about your shop: Welcome Home

These papercut eyelashes from lovely little shop Welcome Home are basically the most amazing thing I've ever seen.  You can actually stick them on your eyes and use them!  For reals!

They're £12 per pair, and would certainly get a few comments if you dared wear them on a night out (or to work, why not?) - not all of these comments may be considered "constructive" but who cares?  You have horses/peach blossoms/peonies on your eyelids.  You answer to NO ONE.

about your dress: Aurelia Bird Dress from Lunacy Boutique

I am currently loving a bit of Lunacy Boutique - an eccentric shop which offers a pretty comprehensive range of smaller brands at reasonable prices.  This Aurelia Bird Dress by Pepa Loves is just one of many pretty day dresses available:

And take a closer look at the print!  It's like the birds are kissing.  Aah, birdy free-love...

If you want one, it's £60, but there are only limited sizes left (6/8 and 10/12 when this article "went to press") so make haste!

about your shop: Sarah Morpeth

I love finding new exciting things on the internet all by myself - it makes me feel like a modern day Francis Drake.  Someday I shall circumnavigate the whole world wide web (yeah, I've got no idea how that would work either).  But there are occasions where I find something so magnificent I can't wrap my head around how I've never even heard of it before.  Prepare yourselves, people, because THIS is one of those times.

Let me introduce you to a very special lady called Sarah Morpeth.  Sarah creates absolutely stunning 3D works of art with paper, increasingly in book form because she is "in love with the multiplicity of forms the book can take".  My words can't do justice to her work, so let me show you some pictures instead.

This stunning Box Book is from Sarah's unique books collection, all of which would make a wonderful addition to any room.  It's £150, which is a bit out of my price range, but it's not hard to appreciate the amount of skill this will have taken.  At the top of the unique books page is a lovely description of what inspired Sarah to create many of these items (check it out for yourself; she phrases it so eloquently I wouldn't even consider trying to paraphrase it here).

Here's how Sarah herself describes her art:

"All my work starts out as a blank sheet of paper. I make a range of books and works in cut paper, from unique constructed books to limited and unlimited editions and multiples. Every aspect of my unique books - cutting, stitching, painting and binding -  is done by hand to produce one-off book works. I also make limited and unlimited editions and multiples. These combine elements of traditional bookbinding and book structures with other processes such as printing and machine cutting in my studio.  Using such processes enables me to replicate pieces in affordable editions and multiples many of which are available for sale."

The editions range Sarah speaks of contains some absolute gems which are affordable even for paupers like myself.  I would kiss in the face anyone who bought me this Seagulls book, which is only £12:

I also love this hedgerow landscape (£12):

It looks so lovely before you even open it that I'd be tempted to buy two and keep one closed:

As well as making her own unique brand of art, Sarah also runs one day workshops teaching her craft to lesser beings at her studio in Northumberland.  She also welcomes commissions, (you can email her if you've got any enquiries) and her work would make a wonderfully unique gift for someone special.  Or yourself.  Not that you're not special, I mean; rarely a day goes by when I'm NOT singing your praises.  But not in a weird stalkery way.  Err... is that the doorbell?  What?  I don't have a doorbell?  Cripes, this is awkward...

about your bag: Two Colour Leather Satchel from Topshop

Is it possible to fall in love with a bag?  I think so, even if it can't possibly be requited.  Either way, that's how I feel about this beauteous Two Colour Leather Satchel, £50 from Topshop:

I found said future lover bag whilst perusing their freshly redesigned website - all the same stock but about 26% less try-hard.  I approve, Toppers, I approve.

UPDATE - about your stationery: Vintage Map Covered Notebooks by mrYen

Further to my post last week about the wonderful mrYen's equally wonderful Vintage Map Covered Notebook, the man himself has today announced that he will in fact be creating notebooks in five different designs - a series of vintage mappery, if you will - and a new one of these will be for sale every day this week on his Etsy shop.  Based on the price of the first one, I'd imagine they'll all retail at $20.  Here's a little teaser for you:

I for one am excited to see the rest.  If you want one you'll have to be Quick Draw McGraw - there's only one of each and once they're gone, they're gone!  (I never really understood that expression.  Of course they're gone when they're gone, where else would they be?)

