Black forrest cupcakes

There is no doubt my apatite for sweet things has gone up considerably so I find myself baking quite a lot :- These black forrest cupcakes are delicious and super easy to make. Here's how:

Mix the egg, sugar, oil & milk and in a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix the dry ingredients with the rest. Combine the kakao with half of the dough. Fill cupcake forms half way with the light dough, put 4-5 cherries in the middle and top of with the dark dough. Bake at 200°C for 20-25 minutes. Let them cool before topping with whipped cream, chocolates flakes and a cherrie.

Yes, the belly is definitely growing. This is me at 29 weeks. I promised I would show you one of the maxi skirts I made. With the warmer temperatures I find myself wearing it almost daily.

Tschüss...

German "Gemütlichkeit"

Hello friends, thank you for stopping by today. While the northern hemisphere is enjoying the start of spring, down here autumn has definitely arrived. The days are getting shorter and cooler but the air is crisp and clear. I love the mood of autumn - the leaves are turning golden and we can witness the most amazing sunsets and sunrises above the sea. More time is spent indoors than out and while we love wrapping up and bracing the cool winds we love coming home to a hot drink and that lovely feeling of german "Gemütlichkeit".

My long awaited Moroccan plate arrives all the way from Germany. I simply couldn't find one here at a reasonable price and so turned to the wonderful Dagi who sent one all the way around the world for me. I love it and it will no doubt get used in many ways as I decorate my home.

Last week I was invited to my friend Fran's new house. I was very impressed with her little slice of paradise. She spoilt us with the most delicious afternoon tea and after a little search I found the recipe online. I was cutting a few corners and used my bread maker to knead and rise the dough but you can find the full recipe here.

One of my big projects last months was making four little flower girl dresses. I loved the job and was pleased with the way they turned out. Sewing was once a huge part of my life but with two little ones it is tricky - now that they are getting older and one is at kindergarten I am hoping to steal a few hours here and there to get back into it. Who knows where it may lead...

Finally I went on a major hunt for some bedding for the boys. I spent what felt like a whole month searching for something that did not have Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder or any other cartoon figure on it. Bad enough they watch these things on tv they don't have to dream of it at night :-) I wanted something plain and simple that would work with a red roman blind I made for their room. 

I finally found a blue and white striped cover and it works perfectly with their small letter cushions I made for their old room in Germany (here).

The room is tiny but sleeping is all they do in it and they have a large playroom for all their toys.

With one million interruptions by my little one this post has only taken me 3 hours to complete :-) 

See you again soon, I promise.

Tschüss...

Summer Bag - Sewing Tutorial

As promised, I am bringing you a sewing tutorial for a simple summer bag. I was inspired by this Jil Sander bag and thought it should be pretty easy to make one using some blue and white IKEA fabric I had left over. I hope the tutorial is easy enough to follow. You don't need to follow the measurements exactly - if your stripes are a little wider or narrower than mine, just go by what looks good. 

(images: Nina Lamb)

this pattern is for personal use only and may not be re-produced commercially - Thanks.

Some new things...

Last weekend I managed to do some sewing and I made two pleated skirts inspired by Emmerson Made's pocket skirt. I did end up making a mustard yellow one as well but it's not quite finished. 

I wish I had more time to sew and the piles of fabric that I want to turn into something are growing and growing. Now that I have my sewing corner set up I have the luxury of leaving everything and not having to tidy up after every time I sit down to do a little work on a project.

Do you sew at all? I hope to share a few more projects on here but fear not, Living In won't turn into a sewing blog, I have far too many other interests and things to share ;-)

I've been looking for a locket pendant for some time and was so pleased to find this perfectly round one through Bon'A Parte. I really love it but will have to eventually replace the chain as it's really thin and I worry it might break if the boys get hold of it.

My final purchase to share are some fun wooden clogs. I still remember as a little girl I used to wear my grandmother's clogs in her garden. They were way too big but I loved the sound of them on the garden path. I chose ones with a Missoni inspired pattern made by danish company Sanita (also available through Amazon). I think they are quite nostalgic with a modern twist.

Tschüss...

(images: Nina Lamb)