Things that make my heart sing is just that - a list of favourite things that I love. Each week I will post an entry and by the time I get to the end of the first list of 100 things I will probably have another. I hope you enjoy!
I have always LOVED paper dolls. When I was little I remember cutting them out and folding the tabs just right – so I could change the outfits over and they wouldn’t fall off. I was never really a doll person (that was more my sisters love – she was right into Barbie there for a while – but I really just liked the plastic wardrobe with the little drawers, a mirror and the tiny coat hangers).
I have a few paper doll books now that I have collected over the years. I have done one or two with Kitty – but most of them I feel like they are too ‘good’ to cut (isn’t that funny….) and so we just get them out every now and then and look at the pictures.
Apparently paper dolls have been around as long as there has been paper. Faces or other objects were applied to the paper and they were used during religious rituals and ceremonies in Asian cultures many centuries ago.
In Europe, particularly France, the first paper dolls were made during the mid 1700s. The paper was jointed and they were called pantins meaning dancing or jumping jack puppet. They were intended to entertain adults and spread throughout high society. They were drawn or painted like people with fashions for each doll. These were more similar to contemporary Western paper dolls.
When I was looking for various paper doll images to go with this entry I found the most fantastic website of Betsy McCall paper dolls from 1951 to 1961 all scanned from the originals and ready for you to download, cut and play. How fantastic! I got totally engrossed in looking through all the different ones – they are just so gorgeous and I really loved them all. Next time you have a spare afternoon on a wet and rainy – indoor activity kind of day – I can highly recommend a visit with Betsy McCall – she’ll keep you entertained for hours!
I worked in the city for years – Melbourne City that is, and part of my average week (the part I particularly enjoyed) was to pay a visit to various shops, cafes and galleries that I liked during my lunch break.
I am always interested in what is new, different and cutting edge. Not necessarily to buy mind you – but I always love to ‘have a look’. I think this is how the mind of artist, designer type people work….visually we take it all in and then eventually we settle on something and out comes our idea – pop! Anyway I digress……
It must be at least 10 years ago now – when on Elizabeth Street in the city – amongst a variety of pretty well non-descript shops – Outré Gallery (pronounced ‘oo-trey’) opened its doors. French for out of the ordinary and unusual – Outré Gallery was an instant success in that it bought ‘fun’ to art and specialized in showcasing contemporary international pop, lowbrow, pop surrealism, street, tiki, modern folk, retro with a twist and underground art. They dig art that crosses over with design, pop and counter culture. Gotta love that – I certainly do!
Over the years I have had a number of very special gifts given to me from Outré – my favourite is a signed and numbered limited edition framed print called Hexagram by Andrew Brandou. Our wedding gift to each other - my husband Sam and I used the image as the basis for our Winter solstice wedding – featuring elements of it on our invitations, place settings and thank you cards. Andrew Brandou says of the piece - ‘I try to use something like the hexagram pretty specifically, as not to violate anyone’s sensibilities, while at the same time tweaking it to fit the theme of the work. In the painting “hexagram” for instance, the animals carry the symbols of the tarot, march under the evergreen, and have laid the hexagram to symbolically represent themselves reclaiming their space in nature, acting as agents of change.’
Next up would have to be the King and Queen Salt and Pepper shakers given to me by Sam for Christmas. Designed and made by Gus McLaren. Gus and Betty McLaren together made a legendary body of work which represented the mid-century folk warmth of Australia in the 50s and 60s. In the wake of Gus's passing last year, Betty continued to produce these classic pieces of Australian pottery from the original molds. Lucky me!
And last but certainly not least is the Tree Show Micro-Portfolio by Mark Ryden which is the most gorgeous set of 15 postcards of paintings from The Tree Show.
Just some of my favourite things……..keep up the good work Outré!
My idea of heaven is to have a WHOLE day fossicking around in lots of different op shops. I started op shopping in my early teens – it was a good way to make my pocket money go further and I quite liked wearing floral vintage dresses and had my own unique style happening (as teenagers are want to do) – so op shopping was full of wonderful opportunities to find cool stuff to wear that no one else had.
