whoopee-doo on the Adirondack giveaway! so glad you girls liked it (actually we had a couple of guys too)…don’t forget you can still enter…winner will be announced on Wednesday…just comment and yep all comments til then go in the beach bucket oh and if you were one of those who haven’t been able to comment on this blog for the last few months, it’s now working…hopefully…
Righto this is a little bit more on photography due to the large amount of emails I had after the last post I did about taking photos
So here’s an action in…action, (you run actions in Photoshop) using some from Florabella, I bought these ages ago in one of the bundle sets, they are not budget though they are certainly worth it (as ever I only recommend things on this blog that I really like)…they are so very easy to use and so very easy to get lost in processing pictures of your kids in…if there were a downside, and this is far from criticism if you use them on your blog they are just so darn popular you’ll see pictures are enhanced with them everywhere…
Anyway I call this playing in actions vintage processing..not sure if that is the real name for it, and it is exactly what it says on the can…it will foof around with your photo so it looks vintagey…a bit like life really….these work pretty much well on any photo that I have tried them on…I have read lots that the original photo needs to be really good…but although that helps, I think that these babies can turn a paltry photo into something much better…
One of the best things about actions, Florabella or any for that matter, is that if you are on the other side of 30, your arms are a little bit tuck shop, your skin is not quite as peachy as a baby’s bot, you have to iron out the crease in your face in the mornings when you rise and your hair is as big as Texas (thanks Rhoda for that new to me saying), well you my friends, although you may well actually feel Retro Vintage, you can actually simply hit retro vintage and all becomes somewhat of a blurry, vintagey, olde-worlde tinged haze…
And yes, don’t even think about asking, my Hunters do live there, most all of the time.
They remind me of England.
I walk in them around the streets at night with Mr BC so that an Australian snake, if it decideds to slither past me will actually slither over rubber from England and not my feet.
Mr BC likes my boots when we go on our midnight walks when I wear them in the street under my dressing gown.
One day I will take a picture of that.
And vintage process it.
Cos that’ll make me look good in Hunters and a dressing gown.
One day I will get myself Photoshop or the like so I can play too!
Oh, and I’ll need a camera to go along with it.
Until then I’ll drool over your pictures : )
And Sarah, those boots should protect you from all but the most determined of snakes! Thankfully we don’t have cobras over here!
I could do with vintage processing in my everyday life at the moment… especially after the over indulgences of Thanksgiving… the best word to describe me at the moment is ‘puffy’…. and I’m guessing that is not a good adjective for a wrong side of 30 something women… anyhoo, I too have my Hunters by the backdoor for the same reason as you… Forever England… ophh and they stop the mozzies getting my legs in the Summer! Take care. Lx
I have a rather un-flattering photo of myself in the snow one night last year in my uggs and pink dressing gown, but I’m not sharing that with anyone! Robx
I need to experiment more with my photo’s. It would help if I had a real digital camera and not the camera on my iphone. I guess I could always take film shots and scan those.
And our boots live by the back door! I put them on probably ten times a day because I’m constantly going to the barn or the back yard. I should send you a picture…there are 5 pairs. lol
Love the pretty chair and the flower. Flowers…….can’t get enough of them.
Ohhh, I’m in love… I just went to Florabella for the first time and I’ve GOT to get me some of those filters! I’m a graphic designer and I know at some point these filters will come in handy for just the right project!
Oh, and I would LOVE my very own BC Adirondack so I can sit in the front yard of our very own beach cottage, dreaming of the day our little cabin looks as wonderfully light and airy as yours
Still lovin’ your photos (and your blog) Sarah.
