Tracy Graffin » Other Stuff

Autumn arrives

Tracy — Tue, 24 May 2011 02:56:47 +0000

I love the changing colours of the elm leaves out front. Autumn arriveth.

Deville’s in a Red Dress

Tracy — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 04:09:49 +0000

Yesterday we dropped in on Deville’s Pad ‘Hot Rods from Hell’. Wow, what an event! There are a bunch of photos of the day on Paul’s site.

For the girls: the dress was hot off the (steam) press, hemming finished only minutes before jumping into Paul’s Chevy pickup to hit Deville’s. It’s a combination of Butterick 5455 – I love the pleated bodice and v-neck – and a skirt from a trusty vintage pattern. The price – embarassingly – $10 worth of Textile Traders stretch poplin, plus a couple of bucks for the invisible zip. I made another version of this dress in a floral cotton sateen, with piping. This version (B) much faster without the fiddling about!

Paul modelling one of his vintage Hawaiian shirts. We’re trying to avoid sunburn!

Our new local

Tracy — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 09:39:43 +0000

It’s been a thirsty wait but the new Floreat Hotel – sorry, the Boulevard – has finally re-opened!

So comforting to know we have Becks on tap within strolling/rolling distance of home. Nice job on the revamp fellas.

Favourite Christmas things

Tracy — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 08:41:43 +0000

The fab Picknick design (by Marianne Westman for Rorstrand in the late 50s) has been reissued for kitchenware items, available in Australia from Angelucci. I had this tray expedited prior to Christmas – great for transporting necessary refreshments from the kitchen to poolside!

And my sister, so handy with the Singer, made this fantastic iPad sleeve for me – it’s a snug fit, great retro fabrics front and back. I think she should take orders!

Happy Christmas!

Tracy — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:05:13 +0000

Happy indulging, beach-going, reading, procrastinating, contemplating, celebrating.

The studio door will be closed from 24 December until 10 January 2011.
Speak to you in the New Year!

Tracy.

Coastal Cycling tour

Tracy — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 07:57:01 +0000

Floreat is lucky to be just a stone’s throw from the coast – if you don’t throw like a girl, which sadly, I do. A couple of weekends ago, I snapped a couple of cool houses and sights along the bike track cruising from here to Scarborough Beach, including some Iwan Iwanov (Iwanoff) work (love his brutal but amazing modernist forms).

It’s great to escape the computer screen and take the Electra Hawaii cruiser for a quick ride around Perry Lakes, to the beach or for a coffee.

Just have to remember to change into flat shoes first.

Paul’s Birthday

Tracy — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:49:54 +0000

I ain’t the best cook, but if inspired I can whack together a mean tray of brownies. But today is Paul’s birthday and I felt inspired to try a new recipe. See? I should have stopped there and visited Jean-Claude’s in Subi. But I decided on Jamie’s choc and nut torte, and after shopping, mixing, messing up and cleaning the kitchen, it almost ended in tears. Out of the cake tin, and the thing split down the middle!

So I pushed the 2 halves back together, dusted it with cocoa, stuck a candle in the middle and it still tasted OK. Kinda funny really.

I found the neat retro repro robot from ebay to add to Paul’s collection. Maybe he can bake.

July 8th – 20 Years

Tracy — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 01:09:15 +0000

What a milestone! 20 years ago today we tied the knot. Oh happy memories!

Paul surprised me this morning with a heart-stopping little black box, with beautiful vintage ruby and diamond stud earrings inside! After the disastrous storm (our house awaits a new roof) we deferred our plans to travel to my favourite place – Paris – until next year. Then again, maybe Vegas, for our 21st!

We married on a sunny winter’s day at Pierre’s in West Perth and honeymooned in Thailand. And every day since has been happy. These pics are from a trip to Sydney around 1994, in the famous Remo store’s photobooth.

Amour toujours Paul, Tracy xx

When in Maylands…

Tracy — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 05:28:49 +0000

If a print-check requires your presence over yonder-way in Maylands, I suggest you deserve a refreshment on the return trip (so I always tell myself).

I recommend Sherbet, heaven for sweet-tooths, then swing around the corner to the rockabilly & retro store Atomic Trash a Gogo on Eighth Ave. This brand new store, run by the lovely Anne, stocks cool dresses, bags, shirts, shoes and gorgeous retro-flavoured kidswear. Wonderful art by Frichot. Gogo-see.

to iPad or not to iPad?

Tracy — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:30:05 +0000

“Huh, iPads”, I thought. “I don’t need one…”

When Steve Jobs said the iPad was magical, I think he was referring to its powers of seduction. Once you hold the thing, you want one! OK, it’s meant to be an ereader, but I think until they make something electronic smell like ink on paper, books are my pref. But it does make reading War & Peace in bed easy.

And then there’s the gorgeous, clear rendering of images and movies. It’s easier to haul around than my laptop, and when I find I can sketch with it (Sketchbook Pro is kinda addictive), my inner iNerd was awoken.