Offbeat Ceremonies ~ Giving you the alternative

Leap Year 2012 - marriage proposal by the Ladies

2012-02-13T13:56:00.000+11:00

So, ladies, have you been waiting for your shy bloke or boi to 'pop the question' so you can say yes?

But sadly, the question hasn't been forthcoming from your desired partner?

Well, 2012 is a Leap Year and that means, we ladies may, without appearing forward or indelicate, 'pop the question' to our desired bachelor instead!

The tradition of marriage proposals by women to their beloved in a leap year, comes from a number of folk beliefs.

Saint Bridget was said to complain to Saint Patrick that men took way too long to propose, he replied, well let women have the the leap year to propose to the men.

In English law, February 29th was not a real day in law, therefore old traditions, such as women being unable to propose could be put aside and women could, and did, propose to their desired partner.

In Scottish law, in 1288, women were supposed to have been given the right to propose in a leap year. If the gentleman declined, he had to pay forfeit with a kiss, or a pair of gloves or a silk dress.

I was taught by my mother that I could propose in a leap year and if the gentleman was so rude as to refuse, he had to buy me a pair of white gloves as an 'I'm sorry'.

However, in Greece, marriage in a leap year is considered unlucky!

Do your family have leap year traditions, if so, share in the comments box below.

Valentine's Day, do you celebrate it?

2012-02-07T11:01:00.000+11:00

Mummy Mojo's Hearts and Flowers String Bunting

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

["For this was Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate."]

Geoffrey Chaucer, Parlement of Foules (1382)

Valentine's Day, do you celebrate it, or do you hate it, think its commercially crass and should be ignored?

I fall somewhere between the two.

I think a day to celebrate love is a good thing, love after all, is one of the things that makes the world go round. However, you don't have to buy into the consumerism that builds to a frenetic crescendo as we come closer to February 14th.

Don't buy into the expense and hype of the day. Keep it simple. Do something special for your beloved that doesn't cost the earth, both financially and ecologically.

I will be telling my beloved wife that I love her, that she makes my heart sing, that the last 16 years have been full of joy and that I am fllled with delight to be sharing my life with her. I will then give her a massive hug and kiss and we'll share a box of chocolates that I will buy from a local chocolate maker and a bottle of local, organic sparkling wine aka Champagne.

Keep your Valentine's Day, simply, special and local.

Beer cake to celebrate Australia Day

2012-01-26T11:48:00.000+11:00

Happy Australia Day!

May we all join hearts today in celebrating a special land, loved by many people with a unique Indigenous population who have survived in spite of all their hardships to remind us silly 'modernists' how vital this land is.

Thanks to my good friend KM for those wise words.

To me, today is a mourning day for the Indigenous Australian, as well as a celebratory day for all of us who are lucky to have immigrated to live in our blessed land. I am a grandchild of refugees, my grandparents escaped German, French, Scottish and English economic poverty in the early 20th century, to come to a land where prosperity might be possible. It took three generations though, my Pop used to joke that they had swapped cold, wet and miserable poverty, for warm, hot, miserable poverty. But there were more opportunities and I went to University thanks to Mr Whitlam.

Keep scrolling for the Beer Cake ...

I love Australia, but I don't like the jingoism that I see, the intolerance of difference, be it religious, sexual preference, colour, or anything else, these lead to war and hatred of difference. Difference and diversity makes us strong, let's embrace it.

As the seldom sung second verse of the Australian National Anthem states:

Beneath our radiant southern Cross,
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"

OK, rant over, here's a Beer Cake recipe to enjoy from the ABC Central Victorian website. I have made it for our Australian Day party at a friends place. Beer, yep, I'm an Aussie mate!

12th Night festivities and the Lord and Lady of Misrule

2012-01-05T13:04:00.000+11:00

18th century 12th Night feast

12th Night, the last night of the 12 days of Christmas, the 5th of January, when the Magi meet the baby Jesus ...

... is also the night of the Lord or Lady of Misrule, when social norms are turned upside down with pranks, when you spend the evening with good friends, food and drink, playing games and getting into mischief under the mistletoe.

This wonderful tradition of the Lord or Lady of Misrule can be traced back to pre-Christian European festivals such as the Celtic festival of Samhain, Yule and the Ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia. Saturnalia was a time when Roman society's rules were turned topsey turvey, masters waited on slaves, children bossed parents, where game playing and gambling took precedence over work and feasts were held.

The Saturnalia or 'Liberties of December' ran between December 17-23, a time created from the extra days the Roman's needed to add to their calender to maintain its accuracy. These were 'days out of time' so chaos could rule!Most parties had a master of ceremonies, or arbiter bibendi, selected by lot to rule over the toasts, and a magister ludi, a games master and they became the Lord and Lady of Misrule.

