OCT 2013
LOVE JK
04
create
make
celebrate
DANCE PARTY!!
HOW TO HOST A
BABY SHOWER Gardening with kids WITH THE LITTLE VEGGIE PATCH CO.
LOVEJK.COM.AU
Recipes
Party Inspiration
Free Printables
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hello!
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We have a crazily colourful issue, jam packed with tips and ideas for you and your little people. It’s here - fashion fixes, party pieces and crazy crafting. Welcome to our spring edition! From Melbourne-based The Little Veggie Patch Co., Mat and Fabian share with us ways to get little green thumbs into the garden. The wonderful sisters from The Party Parlour show us exactly how to create, style and host a picture perfect baby shower. Belinda Nihill of Nest Design Studio wows us with a colour popping kid’s room bound to bring your little one’s space to life. We help you feed the family without the fuss with deliciously simple recipes, lunch box fun and treats for everyone, with contributors like the authors of Eat Fat Be Thin, Andi Lew and Dr. Natalie Kringoudis. To top it all off we have two incredible parties to give you inspiration for your next celebration. s! Contact U Studio Mews, 366 Park St, South Melbourne +61 (0)3 9012 6007
Hip hip hurray!
Jennifer
hello@lovejk.com.au
lovejk.com.au All prices are current as of July 9th 2013. Prices subject to change. © Copyright Love JK 2013. All free printable files are for personal use only.
facebook.com/LoveJKAustralia Twitter: @_LoveJK @Jen_Henderson
Adorable Birthday, Baby Shower and Christening Invitations OOOOM! VVRRR !
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Isabella is turning 1! Please join us for afternoon tea On Saturday 13th October from 2pm til 4.30pm At 8 Orangeblossom Road. Applecross RSVP 5th October Kay 0431 024 172 kay@emailaddress.com.au
baby er show
ON SATURDAY 4TH AUGUST 2012 FROM 2.30 – 5.30PM AT 8 ORANGEBLOSSOM ROAD APPLECROSS RSVP ISABELLA BY FRIDAY 27TH JULY ISABELLA@EMAILADDRESS.COM.AU 0123 456 789
Ryan, Jennifer, Gabriella, Lily & Sabrina
Join us to celebrate
Join us as we celebrate the Christening of our son
Natalie’s Baby Shower Join us to celebrate
Elizabeth’s Baby Shower on the 8th August at 3pm
Saturday 28th July at 2pm At 8 Orangeblossom Lane, Applecross Please RSVP Lily by 21st July On 0404 325 453 lily@emailaddress.com.au
Join us to celebrate
Jordan’s Christening on the 8th August at 11am
Christopher David On Sunday 27th May, 2012 at 11am St Therese Catholic Church 440-442 Blaxland Road Denistone East
at 8 Cherryblossom Lane, Applecross
at Our Lady of Mount Carmel 216 Richardson Street, Middle Park
Lunch to follow at The Boathouse Orangeblossom Way
RSVP regrets only by 30th July
Lunch to follow at 8 Cherryblossom Lane, Applecross
RSVP 1st May 2012 joanne@emailaddress.com.au
Jennifer 0412 345 678 jennifer@emailaddress.com.au
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HENRY IS TURNING 2! ZOOOOM ON OVER AND CELEBRATE WITH US!
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RSVP 30th July Donna 0412 345 678 donna@emailaddress.com.au
LOVE JK Stylish and Whimsical
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PERSONALISED PARTY STATIONERY & GIFTS PERSONALISED INVITATIONS, ADDRESS STICKERS, THANK YOU CARDS & GIFT TAGS, BUNTING, MILK BOTTLE STICKERS, & MUCH MUCH MORE!
lovejk.com.au Like a custom design? Call 03 9012 6007 or email hello@lovejk.com.au
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CONTENTS OCTOBER 2013 ISSUE FOUR
Create
16 Little Green Thumbs 22 Colour POP Moodboard 24 Pom-Pom Crazy 25 Plastic Fantastic
Make
28 Pumpkin Pasta 30 Choc-Cubed Strawberries 32 Amazeballs 34 Making Lunch boxes FUN
Celebrate 36 Ice Cream Party 56 Party Favour Ideas 62 Dance Party Fever 79 Oh Baby! How to host a Baby Shower 96 Gift Guide for Baby Shower 100 The Wonderful Cakes of Oz
Merci Beaucoup!
Thanks go to everyone who helped make this issue come together. BIG thanks to Louise, Susanne, Stacey, Clare, Grant, Sophie, Annabel, Kim & Jodie for all of their wonderful efforts!
www.lovejk.com.au
5
Jen Henderson
Louise Weeks
EDITOR & CHIEF KIDDO
SPECIAL FEATURES
OF LOVE JK
EDITOR & BLOGGER
Jen Henderson is a big
Originally from England,
kid at heart who loves to
Louise moved to
draw, create & have fun!
Melbourne just over two
Having spent her ‘grown
years ago and has truly
up’ career as a designer
found her feet.
in design studios and
With a background in
branding agencies in Europe and here in Australia, Jen
Contemporary Craft, Fine Art & Design and artisan
decided to combine her passions of being creating
foods, she is one very crafty lady! Café manager by
gorgeous designs for kids with her love of branding,
day, cultural creature by night, Lou is the newest
to create her very own range of stationery, wall art
addition to the Love JK team.
and softies for kids to cuddle, love and be inspired by
cultureattic.com
lovejk.com.au
Belinda Nihill
Alina Botoni
INTERIORS EDITOR &
FASHION EDITOR, STYLIST
OWNER OF NEST
& OWNER OF VIA STYLE
DESIGNS
Alina is an international
Belinda Nihill is a qualified
traveler, fashion connoisseur
interior designer and
and styling enthusiast. Her
mother of two who
personal styling business
specialises in nursery
is booming and she finds it
and children’s rooms.
very rewarding when being
Based in central Victoria,
able to give somebody else
Belinda has a Diploma of Arts in Interior Design and
the confidence they deserve. Being a Mum of two young
Decoration and has worked as an interior designer
kids, her new found passion is styling little people. When
for over a decade. Her own business, Nest Design
she can tear herself away from her beloved family and
Studio, began while she was preparing for her first
laptop, Alina is busy searching for the most exclusive
son Hugh’s birth in 2009. Belinda is also mum to
designer party dresses for girls 1-10 years to hire them
Hugh’s younger brother, Charles.
out for special occasions.
nestdesignstudio.com.au
viastyle.com.au
Clare and Grant
Jodie and Kim
PHOTOGRAPHERS,
SISTERS AND
MY LITTLE TRIBE
CO-FOUNDERS OF
Clare and Grant
THE PARTY PARLOUR
photograph your little
Sisters Jodie and Kim
tribe with passion, fun and
have combined their
lots of energy!
backgrounds in design,
Inspiring appreciation of love and life through stunning imagery of your family, pregnancy, new life, childhood and beyond. My Little Tribe is a celebration of the beauty and soul within us all‌
sales, marketing, business administration and most importantly motherhood and sisterhood to develop a business that they love to be in. Together they have created The Party Parlour, an online store which is packed full of gorgeous partyware and great ideas.
thepartyparlour.com.au
mylittletribe.com.au
Susanne Sleep
Stacey Moran
MUM & WRITER
OWNER MINI PARTY
Originally from London,
PEOPLE
Susanne moved to
Stacey is Mum to two
Melbourne 10 years
young boys and owner
ago. She is a mother to
of Mini Party People, a
a highly spirited toddler,
company who specialise
full of demands and peals
in hiring gorgeous
of laughter. Her writing
furniture for kids. With a
reflects her lifestyle –
large collection of replica
defined by a lack of time and brain power, coupled
Mini Louis Ghost and Mini Panton kids chairs for
with the desire to feed and entertain her child the
hire, styling a party has never been easier. After a
healthiest and happiest way she can.
successful launch in Melbourne, Mini Party People is excited to be opening in Sydney.
minipartypeople.com.au
www.lovejk.com.au
7
stylish children’s furniture for hire Introducing Mini Party People. Adding some style to Children's Party Furniture Hire, with a large selection of replica Louis Ghost & Panton chairs. Also available children size tables and other accessories. SYDNEY Richard - 0411 258 568 richard@minipartypeople.com.au MELBOURNE Stacey - 0407 882 577 stacey@minipartypeople.com.au
minipartypeople.com.au
Let the little ones hop, skip and jump into SPRING with this adorable collection from Hello Toes.
