Just wanted to share these amazing photos taken of the crew before attending Zombie Prom at The Winchester on Saturday Night ... thanks to our lovely Eves mean azz photographic skills, we now have a delightfully ghastly set of portraits to adorn our flat hallway! Love that asylum style lighting! Now, to find a set of 5 sexy vintage matching frames to hang them in...
For those of you that were interested last time, there will be another delightful Lindy Hop class happening in Raglan this Sunday!!
Sorry for the poster blurriness - you can go and investigate more details on the Cats Corner Swing Facebook Page :-)
I, myself, will be attending only if I can manage to fly down there in time after the many other events that I am whisking myself off to this weekend!
SO...On Saturday DAY I will be helping my friend Ben at his Trash Footwear stall at the K-Road Markets - I helped him out at the Mission Bay Markets on Monday Labour Day and that boy was kicking ass with his new designs etc!! Lots of keen people interested and talking about his awesome range! I have a delicious pair of ballet slippers that he made for me as a first trial pair and I've had so many queries he better be crankin those sweet things out by the dozen soon! These beeeauties are made from conveyer belt, recycled canvas and some black satin ribbon that I added after the fact to feminine-ise them up a bit more! Just love those cute ass ankle bows!!
Here is a sweet pic that my brother took whilst stopping for a well deserved Coopers after shopping in Newtown, Sydney (I've just been there on holiday for ten days - but more on that later!)
And while I'm at this devilish plug, I spent a few days down in Raglan before I went to Oz, helping Ben in the workshop to make my brother and his lovely lady some sandals to take over to them as gifts on my visit... here are my little brothers ones and his stoked azzz testimonial! These ones are made from conveyer belt and recycled charcoal denim. Thats one happy jandal owner!
“Best jandals/thongs I've ever owned...made by Ben at Trash Footwear made from 100% recycled materials by hand in Raglan NZ. Primo bro! trashfootwear@gmail.com and trashfootwear.blogspot.com - check it y'all!”
AND...On Saturday EVENING, myself and a posse of corpses will be attending the 95bFM, NO magazine, & Lonely Hearts ZOMBIE PROM... a night to be dismembered!! Cant wait to dress up like a dead thing and roam the streets and zombie hop the dance floor!!
Found some very cool makeup tutorials on how to look 'dead' - thought this one was an exceptionally good and simple one using mostly makeup you could find around the home! (or at least in our girly as flat!)
SO yes, thats the plans for the weekend! How about you?? Anyone delving into the darkness to explore their inner zombie?? Anyone planning a trip to the seaside to learn some devilishly dapper Lindy moves?? Anyhoo - Hope y'all have a saucy sunshiny weekend/beastly bewitching halloween!! Mucho Hugz to you all xoxox
P.S While Im here I just HAD to pop this gorgeous pic of my wee cousin Claudie in her very first modelling shoot - it terrifies me how grown up she looks! Yikes! But what a stunner!!
A few weeks overdue, but went down to Raglan on the 24th September for the Cats Corner Swing Dance Lindy Hop Workshop & Blue Tuxedo Band/Dance at Orca Bar (the gig I designed the poster for!). What an amazing weekend!!
The Saturday workshop was packed full of keen Lindy first timers (or at least mostly first timers!). Class began with an awesome intro swing dance by the teachers, Michelle and Simon - followed by a cool off-the-cuff blast of Lindy from my lovely friend Ben and his mate Karin (They organised the whole Lindy weekend in Raglan). Despite the nerves, those guys hit that floor like nobodies biz!!
The class was just so much fun with heaps of laughs and cool moves with some hilarious freestyled maneuvers added in by some of the peeps for some extra exhilarating dancing! Everyone just got stuck right in and we all work up a sweat boppin round the church hall!!
That night, Simons band, Blue Tuxedo, played at the local Orca Bar - a night of slightly drunk and disorderly freestyling by most of the class and many locals who joined the dancefloor with avid enthusiasm!! Heaps of fun, tons of smiling faces and many newly converted Lindy Hoppers!
Here are some pics from Cats Corner Swing Dance's facebook page :-)
The workshop teacher, Michelle Parish and Simon Crowfoot of Cats Corner Swing
Showing us a sample of their Lindy goodness
Ben and Karin getting geared up to bust some public Lindy.... they were so nervous but sooo good!
Love the onlookers faces!
Partnering up
My listening face as Ben tries to describe an obscure move...
Boppin the floor!
Look at those delightful faces!! Me ol' mate Simon and Karin having a dance. Such a cool night! Wish there were more pics of everyone... I do remember some very messy Lindy though, so perhaps lack of evidence is for the best!
I will keep you posted as there are going to be more workshops in Raglan - its such an amazing place to spend the weekend and you'll be partaking in something really exciting and special - dont miss out!!
Also, go check the Cats Corner page for more pics and events!!
