Since becoming a mama life has simply whizzed by. The saying the “days are long but the years are short”, has never been so true for me. Juggling being a solo mama, establishing myself again in my creative pursuits, photography business and setting some goals has been all consuming.

You might have been wondering what I have been up to since the last time I posted. It has been a while and I have really missed this little space to share my creativity, dreams and now being a mama.

MY GIRL

My gorgeous girl is almost 3! How on earth did that happen?! She is a sweet, kind and thoughtful little girl. The house is filled with tutus, dolls and lots and lots of pink. M has always known what she wants and loves to talk, non-stop. We are at the ‘why’ stage, but why mama? Learning to breathe and being patient has been a process and I pray for this everyday. To fill my heart with grace and patience. Each time a question, the same one is asked multiple times I want it to be like it is the first time I am responding with love, compassion and grace. Is this easy? No. I make mistakes but I always own them with M and as I say to her “when we know better we do better”. It’s the first time I have been a mama and the first time she is navigating this life. So we do our best.

I am reading a great book called The Whole Brain Child, it is so insightful to how we engage and nurture our children. Having an awareness that our words are powerful has been a constant thought when raising my daughter. They can make a child soar through life or they can fill them with feelings of shame and inadequacy. I believe in gentle attachment parenting with loving and mindful boundaries for both parent and child. Raising a confident, empathetic and courageous daughter is my main focus.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Being a solo mama I have had to re-establish myself creatively and having a vocation that allows me to be a stay at home mama with my daughter and help pay the bills. I have invested time into my photography and I absolutely adore working with brands that are aligned with my philosophy. Brands that are sustainable, natural, promote wellness, add beauty to the world or involves good food and drink. In the last year I have worked with some amazing brands; hand blended naturopathic organic teas, handmade natural leather sandals and divine vegan bath products.

I love working with natural light. My heart loves both light and bright and dark and moody images. I specialise in content creation for food, brand and lifestyle photography. When you choose me as your photographer you also get me as a stylist plus I have an extensive prop collection at my fingertips. I call that a win win situation. A lot of photographers have to charge for a stylist plus hiring props, which always means extra cost. Packages start from $195. Email me at LM@lynmmcreanor.com for my media kit and to discuss your branding and photography requirements.

ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHIC ART PRINTS + EXHIBITION

Last year I launched my online shop stocking my photographic art prints.

I am planning an art exhibition in Sydney later this year. A collection of photographs, capturing the essence of florals and vintage pieces. FORAGED + FOUND. Flowers FORAGED and collected from the mountains and my dear neighbours gardens. FOUND pieces, mostly vintage, styled, shot and edited to reflect their raw and well lived beauty. Add a piece of art to your home, work space or business.

AIRBNB

When I am on location shooting in Sydney our house is listed on Airbnb. It is also available to host workshops and photoshoots. Here is a little description from my website.

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It was a made-to-order Autumn day with the end of summer still teasing us with warm days and cooler nights preparing us for the colder months ahead. Our big maple tree was clinging to its green hues not succumbing to turning into the shades of the season. The perfect backdrop for a relaxed afternoon tea with a few girlfriends to celebrate the arrival of our baby girl.

It was a stretch at 34 weeks pregnant preparing for a high tea with mostly homemade treats. My sister Kath came to help the night before and friend Sabrina was a Godsend arriving early so she jumped in to help before the girls arrived. We had an early start at the flower markets which were insanely busy. The day following my baby shower was Mother’s Day so it seemed like most of Sydney had decided to head to the markets to buy a bunch of flowers for Mum. What would have been a one hour round trip ended up taking almost three! Needless to say we were then a little pushed for time. But it was worth the effort because these imported peony roses were a fabulous statement piece on the table.

  INVITATIONS

My foray into the business world was destined to be as a maker and creative. Having always loved the medium of paper I started making handmade greeting cards. This led to making stationery for weddings and special occasions. I love the tactile feel of receiving an invitation that has taken time to design and make. I wanted to make something special for my baby shower invitation – something which would become a keepsake and for my baby girl to have in her memory box. The star of the show was a divine Princess Swan with a silver glitter crown. The swan sat gloriously with glitter eggs and photographed – this became the postcard style invitation. The invitation was slipped inside a velum envelope stitched on each side and tied with twine and a hand glittered feather.

