Just wanted to show you more of the whimsical work by The Cat in the Shoe, which I discovered at The Maisonette in Glasgow. Based in Hackney, East London, The Cat in the Shoe hand-stitches totally original fantastical creatures using vintage, recycled and new fabrics.
The long-necked stripey pie girls remind me of Alice in Wonderland (apparently Lewis Carroll was inspired by the long-necked figures on the brass fireplace in the main hall at Christ Church College), whilst the furry deer girl is a little more Where the Wild Things Are. Delightfully quirky and original.
The Maisonette Tucked away upstairs on Cresswell Lane, this relatively new addition to Glasgow’s shopping scene is a veritable crafty delight. The brainchild of local craft collective Made in the Shade, the boutique showcases a beautifully-edited selection of pieces by local designer-makers, as well as crafts from around the UK.
Look out for knitted creatures by ex-local Donna Wilson, screen-printed totes by Show Pony and 'pie girl' by The Cat In The Shoe. I loved Angharad Jefferson’s hand-embroidered cushions and framed artworks, which feature her own illustrations of UK TV soap legends as well as portraits of her old school teachers.
And for something a wee bit birdy, don’t miss Clare Nicolson’s vintage fabric lavender sachets, £7. I was also rather charmed by Ding Dong Design’s hand-knitted finger puppet – I spied Bjork in her legendary Marjan Pejoski swan frock, for £8. The Maisonette Upper Floor De Courcy’s Arcade Cresswell Lane G12 8AA Opening hours: Monday to Wednesday 10am-6pm Thursday 10am-7pm Friday to Saturday 10am-6pm Sunday noon-5pm
W2 Store
I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised and excited to stumble
across W2 in the middle of vintage shop territory.
The former Commes des
Garcons guerilla shop has been reinvented as W2, stocking the likes of
Margaret Howell and Adam Kimmel alongside quite a few of the Commes
lines and Junya Watanabe. Keep an eye out for Commes wallets, fragrance
and some lovely pieces from the PLAY line (I loved the cheery red and
white polka dot macs). The shop's manager, David, is also really nice
and welcoming, and extremely knowledgable about all things Commes. A
real delight. W2 Store
10 Ruthven Lane
Glasgow G12 9BG
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 11am-6pm
Sunday noon-5pm
Starry Starry Night
One of Glasgow's best vintage clothes shops, Starry Starry Night offers
a vast selection of well-priced gear for both men and women.
Best for
glittery costume jewellery (I found some really lovely brooches) as
well as vintage kilts (around £55) and argyle jackets (around £45). Starry Starry Night
19–21 Dowanside Lane
Glasgow G12 9BZ
Tel. 0141 337 1837
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 10am–5.30pm
Relics
This over-stuffed hoarders’ haven is more car-boot sale
explosion than shop. But tiptoe carefully around some rather
precariously-placed vintage wares, and you’ll find quite a few well-priced
gems.
I managed to find some very sweet Danish Nymolle plates, as well
as some old British children's annuals, postcards and a fantastic
collection of vintage glassware. Relics
Dowanside Lane
Glasgow G12 9BZ
Tel. 0141 341 0007
Kember and Jones A cheery deli and cafe nestled in the heart of the West End, Kember and Jones is crammed with all sorts of foodie delights.
The upstairs loft cafe boasts an impressive daily specials board with seasonal produce (the curried parsnip and apple soup was doing a roaring trade on my visit), alongside a hearty breakfast and lunch menu. I couldn't go past the heart-stopping display of cakes, especially the carrot cake with a generous slab of cream cheese icing. Drool.
Kember and Jones 134 Byres Road Glasgow G12 8TD Tel. 0141 337 3851
It looks like January is going to be a month of catching up on all my holidays in 2009 (I've got folders stacked with stuff to tell you about - look out for Paris and Copenhagen over the coming weeks), but first I have to tell you about my wonderful trip to Glasgow in December.
I was delighted to meet up with blog/Twitter pals I like and Sarey Poppins, who were very kind and took me out for dinner and a movie one night. I also scored some early Christmas presents: a Sarey Poppins' clasp purse in a wonderfully vibrant Grayson Perry for Liberty print (see above), as well as a bundle of postcards and cards from I like, featuring all manner of kitschy, retro and quintessentially British images.
You can buy sets of I like's cards from her Folksy shop.
Being an 'orphan' in another country at Christmas often means that you have to make a concerted effort to be anywhere but stuck at home on your own, so this time we headed off to lovely Vienna with some friends. (Last year it was New York - read about it here.) Sadly the trip was blighted by sickness and angsting over lost luggage, but we did make the most of the famous Christmas markets which are dotted around the city.
The best markets were at Schonbrunn Palace, which we visited on Christmas Day. There were oodles of Christmas baubles and decorations on offer, as well as traditional Austrian and German Christmas crafts.
Admittedly some of it strayed towards naff territory, but some of it was truly lovely, like straw dolls, hand-carved wooden nativity sets and intricately iced gingerbread.
And the food. Oh lordy. We indulged in all the festive treats on offer, from raclette on bread and pretzels to twisted fried potato crisps and chopped up apple pancake, all washed down with copious mugs of warm gluhwein as we huddled around a table in the biting cold.
Afterwards we headed out of the cold and took a tour around the palace itself, which is rather like a mini Versailles with gilt furniture and flocked wallpaper. Definitely worth a visit.
There were more culinary adventures to be had at the Sacher Hotel, which is home to the legendary Sacher torte. The cafe is quite sumptous and rather conveniently located opposite the Albertina gallery, so the rich chocolate cake provides the perfect antidote to gallery fatigue.
And if you're after a truly excellent Wiener schnitzel, you might like to head to the very cosy Figlmuller restaurant, where the super-thin portions arrive bigger than your dinner plate, and accompanied by a traditional potato salad with lamb's lettuce.
p.s. We didn't do it this time around, but I also thoroughly recommend a visit to the the wonderful Hundertwasser Museum - and don't miss his wonky apartments up the road.
A very belated happy New Year to all my dear readers. Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and you're getting into the swing of 2010. Sorry I've been a bit slow posting lately - I've been away on holidays and came home very sick.
In the meantime, if you're a fan of Wee Birdy and you have a spare minute, I'd be super, super grateful if you could nominate me for the 2010 Bloggies. Last year I was thrilled to be nominated for 'best-kept secret weblog', and I'd love to be considered again this year.
You need to nominate at least three different blogs in the awards, so now is your chance to show your love for all your favourite reads (if you need any inspiration, check out my blogroll on the right hand side of the page).
You can nominate a blog in more than one category, so since I cover a few broad topics you might like to consider Wee Birdy for 'Best European blog' or 'Best art, craft and design blog'. It's up to you!
After you've voted, scroll to the end of the page, enter the two verification words and
your email address.
You'll then receive an email with a link - it's very important you click this link as your vote nominations aren't entered until then.
