Fashion Womble

So why so quiet?

2011-08-16T13:43:00.001+01:00

If anyone's checked in here recently you might have wondered what's been going on - I've not posted for ages! Well here's a brief update......

1. I've been ill again :( the dreaded sinus infection has returned with a vengence! Cue anti-biotics and steroids.....

2. I joined Google+ and promptly deleted all my pictures off this blog and Me&Yu's blog (by mistake in one click of a button) so I've been spending time manually re-inputting each photographs (oh happy days)

3. I fell a little bit in love with Tumblr - and made a new Fashion Womble there!!! I love that you can make a post so easily - it's more photography based and you don't need to scour through pages and pages - you can be inspired in instant. A photograph tells a thousand words......

Now I'm not saying that I'm leaving Blogger forever - just my posts will be more infrequent..... here's some pics of things I made recently that have appeared on my Tumblr recently. I'm wearing these together today!!!

Birthday Present!!

2011-06-17T16:07:00.001+01:00

I was lucky enough to get some money for my Birthday - so I treated myself to this gorgeous crochet cardigan from Topshop that I've had my eye on a while. I love it. I know I could probably have made it myself in a day or so but hey - sometimes it's nice to get something off the rack - and even better it was in SALE - Was £46, Now £30 - get one here.

Tutorial...How to Re-Mix a Skirt into a Dress

2011-05-26T16:26:00.001+01:00

Okay so I've been promising to do this for ages. Ever wondered how we make things from one thing to another thing - well this is a classic Me&Yu re-work, step-by-step so you can have a go yourself!

From This....

To This

What You Need
A long full vintage skirt that fits you (eg above)
Sewing Machine
Thread (in suitable colour)
5mm Elastic (in suitable colour - black for darker colours, white for lighter ones)
Buttons or Trims
Sharp Embroidery Scissors
Large Fabric Scissors

Step One

Have a good look at your skirt, either on a mannequin or try it on.

Work out what 'bits' you'll have to work around.

This one has an elasticated waist and an annoying seam which you wouldn't want to fall in an awkward place. It's also pleated rather than gathered which can be tricky.

Step 2

Cut off the elastic with your sharp small scissors.

If you've a skirt with waistband and zip you'll have to cut off the waistband, unpick the zip and sew the gap closed.

Step 3

You'll need to 'finish' the raw edge.

I use an overlocker, which cuts and finishes in a nice neat edge but you can use zig-zag stitch.

*Notice that I've come nearer to that annoying seam - I'm going to use this as my hem so it won't interfere with the line of the dress.

Step 4

You need to mark where your elastic line will sit.

It needs to be lower than your underbust, but could also sit at your waist if you prefer.

Mine was 8" from the top edge. Mark all the way round with pins.

I decided to pin the pleats flat for a smoother line.

Step 5

Fold over and stitch your top hem from the wrong side.

You're making a little channel in which to sit your elastic so you need to make it over 1/2 cm in between the stitch line and the top.

Don't forget to leave a gap - you'll stitch this up later when the elastic is inside.

Step 6

This is the tricky bit - you're going to add your elastic to the WRONG side of your skirt.

You can use straight or zig-zag stitching - whichever you prefer.

Starting at a side seam with a single layer of fabric under your machine, attatch the elastic firmly with a couple of backwards / forwards stitches.

Moving forward then you need to stitch the elastic down following the lines of the pins, taking the pins out as you go.

If that wasn't hard enough you need to stretch the elastic as you stitch - it's this that forms the gathers!!

***TIP- Just do a few inches at once!!***

Once you join your other elastic, overlap, backwards forwards stitch to finish and snip off the excess elastic

From the right side it should be nicely gathered - if not your elastic wasn't stretched enough ...

Unpick and tray again (that's the beauty of sewing!)

Inside view - the circle of elastic is clearly smaller than the skirt.

Step 7

Attatch a safely pin to the end of your elastic and thread all the way around your top channel.

When you reach full circle, thread the end back out of the hole and judge the right tightness.

It needs to sit at the top of your bust tightly without falling down but with enough stretch to get

on and off.

Knot off the ends together, pull tight and cut off the excess.

Step 8

Poke the ends back into the channel and manipulate the knot away from the gap so you can sew this up.

Step 9

If you have a label to sew on you'll need to sew it looped to allow for stretch!

Step 10

The last step is to finish with some detailling - I chose 3 vintage buttons but often I use lace or bows.

The finished article!!!

Wear with a skinny belt over the elastic line, cardie and brogues for a vintage princess look, heels and tanned for a summer night out!

New Shoes

2011-05-25T14:48:00.002+01:00

Not bought anything in ages - but these new shoe boot sandal type things were a MUST HAVE!

Last year I ended up in agony as I lived in my Converse all summer - they're just too flat and I was told off by my podiatrist. So these sandals fit every category of suitable footwear (low chunky heel, supported ankle, adjustable fit) and they are a fashionista's dream. What's not to like? Ah yes the price tag - at £65 they're not the cheapest shoes in the world but they are fabulous quality leather and well made, suitable for day or night, summer or winter with tights I know I'll wear them loads.

And if you want to grab a pair go to Office

Carboot Shopping Begins Again!

2011-04-19T12:03:00.000+01:00

It's been ages since I've been to the Car Boot Sales. They run all through the winter near me, but generally the mix of sellers is so much better when you get a bit of sunshine. So after a winter of lazy Sundays we set out refreshed a car boot sale on Sunday.

I was mainly looking for re-sale goods for the shop - things like scarves, handbags and nice belts. But lately I've also been doing some nice re-worked pieces in the shop so I was also on the hunt for long skirts and mens shirts and I had a very successful day.

But even better I got a great new jacket for me! An absolute steal at £2, I've washed and dried it already and it's got it's first wearing today. Floaty printed viscose with floral and fruit print, it's oversize and slightly quilted - perfect for that 70's look that Topshop are making the most of at the moment.

And here's what Topshop have to offer along the same lines ...

Printed Silk Jacket by Unique - £160

Snake Print Kimono - £58

I know which I prefer - mine!!!

Afflecks is a great place to shop!

2011-03-31T15:03:00.001+01:00

Two things I have bought recently have been of a practical nature....

Some secondhand Reebok classic trainers which I bought off a fellow stallholder at Afflecks for a bargain £6. I've been looking for a standard trainer so I can start walking again. My recent spell of bad health has really knocked me for six so I'm definitely going to start my regular walks around Blackpool on my day off. All my other trainers are "too fashion" and aren't great for my poorly ankle - or would cause me to be laughed at. These are comfy and suitably chavvy enough to go un-noticed in my strange home town!

This perfect canvas rucksack was also bought in Afflecks - at Mashed Army Store on the second floor for £18. Gordon bought one in blue beacuse he's started cycling again and needed one big enough to fit his laptop in and I couldn't resist getting a matching one in black.

I've had bag issues for a while which has led to being called a bag lady as I always carry 3!

On a daily basis I have to carry around:

Computer and lead

Lunch Bag (with cool pack)

Flask

2L Bottle of Water

Make-up bag

ipod / phone

camera

sketchbook

pencil tin

book / newspaper

sunglasses in case (get scratched otherwise)

purse and credit cards

coffee cup (on train days)

My bag to this point has been either a vintage brown leather satchel or a huge black leather one from Franceso Biasia that Gordon bought me a few years ago. Although both are big enough to fit everything in that I need to carry on a daily basis, if I actually put everything in the one bag I wouldn't be able to lift it as they are so heavy to begin with. So I've had to split into 3 separate bags of equal weight to save my poor back from breaking.

Now with this great lightweight canvas bag on my back (weight being distributed evenly) I only need to carry one other bag with my flask, water and lunch in - so much easier!

At home....

2011-03-31T14:30:00.000+01:00

As I mentioned, the start of this year has all about saving not spending and it's slowly but surely starting to pay off - I will soon have enough money to pay for the much needed roof repairs at my little house....A typical ageing terrace it was built in 1895 and is well in need of a little tlc. I put some new windows in a couple of years ago and now it's time to address the main issue of the roof / damp before I can do any more decorating.

I love that in this picture you can see one of the cats staring out from an upstairs window!

It's definitely getting to that time of the year to start 'doing things' and we couldn't wait to get outside into a bit of sunshine with a trip to the beach down the road - armed with an iphone and a Hipstamatic camera app....

Then we came home to hang out with the cats, and drink tea from vintage china and play with the cats - I love Sundays!!!!!

Bedroom Puchases

2011-03-14T17:08:00.000Z

Although I've not been buying much for me - I did splash out on a few things for my bedroom. I love my bedroom, it's one of the few rooms of the house that has been re-decocrated. I did it a couple of years ago with a bit of help from my dad - no I'll re-phrase that my dad did it with help from me.... The best feature is the walk in wardrobe (which features on my blog background). We constructed it using shop rails, it's just sectioned off from the main room with a small dividing wall and a curtain on each side. That means it's open on the top which makes the room feel much more spacious than dividing it completely. It was also a lot easier and cheaper to construct than building a full length wall with sliding doors.

When you've got as many clothes and accessories as I have, it really takes some co-ordination to find enough storage for everything and I have heaps of cupboards, draws and boxes to house everything from shoes and boots to bags and headscarves. I try to keep things in certain places so I know exactly where to find something in 5 minutes - last minute accessory grab in the morning can really make an outfit!

For the overall look I went for a boudoir feel with white painted floorboards, black and grey biba style wallpaper on one wall, dark purple on the opposite and white in-between. With the soft furnishings, I went for black curtains - quite a bold move but it works really well and as I like complete darkness for sleeping, I have a wooden blind too! I found a great rug in Urban Outfitters exactly the same colour of the wall - a soft cotton shaggy rug is so lovely at the side of the bed to sink your feet into.

I love white cotton bedding - there's nothing quite like Egyptian cotton sheets, but went for a black sheet as a throwover (a necessity with 6 cats) and matching black curtains. This has worked well for a couple of years but it was starting to look a bit tatty (and impossible to keep fur free) so I've been hunting around for alternatives. There's heaps of bedspreads on the market but they're very expensive. A lot of the cheaper ones are made from satin fabric which is not ideal with cats (gets plucked very easily).

And then I came across this perfect find from Dunelm Mill - A padded quilt from Waters and Noble in grey and black floral print at £89.99 (I got it on offer at £69.99). It's 100% cotton and fully washable and the great thing is the cat hair just shakes right off as there is a satin finish to the weave (but not enough to be plucked!) I was going to go for the matching boudoir cushion but vouldn't find a matching sized cushion pad so instead went for two pillowcases at £9.99 (on offer at £6.99) and used them as cushions instead (I bought new pillows and then used my old ones as cushion pads). I couldn't resist completing the look with a pretty Isabella cushion in black, £9.99, which was a bit of an indugence as I could have made one myself - but it's so nice to get everything delivered and on the bed together. Now I finally feel like the bedroom is finished - and it feels as luxurious as a hotel room! It's so great at the end of a hard working day to relax into my posh bed and get some much needed sleep, zzzzzzzzzzzz

New Look for Spring...

2011-03-09T17:22:00.001Z

I've not bought much lately, I've had quite a thifty start to the year. But one thing I did splash out on recently was this cute belt from Topshop.

Tan Leather Heart Belt, Topshop £16

I managed to call on a cheeky favour on a friend who works there, using her discount card to get it down to £12 - well that's like only a tenner - bargain!! Adding a new belt to my wardrobe seems like a bit of an indulgence but it's managed to inject a new twist into quite a few vintage items I've not worn much. Perfect with my sleeveless white waffle weave dress - I like that whole white / tan thing, it gives a fresh spring feeling and I've also been making some white dresses for the shop. There's a big trend for neutrals at the moment but beige has never been my colour. I much prefer white, cream or peachy pink.

