Thing's Are Still Flo'ing At The Atelier

So I've been missing from the blog this past week (again - I'm sorry!) due to the fact I've been organising some jewellery pieces from the Atelier plus displays for a new Hull stockist - Bella Flo.

Sophie, the owner, handpicked a selection of vintage charm necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings for her shop...I then had the task of labelling, pricing and and turning an old drawer (courtesy of Eleanor, one of our store's VMs) into a suitable display.

This is the original drawer, acquired from a junk shop and with a quick splash of lemon emulsion to use for a high level at work.

After a few hours sanding and a new coat of paint plus a vintage fabric covered 'pillow' the draw was set for a new life at Bella...

I used a stamping set to create the price labels and earring backing cards, then pinned them to the satin pad.

I picked up the vintage-look jewellery stand from a homewares shop down the street (I also have the larger version in gold which I use to hang my necklaces so they don't end up in a big knotted mess).

Next week's task is collecting all the stock from the other stockist, Co-Co Rose, re-labelling and pricing everything and changing some of the stock around. While Bella is more of a couture boutique with handmade gowns, Co-Co is a straight up and re-worked vintage shop so I can stock it with more kitsch pieces - vintage plastic fruit charm bracelets and over sized vintage plastic daisy studs!

For now it's back to the garden to continue in my quest to turn a vintage abacus into an earring stand...will let you know how it goes.

A Sweet Smelling Secret

So, despite the fact that I was in London and did pop in to Oxford Circus Topshop I completely forgot to check out their newest fashion collaboration. The difference this time is that it's not clothes that have been produced but a pop-up florist (also at Topshop New York).

Topshop have teamed up with design duo Meadham Kirchoff who have curated displays of buyable floral arrangements. The florists is also the entrance to a hidden section of the flagship store, hosting jewellery and womens wear by London and New York designers including Pamela Love, Nasir Mazhar, Ann-Sofie Back and Meadham Kirchoff themselves, as well as re-issued pieces from the Topshop Unique archive.

Ed Meadham and Ben Kirchoff worked with Nikki Tibbles of Notting Hill's Wild At Heart for the launch of their first flower stall, which included trawling New Covent Garden's flower market for peonies, azaleas, poppies and sweetpeas.

The East End design duo told Vogue a little about their inspiration and reasons behind the collab:

"The idea is that if you’ve only got a few pounds to spend, you can still go home with a flower or a plant...It’s going to be very teenage-bedroom-y...No two bunches will be the same...We’ve been to car-trunk sales and vintage markets to source pots, and painted them in the studio. We’re wrapping them up with hair accessories and things for baby showers. It’s going to be very us"

As for the flower shop itself - it's a riot of colour filled with recognisable (even to non-green fingered folk like myself) plant life sold in coloured glass jars and paint splattered terracotta pots with prices from £5 upwards (though it appears a fiver only gets you a glass jar with a handful of carnation heads!)...

Will other stores follow suit with similar fashion inspiration pop-ups? One things for sure, we'll be seeing more flowers from MK if they get their way...

“One day, if we ever open a store of our own, we’d love to sell plants and flowers. On the Topshop stand, we’re hoping to show what we mean: that flowers are something everyone should be able to take away to make their life a little more colorful and enjoyable”

Look Your Best At The Fest - Summer Festival Hair Guide

And so the final part of The Tiny Atelier Summer Festival Guide.

While I'm sure you'll get to the fest with super clean, shiny, soft hair it's doubtful that even after one day of rain, sun, mud, dancing and running to and from tents it'll still look that way.

The first defense in solving these hair dramas should be a can of dry shampoo. Bumble & Bumble hair powder has always been hailed as one of the best - available in a range of colours to match your hair.

If you need a cheaper option opt for Batiste dry shampoo. You can now buy their product in blond through brunette shades but if you opt for a fragranced version you won't need to pack body spray or perfume - my personal favourite is Tropical, with its summery coconut scent:

TIP: Spray dry shampoo on to roots and throughout the hair before going to bed. The pillow will rub off any excess white powder meaning you won't have the appearance of grey hair in the morning!

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Hair 'up' is likely to be your best option for a long weekend where there's no chance of washing it on day two. Execute the style before you go to save packing tools - though do pop an extra few kirby grips, hair fasteners and mini can of hairspray into your bag (TTA recommends L'oreal Elnett Flexible):

The top knot is a great style for a festival - it gets all of your hair up and away from your face and is one of few hair dos that actually looks good when its messy. Up keep is super easy...if a few stands pop out just push them into the nearest kirby grip. To create this style simply sweep hair up into a high ponytail, coil the hair around the base of the pony, secure with kirby grips, spray with hairspray!

A side braid is a great option if you have the length. Click here to watch a video on how to create an Alexander Wang style plait.

If you have longer hair why not try this style the day before to leave you with soft waves?

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Hair accessories are also key for festival hair. Not only can you use them to compliment your outfit but they can hide and detract from a multitude of hair sins..

