Being a small business, we always source our own models. When we first met Eliza Gude and her munchkin, Matilda, we instantly connected. A creative kindred spirit, passionate mother and just an insanely nice person - we sat down to chat with Lize to celebrate Mother's Day and all things women! Hi Eliza! Thank you so much for sitting down to have a chat with us. We first met at a photoshoot with your gorgeous daughter, Tilly, who has recently just celebrated her 1st birthday. What has your first year of motherhood been like? Thank you for asking me to be a part of your Mothers Day Campaign! My first year of motherhood has been the most fulfilling, exhausting, exciting, crazy year I have ever had. It really is true what they say about the love you feel for your child is like no other, I have days where I am so exhausted, haven’t showered, hardly slept and napping is apparently not on Matilda’s radar, but the minute she smiles at me, it makes it all worth it. This past year has truly been the most amazing year with my little family. That first year, at least in my case, felt like it went so quick and so slow all at once - you're constantly learning and evolving and changing with your baby. What have been the biggest lessons you've learnt this year? I couldn’t agree more, the minute you think you have a good routine down pat they’re in a new leap, teeth start coming through or sleep times change, its always something! I think the biggest lesson I’ve learnt this year is to just follow Tilly’s lead. I’ve learnt that the more I try to plan and stick to strict routines with sleep times etc she usually resists and we both end up unhappy so its best to follow her cues - which has worked really well for us! I was raised by a young mum, she was 20 when she had me and faced a lot of scrutiny for choosing to start her family so young. What hardships have you faced raising Tilly so young, and how have you overcome them? I have been super lucky to not really have had anyone say anything nasty towards me and my choice to have Tilly so young (at least not to my face!) Matilda was a surprise for my partner and I, but our choice to raise her was the best decision we ever made - she lights up our world like nothing else! However having a baby so young definitely does not come without it’s difficulties - the same as having a baby at any age. I think being a young mum you are often categorised and people make assumptions about you which can be disheartening, but my only focus is Matilda and my family so I don’t feed into it too much as I know I am the best mum I can be.  On the side, you run your own candle and ceramics business - @wrenandsagecreative & @elizajane.ceramics - have you always been a creative soul and what inspired you to start your own hustle? Yes I definitely have! Ive always had some sort of creative outlet - creating keeps me inspired, happy and most of all sane! Im a very driven, ambitious person so without a creative outlet I would go a bit nutty haha! I started Wren and Sage Creative when I was pregnant and it started out as just custom illustrations which has now grown into illustrations, candles, selling my ceramics and I will start stocking other creative’s work soon! I always knew I wanted to be my own boss so I could spend as much time as possible at home with Matilda. So when I started creating and people became interested in what I was making I decided to go with it! Your designs are stunning, I think I need one of everything for my home! Where did you love of creating and making things comes to life come from? Oh thank you so much! My grandmother was a very creative, talented artist and I think a lot of my creativity came from her! I remember playing with plasticine and creating figurines when I stayed at her house as a young girl and absolutely loving it! My older brother is also super creative so I think it was sort of engrained in me from a young age! Sometimes motherhood and owning your own business, especially when you have a one year old, can seem all consuming - how do you take time out for yourself and fill your cup? This is a hard one as I spend most of my ‘me-time’ making ceramics because it is what I love to do and I find it quite therapeutic, but it is also my job so I often find myself working on orders at 12am when Matilda is fast asleep which is definitely not a good habit! So outside of that I like to have a bath which is extremely rare and a nap when I can (its the little things - right?)

