Cos I Like Making Stuff - A craft & lifestyle blog

Valentines Day spa craft tutorial: How to make soaps

2012-02-11T00:09:00.001Z

Soapmaking is a cheap, quick, satisfying craft that is a great gift idea - not just for Valentines, but also for thank you gestures and house-warming presents. The best thing is that complete novices, any one new to making or lacking in confidence with crafting will get results they'll be proud of within minutes and you don't need much to get started.

You will need:

*Melt & pour soap base OR any glycerin soap as it melts in the same way

(The soap base in available in craft stores or search online)

*Silicone mould (ones for baking are fine)

*Microwave, microwavable bowl & fork

(Alternatively, melt the soap in a pan on your cooker)

*Knife

*Optional - food colouring

*Things to suspend (like dried flowers, glitter, ornaments etc)

*Scent
*Clingfilm

1. Chop up the base into small pieces and measure out how much you will need in each compartment of the mould. You will need to add double the quantity of how far it fills up, because it will reduce in size when melted.

2. Heat the base in the microwave for 15 seconds, then stir. Keep melting for 15 second intervals until it's completely liquidised.

3. The base solidifies very quickly. So get ready to put it into the mould as soon as possible. If you are using food colouring add it now. It will lower the temperature of the base making it solidify. If that happens, place it back in the microwave. If you're using glitter, stir it in as well. Now is also the time to add a few drops of scent like a diluted essential oil (they are often too strong on their own.) You can leave the soaps fragrance free but I think they are more fun to use (and more impressive if you are giving them as a gift), if they are scented.

4. Setting takes up to a couple of hours so leave them in a cool place. Then pop them out like ice cubes.

My designs:

1. Hundreds & thousands - I placed plastic initial beads at the bottom of the mould then sprinkled cake decorations on top.

2. Plain blue soap - I coloured this soap by blending blue food colouring into the melted soap base.

3. Plastic beads - I suspended plastic beads in the mould - as it gets used, the beads fall out and you'll end up with enough to make a bracelet!

4. Sequins - I suspended silver star confetti in the base.

5. Red glitter - I mixed glitter and red food colouring into the melted base.

6. Rose buds - First I poured melted clear base into the mould then placed small rose buds directly on the top surface.

Because the soap base is transparent you can see everything that's suspended in it. The top surface of the rose soap shows off the petals, but when you turn it over, you see the lovely buds underneath.

For more soap making ideas this book will fill you with inspiration. Brimming with colourful photos I've used it in spa crafting workshops before and everyone is amazed by it - the instructions are clear and accessible.

Have fun making your own soaps but be warned: buying a shop bought soap is not the same once you're discovered how easy it is to make your own 'bespoke' ones in a matter of minutes at home!
NB: Tightly wrap cling film around each of your soaps to preserve them.

Snow in London! My snow hedgehog!

2012-02-05T14:45:00.002Z

This morning I went to pay my respects to my late pet hedgehog Miss P in East Greenwich Pleasaunce, a small community park, and decided to make her a gift...some company for the day in the form of a snow hedghog. It's located just opposite where she is buried.

Close Up

Twig plaque

Snow in the Pleasaunce

Miss u Miss P!

Catwalk Highlights: Asiana Bridal Show London 2012

2012-01-31T09:47:00.001Z

Last year I was backstage at the Asiana Bridal Show 2011 (the biggest annualAsian fashion event in the UK). This year I bring you front row seats and whileI knew I’d be in for a treat…I didn’t literally think I’d see the sweet stuff.But in a worldwide first, Couture Cakes graced the catwalk, in an event thatblended live Bollywood saxophone jazz, tango performances and of courseshowcased the best in contemporary and classical Asian fashion from the UK and India.

Does he come with the cake?

Coventry based bakers Cakes4U celebrate their 10 year anniversary this year. Over thelast year their campaigns have featured quirky female models decorated in bodypaint and morphing into giant gateauxs. How do you top that in a live show?Have the cakes paraded around by hunky Pharoahs of course! It’s certainly oneway to get noticed (the second being the fact they placed free cakes in thegoody bags). Their philosophy is big is beautiful…it’s all about the biggest,best and most bespoke cake possible, none of these teeny cupcakes. Iwhole-heartedly agree; I’ve always preferred a proper slice of cake over a pre-decided portion in a paper case!

Cakes4U at Asiana Bridal Show 2012

Go on then..onemore photo….after all it’s not every day I get to post hot male models on myblog…and this is in the name of actual news reporting!

Ziggi Studio at Asiana Bridal Show 2012

Having been the official catwalk reporter forthe last two years (this year will be my third) I’ve developed an appreciationfor the incredible workmanship, ideas and inspiration that go into designingAsian fashion. And one label that has never failed to disappoint me is Ziggi Studio, based in Birmingham.

Ziggi himself isonly 20 something years old and already has several awards under his belt. Hissherwani suits (long jackets worn over trousers) are bold and brave andintroduce colour and texture into a garment that’s usually less flamboyant. Asever his collection was heavily influenced by the Mughal Era, but I feltthey’ve come a long way since his launch. This year was high onsophistication and detail.

In another catwalk first, make-up and hairstylist Jawaad Ashraf took the unusual step of showcasing his beautifying skills onthe catwak; it wasn’t about the body, but the face. And if his predictions areanything to go by, we will all be wearing super bright eyeshadows this season.

Jawaad's muse Miss England Hammasa Khohistani

The pink eyelids on this look were utterlystunning though you could only appreciate them when they were closed which washard to photograph!

The hair was pretty mind-blowing too. I’ve seen thesestrange egg shaped hairdos before, and I have absolutely no idea how theywork! How can they be so smooth?

Kyle's Collection on the catwalk 2012

Kyle’s Collectionare the original trend setters when it comes to British Asian Jewellery. Iadmit that I find their show room in Green Street, London, a tad scary but whenyou see their catwalk creations and witness what is possible in the realm ofbling, it makes you want to place an order. As a follow on from last year, theteam presented more pieces to compliment the hijaab and their signature piecewas a stunning waist chain with back detail -shame the wearer doesn’t get toappreciate it!

Indian boutique Frontier Raas at London's Asiana Bridal Show 2012

Indian boutiqueFrontier Raas deserve a special mention because not only did they present apretty rainbow selection of fairytale dresses like this prom style royal bluenumber, the first model that appears in their catalogue has a belly on her, onethat's round and folds over…just like a real woman. The didn’t give into the temptationto photoshop her assets – this deserves a round of applause!

Harkirans bridalwear at Asiana Bridal Show 2012

Surprise of the show was this pink girlie duofrom Harkirans.I loved it!

I also like thelong and layered trends seen in RDC’s opening collection.

Ekta Solanki

Other designerson the catwalk at the Asiana Bridal Show 2012 included Traditions, Monga’s andEkta Solanki.

RDC Finale at Asiana Bridal Show 2012

A full catwalk report with professional photos (not my amateur efforts!) and trends will be appearing in a future edition of Asiana Wedding magazine – Iwill tweet when it’s out!
In the meantime there's another report on the fabulous Asian Fashion Blog.
The show also rolls into Birmingham on Sunday 5th February.

Volunteers needed: The Bengal Muslin Project

2012-01-30T13:06:00.000Z

Project Launch: 8th Feb 2012

I found out about this fascinating new project via email but there's no web presence in order to tweet the details so I decided to post them here instead! If you're interested in fabric, textiles and fashion then this could the perfect volunteering opportunity for you (being based in London helps!)

Project concept:

An initiative that tells the story of the relationship between Bengal Muslin and London's fashionistas in the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries. Volunteers will be recruited to undertake research, attend training and then recreate some of these period dresses.

Launch & Opening evening: Wed 8 February 2012

Venue: Davenant Centre, 179-181 Whitechapel Road, E1

Time: 6pm-8pm

Programme:

Information of the project

Short film on Muslin

Presentations:

Muslins: Bengal / Bangladesh andBritain by SoniaAshmore (historian and author of Muslin (V&A autumn 2012)

The East India Company’s textiletrade by DrJohn McAleer, Curator of Imperial and Maritime History, National Maritime Museum Bhaf-thana by Rezia Wahid, weaver

Recreating historical costumes by Mia Wallden, Illustrator andCostumier

Exhibition & Refreshment

For more information contact MuhammadAhmedullah at the

Stepney Community Trust Email: heritageproject@stepney.org.uk
Phone: 0207 377 5482 / 07574987607

Website: http://www.stepney.org.uk

I'll be there - come and join me!

Top secret photos from my forthcoming book!

2012-01-28T15:23:00.003Z

I'm so excited I may burst! The only way I can prevent this from happening is if I share some sneaky, top secret photos from my forthcoming book '101+ Things to do with Glitter', published by Vivays Publishing this Autumn - the photoshoots started yesterday!

It's a bright & sparkling craft book which contains 200 suggestions for what you can do with the shimmery stuff including papercrafts, food, toiletries,gifts, interiors and of course some glistening ideas for your wardrobe. I took some photos of yesterdays fashion shoot in order to share them on my blog nearer the time of publication but I just couldn't wait!

We took photos around Islington in North London and also stopped by Teletubbies land.

It was the only place we could find a yellow brick road for the fairytale project.*

(Roger from Struktur who is the book's art director & designer has contacts with munchkins.) My amazing model Nadia Kamil (an actress. writer, comedian and now craft star) was freezing but was prepared to lie on a damp floor to get the shot.

I think that's about all I can reveal. Watch this space and my twitter account for more sparkly updates over the coming months about the most glittering book you will have ever seen!

*(I'm sure you know which fairytale I mean....but ssshhhh for now!)

Tutorial: How to Make Paper Earrings for Chinese New Year

2012-01-24T09:53:00.003Z

As it’s ChineseNew year this week I decided to make a Chinese inspired craft

but there’s no typical dragons or lanterns here – just paper. The artand craft of papercutting is associated with many cultures, Chinese being oneof them. Luckily you don’t need to be as patient as Rob Ryan to make one.Papercutting in China is known as Jianzhi and they consist of intricatepatterns, often symmetrical, used to decorate interiors. My tutorial is acheats, easy way to get started on this fine craft.

There are two ways to do a papercut; withscissors or using a craft knife. It depends on the complexity of the design. Apapercut can either be the outline left behind from the shapes you cut out, orthe shapes themselves. These earrings could have been made by scissors but usinga craft knife means you get to keep the outline too, as you’ll soon find out…

First all youneed to get your materials together. To make paper earrings you need:

Scrap paper – any type is suitable. For professional papercutting a coated paper is normally used but for this project, anything goes!
Glue stick
Scissors
Craft knife and mat
Marker pen
Round sequin
Earring finding
Inspiration

For my design, Iwas reading a magnificent book about hedgehogs at the time so decided to makehedgehog earrings. I started by drawing hedgehog silhouette on the back of mychosen paper and then cut them out using a craft knife. The trick to using acraft knife is keeping it flat, not at a point. And always place a cutting matunderneath to protect the surface.

I then used scissors I cut out spikes from various mixed papers and gluedthem on using the glue stick– adjust the design according to the animal orobject you make. You can use marker pens to draw on features.

To turn them intoearrings, make a small hole using a pin at the top. Then the important part.Glue a sequin over the back of the hole to prevent it from tearing, otherwiseas soon as you add the earring finding, it will tear through. Leave to drybefore adding the earring hook.

Before wearingthem paint the front side with a layer of PVA glue to secure the design andgive it a gloss.

I used the outline to make a matching bookmark.

Paper crafting and jewellery making couldn’t bemore easy - give it ago, you probably have the materials at home already to getstarted!

10 things I love about Kuala Lumpar

2012-01-22T12:04:00.001Z

During my recentnew year expedition to Bali I also spent a long weekend in Kuala Lumpar, one ofAsia’s most bustling and modern cities. But while some visitors head to theiconic Petronas Towers I discovered some other remarkable things about the citythat will always be dear to my heart.

1. Monorail

My inner travel geek surfaced as soon as Idisembarked from the coach from the airport into town. To get to myaccommodation I had to board a monorail and despite the fact it was 11.30pm andI had just spent 15 hours travelling, I could not believe my eyes when Iwitnessed the sheer beautiful of this incredible feet of engineering. A farsuperior version of the DLR (which is a driverless railway in London, of whichI am a huge fan), these two-carriage trains zip around the city, high above thestreets. A kind of Bladerunner meets Gotham City form of transportation withadded sunshine (each carriage door has floral glade air fresheners attached),the journeys were smooth, frequent and most pleasurable.

2. Women only carriages

In fact, I sampled five modes of transport while inKL – local trains, coach, monorail, boat, taxis and the suburban train. Onething I was completely shocked about was the incredibly high standard of thetaxis – I’ve never been anywhere in the world where taxi drivers are sofriendly and take pride in turning on their meters and as such, the fares areextremely cheap (at most we spent 80p getting between places). But whatsurprised me the most was the suburban trains. The main platform at Sentralstation looks European, the only difference being there are women only benches,positioned directly infront of where the women only carriages are. Yes this mayseem like an alien concept to Westerners but I can confirm, women onlycarriages are clean, well kept, friendly and make you feel special.

