Found #85

This Chainsaw Thunder Earring by Katrine Kristensen is so unusual with the unexpected detail popping out from behind your earlobe. It reminds me of muppet's eyelashes for some reason! I really like it, this piece is exclusively available at Couverture and The Garbstore.

via: Couverture and The Garbstore

The abandoned and crumbling city that was once known as Ani is located on the border of Turkey and Armenia. It's peak period was around the 11th Century and it was enjoying a resurgence in popularity before WWI and the Armenian genocide guaranteed it's demise. The Atlantic have collected some amazing photographs of the area, which is slowly becoming more accessible after years of conflict and militarisation. 

via: The Atlantic

I couldn't figure out my immediate attraction to this Minimalist Disc Pendant on Moorea Seal. Sure, it's a classy piece. And then I realised it reminded me of an old friend - Pacman. wacca wacca wacca wacca

via: Moorea Seal

I noticed on our trips to Japan, there is a kind (genre?) of store over there that is always really full of people, and a hub of activity. It's not one brand, just any store that sells eyeglasses. I'm not sure what it is, exactly, but glasses are really big business over there. Of course, it was only a matter of time before a nerdy designer came up with the idea of frames based on fonts. I have first dibs on Futura!! (If C. doesn't beat me to it)

via: Fast Company

Speaking of C, we were discussing our favourite horror films a few weeks back and both agree on The Shining being one of the best. A while back I was introduced to this blog, which has a comprehensive collection of awesome behind the scenes images and information about the film. I'm always fascinated to see a shot that I've seen many times before in the actual film, from a new angle in a different context.

via: The Overlook Hotel

Also, in lieu of my "Blog Post of the Week", enjoy this animated gif of The Overlook Hotel.

I hope you have a great weekend, whatever you're up to!
Kitty
xo

Freebie! Track Your Stats

Last week, Sarah released a new e-book called "How to Double Your Blog Traffic in 90 Days (or less!)". I know its been selling really well - Sarah always offers great advice, and with a title like that, how can it not?! One of the first things mentioned in the book is tracking your statistics, so I did what any self-respecting organisational freak would do and created a spreadsheet. Math is not my strong point, and neither are spreadsheets, so I'm quite proud that this one does what I want!

I'm using it to track the (hopeful) improvements I'm taking on board while I work through Sarah's book. If you're working through the same e-book, feel free to download a copy of the sheet and use it for yourself. If you haven't bought Sarah's book, you can get it here! If you're just interested in tracking some specific stats for your blog and social media, without doubling your traffic, you are most welcome to use the spreadsheet. You can find it here.

Technical information:

• To use the spreadsheet, click on the link, it will open in Google Drive. Navigate to "File > Make a Copy" and rename the copy to whatever you want. The original file is set to "view only" so you cannot edit it until you save a copy.
• Don't change any of the numbers to zero. They are at a minimum "1" by default, because, Math.
• At the end of each month, the sheet will calculate a % change (+ or -) for each stat you are tracking (these are 1st-last of month review figures). I had the calculation happening daily, but the spreadsheet ran about as fast as I do up Breakfast Hill* (it's not very fast - and possibly backwards), so the calculations (and colours, borders and fonts) are kept to a minimum to speed up the spreadsheet performance.
• The final row at the end of the 3 months will calculate the difference between your starting date numbers and the final stats after 3 months. So you can see an overall change in addition to monthly progress.
• Don't type anything in the % columns, just type the stats in the relevant date under the heading you are recording.
• You can delete any of the vertical rows (or ignore them) or change the stat you are recording (you might not want to track Facebook, but email subscribers instead, just change the headings)

*so named because when you run up Breakfast Hill, you lose your breakfast - charming

I'd love to know if you get some use from this, and I'm happy to hear suggestions/feedback on how it works for you. I suppose I should mention that this post is not sponsored, I bought the e-book to support a blogger who I truly respect and admire, and I wanted to share this useful tool I was inspired to create with you guys too :)

Kitty
xo

Girl Talk: Skincare

Wow, another day, another new topic up for discussion. I wanted to do a monthly chat on 'girl talk'. The first one up for discussion is the bane of my existence, skincare. Since I was a teenager, I've had problem skin. You can put spots down to hormones, but when they don't go away, and you're no longer a teen, you start to wonder if there's not an underlying problem. (and considering whether some kind of face-covering haircut is actually an option)

When my skin problems started, I visited many doctors, trying to find a solution. I usually got the normal "put this expensive medicated cream on your face, it's part of being young" treatment. After that it was, "try these birth control pills, they'll fix your skin". I saw some improvements here and there, but never any real, lasting solutions. My symptoms included painful acne, sore, red swollen skin and other great side effects like blushing profusely if someone glanced sideways at me (a combination of shyness and overactive capillaries). After years of agony, I happened upon yet another doctor after a particularly painful attack. He took one look at me and said "You have Acne Rosacea. There is no cure." With those words, and some internet pictures later, I was devastated. Right away I went on mild antibiotics to get it under control. I saw a skin specialist and was told that I could control my outbreaks with medication and by avoiding heat - hot food, hot showers, alcohol, spices, exercise, the sun. The advice was to only exercise by swimming and eat only warm, mildly flavoured food, avoid alcohol, especially red wine.

