Archives for the month of: January, 2013

the school

January 31, 2013 //

My little girl is not so little anymore. Possible I may be in a teensy bit of denial so suddenly there’s a big time rush to get moving and get stationery. In the meantime I have found these fun but kind of not so practical items…

Giant pencil sharpener pencil holder by Suck UK spotted at Espresso 2108 Palm Beach. Used as sugar container. The lovely owner Sal has some very cute little bits and pieces on display. [They have a nice logo too, with a little help by yours truly] And great coffee. But that’s a given.

Giant paper clip by Universal, Oversized pencil from Gulliver’s Travels Press Kit.

And there’s my nearly 8 year old. He’s moving up into Primary. So old school is not such a big novelty. Still cool though.

Pacman stapler from Santa, rubbers [or erasers if you prefer] from Freckles Avalon.

Thrifted j-me tape dispenser. Washi tape from Tabletonic.

And now I get to me. [She whispers finally] Left soon with a lot more time to myself. I’m getting a little edu-macation too.
At the School. The super talented and multi-skilled Megan Morton’s project/ business located happily next to Koskela and Kitchen by Mike. I’m starting with an Instagram course, because I am addicted and, I apologise people, I have been spending a lot more time on IG at the moment than blogging. It’s fun and quick and my camera is in for repairs so I’m i-phoning it. After this class I’m pretty keen to do a screen printing session with Rachel Castle [who so brightly puts the love in the coconuts]

So much to do… There and here. Everywhere.

So yes, a big week for all of us. Smiling and waving. And with a few tears probably.

♥

Tags “, back to school, instagram, Megan Morton, novelty, novelty stationery, Old school cassette tape, oversize, school, Suck UK, The School, Universal Giant Paper Clips, washi tape

Categories little peeps, randomness, size matters

I am…

January 28, 2013 //

I came from the dream time, from the dusty red soil plains,
I am the ancient heart – the keeper of the flame,
I stood upon the rocky shore, I watched the tall ships come,
For forty thousand years I’d been the first Australian.
We are one but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come,
we share a dream,
And sing with one voice,
I am, you are, we are Australian.
I came upon the prison ship bound down by iron chains
I cleared the land, endured the lash and waited for the rains.
I’m a settler, I’m a farmer’s wife on a dry and barren run
A convict then a free man, I became Australian.
I’m the daughter of a digger who sought the mother lode
The girl became a woman on the long and dusty road
I’m a child of the depression, I saw the good times come
I’m a bushy, I’m a battler, I am Australian.
We are one but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come,
we share a dream,
And sing with one voice,
I am, you are, we are Australian.
I’m a teller of stories, I’m a singer of songs
I am Albert Namatjira, and I paint the ghostly gums
I am Clancy on his horse, I’m Ned Kelly on the run
I’m the one who waltzed Matilda, I am Australian.
I’m the hot wind from the desert, I’m the black soil of the plains
I’m the mountains and the valleys, I’m the drought and flooding rains
I am the rock, I am the sky, the rivers when they run
The spirit of this great land, I am Australian.
We are one but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come,
we share a dream,
And sing with one voice,
I am, you are, we are Australian.

Bruce Woodley of The Seekers and Dobe Newton of The Bushwackers. 1987

Tags Australia Day, Australia Day Long Weekend, I am Australian song, ur1

Categories randomness, typo file, word vomit

where women glow and men chunder

January 26, 2013 //

Happy Birthday Australia. Here’s a few tinnies to celebrate.

Little Brit-tin.
[Maileg is Danish actually but you know, whatever, she’ll be right.]

Not so old but does seem a lifetime ago and a world away…

Free stuff from The Church London 1998 on my Birthday.
All signs point to hell yes.

Tin tinnie holder Eumundie Markets Qld. Duff beer. A short lived Aussie brew. It’s dented. Got dropped. D’oh. They are quite collectible.

I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast…

Lyrics: Ronald Strykert, Colin Hay

And now for something somewhat predictable but if you haven’t danced your drunken little head off to this track somewhere in the world on Australia Day at sometime in your life, then I suggest you are, indeed unAustralian. Come on…

Tags Australia Day, Australiana, Breakfast of Champions, corrugated iron stubby holder, Duff beer, Men At Work, Milo, old cigarette tins, Vintage Tins

Categories astrayLiana, pushing tin

casa de flamingo

January 21, 2013 //

Of the millions of Flamingos in America today, only a handful are alive.
The rest are front-lawn effigies, proclaiming to all passers-by our national love for beauty.
the artist, Charley Harper

Wild concrete Garden variety, documented by urban rustic at
Dazzles Palm Springs.

An indoor species captured by John Perry. Also found in Palm Springs.

