LIFE WITHOUT LAPTOP

alas, i am still living the laptop free life. until the insurance people decide that I'm not making up an imaginary burglary i will most probably not most much at all. but i'm still alive and exciting things are still happening. my dearest mama bear payed me a surprise visit over the weekend which was ever so lovely. and i depart for radelaide tomorrow at a ridiculous hour of the morning to work at front yard tattoo.

i would have liked to post from my small adventure, but it looks like it wasn't meant to be.
kittyxx

HOW SWEET IT IS TO BE ROBBED BY YOUTH

friday checklist
passport application - check
open new bank account - check
get robbed - CHECK!

yup while i was running errands in the city today some lowlife swine broke into out house and took our homely possessions. goodbye laptop, goodbye digital slr, they also raided our  and took my perfume from the bathroom. our poor home has been invaded and then cased by the police and patched up by the glazier. what an abysmal afternoon.

im grateful thats all that was taken but it still bums me out that everything on my laptop will be lost. i bid farwell to all my old photographs, the day i did my first tattoo, my first trip overseas, the memories will have to remain in my heart alone. ill be missing the weeks of music housed in there, especially the tiny obscure bands that will be difficult to replace. i know i should back up my laptop and that i shouldnt be so attached to a possession, but i didnt and i am. you will be dearly missed little lappy.

sigh. a lesson learned.
kittyxx

STOP AND SMELL THE LAVENDER

buying tea is always a special occasion, because for me a new tea is super dooper exciting (this might make me a little pathetic but im ok with it). discovering a new tea that you adore is like discovering a new band that you cant stop listening to.

i recently purchased this delightful lavender tea. its perfect to relax with a cup of and listen to miles davis (which is what im doing right now). its also lovely with honey or camomile flowers if im feeling particularly wound up. and the smell is amazing.

im so relaxed i could melt off my chair.

kitty xx

WHY DO THEY CALL IT HEDGEHOG SLICE?

why? i dont know. but i do know that its delicious. its also super easy and doesnt require an oven. our oven still hasnt decided were friends yet, so im avoiding using it. i whipped this up tonight. ill have to take some to work just to stop myself from eating it all!

HEDGEHOG SLICE
ingredients
225g butter
4tablespoons cocoa2/3cup butter
2/3cup white sugar
3tablespoons desiccated coconut 
1egg
250g packet of arrow root biscuits (broken into pieces)
200g dark cooking chocolate
hundreds & thousands to decorate
directions
1.melt 175g butter, cocoa and suagr in a saucepan over medium heat stirring frequently.
2.remove from heat, add coconut and biscuits.
3.press mixture into a baking paper lined tray.
4.put the tray in the fridge and allow to cool for an hour.
5.after the base has cooled melt chocolate and remaining butter in a bowl over simmering water.
6.spread mixture evenly over base and sprinkle on desired amount of hundreds and thousands.
7.return  to fridge to set for another hour.
8.slice into pieces.
9.enjoy!

see. super easy. the only hard part is waiting for it to set without nibbling at it. and doing the dishes at the end.
kittyxx

CLEAN CUP, CLEAN CUP. MOVE DOWN.

today was one of my only sunday in melbourne spent with out mick. but fortunately i had plans, i had a very important tea party to attend with beth. i had been looking forward to this tea party all week,and it didnt disappoint. It was held at the NGV in conjunction with their vienna exhibit. the gallery had constructed in impromptu kaffeehaus in the room with the amazing stain glass ceiling (that would have been reason enough for me to go).

the wait staff were tuxedo clad and extremely pleasant, the tea was hot, the sweets were delectable and they served mini bagels (completely adorable).
i am a firm believer that food is considerably more delicious in miniature form.
after tea, beth and i went for a leisurely stroll in attempt to walk off the oodles of food we consumed and enjoy to sunshine. we met up with kane berry and traipsed down south bank looking over the river and chasing the fleeting sun.

