Love JK Magazine Issue 5

DEC 2013

LOVE JK

05

create

make

Christmas Celebrations

+ Gorgeous gift ideas for everyone

celebrate

Festive fun CRAFTS FOR TINY TOTS & BIG KIDS

LOVEJK.COM.AU

Recipes

Party Inspiration

Crafty Fun

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

sale locations � Warehouse direct clearances � End of season sellouts � Ticket only events. Get the pick of the crop on Mum’s Grapevine!

Register now IT’S FREE! We Facebook & Twitter

WIN FABULOUS PRIZES!

“Hear it first on Mum’s Grapevine!

Save on maternity, bubs and kids wares”

V

E L O

L

E

E

O

V L

V

O

V

E L O

hello!

It’s that time of year again... seriously, how did the year fly by so fast?! The festive season is almost upon us, and summer has finally hit (well sort of, if you’re in Melbourne).

In this edition, Louise Weeks has her gift guide for all the family, and for some tasty treats we have some recipes for Summer Mumma Food from Susanne Sleep.

Artea’s Helen Pollard shares with us her favourite festive craft activities for kids of any age. And we celebrate with gorgeous styled events from Perth’s Simply Sweet Soirees and Brisbane’s Lola & Lace.

We hope you enjoy our final edition for 2013. But most of all, we hope you have a wonderful and happy holiday season. May 2014 bring you all good health and lots of joy!

s!

Contact U Studio Mews, 366 Park St, South Melbourne

Jennifer

+61 (0)3 9012 6007 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

Put your tiara & dancing shoes on for

Y B AB

GIR

L

Princess Harriet’s Disco Party at 88 Fairytale Lane, Kingdom

Join us to celebrate

Elizabeth’s Baby Shower

On Saturday 23rd November

from 3pm – 5pm at 8 Cherryblossom Lane, Applecross

annette@emailaddress.com.au

on the 8th August

millie valentina is t ur ning one!

p lease j oin us t o celeb rat e

From 11am-12.30pm RSVP 15th November Annette on 0123 456 789

RSVP regrets only by 30th July Jennifer 0412 345 678 jennifer@emailaddress.com.au

˙

on 8t h d ecem b er at 88 orang eb lossom lane, ap p lecr oss rsv p alina by oct ob er 20t h on 0123 456 7 8 9 alina@ em ailad d r ess. com . au

little man

Join us to celebrate

Elizabeth’s Baby Shower on the 8th August from 3pm – 5pm at 8 Cherryblossom Lane, Applecross RSVP regrets only by 30th July Jennifer 0412 345 678 jennifer@emailaddress.com.au

V

E L O

L

E

E

O

V L

O

V

Please join us to celebrate

Put on your dancing shoes!

Eli’s 1st Birthday

Liam is turning 7

7th December 2013 From 2pm onwards At 88 Monkey Lane Jungleville Please RSVP by the 1st December Beth 0123 456 789

On Sunday 8th December from 12.30 – 2pm At Elevator Studios Level 1, 2-4 River Street, South Yarra RSVP 1st December Fiona on 0123 456 789

LOVE JK Stylish and Whimsical

V

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

E L O

CONTENTS DECEMBER 2013 ISSUE FIVE

Create 8

A Gift Guide for the Entire Family

16 Christmas Crafting

Make 32 Bircher Muesli 34 Summer Snacks 36 Family Dinners 25 Build a Gingerbread House 38 Friendly Skies

Celebrate 42 Christmas Eve Party 50 A Winter Wonderland 56 ...And Relax!

Merci Beaucoup!

Thanks go to everyone who helped make this issue come together. Thanks to Susanne, Nicole, Mardi, Clare, Grant, & Lauren for all of their wonderful efforts! And super BIG thanks to Louise, for helping out so much with producing this edition. It wouldn’t have been done without her!

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 loves

to create her very own range of personalised

cultureattic.com

stationery & wall art.

lovejk.com.au

Clare and Grant PHOTOGRAPHERS, MY LITTLE TRIBE Clare and Grant photograph your little tribe with passion, fun and lots of energy!

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…

mylittletribe.com.au

Lauren Childs MUM & OWNER OF LOLA & LACE Lauren is owner of Lola & Lace, a boutique event styling company based in Queensland.