And then there’s the soon to be introduced to my Australian garden…

The original and iconic plastic pink flamingo, designed in 1957 by
Don Featherstone for Union Products and won him the Ig Nobel Prize for Art in 1996.
You can buy yourself a set here. Get Flocked.
This impressive company refunded an overpayment on shipping. Like! Can’t wait for them to land.

You may have seen a few flamingos in various forms recently, they are suddenly everywhere. I’ve pinned down a few more if you care to look.
Tacky or kitsh? Love them or hate them? For inanimate objects they can create quite a stir.
These ones from Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre.
Serving the best of taste.

Tags Don Featherstone, Flamingo, Flamingo Pinterest, flamingoed, Michell, Palm Springs, Pink Flamingo, Plastic pink flamingo, Union Products

Categories in-animal objects, pink bits, randomness

his nana’s voice

January 17, 2013 //

A loud shoutout to the very lovely re:retro for so generously donating Nipper to the urban rustic collection. How sweet is he, loving that fine bone Gramma-phone?

So here I am recreating logo’s in 3D. Not such a technophobe emi?
[Kind of a personal joke. As a designer I’ve always worked in 2D programs, 3D was a path I didn’t follow [all those dull grey menus.] There is the obvious metaphor here about old dogs…
These days my version of 3 dimensions is photographing props.
And it sounds pretty good to me. What do you think?

Tags 3D vs 2D, His Master's Voice, HMV logo, nana chic, Nipper, re:retro, Vintage, vintage ornaments

Categories nanarama, randomness

instamatique*

January 14, 2013 //

Anyone else loving Instagram?
Let me know how I can find you. This is me urban_rustic. Follow me and I’ll follow you. Promise.
I’m a bit of a novice but thanks to my cluey mate aka The Bear
#I get it now. @ last.

[Hash tags are just like tags on blogs and without them only your followers will see or find your images] #derr.

And speaking of getting. Hash tag v. excited. A GoPro camera.
This new teeny toy will go anywhere. Underwater. Windscreens. Handsfree.

Have camera will travel.

Mmm travel. Distracted already. Where was I?

#Instagram.
Can’t help but feel kind of ripped off that all these cool camera filter and grading apps once took me ages to set up on Quantel gear [the original ultra expensive Television graphics boxes] and then later Photoshop and After Effects.

Now even my children’s Kid Pix program blows me away with automatic animations, effects and audio. At the click of a single button. And now it’s 3D!

Anyway, whatever. Moving on…
The Interiors Addict recently did a 7 Day Instagram Challenge which was so fun and v. inspiring.
#7Vignettes judged by Kara Rosenlund, super-stylist with her own vintage caravan of travelling wares. Swoon.

I used my iPhone, to be quick, to not take it too seriously
[I can over think it, often] and because my Nikon is a playing up.
Needs to go to the Doctor.

So these are my 7 vignettes aka stuff around the house.

There’s another challenge coming up in a few weeks,
I’ll keep you posted on my Facebook page.

Info will also be on Jen Bishop’s Interiors Addict blog & Facebook page.
Since she’s the smart cookie organising it all…

#later Read the rest of this entry »

Tags #7vignettes, 7 vignettes, GoPro, instagram, Interiors Addict Instagram challenge, Kid Pix 3d

Categories randomness

pineapple head

January 12, 2013 //

Not exactly new news, you may have noticed pineapples are flavour of the moment. As they should be during high summer here in Australia.

Not to mention being fabulous icons of vintage beach chic.

I picked up the v. hi tech pineapple slicer above for 20c at a Church fete in Killara. Amazed I found how to use it on the net.

Works a treat, one slice at a time.
A cute little Aussie invention from the 70’s.

Also scored some cool ice cube trays for 10c each. Was hoping to put them in a drink but they melted too quickly to photograph. Looked like yellow blobs almost immediately.

Anyway discovered I like photographing without using real food. Not sure when and why it happened [probably because I love novelties] but it’s kind of a thing with me now. I’ll leave the food styling to the professionals. For now, happy to be an unreal food stylist. Heh.

vintage_pineapple_straws

Vintage style red & white paper straws Kikkerland, Fruit flexi straws by Alpen. Crystal glass from Aldi.

My hand picked yummy pineappley tastes.

Midori Splice

30 ml Midori melon liqueur
30 ml Malibu coconut rum
top with pineapple juice
30 ml cream

Pour all ingredients over ice in a tall glass. Float fresh cream last.

So nice.

Remember this classic? One of the last times I had this cocktail I ended up trolleyed. Literally. Tumbling out of a shopping trolley into the gutter.
Not so nice.

