I made this! Double layer stone necklace

I'd been lacking inspiration and hadn't made anything new for a while, but I'm glad to say I seem to have got over my 'designer's block' and have come up with this little beauty.

I see all the jewellery that I make as 'prototypes' as I'm pretty much making it up as i go along and learning on the way. This one is the most technically difficult I've made and I already know how I could make the next one better. But, for a first effort in this style, I'm pretty chuffed.

It's ready for it's debut, worn with a white shirt I think.

"Very nice necklace, no?"  the Boy said. Result.

Update - Inside the 50p Building

Checking out the views from the 21st floor

A while back I blogged about one of my favourite London buildings No. 1 Croydon, otherwise known as the 50p Building. It's a one that divides opinion; you either love or hate it.

Well I love it, so when I read that it would be open to the public as part of Open House London I jumped at the chance to get inside and check out the views.

A bit about Open House London; for one weekend each year, Open-City (a not for profit architectural organisation) works with hundreds of buildings across London to see them open their doors to the public for free. A huge range of buildings are open to view; there are contemporary office blocks, London landmarks, private homes, schools, courts, hotels and palaces....the list can be viewed here. Last year i went to a windmill. In Croydon. It can't get more random than that.

So yesterday me and The Boy visited the 50p Building. They had opened up the 21st floor as a viewing gallery and also the location for a consultation on the development of the area around East Croydon Rail station (hopefully I'll blog on that at a later date). It was a perfect day for it - clear and sunny so the views were amazing. You could see as far as Wembley Arch and Canary Wharf. It's at times like this that I wish I had a better camera....

That's Canary Wharf in the distance...honest.

I love this picture too. Suburb-tastic or what?

Looking East from 50p building towards my street.

If you get the chance, get out today and discover a building in your area. Otherwise, get a date in the diary for next years event.

Reykjavik

Reykjavik was amazing. Me and the boy had 3 days there which was just the right time to enjoy the city, the people and the beautiful, if strangely alien landscape; flat and sparse, hot geothermal pools and cool weather (14 degrees Celsius is the high in summer), volcanic and yet calm.

For a look at the raw beauty of Reykjavik, the boy's blog provides a much better report (and pictures), but for me, the surprise highlight was the architecture. Reykjavik really came into it's own post WWII when there was a mass exodus of people from the countryside and outer areas, and the city began to develop into the metropolitan hub it is today. This means that the overall look is incredibly modern - in London I'm used to historic buildings and architecture spanning centuries rather than just a few decades. Reykjavik was therefore an eye opener to how a city could look if it started 'from scratch'.

Hallgrimskirja

This is Hallgrimskirja - a Lutheran church  - and now one of my favourite buildings ever. I can't say I'm normally that bothered about churches, but this blew me away.

Architectural detail from Hallgrimskirja

We also visited a power station that generates enough electricity and geothermal energy to power the whole of Reykjavik. But I was more interested in the steel and glass viewing gallery and the giant wooden staircase.

Hellisheidi geothermal power plant

Viewing gallery in Hellisheidi 

Amazing staircase in Hellisheidi

Of course, as with all other city breaks, we enjoyed the usual 'sightsee-break for a coffee-food, sightsee-break for a coffee-food' routine, and Reykjavik didn't disappoint on that either.

Open art/graffiti space in downtown Reykjavik 

The Boy doing what he does best

Icelandic Skyr dessert and tea

Overall, a great trip. I'd most definitely recommend a visit.

These boots aren't made for walking

I was only saying in my last post that I much prefer flats to high heels, when I remembered a pair of heels that I have languishing in the bottom of my wardrobe.

I remember seeing them on the Topshop website a couple of years ago, and falling in love. A little racy and fetishy, and edgy (well, for me anyway). At £65 I decided they were too expensive when I don't need yet another pair of shoes...but at £30 in the sale, I decided that I did indeed want - no need them, and so they were mine.

Isn't it funny how a pair of four inch stiletto heels feel comfortable when you try them on in a shop? And how the straps don't pinch when you are delirious with feverish sales panic? And how you proclaim 'I can walk in these easily' as you balance on the carpet of the shop floor and take in your reflection in the magic 'make me thinner' mirrors? Truly amazing.

Obviously, when I come home to sunny Croydonia I inevitably realise the error of my ways. Unfortunately on this occasion, I wore the buggers out to a party, and after developing cramp before I got off the train, I knew they were never to see the light of day again (and I couldn't even take them back to the shop because I'd worn them outside. Stupid girl!).

