The Flower Girl...Amy Merrick

When I recently spotted lovely spread in Kinfolk Magazine Vol.7 where flowers become deliciously decorated ice cream, I had to find out about the person about the project. And it turned out the brain behind that lovely conceptual story is Amy Merrick, talented florist who helped to bring in life the Punk theme of this year’s Met Ball with her floral arrangements. 

Movement and textures often found in natural landscapes inspire the work of this Brooklyn-based florist and stylist that creates extremely beautiful décor from all the pretty things that grow here, on our Earth. Her simple and lovely floral arrangements brought the landscape vibe to many city’s weddings and events and as a stylist she is botanically focused. The list of her clients includes Steven Alan, Kinfolk, Nylon and Ralph Lauren, just to name a few.

Amy also hosts floral arrangement classes in her studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, so if you live near be sure to visit her blog to stay updated with future workshops. If you are not, check out her website and spend a day admiring.

See more images below

Dear Creatures Spring 2013

Dear Creatures for last couple of years have been entertaining their fans with their reinterpretations of 1960s movie stars, ye-ye girls and groupies.
Boy and girl behind this indie label Bianca Benitez and Rob Sinclair, share common love for the past decades and are determined about bringing mod to present. Their lookbooks are always inspiring, frocks are always perfectly polished, collars and embellishments are always on the right place and there’s always bit of a sailor girl with free spirit in Dear Creatures’ girl.
Spring Summer 2013 Collection named Day Tripper with stripes, pussy bow collars and mod inspired prints creates stirring story that’s tempting us to escape somewhere unknown to explore new adventures. The LA-based label won the hearts of modern mod girls such as Zooey Deschanel and Annie Monroe.
We love Dear Creatures because they are all about cheerful, carefree and cute.
Did I mention that they are cat lovers also?

Dear Creatures Website  
Dear Creatures Shop

See the lookbook below

Summer Librarians

She has a thunder in her heart. Thunderstorm. Not one of those storms where drops fall for few moments and then disappear like someone from above has pulled them and replace with sun like it was mistake. This thunderstorm is made of vicious clouds in gray shade that are hugging the human objects like they want to knock them down. This thunderstorm plays with you for too long and just when you want to close your umbrella...din….you realized you’ve been taken for the fool. 

And there is it today, the new dance of your curtain announcing stubborn emotions determined in creating cracks on the sky that’s surrounds you. 

She wants easy days to come. Easy days. Easy days with tender sunlight that are putting your affairs in order while unflustered breeze is giving balance and comfort to your being. She is aching for summery days filled with friendship with smart females and flirting with not so smart males. Tender summer days where her long flowy skirts will cover the secrets of her passions. Tender summer nights spent in revealing secrets and wisdoms of published works of Didion and Nin. 

She doesn’t want black tears in her 1960s eyes on parking spaces in 4 am. She wants to be liberated from the locks around her wrists and thunders in her heart. She wants to run away from errands of other thunderstorms placed in other hearts. She doesn’t want listen to Blur. 

She is tired. Tired of her foolish conscience. And she is tired of the noise of her heart. 

She looks really cool. But she is a total nerd.

COLLAGE

NERDY LIBRARIAN: TOCCA TOP AT STEVEN ALAN; ATTIC AND BARN SKIRT AT FARFETCH; RACHEL COMEY MARNIER SANDALS; K W HARVEST SUNGLASSES CANDY; 

