TheDustyDeer

2006-09-26T21:54:00.001+10:00

doggy in the window

you wouldn't even believe how much this doggy in the window cost! i don't think you can put a price on an animal when they bring so much to your life but this little puppy verged on the ridiculous with the pet shop can asking upwards of $700 for a cross breed. granted this little girl was a gorgeous pug/chihuahua cross- which just so happens to be my two favourite dog breeds- but still. madness i tell you, madness.

which brings me to my next conundrum- i want another dog. i know they say you shouldnt make any rash purchases when your feeling stressed or down but i cant shake this feeling. my little rose is very happily living with my grandparents and i just dont think i could split them. so this leaves me without a significant furry other in my life.

my rational brain tells me NOOOO but my crazy side says- don't think twice and never look back. maybe i can save the life of a pound puppy and in the process save a little slice of my sanity.

hmmmm.....

2006-09-17T21:24:00.000+10:00

the only man i've ever loved

this is jimmy. i have carted him around for 29 years and he's still going strong. save for one little problem- jimmy is a little dusty. i dont know what to do about this problem. can you take a teddy bear to the the dry cleaners?

jimmy is pretty much the only reminder i have left of my childhood. never managed to keep much else except a couple of nintendo gamewatchs. this is probably a good thing as im not much into memoirs of the past. that said, i do like others memories such as antiques etc.

im forever walking around my head cast downwards, milling a million things over in my head. this is what you can find if you cast your eyes upwards.......

2006-09-14T22:16:00.000+10:00

Ole

i stumbled across this painting in an old shack that had been closed off to the world for what seems to have been years. i loved it very much and was tempted to take it but something kept me from doing so. there was nothing else in this place except for this painting and the chair. i just got a sense that i shouldn't disrupt it.

Shannon has inspired me with her 10 things she is liking.

I dont exactly have 10 things tonight but i can think of 5:

1. green pencils
2. grid paper
3. pony up!- truth about cats and dogs
4. small blue cars
5. hunting for a green typewriter

2006-09-08T20:14:00.000+10:00

hermit

its been FAR too long since my last post and for those of you who noticed, i do apologise. i have been doing my best hermit interpretation for the past week or so. sometimes you just got to bunker down.

last weekend i did manage to get out and enjoy the amazing spring weather and i captured this little critter as he ran out of the way of my big foot.

this shot was taken at gordon's bay which is possibly the most stunning cove along the eastern side of sydney. the best snorkelling can be had as the water is crystal clear. if you're lucky you can run into stunners like my good friend jenn here....enjoying the sites and my side splitting humour.

ill be back in the swing of things very shortly and ill be updating this old blog with a few sketches ive been doing. got to get that portfolio up and in business so i could quite possibly be running a few things past the strangers out there who stop by this site. nothing like getting over artistic shyness by sharing your work with the virtual universe.

oooh, and im almost finished an amazing book: a history of love by nicole krauss. if you haven't read it already, i highly recommend it for a good old laugh and a few tears all at once.

2006-08-28T16:22:00.000+10:00

What's in your bag?

Although the contents of my bag can change on any given day, I think the inside of a "ladies" handbag can tell a lot about the person. The content on this day is as follows:

1 green lime pulled from a tree in an alley way
1 prescription for happy pills
1 pair of sunglasses that (would die a thousand deaths if i loose these)
my purse/wallet
reading glasses case
a handful of Good & Plenty licorice candy (mmm mmm)

That was about it save for my lip gloss and car keys. A pretty boring day in my bag really.

So I'm interested to know what is hiding at that bottom of the bags of fellow bloggers out there....

2006-08-17T22:55:00.000+10:00

wee william

I was just flicking through an interview with William Eggleston in lula magazine. Got me thinking about age in film. Take for instance the above shot....there is something about age that gets me right in the guts. Its not a sympathy, I think its something to do with truth and honesty. Age brings to the front all of lifes mysteries. I would imagine that when you are 82 there isn't a whole lot you haven't experienced, particularly in terms of emotions.

