#othursday (Other Thursday)

I love others who are totally bringing the beautiful.

My #othursday goes out to Sunshine In A Teacup.

This is a gorgeous new friend I have made on instagram and let me tell you - she is pure sunlight.

She brings warm sunny rays of light, love, cheer and beautiful encouragement. Her photo's leave you smiling and feeling like you are sitting in the sun. You smile, you feel brighter, you feel touched by a sun beam full of beautiful rainbows.

People like Sunshine In A Teacup inspire me because they make a big difference in the world just by being them and they don't even realize how much positive love and cheer they spread. I aspire to be a person who brings the sunshine just like Sunshine In A Teacup.

Follow Sunshine In A Teacup here

Too my gorgeous instagram friend you are the beautiful.

Sneak Peak at this gorgeous girl's sunlight:

All photo's (C) 2013 Sunshine In A Teacup

Don't you just feel like you have been in the sunshine.

As Promised Those Cupcakes

I love cupcakes.

In our house the pinker the cupcake the better and my two daughters fight over who will lick the beaters while sneaking fingers into the mixture for that yummy batter swipe to taste.

Cupcakes are a fave to bake in our house and I am proud to share with you today my mum's original cupcake recipe that I as a little girl enjoy helping her make and sneaking my own mixture swipes.
Nothing is nicer then cooking and sharing handed down recipes that your mother or grandmother or even great grandma baked = perfect.

I swoon over cupcakes and I don't know who can resist these yummy treats in sweet patty cases.

With giggles, chats about all things butterflies and flowers, the girls and I cooked and iced these cute little cakes of happiness. They are simple but yummy and not a crumb was left.
I hope you enjoy them with your precious children, lover or friends.

CUPCAKES: - Note: Have all ingredients at room temperature.

100g butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup of milk with a big squirt of lemon juice - trust me this is key to light fluffy cake when it hits the bi-carb.
1, 1/4 cup self raising flour
1 tsp bi-carb
A good splash of vanilla.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer for around 2 minutes.
Allow mixture to stand for 1 minute so the bi-carb and lemon can do it's loving thing!
Spoon mixture in your choice of divine patty cases.
Cook in a Moderate oven (180 degrees C or 160 degrees C for Fan Forced) for around 10 - 15 minutes depending on amount in cases and size - best to keep an eye on them.
Allow to cool and then ice as you desire and decorate.

EAT, FEEL THE LOVE and SMILE.

Cupcakes are beautiful.

Floral Dress and a Winner.

(See below for the Target Gift Card comp winner)

I love a floral dress.

Pretty and feminine capturing the feeling of being beautiful like no other piece of clothing can.

Today I had a thousand things to do. You know a run around doing errands type of day - see to that, picking up this, going here for this.

I was tired from less then 5 hrs sleep and felt drabby as I stood in front of the wardrobe. My hand automatically reached out for the jeans area for my comfy run around pair and towards a anything goes t-shirt but then for some reason I spied the dresses, in particular the one with the bright floral flowers.
Why not I thought.
In 10 I was dressed and with a swipe of lipstick I was out the door and into my day, my dress fluttering in the slight breeze around my knees.

As I went I found myself feeling floral dress emotions.
I felt some how free.
I felt bright just like the material flowers adorning me.
I felt pretty.
I felt light hearted.
I felt oh so very feminine.
I felt so lady like in a funky cool way.

Yes I would make a law that on run around days and drabby feeling days you must wear a pretty floral dress because I know it will make you feel very beautiful and so feminine gorgeous.

Every women's wardrobe must have a dress of flowers. It's a must, YOU MUST.

So leave the jeans - you know what to wear.

Floral dresses are beautiful and you get to be pretty.

This is floral dress swoon.

AND NOW FOR THE 

TARGET GIFT CARD GIVE AWAY 

WINNER:

Be reassured I made her stir and jumble the bowl so it was very fair as she is stirring and jumbling here.

Congratulations Malea!!!!

You are the winner of my just because $50 Target Gift Card Competition.

Please contact me with you mail address at dotdot@westnet.com.au so I can pop this little bit 

of shopping fun in the post for you. 

Enjoy every minute of your shop Malea and make sure you stop and have a coffee 

and a little something sweet to eat as you go. xxx

A big thank you to all who entered and don't despare

we have other give away's 

coming up on all that is beautiful.

I love you all

xxx

Straw Swooning.

I love straws.

So do my girls.

Sipping, slurping, sucking up that goodness you are drinking and it is so much fun. Who can resist.

Colourful, plain, dotty, big, little, loopy, straight, stretchy - there is no time when a straw is not something delightful to drink out of.

I love dressing up a drink or adding some playful fun with a straw. It's for adults or children, for anyone and I've never met a person yet who does not smile when they receive a cheerful straw.
My girls just love to drink their cup of tea out of a straw (I don't know why "tea") and they run eagerly to the straw draw to pick their so desired colour. It is so simple yet brings so much enjoyment. It also helps if they  refuse to drink their water as I just pop in a straw and the ta da the water is gone.

Use straws:

1. To drink :) - Cute party fun, or adult cocktail sips, big old traditional milkshakes, water magic slurping up when you need your kids to hydrate, and more...
2. To decorate cupcakes with ie. flag poles, sign holders and more.
3. Art and Craft fun - from painting to gluing, shapes, pictures and creating creatures strange and wonderful.
4. Place a bunch in a cute glass jar and set in your kitchen to add some joyful, decorative colour.

Who invented them I do not know but thank you as straws = perfect cheer.
Do you love straws?

Straw swoon from pintrest with me:

From: shopsweetlulu.com

From: exclusivewedding.com

From: catchmyparty

From: fiestafacil

From: Pintrest

From: Pintrest

From: Instructables

From: Pintrest

From: Pintrest

From: bridesurvival.com.au

From: bramblewoodfashion

From: spoonsisters.com

#othursday (Other Thursday)

Showing off the beauty that others are being and bringing:

I love others!

My #othursday goes out to Kelly from Be a Fun Mum.

I could rave on about Kelly all day. She is amazing, very beautiful and absolutely inspiring.
She has the biggest heart that I know.

Her blog: Be a Fun Mum - it is incredible. It is a place that I visit often for encouragement, inspiration, fun play things to do and family ideas when it comes to raising my own two girls.
I also just love her encouragement and inspirational pieces she writes. They are honest, real and radiate love. They leave me feeling better about me in those daily challenges we can face. 
Oh and please let me tell you her ideas, crafts and fun for the kids - boys and girls - are so easy to do (very important for someone like me). They guarantee smiles, and there is so many wonderful ideas.

Kelly is zany, full of fun, gorgeous and brings so much joy to all her visit her.  Her motto is to Love the Moment and that is exactly what she does. Some people make you feel richer in life and bring a smile because your heart has been warmed by them - this is Kelly.

So please go and visit Kelly today. Her site is full of wonderful ideas to keep the kids entertained, spend quality time with your loved ones as well as amazing heart felt pieces to encourage you and make you feel beautiful just as you are.

Kelly is beautiful.

Find Kelly here over at Be a Fun Mum
You can follow her on Instagram her username is: beafunmum
Like her on Facebook  - click here.

Swoon with me over a tiny peek at Kelly and her ideas which you will find on her blog:

Copyright Kelly - Be A Fun Mum

Copyright Kelly - Be A Fun Mum

Copyright Kelly - Be A Fun Mum Click here for this activity.

Copyright Kelly - Be A Fun Mum Click here for this activity.

Copyright Kelly - Be A Fun Mum Click here for this activity.

 Copyright Kelly - Be A Fun Mum Click here for this activity.

Visit Kelly today.