Let Mother Nature look after you and your skin this season with the new HoneyMania range from The Body Shop.
Their philosophy is to make ‘fun for little feet’ and with stockists Australia wide you are bound to find the perfect fit. We LOVE! hellotoes.com
S THING
WE
Featuring an indulgent pot of Bubble Bath Melt ($29.95), a rich and nourishing Body Butter ($27.95) and the ever essential Body Scrub ($27.95), this bee-autiful collection is bound to fly off the shelves.
LOVE
thebodyshop.com.au
U TOO!
FOR THE KIDS & YO
Shoohoos by Yaya & Sky, are elastic laces that convert any lace up shoes into a slip-on. Mix ‘n’ match the colours for a super cute bright & fun look for your little one. Available in multi-colour packs of 14 for $12.95. shoohoos.com.au
What better way to welcome the warmer weather than brightening up your home with splashes of happy colours! Me & Amber have an array of beautifully hand crafted designs for every aspect of your house. From table runners to cushions, greetings cards to t-shirts. These Prints on Ply start at $50
Design House Studio Skinky recently released the fun and stackable Playon Crayon, said to be the perfect first crayon for your child. The non-toxic wax crayon is ideal for any young at heart household, especially as it is stain free! October sees the release of the Playon StackUp’s, a new stacking mat that allows little ones to have more fun and variety when getting creative with the mighty Playon Crayons! studioskinky.com
meandamber.com
OUT & ABOUT BY LOUISE WEEKS
Mosman, NSW Mosman Childrens Fair A free event for all the family comes to Allan Border Oval on November 9th. A day of face painting, fabulous fairies and farm animals awaits. For the more grown up kiddies, a teacup ride and story telling are some of the treats in store! Pack a picnic and enjoy a day of fun in the sun! events.mosman.nsw.gov.au/
Perth Little Hands Festival Fairies and Wizards are the theme for this year’s Little Hands Fesitval. Held on October 20th, take the kiddies down to Kadidjiny Park. With an enchanted garden, carnival rides and all sorts of market stalls, the little ones are bound to enjoy getting lost in the wonderland. Old favourites such as pony-rides, balloon sculptures and craft activities will have everyone grinning from ear to ear melvillecity.com.au/artsevents/
Sydney Sculptures by the Sea Sculptures by the Sea has something for everyone – from abstract steel to giant soft sculptures and colourful quirky statues. From 24th October to 10th November the coastal walk from Bondi to Tamarama will be transformed with over 100 sculptures and more from all over the world! Take the kids and the camera, as this is one not to be missed! sculpturebythesea.com Melbourne Kids Weekend at Federation Square 19th & 20th October Find Your Lost Thing: Animation Let the kids’ imaginations run wild with these fun and free workshops featuring The Lost Thing: From book to film by Shaun Tan. Get down to Federation Square over the school holidays for a storytelling session like no other. Filled with soundscapes and imagery that will keep the kiddies eyes and ears entertained all morning. acmi.net.au/shaun-tan-lost-thing
www.lovejk.com.au
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COLOUR WHEEL
04
Bring spring season a splash o
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1 KidO Animal Wobble Owl $14.95 tigertribe.com.au 2 KidO Whale Blue $19.95 tigertribe.com.au
3 Tropical Fish Reversible Hat $22.99 pumpkinpatch.com.au 4 Baby Elephant Money Box, $14.95 downthatlittlelane.com.au
We LOVE that NE favourite thin every c of the ra
5 KidO Green Aeroplane, $29.95 tigertribe.com.au 6 Little LadyBug Green Watch, $14.95 downthatlittlelane.com.au 9 KidO Floating Ducks, $19.95 tigertribe.com.au 10 Tulle Skirt, $29.99 pumpkinpatch.com.au
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indoors this n with of colour.
t some of our EW ngs come in colour ainbow!
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15 17 16
11 Ducky Wool Felt Pillow, $69 bowerandbeyond.com
15 Rokii Animal Red, $169.99 bowerandbeyond.com
12 Printed Spot Bermuda Shorts, $39.99 pumpkinpatch.com.au
16 Fuchsia Saltwater Sandals $69.95 moppit.com.au
13 Bobbletrim Dress, $39.99 pumpkinpatch.com.au
17 Quut Ballo Calypso Pink, $24.95 quutbeachtoys.com
14 Elephant Hanger (set of 3), $25 downthatlittlelane.com.au
www.lovejk.com.au
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Oh Baby! Personalised Birth Prints
Framed from $49.95 Shop online at lovejk.com.au
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LOVE JK
Personalised Party Invitations Bunting, Wall Art, Birth Prints & More! Shop online at lovejk.com.au 03 9012 6007 hello@lovejk.com.au
Create
Whether or not you’ve got a green thumb, we’ve got the scoop on how to get your kids in the garden. We show you a gorgeous girl’s room POPPING with colour, some fun craft activities plus DIY projects to keep the kids entertained.
LITTLE GREEN THUMBS
E LITTLE VEGGIE
MBER, OF TH TEXT BY MAT PE
PATCH CO.
When luring kids into the garden and into a lifetime of good eating, a left of centre approach is sometimes needed. It’s worth noting that kids are inherently mischievous and rebellious little creatures, and so tell them one thing and they are likely to do another. With that in mind, how on earth do you entice your kids into healthy habits without being dictatorial about it? We have given it some thought and these are the ideas that sprouted! 0 - 3 years
t Pember
a and Ma n Capomoll
Fabia
Watering At an age when kids are limited by dexterity and have a clean consciousness, this is an activity all should jump at. Provide manageable tools (small, durable watering can), adequate waterproofing (at least 50% will end up over them) and a method of replenishment so that you’re not constantly filling up. Some youngsters can develop a fear of water around this age, so it’s a two birds one stone activity that will hopefully get them more comfortable with water. Gnawing
Scarecrow Making The only thing scary about a scarecrow made by your little ones is how ineffective it is at shooing away birds and other pests. But that’s totally besides the point. The activity is great for recycling old clothes, getting them outdoors and allowing them to make a complete mess. We run free scarecrow making workshops at Fed Square Pop Up Patch. For more info go to littleveggiepatchco.com.au/pages/pop-up-patch
There’s something about raw produce that gets
4 - 7 years
our hearts racing and it’s a pleasure kids should
Baked Beans Can
experience from a young age. To make sure your
Ask kids where baked beans come from and
little ones try the produce simply state: “Darling
some may shout “a can!”. An old favourite but a
please don’t put that in your mouth” and it’s
goodie – showing kids where their food comes
as good as gone! Make sure to put anything in
from. Go and buy a can of baked beans, eat the
bite-sized pieces and ensure they don’t have
contents and then grow a bean plant in the can.
allergies beforehand. If the kiddies are too small,
This can be substituted with canned beetroot,
try substituting their doll for a giant zucchini or
corn, carrots etc.
big tomato. www.lovejk.com.au
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7-10 years Blind Feeling Test I remember doing a blind feeling test with all sorts of gross things – chicken livers, slugs etc – and at a relatively young age too. This does require a willingness to try, and hopefully your child is up for the challenge. Always tie in prizes for the most correct guesses as an incentive to be adventurous. Scientific experiment I still remember my favourite project at school – how to germinate seeds in petri dishes. Science and fun are NOT mutually exclusive. Get some seeds, set up a ‘test standard’, decide upon some variables and chart the results of germination Colour-in-page Kids love colouring-in anything, even your favourite sofa, so this in an easy one. Pop your budding gardeners in a room with all the right materials and let them go wild! Snail Challenge
and development. Keep a journal and take photos to go along with them. Pimping the patch Give your little ones ownership over the patch by letting them decorate it to their hearts’ content.
We’ve always been great believers in competitive gardening and this challenge helps control pests in the garden. Send the kiddies out into the garden and let them discover the snail’s secret hiding places. Whoever brings back the most snails, wins. There could even be a plate of escargot at the end of it all. This challenge can have the snails substituted for caterpillars, but not for dinner.
