Lights Out, Words Gone

My tattoo seems to have almost fully healed, it's still a little tender, but then when my skin has been scratched to death with a needle I think it's safe to say it will remain a little sensitive for a while. The pain was bearable, which was surprising as I was completely bricking it hours before I went to get it done. Must just be dead hard, of course. I had drawn up my own design but upon sorting positioning & all that shizz, Ian (tattooist) at Inkslingers drew it up freehand anyway. After hours & hours looking for feathers I liked the look of, I was quite surprised how easily I handed over my arm for him to just draw away permanently into my skin. I'm a dreaded decision maker & complete control freak for perfection, but all senses must have been lost when I let him do his own thing, that or I felt at complete ease & trusted him. I think it's the later to be honest, if you're in the Newcastle area I'd definitely recommend him, he was sound & his personal work is top notch!

I had a 'meeting' with uni yesterday, they called it a meeting, I was calling it a meeting, but upon arriving it was very much an interview. A bloody awful interview. I was expecting a one on one friendly chat about why I wanted to change course, a little about myself & showing a few bits & bobs of my work. However, I was greeted by two tutors, a lot of questions & judging looks. Meeting my arse. Nerves hit & words failed me, answers to their questions made no sense & generally sounded like gibberish. They queried how I'd feel about a lot of written work, now this doesn't scare me, I was an English freak at school, but no doubt they felt the need to ask the question when within the first 5 minutes the words 'oh what's that word, I can't remember it but it's.....oh, err' came out of my sodding mouth. I was supposed to get an email yesterday, I didn't, hopefully they just forgot, but I did get one today asking for proof of my qualifications to be emailed through to process my application, so I hope that's good news & I didn't come across like a complete tit.

Packing light

I'm finding it quite hard to pack light for Leeds fest. I started off with a smaller toiletry bag but couldn't fit everything in, it's still a bit of a squeeze in the bigger one. They're all essentials, I've gone through the list trying to eliminate but nothing can be thrown away, how are 19 items essential?! My makeup bag is another long list of items, some may not be essential, like reflects glitter for example, but that's a product we can let slip. My bag is going to be so heavy! My god.
The hardest decision is working out outfits. I'm not one to make a massive effort & look like a tit walking around in a muddy field, but I like to know when I'm awkwardly getting dressed in a tent with no mirrors that I know the whole ensemble meshes well & I'm not actually left looking like I did get dressed in a tent with no mirrors & no sense of awareness. After my lash extensions later today (reasons for lash extensions for a festival - less time getting ready...of course!) I'll probably try scope something or other to wear since my wardrobe isn't shouting out to me right now.
I got my tattoo on Thursday at Inkslingers in Newcastle, it's still slightly tender but the detail is coming out nicely. Absolutely love it. However, I keep catching it in the mirror thinking I've just being drawing tattoos on my arm with a Penultimate liner, the reality of finally having an actual tattoo hasn't caught up on me yet.
Is anyone else heading to Leeds/Reading festivals?

Festival Shananagans Wishlist

all above: missguided

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

all above: Boohoo

1 2

Over the past few days I've been compiling a wishlist of Leeds fest outfits. I have my tickets, Hunters are at the ready & I have the option (dilemma) of wearing my Grandad's wax Barber. Which I don't know whether it looks festival chic or ridiculously big despite him being a small man. Needless to say I'm getting very excited, I'm almost counting down the days.

I just recently came across missguided which is pretty slow of me, but it's pretty bloody good, my wishlist got a little out of hand at one point. Then there's Boohoo & that beautiful kimono that needs to be in my life.right.now. So many wants right now, thank god for wedding season & freelance jobs! What are you eyeing up at the minute?

Model for the day

Lauren and I have been wanting to collaborate for some time now, she's an incredible photographer, a true inspiration to me so working with her has been at the top of my list. Lauren wants to update her portfolio & I need to start mine as a make-up artist. This is where you come in!

(extracted from Lauren's blog)
We're looking for models. We already have a few people in mind and have already or will be contacting them in due course, but we're looking for interest from you gorgeous ladies.

Basically we're looking to shoot in a studio for a day at the beginning of July, please bear in mind the following:

1. It'll be a weekday. Probably Monday 4th July/Tuesday 5th. Dates are negotiable but due to Vicky's work it'll more than likely have to be a weekday.
2. We're currently thinking Leeds as a location, or around those parts. Nice and central (ish, with Vicky and me living at opposite ends of the country).
3. We don't care about size. It doesn't matter. It's all about your whole look.
4. Please don't think this is a popularity contest. Even if we don't choose you this time, I/we will more than likely want to work with you on future projects. This isn't a competition by any means.
5. We will pay for studio hire.
6. We're looking for around 4 females.

Please send me an email on dearlauren @ laurenfrench.com with some photographs (one face shot with preferably little make up, and a full clothed body shot) and a link to your blog (optional).
I'll forward these on to Vicky and we will contact everyone back and let them know by the end of April. If you don't want to model, and are a fashion student wanting to have your collection photographed, or have a friend that you think would be suitable, or anything like that then please email!
As aforementioned, even if we don't choose you this time, we will more than likely use you for our own future projects so there is definitely no harm in sending over an email.

