Bling with Bite!

Ever since coming across Bonnie Bling's designs a couple of years back, I fell head over heels for their tongue-in-cheek acrylic designs, made on the Isle of Bute. With cheeky, well-known Scottish phrases like 'Peely Wally', 'Blether' and 'I Heart Bucky' in their designs, they have become a firm favourite with local and visiting fashionistas alike. As well as their staple word necklaces (which are usually available all the time), Bonnie Bling also introduce new collections and collaborations with other artists & designers, such as Obscure Couture and DIY Nails.

After getting a hint of the new Autumn/ Winter 2013 collection from Bonnie Bling, I knew that I had to see more. And let me tell you, the Blingers have a belter of  collection coming our way for the colder months. Something darker and more mystical than the cheery sunflowers and friendship bracelets seen in their Spring/Summer collection and with more than a nod towards the original vampire series. After all, years before Bella and Edward were making the front page all us 90s teens were hooked on the will-they-won't-they drama of Buffy and Angel!

I got the lowdown on the new collection from Bonnie Bling designer extraordinaire Mhairi Mackenzie (along with some exclusive sneak peek photos), so pick up your crucifix, sling that garlic around your neck and follow me through to the graveyard...

 What is the name of your new AW13 collection? Bonnie is a Vampire Slayer

What sorts of things can we expect to see in it? The pieces are a lot darker for this collection. Strong and mystical but never far from the cheeky humour we are known for. We have mysterious triangles, skulls and crosses, flashes of neon and Swarovski crystals and they all pull together into a really powerful collection.

What is the inspiration behind it? I used to watch Joss Whedon’s ‘Buffy’ when it started on TV in the 90’s. I came across some old VHS tapes and it reminded me what a great character Buffy was, the show created some inspiring role models for strong, independent women. Looking back at the fashions and styling was pretty fun, a lot of that has come back around and is really popular at the moment. I liked the idea that our ‘Bonnie’ could also be a slayer, someone who deals with everyday life 9-5 but takes on big, bad evil in her spare time. I put a lot of thought into making pieces that would tie in with that. Turning dark times into fun times, being strong when everything around you is looking impossible, fighting to make your mark in the world and doing it your own way, never letting things get so big that they swallow you up.

How many pieces are in the collection? Is it bigger/ smaller/ about the same as your past collections? There are ten main pieces, each named after a character from the tv show and most with matching accessories to create full sets of jewellery. It’s a really comprehensive collection that all ties together really well.

What is your favourite piece in the new collection (and why)?
I absolutely love the ‘Giles’ mystical pendant and the ring and earrings that match it. I’ve already been wearing it out and about and it always gets commented on. It’s gold mirror with these cool triangular patterns engraved into it, it sits really low and is just really different to the work I’ve done before.

What sets these pieces apart from anything else we might see out there (on the high street for example)? Our designs are unique because they are all created, tested, lasercut, assembled and packaged by us and that makes me really proud of what we’re doing. I think our customers really appreciate that Bonnie Bling is made in the UK and our designs are always moving forwards in new directions, keeping things fresh and exciting. I love doing the Scottish pieces we are known for but when it comes to our seasonal collections I can really get stuck into the design work. I tend to set myself little design briefs and then begin sketching out ideas, and from there we test how that might work on our laser and as a finished piece. I love that we now have our own team set up over on Bute and that enables us to make all our items right here in Scotland.

And what everyone is dying to know, where can we buy the collection? Full collection is available from 1st September on www.bonniebling.co.uk and at selected retailers.

Finally, what else can we expect from Bonnie Bling this year? This Winter we have a relaunch of our brilliant Bonnie Bunnets with lots of new additions to the Wonky Wooly hats that were so popular last year. And not satisfied with one jewellery collection this season we’ve decided to spoil everyone with another coming out closer to Christmas, it’s going to be a beauty!

