Summer! Summer! Summer!

It's very unusual to have 3 "meaningful" days in a row, but this time of year is so special for Mr Tonic and I - Yesterday was our wedding anniversary, today marks the first day of Summer in Australia (finally!) and tomorrow is Mr Tonic's birthday. And just wait until you see what I bought him us! Here's a clue. Happy days!

Images via Vogue UK and Pinterest

And Summer is EXTRA special because it's my sister-in-law's name aaaand... (drum roll)... she's having a baby next May! Woohoooooo! I have 2 nieces and a nephew on Mr Tonic's side, but this is the first child for my brother & Summer. It's just so dingin' exciting. 

Happy Summer, Tonic-ettes - Get that Vitamin D into you!

9 years ago today...

It's funny - Wedding Anniversaries would have to be the polar opposite of birthdays - Every time another year rolls around, instead of groaning that I "feel so ooold", I give myself a little high-five for notching up another year of surviving Mr Tonic wedded bliss. And 9 years ago today, on 30th November 2002, Mr Tonic and I tied the knot!

Where: Woodbyne, Jasper's Brush (near Berry).

The bride wore: Mary Ioannidis (and Manolo Blahnik heels!) 

The ring: Jan Logan

Honeymoon: The Maldives

The Celebrant: Nerolie Barnes

Happy Anniversary, Mr Tonic! x

Final hours! Table Tonic 25% off sale ends tonight!

A day in the life: 29.11.11

The weekend: Sunday involved a beach, two Mini-Tonics and a bestie (aka the brains behind DAN300). I constantly pinch myself, as we live just a 5 minute walk (if that) from one of the most beautiful beaches in the world... At around 7.30am every Sunday morning, I walk-slash-run 8 laps of it, before jumping into the ocean pool at the South end. Yes. The best things in life are free, people!

I'm wearing: Bassike dress (buy it here) - mine is a Large, Dior sunglasses, gold Jennifer Zeuner necklace from Eclektica (buy it here), cap from Raised by Wolves.

The hot gloss: Or should I say, thee hot gloss. Remember Clinique Black Honey? Yeah? Anyone? Well that just-eaten-berries shade of lip perfection circa 1990 is now get-able in the form of Lanolips "Mulberry" Lip Ointment. I've been wearing it on my morning beach walk-slash-runs. It has just enough colour, without being tooooo much for exercising in. Trust me, this one is a ripper! PS Don't forget to check out the Lanolips blog - TT made it onto their Christmas Gift Guide! Eeeek!

The tea-towel-triumph: Hats of to My Hunter Gatherer for this eye-catching piece of marketing genius (how hot does our el-cheapo oven look?!):

The salad: Cannelini beans, yellow capsicum, toasted pine nuts, capers, lemon zest, garlic. Dress with a dash of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon!

The gift: Tomorrow, Mr Tonic and I will have been married for nine years. NINE. How that is even possible, I have no idea. Feels more like... four. Alright, five max. And I have to show you what my parents bought us (hands up who worships Dinosaur Designs). Isn't she special? Thanks Mum and Dad!

The (under $25) online purchase: No sooner was I on the What's for dinner mum Facebook page, than I had ordered a set of Tovolo Star Pop Moulds from The Little Cook! Chucked a mango, some strawberries and a banana in the Vitamix, tipped it in the moulds, 4 hours later... healthy treats for nagging offspring! Admittedly, they all broke in half as we pulled the lids off but hey, we're working on our "formula"...

The recipe club: How cool is this - Australian Good Taste have formed an online "Heirloom Recipes Club" as a place for you and me to share our Christmas family recipes! But it’s also a site to house all types of family recipes, so you can share yours and keep those precious recipes alive. So, gather your beloved family recipes, snap a few pictures and upload them to the site. Oh, and then read all about it in December Australian Good Taste mag (below)!

Photography: Andrew Lehmann/Australian Good Taste.

The deal: You all know how much I love Simplicite anything, and from now until 11th December, when you buy any two Simplicite products (at selected Myer stores around Australia) you'll receive a third free (same or lesser value than the lower priced item)! How good is that?! And PS If you're looking for a killer body moisturizer? Consider it found!

The sale: All good things must come to an end, including tabletonic.com.au's storewide sale. The good news? You still have until tomorrow night to colour your world (and save 25% in the process)! Click to shop!

5 bookmark-worthy sites I (only) discovered last week

above images olivia palermo

olivia palermo style/misc

net registry blog e-commerce/technology

urban road decor/misc

jennifer barker decor/misc

love home swap (stylish) house swaps! 

PS Have you entered the Table Tonic Tampurse giveaway yet?

What? You've never heard of a Tampurse?

