Christmas Cheer!

Christmas is upon us once again. It’s always a wonderful time of year; presents and food, what’s not to love about that?

I am always mindful that Jesus is the reason for the season and don’t get caught up in the extreme commercialization that has taken over Christmas, so I try not to get sidetracked too much. I did send a box of pressies home to my sister and nieces which I loved doing. Giving gifts always makes me so happy. Receiving them isn’t bad either.

I managed to weasel my gift from the Colonel already. I couldn’t wait until the 25th. As December’s birthstone is Turquoise, I have always been fond of that stone. It’s hard to find it in designs I like because mostly it’s set in silver, Native-American style. No offense to anyone, but I flipping hate that type of jewelry. Southwestern style and all that—it’s ugliness makes me gag. I like my turquoise in gold thank you very much. I had a pair of 18kt gold roman coin style earrings with robin’s egg blue turquoise years ago, a gift from a wealthy aunt in Italy. I lost them. They were perfect and I am still upset 20 years later about that.

My new ring is a Carol Brodie and as a Brodie piece it is perfect of course. The stone is set on a hand-carved Philippine wood, genius! I am now nuts about wood rings—the comfort and feel is amazing. As usual, Brodie has excelled herself. I love my Christmas present.
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I made some Christmassy florentines yesterday. I have made them before using cornflakes, but this time I followed a Nigella Lawson recipe which used chopped almonds instead. They are exquisite. I have knocked off most of them myself, in fact I had 2 for breakfast today. How naughty.

Nigella Lawson always comes up with recipes that even an idiot like me can make work. I added a whole lot more glace cherries than the recipe called for, simply because I love them. The result is biscuits that look like a technicolour yawn. They taste scrummy though.

I have to work Christmas Eve and Boxing day at an (expletives deleted) retail store. Can you believe the misery? Oh this working in retail caper was meant to be a nice break from teaching. A lovely low-stress job for a bit of fun; a way to get out of the house and meet people, but as far as management are concerned, the song "Ship of Fools" keeps coming to mind.

Nigella’s Florentines.

4 ounces whole, blanched almonds
7 tablespoons mixed candied peel, in
Whole chunks, not ready chopped
1 ½ ounces glace cherries
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (dark)
4 ounces white chocolate
2 baking sheets, greased.

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Chop the almonds so that you have some fine pieces and some chunks of nut. Chop the candied peep and cherries into fairly small, even pieces. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter and sugar without letting it scorch. Add the flour rather as if you were making a roux for a white sauce; it should form a ball of paste. Take off the heat and whisk in the cream. The mixture should be smooth, so put it back on the heat briefly to beat out any lumps. Stir in the fruit and almonds.

Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of this Florentine mixture onto the greased nonstick baking sheets. It will look quite liquid and will spread, so leave generous space between the blobs. Place the sheets in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes. They’re ready when they’ve spread into larger circles and the edges are golden brown. Take them out of the oven and leave for 2-3 minutes to firm up; at this point you can ease them back into shape if you need to, as they will be very malleable. When you feel they can be lifted, slip a metal spatula or palette knife underneath them and transfer to q wire rack to cool, ensuring you leave them flat.

Melt the dark and white chocolate in separate bowls in the microwave, and paint the flat side of each Florentine; I used a pastry brush for this. Be prepared to paint over and over to get a good thick coating.

Using a fork make wavy lines on the chocolate on each Florentine and leave to dry.

Makes 30.

Recipe taken from Nigella Lawson’s How to be a Domestic Goddess.

Queen of the mountain

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Mud, mud, mud. How I loathe that stuff. The snow has melted away leaving that murky mess in its place. There is so much mud up here I could open up a spa, specializing in mud masks. Perhaps I could romp around outside in my gumboots pretending to be an old hippie at Woodstock.

http://www.lookingforadventure.com/photopages/woodstockphoto32.htm

The jeep is encrusted with the sticky substance that looks remarkably like the contents of a baby's nappy. The road is full of deep ruts and dangerous crevices. Driving up and down is an adventure indeed. Coming home with the shopping yesterday was a particularly spectacular ride. Jouncing around like the Energizer Bunny, the car was all over the place and I almost went off the road a couple of times. Surprisingly the eggs made it home unscathed. I was sure they would have been smashed up in the turbulent ride.

A part of me quite enjoys the drive. I get carried away and imagine I am racing in the World Rally Car Championship, or racing around the mountain at Bathurst. Look out Peter Brock, Countess Chichi is coming and her Tod's wearing feet are made of lead!

