Do You Know What's About To Happen?

A Holiday at Home

2011-11-08T18:06:00.000Z

I went home for a week in October for a much needed break from city life. I would love to move back for a little while but it's not a very realistic idea considering I have a job and rent to pay here, but I can dream!

The first photo is of the massive amount of little cakes my mum and I made for a coffee-morning at her school. The second photo is of my sister and her super-cool coloured hair, and the rest are from a day out in Harris I had with my parents. I tried my best to get some good photos of sheep, but almost every time my finger pressed down on the shutter button they would turn away, so I ended up with a thousand and one pictures of sheep's bums. The cows were much more obliging.

Silver Zig Zags On My Nails

2011-10-25T21:36:00.000+01:00

(Gosh Silver 555, Models Own Nail Art Pen)

This silver polish is my all-time favourite. I don't wear nail polish often these days because of my job, but nevertheless, I'm devastated by the prospect of this polish running out. I reckon there's enough left for 3 more manicures. Does anybody care to recommend an excellent silver polish to fill the imminent robot-manicure-shaped hole in my life?

A New Head

2011-10-21T22:18:00.000+01:00

I got a new haircut. It's not hugely different to the usual, except that I chopped off all the blue hair and I miss it a bit. This is my natural colour though! What my mum recently called 'light to mid brown' NO MUM IT'S DARK.

I also got two new hats! Both from Primark. The grey one contains angora and moults more than my late, lamented white cat Domino. It's definitely hat weather.

Fight Like Apes - Tie Me Up With Jackets

2011-09-24T23:30:00.001+01:00

I really like this kind of animation, very painterly and messy. The song's brilliant too.

I'd Like To Purchase...

2011-09-21T19:54:00.000+01:00

Despite having absolutely no money to spare and having an obscene amount of belongings (my bedroom in my new flat is tiny and it made me realise I have far too much stuff) there are a few things from Topshop I would quite like to own. The jumper and the bag could come under necessities, I guess, but the tights just look nice and the shoes are a left-over lust from when I would convince myself I could walk in heels and that I would wear them often (I never did). I've given up on telling myself I'll start dressing in a more feminine, fashiony style, and just happily accepted that I'll be in jeans and flats until my dying day.

My favourite thing on the site is this Clanger, though! I love the Clangers.

The Harris Tweed Ride

2011-08-14T18:51:00.001+01:00

Last week saw the inaugural Harris Tweed Ride, in aid of the Linda Norgrove Foundation. On Sunday afternoon, 100 well-dressed riders set out from Blythswood Square, full of tea, porridge and cake, and cycled around Glasgow with regular pit-stops for food and drink. I tried oysters for the first time (very nice), had, among other things, a jam scone, some sort of gin, mint and apple cocktail and had a coffee-ice cream float, and was quite full by the time we returned back to the Blythswood Hotel for a little shindig at the end of the day! Sadly, my bike gave up the ghost towards the end of the journey and I had to be pushed along by a very kind gentleman for the last leg!

It was a great day, and I can't wait for the next one!

Dressed Down and Dressed Up - The Floral Midi

2011-07-16T12:16:00.001+01:00

(Dress-New Look, Belt, Shoes-Primark)

(Dress-New Look, Belt-???, Jacket-H&M, Shoes-eBay)

This is the other floral dress I got in the sales. I thought I'd try the midi trend that's been going on for ages since it was so cheap, and I'm quite glad I did. I like the modest length, and how there's very little chance of breeze-related bum flashing. I was quite worried that this length would make my legs look quite chunky, but it's not so bad. My one complaint about this dress is that it is folded strangely over the chest, which makes my boobs look massive and kind of pointy from the side, so I think I might have to get sewing to sort that out.

The dress looks good styled in a simple, casual way and dressed up with some studs and (fake) leather and heels. I think I'll get my money's worth out of the £9 it cost me!

For Modesty's Sake

2011-07-13T16:26:00.001+01:00

(Dress-Apricot at New Look, shoes-Primark)

In an uncharacteristic move that would have my mother crying tears of joy, I bought not one but two colourful, flowery dresses in the sales recently. I know. Crazy.

Much as I love this dress-the print, the length, and the big-ass chunky zip-I'm not loving the cleavage. In direct contrast to my teenage self, I don't really like showing too much boob. So I did what my dear old mum used to make me do with low-cut tops way back when-I wore it back to front.

I love it. Mammy would be proud.

Scissor Happy

2011-07-12T10:04:00.002+01:00

(top, belt and shoes-Primark, shorts-H&M)

This top used to have sleeves, but they were such an awkward length and so loose and flappy that I had to cut them off. It's miles better now! It's amazing how two minutes spend with a pair of scissors can make such an improvement to a garment.

Solitary

2011-07-10T21:52:00.001+01:00

(clothes-all Primark, rings-vintage, diy, ebay)

I'm loving the warm weather we've been having recently, as it means I don't have to put too much thought into clothes. Shorts, top, sun cream, crappy pumps (which I had to superglue back together at work the other day, oops) and I'm done! Lolz at the colour difference between my tummy and the rest of me though. I really can't be bothered coming up with interesting outfits these days, and I've even given up promising that this summer will be the one where I start dressing in a more feminine way. I'm just going to dress how I want.

I've been absent from the blog for nearly a month, and usually I'd feel bad about this, but in reality there just hasn't been anything going on that I want to share with the world. I'm feeling confused about pretty much every aspect of life right now, from my crummy job to the breakdown of my four-year relationship. I know it'll all get better soon, so it's just a case of keeping busy and getting on with life until then. Anyone have any suggestions of fun (and relatively cheap) things to do in Glasgow that might cheer me up?

Damien Rice - Rootless Tree

2011-06-19T14:22:00.000+01:00

This is my song right now. That one little 'love you' among the many 'fuck you's brings a sad wee smile to my face.

Summertime Blues

2011-06-14T20:12:00.000+01:00

I'm loving my patch of bright blue hair so much I want to dye the whole lot to match...

Scott Cornwall Colour B4 - A Review

2011-05-30T18:18:00.001+01:00

I recently had a bit of a hair disaster. When trying to dye my bleached-to-within-an-inch-of-its-life hair a mid-brown shade, it went blackest black and made me look like an anaemic goth, and seemed to accentuate my under-eye bags way too much. After treating my hair for a week with Fairy liquid (yes, dish soap...) to lighten it, it had reached a nice shade of dark brown and actually looked pretty good. Of course, being a complete fool I am never satisfied so decided to dye my hair purple...just because.

To get a decent shade of purple I'd have to remove all the dark dye from my hair, but bleaching the colour out was very likely to have my hair snapping off all over the place. Not cool. I bought Scott Cornwall Colour B4 Extra Strength colour remover from Boots for around £13, having heard good things about it, and set to it.

The box contains three bottles of gunk, gloves and a very detailed pamphlet containing information and instructions. I thought this was brilliant, as it explained exactly what the product would (and wouldn't) do in simple terms, and seemed to cover everything you'd want to know before use.

Using the product itself was simple, and very like using hair dye-empty bottle A into bottle B, shake and apply. This is where I discovered the one aspect of the product I didn't like-the smell. While it didn't have the eye-burning chemical scent I've come to associate with hair colourants, it had one I would call...'organic'...if I was feeling kind, and would call 'rotting vegetables' if I was feeling honest. However, I didn't see a mention of the smell in any of the other reviews I read so maybe it was just me. Still, it was minging.

After processing for an hour, I rinsed and applied the 'buffer' which removed the pigment from my hair. This, thankfully, smelled like fruity soap. After another lengthy rinse and a lather with the buffer, I was ready! Below is a before and after shot so you can see the difference the colour remover made:

While I was expecting something perhaps a little lighter, I was quite pleased with the light ginger shade I got on the back and sides of my head. The top was a lot more patchy, but that may have been due to my clumsy application. My hair felt seriously dry and brittle when it dried, but after a good blob of conditioner it felt almost good as new. I foresee a great many deep-conditioning treatments in my near future, though.