As I got older I rummaged around in op shops collecting all kinds of things to fill my house. Especially of course when I moved out of home and had my own house to decorate. I’ve always been attracted to domestic objects from between the 1930’s and the 1960’s – so those particular kind of vintage treasures over the years have caught my eye and my dollar. The ebbs and flows of my collections have covered items such as green glass, anodized aluminum, soda siphons (of which I have about 50 tucked away in boxes in the shed!), made in Japan ceramics (of which you have seen a few in the last post), jugs, teaspoons, mixing bowls, glasses, marbles, Chinese patterned ginger jars, glass jelly moulds, biscuit and chocolate tins, golden books, fisher price toys from my childhood, Enid Blyton Books (to add to the collection I have had since I was a kid) and of course the list goes on and on!
Funnily enough – when the right time finally came along for me to branch out and be in business for myself – I made sure that op shopping was something that had to be done in the name of ‘work’. And true to my ‘work’ I get to go to ‘work’ sourcing material for my creations every second day or so. If we are driving along in the car on an outing – I am constantly on the lookout for places to stop and do some work (I confess I am a workaholic) and I especially love the discovery of a new op shop I haven’t been to – oh the thrill of undiscovered gems!
The photos for this post are just a tiny few of my favourite finds from over the years – the ones that were closest on hand!
I have collected things ever since I was a little girl. Some would call me a hoarder and say that my house was full of clutter although I prefer to see myself as a bower-bird and the treasures I find in my travels feather my nest, so to speak. I am not exactly sure of why I collect the things I do. My Great Grandmother Dorothy Kelly does have a small part to play - as her kitchen and her china cabinet remain forever burned in my memory. Sometimes I start a collection almost by default – like my more recent vintage apron collection which came about because of my souvenir tea towel collection…..anyway I’m not going to write much today about my 1950’s kitchenalia collection I thought instead I would show you a few photos of things from my kitchen which will give you an idea of the kinds of things that make my heart sing!
I love coming across old magazines from the 1950’s and 60’s at the op shop – I always love flicking through the yellowing pages to find the illustrative gems that at the time were oh so modern and new! With headings like – Automagically - the gift every woman wants – for a new washing machine to Bottling Fruit in the Lounge? Who would have thought!
The vintage style of the illustrations and the gorgeous colours really appeal to me – I suppose the ads and magazines in general are just an extension of the things I LOVE to collect. My kitchen (whilst overflowing with collected treasures) is an ode to the time when kitchen dressers with bakelite handles were standard fare, laminex and chrome kitchen tables with two tone matching vinyl chairs, quirky ceramic cookie jars and vases in bright colours, all made in japan, tea pots and tea cups made in England and a piece or two of Diana ware – preferably jugs with white polka dots, lovely rustic kitchen scales and well – I could go on and on. One day I’ll post some photos so you can all see for yourself!
Still, I must say that even though I love to look and reminisce about a vintage life when things seemed somewhat simpler and more wholesome – I wouldn’t trade for the world all the lovely modern toys I get to play with – like my fancy pants finger operated sewing machine – my front loading washing machine (how on earth would I felt all my woollen jumpers like I do – if I didn’t have that baby), the computer which connects me and my business to the world and dare I say it – the rather large television which is fabulous for watching movies on – when I am just too tired to sew one more stitch.
I must admit though – the concept of bottling fruit in the lounge is still somewhat a-peeling. And dare I say – still quite novel. What a marvelous idea! Especially when you have no room in your kitchen……
We met when I was 15 – he was 16. Thinking back – I would say it was definitely mutual admiration at first site. Our journeys would take us down many paths – with other relationships and other life lessons to learn. We always knew each other through mutual friends and siblings – our initial friendship and fondness remained, although we weren’t the kind of friends who would catch up independently. I think this is because I pretty well always had a boyfriend!
We met up again at a birthday party when I was in my mid 20’s. We were a little shy of each other – a few years and water under the bridge had flowed and we were both older and wiser for our journeys. Before I left – Sam had the courage to ask if I was single – and as luck has it, I was! Well the rest is history now. We have been together for about 8 years and married for 5.
It’s funny when I look back over the last 20 years since we met. I think if we had got together earlier – our relationship wouldn’t have lasted the distance but because of the life experiences we lived - when the time was finally right – we were both ready. Sam is my very best friend and my darling sweetheart – loved to the moon and back.
Here’s to a long lived and much loved life together. He makes my heart sing everyday and loves me like no other. How blessed am I.
