Monday, May 30, 2011

The old friends are the good friends.

Wearing five layers of ill fitting clothes, swilling the last mouthful
to be of the Jura in a blue star spangled paper cup, I listened. The
fire danced over wood and the faces of my companions mutated in and
out of focus in the half light.

Such warmth. Heated toes, old boots nearly touching the fire, and
angora stripes encircling my fingers. Good friends either side. Whisky
trickling down, radiating through my chest.

A few hummed phrases of the old best hymns.

A whole circle of people talking about receding hair lines.

Then the drumming of rain on nylon, or something of that ilk. I slept
fitfully. Thankful for the warmth of my husband.

The old friends are the good friends.

Wearing five layers of ill fitting clothes, swilling the last mouthful
to be of the Jura in a blue star spangled paper cup, I listened. The
fire danced over wood and the faces of my companions mutated in and
out of focus in the half light.

Such warmth. Heated toes, old boots nearly touching the fire, and
angora stripes encircling my fingers. Good friends either side. Whisky
trickling down, radiating through my chest.

A few hummed phrases of the old best hymns.

A whole circle of people talking about receding hair lines.

Then the drumming of rain on nylon, or something of that ilk. I slept
fitfully. Thankful for the warmth of my husband.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Notebooks

Last night panic swept over me.

I could not find my notebook. And I needed to write some lists. Desperately.

I became a list writer at uni when a kind person called Rachel on my
floor in halls took pity with my dishevelled disorganised self, and
helped me write some lists to cope with some essay writing or exam
revision or something. She also lent me a lavender scented candle to
light when I was working to make me feel calm. Or something like that.

(I hope I gave that back to her!)

It got me all the way through uni and through numerous
charity/church/volunteering things.

I'd write my list of things to do including everything I could think
off. Read that chapter. Wash your undies. Go to Pub. Eat Kebab.

And I'd work through them, and pass uncompleted items on to the next list.

Now I only write them when I have things I need to plan. Trips away,
content creation for websites. Writing them is comforting, satisfying,
a brain dump on a physical page.

So when I couldn't find my current notebook yesterday before bed I had
a bit of search, and decided I was too tired to look properly, so I
grabbed a notebook that was lying around and wrote in that. Such
relief!

The notebook I grabbed was one I'd use to track my accounts for a few
weeks as a student. It was amusing seeing "Kebab £3.00" in the
outgoings column, and amazing seeing how little I lived on.

Tom's used a few pages to note down server details and scores from the
Marmer game.

I think I'll keep using it. It's spotty cover makes me smile. And I
still can't find the other damn one!

Notebooks

Last night panic swept over me.

I could not find my notebook. And I needed to write some lists. Desperately.

I became a list writer at uni when a kind person called Rachel on my
floor in halls took pity with my dishevelled disorganised self, and
helped me write some lists to cope with some essay writing or exam
revision or something. She also lent me a lavender scented candle to
light when I was working to make me feel calm. Or something like that.

(I hope I gave that back to her!)

It got me all the way through uni and through numerous
charity/church/volunteering things.

I'd write my list of things to do including everything I could think
off. Read that chapter. Wash your undies. Go to Pub. Eat Kebab.

And I'd work through them, and pass uncompleted items on to the next list.

Now I only write them when I have things I need to plan. Trips away,
content creation for websites. Writing them is comforting, satisfying,
a brain dump on a physical page.

So when I couldn't find my current notebook yesterday before bed I had
a bit of search, and decided I was too tired to look properly, so I
grabbed a notebook that was lying around