Attack of the Plaid Pumps

Posted on March 6, 2011 by Gillian B

So I quite possibly just did the worst thing yesterday…. I fell in love with a pair of shoes.  I know, it’s not at all surprising that I’m looking at shoes considering the book I’m writing…. but normally I can browse quite safely with a good bonus to my will save.  To be honest, I don’t recall how I got onto this particular website in the first place; either my mother (a quite seriously afflicted shoe addict) linked me or someone else did.   Needless to say, I’ve not been able to get them out of my head at all since I first laid eyes on them.

They’re a pair of Mary Jane Pumps, with a 6 inch heel… for $143 (AUD) before postage costs.  Four different colours to choose from & my mother takes one look at them on my screen before looking at me & saying, “Those are definitely a pair that if they fit, buy every colour.”

She was right though.  I wanted them first in the red plaid, then the pewter, the red cloud & lastly the black, & I knew then & there that I’d wear them all.  A lot.  In fact, I know what I’d wear them with.  Which jeans, skirts & dresses that I have already, which shirts & tees (because the plaid will go so brilliantly with my D&G skinnies & a particular Thinkgeek tshirt I love).  And I don’t have red plaid pumps yet.  I have boots & chuck lookalikes… & I have peeptoe pumps in charcoal plaid, but not red.  These had it all – spike stiletto, buckles, extra straps, platform… & their colours were something that wasn’t everyday.

So I did the only thing I could.  I showed two of my fellow shoe addicts; Jenna & Erin.  Jenna suggested 3 cheaper Aussie stores that she goes to for her fetish & pole shoes… which sadly don’t stock the brand that make this shoe.  Erin chased them down on Google until she found them under $100 including postage.  Give the woman a medal; $75 including postage from the US.  And the exchange rate?  Hot damn I love the strength of the Aussie Dollar right now.

So I’m looking at a pair of shoes I want in four different colours, that I couldn’t get out of my head when they were going to cost me $200 each… that I can now get all four for a total of $300.

I’m going to need to roll a natural 20 on this will save.

Posted in Shoes | Leave a comment

Leisure Shirt…. & Stickers!!

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Gillian B

By now, many of you know about my Shoe Project.  Let’s face it; meeting me & not knowing about it within moments is pretty difficult.  Even strangers on the street with shoes that catch my eye find out about it very quickly as I ask them to pose their clad feet for a photo.

Anyway.  There’s a photo from this project that has very fast overtaken every other photograph I’ve taken so far as my hands down favourite.  The three pairs of thongs & piles of brightly coloured leis.  Apparently it isn’t just my favourite.  People have begged me to make it available as a matted/framed print, on canvas & as greeting cards…. & today I took it a step further.

It’s now available as tshirts, hoodies & stickers!

Yes.  I’m excited about it.  Aren’t you?

It took me hours to get the edges done & be happy with them.  I’ve spent most of this afternoon & night working on it.  But it’s finished!!  And available!!  And because it’s on Redbubble you can get free postage if you order four – so if you get a group of your mates together you can save yourselves some cash!

Personally, I think it looks best on purple.  But the fig green is pretty awesome too.  As are both the blues (though I think I prefer the pale one best).  Choices!!  I might possibly end up with four just for me in different colours.  Why not?

After all, I do it with shoes.

Posted in photography, Projects, Shoes | Leave a comment

.:Shoe Project:. Questionnaire #1

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Gillian B

This is not a meme, but it is a questionaire. I would really appreciate it if you listed your answers to as many as possible as a comment here or by emailing me (shoes at dragancaor dot net), & please use the title of this post as your subject line if you email..  Yes you have probably seen it before if you follow me on livejournal, & if you are one of the wonderful people who have already taken part in this questionnaire, thank you & you don’t need to do it again.  Unless you want to due to changing your collection or your viewpoint over the past two years.

You are more than welcome to comment anonymously, though it would help greatly if you tell me where in the world you are. For example; South Australia, Minnesota, Ireland. Your age would greatly help too, even if its just an age bracket & isn’t exact (5-12, 13-17, 18-21, 22-30, 31-50, 50-70). Also, please let me know if you are male or female.

Continue reading →

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Deletions

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Gillian B

Some of you may have noticed that an entire category of photos & its 3 pages of albums has been removed from the gallery.  You may have also noticed an album deleted off my Facebook Page & a blog post removed from both here & Livejournal.

