Winter Wonderland

While Australia is 'hot as, mate' during the Christmas season, I couldn't help but admire the lovely new prints from Elizabeth Soule featuring little woodland creatures in a snow setting. No wonder American folk go so crazy for a White Christmas. There is something inherently charming about it all. Wouldn't a whole team of these polaroids just be perfect? See some more of the too-cute work from Elizabeth at her blog or shop away at her Etsy store.

Radio Gaga

In the spirit of early Christmas giving, Joshua brought a little something to my house. A very adorable 'traditional radio receiver', which is the most glorious shade of cream and navy, and something I've long loved since I see it most weeks at work. Turns out the jukebox radio which I bought last week foiled his plans for rad Christmas gift giving. He'd already bought the radio and told me about it after our auction house finds. I'd be super sad if it had to be returned, so I'm glad it's ended up living with me, albeit a little early. One can never have too many retro styled radios, right? I'm in love with the portability and giant dial - and it's ability to accompany us on picnics.

Sunglasses

I bought Joshua a pair of sunglasses, intending on stashing them until Christmas time. They fell out of my cupboard when he was visiting the other day (typical, Megan) and we kind of just pretended it didn't happen. After forgetting his usual pair on a particularly sunny afternoon, I figured presents are always great whenever you get them and handed them over. Happy one month to Christmas!

Storybook Rabbit

The very wonderful Kelly has a very wonderful designer profile interview over on The Finders Keepers blog. If you didn't already know what a talent she is, now is your chance to read up on her and know it for yourself! Clickety-click!

Gaffa Wrap Up

Thanks to all who came down to Gaffa Gallery last night. It was a buzzy kind of evening (I blame the singular glass of wine I had that made my head all tingly) and lots of fun. For those of you who missed it, you've got another month to pop in and see all the treats that everyone has on display.





My personal recommendation would be to get there and grab one of Matts lovely new tees or cushions. They're as fresh as fresh can be and rolled to perfection - you can see them in the 4th photo up there.
You can also read up a little on all the designers who are in the gallery until Christmas Eve over on The Finders Keepers blog.
Apologies for the 'Ever Dazzling' photo focus in this little post. It's mostly to benefit my sweet mum who couldn't be there. Joshua took them especially for you, Jules. xx

Setting Up

The Cubicle crew are spending today setting up for The Arcade Project. Lots of arranging and stacking and sorting and shelving. Here's a little peek at some of the things I'll have at Gaffa from tomorrow.


If you want to see what some of the folks will be contributing you can head along to our Facebook page and see treasures from the likes of Matt and Frankie.

Jukebox

Amidst a day full of printing, errand running, and generally 'attempting to get things done', Joshua and I stopped off at Mitchell Road Auction Centre for a general stickybeak. They're currently having a giant sale - and some lucky people have nabbed the most wonderful pieces, like an enormous Art Deco kitchen cabinet with glass sides for a mere $40. Jealous.
We found a tiny jukebox radio that lights up and will look amazing just about anywhere I put it.


I also scored a little desk with a very worn out vintage map of Australia on the top for a teeny-tiny $15. I'll share some pictures of that treasure when it's been cleaned and de-cobwebbed!

The Arcade Project

Things have been a little quiet around here this week - I've got a good excuse, I promise.

I've been busily working on bits and pieces for the final round of The Arcade Project at Gaffa Gallery, getting ready for the opening on Thursday night! We're going to be in there for a whole month (so if you live locally you've really got no reason to miss out).

Free on Thursday? Come on down to Gaffa and say hello. It's easy to find, a nice space to be in, and there'll be plenty of things for you to stock up for Christmas with!

Write A Bike

This is why I need a tandem bike. It has my name in it! We'll just substitute Elton for something more suited...

Write a Bike by Juri Zaech gets one virtual high-five from me. Look at these beauties! I love them even more than the pony bike I posted a few weeks ago. These are amazing!

Penguin Love

Just when I thought I couldn't quite love Penguin clothbounds any more than I did already, they bring out a new collection. I assume it's the work of the supremely talented Coralie Bickford-Smith, but her portfolio is yet to be updated with these treats. Maybe it's some other clever cookie? If you know, let me know! Surely kids will love to read a whole lot more if they've got a set that looks this beautiful! Spotted over on Twig and Thistle.

Fairly Amazing

Themed weddings are hard to get right in my books - and it's even more rare to see such a detailed wedding in Australia. These guys nailed it pretty well. Her enamel bouquet, the shoes, the hay bale seats, the fairy floss... and then they sneak in some giant letters cut from what looks like Comic Sans. Consider me a typographic snob - but really, they could have used a much nicer typeface. Even just one that isn't the most widely ridiculed.

My bitching aside - who knew donuts could look so adorable? See more from this fun fair themed wedding on Ruffled.

Mississippi Mud Cake

I had a few enquiries about the cake Joshua made for me last week. I thought it might be best to post it straight up here - so if you're needing a delicious cake, this is your go-to place! I asked Joshua for the recipe, he sent it through to me, and ta-da!

(source)

The recipe is from The Australian Women's Weekly "Classic Cakes".

Mississippi Mud Cake

Cake mixture:

250g butter, chopped

150g dark eating chocolate

2 cups (440g) castor sugar

1 cup (250mL) hot water

1/3 cup (80mL) coffee liqueur (I used Baileys because I didn't have any coffee liqueur)

1 tbl spoon instant coffee

1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour

1/4 cup (35g) self raising flour

1/4 cup (25g) cocoa powder

2 eggs, beaten lightly

1. Preheat oven to 160 (140 fan forced). Grease deep 20cm round cake pan, line with baking paper.

2. Combine butter, chocolate, sugar, the water, liqueur and coffee granules in medium saucepan. Using wooden spoon, stir over low heat until chocolate melts.

