Support your local poet: In Memoriam

In memory of Edwin Morgan who died earlier this week, I would like to share with you Scottish Fiction. He was appointed as Glasgow's first Poet Laureate (1999) and Scotland's first Makar in 2004 (Makar means Scottish national poet).

The song "In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction" from the album "The Remote Part" by Edinburgh band Idlewild features a recording of the poet reciting his poem.




Scottish Fiction

It isn't in the mirror
It isn't on the page
It's a red-hearted vibration
Pushing through the walls
Of dark imagination
Finding no equation
There's a Red Road rage
But it's not road rage
It's asylum seekers engulfed by a grudge
Scottish friction
Scottish fiction

It isn't in the castle
It isn't in the mist
It's a calling of the waters
As they break to show
The new Black Death
With reactors aglow
Do you think your security
Can keep you in purity
You will not shake us off above or below
Scottish friction
Scottish fiction


R.I.P. Edwin Morgan 1920 - 2010, a great Scottish Poet.

The Summertime Hop!

Wanna spice up your Saturday? Come on down to the Made in the Shade Summertime Hop!




I'll be there this Saturday with my wooly WildCat Designs creations, along with some WildKittens goodies too. Not only that, I'll be sharing a stall with the lovely Claira of Vertiline in Love! Gorgeous vintage goodness abounds!

Come along & say hi! There are lots of other talented creatives coming too, including Gillian Kyle, Wooden Tree, Lizzy Stewart, Magic Alice and Angharad Jefferson. Check this blog post to see the full list.

That's not all! There will be live music from The Meat Men, tea and cake provided by Auntie M's Cake Lounge, not forgetting Flora the Tombola... and as if that wasn't enough, pop in early enough and you may get a fabulous goodie bag!

It's sure to be a blast. So this Saturday, from 10.30am til 5pm, the Roxy Art House (map) is where it's at! Be there or be square! ;)

Friday I'm in Love...

...with this wonderful stop-motion animation :)



(found via I like you)

See more of Kirsten Lepore's work here: www.kirstenlepore.com

Have a fab weekend!

A Kindle of Cats

I do love the English language for the amusement that the collective nouns for animals provides. An army of ants, a congress of baboons, a charm of hummingbirds, a mischief of mice, a parcel of hogs and an ascension of larks. How delightful!

What prompted me to ponder these was a review I recently came across of an exhibition of work at Haunch of Venison (London) by the lighting designer Stuart Haygarth entitled "Found" in Grafik magazine.

Image via Grafik

I like the way the ornaments wouldn't be significant on their own, but because they have been collected, ordered and arranged in a particular way, they become an object of interest. Also makes for a very unusual and interesting lamp!

Image via artnet

What can I say?

...I was surprised and, I have to say, very flattered to discover on Saturday (totally by accident too!) that I'd received a Beautiful Blogger Award from the lovely Mimi of www.eskimimiknits.com. I'm honoured to accept it, with thanks, even if I do feel a little unworthy!


So... I understand the way it works is I now tell you 10 things you may not know about me and nominate 10 worthy bloggers for the award!

Well, here goes.

1. I used to be a Girl Scout (of the USA variety, though I am not American myself), but in a lone troop overseas in Antwerp, Belgium. I still have all of my old patches that I earned and the handbook :)

2. I am somewhat obsessed with all things pirate-y...so much so I once had a party on a little island, complete with pirate fancy dress and plenty of rum!

3. I've been blogging and making websites since I was at school, in other words, I've been writing stuff online for something like 10 years or more (cripes!). My first 'proper' website was a tribute to my favourite band Feeder :)

4. I lived in Germany and Belgium as a child so can speak German, French and Flemish (v similar to Dutch).

5. For a short while, I played bass in a band! I still have my awesome purple metallic (kind of glittery purple) Fender/Squier P Bass, I really love it. I had to order it specially as I'm left-handed, and it was sooo worth it, it's a joy to play.

6. If I had to live anywhere other than Edinburgh (home for a good 15 years now), I think I could quite happily live in Brighton. It's such a cool place.

7. I'm a (punk) rock chick, and I'm not ashamed to admit it! :D

8. I dream of going on a cider holiday to Devon & Cornwall. They have such lovely yummy cider there, but they drink it all themselves, it's *that* good! One day I will do it, for sure.


9. I believe Feeder decided to release their newest studio album "Renegades" (their seventh!) today because it's my birthday tomorrow - that's my theory and I'm sticking to it, because it makes me do the happy dance. I also think it's pretty cool that they're releasing it via their own label, 'Big Teeth' - yay for DIY!

10. Nothing makes me happier than having colourful hair. Which is why I'll be dyeing it again soon.

...and the nominees are (in no particular order):

Sally of http://tinkeringtimes.typepad.com

Kat @ Rock 'n' Roll Bride

Zoë of Conversation Pieces

Laura aka Lupin of http://bugsandfishes.blogspot.com

Ez of www.creaturecomfortsblog.com

Lori of Rarely wears lipstick

The lovely Princesses Michelle & Marie at Kingdom of Style

Kate at http://little-doodles.blogspot.com/

Beatie of http://beatiefox.blogspot.com/

Fifi Lapin

Analogue Love

Q: What is Lomography?
A: It's analogue, baby!!! Cameras, Photography...the old school way.


"Dreamer" - an apt name, I'm sure you'll agree, for such a dreamy-looking camera. It's a special edition Diana F+ camera in pretty pastels, nicely tied in with the current sartorial trend for bleached out, watered-down, soft summery colours.

Images above from Urban Outfitters
This is a cool little camera, and it takes medium-format (120) film, which is a bit bigger than ordinary 35mm film. You get funky square shaped prints from it - a little bit retro :)


Nothing beats the thrill of waiting to get your prints back...and I do like digital photography, believe me, but I enjoy the more hands-on approach so much. This is my Diana F+ Hong Meow (phoenetic translation of the Cantonese for 'Panda'):


The "Golden Rules" of Lomography:

1. Take your camera everywhere you go
2. Use it any time – day and night
3. Lomography is not an interference in your life, but part of it
4. Try the shot from the hip
5. Approach the objects of your lomographic desire as close as possible
6. Don’t think
7. Be fast
8. You don’t have to know beforehand what you captured on film
9. Afterwards either
10. Don’t worry about any rules


Find out more about Lomography here and here.

P.S. If you're looking for the Dreamer camera, it's on the Urban Outfitters .com or .co.uk sites :)

Wave of Nauticalia

I do love a pretty nautical stripe (as you might have guessed by now!) so as you can imagine, I am very happy indeed that there are so many in the shops right now! It makes for perfect summer fashion. Here are some of my favourite nautical picks...


Anchor Pendants by Cherryloco


Pirate Ship Notes by Presents for Pirates


Sailor Clutch by Cut out and Collect


Baker's twine from Overspill


Pirate Ship Scooner printed t-shirts by Happy Family


Tattoo Swallow Silhouette Necklace by Heatherly Designs

Edinburgh's Etsy Craft Party!

Event on Facebook

RSVP on Meetup.com