With all thats been happening you'd think I would have had no time to go collecting new music... but I just cant help myself! These tracks aren't necessarily new... in fact a couple of them could be classed as old (NO WAY!).... however they are all certainly rockin my boat at the moment!
The Checks - Candyman Shimmer ...... saw these guys live recently but was slightly too distracted to concentrate....... such a sweet tune to just bop around to.... definitely got that NZ summertime sound ......
Watercolours - Under ....... first heard this beautiful girl in an interview with Charlotte Ryan on 95Bfm's Morning Glory show... just deliciously hypnotic...
Mount Kimbie - Mayor (Slower Version) ...... me and my lovely mate Louie have had an awesome arrangement where we send each other tracks each night - highly recommend this set-up between musically like-minded individuals.... it was so exciting every night to receive pieces of absolute GOLD.... this track is one of my personal highlights of that exchange (which is currently on hold as he is out sailing the seas!) ...... cant wait for more track sharing goodness!! You can go check out his freakin sweet mix on Soundcloud HERE ...... just about blew my socks off that he used a tune I had sent him for the first track - Lovely Bloodflow by Baths is also one my most ULTIMATE tunes to make my head want to explode...hehehe (had to put another link to that track - go on.... go listen awwwww its just SOOOOO GOOD - amazing video too!)
Radiohead - House of Cards...... just love the words.... tingleberrys and butterflies in belly... In Rainbows is an absolutely brilliant album.....
Roots Manuva - Let the Spirit (Hot Chip Remix) ...... hells YEEEEAH!! this track came to me from my gorgeous new roomie Eve via Facebook..... tis a crankin 'get up and farken MOVE' tune.... no more slouchin around feelin sorry for ones self!!
Remember I am 'always' posting new tunes and bits and pieces under 'Bliss For Your Ears' (to the right of my posts) plus also heapsa goodies on my YouTube channel and my Soundcloud account (see links to the left)......... ENJOY!! :-) XOXO
Crikey!! Its been waaaay too long since I last posted ( I always say that!) ... but then, a lot has been happening....
Me..... on my birthday..... enjoying the last few rays of sunshine on the new houses front porch.... having a celebratory beer whilst reading my delicious present from my new roomies ('FANZINES' by Teal Triggs). Looking forward to the adventures ahead.... :-)
I've just moved into a new home in the 'city' (or approximately 'the city'.... a lot closer than I was before thats for sure!)... Living in a flat again with my beautiful friends Eve and Katie, baby Ivy and cat/dog FiFi. Its an awesome house and I cant wait till we truly make it our own.... very exciting when it feels like summer is just sneakily awaiting around the corner - its the perfect house for long summer barbeques and beers on the front porch.... aah.... bliss! The first night here (and my birthday) was celebrated with champagne and pizza in that very spot - oh the potential for languid summer soirees!!
Moving house really puts things into perspective. It has been almost 9 years since I last boxed up all of my belongings and hauled them off to a new abode. Its amazing how much crap I have accumulated, but what is possibly even more amazing is how much I want to get rid of. This may because of my current state of mind; embracing the new and experiencing the life-affirming nature of just letting go......
Not only have I moved house but I have also been working my ass off doing even MORE freelance graphic design stuff!! Such excitement!! I will post some of the work I've been doing soon - just gotta wait till these events actually happen first - don't want to divulge any bits and pieces I shouldn't be just yet!
But here is one I whipped up last night for a Lindy Hop event in Raglan - I desperately want to go but will be meeting most of my class in town for the Moving Planet march up Queen Street.... more on that later..... :-)
So........posts, henceforth, will be erratic while I am getting my life back in order........ I will get back on track eventually but until then.. peas and love to you all xoxo
P.S You should ALL come along to the Moving Planet march this weekend - September 24th!! Im encouraging all my kids (in my class, I don't have multiple children!) to take their friends and families along - we're screen-printing our own t-shirts and everything!! Check out the website 350.org
I really must keep up to date with my blog posts!! Im waaaaay too sporadic with these things!
This is what I have been up to for the last 2-3 weeks - aside from teaching primary kids all day! ha!I've been designing and creating a zine for my mate Bens shoe company 'TRASH FOOTWEAR'.... it is such an amazing brand/company/concept/philosophy and I know it is just gonna go viral out there in the world!! His shoes/sandals are freakin cool and they are pretty much entirely made from recycled/reused waste!! Awesome!! Plus there are just so many options for materials etc - I want like a million custom-made pairs!
I had told my class about what I was doing and I took a pair of shoes in to school and they just went nuts over them - plus the teachers were all wanting to order multiple pairs! I think people are really attracted to the idea of reusing their own materials and/or of custom making a pair of sandals.... these are gonna kick ass over summer!! If you buy a pair you will get a copy of my zine! WooooHoooo! :-)
Here are the zine pages...... next step Blog City!! Let me know what you think! xoxox
A delicious new discovery - with connection to what I may at times call a 'guilty pleasure'; the music I was obsessed with in my 'youth', yet still crank hard when I need some good heavy dark shit! Am I ashamed in some way that at times I just love me some hardcore dark and dirty scream-fest tunes??