These fun gardening accessories make getting in the garden even better! Little Duckling Watering Can $9.95 Boys Gardening Set & Carrier $16.95 Both available from lark.com.au
WHAT TO PLANT IN OCTOBER P
BY SUSANNE SLEE 03 01
03 02
03 03
03 04
1 Beetroot ‘Detroit’ Heirloom Seeds $4.50
Due to disparate climates around Australia,
2 Lettuce ‘Boston’ Heirloom Seeds $4.50
planting differs all over the country.
3 Radish ‘Cherry Belle’ Heirloom Seeds $4.50
However, you can plant the following no matter
4 Carrot ‘Baby Amsterdam’ Heirloom Seeds $4.50
where you are:
All available from littleveggiepatchco.com.au
beans beetroot carrots
Read about how you
herbs
can create your very
lettuce
own Little Veggie
parsnip
Patch at home with Fabian & Mat’s
potato
great book.
radish
$45
For what to plant in a specific region of
littleveggiepatchco.com.au
Australia during the year, go to gardenate.com
www.lovejk.com.au
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PICTURE POSTIE Want to print your iPhone, Facebook & Instagram photos? Now you can with the Picture Postie Photo Printing app. Developed by a Mum of two in Melbourne, it’s made getting photo prints a quick, easy & enjoyable task! Save time & order quality prints, canvases, wall decals & more, straight from your iPhone and delivered to your door. Download this free top-rated app now and get printing! http://tinyurl.com/picpostie
Picture Postie would like to offer you 20 FREE PRINTS with your next order. Select up to ten 4x4” prints and up to ten 4x6” prints for free. That’s up to $6.40 off. Enter coupon code UDT020 Valid until 31 Oct 2013.
Colour Pop 03 01
Nest Design Studio’s Belinda Nihill
03 02
shares with us a bright & fun girl’s bedroom, featuring this season’s geometric patterns & a POP of colour!
03 03
03 05
03 04
1 Rainbow Garland $70, poppiesforgrace.com 2 Geometric Love Wall Art from $49.95, lovejk.com.au 3 Moroccan Pouffe-Sky Blue $195, ministyle.com.au 4 Stratum Weave Carnival Stripe $575, armadillo-co.com 5 Incy Mae Single Bed, $549, incyinteriors.com.au 6 Rabbit Lamp $176, downtothewoods.com.au 7 Childs Peacock Side Table White $89, thefamilylovetree.com.au
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8 Pink Nounou Happy Cloud Cushion Pillow $40 babydonkie.com.au 9 Vinyl Wall Sticker Decal Art - Small Polka Dots $23.30, etsy.com/au/shop/urbanwalls 10 Dipped Cushion in Mint $49.95, aurahome.com.au 11 Croc Single Quilt & Pillowcase Set in Pastel $185, kipandco.net.au
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03 09
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03 07 www.lovejk.com.au
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POM POM CRAZY!
What you need Wool Cardboard Scissors
Text & Photography by Louise Weeks
Cut two identical circles out of cardboard. Cut a small round hole in the middle of each circle. Place one circle over the top of the other. Wrap your wool tightly around the circles and then re-trace your steps once more until the circles are completely bound. Do this three or four times to ensure there are no gaps. Carefully cut between the cardboard circles on the outer edge.
Louise Weeks shares with us her old y favourite craft activity!
Draw a long piece of wool between the two circles. This needs to be quite long, as it will form your hanging loop when the PomPom is finished. Tie a knot nice and tightly, making sure all the stitches meet in the center hole. Cut and pull away the cardboard ring that’s left behind. Hey Presto!! You just finished your perfectly puffy PomPom!
PLASTIC FANTASTIC! With Liz Fourez from Love Grows Wild lovegrowswild.com
Get crafty with the little ones and turn their favourite toys into nifty bookends to liven up their living space What you'll need Plastic toys of your choice 2 pieces of 1 x 4 wood to create the bases for your bookends. Primer Paint
How to Cut the 1 x 4 blocks into four 5 inch pieces and sand any rough edges. Spray the wood and plastic toy with a primer to ensure that the next layer can be fully absorbed. Next, spray both the wood and toys in your chosen colour, allowing the paint to dry between coats.
Clear gloss sealer
To protect the paint and to give your bookends a nice, glossy
Wood glue
finish, spray a coat of clear gloss sealer over the paint once dry. Now, it is time to assemble the bookends. First, lay one of the blocks flat on a table. Apply wood glue to the long edge of another wooden block and place sitting upright on the far edge of the bottom block. This should create an L shape. Hold the block in place for a few seconds to allow the glue to set. Repeat this process with the other two wooden blocks. To attach the elephants to the bookend bases, use a dab of superglue on the bottom of the elephant’s feet (being careful of little fingers!) Place them centered on the bottom of the wood block. Hey presto! You, and your little one have crafted your very www.lovejk.com.au own bookends!
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Make
Stuck for ideas for what to make for dinner or snack time? Here are some delicious and easy recipes to make for you and the kidlets. Photograph by mylittletribe.com.au
EASY MUMMA FOOD
Mum to a rambunctious 18 month old boy whose sleeplessness is legendary! Susanne Sleep* shares with us some of her recipes that get her through the days when cooking and everything else is just plain hard work.
PUMPKIN PASTA Serves 4 Ingredients
Method
25 g unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 180c
1 tbl sp olive oil
Chop pumpkin into bite sized pieces, roughly 1.5cm squared
400 g pumpkin
Melt the butter and olive oil in a frying pan and cook the
400 g spaghetti
pumpkin, covered, over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes
4 tbl sp soft goat cheese (I use Meredith Dairy’s goat cheese, but any soft goat cheese will do)
Turn the pumpkin and cook for another 10 minutes, until
Optional for grownups
golden and tender when poked with a fork In the meantime, cook your pasta according to the packet instructions Place a tablespoon of goats into the bottom of each bowl
1 clove garlic, finely chopped and lightly fried 1/2 birdseye chilli, finely chopped and lightly fried
Drain the pasta - for grownups, stir the garlic and chilli into the drained pasta Mix the goat cheese and pasta Add cooked pumpkin to the top of each bowl and serve If your child is still very young and you’re still steaming their food, you can steam the pumpkin until very tender
During sum
mer month
exchange p
zucchini. It
umpkin for
adds a love
fresh flavo
comforting
prepared in
ur to this
s
ly,
and puree with the goats cheese before adding the cooked pasta. Have leftover sausages? Chop it up and add in this dish as well, delicious!
dish and is
exactly the
same way.
*Yes, this is her real surname. The irony of the situation is not lost on her! www.lovejk.com.au
29
CHOC-CUBE STRAWBERRIES Ingredients
Method
12 strawberries, hulled
Melt chocolate until liquid
250 g raw chocolate recipe below (or milk, or white, or Toblerone!)
Half fill each hole in the ice cube tray with melted chocolate Place one strawberry into each hole Pour chocolate carefully into the ice cube tray (the chocolate should overflow into the spaces around the holes and pool together) Place the tray in the fridge until the chocolate hardens, about 15 minutes Eat before the kids see it!
RAW CHOCOLATE
Gluten and dairy free
There are a lot of raw chocolate recipes out in the world. As a dark chocolate fan, this one is my absolute favourite for being supremely choc-lety while not too sweet.
Ingredients
Method
1/4 cup coconut oil
Melt coconut oil over a low heat
2/3 cup cacao powder
Remove from heat and sift in cacao powder
2 tbsp agave nectar
Whisk until completely combined
5 drops chocolate stevia
Add the agave nectar and chocolate stevia. You can replace these two with maple syrup if you’re not fussed about raw ingredients, or honey if you’re not vegan Pour into container and set in fridge for at least 15 minutes
Everyone’s got an ice cube tray handy, so why not use it for something a little sweeter. This is one of the easiest recipes to make and will keep little and big tummies happy!
Roll on
WONDERSNACK TIME! With the success of two specialised recipe books under their belt we ask the fab and fit authors of Eat Fat Be Thin & Eat Fat Be Lean Natalie Kringoudis and Andi Lew, to share their Amazeballs recipe.
AMAZEBALLS By Dr. Natalie Kringoudis & Andi Lew Jam packed with essential fats and dried fruits and nuts, these are a super sugar-free snack for both you and your little ones! Recipe makes 12 -15 Balls
Ingredients
Method
2 cups quinoa oat flakes or Forage porridge (gluten free options), or rolled oats
Put all ingredients apart from the water into a food processor
1 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped
to roll into balls.
