Life Instyle Progress Update

With Life Instyle only three weeks away now, there's not much else I can think about. So here's a progress update.

I finished putting my catalogues together last week and can't wait to see them in the flesh.

My new business cards have arrived.

My postcards have arrived.

And truck loads of supplies have been rolling in. This mammoth box of metal came yesterday and my arms are still aching from carrying it home from the post office.

So what's still left to do, quite a lot; line sheets, order forms, newsletter signup sheets, display design. I've lists upon lists upon list all over my desk, walls and computer. Fingers crossed they're coherent.

Pinterest Picks

My picks from Pinterest; the boards I found them on, and the sites they came from.

1. Wilting Flowers

• This evocative photograph comes from Pumpkin Eye, a Tumblr account gathering together a myriad of quirky and just plain pretty images.
• I found it on Roachel Follett's comprehensive 'Flowers' board.

2. Fashion photograph by John Rawlings, 1941

• I traced the pin back to Le blog de SoVeNa. The images found there are fascinating, unfortunately the articles are not written in English so I can't make heads or tails of them, but the images are more than enough to get me through. Knowing the image is by John Rawlings, however, you can find out more about him and his work at Voguepedia.
• The board on which I saw it: Adelaide McKenzie's 'Past'.

3. Paper Flowers

• A tutorial from the design and DIY blog known as The Elli Blog. Beautifully laid out and with an added interest in weddings this is a lovely blog to take a wander through. A clearly laid out and well styled tutorial for the pin is also available.
• The pin came from Cici Absolutely White’s ‘Do It Yourself’board full of amazing DIY I’m dying to try.

4. Paper Houses

• The paper houses come from the blog Designand Form. For those feeling crafty there’s a tutorial complete with templates on the site. Design and Form is run by Emma Sweden and home to many other stunningly minimalist paper craft tutorials.

• I found this pin on Robbie Lockard’s ‘Tablescape Ideas’ board.

Aaron Nace Photography

Browsing on Tumblr today I saw a stunning yet disturbing photograph by Aaron Nace. I instantly googled him and checked out his portfolio. My breath was taken, here is a glimpse of what I found there.

Island of Morel, the image that originally set me on Nace's trail 

From A Doll's House series

Rebirth

Small

Costume Design Guild Awards 2013 - The Winners

This is my first post from my new apartment. Think seveneties... red and brown tiling in the kitchen, clashing patterns in the bathroom with pink basin and tub. I now sit in the study (which I share with my cousin) partially in front of the window. If I lean to the right I can see the clock tower. I'm eating peanut butter on toast and loving what my life will be like this year, all the while knowing it won't be anything like this at all because I still need to get a job.

But you don't want to hear about me. You want to hear about the winners of the Costume Design Guild Awards who were announced on February 19 (I've been busy ok).

And the winners are...

For Excellence in Contemporary Film

“Skyfall” – Jany Temime

For Excellence in Period Film

“Anna Karenina” – Jacqueline Durran

For Excellence in Fantasy Film

“Mirror Mirror” – Eiko Ishioka

For Oustanding Contemporary Television Series

“Smash” – Molly Maginnis

For Outstounding Period/Fantasy Television Series

“Downton Abbey” – Caroline McCall

For Outstanding Made for TV Movie or Mini Series

“American Horror Story: Asylum, Season 2” – Lou Eyrich

For Excellence in Commercial Costume Design

“Captain Morgan Black” – Judianna Makovsky

And be sure to check out the nominees for film and televsion.

Costume Design Guild Awards Part 2

Part 1 of my Costume Design Guild Awards features pictures and my two cents on all the nominees for the film categories, excellence in contemporary film, excellence in period film, and excellence in fantasy film.
This post will feature the nominees for the television categories, and here they are...

For Outstanding Contemporary Television Series

Girls – Jennifer Rogien

Nashville – Susie DeSanto

Revenge – Jill Ohanneson

Smash – Molly Maginnis

Treme – Alonzo Wilson, Costume Designer. Ann Walters, co-Costume Designer

 I watch Girls and have watched Revenge and Smash. My personal preference for the show may be clouding my judgement but I'm gonna go with Girls. It's stylish in a way that not just about draping the actors in up to the minute fashions. It's quirky and perfectly articulates who the characters are.

