tuesday tunes: Emma Wallace

This song and video will put a grin on your face:


The song in that delightful video is Song in My Head By Emma Wallace, from her album Temptation (which I honestly love, and this is one of my favourite songs on it!). Emma is not only super talented, she is also one of the sweetest bloggers I know, so I thought it would be fun to feature her with this quick interview so we can all get to know her even better.

5 Things I'd Like People to Know About Me:

1. I love sleeping in! Now that I have a six-month-old, I'm not quite able to do that (up at six today!) but I still think of it fondly!
2. I adore, collect and voraciously read children's literature.
3. I don't like onions or beans - no matter how beautifully they're prepared. But I like pretty much everything else. Just in case you invite me to dinner...
4. I'm a total wimp when it comes to bad news and sad movies! Comedies and kids' movies only, please.
5. My dream vacation destinations are Reykjavik, Limerick, Ireland, Novia Scotia, Vietnam and Hawaii

5 Things on My To-Do List:

1. My newest album - a collection of lullabies and gentle love songs
2. Organize my clothes! I used my normal clothes as maternity clothes last year so a ton of them are all stretched out and I want some new ones but I won't let myself buy some until I weed out the old ones.
3. Finish crocheting my baby's blanket.
4. Get my songs on sheet music
5. Take my kitty in for her check-up

5 Words to Describe My Music:

1. Piano
2. Happy
3. Jazzy
4. Vintage-inspired
5. Irreverent

5 7 Favorite Movies (because 5 just isn't enough!):
1. It Happened One Night
2. Jungle Book
3. Monsters, Inc.
4. Beauty and the Beast
5. Music and Lyrics
6. Amelie
7. Tangled

5 Things I 'Much Love':

1. My baby
2. Tea
3. Spice bread
4. Stationery
5. Music of Sting, George Michael, Cole Porter, Harry Connick, jr, Saint-Saens and Emily Loizeau (a ton others too, but these are top!)

Thank you Emma!!

Go to Emma's blog to check out her Song Sketches, and listen to bits of her upcoming lullaby album.

sponsor spotlight: For the Easily Distracted

Today I bring you an interview with Rhianne - the wonderful lady behind the photography shop For the easily distracted, as well as a blog of the same name.

1. Hi Rhianne! Let's start with you telling us a bit about yourself.

Hi! My name is Rhianne and and I love to blog and take photos. I also love the beach, dark chocolate, puppies, my analogue cameras, mustard yellow and roast vegetables. I live in England and I try to take my film cameras everywhere with me.

2. When did you start getting into photography?

I've always loved taking photos, I remember playing with an old instamatic camera when I was little all the time however I didn't get back into film photography seriously until 2009 when I brought my first toy camera, my holga 135bc - things took off from there and I've been buying more cameras and films to experiment with ever since.

3. How would you describe your photography style?

Opportunistic most of the time. I don't plan photos, I don't wait for the sun to hit the right spot or go to certain places to get certain shots... I feel like I'm searching for something but I don't know what until I see it and I want to remember it. Then I take a photo of it and just try to capture of much of it as I can in that one click. Most of my photos are of landscapes or static street objects, like telephone boxes, sign posts, buildings... I like the idea of trying to show other people how I see things that I see all the time.

4. What do you love about shooting with film as opposed to digital?

I think its the challenge... the idea of capturing as much light as you can in one click and it being exposed permenantly onto the negative. You can't check it to see how it looks and then delete it if its rubbish - you have one shot, one chance to make that photo count, to collect as much of that moment as you can and for it to be amazing. I love a challenge!

5. Favourite camera and film to shoot with:

Oh, this is quite hard as it changes constantly. I love my little holga and my superheadz yellow peace but right now I'm in a bit of a diana mini phase and I am loving Lomography's redscale film - it adds a completely different dimension to your photos that can take them completely out of their original context which I love. Also it edits so well to black and white - its almost like you're getting two photos for the price of one and they look and feel so different.

6. Favourite photo you've taken (please show us, and tell us a bit about it):

This is hard too as it changes all the time as well, however I'm going to decide on this photo: Winter Moon.



I took this photo after we got back from Krakow and I needed to finish off my holga roll - I took the camera to work and just clicked away, there was no intention behind it, just the joy of taking photos. It was the end of the roll so it wasn't even meant to be a double exposure so I love this photo for the surprise of it as much as the final result.