3. Transfer mixture into large bowl; cool 15 mins. Whisk in combined sifted flours and cocoa, then egg.  Pour mixture into prepared pan.

4. Bake cake for about 1 1/2 hours.  Stand cake in pan 30 minutes before turning top-side up onto wire rack to cool.

5. Meanwhile, make dark chocolate ganash, spread over cake.

Dark chocolate ganash:

1/2 (125mL) cup cream

200g dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely

Bring cream to the boil in small saucepan.  Pour hot cream over chocolate in medium heatproof bowl; stir until smooth.  Stand at room temperature until spreadable.

Tune Tuesday (just a wee bit late)

When we were in Brisbane last week, Joshua's cousin was asking about our music playlist for the road. Since we'd left in such a rush, we didn't really give it a great deal of thought. She told us to choose one album and listen to it over and over on the way home, and then when we heard that album again we'd always think of 'that time we drove to Brisbane'. Given that the majority of CD's we had floating around the car were hip-hop themed (there is only so many times I can listen to 'My Adidas') it seemed Belle and Sebastian were a clear choice - thanks to Tristan for letting us nick some of his CD's. I bought Joshua his own special copy of The Life Pursuit - partially a gift for him, and partially a gift for me when it means I can avoid Run DMC one more time.

The Procrastination Celebration

I had originally put the whole 'Contexts of Visual Communication' subject down to just fostering design-wankers, but once I stopped being one of those arrogant sorts and just got on with it, things were a little better. Self reflection is a funny thing.
This last project was to write a personal manifesto. A call to arms, a projection of design futures, our aspirations. Pretty much whatever we wanted as long as we 'felt it'.
Lots of the original drafts from others were full of sweeping statements about 'the man' and design being all there is to life. I found it really refreshing to be able to speak enthusiastically about all the other things not really related to that - those procrastinating things we do when we're meant to be doing something else and how it can really improve the creative process.
We have to submit an A2 poster today. I'm handing in the above image wrapped in streamers. Party on.

Sneaky Peek

Just a little preview of the assignment I've been working on this week. These pictures are mostly for Matt. He loves a sneak peek at these sorts of things.

Cake

For my birthday earlier this year Joshua made me the most delicious cake I've ever eaten in all my time. It was some sort of mud cake with Baileys and coffee and chocolate. Not even kidding, I rate it as my number one all time favourite cake. I think about it sometimes and wish I could have it again. I get nostalgic over that cake. It really was THAT good.
I mentioned it this week, and how it had popped into my brain again. The next day Joshua arrived my house bearing a giant mud cake complete with strawberries. Perfect timing for some photos I needed to take involving a cake - and perfect timing for any sugar cravings I may have been having that day.
So delicious!

Frankie Diary

I literally squealed with glee at the postman this morning when I saw what my parcel delivery was.
My present from Katyha had arrived!! All wrapped up so nicely, with a sweet card and an adorable notebook with a teeny-tiny picture of the Eiffel Tower included as well!
I always have great difficulty choosing a diary at the start of a new year - but now I don't have too! The journal even somehow feels more lovely in my house than it did when I looked at it in the shops. Weird hey? Thank you so much, Katyha! I feel so lucky!

ITC New Baskerville

Finished! I think there'll be a collective sigh of relief from most of the people in my year when this particular project is handed in today. We were all assigned a different typeface, and the assignment was to demonstrate 'type in motion' and to give an introduction of sorts to the font we were given.
Other fun ones floating around the internet (via Facebook, mostly)... Jamiels Antique Olive and Eva's American Typewriter.

Antique Olive from Jamiel Virata on Vimeo.


ITC American Typewriter from eva kozarovska on Vimeo.

Mowed Down

I've been working on a little stop-motion movie in a desperate attempt to avoid After Effects and final assessment tasks. It's working well. My tutor has liked it enough so far, and it has meant my time has been spent cutting out paper rain drops as opposed to aligning text on the computer. The best thing about stop motion? The things you get wrong are the things that add to the 'charm'. Sounds like a win to me.

Accidental Roadtrip

We're home from our weekend in Brisbane! Things didn't turn out quite like we had planned... Our flight on Friday afternoon was cancelled, and after a whole lot of telephone talking it was pretty clear we weren't going to be getting a flight at all that weekend - so we decided to jump in the car and drive it.

I wouldn't cite myself as being particularly spontaneous, but with both Joshua and I having taken time off work for the weekend and having planned it for months, we thought it would be a shame to miss out altogether!

Popping in to see my family on the way meant we didn't really get going until the evening. We'd planned on finding somewhere a few hours away to sleep for the night. Ha. Nothing was open or vacant and we resorted to napping in the car. Turns out I'm a bit of a princess when it comes to sleep time - that, or our car is just genuinely horrible to try and snooze in. After an uncomfortable hour we kept driving and eventually found a little motel that had 24 hour reception and vacancy. Apparently, 24-hour reception really just means 'ring the doorbell and wait for Shaz to get her dressing gown on and come and let you in'. Considering it was after 3am, I can hardly blame her.

I'm a restless car companion and insisted on stopping at multiple places. Summerland Antiques somewhere near Ballina was a particular favourite, with a resident dog and a chatty store owner who suggested quite emphatically that Joshua take a look at the engagement rings - "Together for over a year? You should have a family by now!"



Ice cream at New Italy, too many roadworks, too much Hip Hop. We did make it on time for the party (picking up a bonus hour thanks to the time difference) and were showered with praise for most of the night - a 12 hour car trip makes you golden in the eyes of a family. I hadn't really been involved in a genuine 'surprise' before, but having someone squeal with delight at your mere presence is a pretty fun feeling.