//WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Presenting the beautiful Ashley, Ashley is Viv's friend from primary school and I believe they have been friends since kinder or some very cute age like that! These shots were taken in the park at around 8pm, with very dim lighting and probably not the best shooting conditions. Hopefully a little bit of filters improved  the bad lighting but hopefully can do another shoot soon. 

Ash is such a gorgeous girl, inside and out and she has such fantastic modelling skills. Pretty much any picture I took of her came out amazing, just cause she is such a beautiful girl. Honestly, having been a model myself, I know how intimidating or insecure it can be to allow another person 'control' over your image. Especially as I'm more use to being behind the camera it's pretty difficult to get me to relax. While for Ash, she was a complete natural in front of the camera (as cliche as it sounds).

I've also been taken some time today to simply relax and slow done a bit. And to be honest with you, it can be pretty diffcult. So I took a long walk, took my time doing the laundry (took me so long Viv thought I had gone out) and have spent the morning getting uni things organised  and looking at photography blogs. 

Which then makes me want to do more stuff and get busy with photography. 

So my relaxing day has only contributed to motivating me to get more busyhas only contributed to motivating me to get more busy

A final special thansk to Viv and Ashley for letting me take pictures of them.

Two such beautiful souls

-keep smiling-

v&v

M & L {floral fun}

Just before I left for my holiday, I did a mini photo shoot of my dear friends Mike and Lina. 

They are such a gorgeous couple and I had such a fun morning with them, laughing and prancing around the garden together. This little photoshoot came about, simply because I wanted to practice some of my photography and Lina had seen some of the pics I had done for Nina. I have this tendency to approach some of my good looking friends with boyfriends/girlfriends and ask them "hey, so I think you guys are  really good looking. Um, can I take photos of you? Pretty please?"  

And most of the time they tend to say "Yes?"

So to my new and old friends, don't be surprised if I pose the same question to you on a regular basis, especially if there is beautiful lighting or nice scenery!

Mike and Lina are such a fun couple to be around, always asking me if I felt comfortable or laughing at me when I would clumsily fall over the many plants in the garden. And they were so keen to give 110%, even coming to my house at around 9 to shoot (Any activity before 10am is pretty impressive in my books!) or crouching in some flowers for a photo. 

There will be another set of photos coming soon. Took me a while to get through all of them for editing, but I think I'm finally done with them all! Hopefully you guys enjoy viewing my good looking friends!

Ah, it's been a bit difficult for Vess and I to redo our blog layout, because she always seems to be working when I'm free and I work while she's at home. But I know, enough excuses, we will do it!

Stay happy and healthy and hope you are enjoying the weather, where ever you are! 

-keep smiling-

v&v

//CURIOUS & CURIOUSER

Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

~Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

It's a nice warm summer night in Melbourne and it's the absolute perfect time to be setting up a 'catch up' blog post. So to keep you'all up to date. Val is currently enjoying a holiday in Bangkok! I do miss her, but I miss my camera a lot more! (joking!) But I am sure that when Val return's she is going to share some amazing shots and amazing clothes! Cannot wait for her return!

So I thought that I could just really update you with what I've been doing since Val's been off attending our wonderful cousin's wedding and shopping in bangkok! Unfortunately, I won't be able to provide the amazing standard of photos that V&V usually do. But I'll hopefully interest you with... word pictures? So I as listen to a rad playlist of Matt Corby and Israel Kamakawiwo 'Oke, I'll look back to the weeks gone by and update you with my happenings!

Read on to an installment of Curious Adventures with Vess! Featuring lovely friends, movies, cafes, melbourne and design!

1. Pitch PerfectOn Monday I got to watch Pitch Perfect with my awesome work friend Amy! Having both worked in that day, being able to chill out and watch a movie was totally amazing. SO Pitch Perfect. It was pretty rad. Think Glee mixed with She's The Man. Loved the humour and the singing, and absolutely loved Rebel Wilson. She had the best one liners in the whole movie! And I supposed I enjoyed the accapella, as somehow it was portrayed as not being lame, but truly as inspiring sport!

2. KinFolk cafe MelbourneVisited this really lovely little cafe with Thu and Emily which Em foundWith a cosy interior with wooden chairs, large branches painted on the walls and with little bird paintings scattered around, KinFolk leaves an impression. But what truly earns KinFolk's warmth and comfort has to be their philanthropy work! All the waiters work as volunteers ass the proceeds of KinFolks revenue goes to fund four different areas, from homeless to work in Ghana. That just blew me away. Located near Southern Cross Station on Bourke Street, do wander in and support this amazing cafe!

3. POM POMAlso on that day, I had a peek into craft victoria. They had a lovely window display with gorgeous pom poms, and with the festive season coming up, it seemed like the perfect craft project. amazing Emily came through again and linked me to a fantastic tutorial that taught it just so well! So last Wednesday I attempted it (whilst Thu and I watched Ruby Sparks) and here are the results!

4. You've Got the Jam

We had our final break up for our youth group this year! It was on the perfect night, for that day we had to endure 37 degree weather! It thankfully set the pace for a lovely summer night perfect for outdoor soccer, a trampoline, a bbq and for an outdoor cinema! The movie of the night was Space Jam and I swear, the more times I watch it, the more things I notice and my appreciation of Bill Murray just escalates. Anyway, it was a really great night, I loved just how having a projector and a blank white sheet could bring on fun times.