Our favourite past time, and the place we love to spend the most of our holidays at is the beach. There's something so soothing and beautiful about the ocean, the crashing of the waves and never ending skyline, it's the perfect place to get lost and relax. If you're after a little escape with the kids these holidays, or a weekend away with friends or loved ones, two of our favourite places to get away are in our local region - Barwon Heads & Johanna Beach. Barwon Heads is where the coast meets small town, village living. With a bustling main street and mouth of the mouth of the Barwon River opening up to the ocean, it's the perfect mix of river and beach - just choose what activity you want to do that day. A few of our favourite places to hit up are Annie's Provedore in the morning - for brunch, coffee and picking up a few of our favourite things that aren't readily available at supermarkets. Strolling around the streets and checking out the shops. Come the afternoon, it's time to hit the beach but don't forget to grab some fish & chips from the local! Then, to top off the day head to the picturesque At the Heads restaurant for a wonderful dining experience before heading off to bed. A day at the heads is perfect for a family day out - spend your time eating well and beach hopping, utter bliss! If you're looking for a sleepier, more relaxing getaway, we could not recommend our favourite place enough. And that place? Johanna Beach. About a two hour drive from the Geelong CBD is the sleepy little hamlet of Lavers Hill - and to it's south, our favourite beach in all of Victoria. Stepping out onto Johanna Beach is to find a little slice of paradise. Surrounded by rolling hills and sand dunes, Johanna is host to giant, almost pre-historic feeling rocks and it's so wonderfully silent. For kilometres, all you can hear is the beautiful crashing of waves and the call of seagulls - utter bliss after the bustling of city life. Johanna Beach isn't really a swimming beach, but if you're a fan of surfing it's perfect. Pitch an umbrella and relax in the soothing ambience and have a picnic with friends and family. When you're done bathing in the sun, head back up to Lavers Hill and find a beautiful meal at the NouriShed, or the Tiny Village - what a dream! We'd love to know where your favourite places are to visit in the holidays! All our love, Miann & Co x

The long of the night, the ice of the wind. The mountains that quake beneath blankets of white. Of frosted lips and warm hands. The Earth slumbers, our hearts wander. Seeking warmth, seeking sun. We nestle, we nurture, we wait - until the sun shows it's face once more. Because when Winter's Call sounds, we return to simplicity. To the land, to each other. We curl by the fireplace, we drink in the warmth and wait for the songbirds sound again. Winter has always been our very favourite. Long summer days come and go, as does Spring - but with the turning of the leaves and the greying of the clouds, we feel at home. At peace. Winter truly does call to us. With our winter hearts, we designed this collection to warm yours. To be the pieces that keep you cosy on the coldest of days, to be the pieces you turn to when the icy chill of the wind becomes too much. We hope this new collection brings you comfort, cosiness and above all, warmth. All our love, Miann & Co x

She is the passing of seasons. Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn. She embraces the past, she learns, she draws on her inner strength to nourish and rejuvenate. She acknowledges her history, thinking not of the pain but the lessons, the journey, her strength. And through it all, she rises. She is a celebration of resilience. Of power. She is the sun in all her glory as time turns to the the calm blanket of the frost. She keeps the light with her, bright and burning, lighting her way and the way of those around her. She is strength, fierce love, nurture and nature. She is Rise.  Our newest collection, Rise features 100% plant based fibres - beautiful, luxuriously soft cottons for relaxing at home and in the streets, just add your favourite trench coat. Designed with people and planet in mind, Rise features flattering silhouettes, sustainable and biodegradable fibres in timeless cuts - a fresh update for all wardrobes. Comfy has never looked so good. If you were a fan of our loungewear last season, you'll adore this collection. We've reinvigorated our much loved Chloe Pants in 6 new season colours - stunning neutrals and a punch of colour from our new shade Petal. To accompany the pants, we've redesigned our Rory Jumpers with a more comfortable neckline in the exact same colours. For lovers of our Charlie Pants, we've upgraded them and made them longer for the colder months with our new style Clementine Pants. To match back, we've designed a new shape - a stunning v-neck jumper called Rhiannen. Extra cosy comfort comes in terms of our Oakley Cardigan - with two neutral shades and a bold, bright Blush, we loved these paired with jeans and even over dressed with boots for a dressier look. Rise is one of our favourite collections to date, and one that we hope you love as much as we have designing and styling it! All our love, Miann & Co 