Apart from wanting to steal her dress, this woman looks like she could keep you entertained for hours with her life monologue.

2006-08-16T12:23:00.000+10:00

Cat Stevens- If You Want To Sing Out

Never been a huge Cat Stevens fan but this video is the cutest

2006-08-16T11:59:00.000+10:00

Georgina Retrospective: Part 2

The moment you've all been waiting for- I can hear a drum roll......

Who would have thought that the innocent little batgirl would transform into a maniac on a bmx? This is what I love about Georgie- she is on the other side of 30 and still holds on to the things she enjoys without fear. If she wants to ride a bmx when she is 40, she god damn will. If she wants to collect plastic fast food chain toys (although i wish she wouldn't), she bloody well will do that too!

The saddest part in this tale is that this bmx is sitting in a storage facility here in Sydney, gathering dust while poor old Georgie is down in Hobart. I think its high time the pair were reunited.

2006-08-14T20:49:00.000+10:00

Break in the Path

These shots were taken on the site of a disused psychiatric hospital. I've spent a bit of time here lately. The beauty and stillness of this place is beyond words and more than these pictures can do it justice. One of the eerie parts of this place (it is HUGE) is an old swimming pool that just sits there begging for someone to splash through its lanes. Perhaps when the summer calls I will take a midnight swim.

Im taking the plunge tomorrow and getting the prospectus for an interior design course....committing to this is a bit of a personal challenge for me but one that makes me very giddy and nervous all at once. When I was younger I was addicted to reading "choose your own adventure" novels. At some point I think I got stuck on a path that others had chosen for me. Im taking a break in that path and not looking back.

2006-08-11T21:22:00.000+10:00

Georgina Retrospective
Part 1

This post is all about my best friend, the effervescent Georgina seen here in her wonderful batman suit (which im sure would still fit her!)

Georgie strolled into my life on a big night out about 5 years ago and has been a permanent fixture ever since.

I have always hated (with an intense passion) the use of the term "best friend". For me it harks back to awkward younger teenage years where all the girls would desperately latch on to one person for fear of being left out without a best friend. Well that was very much what it was like at my school anyway.

So, I have always been quite the independent or loner. Happy to have a few friends but none too close. In my 29 years I have had one other Best Friend (she doesn't have a blog but maybe I should change her mind about that oversight). Then I met Georgie.

What do I know for sure about Georgie:

She is always the life of any party
She collects things....many things but I was very impressed with her Cola collection
She is always on the cutting edge of hairdo's
She can hold a conversation with anyone and make them laugh repeatedly
She has an uncanny knack of winning things (I will be eternally jealous of her win at the Petersham RSL)
She has a strange yet amazing imagination and should use it more often to bring her characters to life
She got my back

I know plenty of other things too but that's it for today.

Tomorrow I will be back with Part 2 of the Georgina Retrospective

2006-08-09T20:19:00.000+10:00

Shhh

This ning nong, aka my best friend, has tagged me for a slight challenge of the top secret variety. Do you have a secret you are just burning to share with the universe? Feel free to join in if so as this could turn into one big giant chinese whisper or a cleansing debrief with a few million of your closest friends.

So here's my scoop:

Firstly, I will not buy any underwear that isn't Bonds (for those of you unlucky enough not to know of the classic Aussie Bonds underpant then the above shot gives you a little hint, cute and simple designs). So this is to the point that I worry when I move overseas one day that I will end up wearing the oldest underwear known to womankind.

So there's that. But there is something else:

I buy Bond's underpants like they are going out of business and I need to stock up or die. To make matters worse, I buy my briefs and then will not wear them because they are "too new". What does this mean? It means that I need to save them....you know for like rainy days, in case of emergencies like needing to clog a hole in my leaking roof....no! There is no rational reason for it and quite frankly i don't give a damn. They are my new undies and I will not wear them for anyone.

Secret's out.