MENU

Ricotta, Cherry Tomatoes, Thyme & Parmesan Puff Pastries

Chicken, Aioli, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Walnut & Parsley Finger Spelt Sandwiches

Seasoned Egg Khorasan Finger Sandwiches

Cheese Board

Spelt Scones, Strawberry Jam & Vanilla Cream

Vanilla Pannacotta, Fresh Figs, Candied Orange Rind & Rosemary

Potted Banoffee ‘Pie’

Spelt Raspberry & Coconut Cupcakes

Cookies n’ Cream Macaroons baked by Nat from House of Harvs

Caramel Slice by my dear friend Vivi

Shortbread, Rocky Road & Marshmallows (from Sweetness the Patisserie)

Raspberry, Pomegranate, Strawberry, Mint Refresher

THANK YOU GIFTS

Each guest received a little thank you gift to take home. I love a good foot soak especially one that has peppermint – it gives your feet a lovely refreshing tingly feeling. Using organic ingredients a rosemary, lavender and peppermint foot soak bottled in a vintage style flask bottle and dressed with a thank you tag with tulle detail. I made a few extras which are available for sale in my etsy store. A sweet hostess gift, a nice touch for a house guest, a baby or bridal shower. My head is spinning with excitement with all the pretty parties I can plan for my sweet Madeleine.

In all things beautiful,

Lyn xx

Little M’s Baby Shower

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There is so much beauty in a cake adorned with fresh blooms. I usually bake my own cake but sometimes it is easier to buy a cake from a good baker or patisserie. So, if time is not on your side you have permission to cheat and buy a cake! My husband introduced me to this utterly scrumptious and moist chocolate mud cake from The Old Oak Patisserie in Sydney’s CBD.

LYN’S TIPS FOR DECORATING A CAKE WITH FRESH FLOWERS

The key elements are SHAPE, COLOUR, TEXTURE and BALANCE when building your floral decorations.

SHAPE – Anything goes when choosing a cake shape however I prefer to dress a round cake. A rustic naked cake with multiple layers, a basic round or two layered sponge cake would be my suggestions. You really can dress to impress and make your cake the centrepiece of your celebration.

COLOUR – Choose a colour palette to complement your cake. I love layering different tones and depths of colour because it adds complexity and really makes your cake pop! If you cannot decide on a colour the simplicity of white flowers and green foliage to me is timeless perfection.

TEXTURE –  Look for flowers and foliage with different sized buds, flowers and leaves to add depth and texture.  A few ideas for adding texture is using fresh or dried fruits, berries and rose petals.

BALANCE – Placement of flowers is important to create a balance which is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Creating a relaxed and less structured arrangement does have to be strategic otherwise your arrangement could end up looking messy. Don’t worry too much if you make a ‘mistake’ with placement as icing is quite forgiving and you can always hide behind a flower!

To start building the arrangement I start from one side and add each stem so it nestles next to the others.  Much like a florist builds a bouquet or arrangement. For a more organic and fluid design place the flowers flowing down one side of the cake. Don’t be afraid to be a little avante garde and add height with cherry blossom twigs or the like. Alternatively, you can start from the centre and create an arrangement that is balanced symmetrically.

CHOOSING FLOWERS

Organically grown flowers are the best choice. If you have a garden or access to flowers which have been grown free from nasty pesticides and chemicals this is the best option. I love garden roses and foraging in the garden for lovely blooms and foliage. Fresh garden herbs, fresh and dried fruits and micro herbs are also a pretty addition to the cake decoration. Edible flowers are now all the rage and you can find them popping up in supermarkets especially organic wholefood markets.

EDIBLE FLOWERS

Here is a list of edible flowers. Petite Ingredient has a wonderful range of organic edible flowers which are grown in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. They are used in sweet and savoury dishes and they have gained popularity in recent years.

begonias

borage

calendula

camelia

carnation

chamomile

chrysanthemums

cornflour

dahlia

daisies

dandelion

dianthus

echinacia

fennel pollen

fuchsia

hibiscus

lavender

lilac

linaria

marigold

nasturtium

pansy

pelargonium

peony

petunia

roses

rosemary flower

snap dragon

sunflower

tulip

viola

violet

PREPARING FLOWERS

Gently wash the flowers and foliage in cold water and dry thoroughly on a paper towel. Check there are no little bugs especially ants hiding in the flowers, strip the flowers of any leaves and remove any thorns. Once you have worked out the placement of the stem, trim the end at an angle and wrap the end of the stem with floral tape to ensure no sap contaminates the cake. Now you are ready to decorate your cake!

