Saturday, January 15, 2011

colouring, watching, gushing


Went and checked my postbox earlier to find three packages were waiting for me, all things I'd completely forgotten I'd ordered over the holidays. This semester I'm going to make a bit of an effort to curb my spending on silly little things that add up. Mainly bus fare and the take away coffees I usually buy to perk me up just before a lecture. So, ta-da, a insulated travel mug! Along with a tin of Caran D'ache pens I ordered from Amazon the other day when suddenly overcome by the urge to...colour in? My Granny used to buy me sets of Caran D'ache when I was little-I remember spending so long labouring over a picture of an underwater scene of spotted octopus and stripey fish and bright coral each day after school for a Blue Peter competition and then missing the deadline when I liked it too much to want to send it in. Maybe it's just fond memories like this but in a sad way I'm kind of feeling just 'drawing' at the moment.  Maybe something to do with catching up with the genius Isabel's Animal Talk and missing having a pen between my fingers to draw rather than write with. On the subject of Isabel, she never fails to amaze me, she creates such cool little sculptures. Supersized Geodes or tongue-in-cheek 'cake landscapes' that are painted in colours so knee-weakeningly pretty that you're torn between wanting to pop them in your mouth and chew them like bubblegum or crawl into them and never come out.

And something I was very excited about is this copy of US Vogue from 1961. With mini reviews for Breakfast at Tiffanys and West Side Story and an awful lot of adverts for mink coats and stockings and lipstick and ford cars having a leaf through it felt very Betty Draper. It was sent to me by Leanne who is working for Sky Atlantic, which I've been really excited about launching after reading about it in various 'What to look out for in 2011' magazine features over Christmas. There is always something about January and fantastic television schedules that makes me feel all excited and compelled to confine myself indoors every night with a hot water bottle and strict viewing plans. As an American Studies student and general US cultcha nerd I'm especially excited for the launch of a channel with so many stateside exports. Treme (I couchsurfed with a guy whose Dad was working on it when I was in Venice Beach), Boardwalk Empire, new Mad Men (don't get me started..) yadda yadda.

All in all a bit of a gushy post. And here is a nice chilled song to remedy the overexcited tone..

14 comments:

Ella Gregory said...

I love clicking through old Vogues, although they're always a bit stinky. And do you have a special colouring in book to go with the pens? xxx

Just Another Londoner said...

Boardwalk Empire looks really good, although sadly I don't have Sky (possibly the last person in England with only 5 channels) so I'm planning to watch it online once I've finished Mad Men...

Lucy said...

oo those felt tips look so good to do a bit of colouring with

Lisa said...

lovely post, that vogue sounds amazing and so Mad Men-esque! Speaking of which i too loove the sound of this sky atlantic, although i must admit i was a leeetle bit disappointed in dustin hoffman for selling out and doing the advert paha

Filipa said...

The little octopus scene description made me smile. I had book with all the Disney princesses and i would always have to get their dress and hair colour just right! :)

young-shields said...

enjoying the hoops. and the song. x

Amy Joy said...

How cool that Vogue Magazine thats a classic!

Sofía Premat said...

i have so many vintage vogue, but not 61!!!!

Ella Gregory said...

Hey lovely, I know you don't really 'do' celebrity posts (unless it's your dear Chloe) but I would LOVE to see something about Helena Bonham Carter on DC. Pretty please... xxxx

Madelene said...

This post makes me want to raid eBay for Vreeland-era Vogues.

Unknown said...

the vogue looks so good! i've been pondering whether or not to get an ebay copy of 90s dazed and confused with a big Chloe Sevigny/Kids feature... i absolutely love boardwalk empire, can't wait for this channel! x

Anonymous said...

If you haven't seen it yet, I've thought you might like this video with Chloë directed by Spike Jonze, it's pretty short but really funny:

http://www.openingceremony.us/entry.asp?pid=2520

xx

amanda - lace and tea said...

I love eBay for things like this!

Oli said...

i love old mags they r like works of art ive got so many !!

www.storyofafunnyface.blogspot.com