im pretty sure im going to like melbourne ever more in the summer.
kittyxx

AHEM. ATTENTION (R)ADELAIDE

to all those who dwell in radelaide.
i will be working at front yard tattoo studio from monday the 29th of august to saturday the 3rd of september.
if you would like to get tattooed please contact me via email, kittydearest@hotmail.com.
or
contact front yard
65 gawler st mt barker
08 8398 3555

kittyxx

TAKE TOMORROW, DIP IT IN A DREAM

work was unexpectedly busy today, which was great. i got to tattoo a fun bird on a blossom branch that i drew up a little while ago on a lovely girl who sat great. i took a photo on kanes camera because im a smarty pants and left mine at home. ill be sure to post a picture monday (if they dont all suck).
i got home just before mick who had to leave almost immediately for the airport. i bid my dearest a due and now have the house to myself for 4 nights. so on this saturday eve i decided to go completely crazy and watch willy wonka and the chocolate factory (the original) in my pjs with a big bowl of soup and my wheat pack.

this song will be stuck in my head for at least a week and will most probably lead to unexpected bursts of song on my behalf. sorry to the lads at work in advance.
kittyxx

GENTLEMEN PREFER REDHEADS

today i said goodbye. goodbye to my black hair. ive had black hair for almost 3years now and i finally took the plunge and had my hair stripped. apart from being a tiny bit terrified that my hair would all fall out, i was really excited to have a change. the hairdressers i went to was wonderful, the staff were so nice, each of the chairs were at a different vintage dressing table, they served me honey and lavender tea, and had lovely chilled beats. it took over 4 hours but my hair is now a deep copper orange colour. it just needs some foils to lighten and even out the colour and im set. super excited to have read hair for our trip and for the warmer months.

mick and i finished off the day with an awesome dinner at gasometer with jacinta and matt at possibly the most poorly lit table ive ever tried to eat at. it was dark and fun and full of laughs and the food was awesome.
another lovely day off.
kittyxx

THURSDAY, YOU DONT DISAPPOINT

i love the feeling when you wake up and you just know its going to be a good day. and what an all round swell day today was!
at work i got to tattoo a really fun piece on a really fun gal. i tattooed the girl with books on her head that i posted a little while back, on cheerleader bethie. it was so relaxing to just have the one piece on all day, i wish everyday was like that.

i also won the camera that id been drooling over on ebay. an old old canon a1, and in its original box! im so freaking excited to get it in the mail. its. going. to. be. awesome. and its coming all over the world with us.

and theeeeeen, to top off an already delightful day, mick took me to see green lantern in 3D. when we picked up the tickets from the counter the lady gave me a figurine of hal jordan that also came with a green lantern ring of my very own! but when i looked around at everyone else going to see the movie no one else had a figurine?!

guess that means the ring chose me.
kittyxx

USE A BIG JUG. SERIOUSLY.

mick had a boys night at the steakhouse tonight, so i had a girls night in with connie francis. being sick of the cold melbourne weather i decided to crank up the heater, pretend its summer and make some old fashioned watermelon lemonade. now we dont have a big jug or even a little jug so i had to make it in our fruit bowl but thats ok. we also dont have a sieve (which i didnt realise till after id started) so it came out "orange juice with pulp" style. anywho heres the recipe. its super simple, but use a big jug, and use a sieve.

use. a. big. jug.

OLD FASHIONED WATERMELON LEMONADE
ingredients
1/4to1/2 a seedless watermelon (you want about 3 cups of juice after its been sieved)
1/4cup fresh mint leaves
1/4cup packed brown sugar
2lemons
1cup soda water
directions
1.in a big jug combine the juice of one and half lemons the sugar and the mint leaves. mash with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar and bruise the lime leaves.
2.cut up the watermelon into chunks and use a blender to puree. (you may need to do this in batches). pour the puree through a fine sieve to remove as much pith as possible.
3.pour the juice into your jug, add the soda water and stir to combine.
4. slice up the remaining lemon and put into the jug (this looks really pretty). chill in the fridge.
5.serve over ice. 
6.enjoy!
*depending how sweet or juicy the melon is i usually mess around with how much sugar/lemon/soda water i use. add to taste.
i also managed to finish the art piece that i was working on. ill be sending this away to my friend joe soon, im almost sad to see it go. i was pretty happy with how it turned out, i hope it makes joe happy.

