The Launch of Things & Ink

Well helloooo!  Gosh winter is really setting in isn't it?!  Haha, such an English thing to talk about the weather.  I love a bit of snow myself but am yet to see any since I am in central London.  Unless it's really heavy and dry/cold you don't see a wisp of it here.  Unfortunately I have had my hands tied recently what with the new job and trying to find a place to live I haven't had a proper chance to sit down and write.  I do hope to catch up with all the events I have been attending and things I have been doing with you all as soon as I can.  Starting here with a magazine launch :D

A few weeks ago I attended a launch party at Into You London for an amazing new magazine - Things & Ink.  I would be stating the obvious if I told you it had something to do with tattoos, but it is a lot more than that.  It's also not your typical tattoo magazine off the shelf.  In Alice' own words about her new project - "A new tattoo magazine that embraces female tattoo culture, for artists, collectors and those yet to go under the needle".  Sounds perfect to me!

The first issue has the most beautiful cover featuring Claudia De Sabe.  You may be familiar with the image whose inspiration originated from Artoris Gibbons; one of the best known tattooed ladies of her generation.  Artoris worked in circus' and carnival sideshows throughout the 1920s - 50s with a career spanning over 35 years.  Artoris' history seems a little unclear but you can definitely read a lot about her and her husbands life searching on the internet.  I can imagine she would have been one interesting lady to converse with!

Make-up by my lovely friend Kelly "Miss Honey Bare"

Hair by Lucie Luella of Rockalily

Here's a few snaps from the launch itself...

I took a photograph with the lovely Mo Deeley who won a years subscription with T&I!
Loving the blue hair Mo ;) 

The Things & Ink team

Alice & I - Funny how we look ink-less in this photo :) 

Keep an eye out for my interview with Alice, Editor of Things & Ink here soon.  In the meantime I encourage you to support this indie publication so go pick up a copy and soon!

Alison ;) xxx

This, Last and Next...

Weekends that is.  I did some fun things and will be participating in some other fun things before Christmas really kicks in.

Last weekend was a lot of plans and un-plans.  Realising I didn't have to work and that some of my friends were going to the sold out second Halloween Torture Garden night I tried to get my hands on a ticket.  Since that wasn't going too well I decided to have dinner and drinks with a friend.  That was until Saturday morning when she told me she could only go for one.  One!?  I decided to postpone and headed back to Surrey to hang out with my baby pups.  This worked out quite well because I had planned on going back the next weekend but something came up, which I will write about next. Anyway, I headed to the suburbs with some goodies in hand.  Goodies to do my hair with!

I had called ahead to make sure my sis would be in so that I could rope her into doing my hair for me.  Hehe.  I had been considering going the full head of turquoise but knowing how busy I would be in the coming months I decided against it.  I wouldn't have the time to maintain it.  So I opted for an alternative.  1/3 turquoise!  Plus the front section I kept because I love how my rolls look with it.

The front re-done

My triangle of blueness :D 

I'm loving it!  Except my scalp hurts a bit from the bleaching.  I will try and show you another photo soon when I fashion it into some style or up-do.

This was my Saturday night in well spent.  The only thing was.  Two hours after arriving a friend knew a friend who had some tickets going for TG.  Typical.

Sunday was lovely and went as pre-planned for once.  It was absolutely freezing here but we holed up in new Dalston drinking/stew house The Dead Dolls Club for my favourite; Sunday Roast!  It was so lovely, cosy and warm in there.  We didn't want to leave for fireworks.  But of course we did.  Not before we squeezed in some crumble for desert.  Even if we were about to burst due to yummy roast goodness.  In a very good way.

The Duke

Guy Fawkes. Happy to say that my pups don't get distressed by this. They just carry on as normal.

