Move it to Lose it - Week 10

Starting weight: 75.2kg 

Previous weight: 71.5kg 

Current weight: 70.7kg

I did it! I am officially less than my pre-pregnancy weight! Let me just say that after a very nice 800 gram loss this week I am over the moon. Funnily enough though I have been pretty relaxed about it all this week - I still did my Wii Fit exercise and went on a few walks with the girls - but food wise I just took it easy and really listened to my tummy to tell me when I am hungry. It seems this technique worked for me this week - lets see how it goes next week!

I would love to be under 70kg by the end of my little 12 week challenge - so hopefully the next 2 weeks go well and I can be in the sixties again for the first time since mid 2007. I am very excited about that prospect!

Giveaway with Furze Chan

Ready for another exciting giveaway? This week the lovely Furze Chan is pairing up with The Red Deer to give away some lovely paper goods. Read on for the details...

Furze is the owner of a gorgeous little Etsy shop - Furze Chan (With Her Animal Poetry - Paper Goods by Furze Chan). She makes gorgeous paper cut goodies - including puppets, cards and lovely wall calendars. I myself am a huge fan of the wonderful fox puppet and the mini wall calendar. They are just adorable!

You can see more of Furze's work at her Etsy shop, her blog and her website.

Now on to the giveaway! Furze is giving one lucky Red Deer reader the chance to win a wonderful prize pack including a 2011 Mini Wall Calendar, a DIY Rabbit Puppet and a DIY Penguin Puppet.





To enter, visit Furze Chan and then pop back here to let me know what your favourite item is (make sure you leave a way to contact you in your comment).

If you want additional entries you can, become a follower of The Red Deer, follow The Red Deer on Bloglovin, blog about this giveaway or tweet about this giveaway. Just make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.

Good luck!

The giveaway is open to everyone everywhere, and will close at 6:00pm Sunday the 6th of March.

We also have a winner for the Piktorama giveaway....

Sena from By the Bluegrass... - congratulations!

♥ Weekly Favourites ♥

This gorgeous sketch book page by Artanika. It makes me want to go pick some flowers so I can press some petals - how pretty does it look!


These crocheted pea pods by Ingthings - too cute!

These stuffed hearts by design*sponge I think I would like to make a larger size one so Zoe could stuff in one of her favourite toys.

This teen bedroom over at ohdeedoh. I can only hope that I get Zoe and Grace to have a stylish room like this when they are older. A mum can dream, right?

How cute is this cute play attic found over at ohdeedoh? I wish I had a space for my girls like this. Instead we have a shared study/play room with some funky wall paper and carpet - ah the joys of renting.

These oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies from Becky Bakes are insane, and I want to have one badly!

These drool worthy nutella cupcakes from Tartelette - yum!

This stack of Cake Batter Pancakes by Tracey's Culinary Adventures looks amazingly yummy. Too naughty for breakfast though - don't you think?

I need to give this tutorial on how to make macarons that I found on Cake Journal a serious read. I have to attempt to make them one day.

Blogs I ♥

Is everyone else addicted to reading blogs or is it just me? Well if you aren't addicted yet - here are a few blogs that might help along your addiction...

 First off decor8 - a lovely blog for home decorating, new products and beautiful art & design. This has been in my Google Reader since I first discovered blogs - I absolutely love it and have saved many an image from this blog into my inspiration folders.

 Cakies is a gorgeous blog written by Rubyellen. It gives a lovely snapshot of her life with her husband and three gorgeous girls (and there is another bubba on the way). Lots of vintage goodness, cooking and daily life posts - always a pleasure to read.


 Smile and Wave is a recent discovery for me and I'm so glad I found it. Rachel is a crafty mummy to two gorgeous kidlets. I love all of the vintage clothing posts for both herself and her kids - it is seriously inspiring me to start taking a bit more care about the way I look.


 Bleubird is another blog that I have just recently found - and it is another blog that is inspiring me to be a better dressed mummy. I love everything on this blog - wonderful food, gorgeous kids, great fashion and just a good outlook on life in general.


