A VINTAGE FAIR

Finally! Richmond has caught up and is holding a Vintage Fair this coming Tuesday. If you're around you should definitely pop in to take a look - I'm (hopefully) helping out on the Oxfam stall, and there are some beautiful dresses from us in particular.

FERN

HIT-GIRL

After recently viewing the 2011 drama film Hick, I have been gripped by a new young actress by the name of Chloe Grace Moretz. Admittedly, being born with a face like that does lend you certain advantages as an actress, however it is this young girl’s choice of films that strikes me as alarmingly appealing. At first I didn’t tie it all together, but then it all comes flooding back! Yes! She played Hit-Girl in Kick-Ass (2010), infamously making use of the c word at – shock, horror - thirteen years old. Hick was equally as provocative for a young actress, however it addressed some major issues such as teenage runaways, rape, emotional and physical abuse, which I haven’t seen done in such a credible, uncomfortably honest way since Evan Rachel Wood’s 2003 performance in Thirteen.

Moretz is most definitely one to watch out for, and I am especially looking forward to her upcoming portrayal of Carrie this year alongside Julianne Moore; but can she stand up to Sissy Spacek’s classic 1976 character? I believe Moretz will bring a whole new dimension to the role, with the perfect mix of innocence and femme fatale.

ANNA

Captions - Carrie (2013)...Kick-Ass (2010)...Hick (2011)

SOME NEW OLD THINGS

So, I can't stop buying things from charity shops. I started volunteering at the Oxfam shop in town a couple of weeks ago and I love it. I get an absolute thrill rifling through old objects and stumbling across something I fall in love with - and as you can see, I've had a bit of luck of late.

Hopefully they'll all fit nicely in my room once/if it ever gets decorated, as right now they've all taken up residence on the floor, in a corner. As for the Womble pillowcases (pictured on the chair) I'm not really sure. I have a feeling they might be going back in my cupboard for a while!

NB The smaller, floral mirror is actually Matthew Williamson for Debenhams, not second hand, but I couldn't resist.

FERN

DEPRESSED CAKE SHOP PT 2

The last time I wrote about baking – it was about The Depressed Cake Shop.

It's going to be launched in July, and I am glad to say I will definitely be a part of it.

My love of baking and having a chance to work with Miss Cakehead and Eat Your Heart Out seemed to be ample reason to be involved with the project – but recently, my reasons became that much more personal.

I hadn't heard from a dear friend in about a month. We had only ever spoken online, as our mutual condition (Aspergers) kept us both too scared to meet in case it all went weird. But we were friends.

We spoke nearly every day for 6 years. In many ways he knew me better than a lot of people as I knew him in the same way.

When he disappeared, I searched for a way to contact him. Luckily I remembered what his mother did for a living, and her name. Google did the rest.

I emailed her and waited. Then the email came back asking me for my number.

The next day, her fiance called me – Ryan had passed away a month ago.

I was completely devastated, and have been grieving ever since.

His mum called me the other night, asking how I was and to apologise for not calling to tell me herself the first time. She was glad that someone cared enough about him to try and find out if he was okay.

He didn't have any friends offline, which saddened me even more.

It's been really hard getting up every day. It's been harder to get to sleep. I see lots of things that Ryan would love in my day to day – things that I want to go online and share with him.

But I can't.

He struggled a lot with anxiety and depression. His ASD meant that he found it difficult to engage with people, and be outside in the world without support.

However he was a great person. He loved the country Finland (and the hot chicks from their native metal bands), he loved to talk about politics and religion (hated both), he had a weakness for the cute and weird videos on youtube (we used to try and one up each other with them), and he loved a good bit of cake.

If it wasn't for him, I would have never had the courage to go and seek my own diagnosis of Aspergers. He changed my life forever.

That's not the sum of who he was, or is to me – I loved him for everything that made him, him.

So it's that much more important that I help raise awareness of mental health by taking part in The Depressed Cake Shop.

It's also that much more important to talk about depression, anxiety and mental health openly. Everyone is affected by it one way or another, and it's high time we started supporting each other.

JULIE

GRANNY CHIC

This week I’m going to write a review of one of my favourite books of the moment, Granny Chic. I got this book for Christmas (Christmas did seem to bring a lot of craftspiration!), and I have been in love with it since. Rachelle of Ted and Agnes and Tif of Dottie Angel explain things simply and clearly, and it is so easy to dive in and just revel in the prettiness. This is just the kind of book I like, with instructions on various projects that leave plenty of room for you to create something unique and in your own style, and lots and lots of beautiful and inspirational photos. I don’t know how you feel, but personally I am not a fan of very prescribed project books – I prefer inspiration and then doing something with it! Tif and Rachelle leave plenty of room for you to add your own ideas, and well as inspiring you with their own style.

Currently, I am working on two projects from the book – the granny puff blanket, and an upcycled lampshade. There was a slight issue with the blanket pattern due to a small misprint, but you can get the correct details from Rachelle’s blog and after that, there was no bother! My blanket seems to be growing quite quickly, and I can’t wait to get it all finished and snuggle down under it.

The upcycled lampshade is a little experiment for me. I found a small lampshade for 99p in a charity shop and I thought it just had to be done! So, following Tif and Rachelle’s instructions, I ripped everything off it, dug around to find some vintage lace, emptied my stash of ribbons and goodies, and set to work! This lampshade is unfinished at the moment, but I so am looking forward to hanging it up. I decided to put lots of hints of glitter in it, as even though I won’t be using it as a lampshade, I want it to catch the light and play with it.

If you’re into crafting or upcycling or prettifying, or even just know someone who is, I would so recommend this book! It’s the perfect gift for a someone who can’t stop creating, and it is guaranteed to unblock a creative blockage.

JENNY

MES DAMES SS13

It's not feeling much like March here in the UK. Not that the weather is usually something we can rely on in England, but Spring has been particularly cold so far. What makes it even worse is the fact that this time last year we were having a warm spell, hitting temperatures in the mid 20s. I've had to keep myself excited for the warm weather by browsing lookbooks, and Mes Dames SS13 collection is doing the job perfectly.

Balancing warm yellows and purples against more pale hues, Mes Dames' newest offerings, and in particular, their lookbook, seem to personify Spring. I particularly love the lady-like bows and pretty pencil skirts. And, weirdly enough, each piece stands out without being too obvious. Perhaps because everything about the collection is so stunningly simple.

FERN

GEORGIA GRACE GIBSON

“My idea was, instead of a ‘dinner party’, to create a ‘cook book’- including cakes resembling lady parts and women eating them. The purpose of this is to lessen the fear of ‘weird’ looking genitals and the idea of hiding your body away and being afraid of it- not unlike the way women are told to hide their bodies to prevent rape.”

I came across Georgia Grace Gibson’s artwork not very long ago, and at first glance I had the impression that she was a, much older, professional artist. After reading about just how young she is (approx. 18 years old) I was not only shocked but also extremely relieved that a young woman was dealing with such relevant and important issues within her work. However, there is really no reason to underestimate teenagers today, when in fact I deal with more sexism and outright revolting behaviour from people over forty.

Inspired by Judy Chicago’s 1979 installation The Dinner Party, these works in particular grabbed me because of how visceral and completely gorgeous they are aesthetically, as well the fact that they hold such a positive message. Body image issues are more relevant today than ever, and most definitely affect men just as much as women. However, though initially these photographs appear to concentrate on positive body image, you begin to pick up on many other themes; women creating (baking) vaginas, women creating (decorating) the form of vaginas, and finally women eating vaginas. The work screams power, energy and vitality. They urge you to be who you are, and not who you are told to be. Also, we taste great!

ANNA