Do you remember this post that I wrote a while back about my search for an elusive, inexpensive Chesterfield sofa in Ireland? Well, the search continued for some time after this post and further to many near sightings online, a few wild goose chases and the threat of a divorce, I decided it was time to give up the ghost on finding my own vintage Chesterfield. But, a short time later and armed with a renewed sense of zeal, I got in touch with a man called Tom from a small but perfectly formed and rather well known shop called AJs on Capel Street here in Dublin. (Thanks Fi for pointing me in his direction.) Tom understood my plight and assured me that, although he could not find me a vintage Chesterfield, he could custom build one for me from scratch. He even managed to do me a bit of a deal! The fabric is a Designers Guild Cotton Velvet in the most amazing shade of teal and the finished piece just makes my heart sing! When it was first delivered I refused to sit on it for about two weeks and just sat on the other sofa admiring it from afar.

So, thanks to a bit of matchmaking from Fi and Tom, Chester and I have been living happily together enjoying cosy nights by the fire, whiling away Sunday mornings with the papers and entertaining some rather envious friends. Chester has everything that I was looking for in a sofa, and more….beauty, comfort and quiet companionship. It turns out that Mr Field and I are indeed, as expected, a match made in heaven.

Images from my own home.

Completely handmade by the supremely talented illustrator and graphic designer Sandra Juto, this crochet Grannysquare blanket and I would make a very happy couple indeed.

All images via Sandra Juto

Oh what another fine mess I’ve gotten myself into. There I was, making a damn fine effort at becoming the style queen that I had always envisaged, attempting to embody the person that readers of my blog (my friends mostly, which is a little weird considering they actually know me) seem to think that I am. You see, while I sit here typing yet another witty, creative and altogether altruistic post about the beautiful flowerboxed, white picket fenced world that I inhabit, I do so while wearing jeans and an old grey hoodie, quite unbecoming of the quirky, offbeat creative type that I aspire to be. So, I decided that it was time to do something about my sorry fashion ensembles and blog to you from the sartorial refinement befitting of an urban style queen. I’ve probably been reading a little too much of Blanaid and Rosemary McCabe’s fashion blog posts but girls, ’tis a compliment, you have collectively inspired me.

It was with great excitement that I ticked the first item necessary to fulfill such a lofty ambition off my list: Cowboy Boots. Oh yes, the wardrobe staple of every bohemian fashionista, and soon-to-be myself included. The trouble is, I wanted authenticity, so my search excluded the beloved high street staples and extended far beyond to the original source of the aforementioned footwear. And it was with a squeal of delight that I uncovered the perfect vintage, coffee bean cowboy boots complete with embroidered stitching all the way from the US of A via Etsy. Tick.

I waited with baited breath for my package to arrive and in the interim planned my next purchase: a floaty floral summerdress with which to pair my cowboy boots to achieve that eclectic, too cool for school image. For all you fashion experts and bloggers, I realise that this look is so last century but I’ve always been either too late or rather, too early when it comes to fashion trends. Besides, this is not about following fashion trends, this is about an effortless, thrown together, “what this old thing?” look that I’m trying to pull off here with very careful attention to detail. So when my boots arrived and I ripped apart the packaging I was left feeling rather silly at the discovery that I had bought a men’s size 8 1/2 as opposed to a ladies 8 1/2; damn you America and your confusing shoe sizes, you have thwarted my best efforts and now I must remain deeply unfashionable.

So, if there are any large footed ladies out there (or average footed gents for that matter) with a hankerin’ for a bittuva honky tonk shuffle please apply within.

Testing….testing…1,2,3…is this thing on? Just rehearsing for my acceptance speech here because it seems that this little old blog has been nominated in the Best Specialist Blog category of the Irish Blog Awards. How did that happen? I’m not getting my hopes up because it’s more of a longlist than a shortlist but who cares, I finally get to put an award nomination badge on here, which will give the impression that someone somewhere on this planet actually reads my meandering waffle.

Congratulations also to some of my favourite blogs for receiving the same accolade and some of them in more than one category. Big up laydeez…

Garrendenny Lane

Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer

Pretty Far West

Blanaid

Rosemary MacCabe

Ginger Pixel

Birdie Wallsticker - Violet €34.50

It gives me great joy to announce our precious new arrival to the world – our Kids & Babies section! It’s been a while in the offing but Mabel & Violet are very proud aunts indeed and can be found busily fussing over the little mite, oohing and aahing at every turn.

Animal Farm Wallpaper €67.00 per roll

We currently have colourful wall stickers and wallpaper from the ever cool danish ferm LIVING KIDS range , moveable wall stickers from Australian brand Little Chipipi and the gorgeous A to Z Print from the wonderful Dublin design studio of Paper Bird.

