Posts Tagged ‘colour’
{ July 8, 2011 @ 5:55 pm }
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{ Geekiness, Photography }
{ Tags: colour, Cookery, Fashion, iPhone, nerd/geek chic, Pinterest, Wedding } · { }
I can happily while away hours just pottering about on the Internet and have found a new way to waste even more time. Pinterest was recommended to me by one of my oldest friends. Like me, she loves all things vintage and loves to look at all things lovely and has actually turned her love of beautiful things into a full time career – lucky woman! Pinterest puts a new spin on social networking and hoarding virtual ‘stuff’. It lets you organize and share any of the interesting and appealing things you find on the web like a pinboard (but much neater!). It is very much like a mood/inspiration board and I can imagine it being really useful if you are planning a wedding or decorating you home. There is even an iPhone app so you can snap up inspiration on the move. All in all, I’m in love. Looking at other people’s boards is an absolute joy and you encounter some really fantastic things. One of my boards can be found here.
To join you either request an invite and join the waiting list (I received my invite in under a week) or find someone that you know who is on it to ‘invite’ you. I found a great guide to getting started here.
Speaking of great finds, one of my good friends is moving on to pastures new at the end of the month and I have found her the perfect gift.
I would be tempted to keep this for myself…if only my name was different…deed poll?!
If you have a nerdy girl/guy in your life, I’d take a look at ShopGibberish on Etsy. I am quite taken with the ‘A Geek For All Seasons‘ card collections myself.
{ April 18, 2011 @ 9:49 pm }
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{ Animals, Holidays and things to do, Photography }
{ Tags: Animals, colour, Hipstamatic, Instagram, iPhone, Photography, Zoo } · { }
Noël Coward’s observation neatly sums up Norfolk – they are not kidding when they describe it as a ‘low-lying county’. The tiniest sprinkling of rain that fell through the cracks of a gloriously sunny April weekend led to dusk swirls of mist and brake bothering puddles during our recent long weekend British road trip around East Anglia.
Horsey Windpipe using Hipstamatic...I made the Handyman drive us here purely because the name tickled me. Turns out it was maintained by a highly knowledgeable National Trust bloke who directed us to some seals.
I thought that this trip would be a perfect opportunity to try out Instagram – an iPhone app similar to Hipstamatic which is love dearly, but with more of an emphasis on sharing. It did a great job of capturing the colours of the flowers in the grounds of the abbey at Bury St. Edmunds. I might just be converted, although now I suffer from photo envy whenever I look at Instagram. Some photos are absolutely stunning.
We visited one of the calmest, humane zoos ever during our trip. It was called ‘Africa Alive!’ – yes, it has the cheesiest name ever – and it was a quiet revelation. No pacing Felidae, no cramped excrement throwing chimps, just content animals with loads of space to roam and a focus on conservation rather than tacky novelties. We had a genuinely lovely day and it reminded me of childhood visits to Penscynor Wildlife Park – the true 1980s retro field trip.
Lazy rhinos and elegant zebra roam the fake British Savannah...
{ February 23, 2011 @ 10:46 am }
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{ Cookery, Fashion, Vintage }
{ Tags: 1970s, 1980s, apron, Babycham, Childhood, colour, Cookery, Cupcakes, Etsy, Fashion, Knitting, Plastic, Shoes, Vintage } · { }
Between entertaining relatives and finding out the joys of queuing in London with young children (Over 1 1/2 hours to queue for the Natural History Museum – no thank you. Saw way too many toddlers with pained faces dying for a wee to subject my own pseudo nephews to such torture), there has been little time to post this half term.
However, this is just a quick one to point you towards some lovely things on Etsy. I decided to experiment and set up a treasury list. Spending the past couple of days with PlayStation obsessed boys got me thinking about my own childhood and so the theme of the treasury list was born. I had so much fun doing it but it was a dangerous activity for my bank balance. So much lovely stuff! If you fancy a peek, follow the link ‘Flashbacks of a Fool‘.
Am now going to try and knock up a quick cherry pie to make this rainy day a little brighter. Wish me luck as I have rubbish hands for pastry.