HIPSTER LIBRARIAN: TOCCA TOP; RACHEL COMEY ALTOY SKIRT; ZARA FLATFORMS; KAREN WALKER HARVEST SUNGLASSES IN TORTOISE

THUNDER IN OUR HEARTS TOTE BY FIELDGUIDED

Sunday Stalking...The Casa of Florence

Florence Welch is such a darling. Most interesting to me of contemporary female singers, this redhead with angelic voice is really something special. Her performances in her flowy dresses with appearance of Madame Gres look like that surreal creature came from the clouds and started to sing. With her attitude and style at the same time she is so powerful and sweet.
Powerful and sweet were also the words I thought when I saw the feature of Florence Welch’s new apartment in May issue of Vogue US. Florence moved recently into new apartment in South London and made this space in Georgian house her paradise.
Bohemian paradise à la Flo is embellished with her gorgeous antique décor and vintage clothing pieces. She has a crush on tapestries, so except tapestries in bedroom, her Renaissance corner with prints and tapestries is placed at stairwell of apartment. Every single piece of apartment looks like it belongs to this pretty home, but what prettiest in this spread is Flo herself.
Dressed up in Louis Vuitton white voluminous dress sitting on her reupholstered striped sofa, looks like a bohemian princess from some other prettier planet. And while posing in front of Victorian fireplace in silky YSL dress, I reckon this would be the moment when Mr. Laurent would be totally proud of Heidi Slimane.

That's our Florence! She makes us all proud. Even if we don't know her in personal.

see more photos below

Saturday's Poetry Time; Love

Edie Campbell by Viktor Vauhtier

Love 

by Pablo Neruda 

Because of you, in gardens of blossoming

Flowers I ache from the perfumes of spring.

I have forgotten your face, I no longer

Remember your hands; how did your lips

Feel on mine?

Because of you, I love the white statues

Drowsing in the parks, the white statues that

Have neither voice nor sight.

I have forgotten your voice, your happy voice;

I have forgotten your eyes.

☂☂☂☂☂☂☂

Like a flower to its perfume, I am bound to

My vague memory of you. I live with pain

That is like a wound; if you touch me, you will

Make to me an irreperable harm.

Your caresses enfold me, like climbing

Vines on melancholy walls. 

I have forgotten your love, yet I seem to

Glimpse you in every window.

Because of you, the heady perfumes of

Summer pain me; because of you, I again

Seek out the signs that precipitate desires:

Shooting stars, falling objects.

☂☂☂☂☂☂☂

The Fairytale of LES'

In the world where the word innovation isn’t something that we hear every day and where the boring became synonym for most of the fashion made by our contemporaries, showed up a girl that is everything but boring.
Her name is Lesia Paramonova, and she is young Russian designer that loves world of the storybooks, flowers, and wild creatures that she incorporates in the world of her label LES' to create enchanting fairytales of fashion.
I came across her work few months ago by accident on tumblr where I was left breathless by her lookbooks and clothes that look like they are made for fairies. Her collection for upcoming fall season is certainly fairy-like and shows enormous talent for tailoring, patterns and great approach for using of the fabric.
The centerpiece of LES' Autumn Winter 2013 Collection is many times underrated, but very great for expression; the uniform. LES’s uniform is the uniform of Soviet school student reinterpreted in very modern and sophisticated way. From the start point of uniform, she creates overalls and pinafores adorned with the huge bows in prints that look like they are hand drawn with pencil. She has the great feeling for volume and the unusual detailing so yellowish jumper has the perfect volume, knee socks are embellished with tulle bows, and high-waisted shorts that from the back look like skirt are adorned with little pockets.
She sees winter in glitter, so the coat has a shimmery appearance and the satchel of her Russian schoolgirl is glittery pink. The prints she used for collection feature motifs from nature that together create such a beautiful surreal garden. And on the long dress that looks like it popped up from futuristic Victorian Artistic Dress Movement she added contrasting oversized bows on the shoulders while model wears one already on her head.
Too much bows? To be honest, never enough of them! Well done Lesia, we say in anticipation to see more of the fashion fairytales from the LES'. The world you imagined for us is real. We really are your fans!

Decor Crush...The Storybook Rabbit

Dear readers,

Let me introduce you my newest décor crush; The Storybook Rabbit.

This lovely Etsy shop from Sydney and its owner Kelly offer pretty range of vintage plates, all hand illustrated with sweet motifs. The tale of The Storybook Rabbit begins when Kelly brought home a little black rabbit named Juno, who became a character of these gorgeous plates. 

