Hello! My name is Kylie Garner. I am a writer, designer, compulsive thinker, taker of pictures, supermum, dog lover, scifi nerd, kreative type person.
Thought I’d share this cute little Christmas eCard I did for Krista Hauritz. I’ve had the privilege of working with Krista on a number of projects including the Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo. She wrote the winning submission for the Isa Rodoe’s 2012 Queensland Tourism Award in the Events & Festivals category.
Such a talented lady! Check out some of the other work I’ve done for Krista here.
Gosh time flies. To be honest, the past two years are a bit of a blur. We said hello to a cheeky little redhead man named Riley in 2010 and since then, I’ve been consumed with finding a balance between freelancing and family. Trying to maintain a sense of identity that wasn’t simply “stay at home mum” has been a bit of a challenge.
It has taken a while, but I think I’ve settled into a rhythm. Having said that, I can’t help but feel I’ve been maintaining status quo.
So I’m declaring 2013 the year of change. It’s time to kick old habits and start new ones. And if it ain’t working, change it. I’m not going make grand New Year resolutions. The plan is to make small incremental changes that have a big impact long-term.
Here are a few things I want to focus on:
Get social – And I don’t mean social media! I’m sure all the mummies out there would understand that sometimes it’s easier to stay at home and avoid the public humiliation of a toddler tantrum. But it’s important to stay connected to family, friends and peers. So I’m looking forward to coffee with friends, eggs benny with my besty, the occasional lychee martini with the girls, client lunches, networking functions, art exhibitions, event launches …
Play more tennis – I struggle when it comes to exercise. I force myself to go to the gym because I know it’s good for me and if it wasn’t for the company of my good friend Cathy, I’m not sure I’d go at all. But I LOOOOVE tennis, so rather than force myself into something I dread, I’ll throw myself into something I love.
Kick the sugar habit – I’ve been reading Sweet Poison by David Gillespie and the effect sugar can have on your health and ability to lose weight. Frankly, it’s a bit scary. So I’m saying goodbye to soft drink, juices, ice cream, cookies and cake. I have a bit of a sweet tooth, so giving up the chocolate is going to be devastating.
Blog, blog, blog – Time to show this blog some love.
Shoot lots – Photography is a bit of an artistic pursuit of mine and after my 2012 Canon EOS Photo5 win, I’m keen to perfect my craft. The only way to do this is shoot lots! So the plan is to take the camera with me everywhere and shoot as much as I can.
Take a barista class – The perfect Café Latte is an art form. I can tell when it has been made with love – the coffee has a fresh earthy aroma, the froth is silky smooth almost like a melted marshmallow and the latte art somehow makes you pause to appreciate the extra love on top. I’m on a mission to perfect my froth, so why not become a qualified barista?
Side projects – I have been collaborating with some lovely ladies on a few side projects in the past year, but unfortunately they’ve taken a back seat to paid work. So I am keen to dedicate time to get them off the ground in 2013. Stay tuned!
Learn to sing – who doesn’t want to rock the local karaoke bar?
But most of all, I am really looking forward to see what 2013 brings.
Oh my! Where has 2012 gone? To think this time last year we were packing the bags to spend Christmas with my little bro in Hong Kong.
I love Honk Kong. There is something intriguing about this city. It’s got this east meets west vibe with surprises down every street – hidden temples, bustling markets, quaint parks or chic cafés. The smells are divine and the shopping is fabulous. Restaurants, bars and nightlife rival that of anywhere in the world. I love that you can by a Smirnoff Black at the 7-11 (found on just about every corner) and the bamboo scaffolding is insane!
And I didn’t expect Hong Kong to be such a creative city. It has such a strong design community and is fast establishing itself as a design and creative hub of Asia. So as a fellow creative type person, I’m in good company over there.
Last year, we spent Christmas Day on the rooftop of a high rise with a group of expats living and working in Hong Kong. Access to a balcony or rooftop is a bit of a rare luxury, so it was a pretty special day.
New Years Eve, we managed to talk our way into a New Years Party at 11pm below the IFC Building – one of Honk Kong’s tallest skyscrapers and the focal point of the Victoria Harbour Fireworks. Truly spectacular. Fireworks were launched from every inch of the skyscraper and surrounding buildings. It was a New Years hard to beat.
This year, Christmas is going to be a quiet one at home and that’s ok with me. But I do kinda wish I were heading back over there again.
To family and friends abroad – Happy Christmas and a very merry New Year! Hope to see you all in 2013 xxoo
Here are some highlights from last year’s trip.
For the past two years, I’ve entered an annual photography competition comprising of five briefs to challenge the creativity and photographic technique. It’s called Canon EOS Photo5.
Every year around August, photography enthusiasts eagerly await the arrival of the little brown Photo5 box sent to entrants to mark the beginning of the competition period. This little box is full of goodies to provide inspiration and utilise as props for each of the briefs.
And this year, I was pretty chuffed to be selected as one of 10 finalists in the “Portfolio” Brief! But what I didn’t expect was to win!
The finalists are chosen by a panel of respected professional photographers and winners chosen via a public vote. I’m not a huge fan of popularity contests so I didn’t actively seek votes (ok, so maybe the occasional Facebook plea). The hope was if that if someone genuinely liked my portfolio then they would vote for me.
So a BIG thank you to all who took the time to vote! Here are the photos I entered or you can visit all the 2012 finalists here.
