Fold Away Desk

I know this is inappropriately non-Christmassy but I am still looking for a desk!! Plus, it's not like you can't add last year's tinsel.

(Source: unknown ... I saved it as 'nice room table' which is of absolutely no help)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA H.!!!

Happy Birthday Em H.! I won't be able to see you till Friday but I'm sending you virtual cakes until I can bring you real ones! You are going to have such an amazing year. xxLovexx Em J.

Virtual Birthday Cakes courtesy of Charlotte Farmer at To Dry For.

Knocked Up

Yeah, so the paint job leaves a LOT to be desired but the rest of this room fascinates me. Every time I look at this picture I clock just how makeshift everything is, literally thrown together from scraps, and yet I still love it. It works somehow and prob cost 5 bucks. Love.

(Source: unknown again! Before the days of cataloguing my inspiration pictures)

Haw-Lin

On my walk home from work I was feeling completely wound up and anxious about all the things I need to do before Christmas, all the money that I have spent and still need to spend to buy presents....all the usual Christmas list-making and brain hyperactivity. 

And this site was mentioned in Easy Living- Haw-Lin- just images, no words. I love it! It has calmed me right down. It had almost the same effect hearing 'Beat it' followed by 'Let's get physical' on the radio the other day had on me- I forgot all the lists and the worrying. I have to admit to dancing in my tiny kitchen to those two songs was maybe a teensy bit more fun!

The site also completely suits my schizophrenic tastes, and it's nice to see I'm not the only one who seems to like wildly different styles, ethics, arts, and dare I say price-brackets.

P.S.: The site features ladies buttocks rather heavily- Haw-lin is obviously a fan...they ARE pretty amazing Haw-Lin, you're right.

I Died and so did the couch

Ok, so it's a little battered but this couch is the reason I LOVE OLD STUFF so much. It's so perfectly worn and brought to life again by embroidered cushions and a throw. See, why buy new, when you could have that in your life??

(Source: An Indian Summer)

Shoe Dilemma: El Naturalista vs the Highstreet

Since taking this vow of abstinence from the highstreet I feel like I am constantly in a state of searching. Searching for that battered desk, for a snug black winter coat, for that perfectly printed leopard jumper, searching for those flawlessly formed ankle boots that will carry me from outfit to outfit through the darkest, snowiest of winter days.

With shoes, this whole not buying from the highstreet thing poses a bit of a conundrum. I need shoes I can stand all day in, they need to keep me warm, match most of my wardrobe and magically elongate my stumpy legs, all for the smallest price possible. And I have to like 'em too.

Ethical shoes, in any capacity of the word, that meet the above criteria are hard to find and so I set about creating new parameters that allowed shoe purchasing from the highstreet. This involved discerning the place of origin, Portugal, Italy and Spain being preferable due to dying culture of shoemaking, and noting the materials used.

After dragging round the shops for five hours, mother in tow, I came home with two candidates.

Candidate 1: El Naturalista Ambar Boots in Ebano featuring vegetable dyed leather, recycled rubber (and porridge) soles and a whole lot of heart
&

Candidate 2: Jones Bootmakers Ollie in Black Suede, origin unknown (most Jones' boots are made in Spain and I went with it mostly cus I was desperate, freezing and hungry)

After much in-house wearing ... and a whole lot of soul searching (no pun intended) El Naturalista won hands down (the Ollies have been returned).

There's so much to say about my new boots that I'm going to have to give them a post of their own but it was satisfying to know that I didn't have to abandon my values to find the winter shoes I'd been searching for.

Uk Uncut Protests

I really liked this article on the Guardian website and thought I would share:

Anti-cuts protesters force Topshop to close its flagship store.
Arcadia boss Philip Green and Vodafone accused of tax avoidance
Tracy McVeigh
Sunday December 5 2010
The Observer
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/dec/05/cuts-protesters-close-topshop
Campaigners took over Sir Philip Green's flagship London Topshop store yesterday, forcing it to close its doors on one of the busiest trading days of the year, as sit-ins and protests were staged across Britain against tax avoidance by rich individuals and big businesses.
The Arcadia retail group tycoon and businesses including Vodafone, Barclays and Boots are the focus of rising anger over government cuts that campaigners say could be avoided if alleged tax dodging were stamped out, bringing in some ?25bn a year to the public purse.
In Brighton, protesters superglued themselves to Topshop's window, while security guards in Oxford Street bundled reporters and protesters out of the store before around 70 to 80 demonstrators, chanting "Philip Green pay your tax", left voluntarily and moved on to Arcadia's BHS store, which also had to be closed to shoppers, as did a Vodafone shop.
Green, recently made an adviser on public spending by David Cameron, is under fire because his wife, his firm's direct owner, lives in Monaco, a tax haven.
Amid growing disquiet over spending cuts, the latest protests took place in Birmingham, Glasgow, York, Bristol, Manchester and Nottingham, under the banner of "UK Uncut" ? a new movement that is gathering support via social networking sites.
One protester, Ed Greens, 20, from north-west London, said: "We know Topshop owes the government tax. Together with companies like Vodafone, big businesses owe ?126bn. We are taking direct action on companies like Topshop ."
Eileen Smith, 78, said. "I support anyone who is fighting hese terrible cuts. How dare this government say we are all in this together when 24 members of the cabinet are millionaires and men like Philip Green and his cronies are feted. The hypocrisy is sickening."
Her friend Mary, 64, agreed: "And don't let anyone say this protest is hijacked by anarchists. If anything, it's hijacked by pensioners!"
UK Uncut held similar protests in October after Vodafone settled a large tax avoidance claim with the government but paid a lot less than expected.
James Kelly, a spokesman for UK Uncut, said: "Tax avoidance is a big issue and we believe this is the alternative to the cuts the government are making."

