How To Buy Solar (as painlessly as possible)

Without a doubt, solar is the cleanest, cheapest form of electricity and we are entering a long overdue Renewables Revolution. I don’t want confusion to slow us down, so I'm sharing my top straightforward, non-technical, insider tips for How To Buy Solar (as painlessly as possible)!

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

Stylish Kids: eeni meeni miini moh

You can't write about children's fashion in Australia without writing about award-winning Brisbane super-label eeni meeni miini moh.

Eeni meeni's so-soft outfits for little ones are in dreamy muted tones (in edible colours like mushroom pink, milk chocolate, lychee, biscuit, marshmallow, and mud pie), printed with sweet naive figurative drawings and the signature eeni meeni stamp. The collections are primarily created from natural fibres and the company has a commitment to social responsibility. The brand has attracted international attention with children of celebrities such as Naomi Watts and Cate Blanchett recently spotted wearing the label.

Apart from apparel, the eeni meeni miini moh team also create collections of bedlinen, toys and accessories for children 0-12 years. You can find eeni meeni miini moh products all over the world and on the eeni meeni miini moh eBoutique. Sign up as a VIP customer on the website to receive a $5 gift voucher for your child's birthday to spend at the eBoutique.

Elizabeth O'Connor-Cowley, the creative force behind eeni meeni miini moh, has also recently launched a contemporary lifestyle brand for 'big people' called article:®. Textile article: is a collection of limited edition lifestyle products created from natural renewable resources. Paper article: includes paper-based products derived from either recycled paper or plantation timber. See the article: site for a list of stockists, and ordering details.

For more kids fashion, check out Bondville Kids. And shop online for kids fashion from great stores in the Australian Online Kids and Baby Store Directory.

Image: eeni meeni miini moh

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

Mod Oz Barbie

We recently had a great Sunday afternoon Barbie at our friend Cate and Marcello's place and I was very inspired by the formal dinner-in-the-yard theme. The kids were happy on a picnic blanket close by, and had fun picking flowers from the garden to add to the place settings. Much more elegant than crowding around a teak outdoor setting (although those kind of BBQ's are great in their own right). This was very grown-up. And how about the fabulous vintage table and chairs? Very Real Living magazine-inspired I thought.