Just had to share these amazing eyelashes with one and all. They are made of paper and come in an array of intricate designs, all with a symbolic Chinese meaning. I’ve been talking about them for weeks, but I had to keep my sources secret until I had stolen the show at my party of course. I saw them months ago, featured in Stylist magazine, and ferreted the details away for just the right opportunity to dazzle. Like my 30th birthday party.
When I woke up panicky from a dream about losing my Rubie & Millie eye smudger pencil, living in a famous ‘design’ house as seen in a magazine, and having a colonic, I knew it was going to be a crazy day.
It all stemmed from my Mother asking me if she needed a smudger pencil to create the always-on-trend ‘smokey eye’ effect. Now, not being one for a lot of make-up, this was a surprising question from the-one-who-gave-me-life. She gets years out of a single mascara, using it only for really special occasions – weddings, christenings, funerals. For my wedding she invested in a whole set of Mineral make-up before it was really ‘out there’, and of course the devastating array of professional brushes to accompany said make-up. She hasn’t used it since.
Totally LOVE this dress – where can I get it? Why are there no UK stockists for a designer who studied in Glasgow and London?! It’s Louise Gray, Spring/Summer ’11…
(ps. stole this pic from the Louise Gray website oops)
I have started 2011 with a new, slightly dangerous addiction. The events preceding this addiction, that facilitated it really, were set in motion about 10 or 12 years ago, maybe more. See Archives of a Decade for a detailed background.
Totally out of control, and struggling to make sense of how to organise my cuttings and categories into an easily searched, neatly stored ‘library’ of information, I decided to make a cup of tea. A pot in fact. A nice pot of jasmine pearl tea.
After swirling my fragrant and refreshing tea for some time, I realised that the best way to display my favourite fashion and interiors spreads was in a scrapbook. It’s what I did at college, albeit with a purpose in mind, whiling away my afternoons ‘sourcing’ looks from magazines to evoke a particular trend or mood. What a stellar idea!
I have always loved magazines: shiny, glossy, matte, A3, A4, handbag size – I don’t discriminate. In my late teens I realised I had a problem disposing of anything, magazines in particular. They were filed under a kind of ‘psychological protection’ in my mind, similar to an endangered species or a conservation area.
Fashion magazines, free magazines, supermarket magazines, art exhibition pamphlets. All sacred. Any kind of printed material really with the slightest hint of something interesting about it or a pretty image. To save space, I decided to start ripping out the key pages, images, hottest tips and inspiring adverts. This was a mistake. I ripped out more pages than were left!
It was around this time that I realised that the free magazine that came with my Dad’s Saturday newspaper was a real hit for culture, art, interiors, imagery, key interviews, upcoming events, designers, fashion…it was The Telegraph Magazine. On my instruction, he started saving these (weekly) tomes of all things covetable, and before I knew it, I was drowning in printed information. Read more …
When the email announcing the second Make Do & Mend event popped into my inbox, it brightened my whole day. I think I literally squealed with delight!
With a vague Valentine’s theme this time around, it is a fantastic opportunity to buy second hand, vintage and have a go at knitting or sewing on vintage sewing machines – wow.
The ‘Clack & Yak-ers’ masterclass sounds like a real winner!
There is a lovely sleek cafe area, mountains of inspiring items from crockery, candles, jewellery, bags, clothes, and random findings galore that you just couldn’t get anywhere else.
I know where I will be this Saturday 5th February. My stall will feature handmade fabric necklaces – lace, tulle, satin – and an array of corsage brooches, some with ceramic heart centres. Expect some pristine, second hand Vogue magazines, vintage books, bag-making equipment and of course, the infamous vintage domino brooches.
Come along from 11am – 3pm, Platform, The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Road, Glasgow G34 9JW