Sibling Knitwear at ICA

Hi all,

As a part of the ICA Off-Site exhibition at the Old Selfridges Hotel looking at 'A journey Through London subculture 1980’s to now' Sibling showed several pieces of knitwear. 

A collaboration between Joe Bates, Sid Bryan and Cozette McCreedy, Knitwear label Sibling launched in 2008. The premier collection included bright subversions of classic knitwear styles, including the sparkling knits and leopard graphics now synonymous with the label.

Here Sibling present a selection of Iconic Knits, most notably their world touring unofficial mascot ‘Knit Monster’ and the Laura Lees hand embroidered ‘Hell Flower’ look.

My favourite pieces were the huge glove and hat that appeared to be knitted from giant wool or tops. And the massive pom pom people were a little hard to miss!

 This is the 'Knit Monster' Fairisle meets monster, complete with skulls and frankenstein. 

xox Niamh xox

Room Tour - Home Edition

Hi all,

I have been meaning to post my 'after' room tour for ages now. My excuse... I hadn't sorted the throw pillows. I know, its a really bad excuse. But now I am heading off for Uni, so I figured now would be a good time to do it before I drain all of my belongings from it.

If you want to see what my room looked like before then you can have a look here: Before Room
It was quite a big room makeover, and this is now my room for life at home. I went with quite a neutral colour scheme, so that I could change the look of it with different coloured furnishings (cushions, throws e.t.c) I chose Elephants Breath by Farrow and Ball for the wall colour which I absolutely love. We got a new carpet laid which is cream with a really interesting weave.
Some pieces of furniture are the same, but we changed that desk, chest of drawers and wardrobe as they were not functioning properly (i.e they were broken, or on the brink of falling apart). I love the new furniture that I got so much, its kind of french style with the decorative feet and details and antique brass handles. I don't know how I am going to leave it here!

 The bedding I got was from House of Fraser by Sanderson. The duvet cover is cream with a white damask style raised pattern. The grey throw and pillow are from Ikea, and the turquoise throw pillow is from Next. I got it a while ago and it went with the previous colour scheme I had, but until I change it I am happy with it there. I absolutely love my bed, I got it a good few years ago when I 'upgraded' from my bunk bed. I am definitely going to miss it when I go to Uni! On my bedside table there is a lamp from John Lewis which is a similar antique brass colour to the handles on the furniture with a cream twisty lampshade. And a pile of magazines and books I am currently reading. I just started 'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green.

My desk area is one of my favourite parts of my room. I love having my desk by the window looking out, as it not only gives great light to work with, but I can also look out at the trees and animals in our garden. I try not to keep too much on my desk, just the essentials, and of course my mini mannequin. I keep a few things on my windowsill. The flowers are from Ikea (yep, they are fake!) So they always bring colour to the room. On either side of them I have a photo frame (antique brass) with a sepia photo of Paris and Port Douglas, two of my favourite places.

 I like to think of this area as my reading area. I have quite a lot of 'stuff' in my room, and these big Ikea box shelves are great for storing the majority of my 'stuff'. I like then using the boxes to put things into. All of the black boxes are from Ikea, and they all have labels which is quite useful. The two slimmer Ikea shelve units next to the big one house my growing dvd collection. I love films and I tend to buy quite a lot of dvds, but I always wait until they are about £3. 

I am an avid collector of fashion magazines, and have been collecting Vogue for a while. New to my favourite magazines is I-D and Lula. I used to get the Beano, for about 10 years (all of the magazines are now in the roof) I keep the annuals that I got in my bedroom. I even have a few annuals from the 60's. My white book shelf was made by my dad, and has been in my room since I can remember. It now houses the majority of my fashion, art and reading books. I want to take them all with me to Uni, but I know I won't have room, so I have to pick my favourites.

 When the shop Pier was around in the UK, one visit we took I got my mum to sit on the 'Satellite Chair' (as I call it) I think they are called papasan chairs. Long story short she loved it and we got two for the lounge. Move on a few years and they aren't being used, so I brought one up into my room. Its the most comfy chair to sit on. You can just curl up with a book or laptop and relax (or fall asleep)

I keep my bags on the back of my door, for easy access to grab when I leave my room. My favourite bag make is Nica because they have interesting little details that I like. But my dream bag would be the Mulberry Alexa bag because it so classic and pretty. (one day.....)

A few little areas of my room. The wardrobe I have has these pole things that extend from the side, which I sometimes use to hang my outfit for the next day on. Recently they have been housing my favourite scarf of the moment and my Helen Kaminski felt hat.

