EXPLORE all the trends – from styling to sell, the importance of art, the latest design trends, the iconic feature wall and many other ideas including what’s the latest out there…. This section will help you dress your home, throw new ideas at you and inspire you to experiment with “tried and tested” guidelines that I’m sure will arm you with the best advice to sell your property and enjoy life.
My Favourite Shops for Christmas |
02.12.21 |
I love this time of the year when I get to stroll through some of my favourite shops and look at all the fun Christmas decorations! Filling the house with wonderful little Christmas ornaments and putting up the tree with loved ones finally brings that feeling of warmth and happiness all around!
Of course there is always our good old trusted David Jones store who always set up the magical window display in the city, but for those of us who may not have the time or prefer to shop online this year, I have a few favourite shops that never disappoint from decorations to gift ideas and wrapping paper!
The Parterre Garden has a great range of Christmas decorations and lots of gorgeous candles and ornaments – and is a great place to pick up a few Christmas presents along the way!
There is always something new to find at the Bay Tree and they have a great selection of Christmas pressies and other useful kitchenware for Christmas such as pudding bowls and Ham Bags. The William Yeoward Crystal Christmas ornaments are always a lovely present for someone special, or if you have little ones, pop by and pick up some cute Christmas cookie cutters and start baking!
Just looking at their website will give you plenty of inspiration for Christmas! They have got everything you need to make the season special, from beautiful decorations, faux greenery and festive fragrance to gifts for him, her and little ones.
Click here to head to their website.
There’s nothing quite like an Australian Christmas. Forget the snow men and winter wonderlands. We are dreaming of warm nights, morning swims, backyard cricket and Paul Kelly’s How to Make Gravy blaring through the speakers. Support communities around Australia and check out the website here for a few little things to add to your beautiful Australian Christmas…
Looking for some Christmas Stockings? While Pottery Barn is a lot more commercialized, they have a great range of Christmas stockings (that you can personalize) and some cute tree and table decorations – definitely worth a look!
Have a few of your own favourite shops? I always love to hear of new local stores to support so please send me any suggestions!
Styling your house for Christmas |
20.11.21 |
ONE of the free pleasures at Christmas time is driving around your suburb (or even farther away) to find the most merrily decorated house. Light, life-sized nativity scenes, gaudy snowmen, Santas hanging on precariously to chimneys and, of course, the lights are just some of the things you’ll come across in the suburbs.
It is easy to get carried away especially when it brings the community together and spreads such happiness, but sometimes it can go very, very wrong! There are a couple of tips to safeguard you from going under or overboard with your Christmas house decorations, and as always the key is to remain true to your style!
If you live in a street where traditionally every house is decorated then JUST DO IT! Even if you aren’t religious or a bit of a scrooge, don’t ‘bah humbug’ and ruin everyone’s joy. You don’t need to spend a lot of money either. Discount stores and Christmas warehouses have a plethora of decorations that suits every budget. And, if you’re worried about electricity bills, you can switch on your lights for only peak periods.
A lazily hung string of lights with a few blown bulbs strewn over a bush in your front yard is just horrible. Nothing screams laziness louder! So, if you decide on decorating, then do it with style and creativity. Stick to a plan or a theme and be mindful of how long it will take to set up and take down once Christmas is over for another year.
We’ve all seen that movie where Clark Griswold spends many hours stringing thousands of lights only to fall off the room and spark a fire. You DON’T want to do that! Ensure you use outdoor lights and that your safety switch is functional.
It’s only for a few short weeks so have fun with decorating. Think outside the square and allow your house to stand out (for all the right reasons!). Children of all ages – yes even the older ones – enjoy seeing the different displays. Use what you already have to enhance your decorations; trees, fountains, fences, balconies and chimneys etc. Window displays are always a crowd-pleaser and nicely protected from the elements.
Enjoy this happy, festive time of year. Dress your house for the party season and share the magical Christmas spirit!
Mixed Tomato Panzanella Salad |
21.10.21 |
This is an oldie but such a goodie. Panzanella is an Italian bread salad, where really ripe sweet tomatoes create some of the dressing that the crisp golden bread absorbs. Just don’t leave it too long before serving otherwise you’ll end up with really soggy bread.
½ (300g/10 ½ oz) sourdough loaf, crusts removed, torn into big pieces
6 sprigs marjoram or oregano, leaves removed
¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, extra to drizzle
250g (8 ½ oz) truss cherry tomatoes
¼ cup (60ml) red wine vinegar
½ tsp caster sugar
½ garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp baby capers
200g (7 oz) mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
4 (600g/1 lb 3 oz) tomatoes, cut into wedges
½ cup basil leaves
micro red vein sorrel, to serve (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200C (400F/Gas 6) fan forced. Place the bread and marjoram leaves on a baking tray, drizzle with 2 tbsps of oil and season with salt. Roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, add the truss cherry tomatoes to the tray and roast for a further 10-12 minutes or until the bread is golden and the tomatoes have split. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Place the remaining oil in a large bowl, add the vinegar, sugar, garlic, capers and season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining tomatoes and set aside for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes have released some of their liquid.
Add the bread and marjoram to the bowl and toss to soak up some of the dressing.
Place on a serving platter with the roasted tomatoes and the basil and sorrel (if using). Drizzle with extra oil and serve immediately.
Serves 6.
Dairy Free Recipe
Vegan and Vegetarian Recipe
You can order the full e-book at the following link : Kirsten Jenkins “One Leaf at a Time”
Image and Styling: Kirsten Jenkins
Looking for a Road Trip Getaway? |
30.07.21 |
With some travel restrictions in place, Sydneysiders are looking for places to visit just a little closer to home. We recently took a road trip to Orange (3.5 hours drive) to see the sights and surrounding area and thought I would share my experience.
To my surprise it was a bigger regional town that expected, with a population of over 40,000. There was plenty to do….although the common assumption was we were there to visit the wineries, but as a non-wine drinker I am here to say there is many alternatives so thank you Orange! Thankfully we discovered a local gin distillery with delicious flavour – ‘Parrot’ Gin.
We visited Mount Canobolas – a State Conservation Area that offers birdwatching, walking, scenic views, pretty picnic areas and a great campground. The Federal Falls Walk was stunning and the picnic area serene and peaceful. The walk around Borenore Caves was equally as enjoyable, stopping on the way at Hillside Harvest to purchase lots of local produce (apples, honey, eggs, cider, cheeses and baked goods).
We ate great meals at Mr Lims, Charred, Canobolas Pub, the Local Store and stayed at one of the best boutique hotels ever – The Byng Street Boutique Hotel! Everything was on point here – accommodation, comfortable and beautifully decorated room, friendly staff, the recommendations, the super tasty breakfast and the location – very handy to everything.
We also visited the quaint towns of Carcoar (‘Tomolly’ homeware store not to be missed) and Millthorpe (highlight was ‘Tonic restaurant’) and generally enjoyed the picturesque countryside and smiley faces of the locals.
I am sure we will return again very soon and would definitely recommend it as a great weekend adventure! ENJOY!
Click here for a full list of fun activities when planning your trip.
SELLING homes is not just a career; it is an art form – one that is carefully honed over years of life experience and knowledge. And, I can proudly say, that I still absolutely love what I do – day in, day out.
For over 30 years, I have immersed myself in real estate and have built an untarnished reputation in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, among my peers and with my clients – many of who are my friends. People say I exude positivity, and I accept this as the highest compliment.