Selling up and moving away and sending postcards

Nope, not me. A seemingly lovely couple called Andy and Elena.  I read about them in today's Sunday Times magazine.  They sold everything they owned down

to hinges for the washing machine and leave the UK on the 13th September. First stop Hanoi.

Andy and Elena will send you a post card from their destination if you will pay p&p.

I have already ordered two, one shop bought from Elena and one hand drawn from Andy.

Visit them at Postcards From Us

I love sending and receiving postcards and recently read that postcards are still very popular when informing people of your holiday destination and stuff.

10-4

The Old Artistry

I made some new friends through mutual friends etc via social networking and all that in the 21st Century.

I couldn't go to London and NOT call in to The Old Artistry. For a start, for those in the know, it was in E17 (I loved Terry - I still don't know why), Walthamstow. Like proper East London.

Secondly, I love vintage, art, markets and nice people so you know, ticked all my boxes.

Lucy and Jessica are the proprietors and they sell vintage items from clothing to cabbage pots and Lucy's artwork!

Check out:

The Old Artistry 

The Old Artistry

See? These people are fabulous!

From the outside of TOA - Paintings on wall for sale

I loved how everything was quite random

It's a little treasure trove in here

Fantastic signed prints (can be got online)

How COOL are these!

TOA also doubles up as Lucy's studio

(LtoR) Jessica, Lucy, Pembe, Kati, Aaron!

I absolutely loved The Old Artistry - the market that it's in, Wood Street Market, is awesome.  The individual little shops sell everything and anything and not at the inflated costs of the central London markets which are full of Hipsters and more for 'looking cool'. Wood Street is a proper market with fabulous prices and seriously underrated.  I have to go back to visit The Old Artistry again and to buy some tiny fuzzy elephants with the balloons on them from a shop next door. See? You can get ANYTHING there.

Find them on:

Facebook:   The Old Artistry

Twitter: @OldArtistry

(Competition on TOA via Twitter as of 13/09/2013 - retweet their tweet and best profile picture wins)

Email them at: TheOldArtistry@gmail.com

and visit them at E17 Wood Street Market

Don't be a dickhead, go visit and get some genuine vintage  items and art.  It's very easy to get to from Walthamstow tube (Victoria Line) message me and I can tell you in less than 160 characters. Bet you a tenner.

Be cool.

Bartlam - E17/East 17 were the 'Bad Boys of Pop' in the 90s who wore odd clothes and sang shit songs but I still loved them and only recently bought the Ultimate East 17 album.

Hyper Japan 2013

**FYI** I apologise for the delay. I have been to hell and back with technology lately and it's only today that I've got a temporary solution. God am I WEARY (did that sound dramatic enough?)  ANYWAY - London was fabulous, plenty of random waffle and photos to come but first...the very reason I went:

HYPER JAPAN!

 Hyper Japan finally arrived at Earls Court on 26th - 28th July 2013:

The weather was glorious and the queue was enormous. Have a ticket? Join the massive, longest queue you've ever been in.  2 hours in the blazing sun with only a black cardigan to protect my delicate skin.

Once inside we saw things like Sushi Making:

Puzzle Boxes:

Kawaii stalls:

Weirdo Doll Heads

*SCREAMS!* MY LITTLE PONIES!

Kawaii everything random at high prices

And the best part, the costumes:

This one was my *gasp* favourite. She moved about like she was gliding. I was in awe and almost turning into a stalker:

MESMERISING <3 <3 <3

So cute!

It was roasting in the queue - Latex might be too warm but at least she just needed to remove her coat.

There were some fabulous costumes there but this one really does deserve a special mention...in fact, these two do:

I just loved him.

*THE* piece de la resistance:

*silence*

OK MOVING ON SWIFTLY..

I met...the one and only...Godfather of Sudoku. The actual inventor. He's so cute and his glasses were lime green.  I'm a little enthusiastic here but I was slightly amazed that this fella made Sudoku. OVERWHELMED:

Big Love to you Godfather

There were also a couple of cars there including one van with a bed in the back:

Yes it was called 'Drive-By' and I want one.

Was it worth the queuing for? No. Would I go back? Yes but only on fast track ticket and NOT on a Saturday!