STEP-BY-STEP

To get you started here is a step-by-step guide to how I arranged the flowers on the cake pictured. With each cake you decorate you will gain confidence and work out what works and what doesn’t.

LITTLE EXTRAS – Adding delicate handmade bunting to your cake makes it extra special! You can find these handmade glitter feathered bunting in my etsy store. They are available in silver, rose gold and gold glitter and best of all you can re-use it for another celebration.

The Old Oak Patisserie T21, Metcentre 273 George Street Sydney (02) 9241 2050 (open Monday – Friday only)

Koch & Co (floral tape)

Petite Ingredient

Have fun adding a little beauty to your plain cakes for your next celebration!

In all things beautiful,

Lyn xx

{DIY} How to decorate a cake with flowers + foliage

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I have been otherwise pre-occupied with baking our sweet baby girl for the past 40 weeks and 2 days to be precise. No one can prepare you for pregnancy, birth, the fourth trimester and becoming a mother for the first time. No two stories are the same, well there are similarities but each is unique and a gift to embrace wholeheartedly. I feel blessed to experience the joy, beauty and wonder of growing another human inside my belly. At the age of 43 it truly was a gift from God because only 1% of women conceive without medical intervention at my age. I believe minimising stress, keeping fit, eating organically, seeing a Chinese traditional medicine lady and having acupuncture helped my body prepare to grow our little one. A promise I have waited almost a lifetime for and I am blessed beyond measure and my heart filled with praise and gratitude at how loved I am by our Creator to be Madeleine’s mama.

After a long 18 hour labour and only dilating 3cm baby and mama were in distress so we had to have a c-section. One thing you can count on is that you can have the best birth plan but it really is only the most desired outcome and there is no guarantee that it will go perfectly to plan!. Over the years I had heard many a story from girlfriends and the only consistency was that no story is ever the same. My plan was to have a drug free natural birth but would assess the situation as needed and always put our safety first. One of the best decisions we made was to do the Calmbirth course which had been recommended by a number of mums. We had a lovely weekend away in the Southern Highlands doing the two day pre-natal course. Calmbirth taught us techniques to manage labour, to work as a team and how I could be supported emotionally, physically and on a practical level during the birthing experience. I could not recommend this course enough for all those preparing for birth and labour. Pregnancy, giving birth and beyond really takes love, encouragement and support from your birthing partner.

Our little girl officially arrived on Friday 10 June 2016 at 12.40pm weighing 2820 grams and measuring 47.5 centimetres in length. Little M and I are at home in our warm love cocoon and hiding away from the chill of the cool winter air. I cannot imagine life before her. She was meant to be here to join our family. I may be biased but I think she is perfection. Her little face keeps me going. Breastfeeding on demand every 1 1/2 – 3 hours, doing everything one handed, being sleep deprived, eating, showering and going to the bathroom when I can, ignoring the pain from my c- section and chronic carpal tunnel lingering since my third trimester. She needs me more than ever right now and these days are precious and she will grow so quickly. I am thankful to have this time with her and watch her develop and grow.

In the meantime my gorgeous girl has been such a divine model for her mama! With a stylist/photographer mum her ‘portfolio’ is going to be filled with lots and lots of pics so stay tuned for more coming your way! Here are just a few to brighten your day – Madeleine Rose, 11 days old.

Calmbirth Unit 1, 19 Lyell Street Mittagong NSW Australia (02) 4871 1806

In all things beautiful,

Lyn x

ps. A special thank you to my mum who has filled our freezer with lots of nourishing food. My brother Simon who has kept us in supply of the best organic produce and to Elaine and my sister Greer for cooking a couple of meals. The best gift to a new mum is prepared meals! Coming a close second is having someone mind baby for a few hours so I can eat, shower or take a nap. It is the last thing on your mind when you are 24/7 tending to the needs of baby. Being pretty much house bound and not able to drive having my Aunty Wei, sisters Greer and Kathryn running around town for consumables and groceries has been my lifeline. THANK YOU my angels! It has been difficult relying on others especially because I am so independent and like to just get things done. xx  

NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: Planning and timing is of the essence when photographing newborns. Plan your shoot straight after their feed when they are super chilled and drunk on mama’s milk. Have all your outfits and props ready and dress the little one before feeding if the ‘costume’ allows. If you are shooting with natural light work out the best time of day to do this and click away because you only have anywhere between 5 and at a stretch 20 minutes before baby becomes restless.

