FREE ADVERTISING, BLOGGER LINK UP >>>> PAY IT FORWARD

picture from here

So I was thinking about all you lovely bloggers out there who maybe looking for more traffic - i mean who wouldn't? I certainly do and I know there must be others out there who would like to be seen and heard. So I've been thinking - how do you get more traffic to your site without forking out money? There is google ad words or advertising but they cost money and until my blog makes money I'm not sure sure if I want to pay up yet - there has to be another way.
So this is what I've come up with so far - if you have a blog like me who would like to see if other people may find you and like you and possibly want to read you daily or weekly then I am proposing lets do some sort of link up or refering to each others blogs :) I would really like to show off South African bloggers but everyone is welcome. 
So 1 in the comment section below give me : 

• the name of your blog  
• address of the blog
• catergory of your blog - eg fashion, food, family etc...
• country your blog is from
• your email address (so I can email you about who you reccomending and who is recommending you)

then the 2nd thing I thought  I would do is take all the blogs I got - (even if there is just a few of us it doesn't matter) I would compile a list and give each person 2 or 3 blogs that they need to highlight on their blog to their readers (wether it be a post or a button link) and inturn some one will highlight your blog and hopefully it will spread around the internet. Even if we gain a few more followers or readers it would have been worth the post/link of reccomending someone else.
It is like that movie Pay It Forward - do to others what you would like to happen to you :)
so if you are interested leave the info in the comment section below.

Happy Blogging




ps maybe you'll find a blog below you like and want to read - that would be cool to :)

pps would you like me to group related or non re-lated blogs together? eg: if you have a fashion blog would you like to recommend on your blog another fashion blog or something different like a food or family blog? - thoughts?

THINGS I MADE or ATE THIS WEEKEND

Well the Long weekend was nice :)

• I made pickled chillies
• I didn't braai on friday which was national braai day - shock!!!
• Instead I made mexican wraps  (Tortillas) with home made salsa, avo and sour cream and chicken
• Saturday I had an impromptu dinner at my friends house - salad and chicken - so kind of her :)
• Sunday - sitting in front of the fire we ate more mexican wraps and played cribbage - we couldn't get enough of the mexican this weekend it was so delicious :)
• I really wanted to bake but didn't get round to it - I'm going to try this week :) *fingers crossed*

How was your weekend?

Funny Quote

INVITATIONS for The French Party

 These are my invites from The French Party i did for my 30th birthday - thought you may want to see.

 the front of the invite with the name sleeve pulled over

the invite wording and design once pulled out of the sleeve :)

 I designed the invites in mind that i didn't need to customise put a name on each one before printing. I put the names on the see through sleeves of each invite which was designed to be pulled out and read. I tried to make the look of the invites feel like old school Parisian chic and aptly called the party - A tough of Paris.
Dress code was: Black, white and bling or a touch of paris, so guests could decide for themselves.

Anyway now you know :)

The French Party

So a little over a month or so ago... I had my 30th Birthday. Which of course was a good reason to plan a party :) YAY!!!

As you can tell  I love planning parties and especially ones that I can do whatever I want. So being my own party I could decide exactly what i wanted to do :) which was double YAY!
Then there was the moola (money) I needed to pull off my awesome killer party - life size props and dancing waiters and giant birds :) just jokes but my brain was filling to the brim with ideas if money were no issue but I don't have a limitless gold card so I needed to consult my other half (the husband). After chatting to him we came to an agreement of a budget (which is good or i would've gone over the top and spent way to much money). He was great (he was also realistic) and then I was let loose to make it happen. Of course being the woman that I am I wanted everything (dancing birds, oops i mean dancing waiters - OK just kidding) as much as i could get for my money so:
I bought quality food and set pieces of decor.
But the other little pieces of decor that i wouldn't be keeping after my party I searched second hand charity shops for - and boy did i get some bargains :) what woman doesn't like a great bargain?
And so My PARIS PARTY came to life :) this is what i did:

the bar counter that we redid and bar chairs that we painted / my husbands old record player he's had since a child

an old pine desk that we restored and painted white (chocolate mousses and creme brulees are in the open desk drawers for guests to take) An old lamp and lamp stand that we painted and recovered. / old type writer that i picked up at a charity shop

cheese board with old silver butter dish / screen we got made and then hung black and white printed french pictures on (frames i bought from charity shops and then spray painted black)

Creme brulees housed in the white painted desk drawer / the corner seating with white painted box for a "coffee" table - black and white painting done by Lorraine Burt

our bar counter we made-over and then added a nice vase of white flowers and ofcourse champagne which is very french  / chocolate and turquoise macarons

chocolate mousses nestled in the desk drawer /  eiffel tower vinyl

Hoped you enjoyed looking at my french party. I enjoyed every minute of planning it :)
oh i didn't take any pics of my chandelier that the husband bought for my party - oh well, next time.

HAPPY FRIDAY

 So i thought i would write what makes me smile at the moment: (in no particular order)

. my lovely family and friends who put up with my craziness
. loud music in my car while driving
. a warm cup of tea when my hands are cold
. pretty blogs (especially ones with good recipes)
. my understanding man - even when I am hormonal and make crazy ridiculous remarks
. the mind of a small child :) they are so encouraging and honest
. a good walk on the beach - beautiful waves and fresh air
. accomplishing a clean kitchen - dishes and all


So what makes you smile? go on do share :)

CUPCAKES WITH A HINT OF LEMON

original recipe from here   - thanks to Lana of Lanalou who takes the most gorgeous photos of her once a month recipe (sweet treats) and blogs about it - i make these cupcakes often and use them for all the party cupcakes i make :) I have changed and tweaked the recipe to suit my family  - as we are wheat free and love to use real vanilla from the pod. Ofcourse you can use vanilla essence if you don't have vanilla pods or leave it out if you prefer.

Cupcakes with lemon zest

100g butter
⅔ cup sugar (i use brown organic sugar)
1 cup wheat-free flour (you can use regular wheat self raising flour too just leave out the baking powder below )

1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
6 tbsp milk
2 large eggs
pinch salt
1 vanilla pod - seeds scraped out in mixture
1 tbsp grated lemon zest

Mix all ingredients together starting with the butter and sugar - slowly add the rest once the butter and sugar are nicely mixed together,  beat well
Pour the mixture into cupcake cases
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown at 180°C
 Makes ± 12 cupcakes depending on what size cupcake cases you use