So today I decided to start updating my blog a bit more regularly and a bit more seriously. I have no idea what made me come to that conclusion...But here goes! There may (or may not!) be a bit more writing from now on!
I recently got a job in a really lovely boutique in St Ives, Cornwall called Birds of a Feather. It's absolutely amazing and stocks lots of cool designers like Emme Lou, Jane Foster, Lisbeth Dahl, Lisa Stickley (currently showcasing in the Tate gallery) and lots more... I'm even getting my own designs in there too which is fabulous news. I've almost finished some yellow and purple curtain tie-backs for the changing room which will soon be on sale. It's always hard to price your own creations though. For the amount of hours and love that have gone into each piece of work, you'll never get that value back, but I guess it's just such a nice feeling if someone likes your work that much that they're willing to pay good money for it, so it makes it all worth while! Emme Lou popped in to the boutique today while I was working and we discussed the blood, sweat and tears that go into a project and how hard it is to price things. She's also started a new blog which I'm following, and really looking forward to seeing what bits & bobs she'll make next. She makes the most amazing crocheted brooches and hair clips that I really think she should put on her folksy shop! She recently got a gorgeous tattoo on her foot - it says 'create' in ribbon-effect and looks so cool (although I did only manage to get a glimpse through her white tights!) so I really hope she posts a photo! Emme Lou- if you're reading this, please post a photo! If you're reading this, and you're not Emme Lou, I really recommend you follow her vintage chic blog: www.emmeloucreates.blogspot.com
I know it's not very interesting, but I bought some really cool Barry M nailvarnish and decided to use all the colours on my nails. They're a mixture of yellow, pink, lilac and baby-blue. They're really strong colours and I like it, but I'm not sure if I like it on me! Usually I paint my nails red or just one colour, so I don't really know if it suits me. Emme Lou said she liked it, and she's pretty damn stylish, so I guess I'll just trust her judgement! Unless she's trying to make me look like an idiot! I felt like a right emo today though - I wore a leopard print cardigan with my multi-coloured nails...hmm...cool or not? I'm still undecided! I was going to wear a floral scarf tied around my head and red lipstick, but I decided it was a step too far. Maybe one day I'll have the confidence to not care and just go for it, but until that day, I'm just going to put on everything I really want to wear and wimp out and take it all off and get changed just before I leave the house! *Sigh*
So bad news...Last week I got 'dumped'! Oh dear! I was with my boyfriend for a year and we'd moved in together, but I moved out again recently. It turned out that he detested my crocheted blanket and array of vintage lamps and sheepskin rugs and said I was "too quirky" for him and it wasn't going to work :( It was a real shame, but if someone doesn't want to be with you, you can't force them to want to be. Hey ho, that's life. I'm kind of looking forward to being single. I was with my previous boyfriend for 6 years and there was very little break in between them (which I kind of regret), so I basically haven't been single for 7 years and I think it will be nice for a while not to have to answer to anyone and just be selfish and spend time on me and making things and not feel guilty about doing so. Obviously, I don't want to be single for TOO long! I am a bit terrified of ending up as an old spinster with 50 cats (I'm not even that keen on cats!) Eugh...It's just my luck - that's my fate, I can feel it! Oh well, I've got knitting needles, I'll be fine!! And if I run out of wool, I can shave the cats and knit with their fur on cocktail sticks while wearing an outfit consisting solely of purple and baggy tights!