½ cup shredded coconut
Roll into desiccated coconut to make the outside look pretty and
½ cup sultanas
store in an airtight container in the fridge.
½ cup almonds
Can keep in the fridge for up to one week.
2 tbs organic peanut butter 1 tbs cocoa powder 2 tbs honey 2 tbs water 1 tsp vanilla extract
and blend until it has the consistency of breadcrumbs. Add the water and continue to process until it becomes sticky enough Use a tablespoon to measure the mixture and roll into firm balls.
Note You’ll need to make sure the peanut butter is a good quality, pesticide-free kind. If your guests are anaphylactic and cannot consume peanuts, you may like to use a different type of nut butter or cold-pressed organic coconut oil instead. www.lovejk.com.au
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Making
LUNCHBOXES fun! With the start of the new school term,
here are some fun ideas to keep the kid’s
lunchboxes looking a little more enticing! by Vanilla Pod Café & Deli
Lunchboxes don’t need to be a chore to prepare, nor a bore for your kids. By simply using colourful picks & edible glitter, an ordinary lunchbox can turn into something that will be the envy of all the kids at school! Here are some fun ideas: Pop stickers onto fruit & write messages too! Bananas are especially good for this Use egg shapers to make boiled eggs super cute
Get your cute lunchbox accessories from Vanilla Pod online facebook.com/VanillaPodCafe/app_139114646178872
Cut up sandwiches using cool sandwich shapes
or, if you live in Brisbane, pop in and try
Get some fun containers to showcase your
some of their delicious treats for yourself!
delicious lunch time creations.
Celebrate Here we share our tips and tricks on how to plan and host a fantastic celebration. From baby showers to birthday parties for the older kids, we have everything covered. Take a sneak peek at our three parties for some sweet inspiration!!
scream for ICE CREAM WE
Photography Clare & Grant Of My Little Tribe, mylittletribe.com.au
Styling Jennifer Of Love JK, lovejk.com.au, Stacey Of Mini Party People, minipartypeople.com.au and Jacinda Of Jacinda Jones, jacindajones.com
Keeping the kids entertained at parties doesn’t have to be a tedious task. Getting them involved in preparing tasty party treats is bound to bring out the mini master chef in every single one! From making ice cream and funky fruit skewers to dipping and dunking with chocolate fountains and lamingtons - There is plenty you can do that will keep the kids sweet! Liz Long of Melbourne’s Lucious Affairs, shows us how it’s done!
Previous Page
Soffritto Glaze Mechanical Scales in Pink
Mini Cake Pop Cones by
$49.99, house.com.au
Burnt Butter, burntbutter.com.au
Opposite Page
Nana Huchy Domestic Bliss Apron
Ambrosia Koko Small Bowls
$30.80, nanahuchy.com Pink & White Striped Ice Cream Cups 12 for $6.95, thepartyparlour.com.au
$5.99, house.com.au Frills and Frosting Plates Doilies $9.95, lark.com.au
This Page
Mini Meringue Ice Cream Cones by
Snack Heroes™ Ice Cream Maker
Burnt Butter, burntbutter.com.au
$39.95, sunbeam.com.au
Snack Heroes™ Chocolate Fountain
Scullery Silicone Spatulas - Set of 3
$39.95, sunbeam.com.au
$8.99, house.com.au
Ice Cream Party Food Tent Cards $1.15, lovejk.com.au
LOVE Snac Ice Cre Chocol for m m
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We E Sunbeam’s ck Heroes™ eam Maker & late Fountain making food more FUN!
Triple layer pastel white chocolate mud cake by Burnt Butter, burntbutter.com.au
y t r a P PLANNING TIPS by Liz Long Liz Long, Managing Director of successful catering and events business, cooking school and café, Luscious Affairs, and award winning author of The Junior Gourmet has certainly hosted her fair share of parties. Here are her 10 tips to take away the stress and provide the perfect home party that all your guests (and even you!) can enjoy: A party isn’t a party without party food! It’s time to enjoy the sweeter things in life – cakes, chocolates and lollies. With that said, be mindful of guests with allergies or intolerances. Make sure that you provide something for everyone, with a balance of healthy foods and the expected sweet treats. It’s not as hard as you think. Mini Meringue Ice Cream Cones by Burnt Butter, burntbutter.com.au
A lovely dip and crudité platter, fresh wraps, sandwiches and salads should do the trick nicely. And balance out all those fizzy sugar drinks with water. A few slices of lemon, lime and orange add a hint of flavour and look the part too. If you set a theme early, all else will follow From here you can easily decide on the right fit for your catering, games, music and party favours. Some of my favourites are: The 1970s (Disco & Hippies), Under The Sea, Cowboys & Indians, Fairies & Princesses or a single colour e.g. A Pink Party. Entertainment is very important for your party Ask around amongst your friends with children for recommendations. And always ask your children! Communication is key - there’s no point in hiring that clown, magician or fairy if they feel they’ve outgrown it. When
Keep the kids happy with their choice in entertainment!
in doubt, karaoke is a crowd favourite with all ages, and doesn’t break the budget.
Decide how long the event will last Always have enough fun and games for twice as long. That way you’re never caught for ideas mid-party. Plan a mix of traditional games (‘pin the tail’ and ‘pass the parcel’) with activities (treasure hunts in the garden) and something hands-on like cupcake decoration, which is fun and tasty. Reduce stress by planning your party music in advance If you’ve gone with a theme, follow this and it should be easy. Just plug in your iPod and you’re good to go. Like the party games, allow for double what you think you’ll need! Think about photography / videography A professional can capture those moments that you’ll treasure forever. If you’re on a tight budget, get the kids Traditional games like Musical Chairs are a great way to get them into the party mood!
involved with disposable cameras. Give them free reign with their camera but ask them to leave it behind. You may find a few gems once you have the film processed. At the very least, they’ll have a lot of fun taking happy snaps. Decide what your plans are with the parents. Will they stay to enjoy the party or just drop off and pick up? If they’re staying ensure that you have suitable catering for them too. And make sure that everyone knows what time the party ends by confirming with everyone who ‘drops off’. Make sure that all potentially dangerous objects are put away, the kids cannot access pools, and animals are out of the way (if only for their own sanity!). Try to keep the party in an allocated area and ensure adult supervision at all times. The end of a successful party brings with it a sigh of relief from the host and party favours for the guests. Again, themes work best but honestly, kids are hoping for more of that sweet stuff, so there’s no need to overthink it. Finally, enjoy yourself. That’s what parties are for! If you’ve
Have the favour bags all ready to go
followed my suggestions you should have everything taken
at the end of the party
care of for the big day. www.lovejk.com.au
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VANILLA ICE CREAM
by Susanne Sleep
Ingredients
Method
1 cup whole milk
Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the thick cream and the salt in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk mixture and add the bean to the mixture as well. Cover, remove from the heat and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 cups thick cream Pinch of salt 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise 6 egg yolks (keep the whites for meringues) 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pour the remaining 1 cup of thick cream into a large bowl and place a fine-mesh sieve on top. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a rubber spatula, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula. Pour the custard through the fine-mesh sieve and stir it into the cream. Place the vanilla bean into the custard and stir in the vanilla extract. Leave until cool (about an hour) When cool, remove the vanilla bean from the custard and freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer.
WIN!
Thanks to our friends at Sunbeam, we’ve got a Snack Heroes™ Ice Cream Maker and Chocolate Fountain to give away! For your chance to WIN ENTER HERE
Competition open to Australian residents only Competition closes at midnight AEST, October 31st 2013 For full terms and conditions, please visit lovejk.com.au
Pretty in Pink...
Dunking deliciousness! Jazz up the everyday lamington with a hint of PINK! Get your apron on and get baking.
Pink
LAMINGTONS by Liz Long, of Luscious Affairs lusciousaffairs.com.au
Method Cream the vegetable oil and sugar Add eggs one by one
Ingredients 2 cups self-raising flour 500 ml vegetable oil 500 g castor sugar 600 g plain flour plain 20 g baking powder 12 g teaspoon salt 7 eggs
Add sour cream Sieve flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl Add to wet mix Add vanilla essence and stir well Pour into greased and lined lamington tin (25cm x 25cm x 5cm) Bake in oven for 25 - 30 mins. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.
