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Goodbye for now...

Hello my friends. It's been such a memorable year in the land of Tonic. And sharing 2011 with you guys, my Tonic-ettes, has been a huge and fulfilling part of that. If you're out there, thinking of starting a blog, I say GO FOR IT, because it has changed my life on a wonderfully grand scale. The people I have connected with and re-connected with as a direct result of this blog has been an absolute trip. And the best part of it all has without question, been inspiring you all on a daily basis - particularly, it seems, with my health posts! I just love it. But blogging is time consuming (and then some!), so it's time now for me to take a short break. But the news isn't all bad - I'm going to leave you with 18 fabulous websites to browse through at your leisure. And if you still want more, click here. I'll see y'all in 2012! MERRY CHRISTMAS from the entire Table Tonic team! Oh, right. That's just me...! xLouise

Simply Grove

emmy and mouse design/misc
iubiree misc
oil pulling health

the raw chef food/health
from scandina via with love interiors/misc
animals talking in all caps humour
all things stylish misc
hey look craft/misc
the marion house book decor/interiors
tomboy style fashion

weekday carnival design/misc

bradshaw styling decor/misc

beautiful-vegan food/health

young on raw food food/health

one fabulous day misc

dalai lina health/lifestyle

number-nineteen interiors/decor

mummy of style and substance parenting

A week in my (snapseed-ed/instagram-ed) life

Friday's lunch: Chicken, Avocado, tomato, cucumber, preserved lemon (made by by sis-in-law), walnut tapenade, chilli flakes, olive oil, lemon juice.

Monday's threads: ALL of which were bought online! T by Alexander Wang knitted pants (from Shopbop), Bassike top, Michael Kors watch (from Shopbop), Tiffany & Co bracelet, Havaianas.

"Stormcloud": Stormcloud is a Chinese Silky and is, by far, the daftest of our chickens - not the full quid - but also the most beautiful...

God save the Queen: Another TT Union Jack cushion (actually, two!) finds it's way to a happy Tonic-filled home...

Tuesday's lunch: Smoked salmon, edamame, quinoa, pesto, walnut, lemon, lettuce wraps... Photographed on the patio floor for effect.

Tuesday's afternoon snack: Fruit smoothie, a-la-Vitamix (serves 3). 1 mango, 1 nectarine, 1 lemon, heaps of frozen raspberries, heaps of ice. Whizz for 30 seconds aaaaand....

Mega-healthy fruity gelato in a cup! Quick! grab a spoon! PS This lot served Mr Tonic, myself and Jasper!

Tuesday's threads: Remo top, Sportsgirl jeans, Table Tonic necklace (click to buy), Havainas.

On another note, by my watch it's exactly 25 years today since we immigrated to Australia from Durban, South Africa. I was 12 at the time, so it was all terribly exciting. But to think what my Mum and Dad went through to give my brother and I a better future in a country where bomb scares and carjacking are not the norm is remarkable. Yes, Australia really is the lucky country! Happy Wednesday you guys.

And the 10 Enjoy Lighting winners are...

Thank you to everyone who entered the Table Tonic-slash-Enjoy Lighting giveaway. I was completely blown away by the number of you who wrote on the Enjoy Lighting Facebook page wall, so thank you (I'm feeling very "enjoyed" right now!). To find out if you're a lucky winner of one of the 10 flameless candle sets worth $120 each, click here!

Question: What's even BETTER than Instagram? Answer...

Snapseed! Check it - BEFORE (left) and AFTER (right):

Let's recap - BEFORE:

...and AFTER:

Bet those professional photographers are pissed! Snapseed is around $5 from the Apple iTunes store or App store. Happy snap(seed)ing! PS Here comes yet another photo of Jasper holding a chicken (and looking dashing in his Remo Stripey thing - just like Mummy's!).

Happy Tuesday Tonic-ettes. PPS Don't forget there's free delivery on all orders, Australia-wide at tabletonic.com.au! 5 more sleeps until Christmas! Yipeeeeee........

Table Tonic's weekend in review

Friday morning: This is the little ray of sunshine that greeted me when I got home from Pilates on Friday morning - the January/February 2012 issue of Vogue Living! Yes. The weekend was off to a flying start...

Friday afternoon: Powerballs just got... SQUARE! So fun. Buy your Rice Cube here and find the recipe for my "Sunday Night Powerballs" (they're a little bit famous) here. There. I just made your day. 

Friday night: Friday night came in the form of a couch, Aussie Vogue's January 2012 issue (it's great one), ugg slippers and Green & Blacks organic dark chocolate (it's better than Lindt, I'm not even kidding).

Friday night: Mr Tonic, *cough* award-winning residential Architect *cough* received the following text message from one of his clients on Friday night. They are about to move back into their recently completed home and are (clearly) a little bit chuffed with Mr T:

Saturday morning: I made a batch of my favourite "My New Roots" Raw Brownie powerballs on Saturday, only I made the following modifications: Added 1/2 cup of organic coconut, added a big handful of organic rolled oats and reduced the cacao by about 1/4 cup. They are su-PERB.

Saturday afternoon: I took this picture of Anoushka shortly after she devoured a bowl of frozen berries (frozen berries = nutritious + convenient + delicious + affordable + kids love them). If there was ever one photograph that sums up my three year old daughter, this is it! Cheeky and dirty, mainly...

