Packed Lunch

I'm in love with the Japanese culture.
And one of my favourite parts to coo over are bento boxes!
A bento is essentially a packed lunch in a little box, sometimes with compartments to seperate your different foods (You could jusst use an ordinary tupperware container, but that's not half as cute)
The styles of bento are so varied!
There are cute ones...

And there are really simple ones

But what I love most about bento is the boxes, so cute and compact and ready to be filled with deliciosness.



They don't even have to have a design on for me to think they're cute, I love the little neutral coloured one too! As soon as I get round to ordering my box I'll be starting my own bento experiments (and hopefully filling them with nutritiousness and not fatty foods!)
I also really want this cute little bottle so I can put water in it and not buy bottled water anymore! Such a wasteful expense when you think about it, and I never get round to recycling those plastic bottles... So wasteful. This bottle would solve that problem AND make me smile every time I drink out of it!

'Khoda'

Every now and then something comes along that will completely blow your mind. Astound you, stun you, leave you inspired that there is still some genuine creativity out there.
This happened to me today, when I saw the 5 minute animated film 'Khoda'.
Created as a student project by Reza DolatabadI, the movie actually comprises of over 6000 paintings. Every time you pause the film, you are faced with a new painting!
I can't even find the words to describe it any further, so watch the movie yourself :)

Khoda from Reza Dolatabadi on Vimeo.

Shoe Love

This is my entry for Selfridge's 'What's Your Shoe Story?' Competition, let me know what you think!


I remember the day I ordered them like it was yesterday, when in fact nearly six years have passed. I was sixteen years old; and I scrimped and saved to buy them, the black lace up platforms with the towering heels.
I remember tearing at brown paper wrapping, like an excited child at Christmas. The pristine white of the large square box, scrabbling at the lid excitedly with my bitten fingernails. I had to get Mum to help me lace them up, fumbling with the many many hooks and eyelets.
We laughed so hard as I took my first clumsy steps on those five inch heels. Hysterical as I staggered and fell like a newborn giraffe.
But those booys were my Everest. Every scrape and blister was a badge of honour. And I got there in the end.
The many hours I would spend polishing their matt PVC, the frustration of re-lacing them, the agony after spending a long night atop those platforms, can only be remembered fondly.
I have such an unnatural, undying love fore those boots, but if it's a crime; arrest me.
You can find the details for the competition here:
http://shoe.selfridges.com/backlanding/?startIndex=0&displayed=6&searchText=

Made With Love For a Heartless World...

My love will never die for one alternative brand; Iron Fist
I adore their retro tattoo printed tees and vests, I myself own this one:

My next tattoo idea for myself is actually very similar!

A few more of their tops are on my wishlist especially the middle one, I'd wear it a size too big with ripped jeans or leggings, with those army boots I want!

One thing they do have that I always drool over; their shoes.
I actually received these 'Wolf Beater' heels for my birthday back in May;

Now my only problem is that they make a bag and a tee shirt to match them... It would be too much werewolf for one outfit but I just NEED them in my wardrobe!

The Expendables

I went to the cinema today, for the first time in ages! I love seeing a film on the big screen, because of the two Ps: Popcorn and previews!
There are two films I saw advertised that I'm desperate to see; Resident Evil: Afterlife (I have a two for one token to go see it as well :D) and 'RED' which just looked hilarious (Helen Mirren? With a machine gun?! :D)

I saw The Expendables, which does exactly what you'd expect it too given it's stellar cast of action hero's; it gives you a thrill-a-minute testosterone fuelled action movie with a good amount of humour and LOTS of explosions.
If youe're seeking something deep and meaningful, The Expendables probably isn't the movie for you. But if you're into a bit of mindless does-what-it-says-on-the-tin/movies-probably-aimed-at-blokes as I occasionally am (I love too watch Con Air or Bad Boys if I have the chance) then I thoroughly recommend it!
Also, just on a side note, Jason Statham...

(this might not be a screenshot from the movie; but there's nothing like Jason Statham to brighten up your bank holiday)

My Idol

Payday gets more and more expensive every time I look on the internet...
Anyone who knows me should be aware I have a teeny tiny little weakness for New Look. I mean, it's not like I can't go in there without spending money... *shifty eyes*
But I'm drifting away from the point. One of the things I love about New Look is their 'Idol' label. I've always been a lover of the rock/biker chick look, maybe it's something to do with having been a punk/goth during my early teens; but Idol has a real rock chick edge to it, but pulled off in a really stylish way. These are just a few of the bits I'm lusting after:

I also saw these gorgeous biker boots, but at sixty pounds they're a little steep for me :( *sobs*

Luckily they do have a cheaper pair... New boots on payday? I think so!

