Happy Halloween at last my pretties!




Currently...

Watching.

Hocus Pocus.

Still on the halloween trip, watching a ropey SJP and young Thora Birch is such a trip down memory lane. Being 13, having sleepovers and applying facepacks, toasting marshmallows, playing Dreamphone and playing knock-up ginger. I miss my 13 year old self.

Reading


My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell.

Such a funny, sweet book written by a gentle, hilarious man. Set on the island of Corfu, Durrell's autobiographical work about his manic, hair-brained family and the greek characters he meets, along with the dozens of animals he befriends is near-perfect for me.

We hope that there will be fireflies and glow-worms at night to guide you and butterflies in hedges and forests to greet you.
We hope that your dawns will have an orchestra of bird song and that the sound of their wings and the opalescence of their colouring will dazzle you.
We hope that there will still be the extraordinary varieties of creatures sharing the land of the planet with you to enchant you and enrich your lives as they have done for us.
We hope that you will be grateful for having been born into such a magical world.

Hocus Pocus (Halloween-inspired post no. 5489587)

(Beautiful photo courtesy of weheartit)

"Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing,
-- For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble."
Macbeth (IV, i, 14-15)

Salem, Massachusetts has been on my theoretical road-trip ‘to do’ list ever since I was obsessed with Sabrina the Teenage Witch forever ago. (Remember ‘Shake your whammy fanny?!’ Big laughs) The combination of a history of witchcraft and wrongdoing & the magical 17th century wooden mansions like the House of Seven Gables make me a bit dizzy.

A secret staircase and its own ghost story. My dream house.

I went through a bloody hilarious witch phase when I was at school but the closest I get to anything vaguely occult-ish these days is watching Most Haunted with my mum and trying not to snort drink out of my nose whenever Yvette gets felt up by a ghost.


And then there’s the house in the book Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. About two sisters, sex, magic and death, the book is twee but one of my favourites and the film is a guilty pleasure, but the star is the huge Victorian white-panelled house and its kitchen-witch gardens edged by the ocean. More photos can be seen in this photo-journal of the set.

It will have to be Autumn when I visit, all browns and cherry reds, leaves and bobbing apples. Sometimes I secretly wish I'd been born in a small town in America, to live in a novella, go to prom and get married in a big white church and live in a house like this. As for fashion, Luella’s Fall 2008 ready-to-wear is somewhat obvious, but very fitting! Country-morning overcoats not too over the top if you leave the hat at home!

And just a couple of sets that I did quickly- my lust for the floor-length lace gown is overwhelming...

Hocus Pocus by prettymuchpenniless featuring Dorothy Perkins

Hocus pocus 2 by prettymuchpenniless featuring Betsey Johnson jewelry

I love celebrating the weird and spooky.

This week is going to be manic, I can just tell. Have an amazingly ghoulish night whatever you do!

Let's do the mash, let's do the monstaaar mash

It's nearly halloween, and with it being probably my second favourite holiday, I am probably going to blogging lots about it!

I've been having a good think for a couple of weeks on what to fashion myself as this year. Last year, it was my second week of living in London and I dressed somewhat half-heartedly as minnie-mouse. Now 1) that isn't scary in the slightest and 2) in the same vein- excuse the pun- there was definitely wasn't enough blood and guts going on. I have a thing about people dressing as playboy bunnies and schoolgirls on halloween (unless they are of the zombie variety). For me, there needs to be gore, gore and gore!

So after coming across this artwork by the frankly, amazing Sylvia Ji, I just knew it had to be based on something around Dia de los Muertos and Our Lady of Guadalupe.





Also, 666photography also have some beautiful shots that seem to be inspired by Ji's work, but involving the seasons-


And just because I love this series of photos, some Miles Aldridge controversy!



So I attempted the make-up side of things yesterday, and for a quick 10 minute trial, it is a bit slapdash but you get the idea- I will probably spend a good hour doing it for the actual night itself!

I just used eyeliner on my face, but it wasn't as precise as I would like so I think liquid eyeliner will work alot better and also not smudge as much. I'll also add some colour to the make up, a la Sylvia Ji, and as you can see just inside the photo I made a crown of corsages. I have some lace to add and am still deciding on my actual outfit, but so far I have bought a black corset (a bargain-ous £8 from Primark!) a load of bangles and half a dozen rosaries. My hair will be back-combed to within an inch of its split-ended life and I'm currently watching a few embroidered shawls on ebay.