Happy International Womens Day to those who came before us, those who champion us today and those who are to come. Here's to understanding that strong women come in all forms; wether you're gentle, a woman of colour, brash, ambitious, athletic, caring, a member or ally of the LGBTQIA community – you’re strong, and you’re appreciated.  We dedicate this post to those women. The women who put the fire in our bellies, the women who inspire action, the women who run their fingers through our hair to soothe us, the women who create magic with their finger tips. Here’s to you! Miann & Co was started by an ambitious, headstrong woman - a woman who constantly inspires us, who is creative and has an amazing mind. From the kitchen table to our warehouse and office ten years later, Miann & Co is the brainchild of our Creative Director, Bec. She started our little brand after her children, who were suffering from eczema found relief in natural fibres - that helped to calm and ease the pain and itchiness that comes with many skin conditions an allergies. She was passionate about helping her children, which extended into helping as many families as possible - and that’s where we find Miann & Co now. You’ll find all kinds of women in Miann & Co, from all walks of life. It is because of these women that we have an open, vibrant workplace. A place where we feel free to express ourselves, share our laughter and a safe space to be honest. We have Rhiannen, who is kind and quiet. When she talks she’s whisper soft, when she talks it always holds meaning. Her creativity is unrivalled. She’s always behind her computer, mind turning and concocting beautiful imagery and ideas. We love having her around. Then there’s Rachel - who is so effortlessly, wonderfully herself. Her spirit is unbridled and free, true and wild. To know her is to spend your days laughing until your stomach hurts, to have someone who revels in and encourages your own free spirit. And Beth, who has currently been with us the longest. If you need to vent, or to express yourself she has an ear and a smile to lend. She’s bright and easy to laugh, like a sparkling, wild, blonde headed light in our office. The women of Miann & Co make our office an incredibly special place to be. This International Women’s Day, we urge you to take the time out to reflect on why the women in your life make it so special, so full of light and so full of joy! All our love, Miann & Co

You've heard of a plant based diet, and if you've been around the fashion sector for a little while you would have heard a new term floating around - Plant Based Fibres, but what are they?

If you've followed us for a while, you'd know that we use a lot of models in our shoots. Most have become familiar faces and every now and then we add in a new model to spruce things up. However, with using a lot of models, comes a lot of messages - and the one thing we get messaged the most is, 'What size does (insert model name here) wear?' And we totally get it - it can be so hard to determine what size a model might be just on a photo alone. That said, our sizing typically runs more generous than standard Australian sizing. In designing our clothing, we also prefer a more oversized fit - this is a style that tends to run through all our ranges. We find that in our clothes (our knits especially) people often have to size down to find their best size, unless they also like an oversized fit. Firstly, in our product descriptions, we always detail how a product fits, what it's made out of and what the fit is like. This is one of the best ways to tell how a product may fit. It's also always important to remember that you may want certain pieces to fit differently depending on your own personal taste, so it's totally fine to size up or down if that is of concern to you. Secondly, we also have individual size charts for every item - we find this a better option than having all of our clothing conform to the one size guide, although it does make things a little tricker for the consumer, it also give a better indication for sizing. You can find the size guides at the very end of the product image carousel, just flick through and you'll see them! They're flat measurements, so you'll need to double for circumference - and they also don't account for elastic. And thirdly, to make it easy on you guys, we've compiled everything you need to know about our models into one, easy to read list to help you further decide which pieces and which sizes are best for you!   ELLIE Height: 169cm Bust: 85cm Bra: 10C Waist: 69cm Hips: 99cm AU Dress Size: 8-10 Size in Miann & Co: XS-S   SHANIA Height: 175cm Bust: 95cm Bra: 12C Waist: 80cm Hips: 105cm AU Dress Size: 10-12 Size in Miann & Co: S-M   BETH Height: 170cm Bust: 120cm Bra: 18G Waist: 107cm Hips: 136cm AU Dress Size: 18-20 Size in Miann & Co: L-XL   RACHEL Height: 160cm Bust: 95 Bra: 12E Waist: 78 Hips: 93 AU Dress Size: 12  Size in Miann & Co: S

