Drawings of ear worms and recommended links

Jill Scott, Shania Twain, En Vougue

Jamiroquai, Womack and Womack, Mel C.

I quite often wake up with a song in my head, and don't know how it got there because generally, the song hasn't been around since the turn of the century. In order to get it out, I turn to Youtube and listen to the whole song, you know a pretty typical ear worm thing to do. As an extra act of exorcism, I have started to draw the lead singer. Typically, I draw the song I had in my head first, then I tend to fall into the abyss that is Youtube's recommended links - it has lead to some really funny drawings.
-Sarah

Scarves

Such uninspired post titles from me. This post is about scarves so there you go. Like Sarah, i wear a lot of black. My work uniform is all black and includes a loudly-branded Tshirt. I can never be bothered taking a change of clothes with me, but i don't like advertising my work as i walk through town. Scarves have saved me from showing off a logo, and add a nice pop of colour to my otherwise boring outfits (there is nothing wrong with an all black outfit, but my work clothes are DULL black clothes. Jeans. Tshirt. Nothing exciting)

Here are some of my favourites:

Left to right:

•  the first neckerchief style scarf i've ever owned! bought for my by my sweet friend Lucy when i was in my last year of art school.
• A lovely fennec fox scarf by the brilliant Olivia Mew 
• Little silk scarf my mum bought me but put of giving to me as i told her i was avoiding silk (i am a vegetarian) but it is lovely and half gingham half spotty. I promptly spilled coffee because i can't have nice things (don't tell her)
• Birds! one of the dreamiest scarves ever. Vintage via Fever & few (which is Olivia Mew's scarf shop, incidentally)
• Another one from Fever & Few, this has wool in it so i wore it aaaallll winter. 
• And another! Olivia and I did a trade - art for scarves. Best deal. This is pink and has a horse on it. So very femme and so very un-me but it looks great matched with my tough-guy outfits.
• Latest score! Another vintage one picked up today. I suspect it is cut from someone's old dress, it has been hemmed by hand. A little worse for wear but that's good for me since i would be scared to wear it otherwise. I wish this was a dress, it is such a fantastic print.
• And a shameless plug. This is my scarf design that i haven't released yet! it has beetles and triangles on it and it is really great you should probably buy one.

Team Drawing

Devon and I had some time to kill yesterday so we did some team drawing. Here are the results: mad skillz.

-Sarah

Cream Products

This is a preview post for the awesome things that Devon and I will be doing today at the Mighty Mighty Market -

-Sarah

Black Summer

When it comes to Winter attire - I'm sorted; as soon as the sun starts shining - I am ill-equipped. Last week I spent my cashmoney on some Summer staples:

• BLACK customised fringed crop top from Max
• BLACK pleated full length skirt from Max
• BLACK sheer satin trimmed sleeveless top by Finders Keepers
• BLACK sheer tuxedo-back singlet from Glassyons

There is heaps of colour out there at the moment for Summer, some of it is pretty offensive. I tend to think the people who suit the colour of cartoon toxic waste already actively wear it - so there is no need to produce hundreds of dresses in that crazy green and sell them to half-brained consumers. Rant over - I'm wearing black this Summer.

x Sarah

Pet Portrait #2

The second portrait in my series of shitty pencil drawings. This is Zepha and pup, I would love to do more. Send your photo to sistersbattle@gmail.com.
Thanks heaps Zepha participating x o x I hope things are going swell on the other side of the world - Sarah

Devon's Temporary Tattoos

Devon is awesome and got these totally sweet temporary tattoos made of her art. Keep an eye on http://www.etsy.com/shop/deerface for details.

I look tough as all hell with this neck tattoo.  So so awesome.

This is probably an hour after application - it looks legit as  it had lost some of its shininess  The woman at the bar totally thought it was real, I kind of want it to be real - Sarah

Mad Skillz

Devon posted 'Summer Plans' and then I was like, huh, I used to draw all the time... let's try that. And then I was like oh yeah, I can't draw!!!
 Oh art school, you gave me no practical skills-  but maybe I'll just do a series of these shitty portraits. xSarah

Kiwi Pro Wrestling

I went to my first ever wrestling event this weekend, it was awesome.

Some of the highlights of the Cossie Carnage event (from a total noob):

• Impressively functional and highly constructed costumes (with all that rough and tumble, I only picked one or two wardrobe malfunctions)
•  Good vs evil alter egos, the dramatic nature of the rivalries were a pleasure to witness.
•  The close proximity between the audience and the physical expression of wrestling, The crowd were very much active participants in the matches in terms of loudly supporting the good guy, booing the baddie and heckling the referees. 
•  Some excellent critique and engagement with gender stereotypes. A couple of male wrestlers utilised aesthetics that are typically associated with femininity whilst performing highly masculine acts of physicality: Johnny Idol wore his hair in pig-tails and Jonnie Juice adapted a sparkly love heart motif. Sadly the level of engagement with racial stereotypes left me wanting more* 
• The overall spectacle was really fun and I look forward to attending more Kiwi Pro Wrestling matches in the future. 

