Summer Is In the Air

I can hear the cicadas outside as I'm typing this post.  There's a certain kind of whiff in the air, and it's telling me summer is around the corner. We live right near the beach here in Sydney and although you won't find me basking in the sun, I'm a regular at the ocean pool near by.

As you may remember, I've been on a mission this year to turn my health around, and I've been especially concentrating on my skin. Focusing on eating well, getting enough sleep as well as finding  skincare that works has helped tremendously. I've also tried to remind myself to be more gentle, not just emotionally, but physically as well. 

These super soft Turkish towels feel like a gentle summer breeze on the skin and I am absolutely obsessed with them. They are so soft on my daughter's delicate skin as well and even perfect to use as a light weight blanket for her when she is napping. The best thing is, they get softer and softer the more I use and wash them.

We are enjoying a relaxed and sunny weekend, after returning from a much cooler Melbourne earlier this week. There's a lot of catching up to do, including here on the blog, so stay tuned!

The towels were sent to me as a gift with no strings attached. All opinions are my own. 

Iittala x Finlandia

I was fortunate to attend a special event last week, organised by Finnish brand Iittala, in cooperation with another well-known Finnish icon, Finlandia. The Cocktail Masterclass was held at Blanca Bar & Restaurant at Bondi, co-owned by a Finnish celebrity chef Tomi Bjork. 

                        

Finland is celebrating its 100th year of independence this year, a huge milestone for a small but mighty country of ours! Iittala is honouring the year with a new colour for its iconic Aalto vase, the ultramarine blue. I'm a lifelong fan of Iittala and I think this colour is their best so far! 

The floral displays were extraordinary, echoing the signature blue colour. 

Thank you so much Iittala Australia, for having me. As always, the event was stunningly styled and guests were immaculately looked after.


All photos provided by Iittala Australia. I attended the event as a guest and all opinions are my own. 

Essential Oils - Guest Post by Anita Whittingham

Essential Oils for mums

This is a guest post from doTERRA essential oil leader Anita Whittingham from Anita Whittingham Healthy Habits. Anita is a mum, a high school maths teacher, mindset coach, fit foodie, and essential oils wellness advocate. She is passionate about health and wellness and personal development. In this post she shares her journey into the world of essential oils and will help you to feel more empowered with plant medicine for any mood and ailment. To find out more about Anita or Essential Oils you can follow her on Instagram or Facebook or visit her website.

Anita is also doing a free SpOil yourself event starting Saturday 21st October. You can register on this link. More details at the bottom of the page.

                             

I love essential oils. I have been using them for over a year now and my whole life has changed. I have become the natural healer in our home and essential oils are our first go-to whenever any health issue arises. We also use essential oils to make our own cleaning products and self care products. They have infused our lives with so much love, energy and happiness.

I started using essential oils in May 2016 when my daughter Bella was 8 months old and got her first cold. A friend gave me a blend of oils called EasyAir and within 24 hours of diffusing it and applying it diluted to the bottom of Bella’s feet, her breathing had improved heaps. I then got a Home Essentials kit, incorporated the oils into my daily life and started sharing my experiences.

My journey into the world of cutting out toxins began during our 4 yr struggle with unexplained infertility. I learned about all the different toxins such as phthalates in our cleaning products and personal care products that were wreaking havoc on our hormones. This is when I first started making small changes. Then when essential oils came along I did a happy dance. I was so impressed with how versatile these little bottles of plant magic were and how only 1 drop was needed to see a result.

As a breastfeeding mum when I got a cold last year in April I was hesitant to use cold and flu med’s from the chemist as some can mess up milk supply. I bought some of the meds anyway. The ones that say they are OK for breastfeeding. But they didn’t work. The cold turned into sinusitis. It was the most horrible pain.

Since then when I’ve got a cold (and that’s the worst thing I’ve got since using essential oils) I now just use a combination of immune supporting oils and they are effective at combating it.  

So how do essential oils work? And what are essential oils?

