Oh hello...

Valumtimes is Serious Times...

2009-02-13T22:48:00.000-08:00

and in honour of the most saccharine holiday on the calendar, here are some loved up pictures...

Girls Who Wear Glasses...

2009-02-12T04:01:00.000-08:00

As a child I always wanted glasses, (actually, I still do...) but alas, it was not to be. When I was born the pediatrician informed my mother that I would never need glasses. Instead, I live vicariously through those graced with the chance to wear clever little frames paired with matching lenses.

So here we go...

And to end, a mesh of shades and a tambourine...naturally.

Image note-
I've collected these from all over the place, often tumblr/creative blogs. If there's a problem, let me know & I'll fix it if I can, ta.

Inspiring Stuff...

2009-02-10T02:57:00.000-08:00

When I got Goldfrapp's album Seventh Tree last year, I picked up the special edition in a little box complete with euphoria-inducing film stock full of lens flares and endless fields.
One of the gorgeous shots in the booklet was this one

featuring an INCREDIBLE owl costume created by set designer extraordinaire Shona Heath.
Of course, I didn't know that then. Though I should have realised, really, after this little number.

(This picture is actually from Uk Vogue Dec 2008, but the costume was apparently made for Japanese Vogue awhile ago...)

Needless to say, her work is amazing, and she often collaborates with photographer Tim Walker. Together they create unbelievable dreamscapes.
Take a gander...

I love the whimsical dreamworld she creates.

Oh and Uk Vogue December 2008? AMAZING. And that comes from someone who really likes magazines.

I'll endeavour to do another style icon-ish post and a couple of actual outfit posts soon!
Yay?

Image Credits:
1. http://www.musicweek.com/pictures/468xAny/m/n/y/goldfrapp.jpg
2. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zWbq9p9HtO8/SQxmzsb_uEI/AAAAAAAAFHk/F38yJmQII5s/s200/22.jpg
3. http://www.tenprops.co.uk/props.php
4. http://iwanttowearit.blogspot.com/2009/01/proper-shona-heath.html
5. http://thebosh.com/upload/2008/11/01/kate_moss_vogue_uk_december_2008/Kate-Moss-Vogue-UK-December.jpg

A Renaissance of Sorts...

2009-02-10T01:31:00.000-08:00

...for me and posting, at least.

I'm doing my best to curb my spending to
a) keep my parents happy, and
b) save up for a spot of foreign gallivanting a little later...

Anyway...

First up, I thought I'd share some sweet tunes I've been loving lately.
So in (semi) chronological order, here goes...

IDA MARIA.

I love me some Scandinavian audio happiness (Sigur Ros, Lykke Li etc.) and Ida is no different.
The best way I can think to describe the listening experience is chocolate that is all smooth outside, but when you take a bite, all these caramel chips start popping in your mouth and it's surprising and fun and still a little sweet.
Her current album is Fortress Round My Heart, and it's a gem.

See? Just try not to love her...

She's a cute one, isn't she just!

I played it on loop until...

I bought (oops, naughty, but i rationalize that it was with a voucher and, as it turns out, super dooper great!)

SANTOGOLD

I really like a bit of hip hop laid over smooth world beats with a dash of reggae cool, and her album Santogold is fab.

Full of fresh sounds knitted together by her smooth vocals (spoken, sung and other interesting things) and underlaid with effortless cool i am still giving this record a much lauded whirl.

And for good measure, here's a snap of her with M.I.A. whose stuff I also love.

On principal though, M.I.A.'s grammy outfits? Not so much. But somehow, be it the attitude or inbuilt street-cool, I reckon she pulled them off. She's pretty much awesome.
Plus, kudos for performing at an international awards show on your due date!

Anyhow, back to the music...

I saw Ryan Adams & The Cardinals at the Enmore Theatre (love) a little while back and it was a great show.

My music-panions were serious fans of the music and his work, so their excitement had to rub off on me a bit, but I was really impressed.
He did his cover of Oasis' Wonderwall, which is beautiful (and one of my favourites) so I was happy. the set list was really varied which kept things interesting, and when the guys did Oh My Sweet Carolina (off the album Heartbreaker, of which a couple of tracks found their way onto the Elizabethtown soundtrack...yiew!) it was awesome. That is, until a fellow audience member yelled out about how it had been his wedding song except he'd changed "Carolina" to "Alexandra" (his now-wife's name, one can only assume) and succeeded in making the entirety of the sober part of the audience cringe in embarrassment.
The set set-up (HA, geddit?) was also maddeningly cool, if only for the large neon roses suspended beside a giant cardinal motif.

