Pretty Things: Shoe Porn

We're all a titter about some of the new hot, sexy and sometimes quirky boots, booties and stilettos for the coming season! Here are some of our favourites from the shows in Paris for you to drool over...
And, in case you'd like like to send any of these beauties my way, I'm a size 8 1/2 and my address is...

photos: Getty & Imaxtree

Project Runway...Christian Siriano "Made It Work"

Surviving 12 rounds of design challenges, Christian Siriano was the sure winner of the fourth season of Project Runway, his work standing out as visionary amongst the other contestants....and for good reason.

After graduating from the Baltimore School for the Arts, he moved to London to attend American InterContinental University and landed jobs with extreme visionary, avant-garde designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen.

Now, at 21, he's the youngest to win Project Runway, with those "fierce" avant-garde designs we all love to look at...even if some of you wouldn't ever wear them. For me personally, I'd wear them all!

He's already working on his next collection, so hopefully he'll be on the runway again or in stores soon.



Here are some of my Christian Siriano favourites from the Project Runway show...I'd work all of these!

photos: People Magazine

A Shopping Day...

What a great day to go shopping...as is any day if you're anything like lil' ole' me. *hee hee*

Here are some sweet treats and cuties to choose from...

• 3 Little Cuties Card - Inside: "hot monkey love it is" - $3.00

• Mineral Bath Soak - 16 0z - Choose Your Scent - $12.00
• Choose from: Ginseng Pear, Cherry Vanilla, Mandarin Orange, Water Lily, Tahitian Vanilla, Thai Lemongrass

• Devil Girl Silhouette [Original Art Piece] -$30.00

• Also available: Devil Boy, Angel Girl, Angel Boy.
  
• Choose your own background colours too!
  

• Wallpaper Print Pendant Necklace - $12.00

• Griffin's Flowers Magnet Tin - $7.00

• Bunny Love Card - $3.00 - Choose your inside message
• Choose: "I wuv you" or "Some bunny loves you"
  

Buy securely via Etsy, an online source for handmade goodies, by clicking on the links. See my Etsy shop feedback & shop confidently.

A Little Angel...

I'm not a huge fan, but I was very touched by the recent photos of Joel Madden & Nicole Richie's new baby, Harlow Winter Kate, born January 11th.



Nicole looks very serene and supremely happy in them...and the baby like a little angel.



Nicole says, "I don't even remember what life was like before her. She gives life a whole new meaning and a whole new purpose."


"She's never out of my mind," says Nicole.
"I stop doing things for me anymore. Everything is for her."

photos: Andrew MacPherson for People

Dirty Pretty Things FEATURED!

Yay!
Here's another GREAT feature on my work. Go here to read all about Dirty Pretty Things!!

I was excited to see this sweet little feature by Tizzlicious and to also read all of the wunderful comments left by You on this blog feature. Thank you all so very much!

And, if you've not yet checked out the Tizzalicious blog and shop, you just have to! It's full of Kawaii, Kitch and Rockabilly inspired jewelry, softies and accessories that everyone could love!


Here are some of my faves...

Pretty Things Spotlight: Element Clay Studio

Strange. Rough. Spine. Sharp. Texture...

All words that describe the work of Heather Knight's Element Clay Studio.

But, then again,...
Beautiful. Imaginative. Modern. Futuristic. and Whimsical also describe her sweet, quirky clay creations.

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Inspired by all the charming, enlightened aspects of nature, she sculpts her simplified forms, urchins, orbs and other wunderful ceramic shapes, delighting herself in the technically challenging composition of her work.

Simply delightful!

"My goal is to make work that reflects my touch and recalls the complexity and beauty found in the natural world."

Spotlight: Element Clay Studio

*Tell us a bit about yourself...
My name is Heather Knight. I live in Asheville, NC. I am obsessed with ceramics. I make work in my dreams, when I am driving, even when I am out with friends and supposed to be listening.

