Kurouto, Geisha, Jorou...

Sewing machine tucked away and kimono’s on hangers – the Geisha girls were ready for their debut. With BarryM paint labelled ‘foundation’, a ruby blusher and black kohl eyebrow pencil, all we needed to finish off was our flower head pieces. After much thought and research at Poundland and the 99pStore we decided a combination of pins and fake plastic flowers would be best. Who knew SevenSisters Road could generate such authentic, timeless headpieces...

            As each Geisha finished her make up the morphing was reaching completion. Postures’ noticeably raised, lips rouged and poised, the transformation was complete.

Our taxi-boat along the exotic Holloway Canal, complete with Japanese dragons and kites led us to Stratford. A rouge apartment block complete with lift and lights – we had arrived in Kyoto...Greeted by our masters we entered the abyss...

007

Skyfall-007

Licensed to be ill...Skyfall eyefall... Bond gets a spyful but did he need Dr No?... Judi Dench with a neck vajazzle! – my ticket for the premier of Bond is indisputable!

As someone who is fortunate enough to receive the UK newspapers daily to her desk it fascinating to see how different events, news stories and celebrities are played out headline by headline.

       As an action movie fan, any Bourne series, Mission Impossible, Bond film is always hot on my list to watch. Whether it’s the hunky lead or fast pass plotlines I love the adrenaline and suspense! As a girl surrounded by sisters growing up but who has recently gained 3 bonus siblings (fortunately two of which are boys) male focused, action films tended to go unnoticed. I vividly remember being educated at university by my first year housemates (a flat ratio of 8:2/boys/girls) of the wonders of Scarface, The Godfather (I,II & III), Casino, Eastern Promises...as well as having a Bourne day, literally watching I,II and III back to back. Bond brings about a sense of British pride. Whether it’s the mini’s buzzing around or Adeles soulful chants, you come away with Olympic-style feelings of British pride!

With leading ladies Naomie Harris and Berenice Marlohe who’s names already sound like Bond girls; it is so refreshing to see such sexy and sultry, strong looking women parading the red carpet. Aside from Tamara Ecclestone ruining an otherwise stunning emerald green velvet Gucci dress, everyone looked suitably enchanting. (How could you team plastic boobs with such a feminine piece?!) ... Kelly Brooke added old school glam to the event and Prince Charles had a jazzy little handkerchief in his tux as well as a cheeky grin on his face. Was he remembering Danny Boyle’s legendary spoof involving his mother and JB for the Opening Ceremony?

I eagerly await the 23^rd bond instalment and the notorious ‘The names Bond...James Bond’ moment.

As exchanged in Quantum of Solace...
M:“Bond, I need you back.”
Bond: “I never left.”

Soouuupppendous!

After a long day at work you either collapse or occasionally experience what your mother most commonly refers to as, second wind. Last night was definitely the latter!

Whether it’s my trialling of a new vitabiotics courtesy of the hugely helpful and lets face it persuasive salesman in Holland & Barrett or just simply feeling better from my flu; I seem to have an unusually new lease of life this week. An eternal optimist I like to feel I am jolly most days but last night I was alive and kicking!

I arrived home after cycling my usual route home. The cycle ride was just as any other day, although this time I for some reason felt a sense of elation and appreciation for life. I’m sounding like some new-wave hippy but life just felt superb! Even the misty fog and road works didn’t bother me...

Having stocked up on spices and fresh vegetables I took to chopping with my roomies relaying their days to me. With three pots on the go – stock pot, splitpea pot and a butter beans soaking pot, it should have been madness yet instead it felt like a cosy Sunday afternoon back home helping my mum make crumble! Vitabiotics rock!

Four hours later and still beaming I seasoned my creation and was faced with the challenge of decanting?!?! What would I do – four containers which pretty much serve the entire house so weren’t ideal?!?! A twelve pack of plastic cups shone down from above the shelving unit... a home-made CuppaSoup and literally so! I suddenly not only thought could I have invented some sort of bizarre, Dragon’s Den inspired soup idea but had a solution! Decanted and clingfilmed the little pots looked churpy and tempting – my lunch tomorrow was sure not to disappoint!

Cuppa-soupy-stew on an October Monday evening – sooouuuperb!

Market Material Sourcing, Sunday Lunches and Pattern Cutting...

Why does seeing an end product create such inner joy! The idea of Geisha shopping resulted in us awakening with feelings more commonly affiliated to Christmas Morning than a somewhat grey October fog... After speaking at length with my dearest friend aka Seamstress/Garment wonder-woman. I was kindly informed of how much material to purchase as well as being educated on a cutting plan! I needed double sided tape and our beloved baking paper would do for pattern cutting. The somewhat daunting looking sewing machine grandly made its way downstairs to the kitchen table and would be essential in bringing everything together!