Onto This coming weekend... On Saturday I shall be working, but not at my usual job.  Nope.  You will all be able to swing by to It's Something Hell's Rockabilly Barbers to say a little hi.  I shall be bringing out Miss Cherrylicious guest pin-up assistant to Mr Ducktail for the day.  My lovely friend Sharon of Minnie Moons is their regular pin-up assistant.  Why not come and get a kut or pick up a tee whilst I'm there?  I will make sure you get taken care of!

Finally the Next weekend.  You shall find me hanging out at Old Spitalfields Market on Saturday the 17th.  No not to shop, but to curate.  There will be a Pop Up Vintage Fashion Show and yours truly will be up early and down there styling some outfits along with a handful of other talented people.  More on this soon.  On the Sunday I will be heading west by invitation to visit a lovely luxury lingerie boutique to meet with the owner.  I will keep you posted on all things frilly and lacy.

Well, that's the weekends sorted.  In between all this and more I will be squeezing in an attendance at a magazine launch, writing up an interview, DJing at an event, more drinks and dinner with friends and starting a new job.  A new job for the same company.  I have been promoted at work so a new title and at a new location :D  I shall be very busy indeed.

Hopefully I will be back on here with more updates very soon.  So much to write about!

Until next time, toodles!
Alison xxx

Min Boudoir Magazine Feature

Well, this is rather exciting news to announce!  I have been keeping it for quite some months until the issue recently came out.  As the title suggests, I am indeed featured in the third edition of the Swedish Vintage Lifestyle/Pin-Up publication Min Boudoir this month!  You know the little book of Vintage Styling I was recently featured in and was helping the authors to promote?  Well, the magazine article is something to do with said book.  I had organised with Tifa (Editor in chief) a book give away through the magazine whilst I was organising the book launch.  Tifa had then ask for me to feature with the article.  Of course I really couldn't say no to that now could I?  ;)  Heh!  It so happened at the time Anna, Min Boudoir's photographer was visiting London and we had planned to shoot together.  As it goes, for some unknown reason(I blame modern technology) we couldn't get in touch with each other and it was Anna's last day in London.  Lucky me I happen to have my very good friend and photographer Jaana on hand.  We took some shots at the book launch and sent that across to Tifa.  Ta da, the job is done!

Issue three can now be purchased in stores across Sweden and also via their website for those living abroad. Issue one is also available but issue two is now sadly sold out.

My lovely Malin residing in Sweden has kindly picked up a copy for me and one for herself too.  Ready to be flicked through when I visit next month.  I cannot wait!  Of course I wanted to see the article and Malin so kindly took a photo for me.  The article was a lot bigger than I had expected, as well as my photograph.  A full page :D

I believe the caption says something along the lines of... "Model and blogger Miss Cherrylicious in Wearable Vintage Fashion where she speaks of her style."  Do correct me if I am wrong as the two times I Google translated it, it said different things.  Or maybe it's me typing it incorrectly?  Remember you can win yourself a copy of Wearable Vintage Fashion through the magazine so go and pick up a copy now!

This was just a quick update and a bit of exciting news from me.  Thank you to the lovely Tifa for asking me to be in an issue of Min Boudoir.  When I can I will most definitely take you up on the offer of modelling for your wonderful publication.

I will be back posting about my new humble abode very soon with a few snaps of my own boudoir!  Also of course my weekend at The Chap Olympiads.

Happy Friday 13th.  Night night,

Alison xx

Min Boudoir - An Interview with their Editor in Chief

When I first realise that there was to be a new Pin-Up/Vintage lifestyle magazine in the making I was very excited.  When I realised it would be a Swedish Pin-Up/Vintage lifestyle magazine I became super excited!  I love Sweden and my Swedish lovelies.  In my twelve/thirteen years in London I have met so many Sweds and have become particularly close to my favourite blondie Malin whom you will have seen on here many a times before.  I cannot wait to hang out with Malin again this summer!

