Archive: Oct 2009

1. Happy Halloween!

   October 30, 2009 6:46 pm 8 Comments
   Spooky skull Halloween headband for Blythe, US$4, by Cupcake Cozy.
   

   Good to see that Blythe is getting suitably frocked up for Halloween on Etsy. There are all manner of spooky-themed accessories and outfits available for my favourite retro doll, with itty bitty details like scaled-down prints, tiny striped stockings and wee ric-rac. It's all a bit mad, really, but I can't help loving it.

   And for those of you who think that Blythe is just plain spooky in the first instance, well ... Happy Halloween!

   
   Halloween retro print dress for Blythe, US$25, by Devout Dolls.
   

   
   Halloween spider dress with bib for Blythe, US$25, by Devout Dolls.

   
   Halloween skirt and top set for Blythe, $32, by Devout Dolls.
   
   Skull hair pin for Blythe, US$3, by Crispipop.

2. Wee find: Laura Laura mini collection

   7:01 am 1 Comment
   
   Here's a sneak peek at the new mini-collection by London-based designer LauraLaura, whose recycled sweaters I blogged about a couple of months ago.
   

   
   
   Entitled 'Who Goes There', the collection consists of four one-off bright pieces for winter, which has been illustrated by the very talented Beth Davis.

   
   
   Click here to go to LauraLaura's online shop and see the pieces 'in the flesh'. Playful details like blanket-stitched edging, embroidered tromple l'oeil buttons and frilled collars keep things fresh and original. Prices start at £50.

3. Wee find: Andrea Garland’s natural balms

   October 29, 2009 7:00 am 8 Comments

   
   
   A few months ago I was mooching around Greenwich market and stumbled across Andrea Garland’s range of natural balms in vintage tins, compacts and pill boxes.

   

   
   
   I really like her organic lip balm made with sweet almond oil, cocoa butter, beeswax and vitamin E, but she also does a terrific sore muscle rub and a body balm. The best bit is that she does refills at a fraction of the original price - so you get to keep the original pretty tin.

   These days you can find her at Brick Lane’s Upmarket and Liberty in London, but she’s also got an online store here.

4. Shopping in London: Lazy Oaf

   October 28, 2009 7:00 am 6 Comments
   

   I do love popping into Lazy Oaf on the ground floor of Kingly Court (just off Carnaby Street) for a kooky dose of sausage dog print tees (my all-time favourite), banana Perspex brooches and hamburger sweaters.

   

   
   
   Lazy Oaf are the crew behind the Michael Jackson tee I posted about recently, and they seem to have a never-ending supply of slightly mad graphic concepts for men’s and womens’s tees and sweaters, as well as toys, pins, stationery and plush toys.

   
   
   New this season is the fabulous Foxy tee, which features a print collar, as well as a super-sweet ‘I Make Things’ tee – perfect for crafty make-and-do chicks.

   
   
   
   They've also got an amazing range of Japanese stationery and decorative items. Take a look at these  Pinocchio plates, notebooks and decorative tape by designer Shinzi Katoh. How much fun is the 'Happy Friends' tape?

   
    

   
   
   Their website is also well worth a look, with all their products available to purchase, along with a particularly good shop blog.
   
   Lazy Oaf
   Kingly Court, Carnaby Street
   London W1B 5PW
   Nearest tube: Oxford Circus
   Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
   
   Opening hours:
   Monday to Saturday 11am-7pm
   Sunday 12 noon-6pm
   
   Click here for more shops in Soho.

5. What to take home: Fortnum’s Honey

   October 27, 2009 7:00 am 12 Comments
   

   Fortnum & Mason is one of my first stops if I’m looking for something quintessentially London to send to family and friends in Australia – whether it’s a canister of their iconic tea or a jar of Rose Petal Jelly.

    
   
   
   Now I can add Fortnum’s honey to the list, which is actually harvested from the hives on top of the building in Piccadilly. I love the idea of bees getting busy high above the bustle of Piccadilly. The bees feast on pollen in the nearby gardens of Green Park, Hyde Park, and Buckingham Palace, and the honey is limited to just 400 jars. But apparently there has been a rush on pre-orders, so there are just 60 precious jars left.* Available now for £10.

   Fortnum & Mason
   181 Piccadilly
   London W1A 1ER
   Tel. 020 7734 8040
   Nearest Tubes: Piccadilly and Green Park
   Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

   * NB. I've just been informed by Fortnum's PR that there's been such a buzz (sorry, couldn't resist) about the honey, that stocks may in fact be depleted. Best to call customer services on 0845 300 1707 first. If they're out of stock you can put your name on the waiting list for the next harvest. Can you imagine? The bees have a freakin' waiting list!

6. Wee find: Love Lane Caravans

   October 26, 2009 7:00 am 16 Comments

   
   
   I stumbled across Love Lane Caravans via the lovely @pipnstuff on Twitter, and was instantly charmed by the rustic romanticism of hiring a lovingly restored classic caravan in Cornwall.

   

   Each caravan has been fully kitted out to suit the period, and comes complete with linen, BBQ equipment and outdoor seating. The website also lists a number of excellent campsites around Cornwall.

   

   
   
   
   
   The ‘70s style caravan brings back some of my earliest childhood memories of camping around Europe with my family in the summer of 1977. I was only three at the time, but I do vaguely remember picking wildflowers with my sister at the side of the road, and scouting out each campsite for the nearest playground. In fact, my brother rated each campsite according to the pool/playground factor. Here are some of the photos I've dug out of the family album...

   

   
   

   
   
   Check out the groovy mustard curtains! But this was camping at its most basic – there were no mod-cons, toilet or shower on board – and my parents had to contend with three children under the age of 13. I’ve never been camping since then, but that trip has become the stuff of family legend and will stay with me forever...

