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Founded by Beck Wadworth, An Organised Life was born out of the desire to create luxurious yet functional stationery, bringing structure to busy lives. We caught up with Beck for a quick chat about the role organisation plays in her life.

1. What does an organised life mean to you?

To me, an organised life means having a productive mindset across all aspects of life - personally and professionally. Creating processes and structure, while giving everything a place - allowing your life to be more organised and stress-free.

2. What does your morning routine look like?

Each day is different but usually, it looks like the below:

6.30am: Alarm - check emails and the news in bed 7.00am: Walk Bondi to Bronte (a few days a week - well I try at least!) - I also grab a coffee from BRU on my way home! 8.00am: Smoothie + my Beauty Chef faves while checking over my to-do list 8.15/8.45am: Emails and urgent jobs 9.00am: Online & W/S Orders for AOL ready for the courier to collect

3. What are three things you never leave home without?

1. Diary and Pen 2. iPhone 3. Wallet

4. Do you have any advice on creating a productive workspace?

When it comes to creating a productive workspace I think it's all about the below:

1. Design an inspiring space that constantly motivates and pushes you - don't be afraid to change it up frequently 2. Find functional storage solutions for your workspace that look chic and beautiful but are also practical for storing documents, stationery, printer ink, bills etc 3. Give everything a home - for example, on my desk I have a box that is full of paper swatches I refer to frequently when designing new products. It's easy to access however is always located in the same box on my desk so I can't lose them. 4. Create an epic ‘To-Do’ list daily that is prioritised so you can have a productive day. 5. Invest in a wall calendar so you can visually see important dates, key meetings and upcoming deadlines. It also helps you think forward to the future rather than day to day.

5. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt running your own business?

Quality over quantity. After my initial year of AOL, I wanted to introduce a larger range. I made some great choices & a few poor choices that didn’t work as well. It’s important to get every single element & product right, to know your customer & their buying habits. Be hands-on and make the most of the start-up phase. There is so much that you can learn over this time. Learn from your mistake and move forward. Everything happens for a reason.

6. What’s your most valued possession?

That's a tricky one! I have some beautiful jewellery pieces that were gifted to me by my boyfriend, family and friends, which are definitely very valued possessions I wear daily. However, realistically (and practically!) I would say my iPhone is! It's my way I connect daily with my family back at home in NZ and my loved ones in general! I don't know what I would do without that constant communication source to home every day.

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In The Studio: Petite Grand

To coincide with the launch of our collaboration with Petite Grand, we paid a visit to founder Tanja Kovacevic’s Surry Hills studio to take a behind the scenes look and ask her a few questions about her creative process.

The hand-crafted capsule collection ‘Precious Opals’ consists of three limited-edition pieces, using Australian opals sourced from Coober Pedy and set in sterling silver.

Where do you look for design inspiration?

My main source of inspiration for my designs usually comes about when I'm travelling, particularly when I'm feeling relaxed, surrounded by new environments and new experiences. I try to get away at least once a year to keep myself motivated, happy and inspired. The next place I want to visit is New Zealand, as much as I love the city I love being amongst nature so I would love to explore more of NZ.

What are your favourite materials to work with?

My favourite materials...so many different things to be honest! Of course metals (gold, brass and silver) but I also love working with more organic, malleable materials such as leather, shells, glass and most recently...opals! I have been using some beautiful opals from Coober Pedy for my latest collection 'Precious Opal' and they are very beautiful and special.

What do you think defines Australian style?

My idea of Australian style is a combination of a few elements, mostly contrasting a relaxed, almost minimalistic dress sense, paired with a really unique accessory, jewellery (of course) or a beautiful bag/pair of shoes. I think a lot of Australian women like wearable pieces that can translate from day to night and can be worn at the beach without being too fussy. Durability is also a big factor of Australian style I believe, pieces added to your wardrobe that will last you through many seasons.

How do you spend your time off?

One of my favourite things to do on my days off is gardening (indoor and outdoor). I love plants, my studio and home are filled with lush greenery and I always seem to keep adding to my collection of succulents. I also love going on bushwalks, walking my dog and having dinner with friends.

What is your most valued possession?

