Inspiration – Hand Job: A Catalog of Type
Posted on August 2, 2011
A little bit of inspiration today comes from a great book called Hand Job: A Catalog of Type by Michael Perry. If you’re interested in typography, especially hand-drawn type or even if you just like collecting pretty coffee table type books, I’d definitely recommend giving it a look. When I first saw it in the room of a graphic designer friend, I knew I had to own it myself! It’s full of some wonderfully crafted work and I find it inspiring. I’m not an artist, but it definitely inspires me to work harder on the artier areas that I sometimes dabble in and wish I was better at! Below are some photos of a few of the pages I love in the book.
I had to cut this post down because I could easily get carried away, there is an abundance of lovely, creative and sometimes amusing work in this book! Hopefully at least some of you will find this as inspiring and as interesting as I do, or at least nice to look at anyway.
31 Ways to Have an Amazing Summer
Posted on May 10, 2011
Inspired by summery lists from Gala and Rachael, I thought I’d do my own list of summer must-dos. They have both pretty much covered it all but here are the 30 things I think should happen for the best summer ever. When it’s really hot I get a bit moany but I really do love summer, it’s amazing what a bit of sun can do for your mood! It’s definitely starting to get a bit horribly humid in London but I’m positive for a good summer.
1. Take lots of photos.
I’m going to admit something here. I LOVE summer photos on film. They look so nostalgic and happy even if you took them last week and developed them today. However, whether film or digital, get out there with your camera and capture some fabulous memories. At the end of summer, slap them in a scrapbook or on your wall for material to pine over in the cold winter months when it feels like summer never existed.
2. Find a new favourite cocktail.
Last summer I really loved anything with apple vodka in or homemade strawberry daiquiris.
3. Embrace colour! Invest in some bright wedges.
A lot of my shoes tend to be black so it’s definitely time to break the habit and get some colourful shoes. I can’t walk in heels so thank goodness wedges are in! At £295, these Kurt Geiger wedges are way out of my price range but definite lusting material.
4. Go to Wimbledon.
Every year I want to go and end up just sitting indoors with a jug of pimms, tweeting about the tennis like a maniac. On the plus side, I am avoiding heatstroke but I’d love to get tickets to the semis or finals this year or even just go and get a ground pass and sit on Henman Hill drinking pimms all day.
5. Drink lots of pimms.
I think Pimms is just synonymous with summer and it’d be wrong not to really. This goes so well with number 4 too. When Wimbledon is on, it’s always Pimms o’clock.
6. Give your feet lots of TLC.
Cracked/dry feet ruin a nice pair of sandals. Start now with getting your feet as pretty as feet can be. Exfoliate, moisturise, GO FOR A FISH PEDICURE! Paint your toenails a nice summer colour and feel proud that your feet are acceptable. (If you can’t tell, I’m not a foot fan.)
7. Make a cracking summer playlist.
Every year I would make my friend Jasmin a summer mix CD or two for her car. She is car-less this year but this won’t stop me on putting some love and attention into creating a playlist of feel good tunes. Must-haves: Len – Steal My Sunshine, anything by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (a band MADE for the summer) & Will Smith – Summertime. You know it makes sense. CLASSICS.
8. Use every weekend as an excuse for a barbecue.
Invite friends and partake in a joyous meat and beerfest or keep it low-key and just have a lovely dinner with the family or close friends. I love a big BBQ as much as the next meateater, but the small ones we have at home with slightly more exciting food are just as nice. BBQ favourites: Tuna & asparagus (with some lovely buttery new potatoes and crusty bread), salmon, aubergine slices, homemade burgers (with cheese on the inside that oozes out).
9. Keep lots of tasty salads in the fridge.
I feel like it’s weird to say ‘hey, I LOVE SALAD’, especially as a chubber and because I always get this Simpson’s moment in my head. I find that I don’t like to eat as much in summer, especially not anything heavy and if it’s hot I will substitute lunch for one of those cheapo triangle ice lollies. To avoid this, I like to make a range of nomtastic salads to keep in the fridge in advance. Potato salad, waldorf salad. Nom nom. Or at least have some lettuce and peppers lying around to conjure one up quickly.
10. Take a day trip to the beach.
Every year me and my friends like to go to Brighton. Alright, it’s not a nice sandy beach but Brighton is a lovely little place to spend a warm, sunny day in and it’s always nice escaping London in Summer. I’d also love to go to St Ives, but I’d have to do that for #11.
