Etsy Love: Summer Linen

 Hello all,
Some weeks ago, at the first sign of some warmer weather my sister and I went out to photograph this wonderful dress that I purchased from the Little Women Atelier shop on Etsy. This dress is so wonderful and breezy. It's made of 100% linen and it helps me keep cool in the summer.

Little Women Atelier is a shop inspired by the book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott from 1868, and something about this dress, the Meg dress has the elegance of the 19th century. Whether it's the puffy sleeves or the full skirt, I'll leave to you to decide. Little Women Atelier is a family business, and together the incredible women of their family create magnificent dresses, fit for any lady.

When I saw the Meg dress, I knew I had to save up to get one. It is one of the prettiest and most feminine dresses I own, without it being too girly. I purchased it in pale pink, which is a wonderfully serene and delicate colour, but they have this dress in many other colours too. The dress is well-made and the wonderful linen fabric feels so soft. It's a dress that inspires slow-living, sitting in your armchair with a good, classic book, having long walks in the warm summer breeze, or baking your favourite cake or biscuits to enjoy with family and friends. Simply said, it's a dress to live in and enjoy life in.

Dress: Little Women Atelier (here)
Flats: Asos (old)

I hope you all have a terrific start to your summer. I will be enjoying it in my breezy dress.
Much love,
Mona

Chocolate Macarons

Hello all,
Some weeks ago I made chocolate macarons, after not having baked macarons for over two years. I was worried that I had lost my touch, but alas it was fine!

That proves that this recipe is an easy one, and that really, you have to be really unlucky to fail with it. The macarons may not have been perfect (I think I would've needed another minute of beating the batter), but they were very tasty. That's really all anyone can ask for!

Chocolate macarons

INGREDIENTS

• 100 g almond powder
• 3 egg whites (about 100-110 g)
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 185 g powdered sugar
• 15 g cocoa powder
  

DIRECTIONS

I like to prepare my egg whites by leaving them in room temperature for a day before I start baking. It yields better macarons in my opinion.
 
Preheat the oven to 150°C.
Sift the almond powder and throw away the large pieces.
Mix the almond powder with the powdered sugar and the cocoa and sift again.

In another bowl whisk the room tempered egg whites until it starts to foam. Then gradually add the tablespoons of sugar. Whisk the egg whites until thick and shiny. You should be able to hold the bowl upside down without anything pouring out.

Add the almond-powdered sugar-cocoa mix to the eggs and mix. This is where it can get a bit tricky. Obviously the almond-mix should get completely incorporated within the egg whites, however you usually need to mix it a bit more. I usually pick up a bit of the batter with a spatula and if it falls down in a ribbon like shape it is ready and should not be mixed anymore. Mix it too much and you get flat macarons.

Pour the batter into a piping bag with a round tip and pipe the batter onto baking trays prepared with baking sheets. Now it is important to let the piped to-be macarons rest on the baking trays in room temperature for about an hour. I know you're eager to see how they turn out, but the resting of the macarons is super important, because the surface dries a bit and that makes them not loose their shape when they are baked, and it enables the feet to come out when baked (if the anatomy of a macaron is a mystery to you, I highly recommend googling it, but below a photo follows to explain some things).

After the macarons have rested for about an hour in room temperature, bake them at 150°C for about 14 minutes.

Let the macaron shells cool completely before you fill them with ganache. For my ganache recipe click here.

I also painted my macaron shells with a bit of edible gold, just so that they would look a wee bit more luxurious.

And that, my friends, is really all there is to it!
I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Much love,
Mona

Dungaree fun

Hello everyone,

Last week I posted a mini blog post with a fun little video that I had made, but I thought I’d write a proper post today. Not regarding the previous post as a “real” blog post the latest post was in the end of July of 2017. So, what has happened since?

Well, to be honest, a lot has happened, the most noticeable would be that my hair is now lighter and shorter. In the post back in 2017 I wrote that I am having a hard time fitting blogging into my life, and I wrote I didn’t know if it was a lack of time, inspiration or content, and now in hindsight I can say that  it was all three with the addition of a deteriorating mental health. At the end of last summer my depression was creeping back, and I was frustrated that it was back. It got quite dark and I once again questioned my being alive, as I often do when the depression is back. I had ended all my medication, but had to see a doctor to get help, because I was very quickly slipping into a very very dark place. I was once again started on new medicine. I did not get better and that took it’s toll on my relationship with my then-boyfriend. I spent the better time of the autumn getting on and off different medication and basically crying. Feeling like life was, once again, really tough. I was lucky to have the support of beautiful friends, and the undying love from my family (that I could not live without). I also started seeing a therapist, which is expensive but was very much worth it at that time. In December I broke up with my then-boyfriend, and post-Christmas things started getting a little better. I got a medicine that worked a little bit better and things weren’t black as night, but more of a grey.

