Note to self...

...Posting pictures of attractive Italian men really boosts your page views.
I hope you had a lovely Easter.
Mx

This is a fairly shit sketch I did it a little while ago. It's a drawing of a statue that currently stands in Rome. The artist's name was William Wetmore Story, and it now stands at the grave that he shares with his wife. I'm not particularly fond of this drawing, but I thought it was quite topical.

I realise I haven't written in a while, and I'm sorry that my first post in about two months is going to be depressing, but I'm not going to write a cheery, petty little post at the moment.

Grief is a shitty, shitty thing. One might say that pain is something that unites each and every person on this planet, as they're all going to feel it sometime. Pain is also something that isolates you, that makes you different from everybody else. Your pain is never going to feel the same as anybody else's. Type "grief" into Google images and you'll find lots of pictures of people weeping in despair, head in their hands, a comforting hand on their shoulder. But that is not my experience of grief. Grief is what's left behind. Grief is a mother and father having to bury their son. Grief is the brother that is left behind trying to hold his family together. Grief is a business in ruins, a house in disrepair, a family revolving around a hospital ward. Grief is not knowing where to put yourself, not wanting to cry or think or break down. Grief is a pile of papers and sketches, of memories pushed under the bed where you don't have to see them. Grief is the relief that someone you love can finally feel no pain. Grief is the numbness that follows, the anger, the sense of injustice. Grief hides itself away and feeds on you like a parasite, and it rips families apart.

Sorry for being a bit of an emo fag here, folks.
My prayers and love go out to the people who need it most.

Mx





O 's follas gur líon do chroí dom grása, a stór.

Something wicked this way comes...

I have just given my first performance as Malcolm in the Kinetic production of Macbeth - two more to go and I have to say, despite not being a "drama person" the buzz you get afterwards is unbelievable!
We are doing a slightly modernized, industrial version, where Macbeth is set in some sort of warehouse or old factory, we fight with broom handles and beat dustbins for rhythm, and the witches are "druggies." My costume (obviously forefront in my mind) is all black, with red braces and a red corset belt. And yes, I am playing the part of Malcolm, the King-to-be and lead soldier. In a corset belt...

In other news, I've been hit on by a twelve-year-old, and may or may not have indulged in some extra-activity in the interval of Macbeth, the repercussions of which I have a feeling I shall feel for quite some time.
Apologies for my lack of post of late, but it has been really difficult to access a computer (due to obvious reasons for busyness.)

Love, Peace and All things Shakespeare,
Mx

What's on my mind this month, in pictures

This picture was taken by Scott Shulman, a.k.a. The Sartoralist. If you haven't seen his blog, DO IT NOW. It's a who's who to the best dressed in Europe. Anyway, I adore this picture. I love her dress, the fact that she's still using a notebook, but most of all I love her hair. I would desperately like to be ginger, and dyed my hair a chestnut last month.

I am participating in a production of Macbeth, playing the part of Malcolm, so if my posts are a bit sketchy and patchy then do forgive me, I am likely to be rehearsing or learning lines, as the first performance is on 19th January. Gulp.

These two represent how I feel in the New Year - kind of like I'm going somewhere else, but I'm not really sure where yet. I know that sounds awfully cheesy, but I can't think of a better way to put it. I don't buy into the whole "new year, new start, new me" business, but I do think this year will be quite different from the last one. Judging by this week alone, it will be.

I don't usually put anything too personal on here, lest someone untoward sees it, but this is something else that's been playing on my mind.