Having started her career in the fashion industry, her passion for interior design and craft, led her to combine her talents by launching Lola & Lace.

She is a very proud wife & mum of 4 young boys and collector of beautiful things.

facebook.com/lola.and.lace

Nic and Mardi

Helen Pollard

Owners of Simply

ARTEA STUDIO CAFE

ARTIST & OWNER OF

Sweet Soirees

Helen is the founder of Artea Studio Cafe. Artea is

Simply Sweet Soirees is

an open studio, cafe and

owned and run by two

creative space celebrating

mums, Mardi and Nicole,

ART in all forms and for

whose love of creating

all ages. She run parties,

gorgeous parties for their children inspired them to create a shop where you can find everything you need to make your next event

exhibitions, workshops, mother’s groups, afterschool, homeschool & holiday programs as well as an art market with DIY art packs.

simply perfect. With a background in retail they strive

Stop in for creative time and create handmade

to provide superior customer service that is equal to

decorations, cards and gifts for Christmas.

their large range of stunning products.

facebook.com/Artea.Studio.Cafe

simplysweetsoirees.com.au

Susanne Sleep

Alina Botoni

MUM & BLOGGER

FASHION EDITOR,

AT THE IMPERFECT

STYLIST & OWNER OF

KITCHEN

VIA STYLE

Originally from London,

Alina is an international

Susanne moved to

traveler, fashion

Melbourne 10 years ago.

connoisseur and styling

Susanne is mother to a

enthusiast. Her personal

highly spirited toddler,

styling business is booming

full of demands and peals

and she finds it rewarding being able to give somebody

of laughter. When not chasing her son, she’s mostly

else the confidence they deserve. Being a Mum to

found writing, cooking and photographing

two young kids, her new found passion is styling little

for her award winning website - providing recipes

people. When she can tear herself away from her

and reflections for life’s joys and aches.

beloved family & laptop, Alina searches for exclusive

theimperfectkitchen.net

designer party dresses for girls 1-10 years old to hire.

viastyle.com.au www.lovejk.com.au

7

A

GIFT GUIDE

By Louise Weeks

MILY

FA FOR THE ENTIRE

Here are some of our favourite gift ideas for everyone, from tiny tots to grandparents...

03

02

01

02 06 04

05

THE NEW KID

07

in town

09

08

!

1 ANARKID onesies $28.95 anarkid.com.au 2 Sophie Giraffe $29, Sophie saver strap $8.50 myteethingbaby.com.au

10

3 Bath Time Wash For Baby $12.95

milkandco.com.au

4 Deuz Babymat $99

04

littlefrenchy.com

5 Mesmerised Board Book $15.95

mesmerised.com.au

6 Online Design Consultation nestdesignstudio.com.au 7 Christmas Bodysuit $34.95

purebaby.com.au

8 Gummee Glove $26

11

myteethingbaby.com.au 9 Dala Horse Birth Print LOVE JK $59.95

lovejk.com.au

10 TeddyKompaniet RabbitRockandRoll $168 johnlewis.com 11 Baby Stripe Reindeer Sleepsuit $34.50 johnlewis.com

www.lovejk.com.au

09

SANTA’S Little Helpers

02

01 1 Selection of Mini Craft Kits from $19.99 seedling.co.nz 2 Mibo Backpacks $45