 Are you guys as excited as I am for this? I mean, come on! The gorgeous, glittering winged hearts of the Angel pieces, the huge statement necklaces, the Xander arm candy (stack up a pile of those bad boys and you're good to go!) and that dramatic, black and gold Buffy headpiece. And any collection with a few pieces dedicated to a Seth Green character (hello, high school pin-up) gets my vote. As if the drop-dead gorgeous photos and the awesome thought process behind the collection weren't enough to get our attention, check this out for a collection manifesto, sharper than a stake to the heart:
  

AW13 takes on a fierce new persona in the form of our heroine Bonnie the Vampire Slayer. Taking on the very darkest of evil in her spare time, Bonnie roams the high street full of strut, attitude and style, leaving a trail of haters in her wake. Turning dark times into light times, being strong when everything around you looks impossible, fighting for your own place in the world and doing it your own way. Play like you have everything to live for and never let the cracks get so big that they swallow you whole. Autumn/Winter celebrates the powerful, feminine night time warrior who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself, who shares her strength and love with others and who always looks out for her nearest and dearest. She is strong willed and possesses the special ability to pull herself together when times get super tough. No duvet days for Bonnie, there are bad guys to be beat!

Bonnie is a Vampire Slayer is the perfect collection for all kick-ass babes looking for something unique and well-made to take you through the dark nights. The collection is available from this Sunday, September 1st so be sure to check it out! A huge thanks and hi-five to Mhairi at Bonnie Bling for sharing this exciting new collection and putting up with all the cheesy vampire references!

Will you be getting in touch with your inner slayer this Autumn/ Winter? What is your favourite piece from the collection? Did you have a crush on Seth Green too (anyone?)?

Thanks for reading!

(All photos in this post are used courtesy of Bonnie Bling)

Feelin' Lucky, Punk?

Last weekend was the much-anticipated Tatty Devine Sample Sale. This event is held every year at their Brick Lane store and for Londoners (and those able to travel of course!) it means an opportunity for perspex princesses and jewellery lovers to get their hands on Tatty Devine pieces at sample sale prices for a whole bank holiday weekend. Score! These are, predictably (and quite rightly) very popular events and photos from the weekends always show oodles of shoppers crammed into the store to try and snap up a bargain - be it that statement necklace they have been eyeing up for moths, or something special from the Tatty Devine archives.

Unfortunately, I never manage to time my trips to London to be able to hit the Sample Sale myself (this year is no exception, I'm a whole month behind) but us more remote fans are still able to join in the fun thanks to the Lucky Dip Weekend on Tatty Devine's online store. Anyone that knows me knows that I am obsessed with lucky bags, mystery boxes and everything in between (I'm blaming all those Kinder eggs as a child...). I just can't resist the lure of them! In fact, my friend was kind enough to get me a gorgeous Illamasqua mystery selection box for Christmas last year, because (in her words) "it combines two of your favourite things: lucky bags and make-up". What a doll!

That same friend shares my Tatty Devine obsession and it is rare that a birthday passes without us buying each other a little black box. You can keep your little blue boxes, I'm a little black box girl through and through!

With a love for lucky dips and Tatty Devine, it is no surprise that I am a regular shopper at Tatty Devine's Lucky Dip Weekends. Although tempting in terms of value (£15 for a small box and £35 for a larger box) I do limit myself to buying just one box. Last year I bought a big box which I adored, this year with an imminent holiday followed up by a trip to London to pay for, I chose a small box. Following placing my order, I saw other shoppers start to receive their orders and post
pictures online. It was fun to see what everyone else was getting in their Lucky Dips. Anticipation was building, hurry up postman! I got home from work yesterday to find my white and pink package waiting for me. "I've arrived!" it exclaimed. Hurrah!

I was really excited for this, I was just hoping that I didn't get anything I already had. I opened up my package and was really pleased to find what was inside: a necklace, earrings, and brooch. Getting a few different types of jewellery was really great and I'm over the moon with the actual pieces themselves. I got the original (and much-copied)  Moustache necklace (from The Best of Tatty Devine collection - normally £25 if you're wondering), an Anchor brooch (from 2009's Button Up collection) and a little blue ring (I'm not 100% sure which collection this ring is from but from he design I think it might be either the Leisure Pursuits or the Pierrot collection? If you know what it is, please leave a comment - I'd love to know for sure!). There is no doubt that the contents were worth far more than the £15 price tag, making the Lucky Dip boxes excellent value.
 
