Shamed by Clutter

Even the word clutter makes me shiver with anxiety. Its onomatopoeic potency - at least to me - is such that I imagine myself being buried alive by piles of paperwork, old fancy dress costumes and chargers for unknown phones or laptops that I am just too scared to throw away.

The thing is - as you may realise - I actually don't like clutter, but for some reason in the last three years I have let the stuff accumulate. And in the last few months before I quit my job, it was so bad there were just some drawers I wouldn't dare open.

This past week, I have been spending a lot of "freelance time" sorting, throwing away, tidying, cleaning. I have discovered a cacophony of obscure objects that bring back memories, but crowd my space. Three Union Jack flags from the Jubilee, two fancy dress soldiers' hats, three sets of Christmas lights, mail belonging to housemates that lived with me three years ago, health drinks that went off in 2013. Parking tickets and solitary placemats, candles with no wick and calendars well past their dates. Numerous bits of electricals and nails and scraps of paper, crusty nail varnishes, men's scarves, a book on the Karma Sutra that I definitely didn't buy...

The thing is, I'm trying to clear my head - to clear my vision. Working from home and trying to write a novel as well as searching for commercial work, I need an inspiring environment. And all this chattering clutter is not helping. Objects remind you of times gone by, of feelings gone by, they shame me with the person I have been sometimes. I don't need them here... haunting me, taunting me. I'm detoxing my life... and most of it has got to go.

So that's why I haven't written for a while... I've been in the midst of clutter Cold Turkey and it's killed my voice for a bit. But I feel it's back, stronger and more sure of itself now. 12 steps of freedom.

xx

July Lust List

It is summer and so I shouldn't really think about shopping, more about sunning and lying and reading. Why do more people not have outside beds? Anyway, this is a new series - the monthly Lust List. Basically, just things I want... a wide variety of things really.. Here we go

Where Do You Go to My Lovely... Vintage Home Shopping

A little pop-up vintage shop called Peekabo - the Vintage Emporium has made its way onto Chiswick High Street, near my work. It sells all the fur and sequins, costume jewellery and expensive dresses made for the very small, very thin people of yesteryear. Items I covet and could never afford. However it also sells the most fabulous home and garden items, which are much more reasonably priced.

Since I have owned a house, I have been a very apt to by art and artifacts and eclectic items for decoration and deliciousness. I have an eye for anything old or attention-seeking and my taste is part French Provence Villa and part exposed brick New York Loft Apartment with a little English Country Garden, oh and a smattering of punk thrown in...

Here are my picks from the pop-up...

This was a vintage letter box, something I've always seen in American films and always wanted and it was red. Of course I couldn't have it in Battersea where EVERYTHING gets pilfered if you leave it for half a second, but for my future country cottage and as an indoor piece of furniture prior to that. I think it was about £125.00, I can't remember as I stupidly forgot to write down any prices.

Rule Britannia (1/2). I love a Union Jack and this is a perfect size for a very empty space in my living room. It could equally be footstool or low table or seat.. Again no prices.. but I think around £100.00.

There were two lots of stone garden lions.. mini ones obviously. The top ones are obviously more detailed and were more expensive at £90.00 a pair but the bottom ones were so cute faced and a snip at £80 a pair. #WANT and might actually buy these.

Just a really beautiful phone (£55). Does absolutely nothing that we expect phones to do these days. Probably wouldn't even work. I just thought, how decadent to actually plug a phone into my land line and answer it wearing a black silk robe and drinking whisky-on-the-rocks whilst playing Where Do You Go To (My Lovely) on a record player..... 

Lots and lots of lovely trunks... Various prices

A scary interlude.... Hope you're not reading this before bedtime :)..... Seriously, I hate antique dolls, they are always terrifying. I think it is because an Indian friend of mine at prep school (often Indian dolls have long nails) told me a horrible ghost story about a doll who scratched her owner to death when she stopped playing with her. Nightmares for weeks...

Rule Britannia (2). The throne I want....

