December 2008
24 posts
Seven Deadly Sins
The History Channel is running a series on the 7 deadly sins and I was inspired to have a little look at each sin, how I feel about it, what associations it has for me. To accompany my musings I found an etsy product which represents each sin. You can click on any of the images and go straight to the item for sale.
Lust – Is Lust really a sin? Surely it’s just a temptation that could lead to sin…...
9 tags
The Perfect Wife
This Christmas I was lucky enough to receive in my stocking a tiny Edwardian book, written in 1913 entitled ‘Don’ts for Wives’.
This tiny, but instructive tome was written by Blanche Ebbutt, and although some of it is delightfully old fashioned, some of her ideas are surprisingly modern for a woman married in the 19th century. Actually much of the book contains sound if slightly cliched advice,...
9 tags
Burlesque and Victoriana
The popularity of burlesque is teetering on its peak in London. With the help of Dita Von Tease, and her dramatic marriage and divorce to the controversial Marilyn Manson, and Nicole Kidman in her delicious costumes in Moulin Rouge, burlesque has hit the mainstream over the last few years. Burlesque clubs have been springing up all over London, New York, and even less prominent cultural centres.
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8 tags
Fairytale Christmas
Today I decided, as it’s Christmas and the smell of gingerbread has got me dreaming of gingerbread houses, to write about my favourite Fairytales. When I was a little girl my favourites were the ones where the kids got the upper hand against the grown-ups. Like in Hansel and Gretel when the witch ends up roasting in the oven, or Little Red Ridinghood socks it to the wolf (yeah I know most versions...
Does your head spin when faced with multi-purchase...
I’ve just got back from a trip to Boots with a splitting headache. I’ve got newly dark hair after a lifetime as a blonde and I needed an eyebrow pencil and some mascara to match my new locks. Sounds like a simple mission doesn’t it, but not for me.
If you buy over £18 worth of cosmetics from one brand you get a free travel make-up kit – containing a selection of make-up and most importantly a...
Can you stomach it??
I am not a huge fan of reality TV, and I also hate following instructions, so you can imagine that I am not very keen on cooking programs. The TV chefs with their larger than life personalities set my teeth on edge! I came across this article ‘I can’t stomach Nigella’s porn on a plate’ and the article made me laugh out loud. I was particularly amused by the accompanying picture - seen here on the...
What is it about pirates?
The mystery, the intrigue, the danger, the caribean, the rum, not to mention of course Johnny Depp….
Whatever it is I wanted to share a few pieces I came across ideal for aspiring pirate maidens (or vixens - however you’d like to play it)
This amazing pirate gown is made by Michelle at Damsel in this Dress. She designs and makes an incredible collection of pirate inspired corset,...
Crocheting in my sleep
When I first worked in a fabric shop way back when £2.50 an hour was considered acceptable wages I dreamt every night for months of cutting fabric. Giant silver scissors slicing through endless shimmering sheets of silk and velvet. It drove me to distraction!
The same thing happened again when I first became a drugs councellor. Night after night I interviewed drug users in my sleep analysing...
The joys of vinyl
I’ve never been one of those to mourn the death of vinyl. I was a teenager on the cusp of the CD revolution and so, although I played my dad’s records and my first few music purchases were vinyl, by the time I really developed a music collection it was all CD’s. When my entire CD collection was stolen a few years back I smoothly moved to having all my music in my computer and have never looked...
Is your fair-trade really fair?
I am really pleased to see that Fair-trade has gone mainstream! All the large supermarkets are stocking a decent range of fair-trade products now and the quality and variety is constantly improving. I am a huge fan of Green & Black’s Mayan Gold Chocolate and Traidcraft’s Devine, and the Traidcraft wines that my folks bought for my wedding were a big success! My concern is that now that a whole...
Three Dorians and a Kitchen Inspector
I have recently rediscovered libraries. Though those of you that had never lost them or never found them will be confused by my elation I’m sure. My house-mate Kris loaned me his library card recently and I have been enjoying free literature ever since – what a joy!
I recently got out a weighty tome by Will Self called Dorian – An imitation. I usually have an aversion to hardbacks, they are hell...
The Angels sale
Yes I am one of the thousands who braved the Angel’s sale this Saturday. Not one of those who camped out from 3pm the day before though, so I only made it through the doors at 11am and that’s only because I am a naughty little queue jumper who luckily had a friend who got there at 8am. Joyce and I only managed to rock up at 9.30am. Not because we got up late (although we didn’t leave the house...
A few of my favorite things
Etsy Buy Handmade juliaemily
Is the credit crunch really just a nation-wide...
Self perpetuating negativity? House prices, which have been steadily rising my entire adult life, suddenly are said to be able to go no further and are dropping, why? Banks who have been giving out loans for to just about anyone have suddenly tightened up their standards and are giving loans to people who don’t need them, why? Companies that have been running for years with enormous debts hanging...
Annette Hanshaw – The voice of an Goddess
I was introduced to Annette Hanshaw and her wonderful music by a rather strange route – a friend I met in India was dating a cartoonist, Nina Paley, who was in the process of creating a feature length animation telling the traditional India Tale of the Ramayana from Sita’s point of view. At the stage I was introduced to it the working title was the Sitayana, but it was released earlier this year...
Plagiarism?
I sometimes think I have read too many books – I start writing, and a few pages in I’ll read back and every-time I can think of a ton of other people’s work I have nicked something from – I can’t help it, my head is filled with other peoples literature. Is it plagiarism? I am not trying to copy, I’m just a sponge for everything around, is there a way not to be? Sometimes I wish I were a completely...
I don’t want to see their cellulite!
My grandmother has a book of the stars of the 40’s and 50’s that she leafs through nostalgically on a regular basis. Yes, this is probably where I got my love of all things sepia. Page after page of stunning screen gods and goddesses. Sometimes we look at them together and she tells me the stories of their careers, their rises to fame, their marriages and occasionally their divorces. They are her...
Words - from the blog thing
theblogthing:
Oldie but Goodie:
Once again, The Washington Post published its yearly contest in which
readers were asked to supply alternate meanings for various words. And the winners are … 1. Coffee (n.), a person who is coughed upon. 2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained. 3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach. 4. Esplanade...
November 2008
14 posts