For anyone that maybe received something they already had in their collection, or just not their thing, Tatty Devine have set up a Swap Shop on Facebook which is running for one month.

This year's Lucky Dip weekend was a roaring success - with all of the boxes being sold out by Saturday teatime, I was glad to have ordered mine early. I'm delighted with my goodies - so much so that I decided to wear my new necklace immediately and took it on an outing last night! I hope other people were as happy with their boxes as I was with mine - I love surprises and being able to add to my ever-growing Tatty Devine collection. The boxes also make great gifts for other people (as well as yourself!). I'd certainly recommend checking it out next year.

Did you get anything from Tatty Devine's Lucky Dip Weekend? What is your favourite Tatty Devine piece? Were you obsessed with Kinder eggs as a child?

Thanks for reading!

Local Lovin': We Are The Robots

In Local Lovin' I will be looking at designers/ stores/ brands/ creators of marvellous things/ anything else that catches my eye - all based in Glasgow. I believe that we should be supporting the talent that we have locally so have decided to start Local Lovin' as a regular feature. If you would like to be featured please get in touch! See my Contact page for details. 

This post has been a long time coming and some of you readers will already be aware of design darlings We Are The Robots (WATR) and their cute, quirky creations. The girls have been appearing at design/ craft fairs at venues such as Hillhead Bookclub, Oran Mor and Chambre 69 for as long as I can remember. I first became aware of WATR when I bought my Sheldon Cooper cameo ring (those 4 words alone just smack of awesomeness, don't they?) from them a couple of years back for a very reasonable couple of quid. The girls were also one of the first brands that I seen using the now-very-popular Scrabble tile motif in their jewellery, and I was drawn to their fun, statement designs using my favourite pop-culture icons (yes, Jim Parsons is an icon, okay?) and nostalgia-tastic items such as lego blocks. Since discovering them for myself, I have also bought a few of their pieces for friends as gifts - even for boys, seeing as some of their designs are suitable for everybody!

I wanted to hear a little more about the thought process behind their designs and the company in general so I caught up with the girls (or, as they are better known, The Robots) who were lovely enough to answer my questions...

When did you start your company and what made you decide to do it?

We have known each other for about 8 years now and met working together for a high street retailer. We became friends and after a while realised we both had crafty/design-based backgrounds and wanted to make our own jewellery.

We set up We Are The Robots (named randomly after a Kraftwerk song!) about 7 years ago and joined the Glasgow Craft Mafia, selling at markets organised by the Mafia and great events like Made In The Shade. For a while we were one of the only Glasgow based kitsch jewellery companies selling at such events.

If you had to sum up the style of your products in a sentence how would you describe it?

We try to make fun, kitsch, but also wearable jewellery, clothing and accessories.

What kinds of things inspire you to create your clothes and accessories?

We’re inspired by all manner of things! From music to pets and everything in between! We tend to design items which we like ourselves! We’re well aware of current trends, what is selling in high street stores, celebrities etc. however, we like to stick to our own designs and stand out from the crowd even if it’s not to everyone’s taste!

What kinds of customers can normally be found shopping at WATR?

It’s obviously hard to tell with online sales however at our stalls our customers are generally young girls and women, aged 16-30.

What have been your favourite pieces so far?

When we started out we sold pixel heart necklaces which we loved (and even had matching tattoos done of them, pictured right) It was always a great feeling being out and about and spotting someone wearing one of them.

In more recent times, we’re particularly fond of our kitten collars and leopard collar chains, also popular with customers.

Finally, Anything coming up soon for WATR?

We have stalls at Ecomunky at Oran Mor 28^th April, and a monthly stall at Granny Would Be Proud in the Hillhead Bookclub.

We have recently joined forces with Made In Glasgow, a platform for Glasgow based artists and designers. As well as featuring on their website we are in talks with them about future events, details of these will be released shortly.

