sunday collector

Weekend Away

2012-01-29T18:10:00.010+11:00

I have a thing for good letterboxes - I loved the hairdo of moss this one has grown. We have just got back from a lovely few days with friends (including a gorgeous 9 month old) in the Southern Highlands village of Bundanoon. It's the first time this Summer I have appreciated our unseasonal weather...the chill in the air felt rather fitting for such a sleepy, yummy-food focused weekend. Below are photos from our Saturday morning:

Cute shop alert - The Good Yarn is a charity shop in the centre of the village that sells gorgeous baby knits and handicraft. Baby Nina picked up these too-cute $10.00 booties (that stay on)!

The majority of the weekend was spent exploring, (I spent an hour walking around the long-standing and beautiful cemetery but it didn't feel right to take my camera), and lazing around indoors with the baby.

I recommend thinking about Bundanoon for your next weekend getaway. It's 90 minutes drive from Sydney (and with trains that go to Central Station). Check out some of the sweet houses available for rent on Stayz. Pack some friends and good wine and do your food shop in nearby Bowral before settling in for the weekend. You could also think about treating yourself to a meal at Biota, the restaurant I wrote about here.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

-Briar

Beautiful Bolognese

2012-01-22T18:58:00.008+11:00

I think the chef Ferran Adriá is one clever man. He is famous for his thirty course gourmet menu at the now closed restaurant, elBulli in Catalonia, Spain. My husband bought his book A Day at elBulli a few years ago, which is filled with a 'behind the scenes' snapshot of the restaurant. You will also find impossible recipes to follow that sound more like science experiments....this is where the clever part comes in. Adrià recently published a 'home cooking' book The Family Meal which appeals more to a person like me (an ok cook, definitely no chef). I highly recommend the easy and hearty Bolognese recipe, which I have cooked twice now. It's almost as good as my mum's!

Pasta Bolognese by Ferran Adriá

This sauce will keep for five days in the fridge or six months in the freezer, so divide it into handy portions and freeze for later use. Makes 2.5kg.

225g butter
1.2 kg minced beef
350g pork sausage meat
500g onions
150g celery

400g carrots
150ml extra virgin olive oil
12g tomato purée
1.6 kg tinned chopped tomatoes
pinch of sugar

Put a large pan over a medium-high heat, then add the butter and let it melt. Add the beef mince, fry until it has changed colour, then add the sausage meat. Cook for a few more minutes, season with salt and pepper, then cook for 15 minutes longer, stirring frequently, until dark golden brown.
Meanwhile, finely chop the onions, celery and carrots. Put another pan over a low heat, then pour in the olive oil. Fry the vegetables gently until softened, about 12 minutes. Add the meat to the vegetables and mix everything together well. Add the chopped tomatoes and the tomato puree. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Simmer the sauce for 1 ½ hours until the meat is very tender. Serve the pasta (traditionally tagliatelle) with a large spoonful of the sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Brian Hoy @ Mitchell Road Auctions

2012-01-19T18:26:00.005+11:00

It's been a while since I've spoken about a retail space on here - new ones in Sydney seem few and far between lately (although there is no shortage of web ventures - and I'm shopping online for work more than ever). I was pleasantly surprised on Tuesday when I walked around the ground floor auction area at Mitchell Road Antique Centre in Alexandria for the first time in over a year (I'm going to be honest, one had to be in the right mood to sift through the crap and clutter on the ground floor). I was pleasantly surprised - the establishment changed hands towards the end of last year, and it's really obvious. I was particularly drawn to (Interior Designer) Brian Hoy's market area, his stock and merchandising seen above is super beautiful - and very reasonably priced. What an eye! The best bit? You can purchase items on the spot now from all the auction stall holders. Mitchell Road is definitely worth a re-visit - always the first floor, and now, the ground.

Wedding Preparation

2012-01-11T09:31:00.008+11:00

My cousin Billie and her husband Elliott's beautiful wedding on the 29th December was the main reason for our trip to Noosa over the Christmas period. We had such a lovely and indulgent time, surrounded by my large family (but boy, did I miss being able to drink the bubbly that was flowing). The lead up to the wedding was certainly a family affair. The day before - myself, my mum, grandma, younger sister and two cousins gathered at the wedding venue (my aunt and uncle's hinterland property) to drink tea and make 50+ metres of gelato coloured bunting and 120 red velvet cupcakes - see my sister's recipe here. On the big day, my bridesmaid duties took over - and my camera was put down for the first time in a while. Disappointing in hindsight, but I look forward to sharing the professional photos with you soon - everything from the stunning bride, the spunky groom and his groomsmen, the decorations including pineapples, to the huge fireworks display (seems you get more bang for your buck in Noosa when it comes to cracker night).

On another note, thanks so much for your kind words regarding our baby news. Along with my rapidly growing waistline, It certainly feels 'real' now!

Have a great week,

Briar

Baby

2012-01-08T18:49:00.006+11:00

Happy New Year to you all, I hope you all managed to get some sort of break over the festive season. I'm looking forward to catching up on all the blogs I regularly visit, as I have managed to keep my laptop turned off since December 23rd (making sure I had a 'proper' break). It feels good to be back, and I'm actually looking forward to getting back to work on the film tomorrow. I have photos to share from our holiday that I'm yet to sort through, but my big news for 2012 is...

The Stanley's are having a baby!

I'm just over 21 weeks pregnant, and Mark and I are very excited. Now that I am over the 14 weeks of 'hell and back' morning sickness, I can think about some of the fun stuff - the bambino's room and coming up with a name...oh, how I love thinking of names. Being an enthusiastic collector of lots of things, our future little one has no shortage of treasures accumulating (mainly Christmas gifts from excited family) in the guest bedroom. I'm obsessed with clearing out the clutter this week to make space for our new roomie, so my local Vinnie's should be high fiving me pretty soon.

While I'm many months off from becoming a 'mum blogger' (and don't worry, I have no plans on becoming an over-sharer who talks a little too much about the baby's bowel movements) - I do like the words and photos on these super stylish parenting-focused blogs:

One Claire Day, Rummey Bears, Dear Olive, Che and Fidel, Potty Mouth Mama

Cheers to 2012 everyone - to lovely blogs, health, happiness and new babies!

- Briar

A carnival on my table

2011-12-21T09:03:00.014+11:00

The Stanley family of two skipped dressing a tree this year. Instead, I raided the craft cupboard and dressed our dining area nook with anything remotely festive (partly due to laziness, partly due to a bulging craft cupboard in dire need of a clean out). I have two days left of work and then I'm on a jet plane to sunny (hopefully) QLD. I just love this time of year...I hope you all have a fabulous and safe break with lots of mangoes, pudding, and prawns with pink sauce (my grandma makes the best pink sauce - see below for the recipe). Thanks for checking in on my blog this year, and keeping in touch with your comments and emails. I'll see you all on the flip side in 2012! x

P.S. My husband almost learnt the hard way that the red dots are vintage buttons I found ages ago at Salvo's Merrylands, not chocolate lollies. I love how the thought of me throwing jaffas around the house and passing it off as decorating doesn't faze him.

Enid's Seafood (Pink) Sauce

1 x small carton of fresh cream

1 x very generous dollop of tomato sauce

Splash of Tabasco

1 x teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

Juice from quarter of a lemon

Season with salt & pepper

- Whisk until all combined and feast on it with fresh peeled prawns and yummy bread (in your cossie, by a pool).

It's a wrap!

2011-12-18T21:06:00.005+11:00

I love the feeling of accomplishment when you tie the last ribbon on your pile of Xmas gift wrapping. Another year done. As we will be away for the big day this year, I got it over and done with earlier than normal (ie.not Christmas Eve). Being a fan of setting a theme, I like to mix it up every year - and decided this year it would be hot pink horses. Not really sure why.

The project:

I purchased craft timber horses and pigs from Spotlight ($4.00 for a pack of 5), spread them out on large sheets of white paper I bought from an art shop and chose the sickliest pink spray paint I could find at Bunnings.

I then let loose with the spray can (outside, on an old bed sheet). The result: Sheets of inexpensive custom made wrapping paper and spray painted animal gift tags. Too easy.

Check out some of my other (slightly less time consuming) efforts here, here, here and here.

Happy wrapping!

