tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56598602220432204682024-03-22T04:59:13.673+00:00Another girl, another planetThe day to day activities in the life of a 25 year old girl (not woman, I don't think I am quite there yet!)Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-20238733628849414112012-12-18T21:25:00.003+00:002012-12-18T21:30:23.579+00:00Knickers in an Insta-twist<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oh it is a sad day for fans of Instagram today isn't it? In case anyone is not up to speed (although if your Facebook is anything like mine, you'll have read this 47 times already this afternoon), today Instagram have announced a change to their terms and conditions which will allow them to to sell people's Instagram shots with no credit or payment to the original photographer.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You can read more about this <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20767537" target="_blank">here</a>. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Obviously I get that this is a bit crap because who wants their photos making money if it isn't for their own pocket. I follow a lot of professional photographers on Instagram and their only option to keep their rights over their photos seems to be to delete their account before 16 January. That I can understand - clearly if you are a pro photographer then you don't want your photos sold behind your back. However, what I am struggling to understand are all the people on my Facebook and my real life friends who simply use Instagram as a sort of daily diary and post the odd photo of their shoes or a cupcake. For a start, if the photo is not well tagged, which most of them aren't, no-one will be able to find one that they want to buy anyway. Secondly, I am not making any money from those photos so if someone wants to use one of mine for something then I am not bothered as they are not taking anything from me personally. Thirdly, I do feel like all these people who are claiming to have some kind of "artistic right" to those photos is kind of kidding themselves. I think the creators of Instagram gave us these photo effects for nothing, and I enjoy using them, for free every single day of my life. If they want to make money back from that then fine, I really couldn't care less. I am hearing a few people saying that Instagram might sell their photos to a company with a bad ethical policy and therefore that company could make money from my photo. Well I don't think that argument can realistically apply to ANYONE who shops in Asda Walmart, gets coffees from Starbucks or buys eBooks from Amazon - these companies have terrible policy and if you shop there, they are already making money from you! So nothing will change. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think I am mostly peed off because I love Instagram, it is by far my favourite iphone app and you could say I am a bit addicted to it. I won't delete my account but I fear that of the 200 people I follow on it, about half will. And that is sad as I like looking at people's photos. Bloody Instagram. Anyway I will leave you for now with an Instagram shot of my beautiful new camera!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lomography Belair - CitySlicker</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Are you guys "insta-addicts"? Will you be deleting your accounts now? And am I just totally missing the point?</span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">P.S. I am not even sure if this Instagram thing will happen to be honest, because of all the bad press and the fact that millions of users are threatening to go elsewhere. Fingers crossed!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></span></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-50618581839642760372012-08-27T22:11:00.002+01:002012-08-27T22:11:58.732+01:00Back with a bit of a change<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I have had a five month long hiatus from blogging, and to be fair, I can't say I have missed it a huge amount. I saw my friend Rachel for the first time in ages, and she has lured me back (I think so that she has some friends and looks popular or something!). Hi Rach, if you're reading this (you'd better be after making me return to the dark side when I ought to be ironing). I think the thing is, I am not a fashion blogger, and I am certainly not a photographer so trying to make my blog be about those things, just isn't going to work. Sure I love Instagram as much as the next iphone addict, and I intend to share a bit of Lomo every now and again, but in terms of having stuff to say, I can't just write about what I am wearing (because it is usually boring and from Asda!), where I have been (often just Nandos - multiple times in a week) and the X factor (although I do love it, I just don't have a lot to add which hasn't already come up on Twitter). That is not to say I don't LOVE reading that on other people's blogs, it really appeals to my nosey nature!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So Rachel's advice to me (for she is a seasoned blogger herself now) was to write about things I care about, or things that have captured my interest lately. This seemed like good advice, because today I have already planned out 3 entries! The first of which will be published in the next few days I hope. It is a bit deep, and I know I will probably use some of the few readers I already have, but I can't really care about that, as it is more important that I write for me now. So my first entry is going to be about Lord Longford (go Google it if you are unsure who he is as I won't go into a lot of detail about all that) and how I feel about his wacky and often frowned upon views. Sorry if that is really boring to a lot of people but it is just who I am! Hope to see someone back here tomorrow, even if it is just Rachel.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On a separate note, here are some photos of me and Dave at the Olympics a few weeks ago - we had a great time watching the women's weightlifting!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Me with Holly Mangold (USA)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside of the ExCel Centre</td></tr>
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I hope you have all had a great Bank Holiday and that it hasn't been ruined with this Best of British rain we are having!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-6913497816841024922012-03-19T00:06:00.001+00:002012-03-19T00:06:46.799+00:00My mum<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Just a quick post today, as I am bogged down at the moment in new work ventures. Sorry I have been a bit absent this past week, I have been split in about 4 different directions with work and Dave has been a bit poorly with his stomache (again!). Anyway, with it being Mother's Day here in the UK I thought I would write a little bit about my Mum. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My whole life I have been a proper Daddy's girl - we like the same music, love the ocean, laugh at the same jokes and I even look loads like him. Growing up, I loved my Mum the same amount as my Dad but always felt we had nothing in common and man could we argue! As I have got older however, and moved away from home, I have started to notice how brilliant my mum actually is. She is the one who stays in touch (honestly I think if it was left up to Dad to call me we'd only hang out once a year at Christmas!). We talk more now too, about everything, and often her advice is the only person's that matters to me. Also, every single day I realise I am turning into her, which, when I was a teenager would have horrified me I think, but now, I am proud to be a chip off the old block. As I meet other people's mothers (and sad to say, my mother in law is a great example), it only reinforces the idea that my Mum is the best Mum in the world. She is hard as nails, not like she gets in pub brawls or does weights at the gym or anything, but she is emotionally tough. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When my Nan (rest in peace) had her stroke a few years ago, and all Mum's siblings gathered round sobbing, Mum was off driving to a nearby town to collect essentials so that Nan could stay at home and not have to go into care. You can't fail to be impressed by these levels of practicality!!! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She is also tough in other ways, and I realise these points may be a bit controversial but I will try to explain. My Mum struggles to comprehend certain illnesses, like if she denies they exist then they can never happen to her. In a way I realise this sounds impossible and ridiculous, however, I know and have always known that if I ever went to my Mum and said something like "Mum I have become an alcoholic", she wouldn't buy it because it isn't a thing in her head. She would lock me in my room for as long as it took for me to not be addicted anymore. And although there are probably human rights issues in that area, I can't disagree that sometimes tough love is the only answer. That is a very crude example and of course I am not suggesting that alcohol addiction is not a real problem (after all, I do work at probation!) but it is the best example I can come up with. But in Mum's head, that is how it is and if she doesn't buy into it then it is easy to fix! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another quality that I think I have of hers is trying to please people. I always try to do what I think other people need of me and I like that. I know that in some ways I can be a bit selfish (hey, who isn't?) but in this way I really take after my Mum and when deciding on something I always try to factor all parties into the mix. Sometimes Mum chastises me for this and says that I am getting used or people are walking all over me but she is exactly the same!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway, enough drivel and I need some sleep now - sorry if this is a bit of an incoherent entry! Here are some of my favourite ever PostSecrets about Mums.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah it is!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyO8mxeitPCNYNaO1iNC59zAz5Uuhz9gkVf3QqjfFwspTr8P_5F0Xp0nyUIq-fCdgQsuAMis1-ckfKiB1E9yzGtgfEKmiHEQyJ89EWFy0oSVbrQ48SphxjxJQd36InSb9SbFNZ_iWlhN4K/s1600/mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyO8mxeitPCNYNaO1iNC59zAz5Uuhz9gkVf3QqjfFwspTr8P_5F0Xp0nyUIq-fCdgQsuAMis1-ckfKiB1E9yzGtgfEKmiHEQyJ89EWFy0oSVbrQ48SphxjxJQd36InSb9SbFNZ_iWlhN4K/s400/mom.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This used to be true - Still respect her but don't talk shit about her anymore</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What are your Mum's best qualities that you would like to inherit?</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-52396452528321303302012-03-11T22:57:00.000+00:002012-03-11T22:57:02.557+00:00Last week<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I can only apologise for being such a rubbish blogger last week and not posting at all. With my new job starting officially on Weds I have a lot to do at my old position and work a lot of hours last week. Added to that Dave not being very well I have just been manically busy. Started the mad week last Sunday at the Joan Baez gig I mentioned. Bridgewater Hall was a breathtaking location and she played a fabulous set. She even sang a Cohen song so of course I was over the moon.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOR6F3sWXjJ9vCAkuOHqndWtLviIvwSr0bR9j0mRYdUbpbUov2n9cO08WbwLhxlrwQcO7coG5eb-lKb2dmfeKJdetZMqwygBrjvZFdeiHZ0Pdt3uGcbw2wPt3YuWFsIM5SIFMV8AGZW6q/s1600/joan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOR6F3sWXjJ9vCAkuOHqndWtLviIvwSr0bR9j0mRYdUbpbUov2n9cO08WbwLhxlrwQcO7coG5eb-lKb2dmfeKJdetZMqwygBrjvZFdeiHZ0Pdt3uGcbw2wPt3YuWFsIM5SIFMV8AGZW6q/s1600/joan.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joan and her guitar</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then I have spent my working week doing a bit of training at Head Office for the new role, where they have taken to presenting you with a strange plastic toy to fiddle with whilst you learn. At first I thought the woman had gone mad but actually it is really fun to play with while you are working and it saved me biting my nails!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOghzeyLpZRURXLi6gPCLS2gAdwSiGPNduVnJFgb3cjDF5jPVV6Y37CHjNzl8zlHlnHD-sWoGDeLWkBme788Q8Ywb3JRaYuCW0ENx5cHFT3tV7qA9vxjFu2E5Dbmx6-ZYXvxy0NVkvKbu/s1600/work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOghzeyLpZRURXLi6gPCLS2gAdwSiGPNduVnJFgb3cjDF5jPVV6Y37CHjNzl8zlHlnHD-sWoGDeLWkBme788Q8Ywb3JRaYuCW0ENx5cHFT3tV7qA9vxjFu2E5Dbmx6-ZYXvxy0NVkvKbu/s1600/work.