Meeting with an Artist; John Wind, Jewellery Designer

You may have read the article I published last week about the beautiful modern vintage jewellery created by John Wind Maximal Art. If you did, you will know that I am now a big fan.

So imagine my reaction when Philadelphia-based John Wind, having read my post, asked if he could meet up with me during his visit to London this week. Well, I jumped at the chance.

He loved my article (oh my god) and apparently he sent copies of it to all his Sales Reps. Near heart attack does not sufficiently sum up how I was feeling when I learnt this.

But anyway, on to the subject in hand. Little ol’ me met with John Wind for coffee and chats in The Orange on Pimlico Road on Monday.

And well, what can I say? It was pretty amazing! John Wind is literally the most charming, gentle, interesting, intelligent, friendly, complimentary and calming gentleman I have ever met. The experience was utterly delightful.

Now, I am a very excitable kind of person. Even in ordinary circumstances I am fairly puppy-like. So I was pretty much in a complete frenzy, which I hope I managed to hide, by the time it came for us to meet. John, however, managed to put me at ease from the moment I laid eyes on him. Now when it comes to me, that’s a skill!

He was dressed in a classic shirt and jeans and he looked fresh and clean and beautifully turned out with a friendly smile and deep brown eyes! I LOVED him, can you tell?!

Apart from the fact that I don’t often have the opportunity to chat to American people, which at first made me very aware of his accent, I soon felt like I had known him for an age! I know that sounds like a cliché but it’s true! OK, I promise to be less melodramatic from here on in.

John was visiting London so that he could attend the Thouron Awards 50th Anniversary Gala held at Hampton Court Palace on Saturday 26th June. The Thouron Awards is the British-American exchange programme though which John won a scholarship to study Art in London. The program was set up to bring “young people of exceptional ability from each country into contact with the ideas and peoples of another country”. As John put it, the event was “celebrating half a century of Anglo-American exchange, scholarship, and friendship’. And here we were, developing these transatlantic relationships, just without the ‘exceptional ability’ on my part! Mmmm...

We chatted about lots of different things; how sometimes people from different countries can almost be like different species, the wonders of modern technology, about how English people often have an undeniable urge to put themselves down, and Gay teen sci-fi fiction! (Odd yes but a visit to John’s brother’s site leewind.org will explain that one). It wasn’t long before I was telling him my whole life story. Oh no! Did I just go on about myself the entire time!!? I can get a bit carried away you know!

In between talking about me (!), we discussed how the Maximal Art creative process has evolved throughout the 25 years they have been in business. And business is the key word here. John Wind is an artist in essence, but in order to keep his art alive and share it with the world, he has had to become a businessman. I got the impression that reconciling the art and the business has been somewhat a challenge. But he has reconciled it beautifully, helped by Robin Cook, the company’s President for whom he clearly has a deep respect. He has fully embraced the ‘art of business’ in the best possible taste.

And then suddenly, without any warning, John produced a beautiful little package and presented me with a gift! Now remembering that I am an excitable person, I hope you’ll forgive when I tell you that I instantly leapt up and hugged him! John commented that I hadn’t even opened it yet so I gathered that he wasn’t quite ready for my impulsive, excited, over- reaction. It’s not my fault...I love pressies! So I opened it and it was the most beautiful pearl coil bracelet personalised with an ‘R’ for ‘Ree’ on a bold, gold disc. Once again that beautiful fusion of the past and the present; classic and funky; traditional yet edgy. I LOVED IT. I leapt up and hugged him. AGAIN! I really could have cried but I think I managed to style that out. I wonder whether he noticed?

Before I knew it, it was time to leave. I actually crossed over with a lovely lady named Sarah who John was seeing for lunch. He had a lot of people to fit in before he flew to Germany the following day. Sarah, who was also wearing her John Wind Maximal Art bracelet, was one of the first people John met when he came to study at the Slade School of Art in London on the Thouron scholarship. He has remained friends with her ever since. She, too, was utterly charming, and kindly volunteered her services as photographer. Say cheese!