Basically, I would recommend this to anyone who anyone who's dyed their hair too dark. It won't lighten your hair unless it's been pre-lightened, and doesn't contain bleach so won't totally fry your hair. To summarise, here's a list of pros and cons:

Pros-Very informative leaflet, easy to use, a great way to remove dark dye without bleach.

Cons: That smell, it's very drying.

Have any of you used a colour remover before? What was your experience like?

AMAZING Glitter Wedges

2011-05-05T22:23:00.000+01:00

OH MY GOODNESS how amazing is this shoe? Very, I say. It's from Modcloth, but is unfortunately sold out.

Just had to share that bit of beauty with y'all.

The To-Do List Revisited

2011-05-02T16:10:00.000+01:00

I can't believe it's May already! This year's flying in, and I can only hope it keeps going by at the same speed.
You may remember the lengthy to-do list I made in April. Well, it's time to re-visit it and see how I got on!

My Fledgling Career

1. Get my shop up and running.

2. Set up an online portfolio using Carbonmade.

3. ~~Post regularly on this blog~~ and my art blog.

4. Get on Etsy and Folksy.

5. Set up a Facebook page for my art/crafts/jewellery/stuff.

Tidying Up My Life

6. ~~Take more photos.~~

7. Read my camera manual. All of it, not just the good bits.

8. ~~Streamline my wardrobe.~~

9. ~~Minimise my belongings.~~

10. Tidy and redecorate my bedroom.

11. ~~Sell my bike.~~

Health & Beauty

12. Establish an exercise regime and stick to it.

13. Take proper care of my skin - acne is so 2006.

14. ~~Start using hand cream.~~

15. ~~Experiment with healthy recipes.~~

16. Drink far more water.

17. ~~Cut down on the tea and coffee.~~

18. Visit the dentist.

19. Go to bed early and get up early.

General Wellbeing & Funtimes

20. Visit an art gallery I've never been to.

21. Go to a gig.

22. ~~Get in touch with some old friends.~~

23. Stop biting my bottom lip when I'm anxious (disgusting and painful).

24. Learn to play/sing more songs.

25. ~~Read a Gaelic book.~~

26. ~~Remain positive despite shitty circumstances.~~

27. ~~Learn a little about web design.~~

28. ~~Bake some fruit tarts.~~

29. ~~Have a picnic.~~

and last but certainly not least...

30. ~~Get a job.~~

Finishing half of it isn't too bad, is it? I think I crossed off all the ones that were most important to me - like getting a job! Took me long enough - seriously, I don't think I could have taken another day of unemployment. I had several picnics, I read a Gaelic book (Dileas Donn by Norma NicLeoid), I sold loads of my things on eBay and I learned a little about web design. Not bad, all things considered.
I've been mightily uninspired in regards to my art recently, but I think that' a side effect of being stressed about being so skint and being generally fed up, and hopefully that'll change in summer and I'll post much more regularly on Julia M Art + Illustration. I've been posting more outfit posts here, though, which I've enjoyed because it encourages me to actually think about what I wear rather than wearing my default outfit day after day. I'm not sure what's going to happen to the outfit posts now that I'm working full-time though, since my work outfit consists of grey trousers, trainers and a t-shirt, all spattered with plaster and stone powder. Not much variety there, I'm afraid.

I've challenged myself to finish the rest of the list by the end of May, just to give myself something to to! Wish me luck (again)!

Janine Basil Headwear

2011-04-27T17:00:00.006+01:00

I discovered Janine Basil's shop on Etsy while browsing aimlessly for handmade rings (something I do a lot when I'm bored), and pretty much instantly bookmarked her page and earmarked a portion of my future salary for buying something nice from her selection of headbands, hats and fascinators.

With such a wide variety of fun, original designs in her shop, it's hard to choose a favourite. Feather fascinators? Comic-inspired headbands? Vintage-style hats? If I had my way I would buy one of each and wear them every day, even just out to the shop for teabags. I think one of the feather pieces would be my first choice, though I'll be considering one of the 50s-style half-hats if and when I ever grow my hair...

Man, I wish I was rich...

Default - Outfit Post

2011-04-27T07:00:00.006+01:00

This is what I wear when I'm not planning anything and can't really be bothered making an effort. My trusty jeans, which were purchased for £3 in Primark 4 years ago, and one of several black vests I own, are the first things I reach for when dressing for everyday drudgery. I also often wear this old grey cardigan which I got on eBay for 50p and wear with everything (bargain alert!).

Man, this post has made me sound like such a cheapskate...the entire outfit, shoes, bag and shades included, cost less than a tenner...

Dear Rosemary - Outfit Post

2011-04-26T12:51:00.000+01:00

Shirt, Dress worn as skirt - Primark, Jewellery, Painting - Julia M

I'm really liking maxi skirts these days. What with the warm-but-breezy weather we've been having, they're perfect. I don't like exposing much flesh because I burn quickly, even when it's overcast, so this is one of my favourite warm-weather outfits. Not sure what's going on with my hip in the first photo though, it's looking a bit too pointy and deformed. Also, I'm having such a bad-face day that it necessitated pixelation.

I'm absolutely loving the new Foo Fighters album-such a singalong classic! I'm a huge Dave Grohl fangirl.

Easter Weekend Goings-On

2011-04-24T19:09:00.000+01:00

Happy Easter! Hope everyone's having a nice weekend! Mine's been pretty relaxed (as per) with some catching up with an old friend, browsing the West End's vintage shops, watching some horror movies with pals, watching fire-performers in KG park at night, making a shitload of jewellery and eating loads of crisps and chocolate.

I've made a ton of jewellery recently and I've been road-testing it to see if it can withstand everyday life, and I am pleased to announce that the bracelets have survived several forays into the shower and the necklace pictured below stayed together despite my being attacked by a young man brandishing a pillow and several yards of fake fur (don't ask).

I bought these shoes on the sale in Primark, then realised when I got home that I don't have anything that would go with brown shoes, nor do I really like brown stuff that much, barring vintage briefcases, tattered brogues and other such hipster trappings. I really love the cutout detail on the shoes though, so I bought some black suede dye to make them more wearable. I'm torn between ideas for the heel and platform though - plain black or multi-glitter?

Quick unrelated question for you all: Have you ever noticed how virtually no hotels or B&Bs have check-in information on their websites? I dread to think how many emails I've sent this weekend alone enquiring about the subject, or how many times I've been told early check-in is not guaranteed and to 'just turn up and we'll see what happens' (yes, I actually got that as a reply from a well-known hotel chain...). It's doing my head in! Sort it out!

Hen Weekend & Family Visit - Outfit Post

2011-04-19T00:31:00.001+01:00

It was my cousin's hen do last weekend, and it was a fantastic one! A whole bunch of them got on the train from Inverness to Glasgow on the Friday, including my mum and my sister! Yay! Here's what Beth and I wore to Saturday night's festivities at Mansion House:

Me: Primark dress, Office heels. Beth: Asos dress, Dorothy Perkins heels.

Lol at the colour difference between me and Beth - super pale and mega tangoed!

We had cocktails to get the evening started, and while some where delicious, I wasn't quite sure what to make of mine...it smelled like vanilla but tasted like lime and the combination was a bit too strange for me. The glass looks nice though! We had karaoke before dinner, danced on a light-up dancefloor (!!!) and then pranced around downstairs until late. Since Beth had the good sense to stock up on pain-relief gel before heading out, the heels didn't cause a single problem (except for when I went for a bender at the beginning of the night, before even touching the cocktails...)!

Gratuitous tattoo shot, taken by my auntie. 'Hideous' according to my mum!

Shop My Closet - Sale!

2011-04-12T16:32:00.012+01:00

I'm having yet another mega clearout of my closet/general belongings, this time for real! I'm being ruthless. If I haven't worn it recently and don't intend to wear it in the next fortnight, it's out. I seem to have accumulated several pairs of shoes and a couple of coats that have never been worn, so if you want to give them a good home find them here! I'll be listing more clothes, shoes, books and anything else I don't want or need over the next wee while, so I'm preparing to get very well acquainted with the local Post Office staff again...