11. Take a weekend excursion.
You know what’s better than a day trip? One that lasts the whole weekend. Or even a week! Whether you stay in the country or go for a city break abroad, use the sunny weather as an excuse to soak up some culture as well as the sun.
12. Go for evening walks.
If I had a lover, we would go for a romantic stroll on warm summer evenings. I don’t, so I will be taking my dog for evening walks instead. It’ll still be nice.
13. Get an incredible tan (and try to do it sensibly).
I’ll admit, I’m very irresponsible in the sun and will probably end up a wrinkly piece of leather when I’m 60. Since spotting some little moles on my arms I definitely never used to have, I have vowed to be a little more sensible in the sun and slap on suncream BEFORE I start burning, not after. Fingers crossed my legs tan this year. They always stay white and my top half goes very brown so I always look a bit silly.
14. Go to an outdoor concert/festival.
I reeeaaally wanted to go to Benicassim this year but unfortunately funds got in the way. This summer I will be going to see Kings of Leon in Hyde Park with my mum. I last saw them before they cut off their hair and bought out that shit ‘Sex on Fire’ so this time round will be…interesting. I’m also going to see Foo Fighters at the MK Bowl and I am SO SO SO EXCITED. Their new album is incredible. I’ve seen them live before and it was brilliant. I also LOVE Biffy & Tame Impala so all-in-all it’s set to be an amazing day.
15. Buy a crappy paddling pool, some water pistols from the pound shop and go wild.
Last year me and friend got this, maybe this year we will upgrade and get one it’s actually possible for a grown adult to sit inside. Hahaha. Honestly though, make like a child in summer. They know have to have fun! (Plus, we can have more fun by doing it pissed. Then stubbing our toe/cutting our leg open and realising it was possibly a bad idea.)
16. Do something different with your hair.
Get a haircut or dye it a new colour, just for summer. Last summer I went red, who knows what I’ll end up doing this summer. (yeah, I live life on the edge, bro.)
17. Wear fabulous sunglasses.
Not only do most people look quite cool in sunglasses, they also stop you getting retina burns/looking like a squinty twat. Unfortunately, I sat on and broke my (fake) Ray-Ban (Ray-Ben..I got them in China) aviators. I’m using some Topshop aviators at the moment but they aren’t full-rimmed or really reflective. I enjoy reflective sunglasses as they freak people out who are talking to you or even better, you get to see how vain people are and watch them posing in your glasses. Make sure to find a pair that suit you. I only really suit aviators!
18. Bake up a storm.
I see fruity tarts and cheesecakes ahead. Yummy.
19. Picnic!
I’m not going to lie, half of this list IS to do with food or booze. Bring little triangle sandwiches, cakes, salads, strawberries, lots of water and pimms. I do love picnics, despite constantly being on edge ready to run at the presense of wasps. I’ve been stung twice. It’s not fun.
20. Go to museums.
In particular, I want to see The Cult of Beauty exhibition at the V&A (and have a general walk around, I love the V&A) and visit the ones I haven’t been to in ages like the Natural History Museum.
21. Hula hoop.
It’s fun, it’s outdoorsy and if you use a weighted hoop you can tone your waist while you’re at it.
22. Go on a bike ride.
I fully intend to get lots of use out of my bike this summer and feel the ~breeze~ in my hair.
23. Take up a craft/DIY project.
Put on your summer playlist, open the doors/windows and do a little DIY project. I want to change a number of things with my room this summer and I’m going to start by taking apart my bed frame, taking it outside and spray-painting it white.
24. Have a ~summer romance.~
I feel like the phrase ‘summer romance’ conjures up mental images of trashy magazine stories of women who fall in love with Turkish bartenders, get married and then their life is ruined. You can go for that if you really want but I’d suggest finding someone more charming who will be fun for a few months.
25. Paint your nails bright weekly.
Or go one up and visit WAH! nails and get some awesome acrylics. Either way, if you are going to be handling lots of fabulous cocktails, flash some bright nails.
26. Invest in some shorts.
The fact that shorts are in lengths longer than arse this season pleases me greatly. This summer, shorts are the new skirt. (At least if your legs chafe. Which mine do. :() Plus they also spare you some dignity if a gust of wind happens to come along.
27. Watch the sunrise.
Stay up all night with people you love, snuggle up in blankets/sleeping bags/in a tent and feel completely peaceful as the summer sun rises.
