First Birthday Party - II

As promised, here are more photos from Sunday's 1st Birthday party (see previous photos here). We were blessed with perfect weather for our backyard gathering last Sunday, and a one year old that was happy all day - if somewhat perplexed by the baby-friendly (Bonnie the Baker - pictured above) cake we put in front of her. The collection of photos I'm sharing  make the day look like one big sugar fest (how cute are the arrowroot biscuit faces), but I promise there was 'proper' food on offer too. In fact, the talk of the party was the whole slow roasted lamb with fresh bread rolls we organised from Hellenic Bakery and Cakes in Marrickville (after a tip off from local friends in the know). I tell you, it's the pig on the spit for the 21st century - and makes catering for a large number of people beyond easy. 

Happy Birthday Sunny! I know you won't remember this party when you're older, but I hope you look back on these photos* one day and smile.

*Thanks to our clever friend Andrew McIntosh for the mountain of photos.

The Great Gatsby

It was wonderful to finally get a chance to see The Great Gatsby on Monday night. Mark and I headed in to the George Street cinemas and put on 3D glasses to watch the cast and crew screening of the latest film from Bazmark. 

The negative reviews I have been reading lately only made me want to love the film more - not only because of the long hours I personally put in to the project, but because of the support the film was to the Australian film industry. Hundreds of Australians were employed for hundreds of hours in little old Sydney town for this film - and I've got to say, I feel very proud. 

When it comes to the final edit of a film, I so often find large parts of sets make the cutting room floor, denying the audience of the level of detail the set decorating department always go to. I was pleasantly surprised to see so much set detail in The Great Gatsby. Sure, no one is ever going to see things like the 1920's waffle iron hiding in Nick Carraway's kitchen cupboard - but hopefully you will notice the beauty and period authenticity in the upholstery, wallpapers, curtains, rugs, cutlery, glassware - the list could go on and on. As the film is in 3D, you really feel like you are a guest at one of Gatsby's decadent parties - and don't even get me started on the music, costumes and make up. And Leo...oh, he truly is a dreamboat - the man literally glows on screen!

I do hope you all go and see the film, in cinemas 30 May 2013.

Briar x

First Birthday Party - I

The one year old birthday girl is fast asleep after her party today...she's most likely dreaming about bubbles, pom poms and party hats. I was looking forward to toasting the first year milestone of being a parent, but it was even more delightful seeing Sunday's joy in being surrounded by some of her favourite people in the world. I have no doubt that babies know when it is a special day just for them. 

We were lucky enough to have a friend who is a talented photographer bring his camera along, so I will make sure to blog more photos of the party later on in the week. In the meantime, below are some of my DIY projects. Seriously, I could make fun stuff like this all day, every day. Just you wait, Miss Sunday - your 21st birthday party is going to be a cracker!

Using the trusty glue gun, I made a selection of vintage inspired party hats for the kids. My mum helped with the woolen pom poms (she's super fast), and the mix of ribbons were purchased at Lincraft.

Sunday loves bubbles, so we gave all her friends a bottle of bubbles as a party favour. I designed a label and simply re-labelled the bottles of bubbles using double sided tape.

I set up a simple 'photo booth' chair for the birthday girl - the children's bentwood chair I sat on as a young girl, decorated with pom poms and a personalised rosette from Lulu Lucky.

On top of the classic lolly/fairy bread table, I put together slightly healthier lunch boxes for the kids, with a pair of 'Sunnies from Sunny'...the adults didn't go without either, but I'll talk more about that feast later in the week.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Briar x

Gifts for Sunday

Not that I needed another excuse to look at shops - but in the blink of an eye, our baby muffin turns one this Friday. Before I wrap up Sunday's gifts (in that scrunchy, tasty wrapping paper she loves), I thought I would share the selection of presents we have lined up.

Some of you may have already heard of Stuck on You - the company sells super cute personalised labels (for lunch boxes etc). You will also find a fab selection of personlised gifts online. There is no chance Sunday will be forgetting her name in a hurry with her embroidered bath towel and wooden name puzzle.  I was especially drawn to both of these, as I had my own versions as a child...in fact my burgundy towel with 'Briar' script is still in my Mum's linen cupboard.

The girl has a far better wardrobe than me, but Sunday's Aunty Hannah has just returned from Shanghai and picked up some very cute 'Mini Skinny' jeans for the birthday girl from Gap - including the Pixie Dust pink pair  from the DVF range...shop online here. Every girl needs a new pair of party shoes, right? The Mouse Mary-Janes are from Seed.