Why not follow mrYen on Twitter or check out his blog so you can be as well-informed as me?

about your stationery: Pugs Not Drugs card from Hannah Zakari

Dogs are my all-time favourite animal and pugs are my all-time favourite dog.  Bearing that in mind, it's easy to see why I love this Pugs Not Drugs card from wonderfully eclectic store Hannah Zakari:

Possibly the best card I've ever seen.  It's £2.50, and the design is also available as a tote in two colours for £12, although this is currently out of stock:

Pugs not drugs, guys (I'm hoping antihistamines don't count).  Sage words indeed.

about your stationery: Vintage Map Covered Notebook by mrYen

I first featured wonderful paper-cut artist mrYen back in March in a feature solely on his Etsy shop, but I had to draw your attention to this one new product he has put up for sale this week:

I absolutely am in love with this stunning Vintage Map Covered Notebook - it's $20 which is a bit pricey for a notebook of this size, but when you bear in mind the fact it has been lovingly hand-cut by a talented craftsman and is one of a kind, I think it's worth it.

about your bag: Wood Box Clutch from French Connection

I first saw this stunning Wood Box Clutch in person a couple of months ago and instantly fell in love before baulking at the price (£90).

It is genuinely an object of beauty and fine craftsmanship, and now it's been reduced to £75 in the French Connection sale, it's just like they're teasing me.  That's still far too much for a bag I wouldn't use all the time, even if the rest of the time it remained on display in my home like a prized work of art.

Seriously though, where has that sugar daddy got to?

Oh wait, I think I just changed my mind...

about your sale: ASOS sale

Two of my great loves (ASOS and sales) have combined to form the purse-emptyingly dangerous ASOS SALE.  Because of how much of a giant this particular online retailer has become, I could probably fill days blogging about all the items I would purchase if I had a sugar daddy, but instead I've chosen one item from a few categories for easier consumption.

From dresses...

I love this Pretty Lace Trim Printed Sundress, now £20 reduced from £34.  Lovely floral pattern + flattering waist tie = winner.

From coats and jackets...

This Diesel Oversized Drape Back Blazer (£98 from £140 - with the brand comes the price) somehow manages to be both tailored and casual at the same time.  Ideal if you're going out for a few cocktails and aren't intending on being home the side of midnight my mum would approve of - at least she'd be grateful I'd brought a jacket.

From knitwear...

There's something quite Breakfast Club-esqe about this Vero Moda Multi Colour Fleck Cardigan (£22 from £35).  That's me sold, then.

From shoes...

Whilst I would undoubtedly immediately fall to my death upon standing up in these Leather Laser Cut Shoeboots, if someone I knew bought them, I'd probably cause the death of our friendship and a possible restraining order through inappropriate staring.  They're better than half price too, having been reduced from £125 to £60.

From bags...

This Leather Slot Through Satchel is almost perfect in its simplicity.  Not for the grubby-fingered likes of me, but if you'd like to give it a good home it's excellent value - £34 from £65, and also available in yellow for just £27.

All of these items will see you nicely through the rest of summer, and there's plenty more where they came from.  Be warned though, starting to peruse the ASOS sale when you're expected somewhere in the next hour is a Bad Idea.

about your bag: Alphabet Bags

I like letters.  Yeah, I know you know, so let's cut to the chase.  I have a pretty silly name (Ria, for all those too lazy to shift their gaze to the 'Bonjour' box just over thataway --->  But I've had it a while now, and I've grown quite attached to it.  Bearing in mind my liking of letters and attachment to my name, this R bag from Alphabet Bags would make a lovely gift for me (HINT):

They come in all letters, and some punctuation marks - although no interrobangs, unfortunately - and are a measly £10.  Buy them in bulk for your friends to benefit from the kind offer of free shipping for orders over £40!

about your shop: FauxKiss on Etsy

I like a lot of things, but there are a few things I especially like.  These include (but are not limited to):

• Maps
• Books
• Words
• Birds
• Prints
• Trees
• My bike

How nice would it be if someone were to combine all of these things in one handy Etsy shop?  Oh, they have?  And that shop's called FauxKiss run by a lady named Jean Cody?  Well thank you, secret-voice-whispering-in-my-ear-which-isn't-really-there-but-I'm-going-to-pretend-it-is-and-use-it-as-a-literary-device, thank you very much!  The shop contains lots of beautiful prints which have pages from old books as their canvas, and there are so many I like, I struggled to choose which to feature.  Since I know you don't have all day, have a gander at my favourite five (all are $12 except the owl print, which is $10):

It's an ancient celestial globe of the Eastern Hemisphere (Western also available) on a 75 year old dictionary page!  It's AWESOME!

