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Alice through the looking glass...

Alice through the looking glass...

A hello world from me this blustery, cool Monday in Sydney! I apologise for being a bit, well, non-present lately around these parts and I am sorry I haven't been popping in to blogs and saying "hi"! It's just that everything is happening at once at the moment and I have found myself to be very busy! I have a feeling everyone is a little busy perhaps!

I did manage to draw this gal though on the weekend: Alice through the looking glass. It is my version of a very common Art Deco trope - a drawing of a girl looking in a mirror. It could be that famous Alice, Lewis Carroll's friend, or it could just be a lovely Alice in her own right. I'll let you decide!

I hope everyone has a super week ahead and I shall endeavour to come visit a few blogs!   

Balmain High Street Shadows

Balmain high street in the late afternoon sun. Balmain used to be a heavy industrial coal mining suburb not that long ago - the coal mine was still operating up until the 1930s. It also had shipyard docks and in 1891 the Australian Labor party held their first meeting in Balmain's Unity Hall Hotel. A former Labor Premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran, who grew up in Balmain, famously said "Balmain boys don't cry". It was working class and had a reputation for being rough.

These days it is an elegant, gentrified harbour suburb whose pretty Victorian terraces sell for several millions. The coal mine has closed and the high street is full of boutiques, eateries and interior design shops. I can't say that I mind! I think the Balmain of old would have been a place to avoid by the sounds of it.

Did you know...Shadow Shot Sunday is a superb meme set up by Trcay of Hey Harriet fame! It is open to all - all you have to do is read the instructions here!

Happy Sunday!

Hello Summer!

It was our first proper Summery weekend here in Sydney! Speaking of Summer, these happy snaps were taken by Sydney Lawyer and photographer Arthur Wigram. He took them in what is known as the Edwardian era (after King Edward VII - Queen Victoria's son who reigned from 1901 - 1910) which is roughly 100 years ago. It's another world, isn't it?

 

There is going to be an exhibition of his photographs at the Museum of Sydney in December and I can't wait to see it!

...and Happy Monday too! I went to the markets as advertised, however, I failed to get any good photos as I was too busy lounging around the historic gardens and rooms of Lindsay house drinking tea and eating fresh scones with cream and jam! I shall have to make it up somehow!

Happy week ahead!

Point Piper Shadows

 

After some very blustery, chilly, almost back to Winter (!) weather recently Sydney has settled down into glorious pre-Summer warmth and sunshine. This is the perfect weather for jacarandas. Apparently jacarandas adore hot weather. In fact, the hotter the better. I think it's because they know how lovely they look against a clear blue sky!

This photo was taken on a recent walk which included Point Piper which is a super swish and exclusive part of suburban Sydney. I love walking around there "ooohhing" and "aahhing" at all the grand mansions and the spectacular harbour views!

Shadow Shot Sunday is the brain child of Tracy of Hey Harriet! If you'd like to see more shadows from around the world and even join in you are most welcome!

 

Hope everyone is having a marvelous Sunday!

Hello Friday!

One of these lovely ladies is Marilyn Monroe while the other is Mallard Monroe. Can you tell which is which? Leave your answers below.

Happy Friday too by the way! I'm going to the annual Christmas Fair at the Historic House on the hill: Lindsay. It really is the house and the grounds I go for because it's so utterly lovely - I shall endeavour to take some photos so I can show you what I mean!

I hope everyone has a super weekend!

Images from here.

We Buy Your Kids

We Buy Your Kids is an illustration and design company consisting of Sydney based duo Sonny Day and Biddy Maroney. Together they have been designing and illustrating posters for theatre productions, bands and T-shirts amongst other things since 2006. According to the blurb on their website they "like to draw pictures about witchcraft, mishaps, misdemeanours, and voodoo" but most importantly: "We have made a lot of work about cats". Clearly they are very talented!

I like their clean, bold designs and bright colours. You can see more of their fab work here.

 
 

Cora Sheibani's jewellery

I found this superb jewellery by designer Cora Sheibani in a recent Vanity Fair article. The magazine described her work as "wearable art" and "Mini art installations".I fell instantly head over heels in love the minute I laid eyes on them. I'm particularly smitten with her beautiful rings which look like mini-1950s suburban cakes.

Her brooches are pretty special too.

 

She has a website here where you can see more of her work.

I hope everyone's week is going swimmingly so far!

Lionel and the new prints...

Yours Devotedly

Happy Monday all! This is Lionel and he's yours devotedly. Actually, he's very like a small shiny black cat I used to have the pleasure of knowing called Bambo (short for Bamber Gascoigne). She was very attentive and affectionate and very fond of mince.

In other news: I have a brand new print size in my shop! Up until now I've had the postcard sized 5" X 4" (10cm X 15cm) and the larger 8.3" X 11.7 (A4). Now! I have a brand new 5.8" X 8.7" (14.8cm X 21cm) size! Don't forget that I can make any print in my shop any of these sizes, all you have to do is contact me and your wish is my command!

Meanwhile, the heavens have opened up over Sydney and it's raining like there's no tomorrow. It's rather nice as yesterday was sticky and humid. I'm not really a big fan of hot and humid I've got to say.

I hope everyone has a super week ahead!

Sunday's Fun Day...

Strictly speaking I am a "cat" person but I'm also very partial to dogs in all shapes and sizes particularly when they are gambolling around in the sun and looking so incredibly happy!

I took this shot at Watson's Bay which overlooks the Pacific Ocean which you can see a slice of in the top left hand corner. It's a magnificent park. When you walk there all your troubles seem to vanish as you look out across the enormous expanse of sea. However, I think these two happy campers are probably pretty cheerful 24/7 regardless of the view.

 

Shadow Shot Sunday is a delightful meme set up by that top Brisbane gal Tracy of Hey Harriet! You can read the instructions here if you'd like to participate.

I've been watching....

This is a BBC three part mini-series based on the stories of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle character: Sherlock Holmes.

It stars Benedict Cumberbatch (great name by the way!) as Sherlock and Martin Freeman (from the Britsh The Office fame and soon to be Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit) as Watson. Each of the three episodes is 90 minutes long. Apparently it was such a success that they are going to release another three next Northern Autumn.

The acting's great, the sets and production design are pretty and the script is snappy and fun. Both the lead actors are particularly terrific but the real star is my favourite city: London. Oh yes! For any fan of that big, rambling, glorious city there is plenty of eye candy!

...and the plots are very much in the style of Conan Doyle's but with a distinctly modern take. For example, Sherlock is a dab hand at texting and using the internet while Watson, at the end of a case, writes up his notes on his blog.

It's available on i-tunes and it's really the best thing since sliced bread on a rainy afternoon!

Hope everyone is having a lovely week so far!

 

All images from here.