500 g sour cream
For the pink dipping sauce
20 ml vanilla essence
In a bowl combine raspberry sugar crystals and hot water to
For the pink dipping sauce
make the jelly, slowly adding the hot water whilst whisking into a smooth, runny liquid. Allow the jelly to cool completely, but not set.
1 packet of raspberry jelly
Put the desicated coconut in a separate bowl.
2 cups desicated coconut
Dip the vanilla cake squares into the sauce, drain on a rack for a minute then toss through the coconut, covering all sides. Allow to set in the fridge.
www.lovejk.com.au
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Ice-cream
SANDWICHES Is there anything more delicious on a hot day than an Ice cream sandwich?!
Our baking beauty, Lisa from South Melbourne’s Burnt Butter shows us how to add a bit of shimmer and sparkle to this fabulous, and oh-so-easy frozen treat!
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ICE CREAM SANDWICHES 01
Ingredients Your favourite ice cream Coles 100s & 1000s Mini Biscuits
Method 02 Allow ice cream to soften Spray baking tray with canola oil and cover with cling wrap Once softened, spread the ice cream into the baking tray using
Utensils
the palette knife Dipping the knife into warm water will help to create sandwiches
Cling wrap
of the same height
Round biscuit cutter
Refreeze ice cream with another layer of cling wrap on top
Deep baking tray Palette knife
03 When the ice cream has re-frozen use your biscuit cutter to cut
out your rounds. Cleaning the cutter after each cut will assist in creating perfect rounds Hot tip...slightly warm the cutter by dipping into a bowl of warm water to make the cutting easier
04
Place frozen ice cream round inbetween two Coles 100s & 1000s Mini Biscuits and they are ready to serve. When making in advance, the completed item can be frozen for a day or two. Place ice cream sandwiches on party table just prior to children being seated.
Burnt Butter is run by a Glenda and Lisa Flegeltaub, a mother and daughter team, based in South Melbourne. Helping parents create delicious magic, they make the most beautiful array of cakes, biscuits, cake pops, push pops and party catering. Find out more at burntbutter.com.au
INSPIRATION PRETTY PAMPER PARTY
01
Ice Cream Party Look 1 Ice Cream Party Invite $2.49 ea, lovejk.com.au 2 Mini Milk Bottles Hire for $1 ea, or buy for $4.95 ea Pink Chevron Straws, 50 for $12.95 minipartypeople.com.au Ice Cream Party Milk Bottle Stickers, $1.49 ea, lovejk.com.au 3 Trees for hire $10 ea minipartypeople.com.au 4 Ice Cream Thank You Gift Tag $0.99 ea, lovejk.com.au Powder Blue Lolly Bags 12 for $9.95, minipartypeople.com.au 5 Ice Cream Bunting Flags $1.99 per letter, lovejk.com.au
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6 Frills and Frosting Plates 12 for $9.95, lark.com.au 7 Frills and Frosting Plates Doilies $9.95, lark.com.au
MAGICA
L FAIRY
8 Ice Cream Cups 12 for $6.95, thepartyparlour.com.au 9 Large White Ceramic Cake Stand Hire for $10 from minipartypeople.com.au
FAIRY G
ARDEN
10 Ice Cream Party Tent Cards $1.15 ea, lovejk.com.au
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DUST P
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GREEN
11 Ice Cream Party Circles $0.99 ea, lovejk.com.au FAIRY G
ARDEN
GREEN
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12 Pink Ghost Chair Hire for $4.00 per day, minipartypeople.com.au 13 Nana Huchy Domestic Bliss Apron $30.80, nanahuchy.com www.lovejk.com.au
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e l y t S Tips
Decorate the walls Frills and Frosting Plates Set of 12 for $9.95 larkstore.com.au Ice Cream Bunting $1.99 per letter lovejk.com.au Decorate hellium balloons with sheer fabric Paper straws can be used as a skirt for the table! Put little posies of fresh flowers into mini milk bottles to decorate the tables. Milk Bottles by Mini Party People Hire for $1 ea, or buy $4.95 ea minipartypeople.com.au Decorate the tables with cute little bunnies. Hire from $2.50 ea minipartypeople.com.au Hire Trees from $10 ea minipartypeople.com.au
Online Children’s Party Directory www.lifeslittlecelebrations.org Source unique & stylish suppliers around Australia for your next little celebration!
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www.facebook.com/lifeslittlecelebrations lifeslittlec@gmail.com
PARTY FAVOUR
ideas
TANYA CASTELLINO of Life’s Little Celebrations Children’s Party Directory
Favours are a chance to give little party goers a piece of the action to enjoy at home. Lollies, sweets and treats are often a popular choice to hand out, however, most kids will devour them in seconds. Giving kids a non-edible party favour offers them something to enjoy for days, weeks or months to come! There are so many unique party favours that children can keep, use and appreciate rather than ending up in their tummy or in the bin.
Photograph by alexandrenaparker.com
1 Rainbow Slinky $2.50 ea
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Slinkies are a great favour to give to both boys and girls. It’s a timeless toy which kids love. thepartyparlour.com.au 2 Gift of seeds, $8.95 These cute seed packs from Love the Occasion
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ensure kids get out and enjoy the sunshine! They come in a range of different flower options. lovetheoccasion.com.au 3 Soap buddies, $2.50-$4 ea Send the kids home with a gift they won’t mind being scrubbed with – custom all natural soaps in a range of designs and letters. facebook.com/SoapBuddies
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4 Lollipop elastics, $8 ea
7 Customised crayon packs
A little bit of sweet without the sugar. Hair
A super cute creative keepsake available in your
elastics disguised as a lollipop
party theme
charlimae.com
etsy.com/au/shop/BespokePartyProducts
5 Mega Bubble Wand, $1 ea
8 Favour packs, Made to order
For an inexpensive option, these bubble wands
Made to order favour packs from Little Sweet
are a fun favour to give to little ones.
Styling, featuring cookie receipe, cutter and more
kmart.com.au
littlesweetstyling.com.au
6 Penguin Lip Gloss, $4.95
9 Craft packs, $7 ea or 6 for $35
Super cute little lip glosses from Seed make
Kids can enjoy some hands on craft with these
for a perfect favour for little girls.
mini craft packs. A few options to choose from
seedheritage.com
include this cute fabric kit! mylittletable.com.au www.lovejk.com.au
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10 11
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10 Pom pom wand, $7 (mini), $12 (standard)
13 Ribbon wands
Little girls will love to twirl with this gorgeous
Can be enjoyed by young boys and girls alike, a
tulle wand.
fun favour for imaginative play
pompomprincess.com.au
dunnewithstyle.com
11 Customised chalks, $1.80 ea
14 Fairy Dust bottles, $5.20
These adorable chalks will provide hours of fun
A litte bit of magic to take home from a fairy,
for the little party guests. They come in various
princess or woodland party.
shapes and colours to suit your party theme
pieceofcakeparties.com.au
chalkchook.com.au 12 Party bags Various themed based party bags filled with fun
The Life’s Little Celebrations party directory
novelty items. This spooky themed bag would be
is a fabulous place to find a range of
perfect for a halloween party.
vendors for all of your party needs.
partyideasinabox.com.au
Take a look at lifeslittlecelebrations.org
www.mumsgrapevine.com.au SIGN UP FOR SALES ALERTS. YOU’LL NEVER PAY RETAIL AGAIN! Enjoy a sale or a special deal? Mum’s Grapevine gives you the inside scoop on all the big sale events. � Secret boutique sales � Pop-up
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EASY VANILLA BISCUITS
f The Iced Biscuit
By Jacqui Marks o
Ingredients
If the temptation for sweet treats still prevails, get
250 g butter
the kids into the kitchen and create your favours
1 ½ cups sugar
together. Jacqui from The Iced Biscuit shares
2 eggs
her super easy vanilla biscuit recipe for everyone
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
to enjoy.
