Sunday, February 28, 2010

Art Deco / born in the wrong era

sass and bide art deco
from sass and bide ‘future grand’ autumn/winter 2010

By seven o’clock the orchestra has arrived, no thin five-piece affair, but a whole pitful of oboes and trombones and saxophones and viols and cornets and piccolos, and low and high drums. The last swimmers have come in from the beach now and are dressing up-stairs; the cars from New York are parked five deep in the drive, and already the halls and salons and verandas are gaudy with primary colors, and hair shorn in strange new ways, and shawls beyond the dreams of Castile. The bar is in full swing, and floating rounds of cocktails permeate the garden outside, until the air is alive with chatter and laughter, and casual innuendo and introductions forgotten on the spot, and enthusiastic meetings between women who never knew each other’s names.

The lights grow brighter as the earth lurches away from the sun, and now the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music, and the opera of voices pitches a key higher. Laughter is easier minute by minute, spilled with prodigality, tipped out at a cheerful word. The groups change more swiftly, swell with new arrivals, dissolve and form in the same breath; already there are wanderers, confident girls who weave here and there among the stouter and more stable, become for a sharp, joyous moment the centre of a group, and then, excited with triumph, glide on through the sea-change of faces and voices and color under the constantly changing light.

Suddenly one of the gypsies, in trembling opal, seizes a cocktail out of the air, dumps it down for courage and, moving her hands like Frisco, dances out alone on the canvas platform. A momentary hush; the orchestra leader varies his rhythm obligingly for her, and there is a burst of chatter as the erroneous news goes around that she is Gilda Gray’s understudy from the Follies. The party has begun....

The Great Gatsy by F. Scott Fitzgerald – tho having it in your hot little hands is better, you can read it on line here


in order of appearance: 1. acrylic on canvas from merz 4 2. box purse from silly rabbit vintage 3. czech button from 51 moozle 4. cocktail decanter from susantique 5. harlequin box from sister butterfly 6. golden age print by caitlen shearer on pepperminte 7. klimt bird pattern from stitches by kryss 8. lantern earrings from ivy and willow 9. bird linoprint from bizarre galah 10. red knives from italian country girl 11. spoon ring by goorsend jewelry 12. table from right at home vintage 13. silk dress from wonder wardrobe

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Calla Lily / Look Closely / Wait

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photo via pixdaus

I've just finished reading a book about a girl called Calla Lily. I won't tell you the name of it because it was a pathetic read. One of those books that you pick up from the library, noting the inscription 'author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller' and think, well this should get me through a couple of days of escapism. It didn't. It could have. With redrafting. It was interesting to observe myself tho continuing to read it, thinking I might miss something interesting if I stopped. Like life really.

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clockwise from top: Ring by Marjon Scheffer Brooch/Pin from Funken Junk Necklace by Mainichi Candlesticks from Jeff Fetty

There were a couple of gems in there that did resonate with me. That prompted me to remember. So, it wasn't a total loss.

Sadness can find you anywhere, anytime, so you better have fun when you can.


Look closely now, she said, and wait. These are the two most important things I can tell you.... Look closely and wait.

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I've just heard that somebody I treasure is very unwell. She's somebody many of you treasure as well. Our darling Renee over at Circling My Head. My heart is breaking for her, her family and for us.

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Monday, February 15, 2010

Tattoos for Commitmentphobics and a Giveaway

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1. made by miffy 2. post 3. sherri wood 4. jetta’s nest 5. sarah jane helm 6. custom shower curtains 7. inkwear 99 8. sybella boutique 9. maid with clay 10. history print shop 11. bitchcraft 12. jord clarke

Here's a little tattooesque project I did this afternoon for a blog giveaway - a doiley with a twist. A vintage embroidered doiley was embellished with a photo transfer of a tattoo heart which was then highlighted in embroidery. Just leave a comment and it could be yours. Use it as a doiley or hang it on the wall. I'll do a random no generation on Saturday to find out who the new owner will be.

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Alexander McQueen passed away last week, aged 40 years. Living wasn't easy for McQueen as it often isn't for creative geniuses. Lady Ga Ga (with tattoos) wears his creations with the attitude they deserve.



