What's on in Brisbane - Oktoberfest 2016 and WIN TICKETS TO OKTOBERFEST!

Oktoberfest Brisbane is Australia’s largest German Festival, and it is run by local German-Aussies with a passion for sharing their heritage to ensure an authentic experience. I've been to this before, and it's always a massive blast, with plenty for everyone to do, and definitely no cheesy 'beers and boobs' atmosphere.

Held over two weekends in October (7-9 and 14-16), Oktoberfest Brisbane is expected to be even bigger this year, as the festival celebrates the 500-year anniversary of the famous ‘Bayerische Reinheitsgebot’, the famous ‘Bavarian Purity Law’.

For 500 years, this law has limited the ingredients allowed to brew German beer to water, malt, hops and yeast. Fast forward to 2016, and the anniversary of this law means that ye olde German brewers were onto something clever - we're all chasing simple and pure food and drink!

Thousand of people hit Oktoberfest Brisbane every year to enjoy traditional German food, beers and wine, and experience authentic German culture. So grab your lederhosen and press your dirndl, and head to Brisbane Showgrounds for a festive day of German food and music. For more information, visit Oktoberfest Brisbane's website or Facebook page.

Now, here's the fun stuff - I'm giving away TWO double passes to Oktoberfest Brisbane (to be used over the weekend 14-16 October 2016), simply check out my Instagram or Facebook to find out how to enter!

*Double pass giveaway and all images courtesy Oktoberfest Brisbane, all opinions my own - I love this event!

Comfort and Style: Christmas Day outfit - Bella Lido kaftan

Who says you can't be cute and comfy on Christmas Day? Particularly in Australia, where most of us spend some time by a pool or beach, and it's often one of the hottest and muggiest days of the year!

My gorgeous Bella Lido kaftan will be a great Christmas Day outfit for me, the lightweight and super-breathable rayon voile will keep me cool and the coral and red palm print is pretty much my idea of tropical perfection.

I thought I'd style it a couple of ways, to share how easy it is to wear such a simple style that most women only imagine can be worn to and from the beach.

For a casual Christmas Day around the pool at home (or at my folks' place, so there's no cooking/cleanup required), this is great to throw over togs when we're in and out of the water all day long. Add a few chunky bracelets and a gigantic sunhat perfect for napping under, and I'm set. Don't forget flat sandals to show off your Summer pedi!

Bella Lido Ku Pu kaftan*, Finch tankini (awesome for a bugger bust!), Blue Bungalow wide brim hat, Bella Lido bracelets (old - similar here), Holster jelly sandals (old - similar here)

On the other hand, if we were headed out to a restaurant or more formal lunch affair at a relative's place, I'd add a low nude heel and matching clutch, and up the glamour with a little bling - a big ol' dangly Samantha Wills earring would do the trick nicely.

If we were going to a really nice place (I'd class this as somewhere they pull your chair out for you, and where you have a multitude of forks to choose from - I'm classy like that), I'd say wear a slip underneath the kaftan instead of swimwear and add some bright lipstick for a splash more colour. I mean, it's Christmas. Can you ever be too bright at Christmas? I don't think so, Joe.

Bella Lido Ku Pu kaftan*, Billini Perth sandals from The Iconic, Witchery hard-case clutch, Samantha Wills earrings (similar here) and bracelet (similar here)

Now I've already told you this, but if you're a local, you really need to pay attention - Claire of Bella Lido has opened her pop-up shop in Mooloolaba this season and the result is a Summer-lover's dream! Bella Lido is also stocked in lovely boutiques in QLD, NSW and WA, and the online store is full of beautiful styles.

What sort of Christmas day are you having this year - casual or fancy? Do you plan your outfit in advance?

Want to win a Glasshouse Candle? Sure you do, sign up to get Katy Potaty via email and go into my December subscriber draw to win a Glasshouse Christmas Cheer candle!

*gifted items

And of course, I'm joining in today with Kimba of Kimba Likes for Wardrobe Wednesday. Head over and see what all the fashionable folks are wearing for Christmas!