Material sourced and plan established - we needed fuel! An array of Pork, Beef and Chicken filled our forgotten tummies and momentarily allowed our oriental inspired imaginations to stop and regroup...not to mentioned the seemingly endless array of Sunday newspaper supplements - are we having a day in girl heaven or what?!!

The outside greyness went unnoticed, never mind acknowledged on route back to Vogue HQ... the kitchen became a product line within minutes - we had tea cups on tap, the top40 on high, measuring taps flying through the air, safety pin's galore... A magical madness of creative loveliness!

With my final outfit now under wraps until Halloween night, all there is left to say is that a day with friends is priceless. Clothes making should become a national Sunday afternoon activity - Julie Andrew's had it right with those curtains - we should all go pattern cutting crazy! (just perhaps not with the curtains!)

Wanderlust Wonders from Tim Walker

Who knew London's Somerset House could offer such freebie delights! 

The eccentric photographic creations really connected with me. From the stylish granny strutting her swagger to the blancmange inspired hat...everything exuded effortless and careless style! 

After such fun and freedom I was taken aback by this particular shot - I feel it epitomises me - that uninvited feeling of being out there and part of group/society whilst feeling somewhat set apart from reality - perhaps arguably a moment of self indulgent mental madness but anyhow I really like the way this image represents how someone can look like they have it all and be happy yet at the same time feel isolated but also peaceful in their own company. This image evoked both happy and sad thoughts in me and I really enjoy its detailed simplicity.

After all that thought - we fell upon this somewhat creepy but larger than life creation:

Our research and findings for Geisha-attire, courtesy of Holloway Nags Head Market - £4 a metre - JOY!

Geisha-ing,Tim Walker & Girls Aloud...

I am leaving my lemsip nest and venturing out with the roomies and our extended roomie Iona.
There has been huge excitement over our Halloween geisha outfits. The sourcing of materials and threading of garments is such fun. We have navigated a plan of action in the hope of finding textiles and treasures...travelling to the streets of Soho as well as to the more nearer delights of Clarks factory store for our essential flipflops! - Who knows where our travels will take us but one things for sure, the Geisha girls are on a mission!

After endless Geisha hilarity and joy we shall continue our travels to the Tim Walker exhibition at Somerset House - his photo's are described as dazzling with life, colour and humour - much like ourselves if we were feeling particularly obnoxious! Believing that a camera is 'simply a box put between you and what you want to capture' we are intrigued to see whats to see!

Last but not least the Girls Aloud reunion is BACK! and the Grammar Girls are on it - ticketing info, presale emails, presale reminders...deciding on gig location? Also will we stall true to the Tangled tour and go to Manchester or will hear the Sounds of the Underground at the O2?!?!! Either way - the girls are back, we've Got a Whole Lotta History and so we gotta, Jump!

  

Halls,Lemsip,VitC...thinkings and musical bigups!

Day Two of blog yet sadly day three of flu! - saw this image online and it totally epitomizes how I feel... I've decided the main irritation of being ill, bar the illness itself is that you're at home and get all these wonderfully jolly ideas about sorting your wardrobe or calendaring friends birthdays in a super-efficient way however are unable to do ANYTHING! Even basic stuff... maybe its just me and an inability to just stop that makes me a crap 'ill' person but seriously its so boring!
Anyhow, keeping with my blog-mantra of everyday counting I am trying to remain positive. I have noticed already the (very small) interest that looking out the window at a time of day when Im usually unable to is in fact quite interesting. Instead of the usual commuters I see pregnant women, dustbin men, shop sellers, birds on barbed wire catching up... I start day dreaming about where everyone started their day, where they're headed, how they feel? have they had flu?... My main issue with stopping is not doing anything worthwhile or time efficient., whatever I seem to think that is?! I don't know if this stems from busy parents or my own pride at being self dependent. As I've grown up I've realised that rushing achieves nothing. When I travel I see how whole days can pass in the third world when tasks are taken on in such a considered manner, there is no time, deadline, outer deadline...it is just assumed that in order for something to be done well, it shall be done as and when and respect is given to that, like a mutual trust of knowing someone cares about what they're doing. Here if you rush or do something super quick you're a star - if you take time you are struggling/time wasting... Im not going to stop however I do think slowing down has its advantages...

I have two exciting invitations to two musical events this weekend (subject to snotty nose!) - the first being Ooh lalalaunch@club512 dalston, a dj set that promises love to my main man Marvin as well as Aretha and Jocelyn Brown...could you ask for groovier beats!? The second musical delight is THTC Lauch party featuring ASM  - a friends brothers group who's funky roots reggae tunes are already creating huge stirs in Europe and are now ready to share their hiphop loveliness here! ... Time for Lemsip - rock-and-roll baby!