The Holiday's Plans

Most of my holidays are generally spent idly browsing the net or playing computer games with the occasional fridge-binge. This holidays, I am making an attempt to get away from this usual habits. Already I am spending part of my current vacation in Noosa, however my nerd-brain won't let me escape this electronics orientated normality. So nearly every moment that doesn't require me to leave the house has been (much to my own dismay) on the dreaded computer.

SO! In order to prevent this, I have come up with a plan involving a set of three projects I wish to complete before the end of this term's holidays.

1. Make a Summer Dress!

I have had a sewing pattern I bought from an op-shop on Olinda for a long time now and I think it's about time to use the old girl to make a pretty dress with a bunch of nice fabrics I own. However, due to my own silly ineptitude, I may require my friend Kirsten's assistance on actually how to use a sewing pattern.

2. Make this =>

into a doll.

If I have not mentioned this earlier, I am currently obsessed with all things Japan. Not too long ago (meaning only seconds earlier), I came across this odd looking crazy cat while reading one of my many mangas*. As funny-looking and weird as it is, I thought it'd look rather cute as a stuffed toy so it has now become a part of my holiday plans! Although I've mentioned this earlier, I am terrible at sewing patterns, I am however good at improv sewing! It is my pride and joy when it comes to these kinds of things!

3. Make a Teacup Garden!

A cute idea inspired by that of 'Frankie' magazine. I will buy (once funds become available) a bunch of cute teacups from op-shops, a couple of herb seeds or seedlings and fertiliser. Then after drilling a hole in the bottom of the teacups, fill up the teacups with the fertiliser then plant the seed/lings in the dirt. I figure this would be a nice and eco-friendly way of growing my own foods.

And finally 4. Get FIT!

After spending weeks mostly eating horribly sugar induced foods, hardly walking (beyond the computer chair and the fridge) and lack of general enthusiasm to be free of the overall house environment, I am very much surprised I haven't contracted some sort of heart disease or diabetes. So in order to prevent such happenings in further development, I have decided to get fit. However I fear this may not be accomplished by the end of this holidays. So I am going to make this my long term plan!

~ Mary

*manga - for those who don't know this, mangas are Japanese graphic novels or more commonly referred to as Japanese Comics. It is also my current obsession alongside anime :P

Audrey Kawasaki: The Fine Arts

Audrey Kawasaki is an artist from the US who does amazing artworks and designs in the Fine Arts dept. She has held multiple exhibitions and even has her own online shop.

Kawasaki's work is ethereal, calm and melancholy yet wild and beautiful. She can encompass both innocence and disturbing attractiveness in her artwork. Many of her paintings are depicted by oil and graphite on a wooden panel which is an unusual but stunning art form.

I was given a link to this series of photos that shows some of Audrey's paintings in progress. They were so beautiful and eye-catching that I researched her a little more. Not only does she paint for exhibitions, she designs brooches and other cute little doovelakis that are exquisite and very much worth the look.

Here's the link I received for her painting progress for one of her solo exhibitions: Hawajima.

And here's Audrey Kawasaki's site.
www.audrey-kawasaki.com/

I seriously recommend looking at some of the paintings they're incredible!

~Mary

My Loverly Friend: the Typewriter named Remington

Remington

Recently I was given this lovely retro blue 'Remington' typewriter (as modelled by my wooden manikin, Katie) by my Aunty Michaela. I absolutely adore it! Everything from it's ivory coloured keys to the way it chimes when I reach the end of a page.

How cute are these keys?

I have done multiple assignments, letters and forms on this little baby and it's much easier to use than people think! Sure I've had to look up some slight problems I've encountered such as accidentally locking the capital letters, losing the ink tape, snapping the space bar... but it's all worthwhile once you know how to handle the basic hiccups. Although not fun to fix, I find myself feeling very much like Lemony Snicket in the movie, A Series of Unfortunate Events whenever the ink tape gets caught.

I highly reccomend getting a typewriter, not just for it's novel aesthetics but also because it gets you away from the life-controlling computer and teaches you how to never make mistakes when typing again! The only downside: ink tape. Expensive stuff and extraordinarily hard to find!

But if you are looking for a super cheap solution to this problem, I say use carbon paper but you will have to bee 100% confident in your typing ability as you cannot see what you are typing on carbon paper.

~Mary