used, good! #2 : the only way is essex road

i finally have an actual phone that doesn't resemble a brick, yay! after purchasing in angel, i took a stroll down to the market for a rummage then to a couple of charity shops. cancer research uk on thirty four upper street, islington, london, N1 0PN can get quite busy being on the high street but is a good place to go if you're in the area. loving the colour block merchandising! i managed to spot a little find for four pound nighty five. very pretty and a perfect addition to my summer wardrobe. the seam is coming apart at the back, but nothing siob.she_alt http://www.facebook.com/pages/siobshe-Alt/231243716294 can't fix! also worth checking out is the sue ryder charity shop on seventy two essex road N1 8LT.

just after the old queens head pub on essex road is a great secondhand furniture/clothes shop. lots of vintage suitcases. i saw this lovely dress that i would gladly get married in if one was very tall and slender (and had a boyfriend) it did remind me that i've been asked to design and make a friend of a friends wedding dress. i call her pork pie lady because she is having a tiered pork pie for her wedding cake! meeting her for our first fitting on the fourth of june so will let you know how it goes.

siob x

nan on tour #2 : no carbs before marbs

if i haven’t mentioned it already (sorry close ones) i have been sent to work in marbella for three days! admittedly, most of my excitement came from my insider (twitter) knowledge that the only way is essex gang would be holidaying at exactly the same time. imagine when on route to airport, amy and sam are also on the way to the airport. film crew at the ready (not for me, obvs), i come face to face with, wait for it! No, not towie, but the first of ‘it only happens to me’ predicaments. long story short, i was on a plane then off a plane. there may have been an argument with some cabin crew. i may have had to wait in the airport for a further FOUR AND A HALF hours for another flight. i may have definitely had a beer at ten a.m.


finally, i’m in marbella and half a day late for work. but its suuuuuuuuunnny. actual sun. my pale skin has never seen such light. to my delight, my store is located along the boating dock in wealthy puertos banus. it’s beautiful to see all the luxury brands housed in traditional spanish buildings

it's been bloody hard work here, but i made it my duty to make it to the beach on two occasions, at lunch to mark out ‘happy birthday’ in the sand (picture for housemate charlotte), then to watch the sun set after work.

also, it’s a done thing now that when i travel anywhere, auld google maps comes out for a search of vintage or charity shops in the area. marbella and charity shops equals no. vintage shops equals the impressive ‘déjà vu’ store (8 c/pedraza, 29601 marbella). this shop is incredible. they have original items from the likes of hermes, gucci, chanel and many more, nicely sourced and for incredibly low prices. http://www.dejavumarbella.com/

on a final note, just as i was walking around puerto banus earlier, a group of three essex girls were ahead of me, turns out that the blond one was only whatsherface from the only way is essex, arges ex. with the pet pig.

one word. winning.

siob x

time for a whinge!

so, i went to meet siob after work for a "business meeting" (much needed beer consumption) at the three crowns...only to be struck by a new siob - a fringed siob! impressed but confused, i confronted the glossy thickness of this new site of wonderment. before i got too close siob announced with a chuckle "its my new winge!"

apparently they're all the rage right now. get yours here:  http://www.hershesons.com/display_unit/20-WINGES-WIG-FRINGES

 

she x

wednesday's child #5: machines of loving grace

so after being both mugged and burgled in the space of a month (let's hear it for london!) i've found myself without two pieces of modern day essentials - my blackberry and laptop. judging by this experience, i'd almost rather loose a limb. in one fell swoop i have dropped through the bottom of the earth into an empty space...no phone numbers, no access to emails, all my private data wiped - it's as though my identity has been stolen too. with no internet to occupy my brain, i've been wondering how we've got to the point where our lives are so dependent on technology in such a short space of time. what does the future hold? i think this poem by richard brautigan sums it up perfectly:

I like to think (and
the sooner the better!)
of a cybernetic meadow
where mammals and computers
live together in mutually
programming harmony
like pure water
touching clear sky.

I like to think
(right now, please!)
of a cybernetic forest
filled with pines and electronics
where deer stroll peacefully
past computers
as if they were flowers
with spinning blossoms.

I like to think
(it has to be!)
of a cybernetic ecology
where we are free of our labors
and joined back to nature,
returned to our mammal
brothers and sisters,
and all watched over
by machines of loving grace.

chlo x

p.s on a slightly less sombre note - today, (due to vintage shoe breakage) she and i made another visit to the shabbily amazing affiliated charities shop on jamaica road, where we found 5 bins of £3 shoes! ay carumba! definitely worth a rummage if you're in the area.

used, good! #1: affiliated charity

today chloe and i took a well earned long "lunch" from the world of male derrieres and stumbled across one of the dodgiest charity shops we've ever been to. think professional drug dealer meets princess di memorabelia (possible collection inspiration?) for less than ten pounds I picked up these....

Affiliated Charities, 131 Jamaica Road, Rotherhithe, London, SE16 4SH

she x

wednesday's child # 4: somewhat of a fabric maverick

monthly fabric fix. empee silks

siob.she x

wednesdays child #2 : bic ladies

Spanish Illustrator Juan Francisco Casas is a very talented chap without a shadow of a doubt - not only does he create these beautiful Images, he uses nothing more than a ballpoint pen! siob.she are impressed and let's face it - with our ever expanding list of girl crushes we couldn't resist a drool over this lot....

she x

nan on tour #1 : stock home

i've been staying at the nobis hotel in stockholm (www.nobishotel.se) and it's been settled that from now on this is where i'll call home everytime i work here. this has made me very happy for a number of reasons...

numero one (and probably most important), the nobis apparently. only. employ. extremely. hot. swedish. men. one of which spent a glorious twenty minutes in my room last night trying to connect my laptop to the internet but to no avail. before the urge to hop on him, he did give me an ipad as replacement, so bonus number two.

thirdly, this hotel is bloody beautiful. and social. i've been told that it's one of stockholms hotspots for wining and dining since it opened its lavish doors last december. Also, its obvious that the owners are passionate about their food and produce they source. my breakfast this morning included smoked reindeer sausage and boiled quail egg.

the fourth and more relevant thing i like is that the ACNE flagship store (www.acnestudios.com) is just next door and it turns out that they use this hotel as a location to shoot their lookbook. i am a massive fan of ACNE and the current season stock has done them proud. i've been drooling over pieces like THE softest leather and suede coats in oatmeal and well, pretty much all of their footwear. sigh. let's hope i'm back in time for sale.

siob x

wednesdays child #1 : keeping promises

Remember that saying "Cross your heart and hope to die"?...we've always loved it and came across this poem whilst trying to find out more about it today....popping it into our inspiration box,enjoy!

cross my heart...the unpromise

cross my heart

and hope to die
stick a needle in my eye
wait a moment,
i spoke a lie
i never really
wanted to die.
but if i may
and if i might
my heart is open
for tonight
though my lips are sealed
and a promise is true
i won't break my word
my word to you.

cross my heart
hope to die
stick a needle in my eye.
a secret's a secret
my word is forever
i will tell no one
about your cruel endeavor.
you claim no pain
but i see right through
your words in
everything you do.
teary eyes
broken heart
life has torn
you apart

she x