Friday I'm in Love...

With: B. Make up from Superdrug. I decided a while ago to try and replace all my make up with cruelty free brands, they is no reason for companies to still test on animals and the only way to support this is to the buy the brands that don't. 

Great idea but I'm on a really tight budget for beauty products. Mooching in Superdrug I found this new range, I was originally meant to be buying my usual BB cream, eye cream and mascara, but this had a buy one get one half price offer on. Who can resist a good offer? In our Superdrug it was quite hidden away, and not well advertised.

I ended up with Charleston & English Rose eye palettes, Longer lengthening mascara, Flawless foundation in Linen, BB Beauty Balm and Engergised eye cream(I'm starting to feel old).

With the offer, this lot only cost me £10 more than what I would have spent on my normal items and it means I now have a great everyday basic make up bag.

So far the products have worked well giving good coverage and lasting all day. I may so you in situ, if I've brave enough to put my face on here.

I think my next investment will be on some shimmer eye pots, and nail varnishes.

With: My lovely new wall additions on my dining room wall, I bought 2 of these lovely letterset trays from Monsoon sale, they should have been 25 each, but had 70% off so only cost 15 pounds for the pair.

I obsess over natural history specimen displays and thought these would be a great way  to display our various collections of sea glass, stones and shells picked up on the last 10 years of family holidays.

The sea themed box, containing shells, driftwood, sea glass and ceramics.

Below is the stone box of interesting stones but there's a few empty compartments as most our stones were too big.

This is there place on the wall, I had to re-gig some of the items but I really like it and wonder what will be added to it next.

With: Clarks shoes, which makes me feel old saying it but I know they have some amazing shoes for vaguely trendy(probably not me then) folks too. 

These Propose sandals are beautiful, although I may fall over a lot trying to stare at the lovely fabric, they're 49.99 which is normally more than I pay as I seem to destroy shoes quickly, but they're Clarks so should last well. Think I'll make some major birthday hints for these.

With: The Lumineers. I'll leave you with a song for the weekend, I hope it fills you with as much happiness as me.

Have a joyous weekend

Old friendships, Dancing and Music Goddesses.

I've been trying to write this post for over a week now, really I'm not a music journalist and can't get my head round explaining the experience of seeing Amanda Palmer in concert.  

So I'll start with how cool it was to meet up with an old friend I'd not seen for years, thankfully with the joys of Facebook and Twitter, Christine and I stayed in touch when she moved away.  Social media is great for keeping in touch even when house moves, ex Husbands, having babies and work all try to keep you apart. We arranged to finally meet up again through our appreciation of Amanda Palmer.
Tickets bought, hotel booked; and on our way to Glasgow we went.

Christine and I, a few drinks in- ah bless student union prices.

This is lady herself, Amanda Fucking Palmer and her Grand Theft Orchestra, her gig isn't just your standard; band sings some songs and has a chat in between them.  I think every one of her shows has a personal feel to the audience there, the Orchestra changes each night - we had the Hounddog Horns who were amazing.

The entire performance is an emotional journey, especially if you've followed Amanda's blog and seen the blood, sweat and Kickstarter tears she's put into making this happen.
She was a joy to watch and made me love music again.

I'm not going to say much more, I'll let the pictures show the fun. 

You can download her album (pay whatever you can) from her website, or even better go see her and make your own connection.

I think if I had a Chad I'd do this a lot too.

I've also posted her latest music video Do it with a Rockstar, which made me reflect on how great a video it is(read the background here) and when did standard music videos become so boring?   

Beware the video contains a wee bit of nudity, girls kissing and glitter abuse. 

Thanks for reading my ramblings

Amanda.x.

A true romance

Today I heard the sad news that British born director Tony Scott killed himself, it's sad when people feel there is no other way out or option for them.

Tony Scott directed Top Gun, Last Boy Scout, Crimson Tide to name but a few.  

He also directed my favourite love film, True Romance, it's not your usual love story; the screenplay was wrote by Quentin Tarantino but it's well worth a watch; the characters are beautiful, and so many now very famous people crop up throughout.

If I had her figure I'd love the wardrobe of Alabama Worley, and think that her fashions in the film probably inspired a lot of high fashions wardrobes now, leopard print leggings and crop tops anyone? 

This is the first film I remember watching with my Husband Stuart, in 1993(yes that long ago) and will always have a place in my heart because of that.

I've included a couple of clips to start your Monday, one being the films trailer another being a couple of the films soundtrack songs. 

Enjoy.

Hey readers. You're so cool.

Amanda.x.

Beautiful Music for Beautiful People

I've followed the amazing talents of Amanda Palmer for quite some time, and was beyond excited to hear she was gigging in England. Tickets went on sale last week and the gig I wanted sold out in minutes. 

Cue a very grumpy Amanda. 

I was hoping to catch up with fellow Palmer fan and old friend Christine at this gig, I've not seen her for many years even though she doesn't live far away; life, marriage, work and  babies get in the way. 

The joys of social media is that you can still chat away, and as we'd conspired to see this gig together, I was a little sad it hadn't panned out.

But then, oh yeah Christine came up with the goods and scored 2 tickets for us, yippee. So I'll leave you with Amanda Palmer's latest tune to see if I can inspire a new fan. This video is beautifully shot, I was totally absorbed watching the words unfold. *WARNING: it contains nudity*

Hope you like 

Amanda.x.

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The One Where Amanda Gets Her Groove Back

So there was a time when I was a vibrant, bubbly, unstoppable lady full of ideas & smiles but then the never ending Winter arrived & that person vanished into her fluffy pompom slippers & PJs(but not a slanket, you have to draw the line somewhere). Smiles were by-passed for mumbles, aches, pains and really bad skin & hair.I believe I have the SAD disorder where your bady copes badly with a lack of Vitamin D & shuts down, the feeling of letharghy is horrid. 
The evidence below is plain to see, sad, old, grey mummy. 

Yucky Mummy.

But then something beautiful happened & on my birthday no less, THE SUN CAME OUT, & it stayed out I felt its warm glowing energy fill me up. Refeuled have I begun work again on building my own website for Maisielu, Spring cleaning the house to sell and generally doing some great stuff with my lovely family & friends.

Enjoying the park with Maisie & Lucas, I think Hubby 

was having more fun on this swing than they were.

Me(still looking haggered but joyful) at The Brickyard(local club) Homecoming gig, pictured with Little Stu who I've known for years & is quite talented but I wouldn't tell him that as his head wouldn't fit on a photo if I did.
He played as half of The Dementers, the other half being the another Stu who is very clever and amazing on guitar, they are based in Manchester now so its great to see them play & catch up. You can see footage of the gig here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9eJhvU6Pik sorry I wasn't that steady with the camera.

Maisie having a jog roung Hardwick Circus fountain in Carlisle,she's an adventure girl for sure, & tried to climb in a couple of times, those flowers smell devine.


Enjoy the tunes, & hopefully where ever you are some beautiful sunshine to remind you that life does go on.


Amanda.x.