1 teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt
Method
4 cups plain flour
Preheat oven to 170 degrees
1 packet royal icing mix
Line baking trays with parchment paper
Disposable piping bags and tips
Cream butter and sugar
Food colouring in your favourite colour
In a separate bowl mix together the salt, baking powder and flour
Hundreds & thousands, sanding sugar or other decorations
Add eggs and vanilla extracts
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix again Form the dough into a disc and wrap it in cling film Refrigerate for at least an hour Roll out dough and cut shapes using your favourite cutter
ip Jacqui's T
posable ’t have dis n o d u o y If me ply put so im s , s g a b piping snip off lock bag, ip z a in icing d the tip an g. start pipin
Bake in the oven for about 10 – 12 minutes until the edges start to turn golden Leave to cool on a rack before icing with royal icing. (See packet for directions. You may want to add extra water to make the icing spread easily onto the biscuits) Decorate with your choice of sprinkles, sanding sugar, cachous or other decorations Pop them into a cello bag, tie with a ribbon and attach a gift tag for an easy party favour. www.lovejk.com.au
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DANCEfever! PARTY AT ELEVATOR STUDIOS
With kids full of beans and ready to bop, make sure your next birthday celebration is a dance party! Dancing to their favourite beats and learning new moves is just the beginning – A dance party can be as basic or extravagant as you like. Create jazzy backdrops with shimmering materials, let the big kids dress up as their ultimate pop idol and get movin’ and groovin’ to a game of musical stars!
PHOTOGRAPHY Clare & Grant of My Little Tribe mylittletribe.com.au STYLING Elevator Studios elevatorstudios.com.au & Love JK lovejk.com.au FASHION Viastyle viastyle.com.au
TOP: Girls Valetta Fur Vest & Floral Jeans, $59.95 ea, both available from havocdenim.com BOTTOM: L Scotch Rbelle Beach Dress $90 M Scotch Rbelle Sequin Shirt $115, Scotch Rbelle Print Pant $110 R Scotch Shrunk Straw Hat $40, Scotch Shrunk Life’s A Beach Tee $40 OPPOSITE: Scotch Rbelle All in One Sally $90, Petit Bateau Button Front Cardi $88 all available from juniorbrands.com.au
Tailored parties can make everything super simple for you. By having themes such as Hip-hop, Princess or even Michael Jackson, the costumes and music are taken care of. Get the kids warmed up and ready to roll. After that, it’s jazz hands and star jumps galore!
TRIP THE LIGHT
fANTASTIC!
Shake it like a polaroid picture!
CREATE YOUR OWN POLAROID FRAME AND LET THE KIDS REVEL IN BEING A DISCO QUEEN (OR KING!) SAY CHEESE!! www.lovejk.com.au
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Snackboxes $1.59 ea lovejk.com.au Cupcakes by Kiss Me Kate, kissmekate.net.au Heart Print Pop In Milk Chocolate $1.99 ea, happylab.com.au
Disco glam at Elevator studios
party favours INSTEAD OF TRADITIONAL PARTY FAVOURS, GIVE OUT SOME PARTY FLAVOURS! GIVING THE KIDS SOMETHING COOL AND QUIRKY TO TAKE HOME WILL KEEP THEM HAPPY FOR DAYS! TO COMPLEMENT THE BRIGHT AND BOLD COLOURS FROM OUR DANCE FEVER PARTY WE LOVE HAPPY BEANS FROM HAPPY LAB CONFECTIONERS.
OPPOSITE PAGE Happy Beans Test Tubes and Sour Beans Test Tubes $2.50 ea, happylab.com.au Geometric Thank You Gift Tag $0.99 ea, lovejk.com.au THIS PAGE Rainbow Stripe Square Plate, $6.95 for 12, sambellina.com.au Lip pops in milk chocolate, strawberry chocolate and raspberry chocolate, $1.99 ea, happylab.com.au
Pink Chevron Favour Bags, minipartypeople.com.au Geometric Personalised Sticker $0.49 ea, lovejk.com.au Rainbow Patty Pan, $4.95 for 6, sambellina.com.au Geometric Personalised Lunchboxes $1.49 ea, lovejk.com.au
y s a e ’ n k c i u q SNACK BOXES
When hosting a party at a venue, sometimes catering for so many hungry little bellies can be a bit of a challenge. Snack boxes are an easy way to solve the problem, Here are some of our favourite food ideas for snack boxes... Lady finger sandwiches Vegemite, ham and cheese or chicken are all great filling options Bananas Great source of energy and most kids like them Jelly Cups Honey Joys An oldie but a goodie, these are a great one to get the kids to help make Pop Corn Gluten free and super easy to make at home Grapes Wash and pop into a small container Babybelle Cheeses We love these because they’re pre-wrapped and bite sized Choc-cube Strawberries See page 30 for the recipe Easy Cheesy Fried Tortillas Grate cheese onto a tortilla, cover with another tortilla and fry for a minute on each side in olive oil. 1 tortilla sandwich can be cut into 6 portions Marshmallow & Mango Kebabs Thread white marshmallows and cubes of mango onto skewers. Add a pot of strawberry yoghurt for dipping
INSPIRATION PRETTY PAMPER PARTY
GET THE GEOMETRIC DANCE PARTY 01
LOOK!
1 Geometric Party Invite $2.49 ea, lovejk.com.au
2 Happy Beans & Sour Beans Test Tubes $2.50 ea, happylab.com.au Geometric Thank You Gift Tag $0.99 ea, lovejk.com.au 3 Geometric Snack Box $1.59 ea, lovejk.com.au 4 Geometric Bunting Flags $1.99 ea, lovejk.com.au Honeycombe tissue balls $6.50, minipartypeople.com.au
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5 Sambellina Rainbow Plates 20 for $10.95, sambellina.com.au 6 Paper Eskimo Baking Cup 25 for $6.95 minipartypeople.com.au 7 Mini Milk Bottles Hire for $1 ea, or buy for $4.95 ea Blue straws, 50 for $12.95 minipartypeople.com.au Geometric Milk Bottle Stickers, $1.49 ea, lovejk.com.au 8 Pink Panton Chair Hire for $4 ea, minipartypeople.com.au
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9 Rose Pink Kids Table Hire for $25, minipartypeople.com.au
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10 E levator Studios in South Yarra offer themed parties for kids. From HipHop to Ballet, they’ve got a theme your kids will love!
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The children enjoy dance related party games, learn a dance routine to their favourite song, eat delicious party food, and go home with a donut, lolly bag and a big smile! Find out more elevatorstudios.com.au www.lovejk.com.au
77
INSPIRATION GEOMETRIC PARTY
GET THE GEOMETRIC DANCE PARTY
LOOK!
BY VIA STYLE’S ALINA BATONI, VIASTYLE.COM.AU
1 Scotch Rbelle Zaggy Jacket $220 Scotch Rbelle Beach Dress $90 Scotch Rbelle Summer Hat $40
2 Scotch Rbelle All in One Sally $90 Petit Bateau Button Front Cardi $88
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3 Scotch Rbelle Mermaid Tee $50 MonaLisa Tiered Anna Skirt $152 4 Scotch Rbelle Sequin Shirt $115 Scotch Rbelle Print Pant $110 All from Junior Brands, juniorbrands.com.au 5 Havoc Denim Girls Valetta Fur Vest $59.95 havocdenim.com
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INSPIRATION GEOMETRIC PARTY
06 6 Scotch Shrunk Straw Hat $40 Scotch Shrunk Island Shirt$40 Munster Boat Trip Boardies $65 7 Scotch Shrunk Life Is A Beach $40 Scotch Shrunk Split It Short $90 8 Munster Dog Art Tee $45 Munster Boat Star Trunk $60 Munster Logo Cap $30 All from Junior Brands, juniorbrands.com.au
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www.lovejk.com.au
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Simply stylish parties.. Planning a party? For simply stylish partyware and accessories look no further than The Party Parlour. complete product ranges from top designers. Create your own look or use one of the easy to follow party ideas shown online. So if it’s an invitation, party bag, decorations or a complete party
Treat B oxes
Paper Dec orations
Lollies
www.thepartyparlour.com.au
Oh Baby!
