MARIETTE LOOKBOOK!

My first two Lookbook slideshows for the BUG POP site are now up! Mariette, my new muse, is awesome to work with - full of ideas, and fun. Now we've had an "I'm too shy to model infront of people!" test-shoot in the privacy of The Hive, I'm going to convince her to venture out, into a few photoshoot ideas I've been sitting on for ages! Have a look on the BUG POP website, now!

BUG IN THE HOOD!

Doc called me into the living room today, to show me the youngest tagger I've seen yet! This kid was about six years old, and had some fat chalk! After writing her statement (seemingly a protest or warning about some guys jarg taste, or lack of eye for a bargain) she ran away, then came back and went over it again in a different colour! By which time I had stopped laughing enough to grab my camera!
I love my neighbourhood!

GIRLS GOT BRASS!

Found this beautiful picture of an all-she brass band from way back when. Thought I should share...

RETURN OF THE LITTLE PEOPLE!

Last year to celebrate the launch of my Lilliputians Earings, I blogged about the amazing Little People photography of SLINKACHU! Since then, I've noticed a lot of greetings cards with these similar set-ups, usually involving food and domestic objects, and assumed they were by the same artist, but they aren't! These works (which definitely have their own distinctive quality and framing style - closer-up to the subject, less grit and slightly less humour-based, with a heavier design aesthetic) are by French photographer, Vincent Bousserez (whose website I would link, but it's currently not working!...Google him!)
I love them!

THE HUMAN BOOKSHELF!

Spanish Artist, David Blazquez, questions our concept of inanimate home decor with his photographic series of human sculpture/furniture! Check him out!

WORSHIPPING THE VOLCANO!

Leaving the island today. For our last night, we went for a drink at a sea-edging cocktail bar. These cocktails were ridiculously good! The bar is known as the Island's best vantage point for seeing the neighbouring Island's lava displays! YES! The whole of the nearest island is an active volcano, which erupts every 15 minutes. Always. So we sat and watched it again and again, showering it's distant but unmissable orange-red glow into the blackness. Today I looked at the volcano again, its lava bleached from sight by the bright sun, and I thought about negative space, and light and dark, and what colour is!
And then I had to go and pack!

IL POSTINO!

Ending the holiday on Salina, at a too-swanky hotel! We are still eating the best food ever, and having funny adventures and rambles through rocky dusty terrain! Today we hired a car (littlest one, Alessia, had to sit on a knee so we all fit. Oops!) and all went out to see the mountainside house where the fantastic Italian film "Il Postino" was filmed! I LOVE this film, ever since my Dad bought me it on VHS, so was very star-struck and excited!
Me and Gia walked up the side of a vast, cloud-skimming mountain overlooking the house deciding to head back, only when it got too steep to carry on, and we realised that the two huge screeching birds of prey 30 ft above us were definitely sizing us up, and would probably win in a fight!

BLISS IS THE LIFE!

Holiday is located in heaven! I have turned into the Eliza Doolittle of the party, merely for the fact that literally EVERYTHING around us, and the beauty and luxury we have been living in, excites and enthuses me, and brands me with a permanent silly grin, and a hundred thankyou's! The rest of the family have enjoyed it all, but it has been taken very much more in their stride! Soppy-Enthusiastic-Overexcitable English Girl, anyone?! ;-)

VACANZA A FILICUDI!!!

Mr G's Dad has brought the family on holiday to the Eolian Islands- a small row of rugged, arrid islands off of Sicily, with pebble beaches and the clearest sea water I have ever seen. So much Sun, and Realx, and gooood food! Apart from being stung by a Jellyfish yesterday within 3 minutes of entering the sea, I am in heaven! Infact, I even quite enjoyed that experience as part of the adventure!

THE TERRIFIC TEDDY GIRLS!

Late 1940's youth culture movement, the "Teddy Girls", were a lesser-acknowledged element of the tough and iconic "Teddy Boy" movement. Apparently the basis of the scene came from huge gangs of working class Londoners and Irish immigrants. Culturally, they took the tom-boy look to extreme levels, given the female ideal of the time. With the same slicked back quiffs and broad shouldered jackets as the boys, these chicks were considered terrifying to the average 1950's girl-next-door! Here's two of Ken Russel's stunning photographs of girls from the movement, which was little documented elsewhere. And also look out for an Autumn/Winter collection from BUG POP, taking a lot of inspiration!