The danger of attractive, but lethal, staircases

On Sunday afternoon, I went careering down my lovely spiral staircase, catching my arm in the banister on the way and wrenching it quite hard. Had a little cry but didn’t think too much of it, until I woke up on Monday to violent nerve pain, stiff shoulder joint and very little movement. Never mind, thought I, best get to work. Bumped into Ayetch on the bus, who thought I should probably see a doctor but I continued on my merry way anyway. Several hours of agonizing pain later, I found myself with a horribly swollen arm in a hospital, being told I couldn’t have any of the necessary anti-inflammatorys because they’d clash with my other medication and so I had to grin, bear it and ‘take as much codeine as you are allowed to’. Thanks, nurse. (she was actually very lovely).

So I’m off work, but actually doing some work from home. Luckily, our office/spare room has a bed in it as I can only type lying down with arm propped up. Sigh.
So have some photos of things that make me happy:

handmade brooch from mummy.

Cross stitch! My first ever attempt. Next, an ‘I heart Tea’ for TomA.

Morry! He’s currently snoozing on the bed beside me, being gorgeous and cuddly. I love him so.

Grumble, grumble.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

I think it’s finally time to admit it: I’m one mince pie away from running round the office decked in tinsel & fairy lights screaming IT’S CHRISTMAS in the style of Noddy Holder.

I know, I know – It’s not December yet and it’s not even been November all that long. But now the excitement of Halloween and Bonfire night (fireworks! candy floss! sparklers! baked potatoes!) has faded, I’m starting to get a bit giddy watching the shops change their window displays while the council erects the ice rink in town. Not that I will be going anywhere near the ice rink. I have been ice skating a whole twice in my 24 years on this planet and that has been quite enough – I’m not a fan of anything involving my feet not being firmly planted on the ground (Meaning, I hate ice skating, rollar skating, roller blading, I’m rubbish on a bike and I’ve never learnt to drive. I can’t even swim very well. )
Anyway. Christmas. I blame Paperchase for my child like enthusiasm for all things festive. Browsing there a few weeks ago I almost died when I found their 09 Christmas decorations – so many sparkly owls. My love of sequins and of owls is well documentated, so combining the two pretty much fufills every wish of my heart. I plan to base my entire Christmas decorating theme around them and probably leave them up for the rest of the year too.
I tried to find a photo of them online but I couldn’t, so you’re just going to have to go and look for yourselves.

A visit to the Tokenhouse (Nottingham based home of gorgeousness you didn’t know you needed) only succeeded in giving me a mild panic attack and I had to be removed before my xmas excitement overwhelmed me completley. SO MUCH SPARKLE. And lilac reindeer antlers, which I’m already insisting everyone wears to my Christmas party. My Christmas party! Having never hosted one before I am thrilled to be living in my own house where I can go completley nuts and not bother anyone else (except my long suffering boyfriend, of course). Now I have my piano I’m even considering the idea of forcing everyone to sing carols round it. Maybe I’ll show ‘Scrooge’ (Alistair Simms version, of course) in the background and get some fake snow. Bake mince pies! Hire some reindeer! Force a fat man to sit in my fireplace! My excitement has only been heightened by repeated re-readings of John Waters’ essay on his obsessive love of Christmas. (I’d strongly reccomend Crackpot as an ideal Christmas gift for anyone who understands just how good bad taste can be) It’s inspirisng me to hunt down terrible B-movie Christmas slasher flicks and watch them all in the run up to the 25th. I never liked ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ anyway.

I’ve even done some of my Christmas shopping already, though when you have a family as large of mine this is more of a financial nessecity than any indication of how super organised I am (not). I have lists, and price comparisons and website addresses all neatly lined up in my trusty moleskine. And of course, the most important christmas list of all: mine. My list to my mother went ages ago (hey, she has six children to buy for) and consisted of ‘teacups, owls and Zachary Quinto’. I have supreme confidence in my mothers ability. I always get money from grandparents, with which I’ve already bought my sexy new piano and the Viktor & Rolf flowerbomb perfume (it’s been hidden so I can’t have it until Christmas day. It’s the nicest smelling thing ever)
But still. I have a lovely boyfriend who I’m sure would appreciate some gift ideas (and if any strangers popping by feel overcome with glad tidings and cheer and want to send me gifts, feel free) so in the next few days I shall be posting my Christmas wishlist, along with reviews of any festive B-movies I get hold of, DIY gift guides (cos handmade is always best) and anything else seasonal I can think of. Glitter glue at the ready!

I am a Very Bad Blogger. I keep making notes in my trusty moleskine for posts I would like to make, and then promptly falling asleep the minute I get home and never getting round to it.