Flowers... just because. FreshFlowers.com.au review and a giveaway!

This post is sponsored by FreshFlowers.com.au

Update: I've chosen a winner! Melina's children's teacher will receive a lovely surprise delivery at work this week! Thanks for joining in, everyone; it was so lovely to read all those comments about who you'd love to spoil!

When I was contacted by new florist on the block FreshFlowers.com.au about reviewing their fresh new website, my response was immediately YES! 'Free flowers, I'm in!' I am, after all, a girl and as a girl I enjoy receiving flowers. I do have a pretty sweet and thoughtful husband, but honestly, can you ever receive too many flowers?

As I was online though, checking out their bouquets and arrangements, I thought how unexpected and lovely it might be for someone else to receive a flower delivery, and promptly ordered a potted orchid for my friend Brooke of Blonde Ambition.

The ordering process was so simple, the hardest part was choosing what I wanted. I love orchids, and giving a potted plant instead of a bouquet really is the gift that keeps on giving. Brooke's apartment in Brisbane is white with lots of natural sunlight and pops of colour everywhere, so I decided to go for traditional white with a sunshine yellow heart! This lovely little gem only cost $49.95, and with 10% for my first order, the whole thing delivered was $53!

I was given an opportunity to write a sentiment for the card and I received email confirmation when the flowers were shipped and then when they were delivered.

I ordered the orchid mid-afternoon on Wednesday, and they arrived safely in Brisbane before lunch Thursday. Brooke snapped these pictures for me, and I'm thrilled at how happy she was with an unexpected delivery!

Girl can cheese.

I am so happy to recommend FreshFlowers.com.au to anyone; the quality was terrific, and the ordering and delivery were spot on. I also think that their prices are pretty amazing. I know where I’m going to turn the next time I am ordering flowers. Just let me know if you're in the mood to send flowers... I'll give you my address!

Who would you love to send a surprise flower delivery to? I will choose one commenter and send a FreshFlowers.com.au bouquet** to their chosen friend or family member!

*This product was kindly provided. Like everything you'll find on Katy Potaty, my thoughts are all my own. For more info, check out my disclosure policy.

** Not sponsored; I'd just like to buy someone else flowers. Comment before midnight Sunday 15th November 2015 AEDST, and I'll choose a lucky winner! (Australian commenters eligible only.)

Glasshouse Candle Inji Mist - Cure Brain Cancer

Have you ever wanted to design your own beautiful candle? Who hasn't? I don't really need to though, because Glasshouse Fragrances have already created pretty much the perfect candle for me... their Montego Bay Coconut & Lime scent is on high rotation in this house. I still remember the moment that BB discovered how much Glasshouse candles cost, and did some quick maths to come up with the figure I was spending on candles every year. Oops.

Back to candle designing: on this week's episode of The Block (which I rarely watch, but still enjoy), the teams participated in a candle making challenge with Glasshouse Fragrances Co-Founder, Nicole Eckels. Western Australian sibling pair, Luke and Ebony won the challenge with their candle Inji Mist, inspired by Injidup Point, a surf break in the south-west of Western Australia and dedicated to their family friend who passed away from brain cancer. What a beautiful gesture.

Luke and Ebony with Nicole Eckels of Glasshouse Fragrances

The best part is that all Glasshouse Fragrances' profits from the sale of this candle will go to Ebony and Luke's chosen charity, Cure Brain Cancer Foundation to support their mission to increase five-year survival for brain cancer patients. 

Stop and just think about that statistic for a moment. It's so not ok. I know people who are being hit very hard by the awful effects of brain cancer right now, and it ain't a walk in the park. It's debilitating and brings families to their knees. 

Glasshouse Fragrances Inji Mist

Do the right thing, and stock up on Glasshouse Inji Candles for gifts this Christmas, and get the warm and fuzzies when you think about the double-awesome good deed you're doing.