Your favourite dress is back! That’s right, Dahlia, the dress you lived in all Summer is back and better than ever. In four all new season ginghams and autumnal shades, this is one dress you’ll be living in the whole year round. Dahlia is the perfect dress to take from day to night, from Summer to Winter, all with a few key outfit changes – that aren’t any effort at all.  While gorgeous and oversized, Dahlia features three tiers and a v-neckline to add shape and detail to the garment. Leave the tie undone for a relaxed, beachy vibe or tie it into a cute bow for an extra sweet addition to such a simple outfit. Made from 100% cotton means Dahlia is light and cool – comfortable for all day wear, and all night long. It will breathe in the summer, and not leave you feeling overwhelmed with too many layers in the winter. With 4 new colourways, there is a gingham for every occasion, and we are absolutely obsessed! STYLE TIPS When we say this dress is oversized, we mean it. We purposefully designed it to be billowy and easy to wear – a dress you would wear when wandering down cobblestoned European streets with a gelato in hand, a dress to pair with tights, gumboots and a jacket for the cold and rainy Australian winter. Where you can, we recommend sizing down!  Follow below for a rough guide: XS: 8 - 12 S: 12 - 16 M: 16 - 20 L: 20 - 22 XL: 24 Of course, depending on your personal style you may want to choose a size that better reflects you – which is okay too!  On an everyday basis, our team wears Dahlia with a pair of Birkenstocks or trainers for a super casual look. It’s quite common to walk into the office and find at least two of us wearing the same outfit. For a dressier look, our Copywriter wore Dahlia to our Christmas party last year with some gold jewellery, some tan platform wedges with her hair loose and curled. It was so glam and simple, we were obsessed. For those colder days, Dahlia looks perfect with a baggy cardigan – think one that drapes off your shoulder as you go about your day. Pair with a pair of ankle boots and a beanie for an effortless, streetwear vibe.  How do you wear your Dahlia? Let me know in the comments below. All our love, Miann & Co x

When the beautiful Michelle approached us earlier in the year to work with us on some imagery for our new loungewear - we knew immediately that the answer was yes! Her simple aesthetic and neutral tones are an absolute treat on the eyes, making the dreamiest Instagram feed. Her curated style has quickly become one of our favourites. Grab a cup of tea and sit down with us as we chat to Michelle! Michelle wears the Demi Singlet & the Charlie Pants Hi Michelle! Thanks so much for sitting down with us today! We were so excited when you reached out to work with us, we adore your aesthetic - how did your love for neutrals start? Thank you, I’m so excited to be able to do this! I think I have always had a love for neutrals, but I didn’t realise it until someone at the start of the year told me that was my ‘style’. The moment they told me, it was as if a light bulb switched on in my head and ever since honing into my a neutral closet, I have loved every new piece in it.   Your imagery is very you (and I believe you take most of your photos yourself!), did you study photography or social media at school? How did you create your vibe? I think that is the most common statement about anything in my life (my home decor, new clothes etc.) everyone always thinks it’s very me and they’re not wrong haha!  I do take and edit all the photos by myself because I used to be extremely into photography from a very young age to the point where I did want to study it but never ended up doing it. I did do the odd photography job here and there when I was 16, but when Instagram came about, I was absolutely immersed into this world of experimenting with my own style.  This involved a lot of trial and error to get to the, kind of, consistent style I have right now. I honestly just do what brings me joy, if this vibe isn’t what I like anymore, I won’t be afraid to change it up.  The pandemic has changed a lot of things for everyone this year, no one has made it through unaffected! Living in Melbourne, how has your life been changed with the first and second lockdown? Has it affected your work in any way? I think with the first lockdown it was so new and mysterious, so during that time I had a lot of different things to try out like baking, cross stitching etc. as well as spending the time to get adjusted. By the second lockdown I’ve practically done everything and anything, which has definitely taken a toll on my work because I’ve done all I possibly can at home! However, with sunnier days coming around, it has really lifted my mood and I’ve adjusted my Instagram accordingly to that too.  You're very passionate about mental health and advocating for a better understanding of the issues that affect many people in their day to day lives (which is one of the many reasons why we love you!), where does this passion stem from? I’ve always been the nice girl, so growing up I was an easy target to get picked on which is why I’ve been careful with my words ever since. Then coming out of high school I’ve definitely been put through the ringer with losing family and recently having a still birth, and I’ve realised those times can be feel incredibly isolating. So I just want people to know they’re not alone because it’s what I’ve needed for myself.  Michelle wears the Margot Jumper & the Charlie Pants And finally, as it's a massive passion of ours - we always ask our interviewees their favourite way to relax and wind down, what does self care look like to you and why? Self care for me involves recognising in my mind that I am allowed to do this/feel that way. Whether it’s letting myself cry it out when I’m sad or laying on the couch to watch TV, I want to be able to do those things freely without feeling guilt or shame. So it’s important to mentally tell myself I am allowed to do these things in order to take care of myself. Thank you so much for chatting with us Michelle! Head over to @asdfmichelle and give her a follow, you won't regret it! All our love, Miann & Co x

