Get a Mo on!

Calling all gentlemen! Movember is here and Fox and Beau want to contribute to a great cause. Join our Fox and Beau competition for best Movember Mo! All you need to do is send us a before and after image at the end of the month to show us your progress. All photos will be posted online for your mo-ment of fame AND we will contribute $5 for the best 20 genuine entries to Movember Australia. So what are you waiting for? Get a Mo on!

Email us at info@foxandbeau.com.au if you are keen! All final photos must be submitted 29/11/2011.

Hint, hint....

Just a quickie to drop you a (not so subtle) hint for one of the ideas we have for the infamous up and coming month. Stayed tuned, it's going to be awesome!

Image from mien magazine - thanks guys!

Ahhhhh...dreamy white interiors

I know that here at Fox and Beau we are strong advocates of colour. It's true, we do love it. But that isn't to say neutrals can't also be amazing. The beauty of neutrals, I think, is that they allow the raw materials to show through beautifully; and other details as well, like plaster decorative ceilings, or stunning window frames. Personally, I can't even pick a favourite...

All three images courtesy of Marion W-d over at Pinterest. What style!

Plate up

Fox and Beau love to entertain. Fox and Beau love to eat. So it's no surprise that here at Fox and Beau we also love table settings, and on a finer note, awesome plates and crockery. It may not be something you think about all the time, it may not be on the top of your priority list, but I'm not sure I'd believe it if you told me none of these tickled your fancy!

All that colour, fabulous!

This and the above image from Coco and Kelly. I just LOVE them. 

You can buy this gem at Monster Threads 

From left to right: buy these goodies at Kate Spade for Royal Doulton, Royal Albert China, and Ruby Star Traders

Cocktail Time! Summer Flowers and Elderflowers

This cocktail is absolutely decadent! I was lucky enough to have a few of them last night and the girl behind the bar filled me in on the inside ingredients. I couldn't thank her enough. It just reminded me of summer and how close it is approaching. It reminded me of sweet flowers and soft grass and picnics with friends... Okay, I'm getting carried away. Here it is!

Elderflower Syrup Cocktail

1 shot of Elderflower Syrup

1 shot of good gin

2 thick lemon slices - one to squeeze and one to garnish

250ml chilled soda water

Pack your glass with ice. Pour in the syrup and gin and squeeze one lemon slice over. Stir and top off with chilled soda water. Sip through a straw and enjoy!

A few little extras to help that cocktail go down. Use some gorgeous tiles for coasters,
decorate your cocktail with these different patterned paper flags and find a nice
summer spot to enjoy your drink with a bunch of pals!

African Feeling

I love, and I can't stress that enough, L.O.V.E the Alexander McCall Smith novel series, The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency. I am making my way through the twelve novels (I'm up to nine) and I've recently started watching the series on ABC and I am, hook line and sinker, hooked. Apart from all the other things I love about it, the African style that you see is just mind blowing. And it's got me thinking - it's time to break out of beige and embrace some colour. And not just one colour an array of colours. Mix it up - as long as it's bright you're alright in our books!

Buy these darling cushions at Safari Fusion.

And these two inspiring interiors we found over at Coco and Kelly...

South African artist Clinton Friedman just knows interiors perfectly. His work is stunning.
You can by his cushions here.

2012 calendars and diaries - get shopping ladies!

This is one of our favourite times of the year - planning your planning for the year to come! Picking a diary and calendar is something we take very seriously here at Fox and Beau. It's a treasured item you'll look at every day next year, at least once. That's at least 365 views. Minimum. You want to be looking at something pretty, at something gorgeous, and something down right ah-mazing. Here's what a few of our faves are offering, is there a winner here for you?

This beauty is Frankie Magazine's calendar. Not sure I can go past this one....

Beautiful handmade dairies from My Handbound Books - check out all their goodies!

Journal and desk calendar from Kikki K. Love them.

Buy this totally rad perpetual calendar by Constellation and Co over at Felt and Wire 

Balcony design inspirations - what is one to do?

I've been searching blogs high and low for great balcony decorating ideas - our balcony is in desperate need of a make over (watch this space) and I'm trying to figure out what to do. I've been thinking astro turf could be a really fun and exciting choice (yes, I know it would be kitsch - I've already found the place to by my plastic garden flamingos). And then I think I want something beautifully crafted with decking and luscious planting, a proper grown up space. And then of course there's my love of succulents so maybe a succulent, arid style balcony would work well? Oh the choice. What do you think? 

This is my mini mood board for the super kitsch balcony space - look at that colour!
Images from The Cool Hunter, furniture from Emu and buy your fabulous flamingos here

This is the design that keeps beckoning me to be a grown up with a sophisticated space. Beautifully designed by the Sydney Landscape design agency Spirit Level 

And these succulent gems are all from Flora Grubb Gardens - what an inspiration!

Meet Pip - She's super amazing!