Blush Suede Gloves, Topshop £18

Talking of peachy pink, I spied these beautiful gloves, also on the Topshop website. I really like these and they would look fab with my Burberry Trench Coat (vintage 50's mens, nicked from Gordon's Dad). But I'm hoping to not need gloves for much longer so I've managed to resist - here's hoping they get reduced in the next sale!

Rust Belted Paperbag Skirt, Topshop, £35

Now I run the risk of looking like a Topshop clone, but I really like this skirt. Whenever I'm at the shop I wear Me&Yu t-shirts or vests and this simple skirt would be a great addition to my wardrobe - perfect for showing off all our latest designs.

I'm not an Artist Vest, Me&Yu £15

But I'm not sure if the skirts too similar to my brown trousers, recently re-discovered in the loft clear out. I've been wearing them rolled up, grey Artist vest tucked in, tan heart belt and blue pointelle cardigan from Upper 5th - perfect Spring outfit!

Cardigan by Upper 5th

(mines similar but has blue buttons and gold bows)

Vegan Pancake Day

2011-03-08T16:47:00.001Z

Okay so I'm not Vegan - but I am allergic to Milk and Eggs so Pancake Day has often been a bit of a nightmare for me. But I discovered this great pancake recipe a few years ago so if I want to join with tradition and have pancakes I can!!!

Vegan Pancakes

1 cup flour (whichever kind you prefer - plain makes crispier pancakes, self-raising thicker ones)
1 tablespoon sugar (I use organic cane sugar)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup soyamilk (I prefer unsweetened)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Mix together the dry indredients, then slowly add the soyamilk and oil, beating together to form a smooth liquid the consistancy of single cream. I find that pancakes work so much better if the batter is chilled for at least 1/2 an hour before you make them.

Now when you come to actually making them, I'm sure everyone has their own favourite ways - mine tip is to use a lighter weight, non-stick pan. Get the pan really hot with a good splash of vegetable oil, then wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Start with 1/4 cup of batter in the middle of the pan and lift off and swirl around till it gets to the edges, if you need more, fill in the gaps. That way you get a lovely crispy pancake. Back on the heat, it will only take a few minutes to turn golden brown, then either flip over with a flick of the wrist - or use a spatula!

You'll need to re-oil the pan between pancakes for the best effect, and keep an eye on the temperature as the pan can overheat very quickly!

I love to eat them hot with a little sugar and lemon - mmmmmm!!!!!

My New Favourite Magazine

2011-03-04T14:03:00.001Z

Like any other fashion designer, I love magazines. I've got a huge collection of old Vogues and Elle's and between us Gordon and I have a pretty impressive back catalogue of The Face. Lately though, I've found myself a bit bored of the magazines on offer - they all seem to be full of adverts and either overly concerned with high fashion or obessed with the high street. There's not many magazines that offer a little bit of everything so with them becoming increasingly more expensive (or me poorer) I've been buying much less than I used to. Often I'm guilty of buying a magazine, flicking through it and forgetting all about it, coming back to it months later to read the articles. After tidying the front room in January and discovering 3 magazines I'd not even touched I thought this has to stop and I've been quite good at resisting temptation.

But stuck in a hospital waiting room (for my sinus appointment) I browsed through the magazines WH Smith had to offer and discovered a great new magazine. "Oh Comely" is a beautifully presented magazine with an arty flavour containing a lovely mix of styled photoshoots, interesting articles, illustration and even recipies. I picked up issue 4 so I've missed out on a few. I was just really impressed with the quality of the writing and the mix of articles - it's been a long time since a magazine has given me that little feeling of joy from cover to cover.

Here's some other magazines I like (and I'd buy every month if money was no object!)

I love Lula for styling and photography but at £5.99 it's an expensive lookbook. There are articles and interviews in there I enjoy reading but they are very much in the fashion vein.

Cloth Magazine is brilliant for craft projects and inspiration of things to make and we also sell it in our shop. I love it's small format and textured paper, they feel more like small books than magazines to be treasured and referred back to time and time again.

Nylon (US) is great for street influenced fashion, it is very fashion focussed but because it's published in New York it has a bit more exciting mix of brands and is a bit more edgy. It's harder to find but I can usually get this from Magma in Manchester - just round the corner from our shop!

Vogue is still great for the quality of the photography but it really does focus on the high end fashion world - which seems so far away - but it's nice to treat yourself once in a while and see how the other half live!

But my most bought magazines are probably Glamour or Grazia - perfect for a fashion fix on the train home, with a splash of celebrity gossip. They are an easy way to see what 'looks' are around on the high street without having to get out there myself. I like the real stories that Glamour has to offer and the Street Style features that Grazia provide.

And on the subject of magazines - have a look at this great Magazine put together by my friend Hannah as part of her final year project - pretty impressive Hannah - well done!!

Open publication - Free publishing - More fashion

Who Can Resist Manchester's Vintage Shops?

2011-03-02T17:38:00.001Z

I know, I know. I'm supposed to be selling things and de-cluttering not buying more. But I took a brief detour into some of Manchester's fab vintage stores on Saturday (I only went out to by some Black Lace from Abakhan) and spied this beautiful coat in Ryan Vintage.

Ryan Vintage is like a big vintage warehouse. Yes it smells, yes the clothes are often tatty and flawed but if you like a good old rummage and can see past the whiff then there are bargains to be had. My 80's original punk style coat has that Vivienne Westwood / Malcom Mclaren look but was only £20. The only problem is that it doesn't quite fit - no problem I'll make some alterations...

I love the OTT puffed sleeve so I'm going to be radical here and put a shoulder pad back into it (someone had taken them out) - that will lift and empasise the shoulder detailling. The straight cut is no good on a classic pear like me so I'm going to put a velvet panel in the back to allow the front to swing forwards - I should be able to button it then! And I'm thinking I might finish it off with a detail at the centre back to re-define the waist - pulling it tighter to make a more fit and flare style. I'll post pictures when I've finished.....

If you like vintage shopping and haven't been to Manchester you're missing out. Tucked off the main high street is a street called Oldham Street which boasts not just one or two but eight vintage shops including a fab Oxfam Originals! Off this main street of The Northern Quarter are many, many more. Afflecks Palace, where our shop is right in the middle of the NQ and this contains at least another 10 stalls and shops selling vintage wares. Spread out on all sides there are bars and coffee shops, records stores and independent boutiques - it makes a fab day out.

I also called in at Retro Rehab - this is my favourite vintage store in Manchester. It's just so pretty. They have some truly stunning vintage dresses, all perfectly laundered and fresh to wear - it's a complete contrast to the grubbiness of Ryan's across the road. But for those in the know their bargain rail is the place to grab a gem of vintage clothing that's a bit too odd to wear off the rack - but is perfect for a sewing project. I grabbed a bag of goodies off the £3 rail & next post I'll show you how I re-work a vintage dress from start to finish.

Tea and Crochet Lessons

2011-02-27T17:50:00.001Z

It doesn't seem long since I taught myself to crochet and now I've been passing on the skill to a friend, Lucy over at Vanilla Ivy. I kind of misssed out on most of Christmas and still had Christmas presents to swop so we managed to grab a couple of hours in half term, sharing tea, gossip and love of crafting - see her post here. Although it was more of a crochet taster, I managed to pass on enough for her to be able to grasp the basics and able to master it through the use of YouTube tutorials.

It also gave me the opportunity to try out my new tea cups. I've been getting back into drinking "proper" tea leaves again and fancied some nice china cups. They went on our Christmas list this year but we ended up with the money to choose our own - which worked out prefectly as it took a while to disover cups that we both liked!

We finally settled on some Wedgwood tea cups I spied on eBay. Designed by Ralph Lauren, the range is called Annalia and I fell in love with the floral design and muted colours. The only problem was they were listed without saucers. A little snooping around in the sellers shop and I discovered some perfect saucers - also by Wedgewood, just a different range. I like the mis-matched look so am now on the hunt for similarly ecclectic sugar bowls, jugs and teapots and a nice tray so I have a nice new set of tea things! At least if anything gets broken I don't have to worry about getting a perfect match!

This is what has been keeping me busy.....

2011-02-22T15:01:00.001Z

3 Hares T-Shirt - £15

3 Hares Vest - £15

Foreverland Sweatshirt - £29

Foreverland T-Shirt - £15

Foreverland Vest - £15

Hare T-Shirt - £15

Hare Vest - £15

Wise Owl T-Shirt - £15

Lots of lovely hand-drawn and hand-printed designs - they are all part of the Foreverland mini-collection, featuring animals and fairytales. As usual they are available in a variety of colours and finishes - all available in online at www.meandyu.com

Gordon also made a great video of the Foreverland design - have a look here:

2011 - The Story So Far...

2011-01-21T15:23:00.002Z

So my last post was 1st December and that sounds about right - since then I've been ill - yep all that time.

I can't even say that I'm feeling completely better now - it's been absolute hell. The cold and sinus infection I started with back in November just spiralled completely out of control with 2 courses of antibiotics and 2 courses of steroids failing miserably. It has taken a trip to the hospital an encounter with an endoscope and a course of very strong anti-biotics (still ongoing) to get me to the well-ish version of myself now able to speak and write in sentences.

But the thing which I think has made more difference than anything is rest. It's so difficult being ill in a small business, especially at Christmas time and when I first got sick I battled on regardless. Let this be a lesson to other business owners out there.......

Sometimes you just need to take time out of the business for yourself.

I've now had almost 2 weeks away from the shop and the pressures of day-to-day work. I can't say I've been completely work free - I managed to make 6 dresses yesterday and will be doing the same later. I've also had emails and promotion to keep on top of and done some drawings for the new collection. But generally I've been just doing what I feel up to and it's become apparent that with the combination of the illness and medications (plus the accumilation of too much hard work) I'm completely exhausted.

I'm going to be having my first day back tomorrow after a failed attempt earlier in the week (the car failing to start actually was in my favour for once!) I'm going to be taking it easy though. I've had a few false starts when I went back to work too soon and ended up worse than ever. But I'm hoping that now I'm on the right medication and am more well-rested I should have the strength to see me through the day.

So what have I been doing on my sickbed? Watching DVD's - Harry Potter, Eclipse and series 5 of Roseanne have been keeping me entertained. Oh and I finished my crochet sofa throw and have started a second one...

black white and grey

2010-12-01T16:26:00.000Z

I took this photograph this morning from the car. I love the fact it's so stark black white and grey. The snow fall, blurring in the dirty window. It looks quite surreal, more like a painting or etching than a photograph...

So yes it's snowing in Manchester, not quite made it to Blackpool yet but even though we're struggling in the ice! Even though I'm not quite recovered I'm back at work and going full steam ahead with the christmas cheer. Feeling very festive today with free gift wrapping and snow. Manchester looks likes a victorian winter wonderland and very pretty - I just wanted to go outside and take pictures!

I crochet therefore i am...

2010-11-26T23:36:00.001Z

So this week I've been ill again...makes about 3 weeks now, 2 doctors trips and another course of tablets. This is not good when you have a small business but especially worse at this time of year as we've got loads of stuff planned for Christmas and it really needs to be in the shop. So hopefully I'll feel a bit better next week and we can catch up!

In the meantime I've been being constructive on my sick bed and really getting to grips with the crocheting. It's pretty addictive stuff and it grows so quickly. If I can keep going at this speed my blanket might be ready by Christmas!

