World in color.

Hard not to get excited about these auto chromes. Wish I could do these for real!

Source.

Me twice

Where one of the me’s looks like she hasn’t slept in years. Why so glum?

Old notebooks and undying emotion.

I remember when small notebooks were a fixture in all my bags and purses and coat pockets. Gluing bugs till I was 10, writing  till was 17, drawing till I was 22, and maybe now bookeeping until my retirement. It was all about keeping thoughts and ideas and quite obviously people close to me, and knowing that they would go everywhere I went. I don’t have small notebooks anymore; I don’t need that weight on me these days. But it’s always comforting, isn’t it? Maybe someday I’ll need one of them again, along with the weight and solace they bring with them.

What and who do you keep in your notebooks?

 

It couldn’t have been any sunnier

 

You KNOW this was one of the main highlights at Flow Festival for me. I mean, a Yoda backpack? Can you imagine all the possibilities? ALL THE IMPLICATIONS? Why didn’t I know of this before?!?!

But all in all I had a great time. Sami and I stayed at the nicest apartment and had lovely mornings to precede the fun times. I likes M.I.A quite a bit, although it’s strange for me to see artists play in such huge venues; when your visibility is limited to one of those big screens, it feels more like you’re watching TV than a live gig. Also, Omar Souleyman and Konono no1 were fantastic, and I had quite a few pleasant surprises which I’m too tired to recount. The weekend was also filled with good food (mmm, Russian food) and overpriced beer (7 euros? Damn).

Funny fact: I’d conveniently forgotten my suitcase back home, so I had to shop for new clothes in Helsinki.  It’s not everyday you have a valid excuse for a new wardrobe! I’m not proud of this, though! And it was so hot and humid all weekend that I felt I was being punished for my absentimindedness! I’m glad my friend Aino was with me to supervise the spazzy shopping trip that ensued! But you know festivals are all about the people, the good people and the good times that roll with them, and there were many!

 

   

(all pictures by Sami, as I was too lazy to use anything but my ratty Lomo and God knows when I’ll develop those!)

Festivals and mixtapes

Sharing this pic because how exciting is it to be posing like a dweeb only to discover that the picture was being taken to present me with a birthday gift? My birthday isn’t until Monday, but my boyfriend went ahead and got me a freaking PSP! So exciting! Almost like having a smartphone, but with Little Big Planet included, ha.

So anyway, I’m off to Flow Festival until Monday! My first festival ever and I’m super excited because there’ll be bands I actually want to see! Omar Souleyman, Konono n°1, M.I.A and a bunch of badass Finnish acts that I’m psyched to catch in one arena! Also, I created a profile on 8tracks (thanks to the lovely Hannah!) and I made a special mix in honor of FlowFest! So here, guys! Listen and enjoy!

Marie-Flower Charlesworth.

 

Photos by Marie-Fleur Charlesworth, via Feaverish Photography.

Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band.

I re-watched Almost Famous the other night after almost 10 years, and was excited to learn that 24 year-old me finds it as awesome (if not more so) than 14 year-old me. You know that sense of shame and terror when you’re about to revisit the movies that marked your teenage years, knowing that they’ll be most likely filled with cringe-worthy phrases and corny set-ups that, in retrospect, make you remember how awful things looked and felt back in the day? Luckily, and possibly singularly, this was not the case. Not only did I safeguard the memory of a funny, aloof, heart-warming movie, there were indeed some added bonuses from watching it nearly 10 years on:

- I thought Penny Lane was a character my cynical, eye-rolling adult self would abhor, yet I was pleased to discover that I still like her, still think she’s cool, and that I even feel sympathy when her inevitable crash-landing ensues. Also, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU, KATE HUDSON? YOU USED TO BE SO CUTE.

- 70’s fashion was not really something 14 year-old me appreciated. Huh.

- The music, and the sentiment on music, and not scoffing at all the somewhat higher-than-thou statements on music and its state/future. Also, the soundtrack was pretty killer. My highlights:

 

Picture sources: 1, 2.