Introducing {Miss Madeleine Rose}

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BASIC VEGAN CUPCAKE RECIPE

This is a deliciously moist vegan cupcake recipe. It is my go to cupcake and cake recipe. I like to experiment with different flavours adding seasonal fruits, coconut, choc chips or jam to the recipe. I have used diary in the icing – I really cannot go past a good buttercream icing.

INGREDIENTS

Makes approximately 20 cupcakes.

1 1/2 cups milk (almond, oat or rice)

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 cups white spelt flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarb soda

1/2 salt

1 1/8 cups fine organic raw sugar

1/2 cup rice bran oil

1 tsp vanilla powder or organic vanilla essence

1/2 tsp coconut essence

METHOD

(1) Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius. In a medium sized bowl add apple cider vinegar to your chosen milk and whisk until light foam on the surface. Set aside.

(2) Mix sifted flour, sugar, salt, bicarbonate soda and baking soda.

(3) Add oil, vanilla and coconut essence to milk mixture. Whisk until combined.

(4) Add wet mixture to dry mix, using a whisk mix until even with no lumps.

(5) Fill patty pans to 3/4 full and place in oven for 15-20 minutes. Check with a wooden skewer that it comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack.

Now for the fun part of baking, decorating your delicious baked goods.

I used two different types of icing, a buttercream icing for the Easter Egg Cupcake and a lemon frosting for the Easter Bunny Cupcake.

EASTER EGG CUPCAKE

INGREDIENTS FOR ICING

125 grams salted butter

1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture

1 Tbsp milk

1-2 tsp natural vanilla essence

natural green food colour

METHOD

(1) Using an electric mixer, beat butter until pale. Gradually add icing sugar mixture, milk, vanilla essence, beating until evenly combined.

(2) Add green food colour to desired depth of green. I use the head of a toothpick to dip in the colour then beat until colour is evenly distributed in the icing. Keep adding these small amounts and mixing until you reach the perfect colour green.

(3) Using a medium sized drop flower tip icing nozzle starting from the circumference of the cupcake pip the individual ‘flower’ tips. Continue until the whole cupcake is covered in ‘green grass’.

DECORATE with store bought speckled Easter eggs

EASTER BUNNY CUPCAKE

INGREDIENTS FOR ICING

3 Tbsp salted butter

3 cups icing sugar

3 Tbsp lemon juice

pinch salt

METHOD

(1) Using an electric mixture, cream butter until pale.

(2) Add a third of the icing sugar, beat well.

(3) Add lemon juice, beat well.

4) Add a third of the remaining icing sugar, beat well.

(5) Add salt and remaining icing sugar. Beat until fluffy.

(6) You must ice your cupcakes immediately after making the icing as it sets quickly. Using an icing palette or vintage butter knife ice the top of the cupcake then decorate with candy as per images.

DECORATE with store bought candy, spearmint leaves cut in two length ways for the ears, two mini musks for the eyes and red M & M’s or red skittles for the nose.

TIP: With any leftover lemon frosting pop it in the fridge and serve with fresh homemade pancakes. If you are a lover of lemon and sugar on your pancakes this is even better. For the perfect fluffy spelt pancake recipe go here.

Have a happy and safe Easter. A time to be thankful for God’s grace and sacrifice that we may live in freedom from condemnation and rejoice in the love of Jesus.

In all things beautiful,

Lyn x

{Easter Cupcakes}

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LOT’S OF LOVE AND BLESSINGS TO YOU THIS CHRISTMAS

A special day to celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

May your heart, home and family be filled with peace, comfort and love today and everyday.

A LITTLE MIRACLE IS GROWING IN MY BELLY

The best gift ever is growing strong in my belly.  It has been a challenging few months with morning sickness and extreme fatigue. All this seems like a distant memory now knowing baby is doing well. Almost at the halfway mark! Woohoo! I am so grateful and thankful for this miracle of life and looking forward to Christmas 2016 and being a mumma.

A SPECIAL GIFT FOR YOU

You may remember a little Christmas in July collaboration I did this year with some truly AMAZING women. Here is a free e-book for you designed and edited by Mary Rizza Cruz Creative and Natalie Harvey from House of Harvs. Filled with inspiration and recipes to celebrate everyday. I hope you enjoy!

Christmas In July E-Book

I have a back log of posts and images to share with you which I am just a little excited about – so you will be seeing more beauty and inspiration coming your way.

