Five minutes with editorial hair & makeup stylist Ava Williams

Ava Williams is both a qualified makeup artist and senior beauty therapist with six years of industry experience. She's a self-confessed beauty obsessive, and is currently focussing on editorial shoots. We stopped her in the street for a grilling.

 



 
Discuss your five favourite things at home. 

1. My pomeranian Tito (is he a thing?). He is mostly made of fluff and we can groom him like a Lion. He is awesome.
4. The J H Lynch "Tina" print that is covered in water marks. It's a bit damaged but I like it that way.
3. DL & CO apple candle from Black Box that I was given for Christmas a year ago. It's everything good about a candle.
4. My laptop charger. Without this I would go insane.
5. Bed. The best place on earth. Combine with reality television.

What are your top five products on fashion shoots? 

1. Brushes! Particularly my MAC 224 brush. I don't ever do an eye without it. 

2. MAC shadows. All of them. But realistically a variety of browns and neutrals. 

3. MAC Brow Pencil in Lingering for brunettes or Fling for blondes. 

4. Fix + finishing spray makes everything look like skin. No cake face. 

5. Hair spray. Obviously to do hair but especially for getting rid of fly aways on camera.

 
Tempt us with your five best cheat day foods. 

1. Cookie Time. I have an unhealthy addiction.

2. Egg and Chives Dumplings from New Flavour in Dominion Road.

3. Melona Melon Bars. Rock melon ice cream on a stick. My best find.

4. Mexican food. Special mentions for chimichangas and churros.

5. Anything my husband makes. It's always delicious and usually bad for me.

Five best shoot locations? 

 

1. Going on a road trip and jumping out at random places you think look beautiful or interesting.
2. Kingsize Studios. They are right by Ripe so lunch is always good.
3. Paris because all the best people are there.
4. New York because all the best people are there.
5. Muriwai because black sand looks cool.

And finally, reveal five moments you wish hadn't happened.

1. The time I ate too many skittles and spewed a rainbow.
2. When I saw Ronald MacDonald in the St Lukes food court and I had to run for my life. Clowns are not okay.
3. Ages 10 - 18, general.
4. Spilling a drink on my sister-in-laws Stolen Girlfriends fur coat when I borrowed it. It's still in my wardrobe. What do I do?!
5. The time my t-shirt wasn't long enough while wearing tights in public.

'Tina'

This spewing rainbows thing better be true, because I'm about to skittle out. Thanks Ava!

BSV.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

Fleur bleue

Bleecker Street Vintage has been very lucky to get its garb-obsessed hands on this stunning editorial spread. 
Big thanks to Ava Williams, hair and makeup stylist based in Auckland, for letting us share the Fleur Bleue shoot.

Kate Burgoyne dress and accessories

Left: Lovisa Necklace worn as head piece, Lee Dreamer lace dress, Meadowlark Cat Paw Pyramid ring. Right: Kate Burgoyne pant, Boohoo jacket, Julian Danger lace bra

Lovisa Gold Layer chain bracelet , Lovisa Oval Drop beaded earrings, Lennox Bellerose top, Now and Then dress

 

Left: Meadowlark Cat Paw Pyramid ring, NYNE Plume dress. Right: Carlson Cooper dress, Lennox Gold Wrap dress

Left: Lovisa necklace worn as head piece, Underground Sundae Riot ring, Meadowlark Cat Paw Pyramid ring. Right: Kate Burgoyne PLU crop top, Stephanie Covey leather shoulder piece, Kate Burgoyne copper belt, BLAK Living Easy dress, Lovisa panel bracelet, Lovisa black beaded bracelet, Lovisa black oval ring

 

Nom D Collared shirt, Pardon My French Cheap Champagne top, Carlson Twiggy pant, Zara shoes 

 

Right: Nom D Collared shirt, Pardon My French Cheap Champagne top, Carlson Twiggy pant, Zara shoes. Left: Pardon My French Cheap Champagne top, Miss Crabb Sovereign dress, Lennox Gold Wrap belt

 
Photopgraged by Karen Ishiguro, styled by Amita Kala, hair and makeup by Ava Williams using MAC. Model: Ciara @ Clyne.

