New Collection- High Treason: The History of the Red Necklace

After the French Revolution, fundraising parties were held to support the surviving nobles: at these grand events, women would wear red necklaces, to symbolize the telltale signature of the guillotine.

There is nothing quite as arresting as an exquisite red necklace. Along with the fact that red can suit any skin tone, from the richest of ebonies to the creamiest of alabasters, it is also the colour of jewellery that is hardest to find. Why? There is a range of reasons: one would be that of all tints of glass, red is the most expensive to create, as it requires gold to make red shades. Another would be that coral, a component that appears in a lot of red jewellery, is strictly protected by the environmental authorities. Either way, this gorgeous jewellery is difficult to obtain, for both the wearer and the creator.

Celebrating red, the color of fire, of passion, of love, of danger and everything in between, here is the first of our collection: Blackheart. the Rose

D.I.Y. Project- The Eco Fireplace

If you love the sense of setting that a fireplace lends to a room, or the possibilities that the mantlepiece above it presents, but cannot have one, whether out of love for the environment, asthma problems or the sheer expense of keeping it, here is an elegant, eco-friendly and modern solution to this dilemma: the eco fireplace.

By lining the back of an MDF or wooden box with a metal sheet, we can gently reflect the light from the pillar candles, offering a softened glow.

If the chosen pillar candles are soy candles with cotton wicks, then they are safe to use indoors for long periods at a time and are environmentally friendly!

Try to use candles of differing heights, especially taller ones to draw the eyes upward.

Afterwards, you can unleash your creativity on the mantlepiece design. For this one, we chose an ornate black frame and placed silk of a very rich, delicious green shade inside. With the objects below, we chose to toe the line between antique and modern with a grouping of abstract sculptures and a vintage-style figure that still bears geometric designs evoking modernism.

An advantage that the eco fireplace has over the traditional fireplace is the fact that, unlike the traditional fireplace, the eco fireplace is not permanently fixed. You can rearrange its position to your heart's content!

the Rose

Inspiration File: The City of Dreaming Books, by Walter Moers

I believe that these inspiration files need a bit of explanation- they aren't just fashion trends, or anything neccessarily related to the fashion industry; they can also be things that caught our eyes, that made us marvel, or wonder, something that made us breathless before its awesomeness (both the modern and archaic definitions can be applied here).

The first entry in my category, 'The Inspiration File', is this absolutely wonderful novel, 'The City of Dreaming Books', by Walter Moers. I came across it around boxing day in my local bookstore. On a table covered with scattered books that had been *ransacked* by eager bargainhunters, I saw the title written in gleaming letters, drowning under cheap romances. Fishing it out, it fell open, displaying a gorgeous style of writing, and I just knew: this is my book. The perfect title drew me in, filled with promise... An overleaf covered in an ink-crosshatching illustration seemed to back up that guarantee....  A level of description that takes in every detail simply announced an excellent and satisfying read. 

Everything necessary for a whirlwind adventure is present; from a city devoted to books (my idea of heaven on earth!!!!), to the mysterious Shadow King that rules the dark-drenched catacombs below, a search for the author of a manuscript of towering genius, a conspiracy that could eclipse literature in their world forever.... Need I say more?

Overall, a gorgeous book that will evoke happy sighs from bookworms, make literati chuckle at the clever inside jokes, shock any reader with the stunning plot twists that no one will see coming, and is perfect for any occupant of a comfortable armchair on a cold winter day. An adventure story with a high IQ and a commonsensical hero, the City of Dreaming Books is definitely worth a good look!

Happy Reading!
the Rose

To find out more....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_of_Dreaming_Books