Back To Palm Springs With Slim Aarons

I decided very last minute to book some tickets for The Resene Architecture & Design Film Festival, a series of films being shown across the country this month. I'd actually never been to a film at any of the previous festivals, which is disgraceful given that I live so close to the cinema. So, we went and saw Slim Aarons: The High Life and I loved it!

The High Life is all about the life and work of iconic American photographer, Slim Aarons. I was aware of Aarons work from my photography class last year and knew that he was kind of a big deal. But I'd never really connected with his work or taken the time to learn about him. I've found that there's a distinct shortage of his images available online and many of my favourite shots were ones I'd never come across before. Aarons took images of 'attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places.' Glamorous movie stars, politicians, royals and mid-century beauties.

I am, of course, a big fan of anything mid-century and I completely lapped up the aesthetics of the fashion, homes and faces of the 50s, 60s and 70s in this film. The High Life covered Slim Aarons' life from his early years, documenting the war with his camera, to just before he passed away in 2006. It's full of interviews and clips of some of his closest friends and relatives sharing personal stories of his life and photographic work. I could somewhat relate to Aarons as he is described as a total unapologetic perfectionist, sometimes taking thousands of photographs in one shoot and discarding those with even the smallest of imperfections. He also liked to take control of the situation and nobody could tell him what to do when it came to his creative work.

I loved the way he captured so many famous faces in a completely candid and natural way, whilst still having a staged scene. He was able to create such images simply because Aarons himself was part of that world, he sat at their tables and went to their parties. He was allowed exclusive access into the lives of people such as Audrey Hepburn, The Kennedy's and Marilyn Monroe because they trusted him. He wasn't paparazzi, he was one of them.



I adore everything about mid-century style and then combine that with old Hollywood glamour, it's pretty much my perfect match. Anyone who knows me will know just how obsessed I am with California, I've been there several times and feel such a strong connection to it. I'm always my most creative and inspired when I'm in Cali, and I plan to live there someday for sure. I was so enthraled by the glamour and glitz of Hollywood Aarons could capture in his images and he took me back to Palm Springs.

I visited Palm Springs in 2017 and I fell in love. Every direction you look, there's a photo waiting to be taken. Some of my best selling photographs were taken in Palm Springs and I can't wait to go back there with my camera someday. Aarons seems to sum up that Palm Springs lifestyle so well. The old money, the class and the fame. He attended their parties and he captured moments of their lives in a single photograph.





The photos I took in Palm Springs will forever be some of my favourites and the look they have simply can't be replicated in any other place in the world. That warm light, soft pastel colours and the jagged mountainscape framing the background in every direction you look. We visited a classic American diner, with red vinyl booths and the staff wore proper red and white retro uniforms (with matching hats). We even went on a house tour, getting an exclusive look inside some of the most outrageously glamorous houses in Palm Springs. Weekend homes belonging to the rich and famous, with large expansive pools and bright orange umbrellas. Palm Springs was like a hidden mid-century time capsule.

If you want to check out some more of my Palm Springs work you can find it here and here.



My all-time favourite shot from the film and probably the photograph that many people would know Slim Aarons for is 'Poolside Gossip'. Everything about it, the colours, the setting, the clothes, it's all perfect. I adore the white flared crochet set that the lady on the left wears and everything about their relaxed summery look. Aarons had a way of capturing the essence of that era and the most glamorous people at the time in their most natural state. His images make you envious that you can't simply travel back in time to a Slim Aarons Palm Springs coloured world.

Bella 🌼

Through The Kitchen Window - The Depop Edit

In celebration of my new photography series 'Through The Kitchen Window' coming out next week, I thought I'd put together another Depop Edit to go alongside it.

'Through The Kitchen Window' is all about the small and often overlooked details in a home, focusing on the interiors and exteriors of houses and cars through retro-filtered eyes. I love everything about the 60s and 70s, the fashion, the houses, the decorations and the music. I love the warm tones and bright psychedelic patterns, so I wanted to bring this look into some of my own photography and create pairings which have that classic retro feel to them. I'm super excited to share the collection on here next week, so as a way of combining some of my love for fashion and interiors I've created 'Through The Kitchen Window - The Depop Edit'.