Furry Bear to the rescue

2010-11-18T16:15:00.001Z

Meet furry bear. Not all my coats have names but furry bear is so special it deserves one. I always know its winter when this coat comes out to play. The weather this week has been dismal - the solution is to take furry bear out of the closet and make me happy, snuggly and warm.

There is a massive vintage fur craze around at the moment - seems to be mostly in Manchester - I do get quite odd looks around Blackpool but hey, they still wear shell suits.....

I love the style of this coat as its longer than most - I had a cropped one but still got cold so when I discovered this beauty in Oxfam for £4.99 I knew it had to be mine. I'm still hunting for the perfect leopard print fur coat - one day I will find one!

Christmas is coming....

2010-11-16T16:43:00.000Z

There's no avoiding it - Christmas is only 5 weeks away. I love Christmas but hate that I get so little time off - it's our busiest time of year so can be very stressful.

We're planning a big Christmas promotion for the shop and website with lots of competitions and give-aways. So today we put up our shop Christmas tree - yes its PINK!

We've got a display window just outside out shop so we're planning on filling it with tees, sweatshirts, dresses, jewellery and accessories - one lucky customer will win the lot! We've still got a long way to go before the display is finished but at least we've made a start!

The other thing that always drives me mad at Christmas is that it's all about chocolate and I can't eat it as I'm allergic to milk! So the last few years I've either been sulking when Gordon opens his advent calender or risking the rash and ignoring the allergy. Christmas just isn't Christmas without a chocolate advent calender so when I saw this dairy free one I had to make sure I snapped one up early!

Now all I need to do is work out what I'm getting for everyone.....

Fun With Wool

2010-11-15T18:06:00.000Z

So I'm at home ill. Every year at this time of year I get sick with a sinus infection. It's made worse by the fact that I should have been tucked up in bed on Saturday but instead had to be in a hot and stuffy shop.

So Gordon has been working in the shop (which he hates) for 4 days straight whilst I try and recover at home. The trouble with being here is that there are loads on jobs which need doing on the house, sewing which could be done and it's really tempting to just get on and do it all - but I know if I do it will make me feel worse. So instead I've decided to occupy myself with a task which is less demanding.

I have been sorting out my wool - of course I've had a few feline helpers! I have loads of wool left over from when I used to knit scarves and purses to sell in the shop - an absolutely massive box! It contains all sorts of odds and ends as well as unfinished projects. My first job is to finish off a long scarf I started knitting 2 years ago! Nearly done now - just about another 100 rows and some tassles to add. Should keep me cosy this winter!

Since watching Kirsty's homemade home I've been thinking about learning to crochet. Someone in Afflecks gave me a quick demo and I watched a youtube tutorial and managed to crochet this square - not bad considering I've never tried it before! I think when I've perfected how to hold the yarn to get the right tension I should be good to go!

My first crochet work will be to repair my lovely blanket. I've had this since 1992 - an old lady my mum knew crocheted this for me but it was accidentally thrown in the fire at a beach party (but that's another story). So I'll and cut out the burnt sections and replace with new sections, then finally join both pieces together properly.

I've always kept it as a spare blanket but recently started using it as a throw over my aging sofa. My plan is to repair this one and make another for the other sofa from the huge box of wool. A nice little project for winter.....

Lest we forget...

2010-11-11T14:04:00.001Z

Its Remembrance Day today so like millions of people around the world I took a few minutes to remember those who gave their lives and sacrificed their health in times of war.

This year seems especially more poignant as in the course of researching the family tree I have discovered a little more about an ancestor who died on the battlefield in WW1.

William Hulme, my great, great Grandfather fought in the Kings Own Lancashire Regiment 1st Battalion. He was one of the first to go to war in 1914 and served until he died in the battle of Arras in France in 1917. I always knew I had a relative that died in world war one - I have in my possession a deactivated hand grenade that he brought back on his first leave. Such is the nature of families and history, that is all I knew about him until recently. Discovering the record of his death on the War Graves Commission website gave more details about where he had served. It's led me on a fascinating journey researching about some of the history of the war and those who served, the conditions they faced and just how tough it was on the front line.

I still haven't managed to track down a photograph of my ancestor, but here's some fabulous old photographs I found of his battalion - he's probably on there somewhere!

Life in the trenches was hard - but they still managed to maintain those marvellous moustaches!

Tuesday night is TV night

2010-11-10T22:16:00.002Z

So now Tuesdays are all about TV - 8pm on channel 4 sees the return of Kirstie's Homemade Home.
I love all the tips for craft and re-decoration - last week I was longing to be able to crochet and this week I was longing for hand-stitched scented pillows.

If that isn't enough nostalgia - follow it up with Turn Back Time at 9pm on BBC1 - it sees families through the ages try and run indepedent high street stores through the ages. Starting last year with the 1870's and the Victorians, last nights episode entered the Edwardian era.

This appeals to me on so many levels, firstly I'm all about independent stores on the high street. Whenever I get chance I shop local and would avoid the supermarkets completely if I could. I feel if we can get back to shopping in this way it will make such a difference to our run-down towns and cities.

The other reason I love this so much is that whilst researching my family tree I've discovered several shop-keepers so it was fascinating to see the difficulties that shopkeepers used to have.

These are the ancestors I traced as shopkeepers:
William Henry Strapps was my great, great Grandfather, born in Prestwich he married Ann Elizabeth in Preston and lived in Dilworth, near Preston in the 1890's working as a tobacconist before returning to Prestwich. On another branch of the family William Henry Olive (also my great, great grandfather) was a grocer in the Kirkhams district of Prestwich in the 1890's.

William Strapps daughter Alice married William Olive's son Walter - my great grandparents were both descended from Victorian shopkeepers - so it definately mush be in the blood. It's strange how my life has similarities with these ancestors I knew nothing about!

Rainy days and Sundays always get me down....

2010-11-03T11:12:00.006Z

I've been feeling a bit blue this week. It always happens at this time of year with the nights drawing in and less sunlight to perk me up. Sunday openings have also started last weekend - bye bye life! It's at this time of year that working in retail really sucks. Not only are we open extra days, it's busier in the store and the travelling to and from Manchester takes longer due to bad weather. The result is an extra tired and grumpy me.

Most people are looking forward to a few days off for Christmas to spend time with family and friends and we get a joyful whole two days off. By the time we get to Christmas I'll be so tired that all I want to do is curl up in bed! If I do get to see friends and family I don't feel they get to see the real me - just the ghost of me, sometimes I'm so tired I can barely function.

This year I'm trying to banish the winter blues by creating some really good offers for the shop & website so that at least we shall get some pennies for all our hard work. I'm not going to the Clothes Show and focussing on the shop instead - hopefully I might save my sanity!

I've created a shop rota, calling on favours from my work experience students to save me from Sunday hell - but I'll still work about 1 in 3 Sundays and have to be on the end of the phone so I won't be able to properly relax. But I'm going to be stocking up on lovely Lush products to see me through the blues - nothing as relaxing and rewarding as a hot bubble bath at the end of a stressful day.

Music is another thing to get me through the long days - days which seem a struggle from beginning to end can be put into perspective with the help of great tracks like Wonderful Life from Hurts.

Velvet Vision

2010-11-02T12:53:00.000Z

I'm feeling velvet right now. A customer came into the shop on Saturday with a beautiful green velvet top (a piece she stole from her grandmother's wardrobe) , Urban Outfitters have just released this gorgeous dress:

At £150 its a bit out of my price range, and i think the shape would make me look pregnant (I'd belt it). But I love the luxury feel with the lace collar detail it would be a great Christmas party piece. It makes me remember a few vintage velvet pieces I have stashed in the loft - time to dig out the black velvet maxi dress and the aubergine shift with the thigh split......

I seem to remember I have some velvet at the studio, I might have to find it and create a few swing dresses - I even have lace collars...watch this space!

New Photoshoot!

2010-11-02T12:12:00.000Z

It's not often I get to get out of the shop and do some photography but with a bit of help from Gordon I managed to escape last week and get to do some outdoor photography. We managed to get the large flash working again (batteries needed) and armed with a couple of gorgeous models Danielle and Heather I found a great patch of landscaping in central Manchester. Here's the results - very Autumnal...

Photoshopping Forever...

2010-10-29T13:55:00.001+01:00

It seems like most of my life has been taken up by photoshop. I did a little shoot in the shop a few weeks ago and unfortunately the flash failed so I had to rely on the light in the building. Unfortunately strip lights give off a yellow cast so its been tricky to get a result I've been happy with.

This is an insight to the steps I've had to go through:

Stage 1: Straight from the camera

Stage 2: Use selection key to select background, use eyedropper to "pick up" suitable colour,

fill those areas.

Stage 3: Soften and blend background together with clone and blur tools

Stage 5: Reduce Vibrance

Stage 6: Reduce contrast and brighten

Stage 7: Colour correct and remove yellow

I love the finished results - but having to do this for 45 pictures and it drives you a bit crazy! Here's some more final images from that shoot....

TV Filming in Afflecks

2010-10-29T13:36:00.003+01:00

Our little shop was turned into a TV studio the other day with BBC filming scenes for Snog, Marry, Avoid. It's amazing how many people it takes behind the scenes to create a TV programme - it takes longer than you'd imagine too! So I got to hang out with the lovely Jenny Frost, her make-up artist, 2 cameramen, a lighting guy, sound engineeer, researcher runner and a couple of extra people (I wasn't sure exactly what they were but they looked busy!) Keep your eyes peeled for the scenes which will be aired in January. Here's some pictures of beind the scenes and Jenny, she loved our shop and fell in love with the "Lost Vest" so we gave her a little prezzie to remember us by....

Topshop will get you in the end....

2010-10-26T17:26:00.000+01:00

Yeah so I succumbed to the Topshop SALE. Damn. I was really trying not to spend any money but I needed something to go with the new haircut - I've gone for the fringe and an ultra blonde colour - here's a crappy phone pic of the new look.

I've had this haircut before but its been quite a while so I've been surprised with the big response - lots of people have noticed and commented how different it makes me look! To me its just like getting back to normal. I liked the long sweeping fringe for a change but it got on my nerves as I was always having to think of ways to get it off my face.

The great thing about a bolder haircut is that it is more defined and you can wear more edgy things.
From Topshop I chose the following leopard jumpsuit:

(I was trying to find a picture of it and look, Coleen Rooney has the exact same one!) £20

It buttons through the front so will be great with a Me&Yu t-shirt underneath in the shop.

And I also got this cute burnout long sleeve top £10 - great for layering with Me&Yu vests.

That's it, am now officially trying to save money so am going to try really hard not to buy anything......

I heart this cardie

2010-10-22T11:18:00.000+01:00

I spied this on the Topshop website recently. So cute but at £65 way out of my price range. I went back to have another little look at it but it has already sold out - makes me want to get out the embroidery threads and create my own masterpiece!

I'm still not convinced about the re-worked Tophsop website - its gone very beige and neutral and lost its polka dots which I liked. Now it has a larger space for photographs and styled looks with a white plain background and small text categories. It functions much better with search options which can be narrowed by available sizes and styles - it also has a handy 'recently viewed' list but overall it seems cold and bland. I've only bought from Topshop online once or twice but I often have a look through the site to see if there's anything worth going to see the store for. There's just not been a lot to get excited about recently - and the odd piece which is fab is very expensive. Come on Topshop!