Nowadays, on Storybook plates you can see little deer that adore flowers, handholding bunnies, bunnies playing jump rope, bunnies in love and hipster bunnies. Real little handsome world of bunnies, that makes unique décor for the home. 

And what can be better decoration for the wall than a hanging plate that’s simple, charming and tells a story?

See The Storybook Rabbit on Etsy

The Great Obsession; The Great Gatsby

I won’t lie that I am utterly obsessed with Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby even I haven’t seen the film yet. Besides we are longing to see Miss Carey Mulligan in the role of little fragile teaser Daisy Buchanon, our eyes are hungry for costumes and the glamour that we were deprived of in these years of recession.
Costumes for the movie are created by Miuccia Prada who worked with costume designer Catherine Martin to create more than 40 roaring ensembles embroidered with beads, crystals, trims, velvet, fur and fringes. Hair designer for the movie is Kerry Warn who created a semi-shingle bob for Cary, which was high at the back like Eton Crop and bit longer at front, adorned with bob pins that were popular in 1920s. From the photos and stills we saw, the flickering shades of emerald jade, topaz and gold look perfect on society flapper Daisy. Well Daisy was a flapper, but not in true meaning of the word. Flapper craved to be equal with post Edwardian selfish man and androgyny was in service of doing men’s jobs and wearing comfortable clothes. Daisy is just one of the society girls who we can shallowly describe with Bob Dylan’s words the ones who jump on the wagon just for a while cause they know it’s in style.
If it’s to believe to scholars real life Daisy was 16-year-old upper class Chicago girl Ginevra King, Scott’s first love. Two years these two were partying around New York social scene and she was a wealthy flirt who was looking for something deeper only when tired of parties. 

"New York, 1922. The tempo of the city had changed sharply. The buildings were higher, the parties were bigger, the morals were looser and the liquor was cheaper." 

Saturday's Poetry Time...Roses and Rue

Valentino Resort 2013

Roses and Rue

by Oscar Wilde

Could we dig up this long-buried treasure,

Were it worth the pleasure,

We never could learn love's song,

We are parted too long

Could the passionate past that is fled

Call back its dead,

Could we live it all over again,

Were it worth the pain!

I remember we used to meet

By an ivied seat,

And you warbled each pretty word

With the air of a bird;

And your voice had a quaver in it,

Just like a linnet,

And shook, as the blackbird's throat

With its last big note;

And your eyes, they were green and grey

Like an April day,

But lit into amethyst

When I stooped and kissed;

And your mouth, it would never smile

For a long, long while,

Then it rippled all over with laughter

Five minutes after.

You were always afraid of a shower,

Just like a flower: 
I remember you started and ran

When the rain began.

I remember I never could catch you,

For no one could match you,

You had wonderful, luminous, fleet,

Little wings to your feet.

Time for DIY...How to make frilly socks

Bonjour darlings, I have to tell you I am currently obsessed with frilly socks so I am attaching the frills even to woolen knee socks and those small ones that I am wearing this spring. I want to share with you this DIY post so you can create easily your own frilly socks. 

How to do it

It really takes less than half an hour for this super easy DIY. (You can do it even if you don’t have sewing machine.) The most complicated thing actually is to pick a lace ribbon because these can be so gorgeous. If you are using stretch ribbon (that’s already ruffled) dismiss Steps 1 and 2.

And now let's do it (open image in new tab to enlarge it)

Step 1 After you picked socks and the ribbon, cut ribbon to cca 4x longer size of the edge of your sock
Step 2 With thread in the different colour (I used pale pink) you gather the ribbon you cut to create ruffles and you will form it into circle.
Step 3 Sew the wrong sides of your circle/ trim but leave the thread (pink one in my case) you used for gathering.
Step 4 Now you have your trims turned to right side, use the (pink) thread to adjust it to the length of the edge of your sock.
Step 5 Use pins for adjustment of trim you placed 0.5-1 cm below the edge of your sock. Now sew your trim to sock. Just be careful you don’t stretch the fabric of your socks too much. This can be a little clumsy to do with sewing machine, so if you are not skilful with machine, it can be easier to do this with needle and thread.
Step 6 Roll the edge of your sock over to cover that ugly gathers and sew it. Again, it’s much easier to sew this with your hand than with sewing machine.