Well we said our goodbyes and off I went, absolutely skipping along. I skipped, stopped to look at my very OWN John Wind Maximal Art bracelet and then skipped along again! Then sat on the train and scribbled furiously, punctuated with pauses to accommodate looking at my very OWN John Wind Maximal Art bracelet!!

Next week I have an appointment for a private viewing of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s John Wind collection, where one of John favourite pieces lives. And so the love affair continues...

Don’t forget! There’s still time to enter my ReallyRee John Wind Maximal Art giveaway.

Isn’t life funny how one minute you’re writing about a very gifted person in your blog and the next minute you’re having coffee and chats with them? I would love to know what you think about my meeting with John Wind. Have you any similar stories to tell where fortune has brought you together with someone you never thought you’d meet?

Can’t wait to hear from you

Ree

XXX

Fashionistas Plan Ahead

Now I hate to wish the summer away, but we all know that winter will eventually arrive. I am sorry to do this to you, but I am attempting to do what all good Fashionistas do and that is, start to plan for seasons ahead. It’s just what we have to do darling! I promise that I am saying this with a mixture of self ridicule and fantasy about actually being a REAL Fashionista!

So the weather is beautiful and the sun makes us feel great. Everyone is happy and smiling, but we must not forget that it is ALWAYS good to be prepared and that research and planning is the key to success in every aspect of life. Particularly in a very important aspect of life; STYLE.

Now obviously, it could be a little depressing thinking about chilly winter already, but come on, we do have to be realistic, and to be honest, what with the BW (meaning British Weather, but I can’t stand mentioning that old cliché) this could be a lot sooner than we think. Apologies, again, if this disheartens you. But wait!

You know what is good in winter? Well I’ll tell you. Dressing for winter. And a super stylish wardrobe essential is a gorgeous scarf. This will cheer up dull winter coats and dull winter days with the added bonus of being lovely and warm. See; in summer, when it’s hot, it’s hot. Not a lot you can do. But in winter, well, you can wrap up and snuggle up and add glamour and style, all at the same time. See? There’s always a silver lining! Are you feeling better?

And why not buy a scarf with a bit of embellishment? Practicality meets beauty. Pick one that’s well made and comfortable, and the embellishment will add the sparkle that’s missing on a chilly day.

So to help you find a scarf that ticks all these boxes, I thought I would tell you about a brand that I recently stumbled across. The company is called KRYSTALL by M.S. Design and they produce the most beautifully made, exquisitely embellished scarves, which definitely do tick all the boxes.

The fabrics are created by the finest master weavers, and range from fine cashmere and silk georgette chiffons, to French lace and printed fine silk and wool. The aforementioned sparkle is provided courtesy of glistening crystals, beads, coloured stones and stunning embroidery. The scarves and shawls come in a range of colours to suit your preference or mood, and will stylishly tone with any outfit or, alternatively, inject an amazing shot of colour to brighten and lift any look. They are the perfect style solution. I have decided that if I don’t buy one myself, then I will certainly put one on my Christmas list.

Check out the wonderful designs over at http://www.krystallmsdesigns.com/

Anyway, enough of planning ahead! The Fashionista hat is off! Back to summer fun.

Are you thinking about what to wear next season yet? Or would you rather worry about it later?

Can't wait to hear from you

Ree

XXX

No! Don't Make Me!

Well yesterday was my son's Sports Day and luckily, we had the most beautiful weather for it. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, there was plenty of excitement in the air and I had the feeling of contentment that comes with the knowledge that there is nothing I have to do but cheer and clap and all that lovely fun stuff.

See, when I was young, I hated Sports Day because I really wasn't the sporty kind and nobody wanted me in their team. So, rather than the excitement and joy that my son feels, I had the dread and the loathing that goes hand in hand with wishing I was anywhere else in the world but in the bloody (excuse my French) sack race. But anyway, those days are long gone, thank God. So long gone in fact that now, THEY DO WANT ME IN THEIR TEAM! Oh lord. I had forgotten about the parents' race.

See, while I am a good sight sportier than I used to be, I see Sports Day as a nice opportunity to stroll around the park and chat to my friends and take pictures and laze around. This Parents’ Race lark is giving me the bad feelings again. And I was wearing sandals and the lovely DKNY silk vest I got from Selfridges (complete wonderbargain reduced from £165 down to £40. AMAZING!) No no no!

