One of my favourite Etsy sellers (ahem, yes, there are quite a few) is London-based artist Mister Rob. I love his intricate and whimsical paper cuts and screen prints, featuring wee birds and sweet words.
He’s just updated his Etsy shop today with some fabulous screenprints and lovely graphic tiles:
I only just discovered his website the other day (thanks Gemma!) … have a look at his current work, including an impressive line-up of commissioned work by the likes of Vogue, Paul Smith and Liberty. Can you imagine his designs as wedding invitations? *Swoon*
Such a lovely wee surprise, considering I’m a major fan of LLG and her most fabulous blog, filled with delightful personal insights, fashion industry musings and stylish wisdom. It’s a must-read, bookmark it straight away.
According to the rules of the Thinking Bloggers Award, I now have the honour of bestowing the award on five other worthy birdies, so here goes …
1. Girl with a Satchel Her wonderfully entertaining and insightful magazine critiques are worth the click alone, but you’ll also be rewarded with pop cultural commentary and industry news.
2. Meet me at Mikes Pip’s beautiful and creative personality shines through her blog, which is an extension of her incredible craft/handmade/vintage emporium, Meet Me at Mikes in Melbourne.
3. Happy Cavalier An absolute bird of a feather, and one of my most recent discoveries. Her design-focussed posts are truly inspirational, and I’m happy to say “snap” to at least one of them.
4. The Lark The best vintage thrifter ever. And you really can’t beat a vintage beer mat of the day, can you?
Holy marked-down Miu Miu, Batman. Red bag, was £525, now £287, by Miu Miu. For more excellent London sales coverage, check out this page at the Times Online.
As I mentioned in a previous post, the streets are awash with the soft, soft touch of cashmere.
If you’ve ever thought about investing in a quality cashmere piece, now is the time to make your move, with the winter sales currently in full swing.
And while all cashmere is luxurious, some cashmere is more luxurious than others (apologies to Orwell). Here’s my pick of the best places to buy the good stuff in London:
N.Peal Founded in 1963, N.Peal is one of the luxury cashmere brands located in the historic Burlington Arcade, with separate men’s and women’s stores. The knitwear is made and designed in Scotland, using Mongolian and Chinese wool. Cashmere scarves are currently on sale for £79 (down from £99), with certain lines reduced by up to 50 per cent.
www.npeal.com 37 and 71 Burlington Arcade Mayfair London W1 Tel: 020 7499 6485
Berk Cashmere One of London’s more traditional cashmere specialists located in the Burlington Arcade. Think classic cashmere twinsets, sweaters and cardigans. House-brand cashmere scarves start at £99.75. 46-49 Burlington Arcade Mayfair London W1 Tel: 020 7493 0028
Brora This Scottish brand is renowned for its high quality cashmere and classic investment pieces. Cashmere scarves start at £45. If you’ve got your eye on a cashmere sweater or cardie, hold off ‘til 16 January, when the sale starts.
Pringle of Scotland One of Britain’s leading luxury knitwear brands, Pringle started knitting cashmere in 1871. The argyle cashmere sweater is a Pringle classic staple.
Check out the cute kids Autumn/Winter capsule collection for argyle au go go:
(Cashmere aside, here a couple of my favourite looks from their younger and more directional 1815 collection for Spring/Summer 2008:)
Head to Pringle now for 50 per cent off selected items. www.pringlescotland.com London stores: 141 Sloane Street London SW1 Tel: 020 7881 3060
112 New Bond Street London W1 Tel: 020 7297 4580
High Street picks:
Marks & Spencer Excellent range of everyday cashmere pieces at reasonable price points, starting at £20 for a cashmere scarf, and £39.50 for short-sleeved sweaters. Sale on now. www.marksandspencer.com Find stores here.
Uniqlo The fun marketing campaign featuring cashmere-clad sock puppets has been hard to miss on London Tube escalators in December, and so is this Japanese brand’s ultra-affordable prices and huge range of fashion colours.
Prices start at £39.95 for cashmere tops. Sale on now. www.uniqlo.co.uk Flagship Store 311 Oxford Street, London, W1C 2HP T: 020 7290 7701
Here's what's in store for Wee Birdy this year: * new London shop reviews; * where to eat in London (shopping pitstops that are stylish/unique/good value/have great food); * new beauty must-buys; * more of my favourite online buys; and * Google maps pinpointing London shops I've reviewed (fingers' crossed I'll figure out how to do this).
And finally, let's hope this list does not go the same way of most New Year resolutions...
"I Cant Forget" Limited Edition Screenprint, US$400.
"This Bell Will Ring" screenprint, US$500.
"Every Beat Of My Heart" two-colour tile, US$40.
