Copycat - Oh Vanessa! in Blow Up

One of my favourite films is Blow Up, 1966 film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and I realised that the first post I put up on this blog (back in November 2010) was my little homage to one of the main characters in the film, Jane played by Vanessa Regrave.

I first saw this film when I was in my first year of University and thought she was the most attractive, stylish woman EVER!

If you haven't seen this film, the story is based around a fashion photographer played by David (gaaa! he is so handsome in this) Hemmings who stumbles onto a mysterious meeting and finds he has captured more than just the beauty of Jane.

It has style, fashion, Jane Birkin and Veruschka! Mystery and style, did I say style? yes I did well it has bucket loads and I need to see it again!

Copycat - thumb in mouth

This week I'm taking a risk copying Miss 'icon of the 60s' Twiggy but I thought it would be a simple pose for a Sunday afternoon with no messing around with too many props. ha ha ha yes well again I was wrong.


Shoulders BACK! Thumb IN! No OUT! No chin out! Aaarrrrr!!!! Now where is the light supposed to be coming from? Get the torch! Amelie hold the torch and shine it directly at mum's face......wHAT??!

I like this one a lot, I even managed to add text in 'paint' woohoo, I knew that free program would come in handy.

Out take of the week was my ode to avant garde performance art - I call this one 'get that torch out of my eyes please'

original image found on Pinterest here

Did I get this one right? Let me know what you think, Claire x

Bathing Boxes are beautiful

Last weekend we took a day trip to the Mornington Peninsula to see the Archibald art prize, have some lunch and enjoy the glorious day by going for a walk along one of the small strips of beach.

There are over 1300 Bathing Boxes or Beach Boxes, that line Port Phillip Bay and the ones that line this part of the Peninsula are so cute, I think they look like the colours of boiled sweets in a sweet shop.

Bathing Boxes have existed around the bay since the 1860's and are heritage listed buildings along with other landscapes lining Port Phillip Bay. Because laws prevent new boxes being built on the foreshore and families tend to pass them down through the generations, the price of one box can be extremely expensive (the highest price was more than $350,000 AU!!).

I'm not sure about this painted image of a mermaid and friends? Although Little Miss A thought it was tops!

The Australian flag.

They may look small from the front but they go back quite a way.

What a perfect winter day, no breeze, warm sun and a twinkling seaside view, including those fabulous pastel painted Bathing Boxes.

Copycat - Girl on a bike with a cute puppy

Today's Copycat pose was inspired by Bess Georgette, Teresa had posted a picture on Twitter from one of her Pinterest boards of a girl on a bike and I thought - YES! Girl on a bike can be my next Copycat pose! 

Upon on further enjoyment of her boards I found a girl on a bike, and she had a cute puppy - yes! A cute puppy! But I don't have a cute puppy. But wait! Little Miss A has a cute puppy toy, I can use it to substitute.

But the pout I could just not replicate - it's contortion of the lips! And my mouth isn't that big or full.

This was actually the first attempt, we tried many times to get the mouth right but I looked kinda scary and witchy-like.

I hope you like this one and I think I have redeemed myself somewhat from last weeks cellophane debacle.

Original image found here

Soup and you shall be content - roast pumpkin soup

I love a good easy soup recipe and in essence it is my winter bliss.
  
A good basic recipe that can be adjusted according to your tastes or the tastes of your family or guests ('cause Little Miss A doesn't like anything too tasty, uugg!) is what I need mid-week when I get home from work.

So here is a basic recipe I came up with that is quick, easy and tastyyeee

1kg grey pumpkin

chop into small chunks (discard the seeds - or you could toast them for a crunchy topping) with half an onion and 2 cloves of garlic, salt, pepper and some olive oil

bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius until roasted, I put a sprig of rosemary in for the last 15 minutes to add extra toasty aroma to the soup and my house.

once cooked blend (minus the rosemary sprig) with a food processor of some sort until smooth

heat in a saucepan and add as much hot water as you want it to be thick or thin, add a little cream if you like...I like!

Then top with olive oil and freshly ground pepper and salt

Oh how did that garlic bread get there all crusty on the outside and soft on the inside? mmmm

You can add vegetable stock instead of water, include other roasted vegetables like sweet potato or carrots, grated ginger or spices the list is endless but always tasty.

Some nights for a quick dinner, I'll roast the vegetables and puree, place in the fridge in an airtight container and finish the soup the following day.

If you have any variations please let me know as I'm always on the look out for a tastier soup.

*note: just don't add orange juice - my dad used to do that and it is not nice!

Novelty Brooch Friday - July

I am so happy to say welcome to Novelty Brooch Friday for July.  

