Monday 25 February 2013

Catching up - Travels, Friends, Collections, Art...

Hiya, hope those of you to whom half term means anything - whether kids at home or time off work - have had a good one. We had a couple of days in Brighton, or 'Hove, actually' as the bit we stayed in is generally known, and I'm finally beginning to thaw out. When will we ever learn that February half term is NOT the time to attempt to do family mini-breaks? Still, the Siberian snow flurries coming off the sea-front did give us an ideal excuse to spend a lot of time in our favourite galleries and to make regular cake stops at cafes, which is always enjoyable, and we got to spend some time with our nieces. We took the kids to the Sea Life Centre, which is fun - although given that it's housed in a subterranean Victorian arcade - also chilly. I refused to take my gloves off for long enough to take more than a few snaps of Brighton on  my phone - not particularly surprisingly they all fall into my regular subject categories of street art, cake, and random things which strike me as amusing:

Tape Butterflies outside ArtRepublic gallery by Cassette Lord

More Cassette Lord work near Hove Station
Most of the junction boxes have been decorated by him
{with the council's OK}

Mmm yeah Tea - by Sinna 1


Chocolate sculpture in the window of Choccywoccydoodah
Desiree is that you?

Obey Mr Grey - wedding?? - cake in window of shop in North Laine
Imagine having to explain the theme to your Grandma


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Insane poodle trainers - not by Irregular Choice, but...Adidas!
Krista - what do you think? Tempted?

Speaking of pink haired princesses, I recently met up with the divine Miss Simmonds for a little jaunt round Camden, which mainly involved gossiping, trying on hats, chatting to knicker makers, buying sunglasses - it was pissing down, obviously, but a trip to Camden without buying shades is no trip at all - and a bit of charity shopping. It was less freezing, and I occasionally remembered to get my camera out.

None of these is Clare

Here she is, next to her faithful steed

Glamorous pants, made by 

Coy. Don't you just love her sparkly lurex frock?

Pretty in Pink in Traid changing rooms
This would have been a great dress if it weren't for all the holes. I think if you're going to try and charge £17 for a second hand home-made garment the shop should at least attempt to mend the several places where it was coming apart at the seams. Unfortunate because it went really well with her hair.

In addition to the cheapy sunglasses I bought some skull print jeans to add some interest to my school run wardrobe, a felt hat from Zara via charity shop for a fiver and a turquoise leopard print vest also from a charity shop. Turquoise and leopard as a combination appeals to me almost as much as the scarf I bought in Brighton - purple! With skulls! Made of flowers! Shame it's polyester chiffon and not particularly warm. I continue to suffer for the sake of rock and roll. 

See, I DO like florals...

Anyway, I don't have photos of this more recent stuff but I have been adding absent-mindedly to a few collections recently so I will link this post up to Magpie Monday - it's been too long. I've got another annual to add to the shelf - a boys' one this time - it's not dated but I think it's late 40s or early 50s, and I also grabbed this mint condition Folio Society copy of The Wind in the Willows for only £2. I'm reading J K Rowling's recent novel for grown-ups (calling it her first adult novel makes it sound like porn) 'The Casual Vacancy' and am quite enjoying it. I didn't fancy paying £20 for it when it came out, despite being a fan of Harry Potter, but £2.50 for the hardback in the Scope shop made it more reasonable. Has anyone read it? What did you think? I must admit to being mildly amused that the central deceased character is called Barry. She must have really cast around for that name!

The Eagle Annual has a story set in futuristic 1997, where dashing space rangers have to do an intergalactic Christmas pudding run!


I bought the poseable artist's figure in a local charity shop, and the Czech glass bud vase from a junk shop. I have about 12 now, I just seem to come across them and they're always cheap. The coloured glass bubble bases look really pretty in the sunshine but a lot you see have stains on the plain glass caused by hard water evaporating. I've tried lots of methods of getting rid of this but haven't found a way yet. The red-headed ladies prints are greetings cards made by Anna at Gold Lion Diaries - she kindly included them free when I bought a print for Boy2's room from her Etsy shop. Nice aren't they? I keep meaning to look out for some little frames for them.

I could have bought loads of art when I was in Brighton, spending time in galleries or museums always makes me covetous. I'd quite like Justine Smith's 'Time is Money', if anyone has a spare grand and a half and fancies getting me a present.