littlefrenchy.com.au

3 Je t’aime Wall Art $59.95 lovejk.com.au 4 Accordion and Bongos $44.95 Each

sunnylife.com.au

5 Drum Storage Boxes $44.00

05

04

06

07

05 5 Blow Up Toys from $20.00 larkstore.com.au 6 Boris The Pirate $25.50

nanahuchy.com.au

7 Christmas Day Outfit from $40.00

thekidstore.com.au

8 Roleplay Boxsets $59.95

Ice Creamery/Kitchen/Tool Kit

tigertribe.com.au

9 Emme Elephant $39.60 nanahuchy.com.au

08

10 Little Tyro Carry Case – Literacy $19.95 littletyro.com.au 11 Love You To The Moon $59.95 lovejk.com.au

09

11

10

www.lovejk.com.au

11

GARDEN LOVING Grandparents

01

1 How Long Is a Piece of String $20.95

larkstore.com.au

2 Thoughtful Gardener Bee House $28.40

wildandwolf.com

04

3 Kew Gardens Chilli Garden Grow Box $26.65

kew.org

4 Garden Apron $26.65

02

johnlewis.com

03

TEACHERS

Thanking

1 Into the Woods Outdoor Candle $49.95

01

emmelle.com.au

03

2 Panettone 1kg Gift Box $49.50

simonjohnson.com

02

3 Heirloom Recipe Card Box $135.00

riflepaperco.com

DADDY 01

Cool

02

1 Tea Time Bambini Set $59.00 simonjohnson.com 2 Power Pod $29.95

powerpod.net

3 Beach Paddles Brampton $29.95

07

03

sunnylife.com.au

4 Beach Sounds Tallow $49.95

sunnylife.com.au

5 SantaCarla Boardwalk Movie T-shirts $28.70

santacarlaboardwalk.com

6 19twenty8 Tan Case for MacBook $177.50 johnlewis.co.uk 7 Mulberry Square Tree Cuff Links $205

06

mulberry.com

05 R

04

ay d n r e d o M

MUMMY

02

1 Sienna Maxi Tank Maternity Dress $119.95

01

soonmaternity.com

2 Diffuser & Votive Gift Set $85.25 truegrace.co.uk

WIN!

3 Face Cleanser $16.95

milkandco.com.au

4 Robin Orange Nappa Leather Tote $260 sterlingandhyde.com.au 5 Orla Kiely iPhone Cases $24.99

orlakiely.com

06

6 Jigsaw ribbon necklace $45 elkaccessories.com.au

Thanks to our friends

04

at Soon Maternity, we’ve got a gorgeous Sienna dress to giveaway, valued at $119.95. To enter click here

Add some festive cheer this season with Sparkke & Splash’s Snowflake paper garland. etsy.com/au/shop SparklesandSplash

03

05

Stuck for

IDEAS?

What do you give to the person who has everything? Here are some of our favourite ideas

Family portrait session Give the gift of captured moments with a family portait session. If you’re in Melbourne, visit our lovely friends Clare & Grant at My Little Tribe mylittletribe.com.au

Give an experience Let them decide from range of adventure filled experiences to relaxing and pampering. They’re sure to find something they’ll love. redballoon.com.au

Let them tell you with The Gift Register By creating their own wish list, you don’t have to spend hours at the shops trying to guess! It’s simple & free. Find out more at thegiftregister.com.au

Support a charity in their name There are so many who need our support.

One close to our hearts is Love Your Sister loveyoursister.org Samuel Johnson’s sister Connie is dying of Breast Cancer so he’s setting out on an epic challenge. He’s riding around Australia on a unicycle to raise money and awareness of the disease that’s killing her. www.lovejk.com.au

15

Create

Make this Christmas a CRAFTY one with some festive activities for the whole family.

CRAFT IDEAS U TOO!

FOR THE KIDS & YO

Helen Pollard from Melbourne’s Artea Studio Cafe shows us a few festive activities for little, big and adult kiddo’s!

Reindeer Christmas Card

(Age 0+) This activity requires two adults and a child. This is a great activity to do with your mother’s group.

What you need

Instructions

construction paper or cardboard

Prepare by placing brown paint onto a pallet with a paintbrush.

A3 paper

Have wet wipes in close reach.

brown paint

Place the A3 paper in front of you ready for practice prints.

googly eyes

Place the child on an adults lap while the other adult paints

ribbon

the child’s foot.

glue

Press the foot onto the paper, heel side down, until you are

pencil

happy with the prints. This practice sheet can be used for

black marker pen

wrapping paper.

Apply more paint to the foot and print onto the final card.

Wait until the paint is dry then add a red nose at the tip of the heel, and antlers at the top. Then glue on the googly eyes.

www.lovejk.com.au

19

Salt dough Christmas Decorations

(Age 2+)

What you need

Method

3 cups plain flour

Preheat oven to 145째C (125째C fan-forced). Line a baking tray

1 cup cooking salt

with baking paper.

1 cup warm water

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and 1/2 cup of warm water

a rolling pin cookie cutters ribbon glass beads straw paints and varnish

with a spoon. Gradually add the remaining water as required until you have a soft and pliable dough.

