New Photo Shoot

You may remember this post about the Photo Shoot we did last Year. 

Well it is finally going to be published. If you live in Ireland look out for it in this Sunday's, Sunday Independant Newspaper.

Here is a sneak preview of the final images.

 

all clothing by Helen James

photo by E J Carr

Full Shoot coming here on Mon.

Florica delivery

Off to Dublin today. We will be uploading all the amazing donations for Talent for Haiti and the auction will start in the next few days.
While I am up in Dublin I will be delivering these 2 Florica pieces.

They are for 2 very different but equally glamorous ladies, and I hope they like them.

Both are hand made silk flowers with feathers and are on hair combs

 

in boxes with labels

I will be doing more items similar to these for the Florica shop next week.

Cake Sale

carrot cupcakes just out of the oven

 

Yesterday we organised a bake sale in my house with the Mums from my kids school.

So, after a busy week, I returned from Dublin on Thursday and turned my Kitchen into a Cupcake factory.

 

Magnolia bakery Vanilla Cupcakes (back) and Martha Stewart Carrot Cupcakes (front)

Then yesterday morning I dusted off the china teasets and set the table.

 

magnolia cafe vanilla cupcakes on cake stand 

Everyone brought something

 

I was too slow to snag Vanessa's Lemon cake.......... but I did manage to grab some of these yummy chocolate goodies.

 

We drank Tea and ate cake for 3 hours!

and we managed to raise €346 for Haiti...........  I cannot think of a nicer way to do so,

Oh! ......Just in case any of you were wondering what a 10 month old looks like with a mouth full of cake, here is some photographic evidence

 

For the Magnolia Bakery recipe you can go Here

For the BEST Carrot Cupcakes go Here.......I highly recommend these.... 

PS: I halve the quantity of icing/frosting in both recipes

all photographs by Helen James

Samantha Everton

The Talent for Haiti project has taken over our lives! Everyone is being so generous and supportive. Yesterday was very busy, but worth it.

Anyway what I need is a little respite, so I offer it here with these incredible underwater photographs by Australian  Fine Art Photographer Samantha Everton.

peace

solitude

spirited

lullaby

twilight

all images Samantha Everton.com

To read an article about this shoot go Here

Are you talented?

You have, no doubt, heard of the awful tragedy in Haiti.  

Myself and some other Irish designers are organising an online auction to raise funds.

We have lots of ideas and some amazing things already donated, but thought I would ask you my talented readers for input, any original thoughts ?.

Donations will be accepted in Bow boutique, Powerscourt Townhouse, Dublin 2 (you can post them too) up until

Tue, Jan 26th

Auction will be live

Thurs Jan 28th (I'll post when it's up with a link)

We have set up a Facebook page called Talent for Haiti with details and updates.

You can contact me with any questions either here, in the comments section, or email me at helenjamesdesign@gmail.com

If you could pass on the word we would really appreciate it.

picture of Shirley Temple from tvtropes

Magnon Gignoux

Where Fashion and Art collide............

 

 

 

The studio and work of French Createur Magnon Gignoux

Slow Food, Westmeath

Here in Westmeath we have set up a local convivium of the Slow Food movement, last Saturday was our inaugural event.
A Hunter's Luncheon for 17 people.
We decided we wanted to keep the first event small and intimate so that a) we could handle it and b) we could meet local food producers in a relaxed and informal way.
The Lunch took place here in Coolure House, thanks to John and Una (both commitee members) for providing the picturesque venue.

John did an incredible job of setting the table

 

Each place setting had an individual Menu.

The Menu was designed by us with the intention of using as much local and seasonal produce as possible.

MENU

John Rogans Smoked Trout

Therese Gilsenan's Inny Eel Pate

Baby Leaves

Helen James' Crusty Bread

****

Wild Pheasant Consomme

****

Butter wrapped Greg Potterton Venison

Red Cabbage with Orange and Juniper

Mary Kelly's Moonshine Cheese Gratin of Potatoes

Helen Kelly's Elderberry Jelly

****

Local Cheese Plate

Morag's Oatcakes

****

Kilbeggan Whiskey and local Honey homemade Ice Cream

Helen Kelly's Mincepies

We cooked everything ourselves,

I made Bread

Other members brought their homemede Oatcakes, Mince pies and Elderberry jelly but most of lunch was cooked (by us) in the Kitchen at Coolure

Including the MOST delicious Consomme, now I wouldn't have thought Consomme to be the most exciting thing in the world but in Una's hands this was pure clear golden nectar.

The taste was so delicate and complex. It was made using a method where you add eggwhite to the broth which clarifies it and then the whole concoction is strained through muslin cloths and I can tell you it was purely sublime.

The Venison was cooked for 12 hours...............

 The fire was Lit

 

Candles were Lit

Conversation and good wines flowed.

Wines were carefully selected and provided by Winesdirect, and Paddy the owner gave a very eloquent history to each one as it was served.

The ethos of Slow Food is about Local, Seasonal food and knowing where your food has come from. Personally getting involved for me, is about that, but also about meeting local people who are interested in food, bringing us all together and becoming involved in my community.

We will be hosting more events throughout the year and are planning some exciting adventures on a larger scale.

To find out more about Slow Food you can go to the website or if you are in Ireland the irish website

To find out more about the local producers we used click on the links in the MENU.

All photographs by Helen James

Tweet Tweet

As part of my ongoing struggle to become technically savvy and up to date I have opened a twitter account.

Do you Tweet? I have avoided it up until now but feel it calling, some things just don't warrant a full post but are still worth saying.

So let me know if you are a Twitter tweeter

You can click on twitter icon in sidebar to find me

Miller Harris perfume

Yesterday a birthday present for a special friend arrived, it was an engraved bottle of Miller Harris perfume.
I fell in love with MIller Harris products when I showed my collection in The Soho Hotel in London and Miller Harris supplied the bathroom products.

The packaging is sublime each bottle is engraved with the signature pattern and the perfume is simply exquisite.

Founded by Lynn Harris in 2000 who wanted to bring together "the finest raw materials with the instinct of a true perfumer".

There are four groups of perfumes to choose from

Wood, Floral

 

Citrus and Oriental,

I like the sound of Terre de Bois, Fleur Oriental and Vetiver Bourbon, I have always preferred scents with a woody undertone. I would Love to order from their bespoke service where you get to create your own personal scent, how decadent is that!!

They also do incredible candles.

There are 3 Miller Harris shops in London and one in Paris, they are also stocked in a lot of the bigger department stores and luckily you can order online too either from their UK site or their US one.

all images from Miller Harris

just in case any of you are wondering I post about things I love and don't receive any incentives to do so  x 

Helen James Inspiration

image US Vogue Oct 2003 via MOODBOARD 

Head over to Moodboard today to see a post about the US Vogue editorial that was part of the original inspiration for this Helen James shoot.  

 

 

 

To see more images from this shoot and read more about it go HERE

Photographer David Timmons

All clothing and accessories by Helen James