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5 Minutes with... New Blogger, Fiona!

Welcome friends to my third 5 Minutes with.....post!


I am so pleased to introduce my next blogging friend to you today. She is actually one of my very dear friends in REAL LIFE! May I please introduce to you the very talented Fiona!


Fiona is a new blogger and she is one of the most creative people I have ever met. She authors the blog nicobelle design and she designs and sews the sweetest clothing and accessories for little girls.


Have a look at some of the beautiful things that she has made.





She offers the most beautiful and unique range of clothes made from pure cotton designer fabrics imported from the US, Japan and Europe, and of course from right here in Australia.

Fiona is also a big tea drinker and we often have little "tea parties" where we try new and exciting teas from all around the world...with lots of chatting thrown in as well of course! 


So without any further ado, let's spend the next 5 minutes with....Fiona!

What’s your daily beauty routine?
The first thing I do every morning is jump in the shower – splashing water on my face is a great way to wake myself up! I always moisturise in the morning and at night. In summer I use Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion because it’s so light in the heat. In winter with the drier weather, a creamier lotion is necessary, so anything from Nivea is lovely – they are just so soft, and again, not heavy.

At night, I remove make up with Clinique’s Rinse-off Foaming cleanser before moisturising.



What type of music do you listen to when you are relaxing?

I’m currently listening to a selection of music from Michael Buble, Priscilla Ahn, Lenka, Great Lake Swimmers and Joy Williams. I find their upbeat, happy songs are great to relax or work to. Many of these I have found from playlists on people’s blogs – such a great way to listen to a variety of songs before you download them!


What is your favourite fragrance?
My current favourite is Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel, but I still love Lancome’s Tresor, Estee Lauder’s Beautiful and YSL’s Paris – all floral and so pretty.



What are you reading at the moment?
The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. As we are decorating after a home renovation, I also read many house design and craft books, so have a few good reads on the go at any given time.



Which room in your home brings you the most joy?
I love the new family room as it’s the place we all gravitate to in the evening. We might watch TV, read or do crafty things, but it is the place we all gather to relax.

What is your favourite dinner party meal?
My favourite meal to prepare and eat would be a Greek feast! The starters and main meals almost blend into one with a selection of dips, breads, olives, salads, dolmades, moussaka, grilled chicken, spanikopita, lamb kebabs, garlic and rosemary potatoes………the list goes on! Of course, dessert would have to be something sweet and syrupy like baklava or the custard pastry, galaktoboureko. Mmm, I feel hungry just thinking about it!

My family also loves eating Snickerdoodles!  Until three months ago, we had never heard of them but through the wonders of internet searching, discovered our favourite biscuits of all time.  They’re simple to make, use regular ingredients in your pantry and taste crunchy and delicious.  Try eating just one! 


(Photo credit: Australian Women’s Weekly)

Ingredients:

185g butter, softened
1 ¼ cups caster sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups plain (all purpose) flour
1 teaspoon bicarb (baking) soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons caster sugar, extra
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, extra

Method:
1.       Pre-heat oven to 190°C (375°F).
2.       Cream the butter and sugar together until blended.  Add the eggs, beating well after each addition, and the vanilla extract.
3.       Combine the dry ingredients in another bowl and add in stages to the butter mix.  Combine well.
4.       In a smaller bowl, mix together the extra cinnamon and sugar.
5.       Form the biscuit mix into walnut-sized balls, coat in the sugar mix and place on a baking tray at least 5cm (2inches) apart as they will spread when cooking.  I flatten them slightly as well.
6.       Bake for approximately 10 minutes until golden in colour.  Leave on baking sheets for a minute or so, then remove and cool on a wire rack.

This is a large mix which will yield around 48 biscuits – just halve if you don’t think you will need as much, but once their scent permeates your home, they will disappear quickly!!

Tea or coffee?
At a café, I will always drink a café latte or chai latte, but at home, tea all day long! My current favourite is Stockholm blend from the Tea Centre in Brisbane, with flavours of orange peel, calendula blossoms, vanilla and rose petals, all mixed into a black tea base. Lovely!



Favourite holiday photo?
In the school holidays, we love to visit the beach, even in winter! When friends stay at the beach it’s also lovely to drop in for a visit too – here are Natasha’s daughter Maddy and my daughter Nic enjoying a wonderful day together at Mooloolaba.



