Look what I picked up from my postie!

A divine handbag from Love From Hetty and Dave!

It also came with a very lovely handmade R brooch! Bonus!

Have a look at Love From Hetty and Dave

xoxo

♥ Colourful ♥ Kitschy ♥ Funky ♥ Fun...

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Hey, Russell, can I get a RT?

So me and my adventure-homie Andrew just went to a book signing by Russell Kane.  If you didn't already know, Russell has been rocking his POW pin on all the TV shows.  Graham Norton Christmas Special, Georgie Shore and Britain Unzipped, to mention a few.

Russell gave a talk on the book (it's not an auto-biography, it's a novel) and answered questions. Ooh he is a funny lad!!  Then he signed all the books and had a quick chat.  As a thank you for giving the POW some love, I know Russell loves a curry, so I gave him a jar of Aagrah sauce. I deliberated of Achari and Hydrabadi - I should have got both but I was playing it cool... so I went for Achari as it seemed like a hotter choice? Hmm.

Anyway he was very pleased (not that you'd tell from the photo...) and he totes loved the jewelz.  And I got a retweet!

Don't think I've ever talked as much guff as I just did at @russell_kane giving him a curry. Yes, I gave him Bradford curry.

— Rowan | KitschenSink (@KitschenSink) May 16, 2012

POW!

P.S the shop is shut for a few days whilst I jet off somewhere cool (but warm, hopefully). In a bit!

xoxo

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I'm booked! NYC here I come...!

I finally stopped procrastinating and booked my big holiday of the year - to NYC!  I've always wanted to go, since I did a research project on the place in secondary school.

I'm excited about:

♥ Trailer Park Lounge

Credit

♥ Friedsam Memorial Carousel

Credit

♥ Retro Candy

Credit

♥ The Harlem Apollo

Credit

And loads more!

Argh - will I fit everything in? There's so much!

xoxo

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The Opera: My perspective (Madame Butterfly)

I popped my opera cherry this weekend. Thanks to a craft friend (Kirsten Miller) I got hold of a couple of tickets to see Madame Butterfly at Leeds Grand Theatre on Saturday night. I felt very sophisticated, I did my hair in a massive up do, and a lady liked it so much she gave me a bottle of perfume (sample size, but still...)

Leeds Grand Theatre - glamorous

I didn't know the story in advance (even though I have several ABRSM exams, GCSE, A level and a degree in Music, topped off with three years experience of working in a classical music shop). 

It's classic story that could be watched in any area and it would be understood the same.  Boy promises girl things. Boy leaves but says he'll return. Girl waits. Girl's friends say he isn't coming back. Girl trusts what she was told, knowing the intimacy of the relationship that they don't, and believes he will return.  Man has met someone else.  The story gets a whole lot sadder, I just wished someone had told poor Butterfly that you have to kiss a lot of frogs (that's what people tell me...?)

Here's the best bit (~4 mins)

What's happening here then? This is the big aria from Madame Butterfly. She's waiting, three years later, for her husband to return. Her maid has just said to her 'Look love, get a grip, he's been gone three years. If he was coming back he would have by now'. She's singing 'He will do, and when he does I'll stand here waiting for him, it's going to be beautiful, stop being cynical, he loves me, you're just jealous'.

Later on the guy returns, only because he found out Butterfly had a baby, and his appearance is only to take the child. She ends up killing herself. I expect it was down to the shame that she had given up her identity for the guy, and couldn't bear all her friends saying 'told you!'.

She wasn't the first and won't be the last to be charmed and left high and dry.  It's just a shame she didn't have a best mate to get her drunk and encourage her to strip singing 'Sisters are doing it for themselves'.

I will definitely be Opera North's new regular... the caramel and hazlenut ice cream at intermission was dreamy!

Can you recommend an opera for me to go to?

xoxo

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Home is where the heart is

14th February marks a special anniversary for me. Getting the keys to my own home! Today marks four years since I got a bus to Leeds and collected the keys to the carpetless, curtainless, soulless top-floor flat that is now affectionately known by all as The Penthouse.

