clockwise from top left:

1. mud australia – a MUST collection in anyone’s cupboard. I myself have a cupboard full of mud! the mud porcelain range of vessels, vases, plates, platters and bowls are available in all sorts of colours, all over the world, and are oven, dishwasher and microwave safe. Check for your nearest stockist here.

2. I love this black and white porcelain tray set by Stepanka nyc, $140.

3. So Dutch! Tulip plates from Gleena Shop based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. $55 each.

4. chopping boards from baileys home and garden in the UK, for around £28 each.

5. zaishu. it’s a chair, it’s a table, it’s super stylish. and it’s australian! what more can i say? you can read more about these here, and buy them here at le souk. I have particularly fallen in love with this australian bushland design, but all the designs are divine.

6. Brooklyn-based ceramicist alyssa ettinger’s knitware porcelain range is too gorgeous. a set of two demitasse cups are $50.

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clockwise from top image:

1. I love maramiki linen and I think this pillowcase would make the perfect gift. Chicago, Illinois. $34.

2. Japanese cotton and hemp cushion from enhabiten for just $34. New Hampshire. (don’t forget to check out the other items in store -contrary to the item I picked it is bursting with colour!)

3. mohair throw. yes. please. available through eco chic based in the UK. £80.

4. also from eco chic are these style conscious recycled wool cushions for just £14.95 each.

5. the miller quilt by lee matthews, made in australia by women in the local community (i.e. probably some of my fabo neighbours on the Northern Beaches!) a chunky 220cm x 220cm, AUS$880. There are stockists in Australia as well as New York, London, and New Zealand, click here to check your nearest stockist.

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Phew! That’s alot of work. But alot of fun! Don’t forget to check out each of the stores because although I have only picked one item per boutique, I adore their ENTIRE collections and encourage you to go wander through them all. Imagine I have just created a virtual street for you and with shopping basket in hand, you can peruse each shop at your leisure! But I wouldn’t be too leisurely about it as I’ve noticed items are selling out fast so if you see something you like, hop to it.

I have more tabletop and homeware items on the ready for next week as well.

Tomorrow: Holiday gift ideas ‘for her’….

Well folks, look what has just washed up on the shore – it’s the very first ever enhance the everyday holiday gift guide! And it has landed just in time as it’s exactly one month before Christmas.

So what exactly is the enhance the everyday holiday gift guide? Each day, for the next two weeks I will be posting a small selection of goodies to indulge, delight and inspire your friends and family with for this festive season of gift giving. Each day will be split into categories, starting today with gifts ‘for the home’, tomorrow ‘for her’, thursday ‘for him’, and friday ‘for the kids’. Then next week I will be showcasing a range of homewares and decorating ideas for your own home – from festive ornaments & tableware, to gift tags and wrapping.

Excited? Me too.

But you may ask this, what makes the enhance the everyday gift guide any different to other gift guides out there?

It’s simple: everything you will see in the next coming days are not only la classe, which means they are totally hip and stylish and chosen at the hand of a professional stylist BUT… and here comes to best bit… everything you see will fit all my necessary requirements for consumer items, that being vintage or handmade with recycled/renewable/biodregradable material and therefore sustainable.

Why? Because all ‘things’ should be. It’s as simple as that.

Those of you who have known me from the beginning of this blog know that I am an über-conscious consumer + stylist – that everything I purchase is good for the earth, good for you, good for me and good for our future children. My lifelong goal has been to design a modern life that is sustainable without compromising on style and luxury. Therefore whatever has been featured on this blog fits into my philosophy and you can know that by purchasing an item featured here, you are helping the world at large. You may not have already been aware that every item featured on this blog from the very beginning has followed these requirements – from homewares to fashion, food to interior design – it’s all good and it all enhances the every day. And although this first holiday guide will be petit, I hope by the next one I will have a huge selection of treats for you to choose from.

So let’s get to the good stuff tout de suite! Please enjoy the next 2 weeks of giftable goodies. After that I have even more fun things lined up, including my one-year blog anniversary and then let me not even get started on what I have for you for the new year… I have heart palpitations just thinking about it!

But first up, I want to share some simple gift shopping tips for you. Follow these tips and you will not only find the best gifts you have ever given, but you will also be helping our economy and environment:

1. shop locally.

Support your local boutiques and artists + craftspeople. Most homewares boutiques these days stock vintage or locally handmade items so ask for these items when searching for gifts. Use my upcoming holiday gift guide as inspiration.