Try a turban to hide dirty roots and to keep a wayward fringe under control - ASOS, £8

Go OTT with this flower headband from River Island, £15

Pull hair into a low or half ponytail then simply clip these gingham bow accessories across your crown - Topshop, £6

If you're glamping rather than camping, why not opt for a handmade feather headband by Pearl & Ivy, £25

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If all else fails, pop a straw hat on and forget it about....just choose from '70s wide brim floppy hat, trilby or bowler

ASOS £20

Seeberger £20

Brixton £45

Why Are You Here? There's Nothing Here For You!

"you're an intelligent individual with plenty of
common sense. i repeat: there is nothing here for you.

unless, of course, you want to go big. unless, you are smart and sophisticated enough to understand and appreciate the quality of a handcrafted one-of-a-kind statement piece that actually makes a statement. unless you want to break necks and drop jaws. then let us welcome you to a-morir. by definition accessories are supplemental; there is no need to be practical. so go big. go hard, and go far"

with love, 'till death,
a-morir. 

In May I wrote about a selection of DIYs I was hoping to do (here) including a crazy concoction of chains attached to a pair of shades as an OTT sunglasses chain. Then I came across this image of model Amber Rose wearing vintage Chanel...

[sunglasses: vintage Chanel from Resurrection Vintage, LA]

They where instantly copied at budget prices and clearly have DIY potential but if you're in the market for a pair of one-of-a-kind shades then check out celebrity favourite A-Morir by Kerin-Rose!

Rhianna - Love Hate Pearl style

Nikki Minaj - Schubert style

Katy Perry - Dekker style

Tyra Banks - Sabotage style

[photos:a-morir]

These ain't subtle (or cheap) but they are a painstakingly handmade product (not mass produced, low quality like most of the Chanel knock offs) that, while they may not necessarily appear to be a 'classic' item, would probably be much appreciated if you handed them down to your granddaughter in years to come - or at the very least she'd be impressed that her granny had such kick-ass style...

Lux ($350) - Swarovski crystal embellished frames with beveled metal eyebrow pieces

Libertine ($280) - hand paved Swarovski crystal silver frame topped with tiara

Kaoma (£800) - frames fully encrusted in 24 Karat gold Swarovski crystals and draped with 5 gold chains

Roth (£500) -individually hand inked with leopard pattern, encrusted with Swarovski crystals

Bootsy ($275) - laced with crystal pyramid 'studs' and rhinestones in metal settings

Mars ($300) - U shaped 'horns' above either lens, encrusted with red/blue Swarovski crystals

Vintage Cafe

This week saw the opening of my Aunty's tea shop, Vintage Cafe.

My first visit was for a pot of tea served in a vintage cup and saucer (with a shot glass of dolly mixture on the side!)

And here are few more snaps I managed to get before we had to run home to get an umbrella on our way into town...

A very good commandment for a tea shop (and life in general)

[artwork by Olivia of Goldielocks & Cupid]

Cake, blackboard menu and pretty things

Cosy corner for reading and drinking hot chocolate

Cabinet filled with vintage and shabby chic bits n bobs

Part of the backroom seating area with black and white photos of Hull 

(which are also available for purchase)

Since my favourite thrift store is nearby, I won't be needing to make many excuses to head in the direction of Chanterland's Avenue from now on.

Find out more on the Vintage Cafe Facebook page (and don't forget to click like!)

Marc Jacobs Gets Carter

To some it may seem the most unlikely of pairings, with the advertisements star gracing many a worst dressed list. But Marc Jacobs has chosen Helena Bonham Carter to be the face of his newest campaign...

[photo:Juergen Teller]

It's the American's who seem to have fallen for HBC's uncompromising style (despite the fact that eccentric fashion is usually the preserve of us Brits) with US Vanity Fair naming her as one of its Best Dressed for 2010.

Tellingly it was Marc Jacobs Helena wore to the Screen Actor's Guild Awards a few months ago, despite the fact the actress is rarely seen at events in anything but Vivienne Westwood...

She's clearly becoming more of a household name over in the US of A, with The King's Speech and Harry Potter films under her belt, and MJ is a designer who is known to take risks. So while some may criticise, others will revel in the fact that finally someone with a strong personal style is being given even just 5 minutes in the spotlight by the fashion industry...wasn't it getting a little boring seeing pages of Rachel Zoe-styled robots???

CC For Charity

Cheryl Cole is set to have a wardrobe clear out, selling off 20 dresses (some worn on The X Factor) via an auction with ASOS Marketplace. Proceeds will go to the Cheryl Cole Foundation (which supports The Princes Trust in Cole's native North East) with the ASOS Foundation matching whatever sum is made.

Uniquely the auction will follow a 'lowest bid' system, meaning the lowest monetary value not bid by anyone else will win. So not only would you be benefiting a good cause, you could get a piece of pop and TV history for as little as a penny!

Plus, with Cheryl being some what of a style icon these days, the pieces are also fantastic examples of both up and coming and established designers and big hitters in the fashion industry.

Giles Deacon

Herve Leger

Paul & Joe

Julien McDonald

Erotokritos

Richard Nicoll

You can place a bid on your favourite dress from 9am 13th June. Eleven dresses will be up for auction on the first day with a new dress released each weekday until the closing date (24th June).