If I gave you pretty flowers…

So last night was probably the first of many nights I’ll spend chained to my desk reluctantly married to Photoshop over the next few months. I’m in full swing with rendering and colouring all the pages for my book and in true Swa form it’s taking me ten times longer than I thought it would to get through all the work… I keep stumbling upon new ways to colour things, which yeah, look heaps better, but take double the time to complete. I’m going with this whole rainbow luminescence device which is quite magical looking (It’s like a poor man’s Avatar in Wonderland). There’s lots of blue and turquoise overlays going on mixed with splashes of magenta and purple.

If I ever get the chance to make another children’s book I think I’ll set it in the daylight hours… night time is cool and mysterious and all but there’s so much darkness that it takes yonks to get everything balanced and the right amounts of variation in tone. I can’t wait til I have all these pictures coloured and I can sit back and actually be nice to myself. At the moment I’m being a hard-ass perfectionist… but hopefully that means I can maintain the quality of the imagery the whole way through and not slack off over time.

And now for a Swaylist. I realised after I compiled it how banjo-centric it is. It must be a mood thing. There’s some other cool snippets in there too.

No One Said This Would Be Easy – The Postmarks – There’s a bit of a Bond film theme song edge to this, which is snazzy. The whole album is reminiscent of that sound.

Roscoe – Midlake – This was the first song I heard of theirs and I’m really enjoy the vibe. I think I might enjoy the older album a bit more than the new one but they’re both really well put together.

Devil’s Spoke – Laura Marling – (may contain traces of banjo) Newish Laura, little bit keen for her new album to be released. I’ve always had a bit of a crush on the whole Indian infused folk thing. I like that her voice is deeper and that it’s different from her other stuff. I imagine not everyone will dig this because it’s not as ‘cute’. It should be noted that Miss Marling was my summer girl.

40 Day Dream – Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes – These guys hit the spot! You know… the place where your inner hippy love child dwells. I can’t stop listening to this song – It’s the magical mystery kind. Can’t wait to see them at the end of March.

Laundry Room – The Avett Brothers – (may contain traces of banjo.. hold out for the hoedown at the end) It was hard to choose which song of theirs to put on this playlist. I’m really quite partial to I and Love and You as well as Ten Thousand Words. Yes they’re country and lots of people hate country but they’re also lovely and wholesome and handsome (sans beards). I want to make sweet sweet harmonies with them.

Another Day – Jamie Lidell – Jamie’s album Jim is pretty swell. This track in particular I can’t help but sing along to. When it hits the little instrumental interlude in the middle I think of dance sequences in old Disney movies. Oh and the birds tweeting= adorable.

Giving Up On Love – Slow Club – This was my Valentine’s Day theme song. It’s good for giving the concept of love the finger in a very simple and a little bit oldschool rock’n’roll way.

Awake My Soul – Mumford and Sons – (may contain traces of banjo.. and ends with a bit of a hoedown too) Mumford have been exposed muchly this summer. I was initially drawn to the “bigger” numbers on the album but this one has really grown on me. I like the jaunty patterns in the verses. Someone let me know when they start auditioning for daughters.

Cement – Washington – I stumbled upon Megan’s stuff as a result of her appearances on Spicks and Specks. I really like her vocal tone. Fun song too.

Pretty Flowers – Steve Martin (It’s actually Dolly Parton and Vince Gill singing) (there’s no doubt about the epic traces of banjo on Steve Martin’s album) This is the kind of music I would have shunned as a kid. Now I’m just totally lame or something but I find myself a bit of a sucker for country. Dolly does it to me every time.

Awesome lyrics include –

Well I took you out to dinner
And I told you funny stories
And I moved a little closer
And you made love to me

And on that note xxxSwa

Farewell Oh Nine

So I’m a little late with my wrap up of all thing two-oh-oh-nine but I have opinions you see and I want all 4 of you to be aware. 

I think I’ve had one of those years of extremes. I’ve had some pretty massive lows but they’ve been accompanied by some pretty awesome highs. So if you believe in the theory that the universe balances things out maybe oh-ten will be a little less dramatic and just sort of consistently coolbeans. 

