’Tis the Season

A Christmas Carol, Basil Rathbone (narrator), Columbia Records, 1942Wow, who can believe 2012 has flown so fast? I’ve come to the last page of my Steinweiss calendar, and appropriately it is all decked out in green and red for the Christmas season. Not so much snow here in Australia though; we are celebrating the first day of summer.

But it’s time to reflect on the year gone past, what have we achieved, what have we struggled through, or triumphed in and celebrated? I have had some sad times, chiefly my beloved cat Hero’s passing. I still shed a few tears here or there when I suddenly remember she’s gone. And some good too – finishing The Yuckies books was a highlight, and making new friends and reacquainting with old ones.

I am looking forward to 2013 though – I have lots of exciting plans, but more on those later. And I am fully prepared already with a new calendar to celebrate the months of the New Year, this time a lovely illustrated calendar produced by the magazine Frankie.

In the meantime enjoy the holiday season!

Chopin Etudes, Op. 25, Frédéric Chopin, Remington Records, c.1957

A Little Embellishment

Amelia-Jane was looking through paper samples this morning and came across this delightful retro piece that made us both exclaim, “Oooo! It’s so pretty!” as we ran our fingers over the embossed and pearl foiled bar of soap on this sample. Nothing like embossing and foiling to get a couple of graphic designers excited!

The paper stock is 320gsm Freelife Vellum Cream, supplied by Spices paper, and was printed waterless – an offset lithographic printing process. The super-cute copywriting is by Al et al, and the appealing retro design comes from Lloyd Grey Design, both companies based in Queensland.

Yummy Lips

Click image for a yummier large version

Working tonight on a random poem that featured the words ‘sugared siren’, I suddenly remembered an old makeup ad from the early nineties that had a model eating a donut with her lips plastered with sugar. It took me a few minutes to track it down in my tear sheet books (I do have a catalogue, which helps to find things), and once more it made me smile.

I’ve always loved the styling in this picture, because who doesn’t have fond childhood memories of lips encrusted with sugar from eating jam donuts? Yummy.

Remember Movember

Piano Concerto in A Minor, Edvard Grieg, Columbia Masterworks, 1945Poor old November gets a bad rap from writers born in the northern hemisphere. Alexander Pushkin, in Eugene Onegin, writes: A tedious season they await/Who hear November at the gate.

It’s certainly a windy picture that’s been chosen for my November calendar page. We’ve had a very windy October here in Melbourne – we’re hoping for some improvement as we near to summer. I like the notion here though, sailing away on the breeze of a piano concerto (although let’s hope it doesn’t bring as much hayfever as October has). Or, even better, dancing away the blues with some boogie-woogie.

Boogie Woogie, Various, Columbia Masterworks, 1942Happy November folks. Or, if you’re here in Australia, remember it’s Movember. (I can’t believe it’s not listed on the Wikipedia entry on November – how remiss.) I’m looking forward to seeing some enormous moustaches on the street this month.

Please to Remember Movember :: Big Up // Watts // No flash

Be Still My Beating Heart

Back page of the booklet in the Moulin Rouge soundtrack cd; the artwork is credited to Bazmark Design – Silvana Azzi and Catherine Martin, with additional collages by Alexandra Bolton and Nikki di FalcoEvery time I watch Moulin Rouge I totally fall in love with Ewan McGregor again. It’s such a romantic film, yet the OTT hamming it up just makes me burst out laughing every time. There are so many great lines in it too (I particularly love Harold Zidler’s, delivered in the brilliant Jim Broadbent’s gleeful, fruity voice: Everything's going so well!; I'll leave you two squirrels to get better acquainted; Everyone's counting on you gosling; and Sateen’s I love a little poetry after supper.

Of course the mish-mash of music lyrics are brilliant too – there are too many too mention, but I love Like a Virgin (laugh out loud) and Roxanne (soo sexy!).

Paris panoramaSetting the scene of 1900 ParisMain menu title of the special features DVDI love the vintage look of the opening sequence, and the Green Fairy scene with Kylie Minogue. I own the special edition DVD with an extra disk of bonus material, which carries one of the best selections of behind-the-scenes and production featurettes I’ve seen on any DVD. The design of the DVD menus is great looking too, as is the booklet that comes with the CD.

Prostitute’s bosoms on displayThis absinthe drinker has the dissipated look down patA Lady of the NightSmoke and Mirrors title on the special features DVDThere is one fascinating section called Smoke and Mirrors, which is all about the evolution of the intro, and the creation of the green fairy. The nostalgic old film stock look – complete with scratches and flickering lights – of the intro is used when Christian is sadly writing his love story in his little attic.

Kylie Minogue, the green fairy (interestingly, the original concept for the green fairy was an evil rocker, such as Iggy Pop)And the green fairy feature is a fascinating insight into the making of her look. The sequence happens so fast in the film that it’s easy to miss the details – Kylie Minogue’s eyes glowing red, showing her evil side, and the hallucinogenic whirlpool she drags the bohemians through.

You know you’re a real bohemian if you believe in Truth, Beauty, Freedom … but above all: Love. 

L’amourFollow the Green Fairy …The Green Fairy turns wicked and her eyes glow redThe bohemians whirling down the rabbit hole – this sequence reminds me of Alfred Hitchcock's special effects for the film VertigoPage two of the booklet in the Moulin Rouge soundtrack cdPage four of the booklet in the Moulin Rouge soundtrack cdPage six of the booklet in the Moulin Rouge soundtrack cdAnd above all, Love, page eight in the booklet in the Moulin Rouge soundtrack cd