Paper Garland Decoration

This Saturday we are having a party at our house, our first party in the house.  It's both a housewarming and a birthday party for me!  So this week I have been playing around and making some decorations.  Here are some pics of the paper garlands that I've been making.  I got 2 old music books from a second hand shop, $2 each and used a circular cutter to cut out perfect circles.  I also found some pre-cut circles of vintage atlases at the Glen Waverley Antique Bazar, which I included with some music circles and brown paper.

I used a neon pink thread.  I love a bit of neon these days!

I thought I would try making more 3-D garlands which was simply sewing 5 layers of paper together.  You then just fold them out to make a more bouffant look.

A mixture of different papers...

Vintage atlases ...

I'm not sure how I will hang them at the party, but for now they are hung up around the house on random doors and chairs...

Keiko Minami

Keiko Minami is one of my favourite artists.  She was born in Japan and lived in Paris from 1954 to 2004.  In 1959 she was given the title of 'Official Artist of the United Nations' for her print, 'Tree of Peace'.

I have one of her books and came across it again yesterday and thought I would share her wonderful, whimsical work here.

Hope you like.

And here is the lovely book of hers....

Barry Moser

Yesterday whilst having a look through Readings book shop in Lygon Street I found a fantastic book about American artist/illustrator Barry Moser (biography here).  Never before had I heard of him or seen his beautiful art works!  I am a big fan of wood engravings and lino prints and also portraits, so naturally my eyes were dazzled by his very textural and highly contrasting work.  Here is an interview with Barry Moser here.

'Self Portrait with a Stetson'

'Jonah and the Whale'

 'Flannery O'Connor' (this is my favourite)

'Kathe Kollwitz'

'William Blake'

 'Eudora Welty'

'Moby Dick' illustration for Arion Press 

'Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum'

The book which caught my eye...

And here are some examples of his work....

Agapanthus

At the moment Melbourne is full of beautiful Agapanthus and they are just lovely!  The other morning I was out running and took these photos.  I think I will have to have a go at drawing some of these beautiful flowers...

New Shoes!

I'm loving my new shoes, which I bought in the sale yesterday (even better!). Thought I'd share my shoe joy with you.....

'Dancing Barefoot' First Aid Kit / Patti Smith

A few days ago Chris and I were driving back from our great New Years getaway on Phillip Island listening to RRR radio and we were delighted to hear the Swedish band, First Aid Kit on the show selecting artists and songs that influence them.  It was great and I really liked their choice of music.  

One thing they mentioned was how they played a Patti Smith song, Dancing Barefoot, at the Polar Music awards the year that Patti Smith was awarded (see clip above).  If you watch this clip you can see Patti Smith actually cries.  It's lovely!

Another song that I liked 'Save Me' by Aimmee Mann.  Lovely!

An Afternoon at the Antique Warehouse

Yesterday I had a fabulous afternoon rummaging around the Waverley Antique Bazaar in Glen Waverley (11a Aristoc Road, Glen Waverley, Victoria, Australia 3150, tel 03 9560 4284).  This place is huge and packed to the rafters of interesting, quirky, rusty, beautiful things - my kind of place!  Here are some pictures as you can see it is choc-a-bloc with great stuff...

I'm going back for this chair tomorrow, fingers crossed it's still there!

Wonderfully arranged books in colours....

Hello little koala!