If I Were A Rich Wo(Man): Animal House

Welcome to another list of beautiful items that I can't afford. Following on from last week's woodland trend theme, this week's wishlist is based on animals. Critters of all types seem to be popping up in fashion and homewares at the moment and I'm not complaining.

The fox is a a popular woodland motif and one that always seem to be in fashion. I particularly love this Prowling Fox Ring by the very talented jewellery designer Alex Monroe.

Prowling Fox Ring - Alex Monroe

It's from his collection The Chase, which features all manner of forest creatures. I'm not sure if I prefer it in gold or silver.

Prowling Fox Ring - Alex Monroe

Maybe both?

Now for more of a house pet.

Cheshire Cat White Cuddly Cushion by Rory Dobner - Liberty

This Cheshire Cat White Cuddly Cushion by Rory Dobner for Liberty ties into the ever popular Alice in Wonderland theme. I love the sketched detail. Here's the man at work.

Rory Dobner at work on his Cheshire Cat Cushion 

Look, the cat has a hat on!

Still, like the Hare Cushion from last month, £95 is too much for a cushion. I'd be scared to sit on it.


Back to the woods for my next want.

Carousel Pencil Skirt by DB Berdan - Wolf and Badger

The contrast of the stripes and the hare print in this Carousel Pencil Skirt by DB Berdan is fantastic. I also love the colours; it's pastels Jim, but not as we know it.

Carousel Pencil Skirt by DB Berdan - Wolf and Badger

This is now half price in the Wolf and Badger sale, but it's still a cool £120.


For my final wishlist item I'm moving away from the furry, woodland animals and onto the scuttling, beach dwellers.

Valentino Haute Couture Fall Winter 2013

A golden crab adorns this pearlescent clutch bag from the Valentino Haute Couture Fall Winter 2013 collection. The whole range is ocean themed, lots of octopus. I particularly like this bag because it feels that if you stare into it long enough, you'll see your future.

I suspect that never in my future will  be able to afford this crab.

That's all folks, check back next Friday for more pricey beauties.

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Free People August Collection

I love Free People clothing so much it hurts. They've just brought out their August collection and it is as beautifully bohemian as ever.

Cross Stitch My Heart Slip - Free People

There's the usual hippy feel, but there also seems to be an added biker element, with leather jackets and boots. Plus, a bit of plaid sneaks in early for the winter.

Check out more loveliness below.

Kanako Print Maxi - Free People

Military Vegan Leather Jacket - Free People 

Commemorative Bell Sleeve Dress - Free People

Devout Metal Harness Boot - Free People

Plaid Cocoon Wool Coat - Free People

FP New Romantics Leather Sleeve Biker Jacket - Free People

I want it all, but particularly this FP New Romantics Field Day Dress.

FP New Romantics Field Day Dress - Free People

So pretty but so expensive!

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Love Mae Wallpaper

Floating Feathers Teal Wallpaper - Love Mae

I'm a little bit in love with Australian company Love Mae. They make amazing fabric wall stickers, one of which was on my If I Were A Rich (Wo)Man wishlist last week.

Now, they've got a brand new range of wallpapers.

Stormy Bouquet Wallpaper - Love Mae

The papers have the same whimsical feel of the fabric stickers and come in a soft colour palette.

Tiny Flowers Wallpaper - Love Mae

Rainfall Mustard Wallpaper - Love Mae

Pocohontas Wallpaper - Love Mae

Flamingos Wallpaper - Love Mae

Floating Feathers Pink Wallpaper - Love Mae

The only problem, and it's a big one, is that it costs $295 a roll!

I think I'd only pay that much for Willy Wonka's flavoured wall paper.

Image via kittykittykittykittykitty.tumblr.com

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Visit Ipswich, It's Not that Bad

Crossing under the Orwell Bridge means that you have passed from the pleasant, light Suffolk countryside to the dark mass of lost souls that is the town of Ipswich.

Look, you can see the darkness in the background; it's like Mordor.

Maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration, but my local town Ipswich is just...not great. The countryside around Ipswich (where I live) is lovely, filled with fields, rivers and woodlands. I'm not just saying that because I'm a bit of a hippy who prefers to waft about a field rather than pound a pavement. But even die hard townies don't like Ipswich; there's too many people and not enough to do. Plus the constant new builds and office blocks are suffocating the individuality from the town.

And it has the worst clubs ever, seriously, you should visit the town just to see how bad they are, teenagers don't even bother trying to sneak into them.

Our biggest claim to fame is that Ipswich was the home town of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey; Henry VIII's chief advisor. However, it didn't work out very well for him as he fell out of favour with Henry and only escaped having his head chopped off by popping his clogs first. It's been downhill for Ipswich ever since.

There's a bit of history for you.

However, I always bad mouth the place but I thought recently that it's my local town, the only one I have, and I should really start appreciating it a bit more. So, I passed below the bridge and set off on the perilous journey into Ipswich. I was armed with a camera round my neck and hoped I looked artistic, but I probably just looked pretentious.

It was a tough job, but I managed to catalogue some of Ipswich's pleasanter sites.

I visited the waterfront first, home to an octopus called Digby.

And these pigs.

There are also boats, lots of boats.

I made my way into town, stopping to look at the old buildings that are scattered between all the call centre offices.

Saw this Tweetie Pie Campervan.

Then I visited the market.

Before watching these men sculpt sand dogs.

I don't know why either but it was pretty impressive.

Next, I headed to the park.

Checked out my future home.

Then finished up with a spot of vintage shopping.

By the time I was finished I had actually surprised myself and I felt a little guilty for all the times I've slagged Ipswich off. I suppose beauty can be found everywhere. From now on I will love and appreciate my town.

Though I still like a good field.

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If I Were A Rich (Wo)Man: Woodland Wonders

The woodland trend has been going strong for a couple of years now, both in fashion and homeware. It can become easy to get sick of the twee foxes and rabbits adorning jumpers and tea cups, but I've got to admit I still like the forest fashion. That's why this week's wishlist is woodland themed.

Build a Tree Wall Stickers from Love Mae

I love these Build A Tree wall stickers from Love Mae, I think they're for children but I don't care. I could make a forest in my house!

Build a Tree Wall Stickers from Love Mae

One tree costs around eighty euros. I can probably afford a branch.


Next up is this Fox and Cubs Bag by Lush Designs.

Fox and Cubs Bag by Lush Designs

The illustrations from this company are lovely, they have lots of designs; cats, rabbits and bees. But the foxes are my favourite. £21 isn't really that expensive, and it is practically a work of art. I may splurge on this one.

Another animal motif product next.

Hare Appliqué cushion from Rose and Grey

I love the Hare Appliqué Cushion from Rose and Grey, especially the patchwork style and the vintage textiles. However, it's £75, for a cushion. I think if I actually had £75 I wouldn't spend it on a cushion on principle.

Finally in my woodland trend is this beautiful Rose Root Silver Wrapped Ring by Anthony Blakeney.

Rose Root Silver Wrapped Ring by Anthony Blakeney

I'm obsessed with this. It's simple yet different.

Rose Root Silver Wrapped Ring by Anthony Blakeney

£69.95. I may save up my pennies.

That's all folks, see you next Friday for another wishlist.

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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.

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