Bonnie the Baker

2011-12-13T09:28:00.006+11:00

I'm definitely not known for my baking skills (remember the scone)? It's handy that my sister Bonnie likes to often gift us with her baked treats on a Sunday. Last weekend it was a tupperware container of goodness with Ginger & Pistachio Slice. Bonnie kindly offered to share her recipe with you all:

Make the slice:

1 cup pistachios - raw and shelled

125 grams butter

1 packet milk coffee biscuits

1 cup coconut (shredded or dessicated)

50 gram finely chopped/diced ginger

1/2 cup condensed milk

1. Lightly roast the pistachios on a tray in oven for 5-6 mins- at 180C.

2. Coarsely chop pistachios and put half aside for topping.

3. Melt butter.

4. Crush wine biscuits with a rolling pin until fine (rather than a food processor).

5. In a bowl, mix all ingredients except for the reserved pistachios.

6. Press the mixture into a slice tin lined with baking paper.

7. Place in fridge (until icing is ready)

Make the icing:

2 cups icing sugar

80 grams softened butter

2 tablespoons golden syrup

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 tablespoons milk

1. Using an electric beater beat all ingredients together until creamy.

2. Pull slice/base out of fridge and spread the butter icing over the base and sprinkle top with reserved pistachios.

3. Place back in the fridge until slice and icing are firm.

4. Once set (2-3hrs), pull out of tray and slice into neat pieces. Slice is best stored in the fridge.

I definitely recommend making these - or at least, asking your little sister to whip them up.

Plate from Country Road, napkin from Cloth.

- Briar

Billie the Bride

2011-12-11T19:34:00.005+11:00

Along with her five other bridesmaids, I helped organise a hens day on Saturday for a special bride, my beautiful little (by 5 weeks) cousin. I mentioned her Noosa wedding and invitation here, and the hens invitation designed by her big sister from Zed & Bee also didn't disappoint. We asked the guests to meet us at Manly Pavilion for high tea, dressed in 1930's garb.

With a request from the bride for no 'novelty straws', I made butterfly pins for the guests (and an extra special one for Billie).

The sun was miraculously shining down for us on the beautiful 1933 built Tea Room, which now houses Manly Pavilion.

Guarantee a laugh at your next hen's day...I made 35 life size masks of the groom for the guests...so he was quite literally, everywhere, all day.

We also asked the guests to bring a vintage teacup for Billie to make up an eclectic tea set for her to cherish forever. It was such a lovely day all round, and I can't wait to share pictures from the wedding with you (counting down the sleeps).

Thank you to everyone who left comments on my last post - I hope you got some great christmas gift ideas. My wish list certainly grew bigger after reading all the suggestions. I wish you could all be winners - however, I asked my husband to pick the winners at random, and...

The winner of Prize #1: Catherine

The winner of Prize #2: Jodi

Congratulations ladies! I'll be in touch for your delivery addresses - make some room for lots of Have You Met Miss Jones goodies.

I hope you a had a lovely weekend too.

- Briar

Christmas Giveaway with Miss Jones

2011-12-04T17:49:00.009+11:00

Gift giving (and the wrapping part) is one of my favourite past times...especially at this time of year. Jennifer from Have You Met Miss Jones has come to the gift giving party by supplying me with the mother load of bone china and a beautiful necklace to give away to you - my lovely readers. What do you have to do to be in the running to win one of the two gift packs? I thought we could compile a big gift guide in my comments box - just let me know what's on your wish list this year, and feel free to leave a link too. I will pick two comments at random next Sunday, and a big box of goodies will be on their way to the winners.

Prize #1 is a bumper bone china pack that includes: 6 x Double Wing Ornaments, 6 x Bambi Deer Ornaments, 1 x Feather Bowl Large, 1 x Feather Bowl Small, 4 x Columbus Votives and 4 x Boston Votives. If you win, you can keep every last piece to yourself - or pass on to friends. The gift that keeps on giving!

Prize #2 includes a sterling silver Threadspool necklace from Miss Jones' new collaboration with bespoke fashion jeweller Gareth Hughes. Keeping with the thread spool theme, 4 x Thread Vases are also included in the prize.

Thank you Miss Jones (it's going to be hard to part with all the beautiful things, but after all, Christmas is all about giving back). I hope you all had a lovely weekend - and I really look forward to reading your comments.

-Briar

Took the Ford for a spin

2011-12-01T20:08:00.006+11:00

My little blog has introduced me to some pretty fun things, but I never would have guessed it would lead me to driving around in a brand new car for a week. Ford asked me to test drive the new Focus (I know, I was surprised too) and it's going to sound like a blatant and cheesy plug, but I ended up feeling pretty spesh zipping around town in the jazzy little number. I spend too much of my life behind the wheel, and I can't say I missed the bus-like proportions of my petrol guzzling Kluger. The Focus has waaaay more buttons that I'm used to in a car (um...it can park itself - check it out here), and I actually couldn't work out how to tune the radio it was so fancy. I was worried I wouldn't be able to fit as much as I tend to need to load during the working day - but after putting the seats down, I was pleasantly surprised. My other half was also pleased, because for one week - we were a two car family. I've always said 'I'm not a car person', but after loving the Focus for a week - I can honestly say I turned in to a bit of a petrol head...like my husband jokingly said 'totally off-brand for the Sunday Collector'. Oh well. What about you? Are you a car person?

What a weekend

2011-11-27T20:42:00.011+11:00

The contrast in my photos over the weekend represent the weather in Sydney at the moment more than anything else. This week I have had a day in a t-shirt, another in a knitted jumper and a day in a hooded raincoat. Crazy times. What's also crazy is the amount of good food consumed over the weekend. My husband's birthday fell on Wednesday, so the festival continued well in to Saturday and Sunday.

The sun appeared out of nowhere for a ferry ride in to the big smoke for dinner at quite possibly my favourite restaurant ever. I treated the birthday boy to Pendelino. If anyone out there is the keeper to their 'heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad' recipe, contact me immediately. I need it in my life all the time (apologies for the quick table shot too, the husband doesn't love to dine with the embarrasing blogger/restaurant critic in me).

The rainy night before we enjoyed dinner with friends (with good cheese and a cute table setting) at a lovely home up the road.

The sun was well and truly back on Sunday and to continue the birthday festivities we hosted a lunch with family (I use the word 'we' loosely - pictured above is actually my husband's cooking). I did look after the place settings - which were good old fashioned scratchies in an envelope. In case you are wondering, we all won zip. Happy Birthday my sweetheart. x

Wax Seals and Nail Polish

2011-11-20T20:02:00.006+11:00

It's been way too long between posts, but there hasn't been too much to share lately. Things are sure to change with the very busy silly season fast approaching. Our letter box had a little party of it's own recently when this invitation arrived. I am counting down the sleeps until I board a plane to Noosa to attend what is sure to be a beautiful wedding. My cousin/best friend is marrying her sweetheart just after Christmas, and my photo doesn't do the invitation justice - everything from the wax seal, the woodgrain paper and the blind embossing makes it truly special to hold. To top it off, the bride designed it herself - see more loveliness over at Zed & Bee.

The things you do for the one you love...my husband loves cricket as much as I love guacamole, and today we found ourselves at Kingsgrove Sports Centre to buy his 'dream' cricket bat (it's his birthday on Wednesday).

A quick stop at El Loco for tacos on the way home made the long journey all worth it.

No flowers caught my eye during a visit at the local market (is anyone else seeing way too many Gerberas lately)? I settled on some very cute baby pineapples instead.

A visit with my grandma on Saturday, and she had dug out an old box of rubber stamps to give to me. I have a vague memory of them, although it seems my love of stamps is an old one...she told me it was the first thing I'd ask for on my visits when I was little.

I apologise in advance for this photo of my fingers. I'm no hand model, but I keep on looking at my little jaffas of fingernails. My sister and I were 'shellaced' today. I'm obsessed - call me shallow, but nail polish that doesn't chip makes me very happy.

Have a great week! Briar

Pink

2011-11-06T18:26:00.005+11:00

The colour pink was in the air over the weekend at our place. New art arrived back from the framers on Saturday. With a tip off from this lovely blog, I couldn't resist the three flamingos from US Etsy artist United Thread.

The wire heart is from Spotlight.

While the camera was out taking in the hue, I thought I should snap a few other things. I'm loving the confetti lolly bag from Poppies for Grace and the cute boat picked up at Salvos.

We celebrated baby Sage's christening on Sunday and we gifted the baby girl with this cute box of soft cakes from here.

...And how adorable was her gift to us! A little terracotta pot of pineapple sage - perfect for cocktails in the sun. I hope you all had a lovely weekend.

- Briar

Lillivi, Benzy & Brada

2011-11-01T16:17:00.004+11:00

There is a giant digital road sign set up on Princes Hwy, Tempe at the moment stating 'EXPECT DELAYS - IKEA OPENS NOV 3.' It was a bit of a treat to check out the new (very lovely and very empty) IKEA at a media preview event last night.

Tempe vs. Rhodes. Same, but different - she's a super huge one (if you are after some exercise, a stroll around this store will clock over 2km).

You will notice more styled 'set-ups' like the wedding reception above.

Hopefully these cute cacti get snapped up on Nov. 3 - the fluoro lights looked a bit painful for the little guys.