Have you ever seen a kitchen so wonderfully kitsch and 70s? It was late afternoon so the sun was setting and the light in the kitchen was a lovely warm glow. Everything had such a calming orange tinge to it (there was also a green fridge)!
Steph is pictured above wearing the green button up blouse, for sale on my Depop, overtop of the orange mesh turtleneck, coming soon. I wanted to curate this edit to compliment the style of my upcoming photography series, so each image has that funky retro feel. Most items are for sale on my Depop, but if you can't find the piece you're looking for it will be uploaded within the next couple of weeks. Feel free to message me through my Instagram or Depop if you have any questions about items I am selling!









The 60s and 70s to me is bright colours and patterns, oranges, greens, warm yellows and browns and of course big flares! Pictured above is my favourite retro style pieces either for sale now or coming soon to my store. Of course, not all of these items are vintage, however, I don't think you need to be kitted out in full vintage to create that look. It's just as easy and a lot more creative to pick up pieces that have that funky retro vibe, but also include modern materials and cuts like mesh and cropped shirts. My favourite examples of this are the turtlenecks, I especially love the orange mesh turtleneck that Steph wears in her outfit. It looks so great with a tee shirt or cami layered over top or tucked into some high waisted pants.

One of my favourite shirts for sale currently, is the True Vintage Green Mohair Knit. It was such an epic find and instantly gives any look that retro feel. This mohair shirt is a true vintage item, hence the price, it is also made in Italy, which is pretty cool. I love the way this looks tucked into high waisted flares and the ribbed detailing on the material is such a flattering touch and hugs your figure really nicely.

I had so much fun putting this together and imagining how each look would compliment my work for 'Through The Kitchen Window' so well. I love the idea that there are so many concealed gems out there, like Steph's 1970's kitchen, a hidden time capsule. I'm determined to keep exploring and discovering more homes like this that I can photograph in the future.
Keep your eyes peeled for my new photography collection, 'Through The Kitchen Window' coming to my blog and other social media pages later this week!

Instagram
Depop

Bella 🌼

The Local Picks Curation - Depop

(All prices are in nzd. All original listings have been linked in each description, any images belong to sellers.)
Items Listed Top Row to Bottom Row (left to right)

Depop is a great platform for buying and selling clothes and is the perfect place to find super original, vintage or one of a kind pieces, without needing to leave your house (or bed)! But for us New Zealander's the Depop market isn't quite as saturated as it is in America or Europe. I know that personally, I feel much better about buying from local sellers, especially because shipping is so much cheaper. So here is a little curation of some of my favourite local picks, all pieces are for sale in NZ and at reasonable prices with super cheap shipping!

70s Vintage Lime Green Knit Top - $17 nzd
This piece is something I'd expect to see from an American seller and on sale for three times the price. I love the bright green colour and 70's style square neckline, this funky knit would look so great with a brown or cream collared shirt underneath.

90s Orange Mini Flower Skirt - $38 nzd
The cutest little floral mini skirt with the best colour scheme ever. I love this Hawaiian style floral pattern, with major 90s vibes. This is the perfect Summer skirt, but would also look so good with tights underneath in the colder months.

Bright Orange Guess Jeans Sweater - $20 nzd
I'm majorly tempted to buy this piece, it's been haunting me for a while now. I love the retro vibes with the bright orange colour and cute little collar. I would layer this under a dress or tee shirt or even just tuck it into some high waisted flares. Someone needs to buy this before I do...

Yellow Zip Up Turtleneck Sweater - $22 nzd
This shirt is a dream, I love the retro style and it would be so great for layering in Winter. This sweater can be worn as a turtleneck zipped up the whole way, folded over or even unzipped like a collar, which I love.

Electric Blue Two-Piece Turtleneck Sweater - $15 nzd
One of the funkiest twists on a sweater I've seen in a long time, plus how gorgeous are these photos!? This turtleneck has been transformed into a two-piece with separate sleeves and although this might not be everyone's cup of tea I'm actually obsessed with it.

Y2k Miss Sixty White Flared Pants - $45 nzd
Something I don't personally own is a good pair of white flares, this is mostly because I would 100% stain them. However, I am very tempted by this early 2000s Miss Sixty pair. These would look so great with a pair of big chunky boots and literally any one of the shirts listed above!