Do you watch The Block? And what sort of candle would you design if you had the opportunity?

Want more like this? Sure you do, get Katy Potaty via email and go into my monthly subscriber draw to win a Glasshouse Fragrances candle! (What's the betting odds that I'll buy you an Inji Mist one, eh?)

Giveaway - Wolf and Mishka necklace!

This giveaway has now been drawn - congratulations to Vicki T!

There's nothing more that I love getting behind than cool people making cool things. That's why I'm STOKED (yep, can you tell I'm from a surf town, full of grommets and gnarly folk, such a Coastie) to be giving away a necklace today by the lovely and generous Natalia of Wolf and Mishka.

Wolf and Mishka is a Melbourne-based design label, featuring an eclectic mix of clothing, ceramics, jewellery, and homewares. I love that there are so many quirky styles to be found on the Wolf and Mishka website, from bears to bunnies (the rabbit photographer sweater has to be seen to be believed). The best part is that around 30 pieces of each item are made, making each piece a collector's item!

Caterpillar necklace in cornflower blue - one of my faves

I'll make it super-simple, so you have more time to head over to the W&M website and check out the cuteness she has on offer...

Arrow necklace - wait, another favourite!

Simply leave me a comment letting me know what is your favourite piece from the current Wolf and Mishka collection - it can be clothes, jewellery, homewares... oh the sweet pinch plates are divine!

You can get extra entries by doing all sorts of excellent things on the Rafflecopter widget below*, but I just really want to know what you guys love!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Here's yours truly, modelling these gorgeous pieces. Not entirely sure I want to share, actually.

The giveaway is open worldwide, good luck!

*If you're not a Rafflecopter lover, (and I know you're out there), just leave your comment below... I"ll add them in to my final entry count and nobody has to know your deep dark fear of the Copter.

Christmas Wishlist Giveaway: Le Cabaret Glasshouse Candle for Christmas

Update: Giveaway now closed!

Congratulations Jennifer T!

I have emailed you, please contact me with your postal address within 7 days!

Remember how I shared my favourite scented candles recently? Well, this time I want to properly share, by actually giving one away!

(Confession: I can't really buy any more lovely candles until my candle cupboard has some room, so I'm actually being rather selfish...)

If you feel like a Christmas treat, follow the prompts below for your chance to win a Le Cabaret 350g (that's big) Glasshouse Candle!

Here's a little-known snippet about me, I've been trained in the art of detecting and appreciating fragrance by French perfumers as I used to manage a fragrance store in Brisbane. Unfortunately, I don't really have a nose for it, and can really only pick a handful of notes (usually my favourites, all tropical) from a scent. What a shame.

This is a super-romantic scent, heady and rich, and perfect for burning during an evening bath with a glass (or three) of champagne. It would make an amazing Christmas gift for the woman who really does have everything, and the beautifully-decorated jar will do double duty on the bathroom counter long after you've finished the candle!

What are you waiting for? All you need to do to enter is leave a comment on this blog post, telling me in 25 words or less:

What is your favourite fragrance family? Are you a fruity or a floral girl? Or perhaps you love the richness of oriental, gourmand or chypre fragrances?

Then follow the prompts in the Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Competition is open now and closes Sunday 7 December 2014 at 11.59pm AEST.

Giveaway winners - and yes, giving really IS as nice as receiving!

The lucky winners of the two Flamingo Park cushions from gorgeous Melbourne homewares store and interior design gurus Design Art House are...

Elisha R

and

Kim M!

Congratulations to you both, I've emailed you - please reply with your postal address and phone number, and I'll make sure these pretties start winging their way to you ASAP!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered, it's super-fun to get to share and giveaway products that I personally love, and it's lovely to support businesses who support bloggers!

Speaking of... have you checked out Design Art House's Pinterest boards? So much well-curated inspiration, just as Pinterest should be! (Although they seem to be missing the Ryan Gosling board that I tend to favour on so many Pinners sites. Interesting.)

Celebrating International Coffee Day (or every morning)

Such good intentions.

