top drawer London, Sept '12

On Monday I visited Top Drawer "The UK's leading event for design-led gifts, lifestyle &; fashion accessories" with my mum, Joy Everley ( her website , her blog page ). We were not there to trade, just to have a wander about and explore! I haven't been to a trade-show since I was a pre-teen but I remember my mum doing them loads when I was little and coming home with exciting presents.

Our passes and the business card of a guy with the sweetest name!

I am so glad that most traders don't let you buy retail at the show as there was SO much temptation! So in no particular order, here is some stuff that I saw and liked!

1. This Gatsby poster

http://www.spinelessclassics.com/

These were just great. All of the words from a variety of books and fairytales presented on posters and cards. I saw something similar in the restaurant of The Victoria, Holkham, where they have a large portrait of Queen Victoria where the image is made up of the words of her biography in teeny tiny handwriting - amazing!

2. These jewellery cases

http://madelcar.es

I adored these classic jewellery cases which we may be stocking this Christmas so keep a look out!

3. Maggie Angus' Gold Flapper

www.maggieangus.com

I finally read The Great Gatsby a couple of weeks ago (I had to get in there before the new film taints it for me forever) so now I am a little bit obsessed with all things Gatsby. Maggie Angus had a variety of cute designs in laser-cut perspex but the gold flapper dancer is my absolute favourite!

4. Bianca Jones' Postcards

www.biancajones.co.uk

Bianca Jones is actually a jeweller who makes lovely romantic pieces in sterling silver but what drew me to her stand were these gorgeous postcards which she has also designed. Many of her necklaces come packaged in a similar envelope-style cards and the overall effect is a perfect balance of nostalgia and style.

5. This iPad case (but in red)

www.byronandbrown.co.uk

This was probably my biggest temptation of the day. I have been searching for a while for a genuine leather iPad case in a nice soft, thin leather - just enough to protect the screen from scratches without adding a massive amount of weight to it. Most things I've seen are made with quite heavy leather and bold stitching but these were just nice and simple. 

6. This great big cuff

www.azuni.co.uk

We had a nice long chat with the gentleman at the Azuni stand while I couldn't help picking up and touching all of these great bold textured pieces.

7. The adorable Zoo in Box

wwww.talesfromtheearth.com

The picture doesn't really show how tiny these silver animals are, any of them would look dwarfed by being placed next to a penny! Each animal represents different family qualities and I supposed it would make a lovely baby gift for the baby to appreciate when they are older. I have just always loved miniature worlds (doll's houses etc.) so I obviously loved this.

8. Best postcards ever

http://another-studio.com/

It's a postcard. You open it and it becomes a living garden. It's my fascination with miniature worlds again. And there is a whole variety of different scenes that would be cute as postcards on their own but become magical by adding life to them including little woodland cottages with tiny card children dashing towards the forest of watercress!

9. These tagua nut animals

www.justtrade.co.uk

Unfortunately the website doesn't have pictures of my favourite pieces - little round white animals that have a sheen to them as though they were carved from polished ivory - but this little owl is made from the same material, the tagua nut! I had never heard of this nut before but it really does have a similar quality to ivory without the ethical issues and this company overall has very good ethical credentials being fair trade and supporting local communities.

10. This incredible furniture

www.starbay.com

I cannot even begin to explain how and why this furniture is so awesome. Just click the link. We may be using one of their dressing tables in a window display soon...

That's all!

xxx

New Cases!

As summer draws to a close I am getting back to work in earnest. Well, I say that, but I've started with the fun stuff - new cases!

I really enjoy hunting around junk shops to find nice old cases that are both suitably vintage and relatively cheap. The Stables Market in Camden Lock is where I ended up finding all three of my current collection.

The first is a lady's jewellery case, apparently 1920s, in racing green.

The second is a gentleman's grooming case with all sorts of attachments presumably for colognes and cufflinks etc. but to be honest I can't figure out what most of the compartments are for so if anyone knows anything about these things I would be grateful.

The third appears to be a doctor's case, apparently 1920s again, with original glass bottles and thermometers and things.