Here's some hearts and love around my home:

Jewellery box

A handmade card :')

Teacups...

...and cute biscuits

Notes from friends

A hand painted Mexican wall heart from Kate, a hand made glass rainbow from Jane and a hand painted cross from Natalie

Have a great Valentine's Day!

xoxo

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Sweet Saturdays and Sublime Sundays

The weekend started with the first snowfall of the winter, but it didn't stop me venturing out!

"It may be winter outside, but in my heart it's spring", forget wooly hats, I went for an updo for Saturday's advetnures!

I went for an excellent lunch with a friend at The Terrace in Saltaire. This is their homemade chicken burger with guacamole and mozzarella.  Excellent value!

 

We had a mooch around the new Rose and Brown vintage furniture shop where I fell in love with this chair. It'd be perfect for my boudoir!

I had a quick catch up with David Hockey in Salt's Mill. He's done some iPad paintings that are very good.

It's against the local law to go into Salt's Mill and not have a nibble in the Diner... so I indulged in a hot chocolate brownie with coffee ice cream in the late afternoon!

Saturday night TV sucks. I'd bought some gorgeous vintage diamante stud earrings during the day, so I watched Breakfast at Tiffany's. It just made sense.

On Sunday I pottered then took a walk along a rather frozen canal to Saltaire, to the Mill, again!

Quintessentially English.

Platonic husband is on his way to catch up at The Penthouse and the weekend is about to finish similar to how it started...

... I heard a lot of quacking outside to find all the ducks of the canal waddling along to find unfrozen water!

The final part of the weekend will be waiting for best friend Andrew with milk and biscuits.  I should also note that sadly I lost one of the earrings that I bought on Saturday already! Big Sad Face.

How do you like to spend your weekend?

xoxo

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Music to make your insides POP! #1

Aw in't January whacko?! The weather here in Britain has been the absolute pits - it doesn't inspire me to get out of bed on a Monday morning!

A good selection of feel good muzik on your portable music device is an instant way to lift the spirits on the journey into work/school.

This one never fails to put me in a great mood. It reminds me of the time when I was in Austin and I was refused entry to a bar to eat. I sat in a cafe around the corner until the food was ready and we ate in the park instead, but I had a great chat with the barista about the time I saw this performed at Magna 'it blew my mind'.

xoxo

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My best friend's bonfire wedding

I mentioned earlier this week that I was attending my friend's wedding on bonfire night as a bridesmaid.  I've known her since we were about 4. We met on what we like to call 'hula hoop day'. We lived on opposite sides of the road and neither of us were allowed to cross, so we'd play with our hula hoops and shout our conversations between traffic.

The date of the wedding had extra significance because here in the UK it was Bonfire Night.  On bonfire night we celebrate the failure of a plot to blow up the House of Lords in 1605.  There are lots of national and local traditions that she worked into this super fun day...

♥ Fireworks

All over the country spectacular firework displays were taking place and this was the major part of the wedding day.  We were so glad the weather stayed nice.  The fireworks ended with their initials 'M' and 'A' alight with a love heart in between.

♥ Sparklers

Sparklers are like a mini firework you can hold in your hand.  At the party we all have a gold indoor sparkler each in a heart shape! Super cute.

♥ Toffee Apples

Another nation wide tradition, apples are stuck on a stick and coated in delicious bonfire toffee.  Bonfire toffee is much harder than regular coffee, and almost black.  Here the toffee is red in colour which is a little more appetising to look at.

♥ Parkin

Parkin is a more local (Yorkshire) tradition for bonfire night.  It's a cake that includes oats in the dry ingredients and black treacle in the wet ingredients.  Do not be fooled or allured by the parkin pig. This is merely a gingerbread pig-shaped biscuit.

♥ Pie and peas

I didn't get a photograph of this but the main food served in the evening was our local bonfire night delicacy of a hot pork pie with mushy peas. I chose not to eat and just get bladdered instead ;-)


And a couple of other things...

