June 16th…
Ahh three lovely years ago today it was a beautiful day with a picture perfect blue sky and white puffy clouds. I remember because that was the day I was lucky enough to pin down my love and get him to marry me (lest I give you the wrong impression, I think he was quite keen on the idea as well)…It was a stunning day, with a fantastic start to the life that I love so much. We’re only in baby years in terms of our life together but they’ve been great. And as we always struggle to organize a special event or presents to mark the day, I hope my public declaration of adoration is at least something. I love you David! Sorry for all the gooey-ness. Tomorrow will be back to normal levels of hormones I promise!
In terms of wedding planning, oh how I wish I could do it all over again! Not because I have regrets or was disappointed in it at all– the day was beautiful! It’s just that after a few years worth of reading blogs that feature some absolutely AMAZING weddings and all the tricks up their sleeves, I’m feeling a bit more wisdom in the wedding department. It’s all trivial though – I mean not everyone can have a picture taking booth and circus animals at their wedding, right? I truly feel lucky to have the day we had and when we were so young as well so now I’ll just have to apply these fab ideas into some other giant party that one day I’ll have (yah, I don’t know when either). Hmm..well actually that reminds me. There WAS talk of a five year reunion for all the people who attended the wedding (25 english folks made the trek to the states for the wedding and made good friends with the other 75 Americans present). I reckon this should be my announcement of a save the date for two years time…another mini wedding! Brilliant!
P.S. Happy Anniversary to my lovely little Lauren ( & Stephen) who shares our special anniversary time!
Fifties Poster Time Capsule
Oh what a tease…it’s like a 50’s poster/advertising/illustration time capsule and it’s oh so close and yet so innaccessible! They have been renovating Notting Hill Gate Station (which is one of my local stations I pass through on a nearly daily basis) and found a disused passageway that has been preserved since renovations that happened in 1956/1959! Not only am I amazed there are passageways that are down there that are empty (surely there are more people using tube nowadays and that space could be used?!) but also that no one seemed to clean up before they closed it off. Of course, it’s amazing to see how similar all the advertising was in terms of graphics and colour palettes. I love the River Thames poster!
Sadly, the area is not open to the public…I think they should reopen this passageway and suspend glass off the walls to make a ‘false wall’ and allow everyone to see the posters without damaging them! Well that’s my commuting time all booked for the next week or so–surely every advert is going to get the ‘good enough’/ ‘not good enough’ rating for my imaginary poster time capsule due to be opened in 2061.
Thanks to Quad Royal a fabulous vintage poster archive!
All photos courtesy of London Underground – Find more at their flickr set
Filing away…summer showers inspiration
I pulled quite a few files into my ‘inspiration folder’ lately and started to notice quite a fresh, springy palette. If you live outside the UK, you probably think that I’m a few months late. If you live in England well then you are well aware that despite being June it’s still cool and spring like…So let’s just roll with that and embrace it (perhaps even cut down on my ‘I cannot belive it’s June and I’m freezing in jeans and sweatshirt whines). So I’m channeling the summer showers story where everything is fresh, stripey and picnics are only interrupted by fabulous summer showers and thunderstorms and not manky cold winter storms.
1. I want lemonade in a mason jar just like I used to drink at my best friend’s house growing up. Image from Terrain‘s lovely email about Summer Solstice Wellness Day
2. Oh how Betsy would love a Basil Memories basket! It’s hard to tell in the photo, but there are outlines of old milk bottles on the side, how adorable. And as I like to convince myself about bicycle accessories-super practical. £19.99
3. My high school dream pair of Jcrew loafer clogs has come full circle. I’m now in love with high clogs including this pair from N.W.3. for a sad price of £119
4. She might be taking the summer showers theme a bit far with the whole flooding situation, but still can’t help but smile at this picture . Thanks to Coquette & Dove and Sparkles and Crumbs
5. I’ve been caught several times at work dancing like ” I just don’t care…” and I only have Paul Simon’s ” 50 Ways to Leave your Lover” track to blame. Yay for 1975. Spotify version is better…
6. Fabulous paper food for my imaginary picnic. I can’t remember the source and the guilt is eating away at me…anyone inside my head know where I found this??
7. Beautifully soft yet bold colour palette from EmersonMade
8. I’m such a sucker for simple labelled goods. and for stripey dresses. Saved Jordan Ferney’s lemonade bottle project pictures as a reminder for an upcoming date (I hope).
9. Deciding on my favorite style is not one of my assets…which probably says a lot about how much I love this illustration series from Matt Stevens Air-Max-A-Day where he illustrates the Nike Classics in the style of other design hereos. So different…my favorites Frank Chimero (obviously because I’m borderline obsessed) and Invisible Creature. Thanks grain edit
10. Oh well look who it is…Frank…the original this time. Love the little goodies he sent to Official Mfg. Co.
11. What a gorgeous shape and patterning on this Sawako Furuno Helmet at Bobbin Bicycles. Hmpgh, I’ll take the Mint one please!
