There goes another day

>> I now know that there are several depths to writer’s block.  There’s normal writer’s block when I’m faffing around with an article for a publication.  Ok, it’s pretty tiresome when you’re going through the motions but I know that an article will emerge at the end of it.  Then there’s writer’s block when you’re writing a book.  *THUD*  It’s like six feet under beneath that familiar feeling of writer’s block.  How to alleviate it?  I haven’t quite figured it out yet but I tell you what’s probably not helping?  More eBay Collections compiling.  I’ve knocked up four more fanciful groupings of things that I either plan on stalking until it inevitably gets sold or things that I actually will buy or bid on.  Of course an hour of allotted eBay time turns into two and then three… and before you know it, a day has gone and your Word Count hasn’t gone up one iota.  But look how pretty things look like when they’re grouped up together in similar colour or stylistic pairings!  This is the upgraded equivalent of re-arranging my pencils and stationery in colour and size order when I was about seven to avoid homework.  Only with a dangerous Paypal account attached to it all…

Brit Hits – Once upon a time you used to yield one or two things when you tapped in “Christopher Kane” or “J.W. Anderson” – not anymore.  In addition to the flooding of Topshop collaboration pieces one eBay, there’s actually a lot of mainline joy and one off pieces to be found now from all of the established, semi-established and even fledgling London designers.  Ruthless fashionistas all over the country seem to be culling their wardrobes and we’re reaping the benefits.

Chinoiserie Kitsch – I didn’t talk much about my recent short trip to Hong Kong because it’s mostly book-related.  Here’s me acknowledging that Hong Kong sent a wave of nostalgia over me for all Chinese memorabilia from my childhood with vaguely tacky undertones – the things that my parents would insist on having around the house as some sort of weird assertion of their culture even if it’s not to their taste.   History is repeating itself and I’m now craving blue and white porcelain bowls and the presence of a lucky cat in my new house much to the chagrin of my boyfriend Steve.

L.A. Baby! – It’s not fully booked yet but I’m pretty sure I’m taking one week off to go to L.A. in July because I LAVVED it so much last year.  Here’s hoping it wasn’t just first time luck, finding so much pleasure in a place I’ve never been to.  No, there’s a deep and meaningful relationship to be had with L.A. and it warrants another trip to find out if it’s all meant to be.

Fragonard Frolic – Alex Fury recently alerted me to the YouTube presence of the Painted Ladies series broadcast on Channel 4 in 1996, featuring Vivienne Westwood talking art and fashion in a manner that makes me weep about the representation of fashion on TV today (in the UK at least).  That and the fact I bought a swimsuit from her infamous A/W 1990 Portraits collection sent me on a Jean-Honoré Fragonard slash François Boucher trail of thought on eBay.  Basically anything powder coloured, vaguely rococo in stylistic leaning and fanciful.