Assembly Service. Genius. I wonder how many marriages this concept has saved? Overall, the new IKEA is super impressive. I recommend checking it out - just maybe after Nov. 3 and the traffic delays.

- Briar

Salvos to Parterre

2011-10-27T18:42:00.003+11:00

I've been asked by a few people if I'm retiring from the blog world because of my posts slowing down lately. I promise you I'm not, it's just the film is taking up a lot of my time - and I'm not one to blog about something unless I'm feeling pretty excited about sharing it with you. To be honest, my days are being filled with lugging, driving, fun sourcing, and lots of office work/ filling in purchase orders... but the following did brighten my day:

I love it when I spot accidental (or purposeful) styling in op shops - I spotted these glass canisters against the ageing wall of Salvos Brookvale today.

The very un-styled bed at Parterre was so lovely in all it's 'n0-poufed cushions' glory.

The Slurpee while on the road - just in case any of you have forgotten how damn good these are. See you back here soon.

- Briar

Esther's Canape

2011-10-20T17:45:00.008+11:00

I hope you are all having a great week. As promised - below is my sister's recipe for Vietnamese Pork Balls. I have been having flavour flashbacks all week. As you will read, the recipe is a little time consuming - but it's the worth it, your guests will love them.

Ingredients:

500g lean pork, very thinly sliced

1/4 cup shallots, minced

1/4 cup garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

ground black pepper to taste

50 grams pork fat, minced

peanut oil

2 tablespoons roasted rice powder (see directions below)
2 cups soft rice vermicelli

large handful of finely chopped mushrooms

2 tablespoons nuoc mam (fish sauce)

Method: Whisk together the shallots, garlic, fish sauce, sugar and pepper. Add pork, soft rice vermicelli, finely chopped mushrooms and coat well. Cover and marinate at least 1 hour (or up to 24) in the fridge. When you’re ready to make the balls, place the meat in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up. Using a food processor, whiz the pork fat into a paste. Add pork and process until you have a sort of pasty ball. Add the roasted rice powder and process to combine. Lightly oil a large plate and your hands, and form smaller sized pork balls. Grill over medium high heat–you’ll want to have a nice sear before turning, but once all sides are seared, lower heat a bit to cook through.

The sauce (the best part) was a basic Vietnamese dipping sauce - 10 tablespoons of fish sauce, 10 tablespoons white sugar, 7 tablespoons of lime juice, 1 crushed garlic and a large red chilli, seeded and finely chopped. Blend with freshly roasted peanuts to make it even more delicious.

*To make the roasted rice powder: Take about 1/4 cup of jasmine rice and dry roast it over medium high heat in a saute pan. You’ll need to toss it around a lot to prevent burning. The end result should be a nice golden puffy rice. Once cooled, process in a food processor or coffee/spice grinder until powdery.

Vietnam in Annandale

2011-10-16T19:49:00.012+11:00

A few birthdays in the family and a sister and brother in law who have just returned from Vietnam called for a feast on Saturday night fit for (Vietnamese) royalty. My sister has always been a mighty fine cook/entertainer, but she certainly stepped it up a notch yesterday.

The rain miraculously disappeared and we were able to sit in the garden as dusk fell.

First course was rice paper rolls - seen here with napkins made by my Mum (using patchwork squares from Spotlight), and place names courtesy of my little niece.

I'm going to get this recipe from my sister to share with you - you all need these meat balls in your life at your next party.

The food kept on coming...and coming. I have to say, Vietnamese cuisine is up there with my favourite food - I love the fresh, light ingredients used. After seeing my sister's holiday snaps, it's definitely a country on the 'to visit' wish list. I hope you all had a lovely weekend.

-Briar

Lately...

2011-10-05T18:17:00.003+11:00

Who remembers visiting Australia's Wonderland back in the 80's? The handful of visits I had as a kid gave me some of my favourite memories. I just loved those rides. A family friend gave me this old photo from there recently, and I want to find a frame for it. I love the get-up my older sisters and I are in, and I imagine we are looking at the height allowance board to see if shorty can make it on the roller coaster. Bring back Wonderland, I say.

Six year old me would have loved this bottle of beads too - I couldn't resist them from the bargain bin at Spotlight recently. Now, what to do with them?

The first mango leading up to Summer always puts a smile on my face - and this one on Monday was no exception.

How tragic is this? The brown blob to the left is actually my first attempt at a scone. I'm serious. The recipe (I clearly don't know how to follow) was from Angel Adoree's 'how to host' book. Angel talks about everything from chicken sandwiches to DIY bunting...and it's a good read. I hope you are all having a lovely week.

-Briar

Bolts and Bolts of Fabric

2011-09-28T17:50:00.007+10:00

I've got fabric samples coming out of my you-know-what at the moment, and it continually surprises me just how many fabrics houses are in Sydney (with literally thousands of fabrics). In the market from some re-upholstery or a set of fancy drapes? My top picks for an amazing selection of textiles and wallpapers are: Julia Garner, Seneca Textiles, Unique Fabrics, and the very popular Mokum (just one thing, you will just need to know someone 'in the business' to buy from all these guys*). One shop you can visit freely is Calico & Ivy in Balmain with a lovely range of quilting fabrics and yarn...plus very pretty merchandising. I finally got the chance to check it out this week, and was very impressed with the space.

* Don't forget Bargain Upholstery in Seaforth - fabric remnants etc. from the four places listed above, but at bargain prices.

Reading

2011-09-25T21:32:00.008+10:00

The surprise rain in Sydney over the weekend called for some relaxing reading and movie watching at home (not completely true, I did manage a trip to Surry Hills for some serious Mexican taco goodness at El Loco on Saturday).

I think I actually prefer reading Vogue Living from the 1980's than the present day issues (is that bad?) - talk about genius styling and art direction gold above.

My husband brought this new magazine home, and I picked it up soon after. Smith Journal can be best described as Frankie for men...but a really interesting read for a girl too (and also beautifully art directed).

I'd be lying if I said I've cooked something from this book, I just really like the graphic cover. The recipes all sound a little time consuming for me. The chef of the house made a very yummy prawn and asparagus frittata on Saturday night though, and it was certainly easy to eat. As much as it was lovely to see the rain - I hope the sun is shining again next weekend, I did enough reading the past couple of days.

- Briar

Entertaining the little people

2011-09-18T20:36:00.016+10:00

A busy week at work ended with an action packed weekend with two of the cutest little people I know. We were on babysitting duties for two nights. We could have maybe skipped the movie and shopping trip in hindsight - while I watched my nephew close his tired eyes over lunch today. We also filled our fun weekend with:

My husband kicking off Saturday with a lesson in knot tying. This activity unfortunately entertained the little people for a total of....two minutes.

Yum Cha was definitely a bigger hit.

As was a couple of hours on Manly Beach.

We dropped in on a ‘colouring-in station’ at recently re-vamped Manly Market Place (watch this space), and spotted this lovely bunting in between stalls.

On Sunday morning we visited my aunt and uncle for (amazing) scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. The eggs were courtesy of this fluffy chicken and co. that reside in my aunt’s backyard.

Sunday afternoon found us in another backyard for a birthday party at this lovely house...with bunting of a different kind made from vintage scarves, and a super-cute card I spotted on the present pile. I hope you all had a lovely weekend too...I just need to sleep mine off.

-Briar

Publisher Textiles

2011-09-08T18:40:00.002+10:00

I hope you are all having a good week. I was back in the land of sourcing wallpapers today, and let me tell you there is no shortage of lovely wall coverings in Sydney. The prize for the best showroom goes to Publisher Textiles in Leichhardt . The warehouse space seemed to have a new layer of 'things' since I last visited (I especially like their way of concealing desk clutter with a row of vintage books). My mum doesn't know it yet - but a metre of their Romance is Dead fabric in the last picture is coming her way...I fancy myself some new cushions for the spare bedroom. I will show you Lesley's clever work once her stitching session is complete. Oh, how I wish I could sew like my mum.

A mixed bag

2011-09-04T19:07:00.008+10:00

Are you a person that knows how to switch off? I wish I was, but I'm not - and the first three photos indicate my version of a Saturday at home with nothing to do. After a big clean, I moved some pictures and an 'op shop score' mirror around (I love passing the Rachel Castle Heart in our hallway now). I also got some gardening done - with the help of a cute flamingo from Papier D'amour. Sunday saw me out of the house for lunch with family at The White House. My four year old nephew is developing quite the foodie palate it seems - we took our eyes off him for two minutes and most of the d'affinois cheese had disappeared. Good thing I guess, as the adults had room for the almond and orange cake my big sister had prepared (let me know if you would like the recipe). I hope you all had a great weekend.