These days, I'm pretty good at knowing what I can and cannot get away with. (I cannot get away with red wine, ever). Here's a list of skincare tips that I've learned over the years - they are specific to my routine, but I'm sure might help some of you out there:

• Even if your skin is oily, always, always moisturise. Seriously. I don't care how oily it is.
• Use a non-foaming cleanser (or lightly foaming if you must) Foaming cleansers strip your skin of it's natural defences and agitate it more, especially when you already have a breakout.
• Don't exfoliate all the time - for the same reason you shouldn't use the foaming cleanser. My skin specialist actually told me to NEVER exfoliate but I cheat once a week or so. Her advice was to use an AHA, but I find a very gentle scrub works for me (I'm stubborn, I know).
• If you get a breakout, don't bother it! It's tempting to get the gross stuff out of your face (I'm trying to make this as un-gross as possible!), but don't do it. A dab of tea-tree oil on the spot is the best treatment. It kills all the nasties and in a day or two, the spot will be greatly diminished.
• Wear sunscreen. It's the best way to keep your skin looking healthy as you age, plus it offers protection against skin cancer.

I've tried many products over the years, here are some that I swear by:

Cleanse

1 ◆ Aesop Fabulous Face Cleanser - I'm using this one right now, it's a light foaming formula, but doesn't irritate my sensitive skin.
2 ◆ NCD Concentrated Cleanser - this is a gentle cream cleanser that works well on eye makeup too
3 ◆ This Works Clean Skin Gentle Cleanser - As the name says...

Moisturise

4 ◆ Philosophy Hope In A Jar - It has a slightly strange texture, but it is non-greasy and works great
5 ◆ Perricone MD Cold Plasma - If only I had smellavision right now. This is the best moisturiser I've ever used. The first time I put it on, I wanted to tear my face off, it smells SO bad. That said, if I was a rich girl, I'd use it all the time. You get used to the smell and it's amazing for your skin (it's super fishy)
6 ◆ St.Ives Timeless Skin Collagen Elastic Facial Moisturiser - super affordable, I've just started using it and it is going well so far. I've had a few breakouts, but I think they are food related (thanks Christmas)

Exfoliate

7 ◆ Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel - The packet says 'daily' but I use these once a week (or less because I'm forgetful). They leave your skin feeling fresh and smooth (they're a little burn-y at first, which always concerns me, but I haven't had any reactions to them at all)
8 ◆ Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant - Again, not a daily use item. But it's the gentlest of all of these exfoliants. It's a very fine powder that you can mix into your cleanser when you wash your face.
9 ◆ Aesop Purifying Facial Exfoliant Paste - I like this stuff, but I think my dermatologist would weep. It's fairly gritty, so again, use it sparingly. I like the texture and smell, too.

Treatment

10 ◆ Tea Tree Oil - Get the 100% pure variety, forget all the strange lotions and creams. This stuff will dry your skin out, so target spots directly with a q-tip. Also, broken skin + tea tree oil = ouch! It's potent and can be painful, so water it down a little before applying and try to avoid any broken skin.

I'd love to know about your skincare challenges and solutions. After years of never knowing if I would wake up with a swollen, bumpy bright red face, I feel much more in control of my skin. If you think you might have Acne Rosacea, see your skin specialist for a proper consultation and treatment, it made the world of difference to me.

If you have any specific topics that you would like to "Girl Talk" about, feel free to leave suggestions in the comments, or email me.

Kitty
xo

*Any comments left via mobile devices will need to be manually added by me, as Intense Debate is no longer compatible with the mobile templates on blogger. I am in the process of switching my commenting system to a new provider so please be patient. Your comments will still be published. I'm so sorry for the inconvenience.

Creative Workspace Inspiration

inspiring office space from Design Love Fest

Welcome to my new series "Work Your Way". It's all about inspiring each other and sharing knowledge to help us all work better and smarter. Since I started working from home, I've been thinking of ways to optimize my workspace. It's been a little haphazard as I've been based all over the place, from various offices to my own desk. I'm now on a 2 month contract working from home, so it's about time I organised my workspace properly! I've been peeping at some beautiful creative spaces online and dreaming about what I can concoct at home.