*What inspires you?
I am inspired by the wealth of visual information that is found in the world around me, but only in those rare moments when I can quiet my mind and really look. Observation and awareness are at the root of everything I do. I can walk to the grocery store and find an amazing spiky seed pod, or go to the beach and find barnacles on a rock and be totally moved by the beauty of it all. I absolutely loathe winter, so when its cold, I usually Google all sorts of things and flip through magazines to get my ideas flowing.

*Apart from creating beautiful things, what do you do for fun?
I work seven days a week, so fun is what you make it, but when I can, I like to cook, run away to the beach, go on walks and look for interesting things to make. My favorite thing right now is a hot bubble bath and a movie, simultaneously.

*What has been your most memorable moment selling your art?
I have had many wonderful conversations with people that purchase my work, and I love that I get to communicate directly with my buyers and hear their stories. I cry tears of gratitude at least once a week as a result of the positive feedback I get from buyers on Etsy. I just made my biggest sale yesterday. It was one of those moments when I could be proud of myself, and I can fell like the universe is supporting my dream.

*Any advice for fellow artists...
If you believe in yourself and are dedicated to what you do, You are already a success in my eyes.

Etsy shop:
http://elementclaystudio.etsy.com
Blogs:
http://www.heatherknightceramics.blogspot.com
http://www.elementclaystudio.blogspot.com

Dirty Pretty Things Give-a-Way!

Update: The winner of my "Where's the Party" mini print is THIS OLD HEN HOUSE. Congratulations! You can still get your own print by going to my shop. Thanks to all of you who entered.

★ ★ ★ ★

◦ ◦ ○ "Where's the Party" Mini Print! ○ ◦ ◦

I love this painting and I love to give things to you..., so I've decided to have a give-a-way to combine both!

I am giving away a free mini-print of my painting entitled "Where's the Party"

All you have to do to enter is...
Leave a comment in this post with a clear way for me to get in contact with you should you be the winner.

This contest is open to everyone and I will ship to anyone, wherever you may be in the world. I will pay shipping too!
One entry per person, please. Comments in other posts will not be counted.
Duplicates will be deleted. :)

The drawing for this give-a-way will be held once this post reaches 50 comments.

I will then enter all of you Pretties by writing your names on paper and picking the winner's name out of a hat...the old-fashioned way! Winner will be announced here and contacted.

So, do not delay, enter today...and best of luck to you!

xxx
Raven

Dirty Pretty Things FEATURED!

Hello, my Pretties!

After a bout with the flu, I am back... and with tears of joy in my eyes. I've been featured by Indie-pendence. If you haven't been reading this blog on a daily, then you need to add it to your list and do so immediately.


Her blog features bits & bobs of high-quality, handcrafted goods, new artists and unique handmade products. Plus you'll find a monthly giveaway from Indie designers.

I want to personally thank MaryAnn from the bottom of my heart.

Now, go read all her sweetness and then do some shopping!

xxx
Raven

Angelina, Brad...and another Cutie on the way!

Seems like all the celebs are trying to keep their pregnancies hush-hush for as long as they can these days...and one can totally understand why. The paps always at the ready, trying to get the first photo of their ever-growing baby bumps.








One recent speculation was that Angelina and Brad were expecting child number 5, since she's been sporting loose garb lately and suspiciously wore a flowing gown to the SAG Awards.



This past Saturday, Angelina posed with Brad Pitt on the carpet at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Brad wearing an outfit that looked as if it were taken straight off the back of someone in the Seventies and Angelina wearing a simple, yet revealing black gown [pictured above], which clearly showed off her developing baby bump.




All the gossip hounds are now wagging their tongues again... that their latest speculation has been confirmed!

The growing Jolie-Pitt family currently includes Maddox {6}, Pax {4}, Zahara {3}, and Shiloh {1}. A source close to the couple says they are "thrilled to be adding to their brood." ...and we're pretty happy that another cutie is indeed on the way...Yay!