Essential oils are volatile aromatic compounds from plants. I like to think of them as the plant’s immune system. They protect the plant from disease and pests. Essential oils are extracted from plants through either distillation or the rinds of citrus fruit are cold pressed. Depending on the plant, the essential oils may come from the root, leaves, flowers, resin or bark. Being lipid soluble and coming from nature they are able to cross our cell membranes to get inside our cells and work their magic on viruses inside the cell and bacteria outside the cell. Whereas anti-biotics can NOT get inside our cells which is why they are not effective against viruses.

Straight out of high school I did a Science degree so I am loving learning about how essential oils work in the body. It’s absolutely incredible. I love how our bodies have a natural ability to heal itself. I don’t ever claim that essential oils cure, treat or prevent any disease. They simply support our bodies to return to a healthy state.    

How can we use Essential Oils?

Essential Oils can be used in 3 ways.

• Aromatically – in a diffuser, on your pillow case, sprayed in the room, inhaled from a drop in your hands or just simply smelt out of the bottle.
• Topically – placed on pulse points, soles of your feet, as an aromatic dressing all over your body whilst saying positive affirmations or rubbed into muscles, joints or affected body parts.
• Internally  – in your water, cooking or in a empty veggie cap. Please note that all oils are not created equal and it is due to the incredible quality of doTERRA oils that we are able to safely do this.

5 oils every mum needs

Peppermint: This essential oil is so versatile. If I get a headache I rub a drop of peppermint on my temples then wipe my hands across the back of my neck. It’s cooling sensation makes my neck tingle then dissolves any head tension. I haven’t used panadol in over a year. Peppermint is also great for an instant energy boost. Think 3pm slump….. For me that’s when Bella is having her afternoon nap. So instead of laying down for a nap with her after boobing her to sleep, I get up, inhale some peppermint from my hands then smash out a quick workout. Peppermint is so invigorating and opens up my airways. It’s awesome! It’s also great for nausea and supporting digestion. Plus it’s ah-mazing in raw treats and smoothies. Hello choc-mint!!! Yes please.

Lavender: Lavender soothes and calms. It is the swiss army knife of oils. It can soothe and calm the mind so it’s great for sleep support, stress & anxious feelings. And its great to soothe and calm the skin so its perfect for any cuts and scratches, bites, stings and burns. We mix it with Peppermint, fractionated coconut oil and water for an instant sunburn relief spray. We put a few drops in the bath tub with coconut oil to help us wind down and prepare for sleep. I also like adding a drop to our pillows to support a restful nights sleep and I like to diffuse it with Frankincense at night time too. Lavender’s subtle floral scent is relaxing and makes us feel safe and secure.

EasyAir: This is the respiratory blend. It is a proprietary blend of Laurel Leaf, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca (Tea Tree), Lemon and Ravensara. It can be used aromatically in a diffuser or diluted with coconut oil and applied topically to the chest, back or the bottoms of your feet. While it can be used any time of the day, it is commonly used for nighttime diffusion and may assist with a more restful and calming sleep. This is the first doTERRA essential oil I was introduced to so has a special place in our home. We go through this blend a lot. Especially when Bella comes home from childcare with a snotty face.   

OnGuard: This is also called the protective blend. It is a powerful proprietary blend of Wild Orange Peel, Clove Bud, Cinnamon Leaf, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Leaf, and Rosemary Leaf/Flower essential oils that supports healthy immune function* and contains cleansing properties. We like to diffuse OnGuard to kill airborne pathogens especially if one of us is coughing. I also use it as a hand sanitiser and spray Bella’s hands when I pick her up from childcare. I’ve made some delicious bliss balls with OnGuard and sometimes add to popcorn with Pepe Saya cultured butter. We apply OnGuard topically to our feet after a bath to boost our immunity and protect us against environmental and seasonal threats. I also make an ‘immune bomb’ by combining OnGuard with Frankincense, Tea Tree, Lemon and Oregano. At the first sign of a cold I make this Immune Bomb in a veggie capsule and take it internally and I also make the Immune Bomb into a roller bottle with fractionated coconut oil and appy it topically down our spines and across the back of our necks. I also gargle with water and a drop of OnGuard at the first sign of a sore throat to nip it in the bud. doTERRA have used this OnGuard blend to create a range of natural products that we use including toothpaste, laundry liquid, throat drops, beadlets and cleaner concentrate.