My most valued possession would have to be my mum's incredible opal bracelet from the 80's! I have always loved the colours and textures in the opals and it actually was a big inspiration for my ‘Precious Opal’ collection, thanks mum! :)

The new opal collection is available now online and in stores.

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Kate Dalton of Byron bay's Mayde tea shares the health benefits of her organic tea creations. As part of our commitment to relaxed coastal living, complimentary Mayde tea is now served in all Assembly Label stores. 

What inspired you to create your own organic teas?

I studied naturopathy and nutrition at uni, which is where my passion for herbal medicine really began. There is a truly amazing healing power of specific plants, and knowing that it was possible to use these in something as easily accessible for consumers as tea, I wanted to share this knowledge and let people feel some of the benefits that I have on my own health. It actually started as me making some teas to try and treat my own digestive and nervous system, then people asked to buy them and all of a sudden I was somehow running a business. It’s definitely been a business created out of a pure passion for working with herbal medicine.

What are the heath benefits of drinking tea? Each herb has it's own unique therapeutic benefits. I create blends for minor, but common ailments like digestive issues (hence the Digest blend), and to help nervous system complaints like anxiety and insomnia with Serenity. Herbs can have so many therapeutic actions. Some act as an antioxidant, an anti-inflammatory, an anti-depressive, analgesic, to treat anxiety and so much more. There’s even the enormous benefit on your wellbeing in taking a minute out of your day to slow down and enjoy the process of making the tea. I get asked a lot to make teabags because they’re fast and convenient, but I think teabags defeat many purposes of the beauty of drinking a herbal tea.

Talk us through your process of how each Mayde tea blend is created? I always start with the health benefits. I brainstorm the synergism between specific herbs and try to have as many herbal actions in the tea as possible. For example my digest blend is so much more than a few herbs thrown together that are good for digestion. Calendula is a great anti-inflammatory herb, working to reduce any inflammation in the digestive tract, peppermint reduces stomach cramps and flatulence, liquorice has a demulcent effect which soothes and protects the length of the digestive tract; and fennel is my favourite herb to prescribe for bloating and indigestion. After choosing the herbs I figure out the ratio for the best therapeutic effect and flavour. Creating our chai involved a trip to India where I did a lot of research/chai drinking, the chai in India is so amazing! That being where it originated I thought i’d leave that one in the hands of the experts, so I worked with some people there on that one!

What is you favourite tea at the moment ? Restore. It’s my favourite blend I’ve come up with, I dont think i’ll ever get sick of that flavour.

What’s next for Mayde Tea? I’m not sure really! I’ve never had a plan- It’s growing at a pretty fast, but manageable rate and I’m really grateful for how well it's gone so far. I’ve been working on delegating (I find this really hard) to my staff more so I can open up more hours for further research and seeing clients. I develop new products about twice a year, or just whenever I see a need for it. This year I realised there wasn’t a vegan sticky chai on the market so that’s what I created last. Soon I’ll get an urge to create something else but I’ll just wait until it comes to me! I’m actually working on a little branding refresh at the moment which is super exciting, so i’ll wait for that to be finalised before any new products!

Do you have any tips of brewing the best cup of tea? Definitely! There's so many things you can do to make sure you’re getting the most, both flavour-wise and therapeutically from consuming herbal teas. The first is to always choose loose leaf. This is because most teabags contain a lot of chemicals. These chemicals are water soluble which will end up in your cup alongside your beautiful therapeutic herbs. Most teabags are bleached too, to make sure they look really pretty. Then they’re fastened with a staple and probably some glue. So all of this will end up in your cup too. You should also choose loose leaf because the bigger the pieces of herbs in your tea, the better the quality of the herb will be. Using chamomile as an example, you’ll notice mostly whole chamomile flowers in a loose leaf tea. The whole flowers are picked off the plant, and the smaller little petals that have dropped off and fallen onto the ground is what will usually end up enclosed in a teabag. Also reading the brewing instructions- as different herbs require different temperatures and steeping times. Green tea isn’t actually bitter like a lot of people think it is! It's really delicious, it just need to be brewed at no hotter than 80 degrees.

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Hues of Spring. Assembly Label Manly shot by Ash Holmes.

