The Funkiest Hotel Room in London

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When I started planning my Cosmo Blog Awards trip to London, it seemed like a good idea to check out the city's most unusual hotels as part of my trip. 

The first night I stayed in arguably the most kitsch & fabulous hotel in London- The Pavilion Rock & Roll Hotel.

Situated a very short walk from Edgware Road Tube & Hyde Park, it was super easy to find, even for me who only visits the city once a year.

It's a thirty room palace, with each room decorated in its own unique style. With titles such as 'Goldfinger', 'Funky Zebra' and 'Secret Garden', the hotel itself is an attraction it's own right. And even better- it's affordable for budget travel too, so you can get your slice of bohemian chic and still hit Oxford Street with your left over cashola!

I stayed in the Honky Tonk Afro room. A mirrored ceiling masterpiece of kitsch, with leopard skin carpet and beaded curtains galore. The photographs explain it's wonder better than I can in words. I was in love. I tweeted pictures that evening as I got ready for the Cosmo Awards & my followers (I'm @rudedoodle) said it was the most 'me' hotel they'd ever seen.

Which of their rooms is most YOU? You can browse the gallery of each of the rooms on http://www.pavilionhoteluk.com/

They even had a kitsch bathroom. I think I need to step up my game and get myself a glitter loo seat at home.

The opulent reception room. The entire hotel is a work of art. Thanks again, Pavilion team x

Happier Halloween Plans for Toddlers. The World of Kitsch in Junior Magazine

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The World of Kitsch is in print monthly in local publication Junior Magazine. If you're in the North Down area of Northern Ireland you can pick up the magazine with The County Down Spectator.


Halloween can be a strange old time for toddlers and tots. The shops are full of scary masks and spooky decorations, which can overwhelm tiny minds who sometimes struggle to learn which frightening things are real, or just pretend. The last thing us parents want after a busy Halloween Night party is a scared sleepless little man or lady with images of witches & monsters lurking outside the window in their imagination.

There is an alternative that the whole family can enjoy. Halloween parties don't have to be devilishly themed. There are other ways to give your little ones a party for the time of year, without the nightmares after the sparklers have fizzed out. 

Here are two ideas to build an evening of fun around.

1. Harvest Carnival
Everyone loves a trip to the fun fair. How about a harvest carnival, celebrating the rich food & vibrant colours of the season. Set up 'stalls' with pumpkin or turnip carving and bobbing for apples.
Make your own ring toss game with painted used drink bottles, making these themselves can be part of a crafting afternoon the week before the party. Your children will feel very proud they have contributed to the decorations too.
Use threaded strings of popcorn & homemade paper bunting as carnival decor. Another idea is to make plain cupcakes and buy a set of icing pens. Let the children doodle their own cupcake designs and add sprinkles.


2. Noah's Ark Party
One of the best parts of Halloween is the fancy dress, and there are so many options outside the whole horror genre that will still be wonderful fun for boys and girls alike.
A Noah's Ark party is also a great alternative to a Halloween party for any church young people's groups.
The fancy dress code is straightforward, any animal, beast, bird or fish you desire. Decorations can be bright and colourful streamers made from coloured paper & balloons. Don't forget to make a giant rainbow with paper and paint, again that could be a weekday craft afternoon with your children as you prepare for your guests' visit.
With a Noah's Ark party you can really be inventive with the food. Try to make the spread unusual, use dried cereals as 'feed' for the animals. Green jelly as 'grass' and burgers and hotdogs for your tiny carnivores. 

You can add to these ideas and you'll end up with an alternative to a Halloween party that everyone will remember. Happy Halloween readers.


Products for your parties can be bought at www.HandpickedCollection.com and www.TalkingTables.com

Cosmo Blog Awards Update

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Hello readers! 

I've been on blog silence for a few days as I travelled over from Northern Ireland to London on Thursday for the Cosmopolitan Magazine Blog Awards.

