Monday, July 23, 2012

Rediscover the Pear

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Rediscover the Pear

When autumn leaves start to fall, nature is at its most glorious. The jewel-like colours of deciduous trees, the crunch of dried leaves underfoot, crisp autumn air and comfortable temperature make outdoors a great place to be.
It’s the last chance for a harvest style celebration before winter, create a rustic mood around the Beurre Bosc pear, the most fleshy, delicate and voluptuous fruit of all.

"Be sure to make the most of fall"

its pleasures are far too short.




Poached pears make a divinely sweet favour for guests and can be home preserved months ahead.
Collect wide mouthed glass jars, cover the lids in chocolate brown paper, secure with cream silk ribbon and finish with a leaf shaped thank you card.



Earthy neutral colours and varying textures create a real picture. Brown pears and honeycomb patterned beeswax candles line up on the cream silk covered raiser box.
The dressy silk contrasts with the brown paper tablecloth. The menus and place cards are cut into pear and leaf silhouettes.



A rich chocolate cake in four square tiers is finished with cascading chocolate leaves, cream satin ribbon and topped with a posy of cream magnolias. A trio of pear and chocolate themed desserts are tempting on the dessert buffet.







The pear and leaf motifs are carried through the stationery suite on the digitally printed invitation and response card. Recycled kraft paper compliments the golden hue of the stationery and is used for the pear silhouette menu and matching envelopes.



Pears are a member of the rose family



A trio of kraft board boxes has been used to wrap a wedding gift, held together with cream satin ribbon.
Magnolia blooms and foliage make a unique bouquet for classic autumnal beauty.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Heaven Scent

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Heaven Scent
Herbs are the freshest twist in in a posy; these ancient plants plucked from densely planted cottage gardens are household favourites.



" A perfume more engaging than floral"

The bride’s bouquet compliments the table’s centerpiece; it’s finished delightfully with a lavender and white striped ribbon. The bouquet sits on a French side table with mercury glass candle sticks.



Unpretentious, endearing and captitivating with a perfume more engaging than floral, their lush greenery and interesting leaf shapes layer together beautifully, all different, all strong; a unique wedding design that can follow through to food and drinks.



Bunches of lavender repel certain insects

The centerpiece on the pea green cloth is the definition of freshness. The deliciously fragrant posy sits on a white china cake stand; it combines mint, basil, rosemary, sage, oregano and dill with lavender and soft white lissianthus blooms. Silvered mercury glass tea light holders add the glow.



White Americana chairs decorated with a fresh, handmade rosemary wreath, adorned with juniper berries, hand calligraphed seating card and lavender satin ribbon.

Herbs can be bought from local produce

markets or greengrocers


Simplicity can be breathtaking, here white on white is pristine, each napkin is secured with a fragrant handmade rosemary ring. Form a fresh sprig of rosemary into a ring and secure it with a quarter of a length of 24 gauge florist wire.



The herbs used in the centrepiece are all hardy and can be easily grown in the smallest city gardens or on balconies in pots. Consider potting herbs over the months prior to your wedding for an economical and individual theme. In the years to come when you cook with the herbs, memories of your big day will come flooding back.

"Scents do that to you, they unlock memories"

in the most unexpected way.

When herbs are in bloom, they develop their pretty side; Consider using these flowers as a bonus in centrepieces and bouquets.



It follows that the wedding cake must fit the theme. This most delightful triple layer pistachio sponge cake with custard cream frosting is sprinkled with pistachio and lavender praline. Looks amazing, tastes wonderful.



Classic white favour boxes are trimmed with striped ribbon and sealed with silver labels embossed with a wreath motif.

Fill the boxes with chocolates or after

dinner mints




We have reduced the price of our archived 2007 magazines. You can download 2007 Issue 1 to Issue 4 (instant access) for $1.95 each or purchase the printed magazines Issue 1 and 4 only (2 and 3 are sold out) for $4.95 each plus postage (Australia Only). Click here for more information.




The menu and invitation are written in an elegant font laser printed onto a self striped card.

Monday, July 9, 2012

A Bastille Day Party

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A Bastille Day Party

Jetting to Paris for the honeymoon?
Get in the mood early, enjoy French bliss at the wedding shower.
Pop real champagne, forget calories and think melt in the mouth pastries and the creamiest brie.



Get the Look
Going French at a bridal shower is the next best thing to getting on the Air France jet.
Luckily talented French style pastry chefs have opened pâtiss'eries far and wide so it’s one stop shopping for the most delightful nibbles.



