I went to Tokyo DisneySea right after I went to Tokyo Disneyland. I dearly wanted to see both, and I think the main positive of visiting places by yourself (as I did with Disneyland and Sanrio Puroland) is that you can just run around visiting the things you’re most interested in with complete disregard to everything else (in my case, anything with a 2 hour queue).
Initially I was wary about the idea of making a list of material objects I want but my Mum has now asked me numerous times and I always enjoy reading these posts on other peoples blogs, so I thought I may as well just get over myself and create one. I hope it doesn’t make for too boring a read! I have a constant wish list of “buy on sight” Laila dream items, should they ever appear in physical form (wolf head shaped cookie cutter, white and gold faux leather lightning cowboy boots, loris dress) but these are the things that actually exist.
Boots / Musicals Book / Book / Scott Pilgrim / Top / Dress / Cup /Bunny / Necklace / Umbrella / Nobrow Freud – Neuroscience / Long-sleeve Top
Musical theatre is a big part of my life and the Hal Leonard compilations are the top of the market (interesting piano arrangements and original score markings); I have a couple of the mezzo volumes already and my life goal is to have a full mezzo and soprano collection. I fell in love with Scott Pilgrim aged 15 and spent my teenage summers counting down the days until the next volume was released; the colour editions are AMAZING and another life goal is to own a full set (I’m really aiming high with my life).
I’m quite fussy with clothes but love this Family Affairs top (and the majority of the rest of their clothes), and as a violinist part of the time I should probably own the Nishe dress (although as a bassoonist more of the time I’d rather have a bassoon dress… maybe I can make one?). I don’t care that Fortunately, The Milk is a kids book; I love Neil Gaiman and I love Chris Riddell. How adorable is the little dwarves necklace?
Travel is a recurring theme as most of my family live on different continents and I’ve got friends moving to Brazil, Cambodia and New York next year so bring on the plane food! I really want a large-scale oversize cardboard/plastic wolf skull; entirely because it’s a prop for the next WOLF PACK concert and the idea of constructing one from papier mache seems a bit intense! (Side note: Mum, I am not expecting you to do that despite the craftsmanship of your papier mache bowl).
Necklace / Sweater + Trousers / Moon Jumper / Film / Book /Dress / Elephant / Bunny / Notebook / Guidebook / DinoSnores / Skirt
I lived in Peckham for two years and these Peckham necklaces are the most Goldsmiths things I’ve ever seen; they’re just brilliant! I’m into this MinkPink print and I’m very into the matching set. The moon jumper I couldn’t justify buying as I already own a black and white wolf jumper, but it’s now been in my saved bookmarks for a year (tragic) and is reduced to a tenner so here it is. More Family Affairs (another item that’s been saved for over a year… pathetic) and this great dress by Traffic People.
Mary & Max is such a sweet film! Not sure what’s with all the lights in these wish lists (maybe because there’s no light in my bedroom?), but the baby elephant is just the best (and most expensive) thing I’ve ever seen. I like the idea of a flock of bunnies nestling around my room also. The Disneyland Paris notebook is very sweet; I’ve performed there twice now and hopefully we are going next year again!
Dino Snores look like they tailor-made for weirdos like me; sleepover in a museum? With horror films? Plus amazing activities? Yes please! Mark Z Danielski is such a fascinating author, I find him so inspiring and he’s been a big influence on my creative output in the way he just redefines and creates whole genres, never more so than in House Of Leaves. Sailor Moon was my number-one love throughout my childhood and on holiday in Florida aged 11 I managed to purchase 4 of the 5 newly released, beautiful compiled Mixx guidebooks; the 5th wasn’t released until after I was home in the (Sailor Moon guidebook-less) UK. And lo, my lifelong quest to complete my set began.
So there we go! What would you put on your wishlist?
James and I had a rare Sunday off and I had all these grand plans for a jam-packed day of action and adventure. I think this is what happens when you don’t have weekends or a normal working schedule; you see a window of opportunity and go insane trying to make the most of the day! However, as it was a day off I predictably slept for hours, and by the time James and I bothered to leave the house we decided to just head ten minutes down the road to Kentish town rather than trek over to East London. I was initially annoyed at failing in my original plans but cheered up considerably following a breakfast that involved dessert and a very fruitful trek round the charity shops. You can see my purchases above (accompanied by James). The book is amazing and the polo neck is so warm!
