Saturday Afternoon

C x

Little Thing Mag

Oh dear. I have been a terrible blogger as of late. But here is a little something to tie you over until I post a BUNCH of stuff on Saturday [and all throughout summer].

Little Thing Magazine

C x

Australia: The Movie

So, I spent my Friday night at the movies. It's been a while since I have gone to a cinema and I realised how much I miss doing that on a regular basis.

Anyhoo, I saw Baz Lurhmann's 'Australia'. I don't know what the critics are talking about, the movie is BRILLIANT. I'm not going to give away too much in case you have not yet seen it, but here are my thoughts on the film.

Nicole Kidman plays her uptight character to a tee. She is hilarious. Remember Kidman as the snobby Satine in Moulin Rouge? If you found her funny then you are going to find Lady Sarah Ashley just as amusing. And you're meant to. You will also fall in love with this character.

Hugh Jackman is, of course, great. But I'm biaised, because I think I am in love with Hugh Jackman.

Once again Catherine Martin has outdone herself with the art direction. The way they have portrayed the Northern Territory inspires you to book a flight there straight away.

The discussion of the Stolen Generation has been done respectfully, but this movie is a great way to highlight Australia's not-so-pretty human rights record to the rest of the world. A big kudos, however, for mentioning Rudd's apology this year in the opening titles.

There have been complaints in the papers about there being too many stories in the film. I must have missed something because I believe I watched only one story. If Lurhmann had of just told one part of it I believe you would walk away from the screening feeling disappointed.

I'm a big sook. There's no denying it. So naturally I found the love story, the relationship between the Indigenous and the Europeans & the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese, all very emotional. I had a big lump in my throat throughout the entire movie, thank goodness for Jumbo Sized Diet Cokes!

My score? 9/10.

C x

Max Dupain

I have neglected my little blog over the last week or so. This weekend I will be dedicating some time to showing you the result of recent adventures to Savers. And I will be posting a sneak peek into a few projects I have planned for the holiday period.

In the meantime, given the gorgeous Summer weather and the fact that I am an Australian, I think it is only appropriate to leave you with some Max Dupain goodness.

C x

Beauty in Bloom

It's no secret I am a lover of all things pretty. And I am partial to a success story. So naturally, I admire the likes of Natalie Bloom.

Natalie Bloom commenced Bloom Pty. Ltd. in 1993 in Australia at the age of 22 with an abundance of youthful energy and passion.

Bloom grew from humble beginnings and was originally based in Natalie’s family home. After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communications from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (R.M.I.T.), Natalie worked briefly as a graphic designer in a small studio. She quickly realised the limitations of this position and the need for another outlet for her creative energy. Bloom began with a couple of quirky product ideas a strong design influence and a whole lot of heart.

[bio taken from the Bloom website]

Natalie Bloom is most definitely an inspiration to me, and her career path is one that I want to follow.

I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of her book, Beauty in Bloom. The above images are a sneak peek at the inside pages.

C x

streetstyl.es

Feeling uninspired? Struggling to find something to wear? Feel like you are staring into an empty wardrobe? Fashion is no longer your passion? Ok that last line was gag-worthy.

ANYHOO, let me introduce you to streetstyl.es

All the best style blogs are listed on this site. They have been very selective so you don't need to sift through the crap.

This has the potential to go two ways with me. I could be completely inspired to go through my wardrobe that is bursting at the seams to recycle & revamp some of my old favourites. Or; I could feel miserable and wail, 'I have no clothes!' for the next few weeks.

I guess we will just have to wait and see where my latest addiction [and source of procrastination] takes me.

C x

25.11.2008

[image credit: moi.]

Last week was testing. This week is not testing, which is great of course. But I'm soooo bored. And it is only Tuesday. Have you ever felt like you're just going through the motions? Waiting for something spectacularly exciting to happen to you? If you have something spectacularly exciting you can offer moi, email me. Pretty please?

C x

Black or White

[image credit]

I don't really watch much of Australian Idol. But I have caught a couple of minutes of it this season and must say; I was rather impressed with the winner's version of Michael Jackson's 'Black or White'.

This song was released in 1991; I was in Grade 4 at the time. One of my birthday presents received that year was the much coveted 'Dangerous' album. I popped my little cassette tape in my school bag, and waited patiently over the following few days for a time to present & impress my school yard friends with my new prized possession. I was looking for just the right moment. Luckily, for me, it was Autumn and therefore; we had plenty of Wet Lunches.

['Wet Lunch' was just another way of our teachers saying 'you have to stay inside at lunchtime because it is raining'.]

Now normally I wasn't huge on a Wet Lunch. I enjoyed running around having bark fights with my besties. But I decided that the time had come to revolutionise the otherwise boring Wet Lunch.

At the first opportunity, I pulled out my cassette tape to show my classmates. Immediately, we pushed all the tables and chairs to the side of the classroom to form a small dance floor in the middle. I popped Dangerous in the communal tape deck, Fast Forward to said song & pressed Play. The entire room belted out the first verse. But it was when the chorus started that the energy of 30+ Grade 4s exploded. My friends and I started busting out some very serious dance moves in our mock disco. There were kicks flying above heads, air punches, body waves and of course, lots of moon walking.

