markets are for me

So it has been a month between blogging. How lazy! But I have a good excuse - I have been super busy with Rammikin and that just makes me super happy! I found some pictures from a few months ago when Simon and I spent an afternoon at the Port Markets. We had a great day out, exploring all the tiny stores & mixing with the store owners (who looked like they hadn't left their store for 20 years, or brushed their hair, or cleaned their teeth, haha!).

The next time you have a few spare hours on a Sunday head down to the Port markets. It's located right on the harbour, next to the Lighthouse!

I will try and keep up with my blogging from now on, because there is so much amazing things out in the world that need to be shared, so I will promise to share!

baby let's catch up.

I just finished designing invitations for a...uh...before-baby-party/not-baby-shower! Friend's Sarah & Michael (so formal when we know them as Kenny & Trussell) have decided to ditch the corny baby shower idea, and instead host a party to catch up with everyone before little one takes up all their time.
So there will be no nappy cakes on this present table, or baby games played in the afternoon, or even any baby decorations. Instead just good friends, good food, good music & good times!
BUT it hasn't stopped me just looking at some party ideas...

city girl walking.

A dedication post to my friend Buzz. One of my favourite city girls, who together with the other darling Eclairs (a name created for a group of girls that lived for emails back in the day, but now just lives for regular outings & organic pizza!) keep this country girl's city heart alive!
So back to Buzz. Let's review her last 3 months. She quit her job for an adventure in the New Zealand snow fields of Queenstown, only to break her ankle 2 weeks in by running in the rain and slipping over on a footpath. With no hopes of finding a winter-job in a leg plaster, she hopped on the next plane home and has spent the last couple of months trying to recover without going insane from cabin fever.
I invited her up to our humble country abode last week to get her out of the house. So with moon-boot in tow, to Lala land she came. We started the day with pancakes & fresh orange juice for breakfast, also with a third guest Louise who dropped in for the morning. Then we headed for Tanunda, a beautiful little town in the Barossa Valley, and spent the afternoon discovering the antique shops & enjoying home-made scones (with jame & cream of course!). I picked up some great little treasures, & Buzz got out of the house. All in all a great day!

creative logos.

As a designer I get very envious of any unique and creative concept. In particular logos, and their concepts that really make you stop and look and think "how did they come up with that?". Linking the company name with a matching image is one of the best branding exercises around. When the company has more than one name in it's title, for instance the Australian band "The Cat Empire" which is one of my favourites. Their logo incorporates a cat's eye, with the crown of an empire. Genious! Here are some more examples I most admire of creative logo branding:

invisable winter.

If you're living in Adelaide at the moment, you've probably forgotten it's Winter. The parade of beautiful sunny days continued today, somewhere around the mid-20's, which has never happened in August before (or so the weather man tells me)! I spent the afternoon in the Barossa with my good friend Buzz sprouting the antique stores and munching on delicious scones at the local German cafe (which is a whole new blog on it's own!). But even thought I've been enjoying this amazing weather, it also makes me think of poor little Winter and how it must be feeling so....invisiable! Besides it's horrible weather, the season still has so many reasons to celebrate.

1. The only time you can wear a poncho and mittens and not be mistaken for an extra in the local community theatre show.
2. A great excuse to theme your winter party with a winter themed invitation.
3. Spend time with yourself and a great book in front of the cosy fire.
4. Try out a new hair-do that suits the season
....

 

nanna antiques

Just over a month ago my family decided that my darling Nan should move into a Nursing Home. After a few too many instances of her forgetting to take her meds etc, and worrying about her being on her own, we thought it was about time. I think I've previously blogged about the amazing place we found for her, more of a mansion 5 star hotel than a typical nursing home.
Well once she settled in to her room, we had to sort through all the remaining furniture and bits and bobs left over. She only live in a small homette in a retirement village, but wow she sure fit alot of stuff inside that little home! I was so glad when my folks offered me some of her things that they knew I would appreciate. Floral vintage pattern serving plates, antique bowls, hand-sewn vintage serviettes, antique spoons (we tend to use so many teaspoons with our coffee machine that we collect them just so we have enough!), lots and lots of bags and belts, and so much more. We even found an old baby seal furr coat that was made for my Great-Grandmother on one of their travels to America, with a matching shawl! We are thinking about donating it to a museum, it's so ancient, and I would probably get arrested if I wore it in public!
Here's a sneak peak of some of the amazing things I got given, that I will treasurer forever: