Favourite Finds

I keep a folder on my desktop of my favourite finds during the week, and this time they seem to have, unconsciously, fallen into two distinct categories - healthy & wellbeing, and cute & cuddly.

I'm a big fan of Lorna Jane activewear, and they usually have a free gift when you spend $150 or more. Currently you get this great citrus squeeze water bottle to give your water that extra zing. We all know that we're supposed to drink lots of water to keep us healthy and hydrated, and I always have my water bottle on hand. But for those who struggle to drink their quota, this is a brilliant idea - a bit of flavour may be all they need to make it more appealing. Be quick though, this particular offer only runs until 25th February, or while stocks last.

One of my young daughters is having trouble getting to sleep, with her overly active imagination fueled by a scary movie she saw at her friend's place recently. So to relax her before bed I've been doing a simple yoga routine with the twins. Although this is called 'good morning yoga sequence' it seems to work in the evenings to stretch out their little bodies and leave them with a sense of wellbeing. They absolutely love it - I may have created a couple of yoga addicts!

If you're looking for something beautifully delicious for you or your friend's baby, Coast New Zealand have created The Baby Mac. It's a smaller version of their Mackenzie Throw, and made out of 100% NZ wool, it's light and breathable while still being snuggly and super warm. You can also have your choice of initials embroidered onto your blanket turning it into a family heirloom.

I happily stumbled across the most gorgeous Danish online shop called De Winkel Van Woonblog (super cute name!). They have some some adorable products and they ship to New Zealand.

As the owner of two cats I can tell you they would love these cute hideaways - the CatCube and the Cat Tipi - and because of their cool design, I'd be happy to have them in our home.

Lucky last (my favourite), my Mum bought the book Quake Dogs for my niece at Christmas time, and my girls loved it so much she bought them their own copy this week. It's a collection of stories about dogs that were affected by, and survived the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. Some were rescuers, some were rescued, some of the stories will make you chuckle, and as a hopeless dog lover, some made me cry!

If you're a fellow dog lover I highly recommend this book by Laura Sessions with simply beautiful photography by Craig Bullock. Part of the proceeds from the book go to support HUHA, a national organisation that works to rescue and re-home animals around the country. They went to Christchurch three times to take more than 70 dogs, plus numerous other animals, to safe and loving homes elsewhere in the country.

Favourite Finds

This is the first of another new blog series - Favourite Finds. Once every week or two I'll be bringing you a selection of favourite things I've discovered - maybe a new website I've found, or a movie I've seen, a delicious recipe, or cool product... an eclectic collection. Hopefully there'll be something in there to inspire you to.

I've recently taken the Meat Free Monday pledge. The concept to cut meat out of your diet for one day a week is taking the world by storm, and little ole New Zealand is jumping on board. I quite regularly cook vegetarian meals for our family, so it won't be a hard concept for me at all, but I'm most excited to try the yummy recipes you can find on the website. Pop over and read all about why you should take the pledge with me.

Autumn fashion is hitting the shops already and my favourite label, Moochi, has lots of cool new stock to entice me. I have a long list, of course, but at the top are these awesome Lead Pants. Tapered at the ankle and with an elasticised waist they look really smart and super comfy - a brilliant combination!

I've just discovered the TV programme Offspring. I know what you're saying... "Where've you been?! Offspring has been around for ages!". Yes, I know we're about to start season 4 here in NZ, but before a few days ago I'd never watched an episode. Thanks to the wonder of TVNZ On Demand, I was able to watch the last three episodes of season 3 back-to-back on my iPad in bed. Now I can't wait for the new season to start so I can see more of the craziness and of course, Patrick - sigh!

I'm always happy to add another interior book to my collection, and I love the look of Creative Family Home. It addresses both the practical and decorative issues involved in creating a stylish home for your family, whether you've got one tiny baby, or a tribe of teenagers.

And last, but certainly not least, my favourite new find... get ready to have your heart wrenched! I follow an incredible instagram account called mommasgonecity. Owned by Jessica Shyba, her blog by the same name was initially started as a way to keep in touch with family when they moved from California to Manhattan. Jessica moved back to Santa Cruz, California with her husband, three adorable children, and their latest addition, a rescue puppy called Theo.

