Toys not only for little girls and boys

I can't help but collect mad-looking '60s and '70s children's toys. Their little faces are so optimistic and naive and they're usually made from great colours.

Kiwi cool

New Zealand designer Karen Walker is a rather cool kiwi. Her house is not bad either, check the rest of the rooms out at The Selby.

Shop til you pop(corn)

The Birdy Popcorn pop up shop is open, up and running. Check it out here or shop online at Birdy Popcorn.

Fashion flashback

I was searching for some images this morning and came across this photo shoot.
It was from early 2005, when I was working in Sydney, on a magazine called Star, which has since closed down.
Pioneer Studios, where we regularly shot, had a fabulous archive of vintage furniture available to hire for photo shoots. Not surprisingly I was drawn to this aqua velvet chaise, by Grant Featherston, for this lingerie story.
My friend Fabrizio Lipari was the photographer for this shoot (and countless others we did together).
The 5-level studio has since closed down...I wonder what happened to all that wonderful furniture...

Click on images to enlarge.

She sells sea shells

This one-off neckpiece is made from recycled pieces of dyed abalone shell, mother-of-pearl, stainless steel and bone (which I found washed up on the sand - I think it's from some kind of seabird).
The length of the white double-strand mother-of-pearl "chain" is 35cms.
At its widest point the neckpiece is 14cms; and from the bone to the bottom of the necklace, it measures 15cms. It's a little bit Hawaii 5-O, a touch Papua tribesman and slightly Pocahontas. Unique, no?
And, more importantly, this lovingly handmade neckpiece is for sale!
If you are interested shoot me an email here, message me on Facebook, or leave a comment below.

Click images to enlarge.

1970s glamourama

Aside from the fashion, culture and music that made the 1970s such a unique decade, the iconic women from the era (musicians, artists, actors, writers, models etc) seemed so powerful, fierce, oozing attitude and bucket loads of style. Both images below are courtesy of Cat Party.

The Pointer Sisters

Jerry Hall

Golden opportunity

Yellow features throughout my house, wardrobe, jewellery and accesories, not surprisingly I'm drawn to the combination of yellow and white everywhere else!

SF Girl By Bay

SF Girl By Bay

My kitchen

SF Girl By Bay

Paper Giants - part 2

Ita (Asher Keddie) waiting for a bus (yes! A bus) in all her oversized-sunnies glory.

And here's some stills from that fabulous archival footage of 1970s Sydney.

Taking money at the toll booth on the Harbour Bridge (lovely afternoon - or is it early morning? - light).

Bondi Beach. Of course.

                 Since 1950 and still going strong in the Cross.

The city (looks like Market St).

       More of that great filmography. Nice shot.

Paper Giants - part 1

Thoroughly enjoyed the first half of ABC's Paper Giants, the story of the birth of CLEO magazine.
Asher Keddie, as the mag's editor Ita Buttrose, is fabulous, as is Rob Thomas, who plays Kerry Packer. The biggest star? The fab '70s interiors and fashion, the two-part series' art direction and the addition of original archive footage of '70s-era Sydney.

Asher Keddie, as Ita Buttrose, in shot with a cool light fitting and blue bull.

In Kerry's office. Nice desk lamp.

Stylish ladies and cool orange lightshade and red Planet lamp.

More fab lighting in Kerry's office; noticing the orange theme (well, guess it was the 1970s - orange was embraced like it was going out of fashion)?

That orange plastic lightshade again and a green Planet lamp...nice industrial sparseness in the CLEO office.

Note the Planet lamp (yellow this time)? How much fun would the scene and set design have been on this film?!

Lovely lighting via two classic '70s ceramic-based  lamps. Ubiquitous mother-in-law's tongue pot plant (set designer has done their homework!).  Check out the space-age vacuum cleaner!

Lovely geometric wallpaper in the executive lift.

Words of advice

Wise words (found at Gala Darling) and ones I shall heed...right...about...now...

Paint it (charcoal) black

Will I do it?
I've moved out of my former sleeping headquarters and my bedroom is slowly getting emptied in preparation for a new paint job. I really, really want to paint either the entire room charcoal or just one wall. All images from SF Girl By Bay.

It's a BIG commitment though. But, every time I see a cool room with a dark wall, I take one step closer to that part of the paint chart.

TV sidekick chic

I think these star and interior combos are very cleverly done and a great addition to the always-stylish SF Girl By Bay's blog.

Barbara Streisand and a divine Grant Featherston chair.

Mary Tyler Moore and a cool '70s-vibe room.

And seeing Mary Tyler Moore reminded me of the character Rhoda Morgenstern (who was in The Mary Tyler Moore Show).  I always thought Rhoda was very stylish when I was a kid. So, I looked around the web for images of the character (played by Valerie Harper), to discover that yes, she was very cool. Agree?

'70s chic!

Good scarf.

Great necklace.

Cool cats in the office.

Short-stay style

Over at Emmas Design Blogg she is featuring stylish hotels. There's a lot of sleek and minimal looks going on but my favourite so far is Hotel Basico in Playa del Carmen. I love it's modern-rustic good looks and new wave Art Deco ship lines. Me gusta. Te gusta?
A trip to Mexico is in order me thinks.

Kelly green with envy

I'm a big fan of Kelly Wearstler, that's no secret, and I rather like her blog: My Vibe My Life. I'm rather envious of her life and style. But that doesn't make me like her any less.
She's a winner.

How about this light-fittings shop!? Yes, pick that one, pick that one!

Cool glasses, Kelly.

Heaven. I'm in heaven. One of each, thanks.