The most important things about you home workspace are:

• Comfort - making sure you have a proper chair that won't send you to the chiropractor every few weeks! I'm even considering setting up a standing desk. It's the way of the future
• Light - I'm a night owl so I am not great at this one. But making sure you have adequate light for the task at hand. While natural light is ideal, adequate soft lighting is also good.
• Space - Ideally I need a spot for my laptop, extra monitor (a must for animation! The laptop screen is way too small), Wacom tablet and a notepad. It's important to have all of your everyday tools at hand, easily accesible but not cluttering up your space.
• Storage - I'm sure like most of you, I do way too many things. Even for a single job I might need to draw and scan storyboards, characters or lettering. I might need to set up a little photo studio, cut out paper, fabric, and many more things! To keep my workspace pared down to the everyday essentials, I need a good storage system for extra stationary, fabric and other supplies. Easily accessible, but tidy and out of the way when not in use.
• Inspiration - staring at a white wall will probably squash any creative ideas you might have had. Create an inspiration board, where you can pin anything you collect for inspiration, photos, magazine clippings and business cards. Sometimes the greatest ideas sprout from an unexpected glimpse at your collection of tidbits.

Here's some more beautiful working environments for you to enjoy. I'd love to know your tips on having a successful space to work from, six months in and I'm starting to know what I want (and need!)

1 // Remodelista ◆ 2 // source unknown

(please let me know if you have the source)

1 // Style Files ◆ 2 // source unknown

(please let me know if you have the source) 

1 // Truck Furniture, Osaka ◆ 2 // 79 Ideas

Kitty

xo

Happy Australia Day - Good Stuff From Australia

You all know about lamingtons, right? I keep seeing articles on Australia Day: Lamingtons. Fair enough, we haven't produced a whole lot of amazing baked delights since Pavlova was torn from our clutches by New Zealand. Isn't it enough that you have Peter Jackson? No? Fine. Just as long as you keep Russell Crowe. He's all yours.

I decided in honour of Australia Day I'd share some of my favourite Australian films and music. In true Australian fashion, since Australia Day fell on a Sunday, we made Monday the public holiday so we wouldn't miss out on a long weekend. So today is just a continuation. (click film images for more info)

You thought the spiders and snakes were dangerous. How about the rocks?

A group of schoolgirls set out on St. Valentines day, 1900, on a school trip to study the rock formation known as Hanging Rock. From the haunting notes of the opening music, and a quote from Edgar Allen Poe, you know that this movie will carry you away to a strange place. If you want to know how the novel originally ended, read it here. It's amazingly different from how the movie ends.

This is what happens if you try to leave.

The story of an English school teacher who finds himself in the outback mining town of Bandanyabba. Despite his best efforts to return to Sydney, he finds himself trapped amidst the desolation and desperation of the outback, in an alcohol fuelled spiral of self-destruction. Originally thought lost, it has been lovingly restored for your viewing pleasure.

It's a Western, Australian style. Not for the faint-hearted.

Written by Nick Cave (see below) and directed by John Hillcoat (director of Ghosts... of the Civil Dead and The Road), this is an Australian take on the Western genre. Set in 1880's outback Australia, we see the typical Western themes of revenge and justice played out with a shocking brutality, but beautifully written, acted and directed.

The Birthday Party image via: Metrolyrics/LastFM

Back when Nick had tonnes of hair and more yelling inside his lungs.

The Birthday Party are still one of my all-time favourite bands. Raw, unflinching and angry at nothing. While Nick Cave gets all the credit, his co-writers in this era Mick Harvey and Roland Howard deserve equal praise and are sadly often overshadowed by Nick's flamboyance. Regardless, they epitomise the post-punk era.

SPK Performance image via: Douban

Australia's very own industrial band. Noisy. Good.

SPK were born in Sydney in the late 1970's. Our very own post-punk/experimental/electronic pioneers.   Early SPK is discordant and dark, like all of the best Australian art.

Gareth Liddiard (The Drones frontman) image via: C (my fiancé)

Music not from the early 80's. Best Australian accent in modern rock music, great lyrics, energetic live performance.

I've written of my love for The Drones before. The first time I saw them, at the Annandale Hotel, I summed them up as a bunch of rock posers. I hated them. But then I listened to their albums and their lyrics, and I admit I was totally wrong. Maybe I was in a bad mood. Gareth is one of the best songwriters out there today. If you like tantrum-throwing-anger-and-despair, these guys might just be the right band to sing karaoke to. The guitar will make you dance angry dances.

Primitive Calculators image via: Backyard Opera

They didn't make it in the 80's because they were working class, not because they weren't awesome.

It's back to the late 70's/early 80's again. Primitive Calculators were mates with Nick Cave in the Melbourne punk scene, but unfortunately came from a different background to the major players and never quite fit in. I was so excited to be at their revival gig in 2009, they were still as angry as ever. I spotted some vinyl of theirs in San Francisco, so I knew they had a fan base, but I'm so glad they are finally receiving some recognition. More noisy, angry Australian rock, probably most famous for the track "Pumping Ugly Muscle" which was featured in the film "Dogs In Space", starring Michael Hutchence.

So while people around Australia gorge on sausages and beer (seriously, that is all I can smell), join me on thinking back on some of Australia's prouder moments.

Kitty
xo