Daily Lust

so with autumn creeping in (my god hasn't it been chilly for aug?!!) I've been dreaming of chunky knits and riding boots.
I've found (through hours of ebay shopping!) i am totally in love with preppy style this season, with its heritage patterns and materials with chunky knits and tan leather.
maybe its the country bumpkin in me trying to escape, or i see myself as a skinny beauty, head to toe in expensive clobber (I'm not btw!), i don't know but theres something about Jack Wills that is TOTALLY floating my boat right now!
From the new Autumn collection (and the preview is ITTY BITTY!) this blazer has to be my all time have, i just wish i could justify the £229 price tag and I'm totally in love!

Beautiful classic tailoring with the double breasted fit. MUST RESIST......

I discovered Joules not long ago, (also from scouring ebay!) and OMG! Again with the hefty price tag but the quality is amazing and their classic cuts are right up my street! (yes i know I've said that before but well, I'm getting old and i wanna look like i haven't been ravaged by 3 pregnancies and years worth of sleepless nights!)

So my faves from their autumn preview are these two beauties.

Im totally in love with gilets right now, i don't know how practical they really are, I'm yet to own one! but they are totally gorgeous! Especially this one from Joules. £99.95 i didn't think was overly expensive for this, the cut is amazingly flattering and the detailing is amazing, brass buttons, flashes of sued and the pockets are to die for!!

I am totally lusting after this mallard jumper, so cute and casual and a childish take on an classic icon. This will set u back £69.95 but seriously who doesn't want this!!!

Ive been wearing Abercrombie and Fitch for years, yes even before every chav and trampy girl on the planet jumped on the band wagon!
They detailing is amazing and the cuts are so flattering its unbelievable! The sizes can be a bit off with them manufacturing everything in US sizes but find what fits and stock up cos they last for an eternity!!
This however has to be my fave sweater at the mo...

Slightly shorter than i like but with some tan straight leg jeans and loafers... HOT! It is however £150 but will see you through every winter for the next ten years without blinking an eye!!
Now please excuse me while i find some to die for flats to go with my new outfit!!!

L x

LetterBox Collage Review

The wonderful people over at Letterbox, sent the girls this amazing Collage Kit for them to review, its here on their website.
Now to be honest, i think i had more fun than they did!
The cute little box had all the goodies, lovingly wrapped up inside ready to use.

As you can see they where a little eager to get started!
This is what the website says about this cute little kit.

Create your first collage with this cute kit

A box full of crafty bits and pieces for first collages ?four envelopes contain all the pieces you need to make and decorate each cute animal character template and there are easy to follow picture guides and a glue stick. Age 4 to 8

Our youngest is 2 and she had a whale of a time with this! She struggled a little getting the larger pieces to stay stuck with the glue stick but apart from that all three girls from 2 through 7 thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this, including me and I'm 28!!

There is wonderful, clear instructions to follow with lovely images for none readers to follow. Which by the way was really helpful for my 4 year old, having additional needs she felt confident following the images without my help, if only all toys, games and art kits would follow suit id be a VERY happy mother.

It took us about an hr to complete an animal each. We didn't rush and i dragged it out for a long as possible, but there are 4 cards inside so easily an afternoons crafting if you are clever and make them take time with each step etc.

They where very pleased with their finished creations and the younger two did take all the pieces off before the glue dried and replaced them a few times which gave them another hours worth of enjoyment.

These kits are available from Letterbox for just £12. They include everything that you need to make the four animals included in the box, including glue and straw etc.
The quality is outstanding and this would make a beautiful gift for a birthday party as well as a rainy day at home.
I urge you to get one, i even kept the box it came in for art supplies now their finished pictures are adorning my fridge!
Fun was had all round and as a mother i was really impressed with the quality. Most kits we have had in the past have been cheap materials and end up ripped and tatty and thrown in the bin within minutes. With these they look great even if they haven't been stuck in the correct places and seeing them up on the fridge the girls really felt proud of the time they had spent on them.
This defiantly something i would personally go out of my way to buy and i would happily give and receive as a gift.
A huge thanks to Letterbox for letting us have lots of fun with this wonderful kit.