The Guardian In Pictures

2010-10-19T12:35:00.002+01:00

We always buy the Guardian on a Saturday and I love the photography feature they have. I always think that I'll send in an entry but never get around to it - I never seem to have a photo that quite fits the brief. But this week I actually did it!

The theme for submission was circles and I had that lovely photograph I took last week of the barbed wire:

Angie Hulme

There is beauty in everything - even even spirals of rusty barbed wire at the derelict Pontins in Blackpool

I doubt I'll get in print but its always gives you a good feeling to actually apply for something instead of just putting it off!

Vintage Treasures

2010-10-13T16:53:00.000+01:00

Found some great things this week on my visits to the charity shops this week. Some more nice brown brogues, yet more headscarves and this beast of a cardigan:

Its so long it touches the floor on little old me and feels like wearing a big blanket its so cuddly and warm. It's all been hand-knitted and is finished with gorgeous gold knot buttons. I've never seen a cardigan like it! The cable knit trend is everywhere on the high street but there's such a big difference in quality - they don't make them quite like they used to! I'm putting this one on sale in our shop for £45 - not bad when you consider a short Topshop one is £65.

Another vintage treasure I picked up this week are these cute shoes - they finally were delivered after I bought them on ebay. I thought they'd be good for re-sale but when I tried them on I just had to have them for myself. They are actually just what the doctor ordered - having been to the Physio and the Podiatrist this week apparently I've been wearing too many flat shoes and I need a sensible square 1" heel (as well as special inserts). They are a perfect fit for my awkward size 4 1/2 feet so I couldn't really say no - much cheaper and better quality than buying new ones - they only cost a fiver!

Sunny Sunday

2010-10-12T11:41:00.001+01:00

It was gorgeous weather this weekend - a lovely change from all the rain we've been having. For once we had a bit of a lie in and didn't go to the car boot sales but I was desperate to get some fresh air so we took a little trip down the road to Blackpool sand dunes - about a 5 minute drive from where we live. I had a film in my Diana Mini to finish off and Gordon took the Canon SLR - here's some pictures taken by both of us on the Canon. Of course I have to wait for the film to come back for the Diana pictures!

Sand Dunes

Me trying to get up after taking some pictures!

Sandy Beach

Me and Diana

Two Hands

Barbed Wire at the derelict Pontins

Tower

Trees near my house

I love the extremes of all the photographs - you wouldn't think it was all Blackpool - somewhere you associate with tacky gift shops and illuminations but it doesn't take long to escape the tourists and discover hidden Blackpool.

Cows and Kittens

2010-10-06T17:46:00.008+01:00

I know, I know I'm supposed to be selling my clothes not buying more. But when I saw this gorgeous red vintage jumper with kittens and mice, I just HAD to have it!

I thought I'd just pop into COW vintage in Manchester (near M&S in Picadilly Gardens) and see this newish vintage store. It's probably been open about 6 months or so but I hadn't managed to have a look until last weekend. What's different about COW than any other vintage store is its a vintage shop in an old Peacocks store and the shop-fit is more high street than junk shop. All prefectly lit slatwall in white and chrome it has big high ceilings and no vintage feel to the decor whatsover.

In a way it feels a bit like a temporary store or a jumble sale but we're so used to shopping in these big white boxes you can't help but see the clothes more instead of the quirky shopfit. It definitely makes for an easy shop but it doesn't give you the same feeling of discovery that a great cluttered vintage store can give.

They have a good mix of stock which is fashion led - you want a great fisherman jumper you can get it here. As they bulk buy they can offer good prices and my jumper cost just £20 but a good cable knit will set you back £40-£45. But as with any larger vintage store there's a lot of rubbish there, you don't get the feeling that the pieces you see are hand-picked and sourced for quality or originality. Its delivered, they put it out, it sells - there's no real passion there. Its an interesting take on vintage and will definately sell the concept to people that maybe haven't worn secondhand clothes before. Hopefully they'll then take a trip off the high street and come and visit Afflecks where the clothes, the surroundings and the people are a bit more interesting!

I love my cat jumper

Vintage Shopping

2010-10-06T14:18:00.006+01:00

Monday is kind of my day off. I say kind of as it's my day off from the commute to Manchester as Gordon works in the shop, travelling in alone. But the thing about running your own business, you never really have a day off completely - there's always things to be done!

I often end up multi-tasking, trying to combine my 'jobs' with seeing friends or catching up on housework (boo). But its always nice to feel like I've had a little adventure and managed to combine it with something which will be a profitable use of my time.

This week saw me visiting charity shops further afield from home combined with a catch up with an old school friend. So I hopped on the bus and got a day return to Garstang - the little Lancashire town where I went to high school. Its a quaint pretty little high street filled with cute gift shops, pubs and even better about half a dozen charity shops!

They range from the stinky rummage fest shops (my favourite for a bargain for re-sale) to the expensive laminate floor types (£35 for a fur coat, I don't think so... I would have snapped up the leopard number if it had been cheaper) A mooch down the high street only takes half an hour and I came away with a bulging bag of goodies - here's some things I bought:

An armful of vintage headscarves. I sell these from £4-£12.50 and this

little lot will sell for a total of £49

These gorgeous white cowboy boots - I'd not even got these out of my

bag and a girl snapped them up for £30

And these beautiful brown leather brogues didn't even make it to the shop

as they are just the shoe Gordon has been looking for and they fit perfectly!

I also got these great vintage handbags and purses, which will be

priced from £6.50 for the purses, £12.50-£18.50 for the bags.

Not photographed as they are in the washing machine are some vintage cardigans and jumpers - I've been selling some of these through the online shop as well as in store and they're flying out. I sell them from £25 to £35 but only sell pieces in really good condition (and washed of course). I find them a great addition to our range of handmade and re-mixed dresses which can often look summery at this time of year. I also bought a fab printed skirt which will be made into 2 strapless dresses - I'll show you how I make them soon!

So the sun was shining, I took pictures with my Mini-Diana through the bus window, I had tea and cake with a great old friend and I managed to earn some money too - one of life's great days!

It Bag

2010-10-06T12:21:00.003+01:00

I'm not really an "it bag" person. I mean I love a great handbag but who has a spare grand lying around. I'd be too precious over it too, scared of losing or scratching it. However I had a moment of envy when a customer came in the shop last week sporting this gorgeous number.

Called the Daria Nappa by classic brand Mulberry, it is in that gorgeous tan colour that goes with everything, has studs and fringing and it big enough to fit your life in. Of course its sold out but I spied one on ebay - reduced from £795 to £549.99. They seem a genuine seller with heaps of positive feedback but with the market for fakes so huge buying online is always a worry. Combined of course with the fact I don't have a £500 to spend on a handbag - that's a months wages for me! It's always nice to dream though, about a life where money was no object or you had someone to treat you to such luxuries. Best buy that rollover ticket eh?

Lingerie Love

2010-10-05T13:05:00.005+01:00

My love all all things vintage also extends to lingerie. A long time ago at university I researched vintage lingerie as part of a design project and became really fascinated with the way you can completely change your body shape with different underwear forms.

Of course everybody knows about the wonders of the corset. I own one gorgeous red satin number which I wore to a Halloween Ball a few years ago and sadly have not had the occasion to wear since. They've crossed over to fashion and a corset is now acceptable formal wear but I'll never get over the feeling that you've stepped out in your underwear. They're very uncomfortable too unless you're used to wearing them so it's a one-off kind of thing for me.

However there's nothing quite like some great underwear you can wear everyday. Now I'm sure I'm not the only girl who likes a good swoon over Agent Provocateur, they make truly fabulous underwear but heck its expensive. Another of the problems with their range is the teeny tiny froths and fancies aren't really suitable for the bigger girl - just not enough support! (or range of sizes...)

So then I discovered What Katy Did - a fabulous lingerie label specialising in 40's and 50's inspired designs. This is the place that gives Christina Hendricks her famous curves and now I'm looking forward to my own with this little outfit, come on Mr. Postie!

Finished Photos

2010-09-30T21:14:00.004+01:00

some Me&Yu photoshoots..

2010-09-30T11:35:00.005+01:00

It's that time of year again when we've got lots of new things to photograph.

It's only really been the last 12 months when we've got into the habit of regular photoshoots, we used to have one massive one and try and get all the new season stuff photographed together. Now we find it much easier to do smaller shoots more regularly, using different models and photographers where we can.

Here's a selection of pictures from a photoshoot that Hannah at Patterned Tights did for us recently:

She got 4 great models together and went for a trip to Southport beach. It was perfect for a little taster of the latest range. Its all about muted colours, soft hand-drawn prints and layering. I love the washed out vintage feel of the cold wintery light. See the full photoshoot on our facebook page here.

As a change to this shoot and to have some boy/girl together shots together we organised another shoot yesterday, photographed by Jensen at Lights Camera Jensen. Unfortunately the weather let us down and it was just too terrible to be outside all day (she did manage a few shots between showers). So we improvised and turned our shop into a photography studio for the day. Here's some pictures of the shoot in action.

Its my job for the day to edit all the photographs and get them looking perfect. I'll show you the finished results tomorrow.

This Is England

2010-09-28T21:14:00.004+01:00

I'm looking forward to the last episode of This Is England '86. If you've not been watching it its worth viewing online at 4OD. This 4 part drama kicks off 3 years after the film bit continues the story of the same group of friends.

Set in the north, it paints a bleak picture of working class life in the eighties and deals with violent and harrowing subjects so its not for the faint hearted. However it has a generous helping of comedy and irony to help things along, as well as a wonderful filmic quality.

Every detail of this drama has been well considered, from landscape and decor to make-up and clothing. I particularly love the depictions of street style - fashion plays a big part of making these friends bond together and has a running theme throughout. They have their own alternative punk influenced style - a world away from the tracksuited thugs they encounter. Its this attention to detail that makes the show a really good visual feast offering much inspiration.

My Wardrobe

2010-09-28T16:06:00.004+01:00

So this is my wardrobe - and it looks less full than it did a few days ago! It was getting a bit ridiculous and I have spent the last few days clearing it out, taking out anything I've not worn for ages and 'filing' it. I don't so much have a wardobe as an archive of vintage clothes. I've got investment pieces, statement pieces, inspiration pieces and nostalgia. It was so full of these great garments I don't wear there wasn't enough room for the clothes I do wear.

So I invested in a load of those space saver bags and took out heaps. I also managed to clear out 4 bin-bags of stuff I plan to sell on ebay! I sold a few bits recently and made £100 but have got out of the habit. The plan is to sell it all to fund some new purchases of things I do want. None of the things I have to sell are particularly 'good', fashionable clothes, just things I might have bought on impulse or to wear to work (back in the day of office jobs). I also managed to find about 10 vintage coats which I just don't wear - I've never been able to resist a great vintage coat but sadly so many of the ones I've bought over the years don't fit me now - time to free them from the closet and let them give some joy (and warmth) to new owners!

When I've got rid of this lot I plan to start on the loft...................

Finished (well for now)

2010-09-28T15:47:00.004+01:00

Well that's been a long, difficult struggle!

I've finally finished re-designing my blog. The difficulties I've had are mainly lack of time and baffling bits of code.

The main changes are:

labels

3 columns

new photo/text

colour scheme

I've basically had to go through every single blog post and re-label everything so they fit into distinct categories......labels required more space so 3 colums were needed!

