Tuesday 30 July 2013

Tattoo Trends: Marilyn & Co

Audrey Hepburn Tattooing Marilyn Monroe by James Danger Harvey

There is a trend for getting stars of yesteryear indelibly marked onto our bodies. The Golden Age of Cinema has always drawn nostalgia from those who lived through it and fascination from those who didn't.
Marilyn Monroe must be one of the most common starlet tattoos, closely followed by Audrey Hepburn.

Image via Google

Image via Pinterest

Image via Scarborough Tattoo

Image via Pin Up Girls Tattoos

These are really fantastic examples, done by some very talented artists.

Other popular stars include James Dean
Image via Pinterest

Marlon Brando

Image via Tattoosday


Rita Hayworth

Rita Hayworth Tattoo by Remis Tattoo - Image via Deviant Art

and Bette Davis

Image via Pinterest



As well as on-screen duos like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers

Fred and Ginger Tattoo by Christy Brooker - Image via Damask Tattoo


and Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh as Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler in Gone With The Wind.

Image via Pinterest

These people and the era are so popular because the media of the time provided the celebrities with an aura of mystery; they were larger then life. Yet they were also strangely human and people could identify with their problems.

Case in point is the infinitely talented yet troubled Judy Garland.

Image via Judy and Friends

Judy Garland Tattoo by Chris Jones - Image via ITV


The Kim Kardashians and TOWIE lot of today just don't have the same draw.







Friday 26 July 2013

If I Were A Rich (Wo)Man: Happy Hippy

I was going to do a royal baby themed wish-list this week but then I caught on to myself; I'm not sure I can handle much more. Although little Prince George's birth has been very useful for discounts.

Instead, with the sun shining and the heat still going, all I really want to do is hang around in fields in a long white dress and listen to Bob Dylan on repeat. Therefore, I've got a hippy themed wish-list.

I've got to start with a dress and this Mi Amore Lace Dress from Free People is ideal.

Mi Amore Lace Dress in Taupe - Free People

The crochet detail and the bell sleeves provide the perfect laid back vibe. It comes in Taupe, White and Block, I can't decide which I like best.

Mi Amore Lace Dress in White - Free People

Mi Amore Lace Dress in Black - Free People

I think white wins it.
Unfortunately, this little beauty costs £228, so I will not be owning it anytime soon. Maybe I could try to sew some crochet doilies together for the same affect?
Maybe not.

To accompany the dress, I love this Neptune Body Chain by Vanessa Mooney.

Neptune Body Chain by Vanessa Mooney



Neptune Body Chain by Vanessa Mooney
I like body chains, though they have been taken over a little by those who really should not bare that much skin. The delicate shells on this one make it subtle yet interesting. $195 dollars though, I can dream.

Another piece of jewellery now. If you get the Etsy newsletters you may have already seen this ring. I spotted it and fell a little in love.

Sterling and Copper Mountain Ring - Etsy

The Sterling and Copper Mountain Ring by RockaSailor looks like the sun rising over the peaks. And it's handcrafted, people are so clever.
£60, maybe I'll save my pocket money.

Last but not least, every hippy needs a flower crown.

Cream Rose Flower Crown - Etsy

Flower wreaths have been worn for centuries as decoration and to celebrate special occasions. They're having a bit of a resurgence at the moment. I love this Cream Rose Flower Crown from Rouge Pony on Etsy.

Cream Rose Flower Crown - Etsy

Not bad at £25, maybe I should splash out before the summer disappears.

Check back in next Friday for another wish-list.


Tuesday 23 July 2013

Right Royal Deal

Royal Baby

Congratulations to Wills and Kate on the birth of their baby boy.
And congratulations to all those companies who are using the birth of the royal baby to cash in with royal baby themed products and discounts.

But hey, who can blame them.
Though I will not be buying any memorabilia, most of it being naff and/or terrifying, I may just partake of the many discounts that have popped up in honour of the royal prince.

For all you other money savers/cheapskates out there, I've found five of the best discounts.

Mollie & Fred
Ending on Sunday 28th July, gift company Mollie & Fred have a 15% discount on all their products, enter BUNDLEOFJOY at the checkout.
This bird jewellery stand would be my pick.

Antique Gold Bird Jewellery Stand - Mollie & Fred


Ollie May
Get 15% discount until midnight 24th July at clothing boutique Ollie May with code royalbabyboy.
I like this dotty dress.
Pippa Dotty Dress - Ollie May


Tilly & Moo
This Blue Boy Circus Elephant cut out print from Tilly & Moo has 10% off with discount code ROYAL2013.

 Blue Boy Circus Elephant Cut Out - Tilly & Moo


Mothercare
Of course Mothercare are doing a discount. You have to spend £100 to get it though; 15% on orders over £100, ends 6th August. Not much use of you're buying a cuddly toy, but if you're getting an awesome rocking chair set it would be worth it.

Tutti Bambini GC35 Deluxe Reclinable Glider Chair and Stool in Antique Pine - Mothercare


Finally, Gulliver's Theme Parks are discounting their children's ticket price to the weight of the baby: £8.60. Clever huh? Frankly, this place looks pretty horrendous, there is a terrifying mouse mascot, but kids will probably like it.

There, I feel I've done my part for royal baby fever.





Monday 22 July 2013

Tattoo Trends: Birds of a Feather


Paloma Faith's Birds Tattoo - Image via Pinterest
Bird tattoos have been popular for years. They were originated, as most tattoos seem to have been, by sailors. They got swallow tattoos to symbolise how many nautical miles they had travelled; one swallow meant 5,000 miles, two swallows 10,000 etc.

