Off-Cuts at Tate Modern . . .

My friends and I recently took part in Off-Cuts - a zine-making event held at the Tate Modern on 27-28 April. Organised by It's Nice That in collaboration with Zine Swap and graphic designer Patrick Fry (No Zine), the two-day event took over part of the Tate Modern's new Tate Tank space and offered gallery visitors the space and materials to create their very own zine. I'll admit, we stumbled upon Off-Cuts purely by chance as we waited for our allocated time to visit the Roy Lichtenstein retrospective, but with an hour to spare we got stuck in and loved it! A zine was a concept we'd toyed with as a group before, but never got passed the note making stage. Taking part in Off-Cuts gave us all the kick we needed to finally get making and in no time at all we had all put together our zines and were wishing we didn't have to leave! 

Due to rushing and not being able to find the 'right' imagery for my chosen zine-theme (yes, I'm picky), I wasn't 100% happy with the product I created at the event, but since then I have raided my own stash of ephemera and am now in the process of creating a Lily in the Labyrinth zine that I'm proud of. I'll be sure to share it here when it's done, but for now here are some pictures from the event . . .

Above: Left - Our zines slowly come together | Right - I get to grips with speed-zineing!

Above: The work tables were overflowing with inspiration and materials for us to make our zines with.

Above: The Off-Cuts workroom in the Tate Modern's new Tate Tanks exhibition space.

 Above: A wall of zines for us to take inspiration from and eventually add our own zines to.

Above: Left - Ele of White Elephants hard at work on her zine | Right - More established zines to inspire.

Thank you to my friend Clare for the majority of these images. 

Let Lily Know: Did you take part in Off-Cuts? Have you ever made a zine? I'd love to know!

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Highstreet Highlight: Statement necklaces . . .

Short, statement necklaces allow us to dress up even the most basic outfits whilst expressing our personalities - what's not to love? Here I've put together my pick of reasonably-priced statement necklaces from the British highstreet. I've included a range of styles, with most coming from easily accessible stores such as Dorothy Perkins, Zara, Accessorize and Forever21 with a price tag under £20 (...please forgive the one sneaky necklace from Anthropologie. I couldn't resist!).

Ethnic Flare:

Left: Silver plated ethnic applique bib - Zara - £22 | Right: Eden Wow Bib Collar - Accessorize - £19

Colour Pop:

Left: Grasp necklace (also in pink) - Pieces - £20.30 | Right: Bejewelled triangle bib - Forever21 - £7.40

 Cool Cord:

Left: Rope chain faceted gold bib - Warehouse - £14 | Right: Chunky beads on cord - Dorothy Perkins - £15

Cut-Out and Keep:

Left: Gold cut-out bib - Forever21 - £5.65 | Right: Silver-look cut-out wheel necklace - Dorothy Perkins - £16.50

Touch of Turquoise:

Left: Turquoise bead tube necklace - Dorothy Perkins - £14 | Right: Triangle stone necklace - Dorothy Perkins - £14 

Woven Wonders:

Left: Pastel woven embellished necklace - Dorothy Perkins - £15 | Right: Bejewelled spray necklace - Anthropologie - £118

Chain Gang: 

Left: Chain necklace with appliques - Zara - £22 | Right: Crystal embellished mesh choker - Mango - £44.99 

I hope this selection of highstreet highlights has given you some idea of how you can get involved in on of jewellery's hottest trends whatever your budget or style. 

Let Lily Know: Which, if any of these picks is your favourite or where have you found your ideal statement necklace? 

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Lily Loves: Aili Jewelry . . .

I was browsing Catbird, a lovely online jewellery shop, when products by one particular brand kept catching my eye. Aili Jewelry is hand made in Brooklyn by Monica Ruzansky. Meaning 'light' in Gaelic, Aili reflects Monica's love of the medium of light and sees the designer use only recycled metals supplied by sustainable-certified companies. Here I've selected a few of my favourite pieces from the range. I love how delicate the items are and the contrast of the different tones of turquoise against the silver and gold metals . . .

Above: 

- Tulum Earrings - silver with turquoise - two greenish-blue turquoise droplets nestled in a little bar of silver. 

- Tulum Triangle Earrings - gold with turquoise - three little oceanic droplets nestled in triangles of gold. 

- Tulum Mon Amour collection of stackable silver and turquoise rings.

Oval Gold Necklace with turquoise stone.

- Diamond Ring featuring black diamonds on a 14ct gold hammered gold band.

- Parrallelogram Earrings with black diamonds. 

- Tulum Moon Necklace featuring eight turquoise droplets.

- Tulum Eternal Sunshine Ring featuring a gold band with green and blue turquoise stones. 

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Highstreet Highlight: Affordable Homeware . . .