7. Is there anything new/different you'd like to try, photography-wise?

I desperately want an LC-A camera but I'm going to be patient and wait until I an truly afford it and I'll have the time to really appreciate it. I also really want to try cross processing film and experiment with more intentional double exposures, I love the unpredictable nature of some aspects of film photography.

8. What inspires you?

People constantly inspire me, especially through blogging - I've met so many talented and creative people who have such amazing outlooks on life that its hard to feel dispondent and negative when there is so much to be inspired by in the world. I love looking at other people photos too - how they see life, how they differ from mine and how they reflect the photographer. Even if you stood two people in the same place with the same camera their photos would be different somehow and I love that.

9. If you could go ANYWHERE in the world (with your cameras of course!), where would you want to go and what do you want to take photos of?

Everywhere! Europe, Japan, Australia, America. I would love to see it all and capture it all. Top of my list at the moment though is Paris, we're going later this year and I can't wait to take photos of everything - the eiffel tower, the architecture, the bridges(!) perhaps even the people. I want to experience as much as I can!

Thank you Rhianne!
Make sure you check out Rhianne's Etsy shop for her beautiful photography prints :)

take 5 with Angela from Leeloo

I'm very excited to bring you this little interview with the wonderful and inspiring Angela from Leeloo. Through Leeloo, Angela has played a big role in supporting the handmade/indie/art scene in Australia, whether it be by introducing exciting new designers in the Leeloo online shop, organising art exhibitions, or being a part of huge craft markets. Impressive? I think so too.

1. Describe yourself (Angela) in 5 words.

Decisive. Perfectionist. Dreamer. Empathetic. Working.
Or
Always working at my computer

2. What are 5 things on your to-do list?

♥  Various tasks for our Drawn From Fashion exhibition :: http://www.drawnfromfashion.com.au and preparing for our stall at Finders Keepers market (all on the same weekend!)
♥  Scheduling meetings with new designers coming up at Leeloo
♥  Sourcing some shoes for a styling job I have in a fortnight
♥  Complete an inspiration board for the next {twin set} photo shoot
♥  Finish authoring the next newsletter (Leeloo’s Latest)

3. Name 5 best things about working on Leeloo!

♥  Meeting new designers and artists, bloggers and creative people who are passionate about what they do
♥  Being part of a friendly, supportive and hard-working community
♥  The incredible opportunities that regularly pop up and being able to take advantage of them
♥  Having a chance to indulge in all of my creative endeavours like writing blogs, styling, curating and choosing pieces for the shop
♥  Working alongside Renee  on all kinds of projects

4. Your 5 hot picks on Leeloo right now:

Our latest designers!
♥  Moose & Bird – pear shaped pillows
♥  Write to me – magnetic bookmarks and notebooks
♥  Snowfawn – amazing cuckoo clocks
♥  Two Cheeky Monkeys – cute dictionary prints
♥  Lauren Carney – amazingly sweet artist

5. Name 5 things you "much love"!

♥ My husband
♥ Leeloo (she’s my actual dog!)
♥ My new house (which I’ve just finished decorating full of West German pottery)
♥ Sitting down and getting to work armed with a coffee made by Sam of Ciao Down
♥ Curling up on the lounge with an Earl Grey Tea and some Green & Black’s white chocolate, a magazine and Leeloo (and if I fall asleep, that’s even better!)

Thank you so much Angela!

You can also find Angela on twitter and the Leeloo Dog Blog.

Beta interview (+ Beta Accessories giveaway!)

I'm super duper excited to bring the very first interview feature here on Much Love (hopefully the first of many)! You might not know Beta, but chances are you've seen her online vintage stores, particularly Beta Boutique and Beta Accessories, as regular Much Love sponsors. You've seen the buttons on my side bar, you've entered the past giveaways... so let's take a few minutes to get to know the fascinating Latvian lady behind these fabulous shops, shall we?

Hi Beta! How has your week been?

Hello Anna! This has been very intense week so far, with pretty contrasting impressions. It was filled with lots of sewing, Classical Hollywood cinema watching with my beloved one, dinner party at friends, terrible movie seen in cinema (Little Fockers, please never spend your time on it!) and being at my mom's new place a couple of times - which equals new vintage clothing to my wardrobe. And of course, never ending work with updating my 3 vintage shops.