Balance: Also called the grounding blend. This is a beautiful blend of oils from trees with deep roots that promotes tranquillity while bringing harmony to the mind and body, and balance to the emotions. I call it the ‘big emotions’ blend. When Bella started childcare earlier this year I applied balance down her spine before drop off to help her process her emotions and ease into this transition. It also gets whipped out in the afternoon if she is having a tough time. Balance is a great oil to diffuse too. Especially for car trips, shopping with kids, family get togethers and other stressful situations. Lots of my mama friends wear it on their wrists as their ‘purefume’. Since discovering that most synthetic perfumes contain pthalates (endocrine disrupting chemicals), I ditched all my department store perfumes and just use essential oils instead. I get daily compliments about how great I smell but that is just a secondary benefit of using essential oils.

So how can you get these oils into your life?

1. Send Anita a message: hello@anitawhittingham.com or connect on social media facebook.com/anitawhittingham or instagram.com/anitawhittingham
2. Join Anita’s upcoming SpOil yourself event where you will get to try these 5 oils for free. Hurry, limited spaces available and conditions apply. More info here.

Recent Favourites

Photo by Dymocks

Happy Monday! 

I thought I'd round up a few favourites and things that have inspired me lately. I'm looking forward to sharing these in a more regular basis, so stay tuned!

This past week I've been reading Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. It is so inspiring! I will try and write a full blog post about this soon.

Photo by Kora Organics

I'm absolutely loving all the Kora Organics products. Not only are they organic and full of goodness for your skin, the packaging is beautiful, too! The Noni Glow Face Oil is my favourite so far, but I'm super curious to try the Noni Glow Food Supplement as well.

If you aren't already, make sure to subscribe to The Healthy Chef newsletters - her posts are so informative and motivating! Thanks to Theresa, I'm already *thinking* of swapping my morning coffee for a cup of matcha or turmeric latte... Her recipes are delicious, I made her Earth Burgers again the other day and they are always a success!

My wish list has been getting completely out of hand lately, but on top of the list is a couple of essential oils and an ultrasonic diffuser for our home. I've been tossing between a few different ones (like this one from Natio or this from Perfect Potion). A friend of mine introduced me to doTerra oils recently and I was immediately hooked! She is going to write a guest post here soon, so more on that later.

October is shaping up to be super busy... I have an exciting event to attend this week, so follow me on Instagram for more photos (and videos) from the event. I don't get to go out very often, so I'm really looking forward to this one.

We are also planning a trip to Melbourne soon. Any recommendations for healthy cafes, shops, things to see? On top of our list is to see Hokusai at NGV, can't miss this one! I've been in Melbourne a few times for work, so I'm excited to spend time exploring the city a bit more.

Wish you a great week ahead!

Revisiting Old Favourites

   

It feels like forever since my food blogging days; always coming up with new recipes, testing, taking photos, creating. Nowadays my cooking is pretty limited and my mother-in-law is incredibly helpful creating beautiful Japanese meals for my husband and our daughter. So I mostly cook for myself (vegetarian meals) and on weekends often bake something as well. Here are a few of my favourite recipes, revisited. You can view the whole recipe index here.

I can't go past a good salad and these are some of my all time favourites

Rich Mineral Salad - amazing with buckwheat, papaya, spinach and fresh herbs. This salad is packed with flavour!

Skin Beauty Salad - full of good oils essential for your skin. I love how simple, yet nutritious this salad is.