Roll out dough on a floured work surface. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters.

Use a straw to poke holes through the dough. Place the glass beads into the holes. Also make a hole for the ribbon.

Bake in the oven for around 1 hour or until firm. Turn over after 30 minutes to cook evenly. If the object is beginning to brown, turn down the heat of the oven. Paint and varnish shapes and tie ribbon through the holes to hang.

Reindeer Christmas Decorations

(Age 5+) Method Draw the shape of the reindeer’s head onto the cardboard.

Cut out the shape and place it onto a sheet of foam. Using a pencil, draw around the shape and cut out.

What you need

Draw the shape of the antler onto the cardboard (a tree shape

two different Christmas

onto the Christmas fabric. Draw around the shape and cut out.

fabrics red fabric A4 sheet of orange foam

with five branches). Cut out the shape twice and place each one Glue the fabric shaped antler to the cardboard shaped antler.

Cut a nose shape (circle) out of the red fabric.

Cut an eye shape (circle) out of white foam/fabric x2

black & white foam/fabric

and cut a smaller circle out of black foam/fabric x2.

ribbon

Using fabric glue, glue the antlers to the back of the head at

cardboard

the top. Glue the eyes and nose on. Make a bow shape with

fabric glue scissors pencil glue brush

the ribbon and glue onto one of the antlers. Using a hole punch make a hole and tie ribbon through the hole to hang.

Christmas Wreath

(Age 8+) Method Trace around the embroidery hoop on a piece of paper. Draw a straight line from the top of the circle on the piece of paper. This is your guide to ensure the paddle pop sticks are applied straight.

What you need

Use the hot glue gun and place a small amount of glue onto the

paper

it’s in line with the drawn line on your piece of paper.

embroidery hoop and stick a paddle-pop stick in place, ensuring

an embroidery hoop

Turn the hoop slightly, making sure it is still on top of the drawn

wool

circle and glue on the next stick. Continue until the hoop is

paddle pop sticks scissors pencil

covered.

Flip the hoop over and apply paddle pop sticks in the gaps between the sticks a centimeter or so out from the embroidery hoop.

hot glue gun

Paint the wreath of Christmas colour (red, green, gold etc...)

paint

Tie ribbon around the screw of the embroidery hoop and hang.

paintbrush

www.lovejk.com.au

23

Oh Baby!

Personalised Birth Prints

Framed from $59.95 Shop online at lovejk.com.au

V

E L O

E

L O

V

V

E

L O

V

E L O

LOVE JK

Personalised Party Invitations Bunting, Wall Art, Birth Prints & More!

Shop online at lovejk.com.au 03 9012 6007 hello@lovejk.com.au

Make Simple Summer Food, gorgeous gingerbread houses & fantastic flying kiddos.

We’ve got you covered!

Easy Summer Mumma Food School holidays, scorching heat and unexpected drop ins are all part and parcel of this time of year. Here are some recipes to keep you mumma-cool in the kitchen.

BIRCHER MUESLI

Serves 4

I whip up a batch of this super easy,

delicious bircher after my toddler is in

Ingredients 4 cups oats 4 red apples, grated 2 cups greek yoghurt

bed. In the mornings it’s as simple as spooning it into a bowl and scattering a few berries on top. My son happily eats this by the truckload, and it’s a few days before I have to think about making breakfast again.

2 cups apple juice 2 tbl sp golden syrup 1 tea sp cinnamon

Method

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl

1/2 cup chia seeds

Add all wet ingredients and stir well

1 cup pumpkin seeds

Cover with cling wrap and leave in

1/2 cup macadamia nuts

the fridge overnight Will last for about a week if kept in the fridge

Use c

Top T

ip...

ocon ut yo ghurt ry-fre for e , v e gan r and s ecipe wap o ats w flake ith ric s or b e u c k whea a yum t for my g luten f ree versio n! a dai

www.lovejk.com.au

27

Super simple snacks During summer, and especially during the

holidays, I always try and have some healthy and tasty snacks on hand that take mere moments to prepare.

FROZEN BANANAS Ingredients

Method

1 banana

Push the ice cream stick into the banana, wrap in

1 popsicle stick

glad wrap and place in the freezer until frozen Eat and Repeat!