- Briar

Red Velvet

2011-08-30T17:40:00.008+10:00

Am I the only one out there that hadn't experienced the goodness that is a red velvet cake? My younger sister dropped by over the weekend while I wasn't home and gifted our fridge with 4 of these home made red delights. I recommend you all get baking - these were ridiculously good.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups plain flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

60ml red food colouring

120 g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream cheese icing ingredients

450g cream cheese, softened

120g unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanill extract

2 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted

Pinch of salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, mix food colouring and cocoa powder to form a thin, smooth paste. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

5. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl frequently with a spatula. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk.

6. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

7. In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda. Add it to the cake batter and stir well to combine.

8. Working quickly, divide batter evenly between the cupcake papers and bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes.

9. Cool the cupcakes completely on a wire rack before icing.

10. Icing: With an electric mixer, blend together cream cheese and butter until smooth.

11. Reduce speed to low, and blend in icing sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Increase speed to high, and beat until light and fluffy.

12. Enjoy with a cup of tea.

- Briar

Crinkle Fans

2011-08-28T19:22:00.004+10:00

Lunch at home today: I jumped at an excuse to use the crinkle fans from BHLDN that arrived in the post recently (I could shop on that website for hours - everything is so beautiful). My husbands version of the Boathouse snapper pie (his best batch to date in my opinion) was on the menu - and I was in charge of dessert for 6. After a late night on Saturday, I went for the easy option of Gelatissimo gelato and waffle cones...serve yourself style. Big hit, if I do say so myself.

On a different note, my little blog that documents my day to day job is struggling for content a little lately as I'm technically not allowed to talk about the film* I'm working on. The job wraps up in December, so I'll be free to talk shop after that. Until then, I'll continue blogging what I've been blogging - thank god my husband can cook, that's all I can say.

* Read more about the film here, which is allowed - because chances are half of Sydney has read it too.

- Briar

Biota

2011-08-21T20:49:00.005+10:00

A weekend filled with lots to do is often the best way to make Monday feel a long way away. Looking through my photos tonight, surprise, surprise - my days were rather food focused. I don't want to bore you with more 'what I ate' shots - but I do want to share this. We enjoyed a delicious (and a bit fancy) lunch with the in-laws at Biota Dining in Bowral today, and I was really impressed with the Scandinavian inspired furniture that was made especially for the cool fit out. As much as the Southern Highlands has to offer - it has never really been a true 'foodie' destination. This restaurant has changed that. The dishes are made with fresh produce from the on-site garden, and as my brother in-law pointed out, the food is presented with a Heston Blumenthal vibe. I also loved the science inspired beaker display and the mossy branches dotted around the place (I should add that I took my photos at the end of lunch, which is why the place looks kind of empty). Definitely a place to visit again, and if you want to check out some food photos - there is a great selection on their website.

-Briar

Terracotta

2011-08-16T20:19:00.004+10:00

Our outdoor table resembles a bit of a science lab at the moment. I'm an impatient person, so waiting for a patina on some new terracotta pots was out of the question. With a tip off from my (Landcape Designer) Aunt, I whipped out the natural yoghurt on the weekend. The simple process: Spread the yoghurt and then pieces of moss (I picked some from the footpath out the front) on the pot with a spatula, and then place the pot in a garbage bag for ten days in a shady spot to create a humid environment...and hopefully watch the antique finish grow.

Here is one I prepared earlier. Not really...this Bunnings pot is about 5 years old now, but this was my inspiration. I'll let you know how I go.

Why all the effort for some terracotta? I visited the wholesale nursery Plantmark in Melbourne recently, and my delivery of three very cool cacti arrived last Friday - and they all deserve a fancy new home. I love the idea of planting...I can only imagine how good it must feel for the plants, stretching 'their legs' after being cooped up in those tiny plastic pots.

- Briar

Miss Piggy

2011-08-11T17:23:00.007+10:00

Boy, did I eat well last weekend in Melbourne. Here are some of the highlights. Breakfast was smashed avocado and fetta at Three Bags Full in Abbotsford. The second 'wing' had just opened up that morning next door, so we were one of their first lucky customers. I had the best coffee I've had in a while.

A delightful dinner was enjoyed off pretty plates at The Commoner...a place I remembered reading about on this lovely blog.

We took no prisoners over a lunch at this new Kew restaurant - St Katherines serves all the food that you know you're not meant to have. You only live once, I say - and I'm almost tempted to take my husband to Melbourne just so he can experience the mini fish burgers and 'Katherine's Fried Chicken' (KFC). Check out this month's Gourmet Traveller, which has a great article on George Colombaris (Masterchef dude) and Shane Delia's latest venture.

Just when you thought I couldn't fit anymore in...we made a quick pit stop to Cupcake Central in Hawthorn for some super-cute baby cupcakes.

As you can imagine, I rolled back on to the plane and have put a bit more effort in to my jogs this week....it was all worth it though, you'll know what I mean once you try that fried chicken.

-Briar

New Loot

2011-08-08T17:34:00.014+10:00

A busy week ended with three big days in Melbourne. It's gift trade fair time, and the walking shoes were on for the the km's of wholesale traders. Pictured below are some of my favourites. If French country chic is your thing - it was absolutely every where, but I think Perfect Pieces were the people doing it well this year.

The fun tea sets from Outliving have stuck in my mind...I love the cake stands.

The girls at Ourlieu have made some lovely paper lanterns.

I can never walk past a budgie. The tapestry on melamine variety is available from Douglas & Hope

Super cute Sydney Ferry on wheels from Make Me Iconic

As always, Tractor Home was filled to the brim with pretty. I love the recycled wire range.

The lovely girls at Poppies for Grace win the prize for a crafty stall.

Lovely hanging planters from Angus & Celeste.

Melbourne gave me an inspirational weekend, and I must add that the first photo is of the 'Renegade Fair' signage that we discovered down an alley way, after a hint from this cool chick. Now, it's time to sort through my 'I ate here' photos. See you back here soon.

- Briar

Salted Caramel Almond Popcorn

2011-07-31T19:42:00.007+10:00

Sydney turned on the sunshine this weekend, it almost feels like we might have seen the worst of winter. Here's hoping. I had a weekend filled with catching up with friends (we were treated to this restaurant for a belated 30th birthday present), and family. Late Sunday afternoon involved popcorn, caramel and almonds -three of my favourite things. I have been meaning to make this indulgent snack ever since I spotted it over on Martha's website. Being a true fan of the sweet and savoury combo, it seriously didn't disappoint. Those of you who are calorie counters, look away immediately. I've decided to take the bulk of this batch to work tomorrow, to share the love and calories around. I hope you all had a great weekend.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup corn kernels

2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil

2 cups raw almonds

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 120°. Butter two baking sheets; set aside. Place corn kernels and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat; cover. Once kernels begin to pop, shake pot frequently; when popping slows to about 3 seconds between pops, remove from heat; uncover. Transfer to a large bowl. Add almonds; toss.

Cook sugar, butter and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until it reaches approx 120°. Remove from heat. Stir in extracts, salt, and baking soda. Pour over popcorn mixture; toss to coat, Divide between prepared sheets. Bake, stirring occasionally for 1 hour 2o minutes. Enjoy.

-Briar

An ugly job

2011-07-27T19:05:00.005+10:00

I had a chuckle to myself tonight while sorting through iPhoto when I came across these two photos from nearly two years ago. When I explain to people what I do for a living, the response is often 'Oh wow, that's exciting'. 90% of the time it honestly is pretty fab. Then there are the 'hiccup' jobs like the one above that takes me to a very dark place/memory. 6 weeks in a cold factory out west creating a 200 page catalogue for a client that will remain anonymous. But, do you know what? I wouldn't take the experience back. I learnt so much in that six weeks, working with an old-school photographer and a client that was truly passionate about wanting packs of frozen peas to look 'luscious'. The moral of my post? What doesn't kill you makes you stronger....or at least gives you a laugh two years later.

- Briar

The sun came out

2011-07-24T20:12:00.006+10:00

Four things that made me smile this weekend: 1. $3.00 cupcakes for my step dads birthday from the local vietnamese bakery (check out that icing). 2. Picking fresh herbs from our mini garden with my nephew once the rain (!!) had stopped. 3. A dinner party on Saturday night at a lovely apartment in Camperdown where we were served personalised chicken pies and poached pears. 4. Downloading all my photos from the weekend, which also brought a smile to my husbands face - even with a case of the man flu. Seriously, I feel like half of Sydney is sick at the moment...I hope you all stayed warm and dry.

-Briar

The cover you helped create

2011-07-20T16:22:00.009+10:00

Some of you may remember me asking a quick question regarding a perfect space to call your own back in May. Your feedback was wonderful, and really helped me pull together ideas for my Real Living shoot. I'm heavily entrenched in the film I'm working on at the moment, so it was a pleasant surprise to spot the cover I styled (and spread) in the latest issue. I really like the colour combo that was chosen for the masthead too, don't you? The favourite item I pulled for the whole shoot was the big Junction Woven Cushion from Citta Design (in fact, the winter collection from Citta is all rather lovely). Photography by Chris Warne.