Im going to tag Bugheart, Aunty Cookie and Mecozy....spill the beans ladies.

2006-08-07T23:19:00.000+10:00

Illuminating

So I think I got a thing for lighting.

When I stumbled across this shade above, just dumped in the gutter, it got to me as the afternoon sun was passing through it giving it that switched on look. Almost wanted to drag it home with me but I have too many lamp shades and not enough lamps to place them all on.

Like most people I cannot stand fluorescent lighting...to the point that I pulled the globes out from above my head at work and installed a nice tall lamp by my desk. Nothing like a bit of mood lighting while you tap away on the computer surrounded by your colleagues.

Maybe I should just place a few of these Ikea numbers around the floor of my desk and really get the party started in my area/zone/coffin sized work station:
When I get back in to work after my extended lady of luxury vacation, Im going to get to redecorating my little slice of office. Any suggestions are more than welcome. This is what I got to work with:

1 desk
1 wall
1 low bookshelf

Thats about it! I love interiors but I cannot stand enforced office interiors. So if anyone out there would care to share their workspace inspiration tips im all ears.

2006-08-06T23:34:00.000+10:00

Couldn't be prouder!

My blog is worth $0.00.
How much is your blog worth?

How much is yours worth then?

2006-08-06T20:20:00.000+10:00

Missing in Action

I wish I could report that I was whisked away off into the sunset in this beast of a vehicle:

but alas the past week wasn't exactly that exciting.

I did move.....I did manage to take a break from work.....and I did manage to spend a lot of time in the bath.

Its amazing how we (or maybe just me) forget to take some time out and do a whole lot of nothing. And this coming week I have a whole lot more of just the same planned. Massages, swimming, reading, writing....breathing.

So I was listening to the radio today and I was so pissed when I heard an interview with this guy

Here is this man who is wondering the streets of my very own suburb and chronicles his travels on his blog whilst being sponsored by the local council. Such a simple and yet wonderful idea. Apparently he has been doing this project for months right under my nose and I was completely oblivious. I had only just been thinking lately about how we wonder around the streets of our neighborhoods and not meet a soul for the 4 years you have been living there (again this may just be me!).

So a word of wisdom for those who care to listen: when you go for your next walk around your suburb, don't just power walk with your ipod thumping in your ears and think about how many more km's your need to walk before you lose that half a block of chocolate you ate last night. Try walking without distractions and pay attention to whats going right under your nose (and ill do the same).

2006-07-30T19:53:00.000+10:00

Like a rhinestone cowboy

Here are my Sunday thrifting finds. There is a market (of sorts) just down the road from me where you can find stunning items like The Rhinestone Stud Setter for a mere $2. I shudder at the thought of anyone using this machine on their clothing.

Also got a handful of childrens books, with this one being my favourite by far. Few other finds too such as two deer ornaments which I am a complete sucker for and an old date stamp....what else....oooh yes, an old pirate ship postcard. Quite a bounty really.

How much do I love this song! I hadn't heard it in the longest time and it brought tears to my eyes.

Time for my Sunday bath and a steak dinner (sorry all you vegetarians)....could you ask for more?

2006-07-28T15:10:00.000+10:00

Playtime

Went off wondering during my lunch break today with my camera. I always forget to take it with met to work, but not today.

love the simplicity and the silhouette in this signage. also love the fact that the shop is no longer used as a beauty salon and yet they have kept the sign in all its glory

i work very close to a public housing estate (for those of you not in Australia, subsidised housing provided by the government) and i there is something about it i absolutely love. some find it ugly, i find it calm and intriguing

check out this fine Mini complete with Transformers hood top design. reminds me of micro minis as a kid

2006-07-25T17:06:00.000+10:00

Have you ever felt a little like this?

That was pretty much how I felt for some of today. Pain can be a real bitch.

On a drive through the burbs this afternoon I came across a whole heap of junk as it must have been collection day today. Nothing I wanted to make mine, however, it got me thinking about the adage "one man's junk......"
Its a real truism that there is beauty to be found everywhere and the colour and designs in this junk I believe are proof of this.