I have my perfume collection in one of the boxes of the big Ikea shelf. I mostly have body sprays which I got in Washington D.C at Victorias Secret. I have really enjoyed wearing them over the summer, but I might transition into using perfume for the colder months. Most of my perfumes are nearly used up, so I have my eye on the Jo Malone counter for my next perfume. They all smell amazing though, I don't know which one to pick.

Finally there is my clock. I got it for Christmas last year as a complete surprise. I had the same clock in my bedroom for the whole of my life and it was probably time to change it. Having the 'Bunnykins teaching clock' hanging on your wall when you are 18 is probably not socially acceptable :) My mum picked out this Thomas Kent clock, and its soo perfect. I love the roman numerals and the colour. Its really big so I have no excuse about being late.

I hope you have enjoyed this look at my room

xox Niamh xox  

Mallorca: Sunshine, Markets and Seascapes

Hi all,

You may have noticed that I disappeared for a couple of weeks. I was away soaking up the last rays of summer sunshine before heading off to university. We had a great time in Mallorca, enjoying sun, sea and great food! We were based near Pollenca on the north of the island, and spent time enjoying the beautiful town, and others that surround it. Here is a snap shot of our trip...

We stayed in a villa, and the highlight of it was the huge fig tree on the driveway, which was heaving with fresh figs. Every morning we went out to see which ones were ready to pick, and enjoyed them straight off the tree.

The calvari 365 steps in Pollenca were something we had to do again. When I was 5 we went to Mallorca and I apparently ran up and down them whilst my parents walked to the top. I went up at a normal pace this time!

One of the highlights of Pollenca is definitely the Sunday morning market, which was brimming with fresh fruit and veggies, meats, cheeses and interesting hand made jewellery and crafts. It was really a feast for the senses! Photos below show more things there. I loved the leather satchels particularly the embossed one.

On the left is Teixits Vicens, an interiors textiles shop, known for its striped Mallorcan fabrics. It had lots of lovely goodies made from its fabrics, as well as huge rolls of them lining the walls. On the right is a ceramic shop entrance that had beautiful hand made and hand painted pottery.

I can't remember exactly what these were about, but there were these huge sculptures of musical instruments made from stone and metal in Pollenca. They were pretty impressive.

We stopped at a couple of vineyards for wine tastings whilst we were there. (I was on water though!) It was really relaxing to sit in the vineyard looking out at the long vines and grapes.

Cala Sant Vicenc coves were so pretty. I swam a few times and the water was so clear and warm. There were lots of little fish swimming around, but also some really weird looking jellyfish which I wasn't so happy about! (I am kind of scared of jellyfish!)

Sand sculptures line the beach in Port de Pollenca, they are complete with their own little fountains!

Following the lonely planet guide book we drove down to Sa Calobra. As the guide book describes "Feel your heart leap as you take the dramatic hairpin drive to Sa Calobra" and our hearts certainly did leap! At one point I thought my mum was going to have a panic attack! She doesn't like heights, and the road was really narrow with a very very steep drop down. Add to that the huge coaches coming against us almost forcing us off the road, and you can see why she was worried. But it was totally worth it (well in my opinion) The cove was beautiful and for swimming it was amazing.

I will end with another drive we took to Cap de Formentor, where there were some stunning views.

And there is me with one of the great views behind me. I lived in those denim shorts for the whole trip. I hate how I always over pack and end up wearing one thing!

Hope you enjoyed this look at our trip

I am looking forward to moving off to University, so expect some Uni related posts soon.

xox Niamh xox

Lego Bag and Shoe???

Hi all,

When I was little I was obsessed with lego. I had a huge box of it and would spend hours making my dream house and other bits and pieces. For my 6th birthday I even went to Lego land. I think its amazing what they can make with these little interlocking plastic blocks. Shopping in Swindon I came across some very, very large lego creations (of course going along with the shopping theme!) I thought I would share them with you.

Firstly there is a huge pink platform stiletto with spikes on the toe and heel, a giant sized Kurt Geiger shoe.

And a massive red osprey handbag, complete with clasp. 

What do you think of these lego creations? 

Did you used to play with lego?

xox Niamh xox

Ed's Easy Diner

Hi all,

Sorry my posts have been a little sparse. I have had a lot going on recently as I am getting ready to go off to University. We needed to get some things for the new house, so we went to the Swindon Outlet. Its got great quality pots, pans, clothes, shoes... everything, all for discounted price. In the Swindon Outlet there is Ed's Easy Diner, which my mum and I ate at. It was really atmospheric, with 1950's music and a little jukebox on each table. The food was pretty good too. I got a chicken burger and my mum and I shared a side of sweet potato fries (our weakness!!!) and I even got a super delicious oreo milkshake (yeah did I mention that I am lactose intolerant) Well.. it was totally worth it!

