A day in the life: 14.12.11

The renovation update: So, today is a biiiig day at Casa Tonic as our new balustrade is being installed! Mr Tonic took much delight in disassembling ripping down the current wire and timber number, despite the fact that it took 5 times longer than he anticipated and resulted in him using "every bloody tool in my tool shed!":

(below) No balustrade! I could get used to this...

The hat stand: Yes it's true! Table Tonic Moroccan Leather Pouffes (shown in Caramel) make a nifty side table-slash-hat stand!

The salad dressing: Thee salad dressing, actually. And I never, ever use bottle salad dressing, but the only ingredients in this little beauty are olive oil, vinegar, sugar, onion, mustard, poppy seeds, turmeric, salt and pepper. The lovely Rich Glen Olive Oil people were kind enough to send me their "Poppy's Salad Dressing" and some beautiful oils, and my goodness it's delicious! And a little bit sweet, which I love in a dressing... Hooked. PS I've had it all of a week and look - it's half empty!

The C-bomb: The green smoothies are still going strong, as is my new Vitamix (beg, borrow and steal Tonic-ettes) and these days, I'm fortunate enough to be enjoying them with a carton of C Coconut Water thrown in (it's "Australia's first 100% pure organic coconut water"). I normally buy mine from Thomas Dux, but...

... (enter blogging perk number 2) A case of C Cononut Water arrived last week and I've been downing it like there's no tomorrow! Hot tip: It sounds obvious, but drink it ice cold. Refreshing and rehydrating (something about electrolytes) on a grand scale.

The bedroom makeover: See the inspiration behind the makeover and get the deets here!

(above) I bought the cotton blanket on our bed from Anna Spiro's very first Black + Spiro "vignette". I absolutely adore it. Way punchy.

The Tonic's tree: Mr Tonic spent the better part of Saturday morning yelling obscenities after the local servo sold out of trees by 9am. A trip to the next suburb proved fruitful and I, in turn, spent the remainder of the day yelling obscenitites. The tree was big and our existing decorations were measly. Off to the local $2 shop I went and $34.50 later, it started to resemble a Christmas tree. One that drops needles and baubles and requires sugar water every freaking day. But damn they smell good!

The instant updater: We're having 21 (or was it 22?) for Christmas lunch and I was delighted with the Christmas-y effect a couple of these Table Tonic "Marlon" buntings had on our dining room! It's instantly 110% more festive, and to be honest, I may just keep them up permanently (I just used pinboard pins, pressed into the top of the timber panels)!

Happy Wednesday Tonic-ettes! Only 11 more sleeps!