This would be a routine my pals and I would continue throughout many a Wet Lunch, until we parted ways, 2 years later at our Grade 6 graduation.

It is my favourite of all Michael Jackson songs; not just the song itself but also the awesome film clip.

Enjoy.

C x

Dear Santa

If your name is Santa Claus and you are reading this, please drop this off at my house on 25.12.2008.

C x

Gucci, by Gucci.

For David Lynch + Gucci fans. This is what happens when you put the two in the same equation.

C x

Etsy: 4 Things I Want

1. Cat Purse from Bubbledog

2. Vintage Denim Heels from My Sweetie Pie Pie
3. Tulip Truffle Bag from morelle
4. 1970s Futtle Top Dress from My Secret Closet

C x

Les Chiffoniers

Hello Les Chiffoniers,

My name is Clare, and I hope to purchase some of your sparkly & shiny goods soon.

C x

Celebs & Photos

Ok I'll admit it. I have an unhealthy obsession with the ridiculously good looking Jolie-Pitts. These guys just make me want to grab every rag with them on the cover off the stand at Coles, take them home and eat dark chocolate whilst I imagine being their next adopted baby [Australia is exotic, yes? Pick me! Pick me!]. But I am somewhat anti purchasing trashy magazines you mostly find in the supermarket [I can't stand all those articles about how much weight each celeb has put on or lost], so I hold myself back. Without sounding like too much of a snob [too late], I'm more of your Magnation type of gal anyway.

Remember when the rumours started flying when they got together? It was when they had just finished filming Mr & Mrs Smith [something tells me they didn't read the script before they signed up to that]. And then Steven Klein took these photos for W magazine. I mean, they are set in the 1960's with my crush + girl crush draped in beautiful designer threads as the subjects? Of course I fell in love with them instantly. Above are some of my favourites.

Anyhoo, now I read that Brad has stepped up and shared his folio of family shots again for W magazine. Expect a Part II of this post.

C x

Barack Obama

So it has been a while since the news was announced and some people have been surprised at how little I have said about the US election. I have found myself being the true sook I am whenever I have watched any coverage of the post-election on TV. One clip that stood out for me was of a lady in New York on her mobile phone overwhelmed and in tears to her friend on the other end, saying she had just seen Barack Obama. I started to feel the lump in my throat and the tears welling in my eyes, and I was halfway across the globe!

I am genuinely overjoyed for the Americans. Hope is something I have always had in my life, so words cannot describe how happy it makes me that this incredible man has returned that to people who were starting to think there was no more hope. In one act of [almost] unison, the Americans have moved in leaps and bounds to remedy a trashed reputation.

Something I kept repeating to my parents during dinner table discussions in the lead up to election day was, 'doesn't he look REAL?'. He is 'real' but he also looks like a President. He commands the respect of a President but at the same time he shows respect for the common man. And damn, although it will be a [very] tough job, I think he is going to be a great President. I'm a teensy bit jealous he isn't my President.

C x

Creative Chanel Shout Outs

A shout out to my big sister Julie for hooking me up with Living Creatively. She even found projects that revolve around three of my favourite things: birds, Paris & Matryoshka dolls. I know this is a bit girly for my male readers, and a bit nerdy for the edgy femme fatales I drink my cocktails with, but heck, this is the stuff I am all about and then some.

Meanwhile, there's an article on the LC site about the Mobile Art Exhibit by Chanel. Yes, Chanel. I read about this on this guy's blog. Look! They give out freebies! But alas, they are not throwing 2.55 quilted bags out to the fashion hungry crowds. I would love to go, and it is a shame to read they are not coming to Australia [I guess I'll just have to fly to Paris to check it out]. Click me to read more. And here is the official website for the exhibition.

C x

Please Bear With Me

I am doing a little bit of tweaking on my blog. Nothing too dramatic, but enough for the perfectionist in me feel the need to tell you that if anything looks askew on the blog this week [say, different posts in different fonts/colours/sizes], please bear with me; Peppery Sparrow is just under construction.

C x

Old vs New: Film vs Digital

I know I carry on like a pork chop about how film mostly provides a much better image than digital. The fact of the matter is that it is true. Why?

Well, one [to me, important] reason is that I admire how the photographer puts much more thought into his or her photo because they only have 12-16 frames to work with. I'll be honest with you, I find the 60 photos of your debaucherous night out that you uploaded onto Facebook a little tired after the umpteenth album [perhaps entitled drunken night out] appeared in my Home Feed.

Don't you just love the look and feel of your parents old photos? I do. There's a mood in them you just can't capture in a digital image. I am aware that after you purchase an older camera & pay for film, processing and printing onto matte stock, its a costly exercise and that is where digital conquers [especially in these economically uncertain times]. But in my opinion [and remember, this is MY blog], it is worth spending the dollars.

I'm not completely dissing digital, I appreciate the convenience of owning a digital camera, so much so, I own one myself. And, I really enjoy looking at people's digital images on their Flickr, there is some amazing photography being produced with digital cameras.