2006-07-24T19:44:00.000+10:00

Oh Florence!

I'm excited....yes it's true it doesn't happen that often BUT the 10th International Sydney Design Festival begins 5th August and one of my favourite designers, the amazing Florence Broadhurst is featuring prominantly in the fesitivities this year. For those of you who aren't familiar with her work, these pics are just a small example of the most gorgeous wallpaper you will ever come across. And at over $300 a roll, I will be admiring from afar for some time to come!

Not only will I be seeing the new Gillian Armstrong doco based on this wonderful Australian designer but I will also be partaking in a high tea in her honour. Not to mention the design night market and many other wonderful things....I will finally brave the winter chill and take big steps into the chilly Autumn nights.

2006-07-16T18:09:00.000+10:00

Familia Past and Present

These beautiful people make up part of my family.

The first two shots aren't the clearest but I loved them so much I had to try and get a few shots on my camera today whilst at a family gathering.

The first is of my grandmother and grandfather and their wedding and the second is of my nan and her best friend.

My nan is on the left....Phoebe.....she is the greatest....couldn't love her more.

This last pic is of my brother Luke. He is quite the little spunk rat (at times) and he is probably all you could ask for in a brother:

Kind
Gentle
Caring
Loving
Funny
Annoying
Dedicated
Talented

I am very proud of little Lukey.

So there you have it, a snipit of my family.

2006-07-14T18:10:00.000+10:00

Isn't nature grand!

These shots were taken by my sister whilst on an under the sea adventure off the coast of Western Australia.

That little turtle butt is too much to handle!

Its been a big month for me and I'm glad to say that with the bad often comes some good....I feel some changes ahead.

Could Hobart be calling???

I really would love a change of pace and a new place to call home. Melbourne and Adelaide would be two good options followed by a nice break in wilderness that is Tasmania.

Who knows?

Options are a good thing to have.

2006-07-09T20:20:00.000+10:00

Here I am on a daily stroll though the hood....

They looked so orange and sweet, good enough to eat!

What else do I have to add, let me see. Life has been a little up and down of late but I have found that my camera can sometimes be my saviour.

Much like this afternoon.

During my stroll I decided to take a different street and I came upon a derelict house that I think is being used as a squat.

There was an eerie calm to the place and I tried to capture that on digital...not too sure how successful that was, you be the judge.
And lucky last, my favourite

2006-06-26T20:29:00.000+10:00

Sunny Saturday

This is my first go at creating a dyptich and I it was done following the instructions on Lisa Solomons Flickr page. It worked a treat so thank you for the step by step help Lisa!

These shots were taken along the Balmain peninsula on an afternoon where I felt less than chipper with a vice like headache. In an attempt to take my mind off it I drove to the peninsula to take a few shots. It worked a treat really....amazing what taking the mind off things with a bit of creativity can achieve.

After my dismal attempt at knitting fingerless mittens I have moved on to another medium, this time its crochet or bust. My boss is teaching me during lunch breaks so this may take some time but I desperately want to bust out a throw rug or the like ASAP. Winter comes and goes too quickly. There is only something like 8 weeks left of good knitting/crochet weather.

2006-06-23T16:01:00.000+10:00

Huh hmmm

A time for introductions?

Well this is me in all (well thankfully not all) my hammy glory.

I can never take a "serious" picture and this lovely shot is testament to this.

This is possibly my favourite drink in the universe- green tea + aloe vera

"Blends the goodness of green tea with a touch of peach and aloe vera bits. What you get is a drink that refreshes you at all times"......and doesn't it just!

Perhaps im just a sucker for the can art.

I have been blessed to be given time to work at home over the past two days and its amazing the amount of work which I seem to get done from home. In between watching Ellen, grocery shopping and getting a massage, today I managed to get some work done......notice the use of the word "some". Structure is not one of my strong points.