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">strange plastic toy, which I now want one of at home!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have also spent quite a bit of time on ebay lately, both buying and selling and I had a bit of a lucky find this week when I was looking for something for Dave. I got some gorgeous DC high tops in TK Maxx after Christmas in a size 3, which is usually plenty big enough for me in trainers. They are really a thing of beauty in tartan with a leopard print tongue. But they were just so painful I couldn't get them on comfortably so they had sat in my lounge for the best part of 3 months as I could not let them go! Once I had found a replacement size 4 on ebay I felt safe to sell the other pair to my friend Louise. Unfortunately on Thursday we both wore them to work at the same time!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqGPZQ4wYnBBID8IEy2v08b3A-oVcksdT_jO36dYqyPb2k4tU7b33qW2x_aKuZUDMiSWIBUUhSNkfPhE04pszqz1Q54Qke8Pxvps6sWsdMvFmkL5d9QvWmf_B9fmtV4bBrrUfBK1nTpeE/s1600/shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqGPZQ4wYnBBID8IEy2v08b3A-oVcksdT_jO36dYqyPb2k4tU7b33qW2x_aKuZUDMiSWIBUUhSNkfPhE04pszqz1Q54Qke8Pxvps6sWsdMvFmkL5d9QvWmf_B9fmtV4bBrrUfBK1nTpeE/s1600/shoes.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beauties aren't they?</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway, I have just had a lovely weekend at the parentals so that has been nice and relxing after my hectic week. Mum had a lovely birthday made much better by the fact that not only did I buy her a soppy card for once (I usually go for the nice photo or funny caption) but Dad went wild and sent her a huge bouquet on the Saturday morning!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-E5vafLawCu3FE9HCTRCEafYzmHMqtptaL9pCR80MVC_dKlEx-mmmoxz_mDOeRMJR7TD76JOCjCw4ZG_jWGcnP2gxw62PFI1dr92vsF5tV2_RVe0Ff8KDuCMCk1ZjfcbXr3fX3j8TPPs/s1600/flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-E5vafLawCu3FE9HCTRCEafYzmHMqtptaL9pCR80MVC_dKlEx-mmmoxz_mDOeRMJR7TD76JOCjCw4ZG_jWGcnP2gxw62PFI1dr92vsF5tV2_RVe0Ff8KDuCMCk1ZjfcbXr3fX3j8TPPs/s320/flowers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have been back on hipstamatic this week too, the quality is a lot better than instagram but it just isnt as user friendly - what do you guys think?</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then we went to the greyhound racing in Birmingham, where we did absolutely appallingly!!! Had a super time though.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bV0NJx12-1JWzTmeWWsqKGoa4AtJBje66exy6KOrzNYfwy1o8-B0YRT0E2fnOUMd7JN6fU7saRBJ9uLLI8WWFQd-92mZ6DeElyFxXaXVukrkbuyETgz2GQgSpwJ3_5Mv2CO7Gs9qmocR/s1600/dogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bV0NJx12-1JWzTmeWWsqKGoa4AtJBje66exy6KOrzNYfwy1o8-B0YRT0E2fnOUMd7JN6fU7saRBJ9uLLI8WWFQd-92mZ6DeElyFxXaXVukrkbuyETgz2GQgSpwJ3_5Mv2CO7Gs9qmocR/s1600/dogs.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the traps at the start of a race</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And as usual when we go to my parents my Dad had a spare room full of his ebay empire and postage bits and bobs. I wont go into detail but there is an abundance of watches in his life right now so dave and me got to take one home each.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOb1xQRbRaypcrdqCvl6s9z7KzIy3zK3MkDplJfkaH_hBKQ6SImNThWgUyRoP1ew-tvbFpQqJwGgk_nlh3tASu9_zp_uLZoLjyUf-bWhAGdKoZbu7-n2DdrYGFhLzTUo2pq2CtAmOcNEk5/s1600/watches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOb1xQRbRaypcrdqCvl6s9z7KzIy3zK3MkDplJfkaH_hBKQ6SImNThWgUyRoP1ew-tvbFpQqJwGgk_nlh3tASu9_zp_uLZoLjyUf-bWhAGdKoZbu7-n2DdrYGFhLzTUo2pq2CtAmOcNEk5/s320/watches.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Have anyone else's parents got any bonkers quirks like my Dad's watches? Has anyone had a busy week like me? Fingers crossed things will calm down a bit this week, though I am not so sure!</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-60632980425464039782012-03-04T19:30:00.000+00:002012-03-04T19:30:00.122+00:00I love to speak with Leonard<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First of all I have scheduled this post to be published while I am at a gig in Manchester seeing one of my all-time folk heroes, Joan Baez. I realise folk music probably doesn't appeal to everyone and it can be a bit of an acquired taste, but growing up listening to my Dad's Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen music, and spending hours in my friend's parents' car listening to Joan herself and learning all the words have left me with a love of vocal guitar-y type stuff. So I will do a review of the gig itself one night at a later date but for now I would like to talk about Leonard Cohen and his new album as I am a huge fan. I got into Cohen a lot later than all the other more "upbeat" stuff to be honest, but I love it more now than ever and I listen to a little bit of Cohen probably every single day (is that strange?). I don't think it is as depressing as the critics say and I often find it uplifting, particularly when he duets with a female singer. Cohen himself once said that people call him a pessimist but this is wrong because "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't consider myself a pessimist. I think of a pessimist as someone who is waiting for it to rain. And I feel soaked to the skin." I really like this. In 2008 I was lucky enough not only to see him in concert twice in some amazing settings, but also to meet him in a car park in Bournemouth and have a chat and a photo - Best. Moment. Ever.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I stalked him for a little bit afterwards and got this shot of him looking out to sea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BJc08TrcMKolPAiDvYj_jyXfp1t04unyXiZLyo7E8Ab4_imjkbNcNiuovq3_BzmAyv6NmZsgFlXNV4PlbA8phE7rFIj0CsV4lFlDURUO11CtiImrtO1yyH_RfgzaEpSenGL2S5TaoxwO/s1600/cohen2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BJc08TrcMKolPAiDvYj_jyXfp1t04unyXiZLyo7E8Ab4_imjkbNcNiuovq3_BzmAyv6NmZsgFlXNV4PlbA8phE7rFIj0CsV4lFlDURUO11CtiImrtO1yyH_RfgzaEpSenGL2S5TaoxwO/s320/cohen2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, LC and Dave (usually when I show this photo, I chop Dave's mad arm off!)</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So that was that, I never thought I would get to see him in concert as he is 77 years old or something and hadn't toured in ages so to meet him as well was a double shock. I suppose we have his manager to thank for that after they made off with all of his earnings whilst he was living in a Buddhist monastery in California a few years ago. I also never thought he would bring out any new material at this late stage but yet again I was thankfully proved wrong when he released his album "Old Ideas" a few weeks ago. Since I bought the album I literally cannot stop listening to it. For me this is a great opportunity because in the past I only listened to his songs in "Greatest Hits" type compilations, having missed most of his album releases by, oh I don't know, my whole life! It is nice having an album and listening to it in the way the artist intended. There is one song on it called "Going Home" with which I have become utterly obsessed and I wanted to share it with you here. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hope you all enjoy watching. Are there any other Cohen fans out there? What do you think of "Old Ideas"?</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-91067838693268053562012-03-02T22:00:00.000+00:002012-03-02T23:03:43.526+00:00A very memorable mixtape<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is an article I wrote for this months requests on Lomography - thought it might make you all laugh!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have never been one to shy away from telling the world embarrassing things I have done because, well those things are what make me who I am. And I like to make people laugh. This makes me simultaneously laugh and blush every time I think about it. When I was 16 I made a mixtape for a boy and the front cover looked something like this:-</span></div>
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<img alt="" height="368" src="http://cloud.lomography.com/576/530/8b/41ceae09f8cce86e855c5d3acf71e678f5c913.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: url(http://public.lomography.com/8a7784f6c/images/frontend/loading.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: black; display: block; text-align: justify;" width="400" /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There is no great story behind it, just the usual really – girl meets boy, girl falls madly in love with boy, boy likes girl’s friend for ages, girl is sad, boy eventually changes his mind (outwardly, though I suspect not inwardly), girl is happy, girl and boy start a relationship (a first for the both of them) which lasts a year, boy then changes his mind back to the aforementioned friend on and off and ends up dumping girl not once, not twice but <span class="caps">THREE</span> <span class="caps">TIMES</span>! After the third dumping girl makes the above tape and gives it to boy in a last ditch attempt to win over boy. Attempt fails. Track listing from the tape continues to make girl laugh for the rest of her days! I am that girl and here is that track listing.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><strong>1. Cheaptrick – The Flame</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not particularly a special song for the couple but if anyone knew the lyrics then they would totally get this.</span></span></div>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><strong>2. Joni Mitchell – Big Yellow Taxi</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Somehow I managed to use this political environmental protest song as a soppy love story simply because of the line “you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone”.</span></span></div>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><strong>3. LeAnn Rimes – How do I live without you?</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This one does seem fairly self-explanatory.</span></span></div>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><strong>4. Lonestar – Amazed</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><div style="list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 164px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is not really a song about splitting up, but it was “our song” from our first date, right up to the end. I couldn’t listen to it again until I was about 22 – fact.</span></div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><strong>5. Elaine Page – I Know Him So Well</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><div style="list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 164px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Perhaps most embarrassingly I whacked this classic show tune from the musical “Chess” onto the tape. We had never seen this, I just liked the song and listened to it a lot post break-up.</span></div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><strong>6. Dido – Thank You</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><div style="list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 164px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I put this on because I wanted to thank him for the best time of my life. I was wrong about this however as my life has just got better and better ever since.</span></div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><strong>7. Dire Straits – Romeo and Juliet</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><div style="list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 164px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This song is not really about splitting up but it does feature the lyrics “I can’t do anything except be in love with you” and “all I do is miss you and the way we used to be”. Plus I am a huge DS fan.</span></div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><strong>8. Janet Jackson – Got ‘til It’s Gone</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><div style="list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 164px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Referring back to track 2, this is perhaps the most hilarious song on the tape. It samples the line “You don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone” which Janet sings, and then a male rapper raps the line “Joni Mitchell never lies”! I remember choosing this and track 2 to remind him that he might have lost more than he realises!! Haha!