We look forward to hearing from you. :)

Vic & Lauren.

Sporadic summary

1. This week has quite possibly been one of the worst weeks ever. Firstly my cat has gone missing, on Monday I visited the rescue center, called the local council & vets, but nothing. As if that wasn't upsetting enough on Monday night when driving to my boyfriends house I was mistaken for someone else & forced into a road accident, faced with a man holding a metal baton & left traumatised when the man realised I wasn't who he was looking for & he drove off pretty damn fast. I've had everyday off work since drugged up on Valium due to my neck and back pain, which is at times unbearable, not to mention the emotional trauma. Thankfully, I have my parents dealing with the useless police, my insurance company have been speedy & helpful in my claim & my boyfriend who has looked after me since it happened is absolutely amazing.

On the plus side of Monday I made cupcakes with the most amazing white chocolate mouth melting buttercream icing. Recipe here. I also concurred my fear of bearing all & went swimming, which I can't wait to do again once my back & neck feels better. Overall, Monday was quite eventful. My days are never usually filled with so much activity or drama.

2. Just to put another positive into this somewhat depressing post, I managed to get Leeds Festival tickets this morning. I really cannot wait.

3. I'm trying to decide what to do with my blog. I want to keep it up, but it's hard to get the time & I want it to be structured. I'll come up with something.

Sporadic summary

LFW was immense, I don't want to delve into it too much, I'm still unaware of what I can divulge, after all it was a (crazy amazing) business trip & I need to be professional. Maybe one day I'll ask one of the PR girls what I can write about, given that I keep up a regular post as it's proven slightly hard to get time to blog.
Anyway, it was an incredible week. I got to see a show, eat Ladurée macaroons for the first time, speak to some very interesting people & see some lovely bloggers, some I'd met before & some I hadn't. Getting to LFW was an aim I set a year and a half ago so I'm quite proud that I got to the first stage all ready.


FIVE THINGS

1. I'm gradually trying to improve things in my life, I feel rancid lately. Sick of lie ins, eating crap, not doing enough (any) exercise. So I'm going to try to..

2. Set my alarm early to make the most of my time, I hate living my days just going to work & nothing else. Productivity people!

3. Eat better. I'm starting to feel really sickly at night & I have a feeling it's to do with what I'm eating. I did a quick shop earlier tonight, my basket was full of fruit, salad, flatbread, homous & cous cous for my breakfasts & lunches.

4. Tonight I finally got myself out for a run, I can't get used to breathing & I'm not a natural runner but god help me I'll keep trying. I've also been using my pole (all for fitness guys, I'm not planning on taking up a second job in a mens club) & hell can I feel it! Pain is gain, pain is gain!

5. I need to dust off my DSLR & start carrying it around with me again. I miss real photographs, iphones are great but a real, crisp photograph with depth is where it's at!

Monthly summary

Some bloggers do a Monday Summary...I might as well do a quarterly one at this rate. Excuses on that to come. Firstly, Happy Valentines day, whether you're a being a sickly couple or a sexy independent I hope you're having a lovely day, after all the sun has come to shine & that can make anyone smile.

I'm not so much being a sickly couple, I'm totally too cool for that...ha! In fact I stood at the card isle wanting to chuck up at some of the cards, I felt rather exposed & awkward standing there in amongst all the pink & red gooey mush written on some of them. However, I am in fact in love so I bought one & have a little surprise hidden inside of the card which will hopefully make him smile. I am a bit of a sucker for surprises & some romantic gestures really. I was woken up with breakfast in bed before he got ready for work, which was very lovely & romantic, is there a mushy meal to follow tonight? Nooo, don't be silly, we're going out in Newcastle, drunken times to come, I'm very excited!



FIVE GOOD THINGS?

1. I finally got an iPhone. Yes I have apparently switched to the darkside, sorry bbm bezzies! I'm loving it, so many things to do on it, it's very me. I've become obsessed with instagram, I'm, starting to feel quite sorry for my DSLR. Should really be using that amazing lens I got for Christmas. Should memo this on iPhone.


2. This week I am off to the capital, Landan to have a jolly good time, pip pip. Well fingers crossed I'll be having a good time, no doubt I will, but I'll be working LFW. Hell yess!! Hard work, but damn an amazing opportunity. I feel very honored to have been chosen since this is my first year for events & my first ever event! One whole week there, I may start classing myself as a Londoner. If you're in the press I may just see you there!



3. I'm so happy right now in my relationship. I don't want to write too much on here, but it's crazy how happy & different I feel this time. No arguments, I smile & laugh every day, we can go out together on a night, get drunk together & have the best night ever, it's crazy amazing. Totally worth the wait.