I offer international postage, so if you want a bargain get in there! Here's the link again - My eBay.

My Beloved GOSH Rainbow Returneth - Manicure

2011-04-12T10:56:00.000+01:00

I haven't used GOSH Rainbow in ages, partly because it's gone all gloopy and thick and minging in the bottle and partly because I just forget that it's there. After this, though, it's going straight back into heavy rotation! I'm not sure what made me take it out again the other day, but I used it over a dark purple polish by Collection 2000 (also seen in this half-moon manicure) and it looked amazing! I even got a compliment about my nails from a stranger on the train, which made my day. I'm easily pleased.

Smallrooms - Interior Design

2011-04-05T23:39:00.002+01:00

I could easily lose hours of my day browsing Smallrooms. Living in a rented flat, my decor options are limited, and the furniture that came with the flat is pretty ugly so the place is never going to look amazing..that and the fact that I am seriously messy. I kind of wish I lived in a wee studio flat - compact living suits me. I think when I get my own place all the walls will be painted white and I'll have some really pretty antique-looking furniture. That's still a long way off though...meanwhile, here are some pictures of what I wish my accommodation looked like:

April-A Month Of Doing Things

2011-04-04T16:54:00.000+01:00

This past year has been rubbish. I haven't done anything I'm proud of, and I haven't had any motivation to either. I had a bit of a meltdown when I finished college and didn't know what I wanted to do, but it's time to snap out of that for good and get my shit together!

I'm a big fan of lists, so I made the to-do list to end all to-do lists. Apart from a hen weekend in the middle of the month, I don't have any plans in April so I'm putting my list into action. I'll get back to you in May and we'll see how many of these I can honestly cross off my list!

My Fledgling Career

1. Get my shop up and running.

2. Set up an online portfolio using Carbonmade.

3. Post regularly on this blog and my art blog.

4. Get on Etsy and Folksy.

5. Set up a Facebook page for my art/crafts/jewellery/stuff.

Tidying Up My Life

6. Take more photos.

7. Read my camera manual. All of it, not just the good bits.

8. Streamline my wardrobe.

9. Minimise my belongings.

10. Tidy and redecorate my bedroom.

11. Sell my bike.

Health & Beauty

12. Establish an exercise regime and stick to it.

13. Take proper care of my skin - acne is so 2006.

14. Start using hand cream.

15. Experiment with healthy recipes.

16. Drink far more water.

17. Cut down on the tea and coffee.

18. Visit the dentist.

19. Go to bed early and get up early.

General Wellbeing & Funtimes

20. Visit an art gallery I've never been to.

21. Go to a gig.

22. Get in touch with some old friends.

23. Stop biting my bottom lip when I'm anxious (disgusting and painful).

24. Learn to play/sing more songs.

25. Read a Gaelic book.

26. Remain positive despite shitty circumstances.

27. Learn a little about web design.

28. Bake some fruit tarts.

29. Have a picnic.

and last but certainly not least...

30. Get a job.

WISH ME LUCK!

I Feel Alive - Outfit Post

2011-03-31T23:27:00.001+01:00

(H&M jacket, H&M scarf, thrifted cardigan, Pearl Jam t-shirt, New Look jeans, Primark pumps, NYC French White nail polish, rings from a craft fair, eBay &a vintage)

Too Goth for Spring? - Outfit Post

2011-03-29T16:52:00.003+01:00

There's no such thing as too much black! This outfit isn't for anything more than walking down to the postbox and stuff, but I need to break the jeans-and-shirt habit so a little dressing-up session was called for. I'm also road-testing the scarves and necklaces I made to see if they fall apart or anything. I intend to sell them when I get my shit together, so I need to know that they last!

I took these photos with my camera remote, which I got on Amazon. It's such a godsend, seriously! I don't know how anyone who does regular outfit posts lives without one. Mine was about £3, and works like a charm.

Another recent discovery of mine is Picnik! Usually I'm a massive Photoshop whore, and since my laptop broke I've been having some distressing withdrawal symptoms, but Picnik allowed me to make and edit these cute wee collages with minimal effort. Score one for me. I'm actually very pleased with these pictures, usually I'm the most unphotogenic person, but these are quite nice.

You can also find this look on Chictopia, here!

A Small Update

2011-03-26T13:35:00.000Z

Long time, no blogging! The main reason for this is that nothing exciting has been happening-I've been on a course, I have been dressing in jeans and vests every day without fail, and I haven't bought anything worth reviewing (except a deodorant which burned the skin off my armpits, but that's a story for another day).

The other reason is that my laptop broke. I've taken quite a few nice photos recently, and not being able to upload them is kind of annoying! I will find a way though!

Meanwhile, here's a tune to keep you happy:

Hair Inspiration

2011-03-09T22:13:00.001Z

all images-weheartit

When I had long hair, all I wanted was to chop it all off. Now it's short like Agyness' in the second picture above, I dream of having long hair to play with. I can never be happy with it how it is!

In an ideal world, I'd have Abbey Lee's hair, which I'd braid into amazing hairstyles everyday. At the moment, though, I'm happy with my peroxide crop, even if I do get a bit scissor happy sometimes...

What would your ideal hair be?

All My Shoes

2011-02-24T21:39:00.001Z

After following Shoeperwoman's Shoe Challenge last year, in which she employed a 'use or lose' mentality towards her shoe collection, I've decided to join in on this year's challenge, which is open to everyone.

I only have 10 pairs of shoes, excluding my tatty old trainers, but I tend to wear the same pairs over and over again and leave the rest to gather dust on their shelves. By partaking in the challenge, I have a little motivation to get some use out of all my footwear, and also to stop dressing like such a boy and wearing trainers and jeans all the time.

To find out more about this endeavour, click on the link in my sidebar to the Shoeper Challenge, or visit Shoeperwoman's blog here.

A Lot of Glitter on my Nails - Manicure

2011-02-20T17:01:00.002Z

I can't stop looking at my nails since glittering them up like this. I just painted on a dark blue polish, sprinkled on some glitter, patted it down a bit and put on a clear top coat. Could maybe have done with a little less glitter...

A Winner Is Me!

2011-02-17T15:10:00.001Z

I won Madame G's birthday giveaway over at Baroque Boudoir! I was so happy, here's a look at the contents of the magnificent parcel that came through the door at an obscenely early hour one day last week.

Plenty of Eyeko goodies, two Model's Own nail pens, and a super Tequila Star necklace! Now for a closer look at the make-up:

The Eyeko 3 in 1 creams. These are great, I love them! They're not too sparkly and they apply like a dream and stay put all day.

Apologies for my shoddy swatching and photography, but above we have the double-ended eye pencils in Plum, Electric Purple, Teal and Electric Blue.These also apply very well, and are incredibly long-lasting even on my oily lids. Mega thumbs up.

Here's some swatches of the Graffiti Eyeliner Pens, in Purple and Navy. Again, mega thumbs up.

Last but not least we have these lipglosses in Mayfair and Soho. I'm not usually a gloss fan, and these are very sticky, but they're really well pigmented and last a long time on the lips (unlike pretty much every other gloss I've ever tried) so I can see these becoming regulars!

Prior to receiving this bag of goodness, I'd never tried Eyeko products, but it's safe to say I'm a convert!

I already have plans for the nail pens later, which I'll no doubt post about, and I have several outfits planned around the Tequila Star necklace for some upcoming events! Watch this space!

Thank you Madame G! You rock!

Meanwhile, on my other blog...ART!

2011-02-01T16:54:00.002Z

...I have started a series of paintings of my favourite bloggers! First piece in the series is up today, here's a little peek:

Head here to see the rest of the post, and follow if you'd like to see more!

Regina Spektor - Samson

2011-01-31T19:55:00.002Z

Look What I've Been Up To - Jewellery!