</span></div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><strong>9. Gabrielle – Out of Reach</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><div style="list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 164px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had been watching a lot of Bridget Jones Diary around this time and I felt like this song summed up how I felt perfectly!!</span></div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><strong>10. On My Own</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><div style="list-style-position: outside; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 164px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Again another show tune from a musical I have never seen – Les Miserables. I chose this for the line “in the darkness, I feel his arms around me”.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And that is all the embarrassment I can share because I unfortunately no longer have the tape. I compiled these tracks using a combination of reading my journal from the time, my own embarrassing memory and texting my friends who advised me not to give him the tape in the first place! Perhaps the worst part of this whole situation is that I couldn’t get even 10 tracks from the tape, so the other night I decided to Facebook message said boy and ask him if he remembered it! He did, and he remembered tracks 6 and 7 which I had forgotten. Maybe he still listens to the tape, and when he hears the lines “you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone”, his eyes glaze over and he realises you really don’t. Just maybe.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-50637239096771070162012-02-28T10:30:00.000+00:002012-02-28T10:30:00.966+00:00Liebster Award.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMG8DHbA1Xv7thuW9RnaUXg7UORAcdIecuvZPULFngEDf4WSinA-QANT9Z5eVwO7aCQQJYfDCnEJD6staI4wvuN1OjvR5QqNCCyjJ3cRuEP4nAojImH2jZzkVSjPHdk8xlrCpkrDlyirh6/s1600/liebs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMG8DHbA1Xv7thuW9RnaUXg7UORAcdIecuvZPULFngEDf4WSinA-QANT9Z5eVwO7aCQQJYfDCnEJD6staI4wvuN1OjvR5QqNCCyjJ3cRuEP4nAojImH2jZzkVSjPHdk8xlrCpkrDlyirh6/s400/liebs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I was absolutely thrilled to bits to get home from collecting my shiny new bike yesterday evening (more on that in a later post) to find that I had been awarded the Liebster Award over at<a href="http://thepamperedsparrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> The Pampered Sparrow</a>. This was a huge honour as that is one of my favourite blogs to read - particularly the "words on Wednesday" posts where the most inspiring quotes are written. The idea of the Liebster Award is that if you are nominated - you pass it on to 5 bloggers who are up-and-coming (i.e. have less than 200 followers). I have selected my 5 below, although I couldn't see on a couple how many followers they had so I may have stretched the criteria slightly! Here you are:-</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://emsipop.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Emsipop</a> - Leaves lovely comments everywhere, making people smile.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://inspiredbytheretired.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Inspired by the retired</a> - Has some super photos (see Liverpool post)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://diaryofthisgirl-megan.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Diary of this girl</a> - One of the cheeriest people I "know" - just her photo cheers me up!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://pure-lightning.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Rach Electric</a> - does the best beauty reviews.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://charly-sciencegeekchic.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Science Geek Chic</a> - Got to love a blog where science is listed as a "love"!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So please head on over and give some love to some of my favourite bloggers. And thanks again for making my day with this, my second ever blog award! Anyone else had anything brilliant happen to make their day?</span></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-33389630522489538642012-02-27T01:02:00.000+00:002012-02-27T01:02:23.416+00:00A fab week in Instagram<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think it is fair to say I have probably had the best week ever over the last 7 days and although I haven't blogged much, trust me when I say I have been in a super good mood throughout. I have put together some Instagram snaps taken by me, Dave and Louise to share with you about my week. I have seen posts like this on other blogs and they really appeal to me as a fairly nosey reader - hope you all feel the same way.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUTMi1laKjOAfKQPO3_jkT2sC9so7y5RZYvMCmr-OJRicog6aQTQTHX8e1C5Jdaunwsr4C4dsdnFuKaCmxcaO47htDU3R9jofJlX-ZEpO2fnI5K5X4dJdCIAN2c7zfjy3sSCdit4QI_zP/s1600/collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUTMi1laKjOAfKQPO3_jkT2sC9so7y5RZYvMCmr-OJRicog6aQTQTHX8e1C5Jdaunwsr4C4dsdnFuKaCmxcaO47htDU3R9jofJlX-ZEpO2fnI5K5X4dJdCIAN2c7zfjy3sSCdit4QI_zP/s640/collage.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My week started waking up in Bradford last sunday to the sunniest day of the year so far. We went and took some photos in the newly done up Centenary Square before sitting outside and enjoying a big hot chocolate. Then I went with my housemates to The Manor bar in Chapel Allerton where Rich works and drank A LOT - my first round involved a Jaegerbomb and a cocktail!!! Then I saw on Monday that Dan was road planning our trip to Bulgaria - all very exciting. Then after getting my job, Louise took us all out to La Cafetiere for some middle eastern food and a laugh to celebrate. On Friday I took Clive round to my friend Adam's to get his sleeve tattoo. Saturday Dave had a rare day off so we drove to Skipton which used to always be our go-to date spot. I took both Dianas as I have been having a lot of problems with them lately. Lucky for us the market was on so we went to an olive stand and got ourselves a right feast. We also visited Dave's favourite shop where he bought some accessories for his mini 110 SLR - lucky for me it came as a package with another Pentax SLR so I am having it! For tea we went to a buffet at Aagrah and it was beautiful - plus very fresh as we were the first there before it got busy. Even the toilets were gorgeous and full of flowers. Unfortuately on the way back from Skipton we had a flat tyre so had to make a detour to the garage to fix it - this is a shot of Dave telling me off for taking a photo of him, instead of holidng the light so he could actually see, oh dear.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I also had a rather naughty week for clothes shopping and took advantage of the sale at ASOS and the 25% student discount at Dorothy Perkins. I am trying to justify this by thinking that I am in the process of having a huge clothes clearout! Here is what i got.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Has anyone else done anything exciting this week? Or bought anything exiting for that matter?</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-416322334522336182012-02-24T22:55:00.002+00:002012-02-24T22:56:05.886+00:00Great news and a giveaway!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I am in a fantastic mood this weekend as I was successful and I got my new job!!!!! This means I get a small promotion and much more varied experience which is what I was after. I must first tell you about the horror of the interview however as I came out of it on Wednesday nearly in tears. The interview part went ok (even though it was with a panel of 3 managers who I already work with) and I was feeling good about my efforts but then I had to do a 3 part assessment centre. One part was doing minutes and although I have never done this before, my manager had given me some guidance and I felt prepared. Problem was, these minutes weren't like any we had practiced and I was instantly panicked by this. Coupled with the fact that the tape machine looked like it was from 1958 and I had a number of disasters. Firstly I wasted ten minutes trying to catch the man's name at the start of the tape as I thought that would be a crucial element and they just mumbled through it. Then, I accidentally kicked what I thought was a footrest but was in fact a foot operating pedal for the tape machine. It went beserk, rewound past the beginning to a -1.4 (whatever that meant!) and then spat out and refused to go back in again. I battled with this for a further 10 minutes - effectively wasting 20 minutes of the 55 I had been given. When the HR woman came in to tell me my time was up I hadn't even reached the end of the cassette. I was gutted. So imagine my surprise when they called me later that afternoon to inform me that I had been successful! I am over the moon and haven't stopped smiling since. I feel really lucky as I pretty much decided that I wanted to make probation my career at the age of 21 and a lot of people, for whatever reasons don't have that. I don't have a start date yet as it is all up in the air with regards to replacements and things because with all the public sector spending cuts we can't afford to get new staff and are constantly forced to shuffle the ones we have. The post I have been successful in getting is part time PA to the Director of Operations (and covering as PA to Head of Leeds Probation when required). This does however mean I have to be given a part time job to run alongside it so that is being sorted at the moment. It is all very exciting stuff. I will write a bit more about what I actually when I find out more.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And because I am in such a happy place right now I have decided to bring forward my 50 follower giveaway. I was going to announce then when I reached 50 followers (well, if I reached them) but I am close to it now and have already bought 3 items to include as you can see below.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGmAQ9kvcm_Tc20WP9EtZeUssa6BKarv6RbYroO2gewyVqbDoOSHdT_VGbFUPcF-FI3po5mh-569olHVfIiUeeIwPgyQDabFpwexElWu0usCI-UOzso_X_VMv7uc-l0GFs4qSTCNtbzHj/s1600/IMG_0540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGmAQ9kvcm_Tc20WP9EtZeUssa6BKarv6RbYroO2gewyVqbDoOSHdT_VGbFUPcF-FI3po5mh-569olHVfIiUeeIwPgyQDabFpwexElWu0usCI-UOzso_X_VMv7uc-l0GFs4qSTCNtbzHj/s400/IMG_0540.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver swallow necklace from Asda, Stila shine lip colour in Tina and Rimmel eyeshadow in Royal Blue </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway - all you need to do to enter the giveaway is comment below here and provide an email address where I can contact you if you win. I will close the competition when I hit the 50 followers mark (which at my current rate should be about a week or so) irrespective of how many entries I have had. New followers are also very welcome, as are international readers.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know to a lot of people 50 followers is nothing but I feel really proud that 50 (nearly) whole people want to read what I write and although I do it for no-one but myself in essence, I like getting comments and starting to chat to new people. I also want to celebrate every milestone like this in my blog because I was rubbish in 2011 and I vowed I would be more consistent in 2012. So far so good I think. . . . </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-74416892071557588662012-02-21T20:00:00.000+00:002012-02-21T20:00:01.710+00:00Stylish in Stila<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I feel like all I do lately is buy cosmetics and then write little reviews on them - sorry if that is a bit boring to some folks but as make-up reviews are among my favourite things to read, I feel like I ought to put a few out there of my own. During my ebay splurges of late, I got a few Stila lip items which were all under £2 and BNIB so I was chuffed with the prices for a start. They were al from different sellers but I have discovered that Stila items, even when brand new, don't tend to get to very high prices on ebay, despite being about $22 a piece on the Stila website. First of all here are the 3 items I got, still all boxed up:-</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ys79Eu-2tBe0MO-5CWl6TbwjAy8urOFDwSkAQod1o8ZUD9CiegPHwdY-XxDuPQHM6ZXpCK4RG4beuIbzddPl1MJabdcvLaIOhunydT-JLkRBIABwIWm3ZVXT4-2dM9Tfh0inv7w2j9aW/s1600/IMG_0508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ys79Eu-2tBe0MO-5CWl6TbwjAy8urOFDwSkAQod1o8ZUD9CiegPHwdY-XxDuPQHM6ZXpCK4RG4beuIbzddPl1MJabdcvLaIOhunydT-JLkRBIABwIWm3ZVXT4-2dM9Tfh0inv7w2j9aW/s400/IMG_0508.