jubilee weekend days out

This weekend is Jubilee Weekend here in the UK - and here's a little rundown of some of the things I am planning on doing/seeing/going to:

Friday

"Celebrating the Queen's Jubilee with the launch of Emma Block's Illustrated Tea and Cake Book. Drop by for a complimentary cuppa courtesy of Tea Pigs and a slice of cake baked especially by our booksellers. All cake sale donations will go to the Evening Standard's Get London Reading charity." 

Jubilee Tea and Cake Launch Party

3pm - 10pm

Watermark Books

London Kings Cross Station

Saturday

"Join us on Saturday the 2nd of June for a truly East End knees up! We’re celebrating the Jubilee with our very own “Street Party”. You’ll have everything you need to celebrate and we’ll be doing it in a “1950′s” style from traditional games, DJ (Tony Tunes will spinning some vintage tunes!), face painting for the little ones, our very own ice cream van, lots of vintage shopping to themed craft workshops but most of all with a good dose of fun!"

Jubilee Street Party

Wood Street Market

Walthamstow E17

Sunday

"The festival has been organised by the local community and will be happening on the Sunday of the Diamond Jubilee Bank Holiday, so expect some bunting action to be occurring. The festival features live bands and DJ sets, a tug-o-war, zumba, a street mural, a bouncy castle, a cake-making contest, and more."

Victoria Road Festival

Walthamstow E17

Phew, it's all rather Tea and Cake themed, non?

If you fancy joining me at any of them, let me know - the more the merrier!

must have Monday: corgis

As excited as I am about the upcoming Diamond Jubilee, I don't think we should let the Queen's Big Day detract from the real stars of the Royal Family - no, not Will and Kate - I'm talking about the Corgis.

Corgis were introduced to the Royal Family by Lizzie's father, King George VI, who bought their first Corgi - named Dookie - in 1933. After seeing the pleasure this brought his daughters, he bought another Corgi - a female named Jane, and then for her eighteenth birthday Elizabeth was given a Corgi of her own named Susan.

Some of the Royal Familys' Corgis were mated with dachshunds to create Dorgis. Currently the Queen owns three Corgis: Monty, Willow and Holly, and three Dorgis: Cider, Candy and Vulcan.

Despite their obvious importance and awesomosity, I don't think we should get too over-Corgied, so let's keep it subtle, OK.

Here goes:

{1} {2} {3} {4} {5} {6} {7} {8}

{1} {2} {3} {4} {5} {6} {7} {8} {9}

Were they too subtle for you?

Oh, OK then...

{necklace} {bunting tutorial} {corgi mug} {handbag} {corgi on stilts}

{corgi cushion} {plush} {cookie cutter} {paper model} {card} {salt and pepper shakers}

{corgi with guitar necklace} {flat corgi} {felt pin} {corgi necklace} {jubilee biscuits}

{nodding corgi} {helium balloon} {crown cushion} {watch}

Do you think that'll do?

happy birthday to the rainbow queen

Clever Vogue magazine.

Now I just need to get it big enough to make into an enormous poster for my studio...

the Queen is coming to visit!

I'm not even joking - the Queen of England and crazy Prince Phil are coming to visit Walthamstow as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Tour on 29th March - only 33 days away!

They are being given luncheon at Waltham Forest council before heading out into the wilds of the United Kingdom to continue on their tour. I am so going to be one of the many lining the streets to welcome them, and if she comes close enough I might go in for a high five or even a fist bump.

I've even planned a couple of outfits for the occasion, based around some utterly fabulous (or are they hideous, I can't decide!?) shoes that I found at Schuh... perhaps I can wear one of the outfits for Queeny's visit and the other for a Diamond Jubilee street party... what do you think?

{shoes} {dress} {cardigan} {tights} {belt} {bag} {ring} {earrings} {necklace} {nail polish}

{shoes} {dress} {cardigan} {tights} {necklace} {bangles} {ring} {nail polish}

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee is taking place during the weekend of 2nd-5th June and I am desperate to attend a street party. I have never been to a street party, even though they have been being held for national occasions since 1919. One million people held or joined in with a street party for last year's Royal Wedding, but alas I was not one of them.

This year will be different though. Oh yes.

I'm already making plans...

nice one, Lizzie!

60 years ago this week, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and her realms. She is currently the second-longest reigning monarch of the UK - she has only 3 years and 215 days to go until she beats Queen Victoria's record, and I bet she's counting down the days!

It's no secret that I've become rather fond of the Royal Family ever since the Royal Wedding last year, and I've found some pretties that I might like to add to my collection...

