Fun and VJs

Hopscotch window installed

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Tue, 29 May 2012 07:28:00 +0000

Jason was his regular busy-bee self on the weekend. He successfully replaced one of the casement windows in his man cave/gimp room which is located under the house. He'll be replacing the other one next weekend.

Have a looksy.

The new but old windows on the right are salvaged windows from an old Queenslander. The single light windows on the left will be advertised for sale along with the other windows we have lying around.

We've been changing all the single light casement windows and steadily replacing them with windows in the hopscotch style to make the Sow's Ear more consistent. The single light windows are a consequence of previous renovations and changes to the Sow's Ear over its life.

Most restoration purists would say that we should leave them, as it forms the fabric or story of the house...Jason likes his windows to be all the same though...at least in terms of profile style. On this side of the house we have a quirky colour combination of the original amber glass, plus windows which have green or clear glass. This is the colourful eclectic side of the house which is not visible from the street.

Anyway, it actually didn't take Jason that long to install the windows. The most time consuming part was taking out the old windows, ensuring they didn't crack.

As you can see in the image below, the new old windows are hinged. We'll add brass casement stays and handles to fasten the windows shut after they are completely painted.

Planing the casement windows slightly to make them fit.
Jason is sporting his winter work clothes... on a chilly-for-sub-tropical-Brisbane day.

I'll show you the final result when it's all done and dusted.

Indesign Brisbane style

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Sun, 27 May 2012 08:08:00 +0000

I had my design hit for 2012 with Brisbane Indesign yesterday. It's an event held every few years to showcase and celebrate good design whether it be products, interiors, architecture or creative arts.

This is the third time I've been to Brisbane Indesign and I use the event as research for our renovation. Although Internet research is quick and convenient, nothing can beat seeing products in real life, particularly if you want to purchase the big ticket items.

The event is also free, with shuttle buses taking you from one location to the next. I left Jason at home with the kids and tagged along with some of my design junkie friends - a design tour group of 10!

Our first stop was the Ilve showroom in Coorparoo for breakfast. This is one of the places to go if you want to get serious about your kitchen appliances. From ovens to dishwashers to inbuilt coffee machines. I could wax lyrical about this place because we are very happy Ilve oven owners...

My friend Susan enjoying the lovely breakfast in the ilve showroom.

From there we took the shuttle bus into the Valley to hit the other places on our itinerary. We spent the rest of the day visiting displays at Living Edge, Coco Republic, Innerspace, Argent, Milano Furniture and Space Furniture...amongst other designer type places. It was a lot of fun, especially as most of the stores had hospitality catered for Brisbane Indesign visitors. It was bubbles and hors d'oeuvres central in the Valley yesterday!

I hadn't seen a real Eames Hang-it-all up close.
The round timber balls have a smooth matte finish. This is at Living Edge

There was a vending machine at Living Edge which dispensed propaganda badges for the Authentic Design Alliance which champions original design. I got a badge which said "Keep it Real".

The line of the day goes to our friend Kelvie who on dispensing her badge said, "Great! I'll display it on my fake Noguchi coffee table. Mahahahaha!" She has no shame.

A lighting installation at Living Edge

Re-issued Featherston Contour chairs found at innerspace
Our friend Chris who has a number of originals said that these are more compact than his.
He also said the footstool is not as nice as the original.

The retro range of SMEG appliances found in the Coco Republic space. This is the dishwasher.
Completely adorable in real life. I would be so tempted to buy something like this if we were ever to do another kitchen.

Mr and Mrs Kelly. I was so happy to see these letterboxes at Eco. I'm still sold on Mrs Kelly, I'm waiting until we have the spare cash to splurge on this whimsy....

We had the most fabulous day sightseeing the very best of what Brisbane has to offer in terms of design. Apparently there will be an Indesign Saturday in Melbourne sometime in August. If you are looking for some design inspiration or even just some information for your interior design, it's a fun way to do it in one big hit.

Car trouble... encore!

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:41:00 +0000

Yep. The Peugeot is giving poor old Jason grief again.

The familiar screen of death flashed up on Jason's dashboard this afternoon.

"Engine fault. Repair needed."

And then the Peugeot shuddered and conked out on the corner of Adelaide and Wharf Street in the City. This is the third warranty repair and it doesn't include a factory recall when he first purchased the car.

I feel a double cab ute could be on the cards for our next vehicle. The Peugeot's days are numbered.

So I dedicate this Peugeot song to Jason. Seriously hilarious. I suspect it will be Jason's theme song. Click here.