12th Night celebrated by Regency costumers in 2010

All of these Saturnalia winter traditions resurface in England and Colonial America, especially on Twelfth Night, the 5th of January, and was at the height of its popularity in Jane Austen's England and now the 12 days of Christmas and 12th night are hardly celebrated at all, which I find sad.

The Lord and Lady of Misrule is selected by Lady Chance, a bean is placed in the 12th Night cake and whoever finds it then sets the mad pace and directs and manages the night's entertainments.

Tonight we will celebrate 12th Night with a feast and party with friends and Lady Chance will choose out Lady of Misrule and here is the cake recipe that we are baking, enjoy!

My recipe comes from the Deaf Pagan website and as she says 'This one is somewhat like a tart, and the recipe comes from France – where it is often known as a “Galette des Rois”…the King’s Cake. It’s kind of like a puff pastry with a cream filling':

1. Sift 1 ½ cups of flour with a teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl, cut in 6 tablespoons of butter until the mixture is like small crumbs. Gradually add approximately ¾ cup of water until the dough is light and nonsticky. Knead gently, then place dough back in bowl and cover with a towel and leave in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

2. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until it is about ¼ inch thick, and then fold it up like a napkin, cover it with a towel, and again stick it back in the refrigerator for another 20 minutes.

3. Divide the pastry dough in half. Form each half into a ball, and then roll each ball into a circle about 9 inches in diameter. Place one circle onto a greased cookie sheet.

4. Now make the filling: Cream six tablespoons of butter and 1 cup of sugar together until light and fluffy. Add two egg yolks, and about ½ teaspoon of almond extract, ½ cup of ground almonds, and 3 tablespoons of liqueur – amoretto is recommended, or you can use others such as frangelico, kirsch, brandy, etc. Mix everything into a smooth paste, and then spoon the filling onto the center of the round base pastry on the cookie sheet, leaving a small margin around the edge.

5. Now take your hard dried bean (the sort you make soup with) and hide it in the filling; you can also use some type of small object such as a small gold charm or ring or a penny or whatever. Just make sure that whatever you do use can withstand the high temperature in the oven. Beat an egg with a little water, and use it to brush the margin around the base pastry. Then place the second circle of pastry on top of the cream filling, and gently press down the edges so that they stick together. Cover the cake lightly with a towel and place it back in the refrigerator for 45 minutes before baking.

6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Take your cake out of the refrigerator and brush the top with more of the beaten egg. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. The top should be crisp. Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar, or regular sugar mixed with cinnamon. If you wish, you can cut out a gold crown from foil or paper or cardboard, and place it around the sides of the cake.

7. Serve your cake, and remember that whoever finds the bean or the little token in their piece gets crowned as the Lord or Lady of the Twelfth Night festivities!

Queer Beanie 2011

2011-06-23T15:44:00.001+10:00

"It was a dark and stormy night" as we all hurried into the warmth and light of The Carrington's Library where the fire was burning bright. The room was warm and the tables covered with clever and creative beanies waiting to be judged in the 2011 Queer Beanie competition.

The Queer Beanie competition is run in conjunction with the Blue Mountains PinkFest and the long standing Winter Magic festival.

The entries and winners in this years Queer Beanie 2011 competition were once again, fabulous, creative, innovative and outright queer! Images and a video of the evening can be found below.

We had knitted, felted, quilted, macrame and crocheted entries from beginners through to skilled and long term crafters and all of them are amazing!

We also had a prize winning hat on display, made by milliner Christine Yarker. The hat to the right was a winner of bentArt 2011.

Our wonderful sponsors were there to hand out prizes and to judge the competition, Angela Lougheed of Spirit of Health and Wellbeing, Angela Zadro-Jones of Jasper Cat Designs, Lorna McKenzie of Offbeat Ceremonies and The Tailor's Apprentice and Mark Jarvis of The Carrington, who provided our warm and comfortable venue.

We had an unexpected celebrity, Simon Marnie of ABC Radio 702. Simon got right into the spirit of things and invited me for an interview next morning in his live coverage of the Winter Magic Festival.

and the winners are ....