Today is a great day. Today, I get to sing the praises of my children. I get to celebrate how much I adore them. I get to rejoice in the fact that I have been blessed with being a mother. Not once but twice. The pigeon pair.
There are moments in my life when I reminisce on what life was like pre-children. Usually it is when I am up to my eye balls in the fifty million things that I am trying to do all at once and attend to my children. Lucky for me multi-tasking is a skill that I have taken to quite well and so my dear children still get big chunks of Mummy – amongst it all.
My darling daughter Kitty – I feel so blessed that you have come to play with me in this lifetime. Your vivaciousness, zest for life and enthusiasm – brighten my day. You make me laugh with your silly songs and dances; you inspire me with your creativity and impress me with your kind and caring nature.
My gorgeous Milo – What a delight you are. Thank you for joining me on this journey. What fun we are having together. You are such a happy and loving little boy. Our family is all the more blessed since you came to play. Your lovely little kisses and cuddles make my day and I look forward to seeing you grow and develop over the years to come.
Sometime in my twenties, I came across a book written in 1923 called ‘The Prophet’ by Kahil Gibran. A series of philosophical essays written in English prose it resonated with me so deeply that elements of it have embedded themselves in my psyche. The chapter on children in particular;
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness; For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
Kitty and Milo you are loved. Thank you for making my heart sing.
Women love their clutter fiercely when it is full of love.
Mirka Mora
When I think back on my childhood memories – there are certain things that have stuck with me through my journey in life and which I’m sure have shaped me into the person I am today. One of those very strong memories is of the paintings by Mirka Mora that hung in my friend Ella’s house. I think I remember them so vividly because I loved the colours, the big eyes on the faces and the wings. Of course I didn’t know that they were painted by Mirka until I was much older - when I recognised the eyes and whimsical style in other paintings of hers and put two and two together.
In my late twenties – when I was in full swing of my event management day job – I was lucky enough to put together a series of literary luncheons at ZINC at Federation Square. At the time Mirka had just released her second book – ‘Love & Clutter’ and I was keen to secure her as a guest and speaker. On the day I welcomed the guests and Mirka (how excited I was to meet her!) with the story of my childhood and playing in the house with her paintings on the wall. She thanked me for sharing and went on to tell her story and views on the world and life in general. What a character she is! She certainly had the audience in fits of laughter with her innocent and yet charming ways.
I felt a great resonance with Mirka that day and in particular the topic of her new book – Love & Clutter. For those of you who know me well – I have always loved clutter. Organised chaos I call it…….sometimes it overwhelms me but for the vast majority of my day to day life – the clutter that makes up my home is primarily trinkets and treasures I have collected during my travels around the neighbourhood and over the seas. My clutter inspires me – it helps me to be the creative I am and it is filled with so much love and memories. Here is an excerpt from the book that I particularly liked……
A Bundle of Fabrics - excerpt from Love & Clutter by Mirka Mora
When I was a child, my mother would put aside pieces of fabric from the dresses she made for her three little daughters – silks, taffetas, cotton, wool, and a lot of lace and ribbons – all of unimaginable colours, different lengths and widths and quality. I coveted those pieces but wasn’t allowed to investigate them until the age of eighteen; my memory of them is still very strong, probably because they were forbidden. My Mother had her own world and remains a mystery to me today, as parents often do.
When my mother readied herself to leave Paris to live in New York, the only luggage she took was these pieces of fabric enveloped in a white damask tablecloth, tied diagonally by its four corners. Mother knew the story of each little piece and decided to take these memories with her. I was amazed, then slowly understood how much love was hidden in her collection of fabrics. Those pieces of cloth from all the clothes my mother had made us were a photo album of our childhood.
A snapshot of Mirka……
Mirka Mora is one of Melbourne's best known and loved artists. Since the early 1950s when she and her husband Georges immigrated to Australia from France, she has contributed to Melbourne's transformation from quiet, provincial town to sophisticated, multicultural city. Her early training was in mime and drama, but painting was her focus by the time she reached Australia. Close friends of other committed artists and patrons, including John and Sunday Reed, Charles and Barbara Blackman, Barrett Reid, John Perceval, Laurence Hope, Arthur Boyd and Joy Hester, Mirka and Georges were instrumental in the re-establishment of the Contemporary Art Society in Melbourne from 1953. They also helped bring European-style dining to 1950s Melbourne, opening the Mirka Café in Exhibition Street, the Balzac in East Melbourne (the first Melbourne restaurant to receive a 10pm liquor license) and finally Tolarno in St Kilda. Mirka's numerous public artworks including mosaic murals at Flinders Street Station and St Kilda Pier, and a painted tram, have all helped enliven the city, and her bohemian style and joie de vivre have endeared her to Melbournians from all walks of life.
