You probably all know Elf Yourself. In fact, it isn't original at all anymore. But those cute little elves with your own funny faces under the caps are still, like every other year, a thing on my to-do-list for this time of the year. Moreover, every year those cute little elves make a new dance for you. And this year I was very delighted, because Charleston happened to be one of the themes.
The models are Ethiopian model Liya Kebede and André 3000 (rapper, producer, actor and member from Outkast, he's a busy man). The photographer is Arthur Elgort. This is his website, with an impressive portfolio, but especially a beautiful entrance.
Look at their smiles, the bright wallpapers and their spontaneous poses. Did it make you smile?
Americana Manhasset is a very aesthetic shopping center, located in New York. Their editorials and videos for the new collections are always a pleasure to watch: they use great models who wear great outfits, with music which perfectly matches with the theme. This one, from fall 2007, is my favorite. I'm a bit tedious these days, because I constantly pick the Paris and vintage things, but have a look.. it's so wonderful! And according to these quotes from famous designers, I'm not the only one with a weakness for the city of love.
A famous movie actress and an almost famous singer. This is Zooey Deschanel. The American girl made her debut when she was nineteen years old and continued with a lot of movies. She has played roles in all kind of movies: from thrillers like 'The Happening', to comedies like 'Elf', to children's films like 'Bridge to Terabithia', and she even made an appearance in some episodes of the series 'Weeds'.
As I already said, besides acting she also likes to sing. It started when Zooey and the musician M. Ward met on the set of a movie. They performed a duet together and after a few talks the band 'She & Him' was formed. Matt (that's mister Ward's real name. Good thing he decided to only show his initial in his artist name. Sounds interesting, don't you think?) and Zooey launched their first album, Volume One, in March this year. It contains sweet, quirky and retro songs:
"Why do you let me stay here?"
"Sweet darlin' ", unfortunately no video but some lovely pictures. And I have good news: they are currently working on a new album! M. Ward announced this in October, so hopefully Volume Two will be launched in the beginning of the new year. He said about it: "Zooey has about a gazillion brand new awesome songs. All we know about Volume Two is that it's going to be twice as good as Volume One."
I really like the last one, I think because it looks a bit like this photo. It's the tall Natalia Vodianova, as Alice in Wonderland, in a doll house. Sometimes I feel exactly like her expression.
Julie also created the cover for the album "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood" from country singer/songwriter Neko Case. And she made the illustrations for her video "Maybe Sparrow". I really like the combination of real and drawn scenes.
So, the first days of December are the greatest. It's getting colder and darker, the Christmas-tree waits to be decorated, everybody is very busy with the preparation for the holidays and I can't wait.
Her name is Joanne, born on a sunny day in springtime. She is from the Netherlands, the land of cows and tulips, but doesn't own a pair of wooden shoes. She fills this blog with lovely, sometimes maybe funny, or melancholic, artistic and inspiring things and everything else she likes. In English, because it's a good thing to practice and many words sound better that way.
