Workin' for the money

Not really, but I was pretty stoked a couple of weeks ago to receive my first PAID commission job... It was for the daughter of a friend's friend who was turning 3. There was a fairy theme, however there were also little boys coming to the party, so we couldn't go OTT on the girly-girl.


I was also advised that Miss 3 loved chocolate as well, so these vanilla cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting were the natural winners. I was stoked to hear they all went down a treat - with the kiddies as well as the grown-ups!

Fondant hearts and stars with sugar sand

Close up

Bloggers block. For Real.

What do you do when you’ve already hit the writer’s block, a couple of months in? That’s where my head’s been at these last few weeks while my poor, deprived, content-lacklustre blog has sat on the sidelines.

It’s not that things aren’t happening – they are. Big things even. Lots of cakes have been made, baked and even sold! Photos have been taken, saved, sometimes Instagram’ed and ready to go. It’s just my headspace. For whatever reason, I haven’t updated this page, and despite some inner-analysis, I don’t have the answers. I’ve been trying to think of something witty and clever to get around this in a lovely, subtle “Who me? I’ve just been soooo busy!” kind of way, but that’s just not me. And for real, I’d feel kinds silly. Yep, and I’m just not into that kind of silly.

So, prepare for a new beginning. A CNTL-ALT-DEL on my blog and life, if you will. Pictures of cupcakes, markets and all manner of pretty things. Back to some clever repertoire, wit, and the odd made-up phrase. As one of my fave baker-blogger-podcasters, Joy The Baker, references, it’s “Real Talk”.

For real. Starting new.

Here's a snapshot of what's been happening since I was last here. 

Lots of pretty. Lots of cakes.

Good times ahead!

february photo a day challenge

By far, one of the funnest things I've done lately is take up the Photo a Day Challenge, created by Sydney blogger Fat Mum Slim. I first heard about it mid-January, and decided if she did it again, I'd be there with bells on... As it seems over 800,000 other Instagram users did too! Anyhow, here are my pics for the month of February - for those on Facebook, they're also on my 'Whimsical Dale' page as well, and you can also follow me on Instagram with the username 'whimsicaldale'.

February Photo a Day:

Day 1: Your view today // Lunch on the roof at work, overlooking Old Exhibition Buildings and Carlton Gardens

Day 2: Words // Lunchtime reading

Day 3: Hands // In my fave summertime OPI shade "I eat mainley lobster"

Day 4: Stranger // Saturday afternoon coffee break

Day 5: 10am // Coffee, newspaper & baking some birthday cupcakes... Perfect Sunday morning!

Day 6: Dinner // Baked fish with salsa verde, avocade & sweet potato mash

Day 7: Button // Had to raid my housemate's button jar for this one!

Day 8: Sun // What you can see of it anyway...

Day 9: Front door //

Day 10: Self portrait //

Day 11: Makes you happy // Saturday morning lie-in... So rare!

Day 12: Inside your closet // What's inside VS what I wish was inside...

Day 13: Blue // Some of the pretties currently gracing our sideboard

Day 14: Heart // Doily heart ♥ ♥

Day 15: Phone // May have pinced this pic from 'Pinterest'... You can see the original here

Day 16: Something new // New 'frankie' mag

Day 17: Time // Lunchtime!

Day 18: Drink // Cheers & Happy Birthday Stav!

Day 19: Something you hate to do // Love the baking, hate the aftermath. Wish I had a dishwasher!

Day 20: Handwriting // Handwriting meme that I pinched from Meet Me At Mike's a couple of weeks ago. You can see her awesome one here too!

Day 21: A fave photo of you // First time on a horse... I was hooked! 

Day 22: Where you work // Often at the desk, but it can take me just about anywhere...

Your shoes // A small selection of the shoes I've been clomping about in this week

Day 24: Inside your bathroom cabinet // I've been away from home most of this last week, so my bathroom essentials have been carried around in  these bags

Day 25: Green // My fave Pleasure, Little Treasure "Bang Bang" necklace! ♥
(you can also view here website here - beautiful bits and pieces!)

Day 26: Night // Dusk on the Sunshine Coast

Day 27: Something you ate // Tonight's "better late than never" dinner - cold meat & salad

Day 28: Money // Coffee change for tomorrow's early morning beach walk

Day 29: Something you're listening to // Current fave mis - local emerging talent, classic rockers & some popular appeal

And there you have it! It only occured to me today though that for the whole month there were NO pictures of cupcakes, despite me making a few batches. You can see the beginnings of some birthday cupcakes on Day 5, and the aftermath of frosting on Day 19, but none of the completed results. Next post for sure!