(many thanks to Nick at Stop the 70s! for tipping me off about this audio clip)

Bedroom side of the house

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:09:00 +0000

There's still so much painting to do on the Sow's Ear. It's ridiculous. We think we are Dulux's best domestic customer in Australia because we just finished another 15 litre drum of exterior gloss this weekend.

Jason spent a few hours on Saturday and Sunday painting the new weatherboards on the bedroom side of the little pigster.

Jason painting the window sills.
(You know that there's a chill in the air when Jason's wearing a shirt.)

Jason has big plans to change the single-pane casement windows that are in his gimp room under the house (windows on the left in the image above). He wants to swap them for windows in the hopscotch profile to make it consistent to the rest of the Sow's Ear. We already have the windows from when we bought a stash of windows from our mate Will (you can read here about it here).

Jason must've been feeling super-energetic because he also painted the joists on the underside of the bay window. If we stood still enough, I reckon Jason would paint me and the kids too.

Painted joists under the bay window. You can also see one of the original hopscotch windows of the Sow's Ear here

And this last shot is for the hard-core Jason fans. There's the faintest hint of man flesh there for huge fans like the lovely F from The White House. No need to thank me...

Look at the painting stance and technique...
This is Jason's new-work-around-the-house uniform.
My Mum kept my brother's old shirts from when he was a teenager in the 80s and often gives Jason first dibs. Ha!

Orange blanket

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Sat, 19 May 2012 08:08:00 +0000

It's getting quite chilly in Brisbane as winter approaches. This usually means another wool blanket on the bed.

I found this orange blanket at the local op-shop. I bought it purely for it's 'orangeiness' and also in honour of the 2012 Pantone colour of the year: Tangerine Tango.

Some would be appalled at buying second-hand bedding (ie Jason), but I try not to use my imagination when it comes to such things. I focus on the benefits of sleeping with wool. A wash and an airing does wonders too.

I bought a new wool blanket a couple of years ago from Target and it is not as well-made as this old blanket. The weave is looser and the quality is inferior when compared with the old one.

So, the op-shop one is a winner - cheap as chips and in a colour that suits my aesthetic.

Vintage orange blanket
As you can see, I fail in ironing pillow slips...

Orange blanket

Retro style cushions

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Thu, 17 May 2012 06:46:00 +0000

It's been mentioned out there in Blogtopia that to under-cushion is a deadly sin. It slots in at number two position, between Lust and Greed in the lifestyle blogger's bible.

Retro cushions

Beautiful embroidered fabric repurposed into a cushion

My mate Melissa has been fighting the good fight against under-cushioning and has made a selection of handsome one-of-a-kind cushions. She uses mostly vintage fabric, which she has collected over the past decade or so, to create unique soft furnishings. Her vintage fabric collection is amazing - I particularly like the fabulous barkcloth fabric Melissa has in her storeroom.

Melissa's also putting the love back into unloved chairs and giving them a new lease on life. Aren't they happy and fun pieces for the home?

upcycled chair with vintage barkcloth upholstery

upcycled chair with new upholstered seat

If you are in Brisbane, Melissa will be selling her wares on Saturday 19 May at a small market to be held at St Joachim's Church Hall, Crown Street in Holland Park from 2pm to 4pm. She's selling lots of cushions, the chairs above and handmade sun hats amongst other things. You can call/text Melissa on 0447 517 492 if something in particular caught your eye.

Disclaimer
* I may possibly receive a bottle of wine for my blogging services....it depends if Melissa sells anything as a result of this blog post. Ha!

Bit nervous

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Tue, 15 May 2012 07:30:00 +0000

Today I'm breathing (with a gas mask) a sigh of relief as the burnt out house which backs onto the Sow's Ear had its asbestos roof removed. You can read about the house fire here.

I'm relieved because after all the work was done, they laid tarpaulins over the blackened roof trusses which I saw as a sign that they would not be demolishing the house...I'm hopeful at any rate. Surely, they wouldn't take so much care if the house was going to be demolished?

Old house having its roof removed

It's not an overly beautiful house but usually when people build in this area, it's often two storey McMansions which take up every square inch of available land. Not that I'm knocking that, but as a neighbourly person I love distance between me and the neighbour's toilet, if you know what I'm saying.

We also have a really nice outlook to the mountains from our deck at the moment - a new house build behind us would probably mean hasta la vista to our quaint vista. I have my fingers crossed that the house is repaired rather than demolished.