3. Batu Caves

Wannabe batgirls like me clearly have to visitbatcaves from around the world for research and these ones at the edge of thecity were no exception. Ignore the various tourist coach trips and organisedvisits to the site which will set you back £8-12. You can take a train fromSentral station – 30 minutes, dropping you directly outside for just 10p eachway. I think this makes it one of the cheapest tourist attractions to visit in theworld and it’s free to climb the 272 stairs to the top too. Add to this thefact one of the best places to eat in town is across the road (an ultra cheapIndian restaurant serving up street snacks, thalis and fresh coconuts for acouple of pounds), it makes a dream daytrip. (You need to pay a few more poundsto go deep inside the caves but I skipped that part…I have to save somethingfor next time!)

4. Curry

Everyone I know who has ever been to KL talks aboutthe food and how yummy it is. From all of the different cuisines I tried, thebest by far was the Indian curries. They have the best flavours outside ofIndia – fresh, simple and wholesome. This thali style feast served on a bananaleaf was a particular highlight.

5. Bubble Tea

Bubble tea is a beverage trend currently sweeping theUK and is a cold flavoured tea or milk drink with small chewy balls at thebottom made from tapioca starch. If you loved screwball ice-creams as a child(ice cream that came with bubble gum) you’ll develop an immediate appreciation.Extremely refreshing and fun to drink, the balls can be slurped up with yourstraw. Most of the time, it’s a surprise as you don’t quite know when one willpop up. I’ve not tried any of the London cafes yet, but I’m told Bubbleology isthe place to go!

6. T-shirts

Despite the plethora of shopping malls containingmiles of clothing shops, I couldn’t buy any as the sizes were so small. I’mquite petite in terms of the UK but clearly a giant in Asia; everything was teeny!Apart from the t-shirts…there were so many incredible designs. I wanted tophotograph them all but after I shot this one, the shop assistant told me offand said I couldn’t take any more photos!

7. Rainy day devices

Speaking of quirky design, someone really ought toimport these handy devices into the UK – umbrella hats as worn by childrensitting at the back of bicycles to keep their heads dry and modelled here by mytravelling partner Janine.

8. Sunday night market

Sunday markets in the UK are about waking up at 6amto get to a car boot sale. In KL Sunday markets are slightly more sociable,opening from 4pm until the early hours. So while we are at home chillaxing on aSunday night ahead of the dreaded Monday morning, things are buzzing in BansarVillage. It’s the place to stock up on your essentials and fresh fruit and veg.The one stall that particularly caught my eye was serving sweet steameddumplings topped with coconut; a dish I haven’t tried for over a decade. Theywere a speciality my mum used to make, on rare occasions as they were so labourintensive. She ground the flour, had the filling shipped over from Bangladeshand spent hours steaming them inside cloth. My dad and his best friend were thenumber one fans. Seeing and eating them made me feel incredibly comforted.

9. A,b,c dessert

As a connoisseur of puddings, nothing could haveprepared me for the Malaysian signature dish of A, B, C – Air Batur Campurtranslated as mixed ice. It’s so advanced even Heston Blumenthal couldn’t comeup with something this peculiar. It consists of a tower of shaved ice withdifferent toppings, the most common being red beans, grass jelly and sweetcorn. Never, ever have I tasted anything like it…nothing comes close to thesensations you experience when sampling this most bizarre of concoctions. Itsounds straight forward, but look at this picture and imagine mixing it alltogether into a complete mess – that’s how you eat it. The taste sensations areunexpected – smooth, creamy, milky, refreshing – all these things excite yourtongue and then you realise the reality, you are eating sweetcorn….in adessert. Though I consider myself an adventurous eater and though I loved thedessert I still cannot get over the fact the dish contains sweetcorn –something normally eaten with tuna in sandwiches, grilled on bbqs, served withchicken at fast food stores and here it was for dessert. The texture just feltso wrong. I would have this again but I’m not sure I could do it with theyellow stuff included!

10. Britpop

Call me naïve but I always thought Britpop was a mid90s music scene that only stretched as far as British shores. There was theoccasional band that made it to America (sadly this ended the career for somebands like the Longpigs) but I had no idea is was a scene that was still big inAsia. There’s me getting on down at Nuisance club, the 3^rd Friday ofevery month in Camden, Londinium, while KL has a Britpop clubnight every Fridaynight thanks to this fine DJ on right (my friend’s boyfriend, she’s Lee,pictured next to him and they live in KL.) Added to this the fact many Britpopbands have been to KL (Lee’s boyfriend was the official guide for Super Furry Animals and Mogwai when they visited the city), it’s clearly a city I couldeasily make my home.

How to make a Balinese offering

2012-01-17T20:32:00.000Z

One of the firstthings I noticed about Bali was the beautiful handmade offerings. These aresmall baskets made from natural materials and filled with colourful flowers. Giving them is a ritual followed by Hindus who make them for the gods. They arenormally offered three times a day, though some people I heard about (my taxidriver’s wife) make 40 a day and even 100 during festivals. It is hoped theybring prosperity to your home, family, business and health.

Inside temples they are often seen besideincense.

Whenever you are out walking you’ll find themplaced on the street.

They even accompany drivers to ensure safejourneys.

Women can be seen making them all over town.While in the UK you notice stall holders reading a book or knitting whilewaiting for customers, in Bali, they occupy themselves making offerings.

I discovered two ways to make them. The cheats,quick, modern method is to staple together strips of coconut palm into a basketshape while the traditional and extremely delicate way is to join the stripsusing a fine bamboo skewer; as demonstrated in this short video I filmedoutside an art gallery on the Monkey Forest Road in Ubud. Below I’ve describedin more detail how these beautiful baskets are constructed.

You need two rawmaterials – firstly coconut palm leaves.

Secondly – fine bamboo skewers.

The first stageis to trim the palm into equal lengths and remove any rough edges.

There is a vein running down the palm.

For stronger basket the piece of palm can befolded in half so it’s thicker – this is suitable if you’re intending to placea large object like a coconut inside.

To join piecestogether you use the bamboo skewer to thread them together, you then break themoff, leaving behind a small stitch. When I tried this myself I didn’t get farat all. The bamboo is so fine it snaps instantly so trying to push it throughthe thick palm takes incredible skill and experience.

This is the typical small basket made fromshorter pieces of palm with strips bent and ‘stitched’ together.

Or you can make a taller one:

These ones werebeing made for a local temple to mark a full moon, due to take place in threedays time.

As for what goesinside, fresh flowers, rice and incense are common, all of which can bepurchased from markets.

If you don’t want to make your own offering they are in abundant supplyon street corners to purchase. Or if you just don’t have the time to make suchcomplicated versions, you can simplify them, by simply placing your offeringson a small leaf.

It’s quitedifficult to get hold of the raw materials to make these offering in the UK inexactly the same way but I plan on making some of my own versions withsubstitute materials. They don’t have to be religious, they could be offered tofriends as gifts by assembling cardboard baskets made with strips stapledtogether and filled with flowers – also a perfect activity for a craftworkshop.

Portraits from Bali

2012-01-12T20:37:00.000Z

Eat, Pray, Love?

The day before Iflew to Bali I watched the film adaptation of Eat, Pray, Love. I know thatsounds ridiculously clichéd. I hadn’t read the book but I knew what it wasabout. A writer fed up with her job, her life, her home, her husband….someonein need of a change and a new perspective. Knowing I had more than one of thesethings in common with her, it seemed apt it should be my pre-flight viewing.The movie rushed through Elizabeth Gilbert’s travels around Italy, India andBali though I sensed that the book would be more complete. But alas; it got meexcited about the prospect of seeing some rice fields, even if I wouldn’t, likeJulia Roberts, be able to cycle through them.

Happy feet

First thing wasfirst. Bali has long been known for its massages, spas and pampering treatmentsand it was my plan to ensure every inch of me got to experience these localtraditions – starting with a frangipani pedicure. Seeing these fragrant buds inabundance on every street corner made me realise that I’ve never actually seena real one before. But it wasn’t just these beauties; the entire island wasfilled with colourful fauna and foliage, none of which I could name as most ofthem were new to me.

Wherever you arein Bali, you are never far from a massage therapist. But the biggest concentrationare in the cultural capital of Ubud. I found it useful to gather up all theleaflets I was handed as I wondered around, and to pop in and view thefacilities before choosing. Prices vary so it’s best to pick and mix around thetreatments you want, rather than packages. On my final day I opted for fourhours of massage, scrub, reflexology and a hair treatment, split over twoneighbouring venues that set me back just £17.

Toyah Bungkah's resident artist

I had heard thatcreative people automatically feel at home in Bali, while non- creatives leavein touch with their creative side. I can safely say that the first part of thistheory is true; I settled in immediately, which was strange consideringgeographically it is the furthest I’ve ever travelled. Even the most ordinary ofpeople seemed to be brimming with creative talent. I met this man in CentralBali in the lakeside, volcanic town of Toyak Bungkah. He makes his living byselling paintings (so intricate you need a magnifying glass to appreciate them)and breeding fish. He paddled me over to his fish farm in a small canoe to seehis specimens. It was one of the most picturesque locations and it sounded likethe most ideal of jobs, and yet in reality holding down two jobs is a challengeand no where near as romantic as it seemed.

Family life

Public transportis Bali’s only weak point; it’s non-existent. For boat trips, there are achoice of public and tourist boats, where prices vary. The quotes I received tovisit a small island, off the coast of mainland Bali varied from £50 to £32 to£4…..I’m sure you can work out which one I opted for! On the roads there aresmall tourist buses called Bemos but sadly they are unreliable, take ages(two-hour car journeys can take seven hours in one because they chug along soslowly) and are crammed, so you can’t appreciate the views. I saw mostof the sights on the back of a motorbike and from car windows where I snapped up this family outside their shop.

Another Wayan

In Bali peoplehave several names. Dependent on the order of when you were born, one of yournames will be Wayan (first born), Made (second born), Nyoman (third born),Ketut (fourth born). I met many Wayans, Mades and Ketuts!

Strawberry Stop

I found it hardto get a true understanding of Balinese food as I mostly lived off fish curryand rice or tofu and rice (it seemed to be served everywhere, but I wasn’t sure if that makes it strictly Balinese?) Juice wiseI switched between avocado and jackfruit…..two of my favourite fruits. For theentire trip my travel partner Janine and I followed our noises rather than theguidebook. Infact there was just one place we read about that we made an effortto go to, Strawberry Stop (because I have an obsession with strawberries.) Herewe saw strawberry fields, drunk fresh strawberry juice and witnessed local kidsgobbling them down like sweets.

Peaceful playtime

We actually hadno idea that December/January is low season in Bali and because we stayed awayfrom the major tourist hangouts we rarely saw any other travellers. And perhapsthat also explains why I found it so easy to switch off. For once in my life Ifelt as though I was living in the present. My mind wasn’t wondering offdaydreaming as it usually does, it stayed where it was. One of the maindisciplines taught by mediation instructors is to master this technique and Iseemed to do it without even closing my eyes.

Natural phenomenons

No trip to Baliis complete without visiting temples. All but one of them are Hindu temples andI saw some utterly outstanding ones, but it was islands only Buddhist temple thatblew me away the most. It had an almost magical atmosphere that attracted allmanner of wildlife to settle within its grounds.

Culture in Ubud

TraditionalBalinese dance shows are on most evenings around Ubud. I was slightly scepticalthat they could be very dull and amateurish, yet the performance we sawat Ubud Palace was hugely impressive. The costumes were stunning and thediscipline of the moves and facial expressions made it seem like the hardestchoreography I’ve ever witnessed.

My companion Janine at Mundak waterfall

But the moment Ifelt like I had truly let go and felt fully rejuvenated was when we stopped offat Mundak waterfall. There’s another major waterfall in the vicinity that mostvisitors flock too, but Mundak is the quieter one. As soon as the gentle.cooling mists hit my cheeks, every stress I had ever felt, vanished. And thiscomes from the girl who sits at her computer most of the day with poor posture,storing stress in her shoulder blades. The mists dissolved away what months ofphysio could never do. Which makes me think rather than shelling out a fortuneon expensive doctors, coming here is a far better way to spend money!

Mount Batur (this is real scenery, even if it does look painted!)

So, the overallverdict? I certainly ate, prayed and loved during my trip to Bali…but wherelove was concerned it wasn’t with a jeep driving Brazilian! I left with morelove for myself, and what I do, and with a renewed enthusiasm for life. I amhappy to be back home (and back to blogging!) as I have an amazing bank ofholiday memories which will help me get through any challenges I may face in 2012.

All images (apart from the last one!) taken by me!