2011-01-26T00:07:00.002Z

I remember seeing jersey necklaces in Topshop and Urban Outfitters a while ago, and I liked them, so I did what any self-respecting cheapskate would do and made my own!

As well as the obvious jersey strands, I used chains, beads and studs from my modest little collection to make these, and I'm quite pleased with them. I still haven't got the hang of taking photos of myself, so photos of the pieces in action are few and far between! I'm considering purchasing a remote for my camera, but I'm not sure if it's worth it and I'd like to hear opinions of bloggers who use a remote before I purchase!

Let me know what you think of the necklaces, or just pop by and say hello-I love reading your comments!

Home for Christmas!

2011-01-05T21:58:00.000Z

1. Beth & me, 2. Mum's nails did, 3. Beth's nails did, 4. Dad & Beth on Christmas morning, 5. The sad salt & pepper shakers, 6. Chilli & fig crackers, Camembert, salad & sweet onion chutney, 7. Turkey, pork & apricot stuffing & miscellaneous veg, 8. Happy ice cream, 9. Mum & Dad after dinner

I went home for a week over Christmas, it was so nice to be home! I didn't do much while I was back other than eat and visit relatives, so not much to report there! I did my mum's nails in a leopard print design and she was so impressed it was unreal! Who would have thought a cheap nail art pen from eBay could earn me so many brownie points?!

Christmas dinner was lovely, but over the week I ate so much I felt ready to burst. Still, if you can't overindulge over the festive period, when can you?

I intended to start the New Year as I meant to go on, by being productive and proactive...instead Hutchison and I have been cooped up indoors coughing ourselves silly and being generally unwell. Let's hope 2011 improves rapidly from this!

Hope everyone else had a good holiday!

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-22T09:30:00.001Z

As you read this, it is likely I am somewhere on this route:

...or buried in a snowdrift on the A9! Last year Hutchison and I made it all the way to Ullapool only to find out the ferry wouldn't be sailing for another few days and we were stranded away from home with only days to spare until Christmas. Bad times. It better be a smooth journey this year!

I might post while I'm home for the holiday, but I'll probably be too busy eating and visiting people and eating some more. Then again, if I get any nice photos of snowy rural scenery I might bombard you with them. Meanwhile:

Half Moon Manicure

2010-12-20T09:30:00.039Z

I can't believe I managed a reasonably neat half-moon manicure without guide-strips! I went for a slightly more modern take on the vintage favourite, using silver as a basecoat (GOSH Silver 555) and purple for the rest (Collection 2000 Hot Looks in Parma Violet). I'm considering adding the GOSH Rainbow topcoat but I'm too proud of my handiwork to partially obscure it with shiny flakes at the moment.

While the silver polish is my favourite polish ever, the purple one isn't very good, though it is a lovely colour. It applies quite streakilly (that's not a word, is it?), dries to a funny finish somewhere between glossy and matte, and certainly doesn't dry fast, as it promises to. Fortunately Seche Vite came to the rescue there.

The background is an awesome scarf my sister bought me. Flowers and leopard print all in one! It's from H&M, where all good things come from. It goes quite nicely with my nails, don't you think?

Last Week I...

2010-12-19T14:37:00.000Z

...had fun! My sister, Beth, and her friend Amy came to visit despite adverse weather conditions and granny telling them they'd die in a bus crash on the A9 etc. It was a short but pleasant and occasionally hilarious visit.

Waiting for a train, wrapped up warm, wearing my seriously warm earmuffs.

Beth and Amy, looking fiiiiiiine. Nice face, Amy.

In Yo! Sushi. This is what Beth does if you shut your eyes in photos.

Struggling with chopsticks.

Nails.

Beth's nails, by me. I did Amy's too, a red glitter leopard print, but don't seem to have a photo of it.

Beth raiding my wardrobe.

These are the only photos I could pilfer from Beth's Facebook, but I'm sure there are plenty more somewhere. I think the highlight of the trip for Beth and Amy was when they discovered the all-in-one fleece sleepsuits in Primark...they spent the evenings wearing them, and Beth went back and bought a hooded tiger-print version. We went to see Harry Potter (again!), ate at TGI Friday (where our waitress seemed on the verge of collapse and couldn't shut up about how tired she was), went to Yo! Sushi (love that place!) and the girls bought so much stuff that Beth had to borrow an extra hold-all for the journey home. It was a very nice weekend :)

An update: I've started drawing again! I'm not sure what brought it on, but I suspect it was looking at pictures of naked ladies in Bizarre magazine. Click here to see my other efforts! This drawing is based on a photo of Mosh, my favourite alt. model. I foresee a lot more drawings of her in the near future, so keep an eye on my other blog if you're interested!

Winter Wonderland My Ass

2010-12-09T14:40:00.000Z

I'm sure you're all bored by now of photos of lovely snowy landscapes, but who cares, here are mine!

(view out the sitting room window)

I live next to a canal and it's totally frozen over right now. The whole area looks really nice, probably because the thick layer of snow has covered all the scum...jk. I went out to run some errands today and felt almost warm as it was only 0°C as opposed to yesterday's -12°C! The weather forecast said it would be up to 9°C tomorrow, let's hope so. I just want the usual miserable rainy weather back!

I took these photos on my way home today. It was quite a nice, peaceful walk. Still, no matter how lovely everything might look, I'm SO sick of winter already! Glasgow's public transport seems to have come to a standstill, making it difficult to get in and out of town, and trains haven't run past our flat for around a week now. My sister was supposed to be coming to visit me this weekend and it was pretty much the only thing I've had to look forward to for ages and now she's coming because buses are getting stuck on the A9 and stuff. Sad times, sad face :(

A pipe in our flat froze yesterday and black water spewed all over my kitchen from my washing machine and down into the flat below, prompting the neighbour to come up and verbally abuse me and tell me I had to pay to re-do her kitchen. Yes, because it's my fault the pipes froze. I fucking hate winter! /rant

On a lighter note, only one day left on the Jeffrey Campbell boots on eBay! Hurry hurry hurry!

Buy these Jeffrey Campbell boots!

2010-12-07T17:38:00.001Z

Like I've said before, lack of funds+excess belongings=EBAY! Right now I'm mainly selling DVDs, but also these boots shown above. I love them, but I'm mega skint right now so they need to go.

Jeffrey Campbell Brandon boots, size 38.5. They cost me £115 new, and they've never been worn. Interested? Buy them here for quite a bargain!

One of my Favourites - Erin Flannery

2010-11-18T14:04:00.001Z

One of my favourite things about not being in college any more is not having to be into art. I know that sounds a bit odd, but it's the best way I can describe it. Instead of feeling obliged to take an interest in every single artistic thing that comes my way, I can just focus on the stuff that really interests me and let the rest pass me by... and Erin Flannery's work really interests me.

Coming from Australia's Gold Coast, Erin uses acrylic paint, aerosols, pencil and ink on linen, to create these beautiful, dream-like figures.

Below is one of my very favourites, because of how much more ethereal the figure looks against the gnarly old skate deck. The holes are really well integrated into the whole design too, with one in an eye and two in her collarbones.

The stark black and white and bold shapes bring to mind stencilled street art, while the paler colours make me think of fashion illustration. It's a nice combination, and following her blog makes me want to get back into illustration.

Click here to visit Erin's blog and see more of her work, process and other nice bits and bobs.

Anyone else have interesting artist's blogs you follow?

The New Lita??? Jeffrey Campbell Wrecker Boots

2010-11-08T16:19:00.001Z

Jeffrey Campbell's Lita boots seem to have been the most popular boots of the year, seen on the feet of (almost) every major fashion blogger I can think of and they come in so many colours and materials that everyone can find a pair they like.

Then there's these:

Same shape, more metal! Perhaps perfect for someone who adores the Litas but doesn't want to have the same shoes as every other girl?

If I had $244.95, I'd be buying them here RIGHT NOW!