For as long as I can remember, the children in my family have had their height growth recorded on a door frame at my Dad's house. I plan to do the same for Sunday...as we aren't in our 'forever house', I'll take her Kids Growstick with us when we move out.

Sunday loves her books, but also loves to tear out pages (!!), so I couldn't resist the fabric and delightful velcro 3D illustrations of the oversized 'Colours book bag' from The Trading Circle.

As you probably know, I do love organising a party. I'll be back soon to share my simple DIY projects for Sunday's first birthday party which is happening this weekend. Squeal!

I hope you are having a great week.

Briar x

Painted Terracotta

Over the weekend, a simple painting project came about because I was after a nice indoor pot for a maidenhair fern I recently purchased, but didn't want to spend too much cash (let's just say I don't have the best track record with raising indoor plants).

While I was at Bunnings perusing the terracotta range, I bought a second pot and dish to up-cycle and make a little dessert stand (you can check out many more DIY terracotta cake stands on Pinterest here). 

Instructions (materials available at Bunnings, or any large hardware store):

1. On a drop sheet outside, spray the clean terracotta pots and dishes with B.I.N Primer and allow to dry for a few hours. 

2.  Paint the pots and dishes in gloss enamel paint (I chose inexpensive sample pots) in the colour of your choice (I chose bright white). Allow to dry. 

3a. Pot - I used painters tape to mask off the pot on an angle on both sides and filled in the space in gloss lilac paint. Allow to dry. Peel away the painters tape. To finish, I places a strip of washi tape in gold to break up the lilac and white. 
3b. Dessert stand - I painted the base pot in gloss lilac and gave the dish a second coat of white. Once dried, I glued the two pieces together using Selleys Araldite.  Too easy!

I also want to say thanks for all your comments (and Facebook likes) re. the Mothers Day giveaway this week...the delicious breakfast suggestions sure left me hungry! I had a chance to use the fun random number generator again too - and the lucky winner of all the loveliness is #6 Amelia Feetham. Please email me your delivery address to briarstanley@gmail.com. Lucky you, Amelia!

Briar x

Mothers Day Giveaway

To mark my first Mothers Day as a Mother, I thought it fitting I hold a Mother of a giveaway! I recently approached some of my favourite brands with the idea, and they ever so kindly contributed the items pictured above. One lucky winner has the chance to win all of the following:

• It's no secret I'm a big fan of Freedom, and they've offered up an eye catching 'Barney' Side Table (I can't believe I'm giving away furniture on my blog - I'm just a little bit thrilled)! The side table is crafted from solid acacia blocks into an hourglass shape, with a polished flat surface on which to rest your book or drink. 

• Which brings me to the next prize...included in the prize pack is a pretty pink bottle of Apple Tree Flat Rose from Logan Wines - some of you know my family connection to this winery...but no word of a lie, it really is my favourite drop.

• New Zealand  Citta Design sent me their catalogue recently, and I was pleasantly surprised by their extensive (and beautiful) range. They have everything from your dining table to your tea cup sorted. I was so excited when they contributed two velour towels and a hand towel for the giveaway - I've always had a thing for hounds tooth (it reminds me of fun shopping trips to DJ's in the 80's with my Grandma). Trust me, the towels are gorgeous!

• I'm sure Have You Met Miss Jones needs no introduction - the queen of bone china has a new glazed range, and included in the prize pack is a generous collection of gelato ceramic goodness.

Total Prize Value: $635.70 

How to win: Like Sunday Collector on Facebook OR Leave a comment on my blog, telling me what your favourite breakfast would be on Mothers Day (leave a comment whether you're a Mother or not, of course) and a winner will be picked at random this Sunday.

The giveaway is now closed - winner is Comment # 6 - Amelia Feetham.

Briar x 

Good Food Week

Two years ago I talked about loving the very popular destination The Boathouse Palm Beach - so I thought I should let you know I got a chance to check out it's new sister location - at the revamped Balmoral Boatshed. It feels very similar to the Palm Beach fit out...from the large deck with the trademark pots, plants and lush flowers, and the gorgeous interior fit out with textural timbers and Ici Et La fabric stripes. Although I was just there for a coffee, lunch (including the famous fish and chips from Palm Beach) was pumping out of the kitchen at a rapid rate. I'd recommend a visit - it's a lovely beachside experience...maybe just have a bit of time on your side to grab a table, the place gets pretty packed. The Balmoral Boatshed 2 The Esplanade, Balmoral Beach (02) 9969 4412

Moving on to Potts Point...It certainly was a good food week! I had a delicious lunch with girlfriends at The Apollo. The Australian Greek restaurant has a very elegant interior fit out...and serves a crazy-good Taramasalata. We luckily coincided with Greek Easter too.

