Sunday Catch-Up - 12th January 2014

Well I was planning to write a Sunday Catch-Up post like I usually do, but in all honesty when I started looking at my instagram and iPhone pictures to put the post together, I realised I had nothing interesting to show you, lol! Literally my entire weeks pictures are of food for my Weight Loss Wednesday Posts. My weight loss goal has taken over my thoughts a little! So as there is no point posting food pictures here, when I will be posting them on Wednesday anyway, I thought I would do a bit of a bumper Links and Love instead! So here is what I have been looking at and loving online this week: I've been a little bit obsessed with house renovation and inspiration blogs lately, usually I'm just on Design Sponge and Apartment Therapy but thanks to them I found two new awesome blogs - My Scandinavian Home and Little Green Notebook - I'm in love! And thanks to all the housey obsession I have fallen very hard for Eames Paris Chairs! And the Rocking Chair version! I want them!

I'm currently reading 3 books (well listening to 1). Nacropolis by Jeet Thayil which was shortlisted for the Man Booker in 2012, With My Body by Nikki Gemmell and Count to Ten by Karen Rose.

I've been working on some Valentines Day Craft Articles:

Valentines DIY for the Home

Valentines Cards for Kids

Valentines Food Ideas

Valentines Day Crafts for Kids

Valentines Day Fashion Crafts I went to see this in the Millennium Centre - it was awesome! So funny!!

I've been working with a great scientist, Doctor and Writer called Darja Wagner to edit her book on Fertility for over 40's which you can find here. Even if your not over 40 but you need some help with fertility issues this book is brilliant!, I've learnt lots about womens health I never even knew before!
So that's all folks! Hope everyones week has gone well, tomorrow will be a Monday Manicure post so remember to swing by!

Music - 5 Tracks I've been listening to this week

I don't usually do music posts, but I have had a bit of a rediscovery of YouTube this week. I've been listening to lots of music videos on there and Radio 1's Live Lounge, so happy to have discovered that as some of them are brilliant as you will see below! So here are the 5 tracks I have been listening to this week. Please enjoy and let me know what you think?

Little Mix Move. At first I really wasn't sure about this track, but it has been totally drummed into my head, and now I love it! It is really quite catchy without you realising it, and I notice myself humming it all the time.

Miley Cyrus in Radio 1's Live Lounge singing Lana Del Rey's Summertime Sadness. I'm not a massive Miley fan but I think she really shows she can sing on this track, I love her version of it, it has such soul! 

Katy Perry's Roar. I love this track, I especially love to sing it at the top of my voice in the car whilst driving to or from work!

Lorde Royals. Jon hates this track but I have a real soft spot for it. It is another sing along song for when I am driving. This girl has such a great voice, just really rich! And the song is sweet but with a little edge, me likes! Sadly the video is a bit lacking.

James Arthur in the Radio 1's Live Lounge covering the Arctic Monkeys. I am a big James Arthur fan, wanted him to win all the way through the X-Factor. I wasn't sure about his first solo track but even that has grown on me, and I love what he has done with this track!
Have you been listening to anything in particular this week?

Sunday Catch-up - Haul Vlog

Instead of my regular Sunday Catch-up post I thought I would do a little Vlog! This is a haul vlog of all the nice new things I have had this month so far, tell me what you think.

Have you bought anything new this month?

Got any opinions on any of my purchases? 

I intend to start doing more videos, but at the moment I'm a Newbie, so if your a You Tube user please Subscribe to my channel!

Music - Adele, 'Skyfall'

Thought you may all fancy a change from the usual fashion posts so here is a bit of music for you - an awesome bit of music that I was super excited to hear.

Adele's new Bond track for the film Skyfall. Please have a listen to it all, it is really beautiful and a prefect Bond theme tune. 

So what do you think of it? Like it? I love it!

What is your favourite Bond theme tune of all time?

Are you a Bond fan in general?

I really like them even though they are completely cheesy at times. I love Octapussy, although Pierce is my fav bond!
Here is the trailer for the new Skyfall film as a little teaser for you!

 Hope you like it and look forward to seeing it!

DIY - Smashbooking!

