4th birthday dinosaur party

It poured with rain all day for William's 4th birthday party but that didn't stop the delight of a dinosaur party! There were party hats, dinosaur jellies, pizza sticks, popcorn, a dinosaur piñata and an amazing dinosaur excavation dig birthday cake to enjoy. William's Mum Vanessa shares with us her tips and tricks for a four-year-old boys' dinosaur birthday party...

Party: William’s 4th Birthday
Organised by: Vanessa, William’s mum
Location: At home, Sydney
Theme: Dinosaurs

Donna Hay macaron packet mix

Well, Masterchef helped a lot, but it seems that macarons really have hit the bigtime. Check out my post about macarons back here in 2008 when I thought they might take over from cupcakes. I still think they are a bit less accessible than a cupcake (hence my prediction of the whoopie pie here!), but they are enjoying the spotlight nonetheless.

Donna Hay was super-clever to be the first to bring out a macaron packaged mix to help those of who are intimidated by Adriano Zumbo to take the leap. Have you tried it yet? Clare from mondocherry did an amazing job. As did the product tester at taste.com.au.

I might try adding a few drops of raspberry juice for my big girl's birthday party in September (yes the planning has begun!). Will keep you posted...

You can find Almond Macaron with Chocolate Filling packet mix by Donna Hay in the Donna Hay online store, the Donna Hay General Store in Sydney, as well as various supermarkets.

Image: Donna Hay

Donna Hay General Store now open

After 3 years in the making, the very special Donna Hay General Store in Sydney has now opened its doors. It's been a long-time dream of Donna's to collect all her favourite things together in one store. You can now find gifts and goodies from around the world for your home and kitchen in this beautiful restored 1839 sandstone terrace in tony Woolhara.

I worked at donna hay magazine for a while and learned a lot about keeping true to your brand essence. It's this brand essence - a considered, beautiful lifestyle - that Donna has maintained through her magazine, cook books, range of food, homewares, and now her concept store.

The Donna Hay General Store stocks special gifts and indulgent treats including ceramics, glassware, letterpress stationery, hand-knitted baby gifts, household cleaners and scents, and hand-poured candles. I'm particularly excited about the in-store confiserie, serving up a daily spread of macarons, chocolate truffles, meringues and caramels.

The Donna Hay General Store is located at 40 Holdsworth St, Woolhara, NSW and is open from 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday. For some great insights into the development of the store, check out Siobhan's interview with Donna Hay on Far Out Brussel Sprout.

Images: Donna Hay

Cool Websites: donna hay

I was thrilled to see that the donna hay website has been completely revamped and looks fantastic! The cool, crisp design is reflective of the donna hay style which has been a pioneering force in the modern Australian lifestyle (simple, beautiful food enjoyed by friends in a relaxed but gorgeous environment).

I'm also really excited about the functionality of the new site. There is a huge recipe database with over 400 recipes (along with the gorgeous donna hay signature style photography). You can now search for recipes by ingredient, season or occasion. There are also styling tips, seasonal menus, magazine updates, and an online shop where you can get all the latest donna hay books and merchandise.

Check out the new site for your dinner planning tonight, and while you are there, sign up for the donna hay newsletter which promises kitchen tips, updates, special offers and exclusive recipes.

P.S. Fill in the survey about the new site and you could be in the running to win a $600 Jo Malone prize pack.

Image: donna hay