Sigh...I'm a total sucker for neon! (Lights, not clothing please.)

My aversion to neon clothing turned me off MGMT for so long, but resistance, it would seem, is futile.
I can't help it!
And so, for this picture I am sorry.

But for the sweet-electro catchiness of the songs I am not.
At least the lens flare is lovely.
(Which could be a beautiful segue way into the next post...)

Image Shout outs (Sorry, I can't html yet...eek!)
1. http://profile.ak.facebook.com/object3/1195/73/l9141460035_4314.jpg
2. http://blog.dojo.ie/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/ida.jpg
3. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9s8iqcCd0DY/RzTVj4pzHwI/AAAAAAAABJA/jDnro90JPw8/s400/IdaMaria.jpg
4. http://www.velvetaddiction.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/santogold-grafitti.jpg
5. http://knowxone.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/santogold-cover.jpg
6. http://www.freewilliamsburg.com/archives/santogold.jpg
7. http://g-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/music/artists/rad-l-3.jpg
8. http://www.wnew.com/images/2008/10/16/0232_cardinals_neon_rose.jpg
9. http://www.zmemusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/g11mgmt.jpeg

A State Of Grace...

2008-12-14T22:59:00.000-08:00

"...BY THE GRACE OF MIND
WITH THE GRACE OF HEART
IN THE GRACE OF LIGHT..."

I stumbled across this project on the dazed digital website.
http://www.dazeddigital.com/Default.aspx
The whole thing is kind of a hub of creativity.
This particular project is a collaboration between Mariano Vivanco & Swarovski.
& the result is a short film that captures the image of the Tree Graces amidst a sea of tulle & crystals.

The creator had this to say...

"I started getting ideas for the film about girls swirling around in a whirlwind,” Vivanco says of the project, which was inspired by Swarovski, whose ongoing mission it is to "beautify and enrich" the world with "allegories of light and crystal" that are all about facets, depth, radiance and reflection. These invite the wearer into another world of inspiration, and one can see how The Three Graces represent the creativity reflected in the different facets of such a crystal, shedding different lights on our lives, and encouraging one to take a more poetic perspective on life.

"The Three Graces usually have long, flowing, crazy hair, but on the day, one of the models came into the studio with a really tiny bob," laughs Vivanco. "Luckily the hairdresser had some hairpieces that we managed to glue onto her head. Young designer James Millar made their dresses out of random lingerie and expensive silks, and we stuck CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements all over the girls, their nails, and the frocks. We even put them on curtains that were draped in front of the camera as we were filming. I decided to rip up the dresses during the final scene of the shoot. That was really kind of heartbreaking, but it was all in the name of art!"

Bordering on the saccrine, it is creativity at the height of opulence. Three classically beautiful models gaze from the heart of an explosion of pastel pink drapery, showers of the famous crystals glinting from every imaginable surface.
Pure eye candy...

You can view the film here-

http://www.dazeddigital.com/projects/astateofgrace/Film.aspx

So excited!

2008-12-14T21:46:00.000-08:00

I booked tickets for the Sydney Theatre Company's production of A Streetcar Named Desire next year!
The moment I read that the ethereal Cate Blanchett was going to be fallen Southern Belle Blanche I was taken.
I LOVE the play, i LOVE the film and i LOVE Cate, so needless to say I am tres, tres excited :)

Behold,

...radiant. Sigh...

To find out more, book tickets, pass out in excitement etc. visit

http://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/2009/astreetcarnameddesire

My Anthem...

2008-12-14T21:44:00.000-08:00

:)

n/a

also...

2008-07-28T03:19:00.000-07:00

My gold sequin Topshop dress arrived today & i'm SO excited!
Now where to wear it out?
I'm thinking a gorgeous Hemmes-ish spot is the way to go...
:)
Here is a dodgy pic, the only one i could find, sorry.
I'll try & snap one when i wear it out...

a few of my favourite...images

2008-07-28T02:52:00.001-07:00

Just a few things i've found recently around the traps that i loved at first sight...

Loving the purple yum-ness of the dress...

Ahhh to be in the height of summer...

Something about parisols at the moment...

Lens flares are my FAVOURITE! As is orange...

"L'amour Sophie."
She's French...enough said.

They were so lovely together :( She's exquisite!

My Bubble!

& finally, today's google made me smile...my childhood was really quite idyllic...

i love her style!