The Colonel used the tractor to even out a part of the road, it's lovely, but there is a big section that needs to be worked on. Come on Colonel, get on that tractor and get to work, this Countess is not made for driving in the mud. I used to drive a Peugeot for crying out loud. My darling little car, called Zsa Zsa, was a metallic red beauty. She had only been on civilised city roads, much like me, until now.

I have started working at a department store in town. Quite a departure for me. It is a nice change though, quite refreshing not to go to work and have obstreperous children swearing at me, (not that most of my students were like that). It may still happen at my new job though, it's early days yet.
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The paycheck is welcome right now for this Countess does like to shop. I can't help it, Carol Brodie will insist upon selling gorgeous gems that must be owned!

A new piece in the Rarities collection by Carol Brodie. How scrumptious. Just the piece I need around my neck as I traverse the muddy trails.

The problem is, I arrive at work in all my Countess finery each day, with crusty patches of dried mud spoiling my fancy ensemble. I take a wet hand towel to wipe some of it off but somehow scraps of mud always seem to escape my eye. I must look like such a hobo.

My application to obtain my teaching credentials is underway. There has been a ridiculous delay that has my blood boiling. As a foreign educated teacher I need to have my academic transcripts evaluated. It has cost almost 300 dollars so far. Crikey!

It has taken way too long so I called up student records at Melbourne University today. I was told that a piece of my application was missing. Had anyone contacted me to request it? No. The worst part is that I had in fact included the document in my original application. They lost it. Oh it was nothing important, only a photocopy of my drivers licence! I take solace in the fact that the University of Melbourne is so careful with confidential information. I mean, it's not like Identity theft happens everyday is it?

They tried to tell me that I had not included the document with my application. Ummmm..it was STAPLED to the application. What craziness is going on over there?

Right now I am busy working on starting up my new venture, an editing and proofreading business, and my department store job. Perhaps I may decide not to go back to teaching at all, I am considering it.

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Gimme, Gimme, Gimme

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Carol Brodie's back on Hsn with more fabulous jewels.

As usual, I want them all. A day does not go by when I am not wearing at least one Brodie piece. Love the Brodie magic.

The last ring is literally a one of a kind. Juicy pear shaped citrines, a dream come true.

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Carol Brodie, I heart you.

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New Carol Brodie stunners are on display at Hsn.com and I am yet again foaming at the mouth while ogling those beauties.

How does Ms Brodie manage to keep coming up with such unusual and spectacular pieces?

Yesterday I wore my Gray Agate ring and could not stop myself from staring at my hand. What a magnificent bauble that is, and for under 50 bucks it's such a fabulous bargain.

I am craving the jade dome ring right now.

Let me just clean that drool off my keyboard before I short circuit the computer.
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Darling I love you but give me Park Avenue.

.My life is like Green Acres. As the theme tune says, 'hard living is the life for me'. What? How did this happen? It's certainly not true and might I say that I discovered dirt under my nails today and they were in sore need of a proper manicure.

My city sensibilities are just so offended by country dirt. I refuse to dress in the dowdy country style around here. Overalls are so un-flattering. One can still dress up a bit on the farm you know. I am sure the pigs will appreciate a touch of glamour in their little porky lives don't you? (wink)

From Marvellous Melbourne, to Trendy Tampa, how did this city slicker end up in living on top of a great big Mountain? In the words of the band Powderfinger, 'This life turned out nothing like I had planned'.

My dreams always involved living in the city, perhaps an exotic one like Milano or Venice, Vienna or even New York.

" I just adore a Penthouse view, darling I love you but give me Park Avenue"- Green Acres theme tune.

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Instead of the fast pace of city living, I am residing on 40 acres and spent much of today carrying rather heavy logs of wood from the shed onto the wood pile on the deck. Not only that dear reader, and please be seated before reading on in case you find yourself dizzy from the shock, this fancy Countess was out chopping big chunks of wood into small pieces for kindling. That's right, me with an axe in my hand, dangerous and disturbing, and probably a violation of my parole. (joking)

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So much for my dreams of being lady of Manor up here, it seems I am more like lady muck!

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The wood shed.

Even in the country one cannot be without a three strand pearl necklace.

While Eva Gabor was allergic to Hay in the charming comedy series, I am in fact allergic to manual labour of any form. Imagine my horror at realising today's event was not something to do on a fun country adventure caper, but something needed on a regular basis to stop me freezing to death in sub-zero temperatures.

Firewood on the porch, the fruits of my labour.

This country caper is turning out to be such a challenge. My mission is to survive and do all the farm things, but to still retain my sense of style and elan and to continue to wear my fabulous Carol Brodie jewels, even if it's just to impress the chooks.