I honestly had such good intentions yesterday of writing a post about International Coffee Day and how this little drink has become such a ritual in my life.

But then I went and sidetracked myself with a few errands and a few coffees at a couple of my favourite Sunshine Coast cafes, and then a four-shot mocha at Bare slayed me.

  

 

Meh, it's a blog. It's one missed blog post about a day that rolls around every year. Let's keep things in perspective.

Don't forget to head back a couple of posts and get your entries in  to go into the draw to win one of two lovely fancy Flamingo Park cushions very kindly gifted from Design Art House - entry numbers are low, so your chances are high!

Head to the giveaway HERE!

Some people are so clever...

Can we please just take a weekday moment to think about the creative geniuses out there?

Last week, I wrote a little Q&A post and nominated a few bloggers that I admire to write their own. Well, Sarah of TOMFO went one better. She didn't just answer my questions, she answered them in old-school fortune teller form. Seriously!

TOMFO Fortune Teller Invites

(you can actually print these babies for yourself and use them for whatever you want. Cool, huh?)

I'd like us all to raise our glass, our morning cuppa, or whatever you have at hand to say Well Done Sarah. Because sometimes people need to know how awesome they are, especially when it's something they take for granted (like their supreme design skillz). 

Head over here to read my original post (there's a tiny little giveaway at the end, I'll be drawing it this weekend... so hurry), and go visit Sarah's fantastic blog here (she's got plenty of delish recipes and cute printables and all sorts of inspiration).

Fridge-to-Go Wine Cooler Giveaway - Winners!

So, it took me a wee little while to get around to drawing the winners of this lovely prize - my apologies to all who entered on my Facebook page, and also to the lovely Noelle, who has the three prizes wrapped and ready to send to the lucky winners!

The very lucky winners who will be enjoying chilled wine all Summer long are:

• Lauren Roney
• Rebecca Solomon
• Amy Brown

Congratulations ladies! I've tagged you in the winning post on Facebook, so please email me your best postal address and those sweet prizes will be on their way to you very soon!

Thanks again to Noelle for supporting this great giveaway, I do love to support a brand that supports my wine habit!

Read my original review of the Fridge-to-Go Wine Cooler here, and if you're looking for even more chilled storage, check out Trainee Mama's review of the Fridge-to-Go Tote Bag.

Home Secret haul, and the lucky winners!

After another looooong work week (yes, I know five days is not actually longer than five days, but BOY it can sometimes feel like it), I finally got to have a couple of days off on Sunday and Monday.

As I said in a text to a friend at 6pm Saturday, 'I'm leaving work now, and heading home to PARTAY! And by party, I mean snuggle a bottle of wine on the sofa in my flannelette pyjamas.' I didn't end up snuggling a bottle of wine, my delightful husband was home, so I snuggled him instead. But yes, there was flannelette.

I have a bit of a Monday routine now, and it almost always involves my bestie and his mum Peta (that should probably be my bestie Peta and her baby... but I love them equally). We usually enjoy a coffee together, then hit a shop or two to cruise around and check out what's new, snap a few selfies, then are home early afternoon to do some laundry and run some errands, and yesterday was no different.

Peta had visited Home Secret last Thursday for their Grand Opening (and blogged it here - she's still got Home Secret gift vouchers up for grabs, go check it out!), but kindly joined me for another trawl through their beautiful big store, and even picked up a few things she'd missed on Thursday!

I know people look at us funny when we both decide to sit down on the floor in a store and play with baby Ned, but they're just jealous. 

After cutting half a lap through the store, my hands were full of awesome things I'd picked up from the shelves, so I ran back to the entrance and grabbed a trolley.

(Hot Home Secret tip #1: use a trolley)

I thought I should probably slow it down and not just get caught up in the OMG there's a ceramic gorilla and I want this Le Creuset roasting dish in my life NOW, so I pulled up my calculator app and added up what I'd chosen so far.