2. two words: Kris Kringle.

If your family and friends don’t already do so, suggest ‘kris kringle’ from this year on – host a bbq or small get together now (thanksgiving is perfect for this!) and have each person pull out a name from a hat. Each person then purchases a christmas gift for the person they selected from the hat, and only spend the amount allocated (in my family it is $70). The gifts are much more thoughtful and valued (and valuable).

3. Create a wish list.

To save on buying (and unfortunately receiving) gifts that are unwanted and therefore end up in the trash, make a wish list and pass it to those who you know will be buying you a gift this year. That way you receive what you want and your gift-giver is content to know that you will love it. You can also then be selective on your wish list and pick items that are sustainable.

4. Vintage or handmade with love.

Last but not least, source out vintage (ie second hand) or items made with renewable/recycled/biodegradable materials. This might seem restrictive but there is so much scope in this that you may not be aware of including food (hampers!) and wine. Etsy and Dawanda are just two fabulous online sources for finding such goodies, and I have picked out some of my favourites from these great web boutiques, as well as from a few of my favourite boutiques around the world. And since I have readers in both the Northern and (sunny) Southern Hemisphere, I have tried to give you a selection that incorporates both warm and cold holiday climates, and local shops.

Happy gift giving, mes amis!

Next up: gifts ‘for the home’…

starting from tomorrow!

I have just been informed by the owner of one of my all-time favourite homeware boutiques in Sydney that she has decided to close down. Quel dommage!!

I speak of Très Fabu! in Northbridge – a place I would visit often for locating the most beautiful props for shoots, and walking out with a number of items for myself in the process. For me it was a destination stop, a wonderful space to wander through after a day of prop hunting in the city – I used to save Très Fabu! for the end of the day when I would be on my way home to the Northern Beaches. Walking through the antique filled rooms was such a calming treat and I always managed to find the best treasures there.

But, all good things come to an end unfortunately. Jenny Westrup has been selling her beautiful collection of french antiques, vintage ribbons, buttons, perfume bottles, fabrics, and jewellery on Sailors Bay road for 7 years now and has decided it is time to say au revoir. She has huge reductions on everything in store and the sale will be advertised this week in the Sydney Morning Herald. Jenny has offered her mailing list customers first dibs before the official advertising campaign, and has allowed me to extend that whisper on to you my dear readers. Jenny insists everything must go. So I say, go, everyone, go!! And be sure to tell me what you find. I’m jealous already.

Thank you Jenny, for your wonderful service throughout the years and for all your beautiful French inspired treasures. All the best for the new year xx

Très Fabu! 50 Sailors Bay Road Northbridge
ph: 9967 0099 Tues – Sat 10am – 5pm

What could be better than warm custard on a grey day?

I always like to make a few batches of luscious creamy custard throughout the winter months and this delicious tart with poached pears and raspberries is a sophisticated twist on the simple dessert of custard and berries, made by our very own (blog)house kitchen guest, Aran…

Couldn’t you just take a bite our of that beautiful tart right now? I could (by the way, i’ve already checked if Aran’s photos are edible and they are not).

So this weekend, my suggestion is that you make these golden custard tarts as I have no doubt they will send your spirits soaring. Click here for the recipe and more photos. If you must cheat you can buy custard (Aran you did not read that!) but I will tell you now – no store bought custard comes close to what it is like when you make it yourself. Therefore if you have never made custard then this weekend is the weekend to do so! says me.

Thanks for sharing your delicious tart with us Aran!

I hope you have all enjoyed this week in yellow. I know I have, and I do like the idea of hosting colour weeks so perhaps every now and then I shall incorporate this idea amongst my regular posts.

Meanwhile, a winter wind is blowing in big gusts across the canal, making le petit bateau sway and rock like it is out at sea. It’s a grey cold windy day out in Amsterdam, and I am very happy to be tucked up inside my little boat. I have put my sheepskin rug on my chair and turned the heaters up just a little extra. With ugg boots on my feet, and cup of hot tea in hand, I’m settling in for the afternoon and putting some ideas together for upcoming shoots. I’m also busy working on some special posts for next week! And I have been busy with My Heart Wanders. Oh I have so many wonderful things planned for you for the rest of this year, and even more coming for next year. It’s an exciting time here in the (blog)house!

Enjoy your weekend mes amis. Keep cosy and remember, if you need a hit of sunshine, you are always welcome back here to visit the yellow posts anytime. I’ll make sure there is one of Aran’s tarts for you straight out of the oven.

xx