Friday 30 May 2014

Raising Awareness: Fiscal and Other

I am nothing if not fair. And, have always had a keen eye for social justice.
 I may come up with all sorts of frippery, but can safely say
my work-life supports my values and beliefs.
Is this one of the keys to happiness?
 If you are in a situation to work with young workers
I hope you recognise your First Nation people's special days.
We do at the chalkface.
You can't do one day without the other.
Commit to them all.
I hope this gives you a way to thread together the knowledge.
Try it.
We start in March with the Close the Gap campaign goals at the chalkface.
Check out Oxfam's resources.
We begin by arguing the reasons behind the inequities in
health, education, morbidity and employment; between ABTSI and counterparts.
We then recognise the oldest living culture at our United Nations Day.


Then it's Sorry Day on 26 May.
Acknowledging the grief caused by forcibly removing children from
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families for the past sixty years or more.
These people are formally recognised as the Stolen Generations.
Some argue this still happens.
Sorry Day still has a contemporary context.
Sorry Day informs Reconciliation Week for us.
Reconciliation Week kicks off on the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum whereby
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were given the 'right to vote'.
This week we made a Sea of Hands.
The workers put a hand up on a building wall to show support.
 On Tuesday June 3 we will end with Mabo Day.
Celebrating Eddie Mabo' s achievements and his first successful bid for Native Title in Queensland.
Land Rights or Native Title is commonplace in less populated areas of Australia,
but not so in desirable locations. Go figure.
Native Title Claims also take years and years to go through courts.
The process is long and drawn out.
My aim is to see the chalkface with a Reconciliation Action Plan that the
workers could involve themselves in writing.
Does your workplace have one?
What do you think?
On to other pressing issues, here's
the look for Stradbroke Cup Day on June 7.
It's all about black and white, with a splash of red.
I'm wearing my vinyl rose headpiece.

And, here I am in full selfie-mode.
I certainly don't agree with Karl Lagerfeld's commentary about
selfies being vulgar and making people's chins stick out.
I think it's quite a flattering angle.


 Sans, the cross-eyes.
But you get the drift of the outfit.

 It's the swings and roundabouts of savings.
I may have a Chanel bag, but those pearls cost $9
and I am proud to shout it out!

 I have been warned by Treasurer Mr Joe Hockey about hanging around with Borrow and Spend.
This is no beauty blog, but I have to tell about Starlet (approximately $5 AUS)
verses Chanel's Vita Lumiere base ($95 AUS)!
You see, it is every bit as good.
SPF 15.
I have done the experiments.
Check it out at Coles Supermarkets.
 Tell me what you think.
Trying to keep away from Borrow and Spend?
Inspired by Reconciliation Week?
Going to the Races?



Sunday 25 May 2014

Black and White

There's been all sorts of frippery going on this last week.
We've had to outsource fix the ceiling in the boudoir because the new chandelier (circa 2013)
pulled it down.
Not quite right out, but sagging alarmingly.
I was nervous each night I nodded off.
The chalkface's Sow's Ear kitchen garden has been repeatedly pillaged by these
white sulphur crested cockatoos.


 They don't make a sound for added stealth when pillaging.
They just eat the passion-fruits.
I could watch them for hours.
They are quite the personality.
Quite nuts.
 Needless to say, there won't be any passion-fruit butter this year.


 
I've had to engage the workers with gusto.
And, I am pretty happy with our progress.
This is going to be cloth cubby-house or pirate ship.
 I wouldn't mind one of those flags.
 I've zhu zhu'd up and made a few décor vignettes for our weekend visitors.
Thankfully, I have still had time to practise my practice of exercising
Millinery. 
 The design brief for this was simple.
Black and white.
It matches a leatherette top and black pencil skirt.



 I've also discovered that the new bath tub makes for
an efficient light-box for taking photos.
Eliminating that annoying background information.
I will not longer have to look for dusty floors or dirty windows.
Or errant pets in the shot.

 How was your weekend?
Did you discover anything?
Look into my eyes.
 Tell me.




Thursday 22 May 2014

Camellia Society

 It's been quiet around these traps.
Except for my camellia bush; which is in full bloom.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited.
I am noticing the small things.
Last year it yielded one bud; and the day after I discovered it,
I found it lying on the artificial turf at the base of the pot.
I am still flummoxed.
Even flabbergasted.


The fleurs remind me of Monsieur Legeron's lovely work:
And, my visit to his atelier.


 Here's his creative hands.
 If it's your bent, get in and see him if you go to Paris.
Contact me and I'll give you a modus operandi to find yourself at his
lovely hat and corsage salon.
 







 The atelier's been quiet.
I've got a few works in progress that I need to bring to fruition.
It's slow frippery.
Sustainable and lovely.
No mass-production here.
You won't find yourself anywhere else in the world.
 What's been happening?
Are you noticing the small things?