$66. Really? I'd been throwing big-brand kitchenwares and homewares in this trolley without a care, and I was only at $66? Time to let loose and REALLY get carried away.

This trolley (full of quiche pans, enamel and ceramic Le Creuset roasting dishes, a tray and a bunch of other miscellaneous awesome things) was $66. Seriously.

(Amended: Just checked RRP of these items, and found they came to a whopping $224 in other stores. Score.)

We finished our trip through Home Secret then moved into the other section of this superstore - Trade Secret. I can't even tell you how funny some of the photos are that I took of Peta trying on clothes over her tank top and baggy pants. I just can't even.

(Hot Home Secret tip #2: use the changerooms)

Sophie Conran for Portmeirion jumbo teacup and saucer

After looking through both Home Secret and Trade Secret, we were both still fixated on this Sophie Conran for Portmeirion upsized teacup and saucer. I don't really drink tea any more (and BB would most likely move out if I moved any more teacups or mugs into our kitchen) but I fell in love with it. Hard. There is a whole lot of regret right now that I didn't buy that teacup.

(Hot Home Secret tip #3: impulse buy, because the prices are too good to resist)

Whilst I know I'll shop at Home Secret regularly for stuff for our beautiful new home, and especially manchester and kitchenware, I really think Home Secret has one special new purpose... the wedding gift shop. Forget your over-priced David Jones registries, head to Home Secret for current season (I checked!) Vera Wang crockery, Alex Liddy glassware, Marie Claire photo frames, Esprit towels and so much more. And don't get me started on the sweet children's stuff that are perfect for newborn gifts or christenings - classic Peter Rabbit china and Royal Albert tea sets? I could die from the cuteness.

Yeah, you could say that I was pretty thrilled with my purchases! I honestly just couldn't believe that you can actually get that much stuff (and quality stuff too!) for such amazing prices. Peta has long been a fan of Trade Secret and their awesome discounts, but I'm only a recent convert, and this was my first giant shop there. 

Bargains galore!

See that little fellow in the bottom left-hand corner? I love him so.

(And I think he kinda feels the same.)

This was my first big shopping spree in my new car, and I think the bootspace handled it admirably.

Unpacking the car at home is one of my least favourite jobs (which is why my old car had seventeen pairs of shoes and a picnic basket rolling around in it), but getting all these goodies out to play with was so much fun!

My Home Secret and Trade Secret haul - a grand total of $104.80.

Here, I'll break it down for you, so you can also share in the amazement that all this can be purchased for just over $100.

• bamboo tray, so that BB and I can recreate our favourite Eddie Izzard/Lego scene, of course
• Le Creuset roasting dish 
• Pyrex quiche pan
• Wiltshire enamel baking dish
• 2 x Pyrex mise-en-place bowls
• 2 x espresso cups
• 2 x takeaway mugs  for my parents
• stand for our Nespresso pods
• 2 boxes of Nespresso-compatible pods (tea and coffee)
• Indian cookbook for my dad (who has become the most popular person on my Instagram feed) 
• packs of JellyBelly jellybeans for my mum
• a ceramic budgie who I've named George
• a beautiful jumpsuit (also my first jumpsuit - I'm scared) to wear on our Pacific cruise in May
• and a gorgeous necklace and bracelet

I've popped all the kitchenware away in the cupboards, and hung the pretty jumpsuit and accessories in my wardrobe, and the only thing left to do was find a home for gorgeous George. 

New favourite corner of our home

I think he looks pretty perfect next to my bromeliad (still haven't killed it!) and the sweet pineapple print that my beautiful friend Claire sent to me from Mid Century Child, don't you?

I have drawn the winners of the Home Secret Gift Voucher Giveaway, and the lucky winners are shown below. Congratulations to Peta K, Brooke R, Carmel M and Denica B! I have emailed, so keep an eye out and respond with your postal address ASAP so I can pop these in the mail to you!