4. I'm getting hair extensions today. Well I plan on ordering them today, I want long luxurious hair for LFW.



5. I'm off work (well from the actual place of work, not including London) for roughly two and a half weeks. A holiday I've been waiting months for! Relaxation time to come.

It's Edie Darling..

Last Saturday I donned a stripey dress, black tights, a faux fur coat, shoulder dusting earrings & became Edie sedgwick. It was my friends 21st, no one knew who I was other than looking like I'd come from the 60s, but I loved it. The make up, the glamour & the attitude, I wish I could dress like that at all times...well in all honesty I could, but lets face it I live in the North, not London, people judge a little more on individuality up here & I can't deal with people looking already, paranoid much!?

Edie was known as being one of Andy Warhol's superstars, she was beautiful, disturbed & intriguing. The It girl of the 60's who dared to cut her hair short, create her own style & experiment with makeup may have been off the rails with a drug addiction, but there's something about her that captivates me. I think I'll be buying Edie Sedgwick: Girl on Fire when I get paid, I'd imagine it to be an interesting read. If you havn't already, I urge you all to watch Factory Girl which is based on the rise & fall of her short life, such a good film.

Don't forget my GIVEAWAY HERE.

Oh & I now have an RSS feed, never really knew what to do with it before.

Nearly there

After a couple of years contemplating it & a couple of months slowly doing it, I'm finally getting my room nicely together. There's still a lot of boxes to unpack, more pictures to go up on the wall & a few finishing touches to be made, but I'm getting there & I bloody love it. I'm so happy & proud of my efforts. I definitely won't be moving out of home soon, but when do I have some gorgeous furniture to take with me.

I can't wait to sleep in my brand new bed tonight, I'm ridiculously happy with my purchases. It's always hard to part with the money but I love when you just don't care & there's no regret. So what if I have to tame my spending for the rest of the month, totally worth it.

I've had a week off work & it's flown, it's always the same, weeks at work drag but when you have that freedom & relaxation it disappears before you know it. I can't say I've relaxed much, I've had my room to do & bit for work...that I haven't quite done, but to be honest I'm stressed to bits with that so it's been put to the side, I do more than enough anyway, as always I'm just giving myself too much to do.

So anyway, this is where I will blog now onwards. Grin!

The moral of the story

If you follow me on twitter you will have more than likely seen at least one post about my hair disaster. Basically, I don't know why I did it... I hate box dyes, but because when I dyed it for Leeds fest & it brightened up nicely I thought I'd do it again. Only I bought the wrong colour didn't I. This one completely lifted my roots to a lovely yellowy blonde. Don't chose this colour if you have a lot of warmth in your natural hair, it won't end well. So in panic I used up the last of my po1, didn't work, I slapped purple shampoo on numerous amount of times, other than turning the bleached length & ends a lovely shade of dull grey/purple it did nothing. Roots were still lovely & warm. I ran to asda to get an ashy dye, other than irritating my scalp it did nothing. I went to sleep in tomato sauce, beautiful, I know. It worked to take the purple out though. & off I went to work the next day with hair tied up & head scarf on, no joke.

On the way home I drove like an idiot to get myself to Durham Sallys before it closed, my trade card had ran out so I paid full price, I paid £2 for parking for a 7minute stay but I managed to get my po1 & luo releaser. Thankfully Cat cleared up a few things about luo to me, as the last time I'd applied it (although I was all set to do it the correct way) was told by a hairdresser friend to apply it totally the wrong way. After having this on for 20 minutes & sleeping in a hair mask it helped a lot. I still went to the hairdressers but other than give me advice about the condition of my hair she wouldn't do anything to it other than going dark. Putting lowlights in would mean I'd have a blonde root & nothing will tone on top of tone on the tips. So, I walked away with Kerastase Bain de force shampoo & conditioner & went off to buy some pantene to strip the toner out of my tips. After washing my hair this evening for the 15th time this is what I've ended up with. I no longer resemble Andy Warhol & I don't mind it now, I just HATE having no roots, I think blonde right next to the scalp, unless natural, looks horrid...well on me.

So now I'm going to wait for my roots to come through..ahhhh beautiful, treat my hair to some bain de force & use my Fekkai protein mask a little more!

So the moral of the story. Don't do what I did.

Leeds festival

Time of my life.

I had Leeds blues & a husky for a good week, I still experience the blues now when hearing the Libertines or Blink. I went last year but my god even though I saw so many more bands in 2009 it will never come close to the good times in 2010.

We camped in a valley with trees & fairy lights, Piccadilly circus DJ set was at the end of our track, we made friends, had camp fires, a chubby RPatz camped near us - he tried too hard. Lindsay jokingly got engaged during Lost Prophets whilst on someones shoulders & got married during Biffy Clyro. We tore the Gamers Tent down & owned it on both Friday & Sunday night, there were cheers, fans, haters & a lot of games. We sang chants to Hayley Williams to 'TURN IT UP', laughed, danced & I had the best time of my life. It was epic.

wedding picture! The fashion of the guys make me crease. You've got bold shorts & guys clad in Northumbria uni sportswear.