Art and Photography (photographs, designs and any art-related things)
Fashion Womble (all my 'writing' pieces and oddments that don't fit elsewhere)
Me and Yu (everything to do with Me&Yu)
My Cats (Because the furry beasts need their own page)
On Blogging (observations and blog related things)
Places to Go (holidays and shopping trips)
Things I Bought (becasue you just have to)
Things I Listen To (music and nostalgia)
Things I Watch (films & TV and a bit of nostalgia)
Things I'd Like to Buy (my wish list)
Things To Make (tutorials by me and others)
Vintage Treasures (beacuse I love thrifty buys!)

The idea of going back to this is that its easier to separate out the things I like to talk about which covers quite a large spectrum and stops it getting confusing. I guess I've been struggling to work out what Fashion Womble is all about and this helps me get it more clear in my head!

One of the fascinating things in looking back at posts past is noticing how much more frequently I blogged. I've slipped and it's all my Iphone's fault. I had a big decision about getting the iphone and now I've had it about 12 months I realise its definately held me back fron blogging - it's just not easy to type on the move and I used to blog in the car! Well I've got a bit more used to it now so I must try harder!

Oh and the picture and colour scheme was just nice for a change - the picture is of my wardrobe!

Let me know your thoughts!

still not quite there......

2010-09-24T17:43:00.002+01:00

So yeah, I keep coming back to the blog and tweaking but am still not happy with it. I have 3 columns, I have new labels but I'm not sure.

Something seems to be missing.

I need a bigger gap between columns and to get rid of the annoying large text on my sidebar headings - where did that come from?

Think I might go make some more tea and come back to it again. Once its done and I'm happy I'll be back to posting again!

blog re-decoration

2010-08-30T13:14:00.003+01:00

I'm currently re-working the blog to make it look prettier but have got bored / stuck halfway through...

I hate technical issues so am going to make lots of tea and come back to it later.....

Glamour Magazine

2010-08-11T14:10:00.003+01:00

Glamour Magazine came out today - with us inside! I hate the picture of me but like the publicity for the shop and website - it's a love / hate thing. I hope it has the desired effect and sends more people to the website though. We've been re-designing the site, making it easier to navigate and having more information about us and how we started. check out the changes here - www.meandyu.com

Sleeping Beauty

2010-08-11T14:06:00.004+01:00

Found this amazing fairytale like tree bed on Etsy by Atilla Designs. Thought it was fabulous and would share it - anyone got a spare $10,000?

Photo Art

2010-08-06T16:17:00.011+01:00

A little while ago we had a stall at the Super Duper Fair in Blackpool and I made some framed photo prints especially for the event. I really liked the way they turned out - I used pictures taken with my phone and mini Diana, transferred them to fabric and stretched them into frames - some behind glass, others not. I used a mixture of vintage frames as i like that shabby feeling. Am planning on doing more for the shop when we've finished our next re-fit - just in time for new students moving in to Manchester!

A selection of smaller prints from £8

Promenade £20

Mill Town £10

City £15

Blackpool Lights £12

Remember the ninties?

2010-08-05T11:39:00.010+01:00

Stumbling around the internet I came across this photo which is pretty much my friday night outfit for my teenage years. People are wearing this again - funny how quickly things come around. I also caught "10 Things I Hate About You" on TV last night. This seemed to pass me by at the time of its release which was 1999, I don't think I've ever seen it before but I couldn't help but chuckle at some of the nineties blasts from the past. Here's some things I noticed - enjoy the trip down memory lane.....

The Real World

Remember when this first hit the screens in the nineties, it was the first fly-on-the wall documentary style show that spawned so many others. Totally shaped TV to be as we know it today. I particularly used to love the retro graphics on the intro's - see a collection here.

Grunge Hair

In the 1990's everyone had more hair - fact. Boys and girls had long long locks, whether prefectly styled or a grungey mess, it was less coloured (you might get a bleache blonde or a henna red), more natural (well unless you count the perms) and lots of it.

Blossom / Dawsons Creek / Buffy / Roseanne / My So Called Life

Teenage angst was never so represented as in the nineties. Tons of American sit-coms filled our screens. Whether we were fighting vampires, hanging out at the local club or struggling in class, we had an endless supply of style hero's and heroines to copy. Check shirt and nineties minimalism anyone?

Time for a getaway

2010-08-04T16:13:00.007+01:00

This weekend Gordon and I celebrated our 10year anniversary of being together. Quite an achievement - where did the time go! I can't believe it was back in the year 2000 I quite literally stumbled across him on the dancefloor. He trod on my foot and the rest as they say is history. It's been an interesting journey being with a fellow artistic soul. Sometimes frustrating and far too often short of time and money, being with a fellow creative and deciding to set up business together has taken us on an interesting journey through life - not for the faint hearted!

Together we've grown and laboured on the love of our life which is our business and our unique way of looking at the world. Me&Yu is all about us, our lives, our inspirations, but sometimes it can be easy to loose track of the fact we are a couple, the lines between boyfriend and business partner become blurred, where do you draw the line?

So we took a break from our normal routine and had a little holiday to Trearddur Bay, Holy Island off Anglessey. Unfortunately as we were working Saturday it was quite a short break but we had a fantastic time. Here's some photo's:

view from hotel window

sketchbook

hotel

Me&Gordon

Trearddur Bay Lomo Style

Sand Between My Toes

Me&Yu Forever

Always good to find a castle - even if its a tiny one, no-one at the hotel knew any history about this ancient ruin near the hotel, possibly an old Roman fort or lookout. There's that much ancient history in Wales it becomes commonplace!

I took many driving pictures.....wonkey horsey!

A trip to Wales wouldn't be complete without seeing an ancient standing stone - here's Ty Mawr standing stone near Holyhead. I loved that it was nestled amongst all the farmers polythene hay bales and just across the road from Morrisons!

Stopped for a picnic at Penmaenmawr, so quiet and lovely with a little village nestled into the side of the hill and a fabulous deserted sandy beach!

Back in Time

2010-07-26T11:33:00.003+01:00

I've always been interested in history, it's kind of mandatory when you study fashion, looking at the history of clothing and dress through the years. I often have a search online and see what family history can be found out there and recently by Auntie has been doing some reseach into our family tree and it has set me off again.

Now there's so many different sites out there to research family trees, census information and local history, but if you really want to do things properly you have to pay for things like census searches and proper birth certificates. But this weekend I hit on a winning formula of free sites and traced my roots back to the 1700's! Now as my auntie is getting all the birth, marriage and death certifcates I'm not going to duplicate this, we'll just sit down at some point and compare notes - it will be interesting to see whether I got it right!

Tracing my history through my mother's maiden name of Olive in the Manchester suburb of Prestwich (where I was born) we discovered a history of dressmakers, washerwomen and cotton mill workers. The family is built on strong working class men and women living in the poorest areas of Manchester. Linking it into the social history of the time, you can imagine the life in the mills, the scandal of the unmarried mother, the joy of a marriage at the newly built All Saints church. Its a really interesting look at the past and its interesting to see the connections to what I do now.

My studio is based in an old cotton mill in Manchester about 4-5 miles from the area my ancestors lived. My great, great, great grandmother was a Victorian dressmaker, my great, great grandfather a maker-up and his parents cotton mill workers. Its strange how life comes full-circle and when I'm sewing away in my studio it has a strange parallel with times gone by.

Here's s list of some of the websites I found useful for my search:

www.ancestry.co.uk

you have to subscribe for a premium service but you can use their tree-maker for free which is great for recording everything you find and making notes.

www.lan-opc.org.uk

The lancashire parish clerks project - many churches in Lancashire have transcribed their records so you can search births, marriages and deaths.

www.freecen.org.uk

Volunteers have transcribed information from various census online - they are by no means complete but can often show surprising results.

www.1911census.co.uk

Most of the census records are now available online - you have to pay to see the actual records but you can search for free and if you get crafty with the advanced search you can deduce the rest of the household without having to pay! I plan to have a look at the other years when I next get chance!

www.gmcro.co.uk

Greater Manchester County Records Office - a great source of old photgraphs and social history.

Diana Mini

2010-07-14T23:31:00.011+01:00

I was lucky enough to be bought a great new camera for my birthday. The Diana Mini by Lomo is a tiny little lightweight plastic camera which takes 35mm film - remember that?

It's perfect for capturing arty farty pictures, you can shoot square or half-frame, overlap and do lots of great things. Perfect for an amateur - it feels like a toy. Don't Think - Just Shoot! Here's the results of my first film!

Oooh Nice Shoe Alert!!!

2010-07-14T11:44:00.004+01:00

You've probably guessed by now I'm a bit of a shoe junkie. A good pair of shoes can make a big difference to your day - a bad pair can make for a bad night out!

Whilst browing on blogger I spied a post about Kate Kanzier. I've never come across the brand before but a quick search revealed they are London based and launched in 2001 - well after I'd left the capital.

I love love love the style and quirky finishing touches and they are very affordable - the only draw back - not leather or suede. I don't have a good relationship with faux footwear - make some in Leather please!!!!

10 Years of Tatty Devine

2010-07-12T10:27:00.003+01:00

Wow! Tatty Devine is 10 years old - how did that happen? If you've not heard of Tatty Devine - you're missing out - they were the first kids on the block of the DIY craft jewellery phenomenon and have always set themselves above the rest. A little bit more pricey, they are often imitated but a trip to their cute London store and a look at the product you can really see why - its much better quality!

I've wanted a Name Necklace for years but never found the cash - but if you want to be in with a chance of winning some Tatty Devine prizes, hop over to Tweet where you can enter a great competition in honour of the birthday celebrations!

Healthy Snacks at your desk

2010-07-11T10:49:00.003+01:00

I just heard about this great new idea - Graze boxes, healthy snacks delivered to your door for only £2.99. Yes okay you probably could go to the supermarket and spend the same amount and get loads more but would you really go there and just buy healthy snacks, admit it you'd sneak a packet of biscuits in there too.

I would have loved this when I was working in an office job I hated - using food as a reward to get me through the long boring day. Nowadays I eat more healthily as I'm allergic to anything with milk and eggs which basically cuts out any sinful foods. But having something like this delivered would give you the 'treat' factor - the surprise of not knowing exactly what was going to turn up would make your day!

Prizes Galore

2010-07-06T21:45:00.004+01:00

Its crazy how many competitions are out there on blogger, There's so many great blogs out there I never get chance to check in on blogs regularly enough to win things but I spied this comp to win a pair of Raybans on one of my favourite blogs - buckets and spades. Nice sunnies - hope I win!

I feel inspired me to have a little competition myself - watch this space, will be posting something soon x

Some photo art...

2010-07-04T14:14:00.005+01:00

The Windows To Your Soul

Castles in The Sky

I've been doing some photo art recently, some of which might get developed into a range of artworks, but some we're planning on turning into a series of framed prints for this great Art and craft event we're involved in -

The Super Duper Itsy Bitsy Art Fair in Blackpool is Sunday 18h July 12-4pm and is being held in Stanley Park, Blackpool with live bands and other cool stuff should be a great day out.

Everything must go.

2010-06-23T13:03:00.007+01:00

I've started selling some of my old clothes on eBay. I've never really thrown much away and I'm totally overwhelmed with clothes I don't wear any more - or things bought to rework and never transformed. I've been every size from an 8 to a 20 but I've been totally surprised by some of the size labels. One top is a size 24! Now it was always big on me but looked cool oversized - I never even looked at the label!

I'm sat here in a pair of size 12 shorts (with leggings though - I never get my bare legs out!). Now I know I'm nowhere near a size 12 (I usually buy a 16-18) but it still makes me happy I can wear a smaller size. Even though the stretchy jersey shape has obviously been sitting on the sale rail as they're too big for your average size 12, i still get a kick from deluding myself I'm smaller than I am.