Queer ~ Intermediate ~ Tracey C ~ Valfreyja

Reduce Reuse Recycle ~ Advanced ~ Angela Z-D ~ Bruce

Reduce Reuse Recycle ~ Beginner ~ Amy B ~ Macrame Dream

Classic ~ Intermediate ~ Kathleen M ~ Carousel

Queer ~ Advanced ~Lorna M ~ Queer Bouquet

Queer ~ Beginner ~ Julie B ~ Three Sisters

Classic ~ Advanced ~ Lynn B ~ Cherry Goosebumps

Classic ~ Judges Prize ~ Susan R ~ Family Beanie

Winter Magic 2011 ~ celebrating the winter solstice

2011-06-19T17:09:00.001+10:00

Winter Magic is the Blue Mountains winter solstice celebration, we celebrate the middle of winter with a festival of dress-up, drumming, food, parade, bands and many more events. Its wonderfully Pagan and a delightful way to celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year.

The 2011 celebration was no exception, the weather was perfect, winter sunshine poured down, the wind was minimal and the enthusiasm was high, here are my some of my photos from the day.

Adventure weddings

2011-06-06T20:43:00.000+10:00

You bushwalk, rock climb, canyon, canoe, explore caves, or cycle tour as often as you can, you love the wilderness and want to celebrate your wedding vows away from the “Madding Crowd” incorporating your favourite activity.

I am a bush walker, cyclist and sustainability campaigner who would love to work with you to create a ceremony that rejoices in your particular way of living lightly on the earth. Marking your marriage is important and you need someone who is as passionate about the outdoors as you, I bring my passion and knowledge of wilderness and celebration to your ceremony.

I am willing and able to walk into wilderness areas with you to celebrate your marriage vows. I am happy to indulge in activities I haven’t done before and will do anything that is legal, safe and at the same ability as your guests.

If you have guests that can’t get to the wilderness with us, Offbeat Ceremonies can create two ceremonies to cater for everyone’s abilities.

Making your commitment valid - the Quaker wedding certificate tradition

2011-05-23T13:26:00.000+10:00

How can your same-sex commitment ceremony have an element of legality, when in Australia we can't get married by law?

I use a tradition that comes from the Quakers, using a wedding certificate to validate your ceremony.

Quakers were considered an outlaw religion in the 17th century, the State did not recognise their marriages as legal because they weren't sanctified in the Church of England. If a spouse died, the State claimed the estate and the spouse and children were left destitute.

To ensure that the state would recognise the Quaker wedding ceremony and all its spousal and inheritance rights, a Quaker tradition arose where everyone at the ceremony signed the marriage certificate as witness to the act. If the state disputed the inheritance at the death of a spouse, this wedding certificate was used as proof of their commitment, with so many witnesses to the wedding ceremony and the couple’s commitment to each other; it was hard for the state to dispute their marriage.

The Quaker wedding certificate tradition can be used today by same sex couples, or couples who do not want to engage with the state for their vows. The Quaker wedding certificate is a way to formalise your commitment and include your guests in your ceremony and while it has no status in law, it does show your commitment and can be used as such if required.

Offbeat Ceremonies can provide you with access to a Blue Mountains artist who will create a beautiful and personalised wedding certificate to use at your ceremony.

Handfasting

2011-05-17T11:43:00.000+10:00

The term is derived from the verb to handfast, used in Middle to Early Modern English for the making of a contract of marriage. The term is originally from Old Norse hand-festa "to strike a bargain by joining hands”. (1)

Today a Handfasting can be used to signify an engagement, betrothal, or commitment to a life partner. Laws being what they are today, a Handfasting is an excellent way for a gay or lesbian couple to make their commitment known. Additionally a Handfasting can be added to any wedding ceremony, regardless of religion, as "tying the knot" is a universal wedding theme. In fact, Handfasting is the original ‘tying the knot’.

The Fasting of hands symbolises your coming together: I, or a person you choose, wrap your joined hands with special ribbons, forming a circle of infinity and lasting love and tying you together.

The Handfasting is a ceremonial statement of a feeling, which binds two people together. It is not a marriage that binds, but the Love, respect and enjoyment which two people share, the Betrothed invite all their family and friends to show their public statement that they are in love, and wish to commit to each other openly. And for all the guests to witness this statement that they have found the fun, pleasure and opportunities of their lives enhanced by being together. They wish to spend the rest of their lives growing together, helping each other develop their potential and gathering shared moments and memories by learning about life in general with each other, together they are sharing with their guests and witnesses their love for each other.

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handfasting

A Mother's Day ceremony

2011-04-27T10:44:00.002+10:00

How often has your mother's day gift been a new dressing gown, slippers, some perfume or perhaps a dinner out somewhere?

Life is full of situations where we wished we had said how we felt, this Mother’s Day can provide you with a timely opportunity to actually say them to your mum.

Let this Mother’s Day be the time you tell your mum how much she means to you.

