Hidden Talents!

I've loved the "Red Bar Coat" from the Dior Autumn/Winter 2012 haute couture collection, ever since I first saw it. The colour and the cut of this garment is pure magic!

National Gallery Victoria

Rarely, do we get to see what the "behind the scenes people" actually do, when it comes to many creative occupations. Those incredibly talented people who work alongside the, award winning chef, top selling author, highly acclaimed singer, actor, musician or fashion designer.

Haute couture designs are made by the one person, from beginning to end. To be able to watch the seamstress who cut and hand sewed this beautiful garment is pure pleasure.

Click HERE to watch The Making of the Red Bar Coat. Here's to all the "behind the scenes" people!

Enjoy your creative life, Jules

A Little Or A Lot!

A broach, a ring or a 1960's handbag - just a little touch of vintage. 

A skirt, a dress or a fabulous textured coat - take it up a notch and wear the total look.

Twisting Vintage, a Vintage Clothing and Accessory shop in the Southern Highlands, south of Sydney, has some of the most stunning vintage items you will find anywhere. It's a place I've been to many times. For anyone who loves to look at, touch and wear vintage, stopping by is a must if you can.

Gillian Herne, the owner of Twisting Vintage, is passionate about the business she's created, owns and works in. And her knowledge about the beautiful vintage she sells is unsurpassed. Another example of what I call, Creative Business - taking something you're passionate about and turning that passion into something you love to do.

The shop is full of wearable fashion from the 1950's through to the 1970's.

Stunning vintage broaches and earrings.

A rack of knee length coats and accessories. Garments are selected for their quality and uniqueness.

A little of a lot. The choice is yours. 

Enjoy your creative life, Jules

30 Days, 30 Photos!

I've set myself a Creative Challenge. To take just one photo each day in November.

Why just one photo?

I was thinking, if I restrict myself to just one photo a day, it might help me to consider my subject matter, composition the light and angle of the photos more carefully - rather than take 15 photos, most of which I delete. Why don't you join me?

Here are is one of my most favourite things to photograph. I saw these beautiful flowers at my grocers this morning. Happy Friday!

Enjoy your creative life, Jules

Horsing Around With Headwear!

Guess who's gearing up for the Melbourne Cup?

For those outside Australia, every year on the first Tuesday in November, the country celebrates the running of our most famous horse race, the Melbourne Cup. Held at Flemington Race Course in Victoria, this 3200 metre thoroughbred race has been run since 1861. It's a fantastic excuse to get with friends or work colleagues, frock up and have a champagne. 

What you wear on your head adds to the fun. Here are some ideas.

A blast of orange works wonders with black

Gone are the days when everyone conformed to the one look. There are so many beautiful ways to interpret headwear - the classic hat, a fascinator or a single flower. There's a more recent trend towards head jewellery with tiara's and diamante combs.

Flowers and feathers always combine well

While designer millinery can cost hundreds, even thousandsof dollars, creating your own unique head piece can be fun and inexpensive. Check out discount stores such as Target, Kmart or Big W for hats and fascinators. Lovisa does beautiful flowers, clips and headbands. I discovered the red flowers, feathers and a headband in a discount store last year, which inspired my Spanish-themed head piece below. A treasure trove of goodies can be found in stores such as Spotlight. Come on - find your inner milliner!

Click HERE for a short video full of fabulous creations to inspire you. Which one do you love the most?

My 2016 creation - 3 flowers, 3 sprigs of feathers, 1 headband and a few stitches

Head jewellery is perfect when you don't what anything too heavy or big

So, wherever you are on Tuesday 7 November this year, I hope you have fun! And when someone tries to remember who won last years Melbourne Cup, you can tell them it was "Almandi", ridden by Kerrin McEvoy.

Enjoy your creative life, Jules

Oh, just before I go......I found this fantastic book in my bookshelf this morning. I'd forgotten I had it. Looking though the pages, a historical trip down fashions' memory lane, only confirmed my belief - life should be a celebration!

5 Tips For Rebooting Your Creative Energy

If you're like me, you're asking yourself where has this year gone. Energy levels can start to really wane by October.....and I mean REALLY WANE! And we haven't even hit the end of year holiday season. This is the perfect time to stop and reboot your energy levels.

TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE

Here are 5 things I do when my energy levels are low and I need to find my mojo again,

• Sleep more. Sounds simple but it can make a huge difference.
• Spend some time alone. When did you last have some time to yourself to do exactly what you wanted to, even for a day? 
• Visit a place of inspiration. For me, it's an art gallery or book shop. What's yours? 
• Restock the fridge with food that will nourish your body. 
• Initiate a daily ritual you love - and stick with it. A morning walk, a run, music, yoga, freshly brewed tea or coffee, taking one great photo each day or keeping a journal.

It's easy to forget to care for ourselves when we're busy caring for those around us. Happy rebooting!

Enjoy your creative life, Jules

For The Record!

There's a love affair happening world wide - t's the massive revival of the enjoyment of Vinyl Records.
And according to Forbes, record sales have grown 260%  since 2009.  But why? 