Image via Pinterest

Image via sailorjunkers.com
Nowadays there has been a resurgence in the popularity of swallow tattoos, especially the vintage Sailor Jerry's kind.

Image via We Heart It

Image via We Heart It

I wonder if these girls know the meaning behind these designs or of they just got them because they look 'retro.'

Even though these bird tattoos are growing in popularity, the most common type still seems to be the small flock design below.

Image via Pinterest
Like most tattoo trends, this style has been grossly overused. The problem with this style, apart from the fact that every girl who wants to show she's a 'free spirit' gets it etched on herself, is that they more often than not end up looking like blurred blobs.

Image via Pinterest

There are, however some lovely and, more importantly, original bird tattoos out there. Here are a few of my favourites.

Image via itattooz

Image via Flikr

Image via bringlighttotheworld.tumblr.com





Saturday 20 July 2013

Beat the Heat: Grandma's Remedies




The heatwave is still going strong here in Britain, and although it's lovely to see the sun, us Brits aren't very good at coping with temperature extremes. It's a cliché but it's true.

We pray for sun all year round so that we can expose our white bits to the sky.



But when the sun arrives we have to go and lie down in a darkened room, we can't handle it.

There are lots of ways to beat the heat, staying inside in an air conditioned room is one of them. But, if you would like to experience some of the warm weather I suggest you try these remedies that my Grandma always used to tell me. As we all know, Grandma's are never wrong.

Run your wrists under cool water
The water will cool the blood and, therefore, the rest of your body. Do this for a minute or two and you should notice the difference.

Keep your feet cool
My Granny always says that whatever temperature your feet are, so the rest of your body will be. In the winter if your feet are warm the rest of you will warm up too. So, in the heat keep you feet cool. Wear sandals (without socks!) and if you're sunbathing put your feet in a paddling or swimming pool to keep the temperature low.

Tie your hair up
If you have long hair you are probably already doing this, as the feel of heavy hair on a hot neck is horrendous. But if you're not, clip that hair up right now. Your hair can act like a scarf around your neck, which is great in the winter but not so much in the heat, let your neck breath.



Wear wet clothes
This is probably quite hard to do if you're at work or a social situation. But, if you get a chance, soak a top in cold water and put it on. Not only will the coolness feel great but the water will evaporate, taking the heat with it.

Drink hot drinks



I'm still not 100% sure if this is true, but my Grandmother always swore by it and while everyone else was having an iced lemonade, she'd be sipping on a tea. Hot drinks will make you sweat, which is your body's way of cooling down. The more you sweat, the cooler you'll be. I know it's probably true but it still feels wrong reaching for the kettle in this weather,

Sit in the shade
It's not rocket science, if you're hot, get out of the sun! I know it's difficult for us Brits; we see so little of the sun that when it arrives we are desperate to cook ourselves in it. But sitting out for fifteen minutes under the shade of a tree won't interrupt too much of your tanning time, and it may be the break you need to cool down.

I hope these tips help.
Enjoy the sun while it's here everyone, but keep cool, and try not to cook yourself to a shade of lobster red.

Sunburn - Image via Jada Beauty


P.S. These images are from the very useful Graphics Fairy (except the last one), have a browse of her free images.

Friday 19 July 2013

If I Were A Rich (Wo)Man: Art Prints

This week's wish-list is all made up of art prints, inspired by the new Penguin prints from Easy Art.

First up...

The Wind's Tale: I Used to Meet Her in the Garden by Edmund Dulac

The Wind's Tale: I Used to Meet Her in the Garden by Edmund Dulac. This print is of one of his many illustrations for Hans Christian Anderson's stories. I think it's the book art style that appeals to me. Plus, I'd like to wear a dress like that and wander around in the wind outside of a castle. This print is $76 from Artsy Craftsy, which has a great selection of products. It's dangerous to start looking around on the site.

Case in point is my next print; Hanging the Moon and Stars by Arthur Rackham.

Hanging the Moon and Stars by Arthur Rackham

This was apparently inspired by the short story Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving. I haven't read it and I may now have to. This picture manages to be sweet yet slightly disturbing, which may be why I like it! I love the idea of hanging the moon and stars up.

Most of my choices are from or inspired by books, the next one's no exception.

Kicking Leaves by Shirley Hughes
I've posted about Stories by Firelight by Shirley Hughes previously. Her stories and illustrations bring back memories from my childhood. Kicking Leaves by Shirley Hughes is a limited edition print, £95. Too much for me but I'm considering saving up for this; not only does it remind me of my childhood but it sums up the joy of crunching through Autumn leaves.

Finally, I came across this next print on Etsy.

Stepping into Woodland Light by EarthsWhisper

Stepping into Woodland Light comes from Etsy shop EarthsWhisper. At £388.51 it's much too expensive for me but I can still admire it. I love the dappling of light and the green shades.

That's it for this week.
Have a happy Friday.

Wednesday 17 July 2013

Penguin Book Art Prints

The Great Gatsby - Easy Art Print
I love a good book print.
I love anything to do with books, so these new Penguin Prints from Easy Art caught my attention.

The Penguin covers, designed by Edward Young, are instantly recognisable and can usually guarantee that there's a good story inside.

Easy Art has quite a few of the triple stripe cover prints on canvas.

Wuthering Heights - Easy Art Print

But there are also more covers from The Penguin English Library Series, designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith (good name).

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Easy Art Print


Jane Eyre - Easy Art Print

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Easy Art Print


I love this cover for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn - Easy Art Print


Easy Art also do the prints framed.


Far from the Madding Crowd - Easy Art Print