How do you have yours? Crunchy or smooth? With butter or without? Hot or cold? However you have your toast, you will be doing yourself a disservice if you weren’t applying lashings of your favourite Fix & Fogg Peanut Butter. The F&F journey started five years ago - two lawyers were making and selling peanut butter in local markets around Wellington until they decided to chuck in corporate life and dedicated themselves to ‘nut’ life.

It’s no coincidence that a girl from the Naki who started a gift box business happens to stock some of the West Coast Cocoa product range. For one, my love of chocolate is ‘infamous’ and those who know me well will remember a time i went without chocolate chews (from the supermarket pick n mix years back) for about 4 years straight - it was such a big deal as I went cold turkey and actually never looked back…how silly was i?

Samantha from Sea and Clay and I have a lot in common. Our love of Netflix, our love/hate relationship with computer work and the fact we both admire Chelsea Handler’s attitude when it comes to not caring what people think about her. To KEEP GOING is the biggest lesson Sam has learnt from being in business and wouldn’t you know it, I also agree.

Who doesn’t love a good High Tea? I’ve enjoyed my fair share of them over the years but I’ve never actually brewed a loose leaf tea before. I’m an EB (English Breakfast) lover from way back, just your average ‘Choysa, round tea bag’ kinda gal…I know, how refined of me! I don’t feel very regal when I make or drink it, in fact the only aspect of my tea drinking (thus far in my career) that meets any sort of ‘englishness’ is that I acquired my love of the cuppa in London back in 2003.

Jess and Jason are the couple (professionally and personally) behind the ‘Buy one, Give one’ business that is FRANK Stationery. Their story, beliefs and WHY is so inspirational and they are making an incredible difference on the lives of kids in our community…their product range is gorgeous and we love to support, in our own small way, enterprises with real purpose.

Anyone else use their exercise time to get some clarity about a work project you might be working on?  Well, Cheyney from Camille Co knows all about that and as she is busy juggling two businesses, hopefully her workouts are double the fun!  Cheyney has been really open and honest in sharing her thoughts about her business and in life in general - striving to do better than yesterday is what keeps her going - I think that rings true for a lot of us.

When researching and curating all the amazing products that go into our gift box range it's essential that all the beauty/skin care products contain no nasties, use natural ingredients and made cruelty free...Handmade and Homemade is the epitome of these standards and expectations. 

Thanks so much to Sharyn from JFriend & Co for sharing this YUM recipe with us - we wanted you to be able to take away an idea to recreate yourself if you purchase our Breakfast in Bed or The Dipper gift boxes - both contain JFriends Blackcurrant Honey - this is super easy to make, perfect as a dessert or brunch menu item if trying to impress!

If you love honey then you need to know about J.Friend and Co. Started in 2008 by Jeremy Friend & Sharyn Woodnorth, J. Friend and Co produce a boutique range of single flower honeys sourced from New Zealand's diverse landscape.