The Princess Meeting the Frog

Illustrations by Walter Crane

One of the best perks of interning at The Courtauld Gallery is it's wonderful collection. I came across this wonderful series by the Victorian Illustrator Walter Crane whilst checking out the Witt Print Library. The following illustrations are taken from the 1874 picture book called 'The Frog Prince and Other Stories.'

I find the illustrations ever so charming and the bright colours very cheering. The details are so sweet and, anyway, who doesn't love a good fairytale..


(If you like this, check out this wonderful website, it's made for children but it's absolutely lovely. The design alone is worth a look!)

Work Wear Wednesday

Mid March Indecision.

Things are certainly looking spring-wards, though sensibility reminds me not to get too carried away with sheer optimism!
It's too cold for bare legs - or even ballet pumps. Tights are still very necessary, as is a scarf and a cardigan. However, in London over the past week it has been just bright enough for sunglasses and warm enough for sheer blouses (with a jumper - unless of course you are in at a crowded house party 4 floors up...)

Those two shirt dresses on the right of the collage are rumoured to be only £14.99 in 'New Look' .. I desperately want one!

(Scan is my own. Happy Mid-week everyone!)

How Very Relatable!

(Another illustration post...) As far as I'm concerned, Kris has really made a break through with this!

I understand that this illustration has been taking the Internet by storm.. and I realise you're likely to have already seen it. But, when I came across it at the weekend, I grinned to myself like a Cheshire cat. I relate oh so very well.. There's nothing worse than having an interfering character muttering those words, 'Cheer up Love!'

Equally as irritating; when friends or acquaintances instruct one to 'SMILE!' An occasion which always leads to a polite grimace and a nauseated feeling.

(Illustration via KRISATOMIC)

Cooking / Drawing

I bought my sister She's Leaving Home, a wonderful cookery book, for her 16th birthday earlier this year. The recipes take inspiration from all over the world and are accompanied by sweet anecdotes. Strangely, there are no photos of the food- but the most beautiful illustrations and watercolours. It works so very well, and it is cerainly one of the prettiest books I have ever seen.



I was equally excited when I stumbled upon They Draw and Cook. This fabulous website contains illustrated recipes from folks all over the world. You can search across the recipes and print them for free. A wonderful idea - yet very dangerous if you are required to do anything productive!
It's well, well worth a good look. Anything involving cooking and illustration is certainly a big winner with me!

(Top image is my own scan - from She's Leaving Home. All other images are from They Draw and Cook, and are linked. If you would like to know more about my own interest in food- please see Girls who like to Gorge.)

Sunday Night Poetry

The week has been busy - catching up with old friends and working long days on a distinct lack of sleep. I am looking forward to a slightly slower week ahead. Hopefully I won't need as many cups of coffee, though there is one particular date I am looking forward to... ahhh.
Another poem with a slow pace for a mild evening and a long, sunny day..

Happy the Man by John Dryden

Happy the man, and happy he alone,
He who can call today his own:
He who, secure within, can say,
Tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lived today.
Be fair or foul or rain or shine
The joys I have possessed, in spite of fate, are mine.
Not Heaven itself upon the past has power,
But what has been, has been, and I have had my hour.

(Photos are linked, via tumblr.)

Give-away Winner

I am pleased to be announcing the winner of my giveway today. So, congratulations to Hannah over at which way to wonderland! I shall be sending 'Sew!' by Cath Kidston over to you on Monday.
I had a lot of doing this giveway and fully intend to do more over the coming year! Thank you all very much for entering.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday!




(Scans are from Sew! by Cath Kidston.)

Friday Favourite - The Loves of Serge Gainsbourg (3)

Charlotte Gainsborg - (When considering this post, I couldn't decide whether I wanted it to be about Charlotte, or the final lover of Serge's life, Caroline Von Paulus. I chose Charlotte in order to illustrate the different ways women coloured his life. Hope you agree with my choice.)