Yay!! Congratulations to number 16 Jane P! I'll be in touch Jane. Big big thank you to you all for taking the time to visit and to enter. Please come back for a visit; you're always welcome here.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

An Alice In My Wonderland Family

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Alice: Sarah Livingstone White Rabbit: Tenielle Stoltenkamp Cheshire Cat: Jess Ma Mad Hatter: Kellie Green March Hare: Daniel Gard Dormouse: Jessica Date

Ahem, yes Alice and I are related. This Alice is my niece, Sarah. They’re all fabulous aren’t they. But of course Alice is particularly wonderful! This series was photographed by the talented photographer Rebekah Lyn from Rebekah Lyn Photography. Rebekah Lyn is a photograher who can take chances and let imagination take over. Rebekah will travel, so contact her if you’re wanting any type of photography from weddings through to fantasy.

And how excited was I to find this second preview of the upcoming Alice in Wonderland movie! Just ignore the first 15 seconds of advertising.


It’s audacious what we’ve done.... The characters are from the books, but - except for when she falls down the rabbit hole - there is no section that is like the books in any way, in terms of the story that I created. So the only part is the "getting there" part. It's a sequel. First of all, I wasn't going to try to redo Lewis Carroll and that particular version. And to my mind, it was interesting to ask, "What if Alice was older and she went back?" Screenwriter, Linda Woolverton

But is she in fact the same Alice who roamed the trippy realm as a child? Time will tell…

Oops forgot to add these Free sample Alice art pieces from Dover Publication - one by Arthur Rackham here and one by Willy Pogány here. Just right click and save.

Monday, February 8, 2010

The rabbit's not dead, he's lounging at home...


Recycled homes, well most of us have them don't we. But we can always do with more decorating inspiration and this Flickr group - Recycled Home - is so well curated that there's always something stylish to look at. Now, rabbits, yes I know they're not actually relevant to recycled homes but I had this collage on hand, and nothing else prepared, so here they are. Any one of these original art dolls would look right at home in a chic abode me thinks.

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1. pillow form doll from doll project 2. beatrice clay and cloth doll from simple tilly 3. rabbit and chick from pumpkin moon prims 4. city rabbit from plush play workshop 5. lucky rabbit with dog by patti singer 6. white felt by sandy mastroni 7. ballerina rabbit from chas batte studio 8. anxious bunny doll from grrl an dog

And while you and your bunny are lolling about your fabulous recycled pad you'll need something sweet to nibble on. Cakes, that's what you'll need. Make any cake look fabulous with these edible cake toppers from Enticing Icing. Good grief, they're only $6.95 for 12 birdies, or 24 hearts!

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

Precious flowers

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1, 2, 3 crinoline flower photographs by daryl banks 4. a new beginning earrings from realisation creations 5. hydrangea top from all things pretty 6. the butterfly who swallowed a rose from nancy wiedower art 7. what the sea wants the sea shall have ltd edn print from sandra darling 8. photograph from kara o’keefe 9. the importance of flowers dome from mini memory worlds


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Monday, February 1, 2010

Scratch n Sniff Post

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Ah coffee. Go on, scratch and sniff that screen! Inhale that aroma! You know you want to. Now have a read of this exquisite poem, and a look at a couple of clever coffee art ideas. Then maybe you can help me 'read' my coffee cup...

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Hans the Wooden Man by Sandra Eterovic using coffee as paint

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Betsy Donkey, distressed with coffee (n tea) to give a vintage look by Little Black Crow Studio

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My cup after drinking Turkish coffee today. What do you see for me?

How to Read a Coffee Cup (adapted from info by Sahar)

>You will of course need to prepare your coffee in such a way that there are grounds to read. Use grounded, powdery soft Turkish or Greek Coffee or the residue from a cappuccino or espresso will work just as well.
>Enjoy your coffee while relaxing, and ask yourself: What do I need to know about my present situation? or What will be the important changes in my life in the near future?
>Now, take out a piece of paper and pen, and in a stream-of-consciousness style, begin jotting down your thoughts as you casually meditate on the shapes you see there. Above all, don't edit yourself. Write what pops into your mind. If the first thing has nothing to do with the coffee, jot it down anyway. Continue to stare at your cup as if you were lying face up on your lawn (if you are fortunate enough to have one) staring at the clouds above.
>Continue writing for at least ten minutes. You don't need to read every cluster of grounds or patterns in your cup. Interpret only what speaks to you. There is no right or wrong here. Each of your interpretations is ‘correct’. You really do have all the answers within you. Trust yourself.

[I wish I could always remember those last two sentences!]