...is back in business!

So as promised in my last post there have been a few developments (aside from getting a new job and moving house.)  Well now all exchanges have been made I am very pleased to announce that I am the brand new owner of Spinster's Emporium!!

For those who don't know Spinster's Emporium is an online shop selling vintage haberdashery and craft items.  I won't do a whole sales speech about how wonderful it all is but feel free to have a perusal of the website.

"So how did this amazing event occur?" I hear you ask. Well a few years ago I was an intern at Spinsters and was offered a more permanent position but the timing just wasn't right.  So after eight months I left to have a go at my own projects.  Then a few months ago Donna (the creator of Spinster's Emporium) told me that she wanted to sell the business and move on to new things (she'll soon be a fashion lecturer in Vietnam!) Several internet conversations later I decided to buy it (with help from the Mummy and the Daddy) and the rest is history.

Last weekend I collected everything, most of which is in my parents house, with the necessary stuff squeezed into my flat.  I'm on the look out for studio/storage space in the West Midlands if anyone has any suggestions?

I need to say a massive THANK YOU to all the people who have helped me so far (physical, financial and emotional.) It will all be worth it :)

I've got lots of plans and ideas which I'll be putting into action over the next few months so I'll keep you all posted.
For the time being could you all be wonderful and like the Facebook page and follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.  Most of the posts will involve sharing pretty pictures and the occasional event/competition.

Cheers m'dears!
xxx

...has some explaining to do.

So there have been a few changes over the past month and I've lost track of who knows what.  I've fallen into the bad habit of assuming everyone knows what's going on in my life because I'm on Facebook even if I don't actually post anything!

So here goes...

After spending three unemployed months in London with Mr.D I finally got offered a job (like a proper job!) as an art technician at King Edward VI College in Stourbridge in the West Midlands.  Just to clarify London is not in the West Midlands (I did have to explain this to more than one person.)

As I would be only working part time commuting from London wasn't really financially possible which meant that I had to find somewhere to live, find someone to move into my room in London and actually move in the space of about three weeks.  Things move pretty quickly in London so filling my room wasn't too much of a problem.  However in the rest of the country things are a little slower to the point where I had packed all my belongings into a van and was driving up to Stourbridge with no guarantee that I would actually have anywhere to live.  After much stress and a few tears everything worked out just fine.  I won't fill you in on the grizzly details but lets just say letting agents aren't the easiest people to work with.  I will give credit to a man named Richard who was very patient and calm when I was clearly about to lose it.

So here I am!  I've been at work for two weeks and I haven't broken anything which is a good sign.  I'm gradually fitting everything in my flat although I'm in desperate need of some shelves and I haven't quite got the cigarette smell out of the carpets (I get the impression the previous occupant was big on cleaning or opening windows.)

A walk in wardrobe! Mr.D had to lower the rail by about two feet.  I can only assume it was originally put up by a giant.

The pretty rolling pin was a house warming gift from Bethan.

The only major downside to all of this is that Mr.D had to stay in London :(  It's not a perfect situation but it's not forever so I'm sure one day we will be living together again with amazing jobs that pay us lots of money, and a dog.

There is another very exciting project in the pipe line but I will have to fill you in when it's all confirmed. Watch this space!

xxx

...loves a good video

Just wanted to share this video of my friend Jake of Draw Brighton.  He's a very talented chap.  Also my friend Laura of Illustryous is one of the models.  



Jake Spicer - Draw, Brighton from nicdejesus on Vimeo.

xxx

...actually finishes something!

So I am a world class procrastinator.  It takes a long time for me to get projects started and even longer to finish them, but miracles do happen!  The fact I've finished something in the same year I started it is definitely worthy of a blog post.

It all started with an article in Mollie Makes...

A round cushion, crochet one side, fabric the other and a button in the middle.  Nice and simple...well sort of.

I started the project when I was still living in Brighton.  My friend Kerry and I (check out her blog here!) had been teaching ourselves to crochet granny squares and this seemed like a doable next step.  Apart from getting my single and double crochet stitches mixed up, this part was fairly easy.  However the next stage was a little more complicated and the instructions didn't really help.  Cut a circle of fabric slightly bigger than your crochet circle, stitch together, stuff and sew the button in the middle.

My main problem was that my crochet circle wasn't flat...

After choosing my fabric and doing a fair amount of thinking (a very important part of crafting) I decided the best way was to cut the fabric and stitch it into a shallow cone shape to mimic the crocheted bit.  After some trial and error (another important part of crafting) I found a form that seemed to work.  So I stuffed it, stitched some lovely vintage buttons in the middle and well, I had a cushion.  Yay!