Giving a Mother’s Day ceremony as a gift will be more meaningful than a lunch out, new slippers, or yet another thing that your mother has. A Mother's Day ceremony is a gift of your thoughts and feelings about her. These gifts are timeless and your appreciation can never be said too often. Your mother’s greatest gift to you was life, and a ceremony acknowledges and thanks her for this gift. This special day is good because it can be uncomfortable to say those things just out of the blue, but during a Mother’s Day ceremony you can say them with the help and support of others.

It is a something she will always remember, far longer than the lunch or slippers.

It can be a gift from the whole family and close friends and relatives can attend. The ceremony gives everyone a chance to think about their mother and grandmother; what they have learnt from them, the the gifts of life skills and wisdom their mother's and grandmother's passed onto them.

A Mothers Day ceremony is a way of celebrating that special bond that exists between mother and child - a love that really isn’t like anything else.

What would a ceremony entail? It could contain speeches of love, music, ceremony, performances by grandchildren, giving of symbolic gifts, stories of shared history, remembering those not with you, absent grandmother’s and other family matriarchs.

Contact me to find out more.

Equal Marriage Rites

2011-03-21T12:23:00.002+11:00

I’ve been with my partner for 15 years, we can’t be legally married because we’re not heterosexual.

To be an Authorised Civil Marriage Celebrant in Australia, I must prove that I am an upstanding member of my community by a rigorous process of referee checks, yet I can’t marry.

My wedding clients hate these words “Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman”, but by law I must say them.

I believe we should change these words to ‘Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a consenting adult couple’ and I urge the Federal government to make it legal for me to marry.

On Saturday 19th March 2011, I celebrated a civil wedding ceremony as it should be celebrated, a ceremony where a same-sex couple can also be married. I did this as part of the Rally for Equal Marriage Rites that were held all over Australia, here's the video....

You can find the transcript of the ceremony on the Offbeat Ceremonies website.

What your wedding dress says about you

2010-10-31T21:26:00.000+11:00

Whether vintage or new, the shape and silhouette that you choose says something about you, or so says an article on Forbes.com article.

If you'd like to make a very special gown for your wedding, then come and visit the The Tailor's Apprentice and for the price of a 10 week course you can make the gown of your dreams.

Tiered says you're ... Ready to Party

Dresses with masses of ruffles give off a flamenco dancer vibe.

This silk satin V-neck gown with silk organza graduating ruffles--from New York-based design team Birnbaum and Bullock--looks fetching with a flower in the bride's hair. The beaded wasitline adds definition.

Sheath says you're ... Modern

Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's simple satin sheath Narciso Rodriguez changed the face of bridal wear. Since her marriage to John F. Kennedy Jr. in 1996, more and more brides have opted for beadless, laceless looks that show off a trim figure. The double-faced silk wool that forms this ivory, bibbed mermaid shift from Vera Wang makes it ideal for early fall nuptials.

Empire Bodice says you're ... Old Fashioned

If the double-wedding scene in Sense and Sensibility is your vision of perfection, then a dress with an empire waist will fulfill your period-romance fantasies.

This silk satin and tulle embroidered empire gown from Reem Acra has a scalloped neckline and off-the-shoulder capped sleeves. Reem Acra "Mon Amour" dress, $7,480.

Or you could make a real Regency period gown with The Tailor's Apprentice for the price of a 10 week course, $1,200

Halter says you're ... Practical

Halter-strapped bodices show off the shoulders, but unlike strapless dresses, they stay in place without frequent adjustments.

Sleeves says you're ... Modest

Very few women choose dresses with sleeves these days, but they can add a lovely vintage charm to your wedding gown.

Short says you're ... Unconventional

Very few brides choose a knee-length or tea-length dress, but those who do tend to be a bit quirky. Also, as weddings become less formal, dress lengths continue to rise.
If you'd like to make a very special gown for your wedding, then come and visit the The Tailor's Apprentice and for the price of a 10 week course you can make the gown of your dreams.

Beltane

2010-10-28T17:35:00.001+11:00

Happy Beltane!

Beltane signals the beginning of the bright half of the year. It means “Bright Fires,” or “Brilliant Fires.”

If you are marrying this weekend, 

Blessed Be! 

Beltane is the best time to get married in the Celtic Pagan calender, it's the ancient Celtic fertility holiday that celebrates the rites of spring, fertility and love with much frolicking and fun around the May Pole and Beltane fires.

Many Australians are preparing for Halloween, preparing to dress ghoulishly and to go 'trick or treating' but in Australia, the great wheel of the seasons has turned to spring, the start of summer and the season of heat, light and fire and Sunday is Beltane - the festival of fire - summer, fertility and renewal, not that of autumn and endings.