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It gloss, shine lip colour and regular lip colour</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love the packaging as it is so simple but looks so stylish, it reminds me of the clean look of the topshop items. The boxes also feel really thick and luxurious, making me feel like I got a real bargain having paid under £7 for all 3 items including delivery! Then there is how gorgeous these items look on the inner packaging. The lip colour is my favourite as it is wrapped in a burgundy leather type material and feels incredibly well made, as they all do.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6_p4TOU8DR3tudk9jCWvM29sAiEoKCVbjmfD3FWbYo7lfKSmhz5P4nW-tkd0XE6IbdUSDfvCMYB3P4l19vKtL95Yl7VeHCJ4mYvcBNur8nWRGK-FRi_tQsqtNjjEN1NArUfP2rpmou85/s1600/IMG_0510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6_p4TOU8DR3tudk9jCWvM29sAiEoKCVbjmfD3FWbYo7lfKSmhz5P4nW-tkd0XE6IbdUSDfvCMYB3P4l19vKtL95Yl7VeHCJ4mYvcBNur8nWRGK-FRi_tQsqtNjjEN1NArUfP2rpmou85/s400/IMG_0510.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">picture of all the items out of the boxes. Sorry it is so shadowy in my room</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51cKr7gb6tVdwa5T8kRGNpbHDHLdM-qw9bqUIlK1KvxDV1VB3OC3uVLvKFG3GGY5VTMt2R4j7krGB1Hj7cXARp_zgokU9Jz2NCtnak1a9hWfeaK32qP5-F9fQKhY_090FGvCti7wGLnL2/s1600/IMG_0509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51cKr7gb6tVdwa5T8kRGNpbHDHLdM-qw9bqUIlK1KvxDV1VB3OC3uVLvKFG3GGY5VTMt2R4j7krGB1Hj7cXARp_zgokU9Jz2NCtnak1a9hWfeaK32qP5-F9fQKhY_090FGvCti7wGLnL2/s400/IMG_0509.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">some swatches on my hand of the gloss, lip colour and then shine lip colour</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Firstly the it-gloss, despite looking like Barbie pink in the tube which worried me slightly is a light pink and looks great on. It has awesome staying power and feels glossy rather than sticky which I like. It goes on with a little brush as well so is good for my top lip which is quite thin at the edges. The shade is called "enticing". Then the lip colour which looks absolutely rubbish on the swatch there. It is called "dawn 1" and it is sort of a nude shimmer rather than a super pigmented colour so I really like it and think it will be great in the summer. The shine lip colour is still really glossy which I love and is a red/brown - the shade is called "tina" and this is my new favourite night out lippie as it really compliments the green eye shadows that I seem to favour.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Does anyone else wear Stila products? What are your favourite pieces?</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-80611195635972160832012-02-18T09:30:00.000+00:002012-02-18T14:34:21.736+00:00Things what I don't understand about blogs / the internet<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So this was supposed to be a kind of celebratory 1 year bloggiversary type post (not sure I have spelled that right, then again I am not sure that it is even a real word) but I decided instead to use this entry to demonstrate my total uselessness when it comes to blogspot and the world wide web on the whole. I have divided the post into a series of numbered questions (be warned there may be quite a few) so if anyone feels that they can answer just one of them for me, then that'd be a great help.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. WTF is the point of tumblr?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is one I have been thinking about quite a bit lately. I used to think it was a photo sharing blog type site for people who are too lazy to write words. Then I read some of my friend Tony's tumblr posts and they are amazing, super well written and cover a huge variety of subjects. Obviously it helps that he is a great writer but I have found a few since then that read like blogs. I made a tumblr last week when I was off work ill and I would describe mine as a place where I write very little, but share A LOT of random shite. What do you guys use yours for?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. How do I use bloglovin?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This seems like something I should know, but I really don't understand it. I get the whole blogspot/google friend connect relationship. You follow blogs, they update in your reading list or on your sidebar or whatever but then I see this bloglovin thing. I don't know why anyone needs it or how I ought to use it on my blog. I follow a few people through it, but only usually because I have accidentally clicked on "follow through bloglovin" rather than the regular "follow" link. Do you use bloglovin? Why / why not?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. How do people make cute little photo montages for their blog?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I personally use<a href="http://www.fotoflexer.com/" target="_blank"> fotoflexer</a> as it seems to be the easiest way since I don't have photoshop. As someone who takes a lot of photos I would really like a more efficient way of making little compilations. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of fotoflexer (if you haven't used it before, give it a shot now) and as a free tool it is bloody brilliant, but sometimes it doesn't do quite what I want and it sticks and things don't load very fast. I have also recently got into Polyvore, to make collages of things but obviously that is no good for photos you have taken yourself. What do you use for photo tasks for your blog?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. What does RSS stand for?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am guessing I will never need to officially know this as I have nothing very technical going on but in my head I have made up that it stands for "Really Simple Script" which I am sure is wrong (I realise now I could just google it but it'd be nicer to get feedback from you folk). Also - why would anyone need it? It just makes stuff look a bit shit.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. How do I get little buttons to fit in my sidebars?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I started my blog I spent a long time over at <a href="http://www.shabbyblogs.com/" target="_blank">Shabby Blogs</a> choosing just how I wanted it to look and getting it all to fit together in a way that I knew I would be happy with for a long time. I am not a naturally arty or internet-y person so I knew I wouldn't want to do a lot to my blog and over the last year I haven't really wanted to alter anything. I am happy with how it looks and feel it is easy to navigate. There are however a number of tweeks I would like to make that I find insurmountable at the moment. When I want to add little things (such as a little photo and a button from somewhere) I cannot make them fit and they overspill the lines around the body of my text. This is annoying and I cannot fix it so I have given up on having those additions. Also - my follow me links are all there, in a little line but I can't get cute symbols for them. How can I do this?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. What is all this "prove you are not a robot" shite?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why is it when I comment on some blogs I get to just type and publish, but on others I have to type in a ridiculous word/phrase (no kidding I had to type "pie face" earlier this week) before my comment will publish? Is there an option for this and does my blog have it? Also, given how sophisticated some "robots" and comp programmes actually are, why can't people just make one that can pass them tests anyway?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7. Why would anyone need tweetdeck or tweetbot?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am not 100% sure what these tools do and to me they are just mad words with "tweet" stuck at the beginning but I don't see why people would need them. I understand tweetbot helps you do things on twitter a bit faster right? Well if you tweet so much that broadband and your own fingers aren't quick enough then I think you have some social issues and probably need to talk to some people who don't have the word "bot" in their name. I mean no offence by this or anything but sometimes I do worry that the internet may have destroyed the art of real conversation. Does anyone use these tools and can you convince me otherwise?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ummmm so I think that covers all of the things I have been thinking about of late. Other than that I was wondering about maybe altering the design of my blog, but the fact of the matter remains I really like it how it is - what do you guys think?</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-88067898783329032802012-02-17T00:37:00.004+00:002012-02-17T00:37:55.771+00:00Obligatory Valentine Summary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I realise you are all probably a bit sick of Valentines posts now, all gushing and full of hearts and flowers. But it wouldn't be right for me to let it go by without even a mention would it? Especially not since Dave has managed to surpass all my expectations this year for the first time ever!!! We were down at my parents for the day itself, but we opened our pressies on the spare bed and I think Dave was really chuffed with his 2 little books about Bulgaria I got him. I think he thinks he is almost fluent having used the phrase book for the last 2 days! I also got him a box by Bright Side which says on it "keepy letters and cards and things". He has old kinds and other mementos all over the house so I thought it would be nice if he had a proper place to keep them all together. I also got him a card from Lazy Oaf saying "it's this or internet dating" because we usually get each other a silly and/or insulting card. I was therefore a little shocked that he got me this cute </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">one with a fondant fancy on it! He didn't even write anything daft in it either. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then, onto my gift because this is where Dave has outdone himself. Usually he buys me something I didn't really want, and a mug. Or just a mug even though I do not really drink hot drinks ever. This year he had read this little blog and found my January desires post that I did on Polyvore and got me a Tatty Devine necklace!!! When I opened the bag and saw the box I was absolutely thrilled. And he got me some cute little gold bird dangly earrings to go with it!! I felt genuinely touched as Dave is not really the thoughtful kind usually. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So yeah I was really over the moon with that. Then after a morning of pampering my aunt Sue came round with a fab new nail varnish she had bought me. I hadn't even seen these before so I was super chuffed with how good it is. It is a Boots Magnetized Nail Polish in a silver colour. As you can see from my thumb it has this sort of cool wavy pattern on it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You basically paint your nail as normal and then hover over the nail with the magnet that is built into the lid and these wave patterns just appear! It is like one of those mermaid dolls where you dunk it in the water and a pattern appears on the tail. Then we spent Valentines night shivering at the Ricoh arena watching Coventry City beat Leeds United.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As you can see from above this is my Instagram of the outside of the arena and even better - the second photo is of the winning goal - if you look closely you can see the ball going over the line!!! I am getting really into the football since Pip's boyfriend moved in. I am now simultaneously supporting Coventry and Brighton & Hove Albion as that is Rich's side. Before we left my parents we went for a curry at our favourite indian restaurant, Akbars, which was really nice as they still had all their Valentines decorations up.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another great surprise over the few days that I was in Coventry was that I got a job interview for a small promotion where I work. It is actually an interview and an assessment which I am a bit nervous about as I hadn't expected it but I am excited at the prospect of a new job all the same. The interview is next wednesday so I will let you know how it goes. If anyone has any tips for me then that would be greatly appreciated. I also got a present today off a lady at work who runs one of our evening programmes who I barely even know. I had been looking for a thick silver belcher chain for ages when I saw her wearing one a while ago. I asked her where she had got it from and she told me she had 2 and I could have the other. I had sort of forgotten about it as I don't see her that often and she hadn't mentioned it again til today when she presented me with it - isn't it a beauty?