party cakes.

vanilla & butterscotch. confetti & rolos. balloons & banners. sounds pretty delish, no? this was the menu for the boy's birthday on tuesday. i love baking for my most deserving so it was obvious that a little spoiling was going to happen on that day. the mini butterscotch and vanilla cake was for cutting and wish making on the day, the cupcakes for his friends at work the next. baking and decorating cakes is my happy place. well, one of them anyway. i'm hoping to get a few prints of my delights up in the shop soon and also to work on a little project with my uber talented sister when she comes to stay in just over a week. yay! i'm off to london tomorrow night for a family weekend. cannot wait. first stop though, breakfast and vintage wanderings at spitalfields. i love you london! have a good one my friends. 

the nashville effect.

this might be the name i had in mind for a book for a few of my recipes and peachy photos taken over the past year. if you've followed me on instagram from the start, or near enough...you may have noticed that i've been seeing the world through a nashville filtered iphone. it's not a bad way to see the world, but it appears my photos lately are becoming a little bit cleaner and a little less nashvilley. i'm really loving the simplicity of a white background teamed with the amazing summer evening light that we get here. i started playing around with the vsco app yesterday as i was wanting to make some of my images a little dreamier (is that even possible?!) and i am pleasantly surprised by the simple charm of it. the filter i've favoured is like a subtle smoke screen taking up residence above my photo. cool huh? here's a few examples that double as showing you what i've unearthed/been distracted by/what life as a single lady looks like for the past couple of days. i'm thinking of compiling a few of my images into postcard packs. they'll be in the big cartel store soon if you're keen...along with all the projects i've been wanting to start for the past few weeks like cake flags and more sweet treat screen-prints! happy weekend all!

finally got into and documented my stroopwafel indulging. 

this guy. our love for each other has really blossomed over the past few weeks. i'm no cat lady just yet but he sure knows how to work my heart.

i dropped some of my prints off at the beautiful shop 'elle aime' here in rotterdam. a real treat. 

and walked away with some delicious wrapping paper. lots of birthdays ahead!

this place was looking especially wonderful in the sunshine.

who doesn't need apple shaped pot holders?

a couple of these beauties to pop on the studio wall.

why thank you thrifting gods. i have always loved the acapulco design but left it all in aus. the boy is also a fan so i snapped this one up , no questions asked.

prepping for a handsome fella's birthday next week (and getting completely distracted, yet again, by the beautiful mess app)

i baked a banana bread this afternoon. a different recipe this time that included LOTS of cinnamon and vanilla extract. let's face it, it's pretty much a cake.

wrapping presents. i want this as my job. it'll happen, one day.

the finished product ON the acapulco. meant to be. i love stuff like that.

amsterdelight.

hello thursday. i must be getting old because time is flying by way too fast. i'm already talking about plans to spend my 30th this year in paris for goodness sake. i know, sounds tough. muse is providing the perfect thursday afternoon soundtrack, i'm onto my third coffee and i feel a productive evening coming on. the boy flew to prague this morning for a few days so hello staying in my pajamas (no change there then), screenprinting late into the evening, watching the second season of girls in one full whack, sleeping in with a handsome feline by my side and spending an undetermined amount of time in the art shop eyeing off the glitter and extensive paper selection for proposed new projects. it's not like i can't do these things when he's here, but his impending birthday celebrations can be planned in peace and my inner independant woman can let her hair down a little. i am about to start on a new sweet treat design, a little ode to my favourite nyc based delight but thought i'd stop in to share some pics from my latest trip to amsterdam. sometimes i have to slap myself, i'm walking the streets of this beautiful city, which is just over an hour away by train. on tuesday she delighted us with her sunsoaked streets and a muse concert to end a perfect day. i am yet to truly dabble in her vintage offerings but will be heading back with my sister in tow for countless hours of trying on vintage delights and deciding which roll of wallpaper to take home with me. for any of you deliberating where to go on your next adventure...i think these photos will help make up your mind. 

hello sunshine.

