B and B blog

B&B interview vintage obsessive Emma Davies November 20, 2019 12:00

Emma is a woman after our own heart - a lover of tattoos, vintage, rockabilly and all things stylish. We met through her love of our butterfly skull logo, and bonded instantly. We love all she does and wanted to find out more about her. 

Emma in red wedding dress

Tell us a bit about yourself...
I’m Emma Davies a 42 year old mum, wife and vintage obsessive. I freelance write and blog and for actual proper money I work as a children’s nanny and as a receptionist in a local hairdressers. I love my family, dogs, tattoos and cake!

You always look fantastic! Where do you get your inspiration from?
Thank you very much! Coming from you both that’s one helluva compliment, and I’m very, very flattered. My inspiration is a bit of a 1950’s/1980’s mashup with a teeny sprinkling of goth thrown in for good measure. I love the rockabilly pinups, Debbie Harry, Siouxsie Sioux and Helena Bonham Carter, these ladies are my idols!

Emma with husband 

What would you say your style is?
It really varies from day to day depending on what I’m doing but I always try and get a bit of vintage in there somewhere! Saturday for work was a Collectif tartan swing dress, yesterday a original 80’s dress complete with shoulder pads and today I’m nannying so I’m wearing a oversize customised bleached denim shirt, leggings and Converse. Everything is topped off with a slick of red lipstick though, I don’t feel like me without it.

How did you first come across Brennan and Burch?
About 5 years ago I was staying in the AMAZING Hotel Pelirocco in Brighton and fell in love with the beautiful wallpaper in their bar area ( butterfly skull and madworld print). It was exactly the sort of art that I love. Bright, quirky, but not too creepy. I did a bit of research when I came home and learnt more about Brennan and Burch and wanted everything!

Hotel Pelirocco bar

What made you decide to have a tattoo on your hand of our butterfly skull?
I had wanted a hand tattoo for a while and knew it had to be something a bit special. I fell in love with the butterfly skull so emailed B&B and tentatively asked if they would mind if I used their design. You guys were so lovely and even sent me the .pdf file to give to my tattooist! It’s one of my favourites and I’m so grateful to you both.

Emma butterfly skull tattoo

You have some lovely tattoos, which are your favourites or mean something to you?
Thank you very much! I love my ink and it’s a constant work in progress. They are a big old jumble of everything I love, from my kids names to Tim Burton movies, flowers and butterflies. My favourites change but I love my pug in a teacup (I have two pugs and they are my babies!) and my butterfly skull on my hand. I recently got my first tattoo that I had when I was 18, a ropey looking 90’s dolphin, covered up, and I have to admit I felt a bit sad about it. They are all special in their own way.

Emma chest tattoos

We know you are passionate about your thrift shop finds. Does your home reflect this?
I love thrifting and this has definitely spread into my home. I’ll trawl markets and even skips for unusual pieces that fill my home. I love colour and graffiti art too. None of it is expensive. We have too many kids and dogs to be too precious!

 Emma house with zebra

Emma house with elephant


B & B interview founders of Katy Blades May 20, 2015 12:00 1 Comment

B&B: Charlotte Blades, we met donkey years ago when we used to have our store in Carnaby Street and you championed our oddball streetwear as it matched your kooky personality. Now you have opened your own tongue in cheek quirky online shop Katy Blades selling super cool gifts with your bestie Kate Simpson. We know you are super busy at the moment, thanks for taking the time to have a catch up.

Katy Simpson and Charlotte Blades

How did the idea of Katy Blades come about?
Kate: For me, it came up after a life changing event, I ditched the dross (i.e. ex-husband) and, with some financial help and a gorgeously hairy and generous new fiancé, I was in the position to put my proposal for world domination to Charlotte, my oldest buddy.
Charlotte: For me it was just about getting off the gin...
Kate: Seriously Charlotte... people are reading this.
Charlotte: OK, I’d been made redundant after daring to have a second child (thanks for that). I was merrily making my jewellery to stop myself from being bored/weed on, picking up lego/Weetabix, when Kate mentioned the idea of starting a shop. It blossomed out of a need for independence, something to invest in for our future and we just did lots of research into things we like. We’re still learning. but it’s been invaluable to have made mistakes as we’re gradually learning our market.

