Sweet Paul

A lot of my inspiration and excitement comes from reading (many!) amazing blogs and I wanted to recommend one of them to you. You may have come across it already, but just in case you haven't or just to remind you of its fabulousness...

I give you the all treasure trove that is Sweet Paul- my favorites are 'Crafty Friday'!

So many brilliant DIY ideas that even I can cope with both budget-wise and skill-wise!

And 'Recipe Monday' comes a close second! So delicious looking!

I'd like to start with my personal favorites- the jumper covered chair and vases:

Second hand book vases- so easy and so cool.

A lovely doily scarf- all you need is a sewing machine and doilies!

A teapot lamp- made much easier than it looks by Paul!

Such a simple, stunning idea for a Christmas (or any time!) decoration- clear baubles and feathers.

Make your own Delft vases with this idea using print-your-own transfers.

More gorgeous blue and white! This time in the shape of a DIY corsage/boutonniere/brooch.

rag trade brighton

The wonderful rag trade boutique is coming to Brighton for one weekend only! Buy (and sell) pre-loved designer womenswear at a fraction of the price.

10am- 5pm

Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th September

The Mezzanine Bar, Brighton Dome, Church Road, Brighton (next to the Pavillion)

Entry is FREE so no excuses!

80% of clothes in the uk go to waste. 80%! That is staggering. With so many pre-loved bits out there, I'm starting to think that there really is no need to buy new any more.

For more info on how to sell at the event click here.

See you there!

Anthropologie

I love the style, inventiveness and colours of Anthropologie's London shop that I decided it needed a post of its very own. I have to admit that I was already completely obsessed with Anthropologie's styling from its American website and couldn't wait to see it's first U.K. store.

I was not disappointed- I know it has huge financial backing and is very slick in its enchantment of the customer all with the aim of encouraging 'lifestyle spending'....

blah, blah, retail speak, blah....

I know I'm being tricked into spending lots of money! I know!

I refuse nonetheless to give in to cynicism- there is too much creativity here, and, I believe, sincere appreciation of folk art, the handmade and the re-used not to get a little bit smitten!

Enjoy!

(Just make sure to count to ten before buying anything!)

A good image to end on I think- it makes up part of my shopping chant: when in close proximity to lovely purchaseable things...

remember only buy what you will use up and wear out.

Picnic Chairs

I am desperately seeking chairs just like these for my 'dining table'. I need fold up ones cus i really don't have the space for anything else and i just LOVE the look of these. Nearly owned a set of four stripped ones about a year ago but my dithering caused them to slip through my fingers and I haven't found any since :(. That'll teach me. I know habitat have great copies but I just can't buy new when I know pre-loved ones are out there already.

London Baby!

A little trip up to London to get me out of a little creative rut....

Starting with Alfie's Antiques Market-

perfect for AMAZING 20th century furniture and interiors pieces.

Way out of my price range but also fantastically way out. Just what I needed.

Then on to Gray's Antiques...vintage jewellery anyone? A great place for colour inspiration.

Some great Selfridges windows showcasing exactly how creative one can be with cardboard. I obviously need both to simplify my ideas- one material is enough!- and be a lot braver with my ideas!

This one uses pages from old books to make a stunningly intricate paper-chateau.

I lOVE Moschino's velvet splattered fruit! I want some in my living room!

Bulk buying of the red Chanels do ya' think? Maybe they do family discount...Whenever I'm in London, I'm reminded of exactly how much money is still floating around. I can't deny that I did think that the red of these 55.'s was a bold choice- no practical safe black for them! And I admire that everyday bravery. Or they could just have sixteen other colours at home?

Am I being naive or judgemental? Help! Sometimes I wish I could just go back to thinking 'OOOooo pretty bags'!

Lazy Sunday: Farm & Beyond Retro

There's something about rain on a Sunday that makes it perfectly ok to while away the hours in a café over a pot of tea. Em (J) & I spent it in Farm, an independent café and farm shop whose menu & produce all comes from the surrounding country side.

Loving Em's Fair Trade Pachacuti panama. So much so that I spent much of the day attempting to steal it - I had serious bags from Saturday's late night to cover up! And as Farm is snuggled right next to Beyond Retro many an hour was whiled away in there too, needless to say we came back several pounds lighter. More on that later.

(She's so pretty!)

Em's bamboo socks poking out of her made-in-england shoes and my second hand hareems!

Beauty blogging

I've recently expanded my usual blogging circle and regular internet reads to include some blogs on cosmetics and beauty products. As you may expect if you are knowledgeable about all things blog- there are thousands of beauty orientated blogs! Here are a two that I've found useful so far:

www.youaresuperpretty.blogspot.com

www.nomoredirtylooks.com

The image above is of the book written by the two bloggers-

might be worth a read...

Both of these blogs are passionate about beauty products but always in relation to better health and a better ecological process. 'No more dirty looks' also brings fair-trade into the equation.

I love to read how human beings are creative about finding ways to compromise without giving up on some of the (admittedly largely superficial) pleasures of make-up and soft shiny hair.

We may one day realise we don't need those things but we obviously need to take it slow!

You can take the chemicals out of the nail varnish but not yet the nail varnish off the girl!

Some favourite photos, some favourite outfits.

Although I am supposed to be the focus here (always the attention seeker..) I have to highlight my Caspar's amazing shirt here next to me. So stylish, as ever, my darling Cas.

The DVF dress I wore to my lovely and amazing friend Mela's wedding to fantastic Jamie. As in Jamie is fantastic- he is not a superhero, no matter how much he may wish he were. He is super though, I'll give him that. Mela and Jamie's wedding was brilliant- moving, hilarious, beautiful and so much fun. I also loved wearing this bright DVF cotton dress that I found on Ebay and that my Maman lovingly ironed for me on the morning of- thank you Maman! All in all, one of my favourite ever days.

Now that I look back at these outfits, that...wait for it...my Nan knitted!- one for each of us cousins, in contrasting colours!!!- I can see that this was a hell of a lot of work and a labour of love. So good and so bad all at the same time- if only you could see that we are all wearing knitted skirts that match! That's me on the right btw..

New Yawk with my beautiful boy.

New YAWK! I spent most of the trip bundled up in a navy pea coat that I love and that I found in a charity shop- one of my favourite ever finds. I LOVE a good pea coat. AND my favourite ever trousers from Zara- I know- not ethical in any way. They are one of my wear-them-to-death items though and I made sure to look at every Fairtrade alternative before buying them. I'm trying my best but the fashion world is still catching up to our ethical demands.

Catch up already!

In Pittsburgh at the wedding of a long-time family friend- the gorgeous and fabulous Kamala. Both my boy and I are wearing all vintage- found on Ebay and in various charity shops.

Ahem...me later that day...post-wedding...bowling! Ladylike? I was trying! (I was also quite squiffy from champagne, which does improve your bowling- as you may have suspected.)

Most of these picture are taken by my very talented sister- thank you Loulou!

"I don't exercise. If God had wanted me to bend over, he would have put diamonds on the floor" Joan Rivers

Inspired by Emma H.'s last post on her trade show stall for Fair-trade jewellery, here are a few ideas for jewellery display- at a trade show or at home. I like all of these images but I have a feeling I am not done with this one...there must be more interesting ways of storing and showing of your jewellery out there in the ether. Or am just becoming blog-image-greedy?

Sources: Lark Crafts x 3, The Glamourai, and...I can't remember! I am so sorry. Please let me know if you recognise your images- does anyone have any advice on how to organise photos without losing track of where you found them?