Archive: Jul 2009

1. Shopping in London: Courverture & the Garbstore

   July 29, 2009 7:00 am 19 Comments

   

   Courverture & the Garbstore is a rather charming concept store on Notting Hill’s Kensington Park Road, offering a carefully edited selection of womenswear, menswear, homewares, gifts, toys and childrenswear over three enticing levels. Open since April 2008, it brings together Emily Dyson's shop Couverture with Ian Paley’s cult men’s brand the Garbstore.

   

   I was immediately drawn to the back of the store, where rows of super-cute childrenswear labels hang next to shelves of Japanese and Scandinavian wooden toys and beautifully designed treasures. There’s also a rack of fanciable dressing-up clothes sourced from around the world. The kids’ dressing room is also quite at treat, decorated with a vibrant vintage wallpaper.

   
   

   
   

   

   It’s worth taking the time to explore the racks of clothes up the front of the store, which feature New York designers such as Lyell, Rachel Comey, as well as denim from Jean Shop. There’s also netural cotton jersey pieces by Dutch label Humanoid, knitwear by former Paul & Joe designer April May, and streamlined designs by Indress (think of a grown-up A.P.C.). There’s also a good selection of (Wee Birdy favourite) Belle by Sigerson Morrison shoes.

   

   

   Head upstairs and you’ll find a light and bright level of more womenswear, as well as hand-picked vintage items and homewares. A cabinet of vintage Sasha dolls – still in their pristine boxes – sits next to Scholten & Baijings’ brightly woven Dutch table linen. It’s all been expertly edited, and although the pieces have been sourced from around the world, they all share a similar mid-century/Scandi aesthetic. Keep an eye out for the magnificent vintage patchwork quilts, as well as Spanish ceramics and Japanese glassware. I love the hand-stitched cushions and throws by Parisian homewares brand Caravane, which use reissued vintage fabrics and have an almost hand-painted feel to them.

   
   

   
   

   

   Moving downstairs to the basement Garbstore, you’ll find vintage-inspired and Japanese brands exclusive to the UK, such as Bedwin & the Heartbreakers, General Research, Naval Research and Mountain Research. There’s also a wall of Garbstore’s own-brand denim jeans, which boasts 19 different classic styles that were inspired by ‘40s and ‘50s cuts. Look out for Australian’s Rittenhouse t-shirts, as well as Han Kjobenhavn sunglasses. I also found a good selection of vintage tie pins and clips from from £5 (especially hard-to-find clips for skinny ties!). And don’t miss the line-up of vintage Action Men, with prices starting at £45.

   

   

   Now is a particularly good time to visit, with a store-wide sale on both current and last season’s stock. Or plan a trip on Saturday, when they’ll make further discounts of up to 70 per cent.

   UPDATE: Just got news of some of the discounted goodies to expect in store: Belle by Sigerson Morrison ankle strap sandal for £199 (from £299), Rachel Comey chartreuse skirt for £139 (was £349), Ann-Sofie Back crepe fitted blazer for £225 (from £559) and Michelle Lowe-Holder printed silk blazer for £90 (was £229).

   Couverture & The Garbstore
   188 Kensington Park Road,
   London W11 2ES
   Tel. 020 7229 2178
   Nearest Tubes: Notting Hill Gate and Ladbroke Grove
   Click here for a Wee Birdy map
   
   Opening Hours:
   Monday to Saturday: 10am-6pm
   Sunday: 12 noon-5pm (December only)
   
   Click here for more Wee Birdy shop reviews in Notting Hill.

2. Bird is the word: the winners!

   July 27, 2009 7:00 am 9 Comments

   
   A big thank you to everyone who entered my blogiversary giveaways. You know the cliche about wishing you could give everyone a prize? Well, it's true. Your comments were truly inspired, and even Rob Ryan (who, like me, read every single one) was "a trifle overwhelmed". So there.

   I chose all the winners via a random number generator at www.random.org, and have posted the screen captures below. I was planning to do this in a far more creative way. In fact, I was hoping that Woody, the family galah, would pick the winners out of a hat. Don't laugh - one year he picked the Melbourne cup winner! But unfortunately he was having a bit of a diva moment, and when he wasn't flying at my father-in-law who was trying to film the process, he was chewing the hat. Eventually he stormed off in protest.

