Splish Splosh!

I adore these minimen jewellery that Frédérique Conte has created. I stumbled upon these when I clicked on a link to Howkapow, a wonderful online design shop which sells many other lovely things including Lucy’s  graphic scarves (which is how I came upon this gem).  Seeing as summer is on the horizon and I am feeling it particularly more as I’m away in Kuala Lumpur where temperatures are well above 30° C, I have found the swimmers collection rather refreshing and the humour in these designs uplifting (check Nikki about to go skinny dipping!).  I tried to find more information on the designer all I could find out is the little write up on the Howkapow website.  Shops like Tombée du Camion do sell minimen like these. Guy and I are off to Langkawi soon and I cannot wait to be splish sploshing soon!

Tie me up, tie me down!

If my dreams were made of scarves, Lucy Jay’s scarves would easily furnish them. Her cool little collection of scarves named Bryan, Claire, Patrick, Irene and Lucy are anything but ordinary. The motifs are almost graphical analysis of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s films in eye-popping colours on silk.

The Patrick print is a bit of a cyclops. I love this and I find this amusing and wish more of my scarves had character. Lucy’s lookbook show you that her scarves aren’t just scarves. Check the number of ways you can tie these silk scarves.

The Lucy scarf makes a nice bandeau, perfect for the balmy days we’ve been experiencing in London.

My personal favourite. What a fabulous way with long tresses. Lucy Jay. She’s one to look out for. She’s a bit of a rising star and a lovely, lovely girl with an abundance of talent.

Available to buy from No-One.

Deep Geometric Gems

This weekend I fell in love with Glass Candy’s new single and also with Lorena’s embroidered wonders. Unfortunately for me, Glass Candy’s only gig in London is while I’m away and Lorena is moving so her shop is closed for a week.

I’ve always loved geometrical shapes. These hand embroidered designs in various guises of pyramids, cubes, triangles, oblongs in the prettiest colours make such beautiful pieces. I cannot wait for Spinthread to open up again so I can get at least one of these masterpieces around my neck. I am thinking it’ll be one of the bigger, conversational pieces like the cubic bib above.

Backed with dainty lace and hand embroidered, I will probably find it difficult to resist playing with the geometric shapes knowing that I’ll enjoy running my fingers across these shapes.

Wear The Wild Ones Are

I’ve been hunting down some jewellery and would like to get my claws on these ones.

Zoe & Morgan‘s Who Loves Wins, AW09 collection is filled with spiders, lions and foxes for the brave-hearted.

Following the success of Tatty Devine’s Tiger necklace, a limited edition for winter has been launched. The White Tiger is the wildcat for me.

Who’s Next has just announced their Young Designers Winners list. The winners will have a chance to show in January, for free. On this list is Lena Klax. Her colourful polar bear necklaces come with detachable paw bracelets. I like the coral coloured one best. I am looking forward to seeing the pieces at the next Who’s Next.

I’ll Cheer For You

Winter’s a far more exciting season for accessories. The choice is endless. Scarves and snoods, mittens and gloves, arm warmers and colourful tights.

I found my perfect winter item in the form of Yokoo‘s Pom Pom headband.  Check Yokoo’s Etsy store for winter warmers like the oatmeal soopascarf and the numerous cowlneck scarves. I love the quirky images and I know that I will be finding it difficult to limit myself to just this headband.

Now if only it would get properly cold. I would be able to wrap myself in lots of chunky knits cosily.

Wide Eyed

I discovered this amazing website yesterday, a real treasure trove, full of delights especially so if you have to buy a present for a baby. Bianca and Family also restore furniture. Look at the beautiful school desks that were featured on Apartment Therapy.

The magnets above reminded me of a few things which I’ve seen that are as kitsch and I love. I went to Saigon earlier this year and spotted the selection of toys below.

Last week I went to see Walking In My Mind and was delighted to look into Yoshitomo Nara‘s student shack and his display of toys and dolls.

What I really want to get is these earrings from Les Nereides‘s diffusion line, N2 which are also available as a brooch and cute hair grips.

But if wearing kitsch is not for you, there is always decoration. This wallpaper from Nono fits the bill.

Or buy this beautiful tree designed by Millicent & Frank. Although I think it’s the little deers that complete the look.

ColouRING

I’ve been meaning to blog about these crayon rings for awhile now.  I found some time today to do so. They are designed by Timothy Liles a Boston based designer whose day job is with Converse.

These rings are cast in washable crayon and are sold as a set of 8 and available to buy onThe Future Perfect. Great for the sudden creativity attack and for making like a kid again and drawing on some walls.

All The Jazz

I have a confession to make. I am an apple snob. Always have been, always will be. I remember the horrid little apples that were always in the Children’s Day goodie bag. I used to give them away and I am thankful that I am never to see those awful Washington apples again.

