Don't miss the latest issue of Styling....Coty Farquhar

Looking back on the last eight months...cotyfarquhar.

So many beautiful pages to enjoy and such pleasureable reading ...Wendy

All images - Coty Farquhar

Willie Wildlife Sculptures......A garden necessity...

Swallows -Birdbath on Stand

Will Wilson is an Australian who does the most amazing sculptures.  Will started doing his sculptures in May 2001 and his following has grown very quickly with these sometimes quirky sculptures that I believe are a must for every garden, small or large as the sculptures come in a myriad of sizes...so many choices

Cockatoo & Galahs

All the sculptures have a sense of fun and aim to make people smile whenever they see them. As Will says, they are designed to add love, charm, character, strength, and style to a garden space. Everyone can relate to the sculptures from children right through to the elderly no matter where in the world they live. Willie Wildlife Sculptures can cross all cultures the same way music and dance can.  Here are some examples of his work and his website has many, many more....here

Lorikeets

Frogs Bowl on Stand

Ringneck Birdbath Bowl

Eagles Birdbath Bowl

Trout with Dragonfly

Brolgas

Giant Snails

Will Wilson was brought up on a farm in Western Victoria and studied at University in Queensland and at Agricultural College west of Sydney before pursuing his passion for wildlife. He spent time working in National Parks in Northern Australia followed by work on a private game reserve in Africa. Will now lives and works in his studio at Ocean Grove in Australia and appointments can be made to view his works...here

A special present...perhaps Father's Day....Enjoy....Wendy!

All images - Willie Wildlife Sculptures

Natural Instinct......do you use these products?

I was told about this range of  Australian made products a month or so ago and have been using a number of their products; moisturiser...non oily, lovely lavender fragrance; the body wash, my daughter describes it as very zesty; hand cream, shampoo and conditioner...and in my opinion, these products are everything they claim....Natural Instinct.... excellent
.  

The products tick all the boxes for me...no artificial colours, harsh detergents, silicones or preservatives..recyclable packaging....the list goes on and on and it's all good.  These natural Australian made products are not only good for you and your family, babies included, but also good for the environment and the best part....the price is realistic and very affordable...Natural Instinct

Over the years I have tried many, many beauty products, some with excellent packaging, but that's where the appeal ended; some with beautiful fragrances but nothing else; and then of course there is the high price end that we pay a lot of money for and the results....I'm not so sure about...however, I am sold on these...Natural Instinct

Natural Instinct  is located in Victoria and is available at a large number of pharmacies, just type in your postcode and you will be surprised how many pharmacies stock the products and they are also available online...here 

Another good thing...I think it is wonderful that a smaller company like Natural Instinct  is prepared to support a worthwhile cause such as "Challenge" supporting kids with cancer....read more about this on their website here

Vegan Friendly

Made in Australia

Not tested on animals

I do hope you will try these excellent products.......Wendy

Fatigue and Food......

I have written before about the excellent site of Helen Mark, www.fructosefriendlyfoodie.com and I thought her latest comments about "Fatigue and Food" were very informative and would recommend a reading of this site...not only if you suffer from fatigue, but forewarned is forearmed, as they say....

Helen has some very interesting recipes, which are not just for fructose malabsorption problems, but can suit most of us, have a read....here

Almond Bread

Klops (Meatloaf)

Cumin Crusted Lamb Racks

Pineapple & Hazlenut Upside down cake

Delicious and very easy recipes......Enjoy....Wendy!

Nicole Kidman..

...Australian beauty photographed for German Vogue for the August edition with photography by Patrick Dermarchellier; styling from the magazine's editor in chief, Christiane Arp; hair by David Babali; make up artist Wendy Rower and nails by Beth Fricke.

These photos were available from Splenderosa, which is a favourite blog of mine;  Marsha has a wonderful array of goodies, particularly beautiful jewellery....Splenderosa

Enjoy these photos they are quite beautiful.....Wendy

Salmon...delicious and healthy recipes...

I have loved Salmon for a long time and I receive recipes from Tassal, an Australian company based in Tasmania, regularly.  Based in Hobart, Tasmania, Tassal are now Australia's largest Atlantic salmon producers and marketers harvesting over 12,000 tonnes of salmon every year, the equivalent of nearly a quarter of the weight of Sydney's Harbor Bridge and 70% of Australia's entire Atlantic salmon production.

Tassal Shop, High Street, Kew....here

Some of the recipes are tried and true, but every now and then I come across one that is unique and a real winner.....Salmon Bon Bons....here is the recipe.....

Salmon Bon Bons

Preparation time:

15 min |

Portions:

12 servings

Ingredients

875g Tassal Tasmanian smoked salmon slices
24 baby Boconcini balls
200g dill pesto
24 chives, blanched 
Sliced lemon to serve
Dill leaves to garnish

Method

Remove Tassal smoked salmon from packaging and separate the slices a couple at a time. Lay slices flat on a board and slice in half. Place a small dollop of pesto into the centre of each slice of smoked salmon, then top with a baby Boconcini cheese. Gather up the edges of the smoked salmon to make a parcel and secure gently with a chive tying off firmly. Trim chive decoratively. Repeat with remaining smoked salmon and cheese. Arrange the smoked salmon bon bon’s on a large serving platter and garnish with sliced lemon and dill leaves.