Pretty Things Fashion: The Oscars

Here are our picks for best dressed at the 80th Annual Academy Awards...

Katherine Heigl - The epitomy of classic Hollywood glamour and set the red carpet on fire simply stunning in her crimson silk georgette Escada column one-shoulder gown, with draped and pleated bodice.

Marion Cotillard - A modern mermaid in her intricately detailed custom-made Jean Paul Gaultier gown.

Cameron Diaz - Stunning in a Dior by John Galliano blush pink silk tafetta gown with drape details and Bulgari jewels.

Renée Zellweger - She sparkled in a sexy hand embroidered Carolina Herrera gown and Cartier jewels.

Penélope Cruz - So pretty in a Chanel Couture navy feather-adorned embroidered gown, designed by Karl Lagerfeld just for her.

Forest and Keisha Whitaker -Best dressed couple on the red carpet. Forest Whitaker had the perfect accessory on his arm as he walked down the red carpet with his gorgeous wife Keisha.

Kristin Chenoweth -Stunning old-fashioned sex appeal in her Fred Leighton diamond hair clips.

Pretty Things Spotlight: ScarlettCat

ScarlettCat was one of the first artists who caught my eye when I joined Etsy last year.

To this day, her sassy little vixens remain near and dear to my heart, as I too have always had an obsession with the gorgeous curvy-ness of the female form.

Her flirty, big-eyed, big-breasted girls are not only great eyecandy, they remind us all to always embrace our sexy fun fearless female selves! meeeeow!

"I'm drawn to subjects that have an outwardly childlike appeal, but perhaps something a little darker lurking beneath the surface..."

Spotlight: ScarlettCat

* Tell us a bit about yourself I'm Scarlett, a self-taught Aussie artist living in Melbourne with two demanding cats and an easy-going boyfriend. During the day I work as a senior copywriter in an advertising agency and at night I draw and work on my Etsy shop. I've learnt mainly by studying the work of my favourite artists - Mark Ryden's amazingly detailed paintings, Audrey Kawasaki's haunting girls and Fafi's sexy little vixens. I opened an Etsy shop for my art and cards in 2007 and I've just started selling my art, hair clips, mirrors and buttons at Gallery 696 in Melbourne - a wonderful gallery that gives newcomers the exposure they need.

* What inspires you? I'm always inspired. And I have to be - in advertising you're only as good as your last concept, so I have to make sure the reservoir of ideas in my head is constantly topped up. For my art, I find a lot of inspiration in magazine images. I'm a bit like a teenage boy when it comes to collecting pictures of gorgeous women! Of course, my interests lie in their clothes, eye shadow, lippy, cheekbones and haircut. I'm like a pack rat when it comes to collecting images. My bookshelf is piled high with children's books and art monographs. And I have files of visual reference that I've been collecting since I was at high school. As well as the parade of models and actresses they contain pages of pictures of flowers and insects, umbrellas and armchairs, rabbits and teacups, all waiting to be used in an illustration. I enjoy collecting these things as much as I enjoy illustrating them.

* Apart from creating things, what do you do for fun? I'm obsessed with brunch and good coffee. Every weekend my boyfriend and I head out to one of the local cafes and potter around- we always do the quiz in the paper together! We also both spend plenty of time with my best friend from high school, her hubby and their darling baby boy, who's a constant source of inspiration and amusement. I read voraciously, love watching movies and (at the risk of sounding like a complete nerd!) I do a cryptic crossword every night before bed.

* What has been your most memorable moment selling your art? I've only been on Etsy since April 2007, and I'm still over the moon every time I sell something. The fact that people want my art in their home never ceases to thrill me! Hitting the top sellers list early this year was also a wonderful (and so far, unrepeatable!) surprise. I'm also very lucky to have quite a few regular customers and I just love seeing the same people coming back to my shop. I'm getting to know which customer will be interested in which piece and I really enjoy the customer service aspect of running an online store.

