Maybe I’ll find something real, not a fantasy so divine

It’s almost my twentysixth birthday. There will be more to come at the end of the month regarding how that truly makes me feel. Your midtwenties are weird, you feel the sense of getting older and more pressing responsibilities and yet there are other moments when you still feel like a teenager.
To combat my vague sense of impending doom, I have compiled a list of lovely things I would like to receive for my birthday. Because, who doesn’t like presents?!
Here is a link to my wishlistr page, where (if you feel so inclined) you can buy me wonderful things without duplicating with other friends and family.

Prints:

I love a good print and I try to only buy original pieces. Art that someone has taken the time to make themselves rather than a stock photo. These wondrous pieces are all on Etsy, and are all really affordable. The dinosaur is so cute and witty. I asked my friends on Facebook whether I needed the Shia LaBeouf print as much as I think I do, the general consensus was a resounding HELL YES! (although it was a resounding hell no! off of Facebook, but what do they know?!..). If you know me well or happened to stumble across my Wednesday Addams post, you’ll be familiar with my pure and resounding love for this awesome character. A great role model for girls and women alike, to true be yourself no matter what everyone else is doing.

Books/written word:

My name is Lydia, and I cannot stop buying books. The feel, the smell and the excitement resonating from some paper with words typed across them is something I relish in every time a new book comes to live with me. I read their stories, I fall in love and then they become my friend, sat upon my fully loaded bookshelves. Bookworms like I will understand this, I promise. And then there is Darling magazine, with their mission statement of “Darling is the art of being a woman”, “Darling is a catalyst for positive change; leading women to discover beauty apart from vanity”. Checkout their website to read all about their full mission. A magazine that is articles and essays about womanhood and inspirational women. None of the photos used in the magazine have been retouched and they use real women, you aren’t being subjected to the images the mass media want you to absorb until you feel bad about yourself.

Accessories (part one):

In my family it is a tradition to adorn your wrists with silver bangles. My grandma always wore hers, my mother always wore hers and now my sister and I jingle and jangle, our right wrists always adorned by our own set. I like how we each have our own unique melody, if you know us well enough you will always know who is coming round the corner. I have been looking for a thin hammered bangle for ages, and this one is lovely.
These three incredibly cute, by way of witchy, enamel badges I also found on Etsy. Perfect to add a little gothy twist to my already entirely black outfits…
These Pansy temporary tattoos have had me lusting over them for around two years now. I haven’t got around to buying them because they’re fairly expensive for what they are. And always “do I really need them?” is swimming around in my head…I mean you’ve all seen what I want so far right? It’s a sensible red cord in my brain.
A big fan of BloodyMaryMetal, I have been coveting this pricey but beautiful piece of jewellery for a long while now. I love that now my generation have gotten older, there are fine pieces of jewellery and accessories made for the alternative kids who aren’t ever ready to let go. For those of us who will forever be low key emo.

Pretties that hold things:

Terrariums are back in style and thank god because I have been after one for ages. Thankfully with the rise in popularity they are now much cheaper than when I first wanted one. The copper lined ones are particularly lovely.
I was shown the company that sell these bags on Amazon around a month ago, and have been lusting after this gorgeous overnight bag ever since. Pricey (although on sale) and made of real leather, its gorgeous. Living where I live often means having to stay elsewhere when I go on a night out and due to some new circumstances in my life, it means I shall be staying elsewhere more often and I would much rather do it with this beauty beside me.
In true magpie style I own a tonne of jewellery and I am always looking for more places to store it. I already have one of these clear acrylic draws but I could always do with another one. If I can see all of my jewellery I am more inclined to remember I have it and therefore wear it more often.
This lovely, thick notebook is the exact same one I bought for my sister for Christmas; and the exact same one she almost didn’t end up with because I wanted to keep it too much. I was expertly talked out of keeping hers, but I still want my own version.

Accessories (part two):

A friend recently showed me her newly purchased Gwen Stefani X Urban Decay palette and it was glorious. Mostly beautiful neutral/gold tones with a couple of vampy brighter shades; it truly is a masterpiece.
I already own a trioshade of purple rose flower crown from the masterful Crown and Glory, but then I saw this majestic navy one and I think that needs to come and live with me too. I have already chosen a gigantic glittery bow from them that I plan to wear for my birthday. However, for my everyday glitter needs these adorable glitter star bobby-pins are a must!
Jo Malone perfume is a very frivolous luxe product. So expensive for a small amount of perfume, but the Peony and Blush Suede is delicious. An incredible floral scent that is almost identical to my favourite perfume that was discontinued by Stella McCartney.

Misc.:
I have been planning to make myself one of these for ages, but for one reason or another I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. This pentagram harness is everything a mid-twenties goth girl desires…and this one is studded people!!!
After seeing a friend from school get a tattoo from this lady I have been obsessed with her work. Rebecca Vincent works at Parliament Tattoo in London, and the picture above is pretty spot on for the tattoo I must have and have been searching for for five years. This ladies work is pure magic and just simply perfection.