Back in May, I did a "Day in the Life" post (nothing new there), featuring a shot of my handbag contents, including an intriguing little creature, otherwise known as a Tampurse (a discreet and glamorous little case for storing tampons in your handbag). I know. A piece of $24.95-mock-croc-covered genius, right?

Well. The nice people at Tampurse were so chuffed with all of your Tampurse buying following the post, that they decided to throw 3 Tampurse "sets" my way to give away to you guys - each set contains 1 x Vintage Glamour tampurse ($24.95) and 1 x Starlet tampurse ($19.95)!

HOW TO ENTER: Simply become a fan of the Tampurse Facebook page and write “I love Table Tonic” on their wall. A winner will be chosen at random and announced right here on the Table Tonic blog on Friday 9th December 2011.

But wait, there's more! Tampurse are currently offering Table Tonic blog readers 25% off their Tampurse purchase if they enter the coupon code Table Tonic (2 words) at checkout until 24th December! Click to shop!

Oh, and just quietly, IT'S ONE MONTH 'TIL CHRISTMAS! Yes, people, it's officially panic 'o clock! And I don't need to tell you where to shop, do I...?

The sale must go on: 25% off EVERYTHING at Table Tonic

CLICK TO SHOP

Stylish Homes: Maria & Eduardo Villa

When your name is Maria Villa, your background is in Interior Design and Fine Art, and your husband is an Architect, chances are, you're going to live in a pretty swoony, impeccably decorated house. Know what I'm saying? Maria and Eduardo are the Villas behind Sydney based design firm Villa + Villa, "a team of progressive Architects, Interior and graphic designers" and today we're going to sit nicely and look at some pictures of their beautiful Lower North Shore home. No fidgeting. And keep your questions until the end.

(above and below) Maria is thrilled with her Table Tonic Juju Hat! You can't beat an off white Juju on a dark wall - So dramatic isn't it?

Photography by Ross Coffey and Lucy Feagins.

Thank you so much for the extra photos Maria! PS You must, must, MUST take the full tour of Maria Villa's Sydney home on The Design Files. It really is one of the loveliest I've ever seen. 

JUST IN! Multicolour Mexican Suzanis at Table Tonic!

The beautiful Multicolour Mexican Suzanis are back in stock right now at tabletonic.com.au! Not only that, but for a short time only, grab one for 25% off the marked price (simply enter coupon code NOVEMBER at final checkout stage)! That's $366.75 (rrp $489). Whether you choose to hang it on the wall (like this TT customer) or throw it over your bed is up to you! Click to buy.

PS I'm often asked if the Mexican Suzanis come in a larger size (for a King Size bed). Unfortunately, they are almost all embroidered onto a (roughly) 180 x 180cm piece of base cloth BUT did you see this beautiful Mexican Suzani in the November issue of Real Living? Genius! Simply have a border in the fabric of your choice stitched onto it, transforming it from a beautiful Suzani, into a bedspread of grand proportions:

And remember, you can order a Table Tonic Mexican Suzani in virtually any colour you can dream of (click for more info). Happy Hump Day Tonic-ettes!

A day in the life: 22.11.11

The magazines: I will never ever tire of magazines... This lot is on sale now. (Mr Tonic: "Is that my HOUSES magazine?")

The "treat": The children are loving treat nights sick right now. This might be why:

Thank you Cadbury Bubbly people. One bar will do just fine next time! And yes, Anoushka-Tonic approves.

The salad: Loosely based on Heidi Swanson's Carrot, dill & white bean salad, mine went like this:

Carrots (slowly sauteed in ghee, as per the recipe), 1 tin of cannelini beans, asparagus, chopped red onion, toasted almonds, chopped mint. Olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. And chilli flakes. And to my surprise, Mr Tonic loved it!

The mention: I did a little happy dance when I saw Jen's name in Harpers this month! Too funny..

The smoothie: Whoa! Are you ready? This one blew the tastebuds right out of my mouth yesterday: 4 tablespoons rolled oats, 1/2 - 1 cup oat milk, 1 banana, 10-15 raw unsalted almonds, 2 tablespoons chia seeds, pinch of cinnamon, ice. Chuck it all in a blender (yes, I am still LOVING my Vitamix!) and enjoy. And you will.

(above) Bassike dress (buy it here), Alexander Wang sweatshirt, Converse sneakers

The Zingy Springy thank you: Huge thanks to Loni for featuring Table Tonic's Neon Lime Spot Ikat cushion (yes, the same one that was recently featured in Inside Out magazine!) on her beautiful Adore Home blog last Friday:

Mmmm... all that lime makes me want a Margherita and a trip to Bali, thanks! PS Don't forget to shop the Table Tonic 25% off storewide sale! And yes - the discount can be used on pre-orders too! Happy shopping Tonic-ettes!