Wednesday, 4 January 2012

new year new colour!


This is my new (old) hair colour at a new years house party, I don't usually wear much purple but I like how it contrasts with the orangey red it was inspired by the little mermaid character Ariel, crossed with Pokahontas (because of all the feathers), you can't see very well here but the flowery headdress was one that I made and is in a half coronet style that wraps round the back of my head.  

here some other more beautiful feathery, colourful and adorned ladies!












Christmas, new year,and Monster high!



I wanted to use this opportunity to publish some of my more recent festive pictures.  This year was the first Christmas that we had in our basement flat, and I loved getting all caught up in the magic of decorating.

Most of the decorations we managed to buy at cost-price, second hand or were hand made!  It suprised me how many people who came over during this seasonal period who commented on our paperchains, it seems that these are one particular part of Christmas that people are neglecting in favour of the more expensive commercial decs.  Not so here! I think that we should all begin a paperchain craze and bring them back, after all they are so cheap and easy to make.  all you need is a bit of glue and coloured paper cut into strips.



the nutcracker decoration and sparkly purple trees I got from the pound shop!
here are a few of the festive photos above.

Christmas to me is also a time more about cooking and making things and getting together with family, so a couple of notable food items that were included on our menu was the Stollen, a German Christmas cake filled with a "sausage" of marzipan.  Mine had a slightly British twist as I couldn't resist decorating it slightly, so in the end it had a Merry Christmas, wreath and Sparkly tree atop.  The cake is supposed to represent the baby Jesus (as far as I know), although mine ended up rather more like a snow covered log!

the second was the trifle that I made, I didn't include any cake-ey or biscuit element into this one as certain individuals who would be consuming it are not keen!




these art deco plates are my pride and joy, brought at an auction.

Monster High, is a series of cartoons and dolls etc from Mattel who make Barbie.  The background is that they are a group of alternatively fashionable emo/goth types who are the children of famous monsters who are all in attendance at a High school called monster High.  To begin with I saw these dolls about a year ago and pined for one, eventually I brought myself a Frankie Stein doll, I later aqcuire a Ghoulia Yelps, now I am completely obsessed with them! I love their different looks and and kooky accessories.  So basically everyone was hassling me about what gift I would like for Chrimbo, and honestly both Sea monkeys and anything Monster High related was what I asked for.

I can now say I feel like a very lucky girl as I received BOTH of these!  the sea monkeys are amazing and are doing well, hatched about 3 days now.  The new Monster high doll to join the collection is new one to the gang Spectra Vondergeist!

sea monkeys, freshly purified water but in an unhatched state

Frankie Stein

Ghoulia yelps this sadly isn't one of my photos although I wish it were.
Finally the new addition Spectra Vondergeist!


Thursday, 15 December 2011

the fashionable Halloween ghosts!


this was in a changing room in a charity shop i went into recently!

winter whimsy

So far this winter Its been jam-packed with things so unfortunately although I have not had too much time at my disposal to blog, I have been busy photographing interesting things and working on a couple of new drawing/painting ideas.  The next things to do are the Christmas decorations! I have made a few, but I would like for the house to be festooned with bejewelled amazing sparkly things!

this dress is the epitome of a christmas princess!


me with a christmas fairy!

the electric forest

http://www.theelectricforest.co.uk/Electric_forest/Welcome.html











also it is now the season of Christmas lights and decorations up and about in public, oh how I wish they could be there year-round to cheer us up on those sometimes more gloomier of days! 

Wednesday, 9 November 2011

Anna Calvi, Submarine, Cambridge and Christmas shopping

















Anna Calvi is the amazing female singer songwriter pictured here whose stunning self-titled album I brought today today whilst on a Christmas shopping trip to Cambridge after just the initial listening I'm completely hooked she's so dark, brooding and yet sincere. The track first we kiss is hypnotic and rythmic, her music is Patti Smithesque combined with more melodic sweeping soundscape arrangements and whispered wails and laments, she also reminds me of a Mysterious David Lynch Heroine/leading lady, and pheonix love child from Diamanda Galas and Nick Cave!  Amazing I shall definitely be listening to this combined with Florence's new album Ceremonials, another epic strong woman fond of strong contrasting colours and not afraid to make a statement!



the official video for "Suzanne and I"






This is Breakdown from the new album ceremonials performed live on the jools holland show


This is a still from the film Submarine (2010).  This was a bargain just £5 on DVD from Fopp, it is a an Indy film I have been wanting to see for ages adapted from the Joe Dunthorne book of the same title. It is about a daring pyromaniac-al girl and an anxiety ridden love-lorn boy. Both of whom are lost and find each other mutually important at that time yet also destructive, they are both struggling to come to terms with relationships, whether through traditional family roles e.g. parents or boyfriends.

It is a really interesting film, that is shot beautifully for anyone who likes a wistful, coming-of-age darkly comic drama!





Tuesday, 8 November 2011

more amazing fungi and autumnal photographs


Slowly I'm realising that this blog is beginning to evolve into more of an art and photography blog which I am really happy about at the moment as I have found some wonderful opportunities recently to take some great shots of all of the wild fungi that seems to have almost magically popped up everywhere!

If anyone can identify them that would be great!

all of the photos are taken in Suffolk, England during these past few months. (Sept-Nov)

I started to take photographs more as inspiration for paintings and drawings, however these photos are inspiring me to create a much more dimensional piece involving textile practices and mixed media, I will keep you posted!

Recently I have been busy crocheting, particularly since the clocks have changed and now its so dark in the evenings.  The amigurumi Japanese style of crocheting little cute creatures and monsters is what I am aiming for in the next couple of months, hopefully to make something for Xmas presents for various folks........

when I get a little more organised I shall photograph some of what I've been creating but for now here are some photos and links to some fascinating crochet and textile arts sites that I love. 


this is a great site for knitted inspiration and cute photos of one couples amazing day!

beards, craft and art what more could you want!

gorgeous handmade slightly gothic looking dolls

fruit and veg all crocheted to fill that wool hunger