Published February 26, 2009 by

Brand Launch – MECS, BSRT

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Today – finally – is the launch of the new MECS brand. Initially the project was part uni assignment that I coupled with a pitch and managed to get the job! For the last little while I have been working on their signage and stationery and as soon as I get given copies, and the signs are put up – I will share some photos. Note to the locals: I’m not responsible for the car stickers or the open day signs… just the other stuff.

This is the logo, by way of explanation it is:

  • An abstraction of three people in conversation, this ties in with both a community focus and home-school partnership.
  • A tree, representative of growth and suitable for the Yarra Ranges environment.
  • Pathways, indicative of MECS providing direction and leading students through their time at school.
  • And to a lesser extent the addition of five colours is reflective of 5 values (which I cannot pull off the top of my head at this very moment).

The logo has undergone several transitions from where I left it and a huge number from where it started. The one submitted to uni used an entirely different typeface and was one-colour, the placement was also closer to the secondary vertical version. The typeface in use now is Fontin it suits the school better than the previous one, it also makes my life easier because it is of superior quality and can be used more widely.

Secondary vertical version:

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This morning the school had a brief morning tea to officially kick off the branding. I am really happy with the outcome, it feels right for the school. Here’s to hoping I get to dig my hands into their website in the next few months. In the mean-time I have picked up another job doing a website revamp for a pharmacy.

I am not sure if I have talked much about concluding my time working at Ergo Consulting. I am in the handover process and will be finished by the end of March it seems the timing is really good. I’ve loved working with Ergo and learnt a huge amount while I’ve been there – not only in administration/design but about the business world. They are exceptional people to work for. This year however, I need to focus on uni a bit more and want to keep doing this freelancing stuff to get some experience under my belt.

On the design note, I have also just finished the Business Sustainability Round Table website (Work through Ergo) – the focus of all my IE complaints via Twitter of late. The fun area is in the member section (Which you aren’t allowed to go to!) and I got to dig around and make useful various plugins and php. I also created the BSRT logo – the pyramid is to do with some business model/a leaf shape for sustainability, the ’round’ bit is quite literal for ’round table’, you could say it is globe’ish too, but that could be taking things a bit far. A brochure is currently getting printed, photos to come of that too.

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Branding Culture Design Life Uni Web Design Work

branding bsrt business sustainability round table Design logos mecs mount evelyn christian school website

Published February 24, 2009 by

Tiramisu

tiramisu

For Geoff’s birthday I made a Tiramisu Cake – the recipe (and idea) was courtesy of our friend Mandy after her own mind bogglingly huge and delicious cake around Christmas time.

For this you’ll need:

  • 3 packets of chocolate cake mix (or you can make your own but really it is much easier and less time consuming if you do just go the packet). I used White Wings brand – usually pretty decent.
  • 300mL-400mL Tia Maria
  • Chocolate for grating (or cocoa, choc-coated coffee beans etc)

Filling:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup (75g caster sugar)
  • 500g mascarpone
  • 1 cup thick cream
  • 1/2 cup  Tia Maria
  1. Wrap the outside of a 23cm springform cake tin with plastic wrap of foil to avoid leaks from the base.
  2. Slice the chocolate cake thinly and pour some of the 300mL (or more if needed) of Tia Maria in a shallow dish, ready for soaking the cake slices as you need them.
  3. Filling: Before you start to layer the cakes, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and then gently beat in the mascarpone and thick cream; Use an electric whisk for this. Gradually add the 125mL Tia Maria to make a creamy spreadable layer for the cake.
  4. Using approx 1 cake per layer, dunk the slices in Tia Maria before lining the tin with them (Don’t undersoak, and make sure you only put some of the Tia Maria in the dish at a time as the bottom layer will have all the TM in it otherwise and you will either run out, or end up having to use more than the recipe amount (which may not be bad)). Squash them down, pressing confidently as you go; each layer should not be too thick, but juicily compact and solid. (add on from Mandy – Don’t be scared to really squish them as you will have trouble with fitting the last layer if you don’t.)
  5. Spread a third of the cream mixture over the soaked cake slices.
  6. Repeat with another layer of soaked choc cake slices, then cream again.
  7. Finish with a layer of choc cake slices – not as soaked as the first 2 layers – reserving the last third of the cream mixture for later in a covered bowl. (I just put a whole cake on the last layer, because I was lazy)
  8. Press down the cake layer to make it as smooth as possible, then cover it with plastic wrap and put the cake in the fridge overnight (or for up to 4 days).
  9. When you’re ready to serve, take the cake out of the fridge, unmould, sit it on a plate or cake stand, then spread with the remaining final third of cream mixture, before dusting with cocoa and serving. The cake should be too damp to lift it off the tin’s base, but ppl really won’t care once they eat it.
  10. You can also freeze after finishing with remaining cream. Freeze until solid then double wrap with plastic. Can be kept up to 3 mths. To use simply unwrap, place on serving plate and thaw overnight in the fridge.

Cooking

cake recipe tiramisu

Published February 24, 2009 by

Twenty Five

partypopLast week Geoff turned 25.

The party popper gun truly wasn’t as exciting as it looks.

Life

Published February 24, 2009 by

Eighty

grandpa80Last week my grandpa turned 80. Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Life

Published February 20, 2009 by

Coffee Table

skid-coffee-table-marie-claireFor the past while I have been shopping around for a coffee table. I’s feel unethical spending $1,000+ on a table as well as finding it somewhat ridiculous and am still hesitant to spluge even $500. I’ll pay $300 but thus far to no avail – I am after something fairly light in colour, real wood and wouldn’t mind a magazine shelf. I am getting sick of furniture shops, and I like furniture shops! So this is my next solution. Anyone have a spare pallet lying around? Or at least another idea?

…gosh it’s mad, I really do want one. I’ll buy a proper one when I’m old, loaded and forgetful of my conscience.

*Idea from Eco-DIY

Ah! And here is another one… slightly more refined.

Design Experiments