It's something which bothers me all the time since we have Boo Radley's house next door to us as well! Who knows what will be built there?

Am I the only person who gets nervous when the neighbours start renovating or building?

Three years at the Sow's Ear

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:15:00 +0000

Three years ago this week we became the owners of the Sow's Ear. What a busy three years we've had in the old house.

I was not at all keen on the Sow's Ear when we first saw it. In fact, I was dead-set against it - it needed too much work (given we have three growing boys and Jason works long hours in his job). Who wants to be a slave to their house?

Jason on the other hand was very much in love with it and said that we should grab the opportunity to buy it. He also said while caressing the VJ (vertical join) walls: "Don't worry. I can do most of the work myself. It just needs paint."

Three years on, Jason is still painting - the shine of romance with the Sow's Ear has somewhat waned but he's still committed.

For me, the best thing I did was to start this blog a few months after we moved in. Writing about the changes we've made and the weekly goings-on in the Sow's Ear has definitely made me like our home more.

See what I did just then? It's no longer a house, it's our home.

The Sow's Ear during our second inspection

The Sow's Ear today

Under the deck progress

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Wed, 09 May 2012 07:28:00 +0000

It's all coming along rather well under the deck.

The May Day long weekend meant we could have a few days straight of painting the new weatherboards. It's looking much schmicker than the old cream fibro that used to be there.

Under the deck

It still has a long way to go. We still haven't finished painting all the deck joists which were painted in heritage green. It just needs one more coat of gloss white.

Newly painted weatherboards under the deck

We also plan to change the style of French doors we have here, so we haven't bothered to paint them. Jason's keen to get French doors in a hopscotch pattern to match the rest of the Sow's Ear. He's very into matchy-matchy.

Six-light French doors under the house
You can also see the joists under the deck are now white

The whole under-the-deck area needs a good hose down too after all the building work which was done last month. There's a few paint splatters which will come off with a bit of high-pressure cleaning. We'll wait until we completely finish painting this area though.

Here is what under the deck looked like a couple of months ago. Cream fibro cladding and heritage green joists.

We are also on the look out for a cool hose reel or hose hanger to keep things tidier. All our hoses are a big hot swirly mess on the ground near the outdoor taps. It's kind of sad.

Does anyone have some good suggestions about what to get or use? What do you use?

Outsider Art pieces

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:15:00 +0000

I finally ventured back to the Monte Lupo ceramic studio - remember when I visited back here? There was a new Mother's Day exhibition coinciding with the launch of a new coffee shop at the on site gallery.

I was very keen to see the new pieces that had been made since my last visit, particularly as I had a child-free afternoon. Many of the pieces were selling very fast.

The word on the street is that other galleries purchase pieces from Monte Lupo to add to their collections. Even some interior designers purchase what is made in the studio to sell in their shops. It's great to see the support that the artists are given.

Monte Lupo provides a career path for people with disabilities who wish to be gainfully employed in creative industries. They employ over 30 people with a disability. The work that they produce in Brisbane is truly amazing - such talented young artists.

Here are a few shots from my lovely afternoon out at the gallery:

Awesome garden sculptures welcomed us at the gallery entrance. These can be used as planter stands or outdoor tables

Life size garden dwellers. The work involved in these pieces is amazing. The ornamentation is individual hand crafted mosaic tiles. They are so unique.

Happy and cheerful tin people to hang in your favourite tree or on your deck

I couldn't resist purchasing a few small pieces which took my fancy.

This piece is by artist Peter Hughes. It was part of a collection of circus audience members.
She is the only other female in the Sow's Ear. I love her pink hair and alert eyes. It is very Reg Mombassa in style.

A gorgeous bird to keep Buster the Budgie company on the deck.
Apparently birds sell fast because they are all the rage. They are predicting fish to be the new birds as the future trend.

This piece is made by Isaac Patmore who is the production coordinator at Multicap. He is a very talented Queensland potter.
This is a small cup - it reminds me a little of Danish style pottery. Very cool.

Up in smoke

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Sun, 06 May 2012 05:00:00 +0000

It was about 3am when we heard the loud cracking and popping of what we thought were fire-crackers. Why anyone would want to be setting off crackers in the ungodly hours of Saturday morning annoyed Jason to the max! He jumped out of bed, opened our window and was ready to give someone an ear bashing.

He looked out the bedroom window and then he went to the back of the house to go outside. Thirty seconds later Jason rushed back into the bedroom and started throwing on his clothes, "Get up. The house behind us is on fire."

"What? No. Oh my God."