BSV.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

Craft Cubed - Vintage Style Workshop

This year we've decided to get involved with Craft Cubed from August 1st - 31 2013! Yay!


Jason will be teaming up with seasoned op shopper and upcycler Lysette Ashford (Search & Rescue) to offer a practical and creative Vintage Style Workshop.

Participants will receive advice on the do's and don'ts of altering vintage garments; care and cleaning; accessorising; and reworking outfits. There will also be advice about which vintage shapes are most flattering for you whether buying or altering.

Lysette and Jason will bring a few of their own vintage garments in need of transformation and participants are invited to do the same.

* Please note a minimum of five participants will be required to proceed.  If cancellation occurs, participants will be notified and money refunded.

Please read further details about the workshop below.

Vintage Style Workshop

Location: LG Kitchen, South Melbourne Market, South Melbourne

Date: Sat 10 Aug 2013, 10am – 12.30pm
$29 (NB: materials not provided)

Bookings for the workshop can be made here.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

Glass Beer Chicken

As promised, here is a recipe from our good friend, artist Rebekah Pearson. Rebekah said that in the past she'd use a beer can to hold the chosen liquid, but is fortunate enough to have some glass blowing artist friends who created a bespoke vessel for cooking purposes.

Rebekah Pearson's Glass Beer Chicken:

1. Half fill vessel with liquid of your choice (wine, beer, coke, water, whatever you heart desires). Feel free to add whole garlic cloves, herbs, spices, citric fruits...

2. Sit chicken on the vessel so that it stands upright and place on a baking tray*

*do not put on a rubber mat as due to the shape of the vessel it creates a vacum and is suctioned onto the tray. Don't panic! It can be removed once cooled.

3. Surround chicken with potatoes/carrots/parsnips/capsicum/pear/whatever and bake for 1 and half hours

(Alternatively you can cook on a BBQ with a hood- we have not tried this with the glass vessel yet, so not sure how it would fare...might have to wait until slightly warmer weather and we have replaced the gas cylinder for our BBQ!!)

Serve.

Ne'er a dry chicken again!

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

Artist Interview: Rebekah Pearson

Today we're doing something different and interviewing fab artist AND person Rebekah Pearson. Rebekah studied ceramic design in Ireland then went on to become a ceramic designer in Dublin before commencing her journey to Australia where she has started illustrating children's books. Rebekah has also kindly shared a recipe (complete with photos) with us which will be posted later this week.

Tell us about your personal journey in becoming an illustrator.

My gran was an art teacher and never threw anything out so when my brother and I would go to her house after school we would just create, everything from dolls houses to space ships. Gran helped me to illustrate my first book bout my cat- 'Mo' (Toxoplasmosis). I studied craft design specialising in ceramics in the National College of Art and Design in Dublin. During uni I concentrated on making large scale ceramic sculptures.

I went on to design and make ceramic nightlights for 'This Little Light of Mine' in Dublin but there were only two of us in the company, the other girl ran the business side of things while I made the work, and I found it quite solitary and monotonous. I left after six months and travelled for a year before moving to Melbourne in 2008.

Stop motion animation had always interested me as it combined all the areas of the art world that I loved; sculpture, set and costume design and the mechanics of the metal armatures inside the puppets. I was accepted into the VCA postgrad in stop motion animation but unfortunately being a non-Australian resident the $33,000 price tag was a bit too much for me!

I decided instead to do short courses in everything that had interested me from millinery to shoe making to glass blowing. During this time I really got into painting in oils and water colours and had several solo and group exhibitions around Melbourne including the Jasper Gallery and the Brunswick Street Gallery.

 I started working on illustrations for a book in 2010, which is how I met the lovely people at Little Fox Press on Brunswick Street. I started work on The Cobbler Mage in January of this year, and was delighted to have a finished book for sale at the pop-up shop I did with an artist friend (Bekka and theBorgosuarus- check out our facebook page!) in the SO;ME space at the South Melbourne Market in June.

Can you tell us about your design process beginning from finding inspiration for a brief?