Winter Boots - Dr Marten Diva Darcie

2010-11-07T15:06:00.001Z

I'm all set for for winter, skipping through puddles and wading through mud and fallen leaves on the canal path on the way to Morrisons...yes, my life is so glamorous.

My super-cool and actually pretty comfortable Dr. Marten's Diva Darcie boots!! I've wanted a pair of these since they first came out and all the DM purists were horrified by them. I originally wanted them in plain patent black, and I can't remember why I got these cherry-rub ones instead, but I love them anyway! They're so warm and waterproof-perfect.

I stalked several pairs of these on eBay for months, but eventually caved and bought mine on Branch 309. Next on my list is a pair of original DMs in white. I considered asking for a pair for Christmas, but I have a more pressing need/want for a food processor, especially since my shitty Tesco Value hand-held blender broke.

By the way, the photos are so terrible because my little point-n-shoot finally broke, and my birthday present DSLR still hasn't made it into my hands. Amazon and Jessops both fucked up there (long story), so now I'll be getting it in time for Christmas instead. So meanwhile, all photos will be taken on my mobile phone...which I've had since I was 17. Not bad, considering.

In other news, LOOK WHAT CAME TO ME IN THE MAIL THE OTHER DAY!!!! Stay tuned for an update on the contents of the box. Spoiler: They're not Litas...though I still want a pair of Litas!

Orb

2010-11-06T15:23:00.000Z

I've long wanted a hard-case clutch, something that looks like a shiny brick with a strap, to keep my things in on my rare nights out. After seeing this, though, I think I'd rather a shiny sphere to keep my lipstick and money in.

From Alegorie.

Club Noir Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T20:17:00.000Z

Remember how I said I was going to try to stay classy last night? Hah...didn't happen. I didn't get an outfit shot, but got a few photos of the general look:

My make-up looked great by my own standards at the beginning of the night (plenty of talc and mauve powder on my face), then totally fell apart on my dry-but-oily-but-flaky-but-spotty combination skin by midnight. Anyone have any tips on making your face last the night?? I'm desperate!

6 inch heels made me 6 inches taller than Donald and brought me up to a grand height of 6 FOOT!! Shame I spend the whole night slouching-I have terrible posture when I'm drunk. I'd love to be that tall in real life.

The wig became pretty itchy as the night wore on, so I stuffed it in my handbag and totally forgot about it until this morning when I saw a little bag of hair on my bedroom floor. Creepy as hell! Someone I met thought it was my real hair! She was drunk though.

It was a great night, though we missed most of the performances. Good music, a good crowd, and lots of interesting costumes! I didn't see as many nipple tassles or anything as I expected, so I'm pretty glad I didn't wear mine... My heels were comfy enough until Donald and I walked into town from the O2 Academy (I stumbled and fell 8 times, yet never damaged my nylons-they're tough! Wish I could remember where I bought them.) and then waited 45 minutes in a taxi queue. Next year I'll be booking my taxi well in advance! Did anyone else get stuck in a non-moving taxi line last night?

I really wish I had some fake blood. My sister bought a whole pint of the stuff!

Hope you all had a great Halloween! Same time next year, yeah? ;)

It's Halloween!!

2010-10-30T19:08:00.001+01:00

That's me being a happy vampire. I'm going out to Club Noir tonight, can't wait! I'm going to wear a corset and heels and try to be classy, but I think we all know how that's going to end...

Anyone else have exciting Halloween plans?

This Is What I Look Like in a Wig

2010-10-19T22:59:00.000+01:00

I'll post a photo or two of my real hair tomorrow. Meanwhile, have a picture of me in a wig, which actually looks exactly like my hair did when I was 14 and could be bothered to iron it (yes, with an actual iron...).

Septum Piercing!

2010-10-05T16:18:00.000+01:00

I finally got my septum pierced! I expected it to hurt like the blazes, but there was just a feeling of intense pressure and my eyes watered a lot, and then it was over. I love it!

I got it done at Forevermore Tattoo on Hope Street in Glasgow, taking advantage of their £15 piercings offer, which takes place on the first Saturday of each month (I think).

Also, I've dyed my hair blonde again! It's not Kate-Lanphear-white yet, more of a honey-ish colour with white bits. More pictures to come!

Icon - Kate Lanphear

2010-09-16T14:14:00.001+01:00

I've never had a style icon. I didn't really see the point, and no one's personal, off-duty style appealed to me much.

Until I discovered Kate Lanphear.

Kate Lanphear is Elle's Style director. She doesn't look like a typical American fashion director, but that's what I like about her. This is style I can identify with.

For good measure, here are scans of her jewellry and the contents of her bag (why does she keep a bra in her bag? Does she go through more than one a day?).

It has been decided-I'm bleaching my hair again this weekend. Fuck looking conservative for potential employers, I'm going to have white hair!

All photos: Jak & Jill

Snood! - Outfit Post

2010-09-15T17:34:00.001+01:00

I keep meaning to knit myself a large, loose, loop scarf, but keep forgetting (surprise, surprise). I got this one in Primark for £4. I could only find it in this colour, but I love it so much I'm going to have to knit one in every colour!

How cool are my shoes?! I love wedges. These are a bit big so I wore them with fat socks, which, in hindsight, make my legs look a bit shorter and chunkier than I like to think they are in real life. Primark sell surprisingly great cushioned insoles though, which are very useful if you're on the small side of a full shoe size, so I have since inserted a pair into the wedges and huzzah! they fit me now!

It was my 21st birthday in August, which was nice. I am still waiting on my present though-a Nikon d5000. I cannot wait until it arrives! Stupid Amazon, not delivering on time.

Outfit: snood-Primark, jacket-H&M, shirt-Primark men's, dress-Primark, shoes-ebay (just search 'black wedge')

Lipstick On My Teeth

2010-09-11T16:31:00.002+01:00

I don't often wear bright lipstick. My face is usually too red and spotty to get away with it, but recently it hasn't been too bad. I used a Barry M lipliner, which is brilliant, and a colour stick thing, which isn't all that good and too metallic for my tastes. I used a Natural Collection lip gloss tube on top. I'm generally not a gloss fan, but this is more like a shiny balm, and makes my lips very soft. It also has the added bonus of being under £2!

I'm considering dying my hair whitey-blonde again, but I'm not 100% sure. I do feel like it needs a change though. Maybe I'll dye it black.

One (Your Name) - Swedish House Mafia ft. Pharrell

2010-08-29T22:23:00.002+01:00

What. A. Tune.

I keep meaning to update this blog, but I keep forgetting to take pictures of all the exciting things that happen. It was my birthday last week, and I forgot to take any photos. I am such a loser sometimes!

Job Centre Stylez - Outfit Post

2010-08-19T13:01:00.001+01:00

What does one wear to one's first interview at the job centre? In my case, it was old jeans, old t-shirt and Hutchison's shirt. It was absolutely pissing it down so this look was later accessorized with an umbrella.

I'd like to post more outfit shots in future, mainly to encourage myself to dress up a bit more and stop looking like such a boy. Not that I have anything to dress up for-the life of the unemployed art graduate isn't exactly action packed.

That said, it's my 21st on Wednesday! I'm not doing anything to celebrate, but it'll be a nice excuse to wear a dress.

Galaxy Nails

2010-08-18T13:11:00.001+01:00

I know these nails don't really look much like space, but that's what they remind me of. It's a generic black polish from Sally's with 2 coats of a sparkly NYC polish on top, with the obligatory layers of CND Stickey and Seche Vite, of course.

I'll soon need a new black polish, does anyone have one they'd recommend?

I LOVE BERLIN

2010-08-12T10:33:00.001+01:00

(1. Berliner Dom, 2. fountain, 3. Kathe Kolowitz sculpture, 4. artist squat, 5. Reichstag, 6. The Jewish Museum, 7. death strip, 8. memorial, 9. Hutchison on the bike tour, 10. obligatory 'with the wall' photo, 11. baked prawn balls from Yumcha Heroes, 12. Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.)