{ October 27, 2010 @ 7:53 pm }
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{ Fashion, Shoes, Vintage }
{ Tags: 1960s, Autumn, colour, Dr Martens, Fashion, Knitting, Love Miss Daisy, Poncho, Shoes, Vintage } · { }
I know that it has been a while since my last post but such is the life of the educator. Summer is a gee whizz six week high of fun and frolics whilst September brings the back to school blues. However, October is the month it all starts to get better again. Birthdays and gifts (Charlatans tickets, a plethora of chocolates and a vintage dress for those who are interested), Halloween and half term wrapped in a hundred different shades of russet and a little bit of sunshine. Even the newfound chill in the air feels hopeful and alive as I crunch through the leaves in my beautiful new shiny patent Dr Martens Darcie boots and new military style Winter coat from Topshop. I look a little bit like a demented wartime housewife but I do have bit of a soft spot for that kind of thing. I am not very good at looking polished and glamorous so it a much more achievable target. Have spent too much money already this month. Going back to work really does make me spend like a demon as if new stuff can make the work disappear. It doesn’t but it does make me feel a little bit better.
A final little thing I stumbled upon to help keep you warm…
This lovely bright red poncho from Love Miss Daisy is the kind of knitwear I can imagine Ali MacGraw wearing in ‘Love Story’ as it conjures up the late 1960s, early 70s look and would look great with a pair of skinny jeans and some vintage boots. Sadly, no part of me suits anything skinny.
{ May 20, 2010 @ 7:43 pm }
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{ Holidays and things to do, Photography, Vintage }
{ Tags: colour, iPhone, Photography, Summer, Vintage } · { }
Am having the most fun taking photographs at the moment. Have just purchased the Hipstamatic iPhone App. Oh my God, it is the most inspiring photo app that I’ve used for a while. I bought the Handyman a Diana camera a few Christmases back and was incredibly jealous of the vintage style photographs that he was able to produce.
The colours were so vibrant and a welcome change from the usual lifelike digital shots that have their place but are sorely lacking in the fun department. Stumbling on Hipstamatic was a joy! You can buy lenses, compete in competitions…basically, it injects the most everyday shots with a dash of Steve McQueen cool. Love, love, love it. 
{ December 27, 2009 @ 7:32 pm }
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{ Fashion, Shoes }
{ Tags: colour, Fashion, kitsch, Plastic, Shoes, Vivienne Westwood } · { }
I have recently fallen in love with these candy coloured Lady Dragon Heart Shoes by Vivienne Westwood for Melissa. I am actually surprised by this as they are the kind of shoe I would normally shy away from. I mean, they are bubblegum scented (one way to eliminate foot odour I suppose…) and beloved by Katy Perry – neither of which are necessarily recommendations in my book. Also, although I am drawn to their kitsch element, this would normally be negated by the fact that they are made from PVC. To me, PVC has very little place in a world beyond Soho.
However, Melissa, launched by Zaha Hadid, a figure more reknowned for her work within architecture rather than shoes, is a brand with a mission to change the perspective of plastic amongst fashionistas and the shopping public alike.
Clearly, it is working! You can buy these plastic cuties online from
asos and also from my old faux retro favourites,
Dolly Dagger at the moment for £88.00. My mother always used to warn me about ‘cheap plastic shoes’…I guess they are not so cheap anymore!
{ December 24, 2009 @ 11:50 am }
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{ Advertising, Fashion, Furniture, Interiors }
{ Tags: Almodóvar, cinema, colour, Fashion, Homeware, kitsch } · { }
Sometimes, I imagine I am a heroine in an Almodóvar film. I love his work! A bit of background for those who don’t know of him. He is an Academy Award winning Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer. His films are recognised internationally due to their recurring themes of female sexuality, desire and family, use of vibrant colour and complex narratives. 
They are steeped in melodrama and tackle taboo subjects (Stockholm syndrome, pregnant nuns, women in comas…) with irreverent humour and song.
The women are beautifully individual and engage in a solidarity that is actually more of a mythical sisterhood rather than being based in any kind of reality.
Fashions are quirky, colourful and cartoon sexy, all voluminous curves and va va voom. The houses are bold, technicolour confections that seem to be at conflict with the inevitable drudgery and misery that some of the characters have to face, yet hint at an optimistic, joyful spirit that often simmers beneath. Maybe my new house needs to have a touch of the Almodóvar magic?!
Fans of the Namco 80s icon Pac-Man might want to take a look at the Truffle Shuffle website 
Retro Geek Girl 