   Anyway, I'm sure you want me to get onto the winners, so here they are (some of your forgot to include your email address, so please email me your details asap!):

   

   Gemma Jones prints
   Winners: 41, 10, 4, 21, 43, 33, 23, 5, 20, 32
   4: Page Smith (Page, please email me with your address!)
   5: Rhianne
   10: jenny wren
   20: Karen
   21: Cath W (Cath, please email me with your address!)
   23: Delicious Industries
   32: Cara @ Turvys (Cara, please email me with your address!)
   33: Sara Jeanne (Sara Jeanne, please email me with your address!)
   41: J.T (J.T, please email me with your address!)
   43:  Liz (Liz, please email me with your address!)

   

   Tatty Devine necklace
   Winner: 3 – Becky
   "I'm really into restoring my battered little car to it's former glory at the moment.
   Let's see some chunky engine parts on a dainty little chain! X"
   Posted by: Becky | July 17, 2009 at 08:30 AM
   (Becky, I don't have your details, please email me with your address!)

   Penhaligon’s Anthology collection
   Winner: 22 – Claire
   "ah....it has to be the smell of imperial leather soap mixed with the delicate scent of a light spritz of rose perfume....these are the smells of my grannies hands. mix this with a waft of apple crumble bubbling away in the aga and the smell of charred wood on the fire and i am whisked back to my childhood...."
   Posted by: claire | July 20, 2009 at 09:47 PM

   Alex Monroe goody bag
   Winner: 54 – Marie
   "In my dream garden I would have plenty of roses, a big gooseberry bush, some nice trees, perhaps plum/cherry. Lots of herbs, all sorts of fun ones, and vegetables too. I would also have a big table where the family could sit together and dine outside on the few English evenings it's warm enough to do so! And finally a chimnea to keep us warm and burn my garden waste. And oops forgot a compost heap so I can be greener with my waste. And thanks for running these WeeBirdy!"
   Posted by: Marie | July 22, 2009 at 04:36 PM

   Rob Ryan tiles
   Winner: 39 – Suse
   "Im very inspired by all of his work, one favourite is the book this is for you, it is a beautiful book."
   Posted by: suse | July 23, 2009 at 11:27 AM
   (Suse, I don't have your details, please email me with your address!)

   Lapin & Me prize pack
   Winner: 46 – Heather
   "What I love about Paris… many things but mainly hot French well dressed men!"
   Posted by: Heather | July 24, 2009 at 03:11 PM
   (Heather, I don't have your details, please email me with your address!)

   Congratulations, all! Expect an email from me shortly requesting your address details. And thanks again to all who entered, fingers' crossed for next time.

3. Birdy pick of the week

   July 26, 2009 9:49 pm 2 Comments

   

   This week's birdy pick comes courtesy of Wife in the City, who pointed me in the direction of these clever Love Bird Wedding Bird Seed Packets, US$50, from The Wedding Perch's Etsy shop. Nice alternative to the traditional (and non-eco friendly) confetti and rice!

   Just a reminder that the 'Bird is the Word' comps are now closed. Winners will be announced first thing tomorrow morning. The excitement!

4. Bird is the word: A week of giveaways

   July 23, 2009 4:00 pm 54 Comments

   

   I’m back with one final giveaway for a lucky Wee Birdy reader: an amazing Nathalie Lete prize pack, valued at £36.95, courtesy of London boutique Lapin & Me.

   One of my favourite new shops in East London, Lapin & Me specialises in all things fine, French-y and feminine, with a strong illustrative element. I really love the selection of pocket-money goodies for kids, as well as the extensive line-up of cult dolls. Get the full Lapin & Me shop tour here.

   

   

   

   Lapin & Me also stocks an extensive selection of products by French artist Nathalie Lete, which feature a vividly-painted Parisian world populated by bunnies, birds and flowers.

   The Nathalie Lete prize pack includes a best-selling Parisian shopper, valued at £16.95; a toiletries bag, valued at £13.50; and a super-sweet notebook, valued at £6.50.

   To be in the running for the prize pack, simply leave a comment telling me your favourite thing about Paris. Don’t forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

   Please note that the winner will be chosen at random (either picked out of a hat or by a random number generator – TBC) and all competitions close on Friday 24 July at 6pm (British Summer Time). Winners will be announced on Monday 27 July.

   Thank you, Lapin & Me! If you love the look of the shop, why don’t you:
   - check out the online shop here;
   - peek inside the East London boutique here; or
   - become a fan of Lapin & Me on Facebook here.

