Sunday, September 18, 2011

Computer says "no" and Moon Lantern Festival

I have been MIA as my laptop has died. It had a huge crack across the screen that was slowly getting bigger and bigger. Elias knocked a glass of  Red wine into the last one which then expolded, so this the second one in about 3 years. I want a shiny pretty new one, but computer nerd Husband is practical as ever and is trying to hunt down a good (read cheap) deal online. I'm crossing my fingers we can meet half way and get something that is shiny, pretty and reasonably cheap.

We went to the Oz Asia Moon lantern festival last week, a fantastic event in Adelaide. There were lots of new lanterns this year, and the biggest turn out so far, about 20,000 people which is huge for Adelaide.


Fantastic fireworks after the parade

Smiling boy before burning of beautiful lanterns

Elias was devastated when they set some lanterns alight on the river this year. He kept saying "but they were so beautiful they should have kept them for next year". Poor little boy, there were tears. 

Cute little You tube video of the event below:


They had great food stands and I had delicious Sakura Mochi, one of the best I've ever tasted. A great night all round.


Friday, September 2, 2011

Remerching the kitchen

After a week of the 3 of us being trapped inside with gastro, cabin fever led me to repaint the kitchen. I used leftover paint from our lounge and hallway, and diluted it with white to make a half strength coffee/stone colour. Our kitchen is pretty small, long but narrow. I would have liked to used white to maximise space, but it would have made the cream coloured units and tiles stand out even more.This colour seems to lighten them somehow. 


We can't get a front on shot in here, way too narrow, but you get the general idea. Think cream laminex units, cream splashback tiles and the horrendous 70's (bad 70's) floor tiles. I think we have around 8 different floor finishes in our house, nothing like continuity! One thing I do really like is this wooden shelf unit the previous owner put in. Such a simple affordable idea. It gave me a chance to do a bit of remerching, one of my favourite things.

I repressed and rehung my map handkercheifs and wooden cities that I got from Muji a few years ago in Hong Kong. Muji is quite possibly the best store in the world ever.
Pretty handmade ceramic bowls from the last Jam Factory sale at our fantastic local pub The Wheatie.
The middle bowls are a gift from a lovely student in Japan when I lived there many years ago. I've been collecting vintage Japanese bowls over the years and I'm always on the lookout when I go op shopping. These have the most amazing patterns and where about 50 cents each, crazy.



More Japanese cuteness, Miffy salt and pepper shakers, another gift from Japan.
Little Sake cups from another lovely Japanese student. Elephant chopstick rests are from IDEE, the most beautiful Japanese furniture and home ware stores in the stunning Tokyo Midtown. I love it so much, I managed to fit a side table in my suitcase on a work trip last year.
This is by no means our dream kitchen, but it is just fine for now. I am feeling so energised from this lovely weather and the end of the plague, I might finally get on to remerching the rest of the house.