Aussie Fridays: All Wrapped Up

I haven't done anything Aussie for a while and I have learned some more things in the meantime. Here...there is always something to learn. So I thought that every Friday I would do a post on something about Australia. Anything. Something I haven't seen or experienced before... some landmarks and it's history...perhaps a few more Aussie Language lessons...

So we'll start today shall we?

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about signing up with Aussie Farmers Direct. One of the perks I got at the time was a subscription to The Age newspaper Thursdays to Sundays.

Now newspaper delivery is nothing special of course...unless it comes wrapped Aussie style! This is not only applicable to The Age, but the local freebie paper as well. And I suspect every other available newspaper!

It's all rolled up and wrapped in clingwrap...

This is when things get a little tricky...there is definitely an art to getting to the paper itself. You see, the paper isn't rolled first and then wrapped up nice and snug like a newborn in a receiving blanket. The Aussies go all out and wrap the whole paper with the clingwrap.

War then starts with this clingwrap. First mission to accomplish before moving on, is finding the end. This means that finding the end and then attempting to rip it off from the paper only causes frustration...this being simply because the wrap has been torn and you're left with a long piece of wrap...and the paper still nice and snug.

So...the trick is to find the join at one end of the paper and carefully unstick it all down the length of the paper...then carefully unrolling the paper from the wrap.

But it's not only that. Of course it isn't. You didn't think that was it did you? Moving on...the paper isn't rolled one way. Nope. It's rolled one way and then just when you get to the end...it's rolled in the complete opposite direction!

Uuurrgh!!!

Fuuuurther to that...I have a somewhat irritating to some little quirk. I can't read anything unless it's flat. A 3-fold letter in the mail? Unfold the folds and then I'll read it. Anyone else do this? Just me? Ok...I can live with that.

My solution to the bi-fold impossible to read newspaper?

Problem is by the time the paper is flat enough to my quirky satisfactory flatness that makes it possible for me to read...3 days have passed and the news is either already old or I've seen it on telly! In this case, the paper is put straight into a bag ready to recycle to the local pet shop.

Needless to say I won't be renewing the subscription when it runs out.

Bet you never thought you'd read a blog post about a rolled up newspaper ;-)

Have a great weekend!

Robyn x

Footboards and French Linen

Our current bed has a footboard. While I always admired them from magazines, I never thought I would ever have one. I wasn't hankering after one specifically...just thought it might be nice.

Now that I have one, I'm not so sure. It's such a schlepp to make. Especially now in winter when there are layers on top of the duvet that need tucking in at the end.

Enter my French linen. I've had this Moroccan inspired set for a couple of years now and is by far my favourite. It's made from gorgeous Egyptian cotton and is the softest most lovely of them all. There is nothing like fresh linen on a bed - especially Egyptian cotton. Well..not for me anyway.

Here it is on the bed, but not fully finished yet. See the bit hanging over the end of the footboard? This is what makes it different. It's open at the bottom and is where the duvet is put in or taken out, and there are no closures to secure the opening.

That little bit tucks up underneath the mattress. See?

It's handy for a number of reasons. It stops one of you...if you share...from nicking all the covers...and it makes the bed much easier to make. Especially for me who has a number of layers on top of this duvet just to stay warm and toasty while we trudge through winter.

Not too long to go before we can pack all this coziness away and bring out the hats and suncream. In the meantime, you'll find me tucking everything under the mattress to keep out tootsies warm.

And lucky me...all our beds have a footboard!

Robyn x

Sun!

Today we actually got a bit of sun. Having been rather deprived of it recently I threw the little man into the car and we headed off to one of the parks within a few minutes drive from home.

We weren't out as long as I would have liked, but it was really nice to just get some much needed Vitamin D after weeks of rain and the odd appearance from the sun teasing us with warmth before heading back into the comfort of the clouds.

A friend joined us and the boys let off some much needed steam...

all while we sat back in the sun and had a good goss!

While the winters here are nowhere near as cold as they were back in the UK, Sunshine and Spring just can't come fast enough.

Robyn x

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The Art of The Brick

No, I'm not talking about the bricks you build houses from...how on earth are those artistic? Individually anyway...together however they can create some gorgeous houses.

The bricks I'm talking about are those little ones that you need millions of...to make all sorts of things from the imagination...castles, forts, towers, ships, life size men, skulls, pictures, even dinosaurs!

Still confused?

Now you know what bricks I'm talking 'bout! Those little ones that land up all over the place but somehow one can never have enough. Well definitely not this guy.

He is Nathan Sawaya, and is one of only 13 certified  Lego sculptures in the world. For the first time he has an exhibition in Australia. Melbourne to be exact...so we went yesterday to have a look-see.

