MAD MARCH

This all looks familiar. This blank white box to write words in. Those tabs to insert pictures. That bright orange button that says "Publish". I remember it all, which is strange considering how long it has been since I've posted on here. Not to say I have forgotten about old-mate-Blog all together, there have been times when I'm on the computer and have discovered something spectacular and I automatically think "I must blog and share this!". Suddenly 30 seconds later I find myself in the middle of replying to an email, or amending a design, or anything that is not blogging. Fast forward two days later and I suddenly realise, "oh f**k, I forgot to blog, oh too late now!"... Yes I agree this attitude needs to change, I need to put old-mate-Blog first in my life, who knows how the world has been getting by since I've been gone.... *rolling around in laughter* I wish!

So we are in the middle of Mad March right now, which happens to fall in the middle of my Mad Summer. In between studying, working, and moving house, there has also been the need to attend very important events such as weddings, engagements, birthday's, oh and the Fringe. Yes, it's Fringe time here in Adelaide, so we've been busy "Fringing". In terms of my favourite time to live in Adelaide, I would have to say this is my most favourite. The Adelaide Fringe brings the city alive, you can't escape it even if you tried (take a moment for those who hate laughing, excitement, experiencing new art, frolicking with friends, street performers, bright signs and meeting amazing strangers. There is no hope for them during Fringe-time!). If I could, I would spend every night in the Garden (Garden of Unearthly Delights) during the month of it's existence. It is by far the most exciting place to be during Fringe. And I've managed to drag my friends or Simon there every few days (much to Simon's dismay when I book a 10pm show when he has to work at 6am the next morning, but hey, it's worth the sleep deprivation!). I also promise myself each year that I'll see a theatre show at least once, as it can be easy to get carried away with comedy, cabaret & live music, and forget about poor old theatre. This I did. This weekend sees the end of Fringe, but I've got so many amazing memories to look back on the 2012 Fringe season!

Fun in the Garden & some post-Fringe drinks!

How cute is my Nephew Ash @ his first Fringe show! And the Germein Sisters amazed at their sold-out show in the Speigeltent

Got my one theatre show ... happy face!

Life and times in the Garden

P.s. I hope you like the new look blog :)

SAVE THE DATE

What's more exciting than sending your wedding invites out? Sending your save-the-dates! It's the official wedding introduction for your friends and family, and the first look at your wedding style and theme! Or just a good opportunity to brag that you've set a date (brag in a good way!).
With my past few wedding clients, they only wanted invites and the reception decor. But I finally have my first save-the-dates to design, and have had so much fun researching all the unique ideas! Here are some of my favourites...

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I just love this new years video from Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.... hope you had a great new years eve, and hoping you have an even better 2012!

FESTIVE SETTINGS

Merry Christmas Eve everyone. Christmas is officially here, and while most people are probably thinking about how much food they are about to consume, my brain is ticking away trying to think of creative place setting ideas (haha yes that's normal isn't it?!). On board with my (one-day-in-the-future) venture of extending the Rammikin business into event styling (think wedding seating themes, 1st birthday themes, party favors etc!), I am setting myself the task of decorating our Christmas lunch this year. I want to create a fun and festive table setting for the crew, and of course leaving it to last minute, I have an estimate of 2 hours spare today to do so.

So I've hit the web and found some great inspirations to get me started...

{love the red & white theme}

{create a menu for everyone}

{cute home-made tokens, & christmas cutlery, amazing}

{some great ideas from Paige at Simple Thoughts}

{pages from my Real Living christmas special}

{fun & colourful}

{love these numbered tags from habitationBoheme Etsy store, use for wine glasses so you know which one is yours!}

....watch this space for a future blog on how it turned out!

make me a bon bon

So Christmas season is the busiest time of year right? You hardly have enough time to finish your Christmas shopping let along make your own decorations? But, when you find something as cute as this, you can't help but make time for cutting and glueing (even if it is at 2am in the morning, totally worth it!)

I found this D.I.Y article for bon-bons (aka crackers) designed by Kate Petty of Mini-Eco, an easy & modern remake.

Materials

• templates for large and small crackers
• printer
• pretty paper or cardstock
• ruler
• utility knife and cutting mat
• glue stick or double-sided tape
• treats for inside
• tissue paper
• twine

Instructions
1. Download the pdf and print onto thin cardstock. There is a large template and a small template. Full-size crackers are 25cm (about 10 inches) long, and miniature crackers are 16cm (about 6 inches long).
2. Cut around the outside with a pair of scissors.

3. Score along all the dotted lines. Compass points are great for scoring cards.

4. Using a craft knife, cut out all the diamond shapes.

5. Fold along all the vertical lines.

6. Fold along the horizontal lines as shown. If you like, you can insert a cracker bang and tape it into place at each end using sticky tape.

7. Bring the ends together and join using a glue stick or double-sided tape

8. Tie one end with a length of cotton/ribbon/string.

9. Wrap a gift/sweets/confetti in some tissue paper.

10. Pop inside the cracker and tie the other end with cotton/ribbon/string.

DONE!

of christmas tree

Our christmas season officially began yesterday when we brought our Christmas tree. We were inspired by Simon's sister Michelle and her family's real tree, so on the way home from their house yesterday we called by a Christmas tree-farm. In true "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" style, we stomped through the paddock to find the perfect tree, with measuring pole & saw in hand. Our tree is currently sitting in a bucket of water on the back porch waiting to be decorated...

Now to find some inspiration for christmas tree decorations...!

a city bloke in the bush

When I'm working at home I always have something playing on the television. Mostly to have some background noise more than anything, it can get fairly quiet (and lonely, well apart from my kitten Evie who I treat as my collegue every now and then with witty office-banter!).

I popped "The Shiralee" on today. I think from being overseas for so long, I needed a big Aussie movie fix, and this is by far the most Australian movie I have seen! My parents always used to play it when we were younger, I think my Mum even has a claim to fame that her Aunty has a small role in it (I'm still to find this part in the movie). I also love to watch it because the main character Macauley (played by Bryan Brown) reminds me of my Dad.  Macauley is regularly titled as "the city bloke in the bush" throughout the story, and in one scene someone asks him why he left the city to be outbush, he replied "it's where I'm meant to be". Just like him, my Dad grew up in the city (Eastern suburbs of Adelaide, in the upmarket suburb of Beaumont), but at age 16 he decided he wanted to try his luck in the outback and worked on a station in Northern South Aus. From then, he never turned back. If you met my Dad these days you would think he grew up in the country, it's in his heart and soul, it's "where he was meant to be" as Macauley would say!

A quick low-down of the story to "The Shiralee".... It follows the character Macauley from his arrival into the outback country town of Macmillan, his loves, his rivalries, his "life on the road", when he discovers he has a young daughter which her mother leaves with him. A beautiful relationship between the two unfold, although at first he finds her a nuisance, she eventually becomes his whole world.

Ahh, it's just so refreshingly Australian!!

My amazing Dad (with my nephew Alec)