Describe your blog in one sentence….
As my blog is just getting off the ground, it’s a bit of a work in progress! With my new shop opening, I’ll be blogging all the time now about new designs, clothing ranges and all the gorgeous fabrics I’ll be creating with! I will also be posting about some of the yummy goodies I bake.  So please stay tuned……..

Thank you Natasha for inviting me to be a guest on your blog!  I have really enjoyed sharing some snippets of my life with all of your bloggy friends.

Thank you so much Fiona for spending 5 with minutes with me. I hope that you get lots of new followers for your blog (hint hint!) and that your new business venture is a huge success!

Please go and visit my sweet friend Fiona at her beautiful blog, nicobelle design or to see more of her beautiful children's clothes please visit her website of the same name (nicobelle design). Be sure to tell her I said "G'day!" and make sure your enter her Give away. It is open world-wide!

Thanks so much for visiting today and thank you also to the wonderful ladies who host such fabulous linky parties every week:
Foodie Friday with Michael Lee
Tickled Pink Friday with Holly
Show and tell Friday with Cindy
and Beverly's Pink Saturday Party

Best wishes and happy weekend,
Natasha In Oz 

43 comments:

  1. Hello Natasha,
    thank you for introducing us with Fiona. Fiona designs very nice clothes for kids. As a girl I would have felt like a princess with such cute clothes. Thank you for showing this and the nice recipe.
    Greetings, Johanna

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  2. It was lovely to hear all about Fiona, and I shall head on over to her Blog! Such cute little dresses. She is obviously a very talented lady. Thank you for introducing us to her, Natasha.

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  3. Hi Natasha!
    Thanks for introducing Fiona, I'm follower nr 5! I didn't know that Kirstie had a book about her homemade home, I love her! Last week season 2 started, do you get it in Brisbane? Speaking of Brisbane, I totally forgot that you live there(?! I know, stupid me) and yesterday I was looking for info about Brisbane, seeing I'm trying to get over to Oz with my family, I need good tips and was looking into your city, I could live there no problemo! Now, all I have to do is convince sweetheart...
    Have a lovely weekend!
    Maureen x

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  4. Oh, one more thing,
    that stroll of yours in your neighbourhood, it made me smile huge! Love that first house! Sigh,....sigh.... I need to get my behind over to Oz! Hugs,
    Maureen

    Oh, one more thing nr 2:
    I loved Harry too! I posted about it and I have to see it again, thanks for the music! (i know, I'm so behind in commenting lately).
    x

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  5. Hi Natasha,
    I visited Fiona's blog. I like her dresses and your are right she is a very creative person.I did a post to welcome her and to tell about her today giveaway.
    Her food preferences help a lot to like her right a way :)
    A Greek feast:)
    Have a nice weekend and I will see you Sunday for the song Party...

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  6. A talented lady indeed, thanks to you and Maria from 'pink and blue crafts' for telling us about her today.

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  7. Your cookies look delicious, and I saving the recipe! Thanks for stopping by my blog -- I will certainly visit you again.

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  8. Oh my ... so many interesting and lovely things you show us!
    And what a friend you have - wow!
    Love her dresses! I would love to buy for my grandchild :)

    All the best!

    http://fotochip.blogspot.com/2010/11/pink-saturday-hat.html

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  9. Love those pink skirts. Happy Pink Saturday. Hey, I'm having a giveaway!

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  10. Happy Pink Saturday, those little skirts are real cute! Hope you can stop by for a visit! Hugs, Marilou

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  11. great to meet you wow your so talented love the girls dresses

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  12. Her clothes are so cute! Snickerdoodles were a favorite cookie my mother used to make for us. Happy Pink Saturday! (and, all the best to your friend now blogging, too.)

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  13. Natasha, what a wonderful post, filled with all kinds of interesting things. I love those little girl dresses, they are gorgeous! How nice to feature a new blogger. I love all of your photos, especially your favorite holiday pic.

    Karen

    P.S. I have a Christmas Blog, which I just updated and added your Christmas blog, as well as added some of the ones that you listed for people to find. I love your Christmas blog!

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  14. Natasha, how wonderful of you to introduce Fiona. That is so cute about the Snickerdoodles. I love learning things from other cultures. Have a wonderful Pink Saturday.

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  15. Thanks for the introduction Natasha! I can see the talent oozing out!!! I will be sure to stop by her blog when I leave here...I am excited too! LOVE the pic of the girls together...they are adorable :) Better go visit!