Greenlicious Kale Salad - who doesn't love kale? Enough said, this salad is definitely in my top 5 of all time. The simple tahini dressing is to die for.

A few "heartier" meals

Earth Bowl - full or protein to keep you full for longer and I love the addition of pomegranate. Perfect for summer or winter!

Cauliflower curry - I'm normally not a curry-girl, but this is not too oily and it's super fresh.

Red lentil and sweet potato soup - a staple dish I make most weeks, especially in the cooler months.

Another lentil dish! Roasted cauliflower with lentils - perfect hearty meal for winter, I love this one.

The sugar-free coconut granola with almond milk makes a delicious breakfast.

And for a quick snack, these coconut balls are so so addictive. These are also so good to bring along for long trips, as they're packed with energy.

One of my recent favourites has been this banana bread. Works every time without a fail!

Spring is in full swing here in Sydney and we've had some beautiful, warm days. I cannot help, but crave for lighter meals like fresh salads and green smoothies. There are lots of fresh seasonal fruit available as well, making every meal a colourful feast!

A Day in My Life

I'm a creature of habits and love my daily routines. Having a child shuffled those routines up quite a bit, but we've settled into our new routine quite nicely. Here a glimpse of my typical day, if there ever is such a thing.

Morning Routine

I wake up early before anyone else. I start my day with plenty of water and a cup of coffee. I'll spend the time it takes me to sip my coffee to browse social media, news, blogs, etc.

After my coffee I'll start with my skincare routine. On my days off I'll do just the cleansing and moisturising, but leave make up for later. The days that I'm working I'll do my make up and hair as well. By this time my daughter usually wakes up, so I'll get her started with some breakfast and she will watch a bit of TV while I finish getting ready.

If I'm not working I'll squeeze in a 10 minute yoga/stretching routine and after the little one has finished her breakfast we will head out for a walk and a little playtime for a couple of hours.

Lunch Time

I work part-time and at work my lunch break is usually very short. I'll bring my own lunch, like a salad or soup and plenty of fruit, almonds or other snacks for the day.

My husband works from home, so when I'm at home we usually eat lunch together. I'll have a big salad with chickpeas, tofu or salmon.

After lunch I'll make a cup of dandelion tea and get our daughter down for a nap. She will sleep for a couple of hours which leaves me time to catch up on emails, social media, shopping or housework.

Afternoon/Evening

After her nap I'll make her a smoothie with fresh fruit, plain yogurt and manuka honey. We will then head out to play for another couple of hours.

When I'm working I'll drive back home in the afternoon, do a bit of cleaning, take a shower, etc. I'll get my daughter's bath ready, as she often comes back from her play dates sweaty and covered in dust!

We'll have dinner together and watch TV afterwards for a little while. I'll get the little one ready for bed and either stay up a bit longer or head straight to bed myself. Our days are pretty packed with activities, so I'll try to sleep when I can!

I'm aware our "routine" is constantly evolving, as our daughter gets older, starts school, etc. It's nice to know there is a bit of normality in all the chaos and busyness that surrounds us nowadays.

Spring Detox - Home Edition

I've been decluttering our home for the past couple of years, item by item, room by room. I had a lot of props from my food styling days, just gathering dust at the attic. There were piles of cookbooks I had hardly read, dishes, craft supplies and everything else. With the arrival of our daughter, the baby stuff quickly started accumulating, along with toys (although I always kept them at minimum), sentimental items, etc. 

I am and have always been a minimalist and too much stuff gives me anxiety. My husband, on the other hand, is reluctant to part with anything and I am forever trying to find a balance we can both be happy with. 

I love Marie Kondo's approach to decluttering and although my tidying up process started long before I read her books, I was really inspired by her method. It was quite easy to decide what items I wanted to keep and what I donated, sold online or just had to throw out. I kept track of all the items I departed with and it ended up being well over 400 items altogether!

Although I feel the process of decluttering is a continuous one (especially with a child in tow), I have reached a point where I am content with the amount of stuff we own. The whole process made me more conscious about buying new things as well as appreciating the things I really love.

