The life of a stocker.
As told by me, a.k.a shelldevil

There is no such thing as "unuseable junk" anymore. Everything thats on the "maybe throw it out" pile instantly gets re-evaluated to see if it has a new life in stock. The old fake flowers aunt bessie had in the house for years, the shabby netting scrounged from when a parent moved house, that porcalin jug nanna had sitting about and never used. Gone are the days when they came to me and ended up in a thrift store.

< Netting from grandma

A bedsheet is no longer for the beds. They become instant premade dresses, skirts and backdrops. I bet stockers are the only person to shop at a linen store for costumes!

Thrift stores become your favorite place to shop, and the workers know you by name! A skirt for a dollar, that neat scarfe for 50 cents. They say one persons junk is anothers treasure, well now its more then a treasure, its an art supply!

< $1 skirt!
< 50 Cent Shawl!
< Material Scaps!

When in public the camera seems as if its a second growth. If that tree looks cool, then it has its photo taken. That wharf, this rock, that flowerpot, this doorway. Im almost 100% sure that stockers quite often get mistaken for tourists, constantly flashing the camera about after that perfect angle.


People often look at you weird because your standing an inch away from a tree/rock/wall to get that wonderful macro texture effect. "Why oh why!" they think "is she taking a picture of a rock THAT close!"



There is no place we will not pose! Jumping in the water, leaning on an archway, the bath, a couch, a log. If theres standing room it happens! And if theres no standing room? We make some

< Check out that sexy log!
< Mmmm Nice er.. bench
< Now thats a mighty fine rock!

Makeup! Being a stocker gives you the oppurtunity to use makeup of any colour, and combination and in any way you desire. Even things that are not typically makeup seem to make their way out. Feathers, sequins, heck lets bust out the paint tins and cover ourselves. Now i have a reason to actually USE that flurecent green eyeshadow I purchased last year, and that weird shade of blue lipstick too!

< Paint!
< Fantastic Pink!

We are chamelions, changing our looks more times in one shoot then an actress does on a day of filming! And without a trailor too! In a few hours we go from xena to a witch to a dancer to a fairy and the list goes on and on.



We no longer just shop. Every item we purchase is checked to see if it can have a double function. Sure that platter would be great for serving christmas dinner, but it would make a wonderful prop! And I know the dustpan and broom is needed in the kitchen, but I really REALLy need it as well for cinderella stock!

< Not just for lighting!
< The clock from the lounge room wall!

Insperation comes in many forms. Movies, music, tv series, poems, books. Even thoughts, feelings and history! If it can be imagined, it can be stock! Watching a movie is more then for enjoyement. My eyes are peeled for things that I might beable to interperate into stock!

A Half of the family understand my obsession, the other half think im batshit crazy! Ever had an unexpected visit from a relitive who doesnt know about your secret life of stock while your in full costume and you'll know what I mean when I say they give you that "MY GAWD what IS she doing now" look! Meanwhile the ones that do understand always seem to offload the stuff they no longer need in your direction

We have a tight knit group of people who understand our crazyness, who we bounce ideas off. People that dont care if you just painted your entire body green, or if you have a wig that resembles marge simpson. They dont mind that you walked about in a public place in costume for a shot, and will happily follow alongside without feeling embarassed by the antics. They understand the highs and the lows and support you no matter what getup your wearing

< At a tourist spot in costume

And above all...
We are the only people who make wearing a piece of netting, a scrap of material or a bedsheet look HAWT!!




Cheers
Shell