snap!

Viola Farber 1958

Yayoi Kusama 1968

This post is a direct transcription from 

a post by reference library.

Too good not to repeat it.  HaHa!

Hmmm.... 

I'll let you make up your own mind Yayoi

more strange and wonderful images here

Dolly LOVE

Isn't she just incredible? The detail is so exquisite.

Most likely she is a Fashion Doll... or a 'Pandora'.

English Doll 1755-1760  via V&A Collection

"Pandoras were used from the 14th century to convey the latest 

fashion among courts of Europe.... by the end of the 18th century 

the pandoras had given way in importance to fashion magazines. 

The figures were not designed as toys, but, after (fulfilling) their 

original purpose they may been given to children to play with."

-words from the V&A Collection website

I love the patina of these beautiful old dolls and doll houses.

the butterfly hunter

"Does there not exist a high ridge where 

the mountainside of ‘scientific’ knowledge joins 

the opposite slope of ‘artistic’ imagination?" 

~ Vladimir Nabokov

"My pleasures are the most intense known to man: 

writing and butterfly hunting."

~ Vladimir Nabokov

Images taken from the field journals of Vladimir Nabokov

and found via this post and The New York Public Library.

The Russian Author, best known for his novel ' Lolita ' was 

also a distinguished Entomologist with a particular interest in
Lepidoptera (or moths and butterflies). Parts of his butterfly

collection and other items are kept in the Nabokov Museum.

Dolly LOVE

For my birthday tomorrow I'd love...

One of these beautiful living doll assemblages
created by Earth Sea Warrior

And a couple of these geometric terrariums... 

pretty pretty please? x

Georges Méliès

I have long been in love with the fantastique work 

of french film pioneer Georges Méliès.

His visions have greatly inspired my work in performance,

my art making, and my creations of costumery and millinery.

A box set of over 170 of Georges Méliès films

is now availiable from Amazon. C'est maqnifique!

Georges Méliès in 3D

We finally went to see Hugo and it was really wonderful.

At first I thought the story was sweet but a little too contrived.

When we came home and I read up on the life of Georges Méliès, 

I found that it was almost as fantastical as Martin Scorsese's film.

I think, indeed, Scorsese's film does the Magician's art justice.

If only Méliès could have seen his dreams brought to life in 3D!

You can view the much referenced A Trip To The Moon here.

Sophie Blackall

I love Sophie Blackall's beautiful and quirky illustrations.

'We Shared a Bear Suit' from Sophie's book 

'Missed Connections' available at Amazon

Recently, I stumbled across an article at 'The Inside Source'

with some wonderful photographs of Sophie's home and lovely 

collection of inspirational objects and fantastical curiosities...

To quote the article...

"Blackall's Brooklyn home and studio are a window into her creative process. 

One step inside, and it’s like you’ve been transported into a Harry Potter novel 

or Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.  Blackall’s home, which 

she shares with her two children, is filled with carefully-curated, nearly-ghoulish 

oddities that don’t necessarily creep you out, but just like her illustrations, instead 
bring an odd smile to your face ....  in Blackall’s own words, her dwelling is 
something of a “Victorian Natural History Museum....”  you can view more here

Oh, I love it all! xox

curiosities

Museum of Black and White No. 5

by Sir Peter Blake

The Dollhouse #3

Wonderful article and links on doll houses

& modern designer minatures  here

The Dollhouse #1

found here

A living Dollhouse created by Heather Benning

the dollybird

You can view all their links via this treasury

which I put together a few days ago,

and you can view my other treasuries here 

sign of the twins

It was my birthday yesterday 

and I had a wonderful day.

Here are some of my favourite twin images

It was really lovely to catch up with so 

many of my dear friends this weekend.

I feel blessed to have 

such beautiful people in my life.

Thank-you for all the wonderful gifts

and loving thoughts and words...

 I'd also like to wish a very

✩ Happy Birthday ✩

to all my fellow geminis... 

I know so many.

image sources:

1. unknown 2. Billy und Hells 3.Diabolus 

 4. Sarah Ogren 5.Theremina via flickr

more incredible twin shots on this blog

the lovely locket

Oh my goodness!

'Lost on the Midway'

'Little Bee'

'The Fiji Mermaid'

'Ava'

''The Beekeeper'

 Look!  At these lovely lockets from:-

{ The Black Apple }

(click here)

Aren't they delightful?

They are made to order 

with a 4-6 week turn around,

and someone sweet just

bought one for me!

Hopefully it will arrive just in time for my birthday ;)

They are available now from 

the black apple's etsy store  

(click here) 

but do hurry... 

they are sure to disappear 

before your very eyes!

Flower Head: wunderkammer

The Picture Book 

This is an image that I photographed today of a shelf display in our
  
WUNDERKAMMER

The curiosities are listed from left to right and top to bottom as follows...

a pair of celluloid swans found in an antique store many years ago, porcelain doll parts left behind by previous tenants of our house, paper flowers made for a long lost love but never given to him, a souvenir medallion presented to every school child in Australia in commemoration of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953, vintage keys to cupboards and bureaus long gone, silver seahorse brooche purchased at the Esplanade Market in St. Kilda, a cameo portrait of King George? bought at a junkshop in Westgarth, soviet medal purchased at Check Point Charlie Berlin, korean coin donated by a patron when I was busking as a living statue, Australian 2¢ copper coin c1975 (no longer in circulation) picturing a frilled neck lizard and displaying a tiny dead black beetle found in the garden here, minature heart-shaped wall plaque and copper kitchen utensils that I bought as a child at the most incredible antique dollhouse shop when we visited Nuremberg, Germany (home to this wonderous  toy museum )... I was allowed to choose one single thing (I believe it was an incredibly expensive shop), silver maori charm a gift from a friend, tiny gold crown button discovered at Camberwell Market, wooden hexagonal-shaped game piece from unknown source, 1970s flapper hat pin purchased on Etsy, 1940s metal printer's plate of a  shoe found in an Adelaide curiosity shop in the nineteen-eighty four 

...ah, the collecting of wonders never ceases at our house.