Green & Blue Knitted Ribbed Tee - $30
This piece gives me major Unif vibes and is very much a 90s style trend piece at the moment. But I do think you could make this shirt look really funky if you styled it with some retro pieces and matching accessories. This tee is the perfect alternative to spending a fortune on US sellers with similar items.

Vintage Orange Puffed Sleeve Woolen Tee - $10
I adore this little shirt, it's so funky and unique and would look amazing tucked into some high waisted flared jeans. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a big fan of puffed sleeves, I think they're such a nice detail and also so flattering on your arms!

70s Dark Blue Ski Jacket - $30
Live your ultimate 70s dream in this blue ski jacket, it is so very cool. This would be such a great statement jacket for Winter and the bonus being it keeps you very warm too!

Groovy Green 60s Floral Blouse - $12
This is pretty much my dream blouse. Green with funky orange and blue flowers, it's super retro and has semi puffed sleeves too. This shirt would look so cool with low rise flared jeans or even a denim skirt and some big chunky boots or sandals.

60s Yellow Floral Mini Dress - $30
I am dreaming of this mini dress with some colourful (maybe green) tights underneath and big yellow earrings. I am obsessed with this 60s style dress with the zip up the front and I own a couple of dresses like this myself. Possibly I will need to add this one to the collection...

Oversized Tortoise Shell Vintage Sunnies - $5
An absolute bargain! These vintage oversized sunnies are so gorgeous and would look great with any retro style look.

Bella 🌼

Back To The 70s - Citta Design

I've been a big lover and fan of Citta Design for many years now, all you have to do is scroll through my blog archive to see the love affair blossoming. I adore their designs, fabrics and colours and the stunning layout of all their stores, but when they released their new 70s inspired cushion covers I was officially blown away. Talk about combining two of my all time favourite things!

I was tempted to invest in pieces from their new collection for a while and finally did after attending the Citta bedroom styling event on the 7th of this month. It was such an interesting night of styling tips, beautiful linen and triple cream brie (yes-triple!) I wasn't really sure what to expect from the styling course, as I'd never attended anything like it before, but I can now say that I truly recommend it. It was fascinating hearing about the thought process that goes on behind something that seems so simple, styling a bed can become an art. I'd always thought of myself as quite knowledgable about this topic, as I've been into interior design and styling for as long as I can remember. Especially after watching every season of The Block to ever exist, I thought I knew practically everything there was to know about fluffing a cushion. I was actually surprised by how creative you can get with ben linen, layering cushions and organizing a colour palette.

The whole time I was sitting there, listening to the stylist, I was dreaming up new combinations and layouts for my own bed back at home, as I'm sure every other woman in the room was doing too. I especially adored the bed they had styled with warm tones, browns, beige, khaki green and soft pink. Then they brought out Daisy. She was beautiful, so 70s and so incredibly me, I knew she had to be mine. As Citta was offering 20% off storewide that night, I took the opportunity to justify spending big on some new linen to spruce up my own bed. I would've loved to update my entire bedspread, but I ended up settling for The Daisy Cushion Cover in chocolate brown and the Linen Raisin Coloured Euro Pillowcase to match. I just love their take on the classic 60s and 70s colours, with the warm tones and kitsch floral patterns, but with a distinct Citta touch.







I love thrifting my clothes and nic nacs from second-hand stores, to find those crazy cool 60s and 70s pieces. But when it comes to linen I like to spend a bit more, invest in first-hand, quality pieces that will last a long time. I've always purchased my bed linen from either Citta or Cultiver, both of which create amazingly beautiful and high-quality bed linen that has already lasted me years. It was an absolute blessing that Citta came out with a 70s inspired range, just at the time I was looking to update my bedspread.

I learnt a lot about styling a bed and all of the different elements that go into it from the Citta styling course and I would highly recommend checking out any other courses being held there in the future. I've now started making my bed in the morning with even more pride than I did before, taking extra time to fluff my cushions and rearrange my throw blanket so that it's just right. I love having a beautiful and tidy space, so making my bed is always the first thing I do every morning and I never feel quite ready for my day until that task is complete. Now, I get to look at Daisy every morning and experiment with all the different ways I can style her.


