BOOKMAARKS

west elm

2013-05-12T23:04:00.002+10:00

i was really excited to visit these three american shops when they finally opened in bondi junction, sydney: west elm, pottery barn and william-sonoma. the shops were quite packed with visitors that just looked as excited as me at that time.

i want to specifically feature my most favourite shop west elm on this post (not saying i don't like pottery barn nor william-sonoma though let me readdress that!).

can i just tell you there SO MANY things i want to buy from there that i don't necessarily need. above are just a few out of too many items that i love from west elm. i just feel like revamping my whole house. for you sydneysiders or if you happen to be in sydney and you haven't been, go go go!

ps happy mothers day to you all mothers who are reading this blog :)

lucy rose - shiver

2013-04-30T22:40:00.001+10:00

it's lucy rose's new music video shiver! she looks so super cute here.

i also enjoyed watching this little video of their recording, they all seem really laid back and having fun with each other and enjoying themselves. and cute dogs! love all bits of this video, hope i get to see them live one day.

on another note, can't believe it's the end of april already!

mountains

2013-04-25T20:45:00.001+10:00

diy mountain pillow tutorial at design sponge

mountain cushions by hello polly

mountain pillows by three bad seeds

a while ago element eden australia has kindly sent me a knitting starting kit to join their knit off competition. after procrastinating for way too long during the last few days i have finally started googling some inspirations and tutorials, and while i was doing that i came across these cute mountain pillows that i thought i would share with you.

you do know i love objects that have triangular shape right? hope you like them as much as i do :)

aiko fukawa

2013-04-21T17:43:00.000+10:00

i'm currently having my post holiday blues...

i'm glad at least next week is a short week (we have a public holiday anzac day here in sydney)

my film rolls from holiday are still yet to be developed, so for now let us all adore the cuteness of these animal illustrations by japanese artist aiko fukawa.

enjoy the rest of your sunday.

braids love on refinery29

2013-04-09T12:33:00.002+10:00

how are you all? i can't believe how fast time goes, only few days left of my holiday... i will have some photos to share when i go back home but you can see some snippets from my trip in lombok, indonesia on my instagram @lauratj.

anyway, for now i would like to share with you some hair inspiration from my newly found lifestyle reading pleasure refinery29. i haven't had long hair for such a long time and now that i do, i found this really fun and helpful - some nice braids tutorials for messy hair day here and very interesting history of braids here.

are you also loving braids at the moment? if you have any fun links do share with me. enjoy!

see you in a bit!

2013-04-01T13:37:00.003+11:00

happy easter! i'm flying off this afternoon, yay. i'm taking the courage to leave my digital camera (as lots of my friends going to this trip will bring theirs anyway) and bring my film cameras only, gasp! do stay in touch on my instagram @lauratj if you'd like to see what i'm up to :)

photo from house of maryanne (via curious constellation)

wonderful indonesia

2013-03-29T10:50:00.001+11:00

things that make me proud of my home country. i'm excited about my trip at the beginning of next month to visit bali, lombok, and my home town jakarta. please support indonesian tourism by spreading the words OR even better, plan a visit to explore the country and see it yourself. find out more at indonesia.travel :)

have a nice easter break everyone!

max wanger

2013-03-27T23:17:00.004+11:00

today's photography inspiration is some simple framing concept by max wanger who's based in los angeles - be it a fashion or couple or family or travel photography.

ok well that last photo isn't actually in theme with other photos i picked specifically for this post on the simplicity thme. but i really like this photograph, it was just captured so naturally and really nicely.

on a site note, congrats to mr wanger and wife for their new baby boy. see many many more awesomeness on max's blog and get inspired.

just a minute in march

2013-03-24T21:47:00.001+11:00

wowza there's only 1 week left in march! i'm sorry i have been quiet. here's a few updates from my end.

♥ playing... candy crush saga. i'm hooked, it's a waste of my time, i blog less, i'm struggling with my side projects and i shamefully admit it that i'm addicted to this evil game. sigh.