{Nice one, Lizzie!}

And then I found this awesome print by Emma Block - isn't it super!?

Must Dash print by Emma Block via A Lovely Being

Will you be celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee this year?

Will and Kate Monopoly

{will trade a thimble for the car by Randy M. Santa-Ana}

Monopoly, the board game, was created in 1904, under the name 'The Landlord's Game', but it only started to resemble the game we all know 30 years later after it was developed and renamed 'Monopoly' by Charles Darrow. It wasn't until I was about 1994 that I even knew of it's existence. For me at that age it was pretty enjoyable, and I spent many happy Christmases attempting to beat everyone and anyone I could.

In 1998 the Monopoly license was obtained by Winning Moves Games who started creating variants of the original London-based board, using other UK cities and regions, and since then there have been hundreds of variants. If you are so inclined, you can see a list of them here.

I have never been terribly keen on the variants, I prefer the standard board that I grew up playing. My opinion on this, however, is sure to change with the news that the newest Monopoly set to be made is based on the Welsh Isle of Anglesey - where Will and Kate have set up their first marital home.

I'm sure I can probably force myself to give that set a go!

happy birthday Prince Philip, you old rogue

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Queen Elizabeth II's husband, turned 90 today - he is the UK's longest-serving consort, the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch, and the oldest living great-great grandchild of Queen Victoria, which (according to Wikipedia) means he is in the line of succession to the thrones of 16 countries! Hurrah for him!

Since only recently taking any kind of interest in the British Royal Family, I didn't know that ol' Phil is actually a member of the Danish-German House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, or that he was born into the Greek Royal Family (though he renounced both his Greek and Danish royal titles, as well as his allegiance to the Greek crown prior to his engagement to Elizabeth in 1947, in case you were worried).

For his birthday, Elizabeth awarded him y.e.t another title: Lord High Admiral... which just makes me imagine him in Battlestar Galactica... woah, that would be amazing!

EDIT: did you know that there is a religious sect in Vanuatu called The Prince Philip Movement? The Yaohnanen tribe on the island of Tanna believe that Phil is a divine being:"the pale-skinned son of a mountain spirit". You can read more about it here.

swappy swappy swap-bot

I signed up to Swap-Bot a couple of weeks ago (man I loooove receiving post!) and have just taken part in my first swap, woop! Knowing me, you won't be too surprised to hear that my first swap involved the Royal Family. I flippin' love 'em!

I had to swap Royal Family themed postcards with three people around the world, and I couldn't resist but get them all Will & Kate cards, natch! In exchange, I received a Diana postcard, and another Will and Kate postcard for the ol' collection.

The next swap I have signed up for is a tea swap - how British am I! - where I have to send some interesting teas to a lady in Brazil and one in the US. This morning I received a little bundle of teas from someone in Latvia! Awesome!

Out of our collection of teas (oh yeah, there are 17 types of tea in my little kitchen) which do you think I should send? I'm thinking perhaps some Scottish heather tea, or maybe some whisky tea?

If only I could find some Will & Kate tea for them...

London souvenir swap - wanna play?

One of the most fun games when you live in London is pretending to be a tourist. It's one the greatest pleasures in life, and despite having lived here for years it never fails to amuse and entertain me. Don't get me wrong - I never play the game to mock people or to upset people, I just love the idea of being a tourist in the city in which I grew up. Plus I LOVE souvenirs.

I doubt many people would agree with me, particularly Londoners, but there is something gloriously wonderful about the tiny, tacky, kitsch-filled shops that line the south end of Oxford Street, and I just can't get enough of them. In the first few years I was here I tried my hardest to avoid these shops and the hordes of tourists that frequent them, but lately I have been sucked-in and just can't keep away. I blame the Royal Wedding. Disappointingly, after spending hours ages in these shops I have still not found a Will and Kate snowglobe. Perhaps I should just make one myself (but that's another project for another day).

Since taking part in the tacky souvenir swap with Kam from Campfire Chic, I have been spending more time than is healthy looking for wonderfully hideous London-y stuff. I was recently asked to take part in another souvenir swap, so what better excuse to head to the centre and peruse the shops y.e.t.a.g.a.i.n. I'm sure they're going to start recognising me soon.

I arrived at Marble Arch bright and early in order to miss the midday swarm of tourists. The shops were only just opening up, but having been there so many times I knew exactly what I was looking for so it didn't take long to whiz around the store picking up trinkets. By the time the whirlwind of glitter I had left in my wake had died down, I was already onto the next shop.

So it went for quite some time, and after purchasing almost everything on my list I decided that what I really needed was a heart-shaped magnet of Will and Kate. It's not like it's a problem... I could control my obsession if I wanted to...