2008-07-17T03:24:00.000-07:00

Blake Lively's character from Gossip Girl always looks amazing, but this is one of my favourite outfits.
I think it's awesome, but casual at the same time.
Hopefully I will soon be in possession of a similar Topshop dress as soon as express post allows :D

Anyway, here are some more pictures of Blake's gorgeous style...

My posting has been erratic as i am completely swamped with school work. But thank you for the lovely comments & I shall do my best to stay up to date!

On another note, I'm sick of freezing in the middle of winter. Bring on the lens flares and yellow filters of summer!

I'm off to finish watching 'Grey Gardens' with my curled up puppy :)
(think a teddy bear crossed with a really cute dog!)

n/a

* pics, justjared, people.com

i'm addicted to...

2008-06-08T05:26:00.000-07:00

tetris.

No, seriously.

It's terrible...

some sweet tunes for a whirlwind week

2008-06-08T04:37:00.000-07:00

I know the week ahead will be a bit all over,
so this will be the songs that carry me away...

La valse d'Amélie (orchestre)-Amelie Soundtrack
A Message-Coldplay
Heartbeats-Jose Gonzales
Real Love-Regina Spektor
Mango Tree-Angus & Julia Stone
Ghosts-Laura Marling
Without a Kiss-Badly Drawn Boy
Dragonfly-M. Craft

and of course...
All Flowers in Time-Jeff Buckley & Elizabeth Fraser
& much Massive Attack.

mmmhm...the week's looking better already.

Miss you love,
(yes, you)

breathe lots,
n/a

Car Ads

2008-04-25T05:09:00.000-07:00

I am a total revhead (hardly),
but as of late i have been really loving some of the car ads that the agencies have been coming out with.

VW EOS-
love the lens flares, summer vibe (Sydney's a little lacking that right now) & the song (dragonfly-M.Craft) which you can hear in full at http://www.myspace.com/mcraftmusic...

SAAB BIOPOWER-
love the slow motion/nature motifs & song (release me-Oh Laura) which you can hear in full at http://www.myspace.com/laurasweden

let me just point out that these ads won't make me buy these particular cars, but i do love watching them :)

i also adore the schweppes ad with reverse timelapse as filmic timelapses are just another thing i love!

SCHWEPPES
love the reverse timelapse :) & song (To Build a Home-The Cinematic Orchestra) which you can hear in full at http://www.myspace.com/thecinematicorchestras

In case you haven't noticed, i try my best to include songs because for me the song half makes the ad (or movie or episode or whatever) & i get sort of (okay very) obsessed with knowing songs from soundtracks. Am i alone in this or are there kindred spirits out there?

love,
n/a

My Pet Hate...

2008-04-25T04:35:00.000-07:00

is people who don't indicate. And yes, i hate that it rhymes.
I mean come on, would a little "common" (yeah right!) courtesy hurt you?
Ghosh...

Anyway, i read the(sydney)magazine, which, as you would all know from my previous post (tagged 'liftout') that SMH liftouts determine the excitement factor with which i greet each day. Well, my already high excitement swelled to an even greater level when i read that it was a special fashion issue. i am just FASCINATED by fashion. I love some of it, i hate some of it, but all of it excites me :)

i love all the high-street ads: big, glossy & gorgeous! Inspiring bits for me was the "Watch This Face" section on Ana Maria Escobar, creative director of Oroton; the "Family Ties" article about how keeping it in the family in the ever-changing & fickle business of fashion brings unique staying power; and the "Tales Of The City" article about Sydney as a literary muse.

Not so great for me was the article "Girl Scouts" which detailed a model scout's search for 'the next big thing.' It was not exactly uplifting...if you don't fit their specifications of 'perfection' you're not really worth looking at. Also, pretty much everyone in the magazine was gorgeous (air brushing aside.) Camilla Freeman-Topper, Megan Gale, Kirrily Johnston, Fleur Wood...all STUNNING. What hope do the rest of us mere mortals have?

As much as i love this magazine & the idea of fashion, some 'facts' are just too much at once. (<-- wow, total lack of sense there!)

But if there's one thing i did learn, it's that going into business with your sibling seems to work out okay, especially if you're different.

it would seem that there's hope after all...

n/a

Regina...

2008-04-22T04:50:00.000-07:00

You could say i'm a little obsessed, but she truly is AMAZING!
i saw her live & she is so sweet...

(^ there she is, live & sweet!)

& here is the video for the song i learnt..."Us" (i'm not nearly that fast or cute...)

her accent is endearing, no?

