I had a day off from work today and I was feeling a bit arts-and-crafty. I had been wanting to make a kimono for agesss, but had never really gotten around to looking up patterns or finding the right material. I wasn't really in the mood for something that would require too much effort so the kimono idea was starting to fade fast when I came across an old bed cover (originally bought from a charity shop for £3). I loved the fabric so much and thought about making some of those dip-dyed doilies you see in Home & Garden, untilll I had another idea: a shoulder wrap/shawl thing! 

Pretty perfect for this time of year when wearing a coat is a bit too hot, but going out in a strappy dress is a bit too cold. I started by working out how wide I'd like it to be. I also decided to keep it as long as the original width (more of it to swoop around). After snipping and washing the fabric I mixed up my dyeing pot.

This was just a mixture of warm water, salt and a 1/2 pack of Dylon 'Tulip' coloured dye.

Such a bold colour!

 I kept it in the pot for about 2 hours, occasionally  mixing it. I also tried and failed to dip-dye the fabric, leaving half of it out the pot for the final half hour. Next time I'd probably leave it half out after 30 mins of submerging the fabric.

After rinsing the fabric in cold water, washing it in hot, and then rinsing again, I hung it out to dry...

Ta-daa! A completely transformed bed cover!

Can also be used as a table runner! Ooo multi-tasking shawl, not bad for an afternoons work :) 

I've just returned from an entire week of no signal, no wifi and no communication with anyone bar my family (am currently surrounded by facebook, twitter, instagram, am downloading a movie and Fiona Apple is blaring from Spotify...relapses eh). Not gonna lie, I did at times feel like I was in a celebrity rehabilitation center, however, I was actually living in a converted barn in the north Norfolk 'wilds'.

The closest thing to our barn was the pub (right next door, so y'know, not baaad). The next closest thing was the 'Horsey Wind-Pump' (yep...) and after that, was a beach, FULL of beautiful lovely cute squishy seals - I just wanted to roll around with them but I didn't. 

A week away from real life, was actually, pretty beneficial. I accepted the 'No Signal' note on my phone and embraced the idea of a week completely free from, well, everything. I got through two books, shot a load of photographs, went on walks and took in the lovely countryside.

We visited Cromer, a seaside town with a pier and  lots of casinos and arcades. Also Blickling House, a
National Trust stately home that used to belong to the Boleyn Family. I tried to imagine a young Anne playing in the surrounding fields...

For me though the seals were a total highlight

 The dreamy beach was especially captivating at sundown. I'd look out to sea and let it carry all my worries away...

Back to reality now, I've got work in an hour and a billion errands to run... will definitely be missing the fields and beaches of Norfolk today! 

It's hard to pick a favourite hot-spot in a city like Edinburgh... there are just too many! Even after three years of living here I'm still discovering cute cafes, amazing vintage stores and cool bars tucked away along its winding cobbled streets. More than anything I love how old this place is. It's SO old (The castle dates back to the 12th century) and I can't help but think it's a bit magical. I hate to admit there really is truth behind the city council's marketing team slogan 'Incredinburgh!' (ughh...).

You just need to take a walk down the Royal Mile to see/hear/taste and really feel the soul of the city. Every few steps you’ll pass a busking musician, street actor, story teller or even Elaine, the world’s most pierced woman! The Edinburgh festival has just begun and the city is swamped with performers from all over the world, there really is no better time to visit than right now in August.

To make it easier to pick my hot spots for Free People, I spent a day in town with my camera; here is where I went and what I did…

Elephant House Café

This is one of my favourite places for coffee in Edinburgh. And I can’t deny that one of the reasons is the fact Harry Potter was pretty much born here (not literally). JK Rowling used to write in this café at the back table, and look at her now! I’m secretly hoping there’s something in the croissants.

The bathrooms are covered in HP themed graffiti, mostly people from all over the world coming to share their appreciation (where would we be without Harry, after all?)

Scottish Modern Art Gallery

After a Latte and a cheeky wee bit of shortbread, I caught a free (!) bus up to the Scottish Modern Art Gallery. It’s really great for a day out as there are two huge galleries to look through (Modern 1 & Modern 2). I especially like the illuminated sign by Martin Creed, hanging at the entrance saying ‘Everything is going to be alright’, it’s just quite nice to know really.

