Tantalizer

Well four long long days of sewing, surrounded in gold, listening to

bashment, not seeing the outside world and finally I have made my

piece for the lot 78 show, privet view on tomorrow 5.30-9pm and runs

until sunday it is at the Red Lion Pub on Waverton street W1. Invite

is strict to the privet view but please come and have look over the

weekend.

I was inspired by my love of antiques and a piece called a Tantalizer, it

was used in the Victorian days and was a way of keeping people from

drinking your precious booze. A wooden contraption the showed you the cut

glass decanters for the spirits but you had to have a key to gain access to

them.

Obsessive Optimism

Here are a couple of shots from our show that opened last Friday. It is on for another month or so. If you are in the area pop and want to brighten up your day, pop in and have a look it's a the Nook Gallery, Dare Digital on Margret Street near Oxford Circus. ( just behind Topshop.)

Big thanks to everyone that came down on the night. It was lovely to see so many friendly faces

there.

Psychologist

Last night I came across some photos from the shoot I worked on with photographer Isla McLeod. I LOVE them. It was a really long but fun day in an amazing location, with beautiful light and lovely people who had inspired ideas that got mixed up with happy accidents. My favourite kind of day. Annie Love has written a great article about the super-talented Iain Woods and his band 'Psychologist' that you can read HERE. Enjoy.

PLEASE VOTE FOR US!

Mr Crayon has entered us Pirates into a competition with our 'We Like Colour' film (below). Please vote for us so that we have a chance of grabbing a cash prize and the chance to show the film in Times Squre!! We will pump the money back into Pirates enabling us to tantalize your tastebuds with more visual delights: http://www.babelgum.com/4006107/pirates-cia-timelapse-graffiti-mural.html

Please re-post the link to the competition wherever possible too! THANKS!! X

PIRATES!

So a while back I mentioned an exciting collective us gals have formed with Jimi Crayon, Jamie Brown, Josh Howard, MR P, Alfa, Teck and Will Robson-Scott. Well this is the opening project and it is all a bit nice. After a good write-up on the Creative Review blog and numerous other blogs there is definitely a buzz in the air. The most exciting news came today but I must wait to reveal all.

The Nook

Anna and I are having our first little exhibition. It starts this Friday. Please come down.

I'll show you mine if you show me yours...

Its that time again and how quickly it has come around. The RCA secret postcard exhibition has a timely appearance, what with the post strike. It only seems like yesterday that I had to do this last year and now all the more important because it gives us money for our final show, can't say fairer than that!

Also while Lauren eagerly got her nails did (and they look so buff) I was sitting excitedly in the next chair getting my hands adorned in a more 'birds of a feather' come 80's wild night out style! They are so damn hot.

Best salon in town and believe me as I have visited a few!

NOS in the Guardian Guide.

So our opening window for Nation of Shopekeepers in Leeds is featured in the Food and Drink section of this week's Guide. Little pic but nice surprise!

125 Magazine

So The Heroes issue of 125 Magazine is about to hit the shops. We were honored to be asked to contribute to this issue and are very much looking forward to seeing our Totem Poles in print. It is a truly stunning Magazine.

WAH Nails (oh and Zoo Art Fair)

So I forgot to mention that I FINALLY made it down to the WAH nail salon on Friday too. My nails had got to a good length at last without breaking so it was about time I treated myself to a makeover. Meghan realised my 70's psychedelic curtain idea amazingly well and we added some gold glitter tips for a little glam touch. They look like a Mexican Sunrise mixed with 70'S fairground carousel. I am WELL pleased with them and planning my next paint-up session already. WAH Nails also sells vintage clothes, jewellery, snacks and drinks amongst other bits and bobs. It is the perfect east london hang out where you can go and get pampered and inspired at the same time. With good music, juicy coffee table books and a whole host of interesting characters popping in and out it is no wonder that it had a lovely little write up in Timeout the other day (as well as Sharmadein being featured in Grazia recently). Our blog on the WAH site still isn't working but as it has all been a bit of an exciting, busy and stressful last six months for the WAH crew we can understand why. With a pop-up shop coming up in Selfridges and having just done nails for the PPQ show at London Fashion Week, these gals are definitely smashing it.




Oh and I was very excited about my Sunday date to the Zoo Art Fair yesterday. Unfortunately I could have found a thousand better ways to spend the hefty £15 door tax. It was a lovely sunny afternoon, I was in great company and I would have regretted not going but sadly the best thing in there was the Bistroteque pop-up cafe. I was particularly disappointed by Rob Tufnell's curated Exhibition 'Althogether Elsewhere'. Excuse my language but what a pile of s**t. The legendary 'magic carpet' theme promised all sorts of psychedelic wonderment but seruiously failed to deliver. We agreed that the building was far more interesting than the exhibiton. I don't think that Frieze's new and well reviewed 'Frieze Frame' addition helped their case as it was major competition . However, they are going to need to really step up to the plate and switch things up next year if they want to survive in the art (meat) market.