at any time.

Please visit these lovely shops, I’m sure you’ll find lots more to interest you.

Lee oxo

Poppy

2012-01-11T10:38:00.014+13:00

New Painting, Pink And White Roses

Here are the shots I have taken for my next painting, I'd love your feedback on which is your favourite. They are similar but there are subtle differences as I moved the flowers around. I take all my shots at night with a simple spotlight above, this helps to create a contrast of light and shadow which are what my paintings are about.

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Image 6

Image 2 and 5 are my front runners at the moment. I love the folds in the petals of the pink rose and the light casting interesting shadows on the white rose. As you will see I love to crop I rarely use a reference shot without cropping. I am still very undecided about the images above, hence your comments would be greatly appreciated. My canvas will be approximately 900mm x 1100mm (for my USA viewers, just under 3 feet in depth X just over 3 feet, 7" wide) size will depend on the image I select.

If you haven't seen my work before you may be interested in the links below.

My paintings

Finalist in International Artist Magazines Floral and Still Life Competition

Angels of Light hanging in Milly's Flowers

My artists website

Have a great week

Lee oxo

Poppy

Seeing Flowers - Is this a sign to get back into my artwork?

2012-01-09T23:23:00.000+13:00

I absolutely love this image I discovered on Pinterest, I have tried to find the photographer with no success so if you recognise the work please let me know so I can credit it accordingly. I see this as a sign that I must plan my next painting.

Hope your weekend was full of fun and sunshine

Lee oxo

Poppy

Raspberry Tartlets - Simple recipe

2012-01-08T14:54:00.000+13:00

Often I feature the wonderful photography of Robin Stubbert and today my recipe is inspired by one of Robin's photos of some delicious looking jam tarts, I'm guessing at "raspberries". Robin's photographic skills make her culinary Images look so real you just want to reach out, pick up a tart, and devour it, as technology is not quite up to this yet, I've come up with a recipe adapted from one I found for cranberry tarts. You can virtually replace the fruits with whatever your favourite berry may be, mine is raspberries.

Image by Robin Stubbert Photographer

Raspberry tartlets

Tart Shells:

1 packet of shop bought short crust pastry for convenience (frozen , not pre-rolled)

Method:

· Roll out your pastry to about 1/2cm thick and cut circles to fit your 8 tart tins.

· Rub a little margarine around the pans to prevent sticking and line each pan with your pastry circles.

I love these little traditional French mini round tart pans from Williams Sonomer – US$25.00 for a set of 6

Raspberry filling:

· 2 ½ cups of fresh raspberries

· 1/3^rd cup water

· 2 tablespoons dry red wine or orange juice (wine will enrich the colour)

· ½ cup sugar, (1 cup if using cranberries or less sweet fruit)

· 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

· 1 tablespoon butter (chop into little pieces)

· Whipped cream/Greek yoghurt for serving (optional)

Method:

· For Filling:
in a medium size saucepan, combine raspberries (or berry of your choice), the 1/3^rd cup water and the wine or orange juice. Heat to boiling and cook (stirring frequently) for 2-3 minutes until berries are soft but still retain their shape.

· In a small bowl mix sugar and flour together and add to hot cranberry mixture. Continue to cook (stirring continuously) until thick and bubbly.

· Stir in the one tablespoon of butter until melted

· Fill each pastry lined tart with the filling (not right to the top or it will spill over)

· Bake at 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celsius) until filling is bubbly and pastry is golden. Approximately 40 mins.

· Allow to cool before removing from the pans

· The tarts can be pre made and kept for up to 2 days in the fridge or can be frozen and placed in sealed bags and kept up to 3 months. To serve thaw covered at room temperature.

Makes 8 servings

Serving suggestion, place one tart on a plate and add a scoop of

Vanilla ice cream on the side and a sprig of mint. Or simply serve with whipped cream or thick Greek yoghurt.