Kim & Jodie from The Party Parlour shares with us a ‘How To’ guide to creating the perfect baby shower for both boy and girl. Gender neutral can easily be done if you follow these simple steps. TEXT
Jodie Turner
STYLING
The Party Parlour
PHOTOGRAPHY
Glenys Flynn O’Neill
Opposite Page: Vanilla Eyelet Knitted Cardigan $59.95, Vanilla Knitted Booties $29.95, Pale Grey Stripe Knitted Stripe Growsuit $54.95, Vanilla Woven Bodysuit $39.95 Vanilla Hat with Pale Grey Leaf Yardage $14.95, all from Purebaby, purebaby.com.au All partyware by The Party Parlour, thepartyparlour.com.au and all stationery by Love JK, lovejk.com.au This Page: Cake by C For Cake, cforcake.com.au Little Feet Cookies by Sweetness, sweetness.com.au www.lovejk.com.au
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A
baby shower is a fantastic excuse to gather family and
friends to celebrate mum-to-be and her baby.The celebration is all about making Mum feel special at this late stage of her pregnancy and sharing in the excitement. The most common form of baby shower celebration is an afternoon tea setting, where mum-to-be can sit and relax whilst being spoiled by her family and friends. If you have taken the reigns of hosting a baby shower celebration, the first step is to have a chat to the Mum-to-be. Decide what sort of celebration she would like – Would she like to theme the shower the sex of the baby? Or would she like it to be unisex and keep the sex of the baby a surprise until the birth? A new idea is to reveal the gender of the baby at the shower with the cutting of the cake. This celebration could be themed with a neutral colour palette such as lemon and mint green or pastels. An iced cake takes center stage at this event; with a pink or blue sponge, the baby’s gender is revealed to guests at the cutting of the cake! Once you have discussed these ideas with the mum-to-be, work out a guest list and set a date. Now you can get on with the fun stuff...Planning and decorating!
www.lovejk.com.au
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Baby Shower Tips Jodie & Kim share their expert tips on planning and hosting a beautiful Baby Shower for the mum-to-be. Afternoon Tea Table Family and friends will be more than happy to help out with the catering, so take them up on any offer to bring some treats along! Once relieved of last minute baking duties you can devote your time to setting the scene, creating a lovely afternoon tea table and decorating to your hearts content! Serving food on a variety of white platters helps to tie everything together
Differing heights will add interest and symmetry to your setting. You can create height by using simple risers such as the ones we have used from the Ikea kitchen department, wrapping boxes in coordinating giftwrap, or stacking cake plates on top of each other . Fill clear glass jars with lollies of your theme colours. Have sweet and savoury treats available. Name them with personalised labels and tags. If you don’t know what food people are bringing along, have some blank labels ready. Consider creating a backdrop for your table using personalised bunting or even baby clothes hanging on a line. This will create some height behind the table. Another suggestion is to use a timber pallet, spray painted white, before hanging a clothes line. Why not fill the space around
Having your food laid out at different levels creates visual interest.
the table with tissue paper fans?
Display your special cake as the centerpiece and create a focal point to the table. Invest in matching servingware such as plain white platters or white timber trays. Keeping it simple is the key! Make a feature of the table by using coordinating baking cups for desserts or cupcakes. Ask people to bring their food in containers so you can arrange them onto pretty little plates. Use disposable party-ware, such as plates, napkins and cups as part of your display. Stack cups in interesting ways and use plates and paper doilies to create decorations that coordinate with your look. You can prepare the table ahead of time - Play with the Mixing disposable cups and plates with glassware & crockery, can help you to create the look you want without spending a small fortune.
arrangement of plates, jars and party-ware until you get the look you are happy with. Be creative! Hang decorations and backdrops in advance. It is easier to do this when there is no time pressure or little ones running around.
Drinks Table A separate drinks table is a nice idea if you have the space. This can be set up inside or outside and decorated to suit your afternoon tea table style. Try to organise it so that guests can easily serve themselves. Personalised labels on mini milk bottles are a cute addition to the drinks table. Have non-alcoholic options such as punch or juice. A drink dispenser allows people to help themselves, just remember to top it up with ice throughout the afternoon. Personalised Milk Bottles can be filled with champagne, soft drink or juice, and make for a gorgeous addition to your table
A few savoury nibbles at the table will keep guests happy.
www.lovejk.com.au
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An ice bucket filled with mini champagne bottles is easy to organise and looks great! A little later in the afternoon you can replace champagne glasses with coffee and tea supplies.
Gift Table As most people will bring gifts, be prepared and set up a ‘gifts table’ so that your guests can leave them throughout the event. Simply decorate the table with a tablecloth and runner, some wrapped gifts, and a “For Baby” bunting. The mum-to-be might like to open these gifts before people leave.
Kim hired the pretty gold chairs from Little Wish Parties to ensure every pampered princess had somewhere special to sit
Baby Shower Game Ideas Download our adorable calendar template and ask the guests to guess the baby’s arrival date. Who is who? Ask the guests to bring along a baby photo of themselves and peg to a line. Each guest has to guess who each photo is of.
Take Home Thank You Gifts Sending your guests home with a thank you gift is a nice way show your appreciation. This may be something your mum-to-be wishes to do, but you could help her source coordinatied packaging to suit your party styling. Ideas include individual cupcake boxes tied with a ribbon and a personalized thank you tag, individually wrapped baby feet cookies, lolly bags, or even colour themed lollipops tied with a tag. Make sure you display these somewhere prominent to add to the decoration of your baby shower. Baby Feet Cookies by sweetness.com.au, wrapped in Blue Gingham Ribbon Blue Gingham Ribbon 20 metres for $12.95, thepartyparlour.com.au
www.lovejk.com.au
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It’s A Boy! Revealing the gender of the baby at the Baby Shower is an exciting way to make the big announcement.
OmbrĂŠ Cake
White mud cake with white chocolate ganache cforcake.com.au
A refreshments table ties together all the little details to create a wonderful centerpiece to your occasion. By bringing together accessories of a similar colour palette with carefully selected food and beverages, your table can look effortlessly styled. You can even get the bubbles to match too!
It’s A Girl! Revealing the gender of the baby at the Baby Shower is an exciting way to make the big announcement.
www.lovejk.com.au
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INSPIRATION GENDER REVEAL BABY SHOWER
Lemon & Grey Baby Shower 1 Yellow & Grey Rocking Horse Baby Shower Invitations $2.49 ea, lovejk.com.au
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2 Mini Milk Bottles $2.50 each or $45.00 for 24 Yellow & White Straws $12.95 for 50 both from thepartyparlour.com.au Personalised Milk Bottle Sticker $1.49 ea lovejk.com.au 3 Yellow Rocking Horse Baby Shower Bunting Flags $1.99 per letter, lovejk.com.au
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ELLOW
COOL GR
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4 Large White Ceramic Cake Stand $39.95 thepartyparlour.com.au
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5 Paper Eskimo Baking Cups 24r $5.95 thepartyparlour.com.au 6 White with Yellow Polka Dots Paper Lantern 6 for $14.95, thepartyparlour.com.au
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7 Sambellina Yellow Polkadot Cupcake Box 6 for $5.95, Lemon Spot Ribbon 20 metres for $12.95, thepartyparlour.com.au Personalised Thank You Gift Tags, $0.99ea, lovejk.com.au 8 Sambellina Candy Stripe Yellow Plates 12 for $6.95, thepartyparlour.com.au 9 Sambellina Champagne Candy Stripe Cups 12 for $6.95, thepartyparlour.com.au
A combination of lemon yellow’s, cool grey’s and
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bright white’s is the key to creating a classic gender neutral palette. Fresh, yet calming, these colours can be 10 Milky Yellow Freckles , $12 per kilo, thepartyparlour.com.au Lemon Spot Ribbon 20 metres for $12.95, thepartyparlour.com.au Large Lolly Jar $22.95, thepartyparlour.com.au Rocking Horse Party Circles, $0.99 ea lovejk.com.au
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mixed and matched to your hearts content. www.lovejk.com.au
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Baby Boy
Small Lolly Jar $6.95 Medium Lolly Jar $17.95 Large Lolly Jar $22.95 All Lollies $12.00 per pack, Blue Gingham Ribbon 20 metres for $12.95, All available from thepartyparlour.com.au. Rocking Horse Party Circles, $0.99 ea, love jk.com.au
Get the look...
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By simply changing the basic colours of invitations and accessories, you can host the perfect shower for a baby boy, girl or even go gender neutral.