If you've set eyes on a Miann & Co photoshoot this past year, then you would have seen a photo or two from the lovely Amy Anabel of AA.Creative - the founder of a multidisciplinary fashion studio. Her shots are simple, subtle and evoke a story that makes you want everything she shoots. We sat down with Amy to chat all things small business, photography and her plans for summer!  Amy wears the Aurora Pants & the Poppy Shirt Hi Amy, thank you so much for sitting down with us today! We're obsessed with your fashion photography, it's always so clean and beautiful - and the way you use your body in photos is nothing short of phenomenal - how did you find your unique shooting style? My absolute pleasure, you girls are too kind! I don’t really think about my shooting style, I just shoot what and how I like so I really am flattered that people love it and it comes across well. I have always had a fascination with the female form and how unique we all are, so I think you can definitely see that inspiration in my style of content creation. You have a ton of industry experience, how has this helped you with starting AA.Creative, and why did you choose the path of starting your own bespoke fashion studio? I think the experience gave me the confidence more than anything. I loved the work I did previously and was lucky enough to work alongside some pretty talented humans which I think really drove my passion towards wanting to create something of my own. I’ve always been a pretty independent and determined little cookie so whilst it was a big leap, it felt right. I’ve never looked back. Amy wears the Dawn Shirt You do a lot more than taking stunning photographs, tell us a bit more about your business and take us through what a normal day in the life of AA.Creative looks like! This is a super funny question for me, that I get asked quite a lot. My business has so many different branches, that I try to categorise under a ‘Bespoke Fashion Studio’ because realistically I don’t know what else to call it haha! I offer services such as Content Creation, Social Media Management, Consulting and Brand Management which means every day looks different. Overall I am an extension of the small business’ that I work with so a day for me could be working on my own business, answering emails, touching base with global wholesale accounts, creating content, copy writing, consulting calls, mailchimp, designing, production and the list goes on. No week is the same for me but that is why I love it, keeps my mind sharp and it is always fun. You live in such a picturesque location in Western Australia, does the beautiful landscape around you inspire your work? Where do you find inspiration? Absolutely! My partner and I moved over from the East Coast 3 years ago and we have fallen in love with Western Australia. I would definitely have to say that the beautiful rugged coastlines and untouched landscapes are where I source inspiration from. I’m also a Summer baby, so I like to say I’m fuelled by the sun so anywhere that the light hits directly gets me going! Amy wears the Dawn Shirt Since we found you earlier in the year, we're always so amazed by the high quality photography and concepts you come up with, you're so creative! Do you plan and shoot all of your projects by yourself? Aw thank you! Everything is planned by myself, and executed. Generally the process for me is having a vision prior to shooting and making sure that both the brand and myself are on the same page. We both invest so much time and money that we want to get it right. Next, scouting a location and then thanks to pre planning shooting which is the easiest part (if everything goes right). Before I started content creating I definitely underestimated the work that goes in to each shoot, I give way more credit to people creating beautiful imagery now than I ever did. As we're in Victoria, we unfortunately can't travel as much as we'd like to this year - when we can, where would you say the top places to visit are in Western Australia? Any unknown, locals only hotspots we should check out?  I cannot wait to be able to travel again, but we have been one of the luckiest regions in the world to be able to discover/rediscover our own state. A list of my favourite places in the world (yes I meant to say world). Also, keep it hush hush ;) Exmouth Yallingup Denmark Esperance Amy wears the Aurora Pants & the Jade Shirt Finally, as it's almost Christmastime and the holidays are coming up - what are your plans this summer? Seeing as we won’t be heading back over East to spend it with our family we will just be spending some time at home. Dunsborough is the best place to be in the Summertime, and it is our first year living in the region so we can’t wait to explore the coastlines, lap up some sun and visit one to many wineries! You can keep up with Amy via Instagram or her website!