Charlotte Gainsborg, daughter of Serge Gainsborg, refused to let his body go when he died. In fact, her mother had it preserved so that the burial could wait until Charlotte was ready.

As a very small child, Charlotte was taken to nightclubs with her father and mother (Jane Birkin) in a basket. When Charlotte was 13, her and Serge recorded 'Lemon Incest' together, a song which included the lyric: 'the love we will never make.' Inevitably, this caused great scandal; a result which they both relished in.

The week before he died, Serge called up Jane Birkin while he was with Charlotte awaiting a visit to New Orleans. Serge happily told Jane of what Charlotte had said: 'she wants to live with me. She said I was the man she'd been looking for all her life.' Very sweet reflection of all kinds of love - from all corners.


(Hit the photos for the links, none of them are mine. Enter my give-away HERE! It's the last day to enter - WINNERS ARE BEING DRAWN TOMORROW!)

Work Wear Wednesday

Light fabrics and boys shoes.

Ah, the dawn of spring. Today, I've been lusting after short(ish) skirts and light, neutral shirts. All worn with desert shoes, a great tip for dressing down things. Not everyone's cup of tea - but I have a certain penchant for unisex shoes - brogues, desert boots, espadrilles. I love a good pair of boys shoes on a girl who otherwise looks very feminine.

(Collage is my own image. Enter my GIVE-AWAY HERE, the winner shall be drawn on Saturday)

Tuesday Lunchtime Things

You must forgive me for constantly posting links to online magazines. I love to read them during my lunch break.

Lonny Magazine is a little gem, it's filled with grown-up interiors and elegant, successful ladies. When reading this my posture magically enhances and I feel like reapplying my lipstick . It's a wonderful read.

I also like reading 'Please Don't Eat With Your Mouth Open.' It's Bridget Jones' Diary for the Internet generation. Entertaining, OH SO relatable and a tad heart-breaking. Gold-dust.



(All photos via Lonnly magazine. Enter my give-away here - winners will be drawn on Saturday!)

Missing the Weekend Already...

I heard on the radio that today is the first, offical, day of Spring. I'm not exactly sure where that information is coming from or if it's even remotely true, but the weekend certainly felt very spring-like!
It was spent drinking a ridiculous amont of tea during the afternoon.

And, my sister made those brownies, for the recipe; check out 'Girls Who Like To Gorge,' a foodie colaboration involving myself and Grace, from over at 'Second Hand Junkie.'

Happy Monday everybody!




(Photographs are my own. Enter my give-away here!)

Sunday Night Poetry - Hello Spring.

It's been a lovely weekend with some friends and sun. Sunday night, as always, is the time to slow down. So, ahead of a busy week, I'm enjoying this poem, I hope you do too.

Leisure by W.H Davies.


WHAT is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

(Photos are linked, I hope the weekend was nice and sunny for you as well. Please enter my give-away here.)

Friday Favourite - The Loves of Serge Gainsborg(2)

Brigitte Bardot

Rumoured to have had a love affair with Serge Gainsborg the year prior to his relationship with Jane Birkin; the pair sung perhaps one of the most infamous love songs of all time together, 'Je T'Aime... Moi Non Plus.' It caused immense scandal when it was created in 1967, especially as Bardot was married at the time. She was publicity shy and her estranged husband was not at all happy. The song was put off release until 1986. Gainsborg dedicated the album 'Initials BB' to her.

Bardot says this of Serge:
"He was a lord, and 'Je T'Aime … Moi Non Plus' is a hymn to love, a unique homage for me. I only want to keep the best and forget the worst … if it's possible. I will love him forever, me neither."
mmm.
(Photos are linked. Enter give-away here, one week to go!)

Interview Series

(My little interview sereis getting inside the minds of creative types continues..)

Meet Amanda Swann, of The Cheeky Cafe, who writes a varried blog on interiors, fashion, food, her cute kids and travel from Southern California.