Have you decluttered? I'd love to hear your thoughts - leave a comment here or feel free to contact me via email, on Instagram or Twitter.

Read about my non-toxic cleaning methods here. More green cleaning tips over at Biome.

Back on Track - Diet and Exercise Update

This is part two of my "back on track" updates, after a long hiatus. 

After pregnancy, my diet went from being healthy and balanced to grabbing snacks on the go. I was surviving on caffeine and quick meals and never drank enough water. I also developed some sort of intolerance for a few different ingredients I had been eating daily before having a baby (like some green vegetables and especially eggs). This made my diet even more restricted and I felt trapped in between severe stomach pains and an unbalanced diet. I had tests done for reflux, lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance and gallbladder, but all test results came back normal. I slowly started introducing ingredients back into my diet knowing I could manage the symptoms with some dietary changes. It's been a frustrating journey, but I am feeling almost back to normal now. 

These are still some of my favourite recipes I make frequently

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup I've adjusted this recipe by adding fresh ginger and fresh turmeric.

Green smoothies with kale, lemon, almond milk, papaya, blueberries, etc.

Fresh salads with spinach, tomatoes, avocado, chickpeas, sauerkraut (I love this brand), etc. Sometimes I add tofu or 1/2 a boiled egg for extra protein or cooked sweet potato, green beans with Japanese style sesame seed paste, flaxseed oil, etc. 

I try to eat fish at least once a week, usually salmon with a salad. 

This Soba Salad  is also a favourite. 

As snacks I have dandelion tea with a piece of dark (90% cacao) chocolate, a small handful of almonds or fresh fruit. I've cut down sugar and caffeine, and I drink a lot of water throughout the day!

Getting back on track with my exercise has also been quite challenging. I haven't had the chance to go to the pool every morning like I used to, but I'm determined to get back regularly this summer. I've continued long walks (often with my daughter in a pram) and a short yoga session in the morning just to stretch things out. All in all I finally feel like I'm getting back to my old-self again!

I hope this has been helpful, more updates/news coming up shortly, so stay tuned! 

Back on Track - Skincare Update

I don't really remember having problems with my skin during my teenage years or even in my twenties. After pregnancy, however, all sorts of problems started to surface. Some were clearly hormonal, but also sun damage/pigmentation (that worsened during pregnancy) and just general dullness. Also after pregnancy, my diet went from being super healthy and balanced to eating on the go. Combined with a lack of sleep this resulted in a variety of skin problems, including dryness (from the lack of healthy oils and enough hydration ie. drinking water) and breakouts. In the process I tried and tested quite a few skincare products that probably made my skin even angrier.

Whilst I don't feel like my skin is back to 100% yet, I definitely feel like it has improved and hopefully I've learned a lot in the process. Here are some of the products and tips that have worked for me (sensitive, combination skin with hormonal breakouts).

Morning Routine

I start my day with plenty of water. I haven't given up my morning coffee, but limit my caffeine intake to just one cup per day (rest of the day I drink herbal teas and water). After splashing my face with cold water I apply eye cream (I've been using this one lately and really love it), then B3 serum (from this brand) and 10% AHA lotion (this one). On the days I'm not working and spending time outdoors, I will also use sunscreen (this one from Skinstitut has been really great). For work I apply make up on top of the AHA lotion. I'm still trying to perfect my make up routine, but have really loved the powder foundation from Nude by Nature (this one).

Evening Routine

I love using my konjac sponge to cleanse my skin in the evening (similar sponges here). I've tested a few cleansers (including this from Skinstitut and this from Arbonne) and whilst both are great at removing make up, I find using them every day can be too harsh on my skin. After shower I repeat eye cream, B3 and AHA lotion and add moisturiser as well (this one is really affordable and suitable for sensitive skin). I have been using the Kora Organics Noni Glow Face Oil for about a week now and it has been amazing - highly recommend!