So this weekend, forget the ghost and ghouls, celebrate Beltane by renewing your vows with your partner, with fire, candles, champagne cocktails and a toast to love - celebrate the god and goddess's great marriage, welcoming new growth, fertility, love and light into your house and your lives.

2010-10-21T11:24:00.001+11:00

I was once the Tailor's apprentice...

Travel in time, to a pre-industrial world, when a gown couldn't be bought, it was something special to be embroidered, beaded and threaded by hand, just in time for the ball.

Create garments from history...

Regency (pride and Prejuduce)
American Civil War (Scarlett O'Hara)
Suffragettes (Emily Pankhurst)
SteamPunk,
Tweed Rides,
Cosplay
Victorian Crinolines,
Edwardian, Flapper, 40's auterity, 50's extravagance
60's mods
Contemporary couture

Now its your era

With Lorna, you can share the experience and love of creating a gown that fits you perfectly.

Classes

One-on-one or group sessions are available.
Classes are run throughout the year in my Blue Mountains studio.

Contact me
enquiries@offbeatceremonies.com.au
or 02 4701 9345 for bookings and enquiries.

Aromatherapy ~ what’s in it for Brides to Be?

2010-09-03T17:38:00.000+10:00

Julie Nelson of Aromatique Essentials shares her expertise with you to keep you relaxed and beautiful for your wedding day.

Aromatique Essentials specialises in pamper packs and  'Girls Day In' packages, a lovely idea for you and your girlfriends, why not try it as your 'hen's weekend' treat?  

Getting married is a big step in one's life and with it comes many emotions ranging from excitement, feeling on top of the world because one of your dreams has come true! Nothing can stop you now! To feeling overwhelmed as there is much to do and organise, with that in mind we find that then comes stress, tension, anxiety, self doubt and fear that drifts in and out...

Well these are all very common feelings/emotions that most of us experience! Tis quite normal to have a myriad of emotions racing through your mind... Keep smiling! And remember to breathe... as all is good and know that you can get through this with support and the willingness to help yourself deal with whatever comes up.

How Aromatherapy can  help you...
Aromatherapy is an amazing and beautiful way of working on ourselves to uplift our emotions, allay fears, anger and frustration, to strengthen our nervous system so we can manage our stress and anxiety levels on a day to day basis when we are feeling under pressure for whatever reason. 

Did you know that it is one of the most widely used therapies for treating the emotions, and resulting in the desired outcome.There are very simple and effective techniques available to us that we can use without taking a lot of time out.

I know what you are thinking! ...But I already have too much to do!

Keep smiling girls because I have some fabulous recommendations for you to try...You have nothing to lose and much to gain...your sanity for one!

What scent attracts you?
When it comes to using Aroma as a smelling therapy the most important thing to consider is your smell preference.

What aromas do you prefer to breathe in and be surrounded by? For example citrus, florals, herbies, woods , spices etc.

There are many pure, natural essential oils to choose from and that is one of the beauties about Aromatherapy.

When choosing your favourite oil or aroma take notice of how it makes you feel... does it bring a smile to your face, does it evoke happy memories, and does it resonate with you?

When you take in an Aroma that you truly love it will dissolve any negative feelings and emotions. You will find yourself uplifted, balanced, calm and at peace.

What's the best way to apply your aroma?
There are a few methods of application that you can use and you may choose to use all of them depending on what is available to you and also taking into account your schedule.

One of the most indulgent ways to pamper yourself is Bathing... take the time to relax and enjoy. Having an Aromatherapy bath is so healing on many levels. 

Setting the scene...
Gather some candles and strategically place them around the bathroom. Music is essential something relaxing and soothing, and of course your chosen essential oils. Adding rose petals and herbs gives you a more decadent feeling so don't hold back!

When using essential oils in a bath, 6 - 10 drops of essential oil in total is recommended. Add your chosen essential oils just before hopping in and make sure you agitate the water to break up the oils.

Bath recipes for you to try
Geranium, rose and sandalwood 3 drops of each...
Jasmine, neroli and rose 3 drops of each this is one of my favourites, bringing out the Goddess in you!
Rosewood, geranium 3drops of each and finally 2 drops of vetiver.....
Neroli, petitgrain and frankincense 3 drops of each...
Foot baths
Foot baths are a wonderful alternative to full body baths, especially as we need to conserve our water. They can be relaxing, stimulating and used for many different conditions for example tired aching feet, swollen feet and ankles, softening hard skin, relaxing, anxiety, stress and tension.