Armstrong's Vintage Emporium 

After the gallery, I went to my favourite vintage store, Armstrong’s. There are three stores around Edinburgh but it’s the Grassmarket one that’s my favourite, just because it’s bigger, so more crazy dresses to browse through. Inside it’s like a massive wardrobe bomb has gone off. Beautiful dresses hang from every spot in the room, and a quirky mix of statues/mannequins and eclectic objects fill any remaining spaces.  Definitely a great place to kill an hour or two.

I could go on and on and on about this town, it really is amazing. Like nowhere else it continues to surprise, inspire and captivate. No matter where I go, I’ll never forget this crazy city…

Coming Soon!

CRAFTY TIME

I love love vintage map print material, and was thinking about getting some for a while when my awesome mum comes back from a fabric store in Kirclady with a whole lode of it!

Since taking Fashion & Tech in high school, I haven't reallyyyy made anything (although I often come close). I decided that now since I physically had the material, the resources and the time, I really had no excuses, so set about sorting my plan of action.

Originally I wanted to make a dress, similar to this:

Topshop.com

So anyway it started as a dressmaking project but then was slowly whittled down to a crop top project, as making a dress actually isn't that easy. So here's how I got started!

1) Found a decent pattern online. I got mine here http://sewbeitstudio.com/2013/01/diy-ella-s-crop-top/

2) Work out how much fabric your gonna need, and give it a nice wash + dry out

3) Cut out and pin on fabric (harder than it looks and sounds, I suffered quite a few stress attacks at this early stage)

4) Cut out the fabric around the pattern

5) Get your darts in. This pattern was easy(ish) for darts, just horizontal at the bust line (TOP TIP: draw where your going to sew... and make sure its straight!!)

6) Inter-facing! A bit boring but gives a nice finish. Sew inside out around neck line on both sides and finally...


7) A mini hem along the bottom, and finally finally.....

8) Look fabulous!!

Till next time :D <3

Get Away Don't Jet Away

   I haven’t written in a while due to the massive amount of course work I’ve had from uni, it’s all been a bit non-stop really. And it hasn’t quite stopped just yet, however I can justify this study break/ blog sesh due to the fact my box of chocolate figures has just ran out.

Apart from constant filmmaking, essay writing and exam revision I somehow managed to squeeze in a visit to the Isle of Mull and Iona with my boyfriend a couple of weeks ago. I guess it was a pretty random destination but I’m so glad we went and to be honest, I was totally amazed at how far away from Edinburgh it felt, when in actual fact we were just a three hour car journey away.

We were there for just two nights, staying in Tobermory (constantly keeping an eye out for any Balamory celebs, sadly saw none), in a really sweet B&B that overlooked the harbour. On our arrival we went to explore the village and got some pub grub. Upon entering the pub a man smashed my drink out of my hand by accident, this was swiftly followed by a large woman face-planting the floor where my drink had been split and an awkward silence fell upon the room, all eyes on me... Charlotte had arrived on the island.

On our second day we decided to go to Iona, looking at the map we worked out it would take us just over an hour to get to Fionnphort by car, little did we know this would in fact take us ALL DAY. The winding roads and constant sheep hold-ups were mostly responsible for our delay, that and the fact David wanted to shoot his home-made bow and arrow at every flat out space of land we passed. We did make it eventually and managed to spend a glorious half an hour on the Isle of Iona, it really was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been; I couldn’t help but keep comparing it to the scenery out of a Studio Ghibli film.

 Still from Spirited Away

Being a life-long veggie, the small amount of sea food restaurants to choose from in Tobermory admittedly filled me with horror (especially because I love food), but bizarrely, I actually managed to have a super delicious meal in Cafe Fish, a fish restaurant (duh). I’ll upload a picture of it soon, basically it was all yummy vegetables on sticks with grilled mozzarella with a lemony coriandery sauce, and omg it was yum. I’m planning on recreating it once I get my exams out the way.

 The next day we drove back to Edinburgh, ‘back to reality’, I was sad to leave. Before we caught the ferry we drove up to an old castle and ran around, David shot more arrows, I sat in the peace and warmth and looked out over the sea, it was so lovely. The drive home I fell asleep most the way and as soon as we arrived back home was hit by a longing to go back. I cannot wait to get my exams out the way so I can plan more short trips, just shows you, living in Scotland isn’t all bad!