these streets.

I got to photograph Georgie Rae's fffresh face for Kylee's portfolio recently. We wanted a suburban street look, taking make-up inspiration from Kat Graham and Nicki Minaj. I am slowly getting into this whole photography thing... I know that I still have plenty to learn about - from how to use my camera (yes that seems quite obvious), to shooting peeps. But all in all it is so much fun, I love being involved in something that allows me complete creative freedom. :)

Georgie Rae wears

Henry Holland tee - Mr Price

Denim waistcoat - Mr Price

Hi-waisted shorts - market find

Snapback - Mr Price (menswear)

Drawstring backpack - H&M

Hi-tops - Instinct

Make-up: Kylee Ford

Art direction, styling & photography: Camilla Grobler

recipe: the easiest chocolate velvet cake

 

 

You know how it goes... You get a craving for something and you want it NOW. Well on Sunday I had an intense craving for a dense chocolate cake. After sifting through my mom's entire collection of recipe books I came across The Australian Womens Weekly "Quick-Mix Cakes" book, which I remember being one of her 'favs' during the early nineties when I was just a yung'en. I found this recipe in the book for a chocolate velvet cake, and not only was it a quick & easy recipe, it only required one bowl to mix all ingredients!
 

THE EASIEST CHOCOLATE VELVET CAKE


Ingredients:

125g butter, chopped
1 cup (200g) firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (110g) castor sugar
3 eggs
2 cups (300g) plain flour
1/2 cup (50g) cocoa
1 tsp bicarb of soda
1/2 cup(125ml) sour cream (you can add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to normal pouring cream as a substitute)
2/3 cup (160ml) water


Directions:

1. Grease a 23cm square slab cake pan (I used 2x20cm round cake tins instead), cover base with baking paper.

2. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl of electric mixer, beat on low speed until ingredients are combined. Then, beat on medium speed until mixture is just smooth and changed in colour; do not over-beat.

3. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake in moderate oven for about 40 minutes. (Keep checking after 30 minutes) Stand 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool.

4. Spread the tops of both cakes with coffee buttercream (see recipe below), then place one cake on top of the other.

For the coffee buttercream frosting

1 1/2 tbsp instant coffee granules
1 1/2 tbsp water
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla essence
340g unsalted butter, softened
3 cup icing sugar
3 tbsp milk

1.  Combine water, coffee granules, and vanilla essence in a small bowl; stir to dissolve coffee.  Set aside.

2.  Beat butter in bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.  Reduce mixer speed to low. Add icing sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating for a few seconds between each addition. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes.

3.  Add the coffee mixture and milk; beat on low speed to combine. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Frost cake as previously mentioned.

wanderer spirit

My best friend Kylee and I decided to team up this weekend and do a creative shoot with the beautiful Phillipa Reece-Edwards, aka Fizzy. Kylee being the über-talented makeup artist that she is, put together this gorgeous indie-tribal look, whilst I took to the lens. We had so much fun, we could definitely make a habit of this! I thought I'd put up a few images to show you guys what we got up to... What do you think??

Fizzy wears a Cotton On kaftan and a necklace from Sass Diva. Makeup by Kylee Ford.

this is my friend sam, and this is what she wore.

I've never done my own outfit post on my blog, perhaps it's something to consider doing occasionally. But when my friend and fellow work colleague walked into work the other day wearing this gorgeous detachable collar along with her kitty-printed skirt and flatforms, I felt compelled to pull out my camera and document the cuteness that lay before my eyes! Sam and I both have these flatforms from Legit, and we are not shy to admit we are super-fans of the world's most comfortable shoe. Who doesn't love the feeling of walking on clouds?

Here are the deets on Sam's outfit:

Sunnies - Sass Diva
Collar - A gift from Thailand
Sleeveless top - CottonOn
Skater skirt - CottonOn
Flatforms - Legit
Mock leather satchel - Woolworths

holidaying in the transkei

I'm gonna begin with saying "HAPPY NEW YOU" to everyone... I quite like that phrase resonating in my mind! It's the time of year when we are given the opportunity to start afresh, which is always exciting.

I was lucky enough to kick off 2013 with a family holiday to a place called Tshani, which is in the Transkei (Eastern Cape). My grandfather has had this little hidden gem for as long as my mother has been alive. I was last in Tshani in 1995 so my memories of Tshani were rather fragmented. What I did remember though, was that this area of the world was very rural - and, I got to find out, 17 years later, that not much has changed. Electricity is still considered a luxury, and most homes are in the form of huts. Fortunately our cottage had running water and electricity, although many a time we would be cut off from our electricity for a couple of days. We were quick to learn that that's just how they roll there in the Transkei! But (secretly) I liked it that way. 

Here are a handful of photos from my holiday. 

Listening to: In My City - Ellie Goulding