Let me just say this, Countess Chichi simply will not allow herself to become Miss Mountain Woman. It's pearls and Rolex and Tod's shoes for me. Throw in some lovely fancy frocks as worn by the gorgeous Miss Eva and you get the picture.

Just the frock I need for feeding the chooks in.

Will I become Miss Mountain Country 2010 or will the city keep on slicking right off me? Who knows, who cares you say, cheeky! If any readers see pictures of me wearing cover-alls and chewing on a piece of wheat or hay or whatever it is bumpkins chew on, please leave me a stern message, bring me back from the brink of abandoning all fashion sense and fanciness.

If that fails and you see photographs of me either riding a tractor or shopping at Walmart in a wife beater T-shirt with a mullet hairdo, I beg you to give me a good hard slap.

Despite the intervention were I to end up dressing like this cowgirl all hope would be lost and I should be institutionalised for my own good. Nuff said.

At least I think it's a girl. Not really 100% sure. Yeeehaw

Photo from peopleofWalmart.com

"The Chores, the Stores" - Green Acres theme tune

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Call emergency, having just seen the new Carol Brodie line, I am about to pass out.

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It is a well known fact that I am completely obsessed with the Carol Brodie jewelry line. Such a bountiful bevy of beautiful treasures. Ever since stumbling across HSN one day as the Capri rings were being presented I have been completely enamoured of the line and by Ms Brodie herself. What a dynamic and effervescent person she is, even taking the time to leave messages on my silly and inconsequential blog, how much more wonderful can she possibly get?

Having seen a snippet of what is to be presented on her next show, it would seem a whole lot more wonderful. Right now I believe I am having some kind of palpitations. No dear reader, I have not been 'overdoing' the ADHD meds again. It is simply a matter of seeing the most brilliant and breathtaking baubles, then seeing the tiny prices. Definately a valium moment, not talking about 2.5 mg here, this is a powder blue, 5 mg moment.

I have long been an avid admirer of a certain Italian designer called Marco Bicego. How many times have I wandered into Saks fifth ave drooling over his collections, only to know that were I to come home with any of that loot, the Colonel would have gone into a conniptive fit.

As it turns out he learned of my illicit Brodie habit and is not a happy camper. Typical military man. Large sums of money spent adding to the gun collection are perfectly acceptable, but even paltry sums spent on Jewelry are just beyond comprehension.

He did however get me a Rolex for my birthday which is 4 weeks away, so he is very kind really, it's just that he thinks having a ring or two is fine, just not every ring Ms Brodie designs.

Ms Brodie has just made me a very happy Countess indeed by creating some Bicego like rings with the textured gold around the lozenge shaped stone.


Others are doing the opaque stones at the moment. Opaques are stunning but I have not yet seen one that was not hideously ugly and without all the ghastly foofaraw. Trust Ms Brodie to bring us lovely opaque sapphires and rubies in a clean, simple and elegant setting. Classy!

A Brodie ring should be arriving in the post tomorrow, another has been just ordered but I am afraid my work here is not done, I am compelled to go back and order more. Someone call 911, save me from myself. NO, only joking, it would not be wise to get between me and my Brodies, I wouldn't want to have to scratch anyone up or something like that. Just saying, because I am way too pretty to go to gaol. ;)

The Collection is available on Hsn.com. I am sure more delicious pieces will be added during the week. Many Brodie followers will no doubt be lurking on the web, waiting for new pieces to pop up. To any jewelry affictionados, there is something for everyone and so much of it is completely affordable.

Carol Brodie Rocks......Fact.

The Colonel gave me a lovely ruby engagement ring because I wanted something with colour and true rarity. There is a glut of diamonds in the world, yet pigeon blood red rubies are terribly rare. It's set in platinum but I have just been crazy about yellow metals of late, (going back to my Italian heritage) so I am thinking of sometimes wearing Ms Brodies Opaque Ruby in Vermeil instead. How lovely. So chic, so European, so marvellous. It's Brodie love!

More of Brodies Bodacious Baubles

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I could have flown all the way to Milano, visited to my Aunt and scoured the stores there for a ring like Ms Brodies latest treat. I could also have paid a small fortune for it. Instead, I sat on my couch, having a cup of coffee and using my phone to order a real ring for costume jewelry prices.

I have seen some people pay 100's to 1000's for plastic Chanel costume jewelry just to have the CC logo. Oh now where is the value for money in that? Give me Brodies bodacious baubles anyday.

Having looked for a Turquoise ring for months now, I finally found the most exquisite one ever. It matches my bracelet with Turquoise end caps just nicely too.

What is it about that baby coloured blue that makes one fall headlong into baby blue love?

I had to review this piece immediately, just couldn't keep all the praise to myself. Here is my comment on Hsn.com.

