Happy Halloween!

Determined to make a decent effort this Halloween, I've gone all out on my pumpkin carving, with a full graveyard scene. I will be sad when the time comes to throw this baby out. 

 

As self entitled 'head of decorations' for our Halloween party, I also made a huge family of bats and mice cut from bin liners to invade the house, along with plenty of spiderwebs and creepies for the bookshelves.

I'm now looking forward to cooking up a treat from all the leftover pumpkin insides...Pumpkin and pecan pie?!

Apparently it's National Cupcake Week. I had big plans to bake a batch of Earl Grey & lemon cupcakes, but alas, I no longer have a cake tray/tin thing, so I've had to settle on a measly - but oh so tasty - stash of cornflake cakes. The lack of hassle and longer life actually makes them all the better.

BUT, I thought this is a pretty good excuse to share the perfect cupcake recipe which I discovered after a trip to St. Andrews a few months back, where Hannah took my to Bibi's Bakery. I try to make an effort to sample cakes on every visit to a new place - mearly in the interest of research purposes of course - and have to say, this place currently takes first spot on my list.

Bibi's Vanilla Cupcakes, Butter Cream and Chocolate Orange recipe - pay attention to the tips as well, always handy for future baking sessions!

P.s. The butter cream is insanely good. I could eat it alone. No lie. 

Fear and Loathing

...Marina & the Diamonds.

When I was in early high school, maybe Yr 7, we were asked to write about our ambitions and how we saw our future.

Amongst other things, I wrote about a bakery that I was going to open. I was going to pay my workers £10 an hour. I thought that was pretty reasonable, all things considered. I would smell fresh cake an bread all day every day, and wear a pretty litter bakers hat and pinny.

Been Better

She's quickly becoming a new fave.

Walk Through Walls

...Kyla La Grange.

I always appreciate photos of other peoples homes, seeing all the little nic-nacs they've accumulated, lovingly displayed as part of the décor. It generally fills me with a mix of envy and inspiration, along with a gentle reassurance, knowing that my favourites are a combination of cheap finds and a bit of D.I.Y. that I can copy.

While I don't have the cute country cottage, or rough walled NYC style loft, we've spend the past few months trying to make a modern Ikea furnished flat feel a bit more like a home, with a touch of floral, a few antique finds and hand made bits and bobs.

Lady Daydream

...Twin Sister

I've been having a bit of a play around with various materials lately, taking inspiration from the likes of illustrators Kelly Smith aka Birdy & Me and Caroline Andrieu of Do you like my tight sweater?. Armed with a pencil, copy of Lula and a scanner, I started with the beautiful Eva Mendes, attacking her with a paintbrush and sewing machine.

Scans are a bit naff, but then my scanner is from last century. Literally.

I'm Sleeping in a Submarine

...Arcade Fire

I may be a bit late here, but hey, why break a life long tradition. Submarine may well have stopped showing in cinemas, as it only had a limited release, but if you get chance I'd say give it a watch. I liked it a lot. Particularly the sparklers.

Also - since I've been rather slacking with my blogging, I missed mentioning a lot of other films that I saw around the beginning of the year which were also rather great. So yeah, if you like good stuff (defined by the same as what I like) Alex also recommends;

Blue Valentine - yeah, it's kinda depressing, but it depends who you're empathising with. I watched it with the view that, yeah she [Michelle Williams' character] is right and justified. When I'd finished debating this with Sherree (who thought she was a bitch), I had a realisation that he [Ryan Gosling's character] may have unknowingly slipped into this situation, which can also easily be done. I hope I do not also slip into that accidental comfort. (This will make sense once watched)

The Kings Speech - it was genuinely a good film. Aside from which, I particularly liked the composition of the shots in the speech therapist's room. Yes, this was one of my actual thoughts while watching it - can't shake off those film analysis classes just yet!

127 Hours - I saw two grown men who were sat separately in the theatre turn away as he attacks his arm. I saw this because I was also half watching through my fingers. But that was really the only gorey part, the sunny setting, little stories and funky soundtrack made it much more bright and enjoyable than I was expecting. (I hadn't watched any trailers)

True Grit - MATT DAMON. It's cool, he can carry off the southern accent.

The Fighter - I just like Mark Wahlberg okay? I think he's good. His character was a bit quieter than his usual, which is fine, I particularly liked all the white trash talk from the female family members.

The end. Can you tell I don't read many film reviews?

Sometimes I tie a hair to a piece of lint and I drag it around.

Marcel the Shell with shoes on. Dir. by Dean Fleischer-Camp

I saw this the other day along with a collection of other shorts one evening at Flatpack Festival. By far my favourite, I watched it again last night and I. Just. Love. It.

Undertow

... Warpaint.

Last post... 5 January!? Insanee.

This no internet thing is not doing my blog any favours. Add to those New Year resolutions - write drafts in Word ready to post. It's not like I don't have anything to say, I'm just writing them in my head and forgetting that I haven't actually posted anything.

In the meantime, here are a few photos from a recent trip to Brighton (it was our 1 year, awwww). Weather was v. windy and grey and cold - but it was great. Being used to miserable looking seaside towns I was quite prepared to get wrapped up, plus the fact that Brighton is so cute with all its independent shops, antique stores and cafes in pastel painted town houses made the greyness irrelevant.

(warning, there are no cute pastel pictures just yet, only grey. Little Dianna still needs to finish her film.)

I Belive in Nothing

...Vivian Girls

As the last post suggests, I had intended to carry on with my homemade Christmassy crafts, with my tree decorations, snowflake and candy cane wrapping and cards, buuuut I kept forgetting and before I knew it, Christmas had been and gone, so to post now would seem rather wasted. Still, it means I have a nice dose of fresh material to crack out next year. Boom.

After a brief trip home for Christmas and catching up with old friends, I was back in B'ham in time for NYE celebrations. A change from the usual disappointment offered by new years in Blackpool, this year I opted to let the evening sort itself, and so I entered 2011 doing shots of tequila in a cosy tapas restaurant in Kings Heath before heading over to Selly Oak for party times.

At this point there is the inevitable question of new years resolutions, which I've never really made a habit of making, since I know that if we're really truly honest, I will break them. All my years in education I began the year with 'do work as soon as you get it', yet there I was with my final ever handin, left until last minute in the most spectacular fashion to date.

Now with a life free from deadlines and essays I'm making a few resolutions/ general things to make the most of being young.

• Spend less. Seems obvious, but this definitely needs to happen in order for the others to even have a shot...
• Learn to drive. Figured waiting for the right time might mean I'll be married with kids living in the suburbs before I can drive myself around.
• Start a new course. Just because I'm no longer a full time student, doesn't mean I want to give up learning. In my quest to make up for ditching art, I have enrolled on a weekly textiles class. I start next week.
• Sunbathe. I want a sun, sea, sand & pool holiday, it's been too long.
• Travel to more UK cities. Bristol & Brighton are top of my list. Also must make use of student friends while they last. Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield & St. Andrews - I'm coming for you.
  
• Travel someplace new and interesting. 2009 I did Toronto & NY, 2010 I manged Beijing. Where next??
• Paris. There was talk of a group hosteling trip to Paris over summer. I would like this to happen.
• Take more photos & learn to develop.