Sunday morning: Had a beautiful walk/run on the beach, a dip in the ocean pool and came home and made a green smoothie. Love Sunday mornings. I later threw on my Bassike dresses (I'm wearing two here), Spell Byron Bay wings necklace and Havaianas thongs. PS The Spell babes have got a fresh new website - check it out, your inner gypsy will go nuts for it! PS On my wishlist? This and/or this. Mmmmm. PPS Wearing zero makeup here. Healthy food-slash-exercise gives you killer skin, people!

Sunday morning: I keep meaning to show you Noushie's new Castle + Things pillowcases... Aren't they way fun?! Click to buy.

Sunday morning: Pesto is my new favourite thing to make - I took a bunch of organic basil, threw it in a food processor with a chunk of parmesan cheese, a big handful of pine nuts and a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of celtic sea salt.

Top it up with olive oil to prevent oxidization.

Sunday lunch: Salad! Baby spinach, tomato, avocado, quinoa, preserved lemon, walnut tapenade (recipe here), basil pesto (see above!) and Rich Glen Poppy's salad dressing. Ate it to the sound of two children frantically and relentlessly squirting each other with the hose pipe. #indigestion

Sunday afternoon: Mr Tonic continues to fix up the deck... See the strip down the bottom. Yup. New.

Sunday afternoon: Yes, you read that right! On Sunday afternoon, Mr DHL pulls up with a Shopbop parcel for me! Yay! T by Alexander Wang Cotton Knit Sweatpants in "Zest". And they are excellent! Click to buy.

How was your weekend? What was the best thing about your weekend?

FOUND! Perfect last-minute Xmas gift ideas!

Stuck on the perfect last-minute gift for someone special this Christmas? A Table Tonic gift certificate might just do the trick! Available in a wide range of price points, each gift certificate is stylishly designed and arrives in a jewel-coloured box, wrapped with grosgrain ribbon - ready to give. Your gift certificate will be Express Posted (next day delivery) straight to you or the recipient, FREE OF CHARGE! Click to shop Table Tonic gift certificates!

A day in the life: 16.12.11

Reading: Home Beautiful, January 2012 issue.

Loving: Not one, but three Table Tonic treasures on page 41 - An Orange Mexican Suzani, an Orange Baby Juju Hat and the Burnt Orange Ikat cushion! Big thanks to my unofficial press agent, Anecdotal Anna for the tip off! And of course thanks to Sami at HB mag.

Eating: Minestrone. Because Sydney has yet to get the "Summer" memo. We are in a perpetual state of "Possible Showers and 22º. Ugh.

Eating: Last night we had "Deconstructed Chicken Tacos". Everybody wins that way, see!

Adoring: If you've ever seen a child sharing a tender moment with a chicken, you'll agree it's a heart-melting moment to treasure. Jasper-Tonic had a day off school yesterday (teacher's strike), and we actually had a lovely day, including lunch with Mr Tonic at my favourite cafe ever.

Drinking: Chlorophyll. A few squirts of this spearmint flavoured liquid chlorophyll goes into every single bottle of water I drink throughout the day. Delicious and nutritious Tonic-ettes! Get it from your health food store.

Wearing: A Scotch and Soda "Mountaineering Bandana" (click to buy). Love it so much I want the blue one too!

Wearing: Scotch and Soda "Ralston" men's jeans.

Reading: These two gems by Susie Burrell and Kimberly Snyder. Two top chicks, two awesome books. More on them soon (once finished!)...

That's me for now! What are you reading/wearing/eating/reading/loving right now?

New-Balustrade-slash-having-fun-with-Instagram

It's in! It's in! Or is it "up"? Yes, we are officially with Balustrade again. Kind of reminds me of a giant kid's play pen... but I freakin' luvvit! PS We got it from Art of Stone and it was installed by Art Weld.

Ignore the floor though - Yes, Mr Tonic has his work cut out for him (again) this weekend. Poor Mr Tonic... Actually, I shouldn't say that, he always says he would restore old houses full time if he won lotto (yeah right!). He wants to become a "conservationist" of 50's architecture in Sydney. And he would be damn good at it too.

I've discovered Instagram. Can you tell?!

Yes, I'm a little bit fashionably late to the Instagram party, but WOW. Too much fun for one lifetime! Lots to still figure out, but bear with me... 

I have literally been walking around the house with my iPhone, like a kid with a new camera, looking for something, anything to photograph and turn into my own little piece of Insta-fun. Exhibit A. Jasper-Tonic's school work:

And I Instagram-ed yesterday's "arm party". Because why not. The deets? Michael Kors watch, Pepper Gibbs "you will shine" bracelet - email peppergibbs (at) gmail (dot) com, Tiffany & Co Venetian link bracelet, Skin & Threads cotton knit, Bassike long sleeve tee.

The Mini-Tonics. Do you have any idea how hard it was to get this photo? OMG.

And last, but not least, yesterday's new additions: Elle Decor, Home Beautiful and Aussie InStyle.

Oh, and if you have any hot Instagram-y tips, please leave a comment! I'm on my Instagram L-plates!

Modern Wisdom

iubiree