In all things beautiful,

Lyn x

{Merry Christmas, A Little Miracle and A Gift For You}

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Once we hit Spring, time seems to fly by and I start thinking of making plans for Christmas. It is a time when lists are long and there are many – food lists, present lists and planning holidays to name a few. So I thought I would share with you this rather delicious Christmas in July celebration I had with an inspiring group of young entrepreneurial women. The theme we decided on was an Australian relaxed rustic elegance inspired by a colour palette of red, pink, gold, forest greens and amber.

Our family Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus – a time of remembrance, joy and celebration. We get together with family and friends and as the saying goes Eat, Drink and be Merry! We eat way too much and have a fridge filled with delicious leftovers for days. No complaints here except when the holiday revelry is over and I jump on the scales……eeeekkkk a new year begins!!

In Australia our Christmas falls in the summer so it is usually a hot day. Having a roast for lunch is not very desirable so my family usually have lots of fresh seafood, a leg of ham and salads. My husbands family love pavlova for sweeties. This year I might take a different spin on the Australian tradition instead making a Chocolate Meringue, Frangelico Cream, Blackberries sprinkled with my Signature Sweet Dukkah.

I have always dreamed of having a white Christmas on the East Coast of America, Canada or even a little town in Europe. Singing ‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire’ as I sit beside the pool with a cocktail in hand really does not mesh. I would like to say there is a romantic story of how CIJ originated but funnily enough it is believed to be a tradition which started in Europe to celebrate Christmas in their summer!

Natalie from House of Harvs brought together a few talented creative makers and bloggers to celebrate this special ‘holiday’ in the cooler months. There wasn’t any snow but it was a chilly winter’s day. With gluhwein on hand we had a very merry day and we dined like queens. Our stomachs rumbling after many hours of preparing, cooking, styling and of course capturing it all on our digital cameras. I have to say my favourite dish was Natalie’s slow braised beef with truffle mash! A match made in culinary heaven. Well worth the time and patience to cook it. Check out Nat’s blog House of Harvs her latest post is a recipe for Mountain Ash Honey and Almond Milk Pannacotta it certainly wouldn’t last long in our house.

Kate from Foodies Agenda is a lover of good food and eating a balanced and nourishing diet. I am aligned with her philosophy of eating from all food groups unless of course you have medical dietary requirements. Her blog is a must for all foodies. I love reading her Friday Foodie in Focus where she interviews Australian foodies, bloggers, producers, farmers and chefs. Kate shared with us some of her favourite festive dishes including a succulent quail stuffed with spiced cous cous served with wedges of roasted pumpkin.

Jen from Bakedown Cakery baked up a storm leading up to our little Sunday gathering. Her cakes are a visual feast, fun, colourful works of art and sometimes a touch quirky. This girl is the epitome of cool. She totally rocks the cake world with her marvelous creations. Just looking at them makes me happy. It felt sinful in many ways eating her delectable and delicious creations – I wanted to place a glass dome over her magnificent cake and admire the beauty and every detail which was lovingly and patiently crafted.

Helen from Lime Tree Bower is full of energy and has a passion for flowers. She is self taught, driven and a dream to work with. In her mid twenties she reminds me of myself at her age. Unstoppable and nothing is ever impossible. Using Australian bush natives, winter fruits and foliage she reflected our homeland in her floral styling for the day. In pursuit of her creative heart she is moving away from the corporate world to add natural beauty to your wedding day or celebration.

Mary from Made by Mara added her beautiful handwritten menus to our table. I now want everything written by Mary – she is my go to girl for anything handwritten. A graphic designer and new mum to a gorgeous little bub who was the only boy allowed at our girly get together.

Athena from Light Reid came along to take some pics of the day.  I must say I have never had so many DSLR cameras in my dining room! She is a sociology student who loves to take photos and has a tribe of followers on her instagram page. Be sure to visit her instagram feed to see some of her photography from the day and other lovely pics. A freelance photographer available for portraiture location shoots.

Much love and gratitude to these fabulous women for collaborating and making magic happen and a special thank you to Nat from House of Harvs for having an idea and bringing us all together.