Donald and I spent a few days in Berlin last week. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was seriously the best holiday I've ever been on. The weather was hot, the people were friendly and there were plenty of sights to see!

I'm pretty awful at speaking German (nicht sehr gut) but luckily almost everyone I met spoke English so there weren't any 'lost in translation' disasters. I'm determined to improve my German before we visit again though (yes, there will be a next time. Soon.).

We went on a Fat Tire bike tour on our first day to get a general feel of the city, and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone going to Berlin (or Paris, Amsterdam or London, for that matter).

For the rest of the holiday I was by myself during the day (Hutchison had other matter to attend to) so I just bumbled around, visiting places we'd seen on the bike tour and some we'd missed, exploring markets, eating sausages, and appreciating the architecture. By the end of our holiday I didn't even really need my map any more!

My favourite spot by far is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Designed by Peter Eisenman, the memorial is made up of 2711 concrete slabs of varying size on a courtyard with a sloping floor. Everyone interprets the memorial differently, as intended by Eisenman. I felt smaller the further into it I went, being dwarfed by the towering concrete slabs. The passages between slabs are quite narrow, so it is very difficult to keep track of where people are-you can hear them but you can't see them, which gave me quite an isolated feeling.

I visited this space every day I was in the city, and took what seems like a million photos of it! There are more over on my other blog-visit!

FINAL Shoe of the Day - Jeffrey Campbell Lita

2010-07-29T09:00:00.004+01:00

The heel on these reminds me of the Jessica Simpson Dany shoes that everyone lusted after a while ago (I still have a major fancy for them, especially in pewter). These look like a winter version of that shoe! They're also heavily influenced by the Charles Anatase Dungeon boots, which I love but are too extreme for everyday wear.

Again, these are from Solestruck for $159.95 (£104.93).

BY THE WAY the daily shoe posts are a symptom of my boredom, which is probably a symptom of my current unemployment. They are tedious. Sorry. I'm going to start posting less often from now on, and try to focus on outfit posts and whatever-keep the blog personal, like I set out to do in the first place!

The stupid, senseless, streamofconsciousness, shoe-based shite will now be homed in my tumblr.

Shoe of the Day - Senso Acacia Black Wedges

2010-07-28T09:00:00.001+01:00

Black wedges. What a surprise.

I think I need these to make my life complete.*

Available from the treasure chest that is Solestruck for $129.95 (£85.25).

*Tiny exaggeration.

Flower Arrangement

2010-07-27T17:52:00.001+01:00

It's finished! I went to Hepcat Tattoos on High Street (Glasgow), which was great-I felt very at-ease, despite the drilling my shoulder was getting.

More pictures when it stops being a slimy, swollen mess!

Shoe of the Day - Jeffrey Campbell White Platforms

2010-07-27T09:00:00.002+01:00

I have a big thing for Jeffrey Campbell shoes. I first saw these in black and wasn't too keen, but in white they're just lovely. Not exactly suitable for my current rain-and-mud-soaked environment, though. Or my bank account.
$159.95 (or £104.94) from Solestruck.

Fatboy Slim - Ya Mamma

2010-07-26T15:00:00.001+01:00

I laughed so hard the first time I saw this.

Shoe of the Day - Modcloth Red Wedges

2010-07-26T09:00:00.001+01:00

The first theng that struck me about these is that the heel shape is similar to these YSL shoes that were kicking around ages ago. These are mega cool! I love the platform, the leather panel on the heel, the straps..I want them! They are $47.99 from Modcloth.

The Perfect Black Boot?

2010-07-25T15:00:00.002+01:00

I think so. They're so simple and perfect. They'd go with everything. Everything. Even pyjamas. I like them in the plain black, but you can also get this hairy incarnation:

Which I think is also pretty cool. There's also a 'cheetah' option but it's sort of hideous.

These are from Senso, and I found them on Solestruck (I'm starting to sound like an advert for that site!).

Shoe of the Day - New Look Low Heeled Courts

2010-07-25T09:00:00.001+01:00

New Look seem to be getting a little more adventurous with their shoes. I like the high throat on these courts, and the low heel means it could be a good daytime choice.

These are limited edition at New Look, buy them here for £50.

Marylin Manson - Tourniquet

2010-07-24T15:00:00.000+01:00

This song reminds me of my sister and I secretly listening to Marylin Manson on a personal CD player in the back of the car on a holiday to Inverness or Edinburgh or somewhere. Good times (until mum discovered the CD...)

Shoe of the Day - Asos Rubber Wedges

2010-07-24T09:00:00.001+01:00

At first glance I thought these were by Melissa, but they're actually asos own brand.

I thought they were pretty vile at first (what a hideous shade of pink) but I'd still wear them. I have a soft spot for hideous shoes.

Available here (on sale!!) for £22. I just noticed all the shoes I've featured this week are from asos. Hmmm.

Tattoologist

2010-07-23T15:00:00.001+01:00

I love tattoos. I don't have many myself (yet) but I have the next 5 or so planned out, and just need the funds.

I really like the Tattoologist blog for browsing ideas. It focuses mainly on small tattoos, and has proved useful for inspiration for future ink. I have a variation on the paper crane tattoo planned. I'd recommend it for anyone looking for inspiration in that area.

That little clothes hanger tattoo is so sweet! And the rose in the first picture...well, I love roses!

Information Overload!

2010-07-23T12:20:00.000+01:00

I was tagged by Madame G from Baroque Boudoir to post 6 positive things about myself, and a photo of myself that I like...should be a challenge!

My sister took this photo last time I visited, in Easter. I was so happy to be at home!

1: I persevere

If there's something I enjoy but am not good at, I keep trying! For example, Donald will probably tell you my cooking skills leave a lot to be desired, but I enjoy doing it so I still make dinner pretty much every night, even though he could do a much better job than I can.

2: I don't neglect the oldies in my life

I know it doesn't seem like much, but it makes my granny and great auntie so happy to get a letter or a phonecall every now and then. I don't want to take them for granted just because they've always been there.

3:Seeing the positive side

Everything has a positive side-it may not be obvious to everyone, but I always seem to be the one to point it out! Crippling period pains? Hooray, you survived one more month without pregnancy! Didn't get into college? Now you can get a job or take an exciting year out! Painful acne? .............ok, maybe there isn't a positive side to everything.

4: I can give an honest opinion

I don't mean I go around teling it like it is, uninvited, as that's the kind of behaviour that earns one a slap. But if someone asks for my opinion, they get it, whether it's' what they want to hear or not. I used to be awfully timid and would never dare tell someone something they don't want to hear, but I know now it does a lot more good to tell it like it is (when asked for, obv).

5: I enjoy being alone

I view this as a plus. I think it's important to be able to enjoy your own company once in a while.

6: I can sing!

I love singing, and I think my voice is ok. Now I just need my confidence back!

Holy crap that was difficult!

Shoe of the Day - Minimarket Wedge Boots

2010-07-23T09:00:00.001+01:00

I think I need to see someone about my black wedge boots problem. It could get out of hand.

Minimarket leather laced wedge boots, available here.

Septum Piercing

2010-07-22T17:00:00.001+01:00

This photo makes me really want a septum piercing.

Pac-a-Mac

2010-07-22T15:00:00.000+01:00

Summer in Scotland is proving to be very warm and very wet. I was practically a prisoner in my own home yesterday because it was pissing it down heavily and my umbrella broke a while ago, yet to be replaced.

The heat doesn't allow for my winter jackets, and the rain doesn't allow for my summer jackets. I think the solution is a lightweight, waterproof covering such as this one.

Shoe of the Day - Reiss Azura Wedges

2010-07-22T09:00:00.001+01:00

So many shoes these days have a platform on them that when I see a heeled shoe without a platform, I think they look a little strange. These Reiss Azura wedges caught my eye because of the colour (blue is my favourite) but I wasn't so keen at first because of the lack of platform. They grew on me though-I think they would look too clumpy with a platform, even just a little one.