Now that you have your perfect socks and frills in the colour you want, you are definitely ready for all those pretty dresses and skirts that are waiting to be adorned with little frills from your feet.. I hope I managed to explain this to you! (I am little clumsy with descriptions of my sewing.)

Hope you will have fun doing this!

May Wishlist

May Wishlist: Pinafore denim dresses from Topshop; The Early Diary of Anais Nin; The Jessica by Provensen 1990's inspired shoes; Martina T-Bar Geek flats at Topshop; Tophop sailor blouse (last season); Orla Kiely Holly bag; Vintage style Hacienda flats at Topshop; Cacharel Cutler & Gross Circular Lens Sunglasses (last season); Vintage sailor blouses.

April Journal Part II

☂I feel in love with these dolls I saw on the antique market one April Sunday. ☂My “tea shelf” is getting bigger and bigger every day.☂Spring stars; Tulips, Smena, Mansfield Park and Earl Grey black tea with bergamot flavor. I found recently on the flea market this gorgeous sweater with embroidered tulips and I absolutely adore it. ☂I currently live in the city of Zagreb which in the springtime is like gorgeous walking museum adorned with clouds and blooms. This is my favourite building. ☂I just can’t help myself; I am really obsessed with granny underwear. 

☂Pinafores are my thing. I could wear them every day. ☂I bought this children’s tea set for my niece. She always says; “I want to drink tea from floral porcelain like my aunt.” She is real petite Mademoiselle and she was absolutely thrilled when she saw these antique Altrohlau pink porcelain cups. ☂ This denim dress and saddle bag are my spring uniform. It was old Topshop men's shirtdress from my edgy phase. I cut the narrow collar off, created waist and shortened the sleeves. Added heart buttons and little bow on new neckline et voila! ☂You might have already noticed that I have a thing for vintage brooches. Wondering when I will start to sleep in them. Haha

Hope you are ready for Monday and new week, darlings!
Au revoir
xx

Saturday's Poetry Time; Mad Girl's Love Song

Mad Girl's Love Song by Sylvia Plath 


I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;
I lift my lids and all is born again.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

The stars go waltzing out in blue and red,
And arbitrary blackness gallops in:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed
And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

God topples from the sky, hell's fires fade:
Exit seraphim and Satan's men:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I fancied you'd return the way you said,
But I grow old and I forget your name.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

I should have loved a thunderbird instead;
At least when spring comes they roar back again.
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)


♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

April Journal Part I

☂I bought this vintage black dress embroidered with gold thread few months ago on vintage fair and I absolutely adore it. I wear it with black loafers and grey frilly knee socks or extremely high platform heels. ☂My room at parent’s house adorned with lilac blooms. It’s my only constant place until I find my own spot under the sun. Sometimes I get so tired of rented apartments and moving around. ☂Bob Dylan inspires me a lot. This outfit is inspired by Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie, which is my personal pray. ☂I truly appreciate the goodness of sage plant. I love its fragrance and healing powers it has. I also appreciate good book and cup of coffee. ☂Another still of my room. This vintage pale blue pajama dress with fringes has been in my closet last 5 years. 

☂My precious bicycle under magnolia tree. Bicycle rides and Francoise Hardy’s chansons really make me happy during the springtime. ☂Some new things that make me happy; long-sleeved cream lace top and high-wasted undies. (Bought at H&M.) ☂I try to use my “lazy time” for learning. I love history of fashion. I want to soak all the knowledge of our rich human culture. ☂My bunny flats (that are copy of Charlotte Olympia’s kitty flats) I bought from Asos last September and I still adore them.