Photography Assignment 2

We finally got around to chatting about our second photography assignment in class. The brief for this was "Power, Patriotism & Wealth". I skipped the wealth part, and for power I used a couple of the photos from the karate competition down in NSW:

For patriotism I got together some Bavarian icons - my brother's Schariwai that I made my boyfriend wear on his Lederhosen and some beer steins we bought in Munich, all bearing the Bavarian crest:

I'll take you to Gayndah, Gayndah

We'll be off to Gayndah shortly for the Orange Festival. We have some friends who are from there and they've been telling us for years we have to go, so it's finally happening.
There will be a Wine & Cheese Night, Street Parade, Races, Rodeo, Cabaret amongst other things, so it'll be a very busy weekend, and hopefully many opportunities to take photos.
I also have a suitcase full of outfits, as there's a different dress code for just about every event.
Can't wait to share photos and such next week.
Hope everyone has a great long weekend!

Before And After with mixed results

I've had these two baskets sitting around in a cupboard for ages since the wood colours don't really work with the rest of the decor. I finally decided that I would paint them white and use them.

I didn't give it too much thought, just grabbed some left-over wall paint we had from painting our unit. I thought this would be perfect so that the whites match. Well... It seems that the cane on both of these had been dyed with some sort of colour that dissolves when I tried to paint over them. Hence the below result of ghastly pink and yellowy whites:

I was somewhat disheartened with this horrible outcome, but I thought well, I can either chuck them or try to salvage, so I bought some satin white spray paint and had a go with that. Upside: no dissolving of colour. Goes on SO easily. Downsides: Even with a large area cordoned off with cardboard and newspaper I still had to scrub the balcony down with methylated spirits afterwards. And my fingers (after the first can I used gloves - good move!) Also, drippage. And I used 4 or 5 cans on the 2 baskets. So not sure how environmentally friendly this whole exercise was; probably not at all. Alas, here is the small basket at night - for Ton to store his crap in he brings home at night:

I didn't finish the larger one until weeks later, and I now us this to store various little styling items - linen, cutlery etc. It's not perfect, but at least the colour works.

KK xx

AKF NSW Open 2011

Last weekend we participated in the AKF NSW Open in Sydney. My photos (and some that Ton took whilst I was in the ring) are up at the dojo website now.

I had the dubious honour of having to fight the World Karate Champion. Here is some footage of her winning said World Championship last year:

A scary idea, but it was a fun fight and definitely a good experience.

New flowers

The birds of paradise I bought a few weeks ago lasted about 2.5 weeks, which I was really happy with, so I have decided to get natives, again, in the hope that they will also last. 5 bucks at the West End markets - a good deal, I think.

My name is Kat and I'm addicted to boots

I impulse-purchased these babies last Sunday after I broke the zipper off the boots I was wearing whilst doing them up. They were on their last legs anyway, but I was still sad because they were on my feet during many great experiences.
I really do love these new ones, and they'll be perfect for the rodeo we're going to next weekend in the country.
(This will be the last boots I buy this season - maybe)

Excursion to Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden (not so secret now)

Friday morning tea

Chantelle from Little Things came in this morning and brought along this very tasty date and walnut loaf.
The recipe is here. She's off for a few weeks to Canada and the US - Bon Voyage!

Cool toy - Automoblox

I saw a few of these at a toy store today and thought they are so cool - definitely on the gift list for when my nephew is old enough! Conceived by industrial designer Patrick Calello, they are wooden toy cars that you build yourself. Learning and play! I would have loved these as a kid. All the details here.

Sans

From ffffound.com
Sadly I couldn't ascertain who the actual author of this is.