28. Watch the sunset.
This one is easier to do and just as nice.
29. Be creative with your up-dos.
Ladies with long hair, don’t just tie it up! Plait it, braid it, create triple buns, top knots, side chignons. Makes me wish I had longer hair!
30. Blow bubbles.
You can get 9 bottles of bubbles from poundland. Bubbles are fun and look pretty floating away in the sunshine.
…31. Get a job.
Well, I’ve got to pay for all this shit somehow. Maybe this should be number 1.
Fingers crossed for good weather this summer so I can get some of this stuff done!
Images sources: 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 9 . 13 . 14 . 17 . 18 . 21 . 22 . 24 . 25 . 27 . 28. 29a . 29b .
Inspiration: Jamie Beck & arty gifs
Posted on April 11, 2011
Shit son. When I stumbled across these today, at first I just thought they were photos until I thought, ‘Whoa, did that just move?’ and realised these weren’t just some nice little images. These gifs really do capture moments in an extra-special way and I just find them utterly wonderful.
Gifs tend to have connotations of old-school flashing banners and buttons on ye olde internet and of video captures used for internet commenting and to post on tumblr. These show the potential of the gif as an art form and how great they can be when they are thought out and created to be a gif. They come from photographer Jamie Beck who runs a lovely little tumblr blog full of great photos and these beauties.
x
Peter Jensen A/W 2011 Lookbook Shoot
Posted on March 24, 2011
Posting an A/W collection feels wrong considering there have been a lovely few days of sunshine in Preston. (Consecutive days of sunshine in Preston are a rarity and something to celebrate.) However, these gorgeous photos of Peter Jensen’s A/W ’11 collection are too good not to share. The collection, inspired by Anna Karina, was shot by Autumn de Wilde in Hollywood and while Jensen’s retro aesthetic isn’t always one that appeals to me, I am in love with it here in these photos.
I’ve been missing taking photos as much as I used to and I think this may send me over the edge and get me back out there with my camera.
Anything catching your eye in this collection?
x
Style Inspiration: Charlotte Charles
Posted on March 17, 2011
So I know Pushing Daisies is not new but when I saw Season 1 for £6.49 on Amazon I just couldn’t resist buying it. It’s been so nice falling in love with this show all over again, I was gutted when it got cancelled. I know it’s ridiculously twee but I just love everything about it – the characters (Emerson Cod, knitting detective who loves pop-up books?!), the storylines, the dialogue, the set dressing and the clothing. In particular, I love Chuck’s style and all of her 50s/60s dresses plus I have such a massive girl crush on Anna Friel. It really makes me want to dress more vibrantly! Girl can sure work a headscarf too.
This peach dress is my fave!
“Give me your paws pooh!”
Vintage shops, ebay & etsy are your best bets to emulate Chuck’s style. I am happy just being completely in love with it!
Are you a fan of Pushing Daisies and Chuck’s style?
x
Spring Inspiration
Posted on March 2, 2011
Tumblr & weheartit make it so so easy to collect lots of visual inspiration, though unfortunately it often comes without credit (and having seen my own work floating around on weheartit without credit, I feel really bad for sharing this work creditless). If you know the credit of any of the images below (apart from the ones already linked), please let me know via email or in the comments.
I like to envision how I want things (experiences, seasons, days, my work) to be and creating mood boards and folders of inspiration always really helps. So, here’s what my inspiration for Spring is:
Some are about getting a more positive state of mind, some are aspirations and dreams, some are just stylish, some are things that inspire me for my work. Can you guess which is which?
Hope some of this inspires you as it does for me! Coming soon…the much more materialistic side, my spring wishlist!
x
February Playlist
Posted on February 22, 2011
A mix of recent and less recent songs getting me through February, which right now seems never-ending!
01. Adele – Turning Tables
02. Radiohead – Lotus Flower
03. Two Door Cinema Club – Something Good Can Work
04. Chase & Status – Blind Faith
05. Nero – You & Me
06. Miike Snow – Black & Blue
07. Radiohead – Codex
08. Metric – Help I’m Alive
09. Joshua Radin – I’d Rather Be With You
10. Adele – Someone Like You
11. Noah & The Whale – L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N
12. The Strokes – Under Cover of Darkness
13. Arcade Fire – Wake Up
21 and The King of Limbs are on repeat right now. Adele is just a dream and I shall always enjoy Radiohead!