We are updating our website constantly and coming up with new ideas all the time. For anyone interested in keeping up to date, we suggesting “liking” us on facebook or following us on twitter (@wearetherobots_) or instagram! (@wearetherobots).

A big thanks and hi-five to We Are The Robots for being featured in this week's Local Lovin'! I hope you enjoyed reading a bit more about them. I really admire their passion and the thought that goes into their collections, as well as their dedication to going their own way and being themselves (it can be so easy to forget your own principles and it's great that they don't). I look forward to seeing what they come up with in the future, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for them at future craft fairs too!

Have you ever bought anything from We Are The Robots? What is your favourite WATR piece? Do you consider Sheldon Cooper to be an icon? 

Thanks for reading!

*all pictures used courtesy of We Are The Robots*

A Sunday Granny Would Be Proud Of

After that freak snowstorm the other week it was nice to wake up to a nice calm and sunny Sunday. When I looked out the window and seen the weather I couldn't wait to go for a stroll around the neighbourhood (my new favourite Sunday activity). I'd heard that Granny Would Be Proud vintage and craft fair was on at Hillhead Bookclub and being no stranger to the GWBP events or Hillhead Bookclub itself I knew it would be well worth a visit. With the promise of a lazy Sunday lunch following a browse round the stalls I was happily accompanied by my beau.

Hanging about Hillhead Bookclub on a Sunday whether there is a fair on or not is still good fun, thanks to the shabby-chic decor, relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff and great food (more on that later). While weekend regulars and visitors alike lunch on the ground floor all of the vintage and craft stalls are set up on the mezzanine looking over. Today there was an excellent selection of vendors and a few really stood out to me as being extra appealing.

First up were the friendly and very helpful guys of Eyedresser Vintage, set up at the top of the stairs next to Flamingo Bakery's tasty treats. I loved this stall and it really made me wish I needed glasses (although having to work with computers every day makes me think my spectacle-free days are numbered...). Eyedresser Vintage specialise in vintage, retro and antique-style glasses. They had literally hundreds of styles and as professional opticians they offer to expertly fit prescription lenses. The staff were very attentive and assured me that although the website isn't quite ready yet (keep checking back), they can be contacted by email at the moment (eyedresser@gmail.com). As a fifties vintage fanatic I was especially drawn to Eyedresser Vintage's cat's eye style glasses, but there were far too many fabulous frames to pick just one favourite pair.

A selection of glasses available from Eyedresser Vintage

As we wandered around the fair to an excellent soundtrack (I could have sworn they had my iPod on shuffle...) the next stall to catch my eye was the handmade goodies by Something Different. I remembered seeing this vendor from previous craft fairs, including Say No To Plastic at Oran Mor and it's always nice to see what cute creations are on offer.

Something Different's stall

Today I was especially excited by the bow-shaped shoe clips, which can be seen at the front of the table in the photo above. At first glance I assumed these were bow hairslides, but these little cuties actually clip onto the front of your shoes, instantly glamming them up from drab to fab! Genius. The shoe clips (£6), along with pretty headbands and other accessories can be purchased online at Something Different's store if you didn't make it along today and want to see more.

Lastly, but by no means least, I fell in love with some of the original handmade pieces at West End-based Pure Brass Neck's jewellery stall. With earrings, necklaces and brooches made from silver and plastic, featuring skulls and animals (two of my favourite motifs) I was truly spoilt for choice. Also, the girls at the table were cheery and approachable, which always makes for a pleasant shopping/browsing experience I think!

A selection of quirky jewellery by Pure Brass Neck

Even though I didn't buy anything from Pure Brass Neck today, something tells me I will next time. Until then, there is always the website to peruse or I am reliably informed pieces are locally stocked at Lupe Golightly (639 Great Western Road) too. Bonus!

Phew, after all that I needed a sit down and the boy was ready for food so we headed downstairs for some lunch. Hillhead Bookclub is a local haunt for many people on a Sunday and getting a table between 12 and 2pm can be slim pickings but we still managed. The brunch menu is a little more succinct compared to the lunch menu, but the prices are great and the food is yummy so no complaints here. I had the french toast & bacon (below) and the boy had the biggest burger we'd seen in a long time!