♥ joining... element eden knit off competition. a bit nervous because i don't knit. i'll give it a go though.

♥ shout out... to instagratification. it's a photo exhibition taken with your phone, get the chance to win some cash and get your photos exhibited at a goodfellas gallery at toronto, canada. international submissions welcome so go go go sign up!

♥ laughing... over top 10 guiltiest dogs and dog teaches puppy to use stairs. i love dogs.

♥ missing out... big time on james blake's gig in sydney. i guess i'll just go listen to retrogade again now since i can't listen to him live. sad face.

♥ looking... for a new rss reader because google reader is going to close down soon :( how do you read your feed, any good one that you can recommend?

how are you all? p.s. you can also now find me occasionally posting over indonesian creative zin called fur.

photo from element eden winter 2013 lookbook

surely/someday + kitchen

2013-03-14T22:58:00.000+11:00

surely/someday + kitchen is based in jakarta, indonesia and it's possibly the cutest cake and cookie shop that i come across. kudos to sun wahyu, the creative mind behind surely/someday + kitchen, who left his job as graphic designer to follow his dream and do this! i'm going back to jakarta for a visit soon and i can not wait to try their cookies. don't forget to follow them on instagram @surelysomedaykitchen.

rhye

2013-03-08T15:21:00.000+11:00

and here's another of my current music addiction! i am loving the fall and open by rhye. i have to be honest with you, i thought the vocal was from a female singer with a deep voice, which reminds me of sade. but i learnt that rhye is a collaboration of danish-songwriter/producer robin hannibal and toronto-born mike milosh with his beautiful unique voice.

their newest album woman is out now. i hope they're coming to australia soon!

happy friday!

more music here // listen to youtube playlist here

orla kiely

2013-03-04T22:47:00.003+11:00

i've been following orla kiely instagram for quite a bit now thanks to young from half girl introducing me to this brand. there have been some amazing photos coming up on my instagram feed from @orlakiely recently that i've been wanting to post about but i've only had a chance to dig in more just now.

turns out these pretty dresses are from they're the autumn / winter 2013 - 2014 collection from london fashion week, so many colours and nice patterns. and how super cool is their 1960s theme office set up presentation! there are a bunch of awesome shots from the show, these ones are from kris atomic - see more photos here.

jo, i think you'll love this. this post is for you :)

alaa wardi - ma3gool

2013-03-01T11:25:00.001+11:00

i don't understand a word he's singing but this is so beautiful i could cry. ma3gool by alaa wardi was recorded without any musical instruments. all sounds were from voice, mouth and body, edited and processed on computer.

wardi is iranian, born, raised and currently living in riyadh, saudi arabia. he studied music and sound engineering in amman, jordan. such a talented young man.

if anyone can translate this song to me, please i would like to hear from you!

more music here // listen to youtube playlist here

ayasakai instagram

2013-02-24T23:15:00.001+11:00

just want to share my new instagram addiction ayasakai. gasp *hands on cheeks* these two best friends are just too cute for words. need i say more?

oysho

2013-02-20T22:18:00.001+11:00

i don't wear socks much to be honest. but ever since this (hahaha!) i started paying attention to people's feet and quietly gave them a plus point if they're wearing cute socks, please don't judge me.

and then i found oysho. i mean come on, how ridiculously cute are their socks collection! looks like they are everywhere around the world but they're not in australia though. sigh.

ferm living

2013-02-19T08:54:00.000+11:00

i always love scandinavian design but today i want to in particular the kids room products by ferm living, based in denmark. i mean really, how adorable are these house tent, doll house and house lamp? i want to be a kid again!

lomo exhibition part 2

2013-02-18T00:19:00.002+11:00

hi sydneysiders, if you missed the opening yesterday at koskela - which by the way is a really cool shop with a nice cafe called kitchen by mike - there are some photos at lomography australia/nz facebook page.