Also thinking of adding a golden halo, inspired by Gaga. Just trying to think how to DIY it! any ideas would be greatly welcomed.

And lastly, my question to all of you is the obvious. What are you planning on dressing up as???

x

What to buy when you would rather be at home in bed...

With these evenings getting darker, the air becoming crisper and our clothes changing seasons, I tend to crave something quite particular. The comfort product. The scented candle (see below), the hot water bottle, the warming bath oil, the wooly socks, the downy throw, the kitsch mug and the perfect hot chocolate to fill it.


I'm a little obsessed with scented candles. They seem so frivolous, the most pointless of objects, reassuringly fanciful. I bought the Black Spice & Myrrh candle by This Works whilst it was raining outside, and smelling it once confirmed that it would be my first comfort purchase of the winter.
From the website-
"A luxurious, 100% natural wax candle, blended with essential oils of warm and spicy notes of Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Clove, Orange and Myrhh, it brings an opulent scent into your home- perfect for winter time. As all our candles are hand poured and blended it means that the candle burns evenly and the fragrance lasts throughout the burn time (40 hours) creating an ambience of warmth in your home. Ideal as a gift of pure indulgence and luxury." It reminds me of making pomanders with my mum at Christmas, studding the oranges and clementines with cloves and tying them up with red ribbon.

Another of my past favourites is the English Eccentrics range. The scents are pretty divine. I bought the Wintergarden version last year and it lasted me a whole 12 months (ok, I only allowed myself to light for a couple of hours a month haha.)

And the packaging! No plain glass votives here! Oh no, this is English Eccentrics!


My now defunct Wintergarden (perfect for storing trinkets/make-up brushes/false teeth :s)


From the website-

"Deliciously mellow autumn scents of fig and pomegranate float over a rain-freshened, English country estate, with topiary trees and late flowering lilies."

And look!>>>>>


"The table is set with fine linen and bone china. Scent from a vase of Devon violets mingles with freshly brewed Darjeeling Tea. A delicate and perfectly Regal aroma"

WANTWANTWANT

And finally, this Sandalwood Rose & Frankinscense beauty-

From the website-
"This aromatic blend invites a meditative state that promotes spirituality and inner peace. Known for its cutting-edge design, Akeewakee has produced ultra-clean burning candles from its New Orleans studio since 2003. Its creations have previously only been available at its signature boutique in Chicago and selected high-end specialty stores."

Marie Claire magazine says "stylishly luxe, with a feel-good eco edge"

xx

Brighton photo x10000000 post

Wah! 1 whole week since my last post, but it feels like it has gone so quickly I haven't had time for anything!
I start my new job tomorrow, so am crazy nervous and taking my mind off it by blogging about the excellent 3 days I spent with E in Brighton this week! Mainly photo based because my neck is aching so hard from head banging to Slayer on Friday night :s haha.

The Cath Kidston shop window.

The most creative, gooey, hunger-inducing chocolate shop and my favourite- Choccywoccydoodah

Future wedding cake? Tick.

Our hotel was beautiful (The Sea Spray in New Steine) Excellent location! We chose the Venetian which had a great view of the pier and was decorated with venetian glass, masks, a chaise longue and a very comfortable bed (didn't even realise E was spreadeagled on the bed in this photo haha)

Jellyfish. at the Sea Life Centre! Pretty.

Some random outfits!
L-R Tee from Urban Outfitters via ThriftstoreUK, Primark jeans, Cropped tuxedo jacket- thrifted, Leather Shelleys boots- £1 boots of wonder from a previous post.
Red anchor dress (see previous post)
Green American Apparel tee via ThriftstoreUK, jacket from Primark customised by me, and floral skirt made especially for me by a a member of ThriftstoreUK- (speed_leaving)- for £22 I gave her my measurements and she created this beautiful high-waisted skirt from vintage fabric. This is a rubbish photo of it, but next time I wear it properly I'll post another photo!