MANGO ICE-CREAM Ingredients

Method

Ripe mangos

Blend in a food processor until pureed, pour into a

Each large mango makes about 200ml of ice-cream

container and freeze, stirring every 1-2 hours until frozen Done!

CHOC-DIPPED KIWI FRUIT Ingredients

Method

1 kiwi, sliced thickly

Stick kiwi slice with popsicle stick

Milk or dark chocolate,

Dip in chocolate

melted Popsicle sticks

Put on baking paper in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, or for as long as it takes for hungry hands to stretch out

Lazy summer dinners This is a staple in my house, partly thanks to all the leftover vegetables from my sons’s dinner the night before when he has decided, in all his toddler glory, that the only thing he will eat is raisin bread with cream cheese, and partly since the fishcakes freeze very well for up to three months.

FISHCAKES Makes 12 large or 24 small fishcakes.

Ingredients

Method

500g potatoes, boiled and mashed

Add mashed potatoes, tuna, sweetcorn and peas into a mixing bowl and mix well

425g tinned tuna in springwater, drained

Take handfuls the size of a tennis ball and shape into patties.

125g tinned sweetcorn, drained

If you prefer smaller cakes for little ones, use half the amount for each ball Sprinkle flour onto a flat surface

125g baby peas, boiled and drained

Cover each patty with flour, tossing from hand to hand to

2 tbl sp flour

Heat oil in a frying pan

2 tbl sp olive oil

Fry over a medium heat for about two minutes on each side

salt and pepper

(or until golden)

completely cover

Sit each fishcake on a paper towel to drain excess oil before serving with salad and mayonnaise

Do you have a child who loves to help in the kitchen?

Mixing, shaping and covering the fishcakes with flour is definitely something they can be involved with.

www.lovejk.com.au

31

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

MAKE YOUR OWN

GINGERBREAD

e s u ho

By Lisa Piseri fromThe French Lettuce Patisserie & Bakery

“I live in a gingerbread house wher e the walls a re so sweet, the d oors you can eat ” www.lovejk.com.au

33

01

02

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

The French Lettuce Pattiserie & Bakery can be found at 237 Nicholson St, Carlton, Victoria.

Gingerbread houses start from just $35. See in store for all your festive favourites!

Method

Ingredients

Place all dough ingredients into a food processor and mix

150g melted chocolate

until combined. Roll out the dough onto a clean work

Dough

surface to about 3mm thick

400g butter

Using a sharp knife, cut out your gingerbread house shapes.

640g brown sugar

You will need a rectangular base, two side walls, a front,

1.1kg plain flour 200g honey 600g eggs

back and two roof pieces.

01

02

To start building, use melted chocolate to secure the base

03

Using a side and front piece, join with melted chocolate

25g ginger Icing 250g egg whites

and hold together until set. Spread both bottom edges with Repeat with other side.

pinch of citric acid

04

With the two roof pieces, spread melted chocolate onto the edges and secure in place. Seal the roof, join at the top and allow to set.

food processor or

Whip egg whites until they begin to form stiff peaks.

mixing bowl

Be sure there are no yolks in the mixture.

cutting knife

Slowly add the icing sugar and a pinch of citric acid.

baking tray

Continue to whip until thick and shiny.

cake plate

Now for the fun part!

palette knife piping bag

onto a cake plate.

melted chocolate and align on base piece.

1.5kg icing sugar

Utensils

or until golden brown. Once cooked, let the gingerbread cool completely before you start to build.

25g cinnamon 25g mixed s pices

Bake the dough shapes in the oven at 180째 for 12 minutes

05

Spoon your icing mixture onto the base of your house. Using a pallette knife, work the mixture around the base and facing walls .

06

Scoop remaining icing into a piping bag and use to pipe fresh

07

While your icing is still soft, place your chosen lollies around the

snow onto your gingerbread house. base and decorate to your hearts content!

www.lovejk.com.au

35

Friendly Skies

by Susanne Sleep

It’s that time of year again. The time that millions of us steel ourselves and take our young children on a plane.

Cue mutters from neighbouring seats and a vague feeling of guilt every time our child reacts the same way all children do if cooped up and forced to sit still for hours, by going absolutely nuts.