As I raced out onto the deck, I was shocked to see the old timber house which backs onto the Sow's Ear streaming with the thickest blackest smoke I had seen. You could barely even see the house it was blanketed with that much smoke. It was at that moment we heard the sirens of the approaching fire engines.

Jason and I just looked at each other, helpless to do much but watch what was unfolding before our eyes. It was too late to do anything. We had slept through the window of opportunity where we could be of any use to anyone. It is a sickening feeling.

The quick response of fire emergency was such a relief and they contained the fire within minutes. We could hear and feel the steam in the air when they were dousing the fire from the front. We couldn't see anything from where we were, as there was too much smoke.

I took this at about 6am, a few hours after the fire. It doesn't look too bad from this angle except that the roof is blackened and the windows are charred.

The house is rented out. We weren't too sure whether the tenants were there at the time. When I went to have a look later that morning, one of the neighbours told me that there was no one inside during the fire.

I took this shot later in the morning. The fire damage is quite obvious from the front. The police and fire investigation unit were there for most of the day too.
I didn't want to be too obvious taking photos lest they thought I was one of those disaster tourists.

The very scariest thing about this fire, apart from it being too close for comfort, was how silent it was for us. We heard nothing and we smelt nothing until the house was well and truly blazing.

Our children never even woke up. They slept blissfully unaware of all the noises around them - the fire, sirens and neighbouring smoke alarms going off.

Old timber houses and fire are an unhappy combination. We're getting a second smoke alarm for the Sow's Ear after this experience. There is no way we ever want to be caught in a burning house without a fighting chance.

EDIT: I'm including a link to Qld Fire and Rescue's website about smoke alarm placement. It might come in handy for anyone spooked by this post. Link is HERE

Vintage goodies for sale

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:03:00 +0000

One of my readers is having a bit of a mid-century/vintage clean out.

Jo who is a graphic designer from Murwillumbah, in northern NSW, has some fabulous stuff that she is selling. I said that I'd help her out with her clear out (because I am such a sticky beak) by doing this post...also I know that some of you are always on the look out for some vintage goodies. It's also a nice excuse for a Sunday drive for those living in Brissy.

So, here are just some of the things which are for sale privately before they are farmed off to antique centres or ebay...I believe Jo from Murwillumbah may be a bit of a bower bird much like my mate mid-century Jo from the 'Swich given all the photos she sent me. (Seriously there is much, much more!)

mid-century timber shelf

Retro kitchen canisters

There's two of these timber chairs

There are four of these yellow chairs

Retro kitchen hutch

Vintage hats to be sold in one lot. There's more than just this

antique clothes airer

Retro tea/coffee crockery set

So if you fancy any of the things above or if you want to see more of Jo's sale items, make sure to give her a call.

Jo's mobile is 0404 831 353 or drop me a line and I'll send you her email address. She'd love to hear from you.

French style...

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Tue, 01 May 2012 06:58:00 +0000

Product talk by Nuffnang

Jason was rather glum the other week. It was heartbreaking. I wanted to cheer him up in a way which didn't involve me getting naked...and then I received an email from the Nuffnang Product Talk people saying they would be sending us an iron to test and review.

Perfect! I'll give Jason the iron. What else could a man want? That'll cheer him up.

And it's not an insignificant iron either. It's one of those Tefal steam generator irons which generates, you know, a lot of steam. And it's French. Even more perfect.

As regular readers would know, Jason has a penchant for all things French. French women (that would actually be me as I possess a French passport), Champagne, Peugeot cars (only if they don't break down), and now the 'you beaut' Tefal steam generator iron.

To quote Jason when I showed him a picture of the iron:

"I never imagined there'd be a day when I'd say this, but..... That is pretty cool."

Now this is ironing French style.
Squint and that guy could be Jason with hair, squint harder and that chick could be me trim and taunt.

Poor ol' Jason irons his own work shirts. I used to iron them back in my Betty Draper days, but I saw the light after Son #2 was born. I set out on a path of Constructive Incompetence. Forgetting to iron a sleeve here, burning a hole in the collar there, ironing shirts he no longer favoured...until I was given the sack as Chief Ironer. Take note, my life has been more fulfilling since.

Anyway, the Tefal iron arrived yesterday and did I get the the shock of my life...I hadn't paid attention to the scale of the iron when I looked it up on the website. My frame of reference was our 17 years old iron which is tenuously held together with yellowing masking tape.

This is the old iron. Long past its use-by-date. The shame.