 4.The BIG Design Market

Definately a major highlight of my whole week! So great! There were a ton of stall holders who were just so fantastic! I really want to dedicate a bit of a post on this, and it's getting a bit too late for little ole me who has to work tomorrow morning! So I will leave you with a little snap shot of it and a full run down of the market will come tomorrow. It was so much fun and I was overwhelmed by the talent, design and craft that was present there.

That all for today friends! Will update you on the market tomorrow and give you a different 'keep stylish' post. With the lack of cameras at my house at the moment, (all the pictures in this blog post are heavily editted iphone photos!) I think that I have to showcase some of my favourite outfits of the past week in a different and creative way.

with love!

-keep smiling-

v&v

//ZARA collection

The Zara collection continues.

Here are a few more pictures from my very short visit to the adorable Zara. 

Watching her run around and around and around, makes me want to sprint around as well. To enjoy and simply be free to wander and explore. But I do quite enjoy being human though, especially having the capacity to create, make and be inspired by the world. 

Speaking of creating, I'm hoping that I'll be able to get my creative juices, flowing by completing many of my overdue craft projects. Such as filling up/hanging up the photo frames in my room and creating cards!  

Vess squeals everytime I show her these pictures. 

The cuteness factor does not fade. However, Zara is growing ridiculously fast. 

If I ever get a puppy, I think I'll take a snapshot of her/him/it each day, just to have a timeline of its growth. 

\

I've got some other exciting photos to show you guys as well. Two exciting things; 

1. Our Mali which we painted for the zoo's 150th birthday was auctioned and raised $8000 for the zoo. 

2. I had a go at some wedding photography for a friend last week. Seriously an exhausting but magical day. 

Can't wait to share it with you guys! 

And yes, I will get around to making that 'About/Contact / FAQ" page soon! 

-keep smiling-

v&v

//PUPPY LOVE {zara}

Vess, says, let the pictures speak for themselves, so I will. 

“Happiness is a warm puppy.” 
― Charles M. Schulz

Our lovely friends Virginia and Reuel recently acquired a golden retriever pup for Reuel's birthday.

Her name is Zara, and she is juts too adorable! 

I went to their house to take a few photos of their darling dog who was so full of energy and life despite being so little. She's become the unofficial mascot of our youth ministry and all of our friends who have gone to visit her, have fallen instantly in love.

I love seeing owners with their dogs. Their silent pride and connection is something only pet owners possess. Apparently over time, owners begin to look like their pets. I love testing out this theory when I take my own dog for walks, seeing the old man with a beard walking his grey shaggy dog or the lean lady walking her grey hound. 

And then there's me with a fluffy pomeranian. 

On a happy note, I (Val) has finished exams. Thus, will be able to spend more time blogging and actually fill out those blank, 'about', 'FAQ' and 'contact' pages for our blog!

Keep a look out for it and for more pictures of this lovely couple and their adorable dog.

-keep smiling-

v&v

//SMILES

Final shots of my mini photo shoot with Viv, from last week.
Sorry for the blog-absence, uni exams and assignments are rolling together, so I'm trying to get my study-on! Really can not wait for exams and uni to be over. We've got so many blog ideas, design projects, fashion shoots and collaborations that we want to get done. It's gonna be an EXCITING holidays!

Speaking of creative projects, Vess and I attending the Mali auction last night, which as I like to put it was a great 'closing off' of our Mali chapter. For those who are unaware, of our Mali journey, you can  check out this Mali blog update and this blog post of Mali in her place at Queen Vic Market.

It was such an exciting night, with all  the proceeds raised from the selling of each individual sculpture going towards the zoo and further zoo conservation. Didn't hit me until today, what a massive achievement and impact that our art work can have to help the future and to help the world. Really a truly amazing experience.

Below I've featured two of our vintage cameras! Does anyone know what these cameras are called?
One we bought at a country market fair and the other was my dad's old camera from his high school days. I really wished they both still worked, but sadly, Dad says his is broken and I wouldn't have a clue on how to use the box-y one.

 

Thanks for looking friends, expect more blog posts soon!

-keep smiling-

v&v

//BUBBLES

“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.” 
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Welcome to our blog post featuring our beautiful little sister Viv.

She's probably the unspoken part of v&v (I can anticipate that some of you will say, "so shouldn't it be v&v&v?")  When she has the chance, she'll be running around with us, helping us carry props and being the practical side of our creative endevours.

And yes, our family is full of 'V's. So in order the siblings in our family; Val, Vess and Viv. No boys unfortunately, and I would assume that if we did have a brother he would be named after a V as well. (Victor, Vincent..Valentino..hehe Valerio)

I quite love bubbles, it's such a simple thing, but elicits such joy and happiness to people. Pretty much; water, chemicals (soap?) and a bit of air and you have something so magical and beautiful. Isn't it always that the simple things in life are the most wonderful? 

Nearly the end of the uni semester, which means holidays! And hopefully time for more collaborations with some wonderful friends. 

Following this post will be a few more pics of Viv and our vintage camera collection!

-keep inspired/ keep smiling-

v&v