Rockfords Rock Opera

Rockford's Rock Opera is a unique audio adventure for children and adults. With an amazing, original ecological story, great songs, narration, sound effects, CGI videos and illustrations all delivered via the web, Rockford's Rock Opera a new breed of 21st century, ipod friendly, audio-visual entertainment.

Think 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' crossed with 'Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds', 'Jungle Book' meets 'Jurassic Park'.

But, Rockford's Rock Opera is NOT the creation of a global entertainment company jumping on the 'green bandwagon'. It is the work of award winning charitable entrepreneurs, 'Sweetapple', (www.sweetapple.co.uk) and a handful of dedicated people working for the love of an amazing, original story. The project was created in an attic in Barnet, North London, and is entirely self produced and financed.

Featuring and scripted by respected BBC writer and performer, Steve Punt, this is a story is a story with a message - a unique 'take' on the threat of extinction and the effect man is having upon life on earth.

And it's a tale that's already attracting an exceptional response. Since its on-line launch in January 2008 and entirely by 'word of mouth' over 400,000 people have downloaded the story and over 8,000 schools across the world are using the audio story and resources as the basis for ecological lessons, activities, and school plays. 
(STATISTICS AS OF SEPT 1st 2009 - please contact us for the latest figures)

Writing in The Times, audiobook reviewer, Christina Hardyment said:

"Rockford's Rock Opera is an amazing mix of story, songs and sound effects. It has a freshness that makes you smile as you listen and could become a cult favourite as beloved as Wallace and Gromit."

And, in The Guardian's review, Sue Arnold wrote:

"For years I've distributed presents of Peter and the Wolf to children starting flute/clarinet/piano lessons. This year I'm breaking new ground with this thoroughly modern musical for kids... an ingenious story."

What's it About?

Far away in the Sea of Tranquillity lies the Island of Infinity, home to the last one of every extinct species.

Infinity has a secret for the world but Moog, a boy from Battersea in London, and Rockford his dog, are the only one who can deliver its message. Travelling to Infinity Moog and Rockford get drawn into an adventure in sound that threatens the entire human race.

Crucially, the Rockford's Rock Opera website contains loads of information about the threats currently faced by creatures and plants across the world together with lesson plans and resources, plus information about organisations that are trying to make a difference.

Matthew Sweetapple, co creator of Rockford's Rock Opera, explains:

"On one hand Rockford's Rock Opera is simply a great adventure for all ages but we hope, once they've heard our story, that listeners - children and adults - will want to know more about the real issues. The story does have an entirely original and persuasive view of extinction."

Although the Rockford's Rock Opera audio book has many young fans, it is not simply a children's story. Anyone who enjoys great music with an original story will find escape in the unique tale.

Rockford's Rock Opera is not a traditional 'stage musical' with hammy songs, its diverse musical inspiration can be found in The Beatles, The Small Faces, (early) Genesis, XTC and works such as Roger Glover's 'Butterfly Ball', and Harry Nilssen's 'The Point'.

How to discover Rockford's Rock Opera?

• The whole of Rockford's Rock Opera Part One (52 minutes in total) is available as a free audio book to download, podcast and to stream FREE on the web.
• Then, if you like what you hear, you can buy Parts 2 and 3 on CD or as downloads.
• The show is also now going live in UK theatres - email us for details.

Visit www.rockfordsrockopera.com

I was surprised how the girls took to this, as i had not really had the chance to listen to it myself, but they really enjoyed listing to the wonderful story which is accompanied by the most amazing orchestral music.

It really has opened up their horizons when it comes to music, I've noticed how they have noticed more orchestral music in adverts etc since taking the time to listen to this,

To be honest, their attention span with this is pretty limited though, but as we don't drive it limits the time they will sit still with nothing to look at.