Just for good measure...Regina performing a cover of John Lennon's "Real Love" from the compilation album "Songs For Darfur" (my friend Elle sings a pretty swell version too!)

Enjoy the vids, kiddums!
n/a

p.s. Thanks for the lovely comments in the previous post :)
p.p.s. i just found out two of my friends got engaged :) So, should you ever read this...congrats Rachie & Chris!

Return From a Getaway...(a new resolve)

2008-04-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

Well!
(i just wanted to start my post that way...)
i've just come back from a lovely retreat in an isolated mountain spot, which was fantastic.

(i've also just figured out how to upload images...haha)
All in all it was a lovely break with even lovelier people. Much adventures, food, film & music were involved.

Recently i have started checking in on STYLE ON TRACK (see it in my links-->) for a fabulous mix of fashion/film/stuff that i just love.
One of my favourite sections is the "Favourite Things" bit,

Most recently one i particularly loved was Lomography. I'm tres interested & have been meaning to get into it (if only i had the time/$!)

Now i have no excuse not to write (double negative=positive ;) haha i wish)
I have already taught myself to play a regina (Spektor) song on my beautiful digital piano...
speaking of i should probably make sure i can still play it...
and i have a new resolve to consistently update. Yay!

be peaceful world,
n/a

It's a sad thing indeed...

2008-04-04T16:22:00.001-07:00

when your daily excitement factor is determined by the Herald liftouts.

Monday is greeted with a mix of moderate excitement teamed with an almost overwhelming desire to stay tucked up in bed.
But then i realise that today is THE GUIDE day, and a warmth propels me to the kitchen table, where i find my old friend waiting for me.

Tuesday is greeted with similar moderate excitement with the promise of DOMAIN NORTH. This cause of getting up brings me great delight as i leaf through pages of beautiful houses (and some just plain ridiculous) that alas, i will never own.

Wednesday and Thursday, however, meld into this horrible stretch of pain as i have no reason to get up. The only liftouts greeting (or rather leering) at me are BUSINESS DAY & DRIVE...argh.

But then...with Friday comes a beam of hope. METRO is here to resurrect my faith in liftouts!

Yes Metro is good...but it is merely a precursor to the pile of goodness that is SPECTRUM. Saturday brings with it a promise of a fine collection of music, television, art, fashion, and best of all...books. Not to mention GW...i go straight to fashion...

Sunday though, is the Holy Grail of liftouts, offering S liftout, LIFE and TV GUIDE. I can barely contain my excitement...

Until next time,

n/a

Flair!

2007-12-26T23:39:00.000-08:00

hello...
my good friend Gill has begun a blog on cool design-y stuff.
It's awesome, check it!
http://flairdesign.blogspot.com/

another blog i also often visit is
http://girlwithasatchel.blogspot.com/
a great mix of mag, film & book reviews!

happy Christmas/New Year...
I'm now off to eat!
mmmmm...

n/a

Humanity?

2007-06-05T03:00:00.000-07:00

what does humanity mean to you?
i have been mulling over this, turning the word and all its associated connotatios over and over in my mind. We were given "humanity" as an inspiration for our next BOW today, & as always, i want to create something that i will be happy with & everyone will love, not unreasonable at all, no?
according to wiktionary.org, Humanity can be defined as-
1) mankind, human beings as a group
2) the human condition
3) the quality of being BENEVOLENT, (Having a disposition to do good. Possessing or manifesting love for mankind. Altruistic or charitable.)
But i, being me, am somewhat dissatisfied by these definitions (i know i should look in more than one place, but i am tired & lazy). In my opinion they imply that humanity is WEAK,
a) something people choose to do when they are not strong enough to do anything else,
or
b) rich & need to improve their public image.
In my opinion, Humanity should represent STRENGTH. It should be seen as a political ideal, a tool that can be used to fight back against injustice in the world by those who are willing, grounded in their ideals. humanity is not a weak concept. it is not about being benevolent. it is about being just & fair, equality if that can ever truly be achieved.
ok i sound like a radical...i'm not really, i just hate injustice.
share your thoughts?
until next time...

n/a

*image from
http://www.generalpatton.org/images/when_humanity_fails.jpg

First

2007-06-03T00:13:00.000-07:00

Just to begin...
It could be said I am opinionated.
It could be said that I am fairly stubborn.
It could be said that I procrastinate an awful lot.
But mostly I just try to make the world a better place.
No big deal...right?

n/a