I'm off on my hols!

2011-12-27T12:13:00.000Z

I’m writing this blog while finalising my packing, asI’m off on holiday this evening! After spending six years in a row at the sameNew Year’s Eve party, I’m finally doing something different; heading to theshores of Bali via Malaysia, for two weeks.

Going on holiday is very special. Some people go onlots of holidays, others hardly go on any; and some folk will never go on asingle holiday during their lifetime. I didn’t go on my first holidayuntil I was at university as there was no ‘going away’ culture in my family,(apart from two trips to Bangladesh to visit relatives when I was 4 and 15.)

I haven’t been to a huge amount of places, but Iappreciate everywhere I have. While thinking about my New Year vacation, Ilooked back at some old holiday snaps taken over the last decade, to get me inthe holiday mood. It stirred up some great memories that I want to share.

1. Best day trip: Paris, France

I first went to Paris on my 20^th birthdayand was deeply unimpressed. It felt like the most unromantic place in theworld. It was grey, cold and grab (admittedly it was December). A few yearslater, after spending £15 in Boots, I was given a ‘Buy One Get One Free’voucher for Eurostar (this must have been the ONLY time they have ever ran thisdeal!). I returned to Paris; this time on a blistering summer’s day and itturned out to be the most fun day trip ever! A heatwavepenetrated through city and the streets were thriving with shiny, happy people,basking on a fake beach and enjoying the outdoor street showers. I picked up agorgeous 5 Euro dress at the flea market, and feasted on delicious pastries.All in all, it was a fabulous day…but it ended very sadly. On route back toKent, our train hit a deer. It lost its life, as did the train. We were strandedfor five hours with NO FOOD (as the announcement came that we weren’t goinganywhere, they shut the café – something I will never understand). In the earlyhours of the morning we were eventually escorted off the train and walked amile along the track until we boarded a new train. I arrived back in Brightonjust as my shift was starting at M&S.

2. Best adventures: Mexico

I left my heart in Mexico, so I went back to reclaimit. My first trip followed on from my Geography fieldtrip during my second yearat university. I did a project on Los Angeles, (Does the Hollywood Dream reallyexist?) and Las Vegas, (Is Las Vegas really a 24 hour city)…I know! Theydon’t exactly sound academic, but that’s Geography for you. If you think out ofthe box, you can get away with anything!

Afterwards I popped over to visit a friend studyingat a Mexican University, I’ll never forget arriving and eating her freshlycooked quesadillas – yum! Later I returned with friends and explored the Eastcoast. We had countless adventures in beautiful weather and ate amazingly. It’smy ambition to retire over there.

3. Best city: Barcelona, Spain

Similarly as I stepped foot in Barcelona on anotherbirthday, I felt so at home that I ended up returning to the city again, lessthat two weeks later! As well as incredible art, architecture, tapas,entertainment, shops….Barcelona is one of the few places in Europe that catchesDecember sun.

4. Best surprise: Scotland

On the way to Scotland, I bought a rain mac. I’venever needed one before but I was convinced there would be constant down pours.To my extreme shock, in the space of a week there was none. In fact I ended upbeing there the one week of the year where it apparently doesn’t rain, despitewhat the forecasts say. I travelled all across the whole top coast of thecountry and to the islands of Skye and Stornaway. It was utterly beautiful,peaceful, quiet and full of craft. There were weavers, artists, patchworkdesigners; all crafting away in quaint houses, where anyone can pop in and takea look. It really was like a dream world.

5. Best company: Norfol

Going on holiday withthe boys was the closest I’ll ever get to going on holiday with The Inbetweeners…you wouldn’t want to do it, but you know you’ll laugh so much thatyou will loose years. This was an August Bank Holiday camping trip involvingdodgy driving, rain soaked bbqs, encountering unfriendly locals, discoveringcharity shop bargains, and five people being squeezed into a one man tent,where ‘gas’ was a major issue…I kid you not! Despite this, I’ll never forgetthe antics and the taste of the veggie sausages for breakfast – wow!

6. Best memory: Zurich, Switzerland

Going on holidaywith my dad was an absolute honour. He dreamed about travelling but didn’t havemuch opportunity to see the world. About a year before he got unwell, Iescorted him on a trip to Zurich to visit my sister. In the beginning thenon-traveller in him was a bit moany, but once he settled in, and laid eyes onthe breathtaking scenery, he was utterly relaxed. We definitely bonded on thattrip, and looking back at all the photos makes me feel very happy.

7. Best food: Cork, Ireland

I’ve hadauthentic curry in India, classic tagine in Morocco…but the one culinary memoryI shall never forget is the brown bread of Ireland. It was the most deliciousbread I’ve ever tasted and I asked for extra portions every where I went.Eventually I found out the brand and bought 10 loaves. I froze them all butsadly none of them tasted as good back in London!

8.Best forgotten: Elba, Italy

Camping in Europe in February was never going to beone of my best ideas …not checking out the accommodation proved to be another.We turned up to find the only camping resort in the island closed forrefurbishment and were forced to pitch our tent on the beach (The spot was outside a closed bar). It was thecoldest, longest night of my life, during which time I got no sleep and had to‘improvise’ when it came to going to the loo. Definitely best forgotten!

9. Best relaxation: Hammamet,Tunisia

Many a traveller turns their nose up at ‘packageholidays’ but whatever your opinions, the truth is they are easy, convenientand can be very cheap. Curious as to what the ‘package’ is all about, a fewyears ago I decided it was time to roadtest one for myself and thus ended up ina popular tourist resort in Tunisia. While I’ll admit the evening entertainmentshows got a bit grating and the group water aerobics sessions didn’t get mesweating, I can say with my hand firmly on my heart, that I had a great time. Itwas just what I needed. Long hours at work meant I had no time to readguidebooks or undertake planning. I wanted an easy trip; and that was what Igot. The rejuvenating effects were instant.

10. Best luxury: Costa Blanca, Spain

When you’re ajournalist there are two types of press trip you can find yourself on. Thefirst is when you’re part of a group of journos, usually hosted by a touristboard or organisation, who take you around in a mini bus, organise your wholeitinery for you and feed you local specialities. The other type (‘best type’)is when you go alone or with a guest, and are treated like a VIP at anexclusive establishment. Last year I was pampered for three days at a 5 starresort in Spain. As soon as I arrived I knew I would probably never be in thissituation ever again (I can assure you, nothing similar has happened to mesince!). I blissed out for the duration, sampling massages, taking frequentdips in heated pools, undertaking relaxing activities like tai chi and diningon the most divine of dishes – every meal, which was complimentary, came toover 100 euros…I could never imagine an existence where I could afford that,but for those three dreamy days, Barcelo Asia Gardens was my personal heaven.

And so toMalaysia and Bali. My friend Janine won a pair of flights to the destination ofher choice, she picked Kuala Lumpar in Malaysia and gave me her other ticket.To say I feel blessed in an understatement. We have no plans other than havebooked our first night in both locations.

I’m treating itas a complete holiday. No work, no crafting, no writing, no blogging andprobably no tweeting either! It’s just going to be me, her, and a whole blankcanvas of exploration.

Whatever you haveplanned for the next few days, I hope you feel as positive about 2012 as I do.I can’t wait to share how I welcomed it in - normal blogging will commence uponmy return in mid-January.

My trip to The X Factor final!

2011-12-19T00:24:00.000Z

I’ve always beena ‘yes’ girl, eager to do, see, try, and go to as many things and places aspossible…even when my workload says otherwise. I found myself in thissituation last Sunday when my friend Kizzy sent me a text message:

Kizzy: Do youlike The X Factor?

Me: I’m planningto watch the final tonight (inside thinking ummmm, yes but I can’t admit it toopubically, even though I clearly just have)

Kizzy: Do youwant to watch it live?

Me: (inside:……butshe’s going with her cousin, does she have another ticket….I’m so behind on mywork, I have a chandelier to make by tomorrow…most of which I was going to doin front of the TV yet I replied…) YES!

And the nextthing I knew I had an hour to get glammed up and hot step it to Wembley.Kizzy’s boyfriend works behind the scenes on the show’s lights, which anyonewho watched it will agree, are pretty spectacular. Her Gary-Barlow-obsessedcousin had been excited for weeks to be going with Kizzy, who managed to getfree tickets courtesy of the boyf, but sadly was unwell. So there I was in herplace, slipping inside the Arena minutes after arriving, while for miles ahead,queues of public were freezing their fingers off.

We were given two garishly coloured bands and told to wear one on each wrist.They didn’t seem to do anything, there were no buttons, levers or cords topull. It was most peculiar, then at the stroke of 5.30, everyone’sbands turned on. At this point people were just milling around, waiting to goinside, and we started cheering from the sheer shock and surprise of our wrists coming alive and being controlled by someone/something(?) else.

We had no ideawhere we’d end up sitting and were ecstatic to discover we were five rows from the frontat the right hand side of the stage, which is where all the action takes place.While it looks like everything is ‘central’ when you see in on TV, theaction was actually right of centre. Westlife were practically touching distance whenthey came on stage. (Not that I would want to touch Westlife but I was seatednext to another guest’s mum who went crazy for them : ) )

Being so close tothe stage made you feel like you were part of the special effects. Every time thepyrotechnics blasted out you could feel the burn of the flames.

When you’resitting at home you assume TV presenters have spent all day learning their linesbut of course (and having done a course in TV presenting myself I knowthis…though that’s another story!), it’s all about the autocue; which Dermot wasreading, again, on 'our end' of the stage.

I heard variousaccounts after the show was broadcast from people who hated watching it at Wembley,saying it seemed to be better quality in the TV studio. I even listenedto a chap on the radio rant about how the Arena had no atmosphere and thesinging was lost in such a large space. I can confirm that in the live moment, there was a definiteelectric excitement in the air. Especially being able to see the off-cameraantics. For example when you see Dermot chatting away; elsewhere on stage, the sets are changing and the contestants are composingthemselves. Marcus wore the biggest smile whenever the camera was on him but healso spent a long time just focusing and not smiling at all.

Then as the firstchord hit, he switched into character….really fascinating to observe.

I don’t know whatit felt like watching it at home, but the advert breaks seemed to take forever…theyfelt really long…we didn’t see them. Instead we got views of the judges havingtheir faces powdered (seriously…does it really take three people to make Kellylook gorgeous??!). There was also an off camera presenter providing audienceentertainment so we didn’t get bored…though it mainly involved him askingmembers of the audience to come on stage and sing….most of those that volunteeredwere children and singing kids are really not my cup of tea : (

As ever, Little Mix were terribly styled. Seriously…why is Perrie dressed as acircus ringmaster…it’s unflattering and looks ridiculous. And I’m not even the kindof person that judges people on their clothes but we all know that LM arestyled by someone, who probably gets paid loads. I doubt the girls have muchsay. Yet each week they looked awful. The semi finals the previous day were the worst. They were dressed head-to-toe in washed out denim...need I say more? I really hope that they change their stylist asap. They need someone whoknow’s how to flatter them and turn them into role models. They should beinspiring trends; not making people go off fashion.

The highlight ofthe entire evening and what made getting home and staying up excrutiatinglylate to work, and then spend the next day like a zombie; was the set by Coldplay.I’m not a Coldplay fan. The hatred started when I saw them perform in Cardiffat a Student Radio Association conference back in 2000. They were a support act to an indie band who have since disappeared. People barely knew whothey were but I was soooo bored because Chris Martin, the singer, seemed so big headed.He spent the entire set bigging himself up, it was cringeworthy but I guess it provesthat self-belief can change your life. He thought he was amazing and, he’s nowa billionaire - clearly we could all do with some of that positive attitude. Back tothe songs… I wasn’t really listening to the music but as soon as they beganplaying; 20,000 wrist bands turned on and it was like being in a completedreamlike, magical world.

The light-upbands were provided by Coldplay to enhance the live music experience byincreasing audience participation. I wouldn’t say I felt like I wasparticipating, I just felt like I was ‘experiencing’; and it really was a gig experiencelike no other…or perhaps that should be stadium experience like no other?

Itwas certainly epic.I watched the songs back and while it looked good, in real life it really was something else: something very special.

Another epicmoment was waiting for the results…

And then beforeyou knew it, the stage was brimming with ex-contestants…

…and rainbow confetti..

So my completelyunexpected Sunday night which could have ended with me lounging on my sofachilling in my PJs while working, actually turned into a night of momentous glamour. Kizzy andI had so much fun, cheering, dancing and waving our wrists. I feel so lucky tohave been there. It’s certainly going down in my list of ‘wow experiences.’

Speaking of wow, this is what Cannonball should sound like (not the winner's single version):

(All photos by me apart from the ones of me that Kizzy took!)

How to make & customise: super simple stockings

2011-12-10T23:41:00.001Z

Stocking fillersare the best Christmas gifts. I’d be happy is Santa delivered me somethingcheap & cheerful from Poundland...as long as it’s not coal(but I’m not a naughty girl so I don’t need to worry!)