Every Little Helps...

I went into Tesco's last night (it was for something completely mundane, I think it might've been onions) and I felt an all too familiar loosening around my chest. I had broken yet another bra, the third since May.
With a sigh I went upstairs to the clothing department to buy a replacement (at least until I get paid next Monday) and found, to my shock, I actually got quite distracted by their clothing department.
Tesco clothing (in fact most supermarket clothing) usually conjures up images of chavs, or worse nightmarish flashbacks of childhood... (let's all go to Tesco's where Donna buys her best clothes... *shudder*)
I have seen so many things that I don't just want, I NEED.
I love owls, so the owl print t-shirt is just a must have, the skull print sweater lets me embrace my inner self without being too morbid, and as for the long black cardigan, it doesn't even require justification. It needs to be in my wardrobe right now.
And this. It would not suit me in the slightest, but I'm in love with it. I know plenty of people it would suit, but I, unfortunately, am not one of them

The good news? Nothing on my little wish list costs more than £20! My *ahem* grocery bill might be a little high this month...
(Please be gentle with my first attempt at Collages)

RIP Corinne Day

Looking back over the last year, it saddens me immensely to see that this is the third death in fashion that I have posted.
But despite the amount of death I've posted, I feel like I have to take a moment to remember the woman who not only made fashion photography what it is today, but who launched Kate Moss's career.
Having been an active part in the fashion industry until recently, Day died on the
27th due to a brain tumour.
It upsets me that a phorographer who made such beautiful pictures will never again hold a camera.



May she rest in peace.

Daniela Uhlig

I have always loved art. Paintings, illustrations, sketches, sculptures and anything else that could be called an art form. I never cease to be amazed by just what a simple human being can create, and what with us being so technologically advanced, what can be created using a computer.
While I was on www.stumpleupon.com I found some artwork which has given me a new favourite illustrator, Daniela Uhlig. She specialises in digital paintings, and at only 25 years old has quite the online following!
The German illustrator is self taught, and has never studied art in any way, shape or form, which makes her work all the more amazing to me. I love her use of bright colours and tongue in cheek humour, and how she creates the most surreal images without going over the top.

'Red Orange'

'Red Ink'

'Loo'

'Disintegration'

'Dia de la Muertos'
The images here are just a few of my personal favourites, you can see even more at
http://lolita-art.deviantart.com/

Tinker Tinker...

I have FINALLY got off my butt and given the page a little spruce up!
I'm feeling pretty happy with it at the moment, hopefully my self critical side won't take over!

Zero to Hero

I have never been in the habit of saying that designers using thin models is wrong.
I mean, is normal sized people ripping into thin women not exactly the same as a thinner person talking trash about a larger woman?
Either way, to talk badly about either size is discriminative. Back in May I had a lot of close contact with models and despite being tall and thin (as models are) and not one seemed at all unhealthy. And trust me, they do eat!
The fact is that either way you look at it, talking badly about someone's size is discrimination. Every human body is unique, and that uniqueness is what makes a body beautiful. No two are the same. Whether you're fat or thin, tall or short, boyish or voluptuous, you only get one body and the best thing you can do is accept what you were given and learn what works for you.

I'm not saying I don't enjoy seeing a normal sized woman on the catwalk. When Mark Fast put size 14s on his catwalk I thought they looked fabulous. But the thing is, tall thin women just show off the clothes a little better, maybe because all people focus on when normal sized women are on the catwalk their size is all that the press focus on.
The only issue I have as a 'plus size' (I really hate that phrase) woman is that the designer labels don't make clothes any bigger than a size 14.
Well, allegedly that's going to change. Not for about a year, but still, I'm pretty excited. It has been (unofficially) announced that the fashion house is in talks to launch a plus size label. And if anyone can turn plus size into something cool it's Marc Jacobs. I have always found something to drool over in his collections.
His mix of quirky and cool is right up my alley. His designs are for the cool, modern girl who's not afraid to be noticed (sounds about right for me :P)
I for one can't wait to see what the designs look like!

Save Me From Myself

Tell me I don't need them in my life, that I would look ridiculous pretending to be the Greek God Hermes with my winged shoes...
Pretending to float on clouds.
*Sigh*

Just So You Know...

