my brilliant? career, schlepping, DIY

oivay, today i am schlepping thru my day job as a bookkeeper. It's not a brilliant career and this is not a brilliant company. it is a stepping stone as everything, and my goal was to be a bookkeeper, with the inherent independence, flexibility and QuickBooks experience, all good DIY assets. I can check these off - yep. Flexibility has slipped away 8 months in, as I work fulltime. although, i start before sunrise and finish by 3pm. So that's good. i work hard, learn every day and am grateful that my hubby and me live comfortably. i try to remember my self at work, in my tasks, and to not judge.

I saw and loved the Australian movie, My Brilliant Career" in my teens and now I can't believe the actress/actor pair were Judy Davis and Sam Neill. they had perfect chemistry ~ what a love story. today Judy Davis is thin and the character she portrayed in MBC was curvy with a big dollop of curly red hair worn either pinned to the top of her head, or loose to her waist. I guess it may have been a wig. It was a wonderful romantic movie for a headstrong teenager like me.

It's a chick flick that struck a crystal note for clueless young DIY me. I think the main reason for me is best quoted from a link about the director Gillian Anderson:

"My Brilliant Career has a strong design sense, supporting the visual telling of the story. The sets are rich with lace, wallpaper, paintings and attention to detail true to the period, all no doubt influenced by Armstrong's own experience in art departments."

I would add that the landscape scenes in the country were equally awesome.

here for more re Gillian Anderson

coco before chanel, before the movie

review of Coco Before Chanel: This movie with french subtitles has sewing and fashion scenes too fun for words that left me wanting much more, but worth seeing the movie (maybe again). The drama and party scenes not so much but Coco's life was very interesting and provided a wonderful subject and plot.... as in, you can't make this stuff up!!! The french actress who played coco, audrey tatou (photo below), portrayed the icon to the hilt, rail thin and pretty and tough, as the real coco chanel, she resembled Coco and could certainly carry the fashions. It was interesting that Coco was an orphan along with her sister. The beautiful scenery, historical costumes, and all french aspects were really fun. coco's dashing boyfriend was very handsome (photo below)! I found this a very entertaining movie. Of 5 stitches, rick gave it 3 and I gave it 4.

shots from the movie:

Scenes of Coco cutting fabric were my absolute faves

Coco's gorgeous coat with scroll shoulder and cuff detail, and her sister by contrast, in neck to ankles lace at the races

Coco and her British boyfriend walk on beach

Coco in signature strands of pearls hemming

Coco in menswear, and her sister by contrast, not

Coco hems a floor length velvet dress, in a beautifully tailored appropriate dress

Altering clothes with her sister, her day job

Coco smokes and pins a sleeve to the bodice

happy Coco in a little black dress

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cute actress audrey tatou, in an adorable dress with amazing lines

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Some images of coco herself

Coco in one of her classic suits