Winter is sapping away all my energy. I’m sleeping a lot without getting any real refreshment, and I’m finding it increasingly hard to concentrate or actually DO anything. I’m making a bit of an effort to Sort My Life Out (definitely justifies capitals there) and hopefully this weekend will see the birth of a shiny new organised, awake and focused me.
Step One involves a massive tidy up of the house and garden (our neighbours complained – to our landlord- about us having bottles in the garden awaiting recycling. Err, what?) which ever fails to make me feel better. This will be followed by a wardrobe clear out…and I badly need it. I’ve forever had this dream of owning a beautiful and stylish capsule wardrobe with many items to be worn in many different ways, and instead I have two double wardrobes heaving with topshop sale errors and too small dresses. I’ve been hugely inspired by my recent finding of The Clothes Horse and the linked post is perfect inspiration for mixing up the pieces I already have and getting a new wardrobe without any shopping! Which is important, as I will never have any money again after my purchase of this baby:

So beautiful. It was half a Christmas present from my Grandma, and half a present to myself for surviving the year (which hasn’t been great, really). Only problem is our lack of correct screwdriver meaning it’s currently still in its box. Sob!

And before I go (and I promise I won’t disapear into the ether this time), here’s a photo of my little kitten, Professor Moriarty. Not so little anymore! 7 months old and showing definite sociopathic tendancies, but we love him.

The stars are out tonight

Some of you may already know about my (vague, mostly tea making related) involvement with Records on Ribs, a record label that offer all of their music free for download in a variety of formats under a Creative Commons license (see their manifesto for more info). Today marks the release of To Leave a Mark, the stunningly beautiful new album by Les Etoiles, inspired by his hometown of Bridgnorth, Shropshire. Described by the label as ‘a beautiful evocation of this place, its joy and tragedies, the town as a container of people, times, love and loss’, it’s already gaining fantastic reviews and I urge you to download it now (I repeat, for free!). If Dave’s voice doesn’t melt your heart, nothing will and you are probably a robot. While you’re there, check out some of the other artists too – there’s some excellent stuff for all tastes from the obscenely twee to ‘transcendental riff worship’. What’s not to love?

If you are lucky enough to live in Robin Hood land (erm, Nottingham), the launch party is at Jam Cafe tonight from 8pm and is free, free, free! Jam also serve delicious cakes, tea & beer so all in all, an idea way to spend a Friday night. The brilliant El Heath will also be playing, & ROR djs will be playing records from post-punk to kraut and everything in between. Bring your own records if you want to join in!

“‘To Leave A Mark’ never overplays its message; with eleven tracks taking up less than thirty minutes of music. Its mood may be subdued and sad but it contains a warmth and richness that will provide comfort to anyone who has returned to a familiar scene, only to experience a strong sense of loss.”
Leonard’s Lair

(ROR would be delighted if you want to feature them, this album/event or any of their other releases on your blog/site/whatever: please put the link in a comment if you do so!)

There’s a bear with you?

Please bear with me whilst I make changes to my blog…it desperately needs an update, but due to a lack of time & having forgotten all my knowledge of CSS it may take a while. Unless I can convince my boyfriend to help me.

Oh, for some creative computer skills!

Reading list

While I’m tucked up in bed with my tea, & a kitten snuggled at my feet (snoring, as well), I thought I’d share some of my favorite blogs on the wide wide interweb with you. Places to visit if you’re feeling low, or in need of inspiration, or just bored!

(image from Swamibu on flickr.

♥ Colour Me Katie I absolutely, 100%, guarantee that this will make you happy on the greyest days. I think I’m in love with her (and her beautiful cat).
♥ Daydream Lily lots of beautiful things to look at & nice words to read.
♥ Kris Atomic I’ve been following Ms Atomic for quite some time now, and her illustrations are absolutely beautiful & full of fun. Definitely something to brighten up a rainy day!
♥ Fashion fashion glorious fashion! Mme Robot also has a side in style consulting, something I’d like to try out once I get out of this penniless rut. Urgh.
♥ Matouen Peluche a new one to my daily blog roll, full of both beautiful illustrations & lots of inspiration.
♥ My Little Stitches Rose is one of the most insanely talented craftsters I’ve ever come across, and she’s years younger than me & it’s sickening. In a lovely way! Go look & be amazed – I swear we’re going to hear more & more from this one…
♥ Operation Nice. I’m not even explaining this one. Just go & read & let it restore your faith in humanity…

That’s all for now folks! (oh, & if anyone can tell me who did the illustrations for (500) days of summer I’d be ever so grateful…)

Colour my life with the chaos of trouble

Due to a recent misfortune at the hands of a hairdresser I now have a feathered (yes, FEATHERED!) thin, sorry for itself little fringe when my usual preference is for a chunky, below the eyebrows, blunt as hell number that incorporates half my hair. So, I’ve been torturing myself with pictures of much nicer fringes whilst wondering if I can get it fixed at my appointment on Monday. Fringes like this:

(image from Nylon magazine)