Lunch at Hillhead Bookclub (soon to be demolished by yours truly)

After a long and lazy lunch we were suitably stuffed and headed out into the sunny afternoon to walk it off. All in all, a great day.

Be sure to check out the vendors' websites (all linked above) for more info.

What did you do today?

Nice Day for a White Wedding: Gioia Mia Designs

When I was little, I wasn't like a lot of the other girls in my class. I didn't talk about what my wedding is going to be like or dream about dresses and flowers and all of the other things that come as part of the bride 'experience'. As I got older, nothing really changed and as the girls around me talked with even more enthusiasm about what kind of veils they would have and could rhyme off the whole event like a well planned-MI5 operation. They had (and I'm sure still have) their wedding day plans down to a fine science. I guess I just don't have that 'bride gene' (as some people call it), I'm not one of those girls (as lovely as you all are).

Not having been to many weddings I haven't had much reason to look at the fluffy white world of bridal wear. This year, all that is going to change. Two people very special to me are getting married and for the first time I have been asked to be a bridesmaid (twice), which is a total honour (if a little daunting) and I have also been selected to help style one of the brides. No pressure then! This means I have to sit up and start paying attention to what I used to normally call "all that bride stuff" and start to get familiar with all that comes with being involved in a wedding. As much as I am being pushed out of my comfort zone, I am still looking forward to it and have already started to look at different designers (although I have still managed to avoid cracking open a bridal magazine). Being the magpie that I am, I have eased myself in by looking at accessories first.

Bridal wear is a vast and successful industry, there are countless designers specialising in everything from shoes to fascinators. It's pretty overwhelming. There are dozens of magazines solely dedicated to advising brides on what to wear and whole events set up to help people plan their perfect wedding. Where possible, I like to check out local designers and was so pleased when Gioa Mia got in touch with me as they are just what the doctor ordered - local, talented, down-to-earth and unusual. It was enough not to scare me off (some of those bridal shops in town can just be plain scary).

Bracelet: Sterling silver, Swarovski crystal, freshwater pearls, glass (£120)

Gioa Mia are a bespoke bridal jewellery and accessory design company based in the West End of Glasgow. They have been trading for 6 years and over that time have been building up a great reputation for good customer service and attention to detail. I caught up with designer Sonia, who started the company in 2004 after designing and making all of the jewellery and accessories for a friend who was getting married. Sonia explained that her unique designs are bespoke, so each piece is created through getting to know her customers and understanding who they are, what ideas they might have and the overall feel of their wedding. Understanding what your customers want and tailoring to their needs is a huge plus point (just ask Mary Portas) and I should think that attention to detail is probably important in any bride-to-be's book.

Tiara: Swarovski crystal and Swarovski pearl (£180)

Gioia Mia designs are currently made on a commission-only basis directly from the designer which sounds expensive but the prices are very reasonable starting at £15 for earrings and can range up to £150 - £300 for a bridal tiara. The pieces are made from high-quality materials including Swarovski crystals, gemstones and sterling silver.

Earrings: Sterling silver and Swarovski crystal (£100)

It's clear that a lot of the pieces have an antique-y, whimsical feel too and it was no surprise when Sonia revealed that a lot of her designs are influenced by historical costume and design - such as Renaissance costumes or Neo-classical paintings. An excellent example can be seen in this pretty floral tiara:

Tiara comb: Swarovski pearl and crystal, freshwater pearl, rose quartz, paper buds and flowers (£160)

Giving customers the "personal touch" is certainly what sets this company apart and even the website has a warm, almost journal-like approach with real-life customer testimonials and photographs of the brides wearing the pieces as opposed to a hard, corporate sell. As well as the commission based designs, last year Sonia created her ready-to-wear collection which is aimed to be sold online and from a selection of hand-picked stockists. The ready-to-wear collection has already had a massive impact with requests from magazines and photo shoots coming in before the collection was even finished! It's no surprise that Gioia Mia continues to go from strength to strength with plans to launch an online shop later this year.