The problem with apples that don’t quite make the mark is the powder-like texture. Crunchiness is crucial to deliciousness in apples.

Pink Lady apples were a favourite for awhile but are now in second place to the snazzily named Jazz apples. Initially only sold in Waitrose, Sainsbury’s now offer them with a 1/3 off promotion, which means these crunchy, juicy apples are now available at a friendly-to-the-pocket price. Both Jazz and Pink Lady varieties not only taste great but look very rosy.

With the temperatures rising and dropping, I have been eating quite a lot of apples. I’ve enjoyed biting into a Jazz apple when it’s sunny and finding a pot of Zuivelhoeve yoghurt with apple and cinnamon compote very heartwarming and soothing with temperatures have dropped. This yoghurt is so delicious that upon discovering it, I have appointed myself as an apple and cinnamon yoghurt evangelist.

When I think of quite ordinary fruits like apples and pears, I think of how simple and inspiring these fruits are in design. From the yellow apples on my black patent shoes to my Orla Kiely grey pear print duvet cover. I remember obsessing over a pear pendant that was sold on day-lab but they’ve stopped shipping internationally, I was unable to buy it. I looked at the site today again and found some other lovely apple and pear necklaces.

As a fan of wearing fruity jewellery, I admit that fruits as inspiration work best as kitchen products. I love Yoyo Ceramics‘ kitchen tidy. Sold as a pair of an apple and a pear, they are available in four colours and will brighten anyone’s kitchen or even dressing table.

Luckily for me, working for Orla Kiely means being surrounded by print. The pear print is a favourite and I often reach out for the green apples and pears mug to have my coffee in and it pleases me ever so much, each time.

Bright Like Neon Love

My love for neon comes and goes. No, what I want to say is my love for neon washes over me like a big wave and it simmers down. And then it comes back again.

My love for neon has been reignited by a recent trip to Primark and finding this neon plimsolls. Perhaps it was the recent post about jelly that reminded me of the joy in seeing neon colours on things.

Designers have dabbled with neon here and there. Influenced and inspired by highlighter pens there has been plenty of bright offerings over the seasons, usually around Spring/Summer seasons.  One of my favourite rings is a neon pink acrylic diamond by AMT.

I love Paul Smith‘s summer scarf offering in highlighter green, pink and yellow available from My Wardrobe. New York Magazine raved about  Michael Kors neon outfit on the runway but what caught my eye were the shoes. That neon toecap is very nice.

My favourite neon item is a folded purse from Orla Kiely which is completely sold out from a few seasons ago. I managed to get hold of the flat purse in the sample sale but will not rest until I find the oversized patent yellow leather folded purse with a kisslock coin section. Marc Jacobs seems to introduce neon bags on and off again.

Susie Bubble had a few months ago experimented with some neon pompom balls under a sheer dress. It looks amazing and a nice way to introduce some fluoro to jazz up (or should I say electro-fy) an outfit.

The choices are endless with neon. Whether you want a full on neon outfit (I have in my wardrobe an excellent neon yellow Hoss tank top and an asymmetrical neon pink top) or you just wanted to inject a little fluoro-power (accessories are great), there’s something out there. I quite like simple black dresses brightened up with neon tights.

And when you’re walking about have a listen to Cut Copy’s Bright Like Neon Love.

It’s in the Cards

One of my bestfriends is having her birthday party soon. The theme she has chosen is off Alice in Wonderland. She’ll be having a Madhatter’s Tea Party in Callooh Callay, a bar in Shoreditch so named as a nod to a Lewis Carroll poem. Naturally the design aspects of such a theme has been on the cards of late. I ffffound this Russian prison deck which led me to look for more in this direction. Playing cards have always fascinated. And for a long time they were the first thing to spring to mind when you heard the words “inflight entertainment”.  They provide the perfect canvas for designers to play around with and magicians love this easy-to-carry prop for demonstrating magic tricks. I wondered about playing cards in fashion…

I thought of Topshop’s AW08 Alice in Wonderland inspired collection which I thought was better on paper than in execution. I only came away with some heart print underwear which are cute but nothing out of the ordinary. I am surprised that although the suits make really easy prints for design, I’ve not actually seen much out there. Apart from hearts, the other suits have not really made it as a design for print. It is a bit of a shame really as you can see above clubs make quite a nice little alternative to flowers as a print. I met Elizabeth Lau in Paris a couple of years ago and was really pleased to see her name pop up in quite a few places recently. The amicable designer has a lovely approach with her use of love hearts in her quirky designs. This dress is a nice little example of what I was hoping to find when researching playing cards.

Accessories are the finishing touches, so I was pleased to find the handmade jewellery from Joolz found via this blog. The multi-strand pearl necklace is accented with butterlies made out of  vintage playing cards.