A very special bond has formed between Theo and Jessica's youngest child, Beau - there is nothing quite like the love between a boy and his dog. Read Jessica's full story here about how the pair became such close buddies, and how nap time is no longer Jessica's most productive time of day! She spends most of it watching this remarkable love story with her heart bursting. As a massive dog lover, this just makes me want to cry with joy! I'm a bit of a sook when it comes to animals, if you are too make sure you follow Theo and Beau's journey, as well as the rest of the family, on instagram.

Rust & Stardust

I remember about a year and a half ago discovering the work of graphic designer and artist, Evie Kemp, and falling in love with her fun, quirky style. I've been a huge fan ever since, stocking her cushions and artwork in my shop, and interviewing her in her gorgeous home for Homestyle magazine. Now I'm really excited to be sharing with you Evie's latest collaborative venture, Rust & Stardust.

Evie has teamed up with fashion designer, Amy Clarke, to bring us a range of unique, innovative homewares, combining geometric pattern, hand-drawn images, unexpected colour, and lasting quality. The products are all amazing in their own right, but they also work beautifully when you mix and match them together.

As indie designers it's really important to Evie and Amy to maintain authenticity, create great designs, produce high-quality work, and have a hand in every step of the process. They want to produce all their work themselves in their own studio. There will be no out-sourcing, especially overseas. But unfortunately there are not a lot of funding options for small businesses in New Zealand, so this is where we all come in...

The girls have started up a Pledge Me campaign. Pledge Me is a platform for creative crowd funding. Rewards are offered in return for donations, and Evie and Amy will only get the funds if they reach their target. I've made donations to a couple of Pledge Me campaigns in the past, and it's fast becoming a popular way to get a small business venture off the ground. You can read more about the process here.

They already have a fabulous workshop and studio, now Evie and Amy need to raise costs to become a large format textile studio. With the right equipment they'll be able to produce all their own fabric, as well as run classes and workshops to share their skills and knowledge with you and me.

So let's all help make that happen. Go on, hop over to the Rust & Stardust Pledge Me page and choose your favourite reward. When the target has been met, you'll be sent the item you've chosen. Evie and Amy have timed this campaign so they can deliver all rewards by Christmas, but that means time is of the essence.

I love this collection, let me know your favourite items, as I will be stocking some in my online shop. Is it the 3D cushions, the cute wee dog tent, the giant floor cushion that can also be a dog bed...? Scroll down through the Rust & Stardust blog to see all the fabulous products, then go and make it yours!

Father's Day Ideas

I find men so hard to buy for, and Father's Day is just around the corner! My Dad loves sports and books, so he inevitably gets the latest sporting biography. My husband's passions are surfing and mountain biking. He has, however, taken up the tradition that his father started, of asking for a block of dark chocolate and a packet of PK chewing gum from the kids. This year I thought I would go one better than that, so I've started looking for inspiration.

I love the idea of creating a one of a kind piece of art using our childrens' art. The very clever Debbie Greenfield, from Little Artist, scans in pieces of art that you send her and turns them into gorgeous works of art. The Surfboards Print would be perfect for Mark - one surfboard representing each of our girls.

And it can be turned into a tee shirt too, or you can use a favourite piece of art on it's own. If you want Debbie to create you a special piece for Father's Day you need to act quickly. It's usually a two week turnaround, and Father's Day is 1 September. See how to order one here.

Another great place to find gifts is LET LIV. Here are just a few of the things that may appeal to the blokes in your life. The Alarm Dock charges your iPhone or iPod Touch, and if you add a flip clock app, you've got a very cool clock. A deck of cards is always good to have on hand for quick game of poker or snap. Or how about a bike and multi tool kit?!

I love all the brass and gold accessories at Douglas and Bec. Mark would look pretty cool opening his beer with a gold plated bottle opener. And how smart would our dog look wearing the Nice Grill collar and lead when Mark takes her for walks!

Endemic World has a great range of prints, and there is 20% off a selection of prints
(until 31 August) especially chosen for Father's Day. I really like this Mercury photographic
print by Jack Alexander.