You can find more information on Gioia Mia on their website, and by joining the mailing list at info@gioiamia.net. And as for my journey into the world of bridesmaid duties? I'll keep you posted.

Shops: Hidden Pop-up Shop

I recently blogged about the goodies on sale at Much Too Fun's online store and mentioned that there was a pop-up shop planned. Last Thursday evening was the launch evening of Much Too Fun's pop-up shop at the Hidden Lane, and never one to refuse the opportunity to go shopping, I headed along for a visit.

Scatter cushions by Emily Moir featured at the pop-up shop

The appropriately named Hidden Lane is tucked away just off Argyle Street, but too wasn't difficult to find. For a moment I wondered if I was in the right place - up a dark slightly scary alley - but then I spotted the cheery yellow plastic sign that assured me that I was.

The pop-up shop was full of keen shoppers browsing the shelves in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. I was asked several times if I needed assistance or would like a drink, the customer service was very friendly and personal - so much that at times I felt like I had wandered into someones flat rather than a shop (as it felt cosy, there was no pressure to spend money and the Much Too Fun girls seemed genuinely happy that we were there). I instantly recognised jewellery by Bonnie Bling and saw Lindsay McDowall's nautical necklace being proudly displayed in a glass cabinet which made me smile.

Jewellery by Lindsay McDowall (top shelf) & Bonnie Bling for Obscure Couture (underneath)

Lots of other local designers and creative types had their pieces showcased at the shop, including Downie Allison Downie Bookbinders, Wonky Woolies (whose snowman hat and scarf sets get a special mention for being so cute), Emily Moir's gorgeous printed scatter cushions and The Charm Offensive. I also spotted CDs, handmade cards and yummy cupcakes. It was nice to see some of the products up close in 'real life' after admiring them online. Did I leave empty handed? Of course not.

Some of the knitwear on display by Wonky Woolies

The shop has 'popped up' just in time for Christmas shopping, and is well worth a visit to see what quirky gifts are on offer and also to take the opportunity to support local talent.

Some plastic patter by Bonnie Bling (left) & notebooks by Downie Allison Downie Bookbinders

You can find the Much Too Fun Hidden Pop-up Shop at Unit 24A, The Hidden Lane, 1103 Argyle Street, G3 8ND.

Will you be visiting the Hidden Pop-up Shop for a bit of Christmas shopping?

Shops: Much Too Fun

As a self-confessed jewellery fanatic, I knew it wasn't going to be too long before I would be blogging about what treasures have caught my magpie-like eye again recently. Lots of independent jewellery designers and stores have caught my attention lately, through word of mouth, Twitter and simply coming across their pieces while wandering round the shops & craft fairs.

Much Too Fun's online store was one I came across by chance, and I'm so very glad that I did. A fairly new enterprise (it has been up and running around 6 months) hosting in-house and other up-and-coming designers, Much Too Fun specialise in unique pieces that will make their customers smile. While browsing through their collections, I noted a variety of items that expanded beyond jewellery including cushions and bags by Emily Moir, cosy custom knits by Woolly Noodle and Finch & Fouracre's truly lifelike models. Jewellery by The Charm Offensive (specialising in "all things cute and shiny") and Obscure Couture is also on offer, with the latter having recently launched their first collection last month at the Barras centre.

I Heart Tea necklace (£7) by The Charm Offensive

With Christmas fast approaching, there lots of cute and quirky gift ideas to choose from. My favourite collection on the website is the aptly-named Bonnie Bling, which showcases a range of high-quality acrylic jewellery emblazoned with classic Glasgow banter, such as Blether, Peely Wally, Midgies Love Me (so true) and Soap Dodger amongst other well-known phrases. The pieces are bright, affordable and very wearable, sure to brighten up an outfit - here's a few of my favourites:

Peely Wally necklace (£15) by Bonnie Bling

Blether necklace (£15) by Bonnie Bling

Och Aye earrings (£12) By Bonnie Bling

Bonnie Bling have now teamed up with Obscure Couture to release an exclusive jewellery collaboration that correlates with Obscure Couture's Flesh & Bone fashion collection which sees them give traditional Victorian-esque designs a rebellious makeover. Mohawked cameo, anyone?

