EATING UP THE SUNSHINE

This weekend Mick and I spent a lot of time doing things around our little house in the eternal pursuit of creating a home. Amongst our errands in the sunshine we stumbled across the quaintest cafe called the bell jar (I think its on smith street). The decor was simple and rustic, with a lot of wood and metal, the staff were friendly and the food was scrumptious. The name alone is delightful, we shall definitely be returning.

the amazing infrequent sunny melbourne days

ill have the ricotta hot cakes with rhubarb please

Mick also put together our new BBQ (with Winstons help) and we had our very first BBQ! Its was possibly one of the sweetest moments in our house. I can't wait to spend more time in the yard as the weather warms up.

I freaking love corn on the cob

vege sausages for me. not because I'm vegetarian.
just because they're yummy.

he's growing up so fast

Heres hoping the week ahead will be just as sweet.
Kitty xx

SPLISH SPLASHING AROUND

I still haven't quite got my routine reestablished since the arrival of puppy Winston and Im struggling to find time to blog with such a wonderful distraction around the house. So this week in anticipation of not blogging I took oodles of pictures around the tattoo studio to put together a picture book entry.

Splash of Color Tattooing, a week in pictures

click me to enlarge 

From left to right, top to bottom. My home made pomegranate iced tea & Kane Berrys homemade pineapple upside down cake. Work pool table. Rose sketches for Chris' birthday tattoos. My homemade sangria for after hours drinks. And again. Kane Berry, my work co pilot. Walking home in the rain at lunch to see Winston. Bethie Wolf. One of the aquariums at work. Bethiw Wolf again, you should check her blog out. Op shop finds before work one morning. Chris' birthday at the shop. Chandelier. Messy ink pots.
&

click me to enlarge. seriously. this is tiny.

My favourite tattoo of the week.

Other stuff happened too, but it wasn't as fun to photograph.
Kitty xx

EVERY SECOND MONDAY

For what seems like forever now Mick has been getting his back tattooed almost ever fortnight on a Monday, and today marked one of those Mondays. As much as I love company I have always cherished time to myself, but by myself now includes puppy winston. So this morning whilst Mick was away puppy and I set up office in the back yard and made use of the sporadic sunshine that Melbourne has to offer.

we both worked really hard today.

tiny birds nest i admired for a greater portion of the morning.

 I enjoyed endless cups of tea and left over fruit salad in the dappled sunlight whilst reading, and playing tug-o-war.

it might be sunny but its still chilly.

I have found that my body is in summer mode even amidst the irregular weather, so into the afternoon I decided to make an batch of pomegranate iced tea.

POMEGRANATE ICED TEA
ingredients
8cups of strongly brewed english breakfast tea
2cups pomegranate juice
3limes sliced
1/2cup sugar
method
1.while tea is still hot add and dissolve sugar
2.allow tea to cool slightly & stir in pomegranate juice 
3.add lime slices
4.refrigerate until cold & serve over ice 
5.enjoy!


Im hoping to enjoy this iced tea in tomorrows supposedly 28degree day. fingers crossed.
Kittyxx

THE GREAT INDOORS

Earlier this week Mick and I got our first outdoor setting, and I couldn't be more excited. I think perhaps I'm turning into a grown up when furniture makes me jump up and down with excitement. I've been hanging to get this setting since we got puppy Winston so we could all hang out together in the back yard in the sunshine under the apple tree.
So to mark the celebration of puppy Winston (and our new outdoor setting) Mick and I had our friends Matt and Jacinta over for a late Sunday lunch in the sunshine. We went to the grocery store super late saturday night for supplies and got up super early Sunday morning to give puppy Winston his first bath so he could be looking his best for his guests. The rest of Sunday morning was spent making sangria, salads, delicious nibbles and looking anxiously at the sky. The sky that was blue yesterday but today was a ominous shade of grey threatening to rain on our parade.

puppys first bath. he smelt like oatmeal.

mid sangria making. ill post the recipe soon.

fruit salad with giant blueberries.

Unfortunately it did rain, a lot, but we moved a bench seat inside and had a makeshift indoor picnic instead whilst the star of the party slept under our feet.

indoor picnic spread.

plum tuckered out.

Sundays are still my favourite day of the week, even if its not in the sunshine.
Kittyxx

MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY.

Sometimes mick and i sleep in, sometimes we just can't be bothered making a "proper" breakfast. So lately our blender has taken up permanent residence on the kitchen bench and we've been making smoothies for breakfast instead. 

This is my favourite breakfast smoothie, and I find it keeps me full throughout the morning. All the measurements are approximate as I do them by sight but once you've made it once you can change them to suit you. I freeze all our fruit and yogurt to make the smoothie thicker, but you don't have to.

BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE serves 2

ingredients

350ml soy milk

1.5 frozen ripe bananas 

3/4 cup frozen blueberries

1 cup frozen vanilla yogurt 

1 cup of dry muesli

1 tsp of honey

method

put the soy in first and then add and blend the other ingredients in batches so the blender doesn't jam.

you can add extra soy milk if the blender struggles too much.

i take my time blending because i like my smoothies super thick. 

his&hers

just make sure you put water in the glasses if your not washing up straight away or you'll be scrubbing them for days.

kitty xx

WELCOME TO THE PARTY

I would like to take a few moments out of everyones day (everyone who is kind enough to read my tales) to introduce you to the newest member of our family...

Winston.

winston at 6 weeks.

the first day we laid eyes on the little tyke.

Winston is a now 7week old pure bred British Bulldog, and the cutest darn thing you ever did see. We will be bringing home this little chap this weekend and I absolutely cannot wait. Mick and I have been visiting him at the breeders home for the past 2 weeks while he is too young to leave and have already fallen in love with the little mung bean. 

possibly one of the happiest moments ever.
winston is the one playing with the leaf.

my two main men.

bless his stumpy little legs.

gahhhh. 

He's costing a packet and we may have gotten carried away at the pet shop buying too many puppy toys but I couldn't be more sure that he is going to worth every penny and just the sweetest puppy.

I'm counting down every minute 'till he get's here. Prepare to be bombarded with puppy pictures.

Kittyxx

LAST STOP

TRAVEL CATCH UPS

On the day that my birth is celebrated we journeyed very wearily from Vegas to our San Francisco, our final destination. We spent our last days perusing the streets in our hire car, enjoying delicious treats along the way and getting in some last minute shopping. We saw the Golden Gate bridge, well most of it, thanks fog, we went to Pier 39, taxidermy shops, vintage shops, golden gate park and the oldest Japanese tea garden in America.

pumpkins for days

of all sizes 

golden gate bridge. disappearing into the skye

so so many pigeons

japanese tea garden #1

#2

#3

#4. thank you self timer

seriously hilly roads. every car ride is like a roller coaster

sea lions at pier 39

I think I could feel at home in San Francisco.
Kitty xx

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS...

TRAVEL CATCH UPS

stays in vegas

Kitty xx

WHEN IT SIZZLES

TRAVEL CATCH UPS

Another  fleeting trip around Europe took us to Paris. I love Paris. The weather was bitterly cold, it rained and it poured and I loved every minute. The buildings were amazing, there was so much art and culture and everything has a story.
Our trip wasn't nearly long enough and I can't wait to go back. You would need a whole week to see half of the Louvre alone. I could get completely carried away in Paris, daydreaming my time away eating amazing pastries and soaking up that something special about Paris that I can't quite put my finger on.

the colours of the leaves were so pretty

another tour bus. i love them. i don't care if they're lame

some lovely building

catacombs

catacombs

catacombs

le eiffel tower

notre dame

louvre

pont des arts

just like school kids

Until we meet again Paris.
Kitty xx

JUST A HOP SKIP AND A JUMP

TRAVEL CATCH UPS

Its so amazing that in Europe you can travel for 20 minutes and be a different country. Mick and I enjoyed this whilst in Copenhagen and decided to take a day trip to Sweden, a short and sweet ferry trip across the river and we were there.

sweden here we come

yep. thank you. thats really helpful

i adore florists

i also adore window boxes

and pumpkins!

slightly rusty bicycle

the skies were clear, but it was freeeeeezing 

and the bicycles continue

We spent the whole day meandering through the cobbled streets, taking in the sights and trying to find a menu that we could decipher.
Kitty xx