Thong, thong, thong, thong...

And now for a free, friendly community announcement. Never forget to put sunscreen on your feet, unless you wish to obtain a really bad Hav tan like mine.

Breakfast of champions...

Had a leisurely stroll around Bondi Beach Markets this morning, hoping to be inspired. Unfortunately, saw nothing really outstanding.

Did find a cute vintage mustard yellow smock top for $20 and a sheer white lace blouse for $50, the later of which I will wear with my Alba Fan Club pale denim, high-waisted jeans tomorrow night. Actually I may not fit into them after sinking my teeth into the cheesy-toast goodness of what I ate at Jed's Cafe, post market hunt.

Staying sane...

Here's how I will survive the crazy week leading up to Christmas...

• Making time to see friends, even though the pile of work on my desk just doesn't seem to shrink
• Getting a good haircut...good hair equals one less thing to worry about
• Hugs from the cat
• Making Rocky Road
• Gift wrapping purchases in our new black tissue, coloured satin ribbon combo - makes me smile
• Watching mindless TV on youtube, like the latest ANTM
• Fresh frangipani flowers on my desk
• Eating old-skool After Dinner Mints...comforting childhood memories of corduroy, skivvies and intriguing adult laughter, late at night
• Fresh fruit salad (must have exotic fruit), balances out chocolate indulgence
• Wearing my lucky Poker Chip necklace by Trinket at all times
• The soothing sounds of B-Flo live at Abbey Road
• Creative outlet: winter shoot planning
• Taking first dibs at new Milk and Honey stock
  
• Practising what I preach and shopping online: here, here and here
• Planning my next trip to the states...in my head...got to start visualising
  
• Browsing in book stores, preferably Ariel, probably Borders
• Losing myself in photographs by Michael E. Gordon and Alicia Bock
  
• Speaking to my sisters on the phone
• Reading other blogs - Hula Seventy always inspires
  
• Having a laugh with Dan and Beth....a)when things go wrong b)over Beth's endless Borat and Will Ferrel impersonations c)when things go right
• Sleep
  

Getting the shot...

On a shopalog shoot we take 100s of photos. This is all in the hope that amongst them will be the winners - shots that convey the mood we intended, show the clothes the best, and a certain something in the face of the model.

To illustrate this, Daniel has created a stop animation video of our "stealing light" photo shoot. Taken at night, the light was obviously tricky as we were trying to get it from sources like signs, street lamps and shop windows.

There was no problem with our model Ash, who pretty much nailed the vacant-cyborg face and whose pale porcelain skin jumped out from the dark surrounds. It rained. And I mean torrential rain. But then if this hadn't happened, we would not have stumbled across the crazy Japanese game arcade, nor would the asphalt on the road have reflected up that gorgeous glossy glow, giving us that much needed Blade Runner edge.

822 frames for 10 perfect shots.