just add jam and cream

I know what you're thinking...

Something like 
"Andie, where have you been? It's been so long since we heard from you"

Or 
"I've missed your oh-so-inspirational words of wisdom... why haven't you been writing more regularly"

Or perhaps more likely 
"What is the recipe for the scones you made on the weekend and posted on Instagram?"

Since I'm the girl who adds easy things like 'Write to do list' on my To Do list just so I can tick it off, it will come as no surprise that I'm going to tackle that last question first. 

Not just because it's the easy one.. But also because these scones were delicious and I am a caring/sharing kind of girl.

W I N T E R   I S   P E R F E C T   S C O N E   S E A S O N



Scones were my Nan's speciality;

And being the anniversary of her death last week, I was feeling nostalgic.(I can still hear her voice in my head when I work the mix by hand - "GENTLE!")
But I have misplaced the handwritten recipe she gave me many years ago.

Every recipe I found on Google 
(from taste.com.au, Donna Hay and all the other usual suspects) 
required butter, but I knew butter wasn't an ingredient in Nan's scones.
Then I looked up the good ol' Country Women's Association recipe.

VOILÀ!

Four ingredients and so damn simple!

3 cups of self-raising flour
1/2 cup of cream
between 1 and 1 1/2 cups of milk (add a cup first and see how your dough forms)
a pinch of salt

In a large mixing bowl, cut the cream and milk into the flour and work (GENTLY!) into a dough;
Place onto a floured surface and cut out scone rounds;
Brush the tops with milk;
Bake for 10-12 minutes in a hot oven (220-230C).
Serve warm with jam and cream.

xx

June Challenge : Update #1

Isn't it ironic how certain blogs, people, advice come into our lives at just the right time??

Today I'm sharing an excerpt from a blog I came across this morning (after launching my No Purchases June Challenge). 

"Spend your money on what brings you joy and be frugal with everything else that doesn’t."

I love it when someone writes down exactly what I needed to hear (and action)!

I combed through what I am spending my money on and put them into categories:

BRINGS ME JOY 
(food, hello!)

SUPER IMPORTANT MUST HAVES
(home and contents insurance) and

NEITHER.

Everything in neither was then either eliminated completely or pared back to its most basic (frugal) form.

Read the full blog post here

Makes 100% sense to me.

When I decided to commit to the No Purchases in June challenge, I set my own rules.
Well.. just one rule really. No buying unless it's food.

This is about being conscious of my spending habits.

I am a serial shopper..

Feeling sad? Retail therapy!
Feeling happy? Buy new things!
Bored? Go shopping.
Celebrating? Mark the occasion with something new!

No Purchases June is about realising that I don't need stuff.
I shouldn't rely on things to make justify my feelings.

It's about LIVING.
So experiences are perfectly OK.

They are in that first category - IT BRINGS ME JOY.

And who doesn't want a little more joy in their lives!?

xx



image here

June Challenge

It's the FIRST of JUNE tomorrow.

I just want to give you a moment to let that sink in

.

.

.

. 

Because if you're anything like me, you're probably still wondering what happened to April; let alone May.

But this post isn't about time - whether fast or slow. 

It's about me setting a challenge for myself. And the beginning of a new month and the start of a new season seems an apt time to give it a shot.

Let me start with saying - I don't think this will be easy by any means. But I am going to see how it goes.

If it works - Good for me!

If it doesn't quite happen - well, that's OK too.

The Challenge??

No new purchases for a month.

I know it's not a new idea. Infact, there's a website dedicated to the concept.

http://www.buynothingnew.com.au/home/

But it's new for me.

I once came across a blogger who did this for a YEAR.

To her I say - Congratulations!

But to you, I say - For me that would be absolutely IMPOSSIBLE.

So the time frame is a month.

The first rule of Fight Club is : You do not talk about Fight Club

Not only is this true.. But it's amusing to me too since I work in advertising...!!!

But the light bulb moment for me was looking in my beautiful bowl from Brown Button Trading and noticing that it had somehow become a place for my receipts to live.

And my, were there a lot of receipts in that bowl!

Keeping your receipts : Good idea or fodder for that post-shopping spree guilt?!

So at the end of June this bowl should be empty and my bank account should look happier.

Oh, and just incase you're wondering - Food is not included in my challenge. 

(Hey - it's my challenge, so I get to make the rules!)

By purchases I purely mean "stuff I could live without" and food just doesn't make that list.

I suppose it's lucky that I bought a new winter blanket last week huh?!

Wish me luck or play along at home!

xx

I'm a Little Tea Pot...

What gets me through the afternoon on a day that's dragged on for weeks?

A cup of Tea.

What warms me up on a cold, grey day?

A cup of Tea

What do I look forward to climbing into bed with every night?

A cup of Tea.

Oh, the list goes on.

As far as I am concerned, a cup of tea is the answer to many questions. It gives me comfort.

Yesterday, I popped to the Tea Bar in the Central Markets and picked up some Quince Sencha Tea.

"Quince flavoured tea?" I hear you ask.

I was dubious at first too. But I encourage you to give it a go.

I could  ramble about Tea all day long.

But you know what else goes with Tea (apart from biscuits; chocolate; and scones) - 

Beautiful vessels from which to drink such delicious liquid.

This set from Cristina Re caught me eye on Pinterest recently.

Cristina Re Tea Set

Cristina has a whole page dedicated to High Tea on her website.

I am in heaven.

And I'm also coveting this little collection of  pastel cake stands. 

Pastel Cake Stands

And the shelves ? Just gorgeous!

xx

Dreaming of Steaming Hot Chocolate

Can't believe it's nearly the end of March.

Long summer days are almost distant memories, and soon we will change our clocks (forward or back, I can never remember.. and let's be honest, I've now come to rely on my trusty smartphone to get it right!)

So now I'm dreaming of all things winter - warm socks, furry ugg boots, too-full bubble baths, and heavy blankets.

This winter I have promised myself that I will make it to the snow atleast once! 

If only for a weekend - 

Enough time to remind myself that I can still ski (it's like riding a bike, right?!); 

to feel the frosty cold turning my cheeks pink on the way up the mountain on the chairlift;

to layer myself up in oh-so-stylish ski clothes, scarfs, mittens and beanies;

and don't forget the best part - trudging awkwardly in my ski boots into the toasty warm cafes to drink delicious hot chocolates with a marshmallow floating on top.

I can't wait!

See my Winter Wonderland inspiration here

xx