Wednesday 27 May 2009

Rain

This morning I woke up to the disappointing sound of rain on my window. Searching through some of my photos on my computer I found this gorgeous pink sunset; it reminded me of rosy evenings and the promise of a hot summer to come. Ever the optimist I am now dreaming about a summer full of pink gingham picnic rugs, bunting, raspberry jam and eating strawberry icecream watching the sun set.

Libby



















April the 25th, and I am surrounded by heart shaped pink helium balloons, mountains of pink cupcakes I spent the night before making, pink buckets filled with pink sweeties and fuchsia gerbera smiling from jugs and vases.

My book launch took place in Bijoux Beads in Shaftesbury, where I am lucky enough to have a Saturday job. Dress code: a touch of pink. I made up for those that really were only wearing a ‘touch’ of pink, in my floor length hot pink dress. I bought it from the LibĂ©lula stand at the London Fashion Weekend and I adore it. The only problem is I so want to wear it again that I am now just waiting for the occasion - I think I would be a bit overdressed if I wore it to school!

The launch was the first time my friends and family had seen the book (even when the shipment had arrived and I had boxes of them at the bottom of the stairs I made them wait - I thought it would make the launch more special) so all day I was literally shaking with nerves. Perhaps it was the smell of sweets and pink champagne, or seeing piles of my book lined up on the tables, but I felt quite giddy throughout the whole evening.

But it turned out to be the perfect night. I was surrounded by my friends and family, many of whom had helped with the book whether it be modelling, making a handbag, helping me photograph their kitten, or simply being there when I was tired after a weekend spent juggling work, photographing, writing a chapter to the book and doing homework. Throughout the evening I was given a pile of pink presents and well done cards that made me want to cry. Pink champagne, a pink spotty mug, a pink cupcake, flowers. I felt so unbelievably lucky to be surrounded by such kindness and support; I felt like a helium balloon floating in a pink sky.

Libby

Tuesday 19 May 2009


I love pink












I have always loved pink. A typical girly girl I remember, aged six, choosing the smallest bedroom in the house simply because it was painted pink. “I could paint the bigger room pink you know”, my mum informed me. But no, I wanted the pink bedroom.









When I started writing ‘Love Pink’ I did slightly worry that I would get sick of the colour. Perhaps after six months surrounded by a million sugared shades, from baby pink, to blush pink, to candy to raspberry, I would never want to see another pink thing in my life. But in fact, I have found the complete opposite. I now love pink more than ever before.

One of my favourite parts of producing the book was hearing other people’s responses to the colour. Everyone I talked to came up with something new and utterly personal, whether it was the bottle of their mother’s perfume, flamingos, french fancies or a friend they knew who lived in a pink house. To me there is no other colour that can be so evocative and that holds such cheerful connotations.

Before ‘Love Pink’ the colour was just a subconscious part of being my girly self. Now it means much more. For me, pink is an early morning journey with my mum to photograph a pink sweet shop in Salcombe, falling in love with a pink diamond ring, dog roses - Joanna Lumley’s favourite pink flower, my friends modelling for me on a wintery afternoon, the cupcakes I got to eat as well as photograph (the icing tasted like heaven) and being surrounded by my friends and family at my book launch.

Wherever I go now, I see pink. I could have filled another book with all the pink things I keep finding, and still wouldn’t have finished. So I am going to fill this very pink blog with my favourite pink things and experiences. If you love pink, I hope you will enjoy it!

Libby