hope you like the photos i submitted above. the lomography exhibition still runs until mid march and i think you can still put your votes in, so if you do like mine and you happen to stop by at koskela please don't forget to vote for red yellow blue (left) / no.78 or coogee (right) / no.79 for the people's choice awards. thanks berry much :)

lomography exhibition

2013-02-13T22:12:00.000+11:00

i'm very excited to announce that two of my photos will be on display at lomography exhibition at koskela! opening is this coming saturday afternoon (see details above) and exhibition is up until march. inviting you all who are in sydney to come along. hope you can make it!

other happy news, jo and i are very thrilled that Half/Half gets a mention on frankie magazine's issue 52 that's out today, on page 20 to be exact! have you got your copy yet? :)

just a minute in february

2013-02-09T00:57:00.001+11:00

♥ thinking... and still thinking about how amazing kings of convenience gig was last night. yes if you didn't know already, i am obsessed.

♥ going... to colour run this weekend, we're just going to walk it but i think it'll be good fun.

♥ watching... prisoners of wars the original israeli tv series of homeland. so good!

♥ planning... holiday in lombok for later in april. have you been? please let me know any recommendation on places to go and eat.

♥ sending... valentine's day card from Half/Half! i know i said i don't celebrate valentine's day but okay just for fun and just for you guys :) who wants it? leave us an email at hello@halfhalf.me with your postal address.

what are you up to this? there's a new post over how's your weekend and plenty of inspirations! have a good one :D

photo taken with my iphone, edited with afterglow

jessie ware & sampha - valentine

2013-02-03T11:30:00.000+11:00

whoa, doesn't january always go so fast?

thanks to january cure, even though i didn't manage to follow every single task i feel like my home is now a lot cleaner and organised and enjoyable. did any of you do this project as well? if you have any photos to share, i'd love to see them. or if you didn't, i highly recommend this as you can do it at any time of the year anyway and their guidelines and posts are really helpful and motivating! see all related posts from apartment therapy here.

so anyway now that it's february, regardless you are or aren't celebrating valentine, this song is dedicated to you all by jessie ware and sampha. enjoy!

more music here // listen to youtube playlist here

country road

2013-01-27T23:20:00.001+11:00

it's been a while since the last time i bought anything from this australian retail brand country road, i am loving their current black & white apparel and home collection.

updated: added few pics from autumn 2013 catalogue

analogue celebrities

2013-01-26T23:21:00.000+11:00

just a quick note that my first blog post over here comes the sun is up, yay! my first topic was on celebrities who shoot analogue cameras. if you're curious about kirsten dunt and angelina jolie's photos here, photo credits and full post can be viewed here, hope you enjoy it :)

happy australia day for those of you down under!

irina werning & feist

2013-01-21T23:01:00.002+11:00

i'm sure by now you have seen this amazing back to the future project before by irina werning, photographer from buones aries, argentina?

what i've just discovered though, this project has been featured as official music video clip of feist' lovely song bittersweet melodies. LOVE!

more music here // listen to youtube playlist here

how's your weekend

2013-01-19T12:56:00.002+11:00

a while back i ran a collective photography project called how's your weekend. we're very excited that we have decided to relaunched this project as a part of Half/Half.

please come visit and share your weekend photos with us, all info on submissions on the about page here.

amongst some of the amazing bloggers and photographer participating on our project are sandra juto, hilda grahnat, hila shachar and katie merchant. would like to see more? whose weekend would you like to see? if you have anyone that you'd love to see on this project, let us know on howsyourweekend@gmail.com and we might be able to put together some surprise guest appearances!

have a lovely weekend!

leunig's poem

2013-01-14T22:49:00.001+11:00

HOW TO GET THERE

Go to the end of the path until you get to the gate.
Go through the gate and head straight out towards the horizon.
Keep going towards the horizon.
Sit down and have a rest every now and again,
But keep on going, just keep on with it.
Keep on going as far as you can.
That’s how you get there.

a colleague of mine sent this beautiful poem by leunig, who is also a great cartoonist based in australia. a quick reminder for us to keep reaching your dream. you can slow down and take it easy but don't ever give up.

have a great start of the week!

photo by valerie chiang