Monday 8th September, 2014 (ORIGINAL IDEA)
I have really taken to this idea for my own stationery. I love the concept of keeping things raw, vintage-looking and making them completely unique. Unfortunately, for me to get the right photos to illustrate my idea, I had to use my phone to photograph the products. I'm not sure if I could have managed to take my huge DSLR into a department store and photographed the stock. Anyway, any pictures will help.
This is something I have done for myself and that is buying basic notebooks and decorating them to suit my tastes. Here in Australia, we have a store called Typo that supplies stationery with a vintage style. They also produce objects that are quirky and different, but still quite practical. I have a hang about of theirs which displays the Periodic Table. A small tangent, but that should give a small insight to where I'm going with this. Though the trend is for people to have 'retro-style' gear, I have always been one to create my own stuff, add my twist and make mine individualised so that I'm expressed on my gear, not someone else or being added to the pack.
Recently, Big W have added a line of stationery called "Collected and Co by Micador" that caught my eye for both design and price. They've changed their stock (in Big W) slightly since I first bought an A5 stitched notebook (made from recycled cardboard milk cartons), hard cardboard pencil box and yellow paper tape. I love their recycling and the appearance of the paper, and they have regular paper for people who prefer a whiter paper. In fact, the place where I write most of my personal pieces and many of the posts for this blog are in that A5 notebook, which I happily took to with my stamp kit, calligraphy and stickers. The pencil box was also a place for doodling and stamping.
I probably sound like an excited school-girl but the really, I simply enjoy creating, decorating and owning something that expresses so much of me. I think it is a great area for people to make gifts, have a craft day or simply enjoy the creativity of their own mind.
I find their stock very reasonably priced and allows for people to take to the blank canvases to decorate. A decoration day with friends can revolve around these items. Come together, have morning or afternoon tea, and sit around a table of this stationery to create and chat. Draw and write on each other's books if you like to share and preserve memories. Enjoy the creativity of your mind by applying stamps and stickers to books, and cover any of them with clear contact to increase protection.
I have ideas for book covers that I am currently compiling. I will post it when it's ready.
Friday 18th July, 2014 (SEMI-ORIGINAL IDEA)
For people who wish to give a present that is unique, personal and has more than one positive aspect to it, this one is particularly ideal for birthdays: personalised mug cake. Back when I watched Saturday Disney as a child, I was introduced to many different simple recipes. One that has remained in my memory since then has been the mug cake recipe.
The name is self-explanatory: it's a cake made entirely in a mug, also from which it is eaten. What makes up my original half of the idea is that the mug is a personalised one. It is very easy to have a personalised mug made with a photo or selection of photos to make it a special beverage holder, and this can be done through department stores such as Big W, Kmart, at local printing shops, or online (department stores may vary from location to location).
Although I hadn't included the cake part, I have had mugs printed on for friends as birthday presents. They have since told me that it is the main cup from which they drink. It is certainly a chance to be creative and preserve a favourite memory that you share with someone.
You are probably wondering what this recipe is, so I will share it with you. I have changed it slightly, and if the intended receiver has any dietary requirements, be sure to amend the recipe to ensure those requirements are met. This may involve researching a different recipe altogether.
Mug Cake (Source: https://au.tv.yahoo.com/saturday-disney/recipes/recipe/-/9221296/chocolate-mug-cakes/):
4 tbs self-raising flour
4 tbs sugar (I prefer brown sugar. A better form of sweetness and it is 'healthier' than white sugar)
2 tbs cocoa
1 egg
3 tbs milk
3 tbs oil (Canola oil works well here)
Chopped nuts, fruit or chocolate (optional)
Mix all ingredients together in a mug and microwave on HIGH for:
- 2 minutes for self-saucing cake
- 3 minutes for a regular cake
This cake was microwaved on HIGH for 2 minutes. There was warm mixture around the cake in the lower third of the mug, which made for a more moist serve.
The idea is that once you have ordered and received the personalised mug, you combine all the ingredients in the mug before giving it. It will need cling wrap over the mug, and it will need to be wrapped in paper with the paper flat underneath, gathering it at the top.
And although the mug in the picture was one I bought from a shop, you could have the mug cake recipe printed on the mug too, with any other decorative pictures, so that the person receiving the gift can make the cake at anytime.
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Saturday 31st May, 2014 (ORIGINAL IDEA)
In conjuring the idea for this page, I knew I needed something to start it off. Recently, I acquired a new camera to add to my photography hobby, however, this one is very different to my DSLR. I am a enthusiast of old-style objects and the Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Instant Camera is an affordable way of enjoying the original Polaroid photos.
It has a modern design, yet it's purpose is all fun. The idea was lingering in my head since 2011 when my cousin used one for her wedding. She had guests take photos of each other, put them in a wedding book and write a small message. The idea was so simple but everyone had fun with it and the result was a truly beautiful wedding book.
In my situation, I've been fond of photo prints. While I will continue to print out the best of my photos (especially those with family and friends) and continue with photo albums, I thought it would be great fun to have one of these instant cameras for gatherings with my friends (some of whom have ventured off to uni) so that I can have instant photos of them, make a game out of it and even share some of these business-card sized memories with them.
I won't hide the fact that it is a little more expensive than having normal 6"x 4" photos printed and there is definitely more care required to make sure each shot counts. However, the joy that can be generated out of these cameras is immense. To make the cost easier, I certainly recommend buying both the camera and the film cartridges over eBay. And if there is any uncertainty over how often the camera will be used, consider using it for significant occasions, such as birthdays, dates, weddings, anniversaries and visits from people who live far away.
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