Etsy: Great Finds

I always love to look on Etsy and see if there are any great original finds on there. I love the fact that a lot of the products are one offs or specially made. It's so very different to the huge chains that sell thousands upon thousands of the same item. 

I've always said that when I finally own a house I'd love to decorate it with vintage objects and some pieces off Etsy.

I've had a quick look through the home furnishings section of Etsy and here are some items that really caught my eye:

Chess Pieces Vinyl Wall Art

$28 USD by loladecor

http://www.etsy.com/shop/loladecor?ref=seller_info

Decorative Designer Pillow Cover - Thomas Paul - Oceania

$45 USD by nenavon

http://www.etsy.com/shop/nenavon?ref=seller_info

Unbleached Flour Sack Kitchen Towels - 6 Styles

$18 USD by lilbasketcase

http://www.etsy.com/shop/lilbasketcase?ref=seller_info

Vintage French Pillow

$18 USD by gracioushome

http://www.etsy.com/shop/gracioushome?ref=seller_info

Modern Owl Wall Clock - Bamboo

$78 USD by decoylab

http://www.etsy.com/shop/decoylab?ref=seller_info

 Personalised Vintage Regentone Record Clock

£99 GBP by Vyconic

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Vyconic?ref=seller_info

On Trend: Nail Art

Recently I have noticed how much nail art is becoming so popular. I first noticed the trend when the Barry M nail varnishes started popping up on my friends nails, the ones with the cracked and snakeskin look. I wasn't so keen on the look, so my nails were left to their bare state. 


Though now, the more colourful styles of nail art are making an appearance. In the May 2012 issue of Glamour magazine, their Glamour Promotion section focused on nail artist Zarra Celik for Max Factor. 

Here's the instructions to create the above colour-pop stripe look:

1. First, choose your two colours. Try mixing a pretty pastel with bright.

2. Alternating between a different shade for each finger, paint on two coats of each colour. This look is all about breaking the rules, so it doesn't matter if you paint one nail in one shade and the rest in the other!

3. Now it's time to get created. Using a toothpick or nail art brush, draw diagonal stripes in each contrasting shade onto the tip of each nail.

On a separate section in Glamour Magazine, an article on the statement looks for nails this summer shows two different styles of nail art, the first being 'Fishnet Chic'. The Nails Inc Magnetic Polish is a new polish with a magnet on the top of the bottle. When the magnet is held over the wet polish it rises to create an interesting fishnet look, as seen in the image below. 

The second nail polish shown in the article is the Nails Inc Nail Jewellery. After painting your nails in a base coat colour, apply two coats of the Nail Jewellery and you have some gorgeous sparkling nails.

After finding so much inspiration, I've been trying out some styles of my own. Below is my attempt of a bright pink base and yellow diagonal stripe. I'm not the neatest nail artist, but I've tried my best!

I hope you've enjoyed reading a little bit about nail art! Go and try some new looks yourself too :)

Pinterest

I've only just discovered this great website named Pinterest and I'm already hooked! It's basically an online folder of images you love. You can make many different 'pinboards' with different catorgories so all the images you pin are in a lovely, neat order. 


I've added my Pinterest page to my links list, so you can have a look at the many other beautiful things that catch my eye or interest me that don't make it onto my blog! 

http://pinterest.com/cupsofteaforme/

Enjoy!

Fashion Vs. Cheerleading

Perhaps a very strange comparison to make, but fashion and cheerleading have one huge, oversized thing in common:

hair bows.

During the Spring/Summer catwalks of 2010, oversized bows were everywhere. From DVF to Luella, and Marc Jacobs to Milly, huge bows as hair pieces were staple accessories.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2010

In the Cheerleading world, one in which I have been involved in for just under three years now, oversized hair bows are a thing of uniform. Each competitive cheerleading squad has their own uniform with their own squad colours and name upon them, but the uniform for hair is widely recognised as being the same everywhere; high on the head ponytails (the higher the better!) with the oversized bows propped up on the top of the head.