1.) How do you start your day?
I always start my day with tea:) I always feel like I need a little kick in the pants before I can get moving.
http://thecheekycafe.blogspot.com/2010/11/have-cozy-weekend.html

2.) What/who inspires you?
Honestly, other bloggers inspire me. It blows my mind to see some of the cool stuff that other people come up with. One of my favorite blogs right now is design is mine

3.) Your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure is Pinterest. If you haven't been on there it's awesome. When I'm feeling like I need an inspiration I always go there. It's extremely addicting and I could be on there for hours. It's the best way to waste time:)

4.)How do you unwind?
I am a movie buff, so I watch a lot of old movies, but I also unwind by blogging. It let's me enter this fabulous little dreamworld.
http://thecheekycafe.blogspot.com/2011/01/happy-monday.html

5.) Plans for 2011?
I'd really LOVE to start my own online boutique. I don't know if it will happen this year, but maybe next.

6.) Your best piece of advice?
This whole blogging thing was originally a challenge to see if I could post something every day for a month and now I'm coming on six months. My advice? Be persistant. I've had my highs and lows and sometimes it's hard for me to put something up everyday, but if it's what you love to do, do it!

(Thanks to Amanda for ansering my questions, all images via The Cheeky Cafe - all linked.)
Enter my give-away here.

Work Wear Wednesday

Alexa Chung For Madewell.

Of course, I could dedicate a life-time of posts to Alexa Chung's style, perhaps I will over time. But for today, I am posting some of her 'styling tips' as seen on the 'Madewell' website.
I was so excited when I stumbled upon this last night, she always gets it ever so right.

Firstly, yes, I always turn to a simple shirt when I don't know what else to wear to the office.
Secondly, I have a varied collection of denim shorts. I have never worn a pair to work, but may do now, after seeing Alexa pair them with a demure shirt and a nice blazer and broach..
Ah, if only I had those, wonderful, perfect legs of hers. (Time to start biking?)

(Photos are linked - Hit them for the rest of her Madewell looks.)
Enter my Give-away here!

Dear Japan,

As much as I'd like my blog to filled with items of happiness and joy, I can't possibly ignore the awful situation in Japan and the Pacific region.

My heart goes to all of the people who are lost or stuck; desperately thinking of heaven, grasping at life, preying in a dismal situation and wondering why on earth this is happening to them...
This disaster, of biblical proportions, puts our lives into perspective. Doesn't it?
(The picture is linked.)

N.E.E.T Magazine

The Spring issue of N.E.E.T Magzine is now online. For those of you who have never seen it before, it is bursting with beautiful photos, clothes, interiors and even features a recipe or two!
Well worth checking out.

(All photos via N.E.E.T. Check out my give-away here!)

Sunday Night Poetry

A short poem which I relate to, not that I've ever been to Wells-Next-the-Sea but I hope to go. Nevertheless, this one is dedicated to someone, mmm.

Wells-Next-the-Sea by Sophie Hannah

I came this little seaside town,
And went a pub they call The Crown
Where straight away I happen to see
A man who seemed quite partial me.
I proved susceptible his charms
And fell right in his open arms.
From time, time every now and then,
I hope meet up with him again.

(Photos via tumblr, hit them for links. Enjoy your Sunday night. I will be dreaming. Enter my give-away here.)

GIVEAWAY

The prize: Cath Kidston - 'Sew!'

Last weekend, I reached 100 followers! To celebrate, I am happy to be doing my first GIVEAWAY!

The prize is a lovely copy of Cath Kidston's book - 'Sew!'
It's filled with lots of lovely sewing projects and has very pretty pictures!

If you'd like to enter, you must be a follower and comment this post! I will announce the winner in two weeks time! (additional entries can be made if you tweet about this, just be sure to let me know so I can count it!)



(Open to everyone. Hit the top photo for the link and more info on the book, the other images are all my own scans.)