Merri Christmas

It’s been a pretty extraordinary 2015. A year in which Ruby Assembly as a business and myself as an individual writer have grown exponentially. It’s all seemed serendipitous (well, serendipity fuelled by seven years of continual hard work and contribution to Melbourne’s arts and culture community) – but it feels like I’ve finally got my big girl pants on.

This year, I’ve hired another person for the first time, full-time. I’ve been involved in amazing commercial collaborations on the blog, and had the pleasure of representing a new host of amazing new corporate clients across hospitality, accommodation, e-commerce and more. I’ve grown into my role as a speaker, taught at RMIT, instigated a successful networking group (Serious Women’s Business: Northside), have been on the front of the Moreland Exchange publication and even held a proper real-world knees-up event for my supporters. We’ve done a full Ruby Assembly rebrand, and a beautiful new website to match. I’ve even got a photographer these days, which lifts the quality and polish of what I present to you, here on the blog. Everything has gone level up in 2015 for me, and I’m very excited to see what 2016 holds in store.

The seemingly quick acceleration in personal and professional growth seems to coincide with one major thing: the move me and my husband made to Brunswick East last year. A proud community that refers to itself as a Republic, Brunswick East is truly home. I love that we’ve actually got neighbours now – people we can have a drink with, who’ll bring our bins in, who know us by name. I love that we’ve got a garden, and that there are kids who yelp and woop up our street every day. I love the hipster coffee shops within walking distance, and the fact that the Ruby Assembly studio is literally 500 metres away. Most of all, I love the Merri Creek. It’s an icon of the north, a winding, sometimes bedraggled and deeply Aussie-feeling, sometimes mystical and weirdly European feeling little river that waxes and wanes. I walk it nearly every day, saying hello to my neighbours and their dogs. I could think of no better place to shoot Ruby Assembly’s special Christmas 2015 editorial by the Merri Creek as a way to honour one of the best years in my life, and as a thankyou gift to you, dear reader.

I hope this editorial – brimming with joy, festive wishes and love – gives you a good dose of Christmas Cheer. Thankyou for all your support, sharing and comments this year: I appreciate it more than you know!
Merri Christmas, indeed.

Location: Merri Creek, Thornbury, Melbourne.
Photographer: Breeana Dunbar Photographer.
Christmas Crown: Mary Mary Studio.