Animal Alphabet Wall Sticker €59.00

This is just the beginning though, there are plenty more lovely products for little ones on the way so watch this space!

Paper Bird A to Z Print €25.00

]]> http://www.mabelandviolet.com/blog/new-kids-section-in-the-shop/feed/ 1 http://www.mabelandviolet.com/blog/going-bald-for-boobies/ http://www.mabelandviolet.com/blog/going-bald-for-boobies/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:09:36 +0000 Paula @ Mabel & Violet http://www.mabelandviolet.com/blog/?p=1092

Sorry for my recent absence…again. I have been a busy little bee over here, working on something that is very close to my heart and it would seem that it’s close to the hearts of many judging by the response so far. I mentioned before in a previous post that Mabel & Violet were making a donation to support the Coppafeel campaign during breast cancer awareness month last October. Since then I have been trying to come up with another way to raise money to support a cancer charity a little closer to home. Then TodayFM came along with their Shave or Dye campaign and presented me with the perfect solution…why to shave off my hair of course!

To be honest, reactions to “my news” have been varied but fall into two distinct categories; those who think I’m clinically insane and those who use words like brave, courageous, mad, brave, mad, crazy, mad. The way I see it, I have been bald before (for those of you not in the loop, I had breast cancer seven years ago but I’m all better now; thanks for asking. That’s me up there with no hair underneath that bandana) so what have I got to lose, apart from hair obviously? Granted it has taken a good six and a half years to grow back to this length but I’m probably too old for long hair anyway. I was actually planning a funky new gamine crop for 2010, so this way I save the money that I would have to pay the hairdresser and I just have to wait a little longer for it to grow into said gamine crop. I’m starting to look forward to it although, from the corner of my eye, I keep catching my husband gazing wistfully at the hair on my crown or my sweeping fringe. I remind him that he will no longer have to remove clumps of my hair from the plughole or liberate a persistent strand from the sleeve of his jumper but I know that he’s silently cursing the Women’s Liberation Front, for all of their efforts have lead to this, his wife, shaving her head, of her own free will.

It’s my poor mother that I really feel for though. Her reaction was simply “What?!” and that’s never good. It usually means “I am in such shock at the words that you have just uttered that I can’t verbalise what I’m thinking or feeling.” Watching me undergo cancer treatment was harder for her than it was for me and I sometimes forget that. Seeing me without hair again will only serve to remind her of those unpleasant months but she will support me, she always does. And I love her for that.

So, if you are feeling generous today, your donation would be greatly appreciated. If you don’t wish to donate in a financial way, all I ask is that you spare a minute to read my personal message on my fundraising page. This message is just as important for your own wellbeing and health, if not moreso, than raising money. Thank you.

Oh my, I have been a bit slack on the blogging front this week. Just dropping in to let you know about Talent For Haiti, which is a charity auction created by Eilis Boyle and Helen James to fundraise for the victims of the earthquake. Many designers have donated lots of goodies and there was an auction last week for a private concert with Glen Hansard and Mark Geary, what a pair of gents! Sadly, somebody else won that auction although there are lots of auctions still ongoing so click here to help a very worthy cause and get your mits on some of the spoils!

We have donated this Red Tigers Eye & Turquoise Necklace by Juvi Designs. The starting bid for this piece is €100 so it’s the perfect opportunity to try to get it for a fraction of the normal retail price, which is €175 on Mabel & Violet and over €200 in other shops. All proceeds (minus eBay and Paypal commission) will be donated to Medecins Sans Frontieres, an independent medical aid agency providing relief in Haiti.

Having recently re-painted and re-carpeted our bedroom, instead of relaxing and enjoying the calm grey and white sleep inducing space that we have created, I find that I am now spending hours lying awake at night thinking and deliberating over the rest of the decor. I have a fair idea of how I want it to look and what I need to get that look and it basically involves acquiring some cash. Quelle surprise! So, sadly for me and more importantly, for those around me who have to tolerate my grumpy tired self, it looks like there will be a lot of sleepless nights ahead. What I am planning though is a wallet friendly trip to IKEA (yes I will be wearing a blindfold and obviously a trolley is out of the question) so that I can install some shelving above our bed and artfully display some stuff as artfully displayed in the images above.

Images via Skona Hem, emmas design blogg and My Scandinavian Retreat

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose… this beautiful bunting that’s what Bill! While going through the new arrivals of bespoke bunting for some customers the other day, I stumbled across this pretty piece with my name on it, both figuratively and literally! And there was a note from my lovely friend Aoife who creates this bunting by hand, wishing me a belated happy birthday. She is so sweet and so is my new bunting, which is taking pride of place above my office desk and it gives me a little lift every time I look up. It also reminds me that spring is just around the corner, yippee!