Filipino Lantern and Cultural Festival - Review By Festival Girl

Festival Girl Rates: 5.5/10

The Filipino Lantern and Cultural Festival last Saturday was a chance to get a start on some early Christmas celebrations. To help kick off the celebration, there was a parade, Christmas choir singers, a lantern making competetion, food stalls, a gift stall, sports demonstraions, a talent quest, traditional Filipino native costumes and other festive Filipino activities. 

All the sights, all the sounds, the aroma and flavours of the Filipino Christmas were in Parramatta. 

Festival Girl Highlights:

It was my first taste of Halo Halo a Filipino shaved ice dessert OMG - OMG. It was such a hot day, this dessert was my staple for the day. 

Hello Halo Halo

Some performers singing in the amphitheatre 

Filipino beauties posing for a picture

Traditional dressed Filipino lady

Free concert given to the public: Go Pinoy!

Adorable older ladies dressed in native clothes - love the colours and textures. 

Markets with Filipino treats for sale 

The parols were traditionally made from simple materials like bamboo sticks and rice paper and had a candle or coconut oil lamp for illumination. 

The festival is centred on the parol or lantern which symbolises the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Three Wise Men

This stall was so cute, you all know by now that I love the concept of recycled goods and giving things a second life. My Ecofriend makes accessories that are handmade from recycled foil juice packs, vinyl, chips packets, candy wrapper, nylon sacks, jute, rice flour bags, aluminum cans, bottles, old telephone directories, old magazines, and used newspapers. They are lovingly made by poor women to benefit their families and the environment.

Totally in love with this red bracelet made completely of buttons - but as 'thought' about it for a minute - the girl pictured bought it. You snooze you loose I guess...

The Gift stall and Parols for sale

Traditional Filipino ladies - this costume is so feminine and pretty, I love the use of lace

Festival chief organiser Emma de Vera said the star was the Filipinos' most cherished symbol of yuletide celebrations, hence the importance of the Parasol

Festival Girl Lowlights:

Ahhh Parramatta parking as usual. Especially around Christmas time. I would have liked to see a bit more arts and crafts, but of course I always do. Maybe some more cultural stores or information for the patrons. But all in all, a fun event.

Maligayang Pasko! Merry Christmas! 


 If you love Christmas like I do, here are some other Family Fun festivals coming up celebrating the most wonderful time of the year.

Love,

 Festival Girl xox

Filipino Lantern and Cultural Festival - Review By Festival Girl

How to make Art using a Nintendo DS and the Sydney Opera House

This Sunday 28 November, Nintendo and acclaimed artist Mika Utzon Popov will be holding a free outdoor art class for 100 people using Nintendo ds game Art Academy. Mika Utzon Popov is actually the grandson of Sydney Opera House designer, Jørn Utzon - wow!

Utzon Popov will use one of the latest games on Nintendo DS – Art Academy – to show how anyone from beginners to experts can create their own works of art! The 100 lucky people will go through a tutorial in painting and drawing techniques, and then they will be given the opportunity to draw Australia’s most iconic building – The Sydney Opera House on their Nintendo DS thanks to Art Academy!

The first 100 people to register for the exclusive art class and turn up on the day will receive a free Art Academy game. Those interested in attending the Art Academy class can come equipped with their own, Nintendo DS, but if you don’t have one, you can still participate on the day as there will be Nintendo DS consoles on hand to borrow.

The day will begin with an intensive art class inside the Park Hyatt, where Utzon Popov will divulge his tips and tricks, on the finer points of the software, and arm the students with the tools with which to unearth their inner artist. Once the students have learnt the ropes, they’ll be let loose at Campbell’s Cove where they will paint their own impressions of The Sydney Opera House using their Nintendo DS.

If your interested, register for Sunday's event, visit: http://gamesites.nintendo.com.au/art-academy-event

Comment if you happen to go along or know someone who did, I'd love to post some pix because I can't make it to this one.

When: Sunday, November 28 2010

Where: The Boardroom Library, Park Hyatt Hotel, 7 Hickson Road, The Rocks, Sydney

Time: 10:00am for new registrations, 10:30am for pre-registrations. The art class will commence at 11am until 1pm.

XXX Love Festival Girl

How to make Art using a Nintendo DS and the Sydney Opera House

Stereosonic 2010 - Preview by Festival Girl

Stereosonic isn't really one of my usual events that I would review, but there is always time for a first.