(Left to right)
Daisy Cushion Cover in Chocolate Brown
Joni Cushion Cover
Brixton Patchwork Cushion Cover

Here are a few of my favourite 70s inspired cushion covers available on the Citta Design Website and in stores. Daisy also comes in a midnight blue colour palette, which is so pretty.

Bella 🌼

Bowls - The Depop Edit

Two girls, four looks and everything's for sale! Welcome to the first instalment of The Depop Edit, an ongoing series of lookbook type shoots, styled and shot by me to give you some insight into how I would style some of the colourful pieces I'm selling. If you see something you like in this shoot, pop on over to my Depop store (here) or if you can't find the piece you're looking for, chances are it'll be uploaded within the next few weeks.

Bowls is a combination of four outfits, my favourite sporty 90s looks with a 70s twist. I love the mixture of those two styles and the way the fabrics, cuts, colours and patterns compliment each other so well. Taara and Stella both wear chunky white sneakers with each look, a basic staple in anyone's closet that can go with essentially any outfit. I love the way that the white sneakers immediately give off a sporty vibe and work so well with the green plaid tennis skort in Taara's look. I adore this Nike tennis skort, ideal for actually getting physical in, as it has built-in shorts, but also looks just as nice for everyday wear. The best part is, it has belt loops! So you can spice it up with one of your favourite slide belts too. This skirt will be for sale next week over on my Depop.

Probably one of my favourite fashion trends is the mesh trend, I just love the way a mesh top looks, especially when layered with a shirt or vest overtop. I would say that the vast majority of tops I sell on my Depop have some mesh or sheer element to them. So, I wanted to show you how I would style these shirts in an everyday look. From the green tie-up top to the purple mesh turtleneck, I find it's such a versatile and breathable material to wear. I love the look of the purple turtleneck, a double layered mesh piece, tied up at the front in a little knot. I have several super funky mesh turtlenecks coming to the store this winter. They're so perfect for layering and add such a cool twist to your outfit.

I think it goes without saying that I'm a BIG fan of flared and wide leg pants, I find them such a flattering shape and immediately give your outfit a funky retro vibe. Taara and Stella both wear flared pants in the second look and I especially love the look of the tied turtleneck with the low rise flared jeans, such a cool 90s look. Taara wears my absolute favourite piece for sale on my store, the 90s does 70s purple psychedelic mesh top. It really is one of the most unique pieces I've found in a long time and a big part of my heart is telling me to just keep it for myself! I'm so into the look Taara wears, with the big black flares and mesh top, she also carries a big chunky green crochet bag, a piece coming to the store soon! The perfect pair of black flares is an essential in anyone's closet and is great for dressing up for a more special occasion or dressing down for everyday wear, whilst still having that retro twist. Two new pairs of funky black flares (with belts loops) will be coming to the store soon, and don't miss out as these pieces are often my fastest sellers!

Hopefully, these photos will give you some ideas on how to style and wear some of the pieces from my store and see them in everyday outfits and environments. I always try to pick up items that I feel could compliment anything else I'm selling too. This way, everything fits a unique style that I can identify with. If you spot any pieces you have questions about feel free to message me through my Instagram or Depop store as well.

Keep your eyes peeled for the next Depop Edit coming next week!

Instagram

Depop

Bella 🌼

May 22nd - things I'm working on

I had been stuck in a creative rut for a large portion of this year and seriously struggled with motivation and productivity, now that it's all up to me. I work for myself and everything I do needs to be fully self-motivated, as nobody is really giving me any direction. The idea of this initially was terrifying but I think that in the month of May I've finally found my groove. The past two weeks a creative explosion of new ideas and projects seems to have erupted in my brain and I'm so excited for all of those ideas to come to life. So, I thought I would share (mostly for myself to look back on) a few of the projects I've been working on and things that are coming up soon.
First off, my main focus has been around what I like to call 'art show season', the time of the year where all of the photography and art related things I've signed up for seems to hit me at once and I have to kick myself into gear very quickly if I want to get it all done in time. The NZ Art Show is the first event on the agenda, where I will be sharing six of my bestselling prints, read more about that here. I have also been working on a new and super exciting photography project that I hope to share on here at the end of the month. It's probably the most pleased I've ever been with a series and I can't wait to see it in print. Pieces from this collection will be displayed somewhere very exciting this July, more on that soon.
Balancing my different commitments is always much more enjoyable when I can combine them too, so an idea that has finally been brought to life is Depop Edits! This is a series of posts that will include photo shoots in locations other than my bedroom and with girls modelling the clothes that aren't myself. I really wanted to do this as a way of showing buyers how I would personally style the clothes on a day to day basis and in an environment where you want to stand out and be bold. All of the clothes I'm selling are funky, colourful and bright and can often be polarizing. So I wanted to provide a series of edits, styled and shot by me, where all the clothing will be for sale. I shot my first looks for this series yesterday and they came out so great, with the help and patience of two of my lovely friends who wore the clothes so well. This is also a great chance for me to get back behind the camera, a place where I feel much more comfortable.
On Friday, I have a super exciting shoot planned that I can't wait to share and it does involve a very funky 1970's kitchen!



