☮

A few years ago I developed a serious love affair with peace signs for no apparent reason. Necklaces, T-shirts, you name it...if there's a peace sign on it there's a 99% chance that I want it.

Need I justify the obsession? After all, what's cooler than peace?

♥♥♥

I am lusting after every single one of these things but my favourites have to be the denim jacket by Mulberry - perfect for spring, the gorgeous Donald J Pliner leather boot, and the classic string bracelet by Oxygen. Incidentally these happen to be the most expensive items, so until I make it big I guess I'll just have to make do alternatives from the high-street.

Here's me showing off my favourite big, gold, peace sign earrings which, at £1, were an absolute steal from a charity shop. The jumper and scarf are from H+M, the bracelets from Topshop and the watch is vintage Accurist.

Just my cup of tea

Walking around my local charity shops today I couldn't help but notice the abundance of old china teacups.  A lot of them are really beautiful, plenty of gorgeous vintage floral designs so it would be a shame to see them sat there looking sad on those dusty shelves forever.

But teacups aren't just for drinking from. I've been scouring the internet for ideas on how to recycle these beauties into something both pretty and practical. Here's a few suggestions.

Put a little bit of soil in the bottom and grow some flowers or herbs. These would brighten up the kitchen window ledge a treat.

Re-work your teacups and teapots into quirky lamps. 

Teacup candles are the perfect table decoration. Store bought versions will set you back about £15 so do the green thing and make your own.

Online shop StayGoldMaryRose has transformed old teacups into gorgeous bracelets. These unique accessories add a touch a vintage glamour to a plain outfit. Team with a tortoise for added cuteness.

Hot off the press

I'm a bit obsessed with nails at the moment and it seems I'm not the only one. Sites like Polyvore and Pinterest are teeming with photos of perfect, patterned talons - the more colourful the better. Here are some of my favourites.

The new french manicure

Pop culture

Out of this world

Black magic

Today I tried out a technique I saw on OliveCoco a couple of weeks ago called 'Newspaper Print Nails'. It went pretty well if I do say so myself and was (surprisingly) quite easy. The example was on a really pale, almost white, mint green nail. I didn't have that colour so I went for something a little darker.

It's really easy to do.  All you need is some freshly painted nails and some rubbing alcohol/vodka (all I had in was Sambuca and that worked fine too). Dip them in the alcohol and then press on a piece of newspaper. Hold it there for about 10 second and voila! Nails that are hot off the press in a matter of minutes. Finish with a clear top coat.

I think it would look even cooler with print in another language...next time I go to London I'll pick up a couple of papers from Chinatown. Have a go yourselves and let me know how they went!

Dear Photograph

You might have already seen or heard about this blog, but for those you who haven't it is definitely worth a look.

http://dearphotograph.com/

With the simple instructions “take a picture of a picture from the past in the present,” Dear Photograph has succeeded in immortalising heart-warming personal memories and in doing so has touched people all over the world. Photos are accompanied with short, often poignant comments which leave a lasting impression, or at least I think they do.

Aesthetically all the pictures are really interesting and they all capture a special moment in time which, I think, makes them all the more beautiful. It has given me an sudden urge to look through all my old family photos.

It also made me realise how much photography has changed in the past few decades. Even though digital cameras are much more convenient, photographs have become more trivial as a result. We tend to focus on how we look in the photo rather than on the photo itself. Instead of having one special photo which reminds us of a specific place and time, there's 30 mediocre pictures - all of which are on facebook for the world to see. Besides, there's something exciting about having to wait for photos to be developed and not knowing how they will turn out.

First.

I've been aching to start a new blog for a while now. Today is the first day of Lent and I don't feel like there's anything which I really need to give up (apart from general procrastination of course), so this year I've decided to take up something instead. I want to give this blog more of a structure and purpose than my usual ramblings so I think I will gear it more towards fashion/beauty/lifestyle. 

Why 'Vicious Spring'? Well, springtime is starting to make a very welcome appearance and it also happens to be the title of a book I once borrowed from a friend and liked so much I just couldn't bear to give back.

Today I found an online store called Chelsea Doll which sells really cute jewellery and accessories. Here's some of my favourite pieces.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love quirky, unique pieces and peace signs are my absolute favourite. Almost everything costs less than £15 which is an added bonus!