Or this shiny silver stool when I feel like sitting lower.....

Yes, I like Tobacco posters...

The day's soft porn and barely a flash of nipple. Aaah the innocence and some wonderful poetry and subtle innuendo to accompany it....

"I'm angling for a special fish
You may join me if you wish
Don't you think this bait is fine
To hook a sinker for my line"

If you want to visit Antique Emporium and pick up one of these darlings, you can find them here until further notice:
Vintage Store · Antique Store
246 Chiswick High Road, W4 1PD London, United Kingdom
07974 761212

Plus if you are in Chiswick and in the mood for antiques, reclaimed or vintage furniture, you must visit The Old Cinema, another gem.
The Old Cinema - http://www.theoldcinema.co.uk/
160 Chiswick High Road
London W4 1PR
020 8995 4166
sales@theoldcinema.co.uk
Open 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday, 12-5pm Sunday

Happy Shopping!

Just a Little Liberty Fix...

Sunday was my sister's birthday and with an awful hangover from a very late night Halloween party at my house, (more on that in another post) all I felt like on Sunday was a pub lunch and definitely not shopping. However as it was not my birthday and not my choice, I was dragged, grumpy and grouch-like to Liberty of London. 

Now I might make a note here, my mother loves Liberty, something of an interior designer she is inspired by its beautiful surroundings, colours, fabrics and pretty things. I also love Liberty, but I have until recently associated it with an old job I had several years ago, for which I used to work near and sometimes in the store organising events and I remember the stress of running around, while people a lot richer than me bought things that I could never afford. So perhaps, it lost a little of its sparkle to me for a while..

Back to Sunday, I'm ashamed to say I behaved like a complete teenager and stropped and moaned non-stop for the first 15 minutes. It was too hot, too crowded and there was nothing on the menu in the lovely cafe (2nd Floor) that I wanted...  I'm surprised my mother didn't hit me. Or my sister, whose birthday it was for that matter.

Anyway, after I grudgingly ordered a Caesar Salad, things improved. It turned out to be one of the best Caesar salads I had ever had, a bold statement I know, especially since I don't even really like Caesar Salad - not an iceberg fan. It was followed by excellent pistachio ice cream and then I remembered why Liberty was so special.

 

The decor is so inspiring and nostalgic. I wanted everything on the walls. From lovely framed postcards to the pink neon bird lights on the wall - very Emin-esque.

 

Darling, My loving thoughts are for you Sweetheart and hope you find this day with best of luck and happiness. From Ever-loving Sweetheart Tommy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

After lunch we meandered down to the stationary department passing some beautiful Peter Pilotto print dresses; works of art in themselves.

I have loved stationary since I was a young girl; beautiful coloured fine paper, textured card, colouring pencils in tins and gel pens. In Liberty, I coveted all the greeting cards, handmade and ornate, humorous and witty. 

There was novelty notepaper that berated the garrulous, filterless and self-indulgent overshares that are so habitual by some on Facebook, Twitter and their less popular relatives. 

As much as I like to mock the superfluousity of some people's social media habits, it was this journal I fell for.

 

 

Harking back to a bygone era it celebrates nostalgia and vintage traditions, with witty little anecdotes every few pages to spark creativity in the lost art of pen to paper writing.

As a youngster, I kept endless diaries written in rambling prose which is likely to provoke a fit of the cringes in me if read now. However they were full of feeling and not published on the World Wide Web for all the world and therefore raw and full of mad-cap thoughts.

I sort of miss that. So I purchased said diary and have resolved to keep it in my bag, even if just for random thoughts or verses of very bad poetry.

Liberty of London, a true London icon.

 

Liberty of London

Regent Street
London W1B 5AH
 +44 (0)20 7734 1234 
Monday to Saturday: 10am – 8pm
Sunday: 12pm – 6pm
www.liberty.co.uk 

PS: It should be noted that what Liberty is really known for is its beautiful prints. Watch out for these... They're so pretty that you'll want to drape entire rooms in them and spend days swathed in the fabrics.