The size issue has been in the press recently with more and more stores using vanity sizing to give their customers the same sense of shopping satisfaction. On the high street there is a massive difference in sizes even on the same store. Some of this is due to the stock in any major high street store will have been made in hundreds of different factories around the world. But another factor is that a lot of garments aren't pattern cut particularly well - not enough attention is paid to the different qualities of each fabric, grading between sizes and understanding of different body shapes. We're all familiar with the phrase "One size fits all" but perhaps it should be "one size fits none". With body shape varying much from person to person it is hard to know where to begin.

The high street stores do research into their average customer profile and base their sizes around their results. The idea being that someone shopping for smart business suits at M&S is a different customer than the spangly section of Topshop. Whilst you can see their logic it doesn't make it any easier for those of us with no brand loyalty.

I don't really shop by size - I tend to weigh things up and work out whether they'll fit. I've always worn lots of vintage and you can forget looking at the size on a vintage piece of clothing -it will be a completely different fit. Marilyn Monroe was a size 16 - but nowadays she'd be an M&S size 12!

I always think it doesn't really matter - just try things on. At Me&Yu I make things in S-M-L-XL - I design garments that look good larger or smaller depending how you wear them - and of course we're always on hand to offer a bit of styling advice!

New Designs

2010-06-23T12:45:00.005+01:00

Here's the final printed vest for "It wasn't supposed to be this way"

I also worked on a couple more photo and slogan tees - perfect for the summer sun. I couldn't resist giving my cat Ralph a new look for "I'd like you more if you dressed better" and a photograph I took in the garden of a lone brick inspired "We don't need no education"

I'm quite enjoying the speed of doing 'random' designs - think it. design it. make it. sell it. (hopefully)

I had my picture taken for a magazine.....

2010-06-17T12:10:00.004+01:00

This is what I wore to have my photograph taken today for Glamour magazine. They're doing a feature about small boutique owners & creative types around the UK, profiling different cities. They came to our shop and took our photo and also lots of snaps to be used in the article. I had a telephone interiew yesterday and the whole article will be part of a special feature for the September issue - how exciting - they even did my hair and make-up!

It wasn't supposed to be this way.....finished design

2010-06-15T22:56:00.003+01:00

After the last post, I made a list of my style icons, spending hours collecting images and collaging them together to form this final design. The text gets scanned, made thicker, overlayed and made white. This makes an A3 size full colour transfer print - available online soon!

And for your pleasure here's the full list of my style icons:

MADONNA

ADAM ANT

DAVID BOWIE

MOLLY RINGWALD

KATE MOSS

PAULA YATES

ATHENA POSTCARDS

BLONDIE

WENDY JAMES

STAR TEST

GUNS 'N' ROSES

BONNIE TYLER

BROS

SISTER SLEDGE

TIFFANY

JANET JACKSON

DEBBIE GIBSON

SALT 'N' PEPA

FRESH PRINCE

LISA BONET

VANESSA PARADIS

BLOSSOM

MY SO CALLED LIFE

THE COSBY SHOW

ROSEANNE

YAZZ

BEL BIV DEVOE

THE TUBE

THE ROBERT PALMER GIRLS

PRINCE

THE CURE

MARIANNE FAITHFUL

TWIGGY

LADY MISS KERR

FELLY

SOUL II SOUL

MEMPHIS BELLE

DE LA SOUL

MILLTOWN BROTHERS

THE STONE ROSES

DEMI MOORE

BILL & TED

LENNY KRAVITZ

FELICITY KENDAL

PEPSI & SHIRLEY

TERRI SEYMOUR

AHA

DARYL HANNAH

FLEETWOOD MAC

KELLY LE BROCK

KURT COBAIN

JIM MORRISON

VAL KILMER & MEG RYAN (THE DOORS FILM)

NICK KAMEN

T-REX

COCA-COLA ADVERTS

PRETTY WOMAN

FAME

DIRTY DANCING

FOOTLOOSE

SINITTA

NIKKI POWERHOUR

GORDON GEKKO

PRINCESS DIANA

MICHAEL HUTCHENCE

KYLIE & JASON

SADE

CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT

WIERD SCIENCE

T'PAU

COREY HAIM

NENEH CHERRY

It wasn't supposed to be this way.....

2010-06-04T12:29:00.004+01:00

When I look back at the hopes and aspirations of youth, I remember the fearlessness. "I can do anything" (as soon as I get out of this place). We used to sit and fantasise about the lives we were going to lead, the places we were going to see, the people we were going to become. we took inspiration from our idols, 80's popstars, actors and designers. Movies and make-up opened up new worlds. One day I'll be famous, one day I'll look like that, I'll drive that car, I'll own those shoes, I'll visit Paris and be kissed beneath the stars. All things are possible, in teenage daydreams you have the power to conquer the world. We set ourselves impossible targets... "In the year 2000 I'll rule the world", my plans for world domination have failed to advance at the required speed. As wild and unruly thirteen year olds we lived for the moment, cannonballing from one crazy adventure to another. Riding out the rollercoaster of emotions our hormones provided. We used to walk for miles just to see you from a distance, yet when we stood close we couldn't even find words to pass the time. Friendships came and went, the intricacies of the group dynamics shifting and changing like sands in the desert. Last one standing wins the prize - oh but now you've got it you don't want it and so it all begins again. But once it's gone, time moves on, never to be repeated again. But the music and fashion, that comes back time and time again to tease you and make you remember the frivolities of youth, and how long ago it seems.......

Frreeeshhhh Sketchbook!

2010-06-04T12:08:00.004+01:00

The beginning of a new sketchbook is sometimes a little daunting. You always know how you want things to be and never can translate them onto the pages as effectively as they are in your head. I guess that's just the way I work - the creative mind is a funny thing to deal with.

Gordon is a much more proficient and religious sketchbook worker than me, I tend to treat them like diaries and start out well then watch as they become more filled with cut out images and less drawings, finally descending into blankness on about page 14.

This season we've decided to work a little differently. It always poses difficulties working in seasons - we always end up being a season behind. Sometimes it works well to have a specific theme to design around and it always seems to work well for press and promotion. But lately we've been feeling a little stifled by it and wanting to get back to some artistic integrity. Working loosely under the title "Tales of the Unexpected" will allow us to get more creative and not be bound by a restrictive idea or concept.

Before we were fashion designers we were artists and photographers, (I studied all aspects of fine art on my foundation course and Gordon studied Photography). I always used to let my mind wander with the things that inspired me, using writing and text to set the creative juices flowing, sketching and drawing what was around me and photographing things which to my artistic eye were appealing or symbolic. I like to look for hidden meanings, to question the things we take for granted, to challenge pre-conceived ideas about life the universe and everything.

I'm really looking forward to getting back to this way of working and already I'm enjoying the freedom!

Scenes of summer....

2010-06-03T14:55:00.012+01:00

I've been a bit quiet on the blogging front - since we changed over to the other Me&Yu blog, it means I spend a bit more time putting things on there.

But I've also been having a much needed wind down and enjoying spending a little more time at home, relaxing playing with the cats and catching up with friends - they often get a little neglected when I'm busy!

It's generally quiter at this time of year so it contrasts nicely to the manic time we have from September onwards - we always sell heaps more winter stock than summer - I guess that's the problem with England - the shorter summer. What's been interesting this year is that even though the shop is in its traditional quiet time, we've still been busy online. All our extra hard work on getting the website functioning better and promoted more is starting to pay off!

I've been working in the shop more than being in the studio, which makes a nice change from being a slave to the sewing machine - much less stressful! The only problem is the intense heat in a shop with no windows or air-con (hence the fan). We change around our working week depending on how busy we are, sometimes I'm in the shop lots, other times I need to be in the studio. But we've found that I can consistantly sell more stuff than anyone else so it's much more beneficial to the business if I'm in the shop - Gordon's happier too (he hates being in the shop).

So we've been simplyfying the things that we make, and Gordon has been improving his sewing techniques, managing to do even make some of our new denim slouch pants - they've been very popular - perfect for wearing in this warmer weather as they are a loose and airy alternative to skinny jeans.

Other top sellers at the moment are our handmade headscarves - all made from the left-over scraps of fabric that are too small to use for anything else. The printed tees and vests are outselling all the handmade items - the best selling print is probably Black Rainbow of The Apocalypse - all hand-drawn by me!

The next post will be all about new work, designs and sketchbooks.......

Floral Days

2010-06-03T14:54:00.003+01:00

Secret Ugg Wearer

2010-05-24T22:07:00.005+01:00

It seems strange to be writing about UGG's in a glorious spell of weather but its at this time of year I reluctantly have to take them off and replace them with a lighter summer shoe.

I'm a secret fan off Ugg boots - it's a love / hate relationship. I got my first pair whilst living in Australia where in the middle of winter in a wooden house with no heating they are something of a necessity. It gets nowhere near as cold as a winter here but almost every Australian has a pair of Uggs, chunky socks, big jumper and a snugly blanket for winter evenings in front of the TV.

At the time (2003) there was a bit of a boho fashion thing going on - denim skirts with Ugg's. In Sydney all the cool surfer girls and boys wore Uggs all day. When I got back to the UK the look was here but very much in the domain of the footballers wives wannabes and decidedly chav. The Ugg boot has skirted around the edge of fashion for the last few years - they're a bit like crocs - you either love them or hate them (Crocs actually make me feel nauseous).

Now I think Uggs have passed their moment for a fashionable look (at least in the UK) but I just can't say goodbye to mine - they're perfect for sewing in! So my Uggs have become part of my sewing uniform and I wear them in the house as slippers. The sole is good enough to venture into the garden without ruining them and at a pinch I can go to the corner shop. The only problem is I got caught short with a last minute invite to a private view after a day at the studio - I had a complete fashion trauma as a had to go in my Uggs - I didn't feel at all right!

Anyway if you're going to buy Ugg's there's some things you need to know.....

If you've ever looked into buying a pair you'll know they're pretty expensive - a Classic Short pair from Ugg Australia costs £149.99 (plus £5 delivery). There's always a lot of talk about real Uggs and fake Uggs and it gets very confusing - the first thing you need to know is what an Ugg boot is.

Ugg in Australia means an Australian Sheepskin Boot - they became popular amongst sheep shearers in Australia in the 1920's - initially called "ugly boots". In Australia there are many different brands producing Ugg boots - the name refers to a style of shoe like a clog or trainer.

The confusion abour 'real' or 'fake' centres around the "Ugg Australia" brand - an American company with the name "Deckers Outdoor Corporation". The Ugg Australia brand with its American money has done a great job at promoting the idea of the Ugg boot to the whole world but guess what - Ugg Australia boots are made in China! Because they're made in China and are a massive global brand they have been a big target for counterfeits, which is quite ironic as the boots they produce are essentially copies of an Australian product!

I buy my Ugg's from an Australian company - Shearer's Uggs - all their Ugg boots are hand-made in Australia from the finest Australian Sheepskin - you can't get better. Every boot you buy online is handmade for your order, they're cheaper at £72 (plus £20 p&p from Oz), better quality and you know exactly who's getting the money - the Sydney based company and it's workers!

Rose & Lavender

2010-05-24T18:29:00.004+01:00

On a trip into Boots this weekend I spied this lovely packaged range - original formula basic beauty products. The range has old-fashioned gems such as the Cold Cream and Cuticle Oil above, scented with rose and lavender essential oil. A quick spy on the website and they have heaps more including Vanishing Cream , Hand Cream and Skin Balm.