Like the different uniforms for each squad, the bows worn are specially made to match in with the squad colours. As you can see from the photo above, the bows for my squad are black, red and silver.

Despite the hair bows being a part of the cheerleading uniform, bows have become somewhat of a fashion statement at the cheerleading competitions. Cheerleading bows come in many different shapes and sizes, colours and textures.

The photo above shows two of my squad members showing off their new cheer bows. The blue bow on the right is a stiff material with square sequins, whilst the purple bow on the left is a stiff plastic material with a shiny, glittery effect.

Perhaps not too disimilar to Luellas shiny plastic bows from her Spring 2010 Ready-to-Wear collection?

Luella Spring 2010 Ready-to-Wear

Ah, well maybe they aren't quite the same, but still similar enough! I hope you've enjoyed reading my peculiar comparison, and perhaps learning a little about the cheerleading world too!

I'll leave you with a few more examples of oversized hair bows in both the fashion and cheerleading worlds:

Milly Spring 2010 Ready-to-Wear

Diane Von Furstenburg Resort 2010

Designer Profile: Maarten Van Der Horst

Maarten Van Der Horst: new talent, fresh ideas, a great future.

This up-and-coming young designer, after completing his MA at Central Saint Martins, showed his first collection, Spring/Summer 2012, with Fashion East at London Fashion Week.

The London Fashion Week website has a great designer profile

on Maarten Van Der Horst, so I wanted to share it on my blog.

Designer name: Maarten van der Horst

Origin: Holland

Design background: Maarten graduated with a BA from the ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in Arnhem, Holland. During his studies he completed an internship with Chloé in Paris, which “taught me enough to make me want to do my own thing”. He then moved to London for his MA at Central Saint Martins. His AW11 collection channelled transvestism and escapism, marrying intricately embroidered, second-hand nylon petticoats with Hawaiian shirts, Capri trousers and Bermuda shorts, creating a John Waters-inspired wardrobe. Spring/summer 2012 is his first season with Fashion East at London Fashion Week.

Design signatures: “Lo-fi, blissed-out, D-I-Y glamour.”

Career highlight: “Fashion East SS12.”

How would you describe the Maarten van der Horst woman?“Anyone gutsy enough to wear pastel-coloured nylon frills on Hawaiian shirts.”

Trademark piece: “The ‘dragified’ Hawaiian shirt.”

Three autumn/winter 2012 inspirations: “Madonna performing Fever on SNL in 1993; horrible satin boxer shorts; love.”

What does 2012 hold for your brand? “The launch of my Topshop capsule collection, my new website and the new winter collection that I’m showing under the Fashion East umbrella. So many things planned, can’t wait!”

What is your favourite decade in fashion? “The seventies, absolutely!”

Where do you go in London to seek artistic inspiration? “My dreams!”

Original Source for Designer Profile: http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/designer_profile.aspx?DesignerID=1798

Bananas in Pyjamas

The new pyjama trend for 2012 grows on me each time a new piece catches my eye. I first encountered the trend when I spotted Stella McCartney sporting one of her own dark blue paisley designs at the launch of the Team GB kit. At first look I wasn't too keen, but after more research into the trend and looking at the different ways many designers and shops have used it, I'm starting realise the trends full potential.

Whilst taking my weekly look on asos.com, I came across many pyjama trend items. My favourites by far were the tailored silk pyjama trousers and tops designed by Maarten Van Dor Horst for Lulu & Co. I love the two gorgeous hawaiian prints with black and white contrasting backgrounds, leaving the customer to choose whether to go full out on one print or mix it up with both.

Despite the pyjama trend being mainly based around large colour and print, I found this little treasure below and fell in love. The simplicity of the knitted black and white zig zag pattern really caught my eye. The blazer/trouser combo looks both fashionable and smart at the same time.

I always admit that I hate paisley print, but this blazer/shorts pyjama combo really stood out to me. I love how the trend doesn't have to be full length trousers! It brings out the more playful side to the trend, rather than the smart and sophisticated look.

