I made this! Fascinator 3

I've been at it again - here is another fascinator, here modelled by my gorgeous friend Claire. Beautiful, no?

The Joy of Charity Shops: Ornate table mirror

I spotted this little beauty - shown here reflecting my beloved wallpaper - in a charity shop in Croydon. I've wanted a table mirror for ages, and was about to get a new, souless (and knowing me, cheap) one, when this one caught my eye. £5.99? Yes please...

I'm back!

Apologies - i've been away from the blog for a while and have been lax in keeping it up; something that will not happen again in 2010, i promise.

There have been all sorts of flat-related woes: a leak from the flat above causing water to drip through to my lounge, a leaky roof in the bedroom causeing an unsightly damp patch, arguments with my management company regarding the upkeep of communal areas....argh! I'd started to forget how it can be nice to have your own place! Perhaps i should've shared via the blog, instead of weeping and convincing myself i'd bought a money pit (i've not, but i am prone to melodrama).

So new year, new start - and i plan to fall back in love with my pink door on the first floor again. Promise.

The Joy of Charity Shops: Marks and Spencer nautical-style jacket

I like to torment my boyfriend with the immortal words "Give me five minutes" whenever we pass a charity shop. He rolls his eyes, and says "I'll be outside/over there reading my Econimist/at the bus stop" and I run in a little wild eyed looking for the amazing bounty that I'm convinced lies undiscovered.

This weekend, I said my line (The Boy opted for waiting at the bus stop), and found this beauty; a very 1980's looking black boxy nautical jacket from Mark and Spencer. It's a bit Lady Di, but I can live with that. It's 100% wool, in amazing condition and sporting some lovely brass buttons. I'm thinking of a skinny jeans and jacket combo, or with my tiered mini skirt, or over a cute jumper dress....all these possiblities, and priced at the £6. Bargainous.

I made this! Fascinator 2

I made another one - i recycled an old alice band, and used the left over feathers from my first 'creation' and some pearl beads i had been meaning to use for years. The result is...a little fashion forward.

I mean, as gorgeous as it is, where the hell am i going to wear it to?!

I made this! Fascinators

I've always had thoughts about designing hats and fascinators. This week, i decided to stop thinking and start doing. So, i took a trip to Barnett Lawson - an excellent haberdashery supplier on Little Portland Street (http://www.bltrimmings.com/).

Not only do they have anything you could want to do any crafting and designing (I was like a kid in a sweet shop - decided i really didn't need the maribou boa..), but they were also very helpful for novices like me; i was given advice and was patiently talked through the basics for how to make a simple fascinator. Also, which i really appreciated, was the advice:  "on the first visit, customers should just look, take it all in and then come back and get started at their own pace". And that's exactly what i did.

I came home armed with the simple components - alice band, fascinator base, veiling, some feathers...

I found a little bit of scrap fabric to add a little colour...et voila:

The Boy's verdict? "You bought this, no?" Even he was impressed - though i had to explain what a Fascinator was...

I made this! Knit-tastic.

Knitting is all the rage at the moment. There's a fashion for the 'Make Do and Mend' ethic which i commend, but do feel it will be soon forgotten and a new fad will be embraced. That being said, i love the it, and it's not just a money thing, it's the creativity and the pride in making something by hand, myself.

And so, here's my first finished knit project - and i don't think it's so bad! I knitted a long scarf, and attached a bobble fringe to finish it off. I'm pretty chuffed with it. What to knit next....

For the bobble trim, i went to the fantastic Barnett Lawson  - an Aladin's cave of buttons, trimmings, ribbon...the works. Be warned - you won't leave empty handed. http://www.bltrimmings.com/