Fashion is so intrinsic to our core here at Miann & Co - so when we met Dana of @permanent_weekend we knew instantly that we had found kinship. We sit down with the total style icon to chat about her journey to insta influencer and small biz! Dana wears: the Dahlia Dress & the Blake Shirt Hi Dana! So glad we're able to sit down and have a chat! We know you run a small photography business with your Husband, Doug, (@_willandco_) how COVID changed the way you run your business? Hi Beth! Thanks so much for having me! COVID saw us with so many postponements, we had a 1st, 2nd and 3rd wave. There is so much it has changed, perspective has been something that has shifted for us. We already knew what a privilege it was to do this work and what we give to our clients is hard to put into words, but I feel like the value in the moments we photograph we have a new appreciation for and I've been encouraging all of our clients to bring their extended families to shoots and that life is short so let's capture everything as well as just how important it is to capture people as 100% themselves. It has definitely made us fully rethink our processes, what is truly important and that we also are not invincible, we're a luxury service as such and that we need to make time for our own lives just as much as we need to serve others with what we do. It has been eye opening for sure. We do feel very blessed that we have been well looked after by our government and that the hard work we put in prior to 2020, has really paid off - seeing me resign from my job of 9 years as a teachers aide - mid pandemic, which I still can't quite get my head around. I feel very grateful that I'm now living my ultimate dream!  Your fashion imagery on your personal account is nothing short of stunning, does Doug help you take the photos or do you use self time/tripod? We'd love to know your process! Thank you, that is very kind of you to say! Doug takes the photos of me, mostly because we've been a bit time-poor! Honestly I couldn't do a better job of it myself even if I could clone myself! He says he's not really into it, but he is very patient with me and does it to support me because he knows I love it! He's incredibly sweet to do it for me, and I hope one day I can do the equivalent for him for something he loves to do. I am hoping to eventually go to a tripod and use a self timer or remote (as we've sometimes done before) but it's something that takes twice the amount of time as what we currently do which is why we haven't done it that way for some time now. @permanent_weekend is quite a new venture for you, I believe you started posting fashion and styling related content earlier this year - what made you want to get into that side of Instagram? Yes, very new! I adore fashion so much, so there's that! But I think a spark ignited in me a few years ago, something that I thought was a huge injustice that women weren't very forth-coming with saying what they loved/thought was interesting or amazing about themselves, rather they would say what they didn't like - and the list would go on and on. It was this and the structure that I gave myself on my other account that I felt didn't give me the freedom of a voice to speak to women about how worthy they are of love - and loving themselves. I think I just started expressing these thoughts on Will & Co not really knowing what I was doing but feeling passionate about it and then it spilled over when I had a bunch of followers wanting to follow just my fashion side of things and asking me if I had a separate account and though I had been posting for myself on permanent weekend for a while by then, I thought I better take it a bit more seriously. We love that you're so passionate about self love, body acceptance and body positivity - as a plus size girl myself, it's just so nice to see influencers that I can relate to, who look like me! How did your #bodypos journey start? Aw thank you! I think I'm passionate about it because I have had to fight for it, and it was mine to grab hold of the entire time - I just needed to stop caring what people thought. Every woman, and every body - is beautiful! At any and every stage! I first realised I'd never be okay with myself if I didn't accept my body with how it was in the very moment I wanted to make a positive step toward loving myself. And that just changed (not overnight but over a long period of time) I told myself that I accepted myself, and from there it was just intentionally making those decisions, whether in my thoughts, or in my actions - no matter how small. It's made me really want other women to see all of the good they have in themselves, and often I'll say something if someone says something negative about themselves. Not in a bad way - I just like to highlight why I think they're amazing and quite often I hear myself saying 'I wish you could see yourself the way I see you' and this has been something I've brought into my photography, because I truly believe I can show women how I see them through my lens. I have had countless women walk away from a shoot with me loving themselves so much more than when the shoot started, and this is a huge win for me!  