For Outstanding Fantasy/Period Television Series

Boardwalk Empire – John Dunn, Lisa Padovani

Game of Thrones – Michele Clapton

Downton Abbey – Caroline McCall

 This one is clear for me, it's Game of Thrones of course. This has nothing to do with me being a mad GoT fan (maybe a little), or not having seen the others (yet). GoT has such variety and depth that it needs to encompass in it's costumes and Michele Clapton pulls it off magnificently.

For Outstanding Made for TV Movie or Miniseries

American Horror Story: Asylum, Season 2 – Lou Eyrich

Hemingway & Gellhorn – Ruth Myers

Hatfields & McCoys – Karri Hutchinson

 I can't pass judgement on this category as I haven't seen any of the contenders but I'm going to go for Hatfields & McCoys just for fun.

For Excellence in Commercial Costume Design

No great pictures for these but here are the links to the videos.

Capital One: Couture – Roseanne Fiedler

Captain Morgan Black – Judianna Makovsky

Dos Equis: Most Interesting Man in the World – Julie Vogel

The costume design seems  to be top notch on all of these but I most enjoyed the Dos Equis ad.

So there it is. I believe the winners will be announced on the 19th of February.

Costume Design Guild Awards Part 1

The Nominees for this years Costume Design Guild Awards have been announced, they were announced last month but I was never known for my punctuality.

And the nominees are...

For Excellence in Contemporary Film

Beasts of the Southern Wild -Stephani Lewis

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - Louise Stjernsward

Silver Linings Playbook - Mark Bridges

Skyfall - Jany Temime

Zero Dark Thirty – George L. Little

 I have only seen Silver Linings Playbook and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel out of these five and I desperately want to see Beasts of the Southern Wild. So based on my limited knowledge I'd back Silver Linings. I think it's harder for costume design to get recognised when it doesn't have some kind of hook (E.g. Bond glamour, or an exotic location) but Mark Bridges did an amazing job, so much so that my friend and I left the film talking about the costumes.

For Excellence in Period Film

Lincoln - Joanna Johnston

Les Misérables – Paco Delgado

Anothe Les Mis 'cause why not

Anna Karenina – Jacqueline Durran

Argo – Jacqueline West

Moonrise Kingdom – Kasia Walicka-Maimone

This one's tough. I haven't seen Argo and this picture is making me wonder why not. I also haven't seen Anna Karenina yet but to be fair it's not out in Australia for a few more weeks. I haven't seen Lincoln either so it seems once again I've only done two out of five. Even though Les Mis may be my favourite film of 2012 costume wise I find myself coming down on the side of Moonrise Kingdom, the detail, the quirkiness... it's won me.

For Excellence in Fantasy Film

Cloud Atlas – Kym Barrett, Pierre-Yves Gayraud

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Ann Maskrey, Richard Taylor, Bob Buck

The Hunger Games – Judianna Makovsky

Mirror Mirror – Eiko Ishioka

Snow White and the Huntsman – Colleen Atwood

Can you believe it, four out of five, I think we've found my genre. Cloud Atlas is the only film on this list I haven't seen and I don't think it's out in Australia yet. In this category I've found it hard to separate my feelings for the film from my feelings for the costumes. I love Hunger Games, love it to pieces. When I couldn't find a photo for it that captured why I love it so much I had to compensate with two photos. On the other end of the scale I have such aversion to Snow White and the Huntsmen I find it hard to admit how bad-ass Charlise Theron looks in those evil queen outfits. And sitting somewhere in the middle (Middle Earth that is, tee hee hee) is the Hobbit. While I believe it to be an over long, self indulgent enterprise, I'll confess, the costumes, in particular the dwarf design, is remarkable. So, taking it from left field, my vote goes to Mirror Mirror. One of the first things I said when I saw this films was , "Man I love those costumes."

I will post the nominees for the Television awards (Contemporary, Period/Fantasy, Made for TV Movie or Miniseries, and Commercial Costume Design) in my next post.

Oceanid Collection

Here it is at last, the full Oceanid Collection Look Book.
But first...
A big thank you to Tegan and Kelsey for being my two models, and to Leah for doing the hair, make up, and being the photography assistant.

  

I'm so proud of this collection and am thrilled to finally be sharing it with all of you.
This blog has tied in strongly with themes and names in this collection, you need only check out some of my mermaid, nymph, or collection development posts to see how.

Launching at the Brisbane Finders Keepers Market on the 3rd and 4th of November, and online at Etsy and MadeIt the following week.