- Glass owl vase - Matalan - £8

- Set of 3 filled glass votives - Laura Ashley - £14.40

- Rabbit ornament - M&S - £19.50

- Boutique small bowl - Matalan - £8

- Triangle pastel pop hand and bath towels - Matalan - From £4 - £7

- Terrainium - Next - £45

- Light blue metal bird - Debenhams - £6

- Glass Cockatoo - Next - £22 

- Beehive treat jar - Next - £10

- Pair of Bloomsbury tea-towels - Laura Ashley - £8.64

Let Lily Know: Have you found any bargain homeware treats so far this year?

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Guest post: Astley Clarke on the origins of Gemstones . . .

Astley Clarke was founded by Bec Astley Clarke in London in 2006 to celebrate the world’s very best in fine jewellery design and craftsmanship and to pioneer the very best in online luxury. Here, in a fascinating guest post for Lily in the Labyrinth's 'Learn with Lily' series, the brand gives some insight into the origins of precious gemstones . . .

When you walk into a jewellery store, or even open your own jewellery box, you are met with stunning pieces of jewellery laced with gorgeous gemstones and other beautiful adornments. But have you ever wondered where these precious gemstones come from? They may be stunning on the surface, but the true beauty lies within the story that is behind them...
There are lots of beautiful gemstones which are used to create striking fashion items; from a deep sapphire gem ring to a stunning ruby necklace - the choice is endless. Yet, most of these gorgeous gemstones began their journey under the Earth's surface - not one of the most glamorous places; that's for sure. Nevertheless, the process which takes place in order to create each gemstone differs between each gem.

Above: Zara Simon 'Shard Ring' featuring green amethyst | Ruth Tomlinson 'Diamond Cluster' ring featuring grey diamonds | Astley Clarke 'Masquerade Hare' pendant featuring milky moonstone | Astley Clarke 'Square Sonatina' pyrite earrings

Most gemstones are created via the process of minerals and water coming together. The two components get close to the Earth's surface and react against one and other, resulting in a dissolve. The remains of this process will eventually cool down and turn into beautiful stones. Of course, what stone you are left with all depends on which minerals were involved in the reaction. For example, azurite forms when rocks which are high in copper mix with water. On the other hand, amethyst is created when rocks which are high in silica mix with water.
In addition to this, there are lots of precious gemstones which are created via the igneous process. These gems include the likes of topaz, diamonds, moonstone and tanzanite. This occurs when magma rises through the volcano pipes and then solidifies once it reaches the Earth's surface. The solidification process results in crystals and thus, the gorgeous gemstone is formed. 

Above: Astley Clarke 'Night Owl' necklace feat. labradorite | Mushroom 'Bolsena Bracelet' feat. labradorite, milky aqua, moonstone and diamond | Ostinato coral 'Eternity Ring' | Astley Clarke 'Lucky Cat' friendship bracelet feat. black rhodium.

Another method of rock creation is the metamorphosis process. This procedure occurs when rocks are affected by monumental amounts of heat and pressure, and can often be as a result of intrusive magma in the area. This forces them to go through a transition period which actually results in a complete change of form. The result is stunning gems, such as sapphire, ruby and jade. 

Above: Anne Sportun 'Stardust Ring' feat. diamonds | Monica Vinader 'Mini Luna Ring' feat. moonstone | Astley Clarke 'Blue Moon Fox Pendant' feat. blue tiger's eye | Astley Clarke 'Shine Studs' feat. moonstone | Astley Clarke 'Fanfare Earrings' feat. rhodolite, amethyst and carnelian 

So there you have it; three of the most popular ways in which precious gemstones are formed. It is amazing to think that the gems we wear on our jewellery pieces started their life underneath the ground and that a series of chemical reactions resulted in such beauty. Next time you pick up that stunning ruby gem ring, you may wonder where in the world the precious stone began its journey, when it went through the metamorphosis process and how it ended up sparkling on your finger. 

(Written for Lily in the Labyrinth by: Bianca Ridley)
www.astleyclarke.com

Lily Says: For further reading, be sure to check out Astley Clarke's brilliant gemstone guide. The brand stocks really lovely gemstone jewellery, some of my favourite picks feature above in this post - I particularly like the Blue Moon Fox Pendant and the Ruth Tomlinson ring! Which piece is your favourite? I'd love to know :)

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Learn with Lily: WW1 Sweetheart Pincushions . . .

These embroidered cushions, measuring about 20cm in width and decorated with beading and decoupage are known as Sweetheart Pincushions. Produced in World War One (1914-1918) mostly by wounded soldiers as they recovered in hospital, they were sent home to wives, mothers and loved ones as a token of affection across the miles.

Often featuring short mottos such as “Forget Me Not” and “Remember Me”, plus snippets of verse, these cushions act as a tender expression of remembrance and record a little piece of history. As you can see below, one cushion features a popular World War One poem that reads as follows:

When the golden sun is sinking,

And your mind from care is free.

When of others you are thinking,

Will you sometimes think of me.

Purchased as kits containing printed fabric, threads and beads – all the materials a soldier would need to hand craft a memento for his loved ones - Sweetheart Pincushions measure up to 20cm and were likely never used as pincushions but rather kept as treasured tokens of love.

