I don't take compliments easily, I am not often happy with the work I produce, always seeing where it could be better – I can thank my perfectionist mother for that character trait! But today I'm happy because one of my favourite blogs, The Design Files, featured a story on Annabelle and me and our new magazine fête. I still can't quite believe the author of the site, Lucy, would be interested in our little project that we're producing from Adelaide in South Australia.
And today, we launched our new website. This was not without its problems. Only days ago we decided to cease work with one web developer and employ another after weeks and weeks of ongoing problems with the first. We've ended up paying twice to have our website built but we wanted to be sure it was right - right from the start. I designed it to be simple and in keeping with the fête ethos. I'm not sure if it's the weeks of stress leading up to today or the pure relief that the site is actually up, but for today, I'm pretty happy with how things are working out.
Here is our first issue of Fête for 2012. I hope you'll like it and help us spread the word if you do. Please visit our Facebook page and like us too if you have a moment, we'd really appreciate your support.
Today I took some photos for a beautiful homeware store that they will be using on their upcoming website. I actually really enjoyed it but I did feel rather peculiar being the photographer as it's not something I do often. I am far more adept at being the designer sitting behind a computer screen using other people's photographs.
It is something I'd like to do more of though - practice makes perfect I guess.
My sweet little pony, Nat, got very sick just before Christmas. At 22 years old, I feared the worst for her but by some miracle, she had made enough of a recovery to accompany her little rider, Poppy, to the country show today.
After countless shows, being primped and preened for most of her life, Nat's earned her retirement and only gets prettied up once or twice a year now for special occasions.
Recently I celebrated my birthday and one of loveliest gifts I received was from my very good friend Jeannie and her husband Damien who gave me a box of produce from their farm – herbs, eggs, garlic, potatoes, zucchinis – a real bounty. My mum gave me a beautiful black-washed trug which was the perfect partner for these homegrown goodies.
Jeannie and Damien live on a beautiful property near Macclesfield about 45 minutes from Adelaide CBD. They have done so much work on the place, having almost finished a much-anticipated extension to their home. After a long-overdue visit this morning to see the new house I was really taken with Jeannie's vegetable patch that she lovingly tends. It was so full of different fruits and veggies, everywhere I turned there was another surprise. I love how she has incorporated old gates and farm equipment within the garden. It was also great to see the pencil pines that I gave Jeannie for her birthday a few years ago looking so healthy. Lots of rain this year has ensured good growth but Jeannie surely has a green thumb or two.
Jeannie's a graphic designer like me – we went to the same high school all those years ago and then went to Uni together to study. The logo for her business, Cultivate Design, reflects her love of the land perfectly. Please do visit Jeannie's blog if you have a moment, I hope she'll share many more pics of her property as it evolves.
Good grief, what a whirlwind Christmas I have just experienced. A poor sick little pony leading up to the day, lunch for 26 on the day and then we hosted a party on the 27th - which is the epitome of insanity – to celebrate my birthday. If it's any indication of just how chaotic our festive season was you won't be surprised to learn I only decorated the tree on Boxing Day – and very sparsely at that!
Many years ago I made the tree decorations using found seed pods. I was shopping at the local supermarket and noticed all these beautiful little pods on the ground under the trees – some variety of Acacia I think, native to Australia. I returned one Sunday afternoon and spent a couple of hours collecting them. Goodness knows what any passers-by must have thought. I then drilled a tiny hole into each one of the them and then strung them together, punctuated with a gold bead every so often. I was addicted and couldn't stop making these blessed things – I found the larger seed pods that I used for the mantel garlands in the parklands which coincidentally is now only five houses away from where we live.
I don't decorate with them every year but this year, teamed with some fairy lights they were quick and easy and I was happy just to have something up! I also like the idea of celebrating Christmas in an Australian way minus the snowflakes, the reindeer and the frosted windows – yesterday was 40 degrees for heaven's sake!
Billie had the right idea, she's lounged around pretty much the entire time and no, we are yet to eat the pudding – it's still hanging from the mantel. I wonder if it will keep until next year?
Yesterday we celebrated my adorable nephew's third birthday. My sister threw him a little party with fairy bread, homemade pasties and lots of sweet treats. I made the cake which was topped with toffee crumbles. He had a ball and made us all laugh with his funny faces and dress-up antics. I feel so lucky to have him and my niece in my life.
What a crazy few days it has been. The response to our new project, fête, has been fantastic – more than we could have hoped. Thank you so much for all your lovely emails and comments, we both really appreciate them.
Here is the recipe to the mincepies in our Special Issue. They are so very delicious, I'm sure you'll love them too. Annabelle and I pretty much ate the whole tray in this photo not too long after they were shot. Official testing of course!
Please let me know if you can't read the recipe and I can email it to you.
It is with much excitement Annabelle and I have launched a special issue of fête - just in time for Christmas. We really hope you'll enjoy this taste of what's to come in the new year with the first of our bi-monthly online issues releasing in February 2012.
Yes, I can finally reveal the project that Annabelle and I have been working on is a new magazine we have named fête – a celebration of all things entertaining and party related. I don't know about you, but we are both seriously time-poor but still want to celebrate the good times in life in a simple, easy but beautiful way. fête will show you how easy it is to make your next event just a little bit special without all the bother.