When it comes to style, I'm not really sure how to pinpoint my personal look or the pieces I'm selling on my Depop. I guess it's something in the middle of 1960s and 1970's fashion with 90s and early 2000s. I love all the retro colours and floral prints of the 60s and 70s as well as the big flares and bell sleeves. But I still adore the styles of the 90s, low rise baggy jeans, chunky wedges and mesh tops. I think the ideal look for me, is a mixture of all of that.
I've also been spending a lot of my time doing freelance writing for Concrete Playground, an online publication that documents events, news and anything local all across NZ and Australia. It's been so much fun writing again and having deadlines that I need to meet. I did enjoy the structure of school when I was there and I found it easier to get things done to a high standard when I had a specific deadline. It's also great doing something outside of my comfort zone, writing in a way that I didn't feel particularly confident with, but this experience will slowly help me build a new skill set in my writing.
Life this year has been crazy, weird, exciting, overwhelming and sometimes stressful but it's probably the most creatively inspired I've ever been and I get such a buzz off feeling that way. I can't wait to share some of the exciting projects I have lined up and continue to update my blog as I go through the process.

Bella 🌼

The NZ Art Show 2019

It's back! The once a year affair for all things creative, artistic and inspiring. The NZ Art Show has been a big part of my artistic life for a few years now and I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to exhibit with them again this year. The show is held at The TSB Bank Arena in Wellington over Queen's Birthday weekend this June. With 200 artists, thousands of original artwork and over 10,000 visitors, The NZ Art Show has been supporting artists in growing their careers for years now, whilst providing a great source of artwork for Kiwi's wanting to grow their collection.
This year I will be exhibiting on a solo panel, where six of my prints will be for sale. This event is always such a treat to be a part of, especially this year as I was chosen to attend the friends & sponsors evening, where two of my prints were also for sale. It's a great feeling seeing the TSB Arena transformed into an intricate maze of inspiring artwork and fresh creative talent and knowing that people will be seeing, commenting on and hopefully buying my own work.
I chose to include my favourite print from Shirley's House, 'The Lemon Room', along with five of my Lost in California bestsellers.
So if you're around Wellington on Queen's Birthday weekend stop by The NZ Art Show and have a look at all the amazing artwork for sale. Check out the images below to see what I'll be exhibiting at the show this year!

NZ Art Show Online
Facebook

Bella 🌼

The Flower Power Curation - Depop

(All prices have been converted to nzd at the current exchange rate, but most items are from US sellers. All original listings have been linked in each description, any images belong to sellers.)
Items Listed Top Row to Bottom Row (left to right)

Every night I spend at least thirty minutes browsing through Depop and liking copious amounts of funky items that I'll probably never buy. They end up sitting in my likes folder until they eventually sell, and I feel a small pang of sadness as I imagine all the possible outfit combinations I could've made with them. So, rather than curating the ultimate wish list for myself and never actually buying anything, I thought I'd share them on here. (Really just a way of justifying the amount of time I spend searching through Depop.)
This edit is very clearly a floral based style, the classic 1970s Flower Power motif that I'm completely obsessed with at the moment. I especially love the 90s and early 2000s take on this floral design and the infinite amount of colour combinations and styles that exist out there. So here are some of my best finds,

1970s Style Orange Polyester Button-Up - $18.36 nzd
Literally my dream button-up shirt, I love the retro 70s vibe with the orange, yellow and pink colour scheme and daisy print. I would love to wear this tucked into some high waisted flares or tied at the front.

