Stays mainly in the plain

I haven't felt rain in over 2 months and then Cyclone Bianca threatened. Thankfully, it fizzled and this morning there was cool, light rain on my face. My car was completely covered in pretty droplets...

and when I hopped in, all I could see was bubble wrap windscreen...

♥

Birds on a Wire Series

I'm fascinated by little birds on wires.

They're up to something exciting, plotting their next big adventure. 
I get the sense of what's-said-on-the-wire-stays-on-the-wire. I feel their togetherness and camaraderie.

When I see a single bird on a wire, it never seems lonely or isolated. 
It's just...content.



This photo was taken on 21st October 2010 and is the inspiration behind my Birds on a Wire series on Etsy.

When I create, I am content.

♥

Typewriter Series

About six months ago, I was trawling Ebay for an Eames ornament and that was when I was bitten by the typewriter bug. 

I saw a listing for an old typewriter and every nostalgic bone in my body was screaming for me to get one. I wondered whether I could use a typewriter to make artwork, combining three of my many loves: 
vintage, words and paint. 

Apparently Olympia typewriters would be up to the task as they're built to last, have particularly smooth mechanics and can handle thicker paper. So I was on the hunt. I came across some beautiful collectibles during my search, favourites being:

• white-grey Olivetti Valentine
• shiny black Groma Kolibri
• baby blue two-tone Royal Safari
• any typewriter in turquoise

By December, I had finally found my fine piece of German engineering, an Olympia SF. It arrived on Christmas Eve :)

I'm in love with everything about it, from its textured beige paint, dark grey keys and handsome decal, to its delicate typebars, touches of chrome and cute little levers. Seeing its serial number for the first time felt like I had just discovered the new sliced bread. I like that it's low profile and unassuming...hence the name SF - it stands for "Super Flat". 

Ok I lie. It stands for Schreibmaschine Flach which translates to "Flat Typewriter" ;)

When I'm typing, my words mesh with the click-clacks and occasional 'ping' and the romanticism of writing returns. I wonder what stories it could tell about the fingertips that once graced its keys. There are chips in the paint and the case is cracked, making it all the more alluring. It's QWERTY-er than my Mac. Its font amuses me. This antiquated machine makes me feel like an old school retro geek and I can't. stop. gushing!

The Olympia SF stepped up to the plate and produced my Typewriter series on Etsy. I have more ideas for it and I'm sure it's looking forward to the challenge.

And in case you're wondering, yes, typewriter ribbons are still 
being made :)

♥

Of fireworks and nebulas

I like unconventional photos of fireworks. We all know what fireworks look and sound like, but away from the crackle and whizz, there is a kind of hushed beauty. Watching fireworks makes me want to peer into a telescope, eager to discover a new nebula :)

Happy Australia Day!

♥

Dandelion series

Look at my backyard and you’re likely to see wilting succulents and thriving weeds. There are creeping clovers and clumps of crabgrass, prickly lettuce in crevices and dandelions between the pavers. It’s tongue-twister madness out there.

My dandelion series on Etsy is inspired by this photo, shot on 1st November 2009. I put my camera on continuous shooting mode, lifted the flower head skyward, held down the shutter release button and blew at the parachute florets.

I picked my favourite shot, played with the saturation, midtones and contrast to take advantage of the particularly dramatic clouds and ta-dah!

I love the wild and carefree nature of dandelions. They evoke memories of childhood innocence, of having all the time in the world. They’re seemingly fleeting yet so enduring and tenacious.

I love that their young leaves are great in salads, they make a soothing cuppa and their edible blossoms are perfect little garnishes.

We know them as weeds but they’re so much more than that.

♥

Unwritten

Hello and welcome to my first post :)

The Who:

My name is Chinwei, it's pronounced chin-weigh and it means 'serene rose'. I grew up in Malaysia and now live in Perth, Western Australia. I'm creative, intuitive and random. I love nature, vintage and mushrooms. Here I am at the old boat house in Crawley, camera in hand, being in the moment, blissfully happy :)

The Why:

I interrupted my Accounting career to spend time reading, painting, photographing, net-surfing and soul-searching. That was fulfilling but I felt that I didn't have much to show for it except for a dangerously low bank balance. So I decided that a blog would be a great avenue to share my adventures and tell my stories as I continue on the quest of self-discovery. It'd be a collection of treasures and smile-inducing, thought-provoking, feel-good moments.

Here's one thing that represents my hiatus from my desk job. I spent days contently photographing a bunch of flowers and came up with one of my favourite macro shots from 2010. There's something about this photo that is so honest, reassuring, encouraging and liberating.

The What:

I'm looking forward to writing about life, food, fashion, decor and much more. I'm also about to launch my dabblelicious store on Etsy and will be writing about the inspirations behind my art. Here's a sneak peek at one of the tools of my trade, a gorgeous old Olympia typewriter.

The How:

I'm not sure how my life is going to pan out. I'm terrified, but I'm also excited. A song goes:

drench yourself in words unspoken

live your life with arms wide open

today is where your book begins

the rest is still unwritten

Yeah. I'm excited about the unwritten.

♥