Alice in Wonderland... Eat your heart out! Book review: an oldie but a goodie: The Vintage Tea Party by Angel Adoree.

My costume-designer friend Viva, who I met in a bookshop and who lives in a beautiful ramshackle house, filled with fabrics, and old furniture - plucked this book from the shelf for me last week, and now I want to own it. Heart-shaped cucumber sandwiches..... Again, that blog post started, breathed momentarily, then dropped to the floor. Probably distracted by some inane worry about something like the porridge burning; it was discarded, like so many other fledgling posts. To continue, though - Angel Adoree, of The Vintage Tea Party has gone on to write another wanton book and have a baby, one which I as yet do not own (book nor the baby). And Viva, the bookshelf- dweller is the most amazing seamstress, I learnt, having spent an afternoon with her to learn to use my sewing machine, handed down to me by a wonderful Japanese girl called Miri, who had actually learnt to make her own shoes, from leather - and who had in her possession the most miraculous wardrobe. Like a geisha-miss-haversham, I admired her. Back to Viva, her sewing machine might as well be an extension of her arm. She can talk and sew, quite literally, at an equal speed. But, my does she have a story to tell. Just imagine meeting a real-life Miranda Hart, for humour and height, and then quickly becoming good friends. Her open banter combined with an ability to knock-up a tunic in under half an hour was astounding. Sew, two inspirational ladies, introduced to me through a bookshop, where one day, hopefully, all my clammered- up ideas, thoughts and self-made fairytales will reside. If you haven't bought it already - (I realise that this review is late) then do; it stands proud on my book shelf - and is filled with the most delectable, extraordinary ideas for a tea party that quite honestly The Queen of Hearts wouldn't sniff at!

Hilarious, pro-men feminism... 'How To Be A Woman' by Caitlin Moran: Book Review

So this is one of those don't-care-if-the-phones-ringing-or-the-kettles-boiling-can't-put-you-down-books, because 1/ it's bloody funny, and 2/ it perfectly describes me and the majority of my female friends. Women, we must be so frustrating for men - in a constant state of flux, never quite sure whether we are right or wrong, always trying, often self-depreciating..... yet always with a bubbling urge to be strong, speak our minds and f*** everyone else (not literally)...

Caitlin Moran, perfectly melds feminist strength with our our slight soft-spot for men. I urge each and every one of you to read it. And men, read it too, if only for reassurance and peace of mind, that yes, we are all slightly mad, and controlled by those terrifying impulses (otherwise known as hormones.) Because I wrote this post over a year ago, got distracted and forgot to finish the review (and press publish/ blame hormones) - you can now buy it on amazon, for less than a fiver! http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Be-Woman-Caitlin-Moran/dp/0091940745. Let me know what you think.