Above: The Taramasalata I will never forget. If you go, I recommend you also try the Saganaki Cheese with Honey and Oregano...hooly dooly, there are no words.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Briar x

DIY Coconut and Lime Body Polish

You've probably noticed the air time 'quitting sugar' (and the frequent hash tag #iquitsugar) has been getting lately. I thought I'd put a positive spin on sugar and share a recipe for the outside of your body - a fabulous home made Body Polish I whipped up this week. I did a bit of research,  and below is a combination of a few recipes out there. 

Coconut and Lime Body Polish 
Using a spatula, combine the following ingredients in a bowl to make 2 jars:
3 cups raw sugar

1 cup organic coconut oil 

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

10 drops pure essential oil (I chose lime essence)

1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil * (from your local chemist)

Grated rind of 1 lime

As Mothers Day is coming up, I took the opportunity to decorate a jar nicely as a gift for my Mum. All you need is a clean jam jar...I chose to embellish the jar with classic gold dot stickers, and a fabric jar topper made from an old t-shirt with gold ribbon I had in the cupboard. Voila! An inexpensive but luxurious Mothers Day gift!

• Vitamin E contains natural antioxidants which extend the life of your products. It's recommended to use the scrub within two months, and keep the jar free of water to prevent bacteria forming.

I promise this is super lovely to use in the shower or bath. It also smells so yummy you may be tempted to actually eat it. 

I hope you are having a great week!

Briar x

Early Breakfast

 

I wasn't the only one captivated by the stunning weather in Sydney over the weekend. We enjoyed a lovely (early) breakfast at a friend's place in Manly, and spotted the Bold and Beautiful Swim Squad out the front making their daily journey to Shelly Beach and back. While I was waking up with a good coffee in hand, the host pulled some savoury muffins out of the oven. I wanted to share the recipe with you as they were so delicious (and easy)!

Savoury Breakfast Muffins - makes 6

Ingredients:

1/12 cups self-raising flour

2 cups grated tasty cheese

100g mortadella, chopped

1 zucchini, grated

1/4 cup thinly sliced chives

1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes, diced

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

1/3 cup fruit chutney

Rosemary to garnish

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 6 x 3/4-cup capacity muffin pan. Line bases of holes with baking paper. Sift flour into a large bowl. Add cheese, mortadella, zucchini, tomatoes and chives. Whisk milk, egg and chutney in a jug until well combined. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients. Pour in milk mixture. Using a large metal spoon, gently mix until just combined. Spoon into muffin holes. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 3 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool. Garnish with fresh rosemary and cherry tomatoes.

Photography credit goes to the talented Andrew McIntosh - because for once in my life, I forgot my camera...I blame the early start.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Briar x

Stripes vs Spots

A surprise parcel from Freedom arrived today. Two cushions - one spot, one striped...with a note. 'STRIPES VS SPOTS: WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON? It got me thinking. If you were to open my wardrobe door, you'd put your money on stripes. At last count, I had over 20 striped tops...and it's not uncommon for my little family of three to be sprung (embarrassingly/accidentally) out at breakfast all dressed in stripes. 

Above: Dots Cushion from Freedom, buy similar phone case from Kate Spade, Childrens Puffer vest from Cotton On, Paper Crinkle Fan from BHLDN, Spot Mug from Daiso, Spot Pillowcase from Castle and Things.

However, after a whip around the house...I decided I'm a bigger fan of the spot (or polka dot) these days. It's been a while since I photographed one of my collections too - so here are some spots, and I don't know about you, but spots make me happy. I even stick them on bedroom walls.

As Freedom says 'Whichever side of the fence you sit, you can't be wrong with a stripe or a spot this season'. Whose side are you on? 

