A New Project

In the spirit of all things vintage and being an 'accomplished young lady' I have been knitting from a very young age. I've finally decided to do some knitting to fill up my time between looking for jobs, and have started knitting yet another scarf for a friend who wants a long 'Dr. Who' style scarf in the Chakra colours.
I'm currently on the orange block which means the scarf is about a foot and a half long so far - so I still have a long way to go.
Once I've got my camera back up and running I should be posting pictures of my crafting projects as they happen (the word is now out that I can knit and various people would like various projects made for them).

Whilst I was born knitting, I've never been able to crochet which has always upset me a little so I decided to change that yesterday and ordered my first crochet book which I will be reviewing when I have read it.

Watch this space!

Back From A Slight Vacation

Well a lot has happened since I posted the last entry!

I got a job I couldn't cope with, left said job due to my bipolar, and moved home.

The kitten is now a fully grown cat and a lot less annoying than he was in my last post about him. He's still as needy as ever but has been keeping me sane through the recent rough times of leaving my extremely well paid job due to illness and moving home without a job lined up. No wonder my doctor thinks I'm mad.

I've recently broken with my rationale of medical evidence and started seeing a healer to help with my depression and he's working wonders! For the first time in a long time I'm actually happy and it's incredible!

Only time will tell as to how permanent this change in my mood is but let us all cross our fingers and hope for the best.

Spring is here...*

...which means it's the time of year where I usually start spring cleaning but then never get round to giving anything away. I'm very well intentioned but I do love my bits, my knicks, and my knacks. My family is the sort which is very old fashioned; a LOT of stuff gets passed down 'for posterity'. My sister is a trendy minimalist. I am a clutter-bug.

I have things which I almost never use, but can't get rid of them because they look nice on my dressing table. Despite owning a laptop and a heck of a lot of other tech gear, I still have my grandfather's type-writer (the sort that goes 'ping' when you get to the end of a line). I have vintage crockery, glassware, and enough books with fine bindings to have my own library; all of which I'm quite attached to.

This year, however, I really must get rid of at least one item. I can't let this year be another where everything I separate to one side works its way back into my cupboards or wardrobe. This year will be different. I've started with my shoes. I really do have too many. Some which I've only worn once and decided were too uncomfortable and relegated to the back of the shelf. They really must go!

Despite my best intentions, I may have become a little over zealous. In order to avoid giving away some of my more treasured possessions (a 50s hand beaded evening dress, a tea dress from the 40s - not to mention my vintage handbags!) I've started small. As a result, when I woke up today and looked for my 'rough clothes' that I wear for D.I.Y. as well as painting and cleaning I discovered that seem to have got rid of a rather large portion of the clothes that I wear most often.

Despite my best intentions it seems that I can't win. This won't stop me from trying, but it may make my life a little complicated for a while; then again I find "complicated" makes life a little more interesting.

*Whilst I know that, technically, spring starts on the 21st of March I prefer to go by whether or not the flowers are blossoming. The daffodils have started coming through, which means it is now Spring.

Slight change of theme...

As some of you will know, I got a new kitten recently...even though people told me not to, and I've never actually had a pet of my own before.

So...a delightful bright spark came up with idea that to stop me going mad I should write a blog entry about the kitten to help keep my thoughts in order.

Here is the first one.

Despite being advertised as 'litter trained' I woke up this morning to find that one again Grey the kitten had gone for a crap on the floor. What's stupid is he also went in his litter tray which is on the second level of the house! Luckily I thought to put newspaper down, but annoyingly he went both on the newspaper and on the carpet! He's either idiotic or spiteful! Grrrr...

While I assumed having a kitten would be hard work, I never thought I'd come face to face with an animal that was even needier than I am. I am flabbergasted!

He still cries a LOT (we've only had him a few days) and I get the sneaking suspicion my housemates want to kill me for getting him - he, naturally, is a lot cuter than I am and will escape their wrath.

I've met many cats but he's the first one that's pretty much needed cuddles ALL THE BLOODY TIME.

But on his 'pros' side....he's finally got used to the sound of the outside world through my open window. He is very cute. And despite the fact he's lying right where I want to put my book and/or keyboard so I can do my work he's finally stopped kneading my leg and has gone to sleep and is making a lovely warm patch on my legs. He also just sighed which was very cute.

He's also currently being very quiet, as when we first got him a few days ago he only had two modes: cry loudly or purr loudly.

I've already started regretting getting him and I'm getting worried that I won't be able to look after him properly if I get the job I'm applying for which is a 10 hour night shift.

---Though just spoke to a housemate who got back in from work and she's said if I sell him she'll hate me forever. So it would seem I have to keep him. Damn his tiny annoying but cute self!

Everyone else keeps reassuring me that I'm being a drama queen and he will settle down (and they've all had kittens so I know I SHOULD believe them...but can't help the overwhelming feeling that he's a big mistake.)

God help me if I ever get pregnant. Lol.

I love Paris in the Spring time (Part 2)

As much as I am occasionally ashamed to admit, I am an old school Romantic. In a occasionally pretentious, slightly goth way - close to Keats, minus the consumption.