Try this for a relaxing, soothing foot soak; fill a heatproof bowl with very warm water not too hot, what feels comfortable for you add rose, sandalwood, rosewood and lemon, 3 drops of each. Agitate the water gently, pop your feet straight in and soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Be sure to have a towel handy for when you have finished. 

Tip - when getting ready for your foot bath place a towel under the bowl, then pour in your water, add the essential oils and agitate before placing your feet in the bowl, relax and enjoy...

As an extra add some rock salt and fresh herbs.

When you are ready to take your feet out, place them onto the towel, move the bowl carefully to one side, wrap the towel around your feet and pat dry. Apply moisturiser or an oil blend, take your time and enjoy the process.

Use fresh herbs from the garden...
If you don't have any essential oils and feel like pampering yourself with a either a body or foot bath then use fresh herbs from your garden, calendula flowers, rose petals,  rosemary, lemon thyme, Marjoram or lavender. Add half a teaspoon of olive oil and some sliced lemon or lime. 

This could be something you do with your girl friends and have a girl's day in!  

Natural facemasks...
You could also have fun by making facial masks with French clays and essential oils apply them leave for 10 minutes, while sipping on French Champaign.

When taking off the mask simply use warm water to compress it off, rinse, pat dry and then apply your moisturiser.

Scenting your home and reception room....
Using the aromatherapy burner is easy and effective 6-8 drops of your favourite oils and that's all you have to do...

Recipes for the oil burner
Sweet orange, bergamot, lemon and cardamom 3 drops of each 
Rosewood, mandarin, geranium and sandalwood 3 drops of each
Frankincense, neroli and rose 3 drops of each...
Room and body sprays are fabulous and I am never without them.... I carry them with me where ever I go and have them in almost every room in the house!

Recipe for a body spray
Use purified water or good quality floral waters as your base
5 drops each geranium, rosewood and sandalwood, 10 drops of rose

Recipe for a room spray
Use purified water or good quality floral waters as your base
Lemon, grapefruit, bergamot, mandarin and peru balsam 10 drops each

Remember its possible to be allergic to anything, even natural scents and oils, so always test everything before you take the plunge!

Queer Beanie competition 2010 - the very first winners!

2010-06-24T17:44:00.007+10:00

The first ever entries in the Blue Mountains Queer Beanie competition were fabulous, creative, innovative and outright queer!

We had knitted, felted, quilted and crocheted entries from beginners through to skilled and long term crafters and all of them are amazing!

The inaugural Queer Beanie competition was run in conjunction with the first ever Blue Mountains Pink Fest and the long standing Winter Magic festival.

It was a fabulous gala night in The Library of The Carrington on Friday 18th June, one of our six fabulous sponsors along with:

Hazelbrook Healthfoods
Katoomba Collectables
Offbeat Ceremonies ~ Giving you the Alternative
Renommee: Quality recycled contemporary and vintage fashion and accessories 02 4784 3487
Summit Gear

Our judging team of Judith Maitland, Rosie Mann, Rachel Mann, Jenny-Lee Heylen, Angela Lougheed and Mark Jarvis took their task very seriously and we thank them for their efforts.

Thanks also to our professional photographer, Elizabeth Walton of Who Needs a Secretary, however, the following photos are MINE as we haven't had a chance to GTG since Friday evening, LOL!

The entrants impressed the judges with their creativity and skills and it was a hard call to choose winners from such a wonderful selection.

... and the winners are ......

Queer category-Beginner: 

First prize: Julie Bargenquast "Baby of Twin Towers' - Prize $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies
Highly Commended: Julie Barganquast 'Twin of Queers - MV'

Queer category-Intermediate:

First prize: (two winners in category) Sharn Arcus 'Extermiknit' - Prize: $50 gift voucher from Katoomba Collectables
Highly Commended: Susan Robbins 'The Sorting Beanie'

Queer beanie: Intermediate

First prize (two winners in category): Lorna McKenzie 'Queer Battle Helm' - Prize $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies

Queer beanie category: Advanced  

First prize: Lynn Burnett 'We are Family' - Prize: $50 gift voucher Summit Gear
Highly Commended: Gillian Hand 'Freeform'

Classic category-Beginner:
First prize: Tilly 'Beyond the Fringe' - Prize: $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies
Highly Commended: Susan Robbins 'First beanie'

Classic category: Intermediate

First prize: Sharn Arcus 'Fair Isle'- Prize: $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies
Highly Commended 1: Sue Guy '12 ply classic'
Highly Commended 2: Kathleen MacDonald 'Landscape'

Classic category: Advanced

First prize: Lynn Burnett - Prize: $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies

Reuse, Recyle-Intermediate (no entries in any other categories)

First prize: Lorna McKenzie 'Empress Dream' - Prize: $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies
Highly Commended: Judith 'Impromptu'

People's Choice:

Susan Robbins 'The Sorting Beanie' - Prize: a beautiful silk/wool Pashmina from Renommee: Quality recycled contemporary and vintage fashion and accessories 02 4784 3487

And here are all the entries in all their clever and skillful glory.....

