Oh boy have I been looking forward to showing you this post! The other weekend I had the opportunity to shoot with Helen McLean – Pinup Photographer extraordinare!  I met Helen at the launch of Femme Fatale magazine (which she graced as cover girl herself), and have been talking all things Cheesecake ever since!

Based here in Melbourne, Helen offers Pinup Photography packages that are simply divine. There are all sorts of themed shoots you can do and she even has a big wardrobe selection on hand, which means that you can either bring your own outfits or choose from the selection on hand.

Helen and I first started organising our day over email, throwing around concepts for what we wanted to achieve, artistic references and any ideas we both wanted to incorporate. Just planning something like this is a tonne of fun! Given that I was doing this shoot just for myself and not for any other label meant that I could wear what I wanted and have some playtime doing what I love to do.

The morning of the shoot I packed up my car with dresses and jewellery I wanted to use to compliment what Helen had already told me she had.  I was even able to pack a few special props to add to our theme.

Apples, Cherries, Fancy Dresses Galore!

More scarves and hair flowers than you can poke a stick at! And see those.. RED COWBOY BOOTS with SPURS! You know what I want to wear!

Even old school Coke bottles and extra boobs should you need them.

After being treated to champagne, we talked through how we wanted to shoot each look for the day. We considered hair and makeup, what order we needed to do everything in and started piecing together the perfect outfits.  Helen is fantastic at creating beautiful hair and makeup looks for her girls, but because we were trying to fit lots and lots into one afternoon, I came pre-done to save time.

So once we were all together the fun began. In fits of laughter and to the strains of Julie London in the background, I commenced posing it up in true Pin Up fashion.

I’m thrilled to tell you that Helen McLean Photography has come on board as a Key Sponsor for Super Kawaii Mama – which means a bonus just for you my readers! All you have to do when booking your own Pin Up Package with Helen is mention the code SKM to get 10% off the total booking price! The offer is running until December 2010, and provide you secure your booking by then you can shoot later.

What I love so much about doing something like this is that it is the gift that keeps on giving. You’ll have a ball playing around and doing the shoot, you get to live a fantasy, take home some amazing pictures and have presents for your par amour to keep on their desk! You can do it by yourself, with friends, or even organise it as a special present for someone you love.

No matter where you’re coming from Helen can organise a special shoot for you, you don’t have to be Melbourne based. You could be coming from anywhere in Australia or even overseas. In fact, if you’re flying in she’ll even pick you up from the airport to save you having to hire a car or pay for cabs, and even serve you champagne to set the mood!

So how did my day turn out? I am OVER THE MOON with these!

Yes, it is as much fun as it looks, so head on over and check out Helen’s page to find out all about how you can live your pin up dreams for the day!

It has been such a huge weekend here, and it began for me on Friday with the Victorian heat of Miss Burlesque Australia where I was privileged to be a part of the judging panel. It was a night to see some of the up and coming Burlesque performers of Victoria work their shimmy and vie for the crown of Miss Burlesque Australia.

I did take a few photos at the event, (not many though as I was pretty busy), but I shot them on my new secret camera. I’m saving them to reveal all those details at the same time.

Given that I was there to specifically assess the entrants based on their styling criteria (amongst other things), it was only fitting that I wore something rather special myself. The evening’s gown is a 1930′s bias cut velvet gown, courtesy of Circa Vintage Clothing here in Melbourne.

I just adore this dress. I’ve been fortunate enough to model it a few times for different parades so I already knew that it fit like a glove. So much so that I’m planning to take a pattern from it and have it made up in several shades… too divine not to!

Outfit Details

Dress – 1930′s bias cut velvet, courtesy of Circa Vintage Clothing

Heels – Silver satin with diamonte detail, by Nina from NOVO

Earrings – Original 1930′s diamonte screw in posts, leaf design

Bracelet – Reproduction deco design by Fifth Avenue

Lipstick – Boots No. 7 Moulin Rouge

Nail colour – RED from The Face Shop

Finally, I’ve finished creating the highlight reel of the big Wintersun 2010 Vintage Swimwear Parade!  This fantastic show, produced by Nicole Jenkins of Circa Vintage Clothing,was one of the biggest highlights of the Wintersun week.  Showcasing suits from the 1930s to the 1970s, this show was about more than scantily clad girls, but also about just how wonderful the designs of the past are. How flattering, how fun and how relevant they remain today.

I’ve condensed the whole show into ten minutes (not an easy job) and managed to highlight each and every swimsuit on display.  The models came from all over and did a wonderful job of capturing the essence of the eras.

P.S I really wanted to keep my leopard print cossi!

Enjoy!!

Parade Produced by Circa Vintage Clothing

Camera Work by Tim Hamilton

Still Photos by Andre Turner

Video Production by Candice Deville

*A Nuffnang Sponsored post*

Some days are unforgettable. Unforgettable in the sense that you know you’ll be talking about them for years to come and that little snippets of that moment will colour decisions you make in the future. Last Thursday was one of those days.
Thanks to Nuffnang and Federation Square, I was given the opportunity to experience the Tim Burton Exhibition at ACMI. When they emailed to ask if I’d like to go, my response was only one word; “yes!” followed by many gratuitous exclamation marks.  Since my very first Beetlejuice Burton moment, I’ve been hooked on the colour, the style, the twisted carnival sensibilities of his productions.