Freckle in the Living Room

2011-07-17T20:49:00.010+10:00

Just when I thought I was done with colour in our living room, last week I went and splurged on the Little Lamb Freckle Rug from Down To The Woods. I've seen them pop up in lots of children's spaces lately - but I figure grown ups should be kids sometimes too. I hope you all had a great weekend, mine was a fairly quiet one spent indoors with tea...and a little chocolate.

- Briar

Fancy Pants Salmon

2011-07-12T18:03:00.010+10:00

The photo above from last Saturday night comes with a little disclaimer,* and I also need to apologise for the photography - as it tasted/looked so much better than it does here. The recipe below that embraces one of my favourite ever flavours - lime is from the Gourmet Traveller July issue.

Poached salmon with fennel and lime beurre blanc

Note: the original recipe called for trout - we switched it to salmon, and we toned down the butter quantities listed below.

Prep time 30 mins, cook 30 mins. Serves 4-6

Ingredients

750ml dry white

1/2 onion sliced

1 fresh bay leaf

6 white peppercorns

1 (800gm) salmon fillet. halved

1 bunch each baby turnips and baby carrots, trimmed and halved

2 baby fennel, trimmed, cut into wedges, fonds reserved

20 gm butter

1/4 cup loosely packed chervil sprigs, to serve

Lime beurre blanc ingredients

60ml dry white wine

1/4 cup lime juices, plus lime wedges to serve

2 golden shallots, finely chopped

1 tbsp pouring cream

225 gm butter, at room temperature, diced.

Method

1. Bring wine, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns and 2 litres water to the boil in a wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Season to taste with sea salt, add fish, remove from heat and stand until cooked to your liking (10-12 minutes for medium-rare).

2. Meanwhile, blanch baby vegetables until tender (2-4 minutes), then refresh and drain well. Heat butter in a wide saucepan over high heat, add baby vegetables, cook until warmed through (2-4 minutes), season to taste and keep warm.

3. For lime buerre blanc, simmer wine, lime juice and shallots in a saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 80ml (5-10 minutes). Add then reduce heat to very low and add butter a little at a time, whisking continuously, until incorporated. To serve, spoon vegetables and reserved fennel fronds onto plates, top with fish, scatter with chevril and spoon over lime beurre blanc. Serve hot with extra sauce and lime wedges to the side.

* There is no way in hell I could pull this dish off successfully. I have my lovely husband to thank for this one - I literally opened the magazine, saw a recipe I liked and said 'I want that one' (a bit Little Britain), and two hours later...bam, there it was to be inhaled. Thanks Stanz.

- Briar

Gifting

2011-07-10T18:42:00.005+10:00

Our kitchen pantry received a posh make over this week...pictured above is the contents of a Bockers & Pony hamper that arrived as a gift from good friends. Check out the big range of hampers on the website, there are some nice ideas if you aren't in the mood for sending flowers. Giving gifts can be just as fun as receiving them, don't you think? A beautiful new baby girl born on Thursday called for a little splurge, including delivering a cardi/beanie set my Mum knitted for the little one. And...my gift to all of you? Try the salted caramel gelato from Gelato Messina in Darlinghurst when you get a chance. I was lucky enough to this afternoon, and holy moly, it was fiiiine...

On the road

2011-07-06T18:17:00.015+10:00

I frequently get asked what my day to day job entails, so I thought you might like to see what I got up to today (not including the very average sandwich I had for lunch - one of the pitfalls of a job on the road).

First stop was a visit to my favourite upholsterer for a quote - Firmino from Europa Upholstery in Hurlstone Park. I like how he has decorated his ancient little hole in the wall.

I really like his aged and faded window displaying past work - as you can see, Firmino knows his way around a Chesterfield lounge.

Driving through Dulwich Hill, (read more about the fab suburb on this lovely blog), I visited Brady's - great for a bargain, and sometimes a surprising antique.

While in the area, I dropped in to The Bower in Marrickville - you never know what might have turned up that morning. I have mentioned this treasure trove before here.

On the way to Bunnings, I stopped at an oldie but a goodie...I end up visiting Doug Up on Bourke every second week usually - Craig and Sophie are very 'film friendly', so it's great for hiring all sorts of things.

I could spend hours in Bunnings - truly a place for inspiration if you slow down and wander. I couldn't today, I was actually there to check out letterboxes and drain pipes (not the best range, I'm afraid).

Before heading back to the office to churn through paperwork for the rest of the afternoon, it was a quick visit to No Chintz for some pretty fabric samples. I hope you are all having a good week.

-Briar

Mad Mex Weekend

2011-07-03T20:47:00.006+10:00

The folks at Old El Paso must be shaking in their boots with all the new Mexican eateries that have popped up around Sydney lately. We lunched in the courtyard at the Norfolk Hotel in Surry Hills today - and their $5.50 soft shell tacos are amazing, as is the Bloody Mary in a can (or so I'm told, I've never truly appreciated the alcohol and tomato juice combo). The day before, our courtyard was accidentally 'mexified' for a BBQ with my guacamole, cactus and colourful garlands picked up for $2.50 from this shop in Chinatown. On another note, go and see the movie Bridesmaids, I went today and have not laughed that hard in a long time. So ridiculous, it's just brilliant. I hope you all had a lovely weekend too.

Finn's World

2011-06-28T18:28:00.006+10:00

My four year old nephew Finn is one of the funniest people I know. On a recent visit to his house, he informed me he was 'Darth Vader' for the day. Pretty sure Darth Vader wears black Finny? The little man was kind enough to let me take photos for 'Briar's website'. I love his little collection of critters made by my mum and hats that sit on top of his bookshelf. It looks like Darth Vader might be too big for his ride-on bumble bee these days, which had been positioned under the stairs. Oh, to be four again.

- Briar

Sunday

2011-06-26T19:30:00.010+10:00

The next time you find yourself looking for something fun to do on a sunny day in Sydney, promise me you will consider the following for an outing: Jump in the car, drive to Palm Beach and hire a boat ($120.00 for 2 hours for a cute boat that can take up to 12 people) from Barrenjoey Boating Services. Don't worry - you don't need to be a seafaring person, the boats go so slowly, so you only need a car drivers licence - or, my 7 year old niece. Putt around Pittwater like we did and choose your favourite waterfront home (it's good to dream). Once the cruising is complete, grab a table at flower-filled The Boathouse for a late lunch. The lovely day comes with a word of warning though - it makes you want Monday to be so very far, far away.

- Briar

PS. Hello and congratulations to Laura from Kit & Nancy, the First Birthday Lucky Dip will be coming your way.

Dalmation in Darlinghurst

2011-06-23T12:06:00.007+10:00

In my last post, I mentioned the inspiration delivered by fellow bloggers. 16 House is a lovely blog I have visited for the past year (it has an instant calming effect, visit it if you haven't already, and you will see what I mean). Last Saturday night I found myself 'living' one of Mandy’s posts. We have some old friends that live in the Savoy building in Darlinghurst and right outside was one of the gorgeous dalmations Mandy had photographed the week before. The night got even better with an old school lift ride up to our friends apartment, an incredible home made Strawberry cheese cake and a night cap at The Victoria Room. The taxi ride home to Manly felt extra long that night. I hope you all have a great weekend.

-Briar

First Birthday Lucky Dip

2011-06-21T17:25:00.005+10:00

On the shortest day of the year in 2010, I launched Sunday Collector with a little post about Mr Gardner. The blog has since helped me notice the lovely in my working day, and the even lovelier on the weekend. I truly enjoy sharing my finds with you all. It’s been great ‘meeting’ fellow bloggers along the way, and I love the fact I get inspiration so easily from talented Australians and so many other bloggers from around the world. An added bonus to becoming a blogger – my husband has ramped up the home cooking, as he loves to see his work go live. You will be happy to know he has since been promoted to S.C. Editorial Coordinator. I kid. As a token of gratitude towards my lovely readers, I have decided to collate a '10 item lucky dip’ from the collection you see above. Just leave a note below (letting me know what have been your favourite posts) and I will ask my 6 year old niece to choose a winner this Sunday (to keep it fair..and don't worry, I won't be including the photo of me with my cousin). I really look forward to hearing from you, and thanks for all the support over the past 12 months.

- Briar

All About Corn

2011-06-16T11:18:00.007+10:00

Those of you who remember my corn cob stool will know I choose to sit on a giant corn at home...but I also relish in eating it. For all you corn-lovers out there, the new Narrabeen restaurant Mexicano makes rocking 'Street Style grilled corn with chipotle mayonnaise-lime and cheese'. I had it last weekend, and have been having flavour flashbacks since. The current (miserable) climate in Sydney is also perfect for soup, and if you have a bit of time on your hands this weekend - I recommend trying this totally delicious recipe. The fancy-pants April Bloomfield soup comes from the lovely Phaidon book Coco.

