Melbourne vs Vancouver

These two lovely cities do seem to battle it out for top spot on the "most livable city" list. My husband is a Melbourne boy and I'm a Vancouver girl, so it makes for a fun rivalry. Vegemite vs peanut butter. We're back in Vancouver now, so back to November rain (isn't that a song?). I like to think rain keeps the skin young and fresh. One can dream.

I shot over 700 images while in Australia, so I thought I should show you a few more pics. Perhaps one more post next week as well then straight into Christmas!

These happy little boxes of hope look like they've never seen any post other than birthday cards, and postcards from faraway places. Certainly never an overdue hydro bill. Postboxes, like these, are dotted all over country roads throughout Victoria. Love the rakish look they all have.

This is Nelly the goat. She was the sweet and happy natural lawnmower belonging to Rob's sister Cathy, her husband Peter, and kids Frankie and Tom. Nelly passed away last week. She was about 20 years old. I feel bad because I yelled at her when she chomped on one of my lenses. Sorry Nelly. R.I.P.

I'm a little bit country

Well, Kyneton has proved to be a pretty fabulous little town. Love it. No big box anything here, just great independently owned shops, cafes and restaurants. Piper Street is where it's at.

Newly opened Kabinett is owned by Melissa MacFarlane and Frank Moylan, previous owners of the Royal George Hotel in Kyneton. Incredible mix of vintage pieces sourced mostly from Eastern Europe and Australia. I adore this shop. I have my eyes on a vintage map of Australia, and two happy blue enamel light fixtures (not pictured unfortunately).

 
Little Swallow Cafe has quickly become our spot for coffee and delicious breakfasts. Love the decor, so simple.

If you visit Kyneton, and you should, check out no. 2 sweetheart for pretty organic fashion and beauty products (I'm wearing a sweet little bamboo top right now!), Slow Living is a great restaurant that uses local organic produce and meats and makes a fab coffee too.

Have to dash. Off to Tahbilk to sample a few wines today. 

A Day on Earth

I found my personal mecca the other day. We went to beautiful Daylesford, about 90 minutes out of Melbourne, and checked out Shed 4 - A Day on Earth. I think I heard angels singing. This shop (it's actually a huge warehouse) is owned by David Bromley, a fabulous British born (raised in Australia) artist. He really is one of my favourites. 

The warehouse was full of vintage crates, old worker's lockers, David's art, pottery and even a couple of Japanese coin operated kiddie rides. Absolute heaven. So sad to leave it all behind.

A fabulous box table featuring art by David Bromley, coin operated kiddie ride, and the chair that I can't get out of my mind. Love that colour.

Vintage paddles adorned with Bromley faces (my friend, Nikki, would love these), the backside of a plate, and a quartet of illuminated children. My husband plans on purchasing the blue girl. We adored her. Wouldn't she make a fabulous "greeter" in a front hall?

The last few days have been incredible. The air is so clean and fresh here in Kyneton, and the smell of gum trees is amazing. Ahh, Australia.

I'm leaving on a jet plane

I feel so out of the blogosphere loop! In the freelance world, it can be all or nothing. This week has definitely been an "all" week. Haven't had any time to tend to my blog or read any of yours, unfortunately. Sob. 

We leave for Australia tonight (whoohoo!), and I managed to make myself crazy(ier) by accepting a last minute shoot for House and Home today. Must get shots to them for tomorrow. Good thing our flight is at 11:45pm. Oh, and did I mention that a certain wall, in our kitchen, has been painted three times during the week? It will remain the colour it is now ("cloud 9") until, at least, the end of this year. It's hard to choose a colour sometimes, isn't it. Please someone agree with me.

I have my Christmas cards and tags ready to go. The tags are trimmed in "snow" glitter, and I think I still have some in my eyes. This year all proceeds will benefit the Vancouver Food Bank as well as a couple of local public schools for their "Snowflake Socials". Public schools need more money! They will also be available at the Cross, McBurney Junction, and Little White House.

If anyone knows of some fab new shops or restaurants, in Melbourne, please let me know!

I hope to blog a bit while in Australia...we'll see how it goes. Take care everyone!

A rock 'n' roll and crafty weekend

Occasionally, my husband and I have our very own crafty days. We don't have kids, but some would think we do. The image above might be why. Those toadstools really did look like a Smurf house. Makes me smile.

This past weekend, besides trick or treating with our nieces, nephews and a few good friends, we got crafty. Rob worked on his upcoming show at Public, and I worked on a series of Christmas cards.  

For one of my cards, I painted and papered my birdhouses, and made festive wreathes to adorn their front door pegs. If a bird did indeed decorate for Christmas they would most certainly use snow berries, twigs, and tiny conifer cones, wouldn't they? Rob and I hiked into a nearby forest to shoot them. The light was low and so pretty. I'll show the finished cards later this week.


Rob's got another show coming up at Public Lounge in Vancouver, opening November 8th. It's called Fragments in RPM - "A new exhibition of prints and poster remnants, exploring musical memory and the visual attachment we give to sounds." If you're in Vancouver, go and check it out!


Now, back to painting my kitchen. I'm making quite a mess.

Fright Fest

From Christmas to Halloween. So much can change in a week. I do love a good "scary" movie with lots of mayhem and suspense, but no slashing. Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street and Saw (all 5 or 6 of them), to name a few, are unwatchable (new word). 

It's Fright Fest this week, on a certain movie channel, so I thought I'd list a few of my favourites, partly because of how they look. Very stylish. The photography, sets, costumes, are pretty spectacular in these particular films, even if you don't like this genre.  Do you have a favourite horror movie? Do tell.

Rosemary's Baby 1968. Love her pixie cut, sweet little outfits, sets, and her neighbours. Ruth Gordon is amazing as Minnie Castevet.

The Birds 1963. The hair, suit and all those crows. Spectacular. Edith Head was the costume designer for Tippi Hedren. I love Edith.


Ahh, the Innocents 1961. I think this is my favourite film out of this bunch. Deborah Kerr is fabulous, as are the spooky children. Martin Stephens, who plays Miles, is especially spooky.

 

Heather Cameron and I shot this story for Gardening Life with the help of Kate Keeler, my nephew Jake and sister Debbie, a couple of years ago. We set up a movie screen in amongst Heather's blueberry shrubs. Naturally, we had to feature The Birds. 

Happy Halloween!

Deck the Halls

I can't believe how fast this past week has gone. Where did it go? Since my last post, I've worked with my friend Heather on web images for Missing Goat, shot a bathroom with Nancy Riesco for House and Home. (yes, I have a glamorous life), and finally wrapped up my new promo piece (merci, Rob).

As we head into the weekend, I thought I'd get you all into the "deck the halls" spirit. This lovely home is featured in the current Canadian House and Home magazine. I shot this story last Christmas.  How time flies. Homeowner, Darci, is co-owner of the Cross , a beautiful home store here in Vancouver. They have recently launched their new website and online shop.

By the way, thanks so much to all of you lovely bloggers for your helpful hints regarding my "upholstery fairy" post. It's all underway, so I'll be posting the makeovers soon.  Looking forward to catching up with all of your blogs, over the weekend!