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And how kind is that? She wouldn't accept any payment for it so I have asked some of her friends to tell me what I could buy her as a thank you for it - I am so chuffed. A nice free gift always feels better than something you have bought, especially when it is as unexpected as this - don't you think?</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a></div>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-26042490208873977082012-02-15T17:23:00.000+00:002012-02-15T17:23:00.446+00:00Topshop make-up haul<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I seem to be doing a fair few reviews lately and can only really attribute that to the fact that the more blogs I read, the more stuff I want to buy and the more I buy then the more I want to appreciate my new items. Writing a review of things I think is a really great way to do that so I am going to try to do a review of all the nice new things I get as I get them. I read a few reviews of the Topshop make-up range over the last couple of weeks and decided I wanted to pick up a few pieces, especially the liquid eyeliner as I am not very good with it normally and someone commented how easily it goes on. I am also a fan of the very simple and clean design of the packaging and although not a reason in itself, it was a swing towards this make-up. I had a bit of money in my paypal so I had a little peruse of ebay to see if anyone was selling any pieces, particularly a liquid eyeliner, and I came across this package for the bargain price of £15:-</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liquid liner, nail varnish, mascara, eyeshadow and crayon</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As all these items were brand new and sealed, it seemed like such a great bargain for £15 that I couldn't possibly pass it up. And here are some fairly poor swatches that I did at work of all places!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a slightly blurry photo of one nail painted</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Firstly I have to say that the review I read was correct and the liquid liner is super easy to apply. I haven't worn it yet as I would only have it on for a night out and I haven't had or got one planned for ages and ages! The colour is called "rook" which is black basically and I think I am in love with it. I am also pleasantly surprised with all the other colours too as the ad was a bit vague about what shades I would get. The nail varnish is a lovely dark grey and I love it - it is called "utilitarian" (which incidentally is also one of my favourite principles of ethics!). The eyeshadow is called "dirty martini" and this is a glimmer dark grey with just a hint of green so right up my street. The mascara is called "bitter choc" and is a really lovely choclate brown colour. Unfortunately as my eyelashes are so so black this is kind of wasted on me and just looks like any other black mascara from my collection, but again the quality is great. Then onto the only item I am not entirely sure about which is the crayon, this again is a brown colour in the shade "tarnish". This is a nice brown with a shine to it but I think my main problem is, what does one use such a crayon for? It says on the web it is for shading, lining and defining. The thing is, it is sort of too fat to be a liner (in my opinion) and it doesn't blend too well to be a shade as such so I am unsure really what to do with it - any bloggers got any tips for me?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHWHiqxbbaS2GTdlOdnhyGtPzVJUI4SGUSCquXcWHugX_SAwPGRc4uzDQdGywuscCdioHIXMhWGNUOv8pvHEQiUi-CELNfTzJdyrjsFsHGoiB3Wd_IZiKI3W8-EDEBtciJlklXVRgoLWC/s1600/IMG_0498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHWHiqxbbaS2GTdlOdnhyGtPzVJUI4SGUSCquXcWHugX_SAwPGRc4uzDQdGywuscCdioHIXMhWGNUOv8pvHEQiUi-CELNfTzJdyrjsFsHGoiB3Wd_IZiKI3W8-EDEBtciJlklXVRgoLWC/s320/IMG_0498.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">another look at all 5 products, with shades displayed</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Also I have been getting really into make-up lately and experimenting a lot more, which I guess is a good thing but not so good for my bank balance (an unfortunate side effect of reading lots of lovely blogs I think) and was wondering if anyone knows if any of the monthly beauty boxes such as Glossybox or Feel Unique contain only make-up items? I would love to sign up to such a box you see, but I have fairly sensitive skin and fussy hair so most of the items would not be appropriate and I would prefer one where you just got make-up items. If such a thing exists please can someone point me in the right direction? Thanks a lot.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-44317206644074807152012-02-13T19:21:00.000+00:002012-02-13T19:21:00.176+00:00Lomography Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Been meaning to do this post for over a week as I had four rolls of film developed that I wanted to share with you. They weren't particularly special ones but I hadn't had any developed for ages and was a bit scared I was losing interest in Lomo to be honest. However, I have done a couple of articles this week and got a few photo project type things coming up so I think I am right back on with it now. Anyway, as I said these are not the most amazing photos ever but there are a few from my Zenit E which I hadn't used for ages as I thought I was doing it wrong. Turns out I wasn't and these are 2 shots from a tiny roll that came out ok with it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqxP51pCELz4gt5RVnBLbR-TCMxtQ02gTplp2QdYJSuZsoS2Ez-T7iPIx8WGOQNyx5hkZ3faq8iRPOv5WTLfwRrTwHckrghBL1z2YXlTTz02AzyZDnIpth7xlBfzXPqfWzmm5ALkaobmW/s1600/CNV00009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqxP51pCELz4gt5RVnBLbR-TCMxtQ02gTplp2QdYJSuZsoS2Ez-T7iPIx8WGOQNyx5hkZ3faq8iRPOv5WTLfwRrTwHckrghBL1z2YXlTTz02AzyZDnIpth7xlBfzXPqfWzmm5ALkaobmW/s320/CNV00009.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from my front doorstep in some very very bright sunshine</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnT8lEBT41NCWSQC4ovZZkUoPi6n5xqDkCNdBT2MjGRqDwtx06hUKTYi-QNcsPnjCOLAPV3op4zEBfRu534QIuysZdlNvyhEfBBAscr826ndRvbbV2wlaESAG-lIwLZpv9Vo33QCMZfh_/s1600/CNV00012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnT8lEBT41NCWSQC4ovZZkUoPi6n5xqDkCNdBT2MjGRqDwtx06hUKTYi-QNcsPnjCOLAPV3op4zEBfRu534QIuysZdlNvyhEfBBAscr826ndRvbbV2wlaESAG-lIwLZpv9Vo33QCMZfh_/s320/CNV00012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to practice focussing close up with the Zenit-E</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then there was the second roll on my La Sardina Quadrat. I have since sold this on ebay as I felt the flash was a bit too fiddly and temperamental. I have now purchased a flashless model and am excited to get using it after seeing these 2 shots from the old model, both longer exposures on bulb mode, the first in dim pub light of about 2.5 seconds and the second on the dashboard of a moving car (I wasn't driving at the time) for about 8-9 seconds when I accidentally let go.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlatQaqmwoUbulAVllnUZIahl8_F6q2gK4G3u1ZXUdqOxMhKU_cBKANxlgeQy4BDDkqVRa4V28iH2dTw6HY7QzeIannM6sFFD433wuiFxhkXQMFv2gFWETJ-THMMmlumHtg2ASSuJs5efx/s1600/CNV00052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlatQaqmwoUbulAVllnUZIahl8_F6q2gK4G3u1ZXUdqOxMhKU_cBKANxlgeQy4BDDkqVRa4V28iH2dTw6HY7QzeIannM6sFFD433wuiFxhkXQMFv2gFWETJ-THMMmlumHtg2ASSuJs5efx/s320/CNV00052.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this shot of an old battered sofa in a Bradford pub</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGm_2O3a6Q8w5VdMqeuDqInLIxH_9tBlaa5RzOTcAba3r6va1W7RI_O7-ipKgWQ1C8mqIzOZk7hZUL1t5gkOLYfq4TD_IBDIFoJcZZobgOR3w0kaw5GHFJFfpSNwTST0h9aBFTNm6qQav/s1600/CNV00067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGm_2O3a6Q8w5VdMqeuDqInLIxH_9tBlaa5RzOTcAba3r6va1W7RI_O7-ipKgWQ1C8mqIzOZk7hZUL1t5gkOLYfq4TD_IBDIFoJcZZobgOR3w0kaw5GHFJFfpSNwTST0h9aBFTNm6qQav/s320/CNV00067.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I love the electric feel of this shot, even if it is a bit wibbly</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then I got 2 rolls developed from my precious LC-A+ White Japan ed. which covered the 2 Lomography events I have attended recently. The shots weren't particularly life-changing but then I am not a photographer and only really shoot for fun. They are more memories of these days for me rather than works of art. Here they are:-</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8R3OYbYKQMfZg78-oSXA2BCx58iy6i7l-JTtScOihzb3nnWxjWoacGUlBZDUwI7zvW367v3MpyuMlrYC7HSSLRh-1ks-hMv-cF-n0ifUvJdr7Dho5Urt_LkLlCLxaeGgvDv21z9s1Wn0J/s1600/CNV00083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8R3OYbYKQMfZg78-oSXA2BCx58iy6i7l-JTtScOihzb3nnWxjWoacGUlBZDUwI7zvW367v3MpyuMlrYC7HSSLRh-1ks-hMv-cF-n0ifUvJdr7Dho5Urt_LkLlCLxaeGgvDv21z9s1Wn0J/s320/CNV00083.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">picture of my friend "Fed Tony" who will hopefully be giving me rangefinder lessons later this year</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1ZAahKkYWczyzEwc0ZDF2AXpfGwm8aUdDvFlO1-vA66qIfTH15HfeVsj8axcCBLVDxPDbFuLonrQktWkV3WA4-8DAP3xJfbA91ymLf5UzoWzQvUnQm3Cn2w1BfWdxjrgdW48XbVTi1ql/s1600/CNV00074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1ZAahKkYWczyzEwc0ZDF2AXpfGwm8aUdDvFlO1-vA66qIfTH15HfeVsj8axcCBLVDxPDbFuLonrQktWkV3WA4-8DAP3xJfbA91ymLf5UzoWzQvUnQm3Cn2w1BfWdxjrgdW48XbVTi1ql/s320/CNV00074.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture of the nautical themed decor in the Birmingham Selfridges store</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzOGlmaQX5adw8M7SR46V3f6WnCxJG_azppASjRvoT0uxRGqcJTmNkHwks86PKgnsSb8Yw8vf1JLnEFzyPabX03uN4gSRFqKCqWPZNfZB-9VcLx4Xu0ZXptf25cEZ6JT5eKjR10zg4LR5/s1600/CNV00035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzOGlmaQX5adw8M7SR46V3f6WnCxJG_azppASjRvoT0uxRGqcJTmNkHwks86PKgnsSb8Yw8vf1JLnEFzyPabX03uN4gSRFqKCqWPZNfZB-9VcLx4Xu0ZXptf25cEZ6JT5eKjR10zg4LR5/s320/CNV00035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend Louise's ace Dr Marten's taken with the coloursplash flash - love the colours on this</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwde5V_puv3lS9PmmOgjI7PnBeGLz1xEGC_7MPxggYeBxjitWl5ozxjjN-jApFjmAqafUZTNOoM2ZvXmbH_wKrOOS0k81ThpGrrliLVnWKpclNMPKi33G9guKOXct9qYjJlh9gdeUbYVCW/s1600/CNV00029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwde5V_puv3lS9PmmOgjI7PnBeGLz1xEGC_7MPxggYeBxjitWl5ozxjjN-jApFjmAqafUZTNOoM2ZvXmbH_wKrOOS0k81ThpGrrliLVnWKpclNMPKi33G9guKOXct9qYjJlh9gdeUbYVCW/s320/CNV00029.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the angle on this photo and how the view of the wheel is a bit obscured.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So anyway, here is my most recent Lomography update and I hope to have more photos to show you this week as I have some in the shop at the moment being developed. I am excited to get them back actually as it contains one roll from my cosmic symbol which I haven't used before! What cameras do you guys shoot with and which are your favourites?</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-89729727936037034982012-02-11T23:10:00.001+00:002012-02-11T23:10:38.168+00:00Shopping day of fun!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When Dave finally got his tax rebate the other day, we did have a little bit of a shopping splurge. As sad as it it might be, the first place I wanted to hit was Asda. I love George clothing! Literally can't get enough of it. I just think it washes so well and is such a reasonable price. I guess it isn't the most fashionable of places but I am not exactly a hipster so I couldn't care less. I just want affordable pretty patterns. These are the items I let Dave buy me as he owed me quite a bit of money.