There are many delicious recipes and the link is here

So healthy and delicious.....enjoy...Wendy

Styling magazine online...beautiful, inspiring...

June issue 

This is one of my favourite blogs...Australian Coty Farquhar is a professional creative director, visual decorator, blogger and photographic stylist whose career began and grew within the Australian Vogue Stable of Magazines.  With a passion for the visual arts, particularly photography, Coty’s design, styling and consequent blog...Styling by Coty Farquhar..has had over 1 million visitors world wide on her blogs ...these are her words for this months's June Issue of...Styling...

"Welcome to the June issue of Styling magazine, 

an issue dedicated to flowers and filled with stories on people 

that emerse themselves into the heart of the flower.   

We travel to the home and workplace of Dimitri Weber, 

perfume expert & designer and good friend of Styling contributor, Christiane de Bièvre, 

then on to Sharon Santoni, from My French Country Home who shares 

with us her friend, Madame de Romilly’s 

Château de Miserey in Normandy. A garden filled with roses 

inspired by hell, purgatory and heaven.  

I know I would like to sit in the heaven part, it’s just beautiful"

Styling Magazine....here

Now after reading those words, who could resist going on to her Styling site and weaving one's way through such beautiful photos with interesting stories and being inspired by what you see...

Coty carries with her more than 28 years experience in journalism, styling, designing and creating events.  Coty has the rare and unique combination of journalistic experience, media, visual art and marketing in the fashion, food & wine, interiors, theatre and event industries...Coty Farquhar

Coty has lived in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales for 20 years with her husband, cabinetmaker and restorer Andrew Farquhar of Farquhar’s Furniture whose extraordinary work is housed in many famous Australian buildings and private home and frequently collaborates with her husband Andrew on many projects and events. 

All images - Coty Farquhar...Styling magazine....here

I'm sure you will spend many delightful hours reading this Australian magazine...enjoy!...Wendy

Zeega....Do you know this high quality Australian brand?

I came across this lovely shop in Flinders a few weeks ago and what a find....such beautifully made Australian clothes...I was quite astounded with the finish on the garments...this was very much the way clothes used to be made.......and these are oh so stylish and appealing to the market for which they are designed....here

Image - Zeega

Kathy, the designer and manufacturer of the clothes, has many, many years experience in the trade, and whilst I was there visiting the shop, she was hard at work at her sewing machine filling orders for their new shop soon to open in Perth...Kim, the other half of this successful brand, was looking resplendent in her Zeega outfit, attending to customers front of shop....this is definitely a brand that will appeal....here

Zeega are an ecological, ethical and sustainable high quality designer brand...these are timeless classic pieces which are made to last for people who appreciate quality...here

The garments are all natural fibres, prewashed, preshrunk and therefore machine washable.  

Their range is high end pieces for that special occasion to the staples that we all love....

Hand dyed fabrics

If you are going down to the Mornington Peninsula this long weekend....drop in to Zeega in Cook Street, Flinders...you will be very pleasantly surprised...here

..

Zeega also have a delightful range of baby wear....

made in Sydney from all natural fibres...so no prickly fabrics for the little one...here

If you are able, why not enjoy a trip to Flinders on the Long Weekend...Wendy

All images - Zeega.com.au

Do you keep your cup for take away coffee or tea?......here's the trick....

A very innovative idea from a clever Australian woman Abigail Forsyth, who after starting a cafe business with her brother in 1998, became increasingly concerned about the volume of packaging waste their business and customers consumed.

Abigail's moment of clarity was when she heated the milk in her daughter's sippy cup one morning, she thought why not do something similar for her two cups of coffee a day...that was her moment....After much research and investigation,12 months later, they came up with the notion to make their own cup.when she decided that take away coffee or tea should be in a reuseable cup...here

The result of all the research, which was exhaustive, is the KeepCup.... inexpensive, available in four sizes, and you can design your own KeepCup, the lid, the cup, band, plug...here

Extra small ....for a delicious espresso...

Small

Excellent for the environment and all the other elements that go with that...who washes the cup and is it sanitised property...you know exactly if you do it yourself...and...it's written on the cup for the barista!

Medium

Large

The look and feel of the KeepCup  is one of the appeals and of course, the other important factor is it is Australian designed and Made in Melbourne....here

Abigail opened a warehouse in the UK in 2012 and in March 2013 they opened in Los Angeles.  KeepCups are now sold in 32 countries around the world....and because they use less plastic, users have diverted billions of disposable cups from landfill....there is enough plastic in 28 disposable cups to make one small KeepCup....they also have a very user friendly website....here

I am sure you will enjoy this Australian product....Wendy

All images - KeepCup