   

   

   Love Lane Caravans
   Cartshed Cottage
   Retallack Farm
   Constantine
   Cornwall TR11 5PW
   Tel. +44 (0)1326 340406
   Email: holiday@lovelanecaravans.com

7. Birdy pick of the week

   October 25, 2009 10:51 pm 1 Comment
   

   

   Handmade owls by Lori Nichols for Night Owl Paper Goods. Each owl is made using thrifted sweaters, acorns, repurposed wood and letterpress bits. Thanks to @bezburman for the tip!

8. Wee find: Halloween cards

   October 24, 2009 7:00 am 8 Comments
   

   

   
    
   Loving Hello! Lucky's collection of ace letterpress Halloween cards and sets of boxed party invitations this year. Prices start at £2.50 for an individual letterpress card.

   Hello!Lucky is a Wee Birdy sponsor, and a darn good-looking one, too.
   

9. Birdy picks of the week: the Anthropologie edition

   October 23, 2009 7:00 am 17 Comments
   

   Today's the day! I've been saving up this week's birdy pick to coincide with Anthropologie's grand opening today in London. And really, no other store does birds quite as well as Anthropologie.

   Here are my top Anthro birdy picks from the London store (note that each Anthropologie store stocks slightly different stuff):
   1. Gladiator bird, finch with key, £258.
   2. Hasty hatchling necklace, £258.
   3. Flight-Of-Swans dress, £258.
   4. Bird hook, £20.
   5. Gladiator bird, Quail, £218.
   6. Tweeting tea party dishtowel, £22.
   7. Birder dishtowel in blue, £16.

   Click here to read my sneak peek inside London's Anthropologie earlier this week. 

   Anthropologie
   158 Regent Street
   London, W1B 5SW
   Tel. 7529 9800
   Nearest tube: Piccadilly
   Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
   

   Opening hours:
   Monday to Wednesday 10am-7pm
   Thursday 10am-8pm
   Friday to Saturday 10am-7pm
   Sunday 12 noon-6pm

10. What to take home: Pedlars British cushions

    October 22, 2009 8:22 am 4 Comments  
    

    

    These new 'I love London' and UK map cushions have just arrived in-store at Pedlars. I'd love to scatter a great big clump of them on my sofa! Featuring felt appliqued designs and super-lovely blanket-stitched edges, they're priced from £94.95. 

    Click here to read about my Pedlars shop tour.
    
    Pedlars
    128 Talbot Road
    London W11 1JA
    Tel. 7727 7799
    Nearest tube: Ladbroke Grove
    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
    
    Opening hours:
    Monday to Friday 10am-6pm
    Saturday 9am-6pm
    Sunday 11am-5pm
    

11. Sneak Peek: Anthropologie London

    October 21, 2009 10:21 pm 25 Comments
    

    Terribly exciting: I just had a sneak peek inside the new Anthropologie store, which opens its Regent Street doors to London on Friday. For the full story, see this week's Time Out magazine. In the meantime, enjoy some of my snaps...

    

    

    

    This hanging teabag installation in the window (above) reminds me of the Rockefeller store Christmas windows I blogged about when I was in New York last year.
    
    
    
    

    
    
    Birdy door-knobs, above, and beautifully-bound Penguin classics, below.

    
    
    The enormous dressing rooms are surely the most spacious in London. The end cubicle (if you could even call it that) resembles a small office. You could seriously throw a party in there.

    
    

    And finally, the magnificent afternoon tea spread complete with a never-ending supply of cakes, tarts and biscuits. I mastered the fine art of hovering over the strawberry tarts...

    
    
    

    Creature candles...
    
    

    And the hand-stitched grand opening sign...

    
    
    Anthropologie
    158 Regent Street
    London, W1B 5SW
    Tel. 7529 9800
    Nearest tube: Piccadilly
    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
    

    Opening hours:
    Monday to Wednesday 10am-7pm
    Thursday 10am-8pm
    Friday to Saturday 10am-7pm
    Sunday 12 noon-6pm

12. Wee find: 2010 diaries at Shelf

    7:00 am 4 Comments
    

    Those clever people over at Shelf in East London seek out the best stuff from around the world, and I've always been particularly enthusiastic about their range of stationery. Their 2010 Japanese and Korean diaries have just arrived in store, so now is a good time to pay their Cheshire Street shop a visit. Prices start at £7.
    

    Shelf
    40 Cheshire Street
    London E2 6EH
    Tel. 020 7739 9444
    Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
    
    Opening hours:
    Friday afternoon by appointment only
    Saturday 1pm-6pm
    Sunday 11am-6pm

13. Welcome new Wee Birdy sponsors

    October 20, 2009 7:00 am 5 Comments
    A big warm welcome to Wee Birdy’s newest sponsors, Cerise and Made With Love by Mrs Booth.
    

    Cerise is a jewellery and accessories store on Columbia Road which specialises in independent designers from the UK. Those outside of London can peruse the excellent online shop, which is packed with the most curious and covetable gems. I'm loving Tina Lilienthel's rabbit pendant (see above) as well as Karin Andreasson's Moonlight Shimmer Headpiece and Alex Monroe's Bumble Bee necklace.
    
    
    
    Made with Love by Mrs Booth, meanwhile, stocks a delightful range of beautifully-designed colouring and counting books for children, as well as alphabet friezes, prints and cards. I adore the simplicity of the penguin print (see above) as well as the birth announcements and baby cards. If you’ve got kids, have a look at her ‘free stuff’ page, which features colouring-in pages and samples to download. And keep an eye on her blog with news about upcoming products and gift fairs.