Lucky Charm Doll

When candlelight appears on film, chances are it is burning from a double wick candle. Double wick = bigger and brighter flame for screen. Stax of Wax in Newtown make the candles to order. I was placing an order last week, when I had the chance to quickly drop in to Newspaper Taxi a few doors down. I introduced myself to the lovely owner, Stefanie, who in turn told me she had mentioned my blog in Inside Out this month (just a little bit excited, and what a small world). Thank you Stefanie, a fellow blogger - and thanks for thinking I was also a food stylist. I'm not, I just really like to eat. Next time you are in Newtown, drop in and check out Stefanie's shop. It's filled with all things charming and delightful...like the letterpress card and lucky charm doll I snapped up, or just visit the store online.

The Butcher

My steak on the BBQ for Australia Day stepped up a level this year, with thanks to the amazing butcher, Victor Churchill. My husband attended Butchery School last Friday night - where, in a nutshell - he learnt from a butcher/teacher how to carve up a cow. The students then had a go at it themselves, and learnt how to cook steaks the proper way...there is quite a science to it apparently. He finished the evening with a bottle of red with the butcher, and a parcel of meat to take home...as you can imagine, my foodie husband had quite the evening. Pictured above is his new butcher apron. Check out the timetable of classes - such a good gift idea for your dad/brother/bf, they will love it. Happy Australia Day to you all. The weather was certainly impressive in Sydney. What did you get up t0?

Pinboard

A lot of the time, my work doesn't feel like work at all. Pictured above are the three stages of the fun I had recently creating a pinboard for a set on the film I am working on. It will eventually hang in the bedroom of one of the lead characters. As a props buyer, it's so important I get in to the headspace of the character I am buying for. The girl who 'owns' this pin board is: 24, from an affluent family, a beautiful romantic who is planning her wedding, and her bedroom is wall-to-wall pretty. You can see why her life on a pinboard ended up looking like this. The character is also getting framed Paper Butterflies by Catherine Swan. Lucky girl.

In the garden

A holiday can quickly become a distant memory once you get stuck back in to work. Photographs take you back there quickly. Pictured above is where I spent a large part of the Christmas break - my mum and step dads in Tuross Head. You can see why a ride on lawn mower was a wise investment recently. Like me, my mum loves succulents - mine never look as healthy as these though...maybe some cute garden accessories from Heaven in Earth would help? If you do check out the website, delve deep, and don't be mistaken by the little product photos - there is some really cute stuff.

The Wedding Weekend

I've hit the age where every second weekend is spent attending a wedding, meeting a newborn, or visiting a friend's first home - I'm not complaining, I love a good excuse to celebrate. Last weekend I attended the 'yellow wedding' I mentioned - and what a wedding it was. The bride wore Collette Dinnigan (beautifully), and custom made Mexican Banners were strung from the ceiling at the reception venue Simmer on the Bay - a venue so beautiful, that the breath taking flowers by Tamara at Garlands was all it needed. More fun was had the next day with an old fashioned BBQ at Clovelly Bowling Club (I'm a big fan of a second celebration - one night is just too short for a wedding). The bowling club is a place frozen in time set on some of the best real estate in Sydney...I'll definitely be visiting again.

Five Minute Coconut Macaroons

Do you agree that Bill Granger makes you feel like you're a really good cook? His recipes are so simple to follow - I whipped up (as in prep took me five minutes) these recently. See below for the easy-peasy recipe.

Coconut Macaroons

2 egg whites

115g caster (superfine) sugar

150g shredded coconut

100g roughly chopped macadamia nuts (I didn't have these - so used almonds instead)

1 teaspoon lime zest

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Mix together the egg whites, caster sugar, coconut, nuts and lime zest in a bowl (you may need to use your hands). Shape tablespoons of the mixture in to mounds on paper-lined baking trays. Bake 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on trays. Makes 20.

Do what I did, and enjoy three too many with a cup of tea.

Hello Yellow

After a few nights of devastating news and images on the television, I felt the need to turn to my collection of yellow. I think yellow just may be my favourite colour - it certainly says 'happy' to me. The word happy doesn't begin to describe what I felt today when I heard from my friend that a specialist worked miracles in surgery and her baby girl is going to be ok. Big sigh of relief. We are heading to the wedding celebration of a gorgeous couple tomorrow - above is the invitation (created by the clever bride). I'll make sure to take some snaps of the big day for you, I know it's going to be lovely...with lots of yellow. The book pictured above, Remake it Home is a great reference guide - definitely for those who dig a bit of DIY. And...drum roll please...lucky my husband is a fan of my blog - it looks like he read this post, because I unwrapped a Giant Corn Cob Stool on Christmas Day. I know some people may think it's strange, but I think it's beautiful. I hope this post gave you a little bit of 'happy' too.

On the road

I have spent the last two days on the road sourcing an array of things for the sets of a new film I am working on, A Few Best Men. During my travels, this lonely lane way wall caught my eye. I believe the world would be a happier place if more insignificant walls were decorated to this level. Let me know if you know of a 'good wall' - I'd love to photograph it.

A new decade

Welcome to 2011. For me, the first ten days of the new year has been filled with mixed emotions. Very good friends welcomed a beautiful baby girl on Christmas Day, and the little one is facing a few difficult hurdles in hospital at the moment. Not being a religious person, it seems strange to ask you to pray, but that is what I have been doing the past couple of days. The baby is certainly in good hands, and is strong just like her mummy. I have a new found admiration for the doctors and nurses at Westmead Children's Hospital, that's for sure.

Since I last wrote, I spent most of my time with family on the south coast at Tuross Head, (my mum and step dad have a house there - and I'm looking forward to sharing their garden with you). When on holidays, you could call my family fairly 'food-focused' - and sorting through photos, I realised there was a definite pink theme emerging that I thought I would share. A highlight of the food safari was my sister's Peach & rosemary tarte Tatin (seen in the third photo). Below is the recipe - you won't be disappointed. The delightful drawing in the last photo is my mum and I, drawn over lunch by my 6 year old niece. She said 'she made us princesses'. Kids are what the Christmas season is really all about.

Peach & rosemary tarte Tatin with runny cream

120gm caster sugar

20 gm butter coarsley chopped

3 rosemary sprigs

375 gm butter puff pastry sheet

6 peaches halved

Pouring cream to serve

Preheat oven to 250C. Heat sugar in a 24cm-diameter ovenproof frying pan and swirl occasionally until melted and caramelised (3-5 minutes). Add butter and rosemary and swirl to combine, then add peaches, skin-side down, and remove from heat. Cut pastry to a round slightly larger than top of pan, place over peaches, tuck in edges carefully and quickly, then bake until puffed and golden (15-20 minutes). Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a plate (be careful as caramel will be very hot). Serve warm with pouring cream. Kiss your sister for cooking such a yummy dessert.