Mills and Boon: a love story

I am proud to own a collection  of Mills and Boon from the mid eighties to the early 90's (I haven't actually read one yet - I am scared it will be literary heroin).

I own them all because I am in love with the artwork -it has everything: the unlikely backdrops, the tumbling hair, the half-hearted resistance to throbbing advances, the cable knits ...

As you can see in the slide show below - there are two Mills and Boon men (or Alphas, as Mills and Boon describe them)  There is the teen pop band looking blonde guy, but he only appears when the Alpha Alpha is not available, it seems, which is unquestionably the Dark Haired Chiseled Jaw Guy with the veiny hands  and who looks a bit like the chap who models "Just for Men" hair colourant and just a leedle bit like Richard Madeley

I am convinced it is the same model through the years  and I am sure if I had the time (which in fact, I do) I could correlate the date of publication with the amount of dashing silver in his flicked back mane.  Watch this space.  Only recently have I discovered the artists who seems responsible fopr most of my favourite covers and has a style that epitomises Mills and Boon cover art at it's peak.  Step right up Mr Len Goldberg.  A trawl of the Googlenets reveals very little trace of the man and artist, whether he's alive or not I have no clue. I hope he is/was proud of his work.

Below is my library of M&B covers plus a few projects using the scans in jewellery and collage.

Folksy Friday - around the world

On this day in 1933 a certain Mr Aviator Wiley Post ended his first around-the-world flight on this day.  The good old boy travelled 15,596 miles in just over a week  on his plane the Winnie Mae.  So for my very first Folksy Friday, the theme is Around the World.

(Links to the items are under the pictures, the seller's shop under their name - be sure to check out their other delectable items)


First up - Fluffsstuffs with their power-punchy "Where's the Pilot".  I just love the arrangement, it reminds me of the style of 1960's Romance comics and it looks beautifully well made.

Fluffsstuffs

Next up the folksy famous Bookity.  Some truly paper-passionate people.
I am sure Mr Post would have appreciated a little pendant of home to rest next to his heart.  What a pretty present that would be for a travelling world wanderer.

And finally, another pendant this time from Sour Cherry.  Very different in style, but simple, modern and super stylish. The name Sour Cherry seems to fit the style too- such the opposite of icky sweet it kind of makes you pucker.

The Old Nun's head & the Old Bill gets wed

My first night at the Old Nun's head was marvellous - I was in a Northern Soul kind of a mood to begin with, bringing in some classic hip-hop, rock n roll, 80's synthy stuff, boogaloo, blues and pretty much anything else I had the ear for. I always like it when people come and ask me what a particular tune is, then I know I am on the right track.

The easy generosity and friendliness of the bar staff nearly killed me with kindness - decongestants and a seemingly endless wine tab (and most crucially, combined with a infantile lack of discipline on my part) was not the best mix.

so, I hope my music spoke for me when I could not.

Here's a small selection from the start of the night.



On the Saturday we had a booking via the agency for a wedding. We were sent a playlist, which luckily had some great tunes on it, a couple of funk/ soulers were joining in matrimony, carrying on their fine, musical line. The groom was an upstanding member of the South East London Constabulary, and below are 5 songs we DID NOT play on his special day.



The venue was an old London town dream. A quiet square in Fitzrovia.  Once home to Viginia Stephen Woolf and current home of the Consulate of Liberia, a private hospital, it's very own resident's opera company, and so the owner of the Italian cafe round the corner claims: Mel Smith, Gary Kemp and Guy Ritchie. If you want to rub shoulders with them in the resident's only square, there's a 3 bed house to rent on the square for £795 per week (and the same again in parking). See you there!