Bring on March!

-- Bec

In which I'm craving comfort...

Yesterday was a 'blah' day. Not a horrible, devestating kind of day... Just a day of blah.

I'm pretty sure I sighed a lot. Many times I caught myself sighing.

By the time I eventually mustered myself off the couch, I decided I needed comfort. Of the cooking kind. As it was unprepared cooking, I was determined to make use of ingredients I already had lying about at home (trip to the supermarket? I would have cleared out an aisle with my sighing!), so the result was soup. Carrot, apple and ginger soup.

Unsuprisingly, I felt a lot better about the world after making soup. I'm very much looking forward to my new soupy delights for lunches this week!

For the Love of the Pin

Do you ‘Pin’? I’ll bet you do. From what I’ve gathered over the last couple of weeks, everyone is ‘pinning’ their little hearts out. I’ve been on ‘Pinterest’ for a few months now, and I loved the concept at first, but held back initially as I thought it was one of those things you needed hours online to be a part of… WRONG! And I don’t think I’ve been happier in a long time to be so wrong!

For those who aren’t with me… ‘Pinterest’ is a wonderful website where you can ‘pin’ your favourite pictures/ photos etc onto virtual ‘mood boards’ to keep an online record of what you find inspiring, amusing and just downright pretty. I particularly love that you can have a number of boards for all the different areas of your life (I have one for home interior, one just for things I find pretty, and of course one where I stash all the amazing pictures of cupcakes!).

These are the kinda things I love to pin!

The other awesomely great thing about the site, is that you can browse what other people are ‘pinning’ and ‘re-pin’ for yourself.  What surprised me, was that I can browse there for a few minutes at a time… Or get lost, entrenched in other’s boards for hours on end. I guess it’s just about my self-discipline.

If you’re ‘pinning’, please feel free to come follow me (http://pinterest.com/whimsicaldale)… I’d love to know what you’re ‘pinning’ as well!

--Bec

"Sh*t Oz Bloggers Say"

I haven't been blogging personally long enough to feel a part of the club who proclaim "Heck yeah! That's me!" whilst proudly balancing a glass of Semillon Sav and prodding the keys of my trusty laptop.

I do, however love reading a good blog and few things make me all warm and fuzzy inside like the time and opportunity to prop in my comfiest chair whilst reading the thoughts, wit and wisdom of my fave blogging ladies.

This clip makes me laugh. A lot.

Market Day Mark #2

Well, it’s been a while between posts, but that’s partly because there has been so much happening in the last 2 months!

In December, I popped my market cherry at the Southside Handmade and Vintage Market, in sunny St Kilda, Melbourne. Many a cupcake was sold, and many, many a lovely person met (fellow market stall holders and the public)!

My overwhelming thought of the day was “I’m with my people”… The talent and skills of other local business’s and craftsmanship was truly inspiring! Whilst I’m not inherently the most creative of all people (I failed Year 7 Textiles), I love being surrounded by other’s talent and being around those who are doing what they really love.

I had so much fun, I signed up for January as well! So, another Saturday in bake-a-thon mode and a couple of new creations later, and yesterday was Market Day, Mark #2. Whilst it was a little quieter than the December market (lots of peeps still out of town, being wonderful elsewhere), we had a great time, and again met some more new and inspiring fellow market-holders who make the day worthwhile on it’s own! I also love the chance to make a few purchases of my own (if it’s from the money I’ve made selling, it doesn’t count, right?). This time ‘round, I fell in love with the iced tea treats of Tea & Sympathy (they also make loose leaf tea as well, but at this time of the year, I’m all about iced beverages!), and added another wonderful piece of headwear to my collection from Pleasure, Little Treasure.

I’ll be back at Southside in March, in the meantime, I’ve done my own set of New Year’s Resolutions. Aside from the obvious (get fit, save more $$...) it also includes blogging on a committed, regular basis. So, you’ll be seeing more of me, and my cupcake’ing treats on a far more regular basis <3 

(You can see more pics of my cakes at the December and January Southside Markets here and here x)

 Red velvet cakes with vanilla buttercream frosting (and a Jaffa on top!)

 Vanilla butter cakes with cookies'n'cream frosting (hellloooo mini-Oreos)

 Gluten-free flourless chocolate cakes with chocolate ganache

 Vanilla butter cakes with rose frosting

All-time-fave carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting

Check out my Facebook profile here for regular updates!

-Bec x