Scoutie Girl

Find more fabulous sales posted on the Scoutie Girl Forum.

Complete a 17-question survey over at Mahar Dry Goods and you'll receive a promotional code for 20% off your entire order – good on cybermonday, 12/1 only. fin + roe is offering a special deal for anyone who places their order this weekend! (november 28-30) just enter code: BLACKFRIDAY at checkout and you'll receive 20% off your entire order! caroline gardner is offering 20% off any order that include their charity Christmas card packs, which raises money for The Meningitis Trust. The {NewNew} has a bunch of sweet black friday thru cyber monday sales offered by their etsy street team members.

1. modern bookmarks by dennillee o designs - see more at indie love holiday gift guide
2. limited edition print by alisha gould designs - see more at mixed plate holiday gift guide
3. 2009 illustrated calendar by wolfie & the sneak – see more at paper n stitch
4. screenprinted tea towel by flower press – see more at indie fixx recession guide
5. copper oval earrings by nicole lorentz - see more at poppytalk handmade
6. classic handbag by lola falk – see more at modish marketplace
7. retro mousepad by bill o'neil – see more at sweet figments

Charming and Delightful Illustrations from children's picture book author and illustrator Taeeun Yoo.  Visit her new shop yoote.  Illustrations from $25.

- an interview with Frances J. Melhop by Judit Wild -

Frances from Matchstickgirl is a storyteller: she creates little stories, fairy tales in photgraphy, and sometimes modernised versions of old tales. Meanwhile she is a professional fashion photographer originally from the magical New Zealand, with works in numerous fashion magazines. While looking back, she talks about changes in fashion photography, and how she learned to use different tools to create the story she imagined.

When did you start photograpy?

I started photography at the age of 12, when my Dad handed me down his old Ricoh camera I started there … I still remember the old 70s prints with the rounded edges and peachy tones…and the fabulous clothes we all were wearing as kids…!!!!

In order to study photography at high school for my Art specialisation I had to set up a photography club and teach the kids how to shoot and develop film… it was fun ..I zipped to polytech in the nights to find out how to do it all …..the school then bought all the equipment for a darkroom etc., it was a strange but worthwhile agreement.

At home I created a darkroom when I was 16 …our next door neighbour was Mikael Mikhaelovic… a retired royalty photographer from Yugoslavia. He gave me an enormously heavy Yugoslav enlarger …and I just went print crazy…(carried it with me to every flat for years and years).

Why did you choose this medium?

I originally wanted to be a painter like my Grandfather, and an archaeologist…
My Dad said being a painter isn't a very good money spinner … (luckily I believed him as later I realised my painting is a bit off kilter…) The archaeology thing sort of trailed off (ironically) because at the time I thought it woud be terrible to leave New Zealand to work.

Have you ever tried something else?

I have tried zillions of other things … I put myself through university working in bars and doing graphic design and illustration for bands, cds and posters… I also ran my own little window display business. All of these things have so much relevance to what im doing now (well, apart from the barwork which I was not very good at .. always prefered being the drinker of the red wine than the pourer

You create little tales of every photo you make. Why are you interesed in such storytelling?

Story-telling is my main interest if there is no story why make a picture ? Seems like logic to me when I was a child my favourite thing to do on holiday was to hang out eating marmelade toast in bed with my Enid Blyton "faraway tree" book. Simple answer… I cant really help myself … I need a tale and a reason to make a picture, something that amuses me or takes me somewhere else.

How do you evaluate the change between your first piece and the works you do now?

I chose two editorial pieces to show you. The first was made for "soup" magazine in Australia about 13 years ago shot on infrared 4×5' film on monorail camera… I still adore this picture. The second image was very recent a story I shot for "gioia" magazine in Italy titled "the constant tin soldier" it also has an "alice in wonderland" quality … the girl is running for a door in a castle that is getting smaller as she gets closer ….For me the difference has been dictated a little bit by the economy… and expectations of the clients. Earlier on you could be a bit more conceptual and hidden … fashion editorial was about giving a feeling to clothing styles… it was not about the actual piece of clothing. It was about the story you want to live in…for example the "alice in wonderland " style with mary-janes etc. in an eerie abandoned house … a spooky childish melancholia for adults.

