Arvo Baking!

I decided to bake some cookies this afternoon, just for something different (and believe it or not I haven't baked anything sweet since I've lived here in the Riverina!!)

Today I made "One cup cookies", the recipe is by a talented blogger and mother of five kids called Retromummy. She has some great recipes on her blog and this one sung out to me because I pretty much had all of the ingredients needed in my pantry (bonus!)

The recipe called for chic-chips and nuts but like Retromummy suggests in the ends notes of the recipe, you can add raisins as an alternative and I am so glad that I did! They are soooo delish in the cookies!!

Now one thing to remember when baking is to not forget the baking paper like me! I had to grease up the pan pretty well with marg, but it still worked.

These cookies only need about 15 - 20 mins in the oven. I made mine a little big, next time I would probably roll a few smaller balls because they do expand quite a bit in the oven.

Of course this isn't a super healthy treat but I figure it is a slightly healthier alternative than a block of chocolate! Plus, they are super yummy!

Thank you Retromummy for an awesome, quick recipe! Yummy

I want to learn how to sew!

A year or so ago I took a really basic class in sewing purses and a shirt (you might remember my posts back here and here) and since then I haven't had the time or the chance to continue to learn how to sew. I think it is such a great skill to have and its one that I really want to get back into!

I don't know much about sewing, (or anything in my mind) but I know that I see so many gorgeous things on blogs and Pinterest and Oooh and Ahhh wishing that I could even sew a pin cushion together!

I don't have a sewing machine, or threads or even a packet of pins! I am the utmost beginner in this sense and need to find a class ASAP so I can start a new challenge!

Here are some cute things that I "pinned" while rampaging through Pinterest in the hope that one day I might get to learn how to make something from my wish list!!!!

Cute Floor Pillows

Cotton & Curls Easy Pencil Skirt Tutorial

Source

Cotton & Curls Peplum top tutorial

I found the cutest website by Cotton & Curls! How cute is that peplum top and that adorable cheetah pencil skirt?! OMG! I can't believe that she has made them herself! I am so inspired!! 

Do you know how to sew? Where did you learn?? 

The clunk clunk heels

Another great thing about the races over the weekend was sussing out all of the "spring fashion" trends. People-watching is like a sport isn't it? I enjoyed seeing all the new trends, some good, some... not so good!

One trend that I noticed that I was not loving (besides the hideous amount of really bad spray/ fake tans out in force) was what I call the "clunk clunk heels". I call them clunk clunk heels because they look oh-so heavy and clunky!

They're really on trend at the moment and I'm sure that teamed with the right outfit they look super hot but for some reason so many girls got this trend oh-so-wrong!

Some celebrities can pull off the "chunky" heels with the right outfits!

There were masses of gorgeous, dainty, spring-time dresses being teamed with heavy, horrid clunk clunk heels that totally took away from the pretty dresses and weighed the whole look down.

It was amazing how common they were!

I know that we can all agree that a wedge heel is a lot easier to walk in the the average skinny heel but sometimes it pays to go for a skinny heel to not detract from your pretty, dainty dress. Do you agree?

Here are some examples of what I call "clunk clunk heels" (also more commonly known as platforms or wedges lol)

Tony Bianco 'Saltair' 

Betts 'Poptart' 

I sound like a huge critic but I think we should all take a leaf from Hawko's racing looks and keep it simple and elegant when it comes to heels at the races!

Source 

Oc-Sober!

Hey Bloggy friends! Just a quick-y today about the cause I am supporting next month called "Ocssober".

Yes that means no alcohol for 31 days! I am soooo keen to do this, everyone needs a break from alcohol every now and then and its the perfect time (just before the weather gets really hot) to do a mini detox and raise funds and awareness about an awesome cause!

I'm sure you have all heard of "Healthy Harold" (or he was also known as Happy Harold when I was a kid!). He is the little giraffe mascot of the Life Education foundation that teaches children about a healthy lifestyle and gives them info on drugs and alcohol. I used to love when Healthy Harold would come to our school and we would learn heaps of cool stuff about food and health.

Here is a little statement from Ocsober explaining what it is all about:

"Ocsober supports Life Education and their iconic mascot Healthy Harold who, for 30 years, have been empowering Aussie Kids to make smart, healthy life choices free from the harms associated with drug misuse."

"As Australia’s largest non government provider of drug and health education to children, Life Education alongside Healthy Harold works in partnership with more than 3,500 schools and reaches 600,000 children each year with important messages to help keep them safe."

I have my own fundraising page which I am hoping to get some support on and raise some funds (big or small, it doesn't matter - everything counts!)

Here is the link to my fund-raising page:

http://fundraise.ocsober.com.au/ellie_russell

I would love ANY support at all! So if you are feeling generous please pop over and donate!

Thank you friends!!!!! :)

... And they're off!! Races Wrap Up

I love a good day at the races. I love horses and I love an excuse to get all fancied up during the day.

Spring racing is even better and the weather here in Wagga for the annual Ag Races day was divine. The weather couldn't have been better! Warm, sunny, little to no wind and not a cloud in the sky!

It was the first day I felt like it was actually Spring time down here in the Riverina!

Besides all of the gabbing about the weather, the races themselves were awesome! It was a massive day for the uni Ag organisers and people were out in force! I loved it! I had some friends visiting for the event (including the BF) and we partied through the day and long into the night (with a quick stop to change into some more comfortable flat shoes after all day in heels, ouch my toes!!)

I love the races!