Team Sleep is an experimental electronic/rock group led by Deftones singer/guitarist Chino Moreno. (Yum ~ slight crush!) Their music explores many genres; a kind of dream pop/trip hop/post-hardcore/shoegaze/electronica....just have a listen and hear for yourselves... of course I will have to add a few of my fav Deftones tracks just for good measure :-) xoxox
Team Sleep - Formant
Teamsleep - Ever
Team Sleep - I'm Yours Tonight (Machine Lovers Remix)
and now for some Deftones.... are you prepared?
Deftones - Digital Bath
Deftones - Rx Queen
Deftones - Diamond Eyes
Chino Moreno....dunno what it is about him but....oh....
This post has been waiting to be written for quite some time, however I have been brewing over words and ways, only now realising what it actually is that's bothering me and what it actually is that I want to say......
Lately I have been questioning this core desire within me to CREATE; Where does it come from? What does it mean to me? What do I do want to do with it? Where do I want it to take me?
I have been creating, making, painting, drawing and crafting my whole life. It has been an integral part of my very being since I was a small child; a life built from tackle boxes full of beads and wire and shells and feathers that I stowed away under my bed; of diaries and folders full of drawings and ideas; of painted murals and crazy little sketches; of poems and messages on my bedroom walls; of hand-painted and cut up shirts and shoes, and of weird little obsessive photo collages, layering images and objects to decorate the walls of my haven - just to mention a few of my child/teenhood 'outlets'.
When I was a kid, all I thought about was making things 'pretty' (well.....pretty to ME!) - I was FOREVER decorating and changing around my room, (and I don't mean like painting the walls pink and buying new furniture - I mean that from a young age I would turn up my music and build nest-like caves out of vintage sheets hung from safety pins and fishing lines, taking the legs off my bed to make a 'futon', making tables and shelves out of beer crates and weaving lamp shades out of driftwood). This 'alteration' habit is one that I still have today and I think is core to my own creative process.
There were so many strange little projects that I undertook in the safety of my own room, but it is not until now that I have really started to question what purpose my own creativity is intended for.
I guess going to 'art-school' was probably the largest catalyst in my life for questioning my own processes. Constantly reflecting and questioning and JUSTIFYING every damn thing we did was probably what actually starved me of any genuine creative life-force I had. I love some of the stuff that I made while there, but, at times all the explaining really did suck the joy out of making!! Afterwards, completely messed up by the total obliteration of my own personal crafts, I began to create these weird little cartoon-like illustrations - purely moving towards the aesthetic and further away from anything remotely conceptual. This was quite a contrast to the "Art" (....hmmmph.... those are some HUGE air quotes there) that I had been cornered into creating at school (by school I mean like tech or university).
But now, nearly 10 years after this change in purpose, I've been questioning my motives. What is the purpose behind the art I make now? Have I become stuck in the aesthetic, or could my art be taken seriously? Am I able to make people think when they view my work?
Or is my job simply to beautify, rather than to question or explain....?
I guess the big question is - Why do I make stuff? Because I want to make beautiful things for the people I love. When they look at my work I want them to feel beautiful and special and magical and decadent and chosen. I want my love to spill over onto them every time they use it / look at it / wear it / lie on it..... I want all of the things that inspire me to inspire others - those things that make my toes curl and speak to me of wondrous places, people, times and spaces.
I might just add here, that my writing is not by any means refined; I realise that this post is not rounded out or resolved in any way - I just wanted to throw these thoughts out there and see what may (or may not) come back....
While browsing for others thoughts about this I discovered this article from 'Greater Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life'. An interesting read on Why We Make Art for those of you who may be thinking along the same lines.
What do you think about this topic? If you are a maker, why do YOU create? What is the backbone that carries you from one piece to the next? What philosophy do you tie to your making? I would love to hear ideas and thoughts about this subject.
beautiful excerpts from the poetry of e.e. cummings
.......here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart.........
(from 'i carry your heart with me')
......i will wade out till my thighs are steeped in burning flowers I will take the sun in my mouth and leap into the ripe air Alive with closed eyes to dash against darkness.....
(from "i will wade out")
........who'll solve the depths of horror to defend a sunbeam's architecture with his life: and carve immortal jungles of despair to hold a mountain's heartbeat in his hand.........
(e.e. cummings, selected poems 1923-58)
i have found what you are like the rain (Who feathers frightened fields with the superior dust-of-sleep. wields easily the pale club of the wind and swirled justly souls of flower strike the air in utterable coolness deeds of green thrilling light with thinned new fragile yellows lurch and press —in the woods which stutter and sing And the coolness of your smile is stirring of birds between my arms; but i should rather than anything have (almost when hugeness will shut quietly) almost, your kiss