Yesterday we launched our press kit which we've sent out to prospective advertisers. We've had such a positive response already it's been really encouraging. We're just two girls with a crazy idea, it's nice to know others share our yearning for a simpler, less complicated – but no less beautiful – life.
The beautiful photographs in the press kit were taken by Jessie at Follow Studio and Scott & Alia from White Wall Photography and we couldn't be happier with them – they totally sum up our whole ethos.
We will be releasing six online issues a year and one speccy printed annual later next year. Our first mini 'teaser' issue will be released on the 9th of December which is just around the corner so please keep an eye out for it.
I do hope you'll let us know what you think, and please like us on Facebook to hear all our news – when we find the time to post that is!
Yesterday Annabelle and I worked on the first of our photo shoots with the lovely Scott & Alia from White Wall. It was nice to get back into the swing of things. The shoot went really well and we had a great day laughing and sharing stories. They are two of the most generous, driven people I am ever likely to meet.
These are shots I took of the beautiful servingware we had at the ready, lent to us by Annabelle's sister, Amelia and her brother-in-law, Adrian. I actually met Annabelle through Amelia as we were friends long before I knew of her little sister. Amelia and Adrian own Danish Vintage Modern and Country Life Antiques and travel around the world sourcing product for their shops. Seriously, their home is something out of a magazine, every corner crammed full of the most amazing pieces. One look at the servingware in these photos should give you an inkling.
We've been reading up and apparently it's best to expose a puppy to as many different experiences as possible while they're young and impressionable. This afternoon we took Billie to the beach – her first time. It was so funny watching her negotiate the soft sand, pick up seaweed and sea sponges and then tentatively enter the water.
We are blessed with the most beautiful coastline, I'd forgotten how nice it is at the beach, a mere 20 minute drive away. Even though it was warm, it was overcast so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. Overall, a very rewarding experience – for Billie – and me.
Had a great day yesterday with Annabelle doing some styling/photography work. It was so nice to work together again after our little break since leaving the magazine. We're a great team and despite the odd clash of wills, we work remarkably well together.
Our new business venture is another step closer to reality. We've been working hard on all the background business set-up which takes a frustratingly large amount of time. I hope to reveal all very soon but it's not too far away and we're both very excited.
What a difference a little time and a lot of rain makes - we only planted out this part of the garden a couple of months ago. Now the hydrangeas are in bloom, the lobelias are bursting with colour and the trees are in leaf. It makes me happy every time I look outside.
The temporary fence is to keep Billie out until we get a proper one built. John and I both decided it was way beyond our capabilities to erect something strong enough to withstand a dog so we've decided to hire a contractor. I kind of like this little make-do though – it's quaint – and she hasn't worked out how to get through it yet.
She is growing up so quickly. We want her to stay sweet and small forever. She is such a lovely dog – especially with her crazy ears – one sticks up and one flops down now!
What could be better than eating breakfast outside on a warm, sunny morning? Um, nothing. After a few too many puddings over winter (and a few too many kilos to show for it) I'm back to starting the day with a bowl of homemade muesli, poached apricots (what I have left from last summer's bounty) and the first of the season's fresh blueberries. Hopefully I'll be able to fit in to my jeans again soon!
Last week we welcomed a new member to our family – Billie – an eight week old Staffordshire Bull Terrier bred by our friend Amy. Since Molly died earlier in the year the house has been terribly quiet and very lonely and John has been yearning for a new dog. She is a dear little thing and John is smitten.
We had a terrible scare yesterday when she suddenly became very sick and we had to rush her to the vet. She spent the day on a drip and they were quite worried about her for some time. Today she is back to her normal playful self – we suspect she ate something she shouldn't have.
She has already well and truly found a place in our hearts.
After reading the Country Farmhouse blog, I was full of inspiration and convinced John our postage-stamp-sized courtyard garden was in desperate need of a mini-makeover. To complement the row of box hedge I planted about six months ago, we planted a heritage-variety quince tree, murraya, lavender, lobelia and my favourites – hydrangeas.
Today I went to Emma's baby shower. Most girls I know have a friend or a relly throw them a shower but my friend Emma – who until recently worked with me at the magazine – decided that with all her spare time she'd organise her own. And boy did she do it well! It was so beautiful, my photos really don't do it justice. Knowing she is expecting a boy, and not wanting a traditional blue shower, Emma opted for a woodland theme with gorgeous ginghams and little forest features. Annabelle and I arrived early to help her set up – she is heavily pregnant after all – but really, she had everything well in hand so we had a lovely day enjoying the delicious food she had prepared.
John's business, The Food Business, exhibited at a local bridal fair called The Eclective this weekend. I put the stand together for him – given I have a bit more free time now! I was given a strict budget so I based the theme on bakeware, bought some lovely cake tins for veggie displays (all in complementary colours of course) & napkin holders and used a cookie cutter for a business card holder. The fair was at the Queen's Theatre, a fantastic old building right in the heart of the city.
Spring is here at long last. The trees are in blossom and the sun is shining. Just perfect for a bounce on the trampoline with my sweet niece.
Today marks a new chapter in my life. I have resigned from my position at the magazine and am about to embark on a very exciting new venture. Lots to do and so much to think about – can't wait to tell more!
