Record Store Day!

This year the Arctic Monkeys are releasing a limited edition 7" purple vinyl of R U Mine?/Electricity and I need it in my life. 

How likely it is that I am going to get one? Not very. I'm at work tomorrow, and it's been featured in NME so all the fanboys will be out. If I was off I would absolutely queue all day with the rest of the nerds to get my hands on one, my plan at the moment is to pop in on the off chance on my break!

In celebration of the joy of vinyl, however, what record would you queue all day to get your hands on?  

Vogue Young Writer's Contest

I have just submitted my first and last entry for the British Vogue Young Writer's competition this year!
It's always been something I have wanted to do and I have finally done it. As much as I would love to win £1000 and a month's paid work experience at Vogue House, it's just good for me to have submitted.
Sometimes it's pretty hard to actually achieve the things that you really want to do. Stay tuned for news, although we probably won't find out until October!

My Anthro Picks

My picks from the Anthropologie spring sale:

Heal's Spring Oriental Range

Love, love, love this new range from Heal's! Bright colours, clean lines and Orient -inspired prints create something really fresh for Spring 2012. Although not too cheap, around £8.50 an item, my plan is to get a core, basic white crockery set from Ikea or similar, and then supplement every so often with more expensive patterned stuff. Not only will this be cheaper but I'm not a huge fan of the matchy-matchy look. I think that flea markets and charity shops are also a good place to find one off bits and bobs!

Enamelware

With the new job and new opportunities on the horizon also, my thoughts keep turning to moving and flat hunting. With that goes the feathering of the nest, and I have always been a fervent featherer. I like simplicity with a vintage feel, especially in the kitchen and what fits that description better than the original Falcon enamelware? The roasting tins are particularly good for making stews and pie fillings but the tins are great for a Sunday dinner or a traybake. Practical and beautiful!

The People's Pennant

There's a lot of the little things in life that go uncelebrated; cherry blossom, a new magazine, quiet afternoons in the pub but no more! A company in America has decided to celebrate those special small moments through the medium of the sports pennant! I think there's something very cool about sports pennants as a design item and to have them subverted in this way to celebrate the everyday is delightful! What little moments would you celebrate?

Check them out here.

Interiors and Proportion

I love interiors. I spent many hours reading the Ikea catalogue when I was younger and I still use it as a source of inspiration. 

I'm by no means a minimalist, although I do enjoy organisation. I always wonder where the stuff is in people's houses in those magazine spreads where the only thing they have in their concrete open plan condo is a vase with some twigs in.

This is my idea of minimalism:

via Living Etc

I think your decor should reflect your personality and shouldn't take itself too seriously. A good way to inject fun into interiors is to add something oversized. How cool would this be propped up against the wall in a home office for instance?

via DeviantArt

 On the same office theme, the oversized scissors really add to the vitality of the room.

via Living Etc

 The following are items that will be mine. Oh yes. They will be mine. They have long been lusted after, and I need them in my life to be fulfilled. I have love, I have health, now I need a giant teacup.

Gitta Gschwendtner teacup planter

Holly Palmer Teacup stool via Domestic Sluttery

via Made.com

Sarah Olaerts Lightbulb lamp

madslauritzen knife and fork via cribcandy.com

 I just like the pure fun of a giant object, something familiar like the knife and fork or lightbulb in huge proportion. Plus the teacups add just enough Alice in Wonderland to a plain bathroom or kitchen. Coming soon to Emma's abode ...well, soonish!

Work wardrobe

So, I have a new job! Finally, finally, finally I'll be contracted and saleried. It's only taken two years and it's still only part -time but things are finally looking up on the job front!

And what does this mean? Well, I will finally be able to upgrade my Mac and systems as my current model is being literally held together with Sellotape! But also, WORK WARDROBE!

As weird as this may sound I've long been a sucker for tailoring and for the art of introducing a little personality and style into one's working clothes. Also since both I and BF will be working six days a week, having oufits that flow seamlessly from day to night will be a necessity rather than bollocky bullshit mag talk.

So here's a few bits I have my eye on:

From Zara, which as you can see I will be nigh on ransacking as soon as the first paycheck is in.

 

 

A couple from Asos:

I think the best route is to have a mix and match approach to shapes and colours. But I hate the standard suits you get. I think it'll have to be a mix and match on those too. I'm channelling Amy Gardner from The West Wing I think: all slouchy trousers, spiky stilettos and cropped jackets.

There it is - I always struggle during summer however and summer in London is mostly unbearable so I think it'll be more floaty skirts and dresses during that time!

Expanding the library!

Inspired by my good friend Jasmine over at Books from Boxes, I've decided to post about the new books I'll be purchasing as soon as my first pay check swans in.

