Highschool Art

Did anyone do art throughout high school? Like as an elective class?  My school portfolio has been stashed for 15 years at my parents house and is a ‘when are you going to take…’ topic of conversation, often. I collected it 2 weeks ago and have been reminiscing with my amateur art thinking about what I might frame.

Believe me when i say, this is amateur and certainly not a post in hope of an art critic to offer me thousands of dollars for one - so do not have high expectations, but with the significance of grade 12 figure drawing attached to it, I like the idea of hanging it somewhere. Probably the office. Office’s are personal.

These are a couple of the one's i like. This was figure drawing so we drew from the interior to exterior, hence the skeletons (which I just don't mind … freaky as they are)

This is my favourite which I will definitely frame. I like how imperfect it is, it’s bold strokes make it less confronting, i've looked at purchasing a nude over the years but never find one i like, and if i do it's thousands of $$'s. This one's free.

 … i like the first one alot and don't mind the second but not sure if I would in the still of the night. Definitely different, but i also have a group of 4 that i've done as a mixed media, kind of like the Andy Warhol pic's, they could look ok together maybe?

 

First thing 'A' said about this one was 'is that red stuff blood' .. hmmn, it looks a little like a murder scene out of CSI. So i'm going to play around with it and cover the red back to black. It's a little too sensual for me but i'll see what it looks like when it's fixed.

This above was E.A.P circa Grade 10. Shading and cubism i think we were doing. It's not perfect at all, but i do like the childlike lack of proportion. It already has shadows so in a hallway under a light would be ok.

That's all that i took photos of and i've probably overdone it anyway. My goodness time gets away. Feels like yesterday i was standing there charcoal in hand and the clock ticking.

Does anyone else have school art that brings back memories? I have a few surrealist one's too which are wack with a capital W. I remember sitting there looking for things to add that were around me and being amused when my art teacher nodded in understanding of what? I do-not-know.

Have a fab weekend.

VS = bargain

For those of you who don’t know who I’m talking about when I say VS than this is the post for you. If you don’t like a bargain – then stop reading. Anyone? Anyone not liking a bit of a bargain in the shoe arena? …

I’ve been purchasing ‘work shoes’ through Victoria Secrets online for about 8 years.

Colin Stuart, one of the labels sold through VS, makes a cracking shoe which I can wear and wear and wear. They’re attractive, no one else has them and they’re always a fraction of the price of anything here. I've never had a broken heel – ever, or peeling of the outer.

I’m hard on work shoes. Very hard. I kick them on the desk leg and chair, flick them off on the back deck to sit in the heat over a weekend, throw in the boot. 

Anyway, I’m talking about this because my shoes just arrived yesterday (after only ordering them on Thursday) and this is what I got for $146 INCLUDING postage from the States...

These were both $39 each. They may look a little hooker-like in the photos, but with a pair of pants they're good.  

And these for summer ... the coral one’s were $25 and the cork flip flops were $15. Cheeeeeeap.

It's not just shoes that they do - it's all clothes. They do a fabulous summer sale on beachware and 'flirty'dresses (their term not mine) Click here to go to their sale items which are currently heavily reduced.

What I find a little amusing about this post is that those of you who don't know me or what i look like will draw a conclusion about me from the shoes i've bought. Hahaa, I wonder what you're thinking ... black patent platform cork slingbacks hmmmn, could go either way couldn't it.

Old Bookcase

I’ve bought something (which is a little more original than my post title...) This is it.

Well, that’s part of it. Pictured is a 3-piece bookcase which I’m told came out of a bank which was estimated to have been built in the 1920’s.

It has gorgeous roller doors that are in great working order and originally, grip handles were cut into the wood to slide up and down. As the story goes … there was much outcry by the secretaries due to perpetual broken nails so steel handles were added somewhere in the 40’s and have been attached ever since.

On initial inspection I was going to remove the handles, but I love the stories that make up a piece’s history so they’ll stay as is (whether it’s true or not…) The one negative is that these bookcases were built for the books size of the day – which is little. They’re not very deep. Thankfully ‘A’ loves reading second hand biographies and our encyclopedia collection from memory is old so that’ll fill up some of it.

I have a bank of 3 which is pictured and another bank of 2 which are constructed and just need a little bit of love. I could have them professionally restored but I like their imperfections and lack of polish. I’ve measured up the office and they fit harmoniously on two walls (so the measuring tape states). There are another 2 that have not been constructed yet, so we have some work to do. We’ll either keep them in storage or sell – so stay tuned if this kind of thing tickles your fancy.

they're red ... finally!

You may recall that I planted a tomato vine a few months ago? It’s been shooting up like no one’s business but at one point seemed to have no intention of sprouting anything other than leaves. I wondered how big it needed to be to produce? As people tell me, tommy’s don’t like the cold so I lowered my expectations of daily ripenings until …

About 4 weeks ago it grew some green tomatoes and then to my surprise I snapped this little bunch above last week.

And then, this morning another little blushing duo were waiting patiently on the dirt –they’re a different sort. The bunch above is very red now, definitely edible looking. I guess I pull them off the vine? Or do they drop off?