Note: lots of pics to follow ;-) Some of the work shown is done by local artists, and depicts Melbourne CBD.

I haven't titled some of them simply coz some of them didn't have one, or I didn't get a chance to have a look.

Flinder Street Station - Melbourne CBD

"Sing"

 

It's truly amazing these works...

"Yellow"

"Hands"

"Kangaroo" - this was untitles, but is pretty obvious ;-)

 

"Face" - life size and at least a six footer!

"Skulls" - at least 3 x larger than life-size

"Parthenon" - um...not to scale

"Skulls"

"Peace"

"Rain Drops"

 

"Swimmer"

"Apples"...the smaller apple was life-size

The painting was made from those small flat pieces...the drawers were all Lego bricks as well

 

This dinosaur apparently took him 3 months to make...working on nothing else at the time

Eureka Tower Melbourne CBD

The Shrine of Rememberance

 Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne CBD

I've got loads more pictures to show you and though these are seriously fascinating, you cannot comprehend the amount of work that has gone into these designs. Some of the people are not far short of being life-size so a) the guy must have a heck-of-a-lot of Lego bricks and b) must work his butt off.

He also had a few portraits up that he has done with the small flat pieces, like this of the Flinders Street Station on entry.

...made from these

There were one or 2 video's showing him working on the "Face" and from what we could tell, he not only builds the bricks...which takes eons...but he glues the pieces in place as well.

A very rewarding exhibition...especially after having to go back because the ticket machine went on strike...but that's ok...we went to the Melbourne Designers Market instead...the Lego's ticket machine back from strike by the time we were finished at the market.

Apart from the still wet weather, it was a good day out.

Be seeing ya!

Robyn x

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Debbiedoo's Newbie Party

Hyacinth

I managed to get another small project done this past weekend, that is by now way overdue. Planting bulbs.

When we went to the Melbourne Flower Show back in April, apart from a couple of bunches of flowers,  all I bought were some Hyacinth bulbs.

They have been sitting in the laundry cupboard since then in the brown paper bag they came in. With spring on the horizon here in Australia, I thought it best to actually get them in some soil - pronto!

When I took them out of the bag, this is what they looked like.

They obviously couldn't wait any longer for this non-gardener to do something about them so they just started off on their own.

After spray painting the terracotta pots with a bit of silver left over from the silver end table project, I planted them.

You know after a long day working out in the garden under the hot summer sun, you walk back inside with aching muscles? Well, I have no idea how that feels. But I do know a hot-water bubbly bath with candle-lit lighting and a nice glass of something alcoholic does wonders for sore muscles. I bet these bulbs are now also sighing with relief that they are finally in the correct nutrients...I did buy bulb compost and a bulb booster...and able rest in the knowledge that they are in the right stuff to get them to bloom.

I'm looking forward to seeing how they will turn out and hopefully they will be purple. There were trays of bulbs of all sorts and colours from the stall I bought them from and you never know if some mischievous kids have mixed them all up!

Might be a nice surprise. Or none at all if they don't grow.

Wish me luck!

Robyn x

Walkabout

Despite just having finished 2 weeks of school holidays...which were pretty eventless I must say...I insisted we all get up and out for a walk on Sunday afternoon.

We use to often go walking in Bradgate Park in the UK, but haven't yet found a similar place here. So while we had a typical overcast and slightly windy day on Sunday, I felt the need to get out. And I wanted to take some more pictures. So I did.

There is a pathway that goes all the way around the lake, with others off of this. We stopped to look at the flowers...

There is a railway line as well that runs alongside the back of the lake, and we were there at the right time to watch it go by. I tried to take one of those pics where the train is all blurry with the surrounds in focus.

I wasn't quick enough changing the setting on my camera. Never mind. The walk itself isn't a very long one as it isn't a big lake, but there is still plenty to see...

There is also a play area back around the front of the lake where there is plenty lawn area and bbq facilities. The play area is always busy and the lake itself is too when the weather is nice and sunny. It was at this lake that we spent Australia Day with the neighbours and their friends back in January.

There is a decking area and bridge that stretches from one side of the lake to the other with this gazebo in the centre. Fishing is allowed and there were quiet a few youngsters with their rods fishing from both the deck and the bridge.

The bbq area is paved with red brick which looks pretty basic from afar...

But is quite different up front. Every brick had been carved with something. Drawings, declarations of love, quotes, hand or foot prints, pretty designs...

As you can see, traditional Aussie cuisine was not forgotten. The date on this brick is 29/11/79.

After our walk, we fed the ducks. And then the pigeons came so we fed them too, before heading off to the play area.

We weren't out long, but it was nice and fresh and I personally felt a lot better. However there isn't anything quite like a nice hot drink when you come in from the cold.

Robyn x


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