my etsy shop

News flash -my Etsy shop Alice Blue Softies is up and running with a couple of my little plushie creations.  I will be adding new stock over the next few weeks.

Etsy is a mecca for handmade treasures from all over the world and you can spend quite a bit of time just browsing until a little gem just has to be yours. Beware it is addictive.

You can click on the links below to go straight to my shop.

a Melbourne Chocolatier

Shane Hills set off from Melbourne to Germany and Belgium to discover the art of  beautiful chocolate. He must have convinced Vries Cnockaert that Melbs was the place to be and he has brought his chocolate making skills to Koko Black in Royal Arcade and other locations.

Their idea is " that chocolate could inspire, to ignite connections with chocolate’s deep sensory pleasure and personality."

 I'm definitely inspired by all their chocolately goodness!

Koko Black's Easter drawing competition also has me in raptures. Here are couple of my favourite finalists for this year.

 Jo Benke

Jennifer Von Klitzing

 Anna Campbell

All the finalists' work is on display at the Royal Arcade store and can be viewed on the website here.

I have made a little order for the Easter Bunny to deliver to my door all wrapped up in bubble wrap and cooler packs. That's a bit exciting isn't it?

I love a Melbourne success story and I love hand crafted chocolate - its a marriage made in heaven.

miss fisher

I'm loving Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries on ABC tv Fri 8.30. The locations in Melbourne completely mesmerize me and Phryne's costumes are divine. When I used to visit my grandmother and her sisters in Toorak back in the day there were garments in wardrobes that were a little worse for wear but just like Phryne's.
 I love watching this show and imagining the aunts back in 1920's Melbourne. 

I'm pretty sure they weren't gun totting gals but there were a few stories told around the scrubbed kitchen table that were not repeated in the front parlour.

 That fur stole is OTT but I so wish the aunts had left me one like that.

The velvet coat with fur collar  - I want...
 
If you want to catch up on the episodes they are available on the ABC iview website. I'm just a bit addicted to this site.

orangutan love

Sometimes you watch a TV program that entrances you and holds you and more importantly drives you to action. Australian Story - you've done it again with the Book of Daniel that aired on 12/3/12.
Watch this and I'm pretty sure you will be as moved as I was.
You can view the episode on your computer on ABC's iview or catch repeat screenings on TV this weekend.
Young boys - Daniel Clarke and his brother William have written a book Tears in the Jungle for children about saving the critically endangered orangutans. I might just have to buy that one.
The book's website is here - tearsinthejungle.com and you can order a book online.
Their goal is to raise $1m to buy back the jungle and raise awareness of the plight of the orangutan. All profits of the sale of the book goes towards orangutan rescue, rehabilitation and release programs as well as protecting their habitat.

Daniel has cerebral palsy and has not been able to hold a baby before but when this baby orangutan was put in his arms it could cling to him. He said it was the best day of his life.