Oh...and if you love raspberries as much as me, you might want to check out this recipe for Raspberry Tiramisu over at Sophistimum it looks absolutely divine!

Happy Weekend,

Lee oxo

Poppy

A Peek inside a Regency House

2012-01-06T21:17:00.001+13:00

Years ago when I was working in London, I used to walk past a row of Regency homes and was always curious about what lay behind their walls. This beautiful house below was built in 1848 in Barnes, London and is a classic example of a Regency home. The property still retains all its period features and the interior furnishings have been chosen to compliment its age. Full of beautiful antique pieces, this is a home not to miss.

I would advise you to take your time, pass through each room slowly as there is so much to look at in the way of period pieces, a feast for the eyes of those who love antiques. There are so many features I love about this property but one of my favourite rooms is the kitchen, obviously it's been renovated but the style is very much in keeping with it's period.

jj Locations are lucky enough to have this house on their books for film/photo shoots, if you wish to see further photographs or you fancy filming your latest period movie in this home☺, please contact jj Locations for use of the property,a link can be found at the foot of this post.

If your interested in photo displays, more ideas can be seen "here"

jjlocations

Please do not re-use any of the images in this post, they are reproduced on LCArt with prior permission from jj Locations.

If you like this property you may also like some previous posts, links below:

A Peek inside a renovated Victorian home

Victorian Factory - apartment conversion

A New England style home in London

We hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Sadly my mother is not doing too well at the moment and so staying with me. Poppy and I are therefore a little housebound. However, we will be beach walking if I can get my son to babysit his grandma and the sun comes out....so, come on Sunshine where are you Summer is nearly half way through, or at least it feels like it!

Lee oxo
&
Poppy

Daisies - Simple things in Life

2012-01-05T21:56:00.000+13:00

Be thankful for the simple things in life.....

Photo by Robin Stubbert Photographer - Thank you Robin for the use of your image.

Hope your having a wonderful week and

are fully rejuvenated after a great holiday

Lee oxo

Poppy

Wall Displays - Photos/Prints

2012-01-04T11:54:00.000+13:00

I'm working on framing a collection of prints and photos to display in my hallway which I plan to share on LCArt once they are completed. A while ago I bought some lovely black and white vintage designs printed on old dictionary pages from a small company called Faux Kiss (see here for previous post). I've decided to frame the prints in black and white and group them similarly to the first image in my slide show below.

While looking for display ideas on Houzz, I have put together a selection of photo/print displays I feel work really well and hope that you might get a little inspiration from them. Please use the small arrow at the bottom to click through the images.

Browse Lighting on Houzz- For Example:

Bathroom Lighting And Vanity Lighting · Chandeliers · Kitchen Lighting And Cabinet Lighting · Light Bulbs · Pendant Lighting · Recessed Lighting · Track Lighting · Wall Sconces ·

Chocolate Kiwi's On A Stick

2012-01-02T09:34:00.000+13:00

The colour and shape of this green door reminded me of a kiwi fruit or "Kiwi" as known in the USA (not the feathered kind). My inspiration today is something quick and yummy using kiwi fruit. All you need is a bar of chocolate, I like 60% cocoa and of course you will need some kiwi berry/fruit, see below for recipe. Children will have great fun helping mum with these.

Ingredients:

3 large firm kiwis

3.5" long cocktail sticks or wooden ice lolly sticks for inserting into fruit

1 x (200g) bar of cooking chocolate dark is better and high cocoa value works best

1. Ingredients as above.

2. Peel your kiwis and cut into 1" thick slices, push your cocktail sticks in, place on a metal tray and pop in the freezer for approximately 20/30 mins until very cold but not frozen. (best to lay on a piece of aluminium foil)

3. Remove kiwis from freezer and dip into melted chocolate. (see below to melt chocolate). The cold kiwis should set the chocolate fairly quickly. Place back on the tray and into the freezer and freeze for about an hour, you can keep them in the freezer and remove around 15 mins before eating.

