Thursday, September 29, 2011

recent things on the net

Man I have been pretty busy lately, and I have really neglected my blog! Here is what I have done elsewhere:



 

Recapped episode 9 of Project Runway!


Recapped the pilot of Unforgettable!
 

Recapped the pilot of The Secret Circle!


Recapped the pilot of Terra Nova!


Recapped episode 3 of America's Next Top Model!

aaaaaand...


Released episode 3 of my podcast with Luke Milton, The Book Was Better!!!

Whew!

Monday, September 26, 2011

pretty colours





Just some recent photos: books arranged according to colour in the window of the New Edition bookstore on William St; cables on the floor at work; a Sesame Street record; and a meat pie in pea soup. (It's an Australian thing, and no, I didn't eat it, I just made it for my husband.)

Friday, September 23, 2011

antm s17 e02


Ugh, I have been really sick all week! My husband has been sick for two weeks so we've been pretty pathetic. First he went deaf and I lost my voice, and now I am deaf too. It's like the worst double act. But I watched ANTM in spite of it all, and I recapped it for your amusement! Please make it worth my while and go check it out.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

project runway episode 8

I recapped the new episode of Project Runway over at Fruitless Pursuits, go check it out!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

pilot recap: ringer



My husband really loves watching pilots. Today he sent me an email saying that he had a new show with Sarah Michelle Gellar playing twins and one of them witnesses a murder and it has Batmanuel in it. I was sold!

We watched it tonight and it was pretty silly, so I recapped it over at Fruitless Pursuits. I'm thinking maybe I'll do recaps for a bunch of different pilots. What do you think?

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

the boook was better episode 2: the dark knight


The second episode of our fortnightly podcast The Book Was Better has dropped! In this one Luke Milton and I discuss The Dark Knight Junior Novel. If you like Batman, onomatopoeia, laughing or swearing you'll like this. We're also on iTunes, so subscribe and make sure you never miss an episode!

#beautifulinsideandout week 8


How did I go last week? Well, better than the two weeks before, that's for sure. I didn't manage to stick to my goals, though. My husband was sick and I used that as an excuse to get us lots of comfort foods. However, I'm really feeling like I've had enough of that, and that I want to make real changes.

This week I want to focus on one goal:

Stop eating food I can't digest.

I have known that I am lactose intolerant for several years. About a year ago I found out I am also intolerant of many other foods, including wheat. (My many food intolerances will have to be another blog post-- there's something for you to look forward to!) I went on a very strict elimination diet to find this out, and was vigilant about keeping those foods to a minimum. However, over time, I've become lazy. It's so much easier to grab a roll for lunch and than to look around for a gluten-free alternative. It's so hard to resist biscuits when a coworker brings them in.

But I've come to the point where I really don't feel good. I feel like my body isn't happy, and I need to make changes. So no more wheat, no more cheese (except my beloved vintage cheddar, thank god for aged cheeses) and a lot more cooking.

Drop some crumbs on the curb for me!

Monday, September 12, 2011

illustration: 1966


Girls in a 1966 Sears catalogue, advertising 'The Urchin Look.' I drew this from an image in one of my favourite sources of inspiration,  Everyday Fashions of the Sixties As Pictured in Sears Catalogs (thanks to the lovely Sara for the tip!).

Friday, September 9, 2011

project runway episode 7



I recapped Project Runway over at Fruitless Pursuits, go check it out! Other recaps may be more informative, more accurate or more incisive, but mine has drawings.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

inspiration: alain gree


I just discovered the amazing French illustrator Alain Grée via the delightful Draw, Pilgrim! Vintage children's illustration (1950s-70s) is my favourite art form and a huge source of inspiration for me.


Grée was born in Paris in 1936 and is still alive and working today! He has published over 300 books, mostly in the 60s and 70s.


Grée's work combines a naivety of shape with a bold colour palette that makes me feel so happy.




There's a 50-year anniversary book (with stickers!) but I've only been able to find it on Amazon France. I may have to make an order!


Who are your favourite illustrators? I have so many, I might have to make this a series!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

little things




I am less than a month away from turning Very Old, and one of the few advantages to advanced age is knowing all the secrets of life. So I'm about to drop some piping-hot wisdom on you suckers:

The secret of being happy is to recognise your happiness. 

Being generally happy in your life is not about the moments of joy or ecstasy or excitement, it's about recognising that quiet satisfaction, fulfillment and peace are the elements of day-to-day happiness.

I've been thinking about this lately, and realising that my moments of happiness are mostly supremely dorky. But without them, my life would be a grey canvas with occasional riotous splodges of colour; with them, it's a textured map of different shades. Day to day life isn't about birthdays and holidays and making out, it's about getting on the bus and having coffee and making spreadsheets. So the secret to a happy life is to recognise the things in your daily routine that bring you tiny joy.

Like I said, my list is pretty dorky:
  • Putting a new desktop picture on my computer
  • Hearing the French girl at the coffee cart call me 'honey' in her adorable accent
  • When my public transport card gets low and then automatically updates up to $50 (no idea why this makes me feel so satisfied)
  • Arranging my bottles of nail polish before choosing a colour
  • A freshly cleaned-out handbag free of receipts and lolly wrappers
  • Turning over the calendar to a new month and seeing a new Matthew Scott illustration
  • Cleaning up my work desk so that all the papers are in piles, notebooks stacked and pens in penholders
  • Seeing a new window display at the bookshop on my walk from the bus stop 
  • Getting home and putting on my comfy pants to signal that I am chillaxing now
  • Getting home and putting on my pyjamas because I am chillaxing too hard even for comfy pants, I am chillaxing SO FUCKING HARD RIGHT NOW
  • Making a list
What are the stupid things that make you happy?

Monday, September 5, 2011

#beautifulinsideandout week 7

Image from Cutest Food


Ha ha, what happened to week 6? Don't ask!

Work has been crazy lately. I'm in a new role, and we have been working on a very large and complex project. I was out of the office and on my feet every day, and exhausted and stressed out every night. All my good habits went out the window and I drank too much coffee, ate out too much, ate fast food and comfort food.

But now I am back in the office (so I can easily record my calories), and much less stressed (so I can get back to being healthy.

Here are my goals for my New Start:
  • Exercise four times a week for at least 30 minutes
  • Record calories eaten
  • Eat home-cooked meals 5 days a week
  • No deep-fried foods
My inspiration this week is Dempeaux's post on eating and living healthy. Today I ate a salad and a yoghurt for lunch! We can do this thing!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

street style: miss l


Today's street style is courtesy of Miss L, another adorable friend of mine who agreed to let me take photos of her outfit. I am obsessed with her shoes and have been looking for fringed boots everywhere! Sadly they were bought in Europe a few years ago. At least that's what she tells me.


I love Miss L's style because she's never concerned about what's in fashion or what other people will think is sexy or cool. She dresses for herself and I love it.

projecg runway recap s09 e06


I recapped episode 6 of Project Runway over at Fruitless Pursuits! If you'd like to see some drawings which probably bear little relation to the actual fashions because they are drawn from memory, go check it out!