This is my kind of Sports Day

Posing with Vik. Love her vintage Maxi and Gucci shades

Pretending to have my picture taken whilst actually trying to get a shot of Hot Dad

Giving up and just taking a shot of Hot Dad! Promise I'm not a stalker

Drinking coffee and being super happy in my bargain DKNY silk vest, Topshop Moto denim shorts and my Tom Fords.

Getting a leg cuddle from the best baby in the world. He belongs to Vik. See vintage Maxi above.

Admiring Lucy's gorgeous Dune sandals. I want them.

And finally, accessorising prams with Jimmy Choo and Chloe.

THAT is my kind of Sports Day. NOT tearing along, terrified that I am going to let my son down whilst tripping up in my Gladiators.

Then a perfectly legitimate excuse presented itself to me. Our lovely Community Police Officers, impressed with my flashy camera, asked me to photograph them in the Parents Race. I jumped at it. How could I run in the race when I am the OFFICIAL photographer for the Community Police Officers’ summer newsletter? It was perfect. And good enough for my son too. He was even prouder than if I had run the race, won and had a barbeque ready for the stragglers at the finishing line. I was important. And here’s another shot of one of the lovely chaps trying his hardest.

So adorable.

Does Sports day bring back memories for you? Or don’t you care because you are still too impressed with my amazing find at the Selfridges sale? Yeah. Me too!


Can’t wait to hear from you and don’t forget to check out my jewellery giveaway.

Ree

XXX

Modern Jewellery. Vintage Delight. And a Special Giveaway!

As a new blogger and general fashion and style enthusiast, I am extremely interested in reading and looking at the work done by my fellow bloggers. Whilst browsing through a blog called Style Shepherd, I came across a jewellery designer called John Wind. Having looked further into this, I discovered that his line was called John Wind Maximal Art and I decided to write an article about this beautiful jewellery.

John Wind is American; however, he studied Art in London in the eighties, where he first developed his passion for jewellery. The focus of his design was vintage styling with a modern twist and he used to scour Portobello market to snag unique materials for his art. John would make the pieces at home and then wear them around town. At 6 feet 6 inches tall, he was probably a fairly unusual sight but we should let him off because he was ‘arty’ and it was the eighties after all! He knocked many doors and eventually achieved success, launching John Wind Maximal Art. He chose the name 'maximal' because he felt his work drew a stark contrast to the trends that dominated the art world at the time. I suppose he was quite a maximal type of man himself!

John Wind feels that jewellery has a story to tell, that it has "soul and personality and a narrative quality". His jewellery tells many different stories as you will see from the broad range exhibited on his website. One of the pieces is named the Midsummer Night's Dream Collage Necklace – poetry meets art. It is unusually bold and beautiful yet still has delicate charm. Sounds like I’m describing lots of my gorgeous friends! That’s interesting. Jewellery is most definitely female. Obviously, it can be worn by boys and girls alike, but these beauties are definitely ladies!

So why do we love jewellery? Well firstly I think because it’s pretty. We love pretty, shiny sparkles. Special pieces guarantee to lend something to an outfit. It’s the polish, the cherry on the top, the fine tuning. If your jewellery is doing all the talking, your clothes really don’t have to work as hard. It’s like when I can’t be bothered to put makeup on, I always wear my favourite, special earrings. I think we love jewellery because it is special. I love my clothes, goodness, I can’t get enough of them but, you know, when you wear them you lean on them and sit on them, then you chuck them in a washing machine. Shoes? Well we put our feet in them and stand on them and kick them off at weddings! I mean, I wouldn’t put up with that treatment. But with jewellery it’s a completely different story. We really care for it and protect it from the dangers of the world, we take it off when we go in the shower and we put it in a special box just for jewellery and nothing else.

