Flightless Boyds

The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

2012-01-20T23:03:00.000+11:00

‘Before forensics, DNA, and CSI we had dollhouses – an unimaginable collection of miniature crime scenes, known as the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. Created in the 1930s and 1940s by a crime-fighting millionaire heiress grandmother Frances Glessner, the Nutshells helped homicide detectives hone their investigative skills. Despite all the advances in forensics, the Nutshells are still used today to train detectives.’

- Of Dolls and Murder

(via Retronaut)

Brought to you by the letter ...

2012-01-19T11:09:00.001+11:00

I've been feeling a bit ill recently, so I went looking for some cheery things and this little clip made me smile.

It's so cute it verges on the mawkish, but I love it anyway.

Ukey goodness

2012-01-15T11:01:00.004+11:00

I bought a beautiful uke yesterday!

If I practice really hard this will be me in a few years' time ...

There are loads of really great ukulele covers on Youtube, so I'm feeling very inspired. Off I go now to strum strum strum ...

Decluttering (and thinking about underwear)

2012-01-09T17:04:00.002+11:00

I'm endeavouring to do some major streamlining of all our 'stuff' at the moment, particularly in my craft/sewing room and in our garage (oh, and what a lot of clutter there is!). I'll be very happy to give away spare items that others might find useful (such as fabric, craft supplies etc.) as I sort and organise each space, so stay tuned - I'll post details here soon ...

In the meantime, I wonder if anyone has some helpful suggestions for what I might do with my little collection of Victorian/Edwardian underwear?

I think they're lovely pieces, especially as I know a little about the ladies and gentleman who wore them, but I really don't feel that I'm doing them any justice by keeping them in a box at home. I thought that there might be a local textile museum or heritage society that may be interested in taking and conserving them, but I can't seem to find a relevant institution. I've submitted an online query with Museums Victoria, in the hope that they might point me in the right direction (or even add them to their collection of artifacts from Melbourne in the 1800s!) but as yet have not received a reply ....

Any thoughts, my friends?

Handmade Ryan Gosling

2012-01-05T23:31:00.002+11:00

This site's bizzare craft fantasies made me smile today.

I can read movies

2012-01-02T23:18:00.002+11:00

.... found via Words and Eggs - I like these paperback 'novelisations' of popular films, created by Spacesick a few years ago:

... retro book-cover design and film nostalgia all rolled into one. Nice!

The party's over ...

2012-01-01T01:50:00.003+11:00

(cue Blossom Dearie singing that Comden and Green classic in her trademark lilting, whispery voice ...)

Do you have big plans for 2012? I can't believe how quickly the time seems to pass, and that we stand once more at the beginning of a new year, contemplating the mixed bag of experiences that filled 2011 and hoping that more of our dreams will come true in 2012.

This year is sure to be a big one for us as we have plans for quite a few changes (despite the predicted ending of the world 'n all ...).

What are your goals and dreams for the coming months?

Here's to 2012 ...

2012-01-01T01:34:00.002+11:00

I hope you finished the year with a bang, and that the coming months bring you every happiness!

Mr Trololo

2011-12-30T16:19:00.002+11:00

Here's 2 minutes and 42 seconds that you'll never get back

.... but you might think it's worth it!

Got trash?

2011-12-28T10:23:00.001+11:00

Long summer evenings, sunny weekends in the park .....

... thinking that maybe I should buy G some extra reading material (extremely highbrow literature, of course!):

Click here for more salacious offerings from Man's Life.

Merry Christmas everyone!

2011-12-25T19:45:00.002+11:00

I didn't really write a proper Christmas greeting post in my previous entry, so here I'd like to wish you all a very safe and festive silly season, with every happiness in the New Year...

Take care and stay safe at this busy time!

(image source)

Summer storms

2011-12-25T19:25:00.006+11:00

We've had very hot weather all week, with thunderstorms rumbling throughout the last two nights and all day today (our older dog, Gus, hates thunder and absolutely freaks out, which means we've had very little sleep). We celebrated Christmas with family last night, and today had a wonderful lunch with friends while the weather was still clear.

It was still very hot when we got home at 2pm, but since about 4 o'clock we've been pelted by large hailstones and extremely heavy rain, while thunder rumbles continuously. It's 7:15 now and the storms haven't let up .... I do feel sorry for people who were celebrating outside today!