Natalie Harvey from House of Harvs {instagram @houseofharvs}

Cocktail + Mains + Sides

Kate Willbourn-Trevett from Foodies Agenda {instagram @foodiesagenda}

Mains + Sides

Jen Simpson from Bakedown Cakery {instagram @bakedowncakery}

Cakes + Cupcakes + Macaroons + Chocolate Gems

Helen Hung from Lime Tree Bower {instagram @limetreebower}

Floral Decorations

Mary Rizza Cruz from Made by Mara {instagram @madebymara}

Hand Lettering + Menus + Graphic Design

Athena Zo from Light Reid {instagram @light_reid}

Photography

Lyn McCreanor from In All Things Beautiful {instagram @inallthingsbeautiful}

Location + Art Direction + Styling + Photography + DIY elements (Paper Wreath + Christmas Crackers) + Entrees + Sweet Dukkah Spelt Shortbread + Gluhwein

Here is the dip recipe for our pre-lunch nibbles at our little soiree. This is so simple to prepare and my go-to last minute dip when having guests. If pomegranates are not in season or hard to find replace with dried cranberries or caramelised onions which is equally delicious!

SMASHED CHICK PEA DIP, YOGHURT + POMEGRANATE

INGREDIENTS

1 x 400 gram can organic chick peas, soaked and drained

1 1/4 tsp ground coriander

1 1/4 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

pinch paprika

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp olive oil

salt

cracked pepper

1/2 tsp garlic, crushed (optional)

GARNISH

1/2 pomegranate, fruit removed

3 Tbsp yoghurt

METHOD

(1) Empty can of chick peas into a medium sized bowl, cover with water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain chick peas and run under cold water until foam is gone and water runs clear. I like to do this with all my canned beans to reduce gas. Believe me it works!

(2) Drain chick peas and place into a mortar. With the pestle smash the chick peas so they are a rustic consistency. You might have to do it in a few batches depending on how large your mortar is. As I am smashing I remove most of the hull that comes apart form the pea. Otherwise it looks like epithelial tissue dancing in the dip!

(3) Place the chick peas into a medium sized bowl. Add the ground coriander, ground cumin, fennel seeds, paprika, lemon juice and olive oil. You can add crushed garlic if you like. Add salt and cracked pepper to taste. Using a fork lightly mix together spices with the chick peas.

(4) Place in a serving bowl and top with yoghurt and pomegranate. Serve with flatbread, crackers, celery or carrot sticks.

I hope you are inspired and start making your lists for your Christmas feasts!

In all things beautiful,

Lyn x

ps I have a September Spring Special when you buy my Signature Organic Sweet Dukkah Bundle (1 x 100gm + 1 x 15gm pot) you receive free postage Australia wide!

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My little miss sweet pea loves turtles and pineapples. I was rather relieved when she wanted a pineapple themed birthday party. Pineapples are fun and colourful and so easy to craft. Before preparing to style a party I like to use Pinterest as a reference and a place to pin my inspiration. This was a fun and engaging project to do together. There really were not many cute ideas to be found on Pinterest or the web for that matter.

One idea was to make little pineapples from cardboard. This was a disaster well maybe not quite a disaster but time consuming. Imagine making 8 pineapples with a zillion little folds it was a literally a technical feat and not so pretty!. A good lesson in math and geometry. Not my favourite subjects at school or ever really. With a couple of test invitations made from cardboard we decided to go back to the drawing board. I had an idea to make an invitation in the shape of a pineapple – a little coloured tissue, special fringing scissors and some twine and voila! This was the end result. I had my husband on the hunt for Allen’s pineapple gummy candy to no avail. He came home with something even sweeter – little hard rock candy with a tiny pineapple in the centre by Sticky. Inside the little paper crafted pineapples was a glass jar filled with these tropical flavoured delights!

Handmade details add a personal touch to a celebration. I played around with watercolours when I studied fashion so I decided to have a go at making place cards with of course pineapples! Handwritten names completed the bespoke details.

There are so many lovely tea towels at Williams & Sonoma. They are a good size and a good thickness so they hold their shape. I wanted the girls to wear aprons while crafting and eating and along my regular pop ins to W&S found these beauties! They were in the perfect colours to complement our pineapple theme. The size of my ‘tea towel’ aprons would fit 5-12 year olds.  They were super easy and quick to whip up on the machine because all the edges are already hemmed…..I call that WINNING!!! A couple of metres of cotton ribbon, tea towel and thread made an economical apron for the girls. Coming in at around $8 a piece plus the time to make them.

Are you ready to party like a P I N E A P P L E? This was the question! For seven eleven year old giggling girls a crafternoon, movie night and sleepover was planned. Little miss sweet pea was thrilled everyone could make her little celebration.

I kept the menu pretty simple. We made the cupcakes together and topped them with green pineapple leaves made from a delightful green tissue paper. My darling husband was a star and made the popcorn and the breakfast pancakes and both were a big hit!