Now in its 4th year, Stereosonic is the brainchild of two Australian boutique event companies with the vision to bring the best in ever-popular and new talent to a discerning music crowd. Our ethos is simple: Try to provide the best lineup, the best venues, the best experience whilst improving each year at the best possible price. Stereosonic is Australia's electronic music festival, now let's get to it...

Check out the details below:
Date and Time and Where:
Sat 27 Nov, 2010
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Sydney Showground, NSW

Stereosonic 2010 boasts its biggest line-up ever featuring:

AFROJACK

DJ SNEAK

REBOOT

ALY AND FILA

DJ T

REDSHAPE

BART B MORE

GIUSEPPE OTTAVIANI

RICARDO VILLALOBOS

BENNY BENASSI

INFECTED MUSHROOM

CALVIN HARRIS

JEFF MILLS

RUSS CHIMES

CARL COX

L-VIS1990

SEBASTIAN INGROSSO

CASPA

LUCIANO

SIED VAN RIEL

CONGOROCK

MAJOR LAZER SS

TECHNASIA

DJ DAN

MC ROD AZLAN

TIËSTO

OPTIMO

WILEY

Get the booklet here

Check out past video's here:

Check out past photo'e here:

How to get there:

Calvin Harris

XXX Love Festival Girl

Stereosonic 2010 - Preview by Festival Girl

Holroyd Food and Wine Festival - Festival Girl Review

Festival Girl Rates: 5/10

I had a lovely Sunday afternoon at the Holroyd Food and Wine Festival in Pemulwuy Sydney. The sun was shining, families strolling around the river's edge with their favourite pooch and of course, Food, Wine and Craft Stalls on offer. 





This years weather was a lot better than last year - so it made the suburb really sparkle.

...and of course, some Craft stalls were on show (always my fav)

I really liked the Japenese style cards and papers from 'I Made It'  - specialising in handmade creative cards for all occasions, her work is cute and oh so adorable. 

Popcorn in a card - can you imagine

 I bet one of these will put a smile on anyones face. 

Here are some of the images from 'I Made It. Cute ol' school typewriter. Where do I get one of these?

Check out the ' 'I Made It' Handmade pledge here

 Handmade yet affordable, loving the Japanese cranes

Love birds and peacocks - Yay

SJA Accessories was on display - let me tell you I wanted everything! I really love chunky gold, bohemian styled jewellery. I wish there were more people like Kiri she is an Artist, Arts consultant and Trashionista who specialises in costumes and trashion - ha - love it - hence the very resourceful use of a pack of playing cards for business cards. Really cute work from Genevieve M with an interesting style of Art using vector illustrations from her own sketches. Bead Funk Designs also featured some dribble worthy jewellery pieces - you can catch her at  the new monthly market Cooks River Markets. Pinspot is an interesting organisation specialising in Art Therapy and creative coaching.

Festival Girl Highlight:

One of the Turkish Food stalls showed the audience how to make Gozleme! Yum, my favourite, encouraging the audience to come and take a look how its made by those cute Turkish grandmas. Aww.

Festival Girl Lowlights:

From my observations, it did look like there were a few less stalls than last year, especially the food stalls. I would have loved to see more food stalls from different nationalities, but felt a little like your average takeaway fair style food (apart from the one Pizza place that a stone oven to cook with - yum. 

xxx love Festival Girl

Holroyd Food and Wine Festival - Festival Girl Review

How To Make A Babushka Felt Doll - Free Tutorial

Okay so its obvious that I really like Babushka Dolls - how can you not? They are beautiful little works of art. So here is another version that my friends like to call R2D2 Babushka Doll - shape is a little wonky, but hoping to improve it and try another one.

Here's how I did it:

Gather the following Tools

- Sewing Scissors

- Pieces of felt, fabrics, ribbons, any textures you like. I've used scraps from Environmental Shopping bags and wavy ribbon edge and some floral print fabric and purchased felt)

- Felt - I've chosen red, black, pink and tan. Choose any colours you like. Try to keep atleast one colour to hold the theme together.

- Needle to sew (I like to make these dolls handmade, but you can use the sewing machine if you like.