It was a long time ago…
[Lyrics from Pineapple Head by Neil Finn, Crowded House 1994]

By the way the Urban Dictionary defines a pineapple head as:
Someone who is really really smart but at the same time really really dumb…

My favourite pineapple head [who lives in a Pineapple under the sea].

My mini pineapple plant. Sweet.

table tonic pineapple lamp_cropped2

And if you choose to take that path…

Cast iron bookends from Rust Avalon. [online shop coming soon].
I like these.

And I’ll clutch at your heart…

But I absolutely love the lamp. And in my favourite colour too.

…like a spark to inflame you…
Available from Table Tonic shop Avalon only [not online].
Photo from TT blog, source Adore Magazine
Aloha.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags Adore Magazine, Midori Splice Cocktail, pineapple, Pineapple Head Crowded House, Pineapple lamp, pineapple straws, Retro, Spongebob Pineapple Head, Table Tonic Pineapple lamp, Vintage, vintage style paper straws

Categories foodie, yello

loving leaf

January 9, 2013 //

in all its forms.

So without too much guff, here’s to a New Year and a new leaf.
Hoping it is fruitful for all of us.

Not adding much more to Etsy for now. The urban rustic shop site is coming along nicely thanks to my lovely bud Michelle Lorimer, though I am trying to enjoy this last summer with my little Lily before her new school life begins.

If you see anything you would love to buy or hire, just drop me an email, no pressure. Inquiries welcome.

Evergreen Jadeite [heat and stain resistant milky-green glassware from the 1940/50s] Fire King plate.

Gilding the leaf. Pearly Japanese dish.Green on the inside.

Spanish Crown Pontesa cereal bowl. Ashtray made in Japan.
Monsterio bowl by The Outdoor Room.

In detail. Sweet.

Crystal clear. Not my usual style but it is lovely.

Old and saucy.
Neuerer West Germany circa 1950

Odd but ok together.
Paisley set to have another moment.

Past leaves.

And more past leaves [ones I have prepared earlier]

5 vintage leaf plates plus kids hands-sm

Not set up, I’ve mentioned before how hysterical my kids think it is to creep their hands in when I am shooting stuff. So I guess I am blowing my mystique [say what now?] but I may as well confess: most/try all, of my photos are not taken in the gi-normous light-filled studios of urban rustic incorporated [I wish] but on the white Corian benchtop in the family kitchen.

And now to leaf you with further inspiration, by some people who really know what they are doing…

Photo by Chris Court, Vogue Living September/October 2005

These are not my plates, and to be totally clear, not my photo.
This collection belongs to Chrissie Jeffery of the gorgeous textiles shop No Chintz.

Tags Chrissie Jeffery leaf wall, Green, Jadeite, leaf patterns, Leaf plates, Neuerer, recycling, wall of vintage leaf plates, West German Pottery

Categories green Is good

still life 5.0

January 8, 2013 //

How do you make gold soup?
With 22 carrots.

Can you believe there is a World Carrot Museum?

I wonder if it is somewhere in the vicinity of the Ponds Institute and The Red Rock Deli? Anyway don’t go there. Trust me.

Sorry Carrot people. Not that I don’t carrot all [geddit, err] I’m quite the fan. When it comes in cake form. So…

I found this recipe, which I am planning on making. Someone on Squidoo swears by it. Somebody on the inter-web likes it? Good enough! Best-Ever too. Gold!

Fulton’s Best-Ever Carrot Cake Recipe

[Fulton’s Pancake House & Sugar Bush is a maple syrup farm near Ottawa, Ontario in Canada.] Serves 10 – 12.

Ingredients:

Oil and flour to grease a 10-inch loaf or angel food cake pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached if possible [I’m going to substitute with wholemeal]
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar [ie regular sugar, here I would use raw]
1/2 cup granulated maple sugar or brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil or mild extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup sour milk [how to make this provided below]
2 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups crushed, well-drained pineapple
1 cup grated coconut [optional]

Maple icing:

1/2 cup butter
8 ounces or 225 grams of cream cheese
2 teaspoons of maple syrup
3 cups of icing sugar

Garnish:

Granulated maple sugar. Enough with the maple products, I love maple syrup but I’m going with chopped walnuts.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F/180° C. Lightly brush oil on pan; sprinkle with flour, knocking out excess. [Or use baking paper.]
In a bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt.
In another large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, maple sugar, oil and sour milk. With a rubber scraper, stir in carrots, pineapple and coconut; fold in dry ingredients until well combined.
Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake 1 hour. Test by inserting a toothpick/skewer into the centre, it should come out clean. Remove from oven and leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Use a table knife to separate cake from pan; invert onto a plate. Cool completely before icing.
For icing, combine ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth and thick enough to spread over.
Garnish.
Enjoy cake.

Read the rest of this entry »