Oh, Zooey Zooey Zooey. I want to be you. I saw (500) days of summer last week and truly & utterly fell in love – with both her & Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who I’ve embaressingly been crushing on since his 3rd Rock From The Sun Days). I’d been discussing only recently how so many films I love capture a certain time period for a certain group of people – Can’t Hardly Wait, Ten Things I Hate About You for the 90s & well, every John Hughes film for the 80s – but there were none that capture US right now, and that I could show someone in the future and go Yes, this is how it was for us indiekid twenty somethings in the first decade of the 21st century. Then along this film came. I don’t think there’s many of my friends who couldn’t identify with that film, whether with the Summer or Tom character & it captured all the little things which seem to define relationships today. C’mon, try telling me that you DON’T run round Ikea pretending you live there, mess around in second hand records shops or fall in love with people based on what’s on their ipod? I most definitely fall into the Tom camp, with my irritating habit of falling in love, hard, with complete strangers & calling crises meetings about the most ridiculous things (at least, I did before I met the love of my life) & at least one of my friends has come out as a Summer. Of course, I was always going to fall in with this film. Two of my favorite actor/resses, a soundtrack of twee loveliness & a B&S reference within the first fifteen minutes? Go see it, and you just try not to smile stupidly & skip all the way home.

(In other news, my boyfriend has just brought my a cup of tea & announced that he is now addicted to Project Runway. He’s only watched it once. Is it actually that good?)

So…

Life has got suddenly, amazingly rubbish right now. I’ve been a Very Bad Blogger and I doubt it’s going to change anytime soon, as I seem to only have bad news to share (despite an amazing weekend with a lot of the best people I know).
What I want to know is:

Can anyone cut hair who wants to do mine for free?

-and-

Where can I get exceptionally cheap glasses? (boyfriend broke mine, and they aren’t repairable. And I wear contact lenses but have an eye problem at the moment which means I basically don’t have vision in my right eye. It’s really unpleasant).

Sigh sigh sigh. I hate this being a grown up lark.

Grey days

The weather here in England is APPALLING. I have a cold. A cold! And it’s August. Grey days make me tired & miserable so it’s a good job I’m off out tonight with Alex to eat 40% off sushi and see Inglorius Basterds at Broadway Cinema with orange wednesday.

It’s no coincidence that both those things are being done on the cheap, as recently pretty much all my pennies have been going on house stuff. Including, no less, a Henry Hoover (they had no Hetty’s, I was sad) and a router so that I actually have wireless internet in my house. It’s been so long without it (a year) that I’d forgotten what a luxuery it actually is to browse ebay from your bed, or listen to spotify whilst tidying your room (OK, that’s something I’d never actually managed before as spotify is a fairly new invention, at least to my knowledge). There’s also been kitchen thing purchasing, huge food shops – despite going into our third year of living together, this is the first year we’ve lived entirely on our own and so we went a bit mad in Tesco buying ice cream and wine and pretending to be grown-ups* – and lots & lots of cleaning equipment. There’s still a long way to go before the house actually feels like ours, but we’re getting there. I’m hoping to get down to some good ol’ crafty business once the cleaning is done and provide us with blankets, cushions and more. It’s amazing having our own space at last, although it has resulted in slightly demented behaviour like pretending to be an ant and discussing the possibility of turning our dining room table into a pirate ship.

I’m also looking for some prints to put up in our lounge/dining area but Etsy is being very uncharacteristically barren of inspiration for me. Any reccomendations anyone?

* Sssh, no one tell us we ARE grown-ups….

::sniffle::

So, I have the dreaded swine flu. I’m glad to announce that it’s really not all that bad, bar the huge acheyness and tiredness after any activity (including getting up to get tea – WOE).

Luckily, my two boys (one with four paws, one with less) have been looking after me and combined with all the well wishes and haribo I feel quite loved and special. I have, however, been completley unable to leave the house and so have taken to trawling the internet compiling wish lists in my head. And then! I remembered that it’s my birthday in less than a fortnight and so compiled a birthday wishlist instead (much more productive). And here it is:

Owly tote, $7 from rainbowswirlz on etsy. I love all things owl related, the only dilemma being what colour to choose? (I think red)

Personalised birdy necklace, $28 from polktadotmagpie on etsy. (Sadly, these don’t ship to the uk and so I shall never have one. Snif!) I should point out that I’d have one with my name on fairly obviously, not Ethan or Sofia (lovely names as they are).

Juana heels from French Connection at Kurt Geiger, £19 down from £100!! These combine every detail I could want in a shoe: super high heels, platform sole, straps and studding. I think it’s love!

Beautiful, beautiful typewriter necklace from Paraphernalia. I thought I’d lost the chance to own one of these when the seller disappeared from Etsy but then found them again recently, much to my delight. I could quite happily own every single piece from their website and never need an other necklace again.

Musical rainbow necklace, £20 from Supersweet . I might neglect my musical abilites these days, but it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t wear a reminder of them round my neck!

Phew, my little flu ridden body is exhausted now. My rants about ageism on Radio Four and musings about the ethics of clothes swapping will have to wait for another day…

p.s. (my boyfriend has an article on the Guardian website this week. Proud!