12. Audrey Hepburn lazing in a field of wildflowers. If I need to explain, just move on.
13. Sorry the guilt is still eating away from Number 6. I don’t deserve the ickle pieces of green paper lettuce all folded up! I’m pretty sure I’ll find a practical use for this one day.
14. A useful and well thought out message on how to care for your print by Frank Chimero, also from the Official Mfg. Co. Goodies. Good to note that despite my hopes for Summer showers, a print would NOT be happy being placed in a puddle, rain or swimming pool. Duly noted.
15. Minty Basil basket this time…Lovely pairing with the helmet I reckon. Possibly not on a grass green bike though…
16. What a soothing baby shower! Nothing outrageously extravagant, just simply sweet touches (that might I add could be used over and over for different functions, unlike a giant bird carrying a diaper in his mouth) Thanks Twig and Thistle and Imprintables
We don’t need no stinkin’ badgers…
Or, well maybe we do as Wolf & Badger,is making me rethink the whole badger thing. They’re a UK store, with a lovely philosophy of showcasing design talent from the UK and beyond in fashion, accessories, jewellery and homeware. So they’ve got a great name, great ethos, unique products and an absolutely adorable site! Fashionable nimals teaching art, driving cars and riding bikes! My favorite is definitely the ‘contact’ page –that moosette is fabulous!
Maisy Dress by Poppy £46.95
Neckpiece by MCP £78.00
Organic Nugget Ring by Rina Tairo £280.00
| Coil Cluster Ring | ||
| Ruth Tomlinson £528.00
|
You can shop here, read the blog or check out their loverly site here .
Message in a bottle…
…and that message says, love me Brittany, I’m an out of scale piece of artwork! Need some background info? Ahh yes, well Trafalgar Square is a bit like New York’s Times Square (not in the sense of neon lights and moving adverts thats more Picadilly Circus)…but in the sense that if something big is happening like New Years Eve, an Olympic bid or an impromptu synchronized dance coordinated on the internet–yes they happen, the crowds are likely to mass in Trafalgar Square. Sitting in front of the National Gallery the square contains a giant column with a 13 foot Horatio Nelson atop, a pride of giant lions, fountains and four plinths. Three of these plinths have been occupied for years with traditional sculpture and the 4th plinth, well it’s original piece of art never came to fruition and so a few years back someone had the clever idea to create a rotating exhibition out of it. I love it and stop everytime there is something new to cast my judgement to…and with the British public you can sure there is controversy. Anyway…I was quite keen on the last traditional bronze sculpture after a spate of modern pieces but I am absolutely in love with the latest piece, a GIANT ship in a bottle-the largest ship in a bottle to ever have been made in fact!
The ship inside is a giant replica (37 sails and 80 cannons giant) of Horatio Nelson’s ship and created by artist Yinka Shonibare. The attention to detail is spectacular, even down to the sailcloths being created from traditional sail canvas before being hand printed and hand sewn. The bottle is 5 x 2.8 metres just large enough for studio workers to be able to climb in and out and work (Did you notice the guy wearing a yellow shirt laying in the neck of the bottle?) !! Ahhh, miniature and ginormous in one place, my obsession was inevitable. As you can tell by my ginormous post of every picture I could get my hands on…I apologize, really…but seriously, people inside a glass bottle?! A weight of 4 tons !? A giant cork and sealing wax! C’mon!
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian
Left image thanks to Anthony Falla . Right Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian
Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian
thanks to Anthony Falla
image by richard and gill
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian
An apple a day…
tilt felt ipad case from hard graft 75 euro
Uh oh…we’ve done it again, succumbed to the beauty ease and function of another apple product. Now mind you I still haven’t dressed the laptop, but as I’ve been carrying the ipad around lately reading books and playing other mindless apps to soften the commute it does really need something (even if it isn’t pretty-yah we’ll see about that). At the moment she (ahem Ipad- girl, Ipod-boy. Isn’t that Spanish or Italian or something?) is living in a drawstring cotton bag that my bedsheets came in. Not exactly protective and its cumbersome natur gives me the sneaky suspicion that I’m actually going to cause more harm than good faffing about with the bag and causing a slow motion disaster. Soooo the Ipad case/sleeve hunt commences.
The case above from hard graft is my ideal- it is beautiful, masculine and utilitarian in a natural way AND it doesn’t have to be removed which to me feels like a big plus considering my paranoia of butterfingers syndrome. But alas 75 euros seems well…like I should see what else is out there.
Best colourful ipad case I’ve seen so far and another good form of function with the book style opening. I’m really digging the colour palette together, but if I had to pick one, perhapse the blue with lime. err or the yellow? or green…or orange? Okay basically any of them except for the pink one.