Anyway back to the subject in hand.  I basically became rather intrigued with the birth of this new publication and decided I would get in touch with them to find out a little bit more.  That is when I found myself exchanging emails with the lovely Tifa Högberg; Editor-in-chief of Min Boudoir.

Tifa as the cover girl on the very first edition of Min Boudoir.

Here Tifa answers a few of my burning questions...


Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I was born in Stockholm (which is the capital of Sweden) but from age six me and my family moved out to the countryside. My interest of vintage have always been there but didn't really affect my life until about 10 years ago when I rediscovered Bettie Page and was drawn to the whole pin-up thing.


How did you come to fall in love with vintage and the pin-up style?

When rediscovering Bettie Page I also learned about the pin-up scene over in the US. I discovered models like Bernie Dexter and Sabina Kelley who caught my eye and my fascination grew stronger and stronger and I slowly started to experimenting with vintage hairstyles and clothing. In Sweden the rockabilly scene was big but no one did pinup modelling. So I decided to start out!

One of Tifa's modelling shots

At home... every bit the pin-up 24/7

Have you always worked in the publishing industry?

Not at all! I studied media in high school and that's it! For me it's always been easy with everything from writing to editing movies and things like that but after school I worked with totaly different things for many years. When I decided to go with my dream I did it all from scratch. From meetings with writers to actual places I could get the finished mag printed. I bought all the software that would be needed like InDesign and Photoshop and learned as I went forward.

What made you decide to publish your own magazine?

When I realized that there never was a magazine for me to read I decided to do something about it! I was also starting to move more and more away from modeling myself and doing burlesque (after doing it for several years) but my heart really belongs to that scene so I wanted to do something different but still in the same area. If I haven't started the magazine I'd probably start my own vintage inspired clothing label, taken up pin up photography or started a band... who knows. I'm not one of those who can just sit around and do nothing!


How hard was it to come up with the name and what inspired it?

Hmm I'm not really sure how it came to be. I wanted a name that could include all kinds of topic. Not just retro clothing or only burlesque.
Min Boudoir means My Boudoir. And that is what I want the magazine to be, when you read it you'll go to that girlie place where it's all about stockings, fashion and hairstyles. Well not only of course, but in my head I see a woman lounging somewhere sipping on a cocktail and reading.

How long did it take from dreaming up the magazine to turning it into reality?

Well it's been in my head for a couple of years but from when I actually started out working on it took me less than a year to have the first issue out. When I do something I really do it! Looking back there are tons of things I could have done differently. I could probably have saved myself a great deal of money and sleep if I'd done my homework on a couple of things. But I've unfortunately seen too many people starting on their dreams and didn't follow through because they were scared, didn't know exactly how or didn't know where to start. I had no clue, but a strong will and just thought to myself "I'll learn while doing it". I hope to inspire others to go ahead with their dreams.

What are the Min Boudoir team working on at the moment?

Next issue, the third one is coming out later this month so most of the time right now goes to putting the last pieces together!

Team MB!

Are you involved with any other projects outside of the magazine?

Haha feels like I'm always involved in what going on. But lately I've decided to start saying no, even to things I want to do like modeling or burlesque shows. There is simply no time and I need to stop pushing myself too hard. But yes there are some modeling and shows ahead but... ah well it’s hard not to when it's so much fun!

Where would you like to take Min Boudoir from here on?

I’d like to see it bigger, more issues each year and in English for all the Europeans that is waiting for it (US as well).

Where will we be seeing the Min Boudoir name this year? Events etc?

We will sponsor some vintage and burlesque events but I cannot reveal to much just yet ;)

* * * * *

I hope you enjoyed reading a little bit more about Tifa and her dream, Min Boudoir.  This was my second interview for The Dressing Parlour and I rather liked conducting them actually.  I will try to interview some more interesting people very soon.  Thank you again to Tifa for taking the time out to answer my questions!  I cannot wait to see issue three and what is install for Min Boudoir in the future.

Good night all xxx

One last pic - such cute hair!