Afternoon Tea

Hi all, happy Monday! Today I AM happy even though it's Monday again - I have had my third cold since January, and after spending the weekend feeling crappy and ill, today I am back in work but feeling much better! So that's worth a smile!

It gets me down that I constantly seem to be ill, so I am going to go to the doctor next time I'm in Wales (it's free there - here in NZ it costs a LOT) and get checked out.

Yesterday the bf and I hosted an 'afternoon tea' for our landlords and our new neighbours. As I had a cold, the bf did all of the cooking and culinary preparation - I just made things look pretty and tidied up before and afterwards (something I had to remind him about when he laughed at my suggestion that I'd helped! How rude!!) :)

The bf made mini spinach quiches

And these 'triple decker' (his words!) finger sandwiches. I added the skewers - they were actually very useful!

My contributions were shop bought Red Velvet cupcakes. No one ate them and opted for the bf's handmade lemon cupcakes instead!! LOL.

 

I used the fancy dessert forks my mum bought me for Christmas..."you're the only person I know who would use dessert forks" she said. True that! :)

I also used my fun napkins. Does anyone else hate using fancy napkins as they don't want to waste them!? Well I do. But I used them anyway.

And I was very happy to bring out part of my teacup collection for the occasion - these were all bought here in NZ, mainly from one particular antique shop which I LOVE.

This one isn't actually antique, but it looks the part anyway :)

This is the first teacup I bought in NZ - and I think it's Japanese.

The bf bought me this one for Christmas two years ago. I smashed the plate on the return trip from Christchurch (where we'd spent Christmas) but found a matching one at my trusty antique shop!

I think I bought this one because I was having an afternoon tea party a year or so ago, and needed extra cups.

Same with this one.

This is one of my favourites as it's unusual. Even though it's cracked slightly and the plate doesn't match the saucer.

And this one was gifted to me yesterday by my landlord! SO thoughtful! And I absolutely love it :)

 

Do you ever use a teacup and saucer?
Lady Gaga style!?

Chocolate massage + Cakes = Easter

Hi all, thanks for your kind words about my breathing difficulties....this week Monday was still pretty bad, but since then it's been getting a LOT better. So far, today is the first day that *touch wood* I haven't been breathing funny! So hopefully I'm on the mend!

In my attempt to 'relax' (in case my breathing WAS caused by stress) I last night had the MOST AMAZING body treatment - it was an Easter special at Bodyscape spa in town and involved a full body scrub with organic cocoa, moisturising, a massage and a mini pedicure. I smelt good enough to eat afterwards! 

I chose a bright coral for my toes <3

If you ever come across this organic cocoa range - I highly recommend it!

I also organised an Easter themed morning tea for work this morning and baked some quick and simple cupcakes to bring with me...The bf had to buy a whole Mini Eggs Easter egg so that I could decorate them, as we couldn't find Mini Eggs in NZ otherwise! So I'm sure he'll 'dispose' of (read: eat) the rest of the chocolate egg afterwards!

 Here's a peek at some of the morning tea goodies:

Some man-handled ginger bread men!

Poor chap!!

My cupcakes...

Fresh hot cross buns...

Home made cookies...

Some of my colleagues enjoying the morning tea- and J wearing her "Easter bonner" hahaha!

Do you celebrate Easter?

Last 10 days in Instagram Part 2

Ooh, so you came back for part two? I'm impressed! Well here goes..... 

Valentine's Day was a quiet affair at my parents' house - the bf came back from London that evening so that we could have dinner together. Sweet :)

He bought me these cupcakes from the Hummingbird Bakery - the packaging was SO cute!

I bought him this chocolate lollipop :)

I lurrrve flamingos and so the bf endeavours to get me a flamingo card as often as he can! This is one of my favs for Valentine's this year.

I had a pink rose from him which I added to the bunch of flowers he'd bought me for our four year anniversary a week before.

I struggled to fit three months worth of shopping into three suitcases......

And let's not even get started on the amount of jewellery I had to pack!

I made this little cupcake bracelet for one of my besties and sent it to her for a belated bday gift

I experimented with my new Accessorize nail polishes (they're good, I recommend them!)

And I squeezed in a game of Lego with my niece on my last evening home!

 OKAY so I lied - there are a few more pics that I will add for part THREE tomorrow. Just a COUPLE I promise :)

New delights!

Hello everyone! Happy hump day :)

How's your week going? I've had a good week so far and have been making a concerted effort to eat healthily and exercise more after goodness knows how many months of holidaying, eating and drinking!

Today I spent a little while updating my Shh By Sadie Etsy shop - it's been a while since I added any of the new items I've been making. I've been experimenting further with illustrations on shrink plastic - and am really pleased with the results! My favourite is the anchor charm bracelet <3

Here is a sneak peek of the newbies:

Anchor Sweetheart Bracelet

Cupcake Cutie Charm Bracelet

Close up of one of the cupcakes - hand drawn by me :)

Sail Me Away Necklace

Cupcake Cutie Necklaces

My Pretty Polly Necklace

Fluttering Friend Necklace

 Which is your favourite? :)

Happy Halloween!!

BOO! Happy Halloween! My weekend was busy busy busy - what did you get up to?

I had a Halloween BBQ at my house on Friday night...here's a couple of pics....

Pumpkin gore cupcakes!

Halloween cupcakes

Poison bee cupcakes

Devilled Eggs!

 

My DIY banners!

More of the decos...

I ended up drinking FAR TOO MUCH wine and had a stinking headache on Saturday. And then had to dress up and perk myself up for my friend's Halloween house party!

Some of my friends. (All English!)

Me and the bf (this was the costume I had planned for the vintage dress!)

 

I found myself a Day of the Dead husband!! :)

Dan made his costume himself! I was VERY impressed!

I almost didn't want to wash this off afterwards! ;)

 

What have your Halloween plans involved?