Both Erin and I were overwhelmed with the interest on Instagram and had so much fun seeing all of the fantastic brooches everyone was wearing and also the new creators we have all discovered. 

Our Novelty Brooch creator for July is Liz Jones from Betty Jo Designs, based in Melbourne, Australia.

Erin asked Liz 5 questions about her business and the development of her studio and shop, which I hope you find interesting and inspiring.

Thank you Liz for donating your time and one of your lovely sewing machine brooches to be given away for July's Novelty Brooch Friday.

How long have you been making your own brooches and how did you start? 

I have been making brooches and other types of jewellery since I majored in Jewellery Making at Uni. 

I first started my label Betty Jo Designs in 2005 when I began playing around with vintage linoleum. I had found a piece of 1940’s lino lining the cupboards of an old kitchen dresser and I fell in love with its beautiful designs and decorative potential. 

My earliest brooches were simple circular and flower shapes adorned with retro buttons. After that I designed a selection of woodland critters for my first range called “Lino Forest”. Since then I have dozens of designs in my collections, and am still creating new ones. 

Do you have formal design training or are you just a creative person?  

I was always pretty creative growing up.  

I have a Bachelor of Education in Art and Craft and taught art in High Schools for several years. While studying I discovered it was fun to use recycled materials in my designs and have never looked back.  

These days I’m happiest fossicking in op-shops or salvaging second hand materials from skips. If there was a degree in gleaning I would be a star pupil. 

How has creating and sharing your unique pieces affected your life?  

Creating my little jewellery business has transformed my life. I was lucky enough to be able to make it my full time job in 2007 and since then it has opened up loads of opportunities to create and make like-minded friends. I began a blog that year called Lino Forest and still regularly update it with pictures of new designs and general Betty Jo chit chat.  

Maybe the biggest thing that has come out of my creative meandering is my decision to open a bricks and mortar shop in 2011. Gleaners Inc. is a cute emporium of handmade and second hand treasures situated in the historic old Perruci shirt factory at 2 Ballarat St. Brunswick {just off Sydney Rd.}  

It is such a delight to be able to show case wonderful products by Aussie designers and be surrounded by colour and loveliness every day. I also blog about our shop happenings at Gleaners Inc

Do you have a studio so to speak? If so, what is it like? 

Since beginning Betty Jo Designs I have progressed from the kitchen table to a small enclosed veranda at my house. Then, as I grew the business I moved into a warehouse art studio in Brunswick and now I have a studio attached to my shop which is perfect as I can work all day when I’m not doing shop girl things. The only downside is I have to keep it a bit tidier than I’m used to! 

If you could collaborate with another creative, who would it be and why? 

I would love to collaborate with the amazing Melbourne artist Louise Saxton. I was lucky enough to meet Louise when she submitted some work for our Doily exhibition held at Gleaners Inc. last year. 

Louise creates exquisite work from vintage embroidery and needlework and I would be happy just to pass her scissors or sort her extensive doily collection.  

So for your chance to win one of these cute brooches just post a picture of yourself on Instagram with your favourite brooch, entries can be submitted on any Friday from now up to and including 26th July with the hash tag #noveltybroochfriday and we will announce the winner (randomly chosen) on Monday 29th July. Open to everyone, you can enter as many times as you like, either new or vintage brooches.

Each month Erin and I will take it in turns to showcase those sellers of vintage brooches and designers we admire and love to wear ourselves.

*If you are a designer or sell vintage brooches (worldwide) and wish to donate a brooch for an upcoming month and have your shop showcased, please contact me at tunabake@hotmail.com

Novelty Brooch Friday - June Winner

June was the first month we held the official:

'Noveltyyyy Broooooooch Friiii-daaaaaay!' 

Erin and I were super excited about this little idea and so pleased we had 173 entries!!! I hope you had a good ol' sticky beak at all the fabulous brooches everyone was wearing.  

There was handmade, vintage, wooden, tin, ceramic, plastic, wool, metals, felt, cross stitch, knitted, felted.....and the subjects of the brooches were just as diverse - it was fascinating and fun!

We also want to say a big thank you to Kirsten from Each to Own who was our first maker and shaker and who donated this lovely, cute fawn brooch to be given away.

As neither Erin or I could chose 'the best' we used a random number selector programme-thing-a-mi-jiggy and the person who submitted their brooch the 168th time (minus ourselves) to #noveltybroochfriday in June on instagram was:

@throughthealley Congratulations!! If you could email your postal details to me at tunabake@hotmail.com I will forward to Kirsten who will send you your new brooch.

Isn't it sweet!

On Wednesday we will feature July's creator for Novelty Brooch Friday and reveal the fantastic brooch you could win.

Thanks again and g-e-t brooching!