The weekend has come round yet again so tonight im off for drinks at The Imperial. The Imperial is famous for many things.....home to the film Priscilla Queen of the Desert, drag shows to the max and cheap beer- this place is a Sydney institution and one which I tend to stay away from at all costs as it has the tendency to turn into a time warp. Arrive at 8pm and then BLINK and its 3am. Dangerous. Lets see if I can manage to drink pink lemonade all night long.

Oh look, here are a few of the lovely ladies now.....

Went looking for a pic of the famed establishment for you all and came up with this gem from the STA travel web site- "Dykes usually head to the quiter lounge bar with pool tables"-not sure what kind of research they did for this but at the first sight of pool playing dykes I think I will head for the handbag house on offer in the back room.

Georgie: Look at the shoe

2006-06-22T17:14:00.000+10:00

Winter Wonderland

This afternoon, round 5pm, I dragged my sorry arse away from my laptop and went on a mission to clear my head and soak up some crisp winter air. The pics above show just how beautiful winter can be....particularly loved those little pea pod things hanging loosely mid air. There is something about winter which brings out different scents and really pangs my senses....the scent of rain soaked trees did it for me this evening. Just what the doctor ordered me thinks!

Garage Sale Finds:

I got these beauties from two kids holding a garage sale just down the road from me this past weekend. It was pretty cute really to see them sitting there parting with their once loved toys and books. I couldn't walk by without buying something but thankfully for both parties I actually really loved these two items- the book you see here has the greatest illustration of owls and the flash cards on the right are part of a memory game. I loved playing memory as a kid but I am very tempted to break this set up and use them as part of some crafting endevour.

Also just wanted to add that I stumbled across a fantasticly inspiring blog- www.mskathleen.blogspot.com

Wish my teachers were as cool as Ms Kathleen.

2006-06-20T17:03:00.000+10:00

In your neighbourhood......

Today I was going to post a few of my thrift/garage sale finds from the past weekend but then I came across this fantastic idea from Aimee over at PutYourFlareOn . Aimee and her friends have come up with the great meme idea which basically aims to highlight your local neighbourhood. Aimee is fortunate enough to be living in Paris and while my humble suburb in the Inner West of Sydney is a million miles away from the tre chic of Paris, it's home to me and there is a certain something about it that I can't seem to drag myself away from. Everytime I think of moving (I have been in my apartment for almost 4years now which is a record for me) I just can't think of a better place in Sydney to live. So anyways here are a couple of shots from my neighbourhood. The first is taken from the window of my apartment which I love as the back wall of my flat is wall to wall windows with an uninterrupted view of the district and the Sydney Airport which glows at night. The second is taken near one of my local shopping centres and I love its simplicity and irony......

And now for the tag- I am going to pass this baby on to my pal Georgina from ye olde Hobart.

Oooh and an update on my fingerless gloves.....not finished! I don't know what the hell happened but even my grandmother who has knitted for 70 years cannot seem to understand the pattern. If anyone knows of any good patterns for fingerless gloves be sure to pass them on as I am determined to get a pair done before the end of this winter.

More tomorrow on my garage sale finds from the weekend and maybe a Self Portrait Tuesday challenge. There is just oh so much to look forward too!

2006-06-16T12:55:00.000+10:00

I'm doing it!

Finally got my needles out and am trying to knit my first item beyond a straight up and down scarf- these are going to be fingerless mittens, the kind that you can tap away on your keyboard on a cold winters eve. Not too sure how to knit on the "round" (whatever that means) so I am off to my grandmothers house this weekend to get some expert advice. Kind of excited in a geekish way...shameful really.

This second pic is a very boisterous magpie that just would not stop tweeting at my window. He saw me with my head out the window and I am conviced he posed for this shot.

The weekend has arrived and that means i may get these mittens finished in the next two days and I'll be showing them off in here as soon as that happens.