If anyone is looking for a FREE photo program that does all that vitagey stuff and more, can I suggest http://www.picnik.com. I use it all the time and it’s sooooooo easy. You can upgrade and get the premium extras like texturing etc (I think Santa may get me this, this year)
You’ve insipred me to start my own blog of our reno and extention (all in draft atm……still a bit scared to hit “publish”)
Love your photos but being a nonprofessional photographer I simply am happy to drool over your cottage……mine is a work in progress, small, old but with oodles of charm and most important oodles of love.;-) Borrow many of your clever ideas Sarah, awwwww, heck, I just love your blog, my favorite in ALL of blogland((*_*))
You are sooooo nuts, I have this mental picture of the boots and the the dressing gown.Chicky I would just LOVE the chair it would sit on my new verandah at my new Cedar Cottage in Palm Cove. We move in 7 Jan but there is still a bed for you and Mr BC and it definetly needs a BC make over. Its 1km from the beach oh Sarah its so cute. Praise the Lord I am so excited and the chair would just love it there xxx
Midnight walks…Love the metal picture.. You just made me think back to the days before our kids and our midnight walks (though not in a night gown) with our dog. I love the software, now to convince hubby that it would be a wonderful and useful tool to have. I have to admit that I looovveee your photos, especially those of the beach(and the one with the horse galloping near the water!My favourite!). They remind me of my long early sunday walks along the coogee shore line.Geeeshh I miss it. Living close to a big river has it’s upsides too, the air is not as refreshing or salty (love the saltiness)but we do get some beautiful sunsets along the board walk. You may not want to believe it but there are sharks in the river! I thought the sign was there as a joke until I read about the attacks during the 1930′s in a history book about the area. No fatalities, just bites. I haven’t read anything recent but that may be because people don’t swim there as often any more. I’m still dreaming about the chair…… Still in disbelief….You are a lucky woman Sarah, and I hope you will always be so…
Hi Sara
i don’t know if i have missed your post on this but did you ever wallpaper your bedroom i was very interested as i am sure others are what it turned out like…..thanks for sharing
Never thought I could use Hunters living in So California but I wear them all the time!
Thanks for showing me how good they make home look just sittin around -
Gorgeous pics as usual and I love the black Hunters out on display. I could use some this weekend after all the snow we just got in one day! Hope you’re having a lovely weekend
Great pics Sarah .. had a good giggle as I tried to imagine you and Mr BC wandering around your beachie suburb in the middle of the night in your “Hunters” and Dressing gown … te he he
Do you find it hard that after being used to Christmas time and cold weather, you now have to do Christmas time during the summer? i feel like it wouldnt feel at all like Christmas!!
G'day! I'm Sarah, I live in a tatty old cottage, near the sea in Australia with a battered old deck & a big old fig tree out the back...stripped wooden floors, old sash windows & a jumble of vintage furniture. [Read More …]
Beach Cottage ladies, we have some vintage linen and some wood/twig washed up on the beach today here in Beach Cottage Land….don’t say I don’t keep you entertained now will you . Come on in. So, yep I have posted about colanders on this blog, about things sourced from the side of the road, about [...]
G'day ladies, let's have a Too Easy Beach Cottage recipe yeah? The original place for Too Easy Recipes on the web ;-)
So, after my last salad went down a storm in my inbox, that's here if you missed it, I had to do this one seeing as I make it most weeks.
There is a problem with this salad and kiddos though...it looks, well, it looks, kinda yucky...but once they try it, they'll ask if and when they are next having it....at least that's what happens in this ratty old cottage...but I must interject here that my kiddos are 'good eaters'? ...they didn't get a choice in that ;-)
Now, stop, don't start running and hitting that next on your blog reading list, pulses are your best friend in the Too Easy Dump & Go kitchen for the busy mum, or busy anyone for that matter...that reminds me I must blog the garlic canneloni Go To for when you forgot to do dinner, feel like a bath but have three ravenous young Beach Cottage Kiddos on your hands...another day.
I am almost embarrassed to tell you how easy this is, we have it so much that I always have a couple, make that six, cans of lentils around and a jar of goat's cheese in the fridge...the great thing about this is that it's all too easy to get ready in just a few minutes, but it looks, tastes and seems like you did oh so very much more than that.
You can obviously too change it up a bit depending on what you have to hand in your kitchen, and I must say that is how I settled on this version...because one day when I made it I didn't have enough Parsley in the garden and so I chucked in some basil too, and liked the Summer feel it added.
I think of this as being a rather posh salad, not sure why, because it couldn't really be further from the truth...the great thing is that it works so well for an average run of the mill day, (when I did this for this blog post, it was a hot Sydney Sunday and I did it just simply to go with Rosemary & Garlic stuffed pork, you can see that pork here),
...but just as easily it works on a regular old Wednesday night when you have lost all enthusiasm for rustling up yet another meal, or indeed on Saturday night, when your friends are on their way over for dinner and you my friend, are in your new vintage inspired clawfoot bathtub (that's me in a few weeks time, k?) without any clothes on, a tipple and no idea what to cook for dinner...
I have a complicated and ever-changing relationship with goat's cheese...it never fails me in its performance and it never fails to impress me (you can find out a bit more on what I like in food here if you like) and I kinda collect it...because it's very easy to collect and has a fairly long fridge-life, I love trying out different ones and there's not many things I love more than goat's cheese on sourdough...but I think the best thing about it is not thinking about it exclusively in the toast/salad department...I've stuffed it in chicken and all sorts of things as a last minute and it's been fab.
