La Belle Juliette

I thought you guys might like to see a few photos from our whirlwind trip to Paris! We made the rookie mistake of not photographing the hotel room before we threw our stuff all over it, but it was utterly incredible. I had such a good birthday, I cannot tell you!

To quickly sum up, Charlie, Sam and I went to the Breakfast Club for an epic breakfast, then after madly packing we traveled to St. Pancras. Sam went home to Birmingham and Charlie and I boarded the Euro Star. We arrived about 7.30ish in the evening and headed straight to our hotel, La Belle Juliette - which for the record is the fanciest place I have ever been! In the next 24 hours we dined on souffles, pastries and bread (we had a particularly good pistachio swirl type thing) we visited Merci (sadly it doesn't have it's own website), Le Bon Mache, the Pompidou, the Musee d'art et metier, with a lot of exploring and walking in-between.

It was a little drizzle-y, but still beautiful. Though I'm still mildly terrified of a) getting trapped in the Metro door and/or b) being run over, their road rules make no sense to me! I'm afraid the photos don't do it justice (most are of the phone variety) but you can see a few images from my last trip here. It really was the most insanely generous birthday gift, I still can't really believe that we went.

You can also still enter my birthday giveaway, it ends on Tuesday.

T w e n t y S i x - GIVEAWAY

It's that time of year again when I feel terribly old. Mainly because my best friend and man-friend make jokes about it being my 89th birthday, rather than celebrating my twenty-sixth year on the planet. Still, before I become senile and entirely decrepit, I wanted to run a little giveaway to say a massive thank you to all of you for being such lovely readers. Up for grabs are a Zooey collar and a Violet Baudelaire necklace, the choice is yours! Additionally three people will be chosen to win a button mirror of their choice. (See below)

I actually wrote the majority of this post yesterday and have since been given a present - a surprise trip to PARIS!! We're leaving at 4pm today and are back tomorrow evening - I can't tell you how excited I am. I have such a wonderful, if somewhat sneaky boyfriend! As a little Birthday extra, you can also get 15% off all orders today, using the discount code TWENTYSIX - it ends at midnight, tonight.

TO ENTER:

- Follow Wallpaper Rose via GFC.
- Leave a comment with your name, a contact email address and whether you would like to be entered to win the Zooey Collar or the Violet Baudelaire telescope necklace.
- A further three people will be picked at random to win a button mirror of their choice! (See above)
- The Giveaway closes at Midnight on Tuesday 31st January 2012.
- It is open worldwide, so get entering!

In other news, did anyone else see the gorgeous Gem on Super Scrimpers on Channel 4 last night? I literally squealed with excitement to see her wearing one of my original Jen Tees. So much so I was crouching in front of the television trying to take bad photos on my phone. And then I called my Mum. I know, it required a 'Mum be proud of me' phone call! T-shirts aside, Gem was brilliant at presenting, I'm not really one for nail art, but I might try her leopard print tips later today. For anyone interested, I am working on  new Jen Tees - I have new collars! (Ooooh) They'll be available in Burgundy Marl, Grey Marl, Navy and Black. The next few weeks are going to be pretty full on with work, but I will be sewing at every available free moment and will of course let you know when they're back in stock.

I'm sure they won't ever read this, but Happy Birthday Tom and Ed - It's lucky we talk, rather than communicate via blogs xx

Rather Lovely Things

1. Enamel Pear 2. Tiny Acorn Necklace 3. Vintage Tiny Scissors 4. Spitfire Necklace 5. Miniature Spitfire 6. Triangle Earrings 7. Hex Earrings 8. Hex Necklace 9. Vega Cuff

I'm currently dying (slight over reaction) of a stomach bug that has had me confined to my bed and the sofa for the last few days. I've been painfully unproductive. Other than feeling awful and quite sorry for myself, I've filled the rest of the time aimlessly cruised the internet searching for attractive things.

I think sometimes people assume that I won't like other jewellery because I make my own (though it is true that I rarely let myself buy it because of that fact), but I make jewellery because I love it and I have a huge appreciation for other jewellery! How could anyone not desire the pieces above?! (On a side note, how beautifully shot is the Rust jewellery?! I'm very envious.)