As well as working in the boutique, I also work in a clothes shop in town, which I love, as everyone I work with is just so lovely and funny. I spend the day laughing, and it just makes working more bearable! But, at the moment I'm working 7 days a week, which is brilliant, as I really need the money at the moment, but it's so tiring too! I'm starting a PGCE in September to do secondary school music teaching, which I am so excited about, but I got through clearing and it's all been very last minute. I need to pay half of the fees up front in September which is a pretty terrifying thought! That, coupled with the fact that I've just had to re-insure my car, tax it and it's due its MOT and service this month too- aah! Rubbish! Because things weren't going that well with my now ex-boyfriend, I moved back in with my mum, which is great, as rent is obviously a lot less and I love her to bits and really get on with her BUT we drive each other nuts too! She's just come back from Ibiza (not clubbing thankfully!) but it was so nice to have the house to myself for a week. I could spread all of my different coloured wool across the lounge floor without annoying her! (she's a tidyness freak!) But I shouldn't moan- I'm super grateful she's had me back - I'd be really screwed otherwise and would find it near impossible to do the PGCE (moneywise) if I had to find somewhere else to rent on my own!
The interview for the PGCE was hilarious. It was a gruelling 2.5 hours! I was the longest in there by about an hour! Their bisggest issue with me is that I have an English degree not a music degree, and so I have huge gaps in my theory, and so they really weren't sure whether to give me a place or not. I'm the first person they've ever interviewed without a music degree, and they even invited me to interview over someone else with a music degree, so that's an achievement in itself. The interview itself was ok in places, and hugely embarassing in others. The man said to me, "so how are you on piano, can you busk your way through?" And I said "oh yeh, fine, no problem" (I was actually panincking as I've always been useless at piano, but I thought I'll get to that if I ever get through!) THEN, the man said to me "oh, well, this is a bit mean, but oh well" and pulled out his iPhone with the piano application on it and said "play me some cadences, play me some intervals"...AAAH! Panic mode! I hadn't done that since I was 15! Pressure! So I took the phone off him (thinking, Oh God, how am I going to do this!)...Miraculously, I got the first one right, then it all went downhill! But every wrong note I pressed, I coughed loudly over, THEN I decided the best tactic was to blame the wrong notes on my "wide fingers!" and that's why I couldn't press the right keys!...i.e. "I know the right notes, it's just I have exceptionally wide fingers!" The man just looked at me with a mixture of shock, confusion, amazement and disbelief! It was quite an interview!
While I was doing work experience for the PGCE, I met an absolutely lovely guy called Joel who is an amazing musician. He drums with a band called Lo-Star who are just so good. When he told me he drummed with a band, I thought "oh yeh, another one of those guys...oh yeh, blah blah" but I checked them out (as I was entirely ignorant to them) and they are really bloody good! They're like a mixture between Coldplay, U2 and Bloc Party and the singer has a really nice jazzy voice that kind of reminds me of Tom McRae and of course the drumming is just so good! Haha ;) Please check them out and support them as they really are talented! You can listen to some of their tracks on the website (and look at some lovely pics of them all too!) hee hee... www.lo-star.com
Right, that's enough blabber for now...I need to go and finish that second curtain tie as it's looking a bit wonky with just one at the moment!
I'll write again soon! Promise!! :D
Love, Laura xxx
So today I worked in the clothes shop from 9:00am - 4:30pm then I pegged it to the boutique to work 5:00pm - 8:00pm. It was ok though - it went quicker than I thought it would. I've got the same shifts again tomorrow, so it should be fine! At the boutique we got a few new lovely things, including these bits of jewellery by Foundlings Jewellery www.foundlingsjewellery.co.uk which is just so fun. It's a bit like marmite though - love it or hate it, and I love it! There are earrings made from Barbie shoes and necklaces made from dolly accessories - SO CUTE! I feel like a 3 year old emo wearing them though, although admittedly I did stop playing with Barbies quite late in life (I won't tell you when!!!) I have an active imagination though - ok! And Barbie used to enjoy the odd date or two with Ken and I do still make/knit clothes for Barbie now! Ahem...back to the jewellery- LOVES IT! xxx
I bumped into an old friend today - Dan...He said he'd been doing illustration work and has been creating t-shirts (one of which he was of course modelling!) I was really surprised when I checked out his recent work on his facebook page (Dan Morgan - Illustrator) and his website 