♥ The wedding flowers

Some of the nicest flower arrangements I have ever seen - they had crab apples and berries amongst roses and twigs. Very autumnal.

It was a beautiful, emotional but happy ceremony.  My friend cried as she said her vows which set us all off, and the speeches made us all bawl our eyes out too... thank heavens I wasn't wearing eye make up (more on that later!).  I couldn't be happier for her, she's married a really great man.

...and my hair? I did get the SJP do (it's fallen out of place a little at the back here due to dance floor movez)...

(parkin's great!)

Where's the bride? She looked magnificent, you will have to take my word for it. She's not an internetty girl and I respect that...

xoxo

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Chestnut hair

I had my hair coloured! It's a little darker than I had anticipated but I think it's going to look gorgeous for my best friends wedding this coming weekend, where I will be a bridesmaid.  After that I think I'll put a more orangy colour of it to brighten it.  What do you think?

For the wedding I decided I am going to have an updo - a la SATC Carrie Bradshaw...

 The colour scheme for the wedding is black and gold, so I am going to make my own hair accessory with a giant foam rose in gold.  Still waiting for it to arrive though! Eek!  Also have eyelash extensions applied for the first time and can't wait to see what that looks like. It's going to be such a fun bonfire night!

xoxo

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Bank Holiday FUN

Bank holidays are so great!  Most people have time off, so it's a perfect time to catch up with friends. Originally I had plans for the full weekend, but they fell through, so I was worried because I had no other plans! Silly me. I have had such a fun weekend!

Saturday day: Trafford Centre, Manchester

I'm not a massive fan of shopping centres (malls).  I prefer to go to cities where there's a good mix of high street chains and independents. There's little independence in shopping centres, including food on offer.  Anyway. A friend of mine needed her iPhone fixing and it was the nearest place with an Apple Store. So off we popped!

I think it goes without saying that if there's big glasses to try on, you try them on and take a picture looking a bit stupid?

We went to Selfridges and treat ourselves to smoothies from Energy Kitchen.  I am so in love with this 'Green Magic'. It's apple, mango, spinach and pineapple. you can't taste the spinach at all, and it actually tastes like Jolly Rancher sweets! Again, I look a bit stupid (I notice a theme...)

I bought a few nice things. I will show you those another time!  Then we went to eat at Tampopo. I like stupid again.

Tampopo is a small chain of restaurants, and it's very similar to Wagamama. Natalie was desperate for noodles and I do love spicy foods! 

Saturday evening: A birthday at the Sky Lounge, Leeds

I made my Sky Lounge debut on Saturday.  Sky Lounge is a rather exclusive bar on the top floor of a posh hotel in Leeds city centre. The views from there are spectacular.

Photo: Paul Spencer on Flickr

Sunday: Laying down

Ouch! My head! Always drink mojitos in moderation.

Monday: Spring clean and visiting friends

Today I spent most of the day cleaning my flat. It feels lovely now! I even cleaned the oven.  It was a friends little girl's 3rd birthday yesterday so I went to their house to give her her gift - a Peppa Pig gardening set!

She's got the most awesome playhouse with plant boxes on the windows! So cute! So she promptly went to water them with her new watering can.

It was an extra special time because her little sister took her first steps with a (toy) shopping trolly whilst I was there :')

I'm not at work tomorrow, so I will be mainly doing this! This was a birthday present I got late because a colleague of mine was in labour just before my birthday. Can't wait to try them on after i have sewed them!

So that's it for bank holidays for 2011. What did you do?

xoxo

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The End of an Era

Today was the last day in my current job. You may or may not be aware but Kitschen Sink isn't my full time job.  Lots of people think it is, because it is where most of my energy and passions go.  But the truth is, I'm pretty old school, and although I love Kitschen Sink, I also value the structure and security my job gives me.