Time is Money by Justine Smith
 It's made of the bank notes of each country's currency and looks far better in reality

I've said it before, but I used to really enjoy art at school, I'd love to get back into it. Much as I enjoyed my English lit course, Clare's talk about art college makes it sound a lot of fun, and seeing all the modern/street inspired art at my favourite gallery Art Republic makes me yearn for a big studio, lots of canvas and some spray paint to play with. Mind you, whenever I go to the Tate Modern I'm convinced I can make my fortune with some shop window dummies, old planks and parcel tape so it's entirely possible I am delusional.


Finally my cookie cutter collection has expanded again with these few I couldn't resist on eBay. The owl, spider and er, poodle made an unusual Halloween threesome for a few quid, and I have decorating plans for the martini glass. A triangle of coloured icing and one of those little jelly lemon slices and I reckon the biscuits will look brilliant. [I counted up my collection the other day after making the polar bear biscuits and it now numbers around 80 if you include scone cutters.]


On the subject of cookies, here's some of the ones I made for my boys for Valentine's day - the bra and thong only made it into a grown-up lunch box though, don't worry!

Well I seem to have rambled on for ages, so that should probably do for now. I'll be back tomorrow for Ta-dah! Tuesday, so get ready to link up any finds/makes/bakes/outfits etc that you want to show off!

Lakota x

PS. There are loads of comments I've had recently that I wanted to reply to but I'm still being deluged with spam which Blogger's filter isn't picking up so it's getting hard to pick out the genuine replies. Is anyone else suffering? I really don't want to turn word  verification on.

33 comments:

  1. It was a cold one, for sure! I wanted to do some gardening but it was simply too chilly. :/

    I love the sea life centre, in all its damp, cold glory.

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  2. The horsy place looks amazing! As does Miss Simmonds, of course(oh, not that I'm comparing or anything - why did I start this?!)!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  3. Hope you've thawed out now! I'm getting a lot of spam now that I've turned off the word verification (I really find it hard deciphering some of the numbers and letters).
    Love from Mum
    xx

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  4. Hi there! What a lovely catch up post, your visit to Hove/Brighton sounded lovely despite the cold-love those re-worked junction boxes! Your meet up with Clare sounded fun too and well done on your thrifty finds, love the little Czech glass vase and the bra and thong cookies are just so cute!! xxx

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  5. That SO did happen in 1997 - did you miss it?

    Anyhow, awesome post. We also had a mini-break in Siberia, I mean the UK, and like you I never learn.

    Loving your cookie cutters. I think you need a trainer one to go with the poodle though.

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  6. Looks like you've had a great time lately :) love the skull jeans :) thanks for sharing, hope you have a happy week sweetie

    Bee happy x

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  7. How awesome you got to meet Clare!!

    You got some nice goodies!!

    OM<G--Desiree in chocolate!!! L(OLOLOL

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  8. Great street art and I love your cheeky cookies!

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  9. Yes! I suffer from endless spam comments. Rather tedious. I don't seem able to bar anonymous comments.

    Obey Mr Grey, don't get it myself, all that obedience, but yes that would be very funny explaining the theme to an elderly relative.

    Your bloggy get-together sounds like great fun and Clare does look very glam in both those frocks.

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  10. How fabulous to have a day out with Clare, she looks fabulous flashing her pants!
    Love that poodle cutter and the insane poodle trainers, you're right Krista would look them! xxx

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  11. Lovely catch up post. I enjoyed seeing all the art.
    You have some great finds and the purple skull scarf is worth suffering for - it's fab.

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  12. The picture of your cookies really put a smile on my face! X

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  13. I look rather grumpy in those photos, though I do love my hair, shame about the dress too! I dreamt you visited me in Wycombe last night, but you wanted to spend all your time in the 2nd hand DVD shop, then you refused to walk in the puddles!
    I love your poodle cookie cutter! and the naughty biccies
    You should just go for it and do more art! I'm always here for advice, Joni is also a great one to talk to.
    You mean you don't remember the great intergalactic Christmas pudding run of 1997? xxxx

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  14. I'm getting clobbered by spam too :( Think I'll try turning off anon comments and see if that helps. Word verification is the bane of my life on blogs and I don't want it on mine!

    Love the new cookie cutters. The saucy bra and pants ones are brilliant!

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  15. I like this long rambly post, Lakota. Yes, it was bloody freezing this weekend. We were staying in Ramsgate. It was so cold in the house that I was wearing a thermal vest, two long sleeve tops and two polo neck jumpers all at once. I just thought I'd share that with you.