5. Bird is the word: A week of giveaways

   July 22, 2009 6:00 pm 65 Comments

   

   Today marks day five of the Wee Birdy blogiversary giveaway, and I’ve got some very special prizes from London design legend (and Wee Birdy favourite) Rob Ryan.

   As some of you may know, I’ve posted extensively about Rob Ryan’s work over the last two years, so it’s a delight to welcome him back to the nest. He’s very kindly donated two of his bird-themed tiles for a Wee Birdy giveaway, valued at a total of £48.

   Rob is a prolific designer and illustrator, and his paper-cut designs (and heart-felt prose) have appeared on collaborations with British Vogue, Liberty, Fortnum and Mason, Paul Smith and Earnest Sewn.

   

   A shopping trip to London isn’t complete without a visit to his Columbia Road store, Ryantown, which opened just last year. All of his work is produced nearby in his East London studio, and it’s packed with his screenprints, tiles and t-shirts, as well as an ever-changing selection of gifts. A recent addition, for instance, are these cute sailor-print t-shirts. (Check out my full Wee Birdy shop tour here.)

   

   To be in the running for this very special prize of two Rob Ryan tiles, simply leave a comment telling me what you favourite Rob Ryan print, product or collaboration is - and why. Don’t forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

   Please note that the winner will be chosen at random (either picked out of a hat or by a random number generator – TBC) and all competitions close on Friday 24 July at 6pm (British Summer Time). Winners will be announced on Monday 27 July.

   Thank you Rob! If you’re as big a Rob Ryan fan as I am, why don’t you:
   - Check out his Etsy shop;
   - Read my full shop tour of his shop, Ryantown;
   - Check out his blog here; or
   - See what’s new in Ryantown via the blog here.

6. Bird is the word: A week of giveaways

   July 21, 2009 11:35 pm 92 Comments

    
   It’s day four of Wee Birdy’s blogiversary bonanza, and I’m absolutely thrilled that the giveaways have been such a rip-roaring success. Thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to enter so far - I’ve genuinely loved reading every single comment. Your favourite nostalgic scents have particularly blown me away! And I love that Wee Birdy’s readership is truly global.

   My next giveaway, generously donated by leading British jewellery designer, Alex Monroe, is a very special goodie bag including an exquisite gold pea Alex Monroe necklace, valued at £108 (pictured above), a copy of his brand new book, The Gardener, and a jar of his very own home-made jam!*

   

   The necklace is from Alex’s upcoming SS10 collection, and I got a sneak peek at the pop-up exhibition he held last week at Penhaligon’s Covent Garden boutique. The collection is based on his new children’s story, The Gardener, which was inspired by his passion for gardening. He has an allotment in Dulwich in South-East London where he likes to potter about and eat strawberries with his daughters.

   

   

   To showcase his new collection, Alex painstakingly recreated a micro secret garden in Penhaligon’s, adorned with his delicate and ultra-feminine jewellery. There are tiny ant earrings, dragonfly necklaces, and a watering can charm, all rendered in gold, silver and precious stones. There's also a new, smaller version of his popular bee necklace.

   

   

   To be in the running for the very special Alex Monroe goodie bag, simply leave a comment below, telling me what you’d grown in your ultimate dream garden. Don’t forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

   Please note that the winner will be chosen at random (either picked out of a hat or by a random number generator – TBC) and all competitions close on Friday 24 July at 6pm (British Summer Time). Winners will be announced on Monday 27 July.

   *Depending on the winner’s location, jam may or may not be included (Australian customs, for instance, can be particularly draconian).

   Thank you, Alex! For more Alex Monroe goodness, you may like to:
   - check out his website here;
   - read Alex’s Secret London addresses here;
   - find your nearest Alex Monroe stockist here; or
   - read Alex’s blog here.

7. Bird is the word: A week of giveaways

   July 20, 2009 5:38 pm 88 Comments

   
   It’s day three of A Week of Giveaways at Wee Birdy, and Penhaligon’s has joined the blogiversary celebrations with a complete set of four fragrances from their limited edition Anthology Collection, at a total retail value of £380.

   These new fragrances have been brought back from the Penhaligon’s archive, which has a long heritage of perfumery in Britain, dating back to the 1870s when William Penhaligon first moved to London from Cornwall and started creating fine fragrances for discerning gentlemen.

   
   

   Since then, the brand has collected Royal Warrants from The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh, and has produced some of Britain’s most iconic and historic fragrances. The boutiques, meanwhile, still capture some of the old-world charm and sense of history of the brand, complete with dark wood panelling, glass cabinets, and collectable silver trinkets.