Two dollar shops are great places to find inexpensive goodies to turn into packs for your airplane neighbours. Make up small bags with four or five items, add a note from your children and hand them out when you first get onto the plane. Better yet, have your children hand them out before the plane takes off, when they’re still adorable and quiet. Well, quieter anyway.

Some of our suggestions for the pack are: Ear plugs Small wrapped chocolate (avoid anything with nuts) Handmade bookmark from your children Cute keyring Mini yoyo Mini slinky Chewing gum/mints Pack of cards Lip balm Mini hand cream

Remember that even if you’re on a long flight and your children seem to be channelling minor demons, it will end at some point and you’ll most likely never see anyone from the airplane again - at least until the return flight…

Photography credit: © vsurkov - Fotolia.com

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.

minipartypeople.com.au

Celebrate Winter Wonderland glam or a magical kids’ Christmas with Kris Kringle – we have all the styling tips you’ll need to host the perfect Christmas party.

0

0

0

0

merry CHRISTMAS! HO HO HO

Styling Nic & Mardi at Simply Sweet Soirees simplysweetsoirees.com.au Photography Fields & Skies Photography fieldsandskies.com.au

0

Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Coming together with loved ones to celebrate and share this magical occasion is made even more special with children.

Keeping them happy and busy while we enjoy a meal can be tricky though!

For our Christmas Eve celebration, Nic and Mardi from Simply Sweet Soirees show us how to create a party that will not only look gorgeous, but will keep the little ones entertained at the same time.

The added beauty of this set up is that you can

0

prepare most of it well in advance!

0 0

0

0

0

0

Finding activities to keep the kids engaged is

Use disposable tableware that looks fabulous

important if you want to sit down and enjoy

but keeps the ‘clean up’ to a minimum.

yourself too!

On the table, the kids had their plate and napkin

The activities need to be fun without causing

along with a vintage mini milk bottle and straw

a lot of mess and be easy enough for the kids

for their drinks.

to do by themselves.

Set up a reindeer food bar for another easy

By covering their table in kraft paper it is

activity the kiddies will love.

instantly turned into one great big colouring in

We used hessian vases and wooden scoops for

sheet! You can add other easy craft supplies like

the children to fill up their bambino tin pails with

stickers and stamps.

delicious reindeer foods. Santa didn’t miss out

We wrote a Christmas Eve checklist on the

either – his bottled drink and snacks were all

table to help each child make sure they hadn’t

ready in tin pails for the kids to leave out

forgotten about any of those really important

before bedtime.

Christmas to-d­os.

Provide delicious treats that enchant little

Provide a little hamper filled

imaginations.

with goodies can help keep them amused for longer.

We included some snacks, a small toy and their colouring sheets, which were

Our dessert table was filled with a huge gingerbread house just waiting to be smashed and shared, along with adorable cookies, coconut ice, white chocolate fudge and delicious

all placed into individual tin pails.

cupcakes.

There was a gift waiting to be unwrapped

If you aren’t too keen on your children filling up

on the table and a jar filled with lollies for everyone to enjoy.

Cupcakes, coconut ice and white chocolate Tim Tam fudge Cupcakes by Caela cupcakesbycaela.com.au info@cupcakesbycaela.com.au

on lots of sweet goodies you can make up lovely platters with fruit kebabs, cheese shapes and crackers.

Gingerbread house and gingerbread cookies Kate’s Cookies facebook.com/KatesCookies Holiday Crafts and Creations Free Christmas Printable Colouring Pages holiday-crafts-and-creations.com/free-christmasprintables.html www.lovejk.com.au

45

Christmas Eve Party Look 01

1 Red stripe paper straws pack of 25 $4.95 2 Bambino red tin pails $2.90 each 3 Sambellina polkadot blue paper napkins pack of 20 $7.95 4 Vintage mini milk bottles $2.50 each 5 Teeny tiny red honeycomb garland $39.00 each

04

05

02

03

06

07

09 10

08

6

Wooden pegs pack of 12 $4.95

7 Vintage blue chevron wooden scoops pack of 4 $15.95 8

Red chevron little bitty bags pack of 10 $4.95

9

Hessian cylinder vase $8.95 each

10 Star jars $3.00 each 11 Medium Tin Pail $3.95 each

11

Winter Wonderland Styling Lola & Lace Event Styling facebook.com/lola.and.lace Photography Selina Baldry

Keep styling simple on your Christmas table this year by taking inspiration from vintage and rustic finds. Lauren from Lola & Lace shows us how to recreate a gorgeously golden Australian Christmas.

