Spoilt this christmas :)

So I thought I would update you on my christmas.

I got home fine on christmas eve only a little later than hoped. We swapped presents and celebrated with my aunt uncle and cousin.
I got The Moomin cookbook!!

Christmas day started early, we all got up and opened our stockings in mum and dads bed (wonder when we will be too old for that?)

Then attention turned to dinner and getting it ready. I made the lemon cheesecake for desert.

Grandma came over and we chatted until turkey time. I love all the different stuffings we have for christmas dinner and of course cranberry sauce ;)
We pulled crackers and told jokes and were merry.

Here is a list of other things I got this christmas:
perfume, Lady Million by Paco Rabanne
Soap and glory set
Stitch! book by Cath Kidston
I cannot wait to get sewing the purse from that book and making some pictures to frame to her lovely floral designs.LUSH!
wizard of oz tea towel

Cake stand!! (at last!)
Fantasia DVD


Boxing Day I watched Fantasia, I love it, in fact after I have finished this post I will watch it again.
There is nothing more christmassy in my mind than 'The Nutcracker' and the music from the ballet will always be a favouriteof mine. I love the winged horses and the dancing mushrooms and the bit with the dinosaurs and of course the magician's apprentice.


On my last day at home I met up with friends for a few drinks and a catch up, it was such good fun :)

I feel lucky to have had such a lovely christmas at home with family and friends and promise not to leave it so long before I viist home again!
I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and have a wonderful New Year x

Silk Spectre

I watched Watchmen again the other day.
Just incase you havent seen the film, the Silk Spectre character is a super hero in the 1940s and the mother of one of the main characters.


Although I don't like her character very much I do like her hair :)

She has great pinup potential. Plus she wears my favourite colour, YELLOW!
Think I may need to dress up as her for some fancy dress occasion.

'It will be lonely this christmas...'

...If I can't get back home to Coventry on christmas eve.

Its been snowing like I have never seen before here in Wales and its causing a lot of transport problems.

It looks beautiful and I adore snow but I would not like to be stranded alone in Cardiff while my family celebrate at home.(view from my kitchen window)


To take my mind off things and keep me positive Ive started to wrap my presents. here is one for my mum.
I made the gift tag out of felt.

The long awaited group photo is also done...


and progress on Moomin house has been made.

Angelique houtkamp

I could never get a tattoo, however I absolutely love the period inspired designs of Angelique Houtkamp.

I mentioned her book was on my christmas list last year, I didnt get it but I will purchase it one day. (I will need a new bookcase soon!)

My favourite things about the tattoos are the fingerwave hairstyles and the big doe eyed expressions. They opitimise the 1920s for me.


check out the website: http://www.salonserpent.com/Home.html

she now has a colouring book out, which is also going on my wishlist as well as one of her prints, less painful than getting a tattoo :)

Finishing things today

I have spent all day tidying my room, I feel good.

I also finished Little My and am just making Snufkin's boots.


The next job is a family photo with them all and then the rest of Moomin land, perhaps the Moomin house? I think I would enjoy that.




Sorry all my posts are about Moomins.

winter woolies

This is the Tulchan cardigan I mentioned. I bought it at the Blind Lemon vintage fair last month.



I love it, perfect for the cold weather. :)
It reminds me of the cardies my grandma used to knit me when I was little, always had a lovely pattern or applique on them, wish shehadnt given up knitting, so I could request one this year!

Snufkin

I bit the bullet and started on snufkin....








sorry he is nude.

Christmas :)

We managed to get a few decorations on the tree, and so far the cat has not shown an interest!

Bit of a Disney theme this year, my princess decorations were a present last year

I love them :)

I found the most beautiful box of decorations in the disney store so I had to buy them to match.

each bauble is a different colour with a different movie on it.

Heres a little tree I made, it was supposed to be a gift, but I have time so am going to make some more for prezzies.

Vintage in Cardiff

Here is a list of my favourite places to shop vintage in Cardiff.

In no particular order:


Looby Loo's Boutique

A pretty little store in the High Street Arcade. It has a good collection of both men and womens vintage as well as a range of clothes made from vinatge materials. What I most like about the store is its easy shopping, while I do like a good rummage around to find hidden treasures, there is no tat. All the clothes at Loobys are in great condition and displayed lovingly in its delightful surroundings.
Another plus are the changing rooms, spacious!
Heres the website, where there is even a shop tour!
http://www.loobyloos.co.uk/

Blind Lemon vintage fair

This lovely event travels the UK stopping in Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Swansea.

I went the other weekend and got myself a real fur coat and a lovely Tulchan cardigan. Good prices and lots of variety on the stalls. Its a great place to pick up costume jewellery.

you can follow the blog here:
http://www.blindlemonvintage.blogspot.com/

or visit the website:
http://www.blindlemonvintage.co.uk/


Set in the beautiful Morgans Arcade in Cardiff city centre is

A Vintage Affair

This shop is wall to wall heaven.
In every corner there are shelves and antique dessers full of crockery, handmade gifts, bags,gloves and hats from every era. Bunting and fairy lights hang from the ceiling and vintage inspired greeting cards sit behind mountains of beautiful jewellery.
This boutique fits perfectly next to the second hand bookstore in one of the most beautiful of Cardiff's Arcades. Definitley worth a visit.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p231/safereturn/Morgan_Arcade.jpg


The Victorian Pumping station Antiques and Interiors

This indoor market offers a range of antiques and collectables including one lovely vintage clothing stall.