This is really strange weather - hot and humid conditions combined with severe hailstorms (similar to the freak storms we had early last year)... but at least we had a taste of a white Christmas!

(pics from theage.com.au)

Ukelelelala!

2011-12-21T09:52:00.009+11:00

I'm planning to take ukelele lessons in the coming year.

... then I just need to find some friends who can sing like Buster and his pals (hang in there beyond 0:26) :

Apples, 'taters ... Cristmas paper!

2011-12-19T23:30:00.000+11:00

... and I found a pretty pink potato in my pantry:

A little bit o' stitching ...

2011-12-18T23:44:00.003+11:00

I really seemed to lose my creative mojo this year, starting a few sewing projects but finishing almost none. I have a huge basket of nearly-finished hand-stitched softies in my sewing room, all needing just a finishing touch - limbs, feathers, eyes, tails or feet to be attached, but for some reason I just haven't managed to complete them.

Recently I gave away the few softies that were complete, and I had a request to make a rabbit for a young lady who needs a special hug. It felt really good to get back into stitching mode, using deliciously soft wool felt made from re-purposed jumpers (sweaters) and taking care with every stitch. I like the contemplative nature of hand sewing and it was fun to once more make a gift from start to finish in one sitting ...

I also made another drop for the Toy Society, after an inexcusably long absence .... Although this doll was super-simple, I hope the finder enjoys playing with her (and the handbag I included, which was made by the lovely Amy)!

Peter Lippman

2011-12-17T16:00:00.002+11:00

Photographer Peter Lipman's advertising images for Christian Laboutin include sumptuous recreations of classic paintings. Very pretty!

(via Retronaut)

Just a little bit wrong

2011-12-16T08:20:00.002+11:00

My husband somehow found this horrid mother-baby snuggie in the course of his online wanderings.
Eeek. So creepy!

(It's juvenile humour, but I like the comment on the original post over at How Rude.)

Superheroes in history

2011-12-10T18:03:00.000+11:00

These images are the work of photographer and illustrator Agan Harahap, who invites us to consider conflicting interpretations of history and the way we remember the past.

Pashley passions

2011-12-09T23:25:00.009+11:00

A few of my friends have had the pleasure of participating in vintage cycling events, and although I haven't been able to cycle for the past year, one day I'd love to join a Tweed Run in London...

The idea of a huge corporation sponsoring/staging a tweed run to promote their product (as Ralph Lauren did last month in London) really bugs me, as it spoils the fun of 'real' people being creative and sharing their passion for vintage style as an informal community. However, I'll begrudgingly admit that some of the images from the Rugby RL Tweed Run are quite lovely, particularly in the autumnal setting.

(it's a shame the models in attendance were so 'model-y' ...)

These pics came from here, here and here, and you'll find some more tweedy-velo eye-candy over here too...

Liekeland

2011-12-08T08:58:00.000+11:00

The beautiful illustrations of Dutch artist Liekeland remind me very much of my childhood for some reason ....

Natsukashii ~ !

(found via Task-ka)

A pet present perhaps?

2011-12-07T17:34:00.003+11:00

Oh wow .... I found this today, and it made me wonder whether I should be doing more to enhance the life of our fish. Maybe they're really bored just swimming around in their pots in the garden ...?

(fish pic from here)

Tips for single women, 1938

2011-12-07T13:27:00.001+11:00

Take heed, ladies!

(more here)

Recognition

2011-12-03T23:59:00.004+11:00

While we were out with the dogs today we saw Bracken's previous owner. She walked away before I registered who she was, but G heard her say to her child "Look, that looks like Ralph!" (Bracken's previous name).

Oh, if I could only tell her how damaged that little dog was, thanks to her family's neglect, and what a long year of rehabilitation (and expense!) it's been to bring him around to some level of normality....
At least he's a happy little chap most of the time now - we just love him and his strange little ways.

We call him our little geek.

Andrew Lyons

2011-12-02T22:26:00.003+11:00

I like these images from illustrator Andrew Lyons. They remind me a little of Eric Carle's very hungry caterpillar.

~ found via Graphic Exchange

Fleeting and precious

2011-12-01T22:27:00.003+11:00

Too often we bustle too quickly through life, getting caught up in trivialities and missing opportunities ....
This week I was reminded once more of how precious every moment is.