Lavender Flower Box Purse - $10.71 nzd
Such a cute (although slightly impractical) plastic purse in the shape of a flower. I really don't know what occasion this would be appropriate for, but it would look so good with a full purple outfit.

1970s Green Hawaiian Dress - $39.77 nzd
Such an amazing vintage dress and would look so good with a turtleneck or white collared shirt underneath, as it has a really low neckline. I like the way the seller has styled it with a belt too, sinching it in at the waist to give it a more flattering shape.

Lime Green PVC Chunky Purse - $39.86 nzd
Another deeply impractical purse, but how good would this look with a full green outfit or some big denim flares?! Definitely a more 90s take on the classic flower motif, but I love that it still has those retro colours and could compliment a green 70s dress so well.

Multi Coloured Flower Power Tee - $33.65 nzd
Such a sick retro style tee, with an amazing array of bright colourful flowers. These colours would make this such an easy and fun piece to style, matching earrings or headbands to the shirt. I would style this piece tucked into some high waisted flared jeans as the material is a super figure-hugging style.

Vintage Coach Chunky Floral Slides - $68.84 nzd
The classic chunky platform sandal that would go so well with literally any of these other pieces. With the flower motif on the sides and front of the shoes, they would look extra funky with some bright and colourful socks in the colder months when you don't want your toes out!

Purple Y2k Floral Tank Top - $22.95 nzd
Another more recent take on the floral pattern, but still so cute. This tank would be so great for layering and the bright purple colour would look so great with any green, orange, yellow and pink accessories especially.

1970s Flower Power Button Up - $29.06 nzd
This shirt is a dream, I would love to style this tucked into my favourite pair of flares or unbuttoned over a basic singlet top. The pattern is so funky and in your face, which I love and it's a great retro statement piece.

90s Does 70s Gingham Dress - $45.89 nzd
Cutest ever little yellow gingham dress, just asking to be worn with a collared shirt underneath and some big chunky boots. I will forever love the combination of 70s / 60s with 90s fashion and this is a great example of that style.

Y2k Multicolour Flower Hair Clips - $15.30 nzd
The perfect accessories to go with any of these pieces, little colourful hairclips like these ones are such a big trend at the moment, and these ones are just a bit different to the regular clips you see everywhere.

Little White Flower Earrings - $7.79 nzd
These earrings are such a nice basic and toned-down version of the 70s flower motif. I love a big bold flower earring for sure, but these are a great alternative for those days when you want to dress it down a little, but they still have that funky retro vibe.

Funky Yellow Floral Skirt - $36.72 nzd
It doesn't get any better than this, with some colourful tights and big chunky shoes. This pattern is so funky and the random placement of the buttons and singular pocket is so cute.



Items of this style for sale on my Depop, shop my store here.
Bella 🌼

Counter Journal - The Pilot Issue

I've been hanging out for a new Wellington-based publication to appear for a while now. Something fresh and shiny, bright and full of new creative voices and talent to read about. Like a lot of people, I still love the romantic nature of picking up a magazine, something tangible and beautiful, a quality that online publications will simply never have. Enter; Counter Journal.

Almost one year in the making, Zack Holmes (editor) and Bonnie Brown (artist) have produced the pilot issue of Counter Journal.
It was a rainy day and I was browsing in Minerva, on Cuba Street, a beautiful store full of the most tempting magazines and books. My bank account was screaming as I fingered my way through the magazine section. Then I stumbled across Counter Journal, the very last copy on the shelf. Its bright and beautiful cover art caught my eye and it was love at first sight. I was delighted to discover that it was, in fact, a Wellington publication! It was Zack's initial idea that brought Counter Journal to life, with experience in digital printing and Bonnie's background in illustration, architecture, graphic design and typography, it was a match made in heaven.