click for larger image

better get to work on the next one
kittyxx

I WANT TO RIDE MY BICYCLE

sometimes all i want to do is listen to belle and sebastian and day dream about pretty things. luckily i can day dream and still function, as long as i dont have to hold a conversation with anyone. so while working on my second little piece of art for the week (im on a roll, maybe ill even knock out a third!), thats exactly what i did.
the stars of my day dreaming were a camera that i am desperately hoping i will win on ebay in a matter of mere hours and a lovely new bicycle. i do already have a pretty electra bicycle but its all the way in perth, and the few untimely warm days we had the other week has left me longing to go for a bike ride. i cant wait for the summer here, i really miss the perth weather.

perth sunset
i took this photo outside my old studio

ill be sure to put up the new art piece tomorrow when its finished (im endeavouring to finish it tomorrow)
kittyxx

THE IMPORTANCE OF ETIQUETTE

today i only tattooed in the morning and into the early afternoon, so i spent the rest of the day working on a little A5 piece of art. it was flipping freezing outside and i was grateful to wait out the weather nestled in the office, four inches away from the heater. a lovely quiet afternoon spent relishing in steaming cups of peppermint tea and devouring last pop tart. let us pause for a moment of silence for the last pop tart ................................... so sad. im aiming to get another A5 piece done this week, totally do-able.

click for larger image

when i got home there was a very thoughtful surprise on my desk, a wheat heat pack and a pair of slippers from mick. i am enjoying the comforts of both right this very minute. my boyfriend is wonderful and im super toasty.

its like my feet are wearing mittens.
kittyxx

MINI ROAD TRIP

ok so not so much of a road trip as mick and i driving down to geelong to see his mama for her birthday. but much to my delight the cherry blossom trees along they way were in bloom early! the warm days melbourne had must have tricked the trees into thinking it was spring. they looked so lovely against the blue sky today that we had to stop alongside the road to take some reference photos of them.

after visiting mama squires we dropped into one of micks mates house so they could chat up and i could play with the puppy. no complaints from me. puppy charlie is completely adorable. the poor dear had bandages on his legs from some minor surgery, but they looked like rad little puppy leg warmers so it wasnt all bad for him. 

mick and i are looking at getting a puppy of our very own when we get back from holidays. this is possibly the most exciting thing ever.
kittyxx

COFFEE TABLE FOR TWO PLEASE

alas, saturdays for me are still a work day, this is disappointing i know, but to my pleasant surprise work went by like flash gordan today. the whole team tattooed all day today while the rain attempted to drown out the crackling fire and the buzzing machines. and then before i knew it mick was pulled up out the front of the studio to pick me up waiting for me to do the dastardly dash through the rain.
with minimal soaking we made a bee line for the supermarket to pick up supplies to make sushi. theres not really much to making sushi, except a whole lot of mess (they dont call it sticky rice for nothing). its all in the rice and the rolling.
TUNA & AVOCADO SUSHI
ingredients
sushi rice
rice wine vinegar
sugar
tuna (we used tinned)
ripe avocado
kewpie mayonaise
toasted nori sheets
*bamboo mat for rolling
THE RICE
(make sure you actually get sushi rice, not just regular rice)
1.bring 1 cup of rice and 1.5 cups of water to the boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20mins.
2.while the rice is simmering dissolve 1.5tablespoons of sugar in 2tablespoons of rice wine vinegar over heat and set aside.
3.in a separate bowl combine 1cup of water with 2tablespoons of rice wine vinegar. dampen a cloth in this solution and rub over a baking tray (this is where youll put your cooked rice). save the solution to dip your fingers in while rolling the sushi so rice doesnt stick to your hands (but it will anyway).
4.when the rice has cooked stir in the vinegar and sugar solution gently and spread out in the baking tray.
5.fan the rice for about 10mins to cool it quickly, this helps the rice to not be ridiculously sticky.
THE FILLING
1.thoroughly drain the tuna and empty into a bowl, combine with kewpie mayonnaise to taste (its probably more than you think) and set aside.
2.slice your avocado length ways and set aside.
THE ROLLING
1.place your nori sheet shiny side down on your bamboo mat.
2.spread a thin layer of rice evenly across the nori leaving about an inch of nori clear at the far end.
3.place your filling across the rice close to the start of the nori.
4.roll. your on your own for this bit, remember to apply even pressure as you roll and when you get to the clear area of nori dip your fingers in the rice wine vinegar and water solution and run them along the edge of the nori. this will help it all hold together.
5. slice with an extremely sharp knife
6.enjoy!

that looks easy doesnt it? but really it is, and its fun. mick and i enjoyed ours on the couch with soy sauce, miso soup and human planet documentaries.
kitty xx

A DIFFERENT KIND OF TEA PARTY

the weather today was completely abysmal, so my day off was enjoyed from the comfort of the great indoors. and although i started with lacklustre enthusiasm i really enjoyed my pilates work out while watching the rain drizzle down the window.
i also tried a recipe for what im deeming a "tea cup cake". i wasnt even particularly in the mood for cake but i just had to give it a go because it was just so darn adorable. all in all the recipe was pretty tasty but i did think it was a little dry, im thinking a handful of raspberries on top and its golden.

2 MINUTE TEACUP CAKE
(recipe care of house of humble)
ingredients
1xegg white
2xtablespoons softened butter
3xtablespoons caster sugar (i used raw)
2xtablespoons flour
3xtablespoons cocoa powder
directions
1.mix egg white, sugar and softened butter in a teacup (but use a big one)
2.fold in flour and cocoa (dont go nuts or youll get it everywhere)
3. mix until smooth
4. microwave for 2 minutes (this may be slightly less if you have a strong microwave)
5.enjoy!


not unusually i spent my day off with the company of animated characters and my laptop, but it was a lovely day to fly solo and indulge in the wilderness of a mountain of folding.
kittyxx

SAPPY MAYBE, HAPPY DEFINITELY

sometimes amidst the highs and lows of day to day life it hits me just how lucky i am to have love in my life. to love and be loved is something completely remarkable and sometimes i just cant help but look adoringly at my boyfriend and feel that everything is going to be ok.

i am ever so fortunate enough to have a truly wonderful fellow to share my adventures with. after moving to melbourne about 5 months ago we now have a charming little house together that is slowly becoming a home and are about to turn our adventures global.

"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love." 
— Dr. Seuss

when i stop and actually look at what my life consists of and what i have to look forward to, i realise that my life withh all its little stresses it pretty extraordinary and its only going to better. and there is no one id rather walk hand in hand through it all with. thanks for just being you mick.

im grateful every day for this love all of my own. (and micks of course).
kittyxx

WHAT A GORILLA OF A SUNDAY

doing something new and different always makes me feel good about myself, like ive accomplished something. and sunday i did something very different for me, my first professional photography shoot, with mark ruff in 3D! trying to explain this with out the prints in real life is very confusing, so check out marks website "time splice" to get a better idea.
the shoot proved to be very interesting with an air machine, a half naked patty and tom foolery all round. i felt i little ridiculous in front of a camera but all in all really enjoyable way to spend the day with mick byron and patty, and i cant wait to see how everyones prints turn out. mark will be displaying the days efforts as part of his show case at the melbourne tattoo & body art expo.

the setup at marks studio

after the shoot we bit farewell to patty and hit chapel street for some foraging at the bizarre and a coffee/tea break next to some not so sober melbournites caught up in a late afternoon groping session. ahhh young love. we also meandered through comics r us, giving me a great opportunity to pine over the ghost world and american splendour comics, sigh, maybe next time.

a very curious building on chapel street,
the was a gorilla on the balcony

into the evening we met up with chris for dinner at the ever amazing squires loft, where the steak was amazing at the company was hilarious. after talking work at play well after our meals were devoured we set sail for home and bid a due to chris. once home the three of us lazed on the couch, watched documentaries and had conspiracy theory chats until our weary eyes could stay awake no longer.

i love sundays
kitty xx