- Sewing string, I like to use embroidery string

Here's how YOU do it:

1) Find a few bits of coloured felt pieces - google a few images to get an idea of the overall design. 

2) Draw out the design - how you want it to look, the smile, the feeling you want to evoke when you look at the doll.

3) I wanted my Babushka to be 3d cylinder shape - I didn't really want just the flat felt dolls I've seen. This makes it a little trickier - but hang in there and you will get it.

4) Using some plain coloured 'base' fabric, use this to help you make the base shape, you can use a tall glass to guide you. Now Add the felt Apron over the top of your 'pretty' fabric, before you want to do a running stitch on the Babushka inside out, so when you flip her, it will be a seamless look. 

5) Make sure to all all the accessories (face, establishments) before you sew the entire body, otherwise it will make it difficult for you later. Stuff the doll with some old pillow fluff.

6) Once this is done, you need to create a round shaped flap for the bottom. I made mine from black felt. The felt is a bit heavier and will help the doll sit upright better. Sew close the ends.

And there you go, your very own hug-gable Babushka Doll. 

How To Make A Babushka Felt Doll - Free Tutorial

Loy Krathong Thai Water Festival (Parramatta) | Festival Girl Review

Festival Girl Rates:

10/10

The Loy Krathong Thai Water Festival was definitely the place to be in Parramatta on Saturday night. The Parramatta River bank was adorned traditional Thai celebration decor and hundreds to a few thousands people wanting to take part in the Loy Krathong Thai Water Festival. As the Lord Mayor of Parramatta, Cr John Chedid explained, Loy Krathong is traditionally celebrated on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month, which is usually in early November.

Being my first time at the event, I was really surprised to see how many people attended the event and how well organised it was. People used this celebration to bring their families together; couples sitting on a picnic blanket with a glass of wine, generations of families lining up with their lotus leaf offerings and passers by curious by the sounds and delicious smell of the Thai culture and cuisine. 

Festival Girl Highlights:

A beautiful example of a Thai beauty entrant

This reminds me of one of my best friends is Cambodian, she used to have to dress in similar cultural costumes. I used love when she showed me her costumes; I love to stare at all the adornments including the gold dress jewellery, the girls look so perfect in the flesh.

Beautiful Thai silk sari's amongst the darkening sky

The Lord Mayor of Parramatta, Cr John Chedid opened the Thai Water Festival - See the video here

Here are the Krathong's that people created before they were ceremonially lit and placed in the river

A adorable little girl dressed in traditional Thai wear holding an offering

  

As sunset set, the burning offerings moved gently down the stream

I just wanted to go up and touch; made of ribbons and other craft findings creates the most beautiful pieces of paper architecture. Amazing.

Some festival Fun with oversized head caricatures

Welcome to the Thai Village, were tasty Thai treats lie

The buzz was definitely at the Thai food village 

If you love fruit carving (like I do) see my fruit carving post. These works of art are so inspiring in person and amazing the talent involved making these look so good. 

More ribbon sculptures - the level of skill and detail put into each one of these offerings is mesmerising

Easily my favourite image of the night - I believe these are larger Krathong's. 

More floral and ribbon offerings 

This stall offered the most beautiful hand made Thai parasols - I loved this floral themed one

The customers name is painted by hand making this a special gift for those who appreciate all things handmade (me)

Kite and mask makers stall - I love all aspects of the theatre and the sense of theatricality and drama of it all. of course, everything is handmade - yay 

Can you believe this giant head mask nearly escaped my line of sight - Gotcha

Toward the end of the night, traditional Thai dancers entertained us with their skilled and culturally significant dances. 

Years and years and practise are required to become accomplished dancers.

Love this image - thousands of years of traditions meets the mobile era. There is something so interesting when I see a monk on a mobile or a nun using a laptop. 

Festival Girl Low lights:

Trying to find PARKING in Parramatta 10 minutes before the sunset ceremony! I must be crazy and maybe the lack of seats (although plenty of lawn space was available) but I'm more concerned about the adorable Thai grandparents that were looking for a place to have a seat.

Here are the details:

Date

Sat 13 Nov

FREE

Opening Times

5–10pm

Event Website

www.parracity.nsw.gov.au

Where

Parramatta River,

Banks of the Parramatta River between Wilde Street and Lennox Bridges

Loy Krathong Thai Water Festival (Parramatta) | Festival Girl Review