Archive for January, 2009


Craft & Inspiration

Filed under: Creative by Vanille — 3 Comments
January 29, 2009

paper quilling

Tell me, do you know what paper quilling is ?

Honestly, I didn’t know until recently.

I was shopping downtown and I saw these colourful strips of paper.

Eye catching, isn’t it ? Well, I have this addiction to colours that I can’t explain…

So I checked the packaging: Paper quilling was written on it. I was puzzled, because I still didn’t know what is it made for…

As the shop had a book section, I looked for one that would hopefully mention this craft. I could finally visualise it and purchased this rainbow made of paper.

Back home, I made a quick search on Internet and stumble upon the site of talented graphic designer Yulia Brodskaya !

If you want to get the picture about paper quilling, go and visit her site ! Really, it’s amazing ! If you do love illuminated book, let’s imagine a modern version of it in 3D ! Excellent examples, full of creativity.

Even if you are not crafty, it’s just so inspiring to look at her work…

pq1

Since then, I just have one idea in mind: to try my hand at it !

La suite en français…

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Indigenous Art

Filed under: Entertaining by Vanille — 2 Comments
January 26, 2009

face

Last Saturday was all about indigenous art.

First with these Māori carvings nearby Pataka museum, in Porirua city. I just like them. They are beautiful and intriguing at the same time.

Second, in Pataka museum, where we saw an exhibition of Ricky Maynard, a Tasmanian and Aboriginal photographer. His work was exhibited in 2007 in Paris but I didn’t get the chance to see it.

He qualifies himself as a story teller and each black and white picture is imbued with a strong and distinctive atmosphere…

statues

If you are around here, it’s until February 8 at Pataka museum and gallery.

La suite en français…

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Wairarapa

Filed under: Breathtaking by Vanille — 6 Comments
January 21, 2009

There’s a holiday rhythm on this blog these last weeks and I didn’t get rid of my lazy mood yet to post more evenly…

So let’s simply go for a minute to the Wairarapa. It was Wellington provincial anniversary day on Monday: The perfect long week-end for a getaway.

Wairarapa means ‘glistening waters’ in Māori and refers to the lake. Water, we did enjoy it, but on the coast of this rural region renowned for its wineries and produces.

greytown

After an hour drive through Rimutaka ranges, we took a break in Greytown to eat a little snack at ‘The French Baker’ and then made a quick round of antique shops.

cottage2

After that, we took country roads until Flat Point, where we stayed at Reef Point Lodge.

The cottage was lovely with expansive view on Pacific ocean and relaxing sound of breaking waves on the reef.

cottageReading on the deck, walking along the beach, collecting shells and taking pictures…that’s all we did !
reef

The last day we head for Castlepoint, a landmark of coastal Wairarapa.

Castlepoint is a small resort town that’s worth a visit.

The lighthouse was built in 1913 and made from cast iron in a Wellington factory, with a lens from France and the lighting gear from Scotland. Fully automated since 1988, the lighthouse is now maintained by computer from Wellington.

The castle rock (in the background), is 160m high and made of successive layers of lime and sandstone, deposited over the last two million years.

Despite an uncertain weather that day, the view was breathtaking…

lighthouse

Sources: Te Ara, encyclopedia of New Zealand

La suite en français…

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