Our New Blog Site!

Hello lovely blog readers!

We just wanted to let everyone know that our blog has moved in with our website and will no longer be residing here.

Here is the address of our new home www.abodeandbod.com.au/blog

Elk Giveaway!

Scratch Dot Scarf Giveaway!
Today on the blog we have a great winter giveaway from the lovely guys and girls (and Grover) at Elk Accessories. The scratch dot scarf (pictured below) would be a great addition to any winter wardrobe. Keeping you warm (and stylish) on a cold winters day.
Just pop over to our facebook, like our page and then leave a comment to be in with a chance! Drawn on Saturday 16th July...

Elk Accessories is the creation of Head Designer Marnie Goding (pic) and her husband Adam...and recent addition, baby Willow.

Elk kindly sent us some info about the brand so we can share the (our) Elk love with everyone...

"Elk is designed in Melbourne and manufactured across the globe using fine, raw materials. We are really proud to produce beautiful, affordable products using natural materials and ethical manufacturing. We work with small family owned factories in some of the poorest parts of the world providing their employees with safe, sustainable work. And Elk is a proud ambassador for Unicef as a Platinum Champion for Children

Our design philosophy is to create products with stylish simplicity. We are not governed by trends preferring to design on our own terms. Our colours reflect Scandinavian palettes and our aesthetic is classic. We love what we do and who we work with, Elk is a labour of love and we are proud to be an Australian company sending our designs all over the world to a growing legion of Elkaholics!"

We always stock a large range of Elk jewellery, handbags, scarves and wallets in-store. We are also very excited about the range for Summer 2012...our fave collection yet!



The Finders Keepers

This Weekend at the Old Museum!

The wonderful Finders Keepers markets are on again this fair weekend at the Old Museum, Bowen Hills.

The dynamic Sydney duo behind these fab markets has brought together an amazing array of local crafty types, who produce some pretty amazing stuff.

What we love about it is that most of what is on offer is lovingly handmade and handcrafted in bedrooms and workshops (aka. the living room) around Brisbane and Australia for those who have travelled from far away places to be there this weekend.

If you're impartial to a bit of local, handmade product love then The Finders Keepers markets is for you!

Otto & Spike

                      via The Finders Keepers

 Lollypop Scarves

Otto & Spike are Melbourne based, family run knitwear brand

that manufacture their wonderful wares in their factory in Brunswick.

Using skills honed after 45 years in the industry, Otto & Spike use Australian and New Zealand surplus lambswool, and strive to be as friendly to the planet as they can.

We have a selection of very cosy scarves and beanies for winter and are awaiting some hot waterbottle covers, tea cosy's and beautiful blankets...luckily we have been feeling the chill in Brisbane of late, so we can get some wear out of our winter woollies!

Winter Wardobe Promotion

The winner will be announced this Friday 17th June!

The Winter Wardrobe winner will be announced this Friday 17th of June, so there is still a few days left to do some winter shopping!
All original full-priced clothing is now discounted by 20% and shoes by 25% so there are plenty of bargains to be had!

Join Us on Facebook

Palm Beach Collection Giveaway!

This week we have another fabulous giveaway thanks to the wonderful brother and sister duo behind Palm Beach Collection.

Inspired by a childhood growing up on Sydney's Northern Beaches, the Palm Beach candle range is made from eco-friendly soy wax and essential oils and alcohol-free reed diffusers.

Proudly family owned and made in Australia the Palm Beach range has more than 20 incredible fragrances, with more due for release in 2011.

To go in the draw, simply leave a comment over on our facebook page before 4pm on Saturday, 4th June.

The winner will take home an 80 hour candle in a fragrance of their choice.

My heart wanders....

My heart wanders is Pia Jane Bijkerk's latest book.

It details her life journey so far, from a childhood abroad, to life and love in Paris and Amsterdam, and back again to Sydney.

Stylist and Photographer Pia has shot beautiful photographs of her apartment in Paris and her houseboat in Amsterdam that are scattered throughout the book amongst musings of inspiration on how to 'take risks, and make a home wherever you are.'

A great book with which to curl up on the couch, cup of tea in hand, and get lost in the charm of her adventure.

Polli + Giveaway!

