Wishlist

I'm really into dresses. Last summer I was into dresses too, but they had more of the sun dress vibe and I wore them exclusively with leggings. This year I'm feeling something a little more expensive, a little more detail, and I'm really into tights.

Every Sunday my mum buys an unmentionable newspaper for a) the crossword and b) the magazines inserts. I hate this fact, but I love their woman/fashion type magazine, it's always filled wiht gorgeous clothes with varying price tags from £12 shoes from Tesco to 'Price available upon request'. Here is my lastest wishlist from said magazine (which I wish to remain anonymous!)

The first dress I fell in love with is from next and at £48 it's great value for money.I never buy clothes from next for three reasons, their window display always seems a little sober for me; they are a little out of my price range (I have no income!) and the next near me is always full of women with prams. However, I would venture in just to try on this dress, it's gorgeous and would be a gret excuse to buy some shoes to go with it ;)

This is from Phase Eight £120. They have some amazingly beautiful dresses, I could buy so much from them! I fell for this one because of the pretty colour and the frou frou ruffles on th neck line, it really makes something of this otherwise simple dress.

This one I saw in the magazine some weeks ago and instantly wanted it, not just because it's beautiful and would really go with my colouring, but because it reminds me so much of an adorable dress I had when I was 5 and wore to my one and oly big childhood birthday party. I felt like a princess then and I'm sure I'd feel like one now if I slipped it on. This is again from Phase Eight, £89.

I used to have a problem with dresses and skirts. I come from a family with large thighs and bums, I'm slowly growing to love and dress for my genes, but I understand ladies with larger bottom havles may be wary of exposing this part of their bodies. However, I really believe anyone looks fabulous in a dress! It's all about trying things on and getting to know what looks right for your body. Oh and tights. Whack on a pair of tights and you instantly feel better about those legs. At least it works for me :)

Papercraft.

Ever heard of papercraft? I hadn't until we went to the Modern Art Museum in Munich. The silly thing is that I'd seen the products of papercraft before, but had never heard of the name, or even thought to find out more.

There was a wonderful set of photographs by Thomas Demand at the Tate Modern some years ago. My bf took me to see them especially, because he liked them so much. Although he had explained them to me before I can't have been paying very good attention because it took me at least 4 minutes of studying these photographs before I realised they were paper reconstructions of original photographs which Demand had then photographed himself. His work is fantastic, you should look him up and go to see his work at any opportunity.

This was my first real introduction to the art of making things from paper (apart from an early crafting experience with quilling), but it wasn't until I saw this book in the Pinakothek der Moderne that I had a real interest and sudden thirst for recreating life in paper.

Step 1 - Purchase this very expensive but luscious book

Step 2 - Read said volume

Step 3 - Become a world master of Papercraft

These were my initial thoughts, but the world of Papercraft is so huge that I don't stand a chance. Plus making things out of paper isn't going to get me very far. Although I might try entering the Guinness world record for number of papercuts sustained in 1 hour.

I did, however, purchase the book. It set me back £29.95 and that huge dent in my bank account has left me smiling. The volume is superb and I can't wait to finish studying every single page so I can become a veritable master in the world of papercraft.

Papercraft: Design and Art with Paper. Here are some of my favourite pages, apologies for the bad photography.

Have you seen any art or books that have inspired you recently? Tell me all about it, I love learning new things :)

If I could have one more dress it would be...

From New Look and I know it's bad, but it's been reduced to £18 and I am soooooo tempted to buy it!

EDIT:

Ok, so I bought it. And some floral pumps... they were both on sale and I'm a shopaholic. Plus when the weather gets prettier I am going to spend all my time in dresses. YAY!

However now I'm desperately wanting these two pairs of delightful shoes from Rocket Dog to go with all my dresses.

Snippet £24.99, Rocket Dog



Snippy £24.99, Rocket Dog

Argh, so much wanting, so little money!

Awaiting spring...

I didn't really get excited about spring/summer nudes until I went to the shops yesterday. It was a mistake and completley unplanned. I was supposed to be going to the cinema but I left it too late and it was packed with school kids so I hit the shopping centre instead. I hadn't intended to purchase anything except office stuff from the £1 store (which I also did) but I walked through Primark and saw a couple of lovely sun dresses, one in apricot and the other in charcoal. I picked them up, held them against me in the mirror and put them back. While walking to the exit I saw a gorgeous nude faux suede blazer, I immediately picked my size and went back for the charcoal dress. I looked for ages for a grey blazer to go with the apricot dress but to no avail so I picked a white dress and black blazer and headed for the changing room where I fell in love with the nude blazer and the charcoal dress and promptly purchased them to wear to my niece's confirmation next weekend.

