A big thankyou to Talulah Blue for featuring my painting, "September" on her blog,

which also features a "Withnail and I" -loving fox! 

Gorgeous cocktail hats including the one pictured above, and more divine decadence

here .

Vintage pick: Nine Magic Wishes

A first edition of Shirley Jackson's book

from daisychainvintage on etsy

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24188568

"A girl is given nine wishes by a mysterious magician, and her choices

perfectly capture a childlike imagination. For example, wish one is for

an orange pony with a purple tail; wish two is for a squirrel holding a

nut that opens and inside is a Christmas tree; wish eight is for a little

box and inside is another box and inside is another box and inside is

another box and inside that is an elephant . . . But the girl is hard pressed

to make a ninth wish, and instead leaves it on a rock for some other

lucky person to find. "

Wonderlands

http://tapirr.livejournal.com/1484264.html

Great collection of various illustrators' takes on Alice.

More wonderment here, too (wishing I could read Russian!):

http://tapirr.livejournal.com/1824450.html

Vintage Special: Jorma Laine Bronze Belt Buckle

From Mascara Jones on etsy:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26818812

I'm thrilled to have found this! I'm always fascinated to see Finnish bronze pieces

and Jorma Laine is one of my favourite names from this era.

Here's some background information, a great article that I go back to regularly for inspiration,

by Maggie Snell at Modern Silver:

http://www.modernsilver.com/Bronzeage.html

UPDATE: I'm delighted to add that Mascara Jones has very kindly added

a fantastic "Finnish Bronze"set of jewelry photos to her flickr pages!

Here's the link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39804935@N07/

Sea of Hope : DurandPottery - ArtFire Ceramics & Pottery

Take a look at this beautiful serving dish by DurandPottery on Artfire. I love the subtly opulent, painterly colouring:

Sea of Hope : DurandPottery - ArtFire Ceramics & Pottery

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The City Under The City

"Why don't you quit cryin' and get me some bourbon?"

Watched "The Asphalt Jungle" again.

Quite a while since I last saw it and it just knocked me out all over again.

It has a moral subtlety and emotional depth, despite touches of melodrama,

a respectful attentiveness to each character's background, unique vulnerabilities

and quirks that lifts it above many other crime films. It is superbly cast.

It's one of those noir classics that you could watch again and again just to

study the play of emotions on the actor's faces in close up,

as well as the framing, lighting, movement within any given shot, etc.

I think one reason that you get so involved is that the music is pretty minimal and,

although highly dramatic, it only comes in at crucial moments

(the robbery sequence is a good example of this) and more often you are

acutely sensitised to the various significant silences between the players.

For me the film is especially memorable for Sterling Hayden's terrific performance,

by turns edgy and restless, unflappably cool, startlingly amusing, and strangely touching.

Vintage Pick: Tricolour Pumps from SkinnyandBernie on Etsy

Straight to the juicy mod shoes!

Love the colours and bold simplicity. Just one gorgeous pair among many at

Skinny and Bernie