I have so much about it all to blog. My outfit from The Rodnik Band, my skyscraper high, tattoo wedges from Iron Fist, my goodie bag of goodies, and the two fabulous hotels I stayed in, The Pavilion Rock Hotel & Tune Liverpool Street.

I will get to all those this week, but for now I'm trying to catch up with myself. If you aren't one of my Twitter followers you might not know I suffer from M.E. which means I spend a huge proportion of my current life in bed. I blog from bed. I tweet from bed. I do everything from bed!

The travelling has really taken it out of me & my brain is too foggy to do the reviews justice right now, but I will hopefully have all the gossip for you this week.

In the meantime here is a snap of @LollyGee from Panda & Crumpet, and myself (I'm in the glasses) waiting to go into the awards party. I didn't win my category, but Lolly won Best Sex & Relationship Blog, so I got to celebrate in her honour! 

Have a read of Panda & Crumpet- it's lovely & rude.

Bangor on the Eighties

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I'm a Bangor girl, we moved here when I was two and I've returned here to bring up my own family. I even have a tattoo of Bangor's little red lighthouse.

I've added the new Bangor in the Eighties book nostalgiafest to my Christmas list. It features photos and newspaper clippings from the decade.

Available here 

Alongside Bangor in the Sixties and Bangor in the Seventies.

The Secrets of Jewellery Crafting

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Quentin Baker meets Joanne Pomlin from Big Bead Boutique.

If you want to get started in jewellery-making, there are a number of ways to learn how to make the trinkets and treasures that have adorned societies all over the world since the dawn of history.

My first adventure with jewellery making began in the rainforest, when I made a coconut seed into a shiny polished ring using just a saw and some sandpaper. Using a penknife to etch designs gave it a modern twist, yet it retained a connection to the forest and to nature – which for many is similar to the enduring appeal of gemstones, feathers and other adornments.

Making bead necklaces is another popular and practical way to start creating jewellery you can wear and share. Beadwork began 82,000 years ago, making it the oldest form of jewellery known to us.

Joanne Pomlin, who runs the Big Bead Boutique in Brighton, warns that beads are addictive and that half the hobby is collecting the ‘treasure’. Customers often compare the boutique to a sweet shop, but she is quick to point out that there are far fewer calories consumed in this hobby. Her shop is a trove – from glass and acrylic beads to charms, pearls, woven silk, and from ornamental designs to skulls, birds and owls.

So what’s the secret to creating a beautiful beaded necklace or bracelet?

‘You’ve got to get your feature beads which are the colourful or patterned beads. Then you get plain beads to complement that feature bead. That’s the basic start to constructing what you do,’ says Joanne.

Getting started is easy, but she recommends a basic jewellery lesson that will help you understand the various materials and techniques involved and how to arrange the beads. You’d probably use ‘tiger tail’, a nylon coated wire which ‘goes through beads like a needle’ making it easier to use than thread, she says. ‘Once you understand the basics, it’s down to your creative inspiration.’ There are online courses available, or you can try one of Joanne’s workshops and classes in her vintage-style tea room beading workspace.

If you’re more into soldering than stitching, you may want to look at other ways of setting stones. Wire-wrapping is popular for beginners because it doesn’t require a soldering-iron. It’s popular among artisans who lay their wares out on mats all over the world.

Gemstones, which can be polished and rounded or faceted and reflective can be beaded or set in metal. London Metropolitan University do a short-course evening class, ‘Fine Jewellery and Gem Setting’, where you can create jewellery with silver and semi-precious stones.

One way to help you spread the initial cost of a jewellery-making course could be by credit card, especially if you've got a card that offers a 0 per cent period on purchases. It's important to bear in mind though that if you don’t clear the balance within the introductory period, you will be charged interest.

Remember though, jewellery really is about creativity. If you don’t have metal, you can use paper and glue to create flowers, or even try your hand at cardboard. Although if you’re planning on a paper-based proposal ring, I hope you know your partner very, very well. 

This is a Sponsored Post by Guest Blogger Quentin Baker on behalf of Sainsbury’s Bank.