“Learn the rules, so you know how to break them properly”  Dali Llama

Artist: Si Scott

The clever people at FreshBump have comissioned some amazing artists to turn some quotes on cretativity, into a visual feast forthe eyes. Above is one of my favourites, by Si Scott. There will be more on the way in coming days…

Ive been busy working on some new posters for the etsy shop, and have been knee deep in retro images to inspire me. I managed to come across Darren Drew Design and fell in love! The front page alone made me swoon!

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Thhe wonderfully French Baral Fabien designed a beautiful wall sticker in an effort to explain design and designers to the world. Wonder if he’s designed little calling cards with his message printed on it, sometimes clients need a bit of education too!

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Im wearing this quirky little number today

Max Shop are having a really great sale and i couldnt resist! Apart from the pattern and sunny colour, i love the ruching, gathering and pleats that make this dress really unique.

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Calligraffiti by Craig Ward, Sean Freeman and Alison Carmichael

Look what happens when creative minds and hands collaborate on a special project! I have a soft spot for typography and when you put 3 clever minds together magic happens. This was created for the “If You Could Collaborate” exhibition. Makes me want to buy a jigsaw!

The tail end of 2009 has been a bit hectic, hence the lack of posts! Sorry! Theres been baking, and wrapping and eating- oh god, the EATING!! Theres about 2000 photos still on the camera, waiting to be downloaded, edited and posted and bikes being assembled and decorations to be removed and then to top it all off the year is ending!

Tonight we’ll see the end of 2009 and welcome 2010 in with a boom! Literally! We’ll be at the top of the Husbands office builfing with some friends and their kids, watching the fireworks  and having a little celebration of our own.

2009 has been a huge year for us- we got a new house, sold an old house, got new jobs, new hair, took a holiday and are already making plans for next years holiday. For 2010 i hope Nicholas will love starting kindergarten, we’ll thoroughly enjoy our holiday, perhaps buy an investment property and do a lot more design work! Until then, thank you all for your comments and thoughts this year, and heres some virtual vintage champagne for you all:

Who doesnt love a nicely decorated Christmas tree? I love checking out all the displays in the shops and getting ideas. Last year i was complaining about or tree, it was looking a bit thin in areas and wasn’t exactly the full and thick tree i wanted. It was given to us as a gift, and lets just say, some things are a very personal purchase. Despite it being only 4 years old, it was looking a bit sad.

So while i was strolling through a department store i noticed a gorgeous tree. Its bristles were shiny and thick, it was tall and dense and everything my sad old tree wasn’t. Plus, the thing that won me over straight away, was that it was BLACK!

You know my small obsession with all things black and white…

So i took it home and had to wait a whole month before i could put it up, then i completely caved in and put it up anyway! It was October! People thought i was clinically insane for a. Buying a BLACK christmas tree and b. for putting it up in October. But i didnt care one tiny ounce. I got to enjoy its magnificence for 3 whole months. The kids loved it and the Husband even declared that it was cool!

I bought new decorations for my new black tree too. Guess what colour they were? Duh – WHITE!! And silver and black and glass and crystal. When i told people of my new tree and its colour scheme they all screwed up their noses at me- “Black! Thats not a christmas colour!”, “Are you sure its black and not dark green?”, “It’d look a bit boring dont you think?”

Well you tell me what you think:

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Ive been busy! With Christmas onlya  few weeks away ive been busy buried in Adobe- Illustrator & Photoshop to be specific. I create some custom christmas cards every year and this year i’ve designed some gift tags too. I love to create tags that co-ordinate with my wrapping paper so the whole parcel is a thing of beauty.

Heres a sample of what ive been up to:

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My Etsy favouries list is an ever expanding list of clothes, accessories, homewares, art, furniture and other oddities! If its turly loved, it doesnt stay a ‘favourite’ for long! Heres my newest additions to the list:

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I was searching online for a nice advent calender for the boys. Something that was a bit modern and would get them excited about counting down the days till Christmas. Most of the calendars were quite folky and were littered with Santas and characters that would date. And finding a decent Christmas pattern that doesnt involve red and green is difficult.

So i got to thinking. I could probably make one. But i didnt want to have to buy $100 worth of materials and slave over cutting, glueing and constructing. I had recently seen a tutorial on you tube, on how to make a paper box with only a sheet of paper and scissors and i gave that a try. It was so simple and quick that i decided my advent calendar had to use those boxes!

So 2 days later, i had 48 sheets of paper- ready to be folded into little boxes, a spool of red ribbon, 40 star split pins, 24 self-designed, numbered and printed lables, a small bag of chocolate santas, a small bag of chocolate snowmen, a bunch if branches from the yard, a vase and some christmas ornaments i had from previous years.

I made this:

The boys helped me find some suitable branches and hang the boxes onto the branches, becoming a little game of  ‘find the number’. I added some little red ribboned bows and my silver reindeer candle holders sit at the base with some silver pearls adorning the vase. Its about 5″ tall and is quite striking when you walk in the front door.

What i like about it, is that the branches can go back to nature and the boxes can be strung on some thick ribbon, like bunting, for next year. Or maybe we can just put them on the Christmas tree…the possibilities are endless!

Oh, i havent shown you my tree yet, have i? Its so pretty …