Your style is so uniquely you, and we're so inspired by it. Who and what are your biggest inspirations? That is so lovely, thank you! I have always been a lover of beautiful things, but since becoming a photographer I've noticed so much beauty in the smallest of things, you just notice a lot more - because you're looking so intentionally. Pinterest has always been a huge inspiration for me. I've tried not to look too closely at people, but a couple of curvier women on instagram that I do like to follow are Mel Carrero and Tallulah Moon. I've not had a huge amount of curvier women to look to for their style to be honest, I feel like there are a lot of women around size 14-18 but then not many in the larger sizes above that. But I've always found the things in the style I like that I have wanted to wear were mainly made for size 6-14 women, so I am seeing them on those women and they are gorgeous and make the items look amazing - but so would any size really! I am hoping to see a lot more curvy women on instagram in the coming days!    And finally, we always like to end our interviews on a ~self care~ note, what are your favourite ways to decompress and relax after a long day of work? How do you take care of yourself? I really love spending some time with my dog Olive, we have cute chats about our days together, I love a good magnesium bath which is very much needed for my type of work! I can honestly probably get a lot better at self care for myself! Because I don't do a whole lot besides taking my makeup off for bed, doing a bit of a skin care routine and taking vitamins. I do find scrolling pinterest to be a bit of a luxury these days though with how busy I am working! I am definitely going to try to get back into some pilates as I've enjoyed that, and a little bit of reading before bed too! Thanks so much for having me Beth, I just adore the Miann & Co brand and I love wearing such good quality, ethical and sustainable garments!   You can follow Dana via her Instagram, or check out her business via their website!

I have such fond memories of being a child, crowding around my mum with my siblings as she pulled a hot, freshly baked tray of beautiful gingerbread from the oven - we couldn't have cared less for the heat as we tried to cram as many of the little many as we could into our mouths and savour that Christmas taste. For my family, gingerbread was a Christmas staple, and now it can be yours. While you may not want to have your kids crowding around you as you take it from the oven (because in hindsight, I don't know how my mum didn't have a breakdown trying to keep us from burning ourselves on the oven) this is one you'll make for your family time and time again. INGREDIENTS • 125g unsalted butter • 1/3 cup brown sugar • 1/4 cup golden syrup • 1 egg • 2 cups plain flour • 1/4 cup self raising flour • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda • 330g icing sugar • Plus, anything you may want to decorate with. We suggest a batch of royal icing for that perfect, opaque ginger bread style and chocolate buttons, glitter for a special touch.  METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 180°C 2. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper 3. Beat butter, sugar and syrup together in a bowl until creamy. Add egg and beat well. Sift flours, ginger and soda together. Stir into butter mixture. 4. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth. 5. Roll out to 5mm thick. Use cutters to cut out shapes, transfer to tray. 6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until light brown, transfer to a wire to cool completely. 7. To decorate; prepare the icing mix following packet instructions, colour as desired and spread on biscuits. FOR THE ROYAL ICING So you want to add an extra little flair to your gingerbread? Enter royal icing (it sounds a little fancy, but it could not be easier).  INGREDIENTS • 1 & 1/2 cups of sifted icing sugar • 1 egg white • 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice METHOD 1. Lightly whisk egg white and lemon juice together in a bowl 2. Gradually add icing sugar, whisk until smooth and combined We hope this recipe is the start of many new traditions for you and your family! All our love, Miann & Co x