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  16. Hi Natasha,
    Wow, I loved this post. So much fun meeting other bloggers. Fiona seems like such a lovely person, and the moment she started talking about Greek food, she warmed my heart even more. I adore Greek food, and there is a shortage of Greek restaurants in my neck of the woods. :(
    Anyway, I'm off to pop over to Fiona's blog.
    Maureen

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  17. Wow, those little girls skirts are amazing. Thanks so much for your lovely comments about my magazine article. xx

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  18. Natasha, thanks for introducing us to Fiona. I enjoyed reading her post and seeing the lovely clothing she has designed and sewn. Very talented lady!

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  19. Hi! I am your newest follower from a Friday Blog Hop. I would love it if you would follow back at one or all four of my blogs :)

    www.singleparentretreat.com
    http://singlemamachallenges.blogspot.com/
    http://motherdaughterconnection.blogspot.com/
    http://jmconsultingservices.blogspot.com/

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  20. Hi Natasha, Your friend is so clever, i really enjoyed this post.I will definetly be heading over and saying hi, cheers Katherine

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  21. If I can possibly get past that picture of Michael Buble..oh my goodness! I can't think straight.. Thank you for introducing us to Fiona, she sounds so lovely and her children's clothes are gorgeous. I'll definitely be having a look at her blog. Have a lovely Sunday..Rachaelxx

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  22. Hi Natasha, how wonderful of you to feature other bloggers. Fiona's dresses are gorgeous and I especially love the fabrics. hugs♥O

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  23. how lucky are you to have such a wonderful friend! Loved this! I am off to check out her blog right now!
    Have a pretty day!
    Kristin

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  24. Hi Natasha, The clothes Fiona creates are surely works of art. They are just beautiful. She is extremely talanted as you say. *hugs*

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  25. Fiona is so talented! I love everything, especially the french skirt. Thanks for sharing your friend and HPS, Marcia

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  26. So love all those gorgeous dress/apron creations. The cookies look pretty good, too.

    Happy PS ...
    Have a beautiful weekend.
    TTFN ~ Hugs, Marydon

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  27. Loved to meet Fiona and see all the beautiful things there are about her. She is very talented. Hope to visit her soon.

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  28. Your cookies look delicious, and I saving the recipe!

    Happy pink saturday!

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  29. Natasha, thank you so much for this wonderful blog post about my passions!
    Thank you also to everybody for all of the sweet comments about my designs - I really appreciate your kindness and enthusiasm!
    Fiona xx

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  30. How nice you introduced us to your friend. She makes sweet little girl's clothes. I love to sew for my grand-daughters and just recently made them twirly skirts. Happy, happy Pink Saturday. :)

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  31. Happy Pink Saturday !This was a lovely post and the handmade items are beautiful. I have enjoyed my
    visit to your beautiful blog. Have a wonderful new week.

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  32. Hi Natasha,

    This was an awesome post! I enjoyed seeing Fiona's clothing creations and reading about her. I am going to check out some of the singing groups that she enjoys too.

    I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

    Kathy

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  33. Thanks for introducing us to your friend, she makes lovely things, I will have to stop over and take a look at her site!

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  34. Hello Natasha,
    Nice to meet you.
    Thanks for introducing us to Fiona. She is a very creative and talented lady.
    Happy belated PS to you and

    Bonjour de France !

    ♥ Hélène Glehen - a French artist, fond of roses and romantic stuff ♥

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  35. Happy Pink Saturday, dear Natasha.

    Thank you so much for sharing your friend, Fiona, with us. I would love to sit and have tea and biscuits with you girls. i will visit her blog now.

    What gorgeous clothes Fiona designs. What fun to be able to buy them for your child.

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  36. I didn't see Brussel sprouts, but your meal looked wonderful.

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  37. Her clothing is absolutely adorable!

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  38. Love Love Love your T-Cozy... beautiful colour, perfect shape absolutely fabulous. and yes dresses are too very perfect...
    Can you please spare a little bit of your time for my new post, its something different I hope you enjoyed
    http://craftaworld.blogspot.com/
    Love
    Farah

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  39. O my! I would so wear BOTH of Fiona's skirts if they were in a big girl size!
    ♥´¨)
    ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
    (¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Lori Lynn ♥

    PS: I'm having a Holiday giveaway!!
    http://lorilynnscottage.blogspot.com/2010/11/holiday-happiness-giveaway.html

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  40. Fiona's design are fabulous. I want them for me and my little one. Wat a wonderful way to meet a new blogger...off to introduce myself.

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