Newcastle Fashion week Presents ...

Northumbria Uni Graduate Fashion Show
held at the Baltic, Gateshead.

My lovely miss murray, the fabulous designer that she is has finally graduated.
From day one after discussing her ideas for her final collection over many a cocktail i promised i would be there, front row to cheer her on as she showcased her splendid craftsmanship, and that is exactly what i did ! - with a slight tear in my eye i may add , i felt like a proud mother of my dear friend and in total ore of the wonderful collection that pranced down the catwalk in front of me.
This lady is super talented and has already worked for the likes of Anna Sui in New York and I'm sure is bound for a bright future and making us all look amazing in the clobber she creates.
Sadly she wasn't put forward for London fashion week ... a title i feel she was robbed from and as my little lovely told me on her return she still managed to kick up a storm and has interest from high street stores and European press.

Now fashion isn't everyone's cup of tea, and grateful for that i am or it just wouldn't work.
For me it gives me a buzz, the energy to create and makes me love the life i lead.

I had a rather splendid afternoon with miss murray hearing all her stories from the London show as we celebrated her success in the only way i know how - afternoon tea with all the trimmings and a glass of bubbly to chink
In doing this i wish my amazingly talented friend every happiness on the crazy roller coaster she is about to board, New York had better watch out.

xxxxx

tick tock .. where does time go

last of the day dreamers , she lives in her own bubble

I'm often described as a daydreamer and i quite like it, sometimes being lost in your own thoughts is a good place to be. Of late i feel like I'm in my own little bubble 24/7 i cant quite believe its been over 3 weeks since my last post .. so much for being on top of it!
i do apologise for those who do follow me, I'm not sure where the time has gone, i have been up to lots and i guess now is where i put the kettle on and settle down for a long awaited catch up, so here it goes ..
xxx

2 weeks of freedom begins ...

Bamburgh : one of my favourite walking spots

So its that lovely time of year again when i get two whole weeks of the day job and spend every minute doing what i like :)
Today was lovely meeting up with Miss V, a very dear friend and mutual lover of a good beach walk. Seen as Tynemouth on the north east coast is our usual meeting ground today we ventured further north .. I think myself lucky that i have grown up near the coastline and today was a trip down memory lane as we hit the sands of Bamburgh, Seahouses and Beadnell.
Lovely quaint seaside towns i spent many a weekend camping in with my brother and sister when we were kids.... blissfully unchanged it was nice to breathe in the sea air.
Today's walk included a new member of Juno, Miss V's mischievous but loveable dog.
We walked the length of the sands and back along to Bamburgh castle through the talls grass...which proved not the most wise decision when we hit bog land and madame here was in flip flops and a maxi dress! never the less we ventured on and what seemed like climbing mountains of sand we made it back to the car and continued on down the coast to Seahouses for the necessity for any beach walker, that is fish and chips and continued on down the coast to a little place called Lower Newton, somewhere id not been before, another lovely picturesque coastal village the prime location for a cuppa.

With the manic times that lie ahead for me over the next few weeks this was a lovely way to start my holiday.

xxx

home sweet home

Old man Herby and the sister at the Angel.

me and the brother in law to be

I'm very close t0 that daft sister of mine and i do miss her alot now she lives down in London. However it just means that when she is home is action packed and we make the most of it.
This is the first time her and her hubby to be have been home together since Christmas, so its been lovely to have them home.

Sadly iv been stuck at work alot but today has been my only full day with
them but its been marvelous.
Nothing better than a Sunday roast down at the Forth in Newcastle town centre .
Quite possibly the biggest and best Yorkshire puds iv ever had.

xxx

scissor happy

I am a chameleon when it comes to my image.
Although the common threads, be them vintage threads, continuously run throughout i do like to change the barnet on a regular basis.
Whether that stems from the early days many moons ago when i worked in hairdressers or having my big sister at my disposal growing up, i sure do like to experiment.
Over the last couple of years i was growing my locks and loved the whole elegant 1950s soft feminine look. Then my spontaneity overtook and i got the locks chopped off.
Having taken that step to chop it all off i let go of the emotional attachment to it, and just think hmmm I'm lucky enough it will grow back if i don't like it and the ideas of what i could do began to flourish.
The big sister is home from London and fortunately brought home her kit...quick chat about my ideas and the then the clippers were out ... yessss i shaved my head.
It was strangely liberating and nice and relaxing, until i momentarily looked at the floor and caught a glimpse of alot of hair (eeeek tooo late now)
however i totally love it , i like how the rest of my hair is still soft and feminine i just have this unexpected edge that i guess represents my inner sense of mischievousness i cant always control.

what do you guys think? shes good with the scissors no? if you want to know anymore about my sister and her hairdressing business please follow the links on my blog to
HELEN RAY BESPOKE HAIRDRESSING.

XXX

tattoo part ... 3? i loose count

Tattoo part 3

So as some previous posts have shown i have begun work on my sleeve. I'm not ashamed to admit iv become a little addicted to the ink and needles. Iv now booked in for the 3rd session to get my roses finished and then start on the inner arm
(dun dun durrrr ... i think for this i will invest in some numbing cream as i am rather nervous)
Like the rest it is something i have designed myself and adds to the sewing theme and the importance of this to me and i guess further representing my character.
Iv gone for some ornate dress making scissors and will be having the initials G and H within the pattern. Individually they stand for my parents and together are the full initials of my Grandad who sadly is no longer with us.
Wrapped around this will be a ribbon with the quote
'' To be irreplaceable one must always be different''
The is one of my favourite quotes from a inspirational designer, Coco Chanel. The reference will be made by having the famous logo on a tiny scale on the screw that holds the blades together.

The space will be filled in with some of my other favourite flowers, blue Chilean crocus's and some more roses.
I'm so excited if not a little nervous as it will really start to come together and my arm will gradually be coloured in lovely soft shades of pink and blues.
Roll on the 20th may :)

xxxx