Sometimes Christmas needs a reinvention.

The combination of bright reds and deep greens work in the cold, snowy northern hemisphere, but can distract from the beautiful natural colours that adorn our festive surroundings.

Touches of metallic rose gold and copper will bring your table to life and add a uniquely Australian colour scheme. Add elegant and simple white desserts, sprinkled with coconut, to bring a sumptuously snowy feel to your table.

Reindeer & baubles Target (Painted rose gold using Jo Sonja rose gold ) target.com.au Glassware, white cake stands, mini bottles and wooden boxes Little Big Company tlbc.com.au Wooden cake stands Emerald & Ella (painted copper using paint from Jo Sonja) emeraldandella.com.au Rustic wooden cake stands Occasions by Design occasionbydesign.com.au

White platters and small dessert jars Leo & Bella leoandbella.com.au

Wrapped chocolates Lola & Lace using Christine Re paper cristinare.com

Wooden stump risers Stylist own tops painted copper using Jo Sonja’s copper paint

All craft supplies Spotlight spotlight.com.au

Christmas wreath Made by Lola & Lace facebook.com/lola.and.lace

All cakes & desserts The Gifted Spatula facebook.com/thegiftedspatula.childers

Photography: © efired - Fotolia.com

DON’T JUST DO SOMETHING

Sit There It’s the time of year for mountains of Christmas cooking, school holidays, the in-laws staying and being too hot for the kids to go outside.

To keep you from blowing your top (well, to keep the top blowing to a minimum, we’re human after all), follow these simple ideas for five minutes to your (almost) nirvana.

Meditation Mums rarely get to sit and Ohm for long, but there are some lovely websites and apps providing guided meditation from sessions as short as one minute. A great way to centre yourself back into the day. Some great ones to try are Smiling Mind smilingmind.com.au and Headspace getsomeheadspace.com Essentail oils These can help to relax and deepen your breathing which in turn allows your body and mind to rest.

Our friends at Oil Garden oilgarden.com.au suggest sprinkling essential oils on a tissue or placed in an oil burner.

While the traditional favourites of lavender, sandalwood, ylang ylang and frankincense are perennial favourites, Oil Garden have two blends called Tranquil & Calm (RRP $22.99) or Relax & Unwind (RRP $21.99) specifically designed for those moments of needed soothing.

Enjoy a cup of tea So relaxing that some cultures have ceremonies for making and drinking tea. Most of us don’t have time for that luxury, but there are some beautiful herbal teas available these days which can help take the edge off a tough day, especially if served in a pretty cup.

Planet Organic are an Australian company who make high-quality organic teas. We swear by their Calming tea blend and their Female Balance. planetorganic.com.au Earth Mumma’s Monthly Comfort Tea is an organic tea designed specifically for women and is full of ingredients designed to be balancing and rejuvenating. The tea can be found at earthmamaangelbaby.com Self massage Take a blend of a few drops of any of the essential oils above, mix with a tablespoon full of apricot, avocado or even olive oil (the rule is – if you can eat it, you can rub it on your skin) and, using languid strokes, rub into your feet and hands. Ahhhhhhhhhh…

WIN!

Thanks to our friends at Planet Organic and Oil Garden we have some gorgeous products for one of our lucky readers to win: • An Oil Garden candle vapouriser and essential oil pack containing ylang ylang, orange and lavender (Total value of $87.96) • A Planet Organic tea pack containing Calming, Energy and Female Balance teas (Total value of $14.85).

To enter CLICK HERE

www.lovejk.com.au

55

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

Photograph by Hadyn Cattach. Styled by Little Big Company tlbc.com.au

V

E L O

O

V

L

E

E

L

V

O

LOVE JK

V

E L O

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!

The end...

We hope you all have a happy & safe festive season, surrounded by your family & friends.

Thanks for reading! xx