Today I actually managed to get up early enough for the first Alice in Wonderland show of the day and stupidly went back into Primark where I purchased the apricot dress and a cute navy and pink floral dress. I also got an adorable mint and black polka dot top (which I'm wearing), a much needed nude coloured bra and a couple of camisoles (I hate wearing a top or dress with nothing underneath). Oh and a cute cream bag with gold detail.

My innocent cinema and errand trip turned into a miniature spending spree!

I walked through New Look to use their escalator and saw a gorgeous mint and cream lace dress and almost ran through the shop before anything else caught my eye. Now all my new purchases are awaiting better weather so I can dress up like peaches and cream. I've fallen in love with the pastels and nudes of the season and spent ages yesterday trawling the net for the perfect shoes to accompany said colour scheme.

I found them...

I honestly think I may have a spending problem.

Tomorrow morning I'm getting up early to go back into town with my mum who wants to see if she can find anything nice for next week. I think I might persuade her to buy me the cream version of the polka dot top. It's only £3 after all...

Vintage love.

So while trawling etsy for supplies and secretly looking for pretty things, I did a search for vintage suitcases. The only ones I've ever found in person have been particularly beaten up, stained or ripped. Oh, and grossly over priced to boot. On etsy I've found a haven for vintage luggage in surprisingly good condition, but most of it is from the states so the postage is through the roof.

Can I justify spending $77 on the most gorgeous piece of luggage I've ever seen in my life, when I really don't need it and seeing as it doesn't have wheels would have to lug around and because it's too big to carry on, I'd have to get it shrink wrapped everytime so it doesn't get damaged by bag throwers, thereby losing out on the joy of having beautiful luggage anyway?? Sure I can, it's gorgeous!!! But I don't have that kind of money, so I'm going to secretly hope no one else buys it and pray I win the lottery or something so I can buy it.

Well, enough with the wishing, here are some of my favourite picks from etsy...

Can you guess which is my dream case??

2010 Skiing and my love for Torino

I think I actually spent less time skiing this year than I did last year... can that be true? Maybe not. My skiing as definitely improved, but I think I'm still in need of lessons. Me and MrM decided we should start a skiing fund for our trip next year. I would love to buy some skis and boots, but lets face it, skis are expensive, so maybe I'll just get some really well fitting boots. The main aim of the fund is to be able to afford two weeks worth of ski lift passes, a few hours worth of lessons to turn us into wonders on the slopes and money for the weekends when we'll abandon the busy mountains for the glory of the chocolate city of Europe... Turin!

This means I'll be saving for a possible move to Turin, the big Japan trip in 2012, a car and skiing. I better get a well paid job sorted out eh?

I really do love Torino, I think a lot of it has to do with my love of the in-law's apartment there. It's indescribable, it's not huge, nor well fitted, but there is something about it that tugs on my heart strings. I just want to hug it and love it and look after it. Strange, I know, but the thought of actually moving there for a year makes my heart skip a beat! I'd be able to spend time and love making it ever so pretty... eep! Apart from the apartment love, Torino is full of beautiful buildings, amazing ice cream parlours (Ahem, GROM!), restaurants, coffee shops (Mulassano is my favourite), chocolate shops (Agiordano), Pasticcerias (Pfatisch), there are also an abundance of squares to be found hidden around unexpected corners and the largest outdoor market in Europe where great food is so cheap it makes me cry!

Unfortunately, I rarely take pictures of things like this, opting for more obscure things in order to try and make my pictures look more arty and *cough*pretentious*cough* pretty. So, without further ado, here are a few I took in Bardonecchia/Torino/Lyon :)

Some post piste snacks (there is sure to be a food theme here)


Giant chocolate squares!


Is Christmas lingering or is the owner of this lonely wreath too lazy to
retire it for the year?


Me and the bf and some random large cutlery outside Brek.


Mmmm, Pasticcini from Pfatisch.


Trust me, they didn't last long!


I couldn't resist this view from the apartment window.
It was so autumnal, the mist hung to the ground that night.


But the following day was glorious!


The bf and I commenced morning lounging in the sun.


This is the only picture I took in Lyon. The neighbours of my in-laws keep bees
and the garden was full of them everyday. Some of them were definitely drunk...
Tsk tsk Mister Bee!

Shoe Heaven

Well, I received my Melissa's after a few days of patiently waiting and getting excited every time the postman came and it was certainly worth the wait! I was going to create a sexy strip tease set of photos like I did for my IR boots, but I couldn't wait to get them on and I'm still in my trakkies so I wouldn't have made for a good photo.

Here is a pic I filched from google...


but it doesn't do them justice. They are amazing, the flocked finish doesn't look so great here, but it's lovely in real life. Also you can't smell them... they are bubblegum scented! They've actually filled the room with their wonderfully synthetic smell (I love plasticy smells) and although I'm still in the process of wearing them in, which has proved more difficult since I've been out of heels for a while, I'm totally in love with them!