What made you want to open your vintage stores (Beta Boutique, Beta Accessories, and Beta Por Homme)?

I have always been very interested in all things antique and vintage. Three years ago I was explaining to my mom that all that "old" clothing I have is called " vintage". Here in this part of the globe, "Vintage Culture" was very unpopular back then because as a former part of Soviet Union, everything that represents realms of previous decades have negative connotations. So I was very excited to find out that there are many people around the globe who have an appreciation for vintage. As I had a pretty massive collection of vintage clothing, I worked with my mom and we started to list those items on Etsy. After a while we started to look for new items to add to our collection so it started to expand pretty noticeable. Currently we have 800 + vintage items in our collection.

Wow, you have SO many amazing vintage items in your stores! Where do you find them?
Oh, my mom and I go on field trips. We travel all around the country where mom has her acquaintances who put aside all the vintage clothing they've come across for her.

What is the best feedback a customer has given you?
I am always happiest when people order items from our shops for their wedding. That is the best feedback I could imagine. Also we have several costumers who come back on a regular basis, we know their exact sizing and can suggest which items would fit best. Repeated customers is something that gives the best feedback to our work, that gives us a feeling that following our best intentions and principles of humanity -  not business shark handbook - was the best choice.

You offer handmade items in your stores too. How did this begin? Is this something you'd like to do more of in the future?

I always loved to make my own designs. Currently I am pretty obsessed with making bloomers as two of them are never the same. I use exclusively vintage fabrics to make them, so they are in a very limited amount (fabrics come in fat quarters which does not allow me to make more than 2 out of one piece) and I never feel bored of the process. Currently, I am working on my handmade lingery line and will be listing samples of it in Beta Boutique in the next couple of weeks. There will be much lace, very feminine and romantic designs, in shades of navy, noir, cream and blush pink.

Is your own wardrobe filled with vintage treasures too? How would you describe your personal style?
My wardrobe consists of 99% vintage, handmade and second hand. I deeply appreciate good tailoring, timeless designs, feminine silhouettes and good detailing. I have a pretty big collection of vintage dresses and blouses as these are my favorite kind of garments, usually I mix them with contemporary cardigans or skinny pants which I buy from second hand stores.

What is your favorite fashion decade and why?
There are features I love from basically every decade. 30s with its incredible detailing and fabrics, 40s with its delicate silhouettes, 50s with its full skirts, 60s with its mod designs, 70s with its brave prints, 80s with its colors. I have a deep appreciation for vintage and love pieces from various decades if they fit my personal style and look great on figure. Contrary to fashion nowadays, vintage pieces were made to last for years, not one season... and that is that I love the most.

What are your top 5 movies?
Ladri di biciclette, dir. Vittorio de Sica, Italy, 1948
Risso Amaro, dir. Giuseppe de Santis, Italy, 1949
Ирония судьбы, или С лёгким паром! , dir. Eldar Ryazanov, USSR, 1975
Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot, dir. Jacques Tati, France, 1953
Le charme discret de la burgeoisie , dir. Luis Bunuel, France, 1972

I could name many, many more...

What do you love the most about living in Riga, Latvia?

Actually I don't exactly live in Riga, but Baldone -small town 30 km away from capital. There is beautiful nature, the nicest people and great artsy events to attend. In Latvia you can find many impressions of Russia and its culture which makes it more dynamic and contrasting, there are also many great crafts-woman like my friend Marta and overall living here is a pleasant experience. But at least several times a year I get  a bit claustrophobic by living in such a small country and try to get away to London, Berlin or somewhere else for a weekend at least.

Describe your perfect weekend.

Skiing or skating with my friends, going to mom's to pick up some new vintage pieces and meeting her dog, lying in bed and watching old movies with my bf, preparing and eating lots of tasty foods. A party on a Saturday wouldn't hurt either.

Thank you so much Beta!!

Now... giveaway time! You can win any scarf from Beta Accessories worth upto $25. To win, leave a comment telling us which Beta Accessories scarf you'd want. For an additional entry, leave another comment if you follow Beta on twitter.

Open to everyone worldwide, and ends Thursday, 17 February 2010. Good luck!!