Have you discovered Smashbooking yet? I recently found this video on Youtube of the new journalling craze to hit us crafters. I've always liked the idea of scrapbooking, but just don't have the time and patience to do it properly. If it is doe properly scrapbooking looks amazing, but it seems to take so much tim, planning and arranging it all nicely. So when I came across this video I knew it was more up my street.

Essentially its like a kids scrapbook, where you just stick everything in, how ever you want to. And you can keep all sorts of little trinkets, bits and bobs and fun stuff in it. K&Company are the brand who make the official Smashbook brand but you can really use any journal or sketchbook. Mine are off eBay, I wanted ring bound so I could put bulkier things inside and it would still go together ok. You can add anything and everything to it! Thats half the fun of it. I have found old postcards and notes that I had stored for years, which I have now added to my 'everyday' book. And when I get fun stuff in the mail I add them to it too. You don't have to use photos like a scrapbook, but I have been printing little pictures out using Picture Frames App so I can make them smaller. Got lots more to do though. 

So here is the start of my everyday Smashbook. I have a separate one for our travel - China, Paris, Barcelona - which I have yet to start! I'm trying to collect up all those little brochures and leaflets you accumulate while visiting places. Not all the pages are finished as I have been adding little bits here and there when they fit and when I find or receive interesting, pretty stuff. I intend to fill the cover with stickers when I find some or am sent some. (If anyone wants to send me some fun stickers please feel free!)

The cover so far - still pretty bare

Some Paralympics fun

Our tickets, pin badge mounts and some pictures

Pretty postcards and mail I received from Miki and others, plus a Stamp themed ATC (wondering what an ATC is? I'll be doing a post on them soon too! Another new craft I've been enjoying!)

Fun mail and ATC's, and a Hell Bunny Dress Tag

A London ATC, 2 Paris ATC's and a recipe I fancy trying

A fun night out with Jon last week! Yo Sushi and cinema trip.

Receipts from September and an old postcard. The envelope is a sample pack envelope from Crabtree and Evelyn, isn't it super cute!

More old Postcards and my winning letter from Stoli

That's all for now, I have more pages but they are still in progress.
Has anyone else been Smashbooking? Or fancy trying it? It really is a lot of fun and a great way to collect memories.

Music - Francis Bowie 'Sunny Day'

Well you all seemed to like my last 2 music picks so here is my 3rd and final from Independent Music Promotions (for now) Francis Bowie. I love how chilled and relaxed this track is - a total summer tune. But the video is a little bit strange! I had to watch it a few times to make sure I was seeing what i thought I was seeing - You'll see what I mean in a minute. But I love the song and the video is just fun!

So here it is 

'Sunny Day' 

Enjoy!

So what did you think? 

Daisymay X

Music - Monks of Mellonwah

If you read my post from Friday you will know I was asked by Independent Music Promotions to take a listen to the bands they represent and see if I could find any I like. On Friday I introduced you to the Drunksouls who I adore and today I bring you the Monks of Mellonwah. They are completely different to the Drunksouls who had a very alternative sound to them - these are a bit more indie mainstream musicians but I love their songs too. Their sounds is still quite mellow but it picks up and I think it would do really well if it was properly released.

Here are 2 of their songs: Enjoy!!

'Swamp Groove'

'Neverending Spirit'

So what do we think? Did you enjoy?

Daisymay X

Music - Drunksouls 'Human Race'

 Today I'm bringing you something a little different, a bit of music. I was recently asked by Independent Music Promotions to have a listen to some of their bands and see what I thought. Now I have a pretty varied taste in music from country to metal and rock, so I'll pretty much listen to a bit of everything.

After listening to a few bands that didn't really float my boat I eventually stumbled on this video. First of all it was the video that grabbed my attention. It looked interesting right from the start, with the home movie style and dare devil antics I just had to watch it through. Then of course the song really got started first with the trumpets (which are a great addition, and different from the usual pop stuff) and I really enjoyed it. It is so fun and chilled, a really great listen.

So here is Drunksouls - 'Human Race' video

You can find out a little more about them and where they will be gigging on their Facebook Page.

What do you think guys? Are you a fan of Drunksouls? And their awesome 'scary-as-hell' video?

Daisymay X