In case you don't know who Pip Lincolne is. Let us fill you in. Pip has a cute, crafty and creative store in Fitzroy, Melbourne that warms your heart when you see all the beautiful collections she has to show off. You see, Pip is also an author of some of Fox and Beau's favourite and inspirational books including "Meet me at Mike's", "Sew La Tea Do" and her newest, which unfortunately we haven't gotten our mittens on yet "Make Hey!"

Pips newest book "Make Hey!" is available from readings.com.au

"Make Hey!" has lots of new and cute ideas for the avid crafter!

If you ever want to know how to sew cute little kids pants or make an "Oh my PJ bag" for your little one, Pip's books are the way to go. Full of colour, trinkets and most of all inspiration, she is what we would call iconic in the craft industry, someone that Katie and I look up to, and hopefully, just one day, we'll get to meet Pip, while sitting around eating decadent cupcakes and sewing our little hearts out.

Keep updated with Pip's happenings on http://meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/

Keep it up Pip! We LOVE your work!

A Friday evening cocktail, with a twist of travel...

Before we sign off for the weekend I wanted to share this amazing recipe for the Siam Sunray. What a fabulous combination of things I love:
1) Travel through South East Asia, and 
2) Cocktails! 
And given the sun has finally decided to show its face here in Sydney what better way to celebrate than with Thailand's new national drink! But get in quick people, the rain is forecast to return....

Image and recipe from Food Gwaker and Asian Skies

                                                    Siam Sunray Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients


* 30ml Vodka 
* 30ml coconut liqueur
* 15ml syrup 
* 1/4cm of a sweet Thai Chilli
* 3 slices (julienne) of ginger 
* 1 Kaffir lime leaf 
* 3 Slivers of lemon grass
* A generous squeeze of lime juice 
* Soda water 


Method


* Crush the chilli, ginger, Kaffir lime leaf and lemon grass


* Add syrup, lime juice and vodka and shake well


* Strain into a glass with ice, top up with soda water and garnish with chilli, lemon grass and lime. 


And that is not only the taste of Thailand, but the taste of summer!

Waking up is easy... If you have a beautiful Bedroom!

It's getting harder and harder to wake up each day. We are working longer hours, socialising more and just not enjoying our homely surroundings. Well, at Fox and Beau, we believe it is very important to enjoy your sleeping space and make it somewhere that's cosy and sweet. Here is some inspiration for you. Enjoy!

Decorating up your bed with a colourful throw adds that extra bit of comfort to your sleeping area.

Light colours and florals are such a bright emphasis to a dull duvet.
Even your grans crochet blanket is a nice touch! 

You can add a new dimension to your walls with a quirky decal or wallpaper.

Some exciting news coming up!

Well, to be honest this is a little more of secret squirrel than a what’s new hurrah, but we’re just too excited to keep it completely under wraps… We’ve been working hard over the last few months here at Fox and Beau and will soon be able to share the fruits of our labor. Have I said too much? Is that cryptic enough? In any case, WATCH THIS SPACE!

It's Beach Time! - Fox and Beau's Beach BBQ Inspiration!

It has been such a temperamental winter here in Australia, one day you can be dusting off your bathers and beach towel on a 26 degree day, only to walk out the door and have it rain and blow a chilly gale under your new sundress.

This year, we have found some of the loveliest beaches to visit in Australia, the best accessories and beach entertaining that will make your beach barbecue the best ever!

Country Road produce some gorgeous beach towels for under $70.

If you are having a beach BBQ Party, decorate it up with some paper decorations and
produce your utensils in an old vintage suitcase that you can get from Vinnies.

Beautiful bright yellow screen printed napkins and metal picnic cups from Ruby Star Traders.

You can buy Biodegradable cutlery made from balsa wood and multicolured plastic wine glasses.
They look so much better than those boring clear glasses! Also, paper straws add a little quirkiness to your drinks!

Fox and Beau's Favourite beaches!

Wategos Beach- One of the most popular up near Byron for a reason, it's beautiful! A nice flat beach with a bundle of happy tourists. Make sure you walk there from Byron Bay main beach, the view is amazing!


Hungry Head, NSW- A beautiful long beach on the mid north coast of NSW. Around September/October The beach is usually nice and quiet, you'll have it all to yourself.

Flynns Beach - Port Macquarie produces some beautiful cove beaches. I was lucky to stay right next to Flynns Beach on the weekend and even on a stormy day the water was crystal blue!

Whale Beach, NSW- A local favourite of Amy at Fox and Beau. There are plenty of BBQ's, good atmosphere and a coffee shop, in case you need that little pick me up.


Noosa Main Beach, QLD - On a summers night, a dusk dip on Noosa main beach is lovely. After walking down from the rainforest boardwalk, all you want to do is refresh yourself in the beautiful pink reflected water.

Wattamolla Beach, NSW - Perfect on a quiet day off. This beach is so small and secluded, you really only want to share it with your closest. Avoid it on a hot summers day and public holiday, but when you do go, you'll never want yo leave!

Unfortunately we haven't had the pleasure of experiencing the beautiful beaches on the west coast of Australia, but please if you have any suggestions feel free to comment below!