Of course Santagives the best prezzies to the people with the best stockings. I recentlydesigned stockings for Dog’s Monthly magazine (for the pet and the owner!),pictured above. And below are a selection of handmade stockings to inspire you,made by staff from the V& A Museum. I ran a special Christmas craftworkshop for them for their recent away day.

The plan was for staff to hang them in their workcorridor for everyone to admire.

I gathered lots of spangly materials and letthem loose on my supplies.

They beaveredaway for 1.5 hours. All 25 of them!

To make your ownsuper simple stocking, simply draw two basic stocking shapes on a piece of felt(these ones were just less than A4 in size), and cut them out.

Then pick yourembellishments and get crafting! Sew, glue, paint, draw, glitter, bead, sequin,embroider or write…whatever takes your fancy!

To join ittogether use a basic in and out running stitch all along the sides.

Or a whip stitch which is a diagonal stitch thatgoes along the sides holding the pieces together.

Finally stitch apiece of ribbon in a loop in the inside corner, to hang up your stocking.

Santa if you’rereading this, here’s what I would like in my stocking this year, (just incasethe stock in Poundland is sold out and your elves can swing by somewhere posh):

Chocolate from Hotel Chocolat (any as long as it’s not dark!)
Lip Gelee lipgloss from MAC (they’ve stopped selling it, but you’re Santa, you can make it come back!)
A jar of Chilli Marmite….I’ve got friends who have tried it but I’ve not seen it yet : (
A voucher for TK Maxx (no explanation needed)
A date with John Abraham….well he’s split up with Bipasha, surely you can pull some strings? ...for me??????

Oh and clementines are ok as long as they are sweet!Thanks : )

How to make: Easy Peasy Tree Decorations

2011-12-04T10:41:00.001Z

Christmas treedecorations are one of my favourite things about December. I love the reallylavish ones you get in department stores like Harrods and Selfridges andfor more affordable ones, the rows of colourful, sparkling ornamentsin Paperchase. Monsoon also have some utterly cute characters and crafty, feltydesigns. Yet while I like to treat myself to a couple of new ones a year, Ihave everything I need to make my own at home. And when it takes just five minutes tomake each one, it’s much quicker than heading to the shops and spending your afternoonstanding in a slow-moving queue.

I discovered thismost fabulous of glittery fabric via Hatastic! designer Chloe Hayward, which isideal for Christmas tree decorations. Chloe made some Halloween horns for my upand coming glitter book, using a sheet of red. It’s a densely covered wovenbacked fabric that’s hard-wearing enough to be used for footwear, fashion andfurnishings. I treated myself to a batch recently. They are sold in Josy Rose,for £2.45 per A4 sheet and the colour chart is impressive. The sheets canbe cut with ordinary scissors and either glued down with a glue gun orcarefully stitched through with a very sharp needle. Like felt, they don’t fray,making them not just gorgeous, but versatile too! Hooray!

They can be cut up into any shape you want, or to make it really simple Josy Rose sell die-cut, pre-cut shapesmade from the same fabric. If you’recutting inside them (like the buttons on this ethnic snowman), then use a craft knife and mat.

To make them, cuttwo equal sizes of felt and take a small piece of ribbon. Stitch your glittermotif onto one side and at the top end, stitch the ribbon in, folded over to create a loop. Use an embroidery stitch of your choice to join both sides together. Running and whip stitch work well.

Keep themminimalist, or bling them up with sequins, gems and glitter glue tubes. Add themto your tree, perhaps against some other homemade decorations, like the handwritten wishes currently featured at The Geffrye Museum, or like me, dangle them on your fairy lights.

Tutorial: Snow Scene candle holders

2011-11-30T22:54:00.001Z

I’m not the kindof person that goes on about the weather, but it’s so strange to think that thistime last year the UK was covered under a thick blanket of snow to the pointthat schools were shut, flights were cancelled and people were pretty muchstaying in doors; while this year it’s still fairly sunny and at times a littlewarm.

My local supermarket carpark...or is it?

I love the lightcreated by snow; how all of a sudden your ordinary drab grey street is suddenlya huge reflective mass. It creates the most incredible scenery.

Heidi should be around here somewhere...

One of my sisterslives in Switzerland where in winter the landscape lives up to the stereotypestypical on winter themed Christmas cards; snowcapped mountains, people skatingon frozen lakes and wooden chalets covered in twinkling fairy lights.

Thinking aboutthis made me remember the bottle of Glamour Dust I bought a few months back tohelp with my glitter book. It’s an ultrafine grade of glitter with an extremeiridescent quality (I bought it in Hobbycraft). It’s mainly used for cardmakingbut can also be ironed on to fabric, making it one of the most versatileglitters I’ve come across.

Pondering thisidea of snow and light I decided to make some snowy nightlight holders – thoughany glass containers will do. I had two plain votive holders at home but washedand cleaned jam jars work just as well, and rather than nightlights, can holdlarger candles inside.

Have a goyourself!

You’ll need:

Glass jar

PVA glue

Glamour Dust (in 'crystal')

Fine Tip Applicator (or other container with a fine nozzle that helps you apply glue invery fine lines)

Fill the applicator with PVA glue and freehand draw designs on your glass container. If you’re not happy doing this then draw your designs on paper first, place them inside the glass and then apply the glue on top, the paper will act as a template, guiding you.

As the lines are so fine, they will dry quickly so hold the jar above some paper and sprinkle Glamour Dust all over, ensuring all the glue is covered. Leave it to dry and pour the Dust back inside the bottle by folding your paper in half to create a channel in the centre, allowing the Dust to fall in.

When dry, rub a soft cloth or tissue over your glass jar to removeexcess Dust and then place your candles or nightlights inside, and watch thewarming glow, while daydreaming about far away snowy lands…until it finallylands on these shores!

(Apologies the images aren't very good, it's hard to shoot white glitter on glass in poor light after midnight...but I can assure you they look impressive in real life AND create patterned shadows!)

Craftacular fever hits London

2011-11-27T22:48:00.001Z

I read that Rob Ryan wrapping paper would be on sale at Bust Magazine’s annual Christmas Craftacular in London but I had no idea the man in question, the man…he, thelegend, the most incredible paper crafter ever, would be there in person,signing hand screen printed ‘wrapping paper’ that clearly no one will ever useto wrap a gift, but will in fact frame, and admire forever. And here heis….with me!!! I was in so much shock…in fact, I am still in shock. The man is agenius. I am in love with every papercut he has ever done, his desk calendarsits on my table, his teatowels are in my kitchen drawers, his skirt hangs inmy wardrobe, his books adorn my shelf, his blog is a must read of mine and hisRyan Town shop is one of my favourite museums… and there I was. In hispresence, getting his autograph. I felt soooo honoured. (All I need now is someone to buy methis rather incredible Tatty Devine necklace, followed by me saving up all mypennies to one day own one of his original pieces of art work….that’s two dreamsto be getting on with …)

In the mean timehere’s a round up of my trip to this most spectacular of craft fairs. Lots ofthe regular craftastic stalls were there, the super stylish Janine Basil andher Batastic fascinators, the ever gorgeous Heart Zeena (revealing her new woven shawls), and plenty of other folk I recognised from Renegade afew weeks back and the Thames Festival in the Autumn.

Rob Ryan wasselling three colours of ‘wrapping paper’. Miraculously I was the last personin the queue to get my hands on a blue one…and I was suitably chuffed : ) Ibought it as a gift and am keeping a red one for myself. It was one hour (spentqueuing) well worth it, and I wasn’t the only satisfied customer.

Lauren O’Farrel of Stitch London and Crafty Crafty fame was the one who tipped me offabout it!

What an arm!

Unfortunately queuingmeant I was unable to get to the Craftivists workshops.

Sarah the heroine behind the Craftivist Collective led one of their popular sessions onmaking poignant ‘mini protest banners.’

Kits to make your own banners can bebought online at Folksy if you fancy having a go and check out their website for moredetails about their inspiring work, that quite frankly we should all be a part of.

He's 'X'y

Luckily I stillgot crafty, thanks to the fine stitchy specimen that is Mr X Stitch. He may bea craft celebrity (look out for him on Kirsty’s Chrismas Special over thefestive season)…but does that mean he knows how to teach?

I can reveal thatthe answer is yes! Having done zero cross stitch since I was seven years old (Ihave a cushion full of mistakes to show for it), he opened my mind up to awhole new crafty world. Starting with how to sew without knotting yourthread…something I never knew, despite my own efforts to be a crafty expert whospecialises in textiles.

Fellow crafty Twitterati friends joined me – most of who were more successful that me. Ididn’t manage to complete my Christmas sampler, just the letter ‘o’!

But hey ho, it’sa start and I learn't heaps!

'O' dear...

Mr X Stitch was a splendid workshop host;inspiring, motivating and even patted me on the back when I was feelingstressed about the ridiculous mistakes I kept making. If only all teachers werelike him.


Get your sugar hit!

I didn’t get achance to meet the legendary Jazz Domino Holly who was running the nextsession, as I had to hotstep it to catch a Bollywood movie across town, but I’mhappy to report I did track down a lovely girl with amazing hair, who co-runs abrilliant craftzine called Sugar Paper.

It’s the best craftzine I’ve ever seen(even better than my old craftzine Fete!)

I met her at Craftacular two years agowhen I bought an amazing bag she made with the words ‘You make me want tocrochet’. It’s one of my fave bags and it was great to see she’s still doingwhat she loves.

Love and passionis pretty much what sums up Craftacular. The stalls are run people who all lovemaking stuff and the shoppers are crazy about what they see. The atmosphere isone of shiny, happy, smiley people and lots of like-minded peeps to makefriends with, such as the ever lovely Shoreditch Sister girls. For a run downof the crafty goodies that were on sale, check out the brilliant photo gallery on Crafty Crafty.

I most definitelyrecommend a trip here next year (there may be a summer Craftacular too?). Theonly disappointment was the Tatty Devine tombola. It cost £2 to enterand all I got was one chocolate celebration…i.e a Bounty bar that measures 3cm.

The good thing about the stall though was that the lovely lady working there waswearing this most spectacular of lobster necklaces. Another accessory I need toget saving for.

In fact that’sone thing this craft fair taught me. There is so much lovely arty/crafty stuffout there I want to own, I just need to pull my stockings up and get more work,to pay for it ; )

Tutorial: How to make Bollywood Baubles

2011-11-23T18:27:00.001Z

I’m ashamed toadmit I haven’t posted any tutorials in a while. Every excuse I can think of isweak, so I won’t bother listing them. Instead I’m making it my ‘End of Year’resolution to design more blog makes …starting off with some fab festive filmi fun:Bollywood Baubles.

You will need:

Plain Christmasbaubles (I bought a box in the £1 shop)

A Bollywood magazine (cut out images of your favourite stars – small ones thatwill fit on your baubles)

Bling and things…

Like…Glitter gluetubes

Loose glitter

Sequin trim

Sequins

Gemstones

Bindis

Assorted collagepapers

Essentials

PVA glue

Scissors

Paintbrush orfine tip applicator (a container with a fine nozzle to make gluing details easier)

Get crafting:

1. Chop collage paper into shapes, try small triangles,squares and strips.

2. Glue these randomly on your baubles, by pasting PVAglue on the back using your brush. Ensure every corner is glued down, andsmooth them out around the curves of the bauble so there are no lumps andbumps.

3. Glue your Bollywood star in the centre, again, ensuring the imageis fully glued down. Don’t worry if glue spreads out from underneath as itdries clear.Outline the edge of each star with a line of glitterglue.

4. Sit your bauble in an eggcup so they are easier to handleand get decorating. It may take a couple of hours to complete, as you will needto wait for them to dry before you can turn around to decorate the bottomsection.

Ideas: Use a brush or fine tip applicator to add dots on the surface tostick on sequins, draw shapes and spots straight on with glitter glue, defineedges, stick on sections of loose glitter and cut strips of sequin trim.There are no rules, bling it up as you wish! The paper shapes underneath willalso create sections which will influence the design.

5. When dry, thread string through the top and hang them upsomewhere in your home…they don't need to be on a Christmas tree, or displayed just forChristmas….I hang up some of my Christmas decorations all year round!

And here they are closer up (click on the links to check out the stars in action!):

Queen Rani Mukerjee

The Big B Amitabh Bachan

Sexy Vivek Oberoi

Do you love Bollywood? Check out Bollywood Deewana’sincredible Bolly Blog and listen to Love Bollywood on BBC Asian Network with Raj & Pablo. And if you want make more Christmas decorations, I'll be posting another make soon, or come along to the All That Glitters workshop I'm running at The Geffrye Museum in London, on December 3rd. It costs £30, lasts the full day and all materials are included.