I am obviously not a professional beautician, but with the Health Coach training, I covered the basics of healthy skin and how to care for it. I hope some of this has been helpful and I'd love to hear your tips and recommendations if there are any!

This post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own. 

Back on Track

It feels like forever since the last time I wrote a blog post, so I'm not even sure where I should start. Whether it's the spring in the air or just life settling in to some kind of a routine, I am feeling more energised, motivated and inspired than in a long time. I've revamped my skin care routine, exercise and diet and I feel like I'm finally back on track. I will try and write individual, updated posts on each of these subjects, if anyone is interested! You can find me on Twitter and Instagram and please feel free to ask if you have any questions!

Before I take time to write proper posts on each of the subjects, here's a little snapshot of what's been happening.

Skincare

I've been through some serious skin problems since pregnancy and have really struggled to settle in a skincare routine that works. Unfortunately there has been a lot of trial and error, and a lot of money wasted on products that didn't work for me. Recently I've been loving  Neostrata and Skinstitut products, never experiencing any problems with either. One I'm really curious to try is the range by Kora Organics, especially their Noni products.

Diet

After pregnancy I fell into a new-parent-trap of surviving on very little sleep and quick (bad) food choices. As a result, my skin took a real beating, I had no energy and overall felt really unhealthy. In hindsight, I should've taken better care of myself in the process, but I've always been "all or nothing" kind of a girl and my child was the first priority. As I started returning to my daily green smoothies, fresh salads and proper meals, my health (and energy levels) started to recover. I will post a few recent favourite recipes very soon, so stay tuned!

Exercise

The sun is out and I cannot wait for the water to warm up so I can hit the outdoor pool again! Until then I am doing a daily yoga routine just to stretch things out and long walks 3-4 times a week. My work can be pretty active, so on the days I work I don't necessary feel like doing any exercise. In the summer time I will still try to do a few laps in the pool either before or after work.

I will work on more posts and photos later this week, so see you in a bit!

Hello, long time no see!

If there is anyone out there who still remembers me, my apologies for the long silence! There are so many things to catch up on, and I can't guarantee I will blog very regularly, but here I am.
Follow me on Instagram for more regular updates and I will be back soon, I promise!

Afternoon Fika, Courtesy of IKEA

It is hard to imagine many things more gratifying than a cup of good coffee with freshly baked cinnamon bun (or pulla, as we call them in Finland). It would be wrong for me to say IKEA's cinnamon buns are as good as the ones my mum makes, but they come pretty close! And there was just no way I was going to make them myself, it has been too hot for such marathon baking. These buns take just 15 minutes in the oven, which is a perfect amount of time to brew some coffee, toss some chocolates in a bowl and set up a lazy Sunday afternoon tea. Bliss! 

The New Nordic Diet & IKEA 2/3

I am continuing my IKEA collaboration series with yet another super simple recipe. These bite sized avocado and gravlax wraps make a great party food, but also a delicious lunch. Instead of using the soft thin bread as a wrap, you could also use dark bread (cut up in small pieces, if used as finger food, of course) or a combination of both! The combination of avocado and gravlax is quite mellow, so you may want to considering offering a dab of mustard and dill sauce alongside. This is such a quick and easy recipe idea even if guests are already on their way! 

Avocado and Gravlax Wraps

(makes 20-25 pieces)

soft thin bread, thawed 

gravlax (marinated salmon), thawed

2 avocados

fresh dill, to serve

mustard and dill sauce, to serve

1. Peel the avocados and remove the seeds. Mash the avocados with a fork. 

2. Spread some avocado on a piece of thin bread and top with 2-3 slices of gravlax. 

3. Wrap the bread into a roll and cut to bite sized pieces. Decorate with fresh dill and serve with mustard sauce. 

The New Nordic Diet & IKEA

I am so excited to be teaming up with IKEA to promote the Nordic diet in Australia. Ever since I started this blog back in 2009, I have been doing my bit to help spread the word about the Scandinavian way of eating. Time and time again, I have mentioned the health benefits of a traditional Nordic diet, which includes plenty of seafood, game meat, wild berries and mushrooms and other fresh, seasonal ingredients. There is so much goodness packed into the cornerstones of the Nordic diet that it is about time we start taking real action towards making it familiar to the larger public. 

We all know how ingenious IKEA is in its approach to furniture, and I've always been impressed by their selection of Nordic food as well. I love finding familiar ingredients and I always stock up on a few key products for our home: different types of herring to have with knackebrod, lingonberry jam to have with pretty much everything and those handy bread mixes for long weekend breakfasts. 

In this three part series "The New Nordic Diet & IKEA", I'll share recipes using some of those ingredients found at IKEA. I'm starting off with a traditional salmon soup. This is a great dish for the cooler autumn nights we're heading towards. It's simple food and quick to prepare. If you're keen to make it that extra bit healthier, just leave out the cream and make a clear soup instead. Add seasonal vegetables like carrots and swede, and use fresh herbs for flavour. Knackebrod with cheese is a perfect companion for the soup. I can't even imagine having it without some on the side.

Creamy Salmon Soup

(serves 4)

1 litre of water or fish stock

10-15 whole peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) salt

1 onion, finely chopped

6-7 potatoes, peeled and cut to chunks

500g salmon fillet, cut into bite sized pieces

300ml cream

a whole bunch of dill, finely chopped

knackebrod, to serve

cheese, to serve

1. Add water or stock, peppercorns, salt and onion to a large casserole. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. 

2. Add potatoes and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are half-cooked.

3. Add salmon and simmer on low heat for a further 10-15 minutes or until the fish has cooked through. Finally add cream and let the soup come to a boil. Turn off the heat, add chopped dill and serve with knackebrod and cheese.

A Bright Idea for a Good Cause

Have you seen IKEA's latest campaign? 

Together with UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), IKEA is helping to give the gift of light by providing refugee camps in Asia, Africa and the Middle East with solar-powered street lights and lanterns – making them a safer, more suitable place for the families who live there.

As part of IKEA’s Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign, for every LEDARE light bulb purchased in IKEA Australia stores between February 01 and March 28, IKEA will donate €1 to refugee camps.

Don't you just love it when big companies give back! 

To help spread the word, please download the Brighter Lives activity sheet, print it out and colour it in. Get your children involved and educate them as well! I would love to see your pictures, so make sure to tag Scandihome on Twitter or Instagram and use hastag #IKEABrighterLivesForRefugees . 

Treehotel

Oh the Treehotel! Just look at the stunning details (complete with the woollen Design House Stockholm rug that has been on my wishlist for so long!) of this unique hotel located a mere 3 hours from my home town. I need to book a night or two there next time I'm at the Arctic Circle!

Life in Style

I am filled with inspiration after spending the day at Life in Style here in Sydney. So many great vendors with beautiful new products! I especially loved seeing so much Scandinavian design available, even some Finnish products! 

These cool Arch:You concrete houses were one of my absolute favourites today. There was definitely a lot of marble, concrete and copper everywhere, and to my delight quite a bit of dusty pink and leather details as well. Those two will have to make an appearance in my home in not too distant future. 

Graphic By D

I am absolutely in love with this Light Stones IV print from Graphic By D. It brings the much needed change in to our living area and fits the space perfectly. Go check out the other prints on Dorothee's website, there are heaps of different styles and colours available. I am planning a few more small changes here and there, so stay tuned!

I am off to Life in Style this weekend. Looking forward to seeing some new-to-me vendors and products, but most of all getting tons of inspiration on the way. Have a great weekend everyone!

From My Office

A rare moment of peace in my "office". A Saturday afternoon well spent catching up on emails, blog posts and whatnots. I hope you are having a lovely Valentine's Day where ever you are!

1st

We celebrated our daughter's first birthday this weekend. How time flies!

Have a lovely week everyone!