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ7JgX0F9g1cDeT8JeSASlt9we8PeFsUdv6wX5w6R9NByUHmSmiZrQoUuXCqZrFwN_YLNP12doPuAUWz1VDrfuPmADtS2e046jYSb6NKheOLMrLf1YXvNtmOjtkHhMfHh81aoLDVrJk4c/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ7JgX0F9g1cDeT8JeSASlt9we8PeFsUdv6wX5w6R9NByUHmSmiZrQoUuXCqZrFwN_YLNP12doPuAUWz1VDrfuPmADtS2e046jYSb6NKheOLMrLf1YXvNtmOjtkHhMfHh81aoLDVrJk4c/s400/Picture+1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 tops, a sweater style night dress so perfect for schlomping, some animal print pumps and green jeans</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am happy with all my purchase from Asda, so happy in fact I have just had a look on their website and my my there are about another 40 items I want!!! If I finally get my pay rise (that has been owed since last April) next week I may have to order a few more bits and pieces! We also took a trip to town as Dave wanted to get some smarter shoes. I picked up a couple of bits there too.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincOs0fDJQes2f_jYavU8iovD0lrPm_LnvrLBMe1_VNxEPSBu46JMROx13W_YA7DNvpDqyX6snkIemj5f3FmdzdBfqFYi1pVy9PxKYbmgfsjoh_tZBnk9OsMLwvC84hP6SVf7Ogtx82cIo/s1600/IMG_0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincOs0fDJQes2f_jYavU8iovD0lrPm_LnvrLBMe1_VNxEPSBu46JMROx13W_YA7DNvpDqyX6snkIemj5f3FmdzdBfqFYi1pVy9PxKYbmgfsjoh_tZBnk9OsMLwvC84hP6SVf7Ogtx82cIo/s320/IMG_0500.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a bag, nail varnish and necklace from Topshop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yFlfhEc8raqZQp9rK5D0mCKkvkKr7gmIIoDPGkjLBWHqsKpOQVJwjtWRPTwO3bAJ87tijRVKmpt0WlabZgpFDotyl7dGg3VIX3WoytOO5flbWBbe6ydR81mvCmnTL-iYAkwvb-JNy5e8/s1600/IMG_0501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yFlfhEc8raqZQp9rK5D0mCKkvkKr7gmIIoDPGkjLBWHqsKpOQVJwjtWRPTwO3bAJ87tijRVKmpt0WlabZgpFDotyl7dGg3VIX3WoytOO5flbWBbe6ydR81mvCmnTL-iYAkwvb-JNy5e8/s320/IMG_0501.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a little sample of the nail varnish</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBNs96dQl0_D0g-TSQJI9ppyZKbmc1JDZEWchUcELbx-5F9QEQTOu0qT-oCoAn0qAdJVfn9-Ul0LI_pMB8hE-SR_0r00ZB5QD_TaPmr39HcWpKbhR-CE99PMC41mamyMbKujWgvMfI6yo/s1600/IMG_0502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBNs96dQl0_D0g-TSQJI9ppyZKbmc1JDZEWchUcELbx-5F9QEQTOu0qT-oCoAn0qAdJVfn9-Ul0LI_pMB8hE-SR_0r00ZB5QD_TaPmr39HcWpKbhR-CE99PMC41mamyMbKujWgvMfI6yo/s320/IMG_0502.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">some chocolate to go with the scarf I got Rosie for her birthday</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8BHP92qnFt3HoRwQ-z70NUx9AZEI3OACQlI5fJtTTugb0KgqBtUHWhqvUberDliLLczAPtiPwzKXnXP0B-iqxyHdP8abAD-kGUCPtavFLcVxxhaC8Bp5EjMw_9tz8xoiK3pVig9yd86x/s1600/IMG_0499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8BHP92qnFt3HoRwQ-z70NUx9AZEI3OACQlI5fJtTTugb0KgqBtUHWhqvUberDliLLczAPtiPwzKXnXP0B-iqxyHdP8abAD-kGUCPtavFLcVxxhaC8Bp5EjMw_9tz8xoiK3pVig9yd86x/s320/IMG_0499.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">some cards from Paperchase as I have a few birthdays coming up soon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghn_dUKc2G9V1_BYrJZapbR4xoR-qojLxkBn9uz2D4Ofj0LeMbVpW6hvcVE0JgCUALgJVJcVZs8SJPGq8kliIiCP4VDZVchCYl9KRN8ZZpoWzyuIutDcfAHpjDOeOlVeLqZR0snHMbWD7p/s1600/IMG_0503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghn_dUKc2G9V1_BYrJZapbR4xoR-qojLxkBn9uz2D4Ofj0LeMbVpW6hvcVE0JgCUALgJVJcVZs8SJPGq8kliIiCP4VDZVchCYl9KRN8ZZpoWzyuIutDcfAHpjDOeOlVeLqZR0snHMbWD7p/s320/IMG_0503.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a ridiculous plaited scarf and some gorgeous scented H and M shower gel</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am so happy with the bag from Topshop. It is meant to be a make-up bag and is made of a gorgeous faux-leather coral colour material. I have been after a bag for ages that I can keep in my huge handbag that I can put a camera, a flash and a bit of film in so it is not just rattling around all the time in the bottom somewhere. The nail varnish is called "frosty" and it is one of the crackle ones. I only have 3 but this is definitely my favourite of them all. The shower gel from H and M was £1.99 and is one of the nicest bath products I have ever smelled. It smells a bit like watermelon flavour sweets! And the scarf is kind of daft but I always wanted one of those pom-pom ones from Monsoon but always seem to miss them. When i saw this was on sale for £5 I had to have it. Not entirely sure when I will wear it but I am sure I will think of something!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Haven't done too much yet this weekend, went to the cinema last night to see Chronicle. I really really enjoyed it even though it was a bit different to how I expected. I actually found it rather sad, which would not normally be the case with superhero type movies. Then today I needed to take some photos of a couple of bars in Meanwood for a CitySlicker article over on lomo so I enlisted Dave's help and we visited East of Arcadia where we shared a ploughmans which looked like this:-</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMHiJxefQzaKMdG-FNj-9zQTwcDSv58H2xvI1B5i5YeklceNjqZmdlYKolAIHdPS7E2M9ZWjrrCE53uybVJYzKZdChO55ScRQ9lXAbHXzjAA_Y0NxKMvczYpdRuFd1VWDogTfj4muCwR0/s1600/lunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMHiJxefQzaKMdG-FNj-9zQTwcDSv58H2xvI1B5i5YeklceNjqZmdlYKolAIHdPS7E2M9ZWjrrCE53uybVJYzKZdChO55ScRQ9lXAbHXzjAA_Y0NxKMvczYpdRuFd1VWDogTfj4muCwR0/s320/lunch.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pinched from Dave's instagram</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then we headed up to Alfred which is a version of North Bar that I absolutely adore but often don't visit as you can't get a table on an evening as it is tiny. It plays great music and does lovely beers (today I had a strawberry one) and you can play games at your table. The decor is also fab and the wallpaper in the ladies loo looks like this:-</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2KVCjIrnSCJm0n64lcnC4kaYoP3ZI9fO3PTi3A7qQZXmhuej-mfqc5PMtzxmnLbUH5N38DoAWMWxEsFkCLlJ60ES_tGaUDAed0NV2MEtAg21F1YPlTi5DUyOdLfs_p3WMn3OxdU3y19L/s1600/cheeky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2KVCjIrnSCJm0n64lcnC4kaYoP3ZI9fO3PTi3A7qQZXmhuej-mfqc5PMtzxmnLbUH5N38DoAWMWxEsFkCLlJ60ES_tGaUDAed0NV2MEtAg21F1YPlTi5DUyOdLfs_p3WMn3OxdU3y19L/s320/cheeky.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I want this wall paper in my bathroom!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then I thought I was coming to relax and spend the evening reading mags and having a bath and writing but alas no, I was on the volunteering rota and there was a job in at Pudsey Police Station for me at 6pm. Bye bye evening. I have now settled down with Pip for some food but will have to go out again in an hour to get Dave from work. Ah well - the best laid plans and all that. Anyone else doing anything fun this weekend?</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-58051833103940268062012-02-10T09:00:00.000+00:002012-02-10T09:00:06.874+00:00Upcoming fun things!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I sat down last night and had a little think about all the things in life I am excited about right now. I have so much cool stuff coming up over the next few weeks/months that I have decided to dedicate this whole entry to it and post a few things in the way of photos I have pinched (mostly off google images) although I wanted to do them in date order but I am still poorly and can't be bothered so here they are all higgeldy piggledy.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrOs7zx0qxEqq9PMlh83-rPWFsCS9b15J1bmFgSG-p4E-yerFkRP_hhcLV-knbUj8N5KJhdaczkxw6FjPMmyucereX6kLDx9kPDz9JFGxC92bIV_7o7Q_Tjl27DgY6Jv_fJE7iOCWMBsL/s1600/JB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrOs7zx0qxEqq9PMlh83-rPWFsCS9b15J1bmFgSG-p4E-yerFkRP_hhcLV-knbUj8N5KJhdaczkxw6FjPMmyucereX6kLDx9kPDz9JFGxC92bIV_7o7Q_Tjl27DgY6Jv_fJE7iOCWMBsL/s320/JB.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">going to see Joan Baez in concert on 4.3.12 - she is one of my folk heroes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhXwRbyZWVQ6PJwbbnv2mjpqXYwyDR46ndlBk2dVAFIccUqf9-aYLrzqqcjKJ44PinoOFqpRa8LAq_GcbN1w6VSYyyzQpRgz07LRwXLHDS82AKIYfIjVnXh5kKtJoDaJRi_qgNg-0QO2s/s1600/bulg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhXwRbyZWVQ6PJwbbnv2mjpqXYwyDR46ndlBk2dVAFIccUqf9-aYLrzqqcjKJ44PinoOFqpRa8LAq_GcbN1w6VSYyyzQpRgz07LRwXLHDS82AKIYfIjVnXh5kKtJoDaJRi_qgNg-0QO2s/s320/bulg.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">due to Dave getting a tax rebate this week, Bulgaria is now all booked and paid for</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1t3Jc9iWHY97M7o7D-dCVXD_L8B14RKzKQzR78nEyI0ZUZqSJ2QYffanSVE2hvAGbeKA_VhDJYE8jxWCVme3iElkn7pkIOouSHi3xShFSfQTAbgJr7qWvGZqI1KjYOczGrQapMdjTgOg/s1600/filey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1t3Jc9iWHY97M7o7D-dCVXD_L8B14RKzKQzR78nEyI0ZUZqSJ2QYffanSVE2hvAGbeKA_VhDJYE8jxWCVme3iElkn7pkIOouSHi3xShFSfQTAbgJr7qWvGZqI1KjYOczGrQapMdjTgOg/s320/filey.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our mystery caravan holiday has also been sent off for - will post details when I have it but it should be somewhere like this</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKXw2P9kBd_Kx0fkuCX1z3Nl5YD_A2s7adA2IyialBgUrfF9UBRlgEbzTt9HOAba9E859AiLbi6j8W3xFEPCsPdF9uwj9Aq9jeGUpx6UxToHcdCP9YmywnA7D0mB2MaeTXQcgmIPWAgAh/s1600/ricoh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKXw2P9kBd_Kx0fkuCX1z3Nl5YD_A2s7adA2IyialBgUrfF9UBRlgEbzTt9HOAba9E859AiLbi6j8W3xFEPCsPdF9uwj9Aq9jeGUpx6UxToHcdCP9YmywnA7D0mB2MaeTXQcgmIPWAgAh/s320/ricoh.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">got my parents CCFC tickets for the Leeds match next week. I love football and cannot wait to get all rowdy. Plus Dave has never been before, don't think he has even seen a stadium!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrFHUA1L37HSJmzob0Y3unwJVHsz9lqJTHCMOth04zP3YtaWJ2urf7heWg85XNjHCYzxPhyphenhyphenNJZjrFz-PnkMD-oRY55qoaGLVGjQoiafDDrbIpg9jFlfV8TnP4XUB91BIdZ1X107cNhzu6/s1600/scwhinn.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrFHUA1L37HSJmzob0Y3unwJVHsz9lqJTHCMOth04zP3YtaWJ2urf7heWg85XNjHCYzxPhyphenhyphenNJZjrFz-PnkMD-oRY55qoaGLVGjQoiafDDrbIpg9jFlfV8TnP4XUB91BIdZ1X107cNhzu6/s320/scwhinn.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally got my bike sorted through cycle to work so I am collecting it on 27.02.12 - so excited to get started</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCBHfolnejcAQwplroCnI68BZS25VFsuJ3oXWKHRrXAVtJKqtKfFAAm5_TtEM3VHoPnz8XAwJr0sn8FhQE27OhPzGBYkBqrHM6FJ5TAOElVi58DBSvtIfXBTzACldJBJvP7arnXzsKz4n/s1600/secret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCBHfolnejcAQwplroCnI68BZS25VFsuJ3oXWKHRrXAVtJKqtKfFAAm5_TtEM3VHoPnz8XAwJr0sn8FhQE27OhPzGBYkBqrHM6FJ5TAOElVi58DBSvtIfXBTzACldJBJvP7arnXzsKz4n/s1600/secret.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a super exciting top secret thing is happening which I just found out about yesterday. Kind of pointless putting this in as I can't mention any details yet.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFD_KqIJKy5IBHUsQ0ElNGsL7mnzwSxgmS5J9N1_1Ar5T_TwbG8h9wjDeIDUWoTE40TgJGwaPpuW6vmbGOH4YHwtoxpxWthUPzkc1o984aTD-iEKHrViwUZjC-wECnbhYLgKueaz0YBMU/s1600/zombies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFD_KqIJKy5IBHUsQ0ElNGsL7mnzwSxgmS5J9N1_1Ar5T_TwbG8h9wjDeIDUWoTE40TgJGwaPpuW6vmbGOH4YHwtoxpxWthUPzkc1o984aTD-iEKHrViwUZjC-wECnbhYLgKueaz0YBMU/s320/zombies.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leeds zombie film fest is on 22.04.12 and I am really looking forward to it after going to my first one last year</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gYoOcetkUvlvLlKyz3nFEUHNaujXZxm8ycLtwUgCSk1KA7M-hRyu0oWtt9LbUe9H2vfFEjR5pOqWYKx7hVVSaSFm7L6yvdHfTnNoNtfk2wq0nlfd_poR_Edh9op7B8Pm3vYzuN007hUl/s1600/PIC_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gYoOcetkUvlvLlKyz3nFEUHNaujXZxm8ycLtwUgCSk1KA7M-hRyu0oWtt9LbUe9H2vfFEjR5pOqWYKx7hVVSaSFm7L6yvdHfTnNoNtfk2wq0nlfd_poR_Edh9op7B8Pm3vYzuN007hUl/s320/PIC_0027.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeing my friend Esther for the first time in ages on 21.02.12 and I literally cannot wait. She is without a doubt the funniest person I have ever met</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPD9C9dNPQFAR8xrU5BJOtmrj_PSAOYKQBhSDXpwpMS3P8dp1PcTwp0jS9Z5SYyzf5ipx6aJSiYifLa7EFObD7bhEhIxzKCopa1w_JxMqKXesQF5v-ikpY44feuvagub-018Hz8oSkKPdj/s1600/zombme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPD9C9dNPQFAR8xrU5BJOtmrj_PSAOYKQBhSDXpwpMS3P8dp1PcTwp0jS9Z5SYyzf5ipx6aJSiYifLa7EFObD7bhEhIxzKCopa1w_JxMqKXesQF5v-ikpY44feuvagub-018Hz8oSkKPdj/s1600/zombme.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">after a boring and quiet weekend this week, we are joining friends in Bradford for a zombie movie marathon next weekend and to go out for a curry, can't wait for this, bloody love zombies and this is me looking mean dressed as one at zombie prom 2011</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It looks nice when you list it all down like this so you can get really stoked about it all!! Has</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> anyone else got stuff they are super looking forward to this year?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-57449944412596821082012-02-08T11:09:00.000+00:002012-02-08T11:09:00.862+00:00The Versatile Blogger<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have no idea what has gone wrong right now but yesterday I was sent home from work with flu-like symptoms. I don't like to use the term "flu" as a rule because I think it gets thrown around a fair bit when people mean they have a common cold. Today however, I think it may be the dreaded flu. I seem to have every conceivable symptom as well, which sucks. I went to bed early on Monday night with a slightly bunged up nose, then woke up at 3am Tuesday morning feeling like death. I was so weak I couldn't even open the bedroom door to nip to the loo. Anyway, enough self-pity - I am going to use the opportunity to schedule a few blog posts for next week as I am in Coventry for a few days and won't get to blog much from there. The one thing that did make my Monday a Happy Day was getting this award:-</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgAbsYhif-ZAsHwGkatUZNauonyvDjTK0gxn_o5WdaeaWbf-E8OUBkcNk7qIKAvaKW-sxZrUe5BaM6ak2LS2jaZYQyuJdp48ZRwd9lD0j8IgZDTHpt2UrJwbb6T0o-NBiARt64_xrnzeN/s1600/VB+award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgAbsYhif-ZAsHwGkatUZNauonyvDjTK0gxn_o5WdaeaWbf-E8OUBkcNk7qIKAvaKW-sxZrUe5BaM6ak2LS2jaZYQyuJdp48ZRwd9lD0j8IgZDTHpt2UrJwbb6T0o-NBiARt64_xrnzeN/s1600/VB+award.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was awarded to me by the lovely <a href="http://diaryofthisgirl-megan.blogspot.com/">Megan over at "Diary of this girl"</a> who if you are not familiar with already then I suggest you go over there right away as her blog never fails to cheer me up and she has some super outfit posts. It means a lot to me to get such an award as I have had a bit of an on-off relationship with blogging over the last year (anniversary coming up on 18 Feb!) which I mentioned in <a href="http://kneehigh85.blogspot.com/2011/10/absence-makes-heart-grow-fonder.html">this post</a>. I am really into it now though and I am in fact trying to make it as "versatile" as possible. I have lots of blogs that I follow religiously and I have a small group of followers myself that I am really pleased with. I get comments and I now I have been rewarded for my efforts!!! I feel so happy (but still flu-y - boo!) As for the rules of the award:-</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the rules:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-thank the person who sent you this award by linking back to their blog</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-share seven random facts about yourself</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-give the award to fifteen of your favorite fellow bloggers</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So first of all here are 7 random facts about myself:-</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. I am only 4"11' and a bit tall with no shoes on - hence kneehigh85.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. I have a mustache tattooed on my right index finger so I can pull funny faces.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. I once met Leonard Cohen in a car park and got so excited I fell out the car. I don't think he noticed.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. I have an irrational phobia of bees and wasps getting into my facial orifices and stinging me once inside.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. I have been told I "drive like a man" - I realise this is offensive to women, and does nothing for advances in feminism, but I<strike> sort of</strike> take a lot of pride in this. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. I think I am a fairly smart and computer literate person, but there are a lot of things about blogging that confuse me (more on that in a later post)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7. I currently fancy, and have always fancied (regardless of his age) Sir Bob Geldof (he is a sir, right? If not then he bloody should be).</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So now onto tagging 15 blogs - I am not too sure about etiquette here (this being one of the aforementioned things about blogging that confuses me) - should I be tagging people who are Versatile? Or just blogs I enjoy? And should I look for people who have never had such an award - or just stick to my favourites regardless? I am just going to list my 15 favourite blogs I think - some are new and have few followers, others are world renowned blog celebrities, but they are all my favourites just the same.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. <a href="http://mydollface.blogspot.com/">Little Blog of Horrors</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">2. <a href="http://www.intogeek.net/">Into Geek</a></span></div>
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3. <a href="http://arosieoutlook.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">A Rosie Outlook</a></div>
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4. <a href="http://fortheeasilydistracted.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">For The Easily Distracted</a></div>
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5. <a href="http://sunshinesam83.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sunshine Sam!</a></div>
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6. <a href="http://www.twist-and-shout.net/" target="_blank">Twist and Shout</a></div>
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7. <a href="http://jetleymess.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jetley Mess</a></div>
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8. <a href="http://www.ablogfromblackpool.com/" target="_blank">A Blog from Blackpool</a></div>
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9.<a href="http://distractmenowplease.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> Distraction Time</a></div>
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10.<a href="http://rosiesherratt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> [A Pocketful of Rosie]</a></div>
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11. <a href="http://www.blarglefargle.com/" target="_blank">Blargle Fargle</a></div>
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12. <a href="http://thepamperedsparrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Pampered Sparrow</a></div>
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13. <a href="http://gemfatale.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Gem Fatale's Style Blog</a></div>
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14. <a href="http://www.wakeupbuttercup.com/" target="_blank">Hello World</a></div>
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15. <a href="http://www.thejazzpad.com/" target="_blank">Jazz Pad</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They are the 15 blogs I read the mot but to be honest there were about 25 more I could have included! Anyone else have any blog recommendations for me?</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-90640538851225885032012-02-07T11:52:00.000+00:002012-02-07T14:37:26.655+00:00Film developed at home!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't want to bore you all with talk of cameras and film and developing and stuff but it is the biggest interest/hobby I have. I therefore wanted to share with you a few shots off the roll I just scanned in that we developed at home a couple of weeks ago. </span> I have been a bit slack at scanning so unfortunately it has taken a fair bit of time to get them on. Plus it was a bit of a boring roll as it was a "shit roll" that I shot in a hurry just to practice developing. But these few shots are my faves nonetheless.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiNrXenSXXLUzXnINn1yC_gVEfjK_10_PjatJB5QwKVM2k-rd15lNclZTZ9-eE3xdLGWFKutM9JvMC6hSVzuhCP2urED911BEVYUUNIYEz7TGCGacktG4ybAmiMHDvYNlgk9QoA381lbQ/s1600/ssas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiNrXenSXXLUzXnINn1yC_gVEfjK_10_PjatJB5QwKVM2k-rd15lNclZTZ9-eE3xdLGWFKutM9JvMC6hSVzuhCP2urED911BEVYUUNIYEz7TGCGacktG4ybAmiMHDvYNlgk9QoA381lbQ/s320/ssas.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of Dave from our anniversary dinner at Little Tokyo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdXoKmakPqU58RDzZzZKIqjq3_qzvhVvu7MADVrZL37J7634spTR0wD2_vOKsE_OSGWgmkMc8XIA0er_PCu7CZxWl9yT6jgYsxDq8Ytt_TGYZ4Z9x92904viEUPE2dtYVQECoBk7xp4QY/s1600/BK155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdXoKmakPqU58RDzZzZKIqjq3_qzvhVvu7MADVrZL37J7634spTR0wD2_vOKsE_OSGWgmkMc8XIA0er_PCu7CZxWl9yT6jgYsxDq8Ytt_TGYZ4Z9x92904viEUPE2dtYVQECoBk7xp4QY/s320/BK155.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from my front doorstep</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIWbm77WcMtxC8dbo8dwYt_e7f9Cp-Y1_GxBpHRO43cBOXpa8cExoeyr1heAXDuAF8wK15xfXDJpmeSpT72CC8C7o8gtgEbcyxl9KqbaL7V6IJMS2DiB4L3V2V7KnVRHjR0Tk6s0FZTkm/s1600/BK159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIWbm77WcMtxC8dbo8dwYt_e7f9Cp-Y1_GxBpHRO43cBOXpa8cExoeyr1heAXDuAF8wK15xfXDJpmeSpT72CC8C7o8gtgEbcyxl9KqbaL7V6IJMS2DiB4L3V2V7KnVRHjR0Tk6s0FZTkm/s320/BK159.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture hanging above my tv, a wax painting done by my friend Claire for her degree show</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hahahaha I love how the last shots were all around my front room as I hadn't finished the roll and needed to do it before we got going!!!</span><br />
What do people think? Are there any tips you can all offer me?<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-33788821489195765162012-02-05T22:59:00.000+00:002012-02-05T22:59:13.704+00:00Snowy photo day in Manchester<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So Saturday was the scheduled day for our lomo trip to Manchester and unfortunately according to Mr Weatherman it was also the day we were due to get SNOW! For the first and potentially only time this winter. This meant that just 15 hours before the meet, people were dropping out left, right and centre. After a fair amount of indecision about what to do, we decided we were 'ard enough to brave the weather and the M62 and drive over. It was quite a good turnout given the conditions, with 9 people showing up at the Lomo Store in total. The lovely folk there gave us some rolls of film and off we trotted. The snow started the moment we set foot out the door, so we spent a fair bit more time inside buildings than on a normal lomo walk - but I had a great time seeing everyone. Unfortunately as my phone was dead from being used as a SatNav all the way there I didn't take any photos I can put up instantly so I have pinched some Instagram shots off Dave and Louise.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFRA9pChoSCL-EtMLTZ9BzOzPt3ks3ysLEtztGoQIfFDoaBmYELdKtxeu7yM_iDlWOMpaDm0a2plPfxeJQyBLkvPTPMNYH0mAtrmfd8f5Yb47DIsN0HUewdhD2xNFyqCvwKHddQL-u_D2/s1600/manc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFRA9pChoSCL-EtMLTZ9BzOzPt3ks3ysLEtztGoQIfFDoaBmYELdKtxeu7yM_iDlWOMpaDm0a2plPfxeJQyBLkvPTPMNYH0mAtrmfd8f5Yb47DIsN0HUewdhD2xNFyqCvwKHddQL-u_D2/s400/manc.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some yummy food and drink in the Nexus Art Cafe and me wearing a giant cardboard panda head in Fred Alous </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Getting home was going to be a bit of a nightmare we realised because of the weather, but that didn't stop us hanging around in Chinatown til 9pm!!! And this time we managed to leave Manchester in the right direction!!! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44fhkTbJYd_s1UtiYYjp1HcCoqFgqhNR8RNIhcoyelCGxbEofcIKPBs65dK2PhEP82HznJcN0nZqb2mWdJ-jYbNzVuB2mQciQndYqVKGkMcvYYI1NUEmEfE66s_UrPxA0YCO-jZKV8SdS/s1600/rd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44fhkTbJYd_s1UtiYYjp1HcCoqFgqhNR8RNIhcoyelCGxbEofcIKPBs65dK2PhEP82HznJcN0nZqb2mWdJ-jYbNzVuB2mQciQndYqVKGkMcvYYI1NUEmEfE66s_UrPxA0YCO-jZKV8SdS/s1600/rd.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">taken through the windscreen on the way home</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In all fairness, apart from being slow, the motorway in our direction was not too bad, just a bit slow. The other way however must have been a nightmare because traffic was backed up for at least 10-15 miles. When we got home we more or less went to sleep right away but not before Dave took a quick photo of our street. I then shot it again this morning to show how much it had melted. It is a shame it happened on a weekend because I had been hoping for a snow day tomorrow.