Ingredients

700g corn kernels (sweet corn)

cobs reserved

12og plus 3 tbsp unsalted butter

15 shallots, thinly sliced

60ml milk

60ml double cream

225g chanterelle mushrooms

salt

olive oil, for drizzling

2 tbsp finely chopped chives

chilli powder, optional

Method

1. Place the cobs in a large pan and cover with cold water. Over high heat, bring the water to a rolling boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for 25 minutes.

2. Remove the cobs from the water. Reserve water for later use.

3. Melt 120g butter in a sauté pan and sweat the shallots until soft, not allowing any colour to develop.

4. Add the corn kernels and continue to cook until the corn is tender.

5. Add the milk, cream, and enough corn stock to just cover the corn. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Season to taste.

6. Pour the pan contents into a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and season again to taste.

7. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a separate sauté pan and sauté the mushrooms until soft. Season with salt to taste.

8. Pour the soup into a bowl, top with the mushrooms, and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with chopped chives and a pinch of chilli powder.

{This meal becomes extra tasty served with warmed sourdough bread and a glass of Riesling}.

-Briar

Cookie Cutters

2011-06-13T18:51:00.005+10:00

The NSW Southern Highlands greeted a colleague and I on a buying trip last week with arctic weather conditions (so much so, we made an emergency stop to buy gloves). As corny as it sounds, our hearts were warmed with a visit to Peppergreen Antiques in Berrima. My photos don't do this place justice - the sense of order and colour-coded merchandising is my favourite thing about the shop, as is the friendly and collection-passionate ladies who serve you. I invested in a little group of vintage cookie cutters (but I could have left with so much more). Sadly, they are in my kitchen cupboard now, I just can't work out a way of displaying them without looking like one of those compulsive hoarders you see on TV. Give me time. And, to those who enjoyed a long weekend, I hope it was a great one.

-Briar

I've been pinned

2011-06-07T13:12:00.015+10:00

Not one to catch on to a new technology too quickly, this blog post might be 6 months late for some of you - but I have just discovered the wonders of Pinterest. According to the Pinterest website: 'Think of Pinterest as a virtual mood board — a place where you can create collections of things you love and “follow” collections created by people with great taste'. Oh, I am so in love. I have been able to say goodbye to confusing reference folders on my laptop, and hello to organised and concise mood boards of beautiful inspiration (with original web links). Check out my 'virtual mood boards' here. In the process of learning more about Pinterest, I discovered that photos on my little blog have been 'pinned' a few times...which is the collection you see above. Oh, shux, that was a nice little surprise. If you don't want to create your own account, I'd recommend using Pinterest as an image search engine...kind of like Google, but far more lovely and refined. Have fun, and let me know if you are a member...would love to check out your boards.

Baby Tree

2011-06-05T19:06:00.005+10:00

The sun was shining for our walk around the Manly Food, Wine and Sustainability Festival today. I spotted the Hosanna Bonsai market stall and ended up taking home one very cute Cotoneaster. I have done a bit of research this afternoon so my baby tree makes it through Winter...and who would have thought, Bonsai are actually pretty easy-care. The tree needs lots of sun and watering twice a week (photo above = first watering for the week). Pruning can be done by 'pinching' off the leaves with your fingertips and repotting is recommended every 2 years. I might visit the ladies at Bonsai & Beyond in Balmain once we reach that milestone. Fingers crossed Cotoneaster likes his new home.

Respect for the Garland

2011-06-02T19:37:00.008+10:00

I'm a believer that garlands don't belong in the cupboard, saved only for festive occasions. Try living with a garland at home for a while (as you can see, I like to...but don't be alarmed, my general rule is only one garland in the home at a time). I promise walking past the garland will bring a little smile to your face. I couldn't resist the Little Lamb Garland from Down to the Woods recently (they also sell the Freckle Rug, which is beyond cute). Emma Lamb makes some sweet garlands too. Please let me know if you have discovered some lovely festooning recently...

- Briar

PS. If you love Budgie Terry as much as I do, read about him here.

Unique Wallpaper

2011-05-31T18:02:00.007+10:00

Karman Grech is one of those people whose incredible talent should be bottled. I recently met the 'go-to-guy for hand printed wallpapers' and was blown away by his extensive range and knowledge. Karman has been in the business for over 40 years and specialises in reproducing period wallpapers (ie. wallpaper from as early as 1890). He can also create one off designs - all you need is a little bit of visual reference for him, and off he goes - to design and hand print anything, in any colour - all at his humble Carlton studio. As you can imagine, I left our meeting dreaming about my personalised (and surprisingly affordable) wallpaper. Karman also mentioned that he has struggled to find an apprentice truly dedicated to the craft, so if there is anyone out there looking for a new trade - you might want to consider the art of wallpaper?

Reading

2011-05-29T18:53:00.007+10:00

I hit the shops yesterday for new work boots but ended up with two books (for a person that shops props for a living, I find clothes shopping almost impossible). The Stylist's Guide to NYC by Sibella Court is one of those tactile publications that draws you to 'touch and take in' before you actually get to reading the print. Beautifully designed with a pull out map, it has taken me one step closer to the dream of a big trip to New York. The second book, Gran's Family Table made it home simply because the recipes reminded me of the food both my special Nan's raised me on. There is nothing quite like mash potato or cauliflower + cheese at your Grandma's table. Don't you agree?

- Briar

PS. Apologies to my subscribers who received an email with an old post on Friday - it was an an annoying 'Blogger glitch', out of my control...but I hope some of you were inspired to make the orange cake again??

Mark's Ravioli

2011-05-24T16:20:00.010+10:00

Thanks for all your lovely comments and emails re. my new job. It really is so lovely to read your support and excitement for the film. On a different note, it's guaranteed to be a good day when my husband gets his pasta maker out and cooks up a storm. You might remember the table setting and menu for a lunch we hosted recently, but I completely forgot to share this dish with you. It's kind of a fiddly dish, but if you master it, your lunch guests will think you are really clever (yes, clever Mark - I'm talking about you).

Ingredients:

1 quantity home-made pasta dough - email me if you would like the instructions for this part.
Roast Pumpkin, Sundried Tomatoes and Fetta filling
500g butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped
100g crumbled fetta cheese

100g chopped sun dried tomatoes

Bunch chopped herbs (basil and continental parsley)

Season with sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
Garnish

Kalamata olives

Rocket leaves

Parmigiano Reggiano

Good quality olive oil

Method:

Preheat the oven to moderately hot (200°C/180°C fan forced). Place pumpkin on a lightly oiled tray; roast for about 40 minutes or until pumpkin starts to slightly darken in colour. Allow to cool then mix ravioli filling ingredients well in a bowl. Roll dough to the thinnest setting on a pasta machine. As soon as the dough is rolled into sheets, prepare the ravioli – don’t allow the pasta to dry out. Roll two sheets at a time and keep the remaining dough wrapped in plastic. Place the pasta sheet on a flour-dusted surface. Place rounded teaspoons of filling about 5cm apart in 2 rows, 2cm from the edges. Brush around the filling with a little egg wash (lightly whisk 1 egg white with a touch of salt). Place another freshly rolled pasta sheet on top. Press around each piece of filling to exclude the air. Cut into squares or rounds using a knife or cutter. Place ravioli on a tray dusted with a little flour. Add ravioli, in batches, to a large pan of boiling salted water; simmer, uncovered, until pasta is just tender, about 3 minutes; remove from pan with a slotted spoon.

Garnish

Assemble torn rocket leaves, chopped olives then drizzle generously with olive oil. Then place Parmigiano-Reggiano flakes over the top.

An extra tip from the chef: Serve with an Eden Valley Riesling or a young Hunter Semillon (Or if you are like me, a light Rosé works a treat too).

- Briar

Scandinavian Style

2011-05-19T20:10:00.011+10:00

When I was in my early 20's, the style of my home could have been described as 'Op Shop Nanna Chic', but over the past few years I've been drawn towards the calm you find in Scandinavian interiors (but with yum hits of bright colour). If money was no object and I got the opportunity to create my absolute dream home, emmas designblogg would be a first stop for a source of lovely inspiration. A next stop would be to re-visit the Bondi home I shot on Wednesday for Real Living magazine. Homeowner Carina, who also owns Funkis, has created an utterly spectacular and very Swedish space. I'll make sure to share some pics once the issue is out (Carina is also about to open a new Funkis store in Paddington). In the mean time, pictured above is a little collection from my present home, sort of a miniature mood board for our dream/much more fabulous home. A girl can dream...