For most of the spring I don’t feel like I quite did anything at all. I was very busy though. My dearest sister got her PhD degree and spring sprung like springs do. I busied myself with dancing. Dance has been one of my life’s saviours. When I dance I am so focused that I am completely in the moment. There is no time to worry about the future or thresh in the past, it is only then and there. It is only now. I feel like I am completely in the moment and completely gone, all at the same time. It is nothing quite like it and I love it. Dance is a great therapy for me.

In march I found out that it will take one year before I will be able to see a psychiatrist. I am currently in the queue, waiting for that. And in the meantime I feel like my life is on hold. I write a lot, about how I feel and updates on Instagram (@curlsncake). I wrote a post on Instagram about my current feelings only a couple of days ago. Like I already mentioned, I feel like my life is in a pause. I’m not well enough to do my research, and am on sick leave from that. The research itself is bad for my health as it is a very highly demanding job and it gives me anxiety. I doubt my abilities and I feel like I will never be good or smart enough to manage my research, so I worry. I worry about who I am, if I am not a scientist. I worry about what my future holds, if anything at all. And I worry about my worth. I feel worthless and stupid. My depression however is better. I have bad days, but most are okay. Not good, but manageable. It’s just that my anxiety is so high and I feel like there isn’t one thing that I’m not worried about. I feel very unsure about everything…

I try to be creative though, with baking and makeup. Coordinating outfits and dancing when I can. I feel very tired very often, and most often than not I need breaks to be able to finish something, because my energy is low. I meet up with kind and good friends that give me joy, and I hang a lot on Instagram. I’ve noticed that being creative helps. It gives something to the soul that truly nothing else can give you. And that, my friends, is why this blog is back in business. I think I need this blog now more than ever. If you are reading this, then I am so happy that also you are back here. Thank You!

Finally, on to this outfit. I adore these dungarees from Lucy & Yak. I saw these dungarees in lilac on Instagram worn by none other than the gorgeous Magnus, and she suggested I get a red pair. As the faithful follower I am, I got a red pair, and I am in LOVE! These dungarees are the comfiest thing I’ve ever worn, and it’s super duper cute too. I just love them so much. I wore it with a t-shirt from Monki and I was good to go. My sister and I shot these photos and I had so much fun. These dungarees make me sillier than what I am, and I just felt like a happy, playful child in them!

 

T-shirt: Monki (here)

Dungarees: Lucy and Yak (here)

Shoes: Ecco (old)

What do you think about dungarees? Are they in or out? Would you wear them, and if yes, in which colours?

Once again, I want to thank you so much for reading this. You really are wonderful people made of diamonds and pure gold, and I think you are all wonderful.

Much love,
Mona

A Summer Day

Hello anyone that might still see this,
I have been gone from this blog for so long now, I can't imagine anyone seeing this...

I just wanted to say that I hope that you are all well and let you know that I've made a little video:

It's just a warm summer's day...

Hope you all like it and I'm very happy to be back!

Much love,

Mona

Maple and Oak Designs

Hello all,
Once again I disappeared. I'm having a very hard time fitting my blogging into my life somehow. Whether for lack of time, inspiration or content. However today I'm back with a post (as you very clearly can see), and it's half-outfit post, half-introduction (to a company).

Without further ado, I want to introduce you to Maple and Oak Designs.
Leonie, the creator, owner and designer of Maple and Oak, and I have been Instagram friends for some time, and I have secretly admired her company of fun and unique accessories. So when Leonie contacted me about a collaboration I was very happy indeed.

Leonie kindly sent me one of her rockabilly headbands from her shop, and I love everything about it. First off, red is probably my favourite colour to wear. And secondly, and more importantly, polka dots! Polka dots people! I do love me some polka dots.

This headband instantly lifts any outfit with it's vintage inspired design. It's so cute, and effortlessly so. Gosh it's adorable!

Maple and Oak's accessories are hand made from vintage, reclaimed and retro fabrics, to reduce the strain on the planet, and it came from all the way over in Canada.

In August Maple and Oak will relaunch their website and shop. You can check it all out here.

Also, check out their Facebook page (here) and Instagram (@mapleandoak). I will let you in on a little secret too. If you follow Maple and Oak, there might *wink* be a coupon code coming in time with the relaunch of the website.

They ship internationally (yay) and have a whole myriad of wonderfully funky, quirky accessories. I've personally got my eyes on the hood scarves and felted ponchos (as well as the rest of their rockabilly headbands).

