Some quick notes to add to let you know a little about my shooting style with these menus – these menus are real, tried, true and tested. They have been served, devoured and loved by all who consumed the dishes (and if they were not loved by someone then I will let you know that individual’s opinion and why). They have been made as a real meal. And there is a (new, hmmm)rule in my house that I am only allowed to take 2 minutes to shoot the food once I have served it. So I must admit they won’t be the best images I have ever taken in my life, but my hope is that they inspire you enough to try the recipes and menus that I display in the kitchen. The idea is that the menu that we whip up is so fantastic that I am compelled to take out the camera and snap it before it gets gobbled up. In some cases you might see that I was not quick enough and you may get an image of an empty plate. So sans further hesitation, enjoy the first menu. (Click here)

You may have gathered from my last very australian related posts that I may be missing my birth home just a little bit at this time of year. But it is just a little bit, becuase I am absolutely loving my new home: Amsterdam. I have been dying to show you my favourite canal, all lit up. So last night after work I dashed out with my camera and tripod and snapped some shots for you. I am now nursing my frost-bitten finger tips but worth the effort, I just wish you were with me, I could have used a hand and someone to make me laugh while I froze!

(Click here to read more…)

Before I get started (and carried away) on the above mentioned, you may or may not have noticed my little note in the ‘about’ page that one of my regular categories will be ‘handy hints’. What is a handy hint you might ask? In the case of my blog, my handy hints will be about showcasing home cleaning products that are ALL natural. In my home, I use only chemical-free cleaning products as well as natural sponges and cleaning cloths wherever possible. There is no bleach in my place, no fabric softener, no blue window cleaner, not even a bottle of that funky shaped toilet cleaner stuff.

(Click here to read more…)

it’s called ‘the steampunk laptop’ and it has to be the most beautiful machine I have ever seen! Completely crafted from wood and glass with a copper keyboard and mouse, this laptop is one serious creation – it TOTALLY works like any other laptop. You have to check out the video on the website so you can see how it turns on and off. I’M IN LOVE…

Thank you my secret techie source, you have made my day (of course I meant I was in love with you, hehehehe)

I flew back to Sydney in August to shoot this summer bbq story for the launch issue of Home Basics, a new magazine put out by Shannon Lush and Jen Fleming (writers of ‘Spotless’). August is winter in Australia and I can tell you, it was hotter and sunnier than it was here in Europe for Summer! The story brief was to create a table setting that was loose, real and simple. The colour palette was to be yellows, blues with a backdrop of craft-paper brown. So this is what I came up with, taking the craft-paper brown as a literal background and using it as a tablerunner. I was inspired by these beautiful wattle branches I saw in a florist and dotted them around the table in little glass vases. Gayna Murphy, the art director, had found these fab old plates of all sorts of colours so I set the table with these mix-matches of plates and old cutlery. I made these little paper flower centre pieces from coloured cupcake cups, beads and ribbon. And I used fabric swatches that I have picked up over the years from designers and printmakers. The beautiful blue fabric swatch (called ‘The Cranes’) is from the Florence Broadhurst collection at Signature Prints.

(Click here to read more…)