So at the bottom of the wardrobe they lay, until 'rescued' by The Boy. He had an idea for a shoot - needed a model wearing very high sexy heels....."just a legs shot - no body or face so you'll be fine". Cheers babes.

I think I have found their reason d'etre - to look moody, sexy and wanton, but not to actually be walked in.

Sartorial Saviours

I recently completed a 4 week secondement position at a very interesting office. When i was enquiring about the role, I asked the usual questions about what the job would involve, and who I'd be working with...but also I asked 'What's the dress code?'

Now, in my day-to-day job, I am lucky enough not have a dress code (or at least not one that I pay any attention to, and no attention is made to me ignoring it), but this new place was different, and I imagine, much like most regular offices with a dress code of 'business wear'.

Despite often rocking up to my regular workplace in jeans and a pair of Converse, on closer inspection of my wardrobe, I realised I actually had a few things that would work with the code; smart black trousers, white shirt, pencil skirt...and for a few days, exiting and entering Westminster Tube, I looked the part. But I didn't look like me. So, I started to get a little creative - who said business wear needed to be boring?

I realised I had a few great items, often worn casually that, which with a bit of imagination could work within the new restrictions - my sartorial saviours....

This is my amazing blazer; cropped sleeves, draped collar and a relaxed but smart fit. I used it to in place of a standard suit jacket. Much more interesting.

My sequinned cardigan - a vintage shop find. No one said I couldn't wear sequins as part of 'business wear'...they are subtle, I promise.

The red shoes - love these - they make me smile.

I love silk scarves - my collection started with one lovely find in a charity shop. Now I have so many it's silly.

Belts - I have so many of these too, mainly from charity shops; really useful for making a typical 'office' outfit a bit more personalised.

Black ballet pumps - love the idea of high heels, but generally can't be arsed wearing them. And I can't run for my train in heels.

I admit, there were mistakes too - the dress that was too short...way too short...ah, well.

So, by my last day, I felt much better doing the 'smart thing'. Just another day in the office...

I made this! Leopard print tunic dress

Amazingly, I've completed the dress I started on my clothes making course....and here it is...

I'm really pleased with it, not bad for a first attempt, don't you think? I've already signed up for the next semester and have a pattern for a dress that is, admittedly, a lot harder than this one, which was relatively 'easy'.

Nice no?

The 50p Building

In stark contrast to the type of building I blogged about last time, the 50p Building (or to us it's official name 'No.1 Croydon'), is a bold 1970's skyscraper style building at the heart of Croydon. And, despite my love of Victorian, Regency and other traditional and classically beautiful styles of architecture, the 50p Building is one of my favourite landmarks.

I'm probably causing some controversy here, as it has been voted one of Britain's worst architectural eyesores, but thousands of people can be wrong. 

A little history for you: No.1 Croydon (formerly the Noble Lowndes Annuities or NLA Tower) sits right at the centre of Croydon, opposite East Croydon train station. It was designed by R. Seifert & Partners and completed in 1970. It has 24 stories and at 269 feet (82 m) high is Britain's 88th tallest tower. If someone was to convert this into flats, I'd be first in the queue (can you imagine? A lift at the centre, leading to each of the pentagon shaped flats? Genius.) Unfortunately, it is actually office space occupied by AIG (their UK headquarters), Directline Holidays, Pegasus and other companies.

The building was refurbished in 2007 including a cleaning of the exterior to rid the smog caused greyness and reveal a gleaming white. As it gets dark, it takes on a new feel - a multicoloured light display illuminates the building as people make their way home or are going out on the tiles.

And why do I like it so much? Ugly? Well, kinda - but it depends how you look at it. You can imagine this being the sign of the 'up-and coming commuter town', towering over the Borough. A time when a concrete tower was state of the art and an exciting sign of modernity. I love that, as it's nickname suggests, it really does look like a stack of 50p's left by a giant. It's a unique design, love it or hate it. I like seeing it on the horizon as I commute back from work, so I know I'm nearly home.

Whilst I do love the Gherkin, Battersea Power Station, and of course, the Eye, I'm happy for those to be everyone's favourites of landmarks of London, whilst the 50p building, is just one of mine.

(many thanks to the Wikipedia entry that educated me so much about this great building)