Bleeding Cameo necklace (£40) by Obscure Couture & Bonnie Bling

The Bonnie Bling collection was created by Mhairi Mackenzie and Sarah Richardson, who are also the dynamic duo behind the Much Too Fun website. Much Too Fun is currently solely online-based, but they have enjoyed successful guest-spots at events such as the 3D/2D West End Festival in Edinburgh, Technofest and Hillhead High School's Fundraising Fete (Ooh! Just next to my house...).

Also, Mhairi from Much Too Fun tells me that the girls are planning a pop-up shop in time for Christmas that will house lots of gorgeous gifts like mirrors, handmade notebooks, natural bath goodies, specially made Christmas cards and prints as well as regular favourites from the online store. The first pop-up shop is set to take place on the 18th of November in Glasgow's Finnieston area, giving fans and newcomers alike the opportunity to browse in person. Details are still to be confirmed so be sure to keep updated by checking out Much Too Fun's Twitter, Facebook and e-newsletter.

A selection of goodies available from Much Too Fun (various prices)

What I really like about Much Too Fun, apart from the awesome range on offer, is the genuine love of creating unique and beautiful pieces behind it. You can really tell that these girls love what they do and the website has a really personal feel to it. You feel like you are buying from actual people and not just another faceless shop brand. More than an online shop, Much Too Fun is a celebration of local creativity run by the designers themselves.

I am excited to see what the Much Too Fun girls get up to in the near future, and with more collaborations, a Bonnie Bling Christmas collection and appearances at Supermercado coming up, I am sure I won't be disappointed.

You can check out Much Too Fun's online store here!

(All photos in this post used from Much Too Fun's website with loads of thanks x)

Shop: Jodie's Jewellery Boutique

When an outfit needs something special to give it that extra bit of va-va-voom, only a good piece of statement jewellery will do the job. The cherry on top, the icing on the cake. After the shoes, the dress and the hair are sorted out, it is the jewellery that is the finishing touch and can set you apart from the crowd.

Which is why, tucked neatly in Argyll Arcade, Jodie's Jewellery Boutique is where fashionistas in the know go to accessorise.


The store opened in summer 2008 and is a Glasgow family-run business. With its bubblegum pink carpeting, big mirrors and pick n' mix selection of jewelry & accessories, it is pure girlie fashion indulgence. Jodie's carries the popular brands that we know and love like Tatty Devine and Disney Couture, and introduces us to ones we may not be as familiar with, for example Glasgow's own And Mary and the quirky and fabulous Silver Service.

Disney Couture 'Alice in Wonderland':

Tatty Devine:

I am a firm believer that the shopping experience is almost (if not as) important as the items we purchase, and with its friendly atmosphere, cheerful staff and wonderful attention to detail (from the themed cabinet displays to the cute carrier bags), Jodie's makes for a very pleasant customer experience indeed. The girls in the shop know their jewelry and have the same passion for the designs as their customers.

New season Tatty Devine:

Attention to detail is in the bag:

What I also really like about this store is their knack of knowing what brands people want, ones that may be difficult to get (even online) and they make them accessible. I had to resist buying one of the Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers-style brooches by No Tail (maybe next time...) and caught myself looking longingly at the new-in handbags by Helen Rochfort. Back to the task at hand, I chatted to Louise of Jodie's, who filled me in on their best selling items and the store's annual birthday bash (which unfortunately has just passed - but there's always next year). The birthday events are very special, with a prize draw, champagne, cake and discount vouchers all featuring in the celebrations!

Ruby Slippers brooches by No Tail:

With prices starting at around a fiver, Jodie's is refreshingly unpretentious. They are worth visiting because they offer high quality and unique pieces that don't cost an arm and a leg, and provide a lovely atmosphere to browse for them in. And isn't that what it's all about?

I finally asked Louise why people should visit Jodie's Jewellery Boutique, and her response?

"If you haven't seen this stuff, you haven't lived".

And I can't say I disagree.