But let's get down to the nitty gritty of this super salad that makes you look like an angel who has been on her knees all day scrubbing the front step when really you are in the digital world and spent most of ...
G'day Beach Cottage ladies, howdy, howdy howdy today for a Beach Cottage Too Easy recipe.
If you like cake, cream, sugar and chocolate, make this.
This is, rather than a recipe, a putting it together...as you know I am no dessert maker, but, I do make quite a few sweet things, because, somehow I have ended up with kiddos, who in their roles as offspring, believe that part of the deal, is that not only do I feed them a home-cooked meal with a few homegrown ingredients in there, yes, they also believe that dessert and not the kind that comes out of a packet is included too in this All-Inclusive Deal they call Parenthood.
So, this, for sure, is no culinary masterpiece, but if you are looking for something that is so very easy, dump-able, uses everyday ingredients and at the same time makes you look like you spent hours pulling things together plus tastes good....well, then this is for you.
Best though, you don't make this for yourself, if you have spent the most part of your week sitting on your derriere reading blogs...this my friend ain't low in the calories department...if, however, you are treating yourself to a delight in a mason jar, this is so for you.
I first had a version of this when at dinner back in Old Blighty with a girl, I once, in another life, caught the train up from our village to London with...she was a funny thing really...I am not quite sure how we got on...she was kinda prissy and a bit bothered by too much...I would run to the train flustered, having got up late, and she would have a spreadsheet on the train times, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, a few years later when we both had bambinos, I bumped into her again and we met up for playdates and dinner sometimes....this particular night, after a lovely meal she served up little bowls of creamy, cakey fruity stuff topped off with chocolate flake...it was delicious!
She didn't serve hers in little jars like this, hers were in a champagne glass and not quite so layered as these ones, plus she used tinned fruit not fresh or frozen.
Years later when said offspring kept requesting dessert, one day I wangled together somehow these from what was around in the fridge and they've been with us ever since.
Most likely, if you ever come here for dinner, and shock horror, you dont' bring the dessert with you, this, if you are lucky, will be what you will get.
Throw it all together, sprinkle a lil bit of chocolate on the top and the blog reading past-time you so rudely left in order to make this, is my friend, your oyster.
Beach Cottage Too Easy Layered Raspberry, Cream & Sponge Dessert
1 small maderia or butter cake or a pack of cupcakes (or of course make your own)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
8 tbsp fruit
1 x chocolate Flake or chocolate bar for grating
1. beat the cream cheese until it is soft
2. whip the cream until soft peaks form
3. combine & add the sugar through
4. cut your cake into portions
& layer into the bottom of your jar
5. add a tablespoon of fruit
6. layer on top the cream combo
7. repeat
8. grate chocolate or Flake on top
*Beach Cottage Recipe Notes : this is just a guide really, you can use any cream that you have on hand...I have made this with clotted cream (don't even go there unless you want to seriously get these babies on your thighs), with double cream and I have even, in desperate times squirted in that, ...
G'day Beach Cottage ladies, well I thought it was time for some blogging tips here today, alongside a few nice flowers and shells ;-)
I was recently part of a blogger discussion group over at Kidspot and a couple of hours later had a few questions from girls who couldn't make it to the live chat, one was on my Facebook page and one via email, the Facebook one I will deal with in another Real Girl Blogging Tips post...the email one asked me what essentials do I think every blog needs?
Well I have been around here for a while now doing the blogging thing, so I should know this, yeah and I mused this on my walk by the sea this morning I thought well what do you only need?
...I think it is really very easy when blogging, whether or not you are blogging up there in the lofty heights of the Super Bloggers or you are just dipping your toe in the water, to get side-tracked by 101 million different things that are 'essential' to your blog and if you are someone like me who actually gets a thrill from reading blogging tips then you are in an even worse place because you will find yourself literally buzzing with these essential things to add/do/implement on your blog.
However, walking along, gulping down that brisk sea air today (no sunshine & clouds) I thought you actually don't need any of that professional blogging stuff to be successful...but there are a few things that are pretty much crucial ...and once I started to think about it I got it down to about 5 - these are the only things that you need to concentrate on...once you have read through take a look at some of the big girl's blogs...you'll see that actually they don't have bundles of stuff on their blogs...but they do have all of these...
So here are my top things that your blog must have
1. About Page
There are all sorts of About Pages out there, and if you search on it there are many different tips and ideas for what to have on yours
Whatever blogging platform you use, adding an About Me Page is easy, quick and simple and will do everything to grow your blog.
