Pheasant pattern

Here's a new pattern I designed today, with a pair of pheasants in a repeat that took far too long to work out. It's not yet available for sale on Spoonflower, because I haven't approved the test swatch yet, but here's the link to it, and some colour variations too. The toile from before is now available to purchase, though.

I think, depending on how my swatches turn out, I would like to use the pheasant print for some clothes - maybe a dress or something. I lack pattern in my wardrobe, and wearing my own would be fun!

London

Oh dear. I really shouldn't be let loose in London. Not only did I buy a lovely grey coat for the husband but my hand, uh, slipped in Urban Outfitters and I ended up with these trousers in navy. Oops! They are just the thing I've been looking for, though, that's what I'm telling myself.


I also had a close encounter with these shoes at the Faith sale (Faith are in administration so everything is 20% off right now) but I walked away at the last minute. Seriously, I could have done a lot of damage to our bank balance yesterday if I'd let myself. Thankfully I only got the trousers, although I could have bought up half of Urban Outfitters, including these super-impractical suede booties. Dangerous.


OK, enough with the clothes! I'll be back with some drawing later this afternoon.

peg leg trousers and a blouse

I am away in London today running a few errands and seeing old colleagues for lunch. I might even go and draw somewhere interesting in the afternoon. Alternatively I could go on the hunt for that elusive spring/summer jacket that I've been looking for ever since I consigned the last one, faded and ragged, to the bin. Or I could go to Gap and get the husband the coat that he has been eyeing up but which he hasn't found in the right size yet. He, like me, is a pretty average-sized person so whenever something is popular, it always runs out in our sizes first. Annoying!

I thought I'd bite the bullet and show you a couple of things I've mentioned before, namely the sewing project from last week and those pesky peg leg trousers that I keep prattling about but never photograph. Well, here they both are in all their combined peculiar/androgynous glory. Sorry about the rubbish photos - I am not brave enough yet to get the husband to take pictures of me whilst I prat around in silly clothing so I'm doing it on a timer or in the rather dusty bedroom mirror.


The blouse is the sewing project from last week, and was inspired by the one from Jackson, Johnston and Roe that I blogged here. I haven't decided yet if I will sew tiny opaque white buttons to the placket or leave it as is. Amateurishly, I made the pattern up myself, so the fit around the shoulders isn't perfect (it's a bit funnel-necky on someone as square as me) and it's a b***** to take off! Oop! Maybe I'll get better with practice :-) But it was fun to make. I have never made a garment with sleeves before so at least I've learned something!



In order NOT to look like a bloke, perhaps some heels might be in order, but I'm in socks here. Never mind if I look like some random from the 1920s or 30s - I love these pictures of girls in menswear and workwear, from Wikipedia and The Selvedge Yard.

Tucker

It looks like I'm going to be stupidly busy until Friday - yet more work is about to land on my desk with a tight deadline, and it's animation as well, so I'll be up into the wee hours on Wednesday night at least.


So I thought I'd leave you until Friday with a link to a shop that I wish I could afford something from - Tucker by Gaby Basora. I don't normally do loud prints, but something about the cut of the blouses and the casual retro chic of the shirt dresses gets my attention.




All images from the Tucker webshop.

the weekend

Image above from www.highpeak.gov.uk

Hope you all had a good weekend and (here in England) Bank Holiday. I spent it up in Birmingham with my family. Lots of marvellous things were achieved: we went shopping, attended a charity fashion event for which I made a promotional film a while ago, went on a random family jaunt to Buxton, and, most importantly of all, I wore those peg leg trousers I wrote about a while ago. Yes, I was brave enough. OK, I was in Buxton - hardly the place to exhibit ones sartorial edge - and got a few weird looks from passers by who must have thought I was wearing pyjamas, but I enjoyed it anyway.

We went to Buxton because the husband and I spotted a few magnificent townhouses in need of renovation that were for sale at very affordable prices. Buxton is not at all in our first choice of area, but we have been spreading our search very wide in order to find a house that suits our requirements. My family has been in the business of buying and selling property for a long time, so we all piled into the car and went off for a day trip and to nose around some houses. There were houses with turrets, B&Bs, eight bedroom townhouses, blocks of flats... it is amazing what you can get there:


I had a day of fantasizing about running a bed and breakfast business (the bottom two images) - imagining how I would decorate the rooms with clean whites and simple furnishings, imagining the delicious breakfasts I would serve... and then I thought about having to do all the washing and cleaning myself and thought better of it!

Alternatively, this beautiful grade II listed townhouse in Ruthin has just come on the market and I am drooling buckets over it. It has original shutters in one of the downstairs rooms (can you see them in those right-hand windows?), four bedrooms, four attic rooms, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, huge pantry AND a good sized garden. All in need of a whole load of renovation. I want!

J.Crew in the UK

I hear that big American brand, J.Crew, will be launching in the UK on Net-a-Porter some time soon. I really like the look of their Fall/Winter'10 collection, so I'm looking forward to seeing what will be available here. That green coat above makes me wish it were autumn already! I must be crazy.