Mirka's fifty years of creative energy have resulted in a prolific output of work across a range of media - drawing, painting, embroidery, soft sculpture, mosaics and doll-making. Her colourful, sensuous iconography has emerged from the breadth of her interests and reading, her love of classical mythology, her desire to reclaim and make sense of childhood and familial relations, and her recognition of the power of sexual desire.
Mora uses a wide range of media and her work features strongly in the permanent collection of the Heide Museum of Modern Art in the Melbourne suburb of Bulleen. She is a noted colourist and symbolist. Her paintings are often bright and bold, drawing heavily on a stable of recurring motifs - innocent, wide-eyed children, angels, dogs, cats, snakes and birds. For many years she has conducted workshops in painting, soft sculpture and mosaics, where countless Australians have learned from her unique approach to teaching art.
Back in the mid 90’s I discovered a very cool top made out of stocking like stretchy material. I bought one in white and one in black and wore them layered under various tunic style tops and dresses. Metalicus was responsible and it was the beginning of a dear friendship that has lasted ever since.
Over this time I have purchased an article of clothing from one of their ranges most years and have built up quite a good collection. Of course the beauty in the styling of Metalicus garments is in the classic nature of the designs, the fabulous mix and match quality in how you can layer the garments together and the stunning colours they choose which always makes it hard to decide exactly what piece is calling to me the most.
Metalicus came about in 1992 when Melbourne designer Melma Hamesfeld was experimenting with stocking fabric and transformed one stretchy piece of material into a concept for the brand.
As the brand developed, so did the product offering and today their collection includes Cotton, Wool (my favourite of course!) and Bodytight, along with Mini & Miss Metalicus. I love the idea of Miss Kitty getting around in her own Mini Metalicus outfit. Super cute for sure.
The other thing I totally love about them is that the majority of the pieces I have – I have been able to wear through both my pregnancies and throughout the inevitable weight gains and losses that seem to be my lot in life. The other thing that also really amazes me is that they are still manufactured in Melbourne! Can you believe that! An international fashion label that has 400 stockists around Australia and 200 abroad with ever expanding plans to conquer the world…….and it still manufactures in my home town. You’ve gotta love that! Go Metalicus Go!
There is definitely something about fabrics from the 50s and 60s that really appeal to me – particularly big bright florals. I was 4 or 5 when I first came across the bold patterns and colours of marimekko fabric. It was in the ‘sun room’ at my little friend Ella’s house. The walls were painted the sunniest of yellows and the big feather filled sofas were piled high with the most gorgeous cushions upholstered in vibrant marimekko fabrics.
Its funny isn’t it how you remember things. For me my memories are often visual – the way things were positioned, the colours or pattern of an object, the way fabric moved in a dress or the texture of one thing in contrast against another. The memory of Ella’s house and of particular rooms in it – had such a strong impact on me – the memory has remained.
In my early 20’s when I studied Interior Design – I was able to really explore this visual inclination for colour and design. I learnt about various types of fabric and fabric designers and of course the memories of Ella’s house came back. When I got married some 10 years or so later – my dear friend Beck who I had met studying interior design gave us a fabric covered canvas in Unikko – undisputedly one of Marimekko’s most famous designs. Of course it was one of my favourite gifts and has had pride of place in the lounge ever since.
Marimekko was founded in 1951 by Finnish couple, Armi and Viljo Ratia. Armi commissioned some of her artist friends to apply their graphic designs to textiles and design fabric prints for their company, which resulted in entirely new, boldly coloured and patterned fabrics.
Still around today – Marimekko is without a doubt one of my all time favourite things – there’s something about it that definitely makes my heart sing and when my heart is singing, I am happy.
A few years ago now – I was lucky enough to spend 7 weeks traveling around Spain. I stayed with lovely old friends in Toledo about one hour south of Madrid and used them as a base from which to travel the country right up north as far as Sans Sebastian and way down south as far as Granada and pretty well all around the perimeter of the country – what an amazing journey!