Trip Jacket & Flip Jacket for Ipad from M-Edge $39.99 USD
Cork Ipad Sleeve Instructable Free (elbow grease + materials = free-ish with great sense of achievement)
Portel for Ipad $44 USD
Back to Nature iPad Wood Grain Leatherette Cover and Oak Wood Tripod Set from feltu $59.90 USD
felt ipad sleeve from ‘betterlists’ on ebay £19.80 GBP
BOOK for ipad from longlivebooks $89 USD
Cork sleeve from TAPE £20 GBP * Made in London!*
Grey Wool Felt and Brown Leather Ipad Sleeve from ByrdandBelle $48 USD
Heritage Ipad Case from Hard Graft 59 euros
* How I was a hater of felt as a child, I do not know. I think I could single handedly support the materials industry…in addition to Apple. Oh and by the way, dressing up aside, I have to admit I love the iPad…
European Vacation ’09…
As I went through our recent holiday photos, it dawned on me that our holiday last year had taken place the exact same week (yay for may bank holidays!) As this trip took place when Pillar Box Post was a mere twinkle in my eye (or more realistically a registered domain name with nothing to show for it) I thought I’d share a few photos from it now. I won’t bore you with all the details…so I’ll just say it was 11 days. 6 stops. 3 countries with just a train ticket in our hands and a pack on our back. Or more often two packs on David’s back. Oh how I love you David. We flew to France and flew home from Venice and all along the way was our quick whistlestop tour of Europe as David showed me the things he loved and we discovered some new things together. As time goes by the memories grow more and more cherished – it was a fabulous time and one I feel extremely lucky to have completed. If I can do half of what i’ve done in my first quarter of a lifetime with the rest of my time I will be a pleased girl! If you want more you can visit my flickr and visit the travelling set.
Camping it up…
Growing up nearly all holidays (or vacations…) consisted of camping–whether it was on a fishing trip or the beach, we were tenting it up. Aside from a few hot and sticky (and sunburnt) related memories, I loved it. Sadly its been quite a few years now and I’m very nostalgic for a bit of outdoor vacationing. Not only do I have a lot of good memories, but I must admit I’m being heavily tempted by some of the amazing tents/tipis out on the market these days. Good part is I don’t even need to own the equipment to enjoy some of them. But can I just say, if I did own one, I’m definitely having bunting. That’s still roughing it, right?
Bell Tent, above, available for purchase from Pedlars from £455
Stay at JollyDays in North Yorkshire. How cute is that!?
A bit more solid ground at kolarbyn in Sweden
Bell Tent, above, available for purchase from Pedlars from £455
Or stay with Canvas Chic in Southern France. Really?! A near spiral staircase on a tent?
An eco wendy house in kolarbyn in Sweden
Imagine the campfire crackling as the sun sets. More gorgeousness from JollyDays in North Yorkshire.
Okay so it’s not exactly a tent, but it certainly is rustic. Do you think that there are any giant mushrooms to sit on at the positively fairytale setting of Bodrifty Roundhouse by Canopy & Stars Cornwall UK
Is that a tent within a tent at Imagine Cool Canvas in Languedoc-Roussillon, France ?
I’m fairly convinced that if a man was in this shot, you would only see him from his waist down. It’s where gnomes live surely…or it’s kolarbyn in Sweden
Around Town: Mikonos Island
One short week of sunshine, where my limbs were exposed to some vitamin D and now back to sweatshirts and wellies. Ahhit was nice while it lasted! My Mister and I took off last week for some R&R at Porto Mykonos on the Greek island of Mikonos and it was lovely! I didn’t break the camera out too much for fear of ruining the whole ‘rest’ idea, but here are a few snaps of what we did see. Mostly what I saw was the inside of novel after novel (I have some sort of sickness that means I can fly through 1-2 books a day on holiday-adding a considerable amount of weight to the luggage)…but we also had ample time swimming, sitting on the fabulous veranda at sunset and getting a great little taste of a little port town. Sure there are tourists (it’s a stop for seemingly every cruise ship) but it still maintained a down to earth rustic cuteness that I thought was fabulous. There is a fine balance between a place being charming but inaccessible in terms of language or places to eat etc. and this did that brilliantly. Loads of restaurants and everyone spoke english (something I still always feel guilty about…but still find quite necessary as I dont know a lick of Greek or nearly any other language for that matter). There are loads of shops, and although I found them unnecessary (I don’t go to Greece to shop at Diesel or Accessorize )I have to give them credit, they were all tucked into the cobbled streets without marring the beauty.
Oh and if that doesn’t sell you…there are pelicans roaming the streets. No seriously, walking up and down those little cobbled streets with a line of people petting them and walking behind them as if in a parade. There is some back history with a bit of folklore, but to cut a long story short, there has been a pelican that just roams around the town since 1954. That pelican passed away in the 80’s and was ‘replaced’ by three others donated (including one from Jackie O.)…so now there are three pet pelicans. A tradition I am keen to adopt in the streets of Kensington I dare say…
all images by pillarboxpost
For more images from our trip
Read more…
So we took a holiday…
…just some time to get away! What better way to celebrate my 200th post than with a blogging holiday. Be back next week with some catching up to do!
Pillar Box Post 
