Back to reality...

And I'm back from my holiday *sigh* It was so nice to get away, but here I am, sitting at my desk, with copious amounts of school work in front of me, and a proposal presentation to plan for tomorrow, and yet I have found myself here, procrastinating a little more. Wonderful isn't it? 

Getting away to the beach for a few days was simply, delightful. I am so lucky and blessed to have such a wonderful friend who so kindly offers up her families bach for the weekend every year. This year (season 5) was, well one to remember. 90 Vodka Jello shots, 9 girls, 1 of the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand, Blue Hawaiians, Whiskey, Coconut outfits, and all sorts of other crazy antics. Yes, it was a great weekend [yip im counting my 6 day vacation as a weekend...and what?] I also took 563 photos over the 6 days, thats quite something even for me, most of them are however a little silly, and somewhat inappropriate for a strangers eyes, but, of course, I will share some of the pretty ones [just to make you that little bit more jealous...]

On the way down the coast...a three hour drive to paradise

 Making Vodka Jello Shots...Yum Yum

  Cheers ladies... Strawberry shortcake sippy cups rule.

 A night time stroll on the beach

 A pretty beautiful view to wake up to.

 A morning stroll on the beach.

 Perfect shell, perfect beach, perfect morning.

 Ciders on the deck, sun on my legs.

 Welcome to Paradise.

Introducing ... Pinny Me Up!

Photography - Tillie Stevens

Beautiful Model - Denae Cammell
Awesome person on location - Jay Brooker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am so excited to be able to introduce, Pinny Me Up! to you. I have a bit of an obsession with the 1950's and all things cute, and feminine. And recently a friend of mine wanted a cute little apron for his girlfriend for her birthday, and it all sort of spiralled from there. A bunch of my friends were asking for me to make them one for birthday gifts and other things to, after that ... so I thought, what the heck! Lets get this going. And so. There you have it, Pinny Me Up! was born. I am going to hopefully have them up on etsy soon, and will make sure all the details are up here as soon as that happens ... But I just love them so much that I had to show them off now! Woohoo! And hey, if you want to get your hands on one of these beauties before anyone else ... just flick an email to volume.number.two[at]gmail.com and I will get you a price and any other details you may be after.  

Sweet crafty weekend

Its been a super creative weekend over here at the volume two household. I cant really say too much at the moment but there is something exciting brewing that has involved a weekend of sewing, a photo shoot on Tuesday and some graphic design and in the process my room has kind of been taken over by stray threads and material cut offs. It has been really nice to take a break from all the school work and get into a different kinda creative space. I think its cleared my head a bit ... which can only be a good thing right? Anyway, I thought I would put a little sneak peak at what I have been up too over the last 48 hours, and hopefully by this time next week I will have the finished products all ready to go ... Hurrah!

    

 

 

 

 

 

I am also really excited because on Thursday I am off on a wee vacation for the best part of a week, I can not wait to sit on the beach, have a few drinks, and just get away from the hustle and bustle ... No internet, No television and No cell phone reception ... Oh it is going to be bliss I tell you, sweet sweet bliss.

"I'm coming" she said ... So is Christmas ... Literally.

I can't believe that I am only 8 weeks away from finishing my Graphic Design course. That's kind of scary. [read: terrifying] This year has literally blown away in the wind, I feel like it was only yesterday it was the summer break, I was at the beach, eating gelato, working on my non-existant tan... And yet, the leaves have changed colour, the snow has fallen [for the first time in 30 years] and days are once again starting to get longer as we head back into summer.

I know that for the next 8 weeks it is going to be even more a whirlwind, not only have I got my final studio campaign [read: big scary final piece of work] I am attending the annual Barbie Survivor Weekend [read: annual girls weekend at a friends bach where we dress up, do silly things and drink far too much] Photographing my first official wedding under my new creative company [more on that later] and having an early christmas vacation with my family. 


So in-between the madness, I know I am going to have to make a real concious effort to take some breathing time, because it is times like this [especially this time of year] when the pressure is mounting, that things so easily fall apart. I was having some of my 'scheduled' relaxation time today [control freak much?] and I was browsing through some of my favourite inspiration sites in hopes of finding something to well ... inspire me [go figure] and I struck the illustration jackpot. I have always had a love for illustration as a general rule. I love lines, the flow, the fluidity of the final pieces. I love the working up to the final pieces, the sketching, the blocking out, I guess, I love the fact that its generally hand rendered, as so much of what is out there these days in the design world is computer rendered. Enter Paule T.B. A Canadian native, who lives in a small Montreal apartment with pug, Constance. Her work, is for lack of a better expression, bloody incredible. I really don't think I need to say much more ... I mean a picture says a thousand words right? Well heres 6.

Swoon worthy right? I think so! Maybe one day my work might be this amazing ... a girl can dream right?

Welcome Home

Much like the name, this is a new start, a fresh start, a new volume ... volume two.  This will be a place for the wandering soul to find rest, an online catalogue of the things that make me smile, laugh, and sometimes the things that make me cry. A place to share the things I find beautiful, the thoughts that have been shared with me, and the ones that I have shared with others. Its a place for melodies and memories, for first loves and forgotten loves. Its a place for you and me.

So, I thought in honour of the beginning of this new volume, I would share a few of my favourite things. The bits and pieces in my life that make me smile, the things that make me ... me.

1. Red Lipstick. 2. Vanilla Lattes...In Big Bowls. 3. Illustration 4. Jack Daniels and Lemonade. 5. Magazines. 6. Good Books that make you think about things. 5. Picnics. 6. Travelling. In reality and in my imagination. 7. Johnny Depp. 8. Tattoos. 9. Writing in my journal. 10. Making stuff. 11. Haircuts. 12. tumblr. 13. Instagram 14. Watching People. 15 Handmade. 16. Peter Pan. 17. Music. 18. TV on DVD 19. My Family. 20. My friends. 21. New Clothes 22. Summer Fruit 23. Photo albums. 24. Re-unions. 25. Night skies 26. Rain under the street lamps 27. Incense burning 28. Polaroids 29. Trusting yourself. 30. Candles 31. Stationary. 32. Long drives. 33. Open Spaces. 34. Heavy Duvets. 35. Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows. 36. Dreams. 37. Photographs. 38. Looking at other peoples homes and dreaming of having my own space. 39. Stationery. 40. Love.