PARTY MENU

CRAFTERNOON  TEA

Pineapple and Coconut Cupcakes

Pineapple and Apple Punch

MOVIE NIGHT

Buttered Popcorn and Sea Salt

Cheese and Tomato Spelt Pizzas

Ham and Pineapple Spelt Pizzas

Banana Split, Vanilla Ice Cream, Butterscotch Sauce and Sprinkles

BREAKFAST

Spelt Pancakes, Blueberries, Raspberries and Vanilla Ice Cream

I am a big list maker. This helps me keep everything in order and not feel overwhelmed. My tip for throwing a party is to be organised, backward schedule and plan your menu so some things can be prepared earlier so you are not stuck in the kitchen the whole time! Not a good place to be when you are hosting a party.

MY PARTY PLANNING TICK LIST

# guest list

# invitations + place cards

# party schedule

# menu planning

# diy preparations for crafternoon

# dividing tasks with husband and the little miss

A craft party whether you are still at school or a retiree is such a great way to celebrate with your girlfriends. You get to chill out, chatter away and end up with something that you made yourslef. Its a win win! I put a call out on facebook and messaged my friends for any old jeans that were ready to be tossed. My idea was to make bags for the girls to decorate. They had a fabulous afternoon laughing, teasing, singing along to pop music and crafting pom poms. On each bespoke denim bag I embroidered the girls initial – they loved their bags and I think it will be something that they will use for many years to come. I even made one for myself!

All the girls left happy with their creative efforts, full bellies and time with their besties. When a party is over it is never really over until the clean up is done. We had a few hours of chill out time before tackling the kitchen and general tidying up. I believe it is important to include the children in this so they value and appreciate the effort and responsibilities when hosting a party. Now, we were ready for party number two that night with Nana and Pa coming to celebrate a very special and sweet young lady who is growing up way too fast.

I will be posting recipes and the crafty diy projects from the PARTY LIKE A PINEAPPLE PARTY very soon.

In all things beautiful,

Lyn xx

ps The true star of the show was my fur baby. He was in heaven with seven girls fawning over him…..I am sure he thought it was his party! Here he is being a good sport. OSCAR we love you xxx

{Party like a Pineapple} DIY everything

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Birthdays and milestones are important to me. On these days time stands still to celebrate an age, a victory or a well earned certificate or acknowledgement for a job well done. They are momentous and they are worth marking in history. Life is filled with challenges, mountains to climb and flags to fly on our mountain to say ‘I made it’! I reached a goal, a dream and I pushed through the hard times and most of all I didn’t give up. I am here and golly gosh I am going to make an occasion of it. The icing on the cake is that you get to invite those that mean the most to you, have supported, encouraged and continued to love you. A party really is about being with the ones you love whether it is with ‘your’ person or a whole ballroom filled with people. It is what you make of it whether it is big or small, grand or humble, home-cooked or catered – my only rule is to have fun!

As an event stylist I have styled many birthdays, weddings and christenings. When it comes to my own celebrations I feel pressure (self imposed) to come up with something fabulous and as a perfectionist I am my biggest critic. There it is I said it that dreaded P word P E R F E C T I O N I S T. It has followed me around like a shadow. I guess it comes with being a creative. Creatives share something so personal in such a public way. Where there are artists you will find art critics. There seems to be a critic and an expert for everything these days and you can find them with a few taps of the keyboard. As I grow older and wiser I realise that perfection is not real. We create our own ideal of what perfect is. There is a lot of truth in the saying beauty is in the eye of the beholder – what is perfect to one may be imperfect to another. I am now kinder to myself and just be the best I can be.

I love the Organic Belvoir Cordials from the UK. My favourite flavour is the Rose and Raspberry just add it to sparkling water for a non alcoholic refreshment.

This was my first attempt at fancy icing. It took forever but was worth all this prettiness. I will do a tutorial on this darling paper bunting to make your next celebration cake extra special. Continuing the bunting theme I sewed fabric bunting in an assortment of fabrics in shades of pink, stripes, polka dots and florals. These little favour boxes are a signature design from my stationery and favour collection at Rosebud Designs. Guests filled these with candy to take home.

These are baby rolls of menthos I recovered in polka dot and striped paper. Tied with strips of fabric cut with pinking shears. 

Who wants a boring bowl of sugared almonds? I gussied these up in little bags, with matching floral, polka dot and striped paper – finished off with a little pink and white striped bow.