Winter Magic in Katoomba 2010

2010-06-23T16:58:00.000+10:00

Mid-winter revels in the Blue Mountains would not be the same without the fabulous, spectacular, dress-up spectacle of Winter Magic!

The gods and goddess of Yule blessed us this year with bright sunshine and blue skies, though the wind gave us a serious chill factor to contend with, but nothing that rugging up warmly didn't solve.

My 1880's Saloon Girl outfit worked perfectly, though I was more SteamPunk than authentic, the lime green leg warmers are definitely NOT period and my Scottish 'Laird' looked extremely smart.

My beanie was hand made by me as part of the inaugural PinkFest/Winter Magic Queer Beanie Festival 2010 and it was a WINNER in the Recycle, Reclaim, Reuse category - very chuffed indeed. A separate post is in order for the competition and the marvellous beanies that everyone entered.

Our day was hectic, breakfast with friends, then off to pick-up a Sydney arrival, then to watch another perform with the BlueMUGS, our very own Ukulele band, then the fabulous parade:

The best thing about Winter Magic is that it is a local event and we all participate, we all dress up and join in the fun, families, people of all ages and walks of life, celebrating the darkest time of the year and encouraging the sun's return!

May this Yule bring you peace, harmony, love, and increased happiness.

Winter Solstice: celebrate with feasting, peace and charity

2010-06-11T17:53:00.001+10:00

The depth of winter is here!

In the Blue Mountains, the chill winds blow rain and sleet while the frost chills us to the core. We are rugged up in our winter woollies and the days get shorter and shorter, heading to the shortest day, Winter Solstice, the 22nd June.

Solstice means ....

Standing-still-sun

but... while Winter Solstice marks the darkest time of the year, it heralds the return of the warmth of the sun.

From now on, the days get longer and we can encourage the return of the sun and the light with the fun of the Yule festival, which includes lots of feasting, pleasures and games around the warmth of the fire and don't forget the kisses under the mistletoe!

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown ...

Evergreen trees are sacred to the Goddess and in Australia we are blessed with beautiful evergreens, acacias, gums, angopheras, turpentines, wollemi pines, bring the Goddess into your house with a branch or two of the Australian bush (not from a national park though!).

peace, love and goodwill to all ...

Most importantly, Yule has always been a time of peace and charity so bring this into your celebrations as well. Donate to your favorite charity and ask yourself what you can do to create peace in a world full of war. Join Amnesty perhaps or GreenPeace? Remember, 'from little things big things grow'!

... Happy Winter Solstice 

and merry Yule all!

Why I'm a marriage celebrant

2010-05-31T12:33:00.001+10:00

Once upon a time....

I was a NSW public servant, working in eBusiness, project managing the development of such things as websites, applications, and at the end, the move to social networking through Twitter, FaceBook, blogs, etc. I commuted from our Blue Mountain's cottage to the Sydney CBD, a three hour return journey for 9 years!

This commute, plus my growing unhappiness and lack of fulfillment in my work sent me searching for another career that would free me from both commute and 'working for the man'. I wanted something away from technology, I love using it, but was so tired of trying to convince managers that social networking wasn't 'risky'! A friend had become a marriage celebrant a few years earlier and so I investigated the idea and loved it, it suited me to a 'T'. So last year I returned to study and qualified as a registered Civil Marriage Celebrant and started the journey to my new business of Offbeat Ceremonies.

I see a Celebrant as holding a complex and important role in our secular society. I strongly believe that birth, coming of age, death, menarche, menopause, marriage and commitment ceremonies are rites of passage that need to be thoughtfully and appropriately marked for us to fully transition into the next phase of our lives. Being a Celebrant means that I work with people so they can transition between one phase of their lives to the next. As a Celebrant I mark these important stages, I'm a gatekeeper and shaman and ritual maker. Perfect for a woman who has reached her third age.

You can find out more about my passion for marking the important stages of our lives with ceremony from the following videos:

I adore my new career, instead of office politics, I get to be with people who want to reconnect to community, who take time to mark and celebrate each new season of life, its a role where I can celebrate important and significant parts of people's lives.