And Mark would love the Endless Summer print by Greg Straight.

One of my favourite international online stores is LEIF. They're based in New York, but if you ordered straight away, it might just arrive in time for Father's Day. These Mocha Cream Marble Cups look good enough to eat, and I'm sure Mark would prefer them to the floral cups that currently fill our cupboards. He'd also love the cool Echo Flash Drives made from walnut or bamboo with a splash of hand painted colour. And the Faceted Wood Bottle Stoppers would be great for using in between tipples of his favourite pinot noir.

I hope I've inspired you to get creative when gift hunting for the men in your life. Are they as hard to buy for as mine?

The Animal Print Shop

Have I ever told you that I'm a huge animal lover? My constant companion is a 5 year old golden retriever called Sam. My three daughters are equally animal crazy - I often find pictures of puppies and bunny rabbits on my desktop after they've been on my computer.
But none are near as fabulous as the ones you'll find in The Animal Print Shop by talented photographer, Sharon Montrose.

I've long admired the adorable framed faces in this nursery, so today I wanted to tell you a little bit more about The Animal Print Shop, and share with you some of my favourites.

Sharon Montrose has found a way to combine two of her passions - photography and animals. Her definitive photographic style has made her one of the most sought-after commercial animal photographers for over a decade. The animals photographed for this series are real live animals, raised (and many rescued) by loving, experienced, and dedicated animal keepers and handlers.

One of Sharon's most well known series is named the "Little Darlings". These faces will just melt your heart! I love each and every one of them, but if I had to pick my top three, these would be them...

Another favourite is part of the "Babies" series. My youngest daughters are identical twins and since they were tiny toddlers they have been extremely inquisitive, quite mischievous, and amazing climbers! The "Climbing Cubs" print has to be a part of their bedroom makeover I'm about to undertake - it's the perfect animal representation of them.

I'm also very partial to the gorgeous "Lion Cub Twins", they'll have to come to.

And how could I not have "Baby Elephant"?! Just look at that smile - aaww!

Of course, not all of Sharon's models are cute babies. This guy is so cool - now that is my idea of having horns on the wall.

And you may recognise this handsome American Buffalo from many blogs and Pinterest boards.

This is just a small selection of what is available over at The Animal Print Shop. Please go and see all the incredible photographs for yourself, and while you're there, check out their blog, which is where most of these photos came from.

Expensive Life

Today I wanted to share with you a tumblr site I've come across called Expensive Life.
I'm such a visual person, I love beautiful images, and this site has gorgeous, really striking photos. Warning... once you start, it'll be hard to stop!

And this one just made me smile. My girls can probably attest to that :)

Joules Can Mix A Pattern

You know how much I love colour and pattern, especially together - 'mix, don't match' I say! And the bedroom has to be my favourite room in the house. For most adults, it's a sanctuary, and for kids, a place to have fun and express their personalities. So I was really excited when I came across this gorgeous range of bedding from Joules in the UK. Their 100% cotton duvet covers are all reversible, so you can choose which side you have up, and both sides compliment each other beautifully.

The Piggy Farm cover is so cute with the adorable farmyard scene on one side and polka dots on the reverse. All the pillowcases and cushions are available separately so you can customise your look.

What little boy wouldn't love this Circus cover, complete with clowns on unicycles, performing lions and elephants, and the circus top stripe on the reverse?!

One of my favourites, the English Garden would be perfect for little girls and big girls alike, with English garden florals and candy stripes in the most delectable colours.

And how about the Lulu Floral cover for the spare room?! Nautical stripes and pretty blue and white floral. I love the floral side up, but you could flip it over to the stripes when your brother comes to stay.

Not to be forgetten, the furry members of the family can be equally as comfy and stylish in their own gorgeous pet bed. So cute in a range of styles, sizes and fabric.

Quintessentially English, the Joules clothing range was designed with outdoor living and British traditions in mind. You'll find British classics like wellies and smart women's blazers (which, by the way, are rocking the runway currently). Team them with one of their pretty floral dresses - Kate Moss will be jealous! And the best thing is, Joules ships all over the world - brilliant, get shopping then!