They are available here for £139.

I Glow Like a Ghost

2010-07-21T16:33:00.001+01:00

Kleerup ft. Lykke Li - Until We Bleed

2010-07-21T15:06:00.000+01:00

Get Ray-bans

2010-07-21T12:13:00.001+01:00

WWW.DONNAROMINA.BLOGSPOT.COM
Werde regelmäßiger Leser von DonnaRomina und Gewinne eine Ray Ban Sonnenbrille! Klicke einfach auf das Bild

Romina's having a giveaway, click on the picture to see!

GOSH Holographic & Crap Konad

2010-07-21T12:00:00.002+01:00

I got the much-raved-about GOSH Holographic polish ages ago, along with the also-coveted Rainbow. I read on many blogs that GOSH was the best holographic polish to be had, and at such a low price(£5) I went and got me a bottle.
I'm not going to review it, but here are some photos of it on my nails, pre cleanup:

It was hard to get a good photo of all the different colours in it. It's not as OMG-WOW as I though it would be, but its fine shimmer makes it quite subtle compared to other holographic polishes.

So, onto my most recent Konad attempt:

Bit of a failure. I'd have been better off painting on little dots with a little brush. It smudged really badly. I experimented with using varying amounts of polish and stuff, but alas, no joy.

Better luck next time.

Shoe of the Day - Asos Black Cut-out Wedges

2010-07-21T09:00:00.001+01:00

Today's Shoes of the Day is (surprise, surprise) a black wedge. Now who saw that one coming?

This is the Raquel wedge from asos.com. What I like most about these shoes is how sturdy the look, especially with the cleated sole. The laser-cut leather makes them look pretty interesting, but sort of simple at the same time since they only have one colour. Am I making sense?

These are available here for £95, and are also available in tan.

Sneak Peak

2010-07-20T17:12:00.003+01:00

Shoe of the Day - Brown Jeffrey Campbell Boots

2010-07-20T09:00:00.002+01:00

These beauties are from Modcloth. They're by Jeffrey Campbell, and are $195.99. Mmmmmm.

Rainy Day

2010-07-20T00:00:00.001+01:00

Blissful

2010-07-19T12:00:00.000+01:00

I found this on my camera. I really need a haircut.

Jumping on the Konad bandwagon!

2010-07-19T08:00:00.000+01:00

I finally got a Konad set! I have to say, it's not as difficult as everyone says it is. The only part I had trouble with was positioning, which isn't much of an issue with a more abstract design like this one. I used Barry M Grey for the base, and Konad plate m63 with silver special polish for the design. I don't really like the special polish-I found it too transparent to give a clear image. Maybe that's just me though...

After putting on a topcoat (Seche Vite-I love this stuff!) I thought my nails looked pretty dull. They needed some shimmer. I didn't own a shimmery topcoat...so I made one!

3 drops each of GOSH Silver and Holographic in an almost full bottle of clear polish, and I now own a perfect, subtle shimmery polish! Score!

What I'd like for a Scottish summer

2010-07-18T19:30:00.000+01:00

I know it seems like a strange time of the year to be thinking of waterproofs*, but living in deepest, darkest (wettest) Glasgow, there is never a strange time to consider such things. This summer I've already experienced everything from punishing heat and torrential downpour, all from the comfort of my own doorstep.
This nicely draped mac looks like it could be ok for most kinds of weather. If you're interested, it's on sale for £40 (down from £70) on asos.com.

*It just occurred to me that this garment may not even be waterproof. Who cares, though-it looks good.

Nasty Gal, you kill me...

2010-07-18T17:07:00.003+01:00

All of the above shoes are from Nasty Gal. Those last ones are so far removed from anything I would normally wear (I'm more of an all-black girl, incase you didn't know) but they make me smile.

Leeds

2010-07-17T14:44:00.004+01:00

How stupid is it that the only photos I took down in Leeds for graduation are the blurriest outfit shot ever, a picture of my hotel room cabinet (we had single rooms, it was awesome) and shots of my nails. Hopefully I'll be able to pilfer some better pictures from my friends. It was a great day, and I'm so glad college is finally over and done with!

BLEEEEEEURGH

2010-07-16T16:55:00.002+01:00

HELLO!

I haven't posted properly in ages. I don't really have much to post about.No outfit posts because I don't feel like I wear anything nice anymore, no 'omg I want that' posts because I am unemployed and awfully skint, no art on the other blog because I'm not finding any enjoyment in drawing and painting these days.

Lately I have:

Searched in vain for a job (any job)
Attended graduation at Leeds Met
Sunk into a routine of housework and boredom
Re-written my CV about a million times
Started learning how to speak German (most fun I've had in ages, fyi)
Had my first ever Burger King (it was vile)
Started excercising my singing voice again

Here's a nice tune for you:

French Rainbow

2010-07-03T19:00:00.001+01:00

I've never, ever been able to do french manicures. I remember the first time I tried, I was 10 and trying to copy my 15 year old cousin's elegant nails. Mine were a blobby mess. Even with nail-tip guides I couldn't get it right. Until now:

Look at these sweet tips! The index finger slightly fucked up but who cares. Here's what I used:

CND Stickey basecoat, white nail-art pen, GOSH Rainbow (of course)

I got my CND Stickey on ebay for £12-look at how huge the bottle is! Salon size 68ml:

I hope it last a while! It has a seriously runny formula, but applies really well and dries instantly. It works so well-my previous manicure lasted 5 days without chipping!

I also got 12 nail art pens for under a tenner on ebay. They're quite good. You can unscrew the cap to use a slim brush (mine needed trimming, but that only took a second) or pull the top of the cap off to use a skinny pen. They also come with a little pin to unclog them every once in a while.

They make french tips to easy. Next on the agenda: my own version of a ruffian manicure!

Black Rainbow

2010-07-03T18:00:00.000+01:00

This isn't what I have on my nails right now, but it is what I had on all week. Yes, 5 days, chip free, with only minimal tip-wear on day 4, thanks to CND Stickey basecoat! Polish rarely makes it past 24 hours without chipping on my nails.

It's one coat of generic Sally's black polish and a coat of GOSH Rainbow (expect to see a lot of this in the near future), with Stickey as a basecoat and between the coats of polish. Niiiiice. The photos don't do it justice.

GOSH Rainbow

2010-07-03T15:44:00.003+01:00

There are a million one reviews of the GOSH Rainbow nail polish around the internet, and all of them say buy it, buy it now!! So I did.

The polish is a jelly formula, which I don't really like working with. The iridescent flakes change between orange and green, and can look either subtle or seriously fancy, depending on what colour you put it over. It dries really quickly and isn't bumpy on the nail at all.

I tried it on over a selection of my nail polishes (black and white not shown here). I think my favourites here are grey, red and the french tip. I've only had the polish for 2 weeks but I can already tell I'll use it more than any other polish I have! It cost £5 at Superdrug. A lot of beauty bloggers seem to have had trouble getting a hold of this in shops, but I went to the Superdrug on Argyle Street and there were 4 bottles of it on display, along with 3 bottles of the also widely-raved-about Holographic.

Summary: This is amazing, buy it now!

Black Milk

2010-06-28T11:40:00.006+01:00

I first came across Black Milk on Kingdom of Style, when I saw Queen Michelle wearing the shiniest, PVC-est leggings I have ever seen/will ever see in my life.

I will one day own some Black Milk leggings (preferably the galaxy). I don't think $60 is too steep for well-made, good-quality leggings, but it's out of my current budget. However, it is my 21st in August...

Another thing that will be mine is that model's haircut. I'm going to grow the top then shave the sides in a sort of 'tamed mohawk' style..I shall consult my hairdresser, she will know what to do..

Here are some of my Black Milk favourites (practically the guy's whole inventory):

The rose leggings are like a blue version of the tattoo I'm planning!

EDIT: I forgot to add, Black Milk's creator, James, runs my new favourite blog, Too Many Tights! It's so good and funny and makes me love his products even more!