When it rained on Wednesday we went to the Brighton Art and Design Gallery (which was an amazing space) to visit the Land Girls exhibition. It was really moving, with monologues from some of the surviving girls, and was curated by a group of GCSE students.

<3

Toy and Model Museum. 50% terrifying, 50% adorable.

St Ann's Well Gardens and the squirrel that was not afraid of anything!

On Thursday the weather was so glorious we spent most of the day just wandering up and down the front and sitting on the beach. My auntie lives in Hove, so I know Brighton pretty well but I found so many new little things to love. There was a cafe that sold everything so we had our second helping of cake for the day. Lemon drizzle. Yum.

Anyway- I now have to make my sandwiches and get ready for the sleepless night ahead. New job nerves. I promise some non self-involved posts are coming soon! I need more hours in the day.

The 'OMG the weekend is nearly over' mega post

Retro bag (£5) Minnie Mouse ears (40p) Bright blue tights (mates rates) Chanel Lame nail polish & old Dazed and Confused/ Vogue magazines (£2 for the lot)

I am so tired! But what an amazing weekend. I've been trying to remember everything I bought, and I know I have forgotten things but seriously, I spent £30 this weekend and bought so many things and its strewn all over my room at the minute. E is not happy I have turned our usually tidy bedroom into a space of doom this weekend. I think I've already lost a couple of things. Haha.

Anyway, to start off, Amy (Wolfwhistle) joined me on Saturday morning to go to a car-boot sale at the bottom of Primrose Hill in a little school playground. It was packed with sellers, mostly mums and dads and members of the school board, but these were Primrose Hill parents so amongst the toys and the books were Marc Jacobs tops, Jimmy Choo heels, vintage YSL and other enviable cast-offs.

Amy bought some very great and somewhat unique things haha, and I'm hoping she posts pictures soon! Some of the things I bought have been mixed up but my two favourite things are as follows-

Antique bird print- £4. E is obsessed with birds so this was a nice little pre-birthday present for him! :D

And I am just delighted with these! I've been trying to find the perfect pair of leather boots for winter for a few weeks and everywhere is coming up blank.
I desperately wanted All Saints ones but the price tags was a big slap in the face. I saw these old Shelleys boots lying next to some horrible PVC thigh-highs under a table of toys and I had to ask the woman to let me borrow her chair so I could try them without tumbling over all the little kids, but they fit brilliantly! They look like they practically could be All Saints. The best part? They were £1. One whole English pound.

Ok, day number 2 and I met up with my Thriftstore UK friend Keri to hit up the jumble at The Victoria in Mile End.

Amy had a table, which at £5 to rent it for the whole afternoon, was really reasonable.
I'm going to champion the pub jumble as the way forward for us kids to get our bargain-kicks, because I seriously cannot think of anything better than buying a pint of cider, going for the occasional cigarette in the garden, having a natter and shopping at the same time. Pint in hand, rummaging through stuff. Good times.

Amy peddling her wares.

Bottom right corner. It was barely the afternoon. Cider o'clock.

Serious rummaging action.



I bought this beautiful anchor dress from the dedicated ladies of the The Queens Crown for £4.

And this American Apparel pocket dress for £1 (no idea why those marks are on it in this photo, phantom deodorant marks?)

And a cute crochet cardi from Amy, because I had to take advantage of the whole 'mates rates' (i.e. free) scenario.

Next, Keri and I jumped back on the tube to Liverpool Street to try and find the Strongarm Bar (which was not easy because Blackberry maps hates me) but when we did eventually locate said establishment it was amazingly worth it. Mainly for the £3 roastbeef and horseradish doorstop of a sandwich which I washed down with (another) pint of cider.

Everyone was so nice, and the girls running the stalls were all really friendly and chatty and it was generally just a girly-fest of banana cake, sewing patterns and fifties shirtdresses.

I loved the little hair pins that Yvette of Y-Fighter was selling!

I also got the flyer for a night she is putting on called C'mon Everybody in Angel, which sounds so incredibly cool. Unfortunately, I can't go because I'll be in Brighton, but can somebody go for me and report back on how awesome it was!? It's free!

Tired gal. Sleep beckons. Brighton soon! So excited for the candy floss.

x