I uncovered this image at a local market a couple of months ago. It’s unusual to see a camera in shot used as a prop (and even more unusual to see a woman holding it!). It also has a stellar message on the back, one that immediately made me think of this poor neglected blog. I think it should read “Dear Blog” haha!

I can’t say what a “dirty dog” I feel whenever I think of you. I had the best intentions in the world of writing and have left my congratulations as late as this. To show there’s no animosity you can buy an expensive frame for this photo and hang it in the — I’ll leave that up to you where to hang it.

It’s a strange feeling being able to pinpoint the address this postcard was sent from (even stranger to stand in “street view”!)

]]> http://www.butterflyrocket.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=775 1 http://www.butterflyrocket.com/blog/?p=767 http://www.butterflyrocket.com/blog/?p=767#comments Sat, 05 Nov 2011 06:44:29 +0000 Susannah http://www.butterflyrocket.com/blog/?p=767

Back in 1994 I thought that this is what I would be doing. Taking the world by storm creating photo illustrative pieces using alternative photographic processes. Now some 16 years later Polaroid film is no more, and my beautiful 5×4 studio camera would be considered an antique! I remember the rush when I lifted the paper back to reveal this image. Such a high. I miss it.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what I should be doing. What I want to be doing. Thinking of ways I can free myself up, shake off the cobwebs and get my hands dirty. Watch this space…

December 25th 1976. I was 3. This was the Christmas I received the ‘Sally and Sue’ orange A-Frame lake house complete with motor boat and log campfire. Oh how I loved this doll house! It was sold at a garage sale when I was in highschool and wasn’t really thinking about having girls of my own to pass it on to. I have never ever seen one again and can’t even find reference to it online anywhere. Where are you Sally and Sue?

This was also about the time I have a very clear memory of walking near the Glenbrook Lagoon and a lady telling my Mum what a “lovely little boy” I was. It’s funny what you remember. And I remember feeling rather mad!

Now this could be rather embarrassing as I have only had several comments in thirty days (Mum you’re in with a shot LOL!). The comments thing doesn’t really bug me as I do receive lovely emails, verbal validation and the site stats reveal a little of what’s going on. I really do blog mostly for my own enjoyment and to share the things I love hoping that someone out there loves them too!

The zine is small, but like the blog full of goodies that I adore including 6 removable mini postcards and a tiny ‘Clown Fairy’ print….

…and three Butterflyrocket badges! I really do love my badgemaker. Love it!

So go ahead, leave a comment below and you might get it by Christmas!

*a butterfly rocket really is a fire cracker!
** The Cut.Paste edition is a variation of a zine I made in this swap conducted a while ago by Nikki-shell. So if you have one of these already it is pretty similar, but a tiny bit different and it was sold during an exhibition earlier in the year.

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COMMENTS CLOSED!
I’ll get Eloise to draw the winner out of a ‘hat’ tomorrow. Thanks for the lovely comments ladies! I have more posts coming very soon, I’ve been a bit caught up with December festivities over the past few days and have a huge week ahead with a certain little birthday girl turning 5 next Sunday!

I bought the ‘Eloise & Skipperdee Go Caroling’ ornament pictured above the year my Eloise was born. It’s become one of our favourites! (released in 2004 as part of the Heirloom ornament collection by Carlton Cards)

This delicate tree ornament was given to me by my mother inlaw last year. It’s gorgeous and made out of translucent papers. It’s one of a pair of ‘Dancing Fairies’ designed Danish designer Jette Frölich.

We don’t do a colour theme. Our tree is full of ornaments we’ve collected over the years including a couple from my childhood. Lots of surprises hidden in the branches that the girls love finding. They buy one new ornament each year to add to the tree. This year in typical almost five year old fashion, Eloise chose this one. ‘Don’t mess with the dress’ (you’ll get it if you’ve seen the movie haha).

Almost December. So exciting!

Featured Gem 21
Real Photo Postcard

‘Good Luck Black Cat’

Date: 1909
People: Unidentified
Studio: Unspecified
Postcard Back: Blank

Notes: Such a great pose and fabulous costume! (From the same collection as Gem 16) This image is from a series of over twenty postcards from the same old album. Apparently there was a message on the front of the album that read: “To The Mayoress with H Jenkins compliments. 1909 A souvenir of the Childrens Fancy Dress Ball”. What a fancy dress ball it must have been!

Circa Dec, 1978.
Nice look don’t you agree? Christmas must have been approaching!

I picked up this lovely old picture book in an opshop in New Zealand several years ago, just after getting off the ferry on the South Island. It’s in poor shape, tattered and torn, but all the pages are there and it is quite magical to look at! I am not sure the publication date but the handwritten message inside says:
“To Lucy from Uncle King June 28th 1892″

This is around the time my grandfather and his siblings were growing up in New Zealand, so it felt quite an appropriate find at the time as I was absorbed in hunting down some family history while I was over there.

If you’d like to see the entire book it’s free online via the International Children’s Digital Library. The other titles by R. Andre look equally intriguing! Warning, click at your own risk as you might get stuck looking at all the delights this website has to offer! The Internet is a wonderful thing.

{Tathra Beach September 2009}

We lost power on the weekend. At about 1am loud buzzing and zapping noises, big orange glow, sparks flying out where the street wires meet our house. Scary! Caitlin woke up terrified as she has developed a fear of storms and thought it was thunder (Even went to bed tonight still saying ‘no thunder?’ poor poppet). So by candlelight at 1am on Sunday morning I was making some of these hand shadow puppets on the wall complete with silly voices. She seemed to appreciate it, and it even got her giggling her adorable almost two year old hearty chuckle.

This old card is just smaller than A4 and has no details on it other than shown.

If you place your hands as shown in these pictures, and hold them in front of a light, their shadows will make the many creatures shown here.