Laura Jones Sydney Artist

Treat yourself to this time lapse video created by Andrew Walsh of Sydney artist Laura Jones painting 'Chequered Shirt With Pocket'

Mad about Maira

Rachelle Unreich’s recent article on Maira Kalman in Dumbo Feather took me on a nostalgic journey. I have followed Maira Kalman for two decades, eating up her words and illustrations.

Maira Kalman on the cover of Dumbo Feather - First Quarter 2013 | Issue 34

It's worth getting your mitts on a copy and reading it word for word. It's a truly inspiring interview.

I first discovered MK via her late husband Tibor Kalman. I had just finished a Bachelor of Visual Communications at R.M.I.T and was totally obsessed with graphic design. I was in design heaven, drooling over the catalogues he designed for Benetton called Colors. I went to NY in my early 20's and made a time to visit his studio M&Co (because that's what you do when you're naive and wide-eyed in your early 20's). 

Over the last two decades I've collected nearly all books (written or illustrated) by Maira Kalman. Here's a snapshot of my collection

One of my favourites, written by Michael Poolan and illustrated by MK, this book combines my two loves..illustration and health food.

This article on Maira Kalman appeared in W Magazine in 2005. Her words about the loss of her husband resonated with me in my own times of sadness.

Rachelle and I have always shared a love for Maira and I know I will read her soulful article over and over to remind me that fulfillment comes from engaging in something you love doing.

Rachelle asked Maira "Do you feel like you are always working?" to which Maira responds: "I'm always working in the sense that I'm always collecting...there's no separation between my life and my work. I'm aware that everything I'm looking at may be something that inspires me". That really resonated with me.

Thanks Rachelle and thanks Maira for being an inspiration to me.

Check out Maira Kalman in her Ted talk: The Illustrated Woman (below) or have a look at this and this.

Autumn in Paris

Last year, Natalie was lucky enough to spend a few months in Paris with her family. While the Summer months were gorgeous with the long, light-filled days allowing extra time to wander the streets, it was the sudden change to Autumn that took her breath away.

Here Natalie shares a few Autumn moments from her personal snaps.

"My husband and four kids waiting in line for a Nutella crepe on a perfect Autumn day".

An Autumn sunset with the Eiffel Tower in full view...doesn't get much better than that.

Autumn leaves caught in the cobblestones.

A tree lined footpath with a covering of Autumn leaves

Autumn vines, almost too perfect to be true.

A glimpse of Autumn trees perfectly aligned through an arch. 

"Le Jardin de Tuileries is one of my favourite spots in Paris. We spent hours there with the kids, literally on a daily basis. While it was heaven in Summer, I managed to take this snap in it's true Autumn glory".

An Australian Beauty Story Since 1993

The Bloom journey began in 1993 when Natalie Bloom started selling greeting cards and gift ideas that she made from her parent’s home in Melbourne, Australia. “When I started out, I didn’t have a long term strategy,” explains Natalie. “I simply created quality products that I was passionate about and that had a strong design sensibility.” Natalie’s love of natural ingredients and obsession with packaging soon turned a hobby into a busines.

Twenty years on, Bloom is an Australian cosmetics & organic skincare brand with a creative spirit and a strong design sensibility. Bloom products use quality botanical ingredients and have a commitment to product integrity.

Celebrate this Australia Day weekend with an Australian Beauty Brand! With every online purchase of $60 or more, receive a signed copy of Natalie Bloom’s book ‘Beauty in Bloom’ (Freight Free!). From Fri 25 - Mon 28 Jan

Emily Green for Bloom

We have collaborated with Melbourne-based artist and colour guru Emily Green to create an exclusive set of seven designer collection Bloom Nail Polish shades. The collaboration is a match made in heaven, with Green’s obsession with eye-popping colour complimenting Bloom’s high quality, pigment-packed formulation.

The Melbourne-based designer’s rainbow-coloured beaded necklaces have become a cult classic, adorning the necks of stylish women everywhere and never failing to bring a smile to our lips with their unusual and unexpected colour combinations.

The inspiration for the set of designer collection Nail Polish shades sparked from a limited edition piece Green designed exclusively for Bloom, featuring seven unique coloured beads. Narrowing the designer collection shades down to the usual two colours created by past collaborators was just so heartbreakingly difficult that we had to create all seven – one for every day of the week!

You can read more about Emily Green here and here on the design files.

To celebrate the launch of the Bloom/Emily Green designer nail polish collection, we have three limited edition ‘Bloom’ necklaces by Emily Green to giveaway.  To win this wearable artwork, all you have to do is; follow bloom cosmetics on instagram, re-gram our Emily Green instagram post with the hash tag #bloomlovesemilygreen, @bloomcosmetics and comment which Emily Green shade you fancy the most. (Winner will be selected at random on Monday January 6 2013).

Emily Green's watercolour prints available for purchase here

Emily in her studio working on the Bloom shades.

Almost good enough to eat.

A behind the scenes shot of our 'work in progress'

Emily Green goodness at Bloom HQ

Liquid Eyeliner at it's best!

To celebrate Bloom's famous Jet Black Liquid Eyeliner coming back into stock, we thought we'd share Natalie's September 1990 Italian Vogue photo shoot, with Isabella Rossellini in Pucci, sporting the best Liquid Eyeliner application ever.

Could she be more glamorous?

Loving that liquid eyeliner.

Smoking in a photoshoot???

All wrapped up

Of course, the Bloom team is mad about gift wrapping. So, to get you in the gift wrapping mood too, we thought we'd share a few inspirational gift wrapping bits and blogs. And don't forget about our free gift wrapping with any Bloom purchase that starts today until Christmas.

Hello Sandwich, a lovely blog by Australian artist and graphic designer, Ebony Bizy, now living in Japan.  For the best there is in terms of gift wrapping inspiration you can buy her online gift wrapping zine here

Beauty in Bloom by Natalie Bloom wrapped up to perfection.

Some pom pom love, learn how here

A simple way to wrap your Christmas gifts, taken from here

15 Easy Ways To Make Gift Wrap by Rachel Faucett here

From decor8's blog here


...and a couple of pinterest gift wrapping finds here, here, here and here

Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel

What are your plans for the weekend? We're beyond excited that on Sunday the documentary Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel is being shown as part of The Melbourne Festival.

Containing rare archive footage and interviews, it paints an intimate portrait of the 'Empress of Fashion'. During her fifty year reign, Vreeland launched Twiggy, advised Jackie Onassis, worked as fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar and editor-in-chief at Vogue, and launched countless trends including the bikini and blue jeans.

Having premiered at the Venice Film Festival, The Eye Has To Travel is already being touted as a living work of art that truly captures Vreeland in all her outlandish, witty, ambitious and outspoken glory. Oh, and don't worry if you can't make it to this weekend's scoop screening, it will be released nationally in late November.


Image: 1, 2, 3