So when I was out shopping at Selfridges the other day, I decided to take a trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum, where a John Wind piece features in a permanent collection. Unfortunately, the collection is regularly rotated and it was not on display. This was a bit disappointing but I took a look at the current jewellery collection and it was absolutely fascinating. There was jewellery that dated back to 1500 BC and I started to realise how inherent this kind of self adornment is within the human race. My gosh, we have been blinging it up for years! Wearing jewellery is clearly something that connects with us in a basic, instinctive way. It is steeped in history. But, surprisingly, even some of the very earliest pieces still had a modern feel about them. And this is where I find John Wind and his Maximal Art to be so alluring. It beautifully captures the vintage essence in a modern funky form.

The collection has a lot to offer; from trinkets and charms, to brooches, bracelets and necklaces. I love the idea of attaching brooches to strings of pearls. It’s a very clever way to update the jewellery you already have.

Now here comes the good bit. Here is your opportunity to WIN a beautiful classic John Wind brooch. Everyone say woooooooo! One of John Wind’s first ever pieces was a brooch and so we thought it would be lovely if we could give away a very special brooch to one of my readers. Is everyone excited? Here it is...

All you have to do is become a follower of this blog, ReallyRee; Attempts at a Stylish Life, and leave a comment here about your favourite Maximal Art piece with a link to it. Leave as many comments as you like. The winner will be chosen by random.org and this giveaway is open to every country. Qualifying comments must be in English and entered by Thursday, July 1st, 2010. The Winners will be notified and announced on Friday, May 2nd.

Good luck!

A Look at Ascot Style 2010

Whilst at Ascot on Saturday, myself and the girls decided to have a stroll around to see the kind of looks that our fellow race goers were sporting this year. And a very interesting and stylish stroll it was. I spoke to quite a few lovely ladies who were kind enough to let me photograph them. So here, for your viewing pleasure, are my favourite Ascot style picks 2010.

I love the way these girls have styled their outfits with individual touches that bring their looks to life. I have a definite favourite but I not going to say who! I would love it, however, if you could tell me your favourite look and why.

Can't wait to hear from you.

Ree

XXX

Ascot 2010. Another Fashionable Day Out!

Well after weeks of preparation and a little bit of excitement, (can anyone spot the under statement?) Ascot 2010 finally arrived. Our taxi picked us up at 8.30am as we wanted to be there right from the beginning and we were ready to go! Of course, we got there early, so we had no choice but to pop into a nearby bar for a little bottle of champagne to get us in the mood. Surrounded by lots of other Ascot eager beavers, it was thoroughly delightful. And so....On to Ascot! We were greeted by a charming man peddling blister plasters. He told us how gorgeous we looked and we loved him. I loved him even more later when his special plasters came in very handy!

It was a gorgeous day with fun, frolics and fashion. And just to shift me out of the post-event blues, here are some snaps!

And that was it for another year! It was lots of lots of fun. In my next post I'll show you some photos of my favourite Ascot looks that I came across on the day. Stay tuned!

I'd love to hear what you think of my photos.

Can't wait to hear from you.

Ree
XXX

My Ascot Look 2010

Well if you have visited my blog already, you'll know that I am getting extremely excited about going to Ascot on Saturday. I've been talking about it non-stop, looking at last year's photographs and generally working myself up into a total frenzy.

The outfit has been in planning for a few months and I am very happy with the final product. I have even been on a 7 day juice-only diet to ensure that the dress fits exactly as it should! Are you starting to understand the extent of my excitement? You may have gathered that I am a fashion enthusiast, not a racing enthusiast. For me, Ascot is all about dressing up and drinking champagne, not understanding the odds and studying the form or whatever they say! Just typing this is getting me in a bit of a tizzy. Breathe.

Planning the outfit has been a fun project. There have been changes made along the way but I am now satisfied with the choices and purchases made, even down to the underwear and nail polish. So, seeing as I've been going on about it so much, and after quite a few requests, I thought I would show you my style board. And here it is. Da daaaaa!

The Dress:  Aqua Couture from ASOS

The Clutch:  French Connection

The Shoes:  French Connection

The Cuff:  ASOS
Nail Polish:  Jessica, 380 Unleashed (not shown) A dark red colour.