 Voilá!

More to come!

xxx

Latitude 2012

I haven't posted in ages as been in the library for most of the year so far but now I am more or less free! I have just received the prints back from the disposable camera I took at Latitude Festival this year so I thought I would share a few...

The Painted House

In the Faraway Forest was, well, lots of exciting stuff to be honest! The thing I least expected had to be the Norwich and Norfolk Medieval Association who were in full costume and giving demonstrations of medieval music, armour, candle-making etc. The most magical part of the Faraway Forest had to be the Painted House, an immersive installation by Imogen Eveson and Samara Tompsett, inspired by the boudoir of Marie Antoinette. This became the fashion-hub of the festival with various workshops and dressing up with Rag and Bow Vintage!

Just Married

I really hope that Latitude Festival was their honeymoon...

Theme Park

The picture is terrible but I was glad to catch Theme Park at the lake stage.

For a better look, check out 'Milk' here:

One of the many theatre performances that take place all over the festival site. I have no idea what this was, I was just passing by, but it looked pretty good!

Back into the Faraway Forest 'searching for Boudica', an audio installation by Art Assembly. I am not sure if we found her, we kept getting distracted by all the other stuff that was going on.

The Kid's Area

I don't want to sound weird or anything, but seriously, the Kid's Area is probably the best part of Latitude. If it wasn't creepy for me to hang out in there I would be there half the time I was at Latitude! They have the best workshops and games, including wand-carving - geek attack!

View from the top of the Helter Skelter

 I may have gone into the Kid's Area to go on the Helter Skelter - I couldn't resist.

The inflatable lighthouse

Rock-balancing

Can't wait til next year!

xxx

In FHM - On Emily Atack!

As in my gilded spider ring is in FHM (April 2012) on the finger of Emily Atack "She's Tv's sexiest girl - and here's the proof"!

I have basically given up on blogging at the moment because my dissertation is genuinely making me feel genuinely ill but I was pretty excited to see my ring on the cover of FHM so I'm going to share a few pictures. And much thanks goes to the stylist Hayley Forester for picking the ring!

Front cover! Whoop!

And here is a clearer image of the ring. Sterling silver with gold plated body, clutching a black diamond and with teeny little diamond eyes!

I do find the poses for the editorial quite funny: Here's Emily sitting on some stairs wearing trainers, a denim jacket but no trousers! Now she is standing in the livingroom...Now she's hugging a giant bear wearing even less! Blowing bubbles in the kitchen, lying on the floor eating fruit, reading a book in the denim and trainers ensemble, back in the kitchen wearing suspenders and drinking milk from the carton!

And finally stretching her hamstring on a radiator! Bizarre.

Though this final one does have a brilliantly clear shot of the ring!

There is also a pendant version.

All available from here.

Lad's mags are so silly!

I'll be back when I have written 11,000 words.

xxx

Kitten Goes to the Manchester Museum

Ok it's pretty much official now. I only seem to be able to post every 8 days. Ridiculous.

Anyway this is what was working on last week. I handed it in yesterday so hopefully I won't be done for self-plagiarism but if some Important University Person is reading this... I am just posting some work that I already handed in!

Also I owe an awful lot to two books in particular so I want to post links to them to make sure they get the credit they deserve:
1. Ottoline at the British Museum by Sally Craddock

2. Ancient Faces: Mummy Portraits from Roman Egypt

All drawings are my own, photographs are my own or taken from 'Ancient Faces' (or other publications cited in the bibliography). I have not requested permission to use the images I do not own but have used them purely for research and will taken them down if required.

Ok, on with the project!

Having been given the assignment ‘How can we reconstruct the lives of ancient people using papyri?’ I have opted to create a book designed to appeal to a younger audience. This is in keeping with the aims of the forthcoming exhibition at John Rylands Library Deansgate to make the artifacts featured in ‘Kitten Goes to the Manchester Museum’ more accessible.

The End.

xxx

(I will do a separate post, perhaps on Friday, with the full bibliog because there's no room here and also some pictures I took behind the scenes at the Museum!)