No pics of the other goodies yet, but I'll post pics when they have all been sent off!

If you aren't in London and would like some hideous tackiness, do let me know and I'll see what I can find :)

non-ironic (almost) patriotism

If you had asked me a year ago, or even just 6 months ago, if I would take any interest in the Royal Wedding, I would look at you as though you were mad. Don't get me wrong, I bloody love weddings (lucky really, what with having to plan one) but this is a wedding between two people I don't know and will never meet, so it seemed a little futile to take any interest. Plus, they are members of the Royal Family, which in itself is a concept I have always been a little wary of...

Oh, how much can change in 6 months! My obsession in the Royal Wedding began with an intense, mocking sense of irony, as such things often do, but I found myself watching the wedding with a sincere smile and such genuine enjoyment that I can no longer possibly believe it is just an ironic fancy. Oops.

My cultural identity shouldn't really be something I question, it should be pretty straightforward: I was born in and grew up in England, and my family are Scottish. However, I have never thought of myself as British - I think of myself as 'European'. I feel as though I am unlike the majority of Brits in many ways: I am fiercely pro-Europe, I travel the continent as much as I possibly can, absorb myself in the cultures of the countries I visit and always learn some of the language, out of respect as well as genuine cultural interest. On my many travels in Europe, I most often get mistaken for a German or Scandinavian tourist - it never occurs to people that I am British, so it never really stuck with me either.

The day of the Royal Wedding was the first time I have ever had any sense of pride in the nation, or any inkling of feeling British. The merriment that was shown by (almost) the entire nation couldn't not have had any effect on me - I immensely enjoyed seeing all the bunting and flags, seeing excited faces in the crowd outside Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, and found I was excited myself while waiting for the royals to appear on my screen.

As for my original thoughts, "why should I care, I'm never going to meet them..." etc, I have realised that isn't really the point: this wedding was the coming together of two young people in love, one of whom happens to be royal, and who will one day be King of this country. They are well-loved by the public of the UK and beyond, and give a very (unusually) positive impression of the British Royal Family. So good, in fact, that even my opinion changed.

a splendid royal wedding

The Royal Wedding this morning was soooooooooo good!

- the dress was stylish and elegant;

- the service was beautiful;

- the cake was awesome (chocolate biscuit cake no less!);

- the bride and groom looked so utterly happy!

I spent the day with my granny and my cousin, and watched the entire thing from 9am until 8pm! We discussed the ridiculous headwear of some of the guests, sat in excited silence through the main ceremony, and "ooh"-ed and "aah"-ed in all the right places.

We ate cucumber sandwiches (on white bread, natch), scones with cream and jam, strawberries and cupcakes, and drank Will and Kate tea: a good ol' proper English tea party!

Afterwards, we drank Cava and toasted the happy couple when they kissed on the balcony (twice!) - it was all incredibly splendid!

Did any of you watch it? What did you think?

a royal prophesy

I sincerely hope the Royal Wedding tomorrow will be something like this:

free royal wedding party supplies!

Despite not having the opportunity to enjoy a proper British Street Party on the day of the Royal Wedding (I am sadly having to work on that day), don't think that means I won't be eating à la Royal Wedding, drinking à la Royal Wedding and decorating the flat in the manner fit for a Royal Wedding!

And what better way to decorate than with these wonderful goodies from Design Editor?

Catherine has made free printables of all the party supplies one could possibly need: invitations, pennant bunting, crowns and food/drink labels, and they can all be found here.

Hurrah for parties!

will and kate bunnies

I woke this morning to sun streaming through my studio windows, my cat purring loudly on top of me and the sound of birdsong filling the air. What a perfect way to wake up!

I made myself a lovely cup of Earl Grey and, taking advantage of the perfect light, I decided to do some painting. I haven't done any watercolour painting for ages, but my attempts at using other media when colouring my Will and Kate animals were all disappointing failures: the pencils were too uneven, the watercolour pencils ended up far too dark, using markers made the picture too blocky and bland-looking (though that was my fault, rather than the pens. I have never been very good with markers. I should probably get a book about using them or something).

Watercolour was my last option...

I think a well-used watercolour palette is one of the most beautiful things in the world

Will and Kate as bunnies!

I like the subtlety of the colours - I know in their official engagement pics they were both wearing very bold colours, but I don't think my style of illustration suits bold colours very well. What are your opinions?

After finishing the painting, I thought I had better add a bit of bling for Kate's ring. Good ol' glitter!

Off it will go tomorrow morning in the post to my friend Georgia, as I won't be seeing her until after the Royal Wedding - I hope she likes it!