I like a long-ish About Page, I am inherently nosy and I like to know a bit more about the person but at the least you should have on it your name and where you are located. I also think a photo is good too...over the last year or so I think this has become more important in blogging - if you are hesitant about that as I was, you can try using sunglasses or a behind shot until you get comfortable.
There is nothing worse than stumbling upon a new blog and going to find out more to only be faced with a piddly little one liner About Me Page...well there is something worse, not having one at all!
2. Contact Page
The chances are someone, somewhere will want to contact you and you will be surprised what lands in your inbox once you put yourself out there on the world wide web with a blog.
Many bloggers also use this page to include details for PR's/brands that may want to contact them and some bloggers put their stats on there too.
A short, to the point and simple Contact Page works really well...whenever I have wanted to contact another blogger I am often very busy and have limited time so I don't want to hang around sifting through information looking for an email address, so concise and clear ...
G'day lovely Beach Cottage lovelies.
So, yeah, so on a roll people, so on a roll.
I feel kinda home accessory wired right now.
I am always telling people, if anyone ever listens, that blogging is all about passion, not that sort of passion, but about passion that makes one tick.
Things like this make me tick tick boom.
I love finding things that suit my budget and let me treat my home but look amazing too.
So without further adieu I introduce you, ladies of the beach, to the blue vintage glasses that I have been stroking for about a week or two now...
These glasses are from a little boutique I sometimes happen upon, this boutique sells also pet accessories, carpet cleaner, bras and compost...it's quite unique though.
And, thanks to my friend Marnie (she blogs over here, go take a look at her praying position, interesting), who just so happens to be one day having me over for a lil' Greek dinner, has let me in on the fact that we call Kmart....The KMart...with an accent ....as in 'I love The KMart'...just like her MIL does. Oh yeah. Love that.
So I have had my eye on reproduction vintage glass blue wine glasses and being trying to find real true vintage blue glasses for like ever.
Oh yes I have spied them in Frenchy boutiques, I have lusted after them in stores that I shouldn't even enter and I have put them back pretty quickly in those shops with the hand-written price tags. C'mon, you know the ones.
And, though all of the above have tempted me, muchly, really, even with my wardrobe stashing skills I just thought that, actually, I'd rather be saving that casherooni for our next trip overseas..
Hello The KMart.
Tick Tick Boom
Vintage style blue wine glasses.
Do not come to my old place and think you might pick up one of these and smile with pleasure at their handblown quality, their weight, and be secretly jealous that my wine glasses cost more than your car...friend, that would not happen...these do not feel like that...indeed these in a funny way reminded me of my baby girl, she was a tiny little thing, with stick legs, the tinsssssssiest ankles and wrists you ever did see, she slept sideways in her cot wedged in between rolled up blankets and would only settle attached to Mr Beach Cottage or I or a (dirty) pj top of mine scrunched up under her nose...the first few times I picked her up to cuddle, being used to Honeymoon Baby who weighed in at 9lbs at birth and has never really stopped growing, I nearly threw her little bird-cum-rat down covered body over my shoulder.
These glasses are like that...be careful or you might lose your wine down the front of your shirt.
But oh baby, we are not talking picking up here, we are not talking quality, we are not talking house accessory snobbery.
Beach Cottage ladies, we are talking aesthetics.
And this is what I need in my cottage.
Blue vintage style glass, paired with coastal / nautical / beach stuff on my deck.
It's The KMart.
Tune in tomorrow, tomorrow, I have more budget foofing for your home, or maybe it will be the dress that wraps me up in supermarket-chic and makes me feel like me again.
Good Day to you my friends, wanna come hang out on my deck, talk house accessories, The KMart and drink some wine from blue glasses?
Sarah
oh and if you were one of those who haven’t been able to comment on this blog for the last few months, it’s now working…hopefully…
What a gorgeous photo!! I can’t wait to play around in photoshop now
Love the hunter boots! I’m in the market for some myself
One day I will get myself Photoshop or the like so I can play too!
Oh, and I’ll need a camera to go along with it.
Until then I’ll drool over your pictures : )
And Sarah, those boots should protect you from all but the most determined of snakes! Thankfully we don’t have cobras over here!
I could do with vintage processing in my everyday life at the moment… especially after the over indulgences of Thanksgiving… the best word to describe me at the moment is ‘puffy’…. and I’m guessing that is not a good adjective for a wrong side of 30 something women… anyhoo, I too have my Hunters by the backdoor for the same reason as you… Forever England… ophh and they stop the mozzies getting my legs in the Summer! Take care. Lx
I have a rather un-flattering photo of myself in the snow one night last year in my uggs and pink dressing gown, but I’m not sharing that with anyone! Robx
Hunter boots . Never heard them called that! LOL I love your blog.
