Mixed prints

I have cushions.
They have prints.
The prints don't always match.
We live happily in each other's company.
And that's just the way it is at my house.

A song for a sunny Sunday morning

New specs

I have new spectacles.
They are very different to what I'm used to.
What do you think?

Tape strips via Pugly Pixel.

A quick, saucy, spicy and tasty mid-week meal

Time is short, work is long. Here is my go-to dinner for a quick and tasty mid-week meal. I originally found the recipe via one of those supermarket magazines a very long time ago as a uni student. Who knows which supermarket, or which volume or title. But I've been making this recipe since I was in my early twenties when I was living in a one bedroom flat about 20 mins walk from my lectures. I guess because of that, you could say it is "tried and true".

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So without further ado, here is my all-time favourite mid-week quickie (of the food variety - let's not get *too* saucy here people).


You will need.

• The juice of 3 (and a half if you're making the dressed cucumber as a side) squishy limes (if they aren't squishy, then squish them yourself before squeezing the juice, just roll them on the counter top, or zap them in the microwave for a few mini-seconds, I just give them a quick massage and find they tend to yield a lot more juice that way),
• A clove or so of smashed garlic (smash it yourself, our use the jar stuff, no-one here is judging you, especially not me),
• A generous helping of crushed ginger (again, do it yourself or go to the jar),
• A smidgen of chilli (feel free to chop - but don't de-seed, and if you like you can use either green or red - it will slightly change the flavour of the dish in a good way - I like both - and again if you are time poor, go to the jar),
• Chicken thighs or chicken breast (if breast, try to slice effortlessly and lazily into some chunks, it just works better and is more tender that way),
• A few generous tablespoons of soy sauce (oh, I dunno, 3 or 4?),
• Steamed rice and/or vegetables to serve (or dressed cucumber, see recipe below).

Method.

1. Wrangle the lime juice, garlic, ginger, chilli and soy sauce into a bowl suitable for a quick marinade (because of the lime juice I suggest you don't marinade the meat for very long - which is great for mid-week, because you can actually cook it straight away or let it sit for about 15 mins in the bowl).
2. Add the chicken (I have tried this with pork with limited success, my next goal is to try it with a nice piece of beef on the BBQ) and allow to steep in the marinade for a few minutes.
3. Fry, grill or BBQ your marinated meat, basting with the rest of the marinade as you go. It should form a sticky, yummy, dark and gooey sauce of a slightly jammy consistency that is extremely addictive (watch out for people licking it off the plate, not that I've done that before ... very often).
4. Serve with steamed rice if you like, or some steamed baby bok choy or broccoli. Or both. I usually chop up some cucumber, squeeze over some extra lime and a dash of salt (not too much, because the cucumber will just leech a whole bunch of water if you go overboard). I often go without the salt if I'm taking leftovers to work the next day and you shouldn't really need it with the lime juice anyway. Sometimes I eat it with rice and cucumber, mostly just the dressed cucumber. 

Get around it, make it, photograph it, Instagram it, blog it, whatever. Try it and tell me what you think.



Handy tip #1: Make sure you soak or rinse or wipe down whatever you've cooked the meat on asap - it will stick and it will be hard to clean otherwise. If you cook the meat in a frying pan, then just fill the pan with water and put it back on the hotplate as it cools down (make sure it's turned off - do not leave it on!). This will break down the cooked-on bits and make it a lot easier when you go to do the washing up. Trust.

Handy tip #2: Depending on your lime juice wrangling skills and/or how quickly you cook the meat, you may end up with extra jammy-saucy bits. I quite like those poured on top of the meat when served, but these bits can be quite strong (not necessarily hot or spicy, but very strong on flavour), so go carefully. Use your discretion.

Handy tip #3: The measurements for garlic, chilli, ginger and lime juice are quite vague, because firstly, the rest will depend on how much lime juice you can extract, so do that job first. Then, it will depend on how much chilli and ginger (and therefore heat) you like. I like to keep the seeds in when using fresh chilli, but you don't have to (but it does kind of defeat the purpose of it - so I say be brave). I have found green chilli in this recipe to be milder than red (depending on the size of the red chilli - small = hothothot). Be conservative the first time you make it and then adjust each time afterwards. Eventually you'll get the whole thing down pat and will be able to do it blindfolded.