Gig review: Fingersnap at The Jazz Café, Sun 20th November 2011

2011-11-22T00:01:00.001Z

When you go tosee a band called Fingersnap the expectations are high. I mean you can’t callyourself that unless you truly make music that inspires your listeners to nodtheir head, tap their feet and click their fingers to the beat. Thankfully thevenue Fingersnap chose was promising. After all, Sunday nights at The Jazz Caféwere made to be spent undertaking finger-snapping action, it’s the nearest weLondoners can get to the feeling of going to a late-night Southern blues bar,without the airfare. And tonight’s main attraction? One Mr David McAlmont.Formerly known under many guises as one half of numerous duos and as anindividual, solo icon, in his own right. His rich, harmonious, hypnotisingvocals, poetic lyrics and flamboyant stage presence have long made him one ofBritain’s finest performance artists, though for some reason, he is oneof the most underrated.

Last year I hadthe pleasure of witnessing three extraordinary McAlmont gigs, accompanied byhis musical partner Guy Davies – the two of whom have now formed Fingersnap.While David opens up his heart and soul as a writer, Guy creates the music thatturns the words in David’s notebooks into masterpieces.

This was theirinaugural London gig; the first live opportunity to showcase the material theyhave devoted the last year to writing. There was no gentle introduction; theband (David and Guy had a backing trio of a guitarist, drummer and double-bassplayer), started full swing, straight into Mama Please Don’t Cry, an upbeat, jingly, jangly, catchy, popsong that had David beaming and yes…snapping his fingers. And it wasinfectious.

Dressed in a goldand magnolia kaftan with a giant Christmas star tied around his neck, Davidseemed relaxed, confident and with a fresh zest for life. Yes he’s been away,but this isn’t any old come back; it’s progress.

The second oftheir offerings was the melodic Some Kind of Nice Beast that Guy led into on the piano, whileDavid clapped to the rhythm. A poignant duet, it made me feel comfortedthat next year’s album is going to be simply divine. I could already picturemyself listening to it in certain scenarios. Is it true about Detroit?, (a blues tinged foot tapping,finger-snapping speciality) is the perfect driving tune, but would sound justas motivational for completing housework to.

The duo alsoplayed a series of cover versions, some of which celebrated David’sdiscography, this time with new arrangements. The vocals in Lose My Faith were shorter, sharper, jazzier and moreunderstated. Similarly Yes was far less operatic vocally, and far more epic on the piano.

ThroughFingersnap, David celebrates the complexity and flexibility of his voice. Weknow he can reach the high notes of Diamonds are Forever and has the charisma to belt outtheatrical showbiz numbers, but this was more about improvisation. His vocalswere playful and exploratory representing ‘him in the present’, rather than a ‘stage character’. That’s not to say he’s lost any of hischarm…he will no doubt always possess stylish diva qualities; it’s just he’smatured.

David covered AmyWinehouse’s Tears Dry On Their Own and dedicated it to her; a singer for whom he shareda great love for, which you can read more about on David’s blog.

Then the bandmoved on to their ‘Fingersnap love song’, which I predict will soon be snappedup by an American movie producer due to it’s soundtracky feeling, which for me,evoked the image of a dancing ballerina inside a snow globe. The Jazz Café’sfairylight backdrop added to the magicalness. The set list also contained thefeel-good Kids in the Caribbean, and a multi-genre tune (track 12, I didn’t catch the title!) pepperedwith influences of rock and disco.

So this wasFingersnap at their very beginning. I’m soo looking forward to seeing how theydevelop next year. Personally I’d like to hear a few more vocals from Guy as Ithought he had an angelic voice, that blended beautifully with David’s.Together may they inject a much needed fresh new spirit into Britain’scurrently rather stake, music industry.

Fingersnap’sSmokehouse EP is out now.

Extracts from my diary 1: 26th December 1992 (aged 12)

2011-11-18T15:58:00.001Z

So I’ve decidedto publish extracts from my diaries. I started keeping a dairy at the age of 7 but it became more regular between the ages of 11 to 21when I wrote most days. Then I took a break and started keeping one again a couple of years ago. When I first beganI thought I would die if anyone ever read them and I wasn’t sure if I would ever be ready to share them publicly, but lately I’ve been feeling a bit sadthat this person I once was, is now hidden away and forgotten about inside variousnotebooks. I’m not going to publish them completely, just random passages. I’malso not yet sure if I’ll explain or contextualise them by saying who I’m talkingabout, I’ll have to see what happens. Not naming any names either. It's not fair on them So for now:

Extract 1: 26^th December 1992 (aged 12)

Quarter to 12

I hate the wholeworld. I hate my life. I hate my school. I hate my family. I hate my teachers.I hate the stupid girls in my class. I hate myself.

3’o’clock pm

Stuff what I saidearlier on today…I just attempted to cut my fringe. It turned out such adisaster. It’s all different lengths. So I have to wear a stupid Alice Band inmy hair now. G went mad when I told her. She was shouting at me for ages.I just stood there crying. I think that’s about it for now. Bye.

My 'mum' experiment

2011-11-14T23:03:00.001Z

Part of me feelsslightly embarrassed about writing this post. Some of my readers may bewondering why I’m making such an issue of scenarios they experience on a dailybasis. And for this, I apologise.But motherhood is new to me…I mean I’m not a mum. I only became one last week,for 9 hours. But this was no ordinary babysitting assignment. I approached itwith complete conviction; going about my every day life with a baby in tow.Which involved manoeuvring London buses, tubes and trains, meeting friends forlunch, attempting to do some writing, going for my regular beauticianappointment, getting the shopping done… and all this while having theresponsibility of a 9 month old.

The cutey pie inquestion is little Ada who normally resides in the US but was holidaying inLondinium, home of her birth, for a couple of weeks. I literally jumped at theopportunity to look after her while Real Mum went to work. I’d never done anythinglike it before. I’ve looked after my nieces and nephews at home for a few hoursbut that was ages ago and they are no longercarted around in push chairs.

We arranged to meetat London Bridge at 8.30am. Ada didn’t suspect a thing as we switched hands onthe buggy and I took over from Real Mummy. First task: getting her up theescalator. Luckily it was a short one. Going up escalators proved to be fine, but Ididn’t risk going down any.

When we boarded the train I turned Adaaround to face me. I had been warned she would burst into tears and screamfor 10 minutes but she simply looked at me very calmy and luckily, didn’t seemtoo traumatised that her mum had literally vanished and morphed into me.

First stop:Lewisham. It’s a hive of pigeon activity and being in London is was only fairAda bonded with the city’s least respected residents.

We didn’t have any breadto feed them but she seemed interested enough.

One thing Ilearn't from my nieces and nephews is toys are unnecessary; household objectsare far more desirable and this pack of cable ties kept Ada intrigued for themajority of the day. She briefly held an elephant and book, but the cable tieshad greater appeal.

I ticking off my to-do list including getting my eyebrowstweeked (sorry Real Mum and Dad if I’ve exposed your child to vanity at such ayoung age.) As I lay back and got plucked, a gaggle of beauticians watched overher.

You know how whenyou go to public loos they have posters up saying ‘Do you plan your shoppingtrips around going to the toilet..this is not normal - you may have bladderweakness?’ Well those areaimed at me, not because of bladder weakness, I just need to know where thenearest loo is at all times. Yet on this occasion I found myself all eyes onthe look out for ‘baby changing’….of which you realise there are far fewer thanyou expect. Then I remembered that Lewisham Library has the most spacious babychanging I’ve ever seen, so I took Ada there for a nappy swap. The room is partof the children’s library which sits adjacent to people working away on theirlaptops so I had to be really conscious of screaming….not that she cried, there were just a few whimpers. After which Ada was setloose around the library to crawl to her hearts content. It struck me then thata baby’s life is split into hours. Every hour is a new challenge and that’s howthe rest of our day spanned out. One activity per hour.

Thankfully she wasn't swallowed up by The Gruffalo.

We caught the bushome. Luckily there were no other buggies to contend with, in time for lunch,where she unexpectedly drank two bottles of milk and had some pureed veg. Afterthat, she showed me how to send an email.

Nap time on the tube

Normally I munchmy way through breakfast and elevenses but with my all time consumed byensuring she was still alive, not a morsel hit my lips until we got to NoodleKing in Bethnal Green at 1.30 where some of my friends were celebrating abirthday lunch.

Ada chilled with baby Mia while the rest of us feasted ondumplings and tofu. There wasn’t a peep out of Ada, just a constant huge smileand frequent cheeky giggles that captivated all the waitresses.

While Mia tuckedinto nibbles, Ada calmy drank her milk.

I assumed it was time for a nappychange and with the Museum of Childhood only a short walk away, I decided totake her there to 'proper' baby changing facilities, rather than the floor of atake-away loo.

Underneath theinnocent face (which fooled me as there wasn’t any bad smells) was a hugepoohey mess (probably because I hadn’t put her nappy on properly after hermorning wee.) The leak had spread up her tummy, through her jump suit and herjeans and as I attempted to undress her, it spread to her back and neck too…ohdear. Naked baby on my hands and NO CLOTHES to dress her in. She came with aspare set but I managed to spill an entire bottle of water inside the bag theywere in, so they were soaked through. I spent five minutes in a stunned silence.Ada looked at me, I looked at her….at least one of us was smiling. It seemsnothing can get this girl down. I eventually got a grip. Put her in a freshnappy and wrapped her in my jacket. It was a cold and darkening Novemberafternoon in an area I didn’t know, but thankfully, after a short walk up thehigh street, saviour came in the form of a charity shop. And there in amidstthe abandoned children’s clothing was a bright orange PJ suit, size 6-9 months,price £1.50.

By now it was rush hour so we headed back to London Bridge where RealMummy joined us at the spot we first parted, bemused by her new outfit.

I’m yet toexperience the urge to want children but some how I seemed to cope fine with a baby. Perhaps if she’d had a screaming fit in public things would have beendifferent, but then again, I did feel like the worst mother in the world takingher out naked with nothing but my coat.

I’m committed totrying new things and that’s why I put my hand up and said I’d babysit. Iwanted to experience what life might be like if I did have a baby. All dayI had a strange sensation that I was a mum, and certainly any one who saw me outand about wouldn’t have thought otherwise. Do 16 year old school girlsstill get given fake babies to take home and look after as practise? Becauseadult women should be given the chance to do what I did. Real mums say that youloose your selfishness when you have a child and having an insight into thatwas pretty special. So non-mums, (and non-dads) next time an opportunityarises to babysit, I say embrace it; there’s nothing else like it. And as forif I would do it again…yes ...only this time I’d show her the DocklandsLight Railway and take her on a Thames Clipper boat trip too, so she couldproperly experience getting out and about in the Big Smoke.

My trip to Kilpatrick PR press day

2011-11-09T20:42:00.000Z

Festive spirit

One of the most excitingthings about working as a journalist is being the first to see, hear, watch,experience, and try out new things. But these benefits are no longer restrictedto the press. In recent years PRs have been taking much more notice of the power ofbloggers; inviting them to ‘dos’ that were previously restricted. This is greatbecause I’ve always been inclined to believe what ‘real people’ think, ratherthan someone who’s job it is to review things. I fall into both categories butgiven a choice I’d much rather wear my blogger hat: what you read on my blog isme being me; not me working for someone else.

One ofthe things that land in my inbox as a writer and blogger, on a daily basis, isinvitations to ‘press launches’. I don’t go to all of them, only things I’mgenuinely interested in like trying out new lotions and potions. Last month Iwent to the Christmas Press Day for Kilpatrick PR, and decided to reveal whatactually happens on a ‘press day’.

If only my beauty shelf was like this!

Kilpatrick specialise in beauty products and uponarrival (inside a glamorous central London townhouse) I was greeted by a hugelong table stretching across the room and filled with exciting new productsabout to hit the shelves.

Shame they weren't hot!

And because it was aChristmas launch there were plenty of mince pies to go around!

Seasonal pampering

As an Xmas gift there wasalso a selection of complimentary pampering treatments – none of which I needed,having recently got my eyebrows and nails done, and the ‘hair-up service’ wasn’t reallyfor me as I don’t have a huge amount of hair! But what I did opt for was a1-2-1 with a psychic. A strange lavender lady seated in the corner…she wasdressed in ‘pale purple’ from head to toe so I knew I’d get on with her. I’mafraid I can’t reveal what she saw inside her virtual crystal ball, but shecertainly instilled me with a confidence boost.

'Me time' treats

Then it was time to sample the new products. I triedthings I’ve already heard of, like Champneys who have designed a huge number ofgift sets, retailing from £10.

New brands

Ones I’ve never seen beforelike Voya; a luxury Irish organic beauty brand. Their products are made fromcoastal ingredients like seaweed and are available in Selfridges, priced around£50.

Affordable stuff

Brilliant cheap and cheerful stuff that I’ve been wonover by. 2 True cosmetics cost from £1.99 and are stocked in Superdrug.Don’t be put off by their pocket money price, they are pretty good quality.I’ve found that even their mascara (a handy travel size) is better than somepricier brands.