Winter Warmers - The FAIR Shop Shoot

Well Miss J I have some ideas for winter warmers and you're in them! You absolute stunner. You and Steve rocked that day so big HUGE thank you to the both of you for dealing with my bossiness and producing some beautiful photographs for FAIR.

Emma wears People Tree and Ideo Winter Warmers all available now from FAIR.

God this girl is a beauty!

Emma H xx


Photography: Steve George Styling: By me

Snow!

This is what I saw on my way to work this morning...
Time to hunt out some Fairtrade snow attire I think. I'll do some research and get back to you.
In the meantime I can recommend Divine's hot chocolate powder and M&S' Fairtrade chocolate chip cookies...

My endless search for that perfect desk.

I am desperately seeking a beautifully battered desk from which to blog. My apple crate shelves are screwed firmly to the wall with nothing to sit underneath them. Sometimes I curse my relentless pursuit of old home furnishings, especially as I never make the time to go to one of the big antiques fairs to get what I need. I rely instead on other people doing so and bringing their goods home to Brighton for me to pick from (at a jacked up price of course). One year later and I'm still deskless ... and chest of drawers less ... and dining table less - you get the picture.

(Source: An Indian Summer)

Imaginations

I love this idea! Now I'm trying to figure out what I would have collaged to my vintage globe...

Eco-Optics- Winter Sunglasses!

Look Em! Perfect winter sunglasses! Em H. is the master at rocking sunglasses all year round. I found these by following your link to Ecouterre.com, where I saw a big giveaway with eco-prizes selected by eco-model (that's a lot of eco!) Summer Rayne Oakes (could she ever have been anything but an eco-model?! Summer Rayne- hedge fund manager?! Love her name though) where I found....Eco-Optics! Super cool sunglasses made from recycled metal and plastic and plants a tree for every pair sold. And that folks is how I spend my evenings..falling down one web link into Wonderland. Check out the cool sunglasses I found down there (all for $129): 

Glitter Ball Graveyard

Personally, I couldn't think of a better use for a danced-out disco ball (or ten). I've had my eye on several in my local antique market but unfortunately don't have any stairs to stick 'em too. God help me when I have a house.

(Source: unknown ... again)

Chance Recycled Denim Handbag

This is the bag that won the Ecouterre Recycled Denim Challenge and, for those of you who appreciate a London accent, it is WELL nice. Designed by Miranda Chance, each bag is hand woven from strips of recycled* denim and trimmed with material from old leather coats. Even better news, it is now available for purchase from the inhabitat shop for a mere $200.
But, if $200 isn't in your budget, this coming Cyber Monday** the Inhabitat Shop is offering an exclusive 2 DAY FLASH HALF PRICE SALE on this la-la-la-lovely bag! Sale starts at 9am on Monday November 29. If you want to reserve one of these and are interested in pre-ordering email the inhabitat peeps at inhabitat@gmail.com.

* I think it's actually upcycled rather than recycled

** To be honest didn't have a bloody clue what cyber monday is but apparently it "is a marketing term for the Monday immediately following Black Friday, the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States." Thanks wikipedia!!

PS Chance also entered this bag into the competition - which i LOVE and voted for. It also stirred up a pretty interesting debate in the comments which I couldn't resist taking part in ... read it here.

Emma H xx

Minimalism to beat the bric a brac blues

My living space is feeling VERY cluttered right now...so beat those bric a brac blues I give you this bright, calm minimalism found on Emma's Design Blog. Soothing to a harassed hoarder's soul...this is about as minimalist as I could go by the way!

Thank you Sfgirlbybay for Pure Green

I have been a dedicated daily reader of Sfgirlbybay's blog for well over a year. It was one of the first blogs that really had me hooked and showed me the what blogs are capable of. I always discover great things on Victoria's blog and wanted to share this particular find with you- Pure Green Living Magazine.

Sfgirlbybay posted about this online magazine yesterday and I spent the rest of the evening reading through Pure Green- I found loads of good Christmas ideas, new Etsy sellers, ethical businesses and fantastic interiors images. I enjoyed it and I think you might too...