Now, apologies for the lack of a hat. I am not a hat wearer. In fact, every time I have worn a hat in the past, I have taken it off, put it down, forgotten that I ever owned it and promptly lost it. Ree and hats don't go together. Instead, I try to include an eye catching feature on my dress, like the hoop on this one or the tartan bow from last year. I do hope this makes up for it.

I love outfit planning and this is a big part of the enjoyment of special events for me. Do you like dressing up?  Do you plan ahead or are you a last minute merchant? I'd love to hear what you think of my Ascot look, my lack of a hat, and dressing up in general.

Can't wait to hear from you.

Ree

XXX

Ascot. A look at last year to get in the mood!

Ascot is probably my favourite event of the year. I totally love it. It's an opportunity to get dressed up, have a whole day out with great food and drink, and just generally celebrate our girliness. With my trip to Ascot coming up in just a fews days (oh my god stay calm) I thought that I would post a few photos from last year's fun and frolics to get me, and anyone else out there that's going, right in the mood.

 I don't really need help getting in the mood as I'm ridiculously excited already and have been planning my outfit for, let's just say, some months. I'm going for a completely different look this year but here, for your enjoyment and amusement (and of course mine too) are a selection of pictures from Ascot 2009. Wooo!

The girlies looking pretty. Love Vik's red Joseph dress and classic Chanel bag

Lucy looking striking in a zebra print Oasis dress. People thought I was Scottish. I just like tartan

Ah lovely! Vik and Rebecca. What angels

Not quite so angelic. She likes Chanel. But she also likes a good old pint

I just love the fizz. In moderation, as you can see.  Tip: Makes friends with the waiter

Strutting around and posing after placing a bet. Met up with the lovely Caroline in beautiful colours. My
dress is from Rise, clutch from H&M and shoes from Aldo. The tan is from St Tropez. The product not the place

Time to go home before we have too much fun. TAXI

Well, you may have noticed that there isn't a horse in sight. We do know that it is a day at the races but it really does end up being something quite different. We have a little flutter as duty requires, but really it's a day for dress up, drink and delight.  Like a huge summer wedding without the Bride or Groom. Fabulous! I can't wait until Saturday.

What's your favourite day out? Are you going to Ascot this year? Do you plan your outfits ahead or is it a last minute affair?

Can't wait to hear from you.

Ree
XXX

Bags of Bottletop Beauty

I took a little visit to Bluewater the other day to get my eyebrows done. Well actually, this was an excuse to go to Bluewater, as I have many more local options for threading but, you know ... sometimes you have to lie to yourself.  Besides, I really do like 'Browse' and they have always given me good brows. See what I did there? Well actually they did it first.

Anyway, that isn't my point.  My point is that I was doing the rounds, as it would be silly not to, and I went to catch up with the latest bags in 'Case' where they stock a few Mulberries and Lulu Guiness, among others. I came across these unusual and alluring beauties.

They are ethically produced bags made from ring pulls.  For those of you who haven't heard of it, Bottletop is a company that funds projects to alleviate poverty in third world countries, using fashion and music. Each bag is handmade by people involved in community projects in Brazil, using hundreds of recycled ringpulls. They are absolutley stunning and edgy and you can instantly appreciate the amount of work that has gone into them.

I was drawn to these bags because I am half-magpie. Now I am even more attracted to them because of their story. In case you're interested, the bags come in different varieties and are all quite reasonably priced.

Have you come across Bottletop and the work they do? Which ethical products do you love?

Can't wait to hear from you

Ree
XXX

Father's Day Frenzy. The Pressure of Presents!

Well there are two dads I need to shop for, for father's day. There's my dad who's 89. He was 54 when I was born and he's a legend. For the purposes of this post, I’ll call him Big Daddy. Then there's my son's dad. He's 37, very hard working and an all round good egg. I'll call him Little Daddy. For your information, Little Daddy is actually bigger than Big Daddy (big daddy is really cute and little) but I think I'll just leave things like that.

I'm writing this because I always find it quite a challenge to buy for men. Especially for these two men. This is because Big Daddy is so old that he has finally collected everything that he's ever wanted and Little Daddy likes shopping and always buys everything he wants, before anyone else has a chance.