Featured on Madeit front page

Street Scene, Paris, 2010.
Featured on the front page of Madeit on 13th February 2012 as part of the Paris Pretty Finds.

Click here to buy this framed print at 50% off.

All items at Look See are available for 50% off for the next 15 days, including my Paris Postcards collection (available framed for $6.00) and my At Last print (available unframed for $2.50). You can also purchase my Alice & Co. hand illustrated & iron transferred tea towels for $12.50 for the set of four.

Check out the Look See Facebook page for more prints to purchase as well.

And speaking of things creative ... Michelle from RockMYRoll and Sarah from Turning Trixie will very soon be opening an online vintage clothing store together. I'm fairly excited about this venture of theirs, I think you should be too. These two lovely ladies are rather talented (if you ask me, and you didn't but that's beside the point) and this collaboration of theirs promises to be all kinds of awesome. Stay tuned to their blogs and Facebook pages for details (links above) and I'll keep you in the loop, too, promise!

Awkward school photos

What could be more fitting for the month of February, of 'back to school' for Australia, than awkward school photos?

Photo by me, featuring: Sarah @ Turning Trixie. Glittery-nerdy glasses and tape strips via Pugly Pixel.

Speaking of school - I seriously heart my Year 7's. They're just a little bit awesome and more than a bit cute. A couple of weeks into the new school year, I'm thoroughly exhausted, but completely happy. I love my job*. 

*Pls to be reminding me of that this time next week after three days of camp and two days of normal classes - I'll need it, and lots of coffee and lots of sleep.

Busy as a bee

I may well be busy as a bee, but I'm still finding time to do some nice things here and there.
There have been family gatherings on the weekend.
There have been early nights reading in bed.
There have been pretty things in the post (for me this time).
There have been tweets.

Oh, and ... have a happy Valentine's, yes? Yes.

1/ 2/ 3/

February's Made With Love (aaawww)

Clever Zebra Designs

And there was a lot of love at this month's market.

Well. There's a lot of love at every market - it is Made With Love after all.

Clever Zebra Designs

You can see the rest of the photos here &  eventually here. But for now, here's a few of my favourites to get you started.

Lovely vintage stool, thrifted by Michelle, blogged about here.

Lorise (Clever Zebra Designs) & Claire (Baby Boudoir).

My mum, my sister, & Lisa (Lisaloo).

Kirsty, Sarah (Turning Trixie) & the Greames (Rock MY Roll).

I have some awkward school type photos of the girls I'll be making into a video later on so keep an eye out for that one. Plenty of LOL's all around the place. For reals.

My mum and sister came along for a bit of a gander this month. Pretty awesome, especially as my sister lives in Brisbane. That's a long way to come for a market. Well. That's not the only reason she's here, but I think we can take it as a win anyway.

It was a great way to spend Saturday morning after the first teaching week at work. That was one full-on week! But I got to hang out with my family; with the market girls and get behind the camera again. I missed it when I was at work.

But, there was a tinge of sadness amongst all the fun. We're saying goodbye to the talented and rad Sarah as she moves down South to the big smoke. Before I crack the sads too much though, here's hoping she'll make it back up to see us often - we're going to miss you kiddo! Have fun! xx

End of summer mix tape

end of summer from naominaominaomi on 8tracks.

Rainy Sunday

one: here & here.  two: here.

On this rainy Sunday afternoon I'd like to say:

Thanks to Emma Lamb for featuring another one of my photos on her lovely blog. What prettiness she has got going on over there! 

Not to mention the Making Everyday Beautiful group over on Flickr. Do yourself a favour and check it out.

And, I'd like to share a song that is stuck in my head ...

Planning, preparing, slightly panicking

This week there has been: the writing of lists, the planning of classes, the attending of (many) meetings, the meeting of new colleagues and getting used to hearing my alarm clock again in the mornings.

Next week there will be: the meeting of Year 7's, and the return of the rest of them and, by the looks of my timetable for school - very little blogging!

Wish me luck! : )