Katy Blades Heart

How did you two meet?
Charlotte: We met through mutual friends, and I can recall seeing a sweaty Kate in the basement of the now defunct Wine Cellar ‘club’ in Woolwich… frankly we all took our life in our own hands there. She was as vivacious and full of vim then as she is now…”
Kate: Yeah, through a toxic haze, this beautiful petite thing came into my life. We've been through parties, boyfriend break ups, house removals, Glastonburys, several England football matches and a whole lot of Gin together.

Where are you based?
Saaarff East London/North Kent borders… follow the Thames far enough and we are just past Charlton.

Katy Blades beard wash kit

What's your most popular product?
Kate: Without a doubt, Pink Flamingos and Beard Wash Kits. People are hairy and kitsch, what can we say?

Katy Blades Flamingos

Most important of all, will you have any more pink garden flamingos for the garden, as Lisa is not quite ready to purchase yet till her garden done?
Kate: Definitely, not only do we have flamingos, we also have a darling set of three swan planters. Charlotte thinks they are better suited to using as elaborate punch bowls…oh and the new plastic pineapple pots we’ve got coming are great too.
Charlotte: Yeah, they would be great filled with pimms! Loads of ice and some fancy straws! No? Just me then….hah they are probably not watertight. I shouldn’t recommend people do that.
Kate: No Charlotte, you shouldn’t!

David Hasselhoff (The Hoff) or Midge Ure?
Charlotte: Tough, I saw The Hoff in Chicago in the West End. I laughed so much and got so excited I melted a whole bag of Maltesers which I’d left in my lap... then again Ure has the indelible style of the Vienna video. I’d have to say Selleck.
Kate: Selleck all day long.
B&B: Ha ha, wanted to throw you - knew it would be Tom Selleck or Phil Collins!

Tom Selleck

What three words describe each of you?
Kate: Tall, Blonde, Achiever
Charlotte: Short, Dark, Hairscarves 

What is playing in the background while you work at the moment?
At the moment it’s Phil Collins of course! (That’s All... Just when I thought it was going alright, find out I’m wrong when I thought it was right, it’s always the same it’s just a shame, and that’s all) but usually its someone from the holy Trinity (Genesis, Prince or Dolly – natch).

Katy Blades Tattoo Strongman

Where do you see yourselves in the next couple of years?
Charlotte: Well, to be honest, things are really picking up. We are focusing on our upcoming stall at Spitalfields Market this Sunday. We’re hoping that will become a regular thing for us, as well as driving traffic to the website. We hope to have a really extended homewares range in a couple of years as we are finding our passions lie somewhere between kitsch and cool.
Kate: Yeah, I’d like to see us corner the entire tea towel market and make a real success of Spitalfields. It's great having an online shop, but getting out and meeting the customers and showing off your wares is what we’re really looking forward to.

Katy Blades Prince Tea Towel

Charlotte: Thanks for always staying in touch girls, you are our design heroes x
B&B: Aw shucks... thanks.

Katy Blades
Website: https://www.katyblades.co.uk/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KatyBlades/811937055514289 
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/KatyBladesShop/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/katybladesshop 
Tumblr: http://katyblades.tumblr.com


Bringing sexy back April 8, 2015 12:00

How would you like a nice strong tattooed man in a loincloth in your life, well here he is...knock yourself out girls or for that matter boys!

Just one of the drawings i am working on at the mo.


Tat-tastic March 18, 2015 12:00

While in the middle of deliberating what tattoo to have next, we have been transfixed on Pinterest, flooding our brainwaves with the beautiful art of the tattoo. 

Our own beloved tattoos are just not enough any more. It is so true, once you start you are in danger of becoming addicted. 

Rose Tattoos by Kiley, Cult Classic Tattoo

Rose tattoos

Kiley artist at Cult Classic Tattoo

Bow tattoos by Neal, Cult Classic Tattoo

Bow tattoos

Neal artist at Cult Classic Tattoo

Bow design courtesy of Ridley & Dowse:
http://vivienneridley.co.uk
http://dowsedesign.co.uk

Tattoos courtesy of Cult Classic Tattoo:
http://cultclassictattoo.com