Melt your chocolate around 10 mins before you remove the kiwis from the freezer. Break the chocolate up and place in a ceramic or stainless steel bowl over a simmering pan of water as I did for "Rocky road Bark" and "Oreo Truffles" I use a steamer basket to sit my bowl in. Allow the chocolate to cool for around 5 mins before dipping.

YUMMY!!!!

We hope you had a wonderful New Years Eve.

I have just devoured 3 chocolate kiwis so plan to do lots of walking with

Poppy this week when the sun shows its face again.

Lee oxo

Poppy

Happy New Year from Auckland, New Zealand

2011-12-31T19:40:00.055+13:00

Put on a sparkly dress, diamond bracelet and a pair of Jimmy Choo’s. Mix and mingle with great company and toast the New Year...
Well it doesn't hurt to dream! ☺

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Shoes, Lauren by Jimmy Choo, bracelet, De Beers luxury collection. Images via Pinterest, collage by LCArt

May all your dreams & goals come to fruition and may you have health, wealth and happiness for 2012

Lee oxo

Poppy

Hand Knits Hit Interiors

2011-12-29T18:11:00.002+13:00

Memories of knitting…..

knit one, pearl one..... kittens unravelling balls of wool....knitted hats.... earmuffs and woolly scarfs....Itchy mohair!

Did you know that knitting is coming back in vogue and now we're seeing it hit our interiors, so here's some great knitting inspiration to share with you.

Pretty knitted and crocheted throws - Image via Country Home Interiors

Image via Pinterest. I can certainly imagine snuggling beneath this throw on a winter's night. Would be lovely over a sofa too.

Soft Lambswool throw from Cox and Cox

knitted cushions and throws from John Lewis

Gorgeous chunky hand knit floor cushions from Danish company, Ferm Living who design and manufacture their own homeware products. Check out their products "here" - shipping is worldwide.

Design by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

Images from Ferm, Apartment Therapy, Blogcraftzine via Pinterest, - collage created by LCArt

I find it hard to believe that Christmas is

over in such a short time, all that preparation and Woosh! its gone.

It won't be long before New Year is here and another year ahead.

Since my mothers diagnosis I try not to look too far ahead and plan one day at a time. Blogging, however, does require one to think ahead so

I'll be continually looking for new ideas to share and inspire you

for the coming year.

Lee oxo

Poppy

Victorian Factory Apartment Conversion with A Touch Of Shabby Chic

2011-12-27T21:38:00.003+13:00

When we hear the word "apartment" we usually envisage a small cramped space with not much character unless of course you are lucky enough to own a penthouse suite in a Georgian manor. Today however, I am sharing some inspiration via an unusual attic conversion. Previously a Victorian factory situated in London the conversion has created a spacious apartment in what was originally the buildings attic, character is still in abundance and there is plenty of space including a large studio area.

For me it's important in these old conversions that they retain as much original character and charm during their modernisation. I'm pleased to see they have retained the lovely Victorian fireplace in this building, a home is not a home without a fireplace of some description, even my little cottage has a focal fire although mine has been modernised to give a lovely gas flame effect without the labour of collecting and burning logs. I especially love the wrought iron doors to the bedroom (as seen below), I have an idea of installing something like this at the front of my porch so that I can keep my front door open in the summer but still have security.

The apartment is available for photo/film shoots, if you are interested or wish to see further images of the apartment, please see the link to jj Locations at the foot of this post. If you wish to see other properties I have featured on Lee Caroline Art from jj Locations please use "jj locations" in the search box at the top right hand side of my page.

Further images can be seen "here"

I think I might have to go

on a "healthy kick" to get over the heavy

Holiday food feeling as I'm so lethargic after eating turkey, ham, truffles, cake, pudding, mince pies and cheese and biscuits!

As I read this back it makes me aware of those people throughout the world who have little or no food...

I think I will hold this thought and cut back on my eating and make it
my New Years Resolution to sponsor another child.

Lee oxo

Poppy