2006-06-15T22:11:00.000+10:00

Rosie 4 Ever

If there is one thing in this world that I will love till the day I die it is this creature. Note the vicious fangs and love handles! Rosie is one mean mother and I love her right down to my toes. As this photo indicates, poor old Rosie doesn't get along well with other canines....but I don't care as love is blind.

2006-06-15T13:56:00.000+10:00

Don't forget to look up.........

Its been a while since I last left my mark in here and for any of you who notice, the photo above was taken on my way to an early evening treat consisting of lebanese sweets.

This blog was oringally intended to display my thrift finds but today I am going to leave you with another photo taken in the bathroom of a primary school, which doubles as a change room on the weekend when markets are held there. I was lucky enough to score some pants and knitting needles but I'll leave you with this impression of my day at Rozelle Market:

2006-04-12T21:21:00.000+10:00

country comforts........

just a few of the sights along my journey into the wilderness today

2006-04-11T21:55:00.000+10:00

I found this signage on the side of a very mundane building in an upper class Sydney suburb and it was just screaming to be noticed....an inanimate object with more life in its contours than the whole suburb put together.

Driving through the country tomorrow so im taking my camera with me in the hope that I can capture the polar opposite to this post.

2006-04-09T17:19:00.000+10:00

The end of a week yields......

1) New green top and attached was this very cute tag which reminded me of a conversation I had recently with a certain someone so I just couldn't resist

2) Set of coasters from the 60's depicting landmarks in europe...again I couldn't resist these due to the gorgeous artwork

3) Plastic deer head weather man. This one just had to be mine and I was so glad it was made from plastic and not the real thing!

4) A dusty old moose whose front leg is just about to give way but I will nurse him back to full health

5) Two peacocks bought on ebay

Three things im happy about at the moment:

Spending time with my favourite chihuahua

The winter chill settling in so I can begin my knitting regime

Becoming a "cosmetic carer" for the Red Cross.....this is enough to make me giddy for the next six months! I can't wait to get out my favourite shades of red and apply them to all my new ah, lets say....mature friends.

2006-04-05T18:08:00.000+10:00

Green is.....

My favourite teapot|deer puzzle awaiting assembly|green lounge and coffee table|tonight's dinner

2006-04-04T21:37:00.001+10:00

Tuesday in Blue

My daily routine has never been so snap happy!

Today's showcase is all about the blues.....

This process is teaching me a few things. Today I realised just how much my life revolves around two spaces: the office and my apartment.

Missing from the equation is a bit of sun and a whole lot of colour. So with these constraints in mind, today's pic comes straight from my lounge room by way of my brothers generosity in gift giving (or is that over excitement at art auctions?)...for the life of me I can't remember the name of this artist but to give you a brief background-

An artist who drew from the political climate a few years back related to the "children overboard" scandal. For those of you who stumbled upon this blog from over the seas, the Australian government was embroiled in a scandal involving refugees who attempted to gain access to Australia via boats....so yes, boat people BUT there was a difference....many of these people were extremely frightened and confused having been onboard tiny little boats for days on end with very little food and water and began to throw their children overboard when the Australian naval patrol reared their ugly head. The sad part in this tale is the way the media portrayed these people....as bad parents, completely un-Australian and basically bereft of any moral conduct and therefore unworthy of refugee status in Australia.

Goodness me, I don't want to lose sight of nor oversimplify this matter in the slightest!

I'll leave my rant at that and pay tribute to the artist who shall remain nameless.

Happy Tuesday!

2006-04-03T09:28:00.000+10:00

Welcome to the first EVER post for The Dusty Deer!

I've been inspired by a great many people in blog land to get my act together and get snapping, drawing, writing, pasting, knitting and ultimately blogging. One of the blogs which has inspired me the most has been this one www.mecozy.blogspot.com

So what better time to post my first ever post than today......i got my camera out and found inspiration in my favourite piece of ephemera which just so happens to be hanging to my poster board by a yellow magnet.

camera+yellow+circa 1960's vienna scarf instructions=my first post

Thanks for the inspiration Shash and I look forward to tomorrow's splash of blue.