All the things listed in this blog post are on my wishlist with links and prices for your own perusal. Or if you happen to be my mysterious and unfathomably rich benefactor, to buy me for my birthday.

In the corner of your room, you’ve stockpiled millions of my memories

I have started the very long process of sorting out my bedroom this week. I say started because frankly it has been far too hot since Monday to carry on, that with my relentless battle against procrastination (/internet shopping) means I haven’t quite finished yet. But I have organised the majority of my jewellery and main storage in my room, so I thought I would show you how I store most of my jewellery. (Click on the images to make them larger)

Before I took these photos I had a ridiculous amount of adornments, a lot I had forgotten about or they were broken and old. So, I took a bold leap and threw a lot away…it isn’t often that I get these urges to do away with trinkets in my possession (always erring on the side of borderline hoarder), but I was missing a lot of things I do like to wear because wading through it all was such a chore.

These bangles never leave my wrist, I’m not even sure I could get them off even if I wanted to. Unfortunately one of them broke and I haven’t had it fixed yet, but to briefly outline: the bottom 2 I got with the broken one for my twenty-first birthday from my parents. The twisted one was my grandmas, the big plain silver bangle I bought for myself with some birthday money I got this year. My lovely lovely skulls I bought with money my parents gave me for my twenty-third birthday. As I have mentioned before, wearing bangles is a tradition in my family.

In the first small perspex draw are my rings. Mostly I have silver rings with various crystals in them, a Butler and Wilson wing ring, a vintage mirror ring and a sparkly heart that I got one year for Christmas. In the box at the back is the most beautiful transparent pink acrylic unicorn ring from my friend Jasmin as a birthday present last year. The Brighton based company specialise in laser cut jewellery and I want one of everything! I am a complete fiend when it comes to rings, I just cannot stop buying them, I ran out of fingers a long time ago.
The second small draw is filled with various earrings and 3 nautical themed charm bracelets, one from primark, one from Lyme Regis and another as a gift for Christmas – I am  a complete sucker for anything nautical and anchor related (the photos came out really blurry though and then my camera died, so you’ll have to use your imagination I’m afraid).

On to the next two draws. The first one has my Sugar and Vice ‘Dia de los muertos’ and custom made ‘Magnificent’ necklaces. On top of the magnificent box is my silver chain with 3 tiny keys on that I got in the Isle of Wight a couple of years ago. A Lydia name necklace, pentagram pendant that I’ve had since I was 13 and my very favourite, often adored big rose necklace from New Look about 8 years ago.
The bottom draw stores my Primark chunky gold necklace, a leather rose ring, a spinning sparkly anchor from Camden, a little round clay pendant with a black bird with gold flowers on and a sparkly starfish ring. In the box at the back are the most fabulous cross earrings that are glass with a pink A/B finish that were my grandmas, a metal blue humming bird pendant and my beautiful multi crystal winged pendant. A tiny sparkly gold elephant, my adorable Tatty Devine blue anchor necklace from my friend Samantha for a birthday and a huge red heart from primark for a whole pound.

To the right of that is a pink plastic goblet that I got from Tiger and it holds all of the things I like to have out, but don’t wear as often. The felt tattoo style heart brooch was a birthday gift from my Mum’s friend. The tiny tile with a little sail boat on is just darling and a gift from my cousin and the L scrabble tile ring was a gift from my mum. There are also a few random rings and bobby pins scattered in there.

On the left of the perspex storage is the gorgeous Pandora’s box from my parents that I have stored all of the jewellery I can’t quite throw away but don’t really wear inside of. Here you can see a flower ring that when you twist the gem in the middle lights up, a pair of massive hoop earrings, a pink plastic anchor, two faux crystal rings, a large metal rose ring, a skeleton holding a diamond that you wear across 3 fingers and a multicoloured bead bracelet my sister made me.

On top are 2 velvet covered jewellery hands, The black one is holding my giant Butler and Wilson rose, a twenty-first birthday gift from my aunt and uncle. The pink hand is holding many bracelets as well as the four rings that are my go to day-to- day jewellery. At the bottom is a Turquoise with silver leaves ring from the Isle of Wight. On top of that is a Hematite thumb ring that also came from the Isle of Wight and my beloved Bloody Mary Metal stacking rings – the Lonely Bone and a personalised stacker that has ‘Heavy Heart’ stamped across it, taken from the lyrics: “Hold your head high heavy heart, and save your strength for the morning after” of ‘The Phrase That Pays’ by The Academy Is… Go and check out the BMM website though (closed until 25/7), because it is all bewitchingly enchanting and I cannot wait for the new Luna Tribe range to launch (more rings)!

On top of the perspex box is my dazzling Tatty Devine mirrored swallows necklace. Now I have to say I haven’t worn this a whole lot because the edges are super sharp, but now I have had a sort out I’ll remember to file down the edges a little so I can wear it more. It is far too pretty to sit inside a box all the time.

And that’s about it, I do have more in a hanging storage thing but that is mostly hair accessories with a few bracelets thrown in. I have a few more bedroom tour style blogs to come in the future, so I hope you liked this one. If you would like to see my already massive and ever growing hair accessories box just let me know.