Made in France
Search for inexpensive gifts that were Made in France, they are easy to find in cookware specialists, cosmetics stores and wine shops.



Faire un tabac
(be successful, go over well, be a hit)
Although those girls in Ab Fab knew a thing or two about delicious Bollinger, you don’t have to turn into Patsy to get into the mood; just a flute of pricey real French bubbles is worth every penny.
For the Parisian mood, invest in French music, the superstars like Edith Piaf, Charles Aznevour and Vanessa Paradis will set the scene. Run a Jacques Tati classic film on your plasma with the sound turned down as wallpaper.



Enjoy the Day - Eat Lean Tomorrow
Fromage is French for cheese and the French have cheese all sorted. A collection of delightful creaminess will be a treat to turn into a memory.



We have reduced the price of our archived 2007 magazines. You can download 2007 Issue 1 to Issue 4 (instant access) for $1.95 each or purchase the printed magazines Issue 1 and 4 only (2 and 3 are sold out) for $4.95 each plus postage (Australia Only). Click here for more information.



HOW TO BUILD A FRENCH CHEESEBOARD




•Go to a specialised cheese shop or deli, always buy from a round, not pre cut.

•Allow about 60g of cheese per guest.

•Offer contrasting tastes and textures, soft cheese, hard cheese and blue vein.

•Take the cheese out of the fridge a couple of hours before serving so that it’s at room temperature.

•Put a knife out for each cheese so the flavours don’t mix.

•Add nuts or fruit (fresh or dried) to complement the cheeses.

•Serve with a variety of breads and crackers.




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Monday, July 2, 2012

A Country Style Wedding

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A Country Style Wedding
Even grown men melt at the idea of rustic life with its home baked kindness, garden grown generosity, hand hewn simplicity and pure charm, so turn those warm feelings into a theme.



Centre of attention
Organic pumpkins piled high in the centre of the table become ornamental and imply pride in home grown produce. Opposite each place setting is marked by the hand chalked placecard and a garden picked calendula. Contemporary china and stationery offset the vintage flatware and French country-style glasses.



Wedding Cake
Distressed surfaces are at the heart of country style, the patina shows age and continuity through generations who have lived in the buildings. In a marquee, the effect could be painted onto artist’s canvases.
The home baked wedding cake, made from a family recipe is a highlight, calendula flowers are arranged in old preserving jars.



One for the road
Thoughtfully packaged for guests to take home, the mouthwatering home baked fruit cake is individually sliced and wrapped in simple baking paper and tied with string. The orange labels give guests serving suggestions and are designed to complement the theme of all stationery.



Arrive in style
A team of Clydesdales is the perfect wedding day transport for a rustic wedding. The dray carries the bride from the homestead to the ceremony, and later becomes a great way for the bridal party to get around the property for the photo locations.



The ‘Just Married’ sign on the dray follows the style of the blackboard place cards.
You can take the girl out of the country, but she will always have something with her, even under the frilly flounces the country bride doesn’t forget her roots or her practical boots. The natural, loose bouquet of calendula flowers reflects the relaxed and carefree style of the day.

Food's up!
Nobody goes hungry for long in the country, the spirit of hospitality continues through the whole day. A tucker box for the wedding party has been prepared so there is something on hand for a mid afternoon snack. Photoshoots can take a while. The boxes are stacked ready with a zinc ice bucket packed with ice cold, home made lemon cordials.



IInteresting family wedding portraits are used as decorative elements, here displayed on a window ledge in the shearing shed. It’s a celebration of all the family members who have married on the property over the years.



Download the cordial label templates from our

website and print as many as you would like!




Simply Click Here and you will find a link to download this full colour label pdf, ready for you to print at home, as well as a recipe for delicious home made cordial.
You will need A4 adhesive paper suitable for your desktop printer, a cutting knife and steel ruler. Then you’ll be set to print as many labels as you need for your own reception.


We have reduced the price of our archived 2007 magazines. You can download 2007 Issue 1 to Issue 4 (instant access) for $1.95 each or purchase the printed magazines Issue 1 and 4 only (2 and 3 are sold out) for $4.95 each plus postage (Australia Only). Click here for more information.



The stationery has been designed with the country spirit, the envelopes are hand made from kraft board (like brown wrapping paper but in board weight) using an opened existing envelope as a template.
A customised rubber stamp in the shape of a horse shoe faces upwards so the luck doesn’t fall out; ‘wedding invitation express’ is written around the outside.
The date of the wedding is inside the horseshoe, printed in brown ink, softer than black and more in keeping with the wedding’s colour palette. The hand addressed envelope is in an elegant script.

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