Sorry I've not been doing drawings this week. Distracted.

I can't wait...

until next Friday when the husband and I are running off to Wales for a few days. We will be scouting around for places to buy a house, having a peek at a couple of properties we've been eyeing up, and the rest of the time we will be doing a lot of walking.

So today I was wondering what to write about and came up with a blank. But as I like to say: when in doubt (and with time on your hands), turn to Polyvore! What clothes would I like to wear on a short break in springtime Wales? (OK, the shorts are a bit optimistic...)


This is the set that I randomly put together just now. Comparing this one to the others I've done, there is definitely a theme going on here - very simple, lots of neutrals, shorts worn with long sleeves, a snip of blue and a pop of colour in the accessories... but it's not even as if I dress like this - I hate my legs so shorts are a bit of an issue! I need to get over that...

Items in this set: Grey cardigan, Jack Wills, $170; Embly Racer Back Tee, 39 GBP; Vanessa Bruno Athe Wool cargo shorts, $105; Carraville Walking Socks, 24 GBP; Moccasin Boots, $240; Toast Elsie Satchel, 325 GBP; Bordfield Belt, 79 GBP. Other items - Barbour Beaufort wax jacket, Stanley food flask, necklace from Eclectic Eccentricity, squirrel necklace, blue scarf and Toast blanket - click here for the full list of items.

Of all of those things I only own the Barbour jacket and Stanley flask. Well, I suppose I could put together a vest, shorts and cardigan combo too, plus long socks and lace-up boots. I'm almost there! Bring on next Friday!

I'm so sad

I am at a loss. I am bored to tears with work right now (animating tiny figures warming up for a game of cricket is soul destroying). But at the same time I appear to have vacated all interesting thoughts from my head. Perhaps I shouted a bit too hard last night and my brain fell out or something. Anyhoo, with nothing particular to tell you, I thought I'd have a play on Polyvore and collate a few bits of clothing you might wear on the hallowed terraces of White Hart Lane if, unlike me, you don't want to look like a fledgling thug in your Spurs scarf and shirt, wax jacket and lace-up black boots. OK, maybe a skirt is a bit soft for football - after all, I think you should go dressed like you want to karate kick someone in the chest. Your choice!

I had to, however, include an obligatory piece of chav bling (the SINGLE earring - I mean, really? Is that for a man to wear?), just to lower the tone to the right level. After all, part of the experience is eating dodgy fish and chips whilst watching the ticket touts and apprentice hooligans pass by. It wouldn't do to be too well turned-out. And of course the whole thing needs a pop of canary yellow to reinforce the message. My god, I'm sad (and bored).


I even gave it the title Come on you Spurs just to make things worse.

Items in this set (as usual with no regard for whether or not one can buy them): Stripe Jersey Dress by Rare**, $90, Handbe-T Navy Vest, 40 GBP, Gemma button-down cotton skirt, $170, Striped cotton skirt, $165, Shoes - Forever21.com, $20.

Now I'm going to bury my head in the garden for shame.

a little shoe-loving

I love love love these new grey suede shoes from Ruche ($84.99). Lord, I might even love them enough to pay the $20 P&P to the UK. Or maybe not.


Have you seen Ruche before? It's an online boutique dedicated to selling affordable clothing and accessories with a vintage touch. Simple as that. It is all beautiful. Go and have a look! The shoes above are here but they are sold out unless you have enormous feet! Gorgeous and quirky.

Wrangler Blue Bell Website

Check out this website for the Wrangler Blue Bell Spring Summer Collection. It's great fun. Seriously, go there and play. NOW.

Happy happy weekend! I am entertaining my mad family at home on Saturday and then working my arse off on Sunday. Hooray!

Orla Kiely

I'm so sorry to any of those readers who are getting fed up with my clothing obsession. I can't stop myself from looking, it's like a disease. I will write about other things too some time! I promise. However...

I was browsing through Orla Kiely's new Spring/Summer lookbook and thought I'd post up some of the cute outfits. The inspiration behind the collection is the traditional English seaside holiday, with boat prints and sweet blazers, all in a palette of soft grey-blues and navy, brightened up with my favourite mustard yellow amongst other colours. Lovely!






OK, so I'd not go as far as wearing a dickie bow, I am not an English redhead and I most certainly DO NOT have legs like that, but it doesn't harm to look, right?

Jackson, Johnston & Roe

I spotted the new collection at Jackson, Johnston & Roe last Friday. I love the styling and colours and the great footwear - I've been ogling shoe-boot-sandal things all weekend on eBay wondering if I should wear more heels. Those brown sandals in the last shot? Want! That balance of androgynous styling against feminine details and accessories gets me every time.

My peg leg trousers arrived on Saturday and they are amazing! I will wait for the weather to brighten up (it is snowing AGAIN) before I take a photo. If I'm also feeling brave enough, that is. Now, a pair of teetering platform chunky shoe boot sandally thingies would finish off the look perfectly.