After finding Stella McCartneys full collection for Spring/Summer 2012 to check out the rest of her pyjama designs, I decided that the design below was my favourite. I love the simple dotty print and the use of a beautiful bright colour for contrast, and the material looks gorgeous and light.

So there are some of my picks from the new pyjama trend for 2012, I can only imagine it's just going to get bigger and better!

Percy & Reed Totally TLC Hydrating Mask Review

With my most recent issue of Glamour Magazine (April 2012) I received a free sample of a Percy & Reed Totally TLC Hydrating Mask. I don't usually use free samples I get with magazines as I always seem to forget about them.. I always have the intention of using them and trying them out, so I put them somewhere safe and then find them 4 months later in the huge stash I left them in!

But alas! This time I have put the free sample to the test and this is my review.

As a quick background history, my hair is terrible for being dry and strawlike. It's difficult to manage and knots and matts like nothing else. Around 4 months ago I had my hair dip-dyed and so a lot of bleach was used in the process to get my gorgeous embre hair! But it's come at a price. The ends are even worse than ever before, and even after getting it cut about 2 inches shorter, it didn't really help all that much.

I use Herbel Essences on my hair because it's cheap and it smells quite nice and fruity! But I know it's not great. Even when I use ridiculous amounts of conditioner my hair still doesn't feel amazing.

So, I've tried and tested the Percy & Reed Totally TLC Hydrating Mask and this is my verdict: it's great.

I used my normal Herbel Essences shampoo (because I have no other shampoo...) and then masked my hair in the Percy & Reed conditioner. I ran my fingers all through my hair and rubbed the product around a little, then tied it up on a bun on the top of my head and continued to have my shower. I didn't leave it in for the full 10 minutes like it advises you too, but then again I didn't get out the shower and wrap my hair in a towel either!

I left in in for around 5 minutes and as soon as I began rinsing it out I could feel the difference. Even when my hair was soaking wet it was a lot easier to run my fingers through my hair and there seemed to be less tangles. I've literally just dried my hair now, and it feels amazing. I've not even brushed my hair (I seem to have misplaced my hair brush..) but my fingers go through with ease. It feels extremely soft from root to tip - something I've not felt in a long while! And.. it smells lovely!

The bottle states that the 'deep, indulgent treatment' helps to restore your hair's vitality, makes it soft and more manageable. This much is true! It also tells you that it's 'enlisted marshmellow to lend a hand nourishing and strengthening stressed tresses, and coconut oil for deep conditioning and moisturising'. Marshmellow?? Very interesting.

Perhaps the wonderful instant feel of the conditioner is a short lived thing, but if you have the money to put this lovely stuff on your hair every week, you'd never have horrible knotty hair!

RRP is £20 for 175ml

http://www.percyandreed.com/

Mary's Bottom Line

This is a great documentary! Mary Portas has lost a few marbles, but I love her. She means business, doesn't take rubbish from anybody and she tells it how it is.

She's on a mission to reinvigorate the British trades and clothing industry, after years of it being lost and forgotten. In todays Britain, everything we purchase as consumers comes from everywhere but Britain! Factories have been forced to close down and made to buy from abroad to ensure their products are still just as cheap as they used to be.

So, Mary wants to bring back the British trades, and make a pair of pants that are fully British; British material, British Lace and even British workers, putting them back behind the sewing machines!

The documentary follows Mary as she sets up her new British business and her endeavor to find herself some hard-working employees. She finds herself standing face to face with Britains incredible unemployment statisics for young people. It's a really great insight to the reality we have to face in Britain.

So watch it! Despite there being some mildly depressing parts in it, Mary is fantastic and the whole documentary is extremely interesting.

Gok Wan: Made in China - Gok Wan: Made in China

I really loved this documentary on 4OD! Gok Wan travels all around China to find out what 'Made In China' truly means after getting it tattooed on the back of his neck two years before.