I’m wearing one of my many, many purchases from the charity shop where I work – it’s covered in the kind of ridiculous 80s print that makes me laugh (chains, hooks, iron rods and pearls… that classic print combination) and it was a mere £1.50. £1.50! That’s cheaper than nearly everything in McDonalds! James jokes that every Friday is “New Outfit Day” as it’s the day after my shift and I invariably have new clothes. He’s got a point, but it’s hard to feel guilty when everything is secondhand recycling, incredibly cheap and contributing to a good cause. I never shop on the high street or online but if I find something I like in a charity shop I do tend to just get it (funds allowing!) because you might never see it again: too many times I’ve had the depressing “return” to a charity shop for that one singularly amazing item, only to find somebody worth more sense has snatched it away in your absence.
I’ve been a big fan of the Moomins from a young age and like most people of my generation I came to know of the delightful inhabitants of Moominvalley via the nineties cartoon. I didn’t read the wonderful Tove Jansson books until I was in secondary school, and was enchanted all over again by the free-spirited Moomin family and their decidedly bohemian friends. A lot of the stories are overlain with melancholy, and the whimsical tales often carry a lot of depth or wisdom.
This particular fabric depicts the Moomins in the jungle or on safari (just like me!) and therefore combines two of my favourite things: Moomins and animals! Rather than a repeated print the full length fabric was like a mini tableau, featuring Little My commandeering a rhino, Moomintroll and Snorkmaiden climbing with the monkeys, Moominpappa dozing in a hammock above some tigers and Moominmamma calmly watering her pumpkins in between the chaos.
I’m holding my Moomin egg timer in these photos which is one of my most treasured possessions. I’m not from a very close family and we are all terrible at gift-giving (James says I’m just hard to buy gifts for, in which case I take after my Dad) but my Mum bought me this last Christmas and it’s one of the best presents I’ve ever had! I like to use egg timers when I’m practising to divide my time between different pieces.
I followed my usual skirt pattern (first seen here) and for this particular skirt I also engaged in some pretty rash pattern cutting decisions in a vague attempt to preserve certain characters. I sewed it by hand as I don’t have a sewing machine. Whilst this may have resulted in some untidy stitching (which would never have been allowed to see a shop floor) I don’t mind too much, as how many other people have a Moomin safari skirt?
I hope all of you have been enjoying the gloriously warm evenings we’ve been granted this summer! It’s so lovely to be able to stay out in the sunshine late into the day. These pictures were taken at Goddards, a beautiful country house in Surrey. The house was designed by renowned architect Edwin Lutyens and for most of the time it is private to the public and kept for reservations. James and I were lucky enough to be invited to a dinner at the house with members of the Lutyens trust and took the opportunity to explore the beautiful home usually off limits. It was a gloriously golden evening when we arrived and the stunning gardens were filled with dappled rays of evening sunlight.
Edwin Lutyens collected many interesting objects throughout his life which have found their way into the home, such as the beautifully ornate door knocker pictured below and the rare stag heads decorating the bowls room. It felt like every room was filled with yet another unique treasure! The living-room also featured a hidden door behind the curved bookshelves, originally put in to allow a small person to crawl through and clean the windows behind. Old houses have such a feeling of adventure, don’t you think? Especially when filled with as many quirky details as Goddards!
One of the best things about working creatively is how often hanging out with friends leads to working on new projects. I had the pleasure of meeting one of my good friends Aella today who recently set up a theatre company with another friend of ours, and she asked me about using some of my music for their first show before taking all the photos you see here. I later bumped into a fellow Goldsmiths alumni in Urban Outfitters who had just returned from touring with Lucy Rose across Europe and America.
Saturday night saw us staying back at The Yarde Cafe in Devon. It is beautiful there! There was live music courtesy of a local musician and I was asked to play something by both my theatrical cohorts and the owner of the venue. It’s such an amazing feeling when somebody connects with something you’ve created, especially in such an unexpected and unfamiliar setting.
Sunday the boys were off rehearsing, so I spent the day exploring the area (predominantly fields and woodland trials) and practising.
TAPE PARADE 