But, my love affair with film will never cease to exist.

Apart from the blonde hair, not much else has changed about me since having the above photo taken [circa 1983, Mum?]. I'm still 'mad as a cut snake'.

C x

Kelly Smith: Illustrations

I saw this in Vogue. Could be a nice way to spend your Friday night? I know I'll be there. Check out her blog.

C x

The Presidents of the USA

Not the state leaders, the band.

What ever happened to them?

C x

Cluster Balloon

Do you remember when you were a kid, clutching onto a big bouquet of helium balloons and wishing you would start floating up into the clouds, just like in the movies? But sadly, it never happened? Well little did I know, until now, that those childhood fantasies can be realised.

Cluster Ballooning is actually a recognised sport.

C x

Chanel Bicycle

It is so ridiculous. Yet I so need one.

C x

A Beautiful Revolution

Andre Jordan proves that a sharp simplicity is often the most effective.
I ♥ his blog.

A Beautiful Revolution.

C x

Pets

When I was little, I wanted a horse & a baby giraffe for pets. Now that I am a grown up, I want a French Bulldog & a grey cat. What did/do you want? And can you spot the pet in the above pic? He lives near moi.

C x

Dream Wallpaper

I think I am more excited about decorating my dream home than actually having my dream home. This is my dream wallpaper. You can get it here.

C x

Burmese Dreaming

After reading Peter Olszewski's, Land of a Thousand Eyes I have had a strong desire to travel to Burma. Since then, certain circumstances have made it next to impossible to go there. So, it was one of those dreams that went into the Too Hard For Now basket. I hope to pull it out of there again soon.

Meanwhile, on Thursday night Meg invited me to her friend Tim's preview of his documentary called Burmese Dreaming. I had previously seen Tim's photography from Burma at a charity auction just a couple of years ago & was impressed with his work, so jumped at the chance to see his film.

The documentary was amazing. A lot of the footage he took when in Burma was confiscated by the military, so when he came back to Australia many of the 'chapters' of his story were missing. He has managed to piece together what he was left with brilliantly, as the narrator, a Burmese father's daughter, guides you through everyday life in the country.

Because of the success of his first preview, he will be holding another preview this Thursday at The Auction Rooms in North Melbourne [awesome venue BTW]. I highly recommend you get yourself down there. It's a fundraiser by the way! You can bid on his photography! Click on the above flyer to enlarge for more details of the event.

C x

Funny Pic

I haven't been very inspired this week & hence no interesting new posts. So for today I will leave you with one of the funniest things I have seen this week from I Can Has Cheezburger.

Something a bit more interesting tomorrow, I promise. :oD

C x

Flickr

Did I tell you I have created a Flickr account for Peppery Sparrow? Well if not, I am now. I'm really getting back into my photography, which I have missed more so than drawing [surprisingly]. And now that I have discovered the good people at Lab X, I have even more of a reason to get back into it!

There's not much on there at the moment, but I'll post updates here when new photos are added.

Clicky click click.

C x

Monday Musing

When I was little, I wanted to be a ninja and a ballerina when I grew up. Which actually makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Isn't it funny how things work out?

C x

Pics from here & here.

Diana +

This week I processed my first two rolls of film used in my Diana +. Above are a few of my favourites proofs from the bunch. I played it pretty safe [see: banal] with these, so now its time to start really experimenting with lomography. I feel a new addiction coming on strong...

C x

Violin

It was a violin. A bit of a Friday morning play. Nothing else to report today, except HOORAH it is the weekend! I'm spending mine with my family, a couple of close friends & my new lover, the sewing machine.

C x

To delete, or not delete

It is funny how my mind works. I often throw clothes out thinking I will never wear them again, then two months later fall in a tearful heap on my bedroom floor wondering where the hell all my clothes are. I blame the washing machine for eating them, I will blame friends for borrowing them. I will blame the removalists for losing a whole bag of clothes in my last move. And then it will hit me, you threw them out, fool.

I'm a bit the same with my photos & drawings. I will send them on their way to the tip or recycling plant, and then later when I decide I am going to use them in my folio, I ask 'and whereabouts did I put them again? Oh, the bin. Crap!'

Regardless of my level of satisfaction with a drawing, photo or painting, it is all part of my ongoing development as an 'artist'. So:

Must. Not. Delete/Throw Out. Anything.

This little pic nearly ended up in the electronic Recycle Bin, but I saved it in its 11th hour.

C x

Things I Want

1. Mini Accordion Books in Japanese Paper 2. Scarf with Eiffel Tower Print 3. Giant Mug [I like my coffee LARGE] 4. Hardcore Leash [for when I get a dog]

But, alas, I am on a self-imposed spending ban. Damn you ANZ for giving me a credit card. Damn you!

C x

Introducing Soko

Fan Website

MySpace

Not everyone's cup of tea, but personally, I like mine with a teaspoon of French Folk.

C x

Gwen = Cool

I was reminded on Saturday morning just how cool Gwen Stefani is.

C x

By, Me.

I am going to turn these quick Illustrator jobs into paintings soon.

C x