The Folly

Hello! This is my first post of the new year (!), that feels a little odd to write as it already seems that we are well ensconced in 2015. Anyway January has been busy. My mum is getting married next week so menu planning has been on the agenda (with the exception of a roasted pig, for the meat eaters among us, we are cooking it all!). Puddings, salads and cakes have been filling my brain.

I've also been filling my brain with thoughts of the magazine that I am putting together with George & Josh. I posted about it some time ago now but finally it's forming up into a conceivable project! We had to have a slight re-brand/name change before we even really got started due to the new University of the Arts London magazine being called Artefact (and seeing as I studied there that just wouldn't do to keep it). Nevermind! We're now The Folly (a much better name I think). We've also changed tack slightly since I last wrote about it.  Each issue will explore a different medium. We've had lots of great submissions for our first issue which is exploring short stories and I've even written a story which is a bit of a first.

We're now onto my favourite bit, putting it all together! We've been taking notes from some of our favourite publications of yesteryear. I have several copies of The Saturday Book (I'm also always after more if you spot any..), a wonderful collection of miscellany. Articles range from photo diaries from Japan to a story of two otters that live under an American ladies bed in West London. I have prized the first two I owned for many years, they originally belonged to my dad and I've carried them from house to house. Whilst at university it occurred to me that such a publication really should be re-visited. It manages to be silly, serious and wonderfully surprising all at once. 

We also been studying 60s & 70s issues of Ambit (which is still going) and various other poetry pamphlets and magazines from the 70s that we own. What I love about them all is the amazing typography and slightly wonky typesetting! I can only hope that we can turn The Folly into something as delightful. 

I've always hankered after running a magazine. Since we were very small my brother, George, and I have manufactured mad little magazines (now I guess they'd be called zines). We started with Arte-Attacks, a magazine for our toys that had been nibbled by our dog Arty. It offered advice and support to help them recover (I warned you we were barking). Later on The Ladock Times, a pastiche on our then village magazine. Thus this project seems to play to many of our shared interests. We both have magpie tendencies and have always love collecting together stories, pictures, poems (etc etc) to share with one another so it only seems right to share these with everyone! We are of course always wanting more submissions, if you have a short story that's just waiting to be published of you just want to know more about the project / contribute to future issues email thefollymagazine@gmail.com

I put my ensemble together thinking about what I'd wear if I was the EIC (editor-in-chief) of an up and coming magazine (which I guess I could say I am..). The dress was made by my mum and features my face on the skirt (all EIC's have got to promote themselves #personalbrand). The necklace was also made by my mum, the EIC must always have a watchful eye on all staff and contributors... 

Glasses are also a must. I'm not sure I've ever worn mine in any of my posts before. I can hardly see a thing without them but really dislike wearing them as I feel they make me look a little too serious.

The other very exciting thing to happen which is not unconnected is I had my first feature in Little Thing magazine. It's a very sweet magazine based in China. They have had lots of people contribute to them who I love, including Natalie Lete, so I was very happy when they asked me to do a 7 days of style. I'll post some more of the pictures later this week but here are the magazine spreads. I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to translate the captions but an English translation booklet was included! You can buy copies of the magazine here. 

I hope you are all well. I have lots of posts planned for the next few weeks, including lots of wedding pictures, so no more long pauses!

I leave you with amazing funk from Cymande

Linking up with the scarf Share-in-Style

Outfit Details

Dress - Penny MacBeth

Headdress - Penny MacBeth

Bracelets - Penny MacBeth

Necklace - Penny MacBeth

Russian scarf - charity shop

Bavarian folk dancing clogs - car boot sale

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