You and I'll be safe and sound

Hello (almost) May, where did you come from?

John was sound engineer at the Frightened Rabbit gig in his home town a couple of weeks ago. I went along before the gig for some dinner at the Cafe, watched the sunset across the water at Gourock and also watched these lads sound check. Leah and her sister came along too, and we had a very up close and personal view of Scott and the band for the evening :) Have you heard Frightened Rabbit before? I'm pretty sure I've popped them on a couple of cd's I made for Rosie. 

I honestly cannot belieeeve how quickly this year is going in. My new little brother or sister will be born in a few weeks time, and it's just over a month until my 23rd birthday. Wahh! I'm in the middle of a very long run at work with only one day off (tomorrow, bring it on!) Which has been tiring but I'm looking forward to having a rest at the other end. Booking up some holidays and perhaps parting with a bit of my well earned pennies. I was sent some holiday sized shampoo, conditioner and treatment oil by Osmo, and I decided to include it in a post anyways because I am actually already quite a fan of their Berber Oil treatments. I received some at a blogger event last year and I used them until I was scraping the barrel. They have been an absolute godsend since I had my hair ombre'd, and have really helped to keep the quality of my tips as good as the rest of my hair. 

However, my flatmate also had a couple of tries of these and found the Argan Oil to be a bit too heavy for her hair (She has very fine hair I must add) So I'm not quite sure how someone else with fine hair would find it, but I have continually used it as my daily shampoo/conditioner and not found it to be too heavy at all. The 'Mask' can be used as a daily conditioner, or also as a mask funnily enough! It reminded me of aussie 3 minute miracle! The smell is lovely :) I have not quite mastered how to use the oil yet, I think a little goes a long way but I am not great at evenly distributing it. My mum is actually coming over tomorrow on my day off to do my hair, so I think I'll give her the oil to use on me when she blow dries it. I've only ever used it on the ends of my hair so far as I'm worried about ever putting oily products near my roots/fringe. But as you can see, I think it has really helped to keep my bleached hair nice and nourished. Have you tried anything from the Osmo Berber Oil Range? On the subject of hair, check how much mines has grown since my 21st birthday?!

It has taken me almost 2 bloody years to grow my hair this long. Sometimes I would love to chop it all off, and other times I can't imagine having short hair again as I feel I can do so much more with it now. I bought some awesome hair slides at the North Lakes Tattoo Convention...

Plus a Hello Kitty key cover and some super cute earrings :)

Also bought the above 2 prints at the convention, which prompted me to do a little reshuffle of my room and visit next home for some goodies.

My bird cage jewellery holder from Urban Outfitters,, wooden 'time for tea' from Next Home, and my Cameron+Whitney paper portrait. I have also been burning incense a lot lately. Anyone recommend some nice smells? I have half a pack of Patchouli left, wanting to buy something else soon.

New cushions :) much to Johns dismay, haha. All from Next Home. I should not be let loose in that store, they have so much wonderful stuff that my bank balance can't afford.

I inherited this bird cage from TKMaxx off of the recent Irn Bru adverts that I worked on. The colour scheme fitted my room nicely, but I had no idea what to do with it. When in doubt, stuff it with tealights. Aye, candles make anything better! Think it looks okay?

And finally, my favourite buy from Next Home that day. New side lamp :) What can I say, it was almost made for me! Always feel better after a wee shoogle about of my bedroom. It really shows I'm growing up when I want to spend my wages on new curtains, bedcovers, rugs, lamps etc. If you have any links to nice homeware websites please send them to me. I really can't wait to have a house of my own, a complete blank canvass which I can decorate completely from start to finish.

As well as work and spending time making the house a home, I've been enjoying a few nights out and charity nights with my nearest and dearest. John is such a good going out buddy, drinking and dancing with a boy has never been so fun, however we probably look like complete lunatics to anyone watching! I won a massive yankee candle at the raffle of the charity night I went to, and it's got me absolutely itching for one of those big Jo Malone candles. Expensive though aren't they :( But worth it?

A bit of an eclectic post as usual, I'm trying to think what else has been happening but the past few weeks have been a bit of a blur to be honest. Starting to get cabin fever here in the studio at the BBC. I've got a couple of nights out and dinners to look forward to this weekend, and a spa day on sunday with Louise. Just what I'll be needing after finishing up work on friday. I also got the good news that I will be visiting London again at the start of june, as I am art directing one of the three locations for the Queen's Jubilee :) Absolutely over the moon, but totally terrified as this is probably my biggest job to date. I'll let you know when I'll exactly be down there, and if anyone wants to meet up for dinner or something send me a message! I promise it won't be like last time I came down and ended up in hospital in Bristol... second time lucky eh ladies? :)

Ayden x

The boy who blocked his own shot

Happy sunday :) If you follow me on twitter you'll maybe know that I had 'one of those days' yesterday, where anything and everything wasn't going to plan. Spilling litres of paint all over me in work, bursting my knuckles open, and having a junkie try to fight with my car in the middle of the road. But then my boyfriend came over last night for dinner and its amazing how cosying up on the couch with a dvd can make things a million times better. I finally bit the bullet and came off the pill a few weeks ago (thanks for all your advice a couple of posts back) and I'm in the middle of 19 days straight at the BBC. So I think those combined are making me super tired/confused/grumpy this week. That aside, loads of good stuff has been happening too! I feel like my posts are just massive catch up sessions these days. I've came to the conclusion that I'm never going to blog consistantly or write themed posts. So high five to you for embracing the eclectic-ness (is that even a word?) Here's some lovely jubby things which I have been filling my time with...

First and foremost, why did none of you tell me about the wonder that is grilled haloumi cheese? I feel genuinely quite sad that I never knew it existed until the evening of the Darcy's blogger meet a few weeks ago.  Myself and the wonderful Claire visited their newly refurbished bar/restaurant at the bottom of Princess Square in glasgow to check it out. I really want to hire their private dining room "La Petite Chambre" for my birthday and june. I love places which ooze personality and atmosphere, and Darcy's has been refurbished absolutely beautifully. We sampled their cocktails, brewdog beer and mixed platters to share. Claire and I were utter pigs however and had more food between us than the other groups of 4 and 5 did. IT WAS SO GOOD. They also do a slow roast with all the trimmings on a sunday, and afternoon cream tea every day (which automatically makes it a hit in my books anyways) Can't wait to go back!

As if stuffing our faces and getting a bit tipsy (it was just the relaxing lighting and funky music that set us off, promise...) we left happy as larry with a lovely goody bag in tow, featuring some bits and bobs from the shops in Princess Square. Thank you Claire for making me your plus one, you absolute diamond ♥

A bit belated, but I spent easter sunday with my Dad and Stepmum, and we watched my little brother Max do his first ever easter egg hunt. It was the most adorable sight! But now my dad is worried that every time Max goes into the garden he's going to be going crazy looking for little chocolate eggs and chickens :) You can see a few pictures above (as we all stood and watched Max do his hunt, NO PRESSURE WEE MAN!) my stepmum's baby bump, she is due mid may and I am so excited about being a big sister again. It's great, after being an only child for 15 years and now my mum and dad are both having/had kids with their partners, it puts off my broody feelings for a few years longer haha. My step mum julie put on a wonderful spread of food (AND CAKES) as always, and my gran liz made the cute cupcakes with the chicks on top. I bloody love those little fuzzy chicks you get at easter. What they are actually for though, I will never understand...

Y'know those little things that cheer you up? Well this wee mysterious parcel found its way into my room a few months ago. I'd had quite a lot of family and friends round and I had no idea who had put it on my bedside cabinet (I was literally asking everyone who stepped foot in the house after that) until I mentioned it to my flatmate gary last week and it turns out it was him! I really love little trinkets like this. It reminds me of when I was younger and my uncles ex girlfriend gave me a tiny wooden treasure chest with white sand inside, 50p hidden underneath and a photograph of the beach at Barra in the lid. Her family owned a guest house on the island, and I'd spent a couple of weeks one summer there, digging up potatoes, naming all the farms chickens and helping (lolz) to herd sheep. The beaches there are still to this day the most beautiful I've ever seen. I was so sad to leave :( I'm looking forward to hitting the sandy beaches in Cornwall for some surfing with Jenn at the end of June, and maybe Tiree with my boyfriend and Andy and Olivia this summer. Do you have any hidden gems in the UK that you have visited and absolutely fallen in love with? Or any little bits and pieces that remind you of certain places? I enjoy being quite the magpie when it comes to collecting memories. Here's my latest:

I started my 'perhaps soon to be' sleeve last sunday at the North Lakes Tattoo Convention in Carlise. Billy Hay was meant to be tattooing me the day after my birthday in June, but I was keeping my eye out for cancellations because my appointment was a bit too close to when I'm going to Cornwall. New tattoo in a tight wetsuit, hell no! So when I found out he had space to tattoo at the convention me and Leah took a wee day trip down to see him :) I'm really happy with how it turned out, plus it only took two hours. I'm the biggest wimp you'll ever meet, but I can't wait to get started on the other side.

Ayden x

The importance of being Earnest

Okay, I know it's not the same spelling (or even the same meaning) but hundreds of blog posts later I seem to be running out of cheesy emo lyrics for titles. I never thought I'd see the day! Anyways, I hope this finds you all well my dears. I have some lovely jubbly things to show you...

I was gifted by the very nice (I mean that, they have manners and lovely chat!) folks at Ernest Jones with this limited edition polished sterling silver hallmarked bracelet. Now that's a lot of pressure for someone like me, whose jewellery collection contains mostly plastic a la Tatty Devine, wooden brooches a la Lady Luck Rules OK, sparkly rings from Me & Zena and other similar costume jewels. The most 'grown up' jewellery I have, I got for my 21st birthday, a Links of London friendship bracelet and my Pandora charm bracelet.

This one? This one kinda tops all that. It even has my 'online persona' engraved onto it :) I am aware I sound like a right numpty talking about my online persona... But 'Rogue' was an alias I took on way back in the myspace days, and it has trickled through to my twitter, flickr, tumblr names etc. I know I win the number one prize here for being unable to work macro on my SLR. But can you see it? *squints eyes*

It is so simple, and silver, and pretty. I love it. A lot of my jewellery tends to be a bit mad and I can't wear more than a few pieces at once before looking like a travelling market stall on wheels. Pretending to be a grown up, in a grown up job and going to grown up places (like the Scottish Ballet, but more on that later) it is a real treat to have a nice piece of jewellery like this around my wrist. Rather than googly eyes, pirate ships and domino pieces dangling about me (I take that back, I love it really)

Ernest Jones is a site/shop I have visited for gifts for friends and family on special occasions. Their spring/summer 2012 range has been sorted into themed categories, which I really like as it helps nonsensical people like myself arm themselves with the pretense of knowing what goes with what when it comes to jewellery and accessories. It is my birthday in June, so I had a nosy around the website and used their newly launched facebook app to create my own wishlist.

I wonder if more brands and websites will catch on and do this, as it is really a great idea and so simple to use. Once I had signed into the app, all I had to do was press 'like' underneath the item on the Ernest Jones websites and it updated my wishlist on the facebook app automatically. Once full (of 5 items, but I could have kept going...) you have the ability to publish your list for people on your facebook to see, or even private message it directly to someone (LETS JUST SAY I WISH MY DAD HAD FACEBOOK) Here's what I chose, and you can click the pictures to look at the item directly on their website:

How cute is the wee acorn?! Creating this wishlist will keep all these fresh in my mind in case any friends or family ask for some gift inspiration for my birthday (but maybe not the Marco Bicego 18ct yellow gold multi stone bracelet 2nd from the bottom at over £2,500... but everything else is affordable haha!) I tend to hopelessly fill my shopping basket on my favourite websites anyways, but majorly sigh when I see how much my fantasy shopping adds up to :( But on a good note, by creating the wishlist and liking the page I've been entered into a prize draw to win something from my wishlist. Fingers crossed! And let me know if you end up entering too, it only takes a few minutes :) But I take no responsibility for encouraging online window shopping...

I wore my bracelet for the first time, along with a nice dress and heels to see A Streetcar Named Desire at Scottish Ballet on thursday night. Wow, just wow. They have just finished up in Glasgow, but are touring Edinburgh, London, Aberdeen, Inverness and Belfast, finishing up on the 19th of May and I highly suggest going to see it. Even if you are not a massive fan of the ballet, it was my boyfriends first time but he enjoyed it also. I think it was the fusion of the music from the deep south and new orleans in the 1930's, along with the classical twist from the orchestra that set a soundtrack almost as if I was watching a silent movie rather than a ballet.

STELLAAAA! I didn't study this book at school, but I know a lot of people who did but I was surprised to see how fiesty and dark it was, with a lot of sexual tension from the very start. As always, my favourite part was the set and the costumes. I love seeing what Scottish Ballet comes up with next and they absolutely never disappoint. This set was especially clever, with a lot of depth considering how minimalistic it actually was. But I won't ruin it for you, please go and see if you get the chance! It was totally different to the ballets I have seen there before (Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland and Sleeping Beauty) a lot less innocent and much more dark, sexy and grown up.

Well it's just past midnight, and that's when I officially turn into an ogre so I'm off to bed. Will be back in a few days with pictures from over my easter break and time off work. Travelling to the North Lakes Tattoo Convention tomorrow to get tattooed, then on monday I'm back to work at the BBC for a couple of weeks. Remember you can always come say hello on twitter or tumblr :)

Ayden x

This city is haunted

Scottish weather, make up your bloody mind. One day I am lying on the beach eating sandwiches with my bestie, the other I'm sitting hungover outside the tattoo convention drinking bovril in the pouring rain, and the next I am fighting the cold and wind (and zombies) on the streets in glasgow city centre. But hai, life is peachy, I went a walk in the heavy rain tonight and realised I wouldn't rather be anywhere else other than where I am right now.

A road trip to Luss with the beautiful Jenn. We sat on the beach, had girly chats and a lovely wee picnic provided by Jenn :) We had to shoo off a rather keen swan at one point, but apart from that it was awesome to just lie on our blanket and chill. I can't wait for summer and more trips like this. I also really can't wait to book up on holiday somewhere. Cornwall with Jenn and some surfing the last week in June, and maybe Tiree with John, his best friend Andy and his girlfriend Olivia could be on the cards. I have never really been on a massive family holiday before, but I think we might all be booking up to go to my Aunty Paula's house in the Algarve for my Aunty Elaine's 50th in september. I AM PALE, BRING MEH SUN! Are you booked up to go away anywhere over the summer months?

I am really enjoying living in the south side of glasgow :) I went to a local haunt with Kirsty, Maired and Ruth a couple of weeks ago (as mentioned in the last post) and it was SO satisfying having a 2 minute taxi ride home. I can't handle my alcohol very well anymore to be honest, but I've never been much of a drinker anyways. It's good to have an excuse to get a pretty outfit on (since I spend most of my time at work looking like an absolute tramp covered in paint and all sorts) and of course to get my fantastic dance moves on. I lie, I can't dance at all. The boy in the top picture asked us if we had any drugs, which proceeded in a lecture and his hat being stolen. I am going to be very un rock and roll and put this out there but I have never been the type of person who has needed drugs to have a good time, and I certainly never will.

I spent the saturday after said night out at the Scottish Tattoo Convention in Edinburgh. Feeling absolutely awful from the night before, but a good bit of banter and some greasy scran did the trick :) I drove myself, Leah, Louise and her fiance Colin through, and we had a brilliant time having a wander round all the stalls. I had a good old nosy at a number of artists portfolios, and collected a bunch of business cards from studios all around the world where I would absolutely love to get tattooed. Might not ever happen, but it's got my feet itching to see the talent that lies outwith tiny Glasgow (and Scotland!) I bought myself and John matching tattoo mugs too. Well, mines has a mermaid and his has a ship but they are of the same shape and style :) I also got a little origami crane tattoo on my wrist, by Harry Morgan from Melbourne. It's super different from any of my other tattoos, but I really like it and Harry was lovely. I'm booked in at Custom Inc in glasgow to get the bottom half of my arm done the day after my birthday in june, but really hoping I'll get a cancellation before then. There were so many fantastic stalls at the convention apart from people tattooing, including artwork, clothes, accessories, jewellery, homeware, and even some ladies doing 50's pin up hair styles! It was a great day out (Thanks Lou &hearts) and I'd definitely go back again next year. I would have loved to get my hair done :( If I knew I wasn't about to spend saturday night doing this...

Armed with a very convincing high heel shoe (afterwards) on saturday night me and John took part in 2.8 hours later. This is a zombie cross city chase game, and it happens all up and down the uk so be sure to check the website and see if it is coming to a city near you! What can I say, apart from it is not for the faint hearted. Zombie apocalypse is basically my worst nightmare :( The I am Legend story especially, is something that my worst fears could see happening in real life. But when I heard the game was coming to glasgow I couldn't resist. Total glutton for punishment! You are released at your allotted time in groups of 5-8 (we ended up with a bunch of folk we didn't know but they turned out to be the nicest people ever!) and use a gridded map and clues along the way to find the 'safe zone' (complete with food and zombie disco might I add) I don't want to give too much away for the people who plan on going but this video from the website is a pretty good indication...

   

I am a big scaredy pants but I couldn't recommend this night enough. It was great fun, but wasn't plain sailing as it involved a lot of teamwork, map reading, problem solving and RUNNING. There were check points set up along the way, with actors and very convincing set dressing, which added to the story of it all and made it feel like a real journey rather than just a manic free for all. I don't know if I will ever look at my city in the same light again mind you.... oh, and if there is a zombie apocalypse I know the first places NOT to hide! Wahhhh! Have you ever done 2.8 hours later before? 4 out of the group got infected (including poor John) which is basically when you get caught they tag your hand but you are able to continue the game, and you find out at HQ if you have definitely been infected or not. Those people get done up as zombies for the party :) and the lucky survivors don't - which included me! Lets just say I can run pretty darn fast when I know I'm being chased by my worst nightmare (being small and able to dodge in and out helps)

I am still enjoying my sugar coma from the weekend, I hope you all had a wonderful easter break and my chat about flesh eating zombies hasn't put you off your easter eggs too much!

Ayden x