For the last four years my role has involved supporting people who develop the careers of new lecturers within a top university.  It's the longest I have ever been in a job! I really love working on campus.  I sat in a lovely little office that overlooked a courtyard, with lots of windows and my name on the door.

I arrived to my office yesterday and my lovely colleague Claire had decorated it with balloons and signs that said 'good luck'.  I laughed out loud at what I found stuck to my computer!

I also got lots of lovely gifts including a couple of bottles of champagne, a cute cup to take to my new office, a finger monster (you can see him on the bow on the bottle), a lovely handmade glass rainbow for my new desk, and a collection from the unit, which I will buy a remote for my camera from, and some Wesc Bing Bang headphones for my iPhone.  I cried when I left, I'll miss them lots!

So what's next? I'll be heading over to a department that supports medical engineers turn their inventions and potions into a proper business (I think!).  I can't wait!

Isn't it the law that you have to get a new wardrobe before you start a new job? I got myself a couple of new dresses... I'm afraid I am waiting to borrow a tripod so I can show you them, but here's a sneak peek...

Very cute. I am going to the Trafford Centre tomorrow... there could be more for the collection. I'm thinking knitwear and T-bar shoes.

What's your autumn winter staple?

xoxo

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Cherries, berries and a Royal Plum treat

I got an overwhelming craving today, for lip stain.  I quit like the idea of a long lasting colour without the stickiness.  I've never bought any before so I put it out there:

The result was unanimous. Benefit Benetint.  Sadly, my bank balance wouldn't thank me for a Benefit splurge this month.  So off I popped to my dentist who advised me to get a better quality of dental floss. Off I popped to ASDA to pick some up, and whilst I was there I temporarily fixed my stain urge with Max Factor Lipfinity Lasting Lip Tint.

I'm so pleased with the result! I think I'll finally be able to wear my beloved lip colours during the day without worrying it's on my teeth, has come off, smudged, all over my tea cup, etc.  And the colour is great - I went for Royal Plum which sounds purplish, but it's a lovely red, on the blue-tone side. Perfect for a ginner like me! It's applied with a big, fat, marker pen tip. Simples.

The sun was shining bright and it seemed the perfect time for a final summer indulgence: cherries and strawberries!

Yums! It's all about berry reds!  I can't wait to try Benetint too!

So what lipsticks, stains and glosses do you love? Share!

xoxo

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Appy burfday to me (June)

It's a little late but I celebrated my birthday in June.  I got loads of stuff including a sequined shower cap (I shower daily what wash my hair kinda rarely...), matey bubble bath, Sailor Jerry rum and some books that came from foreign countries which is why I just received them and it prompted me to write this.

I celebrated with friends at a local Japanese restaurant. A good friend had baked a cake that came with an indoor firework! Yikes!

 

Also my colleague decorated my office! Lovely day.

xoxo

But what about the jewellery?

I know! It's been ages!


I'm in the process of getting my Autumn/Winter collection ready and getting legal advice on copyright as there's been a few 'issues' lately.

I just signed up to sell at a teeny weeny festival to dip my toe in the water. That's at the end of July. I'll let you know how it goes!

Oh AND I just signed up to a SLR photography course so I can blog with pictures a little better!

xoxo

My brief interruption in service: Austin, TEXAS!

Sorry for the brief interruption in services - I went to Austin in Texas to visit ma cherie Kate (see previous escapades here).  I didn;t say before I went, because I didn't want my home to get tracked down and robbed (not that there's anything to take, nor could it get any more untidy!).

Here's my fortnight in photos:

♥ Making friends:

Sixth Street

Austin Museum of the Weird

♥ Live Music:

KP and the Boom Boom

Party in the Park

Noa Lynne

♥ Eating:

P Terry's: fresh, organic and whatnot

Pancakes, ham and syrup!

Barbeque ribs picnic!

♥ Sightseeing:

Capitol Building

♥ Other fun stuff:

 Retro bar arcade!

Kayaking

Party timez

I've fallen in love withe the place and the people, Kate is very happy there, and I hope to go back and visit as soon as I can!

xoxo