Headband: Maple and Oak Designs (here)

Blouse: Miss Patina (old)

Dress: Closet via ModCloth (old)

Shoes: ModCloth (here)

I love when you can feel the heart that goes into a creation, and with Leonie's Maple and Oak the love, hard work and fun is tangible.

Hope you're all doing great.
Much love,

Creamy-cheesey-chocolatey

Hello all,
Hope you're doing great.

It is time for a new recipe! Yay!
This is my go-to cheesecake. I baked it for my boyfriends family when they were over to my place for the first time, and it was a success. I've made it many times before, so I knew that it would be good.

This cheesecake is creamy, chocolatey and delicious. One of the things I love about it is that you can decorate it however you want. You can add berries or fruits during the summer season, or sprinkles when berries are scarce.

I added berries, some whipped cream and biscuit crumbs for decoration, and I think it looks rather nice.

 

Chocolate Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

• Digestives, crushed - 200 grams
• Cocoa powder - 2 tablespoons
• Butter, melted - 100 grams
• Cream cheese - 900 grams
• Sugar - 150 grams
• Eggs - 4
• Dark chocolate, melted - 200 grams
• Vanilla powder - 1-2 teaspoons

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 150°C.

For the base: Crush the digestives into fine crumbs (I use a food processor) and mix with the cocoa powder. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and mix until all crumbs are moist. Prepare a 24 cm springform cake tin by greasing the sides and lining the base with parchment paper. Press the moist crumbs into the base of the cake tin, flatten with hand or spoon, and then put into fridge.

For the cheesecake filling: Melt the chocolate (I use a double boiler), and allow to cool a little. Mix the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with a handmixer until smooth and thick. Add one egg at a time and mix in. Do not over mix! Now spoon a little of the cream cheese mixture into the melted chocolate. This will even out the temperatures. Continue in this way until half of the cream cheese mixture is mixed with the chocolate. Then mix it all in.

Pour the filling onto the base. Place the cake tin in a larger baking tin and fill the outer tin with water. Bake in this waterbath for about 50 minutes. The times varies, and depends on your oven. The cake should be wobbly in the middle. Once you've removed the cake from the oven allow it to cool before placing it in the fridge, preferably overnight.

Dress: Joanie Clothing (here)

Hope you all liked this recipe, it really is worth making as it is so delicious. I'm sitting here drooling a bit just as I'm writing everything down.

Have a fantastic day.

Much love,

Galos de Joanie

Hi there you,

Long time no see. I'm back for a blog post, you guys.

I want to start by asking you how you are all doing.

What's going on in your life and how's the weather where you are?

Here it's just about getting a bit warmer. Last week it snowed basically every day, but finally the sun is out and you only need a regular spring jacket.

I wanted to write this post and let you all know about a brand that I only recently discovered (not sponsored though). I might have been late to the party (it's amazing that I even arrived at the party at all), as it seems to be a pretty popular brand on instagram.

The brand is called Joanie Clothing and wow!

I want everything they make. They have vintage and retro inspired clothes that have a south European feel to it, with French-inspired tops and this lovely dress that I'm wearing with a Portuguese Galo de Barcelos print. About this dress, I adore the warm summery colour and the detailed print. The little bow is like icing on a cake. It has become my favourite dress and I got plenty of compliments when wearing it this weekend.

Had you heard of Joanie?

Dress: Joanie Clothing (here)
Lipstick: Besame Cosmetics (here)
Necklace: Edblad

I wish you all a happy rest of the week. Take care.

Much love,

Mona

Last day of Summer

Hello everyone,
Hope you are all doing well.

I am very happy today, because in about 2 hours the last day of Summer will have come to an end here in Sweden. Autumn is here!

So I am sharing with you, the last of my summer outfits for this year (unless the weather turns warm suddenly).

I wore this lovely blue dress from Lindy Bop to an outing at IKEA, and just as I was rushing to leave two of the buttons popped off the dress. I don't know if the dress was trying to tell me that it was too tight, but I didn't heed the warning. Instead I grabbed two trusty safety pins and pinned together the front of the dress!

The dress is mended now, and I've worn it without the buttons popping off, so I take that as a good sign. It really is a lovely dress, very lightweight and perfect for a hot summer's day.

I got it on sale from Lindy Bop. I've mentioned this before, but it's worth another mention -- Lindy Bop has the best sales. And there is actually one on going right now!

Dress: Lindy Bop (old)

Flats: Asos (here)

Earrings: ModCloth (old)

So that's that, and summer is no more!
To which I say - "Yay!" and "Welcome Autumn".

Much love,