   

   The four new fragrances from the Anthology Collection are the sharply sherbet Extract of Limes (1963), the subtly aromatic Eau de Verveine (1949), the playful Gardenia (1976) and the dark and heady Night Scented Stock (1976). 

   

   For your chance to win the complete set of four fragrances from the Penhaligon’s Anthology Collection, valued at £380, simply leave a comment telling me about your favourite nostalgic scent. Don’t forget to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!

   
   Entries close for all giveaways on Friday 24 July at 6pm (British Summer Time). Winners will be announced on Monday 27 July, 2009.

   Thank you Penhaligon’s! If you love the look of these fragrances, you might like to:
   - check out the Penhaligon’s website;
   - read about their iconic Bluebell bath oil here;
   - or visit one of their beautiful boutiques here.

8. Birdy pick of the week

   July 19, 2009 9:52 pm 8 Comments

   
   Bird and cage stamp set, US$10, from Yellow Owl Workshop.
   (The giveaway bonanza will resume tomorrow morning!)

9. Bird is the word: A week of giveaways

   July 17, 2009 7:46 am 62 Comments

   
   The lovely gang from Tatty Devine have joined the Wee Birdy party, and look what they’ve come up with for my week of giveaways. This adorable cockatiel bead necklace is from their current SS09 collection, and features a delicate pink blush and Swarovski crystal eye. Like the rest of Tatty Devine's amazing pieces, he was handmade in their East London studio.

   

   He’s also reversible, and can be worn showing his little feet peeping out over a branch. Cute!

   

   I also really love the retro-style white beading, which adds a touch of old-fashioned glamour. This very special giveaway is valued at £68. For your chance to win, leave a comment telling me your idea for a fab Tatty Devine necklace (here's mine: a Belle and Sebastian collaboration, yeah!). I’ll be using a random number generator to pick the winner, so get busy with your comments now. All giveaway winners will be announced on Monday 27 July, 2009.

   *EDIT* Entries close for all giveaways on Friday 24 July at 6pm (British Summer Time). And please remember to include your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win!

   Thank you Tatty Devine! If you love all things Tatty, you might like to:
   - check out all their amazing pieces here;
   - read my Tatty Devine shop tour here;
   - read their secret blog updates here; and
   - follow them on Twitter here.

10. Bird is the word: A week of giveaways

    July 16, 2009 7:00 am 47 Comments

    

    Very exciting news: today marks Wee Birdy's second-year blogiversary, and to celebrate, Australia's very own pop artist/journalist/crafty chick (and dear friend) Gemma Jones, has designed an exclusive limited-edition Wee Birdy print. Check it out in all its cutie-pie retro wondrousness:

    

    I have 10 limited edition 'Bird is the Word' prints up for grabs, each hand-signed and dated by Gemma.

    To be in the running for one of Gemma's (extremely collectable) prints, just leave a comment below telling me about your favourite Birdy pick. I'll use one of those random number generator thingies to choose 10 winners. Just be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

    Thank you, Gemma! (And if you like her print, you might like to:
    - check out more of Gemma's work;
    - read her stories for The Vine;
    - follow her on Twitter; and
    - read her crafty blog)

    

    Stay tuned this week for more blogiversary giveaways from my most favourite designers ...

    *EDIT* Entries close for all giveaways on Friday 24 July at 6pm (British Summer Time). Winners will be announced Monday 27 July.

11. Strictly for Harry Potter fans

    July 15, 2009 11:47 pm 3 Comments

    
    I had a bit of a wobble over whether to post these Etsy finds, for fear you'd think I'd lost my mind (or worse, turned this blog into Wee Mousie). Dear reader, may I introduce the Harry Potter mouse, complete with hand-stitched scar, wire glasses, and hand-knitted scarf. For some reason it's escaped the clutches of official Warner Bros licensed merchandise. But wait, there's more...

    
    .... what's Harry Potter Mouse without his evil nemesis, Lord Voldemouse (of course), and ...

    
    ... his best mate, Ron Weasley Mouse.
    All courtesy of the House of Mouse's Etsy shop (and if you're super-keen, you may like to check out the Star Wars mice).

