I've been meaning to post about Ann Wood's glorious handmade birds for a while now. Ann's birds are so highly sought after that her stock sells out within minutes.
Not surprising, really, given the exquisite detail of these handcrafted birds, which are usually one-of-a-kind. Ann, a Brooklyn-based artist, uses vintage fabrics for her birds and pieces from Victorian and Edwardian wedding gowns for her wedding caketoppers.
Her online shop of birds was just re-stocked today and has already sold out, but I DO know that she will be re-stocking her Etsy shop on Friday, 29th February at 2pm EST. Hop to it if you're interested, they'll be literally flying off the shelves within seconds.
www.annwoodhandmade.com
Check out her Flickr for more wee birdies.
Friday 29 February 2008
The sweetest wee birdies
Thursday 28 February 2008
Wednesday 27 February 2008
Fox in the Snow
OK, I'm on a foxy roll now. Maybe I should call this blog Wee Foxy. Just call me Mrs Fox. Here are some of my favourite foxy finds of the moment:
These acrylic laser-cut rings by Soop are really clever. Wear the fox ring on its own, or add other rings to build a multi-layered landscape. Fun, huh? Mr Fox ring, US$12, from Soop’s Etsy shop.
Leather Teeny Foxy Coin Purse, US$17, from BonSpielCreation's Etsy shop.What to take home Wednesday: Tote bag
You know you've progressed from London tourist to London resident when you're no longer wildly snapping pics of the resident performing grey squirrels in Hyde Park (check), or batting an eyelid when a giant mutant rodent emerges onto the Central line platform at Liverpool Street Station (check).
But I've lived here for over a year now and am yet to spot a fox in the neighbourhood. Where do foxes hang in Hackney? And does it make me a tourist if I really want to see one? (I kinda took a liking to Glasgow's Chip Shop Family from BBC's Springwatch. My god, I love that show. Bill Oddie is an ornithological legend. I'm seriously counting the days to the next series...).
Chip Shop cutie.
I heart Bill.Available to buy online and instore at Beyond the Valley.
Beyond the Valley
2 Newburgh Street
London W1
Tel: 020 7437 7338
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Monday – Saturday 11.30am- 6.30pm
Sunday 12.30pm – 5pm
Nearest tube: Oxford Circus
For more shopping in W1, click here.
Tuesday 26 February 2008
Top bird loves: ballet prints
I’ve always been a ballet girl so the flurry of pirouettes, pliés and pointe shoes on the catwalks recently piqued my interest.
Whilst ballerina-style isn’t anything new on the runway, ballet graphics took centre stage this season.
Take Matthew Williamson, for instance, and the graphic ballerina print at his pre-Fall 2008 show in New York. His inspiration? Diaghilev’s revolutionary Ballet Russes and La Bayadère (The Temple Dancer).
Then came Australian designer Marnie Skillings, and the dreamy painterly ballerinas leaping across her aw2008 dresses.
Meanwhile on the high street, Britain’s Queen of Prints Cath Kidston released her Spring 2008 line-up, showcasing a delightful ‘50s-style ballerina print for children.
Ballerina pencil case, £8.00; Ballerina mini bag, £6.00; Ballerina mini cushion, £6.00, all from Cath Kidston.
All these nostaglic ballet references sent me hunting on Etsy for those awesome kitsch plastic ballerina decorations that were the stuff of eight-year-old's birthday cake dreams.
Giant ballerina cake toppers, US$6.75 for a set of three, from A. Bel. Emporium’s Etsy shop and Pink ballerina cupcake toppers, US$4 for a set of six, from Sweet Poppy’s Etsy shop.
Images courtesy of Style.com, Marnie Skillings, and Cath Kidston.
Friday 22 February 2008
I heart my friends
Just a wee sentimental post dedicated to my smart, clever, funny, supportive and endlessly creative friends. You know who you are. I know. I'm a sap. But it's my blog so I'm allowed to be totally biased.
And top of my brag book right now are Gemma Jones and Elizabeth Bower.
Elizabeth is an Australian jewellery designer who recently moved to New York with her husband. She's just designed a small range of pieces for the Nicole Miller FW08 New York runway show. You can spot her cuffs and bracelets in these pics:
Elizabeth's own collection features beautiful pearl and semi-precious stone pieces with a clean and modern take on the classics. Take this freshwater pearl ring, for instance, where the three pearls seem to float on the finger.
These pieces are available to buy from www.oyemodern.com and www.elizabethbower.com.
If you feel inspired and want to have a go at making your own jewellery, check out Elizabeth's "how-to" book, Bead, for Murdoch Books. The book contains over 20 projects ranging from homewares to jewellery and is currently on sale in Australia, Europe and the UK.