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqOmVK5lfbOs6_A2_CxH8LwBjL3EqgMp0b6j8dnYxkqA9G9GJ3MVYHgNoTSxuUUW0yLrMpTS8fgdbal4sU-FZWu6nu9j00Ls0w4f3IErOYxcupOb_aafyt-f3aJrTSvOp0MEVJKZMaYHA/s1600/snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqOmVK5lfbOs6_A2_CxH8LwBjL3EqgMp0b6j8dnYxkqA9G9GJ3MVYHgNoTSxuUUW0yLrMpTS8fgdbal4sU-FZWu6nu9j00Ls0w4f3IErOYxcupOb_aafyt-f3aJrTSvOp0MEVJKZMaYHA/s400/snow.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our road, last night and this morning</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did everyone else have a good time in the snow this weekend?</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-51795020870498544442012-02-04T19:30:00.000+00:002012-02-04T19:30:01.411+00:00Summer Holiday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ah I am so very excited at the moment as we are in the process of booking our summer holiday!!! We are going to Bulgaria with Louise (my friend from work) and her husband Dan. They are lovely people and I am looking forward to spending a fortnight with them as they are a lot like us in a lot of ways. While we are there we want to see (and photograph!!) as much as we possibly can. Our plan is to fly into Sofia and spend 4 nights there on a city break type affair.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Zk-Pr482aTtVL9DNHdSR7tmMshnGkuVynaIHtHs_64Pw5mLC5rP_PFSrB84g_HJ3tsxCCstTnZZ3fbL1thOf_0PwAtiJ9BMaQlPtUi45WvmHVa3yxdj2vEaaTSLbpkOXtlV4QhGhcIRU/s1600/sofia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Zk-Pr482aTtVL9DNHdSR7tmMshnGkuVynaIHtHs_64Pw5mLC5rP_PFSrB84g_HJ3tsxCCstTnZZ3fbL1thOf_0PwAtiJ9BMaQlPtUi45WvmHVa3yxdj2vEaaTSLbpkOXtlV4QhGhcIRU/s320/sofia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then we are going to get a hire car and drive the 6 hours to the coast. We wanted to go somewhere not too "resort-y" as we all like the local flavour more than anything else, plus it is usually a lot cheaper to be off the beaten track. We have chosen a gorgeous apartment in Balchik - this is a picture of Balchik.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cShCKey6BgNSZMcHkURZLvbe2L01czRYKLGMvA2609UwZ1oAsoOkav4eS7cIZDGl0nGwriOzh7yMkvTwFiV4vZX5yDjTEWLXMUziKrrdqMVmEsiFCGuD5elZGsulAElUFZui96kJwd0J/s1600/balchik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cShCKey6BgNSZMcHkURZLvbe2L01czRYKLGMvA2609UwZ1oAsoOkav4eS7cIZDGl0nGwriOzh7yMkvTwFiV4vZX5yDjTEWLXMUziKrrdqMVmEsiFCGuD5elZGsulAElUFZui96kJwd0J/s320/balchik.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the reasons we have chosen Balchik is that it is quite far to the North of the Black Sea Coast of Bulgaria. And this means, although we will probably have a few lazy beach days, we can take our hire car and go on little trips to places. Here are some we hope to visit - Nessebar in Bulgaria, Constanta in Romania and Bucharest in Romania.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After that we will drive back inland and spend 3 nights in the old town of Plovdiv, which was recommended to us by a friend as it is not very tourist-y and apparently there is a ton of stuff to photograph.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Really getting excited about it as I haven't had 2 full weeks away since I was 19 and backpacking, although we are not going til the beginning of September. Have you ever been to Bulgaria? Have you planned your summer holidays yet?</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-32862027322890267842012-02-03T19:20:00.000+00:002012-02-03T19:20:04.426+00:00Four Corner Store and other orders<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was quite pleased with myself over the last few weeks as I made about £150 on ebay. Obvioualy a smart girl would have withdrawn that money and used it for something she actually needs. I, of course, decided to spend it online. I love how many shops now accept paypal because it does mean you don't just buy loads of stuff on ebay. Of course I did do a little bit of that as well. I did get a Stila lipstick which I am in love with but I didn't photograph that before slinging it into my make-up bag. Also I stocked up some Body Shop Body Butters which smell gorgeous in Vanilla, Cranberry and Ginger. I realise these were on offer at the Body Shop for the hug versions but I like the small ones better as I get to use all different varieties that way. Plus this was a bargainous £4 still sealed up. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then I got a beautiful Denman hairbrush. I only use this style of brush and despite having one or two already, it never seems to be where I need it to be. This printed version is going to remain in my handbag so it is always on hand.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry for the rubbish photo!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then I used a bit of the money to get Dave some new work trainers and to put towards the cameras I mentioned in a previous post. But that still left me a bit of money to go shopping online at Superdrug - I literally cannot believe how much cheaper it is than Boots. All this stuff I got was at least half the cost!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cotton wool pads, nail polish remover pads as I always seem to knock the bottles over and a cheeky MUA £1 nail varnish in a shade called Emerald (I think)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My skin is looking really good at the moment so I am going to have to stop slacking and start a proper skincare regime!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And then today I had been getting a bit stressed as an order I placed ages ago on the amazing<a href="http://www.fourcornerstore.com/"> Four Corner Store</a> website so I tweeted them and was inundated with replies (about both my order and my email address song title Another Girl Another Planet). Then I got home and this little beauty had arrived!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Replacement Superheadz UWS as I gave Dave the blue model and some C41 black and white film. Including shipping it was only £30 ish so I thought that was a real bargain and their customer service (particularly via Twitter) is brilliant too. I can't say enough good stuff about them really and despite my initial concerns I will be ordering from there again. I was dead excited to use my camera in Manchester tomorrow but as the weather forecast is grim, and it seems to be cold and flu season right now, most people have dropped out so I am fairly disappointed. Obviously I don't blame them but one of the best things about these meets is seeing everyone. Fingers crossed a few come and we still have a fab day, maybe I can cheer myself up with a go on the big wheel!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-86866527918803975612012-02-01T10:00:00.000+00:002012-02-02T00:35:05.398+00:00January Desires<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">God I have got really into this Polyvore business. After the camera one I made, </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have now done one of all the things I have been lusting after during January. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I might make this a monthly feature, who knows?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway, what have you been drooling over this month?</span></span></div>
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</div>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-46977880128217351532012-01-31T15:00:00.000+00:002012-01-31T15:00:02.832+00:00Polyvore and Camera lust<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I have been messing around on Polyvore recently. I am not sure I am very good at putting together but I really like this set I made. This is a selection of cameras I am currently working towards. I gave Dave the blue wide and slim because they had the purple one on <a href="http://www.fourcornerstore.com/">Four Corner Store</a> so I ordered myself that with some money I made selling bits on ebay. The other 3 are from Lomography so I have used almost all piggies for these!</span><br />
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</div>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-84968481081412231582012-01-30T09:12:00.000+00:002012-01-30T09:12:00.231+00:00Monday morning music<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here I am again on a Monday morning with another treat for you all. This is from a hopefully up-and-coming band called 'To Kill A King'. These guys are great and have worked really hard on their music the whole time I have known them. Three of the band members used to be in a ska type band around 2007 which is when we became their neighbours. They were great fun and we hung out lots that year, going to their gigs, having BBQs in our quiet little street and so on. Back then they were called Kid Id but they when they moved to London a few years later they changed their style and got a new name. I am not just saying this but they are the kindest, loveliest hardest-working and dedicated guys I have met and if anyone deserves to make it big then it is them. Here is their new song and video. Please, if you like it, share it around!</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5659860222043220468.post-35113397959880264792012-01-29T20:00:00.000+00:002012-01-29T20:05:47.822+00:00Not so wild in Birmingham<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I went to the Lomo event in Selfridges in Birmingham on Thursday evening. We had already seen the new products on the website on our way down - they are gorgeous!!! We got to Birmingham in good time and went right to Selfridges. The pop-up stand looked fab!!! All nautical and turquoise. The beer was indeed free, and the lovely Jo who works there had made camera shaped cookies for the occasion. There were loads of people there and Dave and me really enjoyed chatting to people. Plus Tony made it down from Derby with all his old soviet cameras and it was great to catch up with him. The beers flowed all night, and were free. And it was pretty strange getting drunk in Selfridges whilst it was still open. There was a lot of buzz around the Lomo event so I hope it got some good reviews off both the public and the press. My only issue with the evening was that they didn't have the new products!!! I was so gutted I didn't get to see the beautiful Diana Mini in the flesh. I got over it pretty quickly however and had a great night. I am looking forward to seeing my pictures when I get them developed but for now here are a few Instagram images I snapped. I felt a bit guilty really using an iphone app designed to emulate Lomography at a lomo event!!!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The decor, the sign in the centre of the store, and Dave walking on the lomowall floor (well I guess, since they don't have walls!)</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was a super night and we got to see my Mum and Dad afterwards - they picked us from Coventry station and made us a picnic for tea! It was nice to see them, even though it was a bit of a flying visit. Dave had a great time too, he even got his Kiev out for the event and as he hasn't used it for ages, I was glad to see it make a rare appearance as it gets great shots.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqYVReo22lyUr1EenDhJ88rMxsS1r8wG34Zw4BlKqqGzTOcDFLImWEQkX1DDhQd-YzdqYaAjwgl9ecjImqZHDBOvHtP-RiZ7gM7mWYd_4WT1hFXsILt3cVG-uyFn5os5QXeiDKC3mYcE-/s1600/kiev.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqYVReo22lyUr1EenDhJ88rMxsS1r8wG34Zw4BlKqqGzTOcDFLImWEQkX1DDhQd-YzdqYaAjwgl9ecjImqZHDBOvHtP-RiZ7gM7mWYd_4WT1hFXsILt3cVG-uyFn5os5QXeiDKC3mYcE-/s1600/kiev.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave's beautiful Kiev 88</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think the funniest thing about the whole weekend was, after waiting for the megabus for an hour in the cold, we got on and sat at the front. There was a man by the door who had got off to have a cigarette and as he was about to get back on he said to the driver "there is a lady running to the bus", the driver said angrily "well why is she running now? We are an hour late" and then my mum appeared at the door of the bus waving a Sainsburys bag at me!!! She had been shopping whilst we were at the stop and she had bought me a gorgeous top and cardigan and wanted to give it to me! Ha - it was hilarious! Good job I don't get embarrassed easily! Do your parents ever do batty things like that or is it just mine?</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/132/0E26BBB51B694589C9CF182F9EC6D48E.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091097731802695828noreply@blogger.com10