So onto some of the before mentioned opinions. I really don’t like doing top 5 lists because unless I can see very clear distinctions between each place, I don’t like having to decide which way to order things. My inability to make decisions is something I’ll work on in oh-ten. But for the sake of being interesting and effortlessly pop-culturally aware i’ll give it a go.

SWA’s TOP 5 MOVIE MOTION PICTURES 2009

Obviously I didn’t see every film released in 09′ so I’m sure I’ve missed some treasures.

5.Inglourious Basterds – I feel like I’m at the theatre when I see a Tarantino film. It’s just the mixture of banter, a dramatically charged monologue, a sexy musical montage oh and the over the top violence. Always makes for memorable cinema.

4. Tie: An education/Coco before Chanel – These two tie because they satisfied me in much the same way. An education was very pretty and I love any chance to pretend I can relate to coming of age in the 60’s. Coco Avant Chanel was also incredibly pretty and I just love stories (real or fictional) where individuals realise their potential and do it in their very own way… and in exceptional style. So yeah both of these films were about navigating through life and wearing beautiful clothes at the same time.

3. (500) days of summer – This is the guilty pleasure of the list. It’s like a marriage of lots of my favourite things on screen. Zooey, awkward boys, music, quirky fashions and love. I don’t care if it makes me completely generic to like this film. Zooey and me go way back.. and as for deriving pleasure from love stories (or in this case, not so lovely stories) I found a lot of relatable material in there and some resonating truths. Oh and Zooey.

2. Up – Up was just one of those feel good after you leave the cinema films. Not only did it have some of the best comedy I’ve seen all year but Pixar just continues to deliver wonderful characters. They’re just really good at telling stories… and stories that appeal to everyone, not just the kiddies. Squirrel!

1. Mary and Max – This makes my number one for a few reasons. Mainly because I just had no expectations about it before I watched it and by the end I was dabbing tears and feeling inspired. Inspired and jealous. Jealous because I don’t think i’ll ever be able to dream up stories like that, which have such a distinctive visual style but also contain so many brilliant little seemingly random intricacies in the storytelling. It was like reading a beautiful handmade picture book.

Honorable mentions- Coraline – District 9 – Where the Wild Things Are – The Boat that Rocked – Star Trek – Gran Torino – Samson and Delilah

Movies I’d like a refund for – The Invention of Lying – Year One 

SWA’s TOP 5 ALBUMS 2009

5. Coconut Records – Davy – I dig this album. I think the reason for this is that so much of their stuff reminds me of The Kinks and I love them. Top tracks – Drummer, Any Fun

4. Mumford and Sons – Sigh no More – I only got this a few weeks ago but I’m really into it. I just can’t go past a jaunty jig. Top tracks – The Cave, White Blank Page

3. Mayer Hawthorne – A Strange Arrangement – A modern take on some classic motown sounds. There’s some very obvious influences in quite a few tracks but it doesn’t detract from the music. It’s probably better for it. Top Tracks – Make  Her Mine, The Ills

2. Sarah Blasko – As Day Follows Night – My favourite Sarah Blasko album so far. I just really liked the jazzier direction this album took. Top Tracks – Bird on a Wire, We Won’t Run, Lost & Defeated

1. Florence and the Machine – Lungs – I can’t stop listening to this album. So much vocal power. Sometimes reminds me of very early Sarah McLachlan. It’s a really rich and quite diverse album. Top Tracks- Cosmic Love, Girl with One Eye, Howl, Hurricane Drunk, Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)…. pretty much the whole album.

Honorable Mentions –  Andrew Bird – Noble Beast, Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career, Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest, Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Air – Love 2

SWA’s TOP 5 PICTURE BOOKS 2009

Clancy and Millie and the Very Fine House – Libby Gleeson, Freya Blackwood (ill) – I prefer their earlier collaboration Amy and Louis, but I still love this book too. Beautiful pictures by Freya Blackwood and sweet story that explores how simple objects can become so much more in the clutches of a child’s imagination.

Vivi finds Bean- Vanessa Holle – A Charming and beautifully designed book about a Vivi’s journey from Hamburg to Sydney to find her grandma Bean.

Who Wants to Be a Poodle? I Don’t! – Lauren Child – From the creator of Charlie and Lola, I am a big fan of Lauren Child’s writing and the true Britishness of the language. A story about a poodle with a ridiculously unnecessary name who would rather her owner saw her for the devilishly adventurous and dangerous dog that she is.

