Having just shut up shop for Christmas my mind is a little bit all over the place. To reflect my inability to focus on one thing my Gimme Gimme Gimme today is a bit of a mixed bag...
I've popped a few of these prints along with some other hungry little birds in my Etsy shop as well as cute little Christmas cards, get in quick before the last shipping dates!
The summer flowers have been replaced with crispy leaves and bare branches. So maybe try a few of these bloomin marvelous finds to bring a bit of that floral feeling back.
After visiting the Rene Gruau exhibition last week (more of which later) I popped into the newly refurbished Savoy hotel. I must admit I'm not a glamourous dresser, I prefer the fashionably dishevelled look (that's my excuse anyway). So I felt a little bit out of place traipsing through there with a huge heart shaped lollipop they were giving away at the Somerset House ice rink. But it is a grand hotel and very traditional in its styling. There's even a little tea salon where you can watch all of the confectionaries being made by a patisserie chef.
As you can see, they've remained true to the original Deco design.
This sign across the road caught my eye too, I'm a sucker for a good typeface.
A couple of bloody mary's later and I was reminded how nice a treat it is to indulge in a winters day warming cocktail, which has in turn inspired today's Gimme Gimme Gimme...
A few months ago I was honoured to be asked by Vogue China to illustrate their special Christmas gift guide. Now the fruits of my labour have been revealed (although I'm still as yet to find a copy in London...I must go and hunt further!) and I can share them with you!
Here are some of my favourites...
Plus, to carry on the celebrations the first person to comment correctly with any three of the designers each little bird is wearing will win some goodies! Good luck!
Every time I visit the V&A I stumble across things I haven't seen before. Which is exactly why it's my favourite place to escape to in London.
My most recent visit uncovered the Theatre and Performance collection which comprises of material about live performance in the UK. From posters to stage costumes, it's a pretty fascinating insight into the creative side of performance...but these tiny theatre set models were my favourite discovery (closely followed by the costume from Adam Ant's "Prince Charming" video!)
When I was little I longed to be a librarian. Not because of the romantic notion of working in a grand old building full of books (do these actually exist in places other than films?) but because I loved the special scanning pen and stamps that were used by staff when books were taken out. How embarrassing. Then again it's probably a good indication of a growing love for all things stationery related, even if it was only a date stamp.
Had I followed through with my ambition I imagine myself to float around the aisles in an outfit like this....
I think this is going to be one of those blog posts where I don't quite know where to start. Also it's probably one that serves no purpose other than getting things off of my chest. It's been a tricky year for me trying to find a balance between health and work. The past few weeks the balance has tipped and not particularly in my favour. I had intended to take the past few months off but various projects came up that I couldn't turn down so now I am feeling drained physically and mentally...my brain refuses to work and my body refuses to listen! As a freelancer it's quite hard to switch off from work, especially when where you live is also your workplace. Walking away when work is always there is more difficult than it sounds! As is taking time off when you don't have much choice, enforced holidays are never as fun as you hope. So now I am having to sit back and take stock of everything, try and get myself together and caaaaalllm down.
I don't really know what to do with myself, or whether I'll have the energy to commit to doing anything. I hate sitting and doing nothing so I know it's going to be a bit of a struggle. Try out a short course? Do some work experience? Sit and twiddle my thumbs?! Too many choices and no brain power to make one.
So does anyone have any advice, recommendations or words of wisdom? I'll happily accept pictures of animals doing funny things too, in my case simple things really do please simple minds.
Ah Winter, we meet again. As someone who feels the cold almost constantly (I'd strap hot water bottles to myself if I could) half of me dreads winter coming around. But the other half wholeheartedly embraces it because it means a spot of winter wardrobe shopping. Wooly tights, chunky knits and bobble hats galore always somehow fall into shivering little hands.
However the one item that always takes me longer than it should to find is a coat. It's a tricky item to buy because I need something that keeps me toasty but that also doesn't make me resemble a mini Michelin Man.
And so the Big Coat Hunt 2010 begins today, starting with Lavenham.
Not only does the quilted aspect of these appeal to me but it's also the choice between muted and jewel like colours, Liberty print lining and quintessential English character to them. Their Spring Summer look book totally drew me in mainly because this is exactly how I dress (although swap the socks for million denier thick tights) right down to the shiny brogues.
I wonder if I could modify these with a huge inner pocket to slip that hot water bottle into?!