Such gorgeous pictures! I never tire of looking at the beuty in your photo’s!
XO
Kristin
I need to experiment more with my photo’s. It would help if I had a real digital camera and not the camera on my iphone. I guess I could always take film shots and scan those.
Definitely going to check out Florabella!
And our boots live by the back door! I put them on probably ten times a day because I’m constantly going to the barn or the back yard. I should send you a picture…there are 5 pairs. lol
Love the pretty chair and the flower. Flowers…….can’t get enough of them.
God bless Sarah!
hi sweetie…
of course i am longing for a BC Adirondack!!
but …just for the beach record books…i’d take that gorgeous greeny chair in your *vintaged…retroed* photos there!!
melissa x
Ohhh, I’m in love… I just went to Florabella for the first time and I’ve GOT to get me some of those filters! I’m a graphic designer and I know at some point these filters will come in handy for just the right project!
Oh, and I would LOVE my very own BC Adirondack so I can sit in the front yard of our very own beach cottage, dreaming of the day our little cabin looks as wonderfully light and airy as yours
I am going to buy Photoshop! What version do I need (amateur), there seem to be lots?! I have a mac. All very confusing … Help Miss BC!
Yay i can comment! and would love to enter as well ! Photography beautiful as ever…
I always wondered how you got that lovely quality to your photos. I will put photoshop on the “One day” list. Have a great rest of the weekend Sarah.
Still lovin’ your photos (and your blog) Sarah.
If anyone is looking for a FREE photo program that does all that vitagey stuff and more, can I suggest http://www.picnik.com. I use it all the time and it’s sooooooo easy. You can upgrade and get the premium extras like texturing etc (I think Santa may get me this, this year)
You’ve insipred me to start my own blog of our reno and extention (all in draft atm……still a bit scared to hit “publish”)
Love your photos but being a nonprofessional photographer I simply am happy to drool over your cottage……mine is a work in progress, small, old but with oodles of charm and most important oodles of love.;-) Borrow many of your clever ideas Sarah, awwwww, heck, I just love your blog, my favorite in ALL of blogland((*_*))
**smiles**
You are sooooo nuts, I have this mental picture of the boots and the the dressing gown.Chicky I would just LOVE the chair it would sit on my new verandah at my new Cedar Cottage in Palm Cove. We move in 7 Jan but there is still a bed for you and Mr BC and it definetly needs a BC make over. Its 1km from the beach oh Sarah its so cute. Praise the Lord I am so excited and the chair would just love it there xxx
Midnight walks…Love the metal picture.. You just made me think back to the days before our kids and our midnight walks (though not in a night gown) with our dog. I love the software, now to convince hubby that it would be a wonderful and useful tool to have. I have to admit that I looovveee your photos, especially those of the beach(and the one with the horse galloping near the water!My favourite!). They remind me of my long early sunday walks along the coogee shore line.Geeeshh I miss it. Living close to a big river has it’s upsides too, the air is not as refreshing or salty (love the saltiness)but we do get some beautiful sunsets along the board walk. You may not want to believe it but there are sharks in the river! I thought the sign was there as a joke until I read about the attacks during the 1930′s in a history book about the area. No fatalities, just bites. I haven’t read anything recent but that may be because people don’t swim there as often any more. I’m still dreaming about the chair…… Still in disbelief….You are a lucky woman Sarah, and I hope you will always be so…
Hi Sara
i don’t know if i have missed your post on this but did you ever wallpaper your bedroom i was very interested as i am sure others are what it turned out like…..thanks for sharing
I love that your Hunter wellies live there. Mine come out of hiding about this time of year. With the liners they make great snow boots!
Great Post Sarah -
Never thought I could use Hunters living in So California but I wear them all the time!
Thanks for showing me how good they make home look just sittin around -
Marsha
Gorgeous pics as usual and I love the black Hunters out on display. I could use some this weekend after all the snow we just got in one day! Hope you’re having a lovely weekend
Great pics Sarah .. had a good giggle as I tried to imagine you and Mr BC wandering around your beachie suburb in the middle of the night in your “Hunters” and Dressing gown … te he he
Hope you had a very BC Weekend.
I have asked for photoshop for Christmas! I played around with a trial version and love it! I have a lot to learn though
Do you find it hard that after being used to Christmas time and cold weather, you now have to do Christmas time during the summer? i feel like it wouldnt feel at all like Christmas!!
Also, I meant to write that on your new xmas post!!