Fancy glass jars filled with candy and chocolate in pinks, aquas and whites. Attached to each sweet was a printed tag each one secured with pink and white twine.

I love all things girly and pretty so I could not resist serving high tea at our restaurant. My brother and I designed a high tea menu of savoury and sweet delights to serve for birthday’s, hen’s and baby showers. All this organic goodness was served with fresh pots of tea, cocktails and moscato. I found beautiful Limoges inspired china, white damask clothes and fresh flowers adorned the tables. To complete the look I handmade fabric napkins in an assortment of patterns all in pink of course! With all this beauty I had to have a high tea birthday party with my girlfriends at Agape Organic Restaurant. With the addition of a ‘dress up’ rack of clothes and accessories, a perfume station and a candy bar we were ready to celebrate.

My gorgeous friend Anni Payne from Milk and Honey Photography came along and captured these dreamy images from the day. Anni is the loveliest, calmest, seriously patient and talented photographers in the industry. Believe me you need these virtues as a wedding and portrait photographer. Along with her husband Matthew Duchesne they are award winning photographers and are amongst Australia’s leading wedding photographers. They have an eye for detail and are an amazing team. Their website is so sweet. You must visit it to swoon over the photos or just to see the beautiful illustrations by artist Nikki Catalano.

I encourage you to celebrate the moments, make them magical and memorable with those that bring joy and beauty to your world.

In all things beautiful,

Lyn xx

Polka Dot Bride featured my High Tea Party here. 

{High Tea} Inspiration + Styling + Photography

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This is my spin on the fabric covered boards that usually have the ribbon in a criss cross pattern. I have made them in all shapes and sizes for weddings, christenings and parties. They make a great escort card or DIY photo booth board to peg your instant polaroid photos. I had so much fun styling and shooting these lovelies. These are way too pretty for take away menus and utility bills!

At home I like to lean them against a wall so I can move them around when I want a quick make over. You can cover them in a neutral tone and then add colour with what you dress it with or add a pop of colour, texture or pattern with unique vintage or lightweight upholstery fabrics.

They are great gifts especially for creatives or to decorate a child’s room. The most recent one I made was for my friend Mercedes. She received a jar filled with personal handwritten notes from her two daughters for Christmas – one for each day of the year. What a lovely and thoughtful gift idea for Mother’s Day to receive a reminder everyday from your children how loved and appreciated you are. Love to see what you come up with on instagram with the hashtag #creatingbeautyeveryday and tag @inallthingsbeautiful.

DIY FABRIC COVERED BOARD

MATERIALS

art canvas, width12″ height 16″ depth 3/4″

cover fabric, medium weight 45cm x 55cm

backing fabric 33cm x 43cm (this can be any medium weight fabric or you could glue felt onto the back with a hot glue gun)

3 x 50cm lengths ribbon or cotton binding, width 10mm

35cm cord, with double knots each end (optional)

staple gun

staples

HOW TO

(1) Lay the cover fabric right side facing down on a flat surface and position canvas in the centre of the fabric. Starting from the middle of SIDE A (see the image below) staple the fabric to the wooden frame, then staple another staple each side of the middle staple with a 5cm gap between the staples. Repeat this step on SIDE C – you will need to stretch the fabric so it is taught and has no wrinkles. If you are using a striped or patterned fabric ensure the stripes or pattern in straight. The corners are stapled down after SIDE B and SIDE D have been stapled. 

(2) Starting from the middle of SIDE B staple the fabric to the wooden frame, then staple two on each side of the middle staple with a 5cm gap between the staples. Repeat this step D – stretching the fabric and stapling.

(3) For the corners fold the fabric of SIDE B so it is flush with the canvas edge. Fold the fabric on SIDE A as you would wrapping a present and staple the fabric to the wooden frame. Repeat this on the remaining three corners.

(4) Using the measurements in the above image staple each length of ribbon to the wooden frame. Starting from SIDE D and ending at SIDE B. Ensure that the ribbon is straight before you staple to the frame.

(5) Fold a 2cm seam on all four sides of the backing fabric and using an iron press the fabric. Using the same method as above staple SIDE A and SIDE C – this time stapling the corners and allowing a 1cm allowance from the edge of the canvas. Repeat this on SIDE B and SIDE C.

(6) If you would like to hang your finished board mark 15cm from the top (SIDE A) on both SIDE B and SIDE D. Staple the cord to each side – the knots will keep the cord secure.

In all things beautiful,

Lyn xx

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