 My Paper Crane is the blog by Heidi Kenney. I discovered Heidi quite a few years back now when I bought one of her donut keychains from KidRobot. She always comes up with most adorable products and I love her food & family outing posts.


 Xialou from 6 Bittersweets has become one of my blog buddies - so that in itself makes me love her blog. But on top of that the goodies that she bakes up always leave my mouth watering and her food photography skills are amazing.


 Speaking of food photography, if you are a food lover and haven't visited Tartelette yet then you should do so immediately. Absolutely amazing photography and the food always looks amazingly delicious.


 Ohdeedoh is one of my favourite kids blogs - I love it for the craft ideas and interior decorating. I think it is probably a must if you have kidlets yourself.


 Last but not least design*sponge is another interior decorating blog that has been in my Google Reader since I discovered blogs. Lots of inspiring homes and lots of DIY projects as well.
Now a question for you - what are your favourite blogs? Let me know in the comments - I'm always looking for more to check out.

Valentine Craft Swap

Guess what I got in the mail? Yep that's right I got my crafty goodness from Ruth who I was partnered up with for the Valentine Craft Swap that was put on by Becky over at Strumpet's Crumpets. Ruth made me this extremely cute fabric basket. I really love the colours and patterns that she chose, but now I am just trying to figure out what I want to store in it. It is only a small basket - any ideas?



Thanks again Ruth for doing the swap with me - I had a lot of fun making my plush cupcake for you and I really love my fabric basket.

Yay my first craft swap was a success!

Etsy Picks

I am so excited to have found Mae - this shop sells reusable fabric wall decals. How cool is that? I know that Zoe would love these and would spend hours and hours sticking and re-sticking them in her room. I think I might have to save up and get her some!

 { Pictured: Mini Up, Up and Away Stickers and Dress Up Dolls Decals }


Amy Blackwell's shop has so many gorgeous prints with beautiful colour schemes. She also has some lovely embroidered pieces - I think they would look lovely in my bedroom.

{ Pictured: Cotton Doodle (Pink Triangles) and Abstract Kitty }


I have loved My Paper Crane for quite a while now. The plushies Heidi creates are just so cute - and best of all they are mainly food items! I'm also falling in love with this Baker Helper's print, wouldn't it look so cute in a cosy little kitchen?

{ Pictured: Happy Bread and Baker's Helper Print }


I love these amazing DIY paper puppets by Furze Chan - lovely design and great colour combinations. I'm also falling in love with their gorgeous wall calendar - makes me wish that I didn't have one already. Maybe next year!

{ Pictured: DIY Paper Puppet Fox and 2011 Mini Wall Calendar }


I'm a huge fan of wooden toys for kids (I wish that I actually had more for Zoe and Grace) and so when I found Imagination Kids I was very excited. They have beautifully made wooden toys for kids - I especially love the rainbow, I know that Zoe would have a lot of fun with that.

{ Pictured: Wooden Hedgehogs and Mushrooms and Rainbow Stacker }

20 Sweets in 20 Weeks - #12: Apple & Cinnamon Slice

So we are up to number 12 in the 20 Sweets in 20 Weeks project - definitely over the half way mark and I am started to get excited about finishing this little project up. I have the next 8 sweet genres planned out - and let me tell you, there is still a lot of sweet goodies to come your way.

Anyway on to the baked slice - this was a close call between lemon & coconut, and apple & cinnamon. Secretly I was hoping that lemon & coconut would win, but I am still happy with the result. This slice is extremely easy to make since you get to cheat a bit by using a packet of cake mix for the base. The bottom is nice and crunchy thanks to the added coconut, and the canned apple & sour cream make for a lovely moist top to the slice, which is then finished off with cinnamon sugar. Such a simple slice with simple flavours that you just know are going to work together. Why not give it a try?

Apple and Cinnamon Slice (from taste.com.au)
Serves 8

340g packet golden buttercake mix
90g desiccated coconut
125g unsalted butter, melted
400g can apple pieces
300g sour cream
1 tsp cinnamon sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm square cake pan. Line base and the two opposite sides with baking paper, extending the paper 5cm over edge of pan.
2. Combine cake mix, coconut and butter in a medium bowl. Press mixture evenly over base of prepared pan. Cook for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool slightly.
3. Spread apple evenly over base, then spread sour cream evenly over apple and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Cook for further 20 minutes, or until sour cream has set.
4. Cool in pan. Cut the slice into fingers to serve.