It's Business Time

2011-05-17T16:11:00.006+10:00

Ta-da. These are my new business cards. Finally, I'll be able to hand over something with my name on it...I have been carrying around my old maiden-named cards for far too long. Yesterday, I was worried they were starting to look like a business card for a 'twee' Antique Store, but the addition of a tiny bit of yellow string (I do love my yellow) from the cupboard pulled it back to being more 'me'. Hopefully. What do you think?

Very White

2011-05-15T18:12:00.006+10:00

Besides my homage to white walls, it occurred to me today that I haven't photographed a collection of white for the blog yet - although the above is bordering close to the collection of cream. It was tricky culling the white - it seems our home has a lot of it. I swear by using Dulux Sprayak Quick Dry on anything for a bright even coat (like the deer antler from a film job above). Included in the collection is a very sad and empty bottle of my favourite fragrance, Diptyque Philosykos. Orson + Blake don't sell it anymore, so I was thrilled to find the fig scent exclusively at Mecca Cosmetica. A lovely new bottle is at the top of my wish list. What's your favourite scent?

Warm Up

2011-05-12T21:15:00.002+10:00

The city of Sydney showed up to the party today with it's coldest May day in 50 years. Perfect weather for soup and bread in my opinion. Below is the recipe for the Pumpkin Soup my husband made recently. It's so tasty, as in 'better than your mum makes tasty' (sorry, Mum). I'll also include the recipe for a delightful Rosemary & Garlic Bread.

Pumpkin Soup Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 leek, chopped, washed, dried

1 garlic clove, crushed

1.25kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, cut into 2cm pieces

2 cups vegetable stock

2 cups water

1 dollop thickened cream

1 cup Fried Noodles and italian parsley (in packet, from supermarket), to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

2. Add pumpkin, stock and water. Cover. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.

3. Blend soup in batches. Return to saucepan. Heat over medium heat until hot. Stir through cream for texture. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with half a handful of fried noodles and italian parsley on top.

Rosemary + Garlic Bread Ingredients

250ml olive oil

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tbs dried rosemary

500g crusty sourdough French bread stick, sliced diagonally.

Method

1. Place the oil, garlic and rosemary in a shallow dish

2. Preheat a char grill on medium. Dip a few pieces of bread in oil mixture to coat 1 side. Place, oil-side down, on grill. Cook for 2 minutes or until charred. Turn and cook for 1 minute or until heated through. Transfer to a serving bowl. Continue, in batches until completed. Enjoy with the yummy soup above.

On a different note, I want to say a very big thanks to all the super comments and emails I received from you re. ideas for the Real Living shoot (see post below). Your insights were all so helpful, and made the idea process so much easier.

-Briar

Quick Question

2011-05-10T19:24:00.010+10:00

Spending extended periods of time with my stationery/general contents of the craft cupboard is a favourite past time. Two of my sisters recently visited South Korea and certainly delivered the goods after I mentioned 'It would be great if you could bring me back some cute stationery'. Creating things with my collections of papers, tapes, stickers and stamps is actually how I like to spend my downtime...which brings me to the quick question. I am sourcing for a few Real Living shoots at the moment, and one shoot in particular is themed 'Mum's Escape Spaces'. I have to create six 'chill out' areas especially designed for the busy Mum. As you know, I'm not a Mum, so I would love any tips, ideas or feedback from the mothers* out there. What would be your own perfect space in the home, and how would you spend your time in it? Thanks for your help peeps. -Briar

*If you're not a Mum of a small person, but would still like to contribute your thoughts, please do.

The weekend with a new camera

2011-05-08T14:39:00.011+10:00

I spent the week helping at the last minute to dress some sets on the new television series of Underbelly. If, like me, you really got in to the first series, but lost interest with the second and third, promise me you will re-visit the fourth series, Underbelly:Razor. Set in 1920's Sydney, my colleague (and friend) Rob Wood has done a beautiful job of decorating the sets, and the scripts are great. It was with rather tired eyes on Friday night I got to play with my new camera. I'm planning to do a course (let me know if you can recommend a good one in Sydney) to really make the most of it. That didn't stop me from snapping with it around the house, and for the rest of the weekend...

'New York City in a bag' given to me by my cousin from here.

Dried 'Craspedia' flowers on the bookshelf, from this wedding.

Thrift purchases and a lamp from IKEA.

Impressive pies served to us at a dinner party in Surry Hills on Saturday night (that girl sure can cook).

Sunday Breakfast with Mum here. Whatever you all got up to - I hope you had a great weekend.

- Briar

Food for Friends

2011-05-03T20:08:00.004+10:00

As a devoted brown bread eater, I occasionally enjoy spongy sliced white bread when there is a sausage with tomato sauce or fancy-pants chicken involved. We created the latter on the weekend from Guillaume Brahimi's new cookbook Food For Friends. The combination of celery, walnuts, apple and homemade mayonnaise made the Waldorf sandwiches irresistible with a glass of bubbly. As Guillaume says in the book "Girls seem to love to talk and talk over copious amounts of them". I totally agree. The recipe below looks long, but the method is actually pretty quick and easy.

Chicken Waldorf Sandwiches

1 L white chicken stock

2 skinless chicken breast, trimmed of any excess fat

1 celery stick, peeled

1/2 granny smith apple

50g walnuts, chopped

1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

100g mayonnaise (see recipe below)

sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

Method

1. Place the chicken stock in a saucepan and add the chicken breasts. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is firm to the touch. Remove the chicken from the stock and place in the fridge to chill.

2. When the chicken is cold, cut it into 1cm dice and place in a mixing bowl. Grate the celery and apple on top, then add the walnuts, parsley and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

3. Add the chicken mixture to 5 slices of bread and top with the remaining slices to make the sandwiches. Remove the crusts and cut into triangles (or kind-of-messy fingers, like we did). Serve immediately.

Homemade Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks, at room temperature

1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

300ml olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

juice of 1/4 lemon

Whisk together the egg yolks, vinegar and mustard in a bowl. Slowly pour on the olive oil, whisking continuously until all the oil has been Incorporated. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of warm water. Finish with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

- Briar

The White House II

2011-05-01T20:05:00.007+10:00

Some of you may remember the white house 'Kalua' I blogged about back in July last year. Long story short...since then, coincidentally the P & O Art Deco home came on the market, my sister and brother in-law fell in love with it, (I reminded them that I spotted it first), and they then managed to snap it up (lucky, lucky). It was with delight today that my sister had the new keys and got to take me behind the gates to see it up close. It. is. beautiful. What surprised me the most was the size of the gorgeous back yard. There are already plans in the works to make some updates (carefully and in-keeping, as it's heritage listed), so i'll make sure to share pictures with you when it's all completed. Until then, my hand is up for house sitting duties.

Royal Heirlooms

2011-04-28T17:58:00.005+10:00

This post may seem naff to the Republican readers out there, but I am just a little bit excited about 'the wedding'. For the really important reasons, of course. I can't wait to check out who designed the dress, how Kate wears the hair, if the Queen cracks a smile. The media hype got me thinking about my own little royal collection at home (pictured above). Will my future grandchildren buy a tacky (but kind of expensive) souvenir like this in a thrift store in 40 years time and think it's beautiful? Enjoy the day, Wills + Kate, it's going to fly.

Orange Easter

2011-04-27T16:09:00.006+10:00

As most of you know, I told you all about Mudgee in this week of guest blogging recently. We took advantage of the extra long weekend - and it was a treat to be back there again so soon. I ended up helping my sister Hannah by working at the Logan Tasting Room for a few days, which was fun (I find the public are generally so charming when chatting about wine). As a fellow collector, Hannah always has something new in her home for me to check out, and I wanted to share her new collection of plates with you. Anthropologie (possibly the best shop ever) has collaborated with UK artist Lou Rota who used decoupage and collage to create the Natural World Dessert Plates. They are just too precious for the kitchen cupboard, and definitely deserve a wall space, don't you think?

Living like a Rock Star

2011-04-21T22:12:00.010+10:00

I promise this will be my last post on treasure hunting in Bali. I just couldn't leave out these two gems...I know these won't be to every ones tastes, but if you feel like living the rock star dream for a day or two, you won't regret visiting these two places. Nammos Beach Club is situated 100m down a limestone cliff - access only via an inclinator.

We spent the day swimming in the ocean and ate lunch under the grass and bamboo pavilions. I was in heaven, even after getting dumped by a wave on to rocks - surfers 'reef rash' and all.

Two days later, we spent the afternoon at The Rock Bar. We watched the sunset as the fishermen set off for the evening. Can you believe a place like this exists on a Monday morning when we are all sitting in Sydney traffic??

That's it from me for Bali, I hope you have enjoyed my travels. To be honest, I don't think I have even touched the sides of this magical island. We will be visiting again, that's for sure.

