London calling.

Happy New Year to you all! I've decided to forgo new year's resolutions this year and just enjoy. I was lucky enough to spend my holiday break taking it easy in both Oxford and London, UK with friends and family. Too much food and copious amounts of wine.

I also managed my little craft tour of London. I must admit my list was ambitiously long and perhaps during the boxing day sales was not the best time to attempt shopping around the city, however, thought you might like some highlights!

Stop 1: Cloth House (47 Berwick Street)
So many colours, so many beautiful trims... I took a while here.







Stop 2: Marimekko (16 St Christopher's Place)
Finnish textile and fashion label. Outrageously expensive (scraps were around 28 pounds - eep). Strictly for window shopping. Do you think it would be cheaper in Finland? Gorgeous patterns all the same.





Stop 3: Orla Kiely (31 Monmouth Street)
Wanted to buy everything. Wanted to look like their sales girls. Had no idea how much I really liked her work.




Stop 4 & 5: Borovick Fabrics (16 Berwick Street) and Spitalfields Market
I think I've mentioned it before but I have been itching to try using some leather in various projects. The first place I found was Borovick Fabrics right near Cloth House. I just bought scraps as I figured I would only be needing small amounts. I then went to Spitalfields Market and found out that I had been ripped off and should have bought all of my scrap pieces from there instead! Damn.



Stop 6: Dover Books (18 Earlham Street, Covent Garden)
I've been a little obsessed with old editions of etchings from Dover Books for the past couple of years so felt like I had died and gone to heaven once I found the one and only store that sells a range of their books.


Stop 7: Muji (37 Long Acre Road, Covent Garden)
The obsession continues from Japan. I can't get enough of this store. It's probably a good thing there isn't a shop in The Netherlands or Australia. Such cool stationery, toys, clothes, packaging etc. (No, I didn't buy all of these things - I wish!) Everything is so simple and well designed...


So then I got tired and caught the tube home. Good times.