February Sponsor Giveaway: CLOSED

Hello my lovelies!!

Time for my first group sponsor giveaway.  I have some lovely things for one winner, including a vintage teacup candle, a cute print and SIX lots of ad space!!  

This is what is up for grabs!! Please check out the lovely ladies' blogs, shops and social media links, and leave them some love!

Blog

Blog: Twitter: Instagram

Blog : Shop

 Blog : Twitter : Facebook

 Blog : Twitter : Facebook  : Pinterest

Blog : Shop

Now enter away!

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Giveaway is open worldwide, one winner takes all.  

DIY Vintage Teacup Candles

What you'll need:
800g  candle wax (makes three teacup candles)
Fragrance oil
Candle wicks
Skewers
Vintage teacups and saucers
Heat-proof bowl
Pan



What to do:

First, you need to place the wicks into the teacups.  To keep them in place, make a sweet little tool out of skewers - hold two skewers together and tape each end.  Then sit the wick in between the two skewers.

Measure out the wax into the heatproof bowl and set it over a pan filled with boiling water on the heat.

When the wax has melted, add the fragrance oil.  The amount depends on the quality of the oil and how scented you want the candles to be, but usually a couple of tablespoons is enough.

Pour the wax into the teacups and make sure the wick is in the centre.  

Wait for the candle wax to set and then cut the wick to size.  

Now you're ready to enjoy your candles!  I love the lovely french vanilla scent of mine.

Check back tomorrow for my February sponsor giveaway - lots of great prizes!

X
Molly

Sponsor The Cottage Diaries in March

Who wants to sponsor my blog in the coming month?

Its freeee for a small ad and only $8 for a large (215 x 215) ad, which includes a sponsor shoutout and an opportunity to host a giveaway or write a guest post.  

Check out the deets here, or if you have any questions email me at thecottagediaries@gmail.com

X
Molly

Stuff I luff #2

Some things I've been loving this week:

1. This cool map corkboard DIY featured on Julie Ann Art
2. Yummy thin mint cookie balls from Simply Designing
3. Yummy heart-shaped pies on Kitty Cat Stevens
4. Lovely layers
5. This cute kitty on Life is Beautiful
6. Simple Swedish syling
7. Simple DIY coasters by Little Foal 

You have to check out this gorgeous post by Sweet Pea Sylvie, its a day in the life of her eight-month-old boy Marley through his eyes! Its magic, it made my week and I hope it makes yours!!

X
Molly

Smudge Saturday: Monkey Business

Smudge has decided he's no longer interested in his mice toys, he's now into pink monkeys instead.  

I tried to tell him pink isn't his colour, but oh well, at least he matches my blog!

X

Molly

Lookbook Love: Forever New

I'm dying over the Candy Crush collection from Forever New.  Check it out here, they do free shipping to Australia and New Zealand!  If I could shop at one place for the rest of my life, this would be it.  I just wish they were more in my price range!  

If you could shop at one place forever, what would it be?

X
Molly

South Island: Akaroa

1,2: Akaroa harbour, 3,4,5,6: Cute shops, 7,8: View from the road

While on our trip down south, we visited a lovely little place called Akaroa, on the Bank's Peninsula out from Christchurch.  The Akaroa Harbour was formed in an volcanic eruption thousands of years ago, which is why the hills seem to come straight out of the water.  Akaroa is the only town in New Zealand settled by the French, and all the shops and houses are built in French Colonial style.

I would have taken a picture of every single shop and cottage if I could have, I think they are just so cute! 

What do you think?

X
Molly

Stuff I Luff..

Just some things I've been loving this week..

Fruit sushi (or 'Frushi')!! Who thought of this? I want to thank them personally!

Find the recipe here

 This pretty pastel necklace                 Summer icecreams

From Forever New

{via)

This gorgeous hairdo:

{via}

And some inspiration from around the blogosphere..

This yummy coconut ice recipe from The Kitchy Kitchen:

Loving Amanda's dress on Here Comes the Sun

This inspirational post by Sweet Pea Sylvie about why it's unhealthy to compare ourselves to others.

Gorgeous wedding decor ideas from Ottawa's Indie Wedding Show, via Hippie Lace.

These cute winter date night ideas from Oh So Lovely Vintage..

What's inspiring you?

X

Molly

Giveaway ends tonight!

Smudge Saturday - Camouflage Kitten

It's been about four months now since we picked up Smudge.  I just noticed today that it's no longer such a novelty having him around.  When we first got him, I was so happy to finally have a kitten that I just hung out with him all day! Now, sometimes when I'm busy I forget about him and he surprises me when he gets out of whatever cozy place he's hiding and comes up to me.  

When I thought about this today I wondered if this meant I didn't care about his as much and I felt a little sad.  But then I realised I still love him as much as ever - it's just that he has really become a member of our family now!

X
Molly

P.S. Only 1 more day to enter my giveaway for a $25 book voucher! 

iPad Mini Giveaway!!

Welcome to the iPad Mini Giveaway!

Today we are excited to give you the chance to win an iPad Mini!

iPad Mini 16gb Wi-fi

Giveaway ends March 15th, 11:59 pm GMT.

OPEN WORLDWIDE

Your choice of colour (White/Black)

To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below! It's up to you how many entries you do, but bare in mind the more you complete the better chance of winning!

Please take a moment to visit our co-hosts below. 

Hosted by: Ohsoamelia, Co-hosts: Berice Baby, Life In A Break Down, Daddy Space, Laras Vintage, The Life Of An Not So Ordinary Wife, Simply Clarke, My Four Littles, Whispering Sweet Nothings, Tales From The Nook,  My Fashion Forward, Crafty In Crosby, Boogies N BooBoos, Faith Love & Hope, and The Mosbys In China.

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Disclosure: I have received no compensation for this post. Any opinions are my own and may differ from your own. Please contact ohsoamelia@gmail.com with any questions or if you would like to take part in the next big event. 

I belong with you, you belong with me

Your my sweet-hea-art



Happy Valentines Day!

X
Molly

P.S. Only four more days to enter my giveaway!

Chicken and Rice Salad

This is a lovely summer salad with so much crunchy goodness! Its healthy but so good that the man in your life wont even notice!!

I made this for the husband and I, but its easy to increase the quantities to make it for more people.


Chicken and Rice Salad

Chicken Marinade:

2 C chopped chicken breast
1 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 Tbsp honey

Salad:

2 C chopped broccoli
Handful mesclun salad leaves
Handful cashew nuts
2 C cooked brown rice
Few stalks celery
1 Kumara, chopped and roasted with salt + pepper


Honey mustard dressing:

1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp cider vinegar

Firstly, marinade the chicken by mixing it with the other ingredients and leaving in the fridge for around half and hour.

Cook the rice.  Fry the chicken gently.  Place broccoli in a bowl and pour over boiling water.  Let steam for a couple of minutes. This makes it super green and just slightly less crunchy than raw broccoli.  

For the dressing just whisk the ingredients together.

Mix all of the salad ingredients together with the chicken, plate up and drizzle dressing on top.

The recipe looks long, but this is actually a really simple meal to put together, and so yummy!

I think kumara is known as sweet potato outside of New Zealand, am I right?

X
Molly

GIVEAWAY: Do you or someone you know need some new textbooks? Enter my Campus Book Rentals giveaway.