Generally it starts with collecting imagery- either going out and taking photographs or researching on the Internet. Then making some sketches, consulting with the client and making any changes they might want before working on a finished piece. With most of my illustrations I ink up the lines with an old fashioned nib dipped in Indian ink and then use water colour and pencil to add colour.

What is reason behind hand drawing all your illustrations, rather than using illustrator which is much quicker & easier to change?

Joy of the process and the finished product. As convenient as computers are, they will never compete with something that is unique and lovingly handmade.

Tell us about a time when you had no motivation to draw, but had to do something because of a deadline. What did you do?

Drink more coffee!! Generally a lack of motivation to draw comes from tiredness. I also think that being versatile in the mediums with which you work stops you from getting bored.

What are some tips for readers who would like to develop their drawing skills in their own time, rather than complete a course?

Just keep drawing. Draw everything. When I was traveling I lost my camera (twice!) so I just drew pictures of my adventures instead. I always carry a note book for doodles. When I draw something I tend to commit it to memory far better than just taking a photo, you create a special bond with your subject. Try everything; ink, water colour, oil, pastel, fabric, print, ceramic, glass, mix it all up!! Find out what works for you but don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone. Galleries are great for inspiration, and I love the great outdoors!! Drop into an occasional life drawing class. There is inspiration everywhere really, in your surroundings and especially in the people you meet.

And finally, are there any secret projects coming up that you'd like to share with us?

I am currently working on label designs for a beer and also have been doing a few wedding invitations. There are quite a few kids books in the pipeline, and I'm also planning on getting my hands dirty again with a return to some ceramic work. The Cobbler Mage will have a book launch later in the year- there is a plan to have a puppet show for the first chapter of the book- date to be confirmed, but everyone is invited!!

Interviewed by Jason Cormick.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

Progress of in house designed clothes

Thinking aloud here...

Earlier this year, I said there were plans to design and make a small range of clothes to sell in the store, Bleecker Street Vintage and online. I made another goal to showcase the very small range (it's most likely going to be only 3 designs at this late stage) at the Adelaide Vintage Expo toward the end of August this year.

With only weeks to go, I only have one design graded from sizes 8-14, no fabric sourced, no cost per unit and no retail price. Do you think I'm getting stressed about it? Sure am!

The purpose of going to the Adelaide Vintage Expo was to show the new range...and visit a friend too I must admit ;-).   I have help with the grading of the designs now, but now I need to find someone to give me a hand with the production side too. In my mind, I wanted to make every piece, but now I realise sometimes extra help is required to get things done.

In saying that, this week is going to be spent  fabric hunting and finding help. I want my clothes ethically made, so contacting The Social Studio in Collingwood is one idea. If that fails, then I'll mak
e what I can, rather than put unrealistic goals on myself. 

Finally, I don't even have a name for the label either. Two names that have come to mind are ginger and Paul Angus  I like Paul Angus, as it's my father & grandfather's name. Another thing I need to do is use Survey Monkey so I can get my customers input on the label name.

Signing off!

EDIT

I've just created a survey about the clothing label name. It would be great if you could take some time to complete it for me. Thanks!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

Your Style = Street Style

Your Style = Street Style by Bleecker Street Vintage

Photos by Jason Cormick. Kindly request permission before using photographs.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

Roast butternut, red onion and tomato salad

In the depths of winter, but coming out the other side, this warm vegetarian salad makes a lovely dinner for two, and acts as a hearty accompaniment for something more substantial.

Oven roast seasoned, squared butternut squash (skin on: imperative) and spanish onion in quarters until caramelised/sweet. Just before these are cooked, bung in a tray of walnuts - these will roast in about five minutes. Almonds also work really well.
Let cool.


Halve some cherry tomatoes (a box will do), mix with cooled onion and squash, crumble in generous amount of feta. Chop in quite a bit of parsley too.

In a colander, shake the cooled walnuts - the bitter skin will flake off.
 

Dressing: mix a tablespoon of wholegrain mustard, juice of an orange, juice of lime, honey, salt and pepper, taste until proportions are right.

Pour over and mix well. Serve immediately on a bed of rocket.
 


Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

Paris Vintage 101

Paris, Paris, Paris, capital of fashion, gastronomic food, love, lights, literature, tourism…

The thing about french people and culture is that our past kind of obsesses us, for our history is very ancient. We consider that everything we do, everything we are, we owe to our ancestors, builders of the civilisation. What’s a better example of it than the fascination, almost religious, that we have for fashion designers of the beginning of the 20th century like Coco Chanel and her timeless jersey suit or Christian Dior and his Corolle collection?

Looking for testimonies of this glorious past is almost a way of life for some people. And it’s not just about clothes: lots of Parisians like to spend their weekend at the Saint-Ouen flea market in the North of Paris, looking for antiques. It’s also a very good place to find amazing vintage clothes by the way, if you ever find yourself around Rue de Clignancourt.

So, what kind of vintage treasures you can find in Paris currently? Lucky for you, I’ve been putting on my Sherlock Holmes hat (vintage tweed) to investigate this matter and I found three kinds of very fashionable items that Parisian vintage it-girls are crazy about!

The first vintage item really fashionable here, in Paris, is the 50’s dress. It’s quite easy to find, it has the charm of old black and white movies but in the same time it’s quite easy to wear, if the cut is good. And as summer is approaching the city, you can see their floral motifs blossom is every corner!

 

The second must have for every Parisian girl fond of vintage is the customized vintage item of clothing. Most of the time, it will be a demin jacket recut and embroidered or a dress recut to fit the 2013 fashion standards. The demin jacket will make you look like a real Parisian Bobo, drinking glasses of red wine sitting at a terrace in Pigalle, enjoying the sun. And Yves-Saint-Laurent vintage  sunglasses are perfect to go with it!

And finally, what makes every fashionista's heart beat: luxury brands. Yves Saint-Laurent, Dior, Chanel, Lancel, Courrèges, and so on. Every vintage closet has at least one luxury item. It can be from any time, any brand, any style, it will always find its way to a Parisian girl heart in a snap! The cuts are always perfect, the fabric noble and they’re timeless.

 

Thanks to Celia Darling Vintage for the insights on vintage fashion and for the pictures.

Agathe Milbled

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

Your Style = Street Style

Your Style = Street Style by Bleecker Street Vintage

Photos by Jason Cormick. Kindly request permission before using photographs.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

Dahi puri dip

I've never given this recipe to anyone, ergo I'd be super interested in your thoughts, internet!

Dahi puri is one of the best things about dining Indian. It's a guaranteed winner at pot luck dinners, and really easy to get right. 

I set out, in my quest to make ultimate dressings, dips and sauces (from whatever's in the fridge), to recreate the dahi puri flavours in a dip/sauce. This can also be used to dress a hot roasted vegetable salad (amazing.)

So, here we go. Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups plain greek yogurt - non fat, if you wish
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp honey

1 garlic clove - finely chopped

1/2 tsp paprika

2 tbsp of sweet bbq sauce
1/2 tsp chilli powder or flakes
juice of half a lemon - you can also throw some zest in
small handful flat parsley - chopped
small handful coriander - chopped
sprinkling of chat masala - if available
salt and pepper to taste

Mix, serve. Feel smug.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

'Brave new looks' according to the SMH

 

The Sydney Morning Herald ran this piece on Sunday. Paper lashes have been in the beauty editorials for a while now, but they're yet to make an appearance on the street. What do you guys think? Would/wouldn't? 

The vain side of my brain screams 'FAT FREEZING GIMME', then the left side calmly says, 'gimmick', and I take another bit of my carrot, begrudgingly.

And, are more men wearing makeup these days?

We have some Kantha quilts in stock at the moment, in the online store.  
 
Kantha is a Bengali embroidery, typically old saris and cloth are sewn together using this stitch to create quilts and bedspreads, therefore it's a sustainable form of recycling fabric. The nature of the stitch gives the fabric a waviness, which means it's delightfully warm, and often used as bedding in Bengal.
 
Speaking of, how about the current chill factor? 
Cycling in 2 degrees is no fun at all, we're turning up everywhere with weepy, sore faces. Melbourne winter, you are unkind!
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram