This month: Brooke Fraser

I love this artist, and recently I've found I have so much in common with her, its probably why I find her lyrics so inspiring, capturing much of what I wish to express in my own music. Brooke Fraser, is an New Zealand artist that not only has a secular career but leads worship alongside inspirational worship leader Darlene Zschech at Hillsongs church in Australia. Only 26 years old, Brooke Fraser has accomplished so much in her short life.

I've just purchased the album she created in 2007 named 'Albertine' the album is named after a child she met in Rwanda. I went to Rwanda this year also and absolutely fell in love with the country, it has changed me in so many ways, many subtle ways but equally as life changing. My worldview has been changed and from listening to Brooke's music I believe so has her's.

These Lyrics are from 'Faithful':

There's distance in the air and I cannot make it leave

i wave my arms' round about me and blow with all my might

I cannot sense you close, though I know you're always here

But the comfort of you near is what i long for

[CHORUS]

When I can't feel you, I have learned to reach out just the same

When I can't hear you, I know you still hear everyword I pray

And i want you more than i want to live another day

And as I wait for you maybe I'm made more faithful

The lyrics below are from Brooke's first album, she released at 19, the song is far more secular but it expresses something I have been trying to capture in my own for a long time. This is 'Better':

Take my shoulder back now

Your head's too heavy for me

Please don't come around here no more

'Cos I asked you to stop

And you wouldn't

[Chorus]

I would give anything to make you better

I would give anything to point you to free

I would give anything to help you realise

I loved you 'til it killed me

So my logic wouldn't hurt you

I know you might blame me anyway

Well I'm sorry, I'm so sorry

You're not helping yourself to me

I've tried all the things they told me

Trying to close up the wounds left open by you

And if I seem doubtful, distrusting.....I am

You said you wouldn't do it agin

You said you wouldn't do it again

You're not helping yourself

You're not helping yourself by hurting me

Anything just to try and help you see

You ain't helping yourself by hurting me

Time to let you go, time for you to see

You ain't helping yourself by hurting me

My Vintage Pretties

Tonight my family and I went into Winchester to visit the Christmas market and ice rink beside the cathedral. Its a stunning set up and certainly puts you in the christmas mood waltzing from chalet to chalet dressed snugly with a hot cup of mulled wine in one hand and a warm minced pie in the other. I may write about it later on in the month but for now you can read about it on their site: http://www.winchesterchristmasmarket.co.uk/

Recently, I have taken to spending hours searching for vintage perfume bottles, jewellery boxes and dressing table mirrors on 'ebay'. I absolutely adore Victorian cut glass. A great great aunt of mine passed away earlier this year, she was 103 years old. Auntie Beatrice was a lovely lady and back in her day she had real class, her old flat was like a time capsule, the house still had its original fashionable padded doors and rich decor, it all seemed strange by today's simple modern standard (equally beautiful just very different), yet it remained very elegant and charming. My father was given an exquisite wind-up wooden mantle piece clock, I have already begun begging for it for my own home one day! My mother and I were given Victorian cut glass pots/jars, ever since I'm desperate to start my own collection.

At the market, there was a chalet hired by a company named borlace foskett, an English company set up in Lymington that see quirky vintage accessories. I love vintage so much, I could have bought the whole chalet! Some of their items can be found online at: http://www.borlacefoskett.co.uk/, however, my favourite items are unfortunately not on there!

Winter is here..

So I woke up this morning to -6 degrees outside my window, we had to defrost the car before setting off for the first time since last February! I put on my coat and wrapped a woolly scarf around my neck before leaving the house, winter has finally arrived and I cannot decide whether or not I'm happy about it. I love winter woolies, especially the cosy hats and snuggly scarves out this season, I adore winter landscapes and I love the build up to Christmas, but its just so cold, and it gets dark far too early!

That rant over, here are some toasty woolly accessories that I am considering adding to my christmas list:

Barts Faux Fur Paws £37 (ASOS)

Sheepskin Mittens £30 (ASOS)

Wool Fairisle Mitten £10 (ASOS)

Deerham Mittens £29 (Jack Wills)

Lightweight Beach Scarf £34 (Hollister)

Socal Beach Scarf £34 (Hollister)

People Tree Pom Pom Beanie Hat £20 (Topshop)

Fairisle Trapper £13 (Fatface)

ASOS Pom Pom Trapper Hat £15

Rainbirt Beanie £29 (Jack Wills)

Tweed Trapper £15 (Fatface)

Tiffany

I was smitten with Tiffany and Co the moment I first laid eyes on one of their advertisements in my Teen Vogue back in 2003. Ever since they have become a fantasy, last month I witnessed one of their new adverts in Elle, this years collection of Key shaped pendants encrusted with diamonds, I fell in love all over again.

As with most beautiful things in life, Tiffany and Co began in New York City in 1837. Initially they sold much more than jewelry, including stationary and silverware but this was narrowed down to its emphasis on jewelry in 1853 when the company, originally called Tiffany, Young and Ellis, shorted its name to simply Tiffany and Co. Since then they have monopolised and set up stores all over the world.