So I raced around prepping up for the big night and (sadly) can only tell you what I wore as the greatest tragedy of the evening was only to be discovered the next day. Alicia and I had the unique opportunity to photograph some of the exhibition including posing with our favourite pieces, only to find that every single image was corrupted on the card! (One of those moments when you want to stab yourself in the eye with a fork.) So for those of you that care, I wore a black and charcoal striped hobble skirt over a tightly laced corset, black silk chiffon blouse and a midnight blue velvet tailcoat with silver buttons. Please engage imagination here.

Arriving at Federation Square as dusk becomes dark was an experience to behold. The pink cobbled pavement wends beneath your heels and carries you into the centre . There are students sitting close, chatting in plumes of smoke. Suit clad lads laughing over beer as a tall blonde flicks her hair and takes their order.  A crowd begins to gather in the shadow on the big screen with lap rugs and steaming coffee in paper cups, awaiting the upcoming streaming of Tim Burton’s Materslass. During Winter they are hosting a Solar Equation; a huge representation of a glowing pulsing sun, hovering in the darkness. I stood beneath it feeling like an extra in Dr. Who and wondering at the instant sense of community it created, as a crowd gathered beneath to take pictures and talk about the warm orange glow. I even videoed a little bit Fed Square Solar Equation

I had a quick jaunt around the ACMI store prior to meeting our chaperone, and found some serious reasons to take your credit card along, as they had a fantastic collection of Burton books and toys including Oyster Boy and Stainboy!

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Upon meeting our delightful ACMI host we were invited to one of the most coveted and thrilling highlights of the exhibition – The Masterclass with Tim Burton! I don’t think I’ve ever sat so close to the edge of my seat for a full hour and a half.  It was a moment where I tried to force my brain into record mode and hung on to every word, in spite of the waves of goose bumps threatening to topple me from my chair.

Heading into the exhibition in a haze of post-Burton chat honeymoon, gave the whole experience the sense of the historical and I knew then that this was something I’d never forget. Descending the stair case in a wash of scarlet lights, I turned to see one of the first things that had my heart in a handgrip. The full sized garden topiary from Edward Scissor hands. I was glad to be there in company and half dark or otherwise the tear that sprang to my eye would have made it into a complete stream.  For me, Edward Scissor Hands was a particularly powerful film, so to come face to face with such a stunning and beautiful symbol was almost a bit much. However, being the professional I am, I composed myself and went about the business of taking it all in so I can tell you about it now.

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I don’t wish to spoil the magic of the exhibition so I won’t tell you all the surprises and highlights, but I have to tell you that there is something so extraordinarily inspiring about this exhibition. Seeing the evolution not only of Tim’s work, but of the man himself- his life, his journey both emotionally and professionally, leaves you wanting to sketch till daybreak.  You don’t need to have an artistic bone in your body to appreciate Tim’s work, he’ll provide plenty of bones for you! (Ha!) It is music, song, touch, tears, dreams and nightmares.  It is all those parts of yourself that exist to give you a unique sense of self, and as such you’ll each take something different away from your experience.
Overwhelmingly, the first thing I wanted to do was arrange a date to take my daughters back to see it for themselves. At nearly three and just turned six, they already appreciate the humour, the dark and light, the love and tragedy of a Burton film. (Nightmare before Christmas gets great airplay at my house). It may be difficult to stop them from wanting to touch and feel, but the pay off in feeding their imaginations and letting them walk into a living fantasy is too great to deny them that opportunity.
To top off this amazing experience was a moment in which many of you will kick me over. Actually meeting Tim Burton and having not one memorable thing to say! I don’t often have fan girl moments, but this was something else. Other than saying something like, “I’m honoured”, was about as far as I got, as my brain lit up like a firecracker at the momentousness of it all. In fact, I am going in again tomorrow!  I took a little video snippet inside the Burton club to share with you, (it seems to be the only image of mine that survived!)

The Tim Burton Club at ACMI Fed Square in Melbourne from super kawaii mama on Vimeo.

Both ACMI and MoMa have done such an outstanding job putting this exhibition together that you MUST go and see it. And like I said on Twitter, even if you have to sell a kidney to get there – go and see this! After all, that would be a rather Burton-esque way to do it!

Awesome stuff-

Do you want to go to ACMI and see the Tim Burton Exhibition for yourself? Of course you do!!
I have 2 for 1 passes to give away! Just leave me a comment telling me why you need to go and see this for yourself – the best entries will get a 2 for 1 pass. ( Open to Australian Residents only)

Wintersun was nothing if not a fabulous time for photo opportunities, and it seems that I got around quite a bit!  Here’s a look at some of the cameos I made during the week.

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Promoting Wintersun and Charm School in the Tweed Daily

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Wintersun lead story for Gold Coast news.

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Promoting the Wintersun vintage swimsuit parade organised by Nicole Jenkins of Circa Vintage Clothing and The Lindy Charm School for Girls in the Gold Coast Bulletin.

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Possibly my favorite swimsuit of the parade – and another shot of it here.

One of my all time favorite moments of the week posing it up in the laundromat with my darling friend Kesenya.

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Trying  really had to Lindy Hop with my friend Miss Carly!

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Working it in a 1950′s black lace swimsuit.

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Finding a 1930′s vibe in a sweet blue suit.

I still have a pile of photos and fun to share with you, not least of which are highlights from the great 1950′s Cake Bake Contest, my pick of the best of the bands and the very, very odd local colour! (Hint – it has feathers!)

* Please note – all images are property of The Tweed Daily and The Gold Coast Bulletin where stated and remain their property.*