So it's a struggle. I never expect to get it right so the main goal is to not get it completely wrong! Shopping for girls is so much fun; in fact, it's what I do best. Shopping for boys is sheer torture. Who can help me? This year I have decided to look at ASOS for ideas. With free delivery and free returns, I can't go wrong can I? I don't work for ASOS, in case you were wondering. I just love that whole free delivery business.

I'm thinking clothes, so the question is, can I find father's day presents for an 89 year old and a 37 year old from the same online store? On a budget? Let the search begin!

OK, well straight away it's quite off putting trying to buy clothes for my dad that are modelled by men that are too young to be his grandchildren (ish). I understand that 89 year olds are not ASOS's target market so I'm not complaining. Keep searching. I'm looking in polo shirts, because he looks so cute in a polo shirt. Just need to stop looking at who's wearing them. And keep this person in mind:

How cute is he? My son took this photo and that's me looking proud in the background (of both of them). In case you're wondering, I am wearing Tom Ford Aviators, an assymetric cut T-shirt from ASOS and denim shorts from Moto Topshop. The watch is Hello Kitty. Sorry.

Ok, I've found one. Lovely green colour, nice longer sleeve, as I don't think Big Daddy is over keen on flexing his biceps to the world, and only £14. Bargain. What do you think? Click here to have a look.

So, on to Little Daddy. Now Little Daddy and I are separated but I see him enough to get an idea of what he likes. He's interested in fashion, so I reckon I can be a little adventurous. Back to the search. Stay positive, I'm halfway there.

OK this is harder. You see, with Big Daddy, he will love anything I give him. He neither knows nor cares about fashion; he trusts me and just likes looking nice. Little Daddy has got much more of a clue, so I'm facing more pressure not to make a mistake. Keep looking. Focus on 'New In'.

Denim joggers? NO. Sleeveless T-Shirts? NO. Oh look!!! There's Jesus, a model I saw on Polka Dot (a lovely blog I follow) probably from the shoot Polka Dot refers to her in post? Go on look!!! No stop. Stay focussed.

It's too late. I've lost it. The pressure is too much and the towel is thrown in. Aftershave again!

Do you find buying gifts stressful? What strategies do you use? What should we get Little Daddy? Can you help me?

Can't wait to hear from you

Ree
XXX

My Wardrobe in Bloom!

I've always wanted a beautiful garden but I've never been a gardener. I really don't enjoy gardening because it's always such a daunting task and I just don't like getting dirty. So imagine my joy when my garden turned into a beautiful, wild and private haven, all by itself. Clever little garden of mine.

Nature unnurtured. It's so beautiful and so unexpected that I truly feel like it's gift from the earth. I'm sorry about the 'over the top', sickly sweet gushing. I'm not normally like this!

And guess what?! Now I like flowery clothes!! I've never been keen on floral prints and fabrics for fear of them making me look frumpy or mumsy. But right now I am so drawn to them. I have actually started to buy cute little flowery shirts and culottes and I LOVE them. I don't feel old and frumpy, I feel fresh and bright and pretty! So is it pure coincidence that I have suddenly noticed the flowers in my garden and the flowers in fashion at the same time? Or maybe I am finally 'at one' with the earth - imagine me now in some yoga pose looking super spiritual. Well here I am in my floral glory for you to see. Vest and Culottes from River Isalnd.

And then I thought I'd show you something funny. Well it definitely makes me laugh. My son said that  he  wanted to start a vegetable patch in the garden. Boyfriend said he would help. I agreed and they asked me where they should put it. I said I didn't mind where, as long as I could sit and catch up on my magazines and drink tea and just not be involved (because I still don't like gardening). And this is what happened.

I got a vegetable patch slap bang in the middle of the lawn. Sorry, 'lawn' is talking it up a bit but go with it. My friends have gasped and giggled when they see what's occurred. And it does look a bit silly. But I have to say that I am still just happy that I didn't have to get involved and I think it's super sweet.

What's inspiring you in the natural world at the moment? Is it the florals that have changed or is it me? Where is your vegetable patch?!

Can't wait to hear from you

Ree

XXX