G and I have been meaning to catch up with a beautiful friend for a few months now, and when we mentioned this in passing yesterday we were told that the lovely Lisa had been killed in a traffic accident. I still feel sick at the thought. We muddled up the date and so missed her last dinner party, and we just thought she was out and about when we dropped by her shop and she wasn't there.

Lisa certainly had the 'champagne effect' - she brought sparkle to every situation and conversation, and I can't imagine such a vibrant life being suddenly and violently extinguished. She was lighthearted, stylish, bold and very friendly. Lisa was a highly-respected milliner who adored vintage style and seemed to have stepped straight out of another era, whether it be the exuberant flapper heyday of the 20s or the Carnaby St Mod scene of the 60s. She was extremely proud of her dapper young son Massey, and they made a notable pair whenever they stepped out!

Ave Lisa. Melbourne has lost a precious, twinkling spirit.

Summer is here ....

2011-11-27T22:05:00.000+11:00

... time to get in shape!

Unfolding apartment

2011-11-27T00:21:00.004+11:00

I love discovering beautiful, thoughtful design for small spaces. Michael Chen and Kari Anderson of Normal Projects have created some very inspiring projects:

These places are tinier still, providing food for thought about the choices we have regarding consumption and accumulation of stuff.

Waking up

2011-11-25T22:33:00.004+11:00

I've been encouraged to wake this little blog from its slumbers ....

Although we only had a 2-month hiatus, maybe it's time to get back into things.... (let's see how we go ...)

For this evening, here are some pictures of black cat auditions from Hollywood in 1961:

Poor kitties!
I guess at least they got to meet Vincent Price and Peter Lorre ...

(thanks to our trusted friends at Retronaut)

Taking a break

2011-09-21T22:04:00.065+10:00

After 6 years and 876 posts on this blog, as well as some dabblings in a couple of other blogs*, I think I need to take a bit of a break.

I'll definitely continue to visit the many wonderful sites that have inspired me over the years, checking in on friends old and new, and (hopefully) stumbling across ever-more-delightful ideas and images ...

.... but for now I think I just need to get away for some R & R.

I hope to return to this little blog within a few months, feeling refreshed and full of renewed blogging mojo - so please check back in every now and again.

Till then, take care and stay happy! I'll see you on the other side ...

* These sadly wound down a while ago, although you can still find them through the links under my profile message

(click pics for source)

Victory kisses

2011-09-21T07:55:00.001+10:00

I found this sweet little site today: Victory Kisses.

Blowing bubbles

2011-09-16T20:46:00.000+10:00

Dutch artist Ellen Urselmann transforms everyday objects with delicately blown glass ...

Sleek!

This and that

2011-09-12T21:16:00.003+10:00

Joy and Bekka from Oh Joy pair selections of clothing and accessories with 'matching' homewares; I like their focus on colour and common design aesthetics ...

Click here for more pretty matches and all product details.

1940s fashion

2011-09-05T20:59:00.003+10:00

Beautiful colour fashion shots by Condé Nast photographer John Rawlings:

... for more, click on over to Bygone Fashion (found via Retronaut)

The last surviving witness ...

2011-09-03T23:35:00.004+10:00

Oh my! what an interesting 'secret' to have! (it's a pity the title gives it away).
More details after the jump.

‘Samuel James Seymour’s appearance on the CBS television show, “I’ve Got a Secret.”, 1956. At 96 years of age, Seymour was the last surviving person present at Ford’s Theater the night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth (April 14, 1865).

‘Only five years old at the time, Mr. Seymour traveled with his father to Washington D.C. on a business trip, where they attended a performance of Our American Cousin.’

- (thanks to Open Culture via Retronaut)

Confessions of a very sluggish blogger

2011-09-03T23:12:00.002+10:00

My blog updates have been cracking along at an absolute snails pace recently - I apologise for the lack of new ideas and inspiration! Sometimes life just seems to get in the way, you know.

I'll do my best to return to daily posting with lots of new and lovely discoveries soon ....

(beautiful snail pic from here)

Port Fairy in the last days of winter

2011-08-28T23:24:00.002+10:00

A bit of a family reunion this weekend, as green grass, budding blossoms and sunny skies heralded the unfolding of Spring ...

Much wet and sandy fun was had by all.