matouenpeluche

Les chats encore - part deux!

I think my muse has turned into a large calico kitten as I seem to have a thing for them at the moment. Tuxedo cats used to be my favourite type of cat to draw, but tuxedo cats are so last year!   

Contemplation

Sweet Dreams

Out and About

The weather was perfect in Sydney over the weekend. I made the most of it by getting out and about in it as much as possible! This involved two long walks either side of the harbour. I took some snaps along the way.

Two shots taken from Cremorne Point looking back towards the city.

A forest of Sydney apple gums and a native fuschia both at Bradley's Head.

The view from The Georges Heights Lookout of North and South Head.

Shark Island taken from Point Piper.

Autumnal foliage near Red Leaf pool.

Mimosa in full bloom half way up Bellevue Hill.

The Great Gatsby

The first reviews are starting to trickle in from Cannes for Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby. They are a little luke warm so far. I've seen the trailer and it looks like it's a classic Luhrmann production: glamorous, over the top, lavish and spectacular in scale but not terribly deep. However, as one person pointed out, it's just entertainment, isn't it? It's not intended to be the answer to the world's problems. Have you seen the trailer? Here it is here.

I think at the very least the costumes and production design will be fun to look at.

All images from here.

Hello Autumn!

Sydney is being very autumnal at the moment. We don't have as much of the spectacular red and gold leaf action you get in some parts of the world like Maine in the US or Japan, but it is still very lovely. The weather is crisp, the skies are blue and the camelias are in full flower. It quite possibly might be my favourite season!

Jessie Willcox Smith

This illustration by the American artist Jessie Willcox Smith is called A Mother's Days which I thought was pretty appropriate considering it's Mother's Day today! 

Jessie Willcox Smith's illustrations are in the classic Arts and Crafts/ Art Nouveau style which isn't surprising as she did most of her work around the turn of the last century. She worked for magazines and periodicals such as Ladies' Home Journal and Scribner's Magazine, but it is her work for the children's book The Water-Babies that is most well-known and loved. I have a selection of the 12 illustrations she did for The Water-Babies below. Aren't they sweet? 

Top image from here and the rest from here.

Mad Men season 6

So, I have been watching Mad Men season 6 (bien sûr) and there's a lot to like so far. Sure there's been some patchiness. For example, I didn't care for episode 2. I thought it was boring and had a lazy script. But! Episodes 3 and 4 have been fine, fine, fine telly to say the least. Here's five things I've been liking...

1. Megan's wardrobe, Joan's wardrobe...actually everybody's wardrobe. So right on and happening for 1968! Here's just a selection of my favourite outfits so far...

2. Michael Ginsberg. I hope they write him in a bit more. He always has some angsty/ serious/ amusing thing going on.

3. Peggy! I love how she's moving on up in the world but retaining her integrity. I love that she's got such a cool boss who thinks she's the bees's knees. I love that she's got that hip journalist boyfriend who isn't fazed by her high flying corporate success.

4. Pete's side burns.

5. ...and Roger. The whole episode lifts by about five notches whenever he's in a scene. It's a dreary episode when he's not around.

All images form here.

Coco Chanel

Legendary fashion icon Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel had some interesting things to say on just about everything. I have collected together my top 10 favourite quotes from her below. Happy weekend!

1. "Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury."

2. "Gentleness doesn't get work done unless you happen to be a hen laying eggs."

3. "Elegance is refusal."

4. "Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door."

5. "A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous."

6. “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.” 

7. "I don't do fashion. I AM fashion." 

8. "The best colour in the world is the one that looks good on you."

9. "Fashion changes, but style endures."

10. "There are people who have money and people who are rich." 

Quotes from here and image from here.

Pierre Mourgue!

Pierre Mourgue's illustration work spanned quite a few decades and styles, but it's his work from the 40s and 50s that I love the best. Aren't they lovely?

All images from here.

Les chats encore!

Quelle suprise! 

Sweetheart sees a mouse.

You are so very tall.

Kitten.

Click on the title/ image and it will take you through to the house of Matou! 

Cat books

Some cat books I would really love to get my paws *ahem* sorry hands on...

All images from here.