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!