Skills!

In other news, spring has apparently sprung, Mr.D has had his appendix out and on Saturday we went to World Pillow Fight Day in Trafalgar Square (I took photos on my manual camera so watch this space for some photos soon!)

xxx

...makes the most of not being snowed in like everyone else.

So last week when everyone else was complaining about the snow, Mr. D and I took advantage of London's less arctic weather by a long walk to Morden Hall. Its a National Trust property in south London (Last stop on the Northern Line.) Google maps told us it would be about an hours walk so we thought a bit of exercise and a cup of tea in Morden Hall cafe would be just right. We even made ourselves a packed lunch to save some pennies!
Our journey took us through many south London high streets all of which appeared to be filled solely with hairdressers and takeaways. Although there were a few clever takeaway based puns...

I also like this classic launderette sign...

We popped into a charity shop where we found this cutie hidden at the back...

I wanted to steal him but Mr. D convinced me not to.  He did look rather cosy.

We eventually made it to Morden Hall Park where after a quick wander round we realised everything was closed or closing.  So we sat and ate our lunch like good day trippers and then decided to take the train home.

We had the unusual experience of being on an empty underground train.  It was weird. I had the urge to run from one end to the other in childlike giddiness.

On our way back we stopped off at Tooting Broadway to go to a rare find in south England...

Yes, Wilkos!  After living in Brighton for six months where Wilkinsons has never been heard of, finding one so near to home is an absolute joy. Where else can you buy novelty stationary, miniature chandeliers, bicycle inner tubes and demi-johns all under one roof! 

That evening we did a bit of experimental cooking vaguely based on a recipe I found with a twist of our own. Mini polenta pizzas with bacon, spinach and tomatoes...

Nom!

xxx

...is spending too much time on the internet.

So I've had one of those weeks where I can't really remember what I've done although I do remember getting to friday and feeling I'd achieved something.  I did do some rather lovely things at the weekend like celebrating my grand father's 91st birthday, watching the rugby (well done Wales), and eating an epic cantonese buffet.  However I failed to document any of this with photos and as I'm one of those people who looks at blogs with pictures, I'm not going to write about any of that.  Instead I thought I'd try doing that thing that lots of other bloggers like to do of posting random stuff I found on t'interweb.

So here goes...

First off I've been looking at the work of illustrator Robert Samuel Hanson who designed the latest cover for Creative Review magazine.

Image courtesy of Creative Review

I really like his clean, colourful style and clever use of composition.

Image courtesy of Robert Samuel Hanson

I would very much like my own house one day simply so that I could cover every wall with wallpaper designed by Miss Print. This is my favourite...

Image courtesy of Miss Print

Also if anyone fancies buying me a random gift then this would be perfect...

Image courtesy of Paul Celentano

...because who doesn't want a ukulele shaped like a snail, or a shark, or a jar of gerkins?! (no really.) Thanks Celentano Woodworks.

In other news, Happy Birthday Daddy!

xxx

...can't think of a good title that involves Mother's Day and Marmite.

Post number 2 of 2013!  Go me!  And I've done some creative stuff too.  Mother if you're reading this and haven't opened your Mother's Day present yet, turn off the ipad and open it.
Every year I make my Mum a card for Mother's Day and its always a challenge coming up with new ideas.  This time I was inspired by one of my Mum's favourite things, Marmite.  On a recent trip to Selfridges Food Hall I discovered this...

Image courtesy of Selfridges.com

No Noise Marmite. Follow the link to read the blurb but basically Selfridges have taken some well known brands and removed all the writing to celebrate "the power of quiet in a world bombarded with information and stimulation."  As Mum keeps all the limited edition Marmite jars it seemed like the perfect gift, and to go with it a specially designed card made by me!
I just have to explain first of all that my siblings and I call my Mum, Dearest Mama, in a Enid Blyton sort of way hence Marmite becomes Mamamite (because I'm clever like that)

Check those skills! (I used pencil crayons like a child)

In other news, Mr. D and I saw Argo at the Ritzy in Brixton on Wednesday which I highly recommend, followed by some yummy mexican food at Casa Morita.  We also took a trip to Shoreditch where we found this amazing creature...

And a billboard that should be on the side of my house...

We also went to Ikea on friday where there were no horse meat balls or poo cake.  Not a bad week really

Laters taters xxx

P.S. Thank you to Jamie for being the second person EVER to leave a comment on my blog. It made me feel special :)