Posh stuff

Andextortionately expensive products I will probably never own. Gazelli products come wrapped in pretty scarves and are only available in Harrods. Next week they are offering special facials inside Harrod's Retreat beauty parlour.

Can't wait to try it!

My favourite discovery ofthe night was this amazing gelSpa Luxury Bath Soak, which you pour into abathtub. The water turns into a huge vat of comforting jelly that you can relaxin. It contains aromatherapy oils and tiny beads that exfoliate your skin asyou lay back. A perfect addition to my Sunday Bath Ritual, the gel also retainsthe bath tub temperature four times as longer, giving you an excuse to stay inthe bath tub for hours. Bliss! There are three types; Revive, Relax and Soothand they are available in Boots for £9.99.

Goodies

An hour is a good time to spend at a press day thenwhen you’re ready to leave, you’re presented with a goody bag containingsamples. Hooray!

Lucky dip

As it was Christmas thelovely Kilpatrick girls had also organised a Christmas card lucky dip (some ofthe cards contained vouchers.)

Yay! I won!

Yippee! Inside mine was a£25 Ted Baker voucher. I’ve never been to a Ted Baker store (though I love the smell of Ted Baker beautyproducts) so this winter in the sales, I shall be treating myself to a TB item.

To try & test

As for what was inside my goody bag… well I wasreally happy to get a pack of the spa jelly; I can’t wait to take a soak in it!I also got some dry shampoo from Trevor Sorbie, (perfect as mine had just runout), a natural face sponge that has been making me look more beautiful. I used to buy really rough face loofahs from Woolworths but these ones aresoft and lovely and I now can’t wash my face without them! They are by Eco Tools and are derived from plant pulp. I highly recommend them. I also receiveda serum from luxury French brand Institut Eshederm that comes in a very shiny,bronze dispenser that I’ve been using on my face and so far, so good. The onlytrouble is you have to ‘pat’ and not ‘rub’ it in, which is difficult toremember! Also inside was some lovely Sweet Breath cinnamon tasting breathfreshener, incredible 2 True ‘cracking nail varnish’ which gives you a leopardprint effect on your nails in a few seconds, and some individual lashes whichlast a few weeks (as yet I’m too scared to try them out, but maybe one day?)

Revolution!

Best of all though…a light uplipstick…what an invention!!! There’s really not a lot to say other than ingenious! The lippy by New CID Cosmetics comes in eight shades and costs about £12. It has a mirror andin-built light so you can say good bye to smudges, even inside a dark club! I’msold!

So these are some of thelovely new beauty products to look for when you’re next out and about. I’m muchmore of a ‘read about them’, then ‘go to scary department stores and deal withshop assistants’ kind of girl, so if you are too, I hope this post was useful :)

An interview with Top Drawer Diva

2011-11-06T10:47:00.000Z

Every once in a while youmeet someone who is so inspiring, you want everyone to know about them. And onesuch woman I’ve come across recently is Vicki Williams, known in theTwittersphere as Top Drawer Diva. Not that she’s in any way a diva! It’s more thatdivas themselves, (the J-Los and Mariah’s of the world), want a bit of whatshe’s got; gorgeous undies that get hernoticed.

Indeed it’s not everyday youcome across a professional underwear designer (there’s no shortage of ‘fashiondesigners’ but specialising in under garments just sounds so much moreinteresting.) I ‘met’ Vicki through Twitter and have been following herprogress from appearing in her local paper, to running private workshops andparties. Like me, she is someone who ‘likes making stuff’, so I thought itwould be nice to do a special blog interview with her (something I’ve not donebefore, but I’ve decided is going to be the first in a new series!) And so…introducing Vicki:

Inspiring Vicki

Underwear…some peoplecan’t even say the word and keep a straight face!

Saying ‘bras’ and ‘knickers’is second nature to me. It’s what I know about about! During a post schoolfashion foundation, I really got into the corsetry side so I went on to studyfor a degree in Contour Fashion at Leicester De Montfort University. It was theonly ‘underwear degree’ in Europe. I studied swimwear and all aspects oflingerie including learning about different types of lace. Underwearconstruction is highly skillful, especially when you’re sewing the tiny piecesof a bra; nimble fingers are a must! After that, I landed several designer jobscreating undies for a range of high street stores from Top Shop and MissSelfridge to Next. Just as the rest of the fashion world is fast paced, trendsin underwear design have to keep up too.

Could a parent have amore embarrassing job?

My kids are always gettingembarrassed, they say all I talk about is knickers! It’s even a talking pointat school and when their teachers tell them they should be proud of me, theywalk off!

Girlie glamour

Pants parties: why didyou start running them?

My husband landed a job inAustralia so I left the designing for a bit to concentrate on bringing up ourtwo children, but while I was there, I got bitten by the making bug. Thehandmade culture in Australia is huge and it inspired me to take the buzz backto the UK. I just though ‘I can do this’, so I set up a part-time business running ‘pant parties’ where women can get together and customise theirown knickers; it’s the ultimate girls night out and lots and lots of fun.

Sounds just like my kindof thing!

It’s proving a popularactivity for hen dos and birthdays and it’s very good value. Sessions costs £20per person with all materials, equipment and tuition included. Plus, you get tokeep your new panties!

Bedroom bunting

Life isn’t just aboutlingerie though; what else does Top Drawer Diva get up to?

I also sell my own work, youcan buy directly from my Folksy store or from stalls I often hold at local events. I make arange of sewn items like aprons, lavender bags and cards but my Top Drawer Divasignature product is Boudoir Bunting. This is not your usual gingham and floral tea party decoration, butsensual, seductive bow edged bunting that was made to be hung in your bedroom.

I can testify to just howextravagant it is as Vicki sent me a sample (above) and it’s absolutely gorgeous. She’san exceptional seamstress, the construction is perfect and the style delicateand decadent. Mine is hung where it belongs, just beside my bed!

Sugar & spice...

...and all things nice!

Where and how can we findyou?

I’m based in Cleethorpes, inthe North East of England and workshops are held throughout Yorkshire and theNorth West including Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester and as far south asNottingham. Most private parties are held inside the hostesses’ home and Ibring everything with me, but some people prefer to hire spaces like localhalls or rooms. The best way to contact me for a booking is via Twitter oremail; the website is on its way.

It’s a new business, butthe scope is huge…

I’ve only been up andrunning since May and bookings have been increasing thanks to word of mouth andsupport from the local press. Right now I spend about three days a week on thebusiness while the kids are at school and I have a friend that helps me. Looking forward I’m really keen to get myself a proper studio, where Icould design and host parties and possibly even turn it into a craft café. (Fingers crossed she does!)

To find out more about Vickiand to book one of her Pants Parties, e-mail topdrawerdiva@hotmail.co.uk www.twitter.com/TopDrawerDiva

If you would like to be interviewed on this blog, email me with some details about you and your creative, crafty life. contact@momtazbh.co.uk

First sign of wrinkles? : (

2011-11-02T11:14:00.001Z

Lesser spotted me with no make-up!

So it has finally happened.With just over a month to go until I turn 31 I have joined the camp of womenobsessed with lines and wrinkles and the fear of starting to look ‘old’. I tookthis snap on Monday, I know, I don’t look old, but on close inspection, my face is changing. Most visibly my neck.

For someone obsessed withcream from a young age (believe it or not, I have creams for my face, eyes,nose, hands, feet, body…but none for my neck!). I don’t know why, but I seemedto have ignored it most of my life. Then a couple of months ago I saw a photoof me where all of a sudden my neck had taken over; it was unrecognisable. I’venever had a relationship with my neck, it’s normally covered by scarves andnecklaces but there is was, speaking to me and it said ‘you need to startlooking after me!’

Is my chin drooping?

So, I decided I would buy myfirst ever anti-ageing product. A HUGE step for anyone. I went to my localBoots and for about 10 minutes wondered up and down the ‘mature skin’ aisle.Until eventually a shop assistant came up to me and said ‘these creams aren’tfor you, they are for older women’. And she pointed at the neighbouring aisle.So I turned around and said to her ‘but I’m 30.’ And she immediately said, ‘oh’and then showed me how the range was split into creams for women who are intheir 30s, 40s and 50s. So I was in the right aisle after all…

I came home empty handed. Icouldn’t get my head around the concept let alone the product. I’m a strong,independent woman who doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her. I certainlydon’t have any insecurities about people thinking I wear too much make-up (Ilove it!), at certain times of the month I could even pass as pregnant, butagain I’m not bothered if someone things that. I am however affected by my own opinionsof myself. So if I feel in anyway unhappy in how I look, it starts to reflecton other aspects of my life. And so I knew if I didn’t take action about how Iwas feeling about my neck, other parts of me may begin to suffer.

Rescue remedy

I settled for a well-knownbrand of a product that sounded like it was made for me: Elemis Pro-Collagen Lifting Treatment Neck and Bust. (Note the neck word.)

It is ‘clinically provento reduce skin crepiness by up to 33% and increase firmness by up to 17%, whichwill minimise the signs of ageing for a more youthful looking neck.’ On first reading this made me laugh…I had neverheard of the word crepiness (and yes it does so easily sound like creepiness!)

Nice bottle!

On second inspection I loved the bottle. It has a neatspace-age look about it and I especially like the fact you can track how muchyou have left.

Here goes!

As for using it; I’ve beenapplying it twice a day for the last month. It smells very clean and creamy,possibly because it contains royal jelly; it also has that kind of yellowishcolour. The instructions don’t say how much to use, so I’m not sure whether Ishould be applying a really thick layer or whether it’s more about the way youmassage it in upwards. Certainly massaging in an upwards action is a goodthing, and it worth doing with any cream being applied to this area.

For now, the results seem tobe more ‘prevention’, than reduction. I mean there isn’t really anything toreduce. I am experiencing ‘the first signs of ageing’ and instinct is tellingme I must act which is why I've taken this step. Luckily, I’m enjoying using the cream. It’s added a whole newdimension to my beauty routine and I feel like I'm finally giving my neck theattention it deserves, having neglected it for far too long.

Shop for Elemis anti-ageing products at www.timetospa.co.uk/Anti-Ageing(it beats wondering the scary beauty aisles of department stores!)

Meeting my hero: Alexander McCall Smith

2011-10-26T22:42:00.003+01:00

The literary legend

Sometimes one has to write ablog post immediately: everything else can be put on hold (even watching thenew episode of Fresh Meat which is about to start!) And despite being exhaustedand hungry, I can’t concentrate on anything else other than sharing how excitedand buzzing I am! This evening I very unexpectedly met my hero; the authorAlexander McCall Smith.

A weekago I found out he was giving a reading at Foyles bookstore but that it was‘sold out.’ Not one to give up, I turned up anyway. When I arrived and my namewasn’t on the list I was looked at suspiciously (I think they knew I was lyingwhen I said my name was Momtaz and I had booked!), but was then toldthere was a couple of spare seats at the back.

I took my place, and secondslater he entered the room, wearing the biggest and warmest smile a gentlemancould ever have. He laughed from the moment he arrived to the moment he left.And so began a most fascinating hour where he was interviewed about thecharacters in his books, all of whom he gave insights and tales about; fromPrecious Ramotswe, the star of 12 No.1 Ladies Detective Agency Books, Bertie,the six year old Italian boy from the 44 Scotland Street series and amateursleuth Isabel Dalhousie from The Sunday Philosophy club, revealing a fewsecrets on what’s in store for them (but I’m keeping zipped about those!)

He threw in anecdotes fromtrips abroad including people he’d met in Bali and Australia, tales of oliveoil and sausage dogs as well as his early career in children’s fiction and previouscareer as a medical lawyer.

But what I will remembermost, is that he had the most incredible presence. The only way I candescribe it, is like the man who appears in Mary Poppins, who floats to theceiling every time he laughs. He was the kind of grandpa everyone wants; sofull of wit and stories and interested in people.

He is one of the greatestwriters of our times, yet so down to earth and likeable. What I admired mostwas hearing him talk about how much he liked his characters. He takes so muchpride in the lives he has created, and as a reader it makes his work feel somuch more special knowing that.

After the interview he tookquestions from the floor, but I was too stunned to think of any. Then wewere told he would sign books! And to top it off, it wasn’t the usual‘only one thing can be signed, it must the latest book, no photos and the authoris strictly here for 30 minutes’; it was like him, very welcoming. We couldbrowse his books before buying them and take our time as ‘he was here for a while’…such a nice thingto hear!

The Perfect Hamburger sprungto mind. It was my favourite book when I was a child. It's about a boy whodiscovers a very old, strange jar of spice. He adds it to a burger recipe anddiscovers he has cooked the tastiest hamburger in the world ever; trouble is,how can he recreate it? The spice jar doesn’t say what it was! When I was at school, I read this bookcontinuously and kept getting it out from the library. Sadly I never owned itso I raced downstairs to get it but alas, it wasn’t in stock. I did howeverfind ‘Precious and the monkeys’, which is the first in a set of children’s books about Precious Ramotsegrowing up. (A bit like the No.1 Girls Detective Agency.)