See more here: https://ashleighholmes.com/

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Simplified Saturday mornings.⠀ ⠀ #assemblylabel Photo @mrandmrswhite_ ⠀

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Self-taught by simple curiosity, Woody Gooch is known for framing his focal subject with the natural world around it. By utilizing movement and negative space, he captures life and communicates the emotions of the moment.

See more of his work here:

http://woodygooch.com/

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Laid back weekend living.⠀ ⠀ #assemblylabel

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A collection of inspirational imagery behind one of Spring’s key colours, Rose.

To see more from these photographers, visit:

www.nataliechristensenphoto.com

www.fredguillaud.com

www.cubiclerefugee.tumblr.com

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From the Salt Flats of South Australia to Bondi Beach in Sydney, photographer Tom Chan takes us on a visual journey of the Australian coastline. 

To see more, visit https://www.instagram.com/tomfchan/

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Photographer Spotlight - Jay Taylor Ziane

“My visual journal of the coast. A lifelong exploration of place, geometry & colour. Moods through weather. Emotions through light. Keeps me grounded, motivated, inspired.”

See more of his work at:  www.instagram.com/jay__tz or www.jaytaylorziane.com 

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Where to next?⠀ ⠀ A snapshot of Sarakiniko Beach, Greece through the lens of Australian photographer Akila Berjaoui. ⠀ ⠀ #assemblylabel Photo @akila_berjaoui

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Photographer Spotlight ~ Vishal Marapon

This Vancouver based photographer captures the simplicity of everyday moments. 

You can see more of his work at http://vishalmarapon.com/

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This close up of our Fortitude Valley concept store, in the James Street Precinct, was photographed by the talented Michael J. Hughes. 

You can see more of his work at michael-john-hughes.tumblr.com

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The Greek Islands, Paris, London, Iceland! You might want to add these to the ‘to do’ list. Rachel James takes us on a visual journey through some of Europe’s most iconic and nostalgic destinations.

www.assemblylabel.com

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Katrina Parker's photographs forever captivate the raw beauty and simplicity of the ocean. Her work celebrates an endless appreciation for the sun, the sand and the surf, an appreciation shared by many Australians who choose to live their lives by the sea.

https://www.katrina-parker.com

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Our Fitzroy Store is situated on the iconic Brunswick Street, surrounded by historic colonial style buildings, rich cultural diversity and bustling cafe culture.

The heritage-listed space makes use of it’s aged brick walls and trestle ceilings. Bathed in natural light, it accentuates the old-world allure of the neighbourhood.

"We aim to share a love of design and creativity with a community who appreciates these core values” - Damien Horan, Creative Director.

You can visit the store at 243 Brunswick Road.

www.assemblylabel.com

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In Focus #44 with Mark Clinton

Why do you take photos, what inspired you to start a career in photography?

My love for the ocean was the prime motivator. It started with documenting the surf and surrounds then experimenting with the lifestyle aspect which came with chasing waves. I love to learn and continue to improve with each experience, and photography was the perfect creative outlet for that.

What it is you want to say with your photographs, and how do you actually get your photographs to do that?

To me photography hasn’t been about saying anything, but instead a platform to share what I’m passionate about. I do feel that since my work has begun leaning more towards destinations/ tourism its about putting a twist on the everyday location. Whether that be with a lens and angle the viewer isn’t used to, or a different form of lighting. I guess these are just examples of somehow further providing a disconnect from the everyday.

What is a typical month in the life of Mark Clinton?

Recently, there hasn’t been much structure to a month per say. Usually my work falls into blocks, so I might have a week of downtime spent at home followed by an onslaught of admin that comes before a job. I used to struggle working this way as I used to be driven by structure, but now with more experience under my belt I’ve somehow found a routine in all the chaos.

Essential packing items when travelling?

Noise cancelling headphones, sunglasses, portable power bank and swim shorts.

Favourite piece of clothing and why?

For warmer climates, linen long sleeve shirt - breathable and keeps your skin hidden, crucial on hot days when shooting in the sun. In cooler climates, my down jacket. Lightweight, packable and versatile.

How do the clothes in your wardrobe play a part in your day to day life?

I love a balance between both function and fashion. I'm always moving through different environments so comfort is a must. My wardrobe is made up of pieces that can be worn on a plane as much as they can be worn out at night.

To see more of Mark’s photography, you can visit http://www.markclintonphoto.com/