Raphael has really got in to books recently and It feels like his favourite past time is to empty his bookshelf to find the one book he wants to look at! So to keep him interested I try to update his mini library as often as I can!
I came across this little gem of a kids bookshop in Chadwell Street in Islington where every book is only a £1.00! Children’s Books maybe small but is filled with books for all ages and has a stream of customers passing through its door. Constantly updating their stock I always manage to find something for my little man to enjoy.
So it’s nearly time to return to work and the only thing good about that is updating my wardrobe!
Since my little black boots are all walked out, I have been on the search for a new pair! I recently came across Hudson, a London shoe brand with beautifully crafted, high quality shoes and boots that don’t break the bank! Here are a few of my favs from there collection….
There is nothing like a challenge to kick start the new year and so I am taking part in the stickygram January photo challenge – 31 photos of 31 themes for 31 days!
A winning photo will be chosen daily and if you stick it out to the end there is a little special treat in store.
I love taking photos so this is a perfect challenge for me….
I cannot say how proud and excited I am that the Birmingham jazz club which my amazing grandad, Andy Hamilton MBEfounded in the mid 80′s, lives on! Silvershine Jazz Club, renamed after his first album (which he recorded at the age of 73!) will continue to open it’s doors to music lovers every Thursday at The Corks Club, just off Bearwood High Street, Birmingham. It’s official relaunch will be taking place on the 20th December, with Soweto Kinch playing alongside grandad’s band The Blue Notes and other guests.
I have so many wonderful memories of seeing my grandad and other great jazz musicians such as David Murray, Art Themen, Peter King, Hal Singer to name but a few, playing there over the years. It would have been such a loss to the Birmingham jazz scene if it had stopped running when grandad passed away earlier this year, but I am so glad that the club is back, as part of my grandad lives on. It goes without saying how much I miss him.
You can hear his song Silvershine in my kinda tunes.
Had so much fun at the Mothers Meeting workout this week! Led by the lovely Zoe McNulty of Raunch I strutted my stuff in my gold heeled melissas to stiletto workout! Must have done some good, I really ache today….
Whilst searching for fun wedding favours I came across a silhouette artist, Charles Burns, the roving artist. Unfortunately, he was booked up on the day of our wedding but I signed up for his news letter in the hope that I would be able to one day book him for another event.
Charles then sent out an email, requesting photo’s that he could use for a book he was writing and in return he would send a silhouette as a thank you. So I sent a few pictures and a silhouette of me got featured in the book!
Mastering Silhouettes is an instruction book into the art of silhouette portraiture. Its explains about all the techniques used in period and modern day silhouette portraits, advice on poses and materials and features of silhouette artist and their work.
As my silhouette was painted on glass so I went to meet Charles to collect it. I took Raphael with me and was lucky enough to see Charles in action as he did a portrait of Raphael.
It really is quite an incredible art form. The detail in the cutting is amazing, especially as it took less than a minute to do!
I find my hubby really difficult to buy for. Always on the hunt for something different, I was really chuffed when I came across ‘exhibition in a box’ at the V&A shop.
Created by artist Tom Martin, it is 20 mini handmade screen prints presented in a handmade box, designed for the ‘Cherry on the Cake’ range focusing on paper.
After the success of ‘exhibition in a box’ the V&A has now commissioned a new set of mini prints, Myriorama by Tom Martin. Each set of prints has a unique colour range and they fit together in any arrangement to create a bigger pattern.
Could make the perfect present for that hard to buy relative or friend!
I was thrilled when my hubby gave me a pop up book for my birthday. Big Bang Pop by a French Author Philippe Ug is filled with vivid colours and beautiful 3d images. It takes you on a journey through the milky way telling you about the life’s of stars.
I remember my mom having a set of vintage pop up books as a kid. I have really vivd memories of them and showing Big Bang Pop to Raphael reminded me of how magical I thought those books were so I thought I would feature a few on here which I think would make amazing Christmas gifts!
For Mama…
Another Philippe Ug, Drôle d’oiseau (Funny Bird) tells the story of a little bird, from an egg to flying the nest as a magnificent bird to discover the world!
For baba….
A box of bugs. 4 concept pop up books by David A Carter
For mama & baba….
White Noise by David A Carter is a pop up book for all ages where the paper structures create a sound as they open!
Fingers crossed santa brings me Drôle d’oiseau for Christmas!
Wednesday marked my 32nd birthday and to celebrate we went to see the amazing Willy Mason at Scala. The gig was the last night of his headline tour and to launch his latest album, Carry On. He played a set of old and new songs with lots of audience participation – I had a brilliant night!
On sale at the gig were not your usual gig posters. Designed & printed by Twisted Head Press were 5 individual prints to mark each night of the tour, that when put together make one complete landscape poster.
Printed by hand using an antique cast iron letterpress and limited to 31 prints per venue. I got myself the London one as it was my favourite of the set but also has my birthday printed on it too!
So my new favourite album is Carry On, especially love “Shadows In The Dark” which you can hear in my kinda tunes.