I'm quite tempted to put prints of the illustration in my shop - she and I can't be the only people who would want a picture of Will and Kate as bunnies, right??

happy birthday your majesty

It's Queen Lizzie's 85th birthday today!

This is certainly something to celebrate... and what better way than to do a little bit of window-shopping?

The full treasury can be found here.

I think I'm getting a little obsessed with making treasuries... there's just something so satisfying about making them, and it's such fun to search through thousands of pretty things!

Have you made any treasuries you would like to share?

royal wedding illustration

I was recently chatting with a friend about my (insane) Royal Wedding obsession (yep, it is still going - you'd have thought I'd have snapped out of it by now, wouldn't you!?) and I mentioned that I might start drawing Will and Kate as animals. That is, animals dressed as Will and Kate. She asked for a specific animal for her illustration, and I have just finished the outline, it just needs to be coloured now. Here it is, pre-colouring... can you guess what animal she asked for?

To some this project might seem a little ridiculous, but have you seen some of the utterly ridiculous Will and Kate merchandise you can buy?

• fridge
• Royal Wedding for Dummies
• Kiss-Me-Kate beer
• Pez
• gnomes
• William and Kate: The Movie
• Oyster card
• hideous nail decals
• toilet seat cover
• condoms

kate middleton on a jelly bean

Wow, look what someone awesome has found:

...it's a jelly bean with Kate Middleton's face on it! Imagine that! The finders are planning to sell the jelly bean (mango-flavoured in case you are interested, apparently) on eBay for £500. Go on, let's see how much it's up to!

---update---

I have just checked eBay and it doesn't appear to be listed yet... however, I did find this original painting by Dan Lacey:

This amazing painting can be found listed here, and you can read more about the artist here. It's up to $40 (USD) and still has 8 days left! I know you want it, really. Don't deny yourself the pleasure, guilty or otherwise!

yet more Royal Wedding fun

With all the excitement of cardigans and Ikea, I have completely forgotten to update you on the progress of my Royal Wedding souvenir sticker album! You'll be pleased to hear that it is almost full up! I was very kindly sent some "swapsies" by my friend Jason who has now completed his album, and that certainly helped.

In keeping with the Royal Wedding theme, I had a little look on the V&A (Victoria & Albert Museum) online shop this morning and was thrilled to see a whole range of Royal Wedding themed bits and pieces, including:

Wills and Kate teabags

a replica engagement ring

and this fantastic notebook

I'm sure one day I'll have the opportunity to write all about my Royal Escapades in a book like this! One should always have a dream, I suppose.

All pictures from the V&A shop website - the entire Royal Wedding collection can be found here.

a right royal knees up!

Today is the 29th of March - there's only one month to go until the Royal Wedding! *I promise that my obsession in all this frivolity is pure fascination, and should by no means be taken 100% seriously ...

Despite efforts to restrain this infatuation, I can no longer control myself! I demand a huge, decadent party on 29th April, with hats and banners and bunting and tea and cake and scones and cucumber sandwiches and EVERYTHING!

Amazingly, the lovely peeps at Lark, in Australia, have everything one could possibly want for a right royal knees up! Take a peek at all their 'Very British Street Party' themed goodies here, below are some of my favourites!

mini cake stands for all the cupcakes, scones and bakewell tarts

canapé flags are a necessity, darling!

and these plates are divine!

All pictures were taken from the Lark shop, here.

forgive me my irono-patriotism

Some common stereotypes of the British are: they all drink vast quantities of tea (guilty), obsess over the weather (guilty - I even have a wall chart of all the cloud types in my bathroom), have no sense of humour (nonsense!), all talk in Cockney Rhyming Slang (only ironically) and love the Royal Family. Now, I'm sure the Queen is nice enough, but I don't generally go in for the whole Royal Family "thing" that a lot of British people (and even more tourists) do. I don't own a single commemorative Royal Family plate, thimble, ceramic bell, coin, teapot or eggcup. I'm sorry to disappoint.

However... after saying all that (and apologising even!) I have to slightly take it back... a bit. The forthcoming wedding between Wills and Kate has changed me. For the worst. Gone are the sneers of derision and complete indifference of all things Royal-y. I bloody love Wills and Kate! So much so that I am calling him "Wills" instead of "William". I don't know what has happened to me. I think it was the discovery of this:

I know the picture is small, but the concept more than makes up for it! It's a Royal Wedding Souvenir Sticker Album. Oh yes. And I have just ordered myself one. I know, I know, but it's irono-patriotism, so surely it's OK?

Buy your own here! Go on! Do it! Then we can play swapsies!