12. Craft Capital: London handmade happenings (pt1)

    July 14, 2009 8:41 am 18 Comments

    

    When I first started Wee Birdy (my second blogiversary is this week!), I was very keen to cover the so-called contemporary craft scene, and had quite a few things to say about the topic. But it was only just starting to get off the ground in London, with just a few events dotted around the capital. Fast-forward two years and the trend has completely taken off, with all sorts of enterprising crafty individuals, independent companies, stitch-and-bitch pub nights and handmade events popping up around town.

    The Make Lounge (pictured above and below) set the scene when it came along in 2008, offering a full menu of crafty workshops from its stylish boutique in Islington. It's not only become a popular venue for functions, birthday parties and hen's nights, but has partnered with the likes of high street store Oasis, Twestival, Innocent Village Fete and the V&A Museum to bring 'making-and-doing' to the masses.

    And to cater for the increasing demand for craft supplies, The Make Lounge are in the process of fitting out a new shop on site, which will stock fabrics, patterns and craft kits as well as haberdashery, Janome sewing machines and overlockers, and a selection of handmade goods by UK designer-makers.

    

    
    Crafty peeps at The Make Lounge.

    No doubt the recession (with calls to Make do and Mend), increasingly urgent environmental concerns (with consumers seeking alternatives to mass production), as well as the extraordinary success of handmade websites like Etsy, Folksy and Dawanda are responsible for the increased interest in all things handmade, which is also reflected in the sheer volume of craft-related blogs that have sprung up in recent months. Not to mention that crafting can be a particularly fun, creative, and a sociable pastime. People like the idea of 'making stuff' and are desperate to learn forgotten skills such as embroidery, crochet and knitting.

    And if there was any doubt that the trend has been embraced by the mainstream, one only has to look to Net-a-porter’s move to stock a (faintly ridiculous) £70 knitting kit by Parisian collective Wool and the Gang from July 15.

    I’ve had quite a few emails from some of you requesting more info on what’s happening in London, so I’ve done a bit of digging to bring you the very latest on craft in the capital:

    Finishing School
    Fiona and Becky are the two pals behind Finishing School, an evening they run at a pub in Islington for meeting up, making stuff and drinking wine. They say it’s a bit like grown-up Brownies, with the aim of learning a new skill each session (whilst making new friends).

    

    

    

    They source local experts to lead the group, with Catherine Hirst taking the crochet workshop for their very first meet-up last month. Next up is life drawing tonight, Tuesday 14 July, hosted by Louise Reade. All abilities are welcome and basic materials are provided. Entry is free with an optional donation.
    Finishing School
    Next lesson: Tuesday 14 July from 7pm
    The Geography Room at William IV.
    7 Shepherdess Walk
    London N1 7QE
    Nearest Tubes: Old Street and Angel

    Tea and Make
    Stylist Sally Curtis and artist Esther Yarnold (such a good, crafty name, no?) have collaborated to create Tea & Make, which aims to celebrate regional craft and lots of making-and-doing through a series of events. Their very first ‘fete’ is in August, with an excellent line-up of artists and designers selling their wares (Garudio Studiage, Pheasant, Hannah Waldron, Sara Tierney, Abigail Thomas, Kathleen Stern, interim, Polly George, Laura Laura are confirmed so far), as well as classes and events on the day (including Pete Fowler’s Design a Monster workshop).

    

    
    

    Keep an eye on their blog for more details. Loving that they've got an art vending machine courtesy of Pingo, as well as the Choc Star van (offering such choc delights as Mexican chocolate icecream, Malteser muffins and Hot Chocolate floats) on hand for the day. One to watch.

    
    Tea and Make
    Saturday 22 August 2009
    11am-5pm
    St Saviour’s,
    Brockley Rise, Forest Hill
    London SE23 1JN
    £1 admission.
    
    Create Boutique
    A relatively new independent craft studio, Create Boutique offers a range of fashion and trend-led workshops by a network of industry specialists. Here you can learn to make a raft of deluxe products and accessories, including organic body cream, bow-themed jewellery and accessories and Burlesque nipple tassles (known as pasties in the biz).

    

    

    

    There’s also a hats workshop led by milliner Katherine Elizabeth, who has worked with Stephen Jones and created headpieces for the likes of Dita von Teese. Workshops start at £35. Stay tuned to the website for upcoming dates.

13. Birdy pick of the week

    July 13, 2009 12:44 pm 1 Comment

    

    

    Some Aussie birdies for a change, this time by South Australian designer Alice Potter. Her sterling silver necklaces are available from Collect in Sydney, which showcases some of Australia’s most respected object makers and designers.

    Images courtesy of Object Gallery. Photography by Joy Lai.