Gan

I love black and white photography. So when it comes to looking through my grandma's old photos (We call her Gan), I'm in heaven! She has made quite a few photo collages over the years and has made several books for myself and sisters, documenting our lives with cut outs, birth notices, photos, drawings and little bits and bobs. Roughly 25 years ago she made this collage of her life. Its absolutely enormous and weighs a ton, so right now its leaning against the wall next to my mum's pride and joy- her Grant Featherston chair (which I will tell you about another time). Some of the photos are smaller than your pinkie, and all cut out by hand.


Every time you look at it, you discover new things; new people, familiar smiles, holiday snaps from decades ago, beloved pets. It's strange seeing photographs of my family before I was even alive, its like a whole different them. Among other things of my mum and Grandma's possessions that my sisters and I have 'bagsed' over the years (if we really want anything of theirs once they have departed this world, we 'bagsed' them.) Boxing day lunch 2009 at Gan's house- Gan and the 3 girls are eating lunch; chicken, salad, vegetables and potato salad. The salad is always served in Gan's beautiful wooden bowl that she received as a wedding present. Everyone is happily munching away, and all is quiet... zoe: Bags the bowl..... sisters in unison: dam.... hahaha anyway, This collage is one of the things that I have bagsed. mwahahah... its a-lllll mine *greasily rubbing her hands together while wearing a rather satisfied grin on her face.

This has probably got to be one of my favorite quotes and images.

The stars

ffffound

This girl reminds me of the book 'The lovely bones'. It sort of looks like she is in 'the in-between', in between the living on earth, and the dead in heaven. Its so dreammmmy

2010

Arrrhh, the New year. A fantastic excuse if you ask me, for people to get completely drunk and make complete idiots out of themselves, surrounded by people, they probably don't even like.... Or make a list of 'resolutions' that they will 'resolve' *cough cough, in the new year. Why wait until the 1st of january. Why not.... 3rd of August? Germany declared war against France, Adolf Hitler became the supreme leader of Germany by joining the offices of President and Chancellor into Führer, The Jews of Spain were expelled by the Catholic Monarchs, A privately chartered Boeing 707 crashed into a mountainside near Agadir, Morocco killing 188, Jesse Owens won the 100 meter dash, defeating Ralph Metcalfe, at the Berlin Olympics. Thats far more interesting than the 1st of January, sounds like a great day to become the brand new you hey?

found

Now, as much as it kills me to say it, and I wish with all my might that it indeed, was not true, these are not my photos. My poor computer is jam packed with folders, with hundreds of photos from architecture, to photography to videos to quotes. If only I had enough time to go to office works, and go through them all, and then print them. If only I had more than $3 and 85c... damm

This is my little pinny board. Isn't it lovely? Now, I know you can't see much of it, as it actually quite large, but it was night time when I took it, and lets just say, the camera that I have that is only still working because of a few pieces of sticky tape, isn't the best, and this was the only one that came out. I (heart) OLYMPUS M740 ALL-WEATHER, that doesn't handle well in rain, humidity, hot weather, rain, snow, or overcast weather... all weather.. yes.


I don't do tea. Not unless its has an alarmingly unhealthy ratio of sugar to tea. Which means I could never drink tea in public, for fear of being cruelly and harshly judged by others. I wouldn't be able to handle to taunts and hurtful words; "Having some tea with ya sugar there zoe? huh? huh? hahahahaah!".... no, I could do that. So, to be safe, I just don't drink it.

However, everything changed 3 days before Christmas. We have a tradition in our family, (if you can call it that?!) where we open a present or 2 early. Now, I'm quite fond of this tradition, as you could understand, so I was delighted when my older sister begged me to open her present. I looked apprehensively at the Tea2 bag in fear of what would undoubtfully be inside... My mind went blank. My palms started sweating, and I started shaking uncontrollably.."Maybe its not tea," i thought, "maybe they sell other things at Tea2...other than...tea?" I had no other option but to open it.. So I looked into the little box, and to my delight, discovered gor-geous little cup and saucer and a little box of tiny rose buds. Add a ti-ny bit of sugar and a squirt of honey and oh my bujesus. Heaven. Technically I'm still not a tea person, I'm a.. rose bud person?

Versailles

Watch watch watch

I stumbled across an amazing video today on Youtube. Dustin Halloran's Opus 23 beautifully animated by Italian director Marco Morandi. An extremely captivating and gorgeous 3.34 seconds. 3.34 seconds of your life well spent. Watch it. Watch it now...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx6gr_Ch9x8

Because I am partly technologically retarded in comparison to some, I couldn't put the video up, so yes, you ARE going to have to copy and paste the ULR... and you ARE going to have to open a new window. To you, I'm sorry... for all the pain that this has caused you.

Le Cimetière du Père-Lachaise lieu de mémoires…

This is a photograph of my favorite grave site at Père-Lachaise in Paris. This grave caught my eye, in amongst the clutter of the mausoleums and tomb stones; some extravagant, trimmed with lace and gold, and others simple, with only a cross to mark the final resting place of a soul. I have dozens of photographs of these graves, and close ups of the wonderful detail and love that has been etched into these graves by their loved ones. It is very simple. Nothing flash, but as I walked past it just called out. The way the wrought iron has rusted and coloured. The beautiful lush green surroundings. The possible story's of the family who once lead lives full of hopes, dreams and aspirations. If only we had something as wonderful as Père-Lachaise in Australia. If only...