Flicking through the pages of Counter Journal, I could tell it would resonate with me completely, the simple, yet beautiful layout and design, combined with so many fresh faces and creatives to admire. My personal favourite and an article that is so very relevant to my life right now is 'Perils of Distraction' written by Vivienne Kruckow. She is a successful entrepreneur, running her own business, as well as committing to freelance writing jobs too. So, in short, what I aspire to be. It's interesting reading her perspective on the art of distraction and procrastination, as it's something I struggle with on a daily basis. Working for yourself and choosing to follow the freelance path has its challenges. For me, it begins with waking up, the temptation to simply snooze your alarm when you have no immediate commitments is always there. But I find that once that first step is completed, I've showered, dressed (preferably not back into my pyjama pants) and brushed my teeth, the day has officially started. Vivienne includes a list of certified distractions in her piece which I will now apply to my own creative life, such things as listening to podcasts, writing blog posts and connecting with people online. These are all things that I can sometimes feel guilty for doing, or like I'm wasting time. When in fact, they're all necessary exercises to get my creative brain working and steer me in the right direction to completing a task. That being said, there are also distractions that are simply just that, *cough cough* Love Island and Married at First Sight on demand. "Do you think Sophia Amoruso built Nasty Gal by spending a whole day watching Netflix?" Writes Vivienne. Check out Vivienne's Instagram here.

Whilst Counter Journal is full of incredible writing, I was also impressed with the photography that was sprinkled throughout. Especially, 'Old School Aotearoa: Dairies', a series of images capturing the authentic Kiwi roadside dairy, where many of us would get our dollar lolly mixtures and ice blocks after school. This series is full of nostalgia, I'm sure for many people, but the photographer also gives a real sense of beauty to such run-down old Kiwi buildings.
My love affair with Counter Journal was then topped off on the final page, with Frank's, a business that is close to my heart. As one of my first ever blog posts, back in 2015 was a series of images and a small review of Frank's on The Terrace. Their distinct interior style is a just a square-cropped photo waiting to happen.

So, now I'm just patiently waiting for Counter Journal's official first issue to be released so that I can be one of the first to snatch it off the shelves. Counter Journal will be released quarterly throughout the year and I'm so excited to see what they come up with next, watch this space!

Found out more,
Counter Journal Online
Instagram

Bella 🌼

Picnic Basket Plaid - Thrifting

My thrifting purchases were so deliciously colour-coordinated today, I thought I'd share them, they'll all be available to purchase in the next month on my Depop too!
Initially the haul started with this beautiful green, pink and yellow plaid coat, which I adore and ended up wearing for the rest of the afternoon, however, I will sadly say goodbye to it and sell it on my Depop soon! I just love the colour palette in the wool and it's a really nice cropped fit, with a hood and two little pockets, like red riding hood gone picnic basket plaid. Then I stumbled across an almost perfectly matching pink crochet bag. I love the crochet bag trend and this one is a super bright Barbie pink colour, the same pink running through the plaid coat.
Along with those, I picked up a super snuggly green turtleneck, pastel blue canvas slide belt and a green mesh tie-up top. If you have your eye on any of these pieces, watch this space as I'll be uploading them for sale soon!
Bella 🌼

Happy Camper - Californian Hues

My ultimate dream is to live somewhere in California one day, maybe in a little apartment on Venice Beach, or a house in Echo Park. I've visited Cali three times previously and each time I fall a little deeper in love with everything about it. I always take thousands of photos, and some of those have gone onto be in my shows and exhibitions and end up hanging on someone's wall. It's definitely a place of inspiration for me, and for so long I was convinced that I could never replicate those dreamy Californian hues and warm colours in my work back in NZ.
So, I decided to set myself a challenge and took a walk around my neighbourhood when the sun was shining and the light was warm. My mission was to replicate, as best as I could, that distinct Californian look in my photos. These pairings will be featured in a collection that I'm currently working on, and I think they came out great!
That warm yellow light is crucial in order to create the look I was after, but I also knew that extra warmth could be added to the images in post-production. I'm especially pleased to have found an amazingly retro orange caravan down a little dead-end street. By adjusting the colours in the third pairing, I was able to manipulate the orange of the caravan exterior to be more of a lemon yellow colour, a sneaky trick but super helpful for instances like this.
Although Wellington is not California, it's nice to know that I can somewhat replicate that look and produce work that I'm really pleased with. I'm super excited to share my new collection soon, as it's probably my favourite so far, capturing the unique interiors and exteriors of homes, with a retro 1960s / 1970s focus.
Bella 🌼