I travelled to London last weekend to visit a friend at university there, we took a trip to Harrods, gazed at the delightful foods in the eatery and food hall, I found my dream handbag for the summer, Valantino's signature hangbags with beautiful leather flowers and at long last, I visited the Tiffany and Co stall.

It was everything I dreamed it would be, the diamond rings, the bracelets and those beautiful pendant keys I'd been dreaming about all month. Maybe one day... we can always dream.

Have Sweet Dreams in Topshop's Floral Feminine Nightwear

Recently I bought a pair of girl boxers from the Jack Wills sale in Winchester. These boxers paired with an basic white old strappy tee create a perfect nightwear combo! Ever since discovering this I have had an unquenchable fetish for nightwear. It is probably just as well as I had become all too comfortable in wearing old baggy tees to bed and just look at what is available at the moment...Topshop's nightwear is particulary attractive, they o

ffer so much variety. My current favourite samples are floral patterns and delicate lace, fortunately Topshop has never lacked either!

Satin Cami (£18) (Oxford Circus and online 0nly)

Wallflower Camisole and Short (£18)

Floral Bloom Vest and Shorts (£18)

Other Stores are selling some equally competitive pieces...

Warehouse kissing birds chemise at ASOS (£40)

Floral Print PJ Set, New Look (£12)

Dont forget the dressing gown, this nightwear Kimono from Warehouse at ASOS is absolutely perfect for me. I like my dressing gowns to be lightweight and have a delicate feminine appearance.. (£75)

I havent had quite as much luck with slippers but these Ugg styled ones are quite sweet! Not sure how practical though and I'm not a fan of bright colour at the moment.

The yellow is just a tad too bright perhaps, but still very sweet. Knitted Slipper from New Look (£12)

I like the height of these EWINA Knit Back Booties from Topshop (£15)

I'm Back!

So I said my little break would last till mid June but who am I kidding? I've been so busy recently it hardly feels like a holiday. Exams have finished but I still have a job, a university reading list the size of a small library and (up till two days ago) two instruments to be practising. My place of abandonment and escape now lies at the docks of Portsmouth where one of my closest friends has recently been living. He lives in his own flat at eighteen! So I spend my days shopping in the Quays, sunbathing on Portsmouth's pebbley beaches and swimming.

Portsmouth may have a reputation for being tacky in parts, but in other areas it is quite charming. GunWharf Quays prides itself in being one of the nicer centers to shop in the south. It boasts labels such as Ralph Lauren, Crew, Fred Perry, Jack Wills, Superdry, Gap and French Connection; not to mention various surfing brands like Oneil, Gul, Animal and Ripcurl. There are various places to eat on the dock side from Subway's humble sandwiches to Tooties. At night the place is still live as there are casinos and bars, a bowling center and a cinema. You really cant go wrong in Gunwharf with a trip up the 170m high Spinnaker Tower which overlook the still famous historic harbour. You can find out more by visiting this site: http://www.gunwharf-quays.com

Other areas in Portsmouth to visit include the historic dockyards where the famous Tudor ship the "Mary Rose" rests. Or the pier itself. There is a cheery funfair with classic 2p machines (like the ones I've tried on Blackpool Pier) and a rickety old rollercoaster that I have never seen anyone try! Mini Golf, tennis and volley ball courts are avaliable for hire also. Or if you fancy nothing else be to relax there is the stony beach where you can purchase the classic english takeaway, Fish and Chips, and stare over at the Isle of White. The parts not bad too.

I used to think Portsmouth was a place to avoid at all costs, at the moment I feel like I am pretty much in love with the place!

Examens et Choses

The last couple of weeks I have been building up to coming to terms with the amount of revision I have to do for my final A2s in June. Its not pretty, especially when I consider my whole place at University is dependant on me getting all As! As a result I have been rejecting my blog that I have only just created! So I must be fair. No posts between now (18th of May) to the 18th of June. One month of focus, then I will be back full of inspiration for the summer, and I have a long one ahead of me! 

Over the next month I will:

• Get up 9.00 latest!
  
• On free days revise three hours a day.
• On working days revise one - two hours. 
  
• Go to bed at a reasonable hour. 
  
• Practice my instruments (Classical Singing and Piano) daily as I have exams in those too!

The irony of it all is that most probably I will:

• Spend far too long browsing magazines (My favourites are Vogue and Elle, but occasionally I go for a Look!)
  
• Spend hours lounging in the good weather with friends wearing pretty summer florals and wedges.
• Take advantage of the time off and go shopping. 
  
• Put on weight due to excess eating and then have to diet like crazy to be ready for the summer. 

Before we part I  simple must show you these:

Floral Stripe Sundress from Topshop

Dilly Sandals from Dune

Last weekend I found the most gorgeous vintage summer dress in a thrift store, brand new! I looked up the boutique, It's nearest store is in Covent Gardens. I'm dying to pay it a visit!

Wish me luck x. 