Ol' Paris

Live curious

If you are, you breath.
If you breath, you talk.
If you talk, you ask.
If you ask, you think.
If you think, you search.
If you search, you experience.
If you experience, you learn.
If you learn, you grow.
If you grow, you wish.
If you wish, you find.
If you find, you doubt.
If you doubt, you question.
If you question, you understand.
If you understand, you know.
If you know, you want to know more...
And if you want to know more, you are alive...

National Geographic summer ad

The beach *

For Sarah

Wire hand

You're driving me up the wall

Third draw down

The pillow says it all...

Grrrrrr

Yes. Grrrr. Today I did a loop of some of a few of my favorite shops. However, being me, I woke up a good 3 and a half hours after my alarm... so I didn't get to spend long out, aimlessly wandering around looking a pretty things to die for. My fav shops are split in two. Half number 1 is the whole Brunswick, Gertrude area. Shops like Meet me at Mikes (Just as I moved to a house right off Bridge, Meet Me At Mikes decided to move somewhere more suitable.... dam..) THE best stationary shop you will ever step foot in, If I was to die and go to paper heaven, Zetta Florence, is where I would cart my little departed soul and rest for all of eternity, sprawled on a lushes pile of thick, crisp, pure, white envelopes and vintage stamps.... garrrhhh, I could spend for ever in there, the smell of Stationary is what happiness smells like... Did you know that? On my way to Lost and found, I force myself to walk, instead of tram, down Gertrude in my painful little shoes, so I can stop at all the shops along the way. The shops along this strip seem to change every week. A new ruby red dress has popped up, the 3rd little sister of the vintage family. I still love the whole atmosphere of the Prahran shop on King st though, and the girl who runs it, plus everything in there just seems.... loved? Unfortunetly people back in 'the day' were extremely tiny. I pride myself in having a somewhat midget like disposition about myself... I tried squeezing my 21st century sized body into several pairs of high wasted shorts and a STUNNING off the sholder/ruffle dress, however to my dismay, as I stood there in the poorly constructed dressing rooms that all vintage stores have, I realised that there was no way i could fit into any of them while still possessing my ability to breathe..dam. I trotted down, getting closer and closer the L&F to where I had a mental floor plan of the place, of the items I had my eye on, and where abouts exactly in each stall they were. After a quick stop into Industria, and a $1 purchase, I was on my way again. I waved hello to Little Birdman, and bathed in the scent as a walked past Aesope. Unfortunetly, any time I see something that I really like in L&F, after only several days, when I come back to buy something, it's always gone. Always. I'm still grieving over the loss of a cropped, sequined jacket... I spent $48 in under 12 minutes, and then I realised how late I was for baby sitting and had to run home... in the rain... But before I sprinted home, I was annoyed. Annoyed at how expensive vintage and retro are getting these days. 'The New Rage' is pre-loved clothing, so store owners are taking advantage of that, and in an attempt to keep up with everyone else, all the prices have been bumped up. Maybe we should just give up and blame it all on the economical crisis.... as I said.... Grrrrr....

Need I say more? *

Laneways

I love photography, I take and process my own photos. I only print in black and white (because we all know that black and white makes everything look much much better than it actually is..) This is one of my favorite photos out of The City collection.

Trip to the city (2008)

Flinders 2008

The blossom tree

2008

Bird Man Eating *

Between Near and Far (2009) By Gabriella Mangano and Silvana Mangano
At my favorite cafe, Bird Man Eating on Gertrude st, Fitzroy, they always have new postcard every week. This is by far my favorite one yet. I have a huge collection of them all, along with old pages torn from books and music sheets which they place under the bowls...

Gothic Marie Antoinette

I'm in love with Marie Antoinette; the history, the movie, the fashion, the tragedy... Everything. I love my over the top Gothic spin on the customary bright, macaroon coloured dresses

Gothic Marie Antoinette

Why hello there

I decided to start this blog for a few reasons I think...

1. I saw what a 13 year old girl was capable of doing, just by simply taking photos and saying what ever came to mind

2. Sarah and I wanted to do something productive with our time, creatively I guess, and this seemed like a productive thing to do, that is if this is what you call productive...

3. I accidently clicked a button, and it asked me if I waned a blog, so I said 'Sure! why not...' and that is how I ended up here...

My next problem... im going to have to think of super witty remarks to shmoooooze you all, and by you all, I mean that sole person sitting at home out there, who accidently clicked here, looking for something else, and by chance ended up here, at my poor excuse for a blog... to you, I'm sorry. Don't feel obliged to read on, it's ok, I understand, you have better things to do with your time, like change your facebook status, or google map your own house to see if you're in the photo by any chance...hmmmm.... I feel, like i should say something, deep, and meaningful to finish off, my first post.... what to say?

I typed 'witty comments into google', to see if the internet could give me a helping hand and I only found this conversations from an old tv show called 'The Golden Girls'...

Sophia: We’re having spaghetti.

Rose: Oh, Italian?
Sophia: No, Rose. Chinese wearing a marinara suit.