roll out those lazy hazy crazy days of summer

One of our goals this summer is to enjoy all that this season has to offer - eating that fresh cold summer fruit, jumping in the pool, running around barefoot, sipping cool drinks with fancy straws and spending some lazy hazy days at the beach. Because sometimes, we just get so busy with life and sometimes, well sometimes we just forget! We are so very lucky to live close to some of the very best beaches here on the Coast and I really feel like we should take advantage of that more often. Saturday was just one of those perfect lazy hazy blissful days of summer. Cue this song and sweet memories of my grandpa playing the Nat King Cole version many times through my childhood :) It started off with a slight sleep in (mmmm) and brunch at a seaside cafe with Morgan's sister Paige (all I can say is chilli jam -wow!) and then lots of girl time shop browsing (we didn't buy anything) of some really cute and creative stores at our seaside town of Terrigal. Then home to float around in the pool and enjoy a fresh lunch outside with my in laws. That afternoon we decided to head down to Towoon Bay with snacks in hand to spend a lazy afternoon swimming eating and spending time with friends. It was perfect. Paige and I made Katie's apple, ginger and cranberry cocktail to take down with us and I also made a prawn salsa. Our friends Luke and Katty bought some super yummy imported cheese. It was simply blissful. What are some of your most favourite summer-to-dos?

paige's twenty first post #5

Sorry guys, I'm still not done posting about Paige's Twenty First, but I hope you are enjoing these posts as much as I am posting them. This post is dedicated to the drinks and food :)

We did all the drinks and cocktails ourselves (well our very lovely 'city cousins' Aaron and Jesse
made and served all our drinks and cocktails). I seem to remember they made and served all the drinks for our engagement party too! You can find the cocktail recipe here (we have made it for various events and parties and it is yummy!) Here's what we served:

I love how this drink station turned out - and it was all free too! The drink dispensers were borrowed from my friend Kate (who purchased them for her wedding last Nov - photos to come soon!), the dresser is from Paige's bathroom, the place mats are our every day set and I found that cute chalkboard on the side of the road!!

For the food we hired Eden Catering and I can't say enough about Ailish and her lovely husband's service, presentation and general friendliness - they were such a pleasure to work with. Having catering was such a blessing as it left us with more time to you know decorate, took the stress away from my mother-in-law and it made the party feel that much more special. Oh AND they even did the washing up to even though we didn't use their plates! Yeah they are kinda awesome!

all photos by Kelle Walsh: http://www.kelleewalsh.com/

paige's twenty first post #4

The dessert buffet.

it's true, my mother-in-law pretty much rocks the dessert scene around here and she helped me put together this dessert table for the party. Here is what we served:

We bought the profiteroles from a local bakery but the mini berry pies and strawberry fluff (A Nanna Ayling recipe) was made by Morgan's mum. And those mini berry pies - scrumptious!!! The lovely red velvet birthday cake which was made by a friend and we decorated it simple with some vintage book page flowers. 

more to come tomorrow... 

all photos by Kelle Walsh: http://www.kelleewalsh.com/

paige's twenty first post #3

Tea Station.

Oh how much fun it was to put together this magical tea buffet. I think it was one of my favourite details of the party. Although we did buy a few tea cups, saucers and tea pots at our local op shops, the majority of items we had on hand and/or we're borrowed from dear friends. We served both loose leaf tea in silver teapots and also had available tea bags in glass lolly jars and real sugar cubes too, of course! And the trestle table... it was built specially for me by my dad. Isn't he amazing?! The trestles we actually used at our wedding for our lolly station (although with a different top) but dad restained them darker for the party (they originally had paint splatters all over them) and made the new weathered top. I am in LOVE with it! It's also the perfect size for a dining table for six. I can't wait to throw a little dinner party in the backyard with dear friends and gather around it :)

 At night we bought over some of the lanterns and candles and the tree above was filled with tealights suspended in little jam jars - it was beyond magical (I keep saying that don't I!!)!

more to come tomorrow... 

all photos by Kelle Walsh: http://www.kelleewalsh.com/