Lots of old magazines, ornaments and tea sets as well as reclamation yard items such as garden features, door handles, tiles and fireplaces. Lots to look at here and great entertainment for an afternoon. This is where I go for a good rummage!

http://www.the-pumpingstation.co.uk/

Christmas in Moomin land

So I have now Graduated! I am no longer a university student I have Bachelors degree in Photographic art and it feels good! I moved from Newport a few miles west to Cardiff the Welsh capital. Big changes, you can forgive me for not posting for about 6 months.
To finish the end of university on a high we had a book launch for the book me and the other students on my course published.
It was held in the Chapter Gallery Cradiff and this is what the finished book looked like.



I said Id post a few things. Its snowing for the second time this week and Im officially in the festive spirit! I would love nothing more than a white christmas.

Firstly, it looks like I wont be having a tree this year as my housemates new kitten keeps climbing it and knocking the decorations off :(

Elwood is super cute though so I cant stay mad for long!


I have been obsessing over the moomins recently, I love the idea of winter in moominland I want that much snow to fall in Cardiff! So I made felt moomins for the bookcase in the flat.


Ive started on Little My and Snufkin but making their clothes is putting me off finishing them! I did see these crochet versions of Snufkin in the Chapter gallery in Cardiff where we held the book launch, I might buy one of those and sit him on the bookshelf instead of making him...or is that cheating?




Thats it for now, I'll be back with more christmas craft and news including my purchases from the Blind Lemon vintage fair :)

back!

So you may have noticed its been months since I posted a single thing!

I moved house in July and only just got the internet back.

There is no way I can catch up so I will just start from now.

but nottoday :P



coming up....christmas, vinatge, craft x

Cameo accessories

I love the cameo trend, its so 18th Century!

Beautiful, feminine and girly everything I love.

Here are some items available:



Rings:Dorothy Perkins
Bags and purses:Lulu Guiness
Scarf:Miss Selfridge
Earrings:Topshop

LOVELY :)

June so far has been so busy!
I have had my graduate exhibition, several job interviews...no job as of yet :(

I will also be slowly moving my things into my new flat this week! exciting! I will have pictures to show you soon. It is very modern, which I love. But my housemate and I will be sure to make it homely and girly within no time.

:)

Legends Boxsets

I was in HMV the other day and noticed in amongst the huge number of US tv boxsets on sale there were a few nice suprises:

Cary Grant

http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;0;-1;-1;-1&sku=240321


Greta Garbo set

http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;0;-1;-1;-1&sku=240553

Judy Garland

http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1;-1&sku=240662


excellent prices and some great titles in each set!

Im too poor unfortunately but I would by the Cary Grant one I think :)

Madeline Caroll

First of the Hitchcock blondes in 39 Steps.

I love this story and I love Madeline Caroll, she was incredibly beautiful.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lUmG0_CzPWQ&feature=related

Wild Garden

When the wind blows, it will be fun.

I watched silent movie 'It' (1927) today starring Clara Bow, Antonio Moreno and William Austin

Bow plays a savvy shop girl who falls in love with her new boss and uses her charm to try and win his heart.

Elinor Glyn the author the genius behind the story wrote:

It: "self-confidence and indifference as to whether you are pleasing of not"

'It' used to describe sex appeal brought about the term 'It girl' of which Clara Bow was made the first. It's easy to see why Clara was Chosen just look at this adorable still form the film


Here is another film still


I loved all the clothes, even her shopgirl uniform! I like her headscarf when she is on the boat, her cloche hat with grapes and her t-bar shoes.

Worth watching for: the scene where Clara cuts up her uniform, the jokes on the worded screens and Clara Bow herself!

May Ball

My third and final May Ball.

This years theme was Paris, entertainment:

Fairground
French band
French Street performers
caricaturists
Feeder
Lethal Bizzle
Hadouken


Ben wore this piano tie and black braces! maybe I am turning him vintage after all?!

Was a great night, We had our picture drawn for free! The artists were so good it made me jealous of their talent! I need to start drawing again!



I had my bump it in and did some 1960s style makeup to match so hopefully you will be able to see it in these photos.


Feeder were incredible, it really took me back a few years! I'd never seen them live before last night. Made me feel 14 again! :)
Sadly I didn't get close enough to take a decent picture so here is a googled one!


My eyelashes were huge, too big really I will get some smaller next time, same goes for the shoes!

Perfect 1930s woman

Obviously this is just a bit of fun, but this was considered the 'perfect' woman in the 1930s.

(take note it was made up of 13 different stars of the time) so most of them did not fit the bill! Greta Garbo was 5"7 and a half!

At 5"4 I was quite pleased it was considered a good height because my boyfriend always teases me about being small. (He is 6"3, so I tell him I'll get a shorter boyfriend if he doesnt stop it!)

Diets have changed a lot since then so I was not suprised to find my waist was a lot bigger than 26 inches! or that feet were a lot smaller back then.



anyway hope this has been ok for a quick post, I got my finished photographs back yesterday and my text for the book sent off so I am feeling more relaxed today. Its the May Ball tonight so I will have pictures to share in the next few days.

Freedom

This time next week, I will have finished university for good!


after that I will do some decent posts, sorry guys! up to my eyeballs in photography this month!

this time next month, I will be moving out of Newport South Wales (at last!) and living 20mins down the M4 in Cardiff!

nice!
:)

Business cards!

I finish uni forever next week! Scary and exciting times! I'm actually really looking forward to joining the real world.

I have a graduate exhibition at the end of the month where I will exhibit my final piece of work. I am having 9 A4 images mounted onto dibond and fixed to the wall.

I also want business cards made, I can't decide which image to choose for my cards though! I could do a pack with some of each image but some look better than others.

Here are the examples I have with the phtographs I have chosen for the cards, I just need to narrow it down to one! Maybe you could help me choose which?



My contact details will probably go on the back.

thanks :)

Bump it

My 'Bump Its' arrived today!

Post with pictures will come soon.



I <3 Beehives :D