I'll tell you what, this Tefal Pro Express Turbo Iron is one big mofo of a unit (the ghetto talk is seriously the only expression to describe it when you're expecting something more petite). It's the Hummer of the ironing world!

We were sent the Tefal Pro Express Turbo GV8460 model.
The iron locks into place on the steam generator when it is not in use

So, after reading the instructions I set the Tefal Pro Express up to give it a test run. You basically fill up the tank with tap water, switch it on and get steamy.

For the first time since 2004, I proceeded to iron Jason's work shirts. Not just one, but all of them. I think it was the novelty of the new iron and its impressive steam making capabilities which propelled me to such dizzying heights of domesticity.

Jason's newly-ironed work shirts. He was so happy to see this sight.

The Tefal has a retractable power cord, the iron handle has a trigger which allows you to release steam as you're ironing and it glides effortlessly over clothes. It's as close as you will get to ironing nirvana, if such a place exists. Here is a link to a short (about two minutes) video on how to use it. (It shows you how to vertical steam suits and jackets too.)

Since using the Tefal, I realise just how crappy our old iron was and how inadequate it was for our requirements. It is amazing what you put up with when you don't know what's out there to make life easier.

Don't worry, I'm not about to make a habit out of ironing Jason's shirts full-time, but it will certainly make it a lot easier for Jason to do his own shirts and steam his work suits between wears.

Pre test run, I would never have contemplated buying an iron like this, thinking it was too big and just overkill.

Post test run, I have completely changed my mind. It's a really good product for people who have lots of work or school uniform shirts to iron every week. Like us. Although it is a big outlay initially, it would certainly be worth it.

And remember, it's French. You can Foux Da Fa Fa while you're at it. Repasser!

Night time painting

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 08:44:00 +0000

Anyone would think Jason was a competitor on The Block with his irregular painting hours. He likes to start painting in the late afternoon for an hour or so.... For me, the dilemma is whether to watch a TV renovating show or watch him.

As a wise woman just told me via the magic that is social media, it is best to stick with the TV. At least you can shout abuse and pass on your two cents worth without any real repercussions.

night time painting by Jason
Painting under the deck

And in other big news...I fell down the crack house side steps yesterday while it was raining. It was like someone pulled the rug right from under me and I fell flat on my back. Yikes, it really hurt. Thank God for my excess padding.

Today the bruising came out on my right butt cheek. It has to be the biggest, angriest bruise in the world. Don't look if you don't like people over sharing...

For someone who is shy about showing her face on the blog*, I'm totally at ease showing you my butt.

* The vote for my avatar is leaning towards a photo. I'll be getting a better photo to put up as my new profile picture soon. Thanks for all your very nice comments...and you too Tom. xx

If there's a way to renovate in the rain...

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:56:00 +0000

...odds are Jason will find it.

It's been raining incessantly for the past 24 hours, ruining what would have been a very productive weekend.

New weatherboards under the deck. Hopefully it will be ready for painting next week.

Jason was determined to work around the Sow's Ear, so he took on the task of filling all the gaps in and around our new weatherboards located under the deck. He's been focused on filling and sanding the boards exposed to the weather but this weekend he had no choice but to work undercover.

sikaflex pro which we use to seal the gaps in the weatherboards

His favourite new-to-him product is Sikaflex which he's been using to seal the gaps between the weatherboards and to cover up the nail holes. It is polyurethane based and allows a great degree of flexibility for when the weatherboards shrink and swell. (He loves the stuff. Disturbing. Let's hope he doesn't start chroming it.)

I think life is too short to be gapping every nook and cranny, Jason thinks otherwise. Obviously.

It will take a while for the Sikaflex to dry with all this rain about, but it will be a nice neat finish. After all, it's all about becoming a silk purse.

Jason in gapping action

QX16895

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:59:00 +0000

This ANZAC Day we remember QX16895 Private Jim McCreath, 2/25th Australian Infantry Battalion who was killed in action in Gorari South, New Guinea on 10 November 1942. He was 29, single and had no children.

The Battle of Gorari was the last major engagement of the Kokoda Trail campaign.

His baby sister and last surviving sibling, Belle died last year, aged 92. She was Jason's Nana and she kept this photo of Jim on her wall for her entire life.

It is important to keep on remembering them. They were much more than just their serial number.