PS. In other news, the winner of the Sniff Soy Candle Giveaway is comment Number 21 - Congratulations Peta. Please email me with your postal address: briarstanley@gmail.com

Sniff Soy Candles { Giveaway }

I first came across the boutique scented candle company Sniff Soy Candles nearly a year ago (Mark bought me the scent Sunday Wash Line soon after Sunday was born). I was originally drawn to the simple label, but also ended up loving the perfume and longevity of burn time. The lovely ladies at Sniff recently emailed me to let me know about a new candle, Hello Sailor 'This scent is a nautical delight, with notes of salty wood, vintage cologne a hint of late night rationed rum and the spice trade on a dangerous sea'. Sniff HQ are offering free shipping and gift wrapping just in time for Mothers Day (May 12th) and are also feeling extra generous this week with gifts... I have a Hello Sailor plus a Fresh Cut Flowers candle and Sniff Candle Snuffer in my hot little hands to post to one lucky winner. Prize valued at $74.90.

How do you win? Leave a comment on my blog, telling me what your favourite scent is (it could be anything from burnt toast to freshly cut grass), and a winner will be picked at random this Wednesday. It's not often I have giveaways on here, you have to be in it to win it peeps!

Briar x

Update: Giveaway is closed. Thanks for your comments!

'That's My Name' Garland

Leon and Kit are two bubbas that have both recently turned/turning one. For such a milestone birthday, I went down the route of ordering personalised story books...and there is a reason why I'm not sharing photos of those books and the link on here. Let's just say an at home ink-jet printer does not make you a book publisher - the quality was unfortunately unbelievably bad. 

I eventually decided on a little of my own DIY. Using versatile air dry clay and my invaluable hot glue gun from Bunnings, I made personalised name garlands. Here's what to do if you want to try them at home:

Supplies:

1 x Packet 'Air Dry' Clay 

Alphabet Cookie Cutters (I found an inexpensive plastic set at a $2 shop)

Baking Paper

Rolling Pin

Hot Glue Gun 

Ribbon or Twine (I used lovely felt ribbon from Pulp Creative Paper)

Instructions:

Lay out a piece of baking paper, the clay and a second piece of baking paper on top. Using a rolling pin, roll the ball of clay flat until it is about the thickness of a frozen pastry sheet.

Cut out each letter with the cookie cutters.
Set the letters aside and leave to dry. It will take about 12 hours to dry, but check them a few times before they are dry and make sure they haven't curled. If they start to, just press down lightly to straighten the letters.

Once the letters are dry, fire up (plug in) your hot glue gun. Flip over each letter and add a drop/line of glue along the top of each letter.

Space the letters evenly along the ribbon and press down. Glue gun glue is powerful stuff - so there won't be any problem with the letters not sticking. Tie knots at either end of the ribbon for hanging purposes. Voila! You have a cute little personalised gift - and I think these would work just as well for big person gift too. Don't you think?

Have a great weekend,

Briar x

Voices of 2013

I've shared and discussed many of my photos on this little blog of mine, and cruising through my posts this evening it became obvious I love colour, wrapping presents, the odd bit of DIY, eating copious amounts of Mexican food....and my little sister bakes a lot.

Why the trip down memory lane? I'm pretty thrilled to be included as a finalist in the Voices of 2013 Top 100 Bloggers. It's so exciting (and such a compliment) to be recognised in the company of some of my favourite blogs. The email announcing it (and the chance for me to win a trip to New York) this morning got me all nostalgic, and I thought I would share some of my favourite photographs with you. Thanks for visiting Sunday Collector and showing interest in what I rabbit on about. Briar x

                                                                       

Greens

After buying a tasteless punnet of cherry tomatoes and green apples that were forgotten about but stayed strangely fresh for two months in the fridge from my local (super giant) supermarket I decided last week was the week to organise home delivery of some fresh produce. After a recommendation from a friend, I ordered the box online the night before from Wild Greens. We certainly got bang for our buck ($65) - the fridge is literally bulging with the kind of produce you expect from a boutique grocer. Pictured here is everything minus a pineapple, avocado and punnet of beautiful cherry tomatoes, which were eaten before the camera came out. 

In other news, it's such a cliché - but it's so great playing tourist in your own city. We enjoyed Sunday afternoon drinks at a gorgeous home in Kirribilli (check out the view)! The little one got some tips on walking from the future bride, Aunty Bonnie (The Baker). Sunny has just under 7 months to find her feet before walking down the aisle with niece/flower girl duties. Which means I have just under 7 months to get the wedding styling wheels in motion. I get butterflies just thinking about the possibilities  - and I'll be sure to blog more about the wedding crafts here. I hope you had a great weekend!

Briar x