Sunday Chutney – Aaron Blabey – Aaron Blabey loves a character with quirks. I like how his stories are all about people who feel generally awesome being exactly who they are (or at least stumbling upon this knowledge during the story). Plus he has awesome character names. Sunday Chutney is no exception. She’s travelled the world with her family her whole life and never quite fits in. Sunday loves big breakfasts with her parents, drum solos, marine biology and sticking up for a good cause. She does not love grumpy people, creamed corn or bullies. 

Sarah’s Heavy Heart – Peter Carnavas – As a kid, there’s nothing like owning a book with a character that shares your name. I must be a giant kid because I love pretending this book is about me. I think I too tend to have a bit of an oversized heart at times. Such a cute story. ‘Sarah knew the heart would always be hers to carry. She just wished it wasn’t so heavy.’

I think that’s all I have left in me for now. Stay tuned in oh-ten for more ponderings. Here is a picture I made for a new addition in my extended family. Up, up and away in 2010.

Ingrid Investigates Lexie’s (Mg,Fe)7Si8O22(OH)2

So I had a lovely dinner party at my house on Friday night. We were farewell-ing Ing as well as having some christmas/2009 celebrations. We toasted using my publishing contract champagne for like 15mins straight for everything from my book to Miles’ AFTRS acceptance to Andy’s licence to Ingrid’s boobies to High Tea and even to Shatner’s appearance on Michael’s t-shirt. Twas a lovely evening. I also presented Ing with a traveling scrapbook which I illustrated the cover of for her and Lexie to chronicle their overseas adventures. It’s also the first illustration of characters I intend to develop for a story when I’ve completed my current project. I think she liked it. Here’s the image:

Some of the darlings even pitched in together to get me the prettiest bathers ever that i’d been scoping out for like a million months. I was shocked and amazed and trully grateful. Here is a picture of them on a much more attractive person with my head pasted on. Note my stunning bronze complexion.

Until next time… Merry Christmacles!

“Picture book…

 …when you were just a baby, those days when you were happy, a long time ago.”

So I’ve changed my blog up a bit. I decided to consolidate all my happenings and musings into this one big blog that will cover all topics relating to me, my loves, my hates, my thoughts and my creations.

For those that don’t know much about me who actually read my blog (so like maybe one person) I’m currently writing and illustrating my first children’s picture book which has been picked up by a an awesome publisher in Sydney. I’m a lucky girl. I’m still pretty young and I get to call sketching and scribbling “work”. I’ve got some major deadlines approaching in 2010 and I’m still in the process of completing all the drafts. I’ll try to keep people updated with my progress  but I don’t want to give too much away before publication. I will however give you a peek at one of the sketches. It’s the main character venturing into some dark & mysterious forest on a particularly starry starry night. Hope you enjoy!

Hot Girls in Good Moods – the SwaIng roadtrip.

Here’s a little map I made of Ing’s and my day trip up the coast. Twas lovely.. and sensual.

We plotted a course towards destiny...

 

Check out Ing’s blog for the full story.

Swaylist Vol.2

WELCOME TO THE O.C BITCH!

So, I warned a few people. I said I was going to do an O.C playlist because, well, hate me or not, I actually have an attachment to the show and some of the music choices were pretty golden. I’ve obviously left off the theme song – the only song that has been ruined for me by its inclusion on the show, probably due to its repetition. Even if you’re turned off by the theme of this playlist I hope you can appreciate the music in its own right. Without further ado…

Love of the Loveless – The Eels – In which Ryan, during temporary suspension from school for his ever-present violent tendencies, spends multiple scenes brooding in different rooms of the house, being generally angsty and wearing his trusty wife beater. Yay Eels!

Into Dust –  Mazzy Star – In which a gallant Ryan scoops a drunken and passed out Marissa off her front porch and carries her in his arms in slow motion to lay her to rest in his trusty pool house. A heroic sequence repeated in a later episode when she overdoses in the back alleys of Tijuana. I enjoy the sad moodiness of this song.