I think its kind of funny that we went to an american style diner in England, and not when we were actually in America. It kind of reminded me of Johnny Rocket. I would definitely recommend it for the fun vibe that the place has.

xox Niamh xox

Snog Frozen Yogurt

Hi all,

On my recent trip to London I tracked down another frozen yogurt shop that I hadn't been to - Snog. As a fro-yo fanatic I was drawn towards it like a magnet. They have a small selection of flavours which you can choose from. When we went the choices were Chocolate, Strawberry, Passion Fruit, or Natural. Add to that the multitude of toppings, and you have a few decisions to make. The queue was impressive, coming out of the shop, and it looked like there was a disco going on with the lights on the ceiling changing colour.
My first snog was a passion fruit little snog. I went a little sparingly on the toppings (going just for raspberries), as I like to actually taste the fro-yo on its own the first time I try a new place. It was really refreshing and delicious.
 We ended up returning again the next day and this time I chose the strawberry flavour and added the chocolate brownie pieces which were to-die-for!!! Really gooey with a crisp outer. And the strawberry fro-yo was delicious too. A little sweeter than the Passion Fruit, so a perfect after dinner treat.

Have you enjoyed a snog?

Know any other great Fro-Yo places?

xox Niamh xox

My August Playlist

Hi all,

I thought I would share my favourite music of the moment with you. There might be people here that you haven't heard of, or maybe people and songs that you also love to listen to. I have a slightly varied taste in music, but I love folk and country. Really any song that I can really connect with the lyrics. There are a few up-beat songs and some slower ones. I have been LOVING Hunter Hayes newly released cd. It's got so many great 'get up and go' songs.

I hope you will have a listen to some of these, and if you have any suggestions for me I would love to hear them. I am always looking for new music.

xox Niamh xox

Welcome to my home town - Bristol

Hi all (and Free People),

When I found out about the Free People competition to be their guest blogger for a month I got very excited. I discovered Free People in New York and it was love at first sight! I am sure that if they do decide to make a permanent home here in the UK there will be lots of others with me welcoming them with open arms. So here is my entry on my home town of Bristol....

Bristol is the heart of the South West, and its where I have lived my whole life. I guess I know it quite well by now. It's such a colourful city, with so many different things happening, a huge diversity of people, and so many interesting places both old and new. I have tried to whittle it down a bit to give you a snap shot of what its like here. I hope you enjoy. Oh, and welcome to Bristol...

St. Nicholas Market is set in the old city, and its brimming with character. Packed with stalls selling everything and anything you can think of. The smells of incense and fresh cooked food entwine and beckon you in (the free falafel samples are pretty tempting too) You can find an amazing bargin here on clothes, fabric or handmade goods. There is even a hot sauce stall! 

 I have always loved the Christmas Steps, they feel like they have jumped out of a Charles Dickens novel. I have never counted all of the steps, but I challenge you to. Dotted along the steps are small boutiques and specialty shops. From vintage furniture, to brass instruments, and the Bristol Cider shop. Each first Saturday of the month there is a crafts market here, another highlight of this little area.

You would have to be walking around with a paper bag over your head to not notice Bristol's amazing street art. Art shall no longer be restrained by the walls of a gallery. The best place to see the street art is Nelson Street, where the walls and buildings that edge the street tower over with giant murals and paintings. My favourite piece of street art has to be the most subtle one. The walls of the old police station became thick with dirt, and by washing away this dirt it exposed the stone underneath. This building has now come to life with birds, swallows and flowers where the wall has been cleaned.

Bristol is Banksey's home town, and he has truly left his mark here (literally) The image on the left is at the bottom of park street, and it always makes me smile. There happened to be art in progress when I had my camera out.

I had to include this place. Flavalanche is my favourite frozen yoghurt place in the UK. It's not been open for more than half a year, but I am already nearly through my first loyalty card (just two more to go!!!!) Self serve can be bit dangerous first time round, as you can't tell how fast its going to come out (I learnt the hard way!) They have a really great flavour selection, and change them frequently (my top picks are mango and the dulce du leche). This is definitely one of my top place in the whole of Bristol.

Cabot Tower is a great place to go to get a view of the city. On a clear day you can see for miles. And if you don't fancy the narrow stair case climb to the top then you can relax on Brandon Hill, along with the ducks and crazy squirrels. Those squirrels can sometimes get a little too friendly (but they do pose for photos on demand)

Welcome to Clifton. Clifton is my favourite area of Bristol. There are lots of vintage shops, quirky interior shops, and loads of independent cafes full of character and delicious smells. Wandering around window shopping here makes for a perfect afternoon, followed up with a cup of tea (well, we are British!)