Clearly a labour of love, I find the detail and mottos absolutely heart-breaking. Despite the terror, tragedy and fear that war threw at these brave soldiers, every one of these intricate, delicate little hand-crafted hearts tells a story that has such love and hope in every stitch.  

Below: Details of a Sweetheart Pincushion produced by a soldier in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 51st+105th Foot.

It’s been hard to find much information on these cushions online, but if you are interested in further reading, Amazon stocks a book entitled 'Sweetheart and Mother Pilows' by Patricia Cummings on the subject. 

Links: Blog | Blog | Detailed Images | Info

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Lily Loves: Artist prints by Judy Kaufmann . . .

I love these artist prints by Barcelona-based freelance illustrator Judy Kaufmann. The use of simple, block colours and the way Judy uses only the bare-bones details of how we identify certain icons make these prints really appealing to me. If you visit Judy's website or Etsy shop, you'll see that she depicts a whole range of icons in this style, including David Bowie, Batman and Robin, Marilyn Monroe and John Lennon.

Find Judy: Blog / Website / Twitter / Etsy

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The Magical Ice Kingdom . . .

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get a private sneak preview of the Magical Ice Kingdom installation in London's Hyde Park before the attraction opened to the public. The Kingdom forms an exciting, new part of Hyde Park's annual Winter Wonderland event that sees a corner of the vast park turned into Christmas town each year, complete with ice rink, wooden-hut market stalls, fairground rides and much more. The Ice Kingdom is the biggest installation of its kind ever in the UK and features amazing sculptures carved from ice specially shipped in from Canada. Upon entering the -8 degree Kingdom, visitors travel through a number of themed zones, meeting various magical creatures along the way before taking a seat in the ice carriage and a tumble down the ice slide. 

The sculptures were created by the team at Hamilton Ice Sculptors and lit with cold-white LED fixtures to give the ice an ethereal glow. Care had to be taken that the lighting didn't melt the sculptures, so LED lamps proved the ideal solution as they generate very little heat.

With real snow and fir trees littering the Kingdom, and a new ice cold creature to encounter around every corner, visiting the Magical Ice Kingdom felt like I'd stepped into Narnia when the White Witch was at the height of her power. I would highly recommend a visit should you be in London this festive season . . . just watch out for the dragon!

My photos were published in the magazine I work for and even made the front cover  :)

Let Lily Know: Have you visited the Magical Ice Kingdom? What did you think? 

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Finds: Dreaming of a Mint Christmas - Etsy Edit . . .

From top:

- Christmas tree mug - Asleep From Day - £9.95

- Bee candle holder - Blue Room Pottery - £23

- Christmas bauble - Asleep From Day

- Aguayo bracelet - Lak Lak - £57.53

- Mint bow ring - Mint Rainbow - £9.27

- Clutch bag, vintage white leather - Blackbird and the Owl - £31.96

- Russian porcelain brooch - Albaricoke Azul - £9.95

- Heart stud earrings - Dariami - £11.51

- Tiny skull bracelet - Mini Fabo - £10.23

- Blue bird brooch - Katrin Art - £10.64

- Leather tote bag - ByMART - £33.23

- Friendly Narwhal brooch - Lila Ruby King - £23

Lily Says: Mint is a colour that the world seems to go crazy for in Spring/Summer, but I'm championing that Mint is a shade for all seasons and bringing you a Gift Guide based around the colour. Whereas in Spring/Summer mint is fresh; in Autumn/Winter it's icy, frosty and can offer a cooler, muted alternative to the plums, reds, golds and fir-tree greens that tend to engulf us in the run up to Christmas day. To support independent sellers this Christmas, I've kept this Gift Guide strictly Etsy-based. Hope you like what you see! 

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Lily Loves: Non-Christmassy Christmas . . .

From top left:

- Jewelled onion glass bauble - John Lewis - £4

- Party dog, mini glass cloche decoration - Angel At My Table - £19.50

- Royal Albert, polka blue decorations - John Lewis - £35 (for three)

- Little England cream tea glass bauble set - Fortnum & Mason - £40

- Hand painted wooden birds - Rigby & Mac - £7.95 (each)

- Owl glass decoration - Occasions Direct - £2.99

- Resin cupcake trio - Occasions Direct - £10.99

- Winter Whale - Anthropologie - £14

- Large white porcelain star - Heals - £8

- Jonathan Adler elephant hanging decoration - Heals - £20 (usually £24)

- Peace on Earth sparkling bauble - Selfridges - £24.95

- Cody Foster winter owl - Selfridges - £19.95

- Pink rose glass bauble - Homebase - £2.49

Lily Says: If you look hard enough, you can find some beautiful non-Christmas-specific decorations amongst the holiday collections. Above are my picks from this years crop. Which one is your favourite? Do you like all-year-round hanging decorations too? Please let me know in the comments :)

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