Private James McCreath, 2/25th Australian Infantry Battalion

McCreath Family in 1920s in Mitchell Qld
From L to R: Percy, Belle, Jim, Elsie and David

Vote for my avatar

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:39:00 +0000

I need your help. I'd like to put a real profile picture of me on this blog. It's probably about time I stopped hiding behind the sketch and emerge like most bloggers do. Also, most first time visitors who read the blog think I'm a guy. Ha! Seriously.

So, you the readers can decide on whether I use a real photo or retain my existing profile picture. I've already started using the real one on Twitter as an experiment but I wasn't sure about using it on the blog.

Your mission is to vote which one I use from now on.

1. New Brismod avatar...trying hard to look like the old avatar. I'm not quite as serious as I appear in this photo...much more charming in real life, if I do say so myself. And I generally wear my specs when I cruise around the burbs...

2. Old Brismod avatar - I'm very attached to this. I guess people can't relate much to a sketch when they read this blog though...You can read the story about this avatar here.

Let the people speak. Vote away!

Pineapple Series: Sausage Tropicana and Grill'd Wintergarden

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:43:00 +0000

I'm resurrecting the Pineapple Series on the blog. Consider it my service to all of you stuck on quick easy meal ideas. Now that winter is fast approaching, we all need the sunshine that is contained in a tin of pineapple.

I was in a quandary about what to cook one evening. I had some sausages in the refrigerator and not much else. What could I make? Then I remembered the pineapple in the pantry and referred to the pineapple bible that is the Golden Circle Tropical Recipe book circa 1960s. Surely, it would have a recipe?

And sure enough, there was Sausage Tropicana (page 23 under Sunny dinners) screaming out to be made.

Sausage Tropicana waiting to be cooked in the oven.

Sausage Tropicana
Ingredients:
15 oz can Pineapple pieces or crushed pineapple
3 cups boiled rice, drained
1lb. cooked beef or pork sausages
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
salt, pepper, mustard

Method:
Place the rice in a well-buttered casserole. Arrange the browned sausages over the top. Drain the pineapple and to it add the brown sugar, vinegar and seasonings. Spoon the seasoned pineapple over the sausages. Moisten with a little of the pineapple syrup. Dot with butter. Bake in moderate oven for about 20 minutes.

Verdict: This dish is essentially rice and sausage with pineapple, so it was quite bland. The kids didn't mind it but it needed more of a flavour boost for my liking. This could have been a winner with gourmet sausages, like spicy chorizo or a herby vegetarian sausage. It was however a wholesome, filling meal that Betty Draper would have been proud to serve to Don and the kids.

And on a slightly different tangent, a lot of Brisbane bloggers around the traps get invited to some very la dee da events and launches.

We don't.

But we were invited to the launch of a burger joint in the newly-opened Wintergarden in the City - Grill'd

I was so excited! Sadly, I couldn't make it... but I did send my commissary, Jason to move it and shake it with Brisbane's 'Burgeratti' elite earlier this week. He took along Mr D the builder as his date (Mr D worked as builder on the Wintergarden site, so it was an inspired choice).

As my blog correspondents, they were entrusted to deliver me feedback (as well as return sober) and take some usable photographs. They had to work for their junket.

This was their masculine take on the evening:

"There were a lot of glamorous looking 'modelly' types with severe expressions. They needed to eat more burgers. The men were small and wore their pants too tight." (Jason's words...)

That's Mr D, the builder, cutting a rather fine figure with his Grill'd burger.

"The burgers were good. They cut them up into bite-size pieces and we could try all the different types. And they had all this nibble food. Really good olives."

'WTF is that?' I asked. "I don't know...I think it was spicy meatballs," Jason replied.

"The staff were friendly and they kept us well-supplied with food and drink at our table all night."

Jason said Mr D pointed out some of the flaws in the building finish and wasn't a fan of a large concrete post that was used as an architectural feature in the restaurant.

Anyway, the boys had a good time rubbing shoulders with the movers and shakers and have given the new joint the thumbs up. Thanks to Grill'd Wintergarden for the invitation to their launch!

Danish stoneware find

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 02:29:00 +0000

Very rarely do I find anything at my local op shop. I look all the time and nada. Nothing. Just a lot of mugs and old china that don't take my fancy. But I always check it out because you never know what may crop up.

Like this small earthenware dish. It caught my eye because of its bright orange swirly interior. I checked for a hallmark - the name Ulrik Lundbergh Ebletoft was embossed underneath it which meant absolutely nothing to me. It was $2.50 and not made in China, so it became mine.

I googled the hallmark (edit:make that back stamp) and it turns out the dish is Danish. Ebletoft is a small town in Denmark which is known for its artisans such as potters and glass workers. I know this because Wiki told me so!