The Primrose cafe in Clifton is a very popular place to head. The food is amazing and the service is great. Delicious cakes demand room to be left. And sitting alfresco in the sun feels like you could be in another country.

Lunch time today included a falafel wrap with tomato and chilli relish. It was amazingly good. (Mouth watering here as I type)

The Clifton arcade is a treasure trove, lined with vintage shops. There is a great bakery at the end which  fills the arcade with sweet smells.

Shopping for vintage is always exciting, as you never know what you will find (even if its only window shopping) As an avid fashion history fan I love finding out more about different eras of style through the enthusiastic shop owners. And trying on hats is always fun.

Clifton is beautiful, with it's Georgian buildings and quaint cafes. This flower shop had me drawn in with it's arrangements spilling out onto the street.

The Crescent in Clifton looks out with a stunning view. Walking along it feels like you have been transported to a different era. I like imagining who has lived in these houses. There are some lovely flowers edging the balconies and doors of the houses. Oh, and there's me with a post box. 

Finally, finishing up with the Clifton suspension bridge, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This is an iconic image for Bristol, and a handy way of getting from one side of the river avon to the other. Whenever you fly into Bristol, if you are on the right side of the plane you should be able to see this landmark linking the land together.

I hope you have enjoyed this look at Bristol, and if I have inspired you to visit then we would love to see you here.

xox Niamh xox

Tea Palace Covent Garden

Hi all,

So here we go... confessions of a tea addict!
I have been really getting into tea drinking over the past year and a half, and my collection has slowly been growing. I picked up a few really nice teas whilst in American at Teavana, and I have been on a hunt for more loose teas in the UK. When in London I insisted that we call into the Tea Palace in Covent Garden Market. It is a loose tea shop, and they have a huge range of different types of teas. I decided to pick up a few, four to be exact, sample sized little caddies. That way I could try them before investing in larger caddies.

They have a wall full of big tins, all brimming with delicious looking teas. But here are the ones that I decided to try.

Starting off the procession, I picked up this fruit tea (no caffeine) the wild berries flavour. Its got big pieces of raspberries, bilberries, elderberries, strawberries and blackberries, giving it a really fruity and slightly sweet flavour. Iced tea I think!

Royal star green tea is another fruity tea (Do you see a pattern emerging?) The green tea is combined with redcurrants, cornflowers, sunflower petals and essence of vanilla. Yum :)

Another fruit tea, this is going to be perfect for making iced tea, while the last dregs of the summer pass by. I do love peach as a flavour in tea, and this one smells sooo good. Packed with peaches, mangoes, apples and flower blossom.

Another peachy tea, green tea. I have tried the Whittards Peach green tea before, but I think this one is my favourite. It has a much lighter and fresher taste. So refreshing.

What kind of tea do you like?

xox Niamh xox

Free People London

Hi all,

This weekend I went to London for a concert, and made one of my top priorities to go to Selfridges and have a look at the Free People pop up shop. I was soo excited when I heard about Free People touching down in the UK, and even more excited when I discovered that the time they were here was being extended to 11th August which meant that I could go!!!

Of course I had to try on a few things.... and ended up buying almost everything I tried on (oh dear! for my wallet that is) I love everything that I got, and I am already planning new outfits with the pieces.

The first thing I got is probably my favourite thing that I got. Its the Fitted With Daisies Dress. I adore the colour, and the shape is really flattering. It fits in at the waist with the 'mesh' of daisy's which shows a little skin. The lace fabric gives a really nice texture over the whole dress. I love it!!!

The thermal is the We The Free Diamond Dozen Thermal. Two tone, with light blue and burgundy and textured. Its really cosy but lightweight. I am planning on wearing it over dresses, leggings and jeans.

I got another lace bralette, this one is in the colour Pumpkin. I absolutely love these for layering. They are really comfortable, and give an interesting texture to an outfit when layered under tops that have a low back or neckline.

These two tops are the Toosaloosa crochet vest. I got both colours! Cream and Brick. They fit really well, and the fit-flare shape is very flattering. I love the lace detail in the front.

I really hope that Free People does come to the UK

(but I will be broke!)

xox Niamh xox 

I Can Drive!!!

Hi all,

Little update here, quite exciting for me. Today was the day of my driving test and... I PASSED! I am soo happy to have it done. It went really well, and I can now legally drive (scary thought!) It wasn't anywhere near as nerve wrecking as I thought it was going to be. I was actually quite calm throughout the whole of the test, and it flew by.

I just love this car.... Just to let you know that it is not mine!

So yep, thats the update.

Hope you are all having a great day :)

xox Niamh xox