matouenpeluche

A man with a moustache and other tales

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable weekend. Today, it's been raining cats and dogs here in Sydney like you wouldn't believe! On my way to work, there was a fully formed thunderstorm doing its thing as I waited for the bus. Intermittently, it continued to rain heavily all day and then in the afternoon another thunderstorm!

However, that was today. On the weekend, fortunately, it was lovely! I went on some epic walks and took lots of photos a few of which I will present to you here starting with the image on the right. In the doorway of an old turn of the last century terrace which has been converted into a swish shop: A man with a moustache...and eyebrows too. Do you think this is cheeky Art Nouveau stained glass making or do you think it's a coincidence? Hmmmm...

Three very desirable (for me anyway) residences along the road that runs up beside Centennial Park. According to a very reliable source (*ahem* my boyfriend) it was in this grand street that George Lucas chose to stay whilst in Sydney filming the prequels to Star Wars (at Fox studios).

Centennial Park starring: The Moon. My boyfriend took this lovely shot.

Are you talking to me? I have had rainbow lorikeets on this blog before - they are so frisky and wonderful it is hard to resist photographing them.

 

...and the camellia season here in Sydney is in full swing! They are absolutely everywhere! However, they are spectacularly hard to photograph. Why is that? These three shots are the best I can show you at this stage. I will endeavour to get some more decent shots of them this season.

I hope everyone has a terrific week ahead!

Ruthie + Franky

This is Ruthie and the Goose and Franky Francois. Ruthie's absolutely thrilled with her first encounter with a goose, who's looking suitably bashful from all the attention. Franky, meanwhile, is contemplating his next move. I'm thinking his next move will involve food or something edible at the very least.

These two were drawn at more or less the same time. I can understand artists/ creative types saying that they have a "muse" as sometimes that is the only explanation I can think of for where the ideas for my drawings come from! It all seems a little other worldly and separate from me at times. I hope that doesn't sound too pretentious. I think anyone making things may feel like this sometimes though - maybe it's the creative process!

I hope everyone is having a good solid week of goals being kicked and that sort of thing!

 

Perfect Pigeons

I had a vague idea that pigeons (and fowl for that matter) came in many shapes and sizes but never did I imagine that they were quite so baroque and lovely. I can't help feeling that if I had a fraction of their style and chutzpah I could really go places! These beauties are via here from the National Pigeon Association. Enjoy!

Deco girls + Mermaids

Here are my weekend drawings which are a bit of this and a bit of that. Left is Poppy at St.- Tropez. She goes to San Tropez every year for several weeks and, as you can imagine, is kept pretty busy with all the parties and soirees she's invited to.

On the right hand side is Just a Trim which is Nigella giving Jemima a haircut. It's nothing dramatic really, it's just an inch or two off the ends for a tidy up. Of course Gus the lobster is ready with the comb. Meanwhile Fredrick, Nathan and Barnaby look on.

I hope everyone's weekend has been a goodie!

Bon Anniversaire Coca-Cola!

Happy Thursday! Did you know it was Coca-Cola's Birthday last week - May 8th? It turned 125 having been first produced in Atlanta in 1886. I'm sorry I missed the proper day but better late than never as they say!

Incidentally, the Coke ad bottom left ("Gulp") was my inspiration to start a blog. True story! I remember looking at an enormous "Gulp" poster here in Kings Cross, Sydney and thinking how wonderful it was with it's uber retro Art Nouveau writing/ super mod computer graphic typographic lettering. To me it was perfection incarnate! I thought to myself "I'm gonna get me a blog so I can wax lyrical about that fantastic bit of advertising!". Well, it was a year or two perhaps after that occasion that I finally started my blog and since then it's never really been appropriate to go on and on and on about that ad. In fact I think what you just read will be all I will ever say about that "Gulp" which leaves me feeling a little melancholy and also intrigued that what I thought was something just made for blogging is in actual fact not.

 

Anyway, that was good to get that off my chest! Happy rest of the week to all - it's definitely the home stretch from where I'm standing!

Images from here.

Famous + Fabulous Letterheads

Below is a collection of letterheads from a super site called Letterheady. To quote the blurb on their home page: " Letterheady is an on-line homage to offline correspondence; specifically letters". They are also aficionados of the design more than the fame of its owner. So, here are my top faves. I mostly chose them because I'm a fan of the letterhead's owner and because I like the design with the possible exception of D.H.Gilbert who I am not familiar with but I love those watermelons!

 

 

 

From top are: Andy Warhol, Chuck Jones, Charles M. Schulz, The Bride of Frankenstein Universal Films promo letterhead, J.K.Rowling, FRank Zappa (I adore that typeface!), D.H.Gilbert, Harpo Marx, Georgia O'Keeffe and Dr. Seuss.

 

I hope everyone is having a marvellous week so far! :0)

A Fetching Invitation + a sale

A Fetching Invitation

This is a drawing I've just finished - A Fetching Invitation. It is the pretty Carmen asking if you'd like to partake in a game or two of throw the stick and I will return it to you. There's a bit of a pun in the title as you have no doubt already noticed - readers of this blog will know that I have a weakness for puns... :0)

In other news, I am having a mid (-ish) Winter sale in my shop - it's a three for two sale meaning if you buy two prints I will give you another absolutely free! All you have to do is mention in the notes at checkout which print you'd like as your extra.

...and Happy Sunday!

Madame Yevonde's Goddesses

I have just discovered the wonderful world of early 20th Century photographer Madame Yevonde. Described as an innovator and visionary she is best known for her pioneering use of colour photography.

There is an exhibition of her Goddesses collection at Ealing gallery ("Role Play") which is the series of photographs she is best remembered for. In these photos she asked her society lady friends to pose as mythological figures such as Europa and Medusa. There's a wonderful creakiness and beauty to them I think.

Shown here from right are: Mrs Edward Mayer as Medusa, Baroness Gagern as Europa, Lady Anne Rhys as the goddess Flora, Mrs Charles Sweeny (Margaret, Duchess of Argyll) as Helen of Troy, Dorothy, Duchess of Welington as Hecate, Mrs Charles Sweeny (Margaret, Duchess of Argyll) as Helen of Troy, Eileen Hunter (Mrs Ward Jackson) as Dido and The Honorable Mrs Bryan Guinness as Venus.

In other news, I hope everyone has had a good week and that there are plenty of plans for the weekend! It's still chilly here in Sydney but the skies are bright blue and lovely so I'm going to make a point of getting out at some stage and to get a walk in.

And you? Do you have any grand plans for the weekend?

Images from here via here.

Yoote

Greetings from sub-zero! Well, it's not acually that cold but it sure does feel like it. To celebrate *ahem* the arctic temps here in Sydney of late I give you the magical cool world of Yoote. Yoote is actually New York children's book illustrator and author Taeeun Yoo. She also has a super website here where you can see more of her amazing art and the books she has published. All the images here, by the way, are available in her Etsy shop. To find out more click on the image and it will take you through.

I hope everyone's week is progressing nicely!

Tulip Time fields

I absolutely adore these tulip field photos from The Netherlands! These shots were taken in conjunction with the annual Tulip Time festival which is held in Holland from 7th - 14th May. The festival celebrates Dutch culture and heritage.

I think these are the loveliest photos I've seen for a long while. I wonder if hot air balloon flights over these fields are available? I for one would pay serious money for an afternoon spent drifting over these candy coloured beauties!!

...happy Tuesday!

Images from here via here.