First on the list is a music bio, having finished The Dirt - Motley Cru¨e I require something else to whet my musical whistle so I'm planning to get 'All the Mad Men: A journey into the dark side of British Rock' by Clinton Heylin.

via The Book Depository

The next one is a reworking of Lewis Carroll's 'Alice in Wonderland' by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. She has a condition affecting her sight which means she sees spots in her vision. She uses this to her advantage in this new edition by creating hallucinogenic illustrations for the book.

via The Book Depository

I love cooking and cookbooks, particularly well designed ones like this from Jane Hornby as it makes you want to pick them up and delve inside to choose from the mouthwatering recipes. I like this one though, because of the cute fish!

 

via The Book Depository

I'm quite passionate about the idea of being self-sufficient and sustainable, and reducing household waste is a big part of that. It's a crime that UK households are creating around 6,700,000 tonnes (2007) of food waste per year. This book by Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall aims to counteract this problem with taking a WWII attitude to cooking and waste. This will not only help the environment but also wallets; food waste costs each household on average £8 per week!

via The Book Depository

 I want one, despite my total lack of driving licence. I can't help it, I'm from Devon. Plus, a brilliant book for picking up tips for living stylishly in small spaces. We're beginning to think about moving and realistically the floorspace of a VW camper van will most likely be equivalent to the average flat in London within our price range. Time to think inside the box room people!

via The Book Depository

So there you go! A varied and yet strangely predictable set of choices from yours truly. What's on your wishlist?

R U Mine?

Arctic Monkeys have just released this for download. You can and should buy it here.

It has shot straight into my top 10 all time faves - I mean Kasabian- Best British Band! Really!?

 via arcticmonkeys.com

*UPDATE* This is the current chart situation. Not bad for something not even released as a single!

via Radio 1

March!

So, yeah, I missed out the whole of February pretty much! There was a lot going on though to be fair - Vday and my Bday to sort out and organise. I got some lovely gifts from my lovely friends, in particular this fantastic teatowel from Emma Bridgewater who always does the most amazing stuff. On my actual birthday I popped into her shop in Marlebone myself and picked up this from her jubilee collection.

Birthday present

And one from me to me!

I also stopped by Daunt Books in Marlebone and bought some essays by George Orwell "Books vs Cigarettes" and "The Language of Flowers" by Mandy Kirkby. It's a beautifully illustrated little miscellany containing information about different flowers and their meanings according to art and literature. Really fascinating. 

via amazon.co.uk

 

I also got a couple of brilliant posters from my bloke - one's a Blade Runner he got imported from the US, and the other is this limited edition Arctic Monkeys from their American tour.

via arcticmonkeysus.com

Spice Girls forever!

Just read this (via Rocknrollbride, I know, I know) and it's clearly brilliant. Not only has it made me realise how brilliant the Spice Girls were, and tapped into the 11 year old girl who was OBSESSED, but it has also brought to my attention that a lot of what is labelled as 'feminism' these days is actually just undermining and hating other women for their perceived shortcomings. It's a difficult issue, but it something that deserves some thought from everyone in society.

Now here's a contradictory image for you to feast your eyes on.

Blogging Day!

Morning! It's Sunday which means I finally have a minute to sit down and stick some stuff up. Hope you've had a good week!

To kick off, I have just heard a brilliant cover of Kate Bush's Army Dreamers on BBC 6 Music, which is without a doubt my favourite radio station, apart from a slightly embarrassing fondness for Absolute 90's.

The cover is by Mary Dillon, and I'm quite a purist when it comes to Kate's stuff but I think Mary Dillon's done a fab job on this. It's from an album which also includes a folk version of Bruce Springsteen's Streets of Philadelphia, so it seems she's on a mission to annoy the BF, as he's a big fan of both artists!

What do you think? There will be other posts later on I promise!! I do have to pop out to assist with a Jewish tree ceremony this afternoon but then you will have my full attention. 

Primark Spring Drop

I always find that around this time every year, I always get so excited about the new collections. Maybe it's the spirit of renewal and regeneration that abounds after the New Year celebrations or perhaps looking forward to sheer fabrics and bright prints gets me through the dark winter months.  All the new drops are in the shops, all the outlets have done tempting new window displays and Vogue's bumper March issue has hit the shelves so it's time to update my look.

In these thrifty times however, it's hard to find the spare cash to splash out on new season trends. The answer to my penny-pinching prayers is the Spring/Summer collection from Primark. Bright colours and futuristic prints abound and the pieces have enough freshness to feel new but will all add something to your palette that will feel classic for seasons to come. 

Here's my top of the drop. 

Love the dipped collar.

I'm only ever a fan of leopard print on accessories, these would be great with rolled up jeans.

This will be edgy forever.

Taps right into the Twenties trend all over the catwalks.

So Prada it hurts!

Sports-luxe is back in, and this is very Ralph Lauren.

 

 

What do you think? The only problem is finding these pieces in my size at my busy neighbourhood branch. I think I'll probably have to go Flagship on these bad boys.