Jalan Laksmana

2011-04-20T20:25:00.010+10:00

You are probably getting the idea by now, food was a focus for us in Bali. We stayed around the corner from the street Jalan Laksmana, which is a long strip of restaurants, fashion stores, art galleries and...the beautiful Cafe Bali. The restaurant was founded by a French Architect, a Dutch Interior Designer and a Moroccan Restaurant Manager - which explains the romantic and cosy decor.We first visited as a big group for a late dinner over a long lace draped table.

Squashed velvet cushions just asking to be squashed some more.

A very sweet lighting treatment leads you up the staircase.

We went back a few days later for an early breakfast. I had boiled eggs with soldiers - always a holiday staple for some reason. My husband looks quite pensive here, but he's just reading the menu. Serious business.

New day, new petals.

Two types of sugar in old enamel ware on bright oil cloth. So lovely.

This is an unrelated image, but I forgot to tell you about this shop on Monday. The Prisoners of St Petersburg is my pick for fashion. The hole in the wall also sells great vintage sunnies - it's about 200m down from Cafe Bali.

Sea Circus

2011-04-19T15:50:00.011+10:00

I've got another gem from the island of Bali today. The welcome drinks for the wedding were held in the heart of Seminyak at Sea Circus. Don't you just love the name of this place? Says 'instant fun' to me.

The sweet collection behind the bar.

Natural timber tables decorated simply with tiny tins of flowers.

This is Tristan, an old friend of mine. He encapsulates how we behaved all holiday - lots of relaxed laughter with funny friends. Kind of like schoolies, but with older kids.

I recommend the milk bottle carafe of Pimms to get you through the Bali humidity. The Wolf Pack is also yummy {Absolut Vodka and Cointreau spiked with lemon, 3 tropical juices and kaffir lime}.

The prettiest louvers I have ever seen.

I'll always snap a photo of a bathroom I like, and this one was no exception.

The wedding party was welcomed with open arms by the gorgeous co-host Charlie - check out the super cute Sea Circus blog here. I'd recommend visiting for breakfast or a fab cocktail, anytime of the day, really - it's just such a lovely place.

Dream Catching

2011-04-18T17:34:00.006+10:00

We certainly ate our way around Bali, but I managed a healthy dose of shopping too. The 'heart flutter' I mention in my blog introduction was in full force last week when I found the hand woven dream catcher above. I spotted a smaller one in a beautiful shop display and ended up getting vague directions to find 'Bananas Batik'. Off I went - I walked, asked a second shop owner, and walked some more. Finally, the sixth shop owner knew exactly where Bananas Batik was. And there she was - in the upstairs workshop, amongst about 40 other individually designed dream catchers. It was a tough choice, but I'm happy with the yellow beauty that now hangs on the wall. Back to the previously mentioned shop, Jewel Rocks - this is definitely a store to visit, above are photos of their eclectic displays and my new little collection - perfect gifts for people back home. Visit Bananas Batik / Jalan Raya Seminyak 17A Bali-Indonesia

Treasure Hunting in Bali

2011-04-17T14:59:00.014+10:00

It was so hard getting to the airport on Friday night and actually leaving Bali after such an amazing 10 days. My camera was in overdrive all week - instead of bombarding you with a thousand photos all at once I'm going to spend the week sharing my list of top picks. First off the rank is Potato Head Beach Club - recently opened on Seminyak Beach, we visited three times we loved it so much.

The facade of the building features over 10,000 original Dutch colonial-era shutters sourced from all over Indonesia. As you can see, the interiors didn't disappoint either.

Gorgeous merchandising in the store downstairs, Eleven.

I love these chairs - buy similar at Doug Up on Bourke.

If you do get to visit, order a Kookaburra cocktail and sip it on your own daybed by the pool. You will feel kind of famous.

PS. The miniseries I worked on at the end of last year starts tonight on the ABC. Tune in to Paper Giants : The Birth of Cleo at 8.30pm. It's been getting some great reviews.

R+L Bali 2011

2011-04-10T18:20:00.008+10:00

As mentioned in the last post, we are currently sunning it up (with sunscreen) in Bali for a wedding celebration. Next weekend seems too long away, so I decided to load up the laptop and share these photos from last night. The wedding went off without a hitch at Villa Infinity in the Bali country side. Gelato coloured confetti was tossed, berry mojitos flowed, and dancing with tambourines under a ribbon pavilion went well in to the night. I took 100+ photos, but I think you get the idea from this small selection, it felt like we were on a decadent film set. The gorgeous bride wore Amanda Garrett, and the groom has never looked so dapper with a bow tie. We have just returned from the Sunday 'Recovery BBQ', and the last photo shows the Guest Welcome Pack that greeted us on arrival to our villa on Wednesday (the sunglasses were for today). It was so much fun, I want the whole weekend to happen again...

Avocado Devotion

2011-04-05T18:46:00.005+10:00

It was impossible to walk past this blackboard recently. I was a kid who chose avocado on wholegrain toast over Fruit Loops, and my devotion to this breakfast still lives on. Infinity Sourdough Bakery in Manly serve it with salt, pepper and lemon (delicious, and I love their outdoor seating), but my mum always made it with a healthy dash of Cornwells Lancashire Sauce. If you have not tried this, you must. On another note, we are of to Bali tomorrow for 10 days to celebrate this wedding. I cannot wait. If I get bored of cocktails by the pool, I'll check in, but if not - have a lovely week, and see you back here really soon.

Green

2011-04-03T16:58:00.007+10:00

The world would be a very different place without the colour green - I can only imagine landscapes without the discovery of this lovely hue. Green is a colour I don't generally choose to wear, but it's certainly a colour I like to have around. Gathering for this post, I dug out the 1961 edition of 'Speeches & Toasts for All Occasions'. Rather fitting, as my husband will be addressing guests at a very special wedding next Saturday. Not sure if he should be taking the advice too seriously from the book, although I do like this quote suggestion: "The bride is so beautiful and charming that the bachelors present must be very envious of the recent deserter from their ranks". I know the bride will be jaw-dropping next Saturday, as will the wedding. In the mean time, I hope you all own a Stabilo Boss highlighter like the one above - I carry one of these puppies everywhere I go, and my work lists often have an over-organised green glow.

A Spoilt Letterbox

2011-03-31T16:36:00.005+11:00

It was our overcrowded fridge door that made me realise how many lovely cards we have received from friends in the post lately. So lovely, I felt they deserved their own blog post. A favourite from the collection is the folk letterpress design 'You Are So Sweet' card from Dutch Door Press (I think I will find a little frame for it). Also, the clever girls at Poppies for Grace have recently produced the coloured string + tie envelopes - they are just too cute to use if you ask me. Speaking of good stationery, check out more brilliance over at Zed + Bee – the girls have loaded up images of their latest invitation designs.

Pears for Lunch

2011-03-29T19:19:00.006+11:00

For my regular readers, you will know by now that my husband does most of the cooking in our house - where as I tend to cheer on the sidelines and take photos. We enjoyed one of his feasts with friends on Sunday (complete with homemade bread). I saw it as a good excuse to decorate our outdoor table and use the Alphabet Garlands that have been sitting in the cupboard waiting for a reason to make an appearance. A fellow foodie was one of our guests, and the last photo is of the gift she arrived with - a care package of her Bircher Muesli complete with yoghurt and honey. So sweet, and such a lovely idea.

Roasted Peaches with Sugared Walnuts

2011-03-27T20:27:00.004+11:00

Something about the words 'Sugared Walnuts' had me hooked as soon as I spotted this recipe. I came across it on Oprah's website (not sure how I ended up there), but it's super easy and quick (and delicious). I figured – if it's good enough for Queen Oprah....

You will need:

1 cup walnuts

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

5 tablespoons brown sugar

6 peaches, halved

1/2 cup thick cream

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a tray with baking paper, set aside. In a bowl, toss walnuts with 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Spread walnuts on to tray. Roast 5 minutes; turn and continue roasting until browned and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove from tray. Place peaches on same tray; brush tops with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with brown sugar. Roast until sugar is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Place 2 peach halves in a bowl, top with cream and the toasted sugared walnuts. Serves 6.

A week of shopping

2011-03-24T20:52:00.007+11:00

I've had a great week sourcing props and furniture for a television commercial we are shooting on Saturday and Monday. A 'buying' day can't begin without a handbag containing the following: Camera, Petty Cash, Tape Measure and Notebook. Simple, really...but without them, I might as well stay at home. I file away the receipts from my purchases like they are liquid gold, misplace those receipts, and I'd have an expensive little day on my hands. The brief for this particular job is a lovely one - decadent kitchens and dining tables with delicious feasts. First stops were shops like the The Bay Tree and Parterre, and how gorgeous are the Mud Australia teacups? I feel a bit like a walking and talking gift guide sometimes, there are so many good little presents out there (for you and me).