Bakelite Jazz Series

I had the greatest fun making these!

Louis and Ella, are the first in my Jazz series of recycled pendants and brooches.

Louis is constructed from a painted wooden bead, vintage buttons, Bakelite beads and cabochons, and is holding a vintage sterling silver trumpet.

Ella too is made from a painted wooden bead, vintage plastic button, Bakelite beads and cabochons, fabric and she holds a sterling silver cocktail glass.

These two make beautiful music together – but can be worn separately. They hark back to the articulated plastic jewellery of the 40’s and 50’s which I love so much.

Other band members will be made from vintage Bakelite dominoes – once I’ve sourced some good ones.

Bexhill-On-Sea blustery day

I live in the city but I love the Seaside, especially faded seaside glamour of the British variety. I'll retire to the beach one day, maybe open a B&B or park up an Airstream.

It's the colours I love along with the noise of the surf and smells. We used to holiday in Colwyn Bay, North Wales when I was a girl - I froze in the Lido and rode the penny rides on the front.

This May bank holiday I took a trip to Bexhill and stumbled across the De La Warr Pavilion.

It's a Modernist masterpiece on the seafront, built in 1935 and some claim - the first Modernist building in Britain. 

'Pioneering in structure as it was in spirit, the purpose of this steel and concrete Pavilion was to provide accessible culture and leisure for the people of Bexhill and beyond and so regenerate the economy of the town and the surrounding area.'

The views from the Pavillion along the inhabited front and out to sea are wonderful.

The De La Warr Pavilion has recently undergone renovation and is now open as a Contemporary Arts Centre.

The illustrations in this post are by Andy Tuohy and capture my lust for Modernist Architecture. I will retire to the beach and live in a bloksy white dwelling that resembles an ocean liner. It's the simplicity, clean lines and large picture windows - all so alluring.

Then I spotted this print at the gift shop ...

Another ocean liner of a building just up the road in St Leonards, so we headed up the coast to find it. It wasn't quite as splendid, a residential and retail block - but still a joy to behold.

source

Surfing through Andy Tuohy's blog I found this gem ...

Now here's a venture I'd heard of on the grapevine - Save Deamland - a bid to transform Margate's crumbling Amusement Park into a viable attraction with a vintage appeal. 

This is a really exciting project and one that I'll definitely be keeping an eye on because along with seaside dwellings I also love old Funfairs and Funfair art.

It was breezy day in Bexhill (hence the gloves), but the sky was blue and my heart soared with the seagulls (despite the glum look).

I Made A Yee Haa! Skirt

Yup - I dragged that ole pattern out of the packet and ran up yet another swishy skirt, this time in the ever popular wonderful Cowgirl Fabric.


I had a thang for TV Western heroes many years back, my Final Degree Show in Fine Art/Textiles was cowboy themed. I had made and screen printed a panelled calico skirt with cowboys, added conchos and a leather appliqued waistband that said 'Howdy'. Alas I doubt if any pictures of this exist in my dusty shoe boxes.. I may look.
In the meantime, here is a vintage picture of yours truly - taken 23 years ago - the vintage look, everlasting it seems - along with stylish knitwear.



The blue dress was an original taffeta effort bought in a 2nd hand store - it was like wearing rolls of wallpaper. This dress used to get quite 'whiffy' after I'd been dancing about in it. And as a student, I naturally didn't have a dry cleaning budget.
You had to drag that cardy off me to wash it - I loved it so much - another charity shop find and in the early 80's these kind of vintage items cost mere pennies.

I now find myself in a strange parallel universe where my daughter is shopping in thrift stores for genuine vintage 80's items... nostalgia will eat itself...