He visits a jeans manufacturer and finds that each and every pair of jeans is fully handmade! And these weren't even designer jeans! He then visits a bra manufacturer and discovers that no matter where the company gets their order from, be it Victorias Secret or Asda, the quality is all exactly the same. So no need to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a bra if you get a good fit at Asda!

He also finds himself in a town named 'Thames Town', where everything has been re-created from Britain. There are copies of old tudor houses with the black beams and so many other typically westernised buildings. There's even an exact copy of church from England which Gok describes as a 'flat pack church from Ikea'.

The information gathered from the documentary is great and I found it so interesting. You also get a look at an old Chinese tradition of burning paper models of items (luxury or not) that late family members would like to have with them in the afterlife. Gok visits his familys home town and offers his paper gifts for his late grandparents and uncle in their tomb-like area. All this of course is after a mildly amusing phone call from his father telling him what paper items to buy!

I seriously recommened you watch this, just to have a little look at where pretty much everything you own in the room you are sat in right now and the very clothes on your back came from!

How to make a cute origami crane.

I really enjoy making origami animals and flowers. Origami gets me concentrating really hard; I feel like it gives my brain a little workout and a sense of accomplishment when I've completed one.

I decided to make my own 'How To..' guide for making a Crane.

Step 1: Take a square piece of paper! Origami paper is the best to work with.

Step 2: Fold the paper in half with the coloured side up.

Step 3: Open to a square again and fold the paper in half the other way with the coloured side up.

Step 4: Open to a square again and fold the paper in half into a triangle with the white side up.

Step 5: Open to a square again and fold the paper in half the other way with the white side up.

Step 6: Open to a square with the coloured side up and turn it on it's corner so it becomes a diamond. Now it's time to really start folding up a crane!

Step 7: Hold the diamond if you hands and the push in the left corner. (You may have to do a little bit of jiggling around with the folds here if it doesn't collapse in naturally).

Step 8: Push in the right corner the same as you did with the left.

Step 9: Ta da! You now have a little diamond! (Make sure the bottom corner of your diamond is the corner where all the other corners meet).

Step 10: Fold in both sides of the front of the diamond to meet in the middle.

Step 11: Fold down the triangle on top and crease quite hard.

Step 12: Open up the creases you have just made for the next part of the process.

Step 13: Slip your finger underneath the bottom corner of the diamond and lift.

Step 14. Lift the front of the diamond up and carry on pulling back.

Step 15: Here's a side view of pulling the paper back.

Step 16: Notice you are creating a long diamond shape.

Step 17: Pull the paper right back and crease down.

Step 18: Turn over and repeat steps 10 to 18. Now you have a long diamond shape. Make sure the bottom corner is still where all the other corners meet.

Step 19: Fold in the left side of the diamond to meet in the middle. This can be quite fiddly.

Step 20: This is what it should look like!

Step 21: Fold in the right side.

Step 22: Turn the diamond over and repeat steps 19 to 21. You should now have this.

Step 23: Fold up the right 'leg' diagonally.

Step 24: Fold up the left 'leg' diagonally .

Step 25: Bring the right 'leg' down. This is where it starts to get tricky!

Step 26: Using the creases made from folding up the 'leg', fold the 'leg' inside itself and push it into the top diamond shape. The top part of the 'leg' should be re-folded the opposite way.

Step 27: A closer look at the complicated fold.

Step 28: Crease the leg .

Step 29: Repeat steps 25 to 28 with the left 'leg'.

Step 30: Fold the top of the right 'leg' down diagonally and crease hard. This is another tricky fold.

Step 31: In the same way the 'legs' were folded in on themselves, fold in the head of the bird.

Step 32: This is what it should look like.

Step 33: Fold down the top wing.

Step 34: Turn over and fold down the second wing.

Step 35: Stand the origami up and pull out the wings.

Step 36: Pull the wings out further and you'll notice the body of the origami stretches out.

You now have you origami crane :) I hung mine up in my bedroom for a little of a decoration!

NB: My origami skills are not very good at all! And I don't know the terminations for origami so my descriptions aren't great. I hope you got what I meant though!