Of course being the foodie that I am – I was in heaven and could quite easily eat everyday little morsels of delicious tapas washed down by lots of lovely vino blanco and cervesa.
Lucky for me, I was mainly backpacking around – so all that walking in the hot summer sun carrying my massive backpack – helped me walk off my indulgence.
On one of my first mornings in Toledo my lovely friend Marisa woke me for El desayuno with fresh café con leche and la Magdalena. What a treat! Magdalena or madeleine’s as they are also known are a dainty cup cake recognizable by their distinctive pointed shape. They are traditionally eaten in the morning and are bought in big bags from the supermercado like we might buy crumpets or muffins. Once I got over my momentary shock at eating cake for breakfast – I decided that this was pretty good really and la Magdalena became a definite breakfast staple.
I’ve never forgotten them….I found some here in Melbourne a few years ago at the Mediterranean Wholesalers in Sydney Rd, Brunswick and was so excited…it was short lived though and they stopped stocking them – probably a good thing knowing me! If you’re tempted as a week-end treat for the kids – here is a recipe to make your own……
La Magdalena
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
100 grams unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups unbleached white flour
1 tbsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp milk
Preheat the oven to 200 Celsius
Beat eggs, butter and sugar until very creamy and light
combine salt, baking powder and flour and stir into batter
Add milk and beat well again
Spoon into patty pans
Sprinkle granulated sugar over each
Bake 15-20 minutes
I’m not a girl who wears a lot of make-up. I dabbled as a teenager and occasionally in my 20’s but really – I am a bare minimum natural kind of girl. So to have found a cosmetics brand that really works for me and makes it kind of easy and straight forward to implement my daily routine – MAC takes the cake.
About 10 years ago when I was in full swing of the city working girl lifestyle (train to work and often taxi home, out for coffee breaks during the day with colleagues, café lunch and a spot of shopping and then drinks and sometimes dinner after work with friends) – I was invited by a girlfriend to attend a MAC Cosmetics workshop after work one evening.
They held it in her office and plied us all with free champagne and nibbles (very clever)…..I took up the offer of a free make over demo (I’d always wanted to have this done but was reluctant at Department Stores for fear of being sucked into buying everything they used and then never actually using it myself).
The makeup artist was fabulous – and within a very short time had worked out exactly the right colour palette for my skin type and tone and had made me up in a very natural and yet complimentary way.
From that night on – I have been pretty well consistently brand loyal. I spend less than $200 a year with them and the products I buy seem to last incredibly well. For a girl who doesn’t really wear makeup – I’m happy. And if you are the kind of girl who does wear makeup – or anywhere in between for that matter, they come highly recommended from me.
My addiction to lip gloss was innocently started at the tender age of 5. You see – one of our neighbours was an Avon lady and she kindly gave me a strawberry lip gloss as a gift one day, as my lips had got very dry in the wind. I still remember how thrilled I was to be given such a grown up thing. What made it even better was the fact that it coloured your lips a little red as well as smelling nice – so in my mind - it was just like lipstick. Very, very fancy indeed.
I rushed home to show it off to my Mother – yippee! As time went on my little kinder buddy Ella acquired her own lip gloss too. Hers was a watermelon flavoured Lip Smacker. She knew how taken I was with lip gloss - so offered me a try of hers – I was hooked. Back home to Mum – to request that she buy me a lip smacker too. I think my first flavour was cherry followed closely by watermelon and well it all just goes on from there really – one very, very long line of lip gloss.
I have spent a good proportion of my life applying lip gloss (I’d hate to think how much I may have digested over the years). I usually have at least 3 or 4 different flavours on the go at any given time. A few years ago – Bonne Bell released a giant lip smacker. I was absolutely delighted when I saw it (I have a real thing about everyday objects in miniature form or giant form for that matter) – so of course I bought a few and posted one off to Ella with a little note of friendship appreciation and of course a little reminder of the 5 year olds we used to be.
Now that I’m a grown up my tastes have changed somewhat and my number one favourite is the Palmers Dark Chocolate & Peppermint combo….a little lip treat every time – but thank goodness - without the calories!
Things that make my heart sing celebrates my top 100 loves and then some. I'm sure by the time I get to the end of my first 100 I will have another list to keep me going. If you love what I love - be sure to let me know :-)
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