Picture dump

2010-06-27T23:53:00.005+01:00

I have loads of photos on my computer that never see the light of day-here they are! (I feel like posting but don't have ideas for a decent post, so you're getting old, silly photos.)

(me in my old flat, sans heating, hot water, toilet-New Year 2010)

(Donald's laptop overheated so he put it in the fridge)

(Last day of college + leftover degree show supplies = piss up)

(H&M shoes I want but don't need)

(H&M dress that I wanted until I tried it on)

(H&M dress that my mum bought me-"I'm sick of you wearing black all the time so I'll buy you an orange dress" )

(Pink H&M dress my mum offered to buy me in return for me giving up my 'gothic' stylings)

(Anonymous Natural Collection nail polish & MY REALLY AMAZING BIKE!!!!!!!1!)

(Red glitter Barry M polish over red Natural Collection polish-better in real life)

(Donald's magnetic beads-the pretty bracelet stuck to the fridge when I went to make tea)

I really wish I had a photo of what I wore to the exhibition my pals and I held in the Townhouse-it was so cool and I felt stylish and pretty! Even if Donald did compare my leggings-clad legs to elephant trunks. He did have a point, but they were very stylish trunks. If there are photos, though, they won't be pretty. I may have...taken advantage of being the barmaid for the night...

Treat Me Like Your Mother - The Dead Weather

2010-06-26T17:02:00.003+01:00

I love this song (and Alison Mosshart). Donald and I went to see The Dead Weather last year in Edinburgh's Playhouse-they were great! It was a case of 'hey I want to see them *googles* oh hey they're playing tomorrow, score...'

New Hair, New Me (for now)

2010-06-08T21:30:00.002+01:00

This is what I wore to my degree show on Friday! As I said before, I've had the dress since I was 16 and I was so glad it still fitted when I tried it on again. My shoes are called Bags Of Fun from Office. They were pretty comfortable until I had to stand still for about half an hour listeninng to the principal drone on about how fabulous the college is...I should probably have broken them in first.

The show was a roaring success! To see more of my work and the show head over to my other blog. Here is a photo of me, beer in hand, pontificating to the masses:

My mum came down for the weekend so a lot of time was spent walking around Glasgow. On the day she said 'I don't want to walk very much today' we ended up sauntering from Partick to the city centre via every tiny street in the west end. She kept taking photos of me against nice city backdrops.

What do you think of my brown hair, by the way? I'm not soo keen. I'm giving it another month before I'm hitting the peroxide hard.

P.S. I am now Julia Matheson BA (Hons)! How cool is that?!! And I'm only 20!!!!

Relief

2010-06-02T01:07:00.006+01:00

The degree show has been hung! Work has been assessed!!

I have never felt such relief in my life as today. I still don't have my results (Friday!) but it's quite nice knowing that there isn't any more work left to do.

The show opens on Friday, so I'm going to have to make little name-labels for my work and buy some booze and sweeties. And pick my mum up from the airport tomorrow evening.

EDIT: I get my results tomorrow. I am bricking it.

Facts

2010-06-02T00:30:00.003+01:00

I got this list of questions from lovely Claire from Jazz-pad. Since I love sharing useless information about myself, here it is:

1. What can you see out of your bedroom window?
The street, and some other flats across the road. I often worry that the people across the road can see in the window, but this worry only occurs to me when I'm naked with the blinds open or something like that.

2. What is your favourite re-readable book?
The Southern Vampire Mysteries are quite re-readable, I guess. I read all the Terry Pratchett and Stephen King books to death when I was younger, too.

3. Describe your perfect Sunday.
Obviously it would begin with a lie-in, then onto breakfast in bed. It would be sunny and Donald and I would have a BBQ in the garden with our pals. Then to the Stand for some comedy, then home to bed (I love sleeping).

4. If your life was made into a film biopic, who would play you?
I have no idea...Patrick Stewart?? Put a wig on him and he'd be fine.

5. What's your guilty pleasure?
Crack. Just kidding. Cutting my own hair-I know I shouldn't do it and it never looks very nice, but it's so satisfying to snip bits off here and there. This also applies to cutting other people's hair. I'm just a really bad amateur hairdresser.

6. Are you a dog person or a cat person?
A cat person! I'm not really a dog fan, and I've had cats forever, so even though I don't like to get too up-close and cuddly with them, I much prefer cats. Even my Horror Ca t.

7. Name a song which relates to a poignant time in your life.
Several songs such as Velvet Revolver's Slither and Audioslave's Show Me How To Live remind me of being in a band, which was so awesome and I would love to do it again! Janis Joplin's Me & Bobby Mcgee reminds me of playing drunken acoustic sets in The Star too. Those were good times.

8. If you could meet any famous person (dead or alive) who would it be?
Lys Hansen. Even though I've already met her a couple of times, I want to meet her again (and hopefully will on Friday!). She's mega nice and interesting, and is what I hope to be like when I'm older-an eccentric artist with rainbow-coloured nails!

Grumble

2010-06-01T02:40:00.005+01:00

Tomorrow the external examiner is coming in to look at our year's work. I have a sort of resigned feeling about this...I feel like I don't have much work but there's not much I can do about that now! So I'm up at 2.34, having just finished some last minute sketchbook work, with some awful roulette show on the tv (where the hell do they find these nauseatingly cheerful hosts?), making sure my USB pen has all the essentials on it.

I've spotted some nice wedges on Modcloth (surprise, surprise):

I think I would wear these very regularly if I had them, especially the second ones, which are also available in a strange fabric that reminds me of granny.

I have pretty much decided what to wear to my degree show. After scouring ebay and every (affordable) shop in Glasgow, I have decided on a dress a wore to a school dance when I was 16. It's nice though, very sophisticated, I'm just relying on my mum remembering to pack it and bring it to me. Otherwise, my pal said she has a vintage blue dress that might fit me, which I'm very excited about seeing.

I bought a pair of AMAZING shoes on ebay for the event. They were a mega bargain at £25, especially considering they're still selling in Office for £60! I also recently bought, in a morning-after-style drunken haze, some wedges in M&S. They're the ones featured in this post, but in the vile shade of magenta. I nearly clobbered the saleswoman when she (very rudely) told me they didn't have any black ones left. They're ok in real life though, and rather comfortable. Donald hates them though, because I keep falling over in them. I went into Clarks first to search for the lovely taupe wedges, and was quite distressed to see that they are very, very vile in real life. Like, really hideous. Why don't they come in black?!!

The Distillers - For Tonight You're Only Here To Know

2010-05-31T12:27:00.001+01:00

I was obsessed with Brody Dalle in secondary school. Bit of an icon to me, she was. This song makes me want to be in a band again.

Mew - 156

2010-05-29T23:59:00.000+01:00

I'm a big Mew fan. This is one of my favourites of their songs, though the video creeps me out and I'm not sure why...I think it's their strange noses.

Catalogue - North Glasgow College Degree Show

2010-05-29T23:24:00.003+01:00

Meanwhile, on my other blog...

New Look Striped Mini Dress

2010-05-23T00:39:00.004+01:00

It's from New Look. Another degree show option. At the moment, I'm just after something that'll make my legs look long and slim.

I'll probably end up just wearing what I always wear going out anyway, though, because a) it looks good with anything, for any occasion, and b) after the fattening, shiny, unflattering disaster that was the Pink Playsuit (shudder) I'm scared to buy anything new, no matter how okay I think it looks when I try it on.

Bebaroque Sailor Print Tights

2010-05-23T00:32:00.003+01:00

While deliberating over what to wear to the degree show, I came across these lovelies on asos.com. I remember first seeing Bebaroque tights in action at a fashion show at Oran Mor a few years ago, and I've wanted a pair ever since. Shame they don't sell an 'economy version' or something. Or offer a 75% student discount..I can only dream.

I would wear these with my failsafe black off-shoulder minidress (which everyone is sick of but I still wear all the time) and court shoes.