Cushions, winter drives and pie!

I have a very busy weekend - with lots of work to be done. Which is good!! I have been busy taking photos for The Weekend Edition's Captured section lately. This means that my weekends are a bit fuller, but I am visiting lots of great events that I would usually be too lazy to attend. This weekend I have been to the Winn Lane Yard Sale and the Lethbridge gallery art prize exhibition opening (worth a look). Also, I'm working on an exciting new illustration project - which I wont be able to share with you just yet...


Things I enjoyed this weekend:
Sunny Winter Drives


Stage Lighting (with Chukale)

Also, I'm not sure if you are aware, but I have a cushion obsession. I don't actually buy cushions, I just obsess over them and THINK about buying them. Here are some on my current cushion wish list:

1.  Ogilvy cushion and Mog Cushion by Donna Wilson
2. 50/50 Palms cushion by Blacklist Studio Prints
3. Meow Face Cat Cushion by Beneath The Sun
4. Totem Collection Cushions by Harvest Textiles

Also, I am VERY excited by the delivery of pie and macaroons this Monday. In order to support her budding baking business and her love for ballet Lauren Tregenza has created the event 'Baking for Ballet' Pie Drive. I have ordered a 'Winter is Coming' pie (Chocolate, cherry & meringue) and some cinnamon spiced macaroons. Have a look at Lauren's Game of Thrones themed pies (follow this link for more pics) :

Commence Hibernation

It's winter time! Yes I know I live in Queensland and the coldest it gets is about 10degrees. But I also live in a Queenslander, which is not designed to keep the warmth in. It feels a bit like camping. :)

I hate the cold and I dream of tropical a tropical lifestyle in a tropical destination, doing tropical things.
Tropical things could include: drinking mojitos, eating icecream, laying on the beach, dancing lobsters, wearing a tropical fruit hat, and soaking up the warm sun like a lizard.

Things I do enjoy in "winter":
Scarves, hot chocolate, marshmallow roasting, fires, cider, snuggling, blankets, sleeping, tea, leggings, socks, cuddling, being spooned, fluffy cuddly dogs, being indoors, hibernating, loooong hot showers or baths, lavender body wash, curry, pie, ginger, spices and anything chocolatey.
Winter can only be good if there is snow and central heating.


This is my new favourite recipe website, TasteSpotting, set to my favourite search setting: hot + chocolate


I have amalgamated a few recipes together to create an Emily experimental dairy free hot chocolate:
Cook in a saucepan:
Good heaped taplespoon (or more to taste) of Brown sugar
2 table spoons of good quality cocoa powder
2 cups Almond milk (add a little at a time until the mixture is smooth - and then add the rest of the milk)
Add cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, and if you want it spicier add some chilli powder
Stir and let thicken a little over the heat - but don't let it boil
Drink with or without marshmallows!

As being sampled by my sister - post dancing dress rehearsal

My new favourite favourite photography blog: Mocking Bird 
Has a really great segment called "What's in your kit?"

Alice Gao's Kit via Mocking Bird 

Interviews with photographers and descriptions of the cameras, lenses and tips they use for photographing their work.  It has been very inspiring for me to read and has given me some great ideas for equipment that I would like to buy and techniques that I would like to try.
Here is an interview with Olga Bennet (you might have seen her work in  Frankie Magazine, Smith Journal or Peppermint Magazine).  Olga has created a beautiful book, which I would love to own, called Environments - documenting studio spaces around Melbourne.

Environments book photo via Olga Bennett's website.


Pomeranian Sleepover - my couch in the morning light...
( he was actually sitting in this pose already)

La Boite Theatre - Indie Season bar at The Truth About Kookaburras  and my obsession with photographing glass...


Boy & Bear at The Tivoli
  

My purchases at the LifeLine Bookfest  (Nothing deep here, just cook books and some light reads)


My friends Alex and Rosanna are enjoying a lovely holiday in Annecy for the Annecy Animation Festival at the moment. so jealous.

And lastly - a beautiful new blog to keep your eye on by graphic designer Kimmy Hogan, called white with three

Overshare?

There is a wintery change in the air bringing in some new exciting projects!
Here is the view from my studio: Dark, windy, wintery nights, quiet and still.
Crisp, clear-sky mornings with autumn leaves.
Copious amounts of tea.
Lavender, Lemon balm & Chamomiles. Peppermint & Spearmint. My two favourites.
And of course slippers and mismatched socks.

Writing a blog and sharing my inner worries, frustrations, opinions, inspirations, process and adventures, leaves me vulnerable to scrutiny and judgment. Lately I’ve been wondering how I am interpreted in my blogs and if I share too much.

While many may scoff at my writing style and naïve insights, it feels empowering to share my perspective. I’m not ashamed of my socially awkward humour or my overly dramatic recounts of every day life. I try to be entertaining in my own way. But I also try to share the process of what I’m doing in the pursuit of my dreams, my adventures and of course my artwork. I want to be different from the norm, I want to be creative every day, I want to have diversity in life and I want to have love in my life. I definitely do not want to fit into the mould of another; I have my own shape and my own direction.

I think it’s important to create awareness and community around creatives and freelancers. Sharing the struggles and the inspirations and feeling the comfort in the experience of others. It does comfort me to know that I’m not the only sharer.

Illustrator Dawn Tan (known for her amazing food & product illustration) expresses her tears, her self-doubt, her career confusion, her excitement and honestly tells her readers the ups & downs of her journey. Her blog 'Hand made love' is so honest and heartfelt.

Super Successful, 'Cup of Jo' bloggist, Joanna Goddard, writes so honestly about her life, her feelings and her family. She even shares her experience with post-weening depression and her fears of peeing in earshot of her husband.

 And in case you don’t remember these two articles on the struggles of freelancing: The first is an opinion piece by illustrator Kelly Thompson: RIP IT UP AND START AGAIN

AND a response article by Lauren Winter of Blooming Leopold

This artwork speaks to me every day: I’m proud of you for following your dreams. I feel so much joy in knowing that I am. This is my favourite art work ever – by Jen Ray in her etsy shop Corduroy.



“Who are you to judge the life I live? 
I know I'm not perfect 
-and I don't live to be- 
but before you start pointing fingers... 
make sure you hands are clean!” 
 ― Bob Marley 

Thank you Bob Marley, I like the way you think.
Live and let live.

Here are a few shots I took at the Indesign after party. I love the lighting! And I have no idea what these amazing little morsels are, because of my dairy allergy, but they look delicious.


I have just finished working on an exciting project with ForkMyFood!
I have created a series of illustrations to be used on the ForkMyFood Blog and Facebook.
Visit ForkMyFood to see the latest illustrations and make sure you check back regularly for the new illustrations and of course, the delicious recipes!
I have also been featured in a ForkMyFood Blog Post.
Here is some of my work for the project...
 
                          

This recipe looks so delicious - Banana pancakes with warm coconut honey:
And this beautiful cake... holy wow!

A little extra reading material:

My new favourite tumblr full of pictures of dogs:  http://dowhattowhosedog.tumblr.com/


An article on lucky people and how they find luck with a lucky attitude: http://www.marcandangel.com/2012/05/21/10-things-lucky-people-do-differently/#more-452 

One very stylish & hip man – Sam Lambert style interview in The Sartorialist: http://www.thesartorialist.com/style-profiles/style-profile-sam-lambert/#more-25824