The queue moved swiftly eventhough he spoke to every single person. When it was my turn, I explained aboutmy love for The Perfect Hamburger and he seemed very touched, explaining hedoesn’t normally get that as a comment.

To be in the presence ofsomeone you have utter respect for and it turns out they have utter respect foryou too is an amazing experience. I don’t know this man, or much about him.I’ve just grown up reading his books. They’ve fuelled my imagination and Ithink in some way, shaped the person I am.

Today was a most inspiring day and I won’tforget it in a long time : )

My So Called Life...episode 1

2011-10-22T10:59:00.000+01:00

When I started writing this blog almost two years the plan was to focus on the 'craft loving' side of my life, but over the last 10months things changed and I turned it into my diary. I write about things I do,people I meet, where I go, my experiences, thoughts and reactions to things,even the random bits of advice that go through my head…all the things that makemy life what it is. While I manage to write a couple of posts a week aboutspecific highlights, there are still lots of other things I get up to that I don’thave a chance to mention. So I’ve decided that every few weeks I’m going tostock pile such events and post them under different episodes named after myfavourite TV programme; My So Called Life. I’ve been catching up with the boxset recently, every bit of it affects me like it did when I watched is back inthe mid-90s. It follows the life of a 15-year-old girl called Angela Chase;the alternative girl at an American High School. At the time I was the15-year-old alternative girl at a UK comprehensive. The show deserves it’s own blog post so the topic is ToBe Continued. In the meantime….this has been my so called life of late:

The return of PULP:
The vast % of the population firstheard of Pulp when Common People was released in 1995. Yet I first heard ofPulp in the late 1980s and was one of their earliest fans! At one pointI was the youngest member of their fanclub, Pulp People, and I used to getreally exciting post from a librarian called Alex who ran the club with MarkWebber (who later joined the band as a guitarist.) When I started secondaryschool in 1992 I had a Pulp schoolbag (homemade) and no one knew what it meant.For three years I was ridiculed by NKOTB and Take That fans,until that fateful day when Common People was released and overnight Ibecame popular.
The day Pulp split I vowed I would be there on theirreturn gig, as I knew they would reform.
When they made their comeback(finally!) this summer, I realised that actually I wasn’t prepared to pay £55 tosee them at Hyde Park. Then they announcedtwo special gigs at Brixton Academy and my head and my heart told me I had tobe there. So on September 1^st I went to see them. It wasoverwhelming and emotional, the highlight being when they played an old trackcalled Sheffield Sex City from an early album. It was a track that only ahandful of people in the audience could connect with, and it’s a gig moment Iwill never forget.

Brighton Beautiful:

Another trip down memorylane was seizing some of the late summer weather and taking a friend of minewho had never been there, to my other home; Brighton. I call it that because Ilived there for four years and left a bit of me there, which I don’t think willever follow me to London. But whenever I do go back I’m instantly at easebecause of the familiarity. I went to all my favourite places; the pier for achocolate and coconut waffle and a go on Dolphin Derby, all my favouritevintage and retro shops in North Laine (where I picked up this lovely flamencoshawl) and of course had a nap on the sunny beach. I don’t think I would livethere again but I’m extremely lucky that I had the opportunity to.

Rosie & Harriet of TD

Drink Shop Do:

Back in London town and back on the craft scene I’vebeen hanging out at one of the capitals loveliest bar venues; Drink Shop Do - acrafter’s heaven based in Kings Cross. It’s a craft shop, café, bar, afternoontea venue and has an event calendar filled with free crafty events, workshopsand book launches like ‘How to Make Jewellery’ with Tatty Devine. TD are knownfor designing quirky, kitschy jewellery with character and while I was there Imade a rosette from a tape measure; a project in the book. I wasaided by one of the friendliest girls I have ever met…I think she was calledEmily. She works in the Tatty Devine shop in Brick Lane. Apparently she alwaysgives a cup of tea to whoever pops in, so if you are ever passing by, please say hi to her.

At the launch I sat opposite Lady Velo, a cyclingfashionista who is now one of my Twitter friends.

Rocking at The Royal Albert Hall

Bollywood beats:

Bollywood wise I’ve watchedtwo excellent films recently Bodyguard and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara but one of thehighlights of my entire year to date was watching a live performance by India’sbiggest musical directors Shankar Ehsaan Loy. They are three gentleman whomdespite having written the biggest Bollywood blockbuster songs ever, havenever performed in the UK. It was a really special occasion and totally soldout. The set list was incredible. They played so many of their popular songsthat I was speechless for most of the night.

Film Fayre:
More recently I went to the launch of the Native Spirit Foundation’s annual film festival which celebrates films aboutindigenous cultures. The event was held at Rudolf Steiner House and startedwith a spiritual procession and incense lighting ritual and included a remarkable set by international ethnic folk starKouame Serebawho playedsome very unusual instruments.

Dinner with Delwar:

Then last weekend I attendeda dinner party to celebrate one of my best friends completing his PhD atCambridge University. I met Delwar when I was 13, we appeared on a TV showtogether and since then our paths have continued to cross in the most peculiarof ways. We have a joke between us that we will probably endup living in the same old people’s home. But before that we have other paths tofollow. I felt so proud of him, knowing he’s completed his labour of love. And so I joined him in burning hisnotes!!!

Something I could NEVER doto my own. I still have my secondary school exercise books even of the subjectsI couldn’t stand….I just can’t part with them. And here were pages of recenthandwritten research. I guess I should take this as inspiration to de-clutter mybelongings?

I could open a shop with this lot!

Finally: work:
I don’t write much about my work….but these last threemonths have been spent writing my second book….which I canreveal has a working title of ‘101+ Things to do with glitter’. It is due to bepublished Autumn 2012 by Vivays Publishing. It’s been sooooooooo hard nottalking about it because I so want to share the projects I’ve been making butthey are under wraps for now! However I can reveal that my entire flat iscurrently one giant glitter ball. Here on my bed are all the sample glitters Iwas sent by PRs…over 150 varieties. The book is due for completion very shortly and then I am notsure what adventures I will be embarking on next…

Book review: Stitch London

2011-10-18T21:31:00.000+01:00

(Note the amazing cupcake!)

Confession time. I only knitone thing a year. For 2011 I’ve been working on a red robot for a friends babythat was born in August…suffice to say I have not yet visited it, as I don’twant to go empty handed : ( Feeling guilty is not a strong enough word. So todrown my bad knitter sins I popping along to the launch of this most momentousbook that celebrates a city so dear to my heart…Londinium.

Written by a fellow associate of the rainbow hairsociety and a founding member of Stitch London, the mammoth knitting network(it has a tremendous 10,000 members!) Lauren O’Farrell, it's a book that shows you how to knit thingsinspired by the Big Smoke, like the residents:

One does love to walk one's corgis

Good day ma’am.

And its most spectacular oflandmarks…(even the underrated ones like Tower Bridge.)

If you have never venturedto this fine capital city, you will certainly want to after feasting your eyeson this somewhat addictive read. (I’m referring to the bits inbetween thepattern instructions.)

To prevent one buying thisbook to add to their ‘craft porn’ collection (another near guiltyconfession)…the manual comes with FREE yarn and needles so you can get clickingstraight away and make your own feathered pigeon.

Though cute as they are, I’mmore interested in owning this sewer rat, it’s just soooooooo pesky : )

Lovely Lauren with an adoring fan!

So, that’s all the fluff,but is this book any good and should you buy it?

Well here is what I likeabout it:

You don’t have to be goodat knitting

There’s a passage whereLauren encourages ‘messing’ with her patterns. To grab, shake, twist and changethem as you want. One of the reasons I hardly knit is because patterns scareme. I prefer knitting random pieces and stitching them together. For years Ithought a pro like Lauren would sneer at me for this but it turns out she’s onmy side. I can’t explain (yes I know I’m a writer but allow me this once) howhappy this makes me feel : )

It teaches you things…

like London lingo and evenme, a born and bread Londoner has learnt a thing or to from this culturalmanual like that ‘not really cricket’ translates as ‘not a very nice thing todo’ though thankfully I knew what a battenburg cake is.

User friendly ratings

Complex projects arereferred to as ‘Black Cab Drivers’ because they are the brains of the city andthe more simple ones are called ‘Tourists’ since they are newbies.

The photos

These are taken in situaround town which is a nice touch, especially after hearing about the weathertraumas they had to put up with during shoots.

Easy reading

The whole book is written ina really pleasant, engaging way, it’s nice to read and craft books aren’tnormally bought for reading so in this sense Lauren has moved the genre on andhopefully it will pave the way for more ‘interesting’ future titles.

And here’s what I don’t likeabout it:

NOTHING : )

This title is terrific. Doyou like knitting? Are you wondering about it? Thinking about it? Want to ownsomething knitted and scared of scouring the ever-growing collection ofknitting books at your local bookshop? Well this is a good place to start Andif you do use your kit to make your owned winged Cooey then upload the evidenceto www.knitthepigeon.com for theworld to see.

Just keep it away from Plarchie,Lauren’s squid who is partial to eating humans and most probably considers apigeon as some kind of vou-le-vant.

Oh and if you are in abookshop tracking the aforementioned title down, then I urge you to swing bythe children’s picture book section too. Whilst in Foyles for the launch Ispied this most inspiring of titles with really wonderful illustrations.Perhaps I should just give up on the robot and turn up at my friend’s placewith my head no longer hanging in shame with this instead?

Stitch London: 20 kookyways to knit the city and more by Lauren O’Farrell is out now published byDavid & Charles, priced £14.99. A percentage of which is donated toLeukaemia & Lymphoma research.

Sunday Bath Ritual

2011-10-16T19:22:00.002+01:00

Whatever my Sunday consistsof; preferably a lie in, listening to my favourite Bollywood radio show,enjoying a roast dinner with friends, rummaging through car boot sales or moreoften or not, working: the evenings have a theme to them…they always end in arelaxing candlelit bath. The ritual is not new, when I was growing up we didn’thave a shower, we just had a bath tub and to save money we only had baths oncea week (bucket and jug wash downs in the week.) I know it sounds like I grew upin the 1940s’ but for some reason my parents waited until I hadleft for university before they installed luxuries like a shower and washingmachine.

Anyway I have terrifyingmemories of Sunday nights; home work complete, spelling tests done, uniformlaid out and my mum scrubbing at my skin until the dead skin cells peeled off(people pay for this kind of treatment at exotic hammams) and shampoo foamingin my eyes.

These days the routine is much more civilised. There’s noironing for a start – I never iron my clothes, but thankfully in 2011 mostfabrics don’t need it and I’m not the smart cotton shirt wearing type. I gethome from the gym at 7pm, spend a couple of hours getting my flat in order forthe week, tidying up, washing up, putting the rubbish and recycling out andpreparing dinner so that come 9 o’clock I can leave the stresses and strains ofthe week behind me and look forward to a clean, new start.

We’re not talking a quick inand out and towel dry, but a blissful indulgent hour of ‘me time’ with the doortightly locked and no distracting noises or glare of artificial lights.

And is what I have plannedfor tonight!

My giant rubber duckie andme will be bathing with a polar bear bath fizzer, the delicious Kenneth Turner candles I recently got, two new 'after-bath' products I’ve been testingrecently; Elemis Spa Home Pro-Collagen Body Cream and Celestial Spa AuthenticClarity Cooling Foot Cream and not forgetting my faithful burger bath sponge.

To put it into context Icollect burger memorabilia. Here is some of the collection: my hambag, CD case,two portable mirror and a burger bento box.

Yes you read that correctlyand here it is in its full glory. It was a present from my brother in law. Iknew he was going on a work trip to China (where they are made) so I put in a request but he returnedhome empty handed claiming that while quirky, kitsch plastic things are made inChina you can’t buy them there. Then later in the year whilst working in CostaRica he found one!

(And to prove the mirrors work, here’s the evidence!)

Any now onto the two newest beauty products I’m theproud owner of. First up, luxury brand Elemis's new Pro-Collagen Body Cream (£49). The only other Elemis products I’ve owned have been travel sizedtoiletries I’ve swiped from hotel bathrooms and earlier this year I had alovely foot treatment at the Elemis Day Spa in London so it’s nice to finallyhave one in my collection and being a complete cream obsessive I’m in a goodposition to review it!

No one wants wobblybits but we haven’t all got time to get them toned through exercise and even ifwe did, a little help is always welcomed. Body firming creams are a much nicerway to de-wobble then getting sweaty (well I think so and I’m a gymbunny but would still much rather swap the hard work it entails for a massage!)