Rain

Rain, rain, rain. Britain is famous for its predictably wet weather, and believe me we've been having plenty of it recently. To lighten my mood, which is being haunted by the idea of my French oral exam tomorrow and enhanced by the dreary wet grey clouds outside, I will publish a couple of reasons to remind you that rain is not that bad after all.

1. Rain always provides the best on (and sometime

s off screen) kisses. Think Summer and Seth from the O.C, Nathan and Haley from One Tree Hill or Ally and Noah in The Notebook.

 

Also, heres Summer and Seth's 'spiderman kiss' in the rain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMtxulo-CRk

2. Rain is the perfect excuse to wear one 

of my favourite items of clothing, wellies:

My Flawless Filofax

There are three items I cannot be without when I leave the house in the morning; my mobile, my ipod and my filofax. It never ceases to amaze me how addictive organising one's life can be, my filofax tells me everything, often months in advance. I know when my exams will be, meetings I have to attend, assignment deadlines, birthdays, parties, trips its all in there. And then theres the addresses, phone numbers, to do lists, financial section and notes. What more could your average control freak possibly want?

My filofax has been indispensable this year, I don't know how I've ever got through my lower sixth year at college without it, so I've decided to buy a new one for university (clean slate, fresh start, new filofax and all that jazz). However, I have a dilemma. Which one do I choose?!?

Filofax Special Edition Personal Organiser £157
Looks like a clutch! Lined with pigskin suede and only 400 released in the UK.

Filofax Classical Personal Organiser £59 (pocket size)
For a more humble price you can buy the original classic made from Italian leather.

Metropol Personal Organiser £21 (pocket size)
Simple yet stylish and perhaps most importantly its price is easily within a student budget.

Visit the site at http://www.filofax.co.uk/ its definately worth a browse xx.

Currently: Music

From April 2009

10 Tracks Worth Your Time:
1. Jason Mraz: I'm Yours
2. Kelly Clarkson: Long Shot
3. Debussy: Clair de Lune
4. Daft Punk: Technologic
5. Newton Faulkner: Dream Catch me
6. The Script: We Cry
7. Colbie Calliat: Bubbly
8. Jet: Be my Girl
9. Vampire Weekend: Oxford Comma
10. Sara Bareilles: Bottle it Up

5 Books Worth a Read:
1.Frankenstein: Mary Shelley
2. Twilight: Stephanie Meyer
3. Across the Nightingale Floor: Lian Hearn
4. The Tempest: William Shakespeare
5. The Magician's Nephew: C.S Lewis

William Blake

As I am currently supposed to be revising English Literature but have once again fallen short; I shall post one of the more light hearted poems written by revolutionary and romantic poet William Blake. This is Night from his Songs of Innocence:

The sun descending in the west,
The evening star does shine;
The birds are silent in their nest,
And I must seek for mine.
The moon, like a flower,
In heaven's high bower,
With silent delight
Sits and smiles on the night.

I love the variety of Blake's poetry; it is remarkable that the same poet wrote The Marriage of Heaven and Hell and I saw a Chapel all of Gold! Both of which are far too complicated to even begin to analyse in a blog post! xx.

For the Love of Tights!

Whilst reading 'Micro Florals' article in the May 2009 edition of English Vogue I discovered a site that is the haven of all hosiery lovers: Mytights.com. Not only are the tights reasonably priced there is also a huge variety; designers to everyday brands, from bridal stockings to fashion hold ups. This site is truely my paradise. Purchase unique tights from choosing patterns from a wide range of material or just simply pick a designer you like and browse the goods. They do socks too!

Jonathan Aston Fleur Lace Tights - Vanilla Cream (£9.95)

Alternatively just pick a pattern!

Celeste Stein Light Pink Stripes Long Socks (£9.95)

Celeste Stein Small Black Vercache Tights (£12.95)

Enjoy x.

Revision Inspiration

I've not posted a huge amount recently as I need to get down and revise for exams, or at least endevour to improve my work ethic! So instead, here are some quotes to inspire enthusiam in the workplace:

"Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing." Harriet Braiker

"If you are going to play the game properly, you had better know every rule." Barbara Jordan

"Revision is one of the exquisite pleasures of writing." Bernard Malamud

"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty" Henery Ford

Summary revision tips:
1. Don't be a perfectionist! It wastes too much time and gets you too stressed over nothing!
2. Practice doing exam papers (or essays essays and more essays if you are a literature student like me!) - so that effectively when it comes to the real thing you can spoon feed the examiner everything that they want to hear!
3. Try taking some pleasure in academically expanding your horizons!
4. Be young! Revise!

xx.

Frenchies

Heres a shout out to French delicacies, the cheeses, the passtisseries, the sausages the tartines, croissants and baguettes and finally the wine! Last week, a travelling French Market visited our village. To celebrate and to take advantage of the beautiful cuisine, myself, brother, boyfriend and bestie bought cheeses, breads, meats and beer from the market and picniced in one of our favourite idiyllic places. Every once in a while its ok to binge eat... so long as its followed by equally lazy hours lounging around in the warm sunlight. xx.