Have yourself a pretty party.

Something new for Ruby Square and the Devonport Craft Market both on this weekend, Saturday and Sunday.  Pretty party cupcake decorating packs in all sorts of colours. Plus lots of 'Take me here' map papercuts, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bern, Buenos Aires, Chicago, London, Venice, Brasil and a Europe one.

Hope to see some familiar faces and some new ones if you can make it.

The perfect Halloween dress.

This Saturday I'm going dressed as a dia de muertos, day of the dead, Catrina and I'm trying to decided on the perfect outfit to complement my painted face and fresh flower headband. These are my options, I went for all red dresses as they stood out to me the most, are they right?

Help!

If it's a little hard to see there is these to choose from.

Plain white peasant blouse and red tiered skirt.

Embroidered peasant blouse and red tiered skirt.

Plain red to the floor dress.

Black dress with red trim.

White dress with embroidery.

Red dress with floral applique.

What do you think?

xx

Ruby Square.

I'm getting involved in another new market this weekend. It's called Ruby Square and it's popped up in Mt Eden.

This is what the organisers say about it:

'Ruby Square Market is a fabulous market offering unique, stylish products that are of premium quality. At Ruby Square Market the products offered for sale range from items designed and made in New Zealand to quality imported items. Ruby Square Market will have a variety of stalls ranging from homeware, clothing, accessories, textiles and craft from designers, artists, retailers and crafters. Many Ruby Square Market stallholders don't have a retail store so you know you will be able to find something special at affordable prices.'

I hope I live up to expectations. If you are in the neighbourhood, be sure to come say 'Hi!'

Greyfriars Hall, 544 Mt Eden Road, Mt Eden. 9am -1pm.

Dec 3.

The launch date is finally official. 'Where the wild things are' is at the movies here on the 3rd of December. One month! We read a 'making of' book this weekend at Armageddon (where we also saw the sound affects guy from Police Academy, Michael Winslow, he was brilliant), there are some pictures of the book below. 

I cannot wait for this movie.

They're here.

In a moment of weakness a few weeks ago I splurged, and they finally arrived! Quite impossible to walk in, I will need to do some training but otherwise I'm in love. Thankfully they were a little cheaper then they were when we visited them some months back. I think our dollar must have improved against the krona and the tax came off as purchasing from overseas. 

Phew. Thanks a Kron!

Something nice.

Catrina.

Thanks to good friends I just found an artist named Sylvia Ji, who creates these incredible dia de muertos, day of the dead, Catrina women. If only I could look half as great as them this Halloween I'd be smiling that skully mouth all night.

A link to share.

This video reminded me to stay young and silly forever.

Halloween.

It's a creepy Kraftbomb this weekend. Hope you all can make it. xx

I've almost made my final decision on my costume for this year, I really love Halloween. I highly recommend this site for inspiration (it also has helpful instructions for most of the costumes), it helped me with my costume last year. If I was more skilled with a sewing machine I would love to wear these farty pants to my Halloween bash!

Moka express me.

In the depths of the Basilicata countryside, in a little town called Tramutola, Rosemary and I learnt how to make the best Bialetti coffee. We both bought a Bialetti to bring home so thought we best find out how to use the thing. I took photographic evidence so I would not forget.

I've been drinking from my Bialetti almost everyday since being home, it always tastes so good. So I thought I'd share the ways of the Bialetti with you all too.

The Basilicata countryside.

Welcome to Tramutola.

How could you not want a espresso made by this little guy!

Step one, take your Bialetti base and fill with water up to the screw.

Put the next piece over the water filled base, add delicious coffee grinds (they told us the best we might find abroad is Illy). The way he is holding it is a must, I tried a few times with it on the bench and what a mess I made, I couldn't remember how they were so neat! (Thank god for my ridiculous amount of photos)

Make a wee coffee pyramid.

Screw the lid on as tight as possible.

And away we go!

Here comes the coffee!

Listen for the sound. A sound that I'm struggling to find letters to represent. You can hear it here.  Turn off the element and wait for the all the coffee to stop coming out the pipe into the top.

Pour.

Over the sugar. Sugar in first.

Stir in the sugar.

Drink, in three sips, while hot, hot, hot.

Ahh.

And a great Christmas present for Bialetti lovers like me, perhaps I'll just treat myself. You can buy this cutie here.

I want a beard.

Another quick note about the Mieke Willems store. I really wanted one of these wonderful beards but then reminded myself how low my funds were getting by this stage. Oh sweet unnecesscary beard. I still like you.

Found on Mieke Willems flickr.

And I found the hot air balloon that is now hanging in my room here too. The one in the top left hand corner.

Mieke Willems.

We visited the most delightful store in Antwerpen, Belgium (an amazing art and design filled city), along our way and over the weekend I finally got round to looking up their blog. It's here if you'd like look too and if your ever in Antwerpen, Mieke Willems is a must see, you won't be disappointed I can assure you! I bought a great notebook and paper hot air balloon there.

Some photos I took outside the store. So cute right?

I found these incredible pictures, by, I believe to be, Russian photographer, through their blog. Hope you enjoy them too. x

Phew. See the rest here.