 

I wonder if weekends will ever go for longer? 2 days isn’t substantial enough for my to-do list which seemingly doubles in size as each day passes, tax time always throws a spanner in the works  (if truth be known, I need better time management skills) Oh, and Shop 16 is no longer. In short - too hard. If there were 48 hours in one day – no problem, but trying to stock, display and organise a shop and work full time hours is too much (truly -  and that’s not a time management thing, trust me). Painting each night, sourcing things every weekend and running here and there in lunch breaks is not the manic way of life the cancerian lassy thrives on. This Miners Couch is still for sale in there at the moment though.

For smaller items and the soft furnishings etc, I’ll do what any person who likes to march to the beat of their own drum does and Go online! I’m fine tuning an Etsy store as a starting point – I like the layout they use.  I still have cushions being made and furniture to finish off for people first so it will come … eventually.

Meanwhile I bought this fabulous old map at WAC a few weeks ago, (a parting gift to myself from myself) and then this week collected the bedhead which I bought on ebay for $30.

 

My Art Deco wrought iron gates that were supposed to be the bedhead are warped, so this is it for now. They both have to live in unison at the moment. There are only 2 walls long enough to house that map. A bedroom wall or the one where the tv is. ‘A’ would be fairly disturbed if he came home to a map instead of a plasma.

This chair has been huddled in the shed which I’ve given a new home. Great shape. The gold (whilst worn and outdated) is rather pretty with the latte/gold bedhead.

Has anyone been to Classic Cakes at Holland Park? This is the interior.

I popped in there after an appt and grabbed a coffee, slice of mudcake and a melting moment. I Shared the cake and melting moment with a pal from work. I did. Delish – it really did melt. Get in there. The owner is just as gorgeous as the stunning Sophia Loren framed prints on the wall and makes a mean cake. Very mean, it’s settled on my thighs as we speak but was totally worth it.



that house!

For those of you who watch Madmen, there’s an episode where Don goes to Palm Springs and the house he visits is absolutely and utterly a-maz-ing. It’s completely my dream home in every way, EVERY way.

I’ve been researching it and now that I’ve found out more about it, my heart yearns and aches to own it. It’s saddening when you know you’ll never have something. I could try and replicate it – but how do you replicate this magnificence?

The wood pannelling is featured throughout and is the perfect tone, polished cement is featured to strategically divide the living from the foyer, white floors bring out the geometric pattern in the glass framing, there's fireplaces, sunken bedrooms a guest house .... oh my, what a fine example of mid century california.

Here’s the kicker  - Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball both owned it, Judy Garland was married here and Marilyn Monroe’s last photo shoot for the movie ‘Somethings gotta give’ was taken in the pool by photographer Lawrence Schiller in 1962. (if you’re a Monroe fan like I am you’ll enjoy  an interview with Schiller about Marilyn HERE)

 

The estate, Fox Residence, was designed by William Pereira and Charles Luckman and completed in 1949. It's based in Chatsworth, California high up on the hill at 9361 Farralone Ave.  These days, the house is often used for photo shoots and filming which has included Swordfish, Dreamgirls and some TV series like Madmen, Californication and CSI. I’m not sure who owns it now though. Frank had great taste, he owned another home similar to this which you can rent for $2600 USD a night.

Here are some more shots of it right now ... look past the furnishings. I've also thrown in some screen shots of Madmen - in that instance, definitely look at the furnishings

What a healthy looking palm, cracking planter and the u-shaped brick work around the trees is so cute

Love the bricks inside painted white with the wood pannelling, the wooden flooring in this room is lovely too and looks superb butted up against the white change that you can see in the doorway to the left of the wall. I wish those chairs were absent in this photo.

stepping down into the main bedroom. Loving the frosted glass with timber framing above the doors and cabinetry (which also looks great)

the fireplace above is part of the living area which is where most of the filming for Madmen took place as you can see in these shots below.

isn't this house just the best?

This is the main hallway which runs from the foyer down to the main bedroom double doors. Don arriving below.

 

the guest house and pool

  

main living overlooking pool. More polished cement you can see on thebench seat against the glass

There are so many homes in movies that i think about often. The house in 'Hanging Up' which is owned by the father is incredible - another mid century. Cannot find a pic anywhere on that one and it seems i'm not the only one searching.

Meryl Streeps place in 'It's Complicated' is fab. Check out this link to a blog called cote de texas who've done a complete rundown on it. Very interesting how movie peeps use houses. And that vegetable garden is brilliant. A little reminder for you ...

Anyway, hop on to Cote De Texas, it really is interesting.

Last night at 2:30am'ish one of my beveled mirrors fell off the bedroom wall and smashed to the floor. It's important to add that we were both asleep, very still. It was so loud.  The nail came out after 12 months of being in the same position amongst other mirrors. Weird right? If anyone sees a cute rectangular beveled mirror anywhere - please tell me.

Enjoy your weekend!

somewhere over the rainbow

A friend is putting together a birthday celebration for her son and sent me the link to this utterly faaabulous cake!

Look at the colours ....

It's called the 'Sunny Day Rainbow Cake' and the step by step guide can be found here at Omnomicon ...

It seems it's all in the food colouring. No ordinary supermarket bizzo here. You need the real deal.

Enjoy!