    I've got one of those artist figures. I've always wanted an artist's hand too - mainly so that I could make rude finger gestures with it. xx

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  16. that's a great post . I love the window display aND the addidas shoes. love lucyx

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  17. Love the bra and thong cookies! Brilliant! x

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  18. Ooooooooooooooh, love all this arty stuff!
    I'm getting SOME spam but not much really! Clare sounds awesome fun to meet up with!!!! x

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  19. Brighton and Camden trips - bliss! I'm feeling a serious withdrawal symptoms from both places. I do agree that some of the price tags on the vintage gear in Camden is nuts when they are full of holes. Lots of lovely art spies too. Big love chickadee, Scarlett x

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  20. oh I love reading about rambling shopping / cake eating days! Here in Melbourne it has been too hot to ramble or to out cake eating.. bring on the cooler weather I say!
    Thanks for sharing your fun times, loved the bra and panties hearts.

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  21. You went to Choccywoccydoodah! Love the tape art and the poodle shoes and MISS SIMMONDS! Our Clare looks gorgeous in the pretty pink frock - such a shame about the crappy condition. And where, Lakota, are the pics of YOU??

    Sarah xxx

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  22. Lots of delicious eye candy in this post to ogle over. Ah hell yes I'd rock those sneakers but I bet that were break the bank. I do wonder who has that kind of cash to drop don't you?!!?!? I also understand the skull obsession, regardless:) I love the photos you snapped of our glamor girl Clare! Hoping to see a bit of you my dear!
    XXOO

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  23. ooh that cookie cutter collection is growing quickly, love the 'cheeky' biccies, they're a crack up, and the money map is fantastic, you MUST have a bash at making your own version (i can supply a kiwi note, or perhaps monopoly money?!) have a great week x

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  24. BUt I want to see a picture of gorgeous YOU!?

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  25. Awesome post!!!Clare is stunning in the lurex and the pink frock, you are such a good looking girl and I'd love to see more photos of you wearing your new scarf and a leopard and turquoise outfit!!
    I love the street art and the cakes and I confess:I'm a granny, I had to google 'Obey Mr Gray'...sorry, but that book and film are not on the list of my favourites!
    Love xxxxx

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  26. That is a lovely pink frock! Never been to Brighton, but need to make it there sometime! xxx

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  27. Looks like you both had a fabulous day Claire is a sweetheart i met her to last year. Shame about the pink dress it looked gorgeous on her. No photo's of your gorgeous self? Those biscuits look yummy. dee xx

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  28. Loved reading all of this eclectic post!

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  29. I've only ever went to Brighton once for a day trip and I loved it, I'm dying to go back again. And Choccywoccydoodah was the main place I wanted to visit but the cafe was shut for renovations, hich I was a bit gutted about. Loved hearing about your day out with Clare, and seeing some photos of it, seeing as Clare forgot to take any. I'm just getting back into drawing and painting after a massive break and now I'm wondering why the hell did I stop doing it for so long. xx

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  30. I do think that is Desiree! *hehehe* How could one eat a cake so awesome! It's like art for heavens sake. I love the skull floral too.
    Clare looks lovely as usual.
    And I wonder what a teacher would think had you got mixed up and gave your Son the bra cookie. *LOL*

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  31. This post is filled with so much spectacular I can hardly stand it! I LOVE Brighton, one of my best and oldest friends and her daughter live there, so we always make sure to spend loads of time visiting. Oddly my husband loves Brighton more than London, and he knows more people in London. An odd bird. As to the spam, yep blogger isn't catching it for me either. I've been getting zillions every day. I have moderation on because of it, hate word verification (usually because I'm too obtuse to figure it out.) The ones I get sent to my inbox for moderation always have some kind of link to a spam site. The other clue is that its either got nothing to do with the post, or was written by someone who isn't a native english speaker (or writer.) So I hit that "mark as spam" and be done with it. Also noticed, they show up on really old posts, like 3 years old, and many have the same spam site listed. I hope that helps. Its a pain to have to moderate, but I got so tired of having to go back and delete that this wound up easier. Good luck! Now must get cracking on photos of my recent thrift finds... goodies YAY! XXX

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  32. I'm still laughing about the 50 Shades wedding cake! Explaining that to my grandpa would be awkward. I love seeing your recent finds - love that skull scarf! And the bra and thong cookies made me laugh out loud.

    Oh, and I've been hit with a lot of spam lately too. So annoying!

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