It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. . .

Although it's still more then a month away, can't help but feel a little more sparkly when I think about Christmas & candy canes, fairy lights & glitter, wreaths & baubles & party's & new dresses! It really is the most wonderful time of the year. . .

 

*Image 1, Image 2, Image 3 & 4, Image 5, Image 6, Image 7-- Amour-Love on Instagram

Perfectly coiffed & a pop of Spring time colour. . .

". . . look to spring for renewed energy, optimism and 

the promise of a brighter day.” 

Leatrice Eiseman

Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute

Spring time calls for bright colours, red lips, beautiful bows & ladylike coifs-- lately have wanted to be more adventurous with make up. . .  Not sure that blue eyebrows or exaggerated cats eyes will be my first adventure, but may work up to them. . . 

I hope the spring time is making you as happy as it is me, 

Joey xx

   

* Images from here edited by Amour-Love

The sea breeze is in the air. . .

The days are longer, the sun is warmer, the sea breeze is in the air. . . Heading into my most very favourite time of the year-- Spring is quite lovely with afternoon tea's & new flowers & pulling sparkly sandals out of storage... But nothing can compare to the fresh, salty, straw-hat-wearing, ice-cream-eating, bikini-donning season that is summer. . .  

 

Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And Summer's lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And oft' is his gold complexion dimm'd;

And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd:

But thy eternal Summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; N

or shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou growest: 

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. 

                                                                                          Sonnet 18, William Shakespeare

 

 

* Image credits: this is glamorous // home stories a to z  // pretty stuff  // cupcakes and cashmere  // whats not to love  // corset  // a creative mint // tiny white daisies // fashionising 

Faire Cuire: Spring Time

 

Spring is in the air & want nothing but to spend all day outside. . . 

& to take on your picnic, these delicious strawberry morsels-- perfectly dainty & deliciously fresh!

.:   S   t   r   a   w   b   e   r   r   y       c   u   p   c   a   k   e   s   :.

Makes 12

.: 75 grams butter, softened

.: 230 g sugar

.: 1 large egg

.: 1/2 tsp vanilla powder

.: 150 g flour

.: 1 tsp baking powder

.: 85 ml milk

.: 120 g fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and chopped


* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C. Line one standard 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside.
* Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
* In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 

* Beat in the egg and then beat in vanilla. 

* With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition. 

* Fold in strawberries.
* Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups so that each is about two-thirds full. 

* Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. 

* Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on wire racks

.:   S   t   r   a   w   b   e   r   r   y       b   u   t   t   e   r   c   r   e   a   m   :.

.: 5 large egg whites

.: 210 g butter, softened

.: 190 g sugar

.:100 g coarsely chopped fresh strawberries
 

* Pour egg whites and sugar in a clean and heat proof bowl. 

* Put the bowl in a double boiler, the water should be simmering. 

* Whisk the sugar end eggs constantly so they don't curdle. The mixture should be about 65 degrees celsius, about 140-150 degrees F. If you don't have a thermometer, just rub some mixture between your fingers. If the sugar is melted, it is done. 

* Remove from heat, whip until white, fluffy and cool. This step can take up to 10 minutes. 

* Start adding the butter, very slowly. 

{ Don't worry if the mixture looks curdled and soupy, it's easy to fix! If the buttercream is too cold, just put the bowl in a double boiler again for a few seconds and whip again. If it's too hot, just put it in the fridge for a few minutes and whip. }

* Add strawberries to the buttercream and whip until smooth.

*Recipe & pictures from Call Me Cupcake -- images edited by Amour-Love

Faire Un Voyage: Taj Lake Palace

 Have been completely smitten since first discovering the majestic Taj Lake Palace here some time ago-- the beauty & other worldliness of this 250 year old palace is breathtaking & feel I could sit & dream, simply, all day about this palace that seemingly floats on the waters of Lake Pichola.  .  .  

Built in 1746, the Taj Lake Palace [formerly the Jag Niwas Palace] was built for the young Maharana Jagat Singh II. . . Legend has it that the young prince would entertain the ladies of the Zenana with moonlight picnics by the lake in the palace of Jag Mandir-- that was, until his father found out. . . The solution it seemed, for this young romantic, was to build his own palace on a different island of Lake Pichola. . .  & so the Taj Lake Palace came to be. . .

This palace, which began as a rebellious gesture has now become one of the most romantic hotels in the world & has recently been transformed to its former glory-- tapestry's & silks & marble adorn the decadent palace which can only be reached by boat & as can be seen in the pictures,  "the palace is every bit as luxurious inside as it is dramatically stunning on the outside". . .

* Photo's from here, for more information or to book, here

Wish List: All that sparkles. . .

After seeing these delectable shoes here via here have longed for a little more sparkle. . . 

With that in mind have pulled out some of my own-- these to brighten up my (& your) Monday. . .

* Photo 1 from here, originally photographed & edited by Camille at the wild fleur 

   Photo 2 & 3 by Amour-Love at instagram

Thoughts of Winter. . .

"The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination." 

                                                                                                                --Terri Guillemets

Have always favored summer of all the seasons & am blissfully happy that the sun is staying out longer & the days are getting warmer. . .  But lately have been dreaming of fur & cashmere & crackling fires & remembering winter. . .    

Picture via here  edited by Amour-Love