My staple pieces of jewellery always used to be earrings, I didn't leave the house without a pair, but I haven't worn any for months, I just haven't been inspired by any that I own. I am, however, completely drawn to the simplicity of the Hex earrings and the triangles. They're subtly statemented and it would appear, exactly what I'm craving in a pair of earrings. I'm debating whether to treat myself to the Hex's for my birthday towards the end of the month, but then I'd probably have quite a hard time not purchasing the matching necklace (I don't think I actually own any matching jewellery?!) and the Vega cuff as well and that would be bad...

1. Roberts Radio 2. Hilary Grant Circle Scarf 3. Frankie Diary 4. Wander Print 5. Luva Huva Cami
6. Menagerie 7. Etienne Bag 8&9 Boot

These are a few of my current wants, if you follow me on pinterest, you'll know there are an alarming number of them. (And that I rarely buy any of them) I really love the large geometric scarves around at the moment. The colour and design of this circle scarf is just perfect. (Any suggestions of where to find others?) I'm still in hibernation mode and would really like a large over-size scarf to cosy up in. I'm one of those awful people who wears a scarf all the time rather than just outside like a normal person. Alas I've missed out on the Frankie diary again (I've entered so many giveaways to try and win one) so I think I'm going to have to get myself a moleskine soon - I'm rubbish as diary management on my phone calendar. I saw this Mischa Barton bag featured as part of a WishWishWish giveaway, and have been a little obsessed with it ever since. I love it's small boxy shape and that's it's called a camera bag - I'm pretty sure my Bronica or digital wouldn't fit, but it would be perfect for carrying around my Holga.

 1. Dress 2. Cardigan 3. Boots

These are a few of my most recent pins - I'm a little obsessed with the cardigan, it's so sweet - though very much out of my price range! Also a friend of mine has just got it in nude - I have such cardigan envy, she also owns this one too. Best cardigan in the world? Most probably.

 1. Scallop Blouse 2. Knit 3. Brooch
 

I'm very lucky to have a wonderful boyfriend who bought me this amazing brooch for Christmas. If you haven't seen The Gently Unfurling Sneak's website, you definitely should, the brooches are amazing. I'll just have to work on getting the blouse and sweater to wear with it!

Do any of you have pinterest? If you do, please send me links, I'd love to see the exciting treasures you're hording there - plus it will give me something to do while I'm wallowing in self pity and looking a bit gross.

Fortune Favours the Brave

(Or so my fortune cookie said. Maybe I should have put the numbers below on the lottery...)

ahem.... HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope you've all had a wonderfully festive holiday. It was really lovely to be able to go home and see my family and hang out with my cats for a few days. I think I rather shamefully spent most of my time in my pajamas watching Christmas films but it would be rude to say no to Jingle All The Way and Scrooged...

Above is essentially my day, but compacted into a small space on my living room floor. Perhaps not the most productive use of my time, but there you have it. For Christmas, my Mum handmade my brother a hot water bottle cover made out of Super Mario Bros fabric, which I highly coveted. Consequently I began my day attempting, perhaps in vain, to make a pair for myself and Charlie. It has, however, finally provided the much wanted opportunity to purchase the Tom's Jets fabric from Liberty; I will keep you posted on their progress. Another project for 2012, set as a vague new year's resolution, is to start reading through the BBC's list of top 100 books, I am starting with Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Sadly I didn't quite manage to capture the bizarre apocalyptic weather we seem to be having. On my way to lunch I narrowly missed being hit by the acrylic signage of a kebab shop falling off a shop front on the Essex Road. I was then greeted at home by my neighbour's window box and its content on the steps. The poor plants didn't stand a chance. True to form, my boyfriend is now mentally designing something unnecessarily elaborate (much like a cartoon evil genius) to secure our box to the window. I just feel a little cheated of snow. It's as if we've carelessly bypassed it and skipped straight to it's irritating younger cousin, heavy rain. It's saddening to think we might actually have to wait an entire year for the mild possibility of snow. (Take me somewhere cold?)

Highlights of today included an amazing noodle bowl and green tea, seeing Sara Cox at lunch with a million children, escaping the rain (and kebab shop sign death) on the walk home, celebrating Char's birthday while simultaneously spying (quite unsuccessfully) on Chris Moyles scowling in a pub.

Winter Sale