With it’s silky soufflétexture and magnolia colouring it reminds me of a yummy vanilla dessert,thankfully without the calories. It feels softening from the first applicationand has anti-ageing properties too so it's extra moisturising and makes your skin look fresher. It has certainlysmoothed out my thighs and made the skin tone look more even (I’m convinced Iam not imagining this….I apply cream daily so I can spot a change easily!)Because of its price tag (it contains some pretty impressive exotic oils andmarine extracts), it’s not one I use too liberally, it’s a definite ‘one of theSunday bath list’ but if you can’t get along to a real spa the next best thingis to own some products that are spa treatment quality and this is one of them!

Next the Celestial Spa Authentic foot cream (£18.50). Because my Sunday bath takes place post-gym, myfeet are generally feeling knackered and this is the perfect remedy. I’m notbig on foot lotions, the runniness just doesn’t work with the thick skin onfeet, but this is a product that’s very different.

Thereare two ranges in the collection, Comfort and Clarity which contain differentmineral and gem combinations. The Clarity Cooling Foot Treatment containsGemstone Malachite, a protective Gem that helps to detoxify and cleanse theskin of impurities.

It has the consistency ofclay, a bit like a clay face mask but is extremely soft, melting into the skinswith ease. It has a surprise fragrance too, it doesn’t look like it, but it hasa citrus aroma that’s uplifting and refreshing thanks to essential oils ofBergamot and Orange Flower, Sicilian Lemon, Sandalwood and Galbanum. I’ve beenusing the cream for over three weeks now, not just after my Sunday bath butafter every trip to the gym, before bed and it’s a real pleasure. Aftercleaning them my feet feel irritable and dry then once this pampering creamgoes on they are the happiest feet in the world! I am not looking forward to itrunning out!

My top 10 recommendationsfor the ultimate Sunday bath

Before I start mypreparations for tonight’s regime, here’s some tips to help you get started onyours:

* Plenty of hot water: If you live in a sharedhouse where hot water runs out, then give it a chance to refill before runningthe water, there’s nothing more disappointing than dipping your toes in to findit’s cold.

* Candles: Light these around your bath room andturn out the main light. You’ll instantly feel like you are in a private spacabin.

* Music: Ipods loaded with your favourite musicplugged into battery operated speakers are ideal.

* Pampering products: On my Sunday bath I usedifferent beauty products to the ones I use during the week. For generalshowers I have ordinary face wash and shower gel but when it comes to my Sundaybath I use a more expensive shower cream, take time to rub in a nice body scruband even use a face mask…it’s what makes the ‘Sunday bath’ more special.

* Glass of water to hand: When the doors areclosed behind you it can sometime get a bit steamyand you don’t actually want to fall asleep so sip on water whilst in the bathto keep you revived.

* Rubber duckie: No explanation needed, a bathis not the same without a duck swimming past!

* Bubbles: Whether they are created by the bathfoam or you blow them from a bottle, every bath should be full of poppingbubbles.

* No clocks allowed: Never set your alarm ortake a watch with you and if you do have a bathroom clock cover it up! As soonas you think about the time you will loose the relaxing vibe and there is noroom for stress when you’re bathing.

* Clean fluffy dressing gown on standby: After abath the last thing you want to do it put on restricting clothes (especially abra!) so wrap yourself up in a dressing gown instead just as you would if youwere on a spa retreat

* After-bath goodies: Once you’re dry it’s timeto massage in some lovely body cream, lotion or oil to keep your skin moisturised.If you’ve got someone to help you with this stage, even better…but if not,don’t worry. You’ll be feeling fresh, content and happy, ready to contend withwhatever next week has to bring.

Happy bathing!

Elemis products areavailable from www.timetospa.co.uk in spas and salons and selected John Lewis, Debenhams andHarvey Nichols stores.

To view the full Celestial Spa Authentic brochure of productsand treatments go to www.celestialspa.co.uk/brochure or buy them online athttp://shop.nirvanaspa.co.uk

London's First Renegade Craft Fair

2011-10-14T17:51:00.003+01:00

Designs by Tee & Toast

I’m desperate to go toAmerica…for crafting purposes. It’s home to huge mega craft stores, housesoddles of indie crafters, craft celebrities (Martha Stewart, Crafty Chica) andnew crazes and products you can’t get over here. When I first saw images of theMaker Fair in Craft magazine (one of the fabulous US craft mags that isdistributed in good book stores on these shores) I was amazed by the standardand originality of the work being sold. Then a couple of years ago I was firstin the queue when Bust magazine came over and hosted their first everCraftacular (another great American craft fair.) It was held inside York Hall,Bethnal Green and was HUGE!

The renengade queen

This Autumn (last weekend)it was the turn of Renegade to visit us and bring their quirky indie craft vibeto bustling Brick Lane, east Londen where crafters from around the globegathered to sell their wares. I was so excited, I visited (and shopped) bothdays!! Pictured is one of the organisers who insisted on looking anonymous.Renegade started back in 2003 in Chicago and focuses on DIY craft culture ofthe highest standards. Any old crafter, can’t just pitch up a stall, they haveto prove their work is original, unusual, and carries with it the full DIYethos. Theselection of work is balanced offering prints, textiles, fashion, jewellery,interiors and papercrafts.

Milliner Janine Basil

I was soooo happy to meet Janine Basil in person, sheis a milliner extraordinaire who’s Batman inspired work I discovered in herEtsy and Folksy stores. As regular readers of my blog will know, I am Batmanobsessed and I treated myself to a beautiful glitter Bat hat from her stall.Image to follow when I wear it out. (Someone invite me to a Halloween partyplease!!). Check out her work online, it’s fabulous!

Art collector Matt

In tow I had Art collector Matt who is always on thelook out to extend his ever growing collection of fine art and prints (henearly owns enough to fill a gallery and has been known to queue for 'buying' at4am in the morning on more than one occasion.) Completely overwhelmed by thestandard of the work, he was super excited but found it hard to decide. In theend he opted for three pieces. The first one is to remind him he should buy adog one day.

Artist Katie Mac

Then it was on to another wonderful print stall whereKatie Mac’s colourful creations including one about fidgeting, were on his list.

Artist Todd Stewart

Finally he bought a screen-printed poster (the Man Manone) designed by Todd Stewart. I suspect he would have bought plenty more ifhe’d brought extra money!

Illustrator Kate Sutton

Inspired by the feeling that maybe I should own more‘art’ and not just crafts, I bought this adorable hedgehog picture by Kate Sutton. Oh my! Her work was outstanding, I wanted to buy everything! If someonewants to buy me a present, you can get me anything she has designed. (Thanks!)

My free alpaca bag!

Kate was very sweet and gave me a free alpaca totebag to carry it home in.

The Make Lounge crafternoon

London’s crafty hub The Make Lounge were one of thestalls running free workshops where needle felted woodland animals were the order of the weekend.

Janine felting an Ecuadorian bird

My craft pal Janine and Icouldn’t get into the British 'woodland' mood (she had just returned from Ecuador so hermind was filled with tropical images) and I was drawn to bright pink felt soshe made a jungle bird and I felted a flamingo.

Huge blooms decorated the walls

For such a huge space, thefair was smaller than I expected (not on the same scale as the Bust Craftacular) but this had it’s benefits that you could properly focus on eachstall. It certainly set the bar for craft markets in the UK to measure up to,it really was ‘high end’ DIY crafting yet extremely well priced.

Renegade: you're welcome back

Until Renegade come back and see us in the UK againyou can either attend one of their fairs in the states or shop for art andcraft by their favourite designers in their online store.
Thank you for visiting the UK!

My 'Smooth You' Makeover

2011-10-11T10:54:00.004+01:00

Recently I did a post aboutHow to Get Ready for a Big Night Out but the one piece of advice I forget isletting someone else do the hard work for you! I had a taste of these pleasuresa couple of weeks ago when I had a glamorous makeover at Smooth U, a stylishnew hair and beauty salon in Islington. It opened this summer and since thenhas attracted a huge celebrity fan base and it's not surprising because theservice here is nothing short of being treated like Hollywood royalty.Especially as all the treatments take place in privacy. There's no beingswivelled around in fake leather chairs and paraded in the windows forpasser-by’s to give you off putting stares. Instead you enter into a welcomingproduct filled reception behind which is a bright, modern hair studio. Thenfollow the steps downstairs to a variety of treatment rooms for manicures,pedicures, massages and best of all, a private pampering parlour for make-upapplication.

Andrew adding some much needed body to my locks

My beauty adventure startedupstairs with Principle Stylist Andrew Cruickshank. I only wash my hair once aweek (it's the way I preserve the colour) so by the time Andrew got his mittsinto it; he was dealing with a greasy, flat mess. Thankfully he understood myinfrequent washing ways and managed to add shine and body to my mop by applyingsome Smooth U secret ingredients. Hair is an important part of the ethos here.The salon is run by a Brazilian hair expert called Luma who aims to bring herLatin Locks experience to the capital. If you're looking to swap a tight,straight bob for luscious body filled waves, then this is the place to come.There is a big emphasis on hair extensions, a treatment that can take all day.But luckily if you do come here for one of the longer sessions, you'll be givenan ipad to occupy you and be kept refreshed with complimentary wine, herbal teaor champagne. This is no ordinary salon!

I’m ashamed to admit I’vejust recently ended a year long addiction to acrylic nails. It started lastNovember and I was hooked after one application, even though underneath Ialready had good nail beds to start with. Being ‘au natural’ has been tough soit was nice to get a manicure done on real nails for once! The nail techniciandid a brilliant job of disguising the acrylic residue that is still left behindon my nails. I opted for a subtle brown; very different to the vivid colouredairbrush designs I used to have. I miss the fact acrylics never chip but atleast she got my talons into a good shape. As I waited for them to dry Iwas transferred to the private pamper parlour.

Sophie in the super comfy chair

It’s the kind of dream roomthey showcase on Cribs where they reveal mansions in the Hollywood Hills thathave a walk-in wardrobe with an en-suite beauty salon. All I had to do was sitback on the comfiest seat ever and look into the ‘I want one of those’ light upmirrors while make-up artist and lashes expert Sophie Stafford created avintage Bollywood vixen theme with flicked eyeliner and heavy eyeshadow. Unlikesome make-up artists who only use one brand (there are far too many MACobsessed ones) Sophie’s make-up chest is a treasure trove of different brands andshades. So whether she’s working on a celebrity, bride or just a girl like mewho just fancies getting dolled up she has all the magical ingredients tohand.

Decadent illustrations adornthe walls of the salon giving the interiors an air of sophistication.

Artist Emma

They’ve been designed byvisual artist Emma Crammer who specialises in portraiture. When we werechatting she said she’s witnessed a big rise to people wanting murals in theirhomes, which is her current main interest and I wouldn’t be surprised if morepeople didn’t request them after seeing how great they look in the salon.

As a one stop beauty haven,there are a range of treatment rooms to experience other signature serviceslike waxing and laser hair removal, facials and body firming massages.

Dream Team: Andrew, Georgina, Sophie & Katie

With so many beauty salonsin London it’s hard knowing which one to go to, especially if you only go tothem on special occasions. I've tried all sorts from cheap no-frills stands atmarket stalls where they don’t care about their customers to lavish spasinside luxury five star hotels, where all the attention is on you. For regular treatments most people stay local, but I recommendtravelling to somewhere that will give you the best experience. The reason someonegoes to a salon is because they think something could be better or needsimproving so they should leave filled with confidence that they look gorgeous;otherwise there is no point in paying for the service.

Smooth You is aimed at ahigh-end clientele and a visit there is much more of a pampering treat thenjust popping by to get a quick pedicure done. It certainly offers a choice andchange from the usual standard of a local salon. However the one thing for methat lets it down is the opening hours, they just aren’t open for long enough! Hours are 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday (until 8pm on Thursday) but in thesecrazy, busy times we live in, I don’t know anyone that could get away from workbefore 5pm to visit a hairdresser, especially if it’s for an evening do. I’venoticed a lot more salons are open late (around 9pm) on most days now, so theremust be a demand for it and there have been countless times I’ve needed a blowdry first thing in the morning, as I need to be in a meeting by 10am, butperhaps this will change as the salon gets more settled.

Before I left I waspresented with a lovely goody bag full of things I needed. It contained yummychocolate, travel size make-upremover and hair gel, a night face serum by Murad (I’mpleased to report my face has been looking clearer in the mornings) and adelicious lavender and pear jam by their neighbour Food Lab…) I’m crazy aboutanything edible with lavender in it.)

Yes I know it was a schoolnight but I was looking hot and there was no way I going to let my glamorousmakeover go to waste. So I headed to the closing party of Pakistani Fashionweek at No.5 Cavendish, an exclusive private members club where my favouriteBollywood Djs Raj & Pablo were on the decks and spent the night dancing andtrying out the comfy selection of settees.

Smooth You, 70 EssexRoad, Islington, London, N1 8LT

0207 704 1955 www.smoothyou.co.uk