Gemma Jones is a Melbourne-based artist and curator, and she predominantly paints big, bold poptastic portraits of sixties girls who shimmer and shake, scream and shout aross the canvas. Whilst her work is immediately reminscent of Andy Warhol's screenprints, Gemma's paintings are actually carefully handpainted, which "calls attention to the juncture between the mass produced image and the handmade artwork" (from an interview with Uppers). Four of Gemma's prints are available to buy from Habitat's "Art on Demand" series:
She has recently re-stocked her Etsy shop, where you can pick up a rare Gemma Jones original from US$175. 
There are also a number of limited-edition prints available for US$20 from her exhibition "Krazy Lil Peeps": little girls in candy hues with names like Tabby Tomboy, Trixie Telltale and Delia Daydreamer. 
So cute for a girl's room or nursery...
For more information on Gemma, check out her website www.gemmajones.net.
Wednesday 20 February 2008
What to take home Wednesday: Mimi purse
The Gracie leather purse, £40, by East London handbag designer Mimi Berry, is a classic design and comes in a range of beautiful colours like antique gold, ruby red and burnt orange. Berry, a Central Saint Martins graduate, has built a reputation for quality leather handbags that marry practicality with understated style.
Mimi
40 Cheshire Street
London E2 6EH
Tel: 020 7729 6699
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am-6pm
Sunday 11am-6pm
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
For other shops on Cheshire Street, click here.
Thursday 14 February 2008
Happy Valentine's Day
I found these gorgeous hand-made paper Valentines at Broadway Market on Saturday. *Swooon!* They're like modern-day Victorian Valentine's greetings, with strips of lace paper doilies adding a decorative touch. I'm not sure if this stall will be a regular at Broadway Market (since V-Day comes just once a year) but it was just next door to the divine Violet Cakes stall.
Special thanks to LondonDaily Photo for the use of this photo, which was much nicer than mine!
For more shops and market stalls on Broadway Market, click here.
Top bird loves ... Etsy stuff
My heart just about melted all over the laptop when I laid eyes on these beautifully crafted bunnies by Canadian artist Sonja Ahlers (and yes, I am a sentimental sap, but hey it’s V-day, the one day of the year to embrace the sap).
I came across Sonja and her softies through the particularly lovely Canadian design blog PoppyTalk. Check out PoppyTalk’s excellent interview with Sonja here.
As PoppyTalk says, the bunnies are the “truest form of repurposing/recycling”, since they are made from vintage angora sweaters (angora being knitted bunny fur). The smallest bunnies are the size of a peanut (a peanut!) and can be found in the homes of Sonia Rykiel, members of Sonic Youth and (in the not too distant future) MINE! Nom nom nom.
Wednesday 13 February 2008
What to take home Wednesday: Mr & Mrs Jones
I love Polly George's witty take on the traditional lemon and lime juicer:
Mr & Mrs Jones lemon and lime squeezers by Polly George, £20 and £24, from Luna and Curious.
George's all-white range of ceramics are created in her Kent studio and feature simple, clean lines that are individually decorated with hand-applied quirky details.
Luna and Curious
198 Brick Lane
London E1 6SA
Tel: 020 7033 4411
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Thursday to Sunday 12pm-6pm
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
Tuesday 12 February 2008
London shopping: Bernstock Speirs
There is something seductive about a millinery boutique and the allure of dozens of different hat styles to transform your look. And at Bernstock Speirs’ bijou boutique on Brick Lane, it’s hard to resist playing dress-ups with their endearingly quirky range of around 40 different hat styles for men and women.
Traditional and wearable styles are given the signature Bernstock Speirs twist, with an unexpected and eclectic use of materials. Take, for instance, their classic black trilby, which has been updated with a slash of orange around the base (£97), or their fabulous range of winter beanies complete with netted veiling and pom-poms (£45).
The talented duo behind the brand, Paul Bernstock and Thelma Speirs, have been stalwarts of the London fashion and club scenes since the ‘80s. In fact, their very first creation was that iconic open-brimmed hat for Kylie on her debut Kylie album in 1988.
Fast forward to spring/summer 2008 and the line-up features reinvented classic straw designs in a delicious palette of powdery pastels with bold details like fat black webbing bows. I love the fabulous straw visors with veiled netting.
With a loyal clientele since the ‘80s including Boy George, Grace Jones and Madonna, Bernstock Speirs continues to grow its fanbase with the likes of Britney Murphy, Kirsten Dunst, Babyshambles, Karl Lagerfeld and local actor Ralph Fiennes all wearing their designs.
International stockists include Colette (Paris), Penelope & Gerard (Italy), Pool & F95 (Germany), Fenwicks, (UK), Fred Segal (USA) and Comme des Garcons (Japan).
Bernstock Speirs
234 Brick Lane
London E2 7EB
Tel. 020 7739 7385
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Friday 11am – 6pm
Saturday and Sunday 11am – 5pm
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
For more shops in East London, click here.
Spring/Summer lookbook pics courtesy of Bernstock Speirs.
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