Etsy Thursday

I love the blog Sweet Paul by the stylist Paul Lowe, I have already swooned over Paul's recycling and decorating ideas here. I also happen to be in LOVE with Etsy and all the handmade, recycled, vintage goodness that it brings to my life and hopefully to yours. So I was quite excited to see that Mr Lowe had written a feature on the Etsy blog about book art, now as someone who shares her living space with LOTS of books and doesn't even like to fold the corner of one page of a book, I find the idea of ripping, cutting and gluing books both liberating and terrifying. 

I guess I should let go once in a while and break some rules...I'd better find me some second hand books...

Here is some inspiration from Etsy and Paul Lowe:

Reclaimed Art

Love the whole junk as art thang going on in this photo. Now I just need some old radiators ... and a new flat big enough to house all my junk as art.

(Source: eeek unknown again)

Fashion Hysteria and Controlling the Urge to Splurge

About six times a year I turn into a crazy person. I become possessed by a desperate urge to frantically tear through the shops and spend money I don't have on clothes I don't need (something I have already documented here). I spend hours trailing through less-than-ethical websites imagining the outer limits of my fabulocity in all the gorgeously cheap clothes available at a click of a button ("if only I had that dress my wardrobe would be complete". Sound familiar?). There was a time when I would allow myself to satiate the cravings created by cunning teams of marketers but those times are no more. So, how do I keep the urge to splurge on fast fashion under wraps?

1. Avoidance. I stay away from the highstreet and the websites I can't say no to.

1a. If it's too late and I find myself in a shop or on a site about to check out I Stop (yes with a capital S), walk away (or close the site), breathe and realise I'm ok without it!

2. Charity Shops help to take the edge off. I often hit up my local Shelter or Oxfam where a granny chic tea dress for under a tenner regulates my heart rate. Plus it doesn't count if it's for charity!

3. I swish! I have started swishing. Basically attending clothes swap parties where due to a combination of alcohol and adrenaline I unleash my inner crazy on the rails of other peoples' clothes and have come away with some serious gems. More on that later.

4. If I really do have a hole in my wardrobe I look for an ethical alternative. There is a lot to choose from; Fair Trade, Upcycled, Recycled, Vintage and second hand. Spending time seeking something out makes a purchase all the more special.

5. Another good tip is to put items you LOVE on hold or make a wishlist online. Walk away and come back to it later. I have to relent and say it's ok to buy something you really love, even if it is from the highstreet, if you think it really will be something you'll love forever. but don't use this as an excuse to buy whatever you want!! Em and I will be compiling a list on how to be more ethically aware when shopping on the high street at a later date.

Hope this helps!

Emma H xx

PS I don't really use the word 'fabulocity' - I'm just highlighting the ridiculousness of my desire to buy everything. Don't judge.

Update: I took a vow of abstinence from the highstreet in August so I don't buy from any highstreet chain stores any more. For a shopaholic like me it's not always easy but it's proving to be very rewarding and forcing me to be more creative.

Sunday Swishing

Swishtini! It was pink and tasted of pineapple...what's not to like?!

Preparing the swishing rails ready for us to devour them like locusts. Thrifty locusts...

Swishtinis and afternoon tea before the hunt begins.

The Landsdowne Place Hotel bar, where the event was held.

A glamorous browser

Em H. in action!

The 'I found treasure!' face

This is the face both of us were making when we had to outrace someone to an item- Swishing Anxiety!

Em H. looking fab in her new swished blue silk romper- is romper the right word?! She looked FAB in it whatever it's called....

Me with my swishing hoard...I left with more than I brought! good swishing but not so good for my our overflowing flat.. Can I also just mention my current favorite scarf as worn in this picture- an amazing alpaca one from People Tree's last winter collection...wonder if they have a version this year...?

The crazy lime yellow 80's mac that I love and probably completely falsely believe I can get away with!

Oh yeah! I can totally rock this bright yellow coat thing! I am THAT cool! hmmmm....

Ecostasy

I've discovered a new fairtrade, environmentally conscious, development orientated, craft loving website! Just about everything Em&Em look for in a bookmarkable website.

Please excuse the grainy photos- I couldn't take them off the Ecostasy site (despite being sick to death of the vague and ubiquitous word 'eco', I'm quite liking this name..) so I had to borrow off Google images. Definitely go and check out the knitted pillows, the jewellery- very simple, very stylish- and the basketry- so beautiful.

If I weren't stuck in the minimum wage job+large family at Christmas conundrum I'd be buying some 'labyrinth pillows' and as many baniwa baskets as I could manage!

Even as a cash-strapped blogger I can recommend reading their sourcing principles- they are exactly the kind of informative tid-bits that actually specify what all this fair trade effort is about!

Tinctory- hues of beauty

Hand sewn by a self-taught seamstress/artist called Eva. Hand-dyed by Eva from plants she grows herself. Sold on her website Tinctory.

So beautiful.