Kinfolk Freshen Up Sydney

I've been late in posting the second batch of photos from our first Kinfolk Freshen Up Workshop from this past May - better late than never right?  

Matt Johnson, from The Loved Ones, did such an amazing job snapping moments from the afternoon I couldn't help but share. Again thanks has to go to the following for making this event happen:

Co-host, Natalie Hayllar from Eat Read Love
Photos by Matt Johnson
Styling by Madeline Johnson

Catering by Marios Kitchen

Flowers by The Sisters

Illustration & Design by Amanda Lee Denning

Blog Society & Kinfolk Honey Harvest Workshop Head to Melbourne!

I love Melbourne. If it wasn't for the pristine beaches here in Sydney I would move to Melbourne in a heartbeat. It's edgy, urban and has this continual feeling of coolness that makes you feel like you'd never fit in but that you'd be so curious to find out what all the fuss is about.

When my pals at Cake Wine suggested joining them at their pop-up event in Melbourne and hosting a Kinfolk Honey Harvest workshop there I couldn't help but say yes!  The timing is bad, life is extremely busy, but what the hell?  So on 10 August I'll be bringing Kinfolk to Melbourne for a whirlwind trip but we've got some pretty amazing partners lined up to help make it happen: Maya Sunny Honey, Pop & Scott, Sarah Williams Photography, Moving Out, Eating In and of course Cake Wines (I'll certainly be enjoying a glass or two of their new Young Wine Makers Series).

So if you're Melbourne-based and want to join us, tickets are limited but grab yours here.  If you can't make it to the workshop then head over to the pop-up bar around 4pm for a little Happy Hour gathering I'm putting together, just because.

Stills: A Weekend Collection

This column of weekly (or in this case, weekend) stills is inspired by my friend and awesome fellow blogger, Em from The Beetleshack whose weekly columns reminds me that the everyday, mundane moments that make up your week(end) are the ones that truly matter.  This weekend was quiet yet still seemed to fly by too fast. There were band gigs, long runs, glasses of red wine, a haircut and manicure thrown in there for good measure, long chats on the phone and a lunch with family in the sunshine.  Emails got sent, ideas explored, the house cleaned, laundry hung out and we squeezed in a surf and swim at the beach despite the chilly weather.  They were small moments that made up our weekend and I feel quietly, relaxed yet wishing for more time - isn't that always the way?

eat read love pop-up dinner with lisa madigan

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited by my friend and fellow blogger Natalie Hayllar of Eat Read Love to one of her first pop-up dinners held at the beautiful Balmain Wharf Apartments.  The night was based about the new collection from artist Lisa Madigan and I found myself surrounded by friends, some amazing food by Marios Kitchen, wine by  Simon Gilbert and some stellar views – what more could you ask for?

Nat poured her heart into this dinner and you could tell in the attention to every detail – I didn’t just love the apartment, I wanted to move straight in.  I ate way too much food and stayed up way too late for a school night but can’t wait for the next one!  For more photos of the night head over to Nat’s blog…

kinfolk butcher block party: the dinner

I’ve always struggled with the concept of creativity. I’ve never felt like a typically ‘creative’ person – I don’t draw, paint, sculpt or design yet there is an inherent need and passion that I feel to create. Things. Sometimes useless, sometimes meaningful but always my own and always something that I’m proud of. The end result of the Kinfolk Butcher Block dinner I helped to create solidified my belief that creativity comes in all shapes and sizes.

We are all creative. No matter how unfamiliar it may feel. One of my ultimate goals for Blog Society was to feed and nourish that often neglected side of myself and others.  To create environments where people can create, something, anything that makes them feel great. To this effect, seeing the dinner actually unfold and to know that I played my own role in helping to create this gathering of incredible people – most of whom I had only met online if at all, was pretty cool. So go off and start creating, in any way, shape or form that suits you. You create by creating and do by doing, - just get started. 

Without further rambling here are more photos from the incredible Emma Scamell of the actual dinner - a fun affair that went off without a hitch. For an absolutely mind-blowing overview of the night, here is a video from the night that you can't miss from Extra Mile Pictures.

the digital diet

I did something out of character recently, something daring, risky and altogether groundbreaking - I boycotted social media.

Yup, for one whole, whopping day I fearlessly put down my iPhone, said goodbye to Instagram and went about my day technology-free and without updates about friend's whereabouts, food choices,  outfit posts and those much loved selfies. It was a struggle at first, I'm used to having my phone glued to my hand, ready to snap away at a moments notice but over the past few weeks I've noticed that I've stayed up fair too late, had fewer conversations and was beginning to become all together way too comfortable with being connected.  I needed a break, I needed a digital diet.

So one glorious Sunday I set off to cleanse myself of social media madness and see if I could survive the day.  What actually happened was pretty miraculous - I went for walks and let go of the urge to capture that damn rainbow, had lengthy conversations with Jimmy, I read a book (gasp!) relaxed with a cup of tea and generally just enjoyed my day and relished in the simple things.  While I can't promise to stay away from social media altogether, I love it too much, I did learn that the occasional break is grounding and a strong way to learn to live in the moment and that life does go on even if its not documented in a filtered Instagram feed.

happy bastille day

I have long blogged about my desire to come back in my next life as a stylish French woman and while that doesn't seem likely, in a few short weeks I will get to realise my dream of actually traveling to Paris to witness the city of light for myself. 

It's a trip I have dreamed about for years and while there is still much planning to do, I am taking a moment to celebrate Bastille day in the best way I know how...listening to Edith Piaf and stuffing my face full of bread, cheese and wine.