Hello Sunshine –  Super Furry Animals – In which Summer, desperate to silence Seth’s neurotic banter during an attempt at physical intimacy, discovers that revealing her boobies helps her get her way. Sunny Sun Funshine.

Dice – Finley Quaye & Beth Orton – In which Ryan desperately bursts into Oliver’s hotel room mid New Years countdown (in slow motion) just in time to confess his love for Marissa and participate in a room spinning make-out sequence. This song just has one of those gradual build type appeals.

Wonderwall – Ryan Adams – In which Seth and Summer, post fight, realise they both rushed into first time relations and are actually content to take things slow… and what better way to take it slow but with a bit of a slow dance in Seth’s bedroom. I think I might like this version better than the original.

Good Day – Tally Hall – In which darling Sethola dons a very pretty red onesie under strict instruction from Summer as they prepare for possible relocation to the east coast for college. This song is kooky awesome and like 5 songs in one. Just fun. And now it makes me think of onesies.

Lay Lady Lay – Magnet f. Gemma Hayes – In which former couples that are not currently couples dance awkwardly at the school’s winter dance. SEXUAL TENSION ENSUES! This song has been covered oodles of times. I just really love this version- the strings, they tug at my heartstrings.

Hot Girls in Good Moods –  Butch Walker – In which Ryan has a very sexy 80’s daydream involving Taylor, a kitchen counter, a perm, and silk chiffon over white spandex! I thought this song was old when I first heard it. Turns out it’s from 06’. I’m a total sucker for cheese.

Special mentions for the inclusions of Journey, Foreigner, Poison, Whitesnake and Scorpians who all made an appearance at some point- mostly during the 80’s porn scandal plot in Season 2.

SWA’S SUPER SLEIGH OF SEXY SEASONAL SONGS

Yes I’m coming good on all my threats. Here we are with the Christmas playlist. I ended up cutting the list down a bit because I didn’t want to subject people to too much christmas cheer.

Maybe This Christmas – Ron Sexsmith – One of the only Christmas songs I appreciate on the same level as non-Christmas songs. Cute. Catchy

Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt – A lil’ bit o’ sexy times at Christmas! I just enjoy the retro feel.

Bizarre Christmas Incident – Ben Folds – I don’t even know when or how I got this song but it’s Ben Folds and Christmas. What more could you ask for?  It’s basically about how Santa’s a “big fat fuck” and dies while stuck in Ben’s chimney on Christmas Eve.

Donde Esta Santa Claus – Guster – for more of an exotic Christmas! In a world where Santa clacks castanets whilst on board his sleigh. The best bit is when he calls out to the reindeer “On Pancho, On Vixen, On Pedro, On Blitzen,”

Winter Wonderland – Peggy Lee – Smooth jazz take on a traditional carol. Makes me bop my head.

IF YOU LISTEN TO NO OTHER CAROLS THIS YEAR MAKE SURE YOU LISTEN TO THIS NEXT ONE!

Carol of the Meows – Guster – This is for all those kidlets who recognize this from watching Home Alone one too many times! This particular version is quite special.

Enjoy!

Swaylist Vol.1

Following on from my previous post here is the current soundtrack on loop in my head.

Paolo Nutini – Growing Up Beside You – My ma bought this CD a few weeks ago. It’s kind of ridiculous to think this guy is 22. He sounds so much older and from another era. I find this song very comforting. This song is me and all the special people I’ve grown up beside – riding bicycles in the countryside until we can’t take the joy anymore and collapse in a heap in a meadow only to stumble upon a massive feast which we get to work on as the sun goes down. 

Jill Barber – Oh My My – This lovely lass is a retro gem. And she’s playing at the Newtown Festival on Sunday which delights me in the pants. The whole album is rather pretty but I chose this track because it’s got swagger. This song allows me to experience a very vintage brand of heartbreak while I weep over a sink full of dishes and lament pain that the good ol’ doc has no cure for. 

The Boxtops – Letter- I pinched this from the soundtrack to ‘The Boat that Rocked’- a great soundtrack that caters lovingly to my inner 60’s modgirl. This song just gets me grooving in a totally happening and far out way. This song is a lovers’ reunion. It’s the desperate race against time, the running through the airport scene, littered with horn stabs and nervous anticipation. Oh and I really enjoy dancing down the Pacific Highway, clicking my fingers and miming to it as I walk home.