Retro Pottery Net featured a similar dish on his blog site but he did not know much about the potter. The designs are very 1970s though, which is my kind of vintage!

Isn't it good when you find something vintage that suits your decor perfectly? Anybody else have good luck lately?

Ulrik Lundbergh dish with Japanese doll's head from ES Traders

Renovator's Rescue: part five

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 03:08:00 +0000

It's been a little while since I've shown you the latest on the Renovator's Rescue house which I've been stalking these past few months. You can read the beginnings of its transformation here.

The renovation is progressing steadily. It's been raised, built-in underneath, and the exterior has been painted a pale grey with white and dark blue trim. They still need to build the front stairs and I'm curious to know what else they will do to the front. Usually a valance or paling screens are added as they are characteristic to Queenslander homes.

I have to say some of the choices regarding the external facade are probably not ones I would've made... I would've opened up the front with larger windows or a verandah to allow more light and breeze for our sub-tropical climate, but given I'm not living there and not footing the bill, it doesn't really matter, does it? There's often a very valid reason for why people renovate a home the way they do...

It doesn't look like it is too far off from being finished. I'll keep you posted when it's done.

That dinky window on the right still bothers me. There has to be a reason for that. window being so little...

Side view of the renovated house

It looks like there is double car accommodation under the house.

I will love you forever

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:37:00 +0000

Remember how I said that I will never, ever enter another blogging competition after my failure in last year's Best Australian Blog Competition...?

Much like how I said there will be no ~~carbon tax~~ blogging contest under a blog I lead...

Well I lied. And I nominated myself yet again. It's that self-destructive mechanism kicking in. Please, just overlook some of the oversights in my ~~administration~~ blog.

The lapsed retro Pineapple series, the shortage of before and after renovation reveals, the less-than-professional iPhone photography, the poor grasp of social media networking, the paucity of shirtless Jason shots, not replying to every single comment... so many things to forgive.

I'm not proud of this record, but I do aim to do better. Truly. If you give me the chance.

Just remember the pleasure I have given you at Jason's expense. Didn't you love it when his Peugeot broke down and we all laughed together? And remember the time he sustained a head injury while working on the deck and we all gasped at the horror of the wound? And the gratuitous nudity with mid-century chairs...Surely, these blog posts count for something?

There's over 1,000 blogs nominated (and not all self-nominated methinks), some of which are on my blog roll. So, if you are heading over to vote for your favourites and you are feeling generous, head on over and tick Fun and VJs.

We will love you forever. Long time.

Discerning Dirt Association

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:33:00 +0000

Today we conducted an indoor plant intervention.

Yes, we've (Jason will tell you that is the royal 'we') neglected them. My (cough) domestic (cough) goddess status, much like my Klout score has nose-dived during the last few weeks.

The various retro West German ugly pots contained just the merest suggestion of what was once considered flora. To the uneducated eye, the pots were just vessels for our dried-out dirt collection. I'm sure if I googled it there would possibly be a Discerning Dirt Association which we could join...a 'clean' one hopefully.

Unfortunately the poor old plants were stationed in our front entry, fore-warning anyone daring to enter the Sow's Ear that this was not a place to bring plant life or else. The first thing visitors would see was a bullet planter containing dust and a brown spider plant beyond resurrection...despite it being Easter.

I don't know what happened with the plants? I'm going to blame the distraction of the building works we've just had...not that Mr D graced us with his shirtlessness...but his shirt-wearing presence was a distraction nonetheless.

So, with the greatest of efforts I collected my vessels of grey dirt and did my best to resuscitate the plants which still had leaves. It was a heart-breaking mission. A few weeks of little or no water can kill a plant, y'know?

The peace lily is resting in peace I fear, the anthurium may be salvageable and in the saucer pot I planted a new spider plant which I found in the garden.

This poor thing was a philodendron which I re-potted in this planter. It should have glossy leaves. Pray for it.

Another job done and builder for hire

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:26:00 +0000

All our current building projects have come to an end. Mr D finished up today after completing the final bit of weatherboarding on the Sow's Ear. We are over the moon with the final result. He's done a great job and was a pleasure to have around for the past few weeks.

So here's an update of where we are at with the renovations:

Jason has almost finished painting the new front fence. He's painted the entire fence in gloss white; the top rail is not yet complete but it should be done by the weekend. He's using the Dulux Peppercorn Rent which we've previously used as the contrasting trim on the Sow's Ear.

