dandy avenue

Floral

Elena — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:41:01 +0000

Just been at Coachella and Mexico and doing the last dregs in LA. Wow so good. Holiday post coming soon once I sift through the gazillion photos I took! Here’s a belated post from before I left.
I love white and I love floral. So there you go.Top and Jacket Zara; Trousers H&M; Shoes Alexander Wang; Rings Topshop; Necklace H&M + DIY spray paint effect

DIY Collar Chain

Elena — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:48:34 +0000

So I’m at Coachella festival in California for the second time and loving life but thought I’d post a quick and easy DIY too cute not to share!!! Two Topshop pony earrings and a loose chain from Bead Works Covent Garden can add a bit of jazz to any collar. I took an ASOS scalloped shirt I bought recently and pierced a hole with a needle on either side and attached the earrings with a normal earring back. Easy. You could do it with any earring style. Alternate and change. So simple and so cute.

Creepers

Elena — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:46:22 +0000

Just bought these pretty little Carven creepers from the lovely people at Start London. I’d recommend them any day for a fine selection of wearable designer pieces. Had a mega crush on the Carven printed shorts and Sophie Hulme totes in store. Such a rad pick of great contemporary brands with a friendly clean layout and of course, everything easy on the eye. I was tossing up between the pink or the natural colour but the latter would go with more and has longevity in the wardrobe. Exactly what you want when you are buying an investment piece. I get height without pain. Always a bonus ;)

Scribbles

Elena — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:40:59 +0000

I think watercolour is one of my favourite mediums ever. After that I’d say oils, and then go for spray acrylic for the real fun stuff. (I source from London Graphic Centre and Cass Art) From a drawing perspective, I’d go 4B pencils to biro, to fine liner to pastels. But I tend to always go back to watercolour. There’s something so free about it, how colour can bleed into something you didn’t intend but it completely works. I was stoked to have the opportunity of interpreting some dark floral work to watercolour for some album artwork for Alexander Fairchild. It’s beautiful music and out in April.

Medlar

Elena — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:39:52 +0000

Want an epic three course meal for 3 courses? Head to Medlar on the Kings Road in Chelsea. Despite the fancy postcode, this little neighbourhood establishment has no pretension with a relaxed family friendly atmosphere. Medlar offers a brilliant a la carte menu that is the same through lunch and weekends at a great price with no catches. We asked what to get and got great suggestions and the service was attentive in all the right amounts. Highlights were the duck egg tart to start, the lamb mains and the cheesecake dessert.
Starters Crispy fried lamb; crab raviolo; duck egg tart
Mains Lamb, Roast Duck, Haddock and Scallops
Dessert Vanilla cheesecake; Chocolate Delice; Blood Orange Sorbet
Treats Homemade truffles

DIY Neon Ombre Necklace

Elena — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:27:27 +0000

I bought this necklace from H&M as it had a nice tribal look about it but the colour was a weird fake elephant ivory so I decided to spruce it up with two key trends. Flouros and ombre. You could do one or the other or both as in the photos with any colours you like!
You will need some spray paint and your chosen necklace. I used Gold acrylic paint from London Graphic Centre. It’s actually the best stuff commonly used for street art but LGC had a sale and the big cans were only £4.50! I bought a neon yellow, navy and a mattifying finish spray. 1. Start to spray a base coat on the necklace (making sure it’s on a covered surface) holding the can about 15 cm away and spraying in a wave motion for even distribution.
2. Leave it to dry for an hour or so and then spray a second coat in the same manner.
3. Once fully dry on the front, repeat step 1 and 2 on the other side so the back of the necklace is done and leave to dry. 4. You could leave the necklace as is for just a neon look and finish with a light coat of the matt finishing spray either side.
5. For an ombre look, take your other chosen colour and spray from a 15cm distance only along the bottom of the necklace. The trick here is to consistently spray with the same amount of pressure or you’ll end up with a few blobs or spurts that are too noticeable . I practiced a few times on some newspaper first to make sure.Amazing how you can totally transform with colour. Happy spray painting! Don’t be shy with neon when the sun is out! :) xx

DIY Studded Heels

Elena — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:25:07 +0000

Got totally DIY inspired by these spiked heels on A Pair and A Spare and had to do it to spice up some knackered Carvela heels I had. I sourced the studs from New Trimmings, Berwick Street (my go to accessories store if I need something quick, but you can actually source a lot of their produce cheaper off eBay if you’re willing to wait for shipping from HK) It took me all of 30 minutes to do. So easy! Thanks Geneva!

Say Organic

Elena — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:33:29 +0000

I must have heard myself numerous times complain about a measly six items I just bought from the supermarket costing over £20. Gross. I realised I was a “pay as you go” eater. Buying whatever I felt like having at the time which meant money flew out my pocket at an alarming rate. That together with reading “Eating Animals” by Jonathan Safran-Foer led me to source my food better and more economically. I was skeptical about the organic veg box thing at first, but I can tell you… the flatties and I are converted and almost despairing if I forget to order one. It feels like the house is never out of food, and there’s always something to have a go at cooking with the random veggies and fruit we have. I get a medium veg & fruit box combo that vary from £16-20 per week with different companies. Between the three of us, it works out roughly £6.50 each. Such good value for how much you get. We also get the meat boxes from Riverford and they are brilliant. Altogether we pay approx £12.50 each for organic meat, fruit and veg per week. I’ve saved over £100 a month with this. All towards the dream Celine bag fund haha. Cracking value and straight to the door. You have to try it. Packed with Love. From experience, I’d say The Organic Delivery Company and Riverford are the best guys out there, amazing service, prompt timing and easy to use. Plus the produce tastes amazing and is packed with recycled wrapping :) Not to be captain obvious, but it really has helped us eat healthy and to be more inventive in the kitchen. My flatmate Alex has this down to a tee – see some of her amazing recipes and beautiful photography at her food blog here. Froth!

Zara Rule

Elena — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:56:16 +0000

Zara is so good. Consistently right now. They have nailed Spring Summer styles so well. From Phillip Lim inspired pastels, to paisley prints, to Louis Vuitton broderie anglaise and toe capped shoes, to fish skin look sandals a la Alexander Wang to beautiful collar details. They are one of my favourite high street brands to mix with designer treasures, like these Alexander Wang Joan Leather Mule pumps.Shirt; Tapered Trousers; Jacket: Zara
Shoes; Alexander Wang SS12
Bag; Balenciaga City

DIY leather bracelets

Elena — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:32:02 +0000

Saw these rad bracelets on Manrepeller’s instagram not too long ago. No idea where they’re from as she didn’t say but they looked so easy to DIY. I picked up some leather trimming from the Bead Shop down near Neal’s Yard Covent Garden as well as some tear drop gems from New Trimmings, Berwick Street on a Sunday arvo together with some picture wire at the pound shop and made these this afternoon. You will need some leather/suede trimming, costs about 80p/metre in the bead shops around London. Some gems/swarovski elements approx £1 per gem, and some picture wire at £1.99 for a big coil that will last you forever. Start by twisting the picture wire around 12 times really close together, then wire through a gem and continue with another 12 coils. Repeat at random spaces on the leather and finish by wrapping around your wrist a few times and tie a loose knot.