Since I've been working from home, my life is enriched with so many wonderful community ventures, I've started to learn belly dancing and ukulele, get more into my yoga practice, create more in my studio, currently an 1880's 'saloon girl' outfit with a lovely bustle! I am volunteering with various organisations and loving giving back to my community.

Best of all, I spend time on my business, networking, reaching out, marketing.

I am loving the freedom of my new life, I love my clients who are people in love with each other, with life and the world. I love that I have more time for the things that are important to me, my beloved partner, my friends and my business.

Celtic new year, Samhain - celebrate the autumn harvest with medieval mulled wine

2010-04-30T18:44:00.001+10:00

Its Samhain tonight, which goes under many names: all hallows eve, Halloween, 'all saint's eve', 'the night of the dead', autumn festival and many others.

Samhain is the Pagan Celtic New Year's Eve, a time to reflect and to remember our ancestors and with the old year ending it is timely to think of new ventures and new beginnings.

The moon is full and her silver light is gracing our celebrations with her light.

Commercial ventures in Australia have us celebrating Samhain, or Halloween, at the same time as the northern hemisphere, on the 31st October, but this is Beltane in the southern hemisphere, a time for lovers and weddings, not a time for remembering our ancestors.

Celebrate the Celtic new year, Samhain, with mulled wine, good food and great friends. Carve out a pumpkin lantern for your entry hall and surrounded it with locally grown apples, nuts and pomegranates, all the bounty of the autumn harvest.

We're having our celebratory Samhain feast tomorrow night with friends, the feast will be filled with traditional Samhain foods of the autumn harvest; beetroot, turnips, squash, apples, corn, nuts, gingerbread, cider, pomegranates, pumpkin dishes and lots of mulled wine!

Here's an ancient medieval mulled wine recipe, Ypocras, that we make to celebrate Samhain and Yule, make it to salute the autumn harvest and to warm your insides around the fire. We adapt the Gode Cookery website recipe and as they say "Ypocras was a very popular medieval beverage, and many different directions for preparation still exist. Also called Hippocras, the drink is named after the famous physician Hippocrates."

Ypocras or Hippocras

1 bottle (750 mll) of good Australian red or white wine
1 - 2 cups organic honey
Two inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
Two cinnamon sticks
Six bruised cardamom pods,
Six pepper cloves, lightly crushed
4 whole nutmeg cloves
Good grateing of a fresh nutmeg, use powdered if you don't have whole nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
cheesecloth or fine strainer

Bring the wine and honey to a boil; skim off any scum as it rises.

Taste for sweetness; add more honey as necessary.

Remove from heat, add spices and allow the mix to sit covered for 24 hours.

Using a ladle, pass the wine into another container through a strainer lined with 2 or 3 layers of cheesecloth to remove the spices, being careful to leave as much of the spice residue in the pot as possible. Make at least 1 month before serving. The older it is, the better.

Merry met all!

Really celebrate Mother's Day this year

2010-04-27T18:46:00.001+10:00

It is a something she will always remember, far longer than the lunch or slippers.

It can be a gift from the whole family and close friends and relatives can attend. The ceremony gives everyone a chance to think about their mother and grandmother; what they have learnt from them, the the gifts of life skills and wisdom their mother's and grandmother's passed onto them.

A Mothers Day ceremony is a way of celebrating that special bond that exists between mother and child - a love that really isn’t like anything else.

What would a ceremony entail? It could contain speeches of love, music, ceremony, performances by grandchildren, giving of symbolic gifts, stories of shared history, remembering those not with you, absent grandmother’s and other family matriarchs.

Contact me to find out more.

Offbeat Ceremonies - what's that?

2010-03-29T18:07:00.000+11:00

You are different and diverse, you love your community and acknowledging your place in the environment.

You desire a rite of passage that has meaning to you, your family and community, a ceremony that sits lightly on the earth, one that symbolises your partnership and love.

You don’t see your ceremony as only glitz, glam, frou-frou and party favours.

You probably prefer vintage clothes to designer gowns, or perhaps you adore to dress up in historical gowns and ceremonial clothes from different cultural traditions.

In fact, you are offbeat and a bit different, just like me, and between us we can can weave a perfect rite of passage for you that symbolises your diversity.

Offbeat Ceremonies offers you a range of celebrations from weddings and hand fastings, vow renewals, GLBTI and queer commitment ceremonies, naming days for children and adults, Wheel of the Year celebrations, pet ceremonies, and funerals.

I specialise in Rights of Passage ceremonies that celebrate your journey through life.

I created Offbeat Ceremonies because I believe that life should be celebrated and that we should mark all the significant events in our life's journey from birth to death.