Paolo Nutini – Candy – Another one from Paolo. I’m enjoying the country vibe. It’s got a bit of Neil Youngness going on actually. This song is sadness and exhaustion and taking a bath with a lover after a fight. It could also be getting caught in the rain and resigning yourself to just drinking it in.

Rufus Wainwright – California – If you know me well enough you’ll know I have a bit of an attachment to the TV show The OC. Say what you will about the show – it had a lot of great musical moments for me. Rufus is a darling and this song was used early on in the first season. It sounds so happy and full of sunshine and it makes me think of being pretty and hanging out on the pier or chillin’ at the Crab Shack. BUT he’s basically mocking the culture in California and how overrated the place is. I enjoy melodies that contradict the tone of the lyrics. Also, he makes reference to Bea Arthur being his new grandma, which is random but cool.

Ed Harcourt – Hanging With the Wrong Crowd – I find Ed Harcourt to be an quite a beautiful storyteller. Picking just one song to share is too hard but I’m going for one of the first ones I really loved. This song is merry-go-rounds and ups and downs and feeling content doing your very own thing.

The Hoosiers – Goodbye Mr A – The Hoosiers are kind of insane. They have a bit of an 80’s vibe and sometimes the vocals stray into annoying american pop punk territory but mostly it’s just lots of cheese and silly piano and synth lines. I think this song is about their science teacher but to me this song is dancing down dirty London back alleys in 80’s get-up, beating out rhythms on brick walls and using trashcans for percussion. All whilst incorporating some seemingly spontaneous but noticeably rehearsed choreography.

Florence and the Machine – Drumming Song – Some pounding beats and strong lady vocals for a little girl power. This song is tribal and rough. It’s running in a forest at night during an earthquake. It’s losing control.

Stevie Nicks – Edge of Seventeen – Ahhhh Stevie Nicks. Even if you hate her you can’t hate this song.  Gotta love that chugging guitar riff. And then Destiny’s Child sampled it when they released Bootylicious and according to wiki Stevie Nick’s actually played the riff on Bootylicious. This song always makes me break out my power fists and pull faces like I know about life and shit and stuff. Definitely a good one for singing into your hairbrush. 

Sufjan Stevens – For The Widows In Paradise; For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti – And we end with a softly sweet Sufjan moment. This is actually another song that’s been featured on the OC. I’ve listened to it a lot recently. It’s kind of my sad song and it’s a little bit about loss and a little bit about desperation and it helps to slow me down and drift off.

Hope you enjoy! Please tell me what  you like and don’t like.

Swa

A little bit of High Fidelity to start

‘To me, making a tape is like writing a letter. There’s a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again. A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. You’ve got to kick off with a corker, to hold the attention (I started with “Got to Get You Off My Mind,” but then realized that she might not get any further than track one, side one if I delivered what she wanted straightaway, so I buried it in the middle of side two), and then you’ve got to up it a notch, or cool it a notch, and you can’t have white music and black music together, unless the white music sounds like black music, and you can’t have two tracks by the same artist side by side, unless you’ve done the whole thing in pairs and…oh, there are loads of rules.’     Rob Gordon

Some people will throw together a compilation with speed and spontaneity. Perhaps the urgency is relative to the need to locate a listener who will have the same emotional response to a particular set of sounds that they did. Certain other individuals will painstakingly trawl through melodies for hours and hours in search of the perfect fit, a complimentary set of songs that are connected in some way and mean something. Apparently I am the latter.

That’s not to say I don’t hope that someone somewhere will feel the same way I do when I hear something special. I just seem to want to make a masterpiece out of other people’s art. I can’t unleash these songs on you without transferring some of the butterflies I feel when I listen to them. I want it to feel like a story. A soundtrack to a story in my head. I am a wanker as of just now. So for my very first ‘Swaylist’*  I will attempt to paint a picture with words that tell a story to accompany the soundtrack that is the Swaylist.

I don’t know about the white music and black music segregation. I have a dream that one day all music can join hands and stand side by side on a playlist.

Please enjoy my blorg. Please.

*Swaylist – is a playlist by Swa (me) that will hopefully sway you into loving some of the tunes I like.