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Here’s how to get the look for a beautiful baby boy‌
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1 Blue Tissue Paper Fans $7.95 ea, thepartyparlour.com.au 2 Milky Yellow Freckles , $12 per kilo, thepartyparlour.com.au Blue Gingham Ribbon 20 metres for $12.95, thepartyparlour.com.au Large Lolly Jar $22.95 thepartyparlour.com.au Rocking Horse Party Circles, $0.99 ea lovejk.com.au
LEMON YE
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COOL GR
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3 Paper Eskimo Striped Straws 50 for $12.95 thepartyparlour.com.au 4 Sambellina Polkadot Cups 12 for $6.95 thepartyparlour.com.au
WHITE LI
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5 Paper Eskimo Baking Cups 24 for $5.95, thepartyparlour.com.au 6 Baby Blue & Grey Rocking Horse Baby Shower Invitations $2.49 ea, lovejk.com.au 6 Baby Blue & Grey Rocking Horse Baby Bunting $1.99 per letter, lovejk.com.au
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Baby Girl 1 Baby Pink & Grey Rocking Horse Bunting $1.99 per letter, lovejk.com.au 2 Baby Pink & Grey Rocking Horse Baby Shower Invitations $2.49 ea, lovejk.com.au
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3 Paper Eskimo Baking Cups 24 for $5.95, thepartyparlour.com.au 4 Sambellina Polkadot Plates 12 for $5.95 thepartyparlour.com.au 5 Sambellina Polkadot Cups 12 for $6.95 thepartyparlour.com.au 6 Ceramic Cake Stand Pink Small $34.95, thepartyparlour.com.au 7 Tissue Paper Fans $7.95 each, thepartyparlour.com.au 8 Lolly Jar S $6.95 M $17.95 L$22.95 All Lollies $12.00 per pack, Pink Ribbon 20 metres for $12.95, All available from thepartyparlour.com.au. Pink Rocking Horse Party Circles, $0.99 ea, love jk.com.au 9 Mini Milk Bottles $2.50 each or $45.00 for 24 Pink & White Straws $12.95 for 50 both from thepartyparlour.com.au Personalised Milk Bottle Sticker $1.49 ea, lovejk.com.au
Gender Neutral
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1 Tissue Paper Fans $7.95 each, thepartyparlour.com.au
2 Lolly Jar S $6.95 M $17.95 L$22.95 All Lollies $12.00 per pack, Pink Ribbon 20 metres for $12.95, All available from thepartyparlour.com.au. Lavender & Mint Rocking Horse Party Circles, $0.99 ea, love jk.com.au 3 Lavender & Mint Rocking Horse Baby Shower Invitations $2.49 ea, lovejk.com.au
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4 Ceramic Cake Stand Green Small $34.95, thepartyparlour.com.au 5 Sambellina Striped Lavender Cups 12 for $6.95 thepartyparlour.com.au
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6 Lavender & Mint Rocking Horse Bunting Flags $1.99 per letter, lovejk.com.au
www.lovejk.com.au
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mylittletribe.com.au
Showering With Love Text by Susanne Sleep. Photography by My Little Tribe
From the adorable to the practical, baby shower gifts remind new parents of the friends and family that surround them and their newborn in support and love. But it can also be difficult to know what to buy outside of the usual toys and clothes. Here are a few of Love JK’s favourite baby shower gifts... Collection of favourite childhood books
Mum knows best...
Have a book from your childhood that brings
If you’re a mum headed to a baby shower, think
a warm glow just with the memory? A copy of
of the products that were essential to you in
the book along with a personalised message to
those early days with a newborn and make up a
the newborn is thoughtful and lasting.
parcel for the unsuspecting first timers. Turn
As parents-to-be, ask everyone to bring their
nappies into a ‘diaper cake’, sneak her a packet
favourite childhood book to start your child’s
of hydrogel pads - you know she’s going to be
library.
thanking you in a few weeks time!
Food delivery
Write a ‘Book of Wisdom’ for the new parents
Create a calendar and have each person select a week after the baby’s born to take the new
and include all the tips that helped get you through all the joys of parenthood. What worked,
parents a prepared meal or two to eat or
what didn’t and what saved you!
freeze. Otherwise, bring food with you to the
Also, if your partner’s going to the game with the
baby shower that can be frozen for the months
guys during your baby shower, ask each of them
ahead - such as stews, soups and lasagne.
to bring a pack of nappies before they’re allowed
Alternatively, download our Printable Recipe
to go!
Cards for each person to write a recipe that
Something for mum
either appealed to them as a child or worked
Manicure, pedicure, massage, movie
with their children. Then turn the recipes into a
tickets with a babysitting voucher, a one time
handy cookbook by putting in a gorgeous photo
professional house cleaner. It all helps...
album. If anyone’s stuck, some great recipe ideas can be found on page 28 in our article on Easy Mumma Food. www.lovejk.com.au
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Baby blanket There are lots of baby blankets on the market. But as every parent knows, there are blankets and then there are blankets. We love the second variety like these beautiful bunny blankets from Little Bonbon, littlebonbon.com.au Bath time Buy a baby bath and fill with a beautiful baby towel, a rubber duck and bath products from Mustela, mustela.com. They invented cleansing milk in 1950 and have been pioneering skin care for mums and babies ever since. Ideal products for a baby shower include their multi-sensory bubble bath and their massage oil. Clothes Okay, we said that we would offer something different to the usual gifts, but Purebaby, purebaby.com.au are un-go-past-able... The mum who started Purebaby in 2002 wanted beautiful baby clothes without compromising on social responsibility. All the gorgeously designed clothes are organic and affordable – need we say more?! Gift Certificates Time takes on a whole new role once you have a child. An hour can take a week and a month goes past in an day. So why not give a gift certificate that can be redeemed at any time? A session with a photographer like My Little Tribe, mylittletribe.com.au, or a gift voucher for Love JK’s wall art or birth announcement cards is a thoughtful, loving gift giving time and space. lovejk.com.au
Designer Party Dresses For Hire Available in sizes 1 to 10 years Hire cost from $18 to $80
www.viastyle.com.au alina@viastyle.com.au 0405 325 287
Roksanda Ilincic
Oscar De La Renta
Mischka Aoki
THE WONDERFUL CAKES
of Oz
Louise Weeks takes a trip around our big brown land to find magical Cake Creators
Cake by Helena Kastanis of sweettiers.com.au
Cake Girl, Brisbane
Gillian Bell is the ‘Cake Girl’ of Brisbane. The ingredients of Gillian’s exquisite cakes are all sourced locally – and when we say local, we mean local! Using organic produce, with everything sourced straight from the farmers, Gillian ensures Cake Girl gets the best quality ingredients possible. Her share in a local herd of Jersey cows makes certain her dairy products will be top notch! To top things off, decorative features such as organic fruits and edible flowers are grown right in Gillian’s courtyard! Blooming marvelous! cakegirl.com.au
Sweet Tiers, Melbourne
Sweet Tiers is the brainchild of Melbourne based Helena Kastanis. Helena describes herself as a ‘creative junkie’ and why not be creative with cake??! With a traditional Greek background, Helena believes in using only the finest ingredients from free range eggs to European chocolate. Her cakes are a true testament to her dedication to sugar craft and sure to WOW the crowd. sweettiers.com.au
www.lovejk.com.au
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A Little Touch Of Sweet Seaford, South Australia
A Little Touch of Sweet is the scrumptious destination for cake admirers in South Australia. Owner, Jess, has an incredible eye for detail and a real passion for unique cake design. Her skills in making edible art are like no other, with figurines and children’s themes coming to life in cake form. Your little ones are bound to LOVE watching their favorite characters turn into tasty treats! alittletouchofsweet.com.au
Cakes by Kyla, Central Coast Cakes By Kyla brings sugarcoated loveliness to Gosford in the Central Coast and surrounds. All that sunshine has made Cakes By Kyla a very environmentally friendly business – with a solar powered kitchen and hot water, you can now have your very own green slice of deliciousness! From chocolate mud to rainbow buttercake, hummingbird to raspberry swirl, Cakes By Kyla has all your favourites covered! cakesbykyla.com
Photograph by Hadyn Cattach. Styled by Little Big Company tlbc.com.au
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Stylish and Whimsical
PERSONALISED PARTY STATIONERY & GIFTS DESIGNED & MADE WITH LOVE IN MELBOURNE lovejk.com.au PERSONALISED INVITATIONS, ADDRESS STICKERS, THANK YOU CARDS & GIFT TAGS, BUNTING, MILK BOTTLE STICKERS, & MUCH MUCH MORE!