A generation has grown up listening to CD and digital files. Music has become, portable, instant and constantly available. Perhaps even isolating.

Record aficionados say the sound you get from an LP is warmer and fills the room in a way digital music can't. For those of us who grew up buying records, they're the vessel that transports us back to our youth.

So what's happening when your in a room and someone puts on a record?
Everyone wants to talk about,

• the artist
• the era
• the album cover
• what they were wearing at the time
• where they were when they first heard the music
• seeing the artist live

I'd like to think that the revival of the record player and records might simply come come down to our love of sharing experience with others. A room full of music, talk and laughter is a great place to be.

Enjoy your creative life, Jules

Why Is Art Full Of Naked People?

This is a very good question!
I think we make leaning about art and understanding art, too complicated most of the time.
While searching for some art history books, suitable for school aged children, I came across this little gem below.

With chapters such as, 'What's With All The Fruit?', 'Why Is Art So Expensive?' and 'Do You Have To Be Clever To Look At Art?', I was hooked.

Ever wanted to have a better understanding about,

• Rock Art
• Still Life
• Impressionism
• Abstract Art
• Cubism
• Judging Art
• The Value of Art

This book is for any age and for anyone who's interested in art. 
Great Book. Great Idea.
Enjoy your creative life, Jules

Love Every Day!

We are truly blessed when we can watch the beauty of a sunrise.

A Sydney sunrise and the start of a brand new day

More than ever, I want to LOVE EVERY DAY I have on this incredible earth.

Take nothing for granted. 

There I was, worrying about having enough time to complete my manuscript while teaching part-time. Then yesterday I received the awful news that a friend is gravely ill.

Who know what lies ahead for any of us?

When I think about how unpredictable life can be, I remember this piece of dialogue from the movie, Out of Africa -

"Denis gave me a compass, to steer by he said. But later it came to me, that we navigated differently. Perhaps he knew, as I did not, that the world was made round, so that we could not see too far down the road."

Life is so precious. 

Love Every Day!

Enjoy your creative life, Jules

Creative In The Kitchen!

What is it about a Pavlova that everyone loves?

Dressed with whipped cream and fruit, the Tiered Pavlova is one dessert that can make a grand entrance at the end of any meal. 

I've been asked for this recipe many times and thought I'd share it with you. I've been making this Pavlova for so long, I don't even have it written down. 

There are two essential elements to making a good Pavlova. Firstly, the eggs must be room temperature and secondly, do not open the oven and remove the Pavlova until the oven is totally cold. For this reason, I usually make my pavlova bases at night and put them into containers in the morning. 

Jules Pavlova

8 Egg Whites, 2 Cups Caster Sugar, 6 Teaspoons Cornflour, 2 Teaspoons White Vinegar, 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence. Heat oven to 160 Celsius, reduce to 130 Celsius just before you put your Pavlova in the oven.

Beat egg whites until they are firm and forming peaks. Slowly add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time and keep beating. (I use a hand-held mixer). Your mixture should thicken and become white and glossy. Sift in the cornflour, add the vinegar and vanilla essence.

Spoon your mixture onto trays with baking paper. For a 3 tiered Pavlova I use round pizza trays, and rectangular trays when making individual pavlovas.

Cook for 1 1/2 hours (one and a half hours) then turn your oven off and don't open the oven door (even though you might be tempted).

Pavlova bases before they're assembled

Whip 600ml of cream and sprinkle in a dessert spoon of icing sugar. Go to town with the cream, bananas, strawberries and blue berries. I sometime add sliced peaches. Drizzle each layer with passionfruit and dust with icing sugar.

Present your dessert on a large board or platter and let everyone help themselves. 

Enjoy your creative journey, in the kitchen, Jules

It's just fruit!

Use your mixture to make individual cases and let your guests create their own Pavlova

Welcome To Spring!

It started out with the simple act of hanging up a dress.

2 hours later I'd gone through every dress, skirt, pants, shirt, jacket, a pile of jeans, shoes, bags, belts and scarves I own. I used, what I call, The Love System.

Leave it in - it has to fit you, suit you and you have to love it

Out it goes - you've moved on, so has fashion and so should this item

Vary or Alter - can a pair of long pants have a new life as 3/4 pants?

Exit Elsewhere - find a new home for the items that are no longer right for you

Spring Clean Your Wardrobe and Get Creative With Your Clothes

Hang everything together in "Item Blocks" - Pants / Dresses / Skirts / Shirts / Tops

Then, hang each "Item Block" in "Colour Order" - Black Pants / White Pants / Patterns etc

You'll easily see what you have plenty of and where the gaps in your wardrobe are. Maybe you're right for jeans but are short on great casual tops. Or you have lots of neutral tones and need a blast of colour here and there. 

A Clothing Spring Clean frees you up, not just physically (more space in the wardrobe), but more importantly, emotionally.

And sometimes, it's nice to simply reinvent yourself a little. Welcome to Spring!

Enjoy your creative journey, Jules