More Temporary Secretary & Love Hearts and Crosses

I love jewellery. The quirkier the better. I hardly ever go to a high street retailer for it because they all seem to be stocked by companies that produce near identical pieces. In fact, in some cases I'm sure it's the same supplier. Most of my jewellery comes from local independent stores such as Peccadillos in Stafford, who fuel my love of precious stones.

In October I wrote about Temporary Secretary, who were suggested to me by the lovely Rose over Twitter. Now I finally own my own little piece of TempSec thanks to the boy... he had a parcel sent my house over the weekend that enclosed the TAB typewriter ring I had been lusting over.  It came complete with a wonderful little note from Sarah thanking him for his purchase. What a lovely graduation present! (I officially graduate a week on Wednesday.)

My new found love for TempSec has had me looking elsewhere online for gorgeous costume jewellery. I came across Love Hearts and Crosses on Twitter as well... but this time I wasn't thinking just of myself but of others too. I can think of one friend in particular that would love one of these pieces in their Christmas stocking. In fact, she has her very own karma circle tattooed onto her inner arm. Maybe she'll get the necklace to match.

Sing Dance Live Love Stacking Bracelets £25

Ms. Fitz Does Jewellery

Ms. Fitz, who I mentioned before in my Blog Reading List back in January, has used her skills in styling and design to create her own jewellery line for SS12, with the collection entitled 'A Kind of Magic'. Whilst she launched it back in August with an online store, it continues to grow with new designs and their unique nature means they would make perfect Christmas presents. Yes, I dropped the C word in November, I'm shocked at myself.

There is a great interview with Ms. Fitz herself on The Vine, where she talks about her inspiration for the line.. My favourite designs are her knotted and woven necklaces and bracelets, which are made from hand dyed tribal print cotton sourced from Amish communities. She also features some wonderfully eccentric earrings and recently added a range of ear/nose chains.

If you love her collection as much as I do you can also tell her on Twitter and take inspiration from her blog on how to wear her pieces... get creative with your overall style or just use the pieces to add something bold and individual to your normal look.

Temporary Secretary

Over the past year I've put together quite a few fashion spreads for Fused and Area including a selection of purse friendly suggestions for the annual student guide and more recently (but not yet published) a colourful autumn spread. Fused and Area are independent magazines and as such I like to include a mixture of well known brands and lesser known gems. One such gem that I have used in several recent spreads is Temporary Secretary.

Sarah Wong founded the brand in 2008 and it's gone from strength to strength with fabulous designs and a great blog. In fact, she recently won the A/W 11 Look Magazine's Blog Competition - congratulations! In all honesty though, I think she shines when she gives the reader an insight into her life...particularly her adorable posts with the lovely cat Oscar.

Brand wise she is always a pleasure to work with, ready to help and with lovely pictures of her quirky and kitsch handmade jewellery. I can't wait to get my hands on some of her latest pieces... particularly her laser cut wood range and typewriter rings. I love the bright red tab key, I think I'll have to get that and a letter. Thankfully, it'll be Christmas before we know it. This year I am definitely making a list.

Images from the Temporary Secretary blog and website.

BLAC Space Scape

Now I'm back in the Midlands I decided to try my luck and see if Fused Magazine would let me write for them again...and they said yes.  I will be writing for Fused/Area Culture Guide online and in print, so keep an eye out for me.  For those of you who go to Birmingham uni look out for my reprise in Fused's Student Issue, where I give you the best trends for the coming season...all affordable of course.

My first article went up on Tuesday entitled BLAC Space Scape.  (If you follow me on Twitter you'll already know this but I am a bit behind with my blog sorry!) You should read it because it features fabulous jewellery by BLAC and an incredible shoot by creative director Ashley Hilton, who will be graduating this summer.  It also features an amazing film of the shoot by Videographer Dima Kalenda.

Handmade

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Jennifer Behr and pondered on how Topshop could think it was ok to sell me an elastic homemade-looking headband for £14 and decided I could make one just as good.  Whilst some people (Caleb!) thought this was a stupid idea (If you get a home-made headband and wear it out and about, I want to see it!) and doubted how professional I am it's nice to see that handmade items have been given a new lease of life by the internet.

From Etsy to Folksy creatives are putting pen to paper and needle to thread to create some unique pieces just for us...and they're fabulous!  You can get everything from vintage style cupcake toppers to stunning leather creations to adorn the newest gadgets.  Yes, you can even adorn your new iPhone 4/iPad in some wonderful designs and all handmade.  I need some of these in my life soon....

 Alice in Wonderland Cupcake Toppers (£10 for 12) and Journal (£17) by Craftypagan Designs.

  Bird Cuff (£19), Lace Cuff (19), Walkman iPod/iPhone Cover (£20), Flower/Print iPod/iPhone Cover (£26), Cherry Blossom iPad Case ($90), Wood Print iPad Case ($90) available from Beautiful Skin at Folksy or Etsy.

  Neve Hex Bib Necklace ($98.50) and Marianne Trien Bib Necklace ($69.00 - sale item) by Giia 

Created in Birmingham

So I haven't blogged for what feels like a very long time.  Not only have I been poorly sick but I have been uninspired completely.  Until today.... Hooray!!

After unwillingly journeying into Birmingham in an attempt to get the lovely people at Apple to fix my phone (they didn't) I stumbled upon the shop Created in Birmingham.  Full of treaures and trinkets from hand printed note pads to jewellery to clothing to original photography...all created by local artists!!  Jewellery makers banged against artists manning stands whilst musicians chilled out on the sofas with their guitars.  I was grinning by the time I came out...full of the wonders of the shop and dying to take my friend Katie, who I know would have loved it.

I rushed home to Google the shop hoping they were online to pass on the info to others...only to find out that they are closing/moving and no, they do not sell online.

There was a small illustration print about heroes, a purple bangle made of surprisingly thin curving metal and a wooden clock that I had my eye set on.  This is when delaying a purchase comes back to bite you in the ass...and I dislike the Apple corporation even more.  After my scheduled time to meet with a Genius (who was not a genius clearly as he has no clue what is wrong with my phone and suggested I purchase a new refurbed one for £150) I had to leg it for my train home.  Now I feel terrible.  I want those things.  They would have been more beneficial than the Topshop bag I brought (though it's pretty nice, all grey and ruffled...it's this one but grey).

HOWEVER....more things like this should happen.  I urge you to find out more about them at the Created in Birmingham website...and cross your fingers they come back!!

Dandi Maestre: Statement Jewellery

Dandi Maestre's one of a kind jewellery designs are clearly inspired by travel and culture.  In fact, a lot of the pieces on Maestre's website remind me of jewellery I purchased in Ghana...only more exaggerated.  Natural materials from bone to wood are formed into extravagent statement pieces.

If you know me then you'll find it unsurprising that I am wondering how to find the funds to purchase some of this.  The only problem is the "price available on request" aspect...this is always a clear sign that even saving won't allow me to afford any of them!

Maestre says: "I see my pieces as artwork, where there isn’t anything too outrageous. Taking nature as my inspiration, I continue to explore organic shapes found in bone and driftwood, in shed antlers and amber, in coconuts and bull horns, in natural fibre and seeds, in rough emeralds and crocodile skins, in skulls and shells. I love their forms and their natural raw beauty."

The colours, shapes and patterns that can be created from natural objects will put you off cheap Primark beads for life.