20 Sweets in 20 Weeks - Voting time!

I am going to post up the Apple & Cinnamon slice tomorrow, but in the mean time I need you to get voting again. And this time we are voting for...


Image

Whoopie Pies!

Chocolate

Banana

Red Velvet

You know what to do - vote using the poll on the right hand side.

Move it to Lose It - Week 9

Starting weight: 75.2kg 

Previous weight: 71.9kg 

Current weight: 71.5kg

Another 400 grams gone - and seriously I amazed that I managed to lose anything at all this week. I have eaten so many sweet things - and I didn't exercise as much as I wanted to. So a bad week for my health kick. Tomorrow is a brand new day right?

How I did on last weeks goals...

1. Eat reasonable portion sizes at every meal - yep
2. Eat healthy meals - except for one dessert in the week - I ate so much sweet stuff this week it is just ridiculous!
3. Drink at least 2L of water every day - yep
4. Use the Wii Fit 5 times - only did it 4 times
5. Go for at least 2 walks with the girls - only managed one
6. Keep a food journal so that I can see where I am going wrong and post it up - I lost track of it all on my little weekend away - so I am not going to be posting it up (that and I am totally ashamed of how much bad food I ate this week).

So only 500 grams to go now before I reach my pre-pregnancy weight - I really want to get to that by the next weigh in. So no more naughty Alicia - I have to eat well and exercise this week.

Giveaway with Piktorama - Closed!

Good morning deer readers! I hope you are feeling lucky because we have another wonderful giveaway for you all - this time The Red Deer is pairing up with Piktorama so that one lucky reader will win an amazing screen print!

Amaranta is an artist, an illustrator and a mummy to her 4 month old twin boys - Joaquin and Noah. She is also the owner of the gorgeous Etsy shop - Piktorama. The shop is filled with some of the cutest prints I have ever seen - gorgeous bright colours, lots of cupcakes and plenty of smiles.

You can see more of Amaranta's work at her Etsy shop, website, twitter and blog.

Now on to the giveaway! Amaranta is giving one lucky Red Deer reader the chance to win one of her limited edition Tea Time silkscreen prints (#5 of 100, to be exact). A beautiful 4 colour silkscreen print that includes one metallic ink - so it changes colours depending on the lighting. It is printed on 280gm paper and is signed and numbered.

To enter, visit Piktorama and then pop back here to let me know what your favourite item is (make sure you leave a way to contact you in your comment).

If you want additional entries you can, become a follower of The Red Deer, follow The Red Deer on Bloglovin, blog about this giveaway or tweet about this giveaway. Just make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry.

Good luck!

The giveaway is open to everyone everywhere, and will close at 6:00pm Sunday the 27th of February. 

♥ Weekly Favourites ♥

Just a quick one tonight because it is late and I am ultra tired after a quick weekend away.

This super cute layer skirt tutorial over on Prudent Baby.

Instructions to make a cute scenic sketchbook on Elsie Marley.

This amazingly cute breakfast birthday party over at Cakies.

Part two of making a custom DIY planner on Kyla Roma.

This recipe from Crustabakes for peanut butter chocolate squares.

Also we have a winner for the Cathy Peng Valentine's Giveaway....

Carly from She Love Libraries!

Congratulations Carly - I hope you love the scarf :)

Zoe - 28 months

Little Zoe - my how you have grown. You are becoming quite the little lady now.

You love being outdoors - and you especially love using your little watering can.

Reading time is still a favourite - especially when Pop is around to read with.

You are starting to get a bit of an appetite for food - perhaps there is hope at meal times after all.

You are starting to get very involved in your play time and quite often will tell me to go away so that you can play on your own. Little Miss Independent.

You somehow put up with mummy giving you very crooked fringe cuts.

You love to paint and draw - you are quite the budding artist.

You are looking more and more beautiful everyday. I love you little lady - can't wait to see what this next month brings!