Port Wine Magnolia - a homage to one of my favourite flowers

I visited a friends new place this afternoon and they have FIVE Magnolia trees lining their driveway. FIVE! I snuck away just after lunch and took a few quick snaps. They are quite possibly my favourite flower, I hope they make you smile xx

I made these absolutley amazing Green Tea cupcakes using Clipper Green Tea bags and they tasted delicious! This is a must have for your next tea party, however, it is going to be hard to share! Enjoy! 

Green Tea Cupcakes

4 green tea bags

1/4 cup boiling water

125g butter, softened

2/3 cup caster sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1/4 cup milk

Lemon icing

1 3/4 cups icing sugar mixture

10g butter, melted

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Lemon zest, to decorate

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a 12-hole, 1/3 cup-capacity muffin pan with paper cases.
2. Place 2 tea bags in a heatproof jug. Add boiling water. Stand for 5 minutes. Remove and discard bags. Remove leaves from remaining tea bags. Place tea, tea leaves, butter, sugar, eggs, flour and milk in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed for 30 seconds or until combined. Increase speed to medium. Beat for 3 minutes or until pale and thick.
3. Spoon into cases. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre of 1 cake comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Remove cases (optional).
4. Meanwhile, make icing: Place icing sugar and butter in a bowl. Stir in lemon juice until smooth. Spread each cupcake with icing. Top with lemon zest. Stand for 10 minutes or until icing has set. Serve.

Ingredients

Exhibition time

Tanya Crothers is one of many artists participating in the Print Circle Exhibition - Stop Out at Depot Gallery, Danks Street Waterloo until the 27th of August. (Sorry for the late notice, I only just discovered this little gem myself!) Her work really struck me as not only incredibly beautiful, but also something I can very easily imagine hanging in my home. The colours are stunning and it's just so simple and elegant. Below are some examples of her work from previous exhibitions but they should give you a bit of a sneak peek into her style and wonderful use of colour. If you get a chance over the next two days pop in - I promise it's well worth the visit. xx

Beyond the Sticks 2, hand coloured collagraph 

 

Murrah Trees, collagraph

Road to Somewhere 1, hand coloured collagraph

Lifestyle 1, hand coloured collagraph

Fox and Beau's Favourite Finds!

We love our favorite things. And this is our first go at showing you all. So take a look and find out what tickles the fancy of Fox and Beau!

We just love this clutch purse and especially the gorgeous fabric its made of!

This cute little children's coat is perfect for those chilly days!

Who doesn't need an owl and owl-antler tea towel?

Cute vintage patterned tins for the kitchen or laundry

Are you as organised as this? If not, you can be!

Pull out the big guns at your next poker night!

If you're a fan of Alice in Wonderland, we're sure you'll love this print!

For all those that love the geeky things in life.

Amy's favourite! One has been ordered and will arrive on her head soon!

Tea cosy doily coaster anyone?

We've been making things!! - And LOVE it!

So yesterday was a day of stamping. I stamped cards, party bags, tags and envelopes. My favourite stamps are the cute little ones that shine so much love by O-Check designs. The best news to come of this is that we are giving away this little "love" pack as a thank you to all our followers! All you have to do is email us your favourite designer/crafter's name and you could be in the draw to win this! Email us at foxandbeau@gmail.com for your chance to WIN! Oh, and if you could "like" us on www.facebook.com/foxandbeau that would be fab too!

In the pack:

• 5 hand stamped gift tags

• 5 hand stamped envelopes

• 2 hand stamped party bags

Fox and Beau visit Melbourne - Our top places to go!

We under packed our suitcases and set sail to Melbourne. As we arrived, the weather was cold and Katie wanted to find somewhere to exchange money. Why? Because Melbourne is so different to Sydney that it felt like a different country! Contrary to the Melbourne/Sydney rivalry, we couldn’t wait to get walk our little legs up Brunswick and Chapel Street for some much needed shopping and “Fox and Beau” research.

Katie and I posing for our photo shoot.

First stop was Tusk Cafe, for some much needed shopping fuel. This place was amazing! With it’s outdoor seats covered in blankets and overshadowed in heaters, you really pick up on the Chapel Street Vibe.

Awesome vintage bike outside Tessuti Fabrics, Flinders Lane.

Stopping off for a coffee on Degraves St

Shopping along Brunswick St, Fitzroy is a treat! Must go places are Jasper Coffee, Meet me at Mikes and Zetta Florence paper.

Katies husband James was our amazing photographer!

We meandered through Chapel Street Bazaar and had to hold back on the temptation to buy a vintage corningware dish or these two old suitcases for $15!

After dinner we caught a swell jazz gig at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club (Australia's Ronnie Scott's I'll say!)

Lily Black's bar has amazing cocktails and a rather strange bike ornament on their front entrance.

You really value this city for what it is. Melbourne is a place you can get lost in. Every alleyway you walk down, there is something happening, something to look and always somewhere to eat! There are so many artists that really inspired us and we really took away some valuable ideas and trends that we can't wait to share with all of you! Stay tuned for our next "working" holiday. Hmmm... Where shall it be?

It's Tea Time - The Best in the Business

What's the big deal about tea? A lot actually! Tea is the new coffee. I know that is a big statement but everywhere you go today there are High Tea's, Tea shops and Tea times! There are more flavours, and you are more likely to sit down and have a cuppa with nanna rather than a coffee, as they find it brings their blood pressure up!

Anyway, enough dribble and let me tell you some of the best teas on the market. I have had such a delight pouring cuppa's left right and centre for the past week!

First up is Clipper organic Tea. I have tried both the green chai tea & the peppermint teas and they are beautiful! You don't even need to add anything extra as the flavours are just divine by themselves. The tea comes in a pack of 20 unbleached tea bags and you can find them in most supermarkets around Australia.

I love the rustic and recycled packaging for Clipper' Organic Tea!

Another tea that is lovely is the Madame Flavour teas. Not only is the packaging cute and curtsy and the tea tags are initialed in Madame Flavour initials! The best part about Madame Flavour is that you can request a sample pack that comes with a personalised note!

Green Tea, Jasmine & Pear. So delicious with a hint of honey

White Tea with Rose. My nannas favourite!

They also come in a special large gift pack too!

Add a wedge fo lemon, a drop of honey, some ice and mint to make that perfect iced tea!

Patricia Urqiuola - On my wish list

Patricia Urqiuola, a Spanish architect and designer, is on my wish list. I wish I had a piece of her furniture, I wish I could meet her, and I wish I could tap into my own creativity with such success! 

I love the way she has contemporary yet still approachable pieces. The colours that she use are so bright and vibrant and I really think if you had a piece of her furniture in your home not only would it be a fantastic feature, you would use it. Her work is creative, a little bit radical but also functional. It’s a balance that’s hard to find, and I just think Patricia’s got it right. Check out some of my favourite pieces from her below. 

xx