christmas wishlist!

i LOVE christmas! it's pretty safe to assume any time specifically designated for excessive eating and drinking, parties and sharing nice things with each other will always go down well in my world, but there's still a magic to the season that hasn't yet been clouded by all the cynicism and bitterness that has become routine alongside it.

now it's officially christmas (yay!), i've drawn up a wishlist for the parentals to peruse, and despite knowing full well that most of it will remain locked in the realms of fantasy, my enthusiasm for coveting trinkets hasn't subsided. there's probably a lesson in here somewhere about craving too many luxury goods at a family time but as far as i'm concerned, christmas is a safe haven for magpies and treat-lovers like me. long may it's opulence reign!

so this is a condensed version of my 2009 list - some of it realistic, others so unlikely there's really not much point including them, save for a desire to share common lustful grounds. enjoy!

polo boot, £295, toast (toast.co.uk)

in my quest to find a pair of solid, hardworking winter boots i've come across a few beauties (most notably, a lovely pair of tan knee-highs in monsoon of all places), but none have ever (ever) compared to these. the whole toast a/w 09 catalogue is divine anyway but oh, everything about this pair makes me cry a little inside at their unattainability.

emerald suede bayswater clutch, £495, mulberry (mulberry.com

if only. i've tried telling myself that my purple patent bayswater-esque bag of joy from tkmax is decent enough until the happy day i can afford a real one arrives (it will come, right?), but it really isn't sufficient. sigh

christmas candy gift box, £16.50, lush

mm, lushy goodness. we're slightly more in the realms of possibility now - at least smelling nice isn't hugely expensive!

studded leather driving gloves, £28, warehouse

as i near the end of my driving lessons (test in january, eep!), i'm thinking more and more about saving up for a car of my own (where i'll get the money from is currently beyond me, however). and this means thinking about driving accessories! gloves are of course an essential part of the modern lady's motoring paraphenalia, and who could resist a lovely pair like these? (or, y'know, they're nice to look at and will keep my fingers nice and warm while waiting for the bus)

screen burn, £4, amazon

holiday reading from the master of funny is a must!

and not forgetting a load of socks and sweeties for good measure! i can't wait!

vintage shoes in large part one: the red pair

finding a pair of vintage shoes in good condition and the right size will always be difficult, but for the larger-footed lady the challenge is all the greater. it's hard enough to find new shoes to fit big feet, let alone the perfect vintage pair!

but despite being a size 8, i've been lucky enough in my thrift shop hunting to find several pairs that fit. so here's the first of a series of posts designed to prove that lovely vintage shoes in bigger sizes can be discovered among the plethora of size 4-6!

80s russell and bromley, ebay, £30

what a gorgeous colour! i'd been after some red shoes for ages and these lovelies, in leather with suede bow/heel detail, stood out a mile. ironically for such a post, these are just a pinch too small, so i'm having to sell them on! but it doesn't stop me fondling them on a daily basis...

check out the super cute suede bows on the back!

these will be heading back to ebay in the next week - i'll post the item link here when they're up.

marcasite and me

over six months without a post! sadly, when you have a dissertation followed by a full time job and a festival to organise there's little time for musing on pretty things. but now i've graduated, and ended my temporary job, i have plenty of time and even more to talk about!

i have an enormous mug of hot tea in front of me and a story to tell about my love of marcasite. once upon a time, dawdling about in a local antiques fair, i caught a tiny flash of something glinting beneath a pile of costume jewellery. on closer inspection it turned out to be a lovely little squirrel, bedecked from his neck down to a gorgeous curled tail in shining, sparkling marcasite. i couldn't resist him, and have been collecting bits of jewellery in the stone ever since!

this lovely swallow was a gift from my mum, and sits happily on the lapel of my green coat throughout the winter. perhaps it's the glimmer it adds to an otherwise dull outfit, but it always cheers me up when i glance down and see him there.

i had lusted after this perfect fleur de lis for months before i finally caved in a bought it. i think everything about it is wonderful - from the carefully chosen stones, graded so perfectly, to the delicate silver piping around the edges. to make it even more covetable (to me at least!), it dates back to the mid 1800s, and would have been worn for dress by french militia. it's possibly the favourite of all my jewellery, for its understated glamour and the simple but beautiful design.

but the best thing about this stone is the price. though undergoing something of a renaissance in the antiques world thanks to high street imitations having a moment, there are most definitely bargains to be had at fairs - the most expensive of the above, the fleur de lis, was £22. for a piece that will last another hundred years at least, the cost-per-wear is unbeatable, not to mention the shine!

hairspiration

tomorrow is hairdying day. after failing yet again to get the colour i want via box dye, it's to the hairdressers i go.

i've been lusting after a rich, deep auburn colour for several years now. there's something particularly striking about this tone, and with an important interview for a pr graduate scheme next week, i'm certain this will help me stand out.

here are some of the pictures i'll be taking to the chops with me:

i'll let you know how i get on.

folksy favourites no. 1

i'm planning on showcasing some of my favourite folksy finds here; partially because they're nice to look at and partially so i can keep track of them myself! the problem with sites like folksy and etsy is the choice - it can get very wearisome looking through hundreds of knitted ipod cosies to get to that one gorgeous dress. so when i find something nice, i'm always sure to keep a strong hold on it. here are a couple of my favourite sellers to begin with.

easily suede

my dissertation (even in its infant state) is crying out to be served up to the politics department in this exquisitely made antelope leather binder. just as the other bags and holders in this store, everything has an extravagant shabbiness to it, thanks to the reclaimed materials and weathered finishes, cut to perfection and photographed beautifully. one day, when i can afford such luxuries, i'm going to invest in their glorious purple satchel.



blackoutwell

one for the future house: lovely little prints with almost-too-cute birds and foxes and badgers. autumn is my second favourite season, and amy's illustrations are adept at capturing all its vibrancy and cosiness. for artwork on folksy, it's remarkably cheap, so all the more reason to love and invest in this delightful store. props for the large amount of tea love too.

introduction

my name is alex, and i'm a twenty two year old student living in manchester. this blog is a space for me to share all the lovely things i find both online and offline, including vintage/thrift/high street discoveries, handmade treats, homewares, art, music and photography. but first, here is some more information about me:

1. my family has two cats, rosie and darcy, and one dog, badger. look out for them in my home posts.

2. i have always loved birds, and the long tailed tit (aegithalos caudatus) is my favourite species. i like talking about wildlife, especially because living in the city, it's harder to spot.

3. one day i will live in a little terraced house in a village in northern england. inspiration for the interior of this house will feature heavily here.

4. i don't live or breathe fashion, but i certainly enjoy it. it's my mission to buy only three high street items of clothing from now until my birthday (24th july). see how i fare with only thrift and vintage shopping to go on.

5. i'm a foodie. delicious food will be prevalent throughout.

6. other people are much better than me. expect to see a lot from my wonderfully talented and creative friends.

i welcome comments pretty and ugly. all are appreciated.