No, they will not be going back up.

If you have saved copies of those photos from the Debra McCulloch concert, do not put them online, even if you are in them. I understand that as students & parents proud of your hard work & talent that you will wish to, however please do not.  This is at the request of the parents of certain people in some of those photos & I ask that you respect those wishes, as I am.

I have more that I wish to say on the matter, but I’m going to leave it at this & go to work.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Missing!! Black Lowepro Memory Card Carrier

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Gillian B

*****URGENT ATTENTION*****

MISSING:  Black Lowepro zip up memory card carrier & cards.

My memory card case disappeared last night.  It contains a variety of SD cards, mostly 4gb though some 2gb, Sandisk, Ultima & Kingston. Most of the SD cards have data (raw photos) on them, including our family Christmas shots.  It also contained my Nintendo DS game cartridge, ‘Mariokart‘.

***** REWARD!!! *****

Needless to say, I only actually care about the Christmas photos.

I’m offering a reward for even  just the return of the Christmas shots, or a larger reward for the safe return of the case & complete contents.

Please contact me on draganin at dragancaor dot net (read it aloud & it makes more sense) if you find them, found them or know where they are.

Posted in photography | Leave a comment

Shadow is really, really sick.

Posted on November 27, 2010 by Gillian B

Any of you who have had a shoot with me at home over the years will have met my dear cat, Shadow. She’s a highly independent, demanding & much loved, nine year old [tomorrow] Russian Blue. She’s a cat who still chases a ball, & carries them around the house in her mouth, & who attacks shoe laces if she doesn’t want you to leave. She hides behind curtains (& studio backdrops) to pounce people, & is loved by everyone that has had the pleasure of meeting her.

Shadow's favourite place This morning I got out of bed at 5am & Shadow was sitting on the bathroom mat & refused to move, which is unlike her. Normally she’d bolt out to pretend as thought she was never there. If she could wave her paw & use the force on me I’m sure she would.
But then at 10am she was curled up on my PC tower, jumped down & attempted to walk to the bathroom but couldn’t. She was wobbly & kept stumbling to the right & trying to correct to the left. She crashed into the fridge twice before managing to stumble past it to her bowl.

So I freaked & rang her vet, Bayswater Vet Clinic, who told me to call the Emergency Vet in Osborne Park. They suggested not to go to Murdoch unless I had no other choice. Though we live closer to Murdoch, they wanted me to have access to the specialists at PVE. So I called the Perth Vet Emergency & they said bring her straight in. She didn’t struggle being picked up from where she was curled up in a puddle on the floor of the shower. Or while I towel dried her. She went floppy. Shadow. Went floppy & apathetic. Those of you that have met the psychotic Destroyer of Rooms & Interrupter of Shoots will know how scarily out of character that is.

$230 later, the ER Vet said she possibly had a seizure overnight; she’s got what appears to be some neurological issues with her walking. They suggested a few possibilities. Kidney & Liver disorders were also listed, as was snake bite (which was ruled out upon informing them she’s an inside cat). But they aren’t sure.

She’s got blood in diarrhea, is not wanting to stand up, is lethargic & apathetic, has issue walking straight (less issue than earlier, thankfully), is severely dehydrated & has lost about 10% of her body mass overnight. They injected fluids under her skin that will absorb into her bloodstream gradually & I’m to monitor her today & tomorrow, making sure she drinks lots of water constantly & she’s to have nothing but bland roo meat for the next few days until she’s allowed her normal diet. If she gets worse, or the diarrhea continues, I’m to take her back to emergency, otherwise call her normal vet on Monday & give him updates & go from there. She’s curled up beside me, sulking & getting cuddles. I’ve taken her to the water bowl twice & the last time I was required to lift her back onto her spot on my tower. Highly proud, independent cat asking for assistance = very sick kitty.

Work told me I could have today off to take her to the vet & look after her. My supervisor said that it wasn’t an issue & to worry about Shadow not work. I’d originally called to ask if I could arrive late, after I returned from the vet. You can’t fathom just how much I love my workplace & co-workers.

My apologies to those of you I was meant to see this weekend, & to my cancelled appointments. I hope you can understand & forgive me for dropping everything to look after her.

Posted in animals | 2 Comments