I love the retro packaging but also that strong scent of rose is so nostalgic. I've been looking for cuticle oil for ages as my nails get so brittle with sewing & crafting so I was really happy to find such a good one - the Cold Cream was free & works a treat - sometimes it's good to go back to basics!

Shoe Avalanche

2010-05-14T14:00:00.005+01:00

Okay yes I know I have too many shoes but my shoe cupboard it one of my biggest charity shop bargains. Costing only a fiver it's great for stashing heaps of pairs that don't always get a regular wearing. The problem being shoes can get hidden and forgotten at the back.

I've been having foot problems this week, its kind of an occupational hazard. Playing shopkeeper means you spend a lot of time on your feet and it only takes a wrong pair of shoes to leave you in agony. Well I can't say I've been wearing heels (impossible in Afflecks with its rickety and holey floorboards) but I've been wearing my Converse loads and they're just too flat. I've had problems with my feet before, I used to be a titchy size 3 1/2 to 4 but after a year of pain they eventually grew a size. So now the same pain has come back - does this mean they're growing more or shrinking back?

So last time I had trouble I was given a pair of special inserts to support my (very high) arches and stop my feet moving around too much - the only trouble is I can't remember what shoes they are in - hence the shoe mountain. I didn't find them though - I'm going to have to find that bag of shoes in the loft ....

What I did discover though is one of my favourite pair of trainers - my baby pink Pro Keds. I bought these in Australia and fell in love buying them even though they are only a size 3. Even though they are a bit on the tight side they are actually quite good for my feet as they have a thicker sole than Converse with built in arch supports - yay! Found my new summer shoes and didn't need to spend a penny!

A new blog and a new beginning...

2010-05-14T13:27:00.005+01:00

This Fashion Womble blog is my own personal blog filled with random things, some of which aren't always appropriate to post up on the 'main blog'. Up until now the main blog on the website here - has been an insight into what we've been doing & looking at, as well as news about forthcoming events & new styles.

It was created as just a random collection of things on a website page it's as all been done in dreamweaver from Gordons computer it has meant its been difficult for me to post stuff to it, so after much deliberation we have decided to create

A NEW BLOG - Click on the pic to check it out here!

It hopefully should mean things are a bit more streamlined, we can both post things to add more variety and we can reach a whole new community of customers through the medium of blogger!

But if your interested here's a list of all our blogs:

The NEW Me&Yu Blog - We Are Me&Yu

The Old Me&Yu Blog archive

Angies Blog - Fashion Womble

Gordon's Blog - It looked like a flat swan

Gordon's Photography Blog

Now I just need to get posting things more regularly!

peace lions should rule the world

2010-05-13T12:01:00.001+01:00

Another Lookbook

2010-05-10T23:38:00.002+01:00

Red Hair and Attitute

2010-05-10T18:21:00.005+01:00

There's been a bit of a red hair revival recently.

Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine is perhaps the most outstanding example but we've also seen red hair on Alyson Hannigan (Alice in Twiglight) and Karen Gillan (Amy Pond in Dr. Who). All great fiesty girls with attitude and red is definately the colour of rebellion in hair terms.

I've been red quite a few times, the most recent about 5 years ago. I'm fancying it again but don't think i'd go back there again as on the top of my blonde its very difficult to maintain - fading at the ends overnight. But its a shame as I really like the look.

I was sat in a cafe today and this video came on - thought I'd share it - Garbage, Sex is Not The Enemy. Shirley Manson is the epitome of the fiesty red headed rock chick and I think this look is pretty timeless - I'm loving the red dress / leopard coat combo. this video is from 2005 but they've been around since the mid ninties. They kind of passed me by at the time but I might have to get a 'greatest hits' album.

Nevermind the Politics

2010-05-09T22:54:00.006+01:00

There's been no avoiding the election, if you own a TV, read a newspaper, have a Twitter or Facebook account or drink in a pub there has been no escape.

I've learnt a few valuable lessons this week by personal experience and by absorbing myself in the media frenzy and here's a brief summary...

1. Don't have conversations about politics (even your nearest and dearest) unless you are prepared for an argument.

2. There are some very stupid people out there, some of them are politicians, some of them are voters - both are very worrying...

3. Some people love the sound of their own voice and think that if they shout loud enough or bully long enough they will change your opinion.

4. The voting system in the UK is fundamentally flawed.

5. People make presumptions, based on their beliefs without considering facts.

6. I've been amazed at how opinionated and impassioned people have become about politics.

7. More should be taught in schools about how our country is run - a lot of the younger people I've been speaking to have no clue what is going on.

And just remember folks everyone in the UK is entitled to their own opinion, just remember your opinion is purely that - we have our own you know, it just might not be the same!

How do you Lookbook?

2010-04-29T14:40:00.004+01:00

The latest internet phenomenon for fashion folks is Lookbook - its like a lite version of Facebook where you simply post up photos of yourself looking fabulous.

I wasn't sure what to make of it at first, not sure if its all a bit too ego driven and self-obsessed but after a while I've got into the whole feel of it. I'm enjoying seeing a variety of different 'looks' that real people wear and seeing how their image changes with their outfit. I'm amazed by the quality of the photography on there - I'm sure some people must be model wannabees with their own photographer friends doing the photos.

But overall it seems like a great new marketing tool for a small business like ours, you can tag the clothes with a link straight to your website which has gotta be another way of getting people to your website. A whole new online community awaits - and what is great is its a global site so you can share looks with people all over the world.

After a few tentative posts with other people starring, I took the plunge and photographed myself and uploaded it! Now I hate having my photograph taken so it might take a while for me to learn how to 'work it' in front of the camera but I think I dress in an interesting way and I'm gonna share it with the Lookbook world!

Double Good

2010-04-23T13:48:00.004+01:00

There's a new issue of DOUBLE Magazine out - you may remember last month we did the new season launch in conjunction with this great online magazine. Well its going from strength to strength and the latest issue "The Sprititual Issue" is the best one yet.

The editorial content and image quality are great - all this from the creative vision of editor Zoe Jenkin who is managing to create all this as well as her University course - now that's what I call dedication!

http://www.doublemagazine.co.uk/magazine/

Roseanne

2010-04-18T18:23:00.005+01:00

I love my retro TV nostalgia and this week we've been taking a trip back to the early '90's with Roseanne. We managed to get a hold of the entire 1st series on the lovely ebay for a mere £3 and with 9 discs to go at that is a very affordable sollution to the TV on offer!

I don't remember this series from 1988 - I probably had far to much of a social life but I remember later ones which were aired on channel 4 at 6pm - perfect teatime viewing.

For those of you that don't remember Roseanne - it was the classic all american sit-com - before Friends took over the world. Centred around The Connor Family it portayed the day to day dramas and events of a normal working class family. It dealt with issues such as money worries, infidelities and teenage and parental frustrations.

The main character is Roseanne Connor played by comedienne Roseanne Barr - a stand up comedian before the show. Husband Dan is played by John Goodman (star of films such as Big Lebowski, Barton Fink, you'll recognise him) and their 3 children Becky (Alicia Linda Goranson)

Darlene (Sara Gilbert) and DJ (Michael Fishman). Aunt Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) also has a central role.

It is the on screen dynamics of the cast and their ability to see the funny side of most things, which really makes the show work. The joke after joke banter with a heavy side of irony is completely timeless when applied to the family construct. No matter what the year, sisters will always row, parents will always be wrong, children will always get bad reports etc etc.

I think I appreciate it even more than I did first time around. Its really refreshing in todays modern world full of technology to go back to basics - 2.4 children and a house full of love. But be warned it only works with a really good sense of humour!

The Experience of Working

2010-04-14T22:33:00.006+01:00

This time of year we usually get innundated with people asking for work experience and I like to say yes to everyone! It's a really big thing now to gain some experience outside of the learning environment and universities and colleges place a big emphasis on getting on the job experience. It can be a real help for little businesses like ours when there's loads of stuff to do. Many hands can make light work but sometimes it can be hard work giving one to one tuition - especially when you're not feeling well (yes I've been ill again but finally getting better).

The last few weeks we've had two lovely girls both in the second year at different Uni's - Vickie and Ashleigh. I've taught them basic cutting and sewing techniques and they've been facing the fear of sewing machines and helping me make more stock (skirts and jumpsuits in preparation for the warmer weather) as well as headscarves and earrings which are flying out of the shop at the moment. They've seen how difficult it can be to run a small business and hopefully gone away with a bit more knowledge and a lot more confidence. See Vickie's blog here and get her version of life at Me&Yu.

Their last day was spent doing a little photoshoot - here's some of the pics!

I've got more students in over the summer - all different ages and lengths of time. I find it's always good to meet new people and be inspired by their work too and everyone stays in touch - I've made some friends for life!

This week we say a sad goodbye to our longest serving intern - hannah (see her fab blog here). She's been with us since august last year and I don't know what I'll do without her. She's been a master cutter, skirt sewer and river island packer, photographer, stylist, shop worker, PR bitch and tea maker - thanks Hannah here's wishing you luck in your final year!

Sneaky Purchase!

2010-03-31T19:13:00.005+01:00

It's quite hard to be a consumer when you don't get a proper wage but everyone needs a treat sometimes. This week I had a few pennies from selling a vintage Cardigan I found in my cupboard so I couldn't resist this tunic from Something Else at Urban Outfitters. I've got quite acollection of this brand now since discovering the first collection in Australia. Something Else is by Australian designer Natalie Wood who also works for surf brand Insight. It is a project which features other artists work transformed into great printed designs.

I saw this tunic when it was full priced - a whopping £62 - far too much for my meager budget. But I couldn't resist it in the sale for £29 - massive difference!

I really like the complexity of the layered design, I'd love to be able to do designs like this but it's just not possible with the equipment we have It's been created by a digital printer. Yes thats
right they are massive machines which take fabric on a roll - you do your design on your computer, just hit print and off you go. Now that is the future! But without a spare £10,000 (a blind stab it could be much higher) I don't think we'll be buying a digital printer anytime soon. In the meantime we'll have to make do with our transfer prints and hand screen printing - eye print
tunic or psychedelic orchid vest dress.

Things What I Have Done Recently....

2010-03-26T15:07:00.018Z

Yeah so its been a while and I've been busy with lots of things.

This is a brief lowdown of what I've been up to with pictures to make it more interesting!

1. We designed the New Season - Me&Yu Takes a trip - its online now at www.meandyu.com and in the shop!

2. We made things all pretty in the shop (we've still got some to do but its looking good!)

3. I did a little photoshoot with the I Heart Molly range and lovely model Hannah G.

4. I made myself a teacosy - this is what I did for myself on my day off!

5. I created lots of re-mix clothes and did another photshoot with Carly M - these will be going on the website soon!

6. Have been trying to organise the Press and Promotion strategy as we need to get featured in more magazines - but we we're in Cloth Magazine this issue!

7. I got a new application for my iphone which takes Lomo style photo's - I love it!

8. We're in the process of designing a range for Topshop - lets hope they like it and buy some pieces!

9. We're going to have our clothes shown in some catwalk shows to raise finds for good causes - Rock The Runway and King Davids High School.

10. We've met a few bands and they'll be wearing our stuff onstage - Ten Bears, Is Tropical, The Coolness, Glass Diamond and Semi Precious Weapons (who are supporting Lady Gaga). We've also had celebs Elliot Tittensor (Carl from Skins) and Kaya Scodelario (Effy from Shameless) in the shop!

Budget for business

2010-03-25T12:00:00.002Z

Budget for business

There's lots of talk of money matters today in the papers as it's budget day. Before I started running a business my interest in the budget would be strictly concerned with whether they were putting up booze or fags - now i can't afford either! Now I'm more concerned about VAT and income tax thresholds!