*Researching the representation of indigenous people is my job and I can't turn that shit off - it is very problematic when people are just trying to have a good time. Killjoy, I know.

A giant thanks to my lovely friends Aurora and Dan for inviting me along. As for the blue sky imagery - it is a part of a project I have been working on for the last few months. Two birds, one stone - heart from Sarah.

Summer Plans.

This morning was so beautiful and sunny that i walked to work. By lunchtime it was raining. But it got me dreaming about summertime. Most of my clothes only work for winter/autumn, so i really need to get something a bit more summery. These are things i'm dreaming of right now. No thick jeans and no merino sweaters!

Trying new nail colour today, too. Teal & gold, it looks like lolly wrappers!

x D

the Sprig and Fern Tavern -

I guess the Sprig and Fern would be my 'local', they provide an amazing array of craft beers in a warm, stylish setting.

Devon and I (and our Doc Martens) went along last week, they do a 'tasting tray' for about $18 and you can choose what beer you would like to try. 

Along with great, fresh beers~ Sprig and Fern has a welcoming, community atmosphere. I probably haven't been there enough to call it my local, but I really like their ethos ~ with no television screens or pokie machines, they encourage you to be present in pleasant surroundings. Did I say the beer is really delish too?

They also do flagons, so after our tasting tray; I got two litres of Fern Larger to take home. Cheers Sprig and Fern, see you soonish - Sarah. Check out their website for more details:  http://www.sprigandfern.co.nz/taverns/tinakori-road-wellington.aspx

Fire in Babylon

This is the one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. It is not so much about cricket, but sport as a tool for revitalisation of a culture and beating the colonizer at his own game. Fire in Babylon particularly focuses on the West Indies Cricket Team under the leadership of their first Black captain, Clive Lloyd. It follows Lloyd's team during the 70's and 80's where West Indies cemented their dominance of the sport and the different Caribbean countries were fighting for their independence. 

The whole movie is filled with great accents, amazing 70's fashion (facial hair of particular importance), a beautiful Caribbean aesthetic, rich stories of racism and more significantly empowerment; all interjected with reggae songs about cricket. 

Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards, the keystone figures of WI Cricket

 As a media studies nerd, it was really interesting to see the type of language that the 70's-80's media used to describe these "other" cricketers. Even as the played a 'gentleman's game' they were labelled violent savages. Check it out if you have the opportunity, highly recommended by me (Sarah).

we found a garden

We looked at birds and flowers and had a picnic in the Wellington Botanic Garden

Daisies, green ombre hair, leopard print denim jacket, snake ring from Meadowlark and amythyst ring from a gem market.

Poppies, Docs, sweet stockings, vintage olive dress, thigh tattoo

Magnolia, Docs, Sarah's muscular legs, hand-made tulle skirt, under knee-length socks

Magnolia, fresh hand-poked tattoo, sunnies because it is Spring

Weekend Away Photoset

Lachie and I went away for the weekend.We talked to people who knew the Wairarapa when it was industrious, we walked for hours and then lounged in the afternoon sun. Thanks to Ellena and Capbell and Nina.

-Sarah

Groom Barbers

I haven't paid for a haircut since 2008. I like to do that shit myself ~ and I'm usually pretty good at it too! But  over the weekend, the extent of my self-hairdressing expertise was unsuccessful and I needed professional help. Groom Barbers on Tinakori Road in Thorndon sorted me out. I had never been to a barbers before, it was much cheaper compared regular Wellington salons. The stylist there was really nice and skilled, she set me up with a handsome ass cut.

Groom Barbers are situated just down the road from my whare, later in the afternoon ~ I went back and asked if I could take some pictures. The following set were shot on my new Canon which I'm still getting used to as I have been a Nikon-gal since forever but ye, here are the results:

-Sarah

banal and spectacular nationalism

Today's look is brought to you by the notions of banal and spectacular nationalism, of which I have been learning about at uni this week. I live in Aotearoa/ New Zealand but I find it easier to dress in quasi-Americana as opposed to Kiwiana. Possibly everyday I am dressed in Kiwiana, I'm not sure. Devon came over for dinner tonight and was wearing her Elvis t-shirt because it is the 35th anniversary of his death (and also because it is awesome and she got it in GRACELAND) so I will also attribute my U.S. look to a psychic knowing of things to do with Elvis on this day.

Red, white and blue. Looking quite blue there, cheer up guy.  

This brow lasted most of the day and was created with a $2 eye pencil which was purchased at Halloween (another very U.S. notion) to create zombie veins. I wanted glittery eyebrows but the only look I was able to achieve was that of sparkly psoriasis, I am happy with this more muted look - comparatively.  

I can not wear lipstick for more than ten minutes, I'm not into anything that makes me second guess putting food into my mouth. 

And a Lana Del Ray track to close the festivities -  Sarah