* Any advice for fellow artists... Keep at it and network like there's no tomorrow - persistence and a dollop of shameless promotion never hurt anyone! And get your work 'out there' any way you can. When I first started drawing regularly, I'd put my latest picture on my wall at work and it was the best thing I could have done. People would come in and talk about what I'd drawn or give me pointers and suggestions to make it better. It's much harder to improve if you hide your work away and never let it see the light of day!

* Anything else you'd like to add about yourself or your work. I create my art to make people

(including myself!) happy. It's meant to be light and fun and enjoyable and playful - and I hope it makes people smile!















Etsy Shop: http://scarlettcat.etsy.com
Blog: http://scarlettcat.blogspot.com

Fashion Maven... Vivienne Westwood

A self-taught designer, Vivienne Westwood has been a queen in British fashion for four decades, surviving in a highly competitive industry without compromising her ideals.

She famously dressed the Sex Pistols [along with Malcolm McLaren] in their original punk rock style at their first gig, complete with outrageous hair and make-up, safety pins, razor blades, chains on clothing and spiked dog collars used as jewelry. Westwood invented the slashed 'A' symbol for Anarchy and was the first to wear underwear as outerwear.

Westwood has brought an original slant to the fashion world and is responsible for many fashion ideas that we now take for granted.

Her first official collection was in 1981, during London's Fashion week and she has maintained the title "Queen of Quirk" ever since, her vision at times at odds with the rest of the fashion world.

In October 1991 and 1993 she was named British Designer of the Year and was awarded the OBE by HM the Queen. Westwood began to attract society clients.

Although her clothes are often revolutionary, she has embraced traditional British fabrics and materials, such as tartan plaids, making them her own with the unusual elements of her style, including frayed hems, torn seams, bustles, exaggeratedly high shoes, etc... serving only to make the overall effect of her designs all the more shocking. She has provoked outrage, amusement and ultimately respect.

"I am a great believer in copying; there has never been an age in which people have so little respect for the past."

Showing in London for the first time in nine years this season, Vivienne Westood shows no sign of giving up her crown...and YAY for that, as she still never ceases to delight us!

Here are some favourite looks from the Vivienne Westwood Red Label Collection, Autumn/Winter 2008...

Anthropologie-ish Finds...

I love this treasury by Lagelle featuring a lot of little lovelies one might find in a store like Anthropologie...and she's included my Asian Candles!

Such Lovelies...

The Last Sitting...Again

In 1962, photographer Bert Stern shot a series of photos of Marilyn Monroe at the Hotel Bel-Air that have collectively come to be known as "The Last Sitting." The photographs are arguably the most famous images ever captured of America's most famous actress. Six weeks after she had posed, Monroe was found dead of an apparent barbiturate overdose.

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Fast forward forty-six years later:
Stern re-shoots these classic shots...with none other than Lindsay Lohan.

Ohhh, they are trying to relate Lindsay to Marilyn in so many ways to make it seem like this was a perfect match, but it just doesn't work.

Better to leave well enough alone...
Why redo something that was so beautifully done in it's original form?


Miss Marilyn is probably rolling over in her grave.

Lindsay in no way matches the beauty of Marilyn...not even close! At best these photos are bad knock-offs. Lindsay looks more like a hooker or drug addict caught in the act in most of them.

Also, her body doesn't even compare...Marilyn had a womanly hourglass figure and that creamy white smooth skin and wasn't covered in freckles. Marilyn just exuded sex. I don't feel that from Lindsay ever.

Stern said the project also grew out of his interest in “controversial women,” or “bad girls,” like “Britney, Paris, and Lindsay.” Monroe was, in a sense, the original tabloid queen.

I think Stern would have been better off shooting Lindsay for her first "sitting" with Playboy or Penthouse then, don't you think?

(all photos: New York Magazine)