A Found Fairytale

There is something magical about beaded slippers. They are the shoes that princesses of faraway lands in fairy-tales wear. And this is a tale of Lost & Found long ago.

It was 1999 when these particular magical beaded slippers came into being in the house of Gucci, as though a fairy cobbler named Tom Ford simply waved his magic wand and – poof! – there they were. An Australian girl, not so much a princess, saw them in a magazine and swooned. Of course they were far beyond the reach of her humble purse, so she merely sighed and flipped the page.

That is, until she saw black and white copies – just as though they had leapt joyfully from the page and into her life – in the shoe store Mollini. They weren’t quite the same: the little heels were black satin rather than a contrasting blue, and there was no delicate sling back strap. There was a red and white pair too, but she decided she much prefered the classic black and white: they looked more Art Deco. So she reached deep into her credit card and carefully counted out the coins. She paid for the magical beaded slippers and took them home with her, where they lived happily ever after.

The End.

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Leaf Me Alone

The Vintage Hat Series: 1950s Grecian-style velvet leaf bandeauWood nymphs, or dryads in Greek mythology, were shy little creatures. Except, apparently, with the goddess Artemis who was fond of them. A minor female nature deity – though not necessarily immortal – a dryad is the spirit of a tree. The name is taken from the Greek word, drys, which means oak.

Nymphs were usually depicted as beautiful and amorous young maidens who loved to dance and sing. Often the target of satyrs, their amorous freedom set nymphs apart from the virtuous Greek ladies – from the sound of it they rarely said leave me alone!

Still, I like to imagine they must have worn some pretty Grecian-style dresses and floral garlands in their hair, not too dissimilar to my leafy velvet bandeau. It is a vintage 50s hat I purchased on eBay. When I first came across the auction, I fell in love with it and determined it must be mine. My highest bid wasn’t totally crazy, and in the end I won it for US$31 – a ridiculously low price. It is the perfect hat to wear in a romantic mood through spring and summer. 

Aurora

Aurora is the Roman goddess of the dawn. She renews herself every morning, flying across the sky to announce the arrival of the sun. What a pretty notion.

Today dawns on a new year, and it’s time to renew oneself – maybe make a few shiny promises and resolutions for the year ahead. (And maybe one of them should be to make sure they last beyond January!)

Let’s be optimistic: here’s wishes for a great year (even if it occasionally slaps us in the face), and remember, as my friend Rapunzel is fond of saying: always look up. The sun is shining on 2013 – and you might catch a glimpse of Aurora flashing past.

Evening Star

The evening draws to a close, as does the old year. Once more I am inspired by the work of Alphonse Mucha, one of the most famous artists of the Art Nouveau movement. This lady of the evening sky lifts a lantern, but we’ll be celebrating with fireworks as 2012 ends with a bang (sorry, couldn’t resist that pun).

Thank you once more for supporting SNAP for 2013. I hope you all have a fabulous evening celebrating. Happy New Year, and see you in the morning!

The Princess and the Pea

The Princess and the Pea :: Wonder // W40 // No flashLast Sunday it was Father’s Day, and in the Melbourne burbs, the next day was Hard Rubbish Collection Day – another important date on the calendar.

Dad picked me up from the train station, and on the drive back to the ancestral estate, we passed a large stack of mattresses. Instantly, the old fairy tale of the Princess and the Pea sprang to mind, and I determined to find time that afternoon to return to photograph it.

Later, one of my nieces agreed to accompany me on the expedition, and we walked back for a mini photoshoot. I must admit, I was far more worried about the wobbly stack of mattresses toppling over than random mashed peas! 

Ouch! :: Lucas AB2 // Dylan // No flash