Here's a photograph of the gates which Mr D built for us.

Below are our new walls which Mr D finished today. Jason (and I maybe?) will fill, gap and paint the new weatherboards over the coming weeks at a leisurely pace.

This little area will make another entertaining spot. We usually have all our backyard parties for the boys down here.

There's actually quite a lot of painting to do...again....but that's fine. Paint is relatively cheap and will give us time to save for the next major projects in due course. We are now in an enviable position of having the exterior looking quite smart. The stair situation at the front and side of the Sow's Ear will still need to be addressed though, as well as the weedy garden!

Mr D installed our old hopscotch window in this spot.

I've updated the resources page on the blog with the contact details of Mr D if anyone is looking for someone for their renovations. He comes highly recommended.

Old houses and their stories

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 11:30:00 +0000

My mate Katherine from the oldboathouse paid us a visit just before Easter. It was good to catch up as we hadn't seen each other in an age. We talked a lot about old homes in Brisbane and how there are so many wonderful stories contained within their walls...how old homes provide a tangible legacy for the families that built or lived in these houses.

Katherine says she loves reading the stuff I've uncovered about the original owners of the Sow's Ear - the Stables family. We got on to the topic of the book Tare Harvest which was written by Zoila Stables. You can read about how I obtained a copy HERE.

It had been about a month since the book was purchased...and it still hadn't arrived. I feared it was lost in the mail. Katherine said I should contact the seller just to double check that it had actually been sent. I had given up hope.

That very afternoon you can guess what arrived on my door step...Yes! It was the book.

Although I've only read a few chapters, my sense is that Tare Harvest is based more on fact than fiction...it is a family saga which seems to mirror her family's life in Argentina before emigrating to Australia. It is also dedicated to her mother.

It is fascinating to read Zoila's words. I now believe my house history research is only a small part of something bigger.

I'd like to send a big shout out to Sherri Jameson owner of Jameson Hard Goods (purveyors of uncommon wares) in Detroit, Michigan. Sherri came across the book and contacted me after she googled the title which eventually led to this blog. Thank heaven for people like Sherri!

Pineapple Series: Pineapple Pavlova

noreply@blogger.com (brismod) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 23:29:00 +0000

It's been a long time between pineapple posts. The last one was the Sweet Pineapple Omelet which just polarised people. It's taken us several months to get over the trauma of eating that sh*t...so much for the Julie and Julia aspirations I had...

Yesterday I cracked open the Golden Circle Tropical Recipe book circa 1960s after the long hiatus because we were invited to another pineapple soiree. I was asked to make a dessert. Thank the pineapple gods that be, as the savoury pineapple dishes have been very hit or miss. Usually miss.

Flicking through the yellowed pages of the pineapple tome, I spotted the perfect recipe on page 35 under the Pineapple Party Time heading - Pineapple Pavlova. Pictured was a round mess of meringue topped with sunshiney pineapple and cream. A nice simple recipe for those not looking for a challenge...

Here is the recipe:

Pineapple Pavlova
Ingredients:
15 oz Can of Golden Circle Crushed Pineapple in syrup
2 tablespoons cornflour or arrowroot
Your favourite recipe for a 3 or 4 egg Pavlova*

Method:
I made mini pavs, so I spooned tablespoons of the pav mixture onto a tray lined with baking paper. I got around 12 pavs. Bake until firm in a slow oven. Cool.

12 mini pavs baking in a slow oven. I let them cool in the oven. They had a very crispy texture.

Empty pineapple into saucepan and heat to boiling. Thicken with cornflour or arrowroot. Cool, then spoon into meringue shells. Serve with cream or ice-cream.

Boiling crushed pineapple. It smelt like Nana food, remember that smell?
I threw in a vanilla bean so it wouldn't taste so bland.

It really is as simple as that.

We added extra fruit and passion fruit pulp because someone had made a killer fruit salad. It was delicious.

The dress code was strictly tropical.
Our hostess Y is modelling her tropical attire as she prepares the pineapple dishes.

The verdict? A winning combination. I thought the pineapple mixture would be too sweet teamed with the meringue. Indeed it was sweet as far as pavlovas go, but the addition of the cream and other fruit salad made it into something very special. A good dessert for those with a poorly stocked pantry.

Happy Easter everyone.

*My Pavlova recipe is four egg whites mixed with a pinch of salt, then mix the buggery out of it while adding 200g caster sugar gradually until it is glossy and stiff. Bake in a slow oven for approximately 2 hours. The texture is very light, crispy and fragile.