Bold wallpapers with pictures

Not one for the fainthearted but I love these bold wallpapers with pictures on top. Really great.

Images: First image Domino?, second unknown, French Interiors de Nocolay Marzery via the trouvais blog

21st century Cleopatra

Following on from my post about Cleopatra last week, I came across the designer Holly Fulton's Spring/Summer 2011 collection. Combining Egyptian, Art Deco and New York motifs it's quite an interesting collection. Also ever since I heard the title of the song (at the base of this post) 'Cleopatra in New York', I have loved the idea of Cleopatra in modern times walking around New York. I would imagine her in a dress like this, a sharp black bob, and these nails from Bijules!

I love this outfit from the same Holly Fulton collection.

Images: Holly Fulton, Bijules, Holly Fulton, courtesy of Nickodemus

Fashion snoopy

I love Balenciaga, I love Hermes, I love Snoopy. Here is the combination, which appeared as a part of the Japanese Fashion show.

I cannot remember where I found these images - if you know, please tell me!

Tomorrowland

I have just finished an exciting job for the Japanese chain Tomorrowland (www.tomorrowland.co.jp). Their shops look gorgeous and they stock really great products so I was very happy when they wanted to work with me!

A funky British inspired display in one of their shops at the moment.

One of the things they wanted me to illustrate was some of their pearls collection, complete with patchwork detail. And this is the end result:

I don't know if this is an earring or a ring, but I like it either way!

I was also asked to illustrate some of their men's hats.

So if you do happen to be in Japan, keep your eye open for some of the Anzu illustrated cards. You could also pick up a box of these too - yum!

Images copyright Anzu Ltd, and also courtesy of Tomorrowland.

Bejwelled chadors

On Tuesday night Jasmine and I were invited to a Swarovski fashion show preview. With an Arabic theme it made for a dramatic show.

With lounge areas covered with Swarovski encrusted silk cushions, drapey tents decorated with strands of Swarovski crystals,

jewel encrusted chadors (the jewels really shone out against the black)

champagne and pomegranate juice and some beautiful Swarovski bracelets in the goodie bag it made for a fun evening!

Cleopatra

Loving the over the top sumptuous indulgence of all these Cleopatra images. Palms,

roses and leopard print (what a great combination),

extravagant headdresses,

beds inlaid with lapis lazuli,

snake shoes,

and heaps of gold. I also love the story of Cleopatra where she is said to have made a bet with Marc Antony that she could spend 10 million sesterces (apparently a small fortune in ancient Eygpt) on one meal. Totalling the meal before the final course, it fell a long way short. Cleopatra then ordered one of the servants to bring the final course. Just a small goblet of vinegar arrived, whereupon Cleopatra took one of her large pearl earrings off, placed it in the vinegar to dissolve it before promptly drinking it. As pearls were so rare at the time she had just swallowed a fortune.

First image Cleopatra 1887 Giambattista Tiepolo, Antony and Cleopatra by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Claudette Colbert as Cleopatra, Cleopatra by Jean-Andre Rixens, Theda Bara as Cleopatra, Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra

It's a wonderful life

I like the sound of this: head to the Berkeley at the moment, and hotel guests and day spa visitors can watch 'Wonderful LIfe' or 'Miracle on 34th street' on a big screen, in the Berkeley hotel's pine filled forest rooftop terrace cinema. Snuggle up with cosy pashminas, furry hot water bottles, a hot chocolate and mince pies. Mmmm...

Randomness

I wish I could remember to take my camera with me at all times, because I am forever seeing things I want to take pictures of. Thankfully I have the camera on my iphone and I like taking snapshots of just quirky things that I spot. There's certainly a very odd collection of pictures stored on it! Here are some things I've spotted in the last couple of weeks.

So from hare graffiti in Hackney,

stunning multicoloured roses in the marquee at Battersea Park,

this fabulous 1960s racing Ferrari on the King's road,

a wedding dress shoot against the graffitied bridge on Golborne Rd,

and pleasantly incongruous plants and palms in the Launderette (again on Golborne rd) it makes for an odd mix!

Trouvais

Really stunning photos over at the trouvais blog.

Magical photos of gardens,

beautiful photos of her own garden and shots of North California which look more like a Tuscan or Provencal dream,

shots of her antique finds,

and Scandinavian and French style interiors. To see more click here

Magazines

I am always looking for new and different magazines for inspiration as well as images. I recently bought this issue of Apartamento and I really like it. Good photos and actually interesting articles to read (not always a given in many magazines I find).

Above is a picture of Loulou Falaise's apartment in the current magazine

to find out more click here

I also just read about this magazine, via the happy day blog and I rather like the look of it.

It looks cheerful, interesting to read with some interesting creative people's places in it. To subscribe click here

Oblique strategies

I just bought these cards for the office. Designed by musician and producer, Brian Eno they were designed to counter creative blocks and I thought they were a really interesting idea. The cards say different things like Give way to your worst impulse, What mistakes did you make last time? and quite simply Tidy up.

So today, feeling daunted by the volume of work I had at the moment I pulled out this one - I'm not too sure about it!

If you'd like to buy your own set, you can do so here

Fun

Hope you have a fun weekend!

Ernest Hemingway,

Ava Gardner,

and Jackie Kennedy.

Images: unknown, via thatobscureobject, Life magazine?