In what way did your style change, and why?

Now every stitch in the clothing must be visible… the advertisers carry a lot more power now and complain if their clothes are not obviously displayed and shock styling of clashing concepts that are meaningless has become the norm.

Initially I had a lot of dilemmas with the commmercial wave…there is a difficult balance to be found…now I have got my head around the fact that i can still explore stories and adapt a bit making a more graphic and slick atmosphere sometimes. It is always the same hand …I'm never going to be shooting super glamour babes ooozing bog standard sex appeal, because I dont find that sexy at all … i find it banal and obvious…. the much more interesting things about women and girls for me are the hidden aspects, stories inside stories, secrets and eccentric dreams.

Which area do you think you evolved a lot?

The greatest learning curve/evolution for me in the last years has been collaborating with 3D animators and retouchers and compositors…it put a whole new world of possiblities at my fingertips. My stories could really go anywhere …after a while I felt like the hand doing the postproduction (while being directed by me) was still adding or taking away things I wanted in my pictures …often the thing I like the most about a model is some inperfection that makes her so much more dear and interesting … ( i really like kooky teeth ).

So some years ago I began doing my own postproduction. Finally I feel like its closer to how I intended … I learnt photoshop while sitting for years directing retouchers… I use it like a painter … I probably do everything in a comlpetely backwards way …but to me, photoshop is a most logical programme.

What kind of evolution do you see for yourself necessary in the future?

Necessary evolution for the future would have to be getting my head around moving footage. I already storyboard all of my work…I'm very organised (in this) and don't have to waste time trying different things on the shoot day .. I already know what I want and its just a matter of conveying the sense of the story to the model. The girls I choose are personalitites first, and beautiful second. Often I find the Northern and Eastern European girls best to work with as they already feel many of the stories very deeply. My next step is to understand how to fit movement between one story board frame to the next movies are really just a more grand version of what I am already doing.

What are your plans (if any)?

Next move to Paris… and shoot short films and TVC. Mostly I want to look more at the world and be happy and be in the sea a lot more often.

LINKS:
Matchstickgirl: http://matchstickgirl.etsy.com
More evolutions: http://craftsthenandnow.blogspot.com/
Vadjutka: http://vadjutka.etsy.com

[outfitting your technology]

we have amassed a disturbing amount of new technology in our house in the last month or so, leading me on a search for some way to protect it all from daily bumps and bruises. i tried to include what i thought was the most common technology that each of us may have sitting around in need of some warmth and protection. enjoy! 

1. check out this classic nintendo ds light pouch! brings me back to my younger days! janis13 :: $13
2. adorable mini monkey pockets for your ipod nano. my 3 year old would totally love this for his ipod! monkey travel club :: $14 
3. i have personally experience the quality of gerbera designs products. amazing quality and fabric options. pouches for all ipods versions are available :: $25 – $30
4. i know that moleskines are not really "technology", but as an artist sometimes it replaces my technology when i'm not at the studio. i couldn't resist this amazing pouch when i came across it! i love the additional pocket on the front for pencils, cell phones, etc. i am totally getting one of these! blithe :: $25 
5. this one is for my hubby and his new laptop. he wanted a backpack and/or messenger bag and i thought this was a good masculine option to fit his needs. plenty of room for his laptop a well as all of his other geeekery! stevester :: $20 
6. again, another option from blithe. i just loved everything in their shop. this time it's a sleeve for a laptop. i love the pinstripe fabric. :: $40  
7. this is the perfect little cell phone case that includes a sturdy steel swivel hook for quick and easy attachment to purse, belt loop, backpack, briefcase, etc. janine king designs :: $15.99 
8. another laptop sleeve option in a chocolate suburst print which is paired with the natural weave of an irish linen blend in oatmeal and lined in soft fleece. ooh, cozy! tilly moss :: $30
9. i picked this lovely upcycled case because i thought it would be a fun alternative for my fancy new camera that i got for my birthday! it has plenty of room for the camera itself plus any extra lenses or accessories. get ready set go :: $44.50