This weeks blog feature is on one of our FAVOURITE jewellery labels at abode & bod, and we are giving one lucky reader the chance to win a pair of 'Doily' earrings from Polli's stainless steel range. Simply leave a comment at the bottom of the page or on our facebook to go in the draw.

Winner will be announced on the blog and on facebook on Saturday 21st May, so make sure to check back to see if you've won!

Polli is an Australian jewellery and homewares label made up of designer duo Maja Roset and Tess Lloyd, and their creative team.

   Their amazing workspace is situated inside a character      filled, old warehouse in Sydney's Annandale. High exposed beamslend a very industrial feel to the space, but lots of natural light and very organised work 'zones' make for a creative and harmonious workplace!

Polli HQ

Herb Garden @ Polli HQ

 

Inspirational Mood Board

'Crochet' Earring

GIVEAWAY... 'Doily' Earring

Polli also operate as a 'low CO2' company with a very strong social conscience, running their business based on some very (enviable) principles. We would all be so lucky to work in such an environment!

At Polli HQ, use of natural light and energy is paramount, and everyone walks or cycles to work where possible. A big communal lunch, made from organic ingredients (and herbs from the herb garden) is prepared for everyone to share, reducing packaging and waste (someone even takes the vege scraps home to compost). Polli products are manufactured locally, supporting local industry and reducing carbon emissions in freight.

All in all, they are a super wonderful company, making beautiful and ethical local jewellery. Whats not to love?

Bemboka Blankets

  Curl up on the couch this winter with a cosy Bemboka fleece blanket. They   come in a great range of natural colours, and are perfect for cold nights on the couch, or an extra layer of warmth in bed.

They wash amazingly well- machine washable and you can even put them in the dryer. A great gift idea for the person who has everything!

Winter Warmer

Now that the weather is cooling down, (mighty fast can we add) we thought we'd share a hearty recipe for a cool winter's night from Ross Dobson's Wholefood Kitchen cookbook.

Smoky Bean and Lamb Casserole

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

500g lamb shoulder meat, cut into large chunks

2 tablespoons butter

2 white onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon Spanish smoked paprika

200g dried haricot beans

2x400g tin chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato puree

small handful chopped flat leaf parsley

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

lemon wedges, to serve

Heat the oil in a large, flameproof casserole set over high heat.Add the lamb and cook for about 5 minutes, turning often so the pieces are evemly browned all over. Remove from the pan and pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the oil.

Add the butter to the casserole. When butter is sizzling, add the onions, garlic, bay leaf and thyme leaves and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until the onion has softened and the herbs are aromatic.

Stir in the paprika and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the beans, tomatoes and tomato puree. Return the lamb to the casserole and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook at a low simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the lamb and beans are very tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Vegetarian Option: Omit the lamb and add a 400g tin of chickpeas or brown lentils. Reduce the cooking time to one hour.

Happy Cooking!

Mathias Paris

Now in store

Mathias Paris Fragrances and Scented Candles

Stunning glass candles inspired by 18th Century Venetian glass,

the beautiful 'Les Jardins' range is influenced by life in the French countryside.



Website Progress!

Photoshoot Sneakpeek!

Although it has taken a while to get to this point we are so excited to share with you some sneaky peek photos from our website photoshoot earlier this week.

It was a long day of styling and shooting but well worth it.

Photographer Mark Edmonds from Walker & Finch photography was our wonderful photographer for the day, and helped us to capture lots of great, evocative scenes!

So we now have lots of beautiful images to share with you once the website goes live!(very soon). We'll keep you updated!

Discovery!

EMILY GREEN....

These are just a selection of the incredible colourways available!

Recently featured on The Design Files, Emily Green

is the creative behind these beautiful handmade necklaces.

Based in Melbourne, Emily creates her wares in her home studio and also has bunch of cool, geometrically inspired brooches too! All available from her etsy store, Made by Emily Green

Designs by NATALIA

Resin bangles in beautiful colours. We want them all!

Luckily we will be stocking Designs by Natalia in the very near future!

life instyle 2011



lots of new products and designs on offer this year!

Definetly an emphasis on more bespoke, hand-crafted and recycled goodies. Its great to see!

life instyle 2011

page thirty three @ life instyle

Metalicus A/W 2011