The thing about me&yu is it's not just a small business it's a tiny business - it's just me and Gordon (occasionally with work experience helpers). Between us we do the work of 3 people and get the pay of one! It's not a business started with a big capital investment and a strong
business plan. It's a business that has evolved from a hobby and it's often at this time of year that we wonder why we bother.

Yes this is a horrible time of year in retail for small business owners - you've done all the hard work over Christmas, sacrificing time with family and friends to work in the shop. The new collection is all made, online and in the shop and we're in the stage of promote, photos, promote, photos. But the weather is cold and rainy and shoppers are more concerned with what they can get for a tenner. At a time of year when you've spent all your money on stock the sales slump in the shop and you're hit with a massive VAT bill. Everything you've worked hard for over the last quarter has vanished before your eyes and you're looking at the prospect of a lot more hard work before the bank balance looks healthy.

Every year we think " this is the year we can take proper wages" but there's simply not enough income and too much outgoing. With shop and studio rents a massive outgoing every week as well as travel costs up and down the motorway (still cheaper than moving to Manchester) we
need to take quite a lot just to break even.

But we keep on ploughing through - trying to get one step closer to our Australian dream - yes we want to head back out there where the sun shines, where you can get great coffee and sushi on your doorstep. I keep fantasising about having a little shop in Bondi Beach and hanging out with the beautiful people - its the only thing that keeps me going through the dark, quiet days of winter. But one day if we keep up all his hard work it will be Me&Yu Australia here we come!

Me&Yu on Blogs we like!

2010-03-24T00:20:00.006Z

We've been going all out to get a bit of coverage on blogs out there.

Here's a few great blogs who've featured us recently.

and Patterned Tights is Hannah's blog which is quite a lot about what its like to work with us - as she's on work placement with us this year!

If you'd like to feature Me&Yu - just let us know and we can send you some photo's and feature you on our main blog on our website Me&Yu Blogazine!

Wave your hands in the air like you just don't care...

2010-03-15T16:17:00.008Z

Last weekend saw the launch party for our NEW SEASON - Me&Yu Takes A Trip!!

We celebrated in typical Me&Yu style with a festival theme and a warehouse party!

The event was held in conjunction with Double Magazine (a great new online fashion magazine) as they were celebrating the launch of their latest issue.

Held in super cool Islington Mill in Salford, there were 3 live bands - Ten Be ars, The Coolness and Wild Palms all playing LIVE in the main room as well as DJ's galore from Manchester's finest clubnights.

We were given our own room to have a few rails of clothes, tombola, photobooth and face painting! We also had a dj booth with Gordon spinning tunes from our ancient record collection - top hits of the 80's and 90's was the theme of the evening. We had a great time, met lots of new people and discovered a new favourite band - Ten Bears from Manchester are amazing as well as really nice guys - they're definately a great new addition to our shop playlist!

Here's some photo's.....

Update

2010-02-23T09:19:00.003Z

So I woke up early today ( last Sunday - its taken a week to get uploaded doh!) filled with enthusiam for treasure hunting at the car boot. But when we got up we discovered it has been
snowing - again! It's just not fun anymore!

The snow is a bit of a nightmare when you're trying to run a business - especially with a shop an hour down the motorway. At the start of the year we lost whole weeks as we couldn't get to the studio, so I'm hoping this cold snap doesn't last long.

The start of the year has been slow compared to the Christmas mania but the shop has been busy and I've been spending more time in there. I've painted a wall and re- arranged everything, creating a cleaner, less cluttered shop. It's easier to see the good clothes and choice vintage bags and I've given more space to my handmade jewellery. All of this has been beneficial and we're already up considerably on last years sales.

The spring summer collection is all designed and sampled and last weekend we went to a trade show in London to exhibit our wares to buyers from around the globe. It was a strange event, I'm used to the hustle and bustle of consumer shows and it was very quiet. There was a steady flow of people through the door but it felt like we were in a blind spot and lots of people just walked past us. A lot of the buyers only seemed interested in speaking to people they already knew. There was an interesting mix of brands but one thing became apparent - Me&Yu is totally different from anyone else!

There were a lot of people who do designs and then send them off to get printed - there was only one other brand who actually prints themselves, Mr. Wingate. The other brands ranged from graphic text tees, to hand drawn illustrations and graffiti style prints but no other brand quite like us who do a bit of everything. We had a much larger variety of garment styles, catering for both men and women - we even print our own fabric! Perhaps we had too much variety on offer and maybe next time we'll just print everything on white tees!

Anyway we must have done something right as we got an order from a shop in Brighton and also a sample order from some Japanese guys doing a trade show in Tokyo - from which we could get some further orders.

Perhaps the most interesting thing is that I met a lovely girl who works as a buyer for Topshop and we're going to have a meeting with them next week. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much as we just might be too small to take orders from someone as huge as Topshop but
I just feel really happy that they loved what we do. With further meetings with River Island as well this week it's an exciting time for a tiny little label from Manchester!

Musical Matters

2010-02-08T18:42:00.004Z

I often think how nice it would be to play an instrument or be able to sing with confidence (or at least without deafening people). As a child I tried my hardest to master the guitar but even with a half size one my hands were never big enough to comfortably play. Even now my hands are dinky - only measuring 16cm from wrist to fingertip (go on measure yours...)

Guitar wasn't the only thing I played at school, like everyone else we played recorder but I was considered good enough to play the tenor - a bigger recorder which was in a different key so I used to have different notes than everyone else! I also became entrusted with most of the strange percussion instruments that every school seems to aquire. If there was ever a special cymbal or triangle to be struck then I got the honour. The coolest thing I got to play was the electronic harp, it was a soft metallic sounding string instrument you pressed a combination of buttons to make the chord and then strummed it - I had to play this in assembly to the lords prayer so it felt special to be allowed to have my eyes open!

I've been really wanting to get my hands on a xylophone (or do I mean glockenspiel - I'm not sure what the difference is) - one of those big wooden ones like you used to get at school.

I think it would be good to cover some recent songs - cool acoustic versions... I just love the sound!

At the moment I'd never have time to have a hobby, but maybe one day.....

I could even get as good as these guys!

Dungarees are back!

2010-02-04T13:43:00.008Z

I have fond memories of dungarees. A child of the 70's, I spent my younger years in corduroy ones, whilst mother tried to look like Felicity Kendall in her denim ones.

I re-kindled my love in my teenage years - the early 90's it was all about the baggy oversize denim ones, one strap down with your hooded top and hi- tops. De La Soul and Salt N Pepa were the pioneers of this colourful look - you'd wear with your American baseball jacket (yes they're back too!) for a hip- hop sporty look.

In our teenage posse we all had denim dungarees - even the boys wore them with their kickers! I remember wearing them from the age of 14 right through to college, and it was at art college that I had my favourite pair of dungeees - perfect for a painterly environment, dungerees, docs and plaits were my non-uniform of choice.

So it was a real blast from the past when I spied these gorgeous floral dungarees. What I couldn't believe even more was that they were from H&M! Now whether i'll be able to track them down will be interesting (whether they'll fit and look good is debatable as H&M is so hit and miss....)

Now I used to love H&M but I was only saying the other day how bad it was looking at the moment. I did my usual High Street mini-review recently - I regualarly have a quick walk through of all the main high street stores to see what their new ranges were looking like, what looks they're going for and noticing any good shop displays. Its usually a good way to see if we're on trend with the latest 'must haves' and also check that our pricing is in line with the big stores.

The brief lowdown...

Topshop - overall really good but heavy on the vintage lace and creams so its looking a bit bland, quite expensive for key pieces (and they're becoming increasingly more badly made) but there's still some great bargains to be had in that sale rail......

H&M - absolutely shocking layout, really random clothing, no style or feeling to any section, bad lighting, dated feel (although it must be said I did go into the smaller Arndale store, I'll check out the main store on Saturday in the hunt for those dungarees!)

Miss Selfridge - Very good, all the major trends represented. Considering the Miss Selfridge in Manchester is a lot smaller than Topshop it seemed to have a lot more really wearable pieces. Having said that there were a lot of hidous pieces to be found on that sale rail so lets hope they can keep it up.

Urban Outfitters - Is my favourite of all. I think its because the Manchester store has a really good layout with lots of space between the rails. Okay so it's a bit heavy on the renewed & recycled clothing which is shockingly overpriced for what it is, but overall its definately the most fashion forward shop on the high street.

I'm going to venture into a few more shops at the weekend, I'll let you know how I get on!

The Strangest Lists of All

2010-01-20T13:54:00.012Z

Well the extended Christmas break has well and truly gone, thanks snow but i won't miss you!

Due to the terrible weather Gordon and I have been working from home on alternate days - it also means that someone has been on hand to play & feed kittens! Ginger has gone to his forever home and Lady Marmalade has had her lady bits seen too - no more kittens for her! Pretty has been checked over by the nice vet and has been confirmed as a boy! Aaaah Pretty boy!

We've got him for a few more weeks as his new mummy has holes in her kitchen floor at present - probably not ideal for an adventurous kitten! I'm loving this extended time with him he's become more interested in us since his brother isn't around to wrestle with!

As promised, the kittens have been an inspiration for one of the new designs - "Cosmic Kittens of Karma" Most of the designs have been finished, it's just a case of doing all the finishing touches, little extra bits of hand-drawing and re-working the odd thing. What's been quite amusing is the bizarre lists I'm working to every day eg:

* Drawn Phrenology Head

* 2 x Psychedelic Hybred Animals

* Photograph of Kittens

* re-work Psychedelic Orchid > more triangles

* Eyes

* Hearts

* Separate transparencies

* make transfers A4

I love how this new range is coming together. For our wholesale range we've decided to concentrate on t-shirt, sweatshirts and hoodies and do less handmade stuff in the womenswear range - it was just too hard to make all those dresses! I've got more t-shirt dresses planned, 3 or 4 different styles, as well as simple skirts, crop tops and vests. It wil have a fresh, clean feel with pastels and greys and lots of layering - very 80's sportswear!

As the main range is basic, and not out for another few weeks, I'm working on a small range for the shop which will go in ASAP! The "I Heart Molly" is a range based on Molly Ringwald & the 80's Brat Pack films. Having a new theme means I can re-merchandise an area of the shop to make it look fresh and new, bringing in a few new pieces gradually and keeping some best sellers in the shop. It gives me the opportunity to 'use up' some of the fabrics we printed - some we didn't even get to use in the madness of Christmas!

I hit on the idea of using newspaper as a quick fix over some old graphics. As it's quite a feminine range with pastel pinks and florals I decided to use pages of the Financial Times as I love the colour! I'm looking forward to doing a photoshoot on this theme - I've been styling the feminine florals with mens tweed jackets and chunky boots for a grungy feel so it will make a very strong fashion look. It's 80's girly florals meets 90's grunge and it's a nice little cross-over range until we've finished the main colllection. It's a great way to finish off my rolls of printed fabric from "A Day At The Zoo" - presenting it in a way that looks new and fresh. I can add in the newer pieces gradually saving me the stress of trying to 'make an entire shop'!

I'm pleased with the results, and I've had some great vintage finds that compliment the 'look' - hopefully people will come in and buy a complete outfit!

Sitting on A Train

2010-01-15T18:23:00.003Z

I caught one of the old trains yesterday, it felt a bit like a bus.

I'd like to do a fashion photoshoot here, it would be good to contrast

something new and fresh with something old and run down.