One of the reasons I was looking forward to Paris so much was the opportunity to be a corseted New Romantic. Oscar Wilde lived in Paris for the rest of his life after coming out of Reading Gaol and is buried in Pere Lachaise cemetery with many other famous artists, musicians, writers, scientists and statesmen. Individuals interred there included actress Sarah Bernhardt, composers Frederic Chopin and Georges Bizet, French writers Moliere and Colette, dancer Isadora Duncan, as well as singers Edith Piaf and Jim Morrison from The Doors. One famous monument there is that of journalist Victor Noir who was shot during complications leading up to a duel involving his employer. The statue of Noir on his tomb is extremely lifelike and has become something of a fertility symbol. It is said that if a woman kisses the statue on the lips or places a flower in his upturned hat she may not only have greater ease conceiving but may also find a husband within the year. In Dita Von Teese's book The Art of the Teese/ The Art of Fetish there is a photograph of Dita sitting atop Noir's statue about to kiss him.

There's also another famous cemetery, Cimetiere de Montmarte. This cemetery is full of famous composers such as Hector Berlioz and Leo Delibes, artists like Edgar Degas, famous ballet dancers, and writers like Emile Zola and Alexandre Dumas.

And last, but by no means least, there's Paris' catacombs (where the horror film of the same name was set). Whilst the catacombs are a little difficult to get to it really is worth seeing, just make sure you find out the opening times in advanced or you may end up standing outside after closing. Not very chic.

Paris is an amazing experience and unlike many places in France, the majority of the people can speak at least a little English and in many restaurants they have duplicate menus in English so if you're unable to speak the language you should be able to be understood. However, if you're looking to practice your French make sure you work on your accent; more often than not, if the person can hear you're English or American when you speak French, they'll reply in English.

Paris is one of those magnificent places where no matter what your personal taste you will always find something you will enjoy. If you ever get to go, do! You'll love it!

Vintage to Vogue

Just a quick review from my recent trip to Bath, Somerset.

I've been trying to get to Vintage for Vogue for ages ever since I first found out about them from a friend.

Tucked away down a side street is a real jewel of a vintage shop which was opened 2 years ago. I've always been disappointed that they don't have an online boutique as part of their website, but being in the shop completely made up for this. Being in the shop also gave a reason why they don't items on their website - it is filled to the rafters with all sorts of goodies. Though I did ask and they're updating their site and from September they will be selling items from their online boutique!

Despite the shop being on the small size their collection is vast, both in quantity as well as variety. They have everything a pin-up girl could ever want from shoes to hats and everything else in between from 1920s dresses to classic designer pieces.

They don't only have women's but have a huge range of clothes for men including 1930s and 1940s suits, and modern designer suits by the likes of Paul Smith and Giorgio Armani. One of their current wackier items is a pearly king coat from London.

They also sell antique items of clothing from the Victorian and Edwardian periods and a range of military wear (which I'm itching to get my hands on).

Despite the idea usually attached to the word 'vintage', it is not only for women. The last time I was in Vintage to Vogue there was a couple in buying each other their anniversary presents.

This shop is fantastic and a must-visit place in Bath if you're there. I was impressed, and I'm sure you all will be too!

http://www.vintagetovoguebath.co.uk/

I love Paris in the Spring time (Part 1)

Paris is, without a doubt, an international city. You can try and disguise yourself but if you don't get it spot on you fall woefully short of the mark. It is probably fair to say that, at any point, only half the inhabitants are Parisian.

As far as air traffic is concerned, Paris' airports are the second busiest in Europe (with London being the most busy). There are business men from all over the globe, people commuting from the surrounding area, groups of friends on casual day trips, families going to Disneyland...in short there are LOTS of people. Paris, picturesque as it is, is not somewhere for agoraphobics.

Some people - though mostly just those who can afford to be so - think Paris is a city for romantics and lovers. It's a bubble I hate to break, but I'm going to. Don't get me wrong! Paris IS beautiful, but there's more to this city than exists on celluloid: the glamorous women and kisses in front of the Eiffel Tower. For some odd reason, I feel quite at home in Paris, and for me it feels a lot like London. But the attitude of the people is quite different. Despite the rush that is built in to all cities, Parisians seem a little more relaxed. The best piece of evidence I have for this is the bins, or rather the amount of bins. Strange as that statement sounds, it's something you really notice if you spend a lot of time in London. In Paris there are bins everywhere, including at all train stations and even at Metro stations. Hopefully that's the most inane thing I'm going to say in this post - I can't promise anything, but I will do my best.

While Paris may not be the City of Lovers, it is most certainly a city of art. The number of Museums (yes, many of them deserve a capital M) in Paris is greater than you could visit in a week. There are probably more than you could visit in a month. That's even before you factor in the usual tourist traps like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc d' Triomphe. Having stayed in Paris for trips at least a week long I really do advise against weekend site-seeing trips trips. Even the most organised person won't see everything they would want to. The museums range in subject matter - with the most famous surely being the Louvre. There's also a museum housing France's largest collection of work by Dali and if you're a fan you really should go.

Now, like I said the tourist traps are all well and good, but I prefer to not stand around and have people try to sell me a little Eiffel Tower. Personally, I don't like the Eiffel Tower. Well, I don't like being up it. Having been to the very top, I can safely say it looks better from the ground. This isn't just because I suffer from chronic vertigo, but because whenever I go to Paris there seems to be a sort of mist in the air that makes the Tower look delicate and ethereal, like it's made of filigree or painstakingly made lace. Going up the Eiffel Tower shattered that illusion, and I wasn't happy about it.