Thanks so much to Home Secret for sharing these gift vouchers with me to give away, and for providing me with a voucher of my own so I could enjoy a great day out shopping in their beautiful new store! As I've mentioned before, I was gifted these gift vouchers, and a voucher of my own, but I do love the good folk at Trade Secret and Home Secret so much that I'd happily spread the word for nothing!

Everyday Style - the printed pants

I spent some of Monday hanging out with Peta of Trainee Mama, and I managed to get her to take a couple of quick outfit snaps for Styling You's Everyday Style while we were cruising the Plaza looking for Winter fashion inspiration and icy-cold air conditioning.

Piper silk tank, Katies printed pants, Target wedges,

Verily beaded necklace, RayBan sunglasses

These printed pants were probably the fourth or fifth pair of cotton printed pants that I bought from Katies over Summer (and I ended up with about seven pairs - I got addicted). I snapped them up from a sale rack for under $20, and have worn them so much that I think they work out to have cost less than $1 per wear so far. That's how I like to think. Cost per wear is so much more important than saving money on something you'll actually never wear.

The print on these was a little too patchworky for me when I first saw them, but the next time I popped instore, I was wearing a coral tank (of course) and tried them on together. Wearing a strong colour on top certainly takes some of the boho style away from these, but wearing them with cream and white has grown on me.

And these wedges. Wow, what a bargain. These little tan and red babies were a mid-year sale purchase last Winter, and I snapped up a brown and black pair at the same time, two pairs for a little less than $45, and again, I've had a stack of wear out of them! Normally I prefer an all-leather shoe, but these are really well-made, and have a sturdy heel and don't give me blisters anywhere.

Target Messina wedges

Well, it's Wednesday, which means hump-day-wine, and also (and slightly more exciting and less anti-social) it means it's Wardrobe Wednesday over at Kimba Likes. Head over to see what everyone else is up to, and check out what the cool kids are wearing! Also, head to Not Dead Yet Style to check out more amazingly stylish women!

Also, don't forget my awesome Home Secret gift voucher giveaway has only a few days left! Click HERE now to enter!

Home Secret Gift Voucher Giveaway!

Whoa. It's April!

That means that BB and I have been living in our beautiful home for over six whole months now! Whoa!

I've always been a little into homewares, and enjoying fancying up my space when I was younger (hello Johnny Depp posters and hand-painted sunflower artworks!), but since owning this home, I've definitely been discovering more of my decorating mojo.

Fortunately, BB and I have quite similar tastes when it comes to homewares, and our home is fairly minimal and without fussy elements. (Although if someone can explain to me how I can get BB to open his mind to more cushions...? Ta.)

I've been fortunate enough to be invited to the Home Secret Grand Opening this Thursday on the Sunshine Coast, and ohmygosh it looks like it'll be incredible! You guys know Trade Secret, right? Where you can get super-on-trend styles at literally a fraction of the cost? Well, Home Secret is the sister store to Trade Secret, and it's going to be stocking decor, gift, kitchenware (hello new baking tins!), bedding and practically everything else you could imagine, and all at amazingly reduced prices!

Now for the REALLY good news. To celebrate the opening of the FIRST EVER Home Secret store, I am giving away 4 x $50 Home Secret Gift Vouchers!

Four lucky locals will win a $50 voucher each to spend instore on all manner of house pretties at Home Secret. Exciting stuff, eh?!

(That's right, it's the first Home Secret store to ever open, and it's right here at Kawana on the Sunshine Coast. So if you can't easily get to the Sunshine Coast, it's probably not the competition for you. But I have something cool for my lovely (and by all accounts, very attractive worldwide readers soon. Promise.) Entries close midnight Monday 7th April, and winners posted here.

Now, this is my first giveaway using Rafflecopter, and I know some folks love it and others... well, don't. Let's just see how it goes, eh? Go on, have a go. You gotsta be in it to win it, dontcha?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Home Secret has kindly given me these gift vouchers to give away, and has also provided me with a voucher for my own Home Secret shopping, but I like 'em so much that I'd happily spread the word for nothing!