Little Vintage Lover Fair

I have been meaning to do this post for so long! In fact, I've been meaning to give my blog a little TLC for a while, actually. I just got around to updating to Chrome and the font now looks irritatingly shabby.
Aaanyway, as I have mentioned, I am a big big fan of vintage, and every so often I go with my friend to these little fairs that are on in and around Norfolk selling vintage goods. I say every so often - I've been to two, but they've been very good!
The first was probably the best - we went sometime towards the end of October, I think, and it was B.E.A.Utiful! It was very much out of the way, on a little farm in an old converted barn, but inside it was lovely and the atmosphere was just right - just enough people to reassure you you're not a weirdo for being there, but not too many so as that you don't feel special! I wish I'd had more money on me at the time, but I managed to buy a little wooden sign saying "Charleston" and a green 40s collared sweater that screams Land Army Girl. Well, to me anyway. Here is a sheepishly taken, slightly blurry phone camera photo from the event:

I promise you, it was beautiful. A very well-dressed gentleman in a 3-piece played old records on a grammophone and we drank Earl Grey in china cups. Blissful.

The second fair was in the very prestigious Blickling Hall. It was snowing that day, and it was absolutely freezing (especially as I decided wellies weren't necessary and I could make it in my brogues - I had to put them under the hand dryer in the Ladies to restore some feeling in them) but the hall looked simply stunning.

(This is, sadly, not my picture.)
The fair was lovely and I managed to buy some pearls and cream driving gloves for a friend's Christmas, a little something from this darling little stall for another. I, erm, also managed to buy a chunky knit, cream wool jumper for my self. Christmas - a time for giving...and receiving!

I'll just include this picture because
A) You can see my vintage jumper
B) I hope every reader had a beautiful, magical and delectable Christmas/New Year/Hannuka/Winterval in every way
C) It makes me smile so goddamn much.

Love, Peace and Festive Tidings,
Mx

PS: Expect posts on - Macbeth, New Years, Growing up, Gingers, Moving House, and Universities XXX

Ta Daa!

This is a mysterious picture.
What could it possibly be, I hear you ask? What is that crumpled cloth at the bottom? Do I detect some very thin lines on it? *looks closer* nahh...

Oh! Oh, gosh! This looks like the same wall, except it has a strange, almost aboriginal-looking shapes on it. You know what, I'm sure it has some little lines on it...

"Can ye guess whaddit is yeet?" What a terrible Rolf Harris impression. But by now you're starting to get the picture. It looks like a painting. Of a girl...

WOOOOW!!
You're shocked, aren't you? By my incredible artistic talents.
You're more shocked that I managed to paint the bloody thing on my bedroom wall.
Oh yes. :D

I was going to review a vintage fair, but then I decided that I didn't actually want people to know where I get my vintage gems from and steal my friends and families christmas prezzies, so I'm going to keep shtum until after the christmas one.

Love, peace and MURALS!!
Mx

Microwavable Delights

Hello! Bonjour! Guten Tag! Salve! I'm so freaking European...
Alas, to business (or as they say in Italy, affari)(I'm trying to get in touch with my Italian heritage)(aah! Too many brackets...) and first of all, I must apologise for the lack of posts, I keep writing it and re-drafting and it just sounds ridiculous or I get distracted by Facebook (I know, I hate myself too) or blogs or eBay. However, I am not short of post ideas, so expect an avalanche of insights into my fascinating life.
First off, and probably least exciting, I have been experimenting with microwave puddings in a cup. (Pathetic, I know, but we English teenagers must have something to with our lives now that University is practically out of the question, and Prince William is engaged.) Anyway, the best recipe I have tried is as follows;

Makes 2




•4 tablespoons flour

•5 tablespoons sugar

•2 tablespoons cocoa

•1 teaspoon baking powder

•1/2 teaspoon coffee powder (optional)

•pinch of salt

•1 egg

•3 tablespoons milk

•3 tablespoons oil

•A small splash of vanilla extract

•2 microwave safe coffee mugs

Mix it all together in a big coffe mug, clingfilm it, microwave for 1 minute on high, take it out and sniff it and just check it's not overflowing or anything, then microwave it for 20 more seconds. Thank you Not Quite Nigella.
 

 

My efforts, pre and post-microwaving. I hope you can tell which is which.


Love, Peace, and Microwavable Food (oh dear!),
Mx
 
PS: You can look forward to a vintage fair review, photos of my mural and *drumroll please* more angst-riddenteenage rants. JOY!