Brodie hits another winner

Misschichi ,
State: FL
Average Customer Rating:

5.0 out of 5
Date: 09/30/2009
This ring is amazing. Real gold, onyx and gemstone, nothing simulated, for such a small price. I can't believe it. What a chic and unusual piece. This ring has high class written all over it. Not the usual run of the mill Turquoise ring, this is something new and different entirely. I ordered two rings, my true size and one up. The smaller one did not fit and the larger one is just right. It's very comfortable to wear and so beautiful.

Adore questa molto bella parte di monili fini, grazie la signora Brodie, mille volte lo ringraziano.

Carol Brodies Shock and Awe

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Finally, the long awaited third installment of the Carol Brodie collection on Hsn has arrived. Having spent the last 2 months trawling the web site looking for new Brodie pieces, I am very excited indeed after seeing the latest offerings.

Ever since the Capri rings with their onyx bands, I have been completely gaga over the use of onyx in ring settings.

I have been wanting a turquoise ring for some time as it is my birthstone. I almost bought Brodie's other ring with the white quartzite band but I am just not keen enough on white. Then I logged on and saw this beauty. Shock and Awe indeed. I started gasping for breath at the sight of this black onyx version but the price, $89 bucks, are you kidding me? Surely there is some mistake? Such a spectacular and genuine bauble for a costume jewelry price. Oh Ms Brodie you are just too amazing for words.

This praisolte and ameythest necklace is adorable.

Brodie has once again created an array of jaw droppingly beautiful jewels at amazingly good prices.

Lust at first sight.

Right now I am crazy about citrines and smoky quartz. These citrine earrings are a dream come true.



The next Carol Brodie show is still a few days away, but I would not be surprised if many of these fabulous pieces sell out before then.

Carol Brodie rocks my socks off!

I adore wearing gems, but not because they are mine. You can't possess radiance, you can only admire it.

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Elizabeth Taylor.

For some reason those emails which inform one of comments to blog posts has ceased to work for me. It's very annoying. Having nothing much to do today I was perusing my blog posts to see if I had missed any comments. A few were found including this absolute gem from Carol Brodie herself,

cbg6930 said...
My Dear Countess ChiChi,You were always my BFF... I am so glad that you love Rarities... at the end of the day, I created this collection for women who love jewelry. I try and have gorgeous pieces in all styles and price ranges... I want every woman who covets a Rarity to be able to own one... or two, or three, or ten or twenty. The September collection is DIVINE! I am so excited to share it with everyone. Thank you for tuning in, sharing your enthusiasm (most of the time) and for taking such a great interest in Rarities Fine Jewelry and me. With warm regards,Carol Brodie

Oh my I am having an attack of the vapours and feel very faint. I just found out that my younger sister has had a photo of herself published in OK magazine with Tom Cruise and Katy Holmes, big whoop, I am very much more fortunate to have received some attention from the lovely Ms Brodie. What a happy camper I am.

I cannot express enough how gorgeous and desireable her collection is. It looks luscious on TV and in pictures, but to see it at home, the pieces are truly out of this world. In fact, I have become a Rarities internet stalker, checking the Hsn.com page everyday looking for a new addition. To wait for the September show is excruciating. I did find this lovely ring added new to the site and I want it, now! Talk about HOT.

Blue chalcedony, what a lovely colour, what a darling ring. If that is an appetiser, imagine what the main course will be when the collection airs in September? That ring would look best on my finger, perhaps one on each hand. :)

My Carol Brodie wish list

Sadly, the turquiose Sun Goddess earrings are long gone and there is no picture, I missed out on those beauties and sincerely regret it.

“Rich and rare were the gems she wore,

And a bright gold ring on her hand she bore."

Thomas Moore

All pictures from hsn.com.

Fancy threads.

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Finally, a range of clothing available here in the USA that is exactly my style. On HSN yesterday there was a new line called M Wynne. I was frothing at the mouth looking at all the wonderful pieces.

Since moving to the USA it has been a complaint of mine that one cannot find the arty, European look that I love. The M Wynne collection is just that. OOOH La La.

I am lusting over the Origami Vest, Sweater Shrug, which can be worn as a skirt and a poncho also, the flip cardy...heck the whole lot. If only one had not been driven to near penury by the Carol Brodie collection, perhaps these fabulous garments would be in my grubby little hands.

Does one take solace in the fact that finally the fancy outfits of my desire are available (without the cost of International shipping) or, be distraught that having spent too much dosh on Carol Brodie's extravagant baubles one is now too skint to buy them?

In the words of Freddie Mercury, " I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now."

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Pictures taken from HSN.COM