The art work isn't the greatest but to be fair you don't really notice the box once you are snuggled down, whilst being transfixed by the music.

We still haven't finished the entire cd but they listen to it regular. Would love to see maybe some moving images or a slide show on their that moves along with the story to keep them listening that little longer at home.

The website is wonderfully informative with a shop and a podcast, which i think is an amazing addition. The website isn't the greatest, and could really do with some amazing design and to be better accessible for children. Maybe some printables to drive children to the site as they are the ones who get the most from this.

Over all a fabulous and unique take on a story time CD!

NEW enamelled jewellery

Ive made some limited enamelled pieces, really just for a bit of variety and for , the lovers of simple yet different jewellery.
There is 2 more designs coming soon..

L xx

Handmade year entry approx 3 months

With the school holidays now in full swing i seem to have found a whole new love for this again! i have been really good tho and still only buying from charity shops where i can and making gifts etc and bits for the girls.
Today i have been on a total roll! Ive made a start on Emmas school bag. I did intend to buy her one off ebay, the Cath Kidston oilcloth ones are DIVINE!! but i also had a thought maybe, for her, having something completely one off would help her find her bag when at school without having to struggle to ask to find it.
I used an old skirt in a gorgeous brown tweed then used a roxy summer kaftan i had "outgrown" lol for lining. I had found the tutorial on the net but when i came to use it i just kinda did my own thing! I'm really happy with how its turning out, as i have never made bags before (scary!!) I just need to press it, sew on the straps and I'm going to make a cross stitch monogram button to sew on with a giant E on so she knows its her SPECIAL bag!

i tried my hand at making a little coin purse for Elissa, as she's going thru that, 'I'm a grown up' stage! Im not 100% happy with it but its cute and it doesn't matter if she looses it!!

i used a skirt of emmas she has outgrown and used a little scrap of rose fabric to line the flap, it has a little velcro fastening. i didn't use a template or anything i just cut it out and hoped for the best! lol

My bargain of the week is this fabulous leather, topshop doctors bag i picked up for £6 in a charity shop. Slightly more than id normally spend to be fair but i fell in love with it!! Tho it is HUGE and could quite easily pack essentials for a day out!!

And finally for today, i up cycled this old bar stool i had lying around for my sewing machine as my large chair i use when making jewellery isn't the right height for my machine. This however is perfect. Its been primed then painted with a very pale pink emulsion then i recovered the hideous seat with cream spotty oil cloth! however, i ran out of staples when i was almost finished so it isn't pulled as tight as i would normally like but its easily replaced!

Well its almost feeding time at the zoo, i hope something has inspired you today!

L xx

Multi Pearl Bracelets

As some of you may have noticed, i have deleted the Chic Unique only blog, i just don't have enough time to split myself that may times over so everything will be here, in one place for you all to see :)
So to replace the pearl bracelet post some photos of past commissions are viewable here.

All bracelets are one off and customised to your specification. Prices start at £10. contact me via twitter @chicuniqueuk or email chic_uniqueuk@yahoo.co.uk to order

L x

Childrens Jewellery Making

As you know i have mini, girl people, 3 of in fact and like all mini people they enjoy getting stuck in! Especially my mini people, and nothing much gets past them!
So this morning while i was finishing my rainbow cluster bracelets Emma came to join me, so i handed over some beads and some string and left her to it! And while i was preoccupied with my own creativity look what she made!!

Now for 4 years old (obviously she didn't tie it off) She rivals a lot of these "newbies" that are knocking about at the mo trying to enter the market! Maybe i should hire her as staff!!
And as usual the others then jumped on the band wagon and so i let Zoe have a go!!

ok so Zoe is almost 2 and of course didn't string this but she chose all the beads and the order, kinda funky if you ask me!!!
Which now of course has given me an awesome idea for children's jewellery kits to make at home with mum, or dad, or big sister/brother! or any other "responsible" adult!
Watch this space for new children's jewellery kits!!

L xx