It's a bike!  Also on a 75 year old dictionary page!  It comes in red, blue or green!

Ok, I'm stopping with the exclamation marks now.  I do very much love this vintage chandelier print though, and unlike the others, it's printed on a page from an 85 year old book of COWBOY SONGS.  Yeehaw!  (Sorry, I had to do it.)

I love the simplicity of these trees and the gentleness of the red sun.  Ignore the marks at the top of the page, I think they're fingers (and therefore, not included).

This wise owl print is my absolute favourite.  He looks so gruff and angry!  Like he'd peck your eye out in a second!  Aww...

There's absolutely loads over at FauxKiss, and although postage to the UK for one item is $7, each additional item only increases this by $1 - probably a good thing as I don't think I'd be able to stop at one.  The owner also sells supplies over at Moving Sale in case you're inspired to get your craft on.

about my guest post for Domestic Sluttery

I meant to do this last week, but I was crazy busy with work and my hectic social life (everyone wants a bit of the Riaface), so I'm going with the 'better late than never stance' here.

I may have mentioned in the past how much I love Domestic Sluttery.  It is hands down, by a country mile, my most favourite blog, and the Domestic Sluts themselves are a truly wonderful bunch of ladies; in fact, they are so lovely that they let little old me write a guest post for them whilst their editor was in Kenya taking awesome photos of various African beasts.  You should check it out here and once you've done that, you should nominate them for best lifestyle blog in the Cosmo Blog Awards here.

A massive thanks to all the Domestic Sluttery ladies for giving me the opportunity!

about your necklace: The Magpie by Mockinghorse

It's hard to match the feeling of glee which fills me when I find an online shop I really, truly love.  Sometimes it's through hours of trawling the internet, but a lot of the time it's through a recommendation from a friend, or a blog, or someone on Twitter.  Word of mouth FTW!  Anyways, after a brief internal struggle over whether or not to share this wonderful information or stash it away and bark at anyone who comes near it, I always give in.  Sharing is caring, people, and I CARE.  This is why I am delighted to let you into my secret club house and show you Mockinghorse, purveyor of fine acrylic jewellery and accessories!

I am the proud owner of this wonderful Magpie necklace:

Like everything in this marvellous shop, it represents brilliant value at only £12.50, and is also available in cream:

I thought of doing a feature on the whole shop, but two things stopped me: a) it would probably be the longest post in the history of this little blog as I'd be forced to include everything, and b) I had so much fun exploring it myself, I wanted you to be able to do the same.  Otherwise it'd be like those annoying times when you're watching a film with a particularly loud-mouthed friend who's already seen it and keeps shouting "OHMYGOODNESS, this bit is SO funny!" every five minutes.

Actually, that does sound a lot like me...

about your jacket: Grey draped pocket jacket from Dorothy Perkins

Sometimes I think of Topshop and Dorothy Perkins as sisters who both work in the family restaurant owned by Big Daddy Sir Philip Green (stick with me here); Toppers is the crazy flighty one who sometimes makes decisions which make the diners go "What the... what?!" at which point the older, more sensible Dotty steps in and saves the day with something a little less mental, but surprisingly good.  This grey draped jacket (£40) is a prime example:

On first glance it's pretty simple, but I love the soft folds of the pockets, the not-quite-wrist-length sleeves and the delicate tie at the back which gives the jacket a bit more shape.  It would definitely make the diners in Big Daddy's restaurant feel like order had been restored.

about your shoes: Mossy Crochet Lace Up Shoes from Topshop

Aah, Toppers.  You can be crazy and unpredictable, but sometimes you just Get Things Right.  These Mossy Crochet Lace Up Shoes are more than affordable at £28 and SO PRETTY.

Anything that looks that nice and covers up my nasty toes is a big fat WIN in my book.