I now have two blogs. So should I disappear, you can keep up with my ridiculous side at
http://eclectic-artifex.tumblr.com/

Definitely A Fangbanger.

Having watched the first two seasons of True Blood, read the first six books, accumulating the soundtracks and becoming the proud (and very geeky) owner of my very own bottle of Type O Negative, I think it's safe to say that should vampires ever 'come out of the coffin' for real, I will probably be desperate to have one sink their teeth into me.
Having seen this month's Rolling Stone cover, with both Alexander Skarsgard (AKA Eric Northman-PHWOAR) and Stephen Moyer (AKA Bill Compton-Even bigger PHWOAR, and some drooling)in the buff with co star Anna Paquin (AKA True Blood heroine Sookie Stackhouse)I can't help but go weak at the knees and feel my would-be-fangbanger status is definitely confirmed.

However, clearly vampyric romping isn't everyone's cup of tea, as the cover has already had some negative attention, with bloggers arguing about whether the nude stars being slathered in blood is sick or sexy. I'm just here to put my hands up and say I think it's HOT.
Also, have a gratuitous (And blurry) picture of me with some True Blood

More tea vicar?

Apologies for my long, long, disappearance :/ I have finally moved house!
My partner and I have quite a large ground floor flat now, which has been very, very time consuming. I actually have my own kitchen, which has been a hugely exciting prospect for me.
BUT, what's really on my mind, is that when I'm fully sorted, rather than a housewarming party as such, I want to throw a Mad Hatter's Tea Party...
So, as soon as I get some money in the bank, I'm going to be raiding charity shops, boot sales, and anywhere else I can think of to look, and I will be on the hunt for some pretty little teacups and cake stands, just because I am the kind of person who really does like the idea of throwing tea parties (and I don't care who says it's old-fashioned :P)
I did a teensy bit of google image searching, but I won't get my hopes up about finding anything as beautiful as these!




The tea-set in the blue is my favourite, it's just such a beautiful colour!
Also, I can't seem to get the pictures resized!

Good Enough To Eat

I've had a hankering to buy myself a japanese bento lunchbox for quite a while now, figuring it might actually make healthy eating fun, and give me a reason to want to take lunch with me rather than eating out all the time when I go back to university in September.
While searching I came across the website: http://www.from-japan-with-love.com/
and was pleasantly surprised by the range of cute lunchboxes they carry, I'm in the middle of compiling a shortlist right now so I don't bombard you with too many!
But what I hadn't realised was that they also carry some really cute rings, they're $12.50 each and if the shipping isn't too steep I might have to buy some of them!





I love jewelery that looks like food, and the chocolate cake with the floating sauce is my personal favourite :)...
This website might be doing some wallet some serious damage come payday...

It's Time to Change

Time to Change is a campaign hoping to raise awareness and acceptance of mental illness. Isn't it amazing that in such a developed culture as ours, mental illness still comes with stigma attached?
Many famous faces have joined the campaign, many telling their own story of what it's like to have a mental health issue. Talk show host Trisha Goddard gave an account that truly touched me, speaking of how when she was diagnosed with cancer sympathetic cards and letters came by the bucketload. When she was in rehabilitation for mentall illness, there was nothing.
I myself have been suffering with anxiety and depression for longer than I would care to think, and yet through some kind of fear and shame, I didn't go and speak to my GP until it had begun to take over my life.
My Mother also suffered from depression following the death of my stepfather, and she too delayed treatment. We live in a society where people still view people with mental health problems are still viewed by many ill informed people as 'crazy', 'nuts' and a whole plethora of other not very nice terms.
I whole heartedly support this campaign, and hope that you will join me in this.
The more people who understand mental illness, the less of a stigma will be attached.
And then people won't have to feel ashamed of a problem that they have no control over.

Tonight I'm Not The Same Girl

Christina Aguilera's new video for 'Not Myself Tonight' has definitely been met with mixed reviews, with many calling the sexxed up display an attempt to outdo Mistress-of-Weird, Lady Gaga.
I get more of a modern age Madonna vibe from the video myself, and can't deny that I find Bionic's debut single pretty catchy.
The costuming and make up in the video are astonishingly beautiful, and everything just oozes raw sexuality. I love Gaga, but I don't think her videos quite give off sex appeal like Xtina's do.



Christina turned to haute-couture fetish brand House of Harlot for the costumes, a brand she used previously for her Candyman promo.

The brand have previously designed classy rubber and leather gear for the likes of Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton. The brand have also designed for Madonna, Marilyn Manson and, ah, Liberty X.