the treasure at laura dols isn't cheap but oh my it's amazing.

beers in the sunshine with this guy. 

always a tourist.

my kinda street art.

medieval marvel.

 i found some tins.

loved her.

summer is here!

picture perfect.

i'm a sucker for this colour.

pretty pastels.

i bought some tins.

weekending.

monday morning is often spent drinking coffee, editing photos and licking the last little bit of hagelslag off my plate to the sounds of laura jansen. it's a bit of me time to sort and plan my print designs i want to get done for the week, a bit of blogging and some time to reflect on the weekend that was. seeing that we didn't get to bed till 4am saturday morning after a fun friday night out, the plans to start early on the assembly of three ikea wardrobes that day soon went out the window. by 1pm we had begun the fun task and it didn't take long before we had three doorless creations standing before us, had sung every beatles tune (twice) and were ready for another feed. not a bad effort for two pajama clad, drill wielding, ikea enthusiasts. sunday saw us starting with an HP sauce infused brekkie and then the completion of three marvellous wardrobes. i was power stricken with drill in hand and chris brown beats only fuelling my enthusiasm. by late afternoon the sunshine was calling us to come outside and play so we grabbed our bikes and went in search of a soft serve. we live in what i believe to be one of the most beautiful parts of the city. we are minutes from a gigantic lake lined with windmills and endless bike paths through lush forest. i often feel like i'm in a beautiful dutch dream where i am enchanted daily. a bike ride that took us past my favourite windmill/bake shop, some of the prettiest houses in town and a quick hello to the local deer and ponies made for a perfect sunday afternoon. the warmer temps call for beers on the balcony, the most delicious tuna salad and a little 'hannibal' watching. so in true summer loving form, that's exactly what we did. happy monday all! 

my local bake shop. 

sweets with my sweet.

perfect day for it.

when can i move in?

love this street artist.

rotterdam and her architecture...a perfect match.

perfect summer blooms. 

lately.

when you think of the netherlands, riding amongst the tulips whilst eating hagelslag on toast all the while dressed in orange spotting every windmill that goes by may come close and this isn’t too far off what i get up to around these parts. aside from my measly attempt to re-write my prehistoric resume, i’ve always been really good at balancing work and play. the past three months have been 100% play. i know, lucky doesn’t even come close. i thought i’d stop by to share what i’ve been up to lately. as the weather has been a little unreliable (hello european summer), there hasn’t been too much bike riding through fields of coloured wonderment but a couple of train trips, some vintage finds and an inspiring trip to ikea that have made this expat a happy little camper. but the good is often balanced with a little dose of sadness and a couple of weeks ago my family found out that our beautiful dog was very sick. residing in san francisco with my parents for the last two years (and loving every minute of it), his 10 years of life had last week, come to an abrupt end. it seems like just yesterday we picked him up as a 6 month old pup from the rspca. from the moment he stepped foot inside our home to begin his new life with us, he has enriched every minute of it.  i would like to take this opportunity to thank the many of you that shared their supportive comments on instagram when it was hard for me to find the words. there’s nothing like puppy love, and i am a better person for having shared my life with him. i have a few (20!) new designs underway for new screenprints, one inspired by the boy himself. for now though, i am consoled by the beautiful memories and the words of my favourite poet when he so beautifully says, nothing gold can stay. 

the crafty swanmarket where the pre-loved and handmade come together.

mixing colours. love. it.

the sun came out to play after a week of gloomy skies.

new projects underway.

the beautiful weather calls for a walk in the sunshine with this guy.

last saturday's colourful market finds. (soon to be new projects)

been searching for a beauty just like this so for 1 euro i was sold.

my swanmarket treasure. dutch floral canisters don't get any better than this!

best way to spend a rainy public holiday. reading and snuggling up with my boys.

i'm dating a masterchef and hooray, asparagus is in season!

an afternoon treasure spotting in utrecht.

wardrobe hunting yesterday with the guys.

no trip to ikea is complete without pineapple glasses (and napkins!)

a perfect peony present.