I have really been so busy lately! Ive had an assessment at uni (basically a hand-in of my work from this module which includes final print photographs, artist statement and digital archive) I also been worked every night last week so i could have the weekend off to celebrate my 20th birthday!! :D

I do not feel like an adult one bit! I utterly refuse to believe I have been on earth for two decades. My birthday this year however was one of the best ever! Here is a chance for you to learn a bit more about me! I was born in Coventry, England and lived there until just over a year ago when i moved to Wales to study photography at university. With starting a new job (at a bingo hall...'joy') this year I havent got home as often as I would like. Therefore when 6 of my friends from home drove up to see me and stay the weekend i was over the moon!

My party was of course themed, Wizard of Oz no less, a lot of people came (our tiny student house was fit to burst!) and almost everyone dressed up which i was dead chuffed about! I made a green 'Emerald City' cocktail for the cocktail fountain (the recipe is a secret!)I even got an emerald city cake from my friend Vinnie, which she had made all by her self, it was fantastic and totally yummy! I will post a photo of me and my boyfriend because i dont have permission to use anybody elses, but ours were not the best costumes by far! (I was of course Tinwoman and Ben was the Cowardly Lion)

So anyway, this week since i had a weeks break form uni with only one feedback session to attend, I got crafting! I made a little treeling plush inspired by the lovely huggables available from www.forestprints.com

As you can see i changed the design a little bit, adding goggle eyes etc.

I also made chillis on sticks. They are made of polymer clay and are to stick in the plant pots my boyfriend is growing chillis in. I hope he likes them ^__^
I will take more photos when the plants are bigger and the 'fake' chillis are in their pots!
I love making things for my boyfriend, last month I made him a plush Michael Jordan and basket ball for his xmas tree (he is basketball mad, rather odd for an Englishman i know!)

Anyway, hopefully thats a bit of a catch up for you and I'll be back with more crafts and vintage things soon. Im tired now and Im off to work a 10hour shift at Bingo tomorrow :'(

The Lady Is Willing

So the other day I bought a Marlene Dietrich boxset, and ive finally got round to watching one of the films. I have never done a film review before so yeah, this will be very sketchy and i hope to improve with each review i write. I chose The lady is willing mainly because of the description on the back of the box. Marlene is fabulously funny as eccentric actress Elizabeth Madden who finds a baby and decides to keep it, she enters into a 'practical' marriage with a doctor so that she is legally allowed to adopt the baby. Fred McMurray makes a good leading man, he plays his character very well however i find his character itself lacking in some way he isnt a strong man until maybe the last scene he is often over shadowed by Lizas huge character. But there are lots of great characters in the film who all add a lot of humor (Granted a lot of the jokes come from Miss Madden's mad wardrobe). I liked the 'manager and accountant' characters played by Stanley Ridges and Arline Judge and the exasperation and adoration they show for Liza. I found the climax at the end is kind of unexpected but fitting :)
I really enjoyed the film and would recommend it to any Dietrich fan or general fan of good old fashioned hollywood movies. I cant wait to watch another form my boxset when i get the chance! The storyline is not dissimilar to Baby Boom the 1987 film starring Diane Keaton, however this 1940s gem is much better.
Ive included a movie poster and a screen shot from google here to give you a tatser.

Eau de Toilette

Berkeley Square is a unique range of retro products, the packaging is made by popular fashion art drawings from the 1920s. Artists include Harry Dixon, Gordon Conway and illustrations from Batchelor magazine. My favourite of the perfumes has to be Fig and Cherry because of the delicate fruity scent. The illustration was drawn by Gordon Conway (1894-1956) who specialised in drawing the androgynous fashion of the time which reflected her own lifestyle as a wealthy Texan.
Each Fragrance has a set of products ranging from soaps to lotions and of course the perfume itself.
The Square also has a new range in association withthe V&A the packaging uses the elegant photography of John French the famous London Photographer of the 1950s and 1960s.


Also designer label Diesel's Fuel for Life has a similar 1920s feel, using slick fashion photography to recreate the lifestyle and look of the 1920s, available both pour homme and pour femme it is one of my favourite perfumes. Here is some of the advertising

Cosmetics!

Here are some beauty products ive come across with a vintage feel.

To start with, Benefit makeup, such beautiful packaging! its quite expensive but extremely good quality and totally gorgeous!

www.benefitcosmetics.com

Secondly is Soap and Glory products, another set of lush packaging with vintage feel photographs, very girly and fabulous! From shampoos and conditioners to foot scrubs and body butters.

www.soapandglorycosmetics.com

Another great product i found is Ponds cold cream and day cream. Ponds has been around for 120 years so would have been used by women in the last century. Its great stuff and cheap as well! I found some old ads from the 1920s and 1940s on google and then the last image is how the packaging looks now, just incase you want to find it in the shops :)

I love the advert from 1944 the slogan is great! 'She's Engaged! Shes Lovely! She uses Ponds!' haha brilliant :)
www.pondsinstitute.co.uk

All these products are available at Boots(I feel like a sales woman!)

1920s fashion

I am a great fan of all things vintage, especially the 1920s and 1930s. This Blog will mainly be to do with my passion. I intend to post pictures of things i find and liked and things ive made etc.

To start off (and so my page doesnt look so pitifully empty) I will tell you about my favourite highstreet shops for vintage style clothes. The highstreet brand with which i am always most impressed with is Topshop. The Kate Moss section especially has recently boasted a fantastic range of 1920s style dresses.
River Island has currently got highwaisted 1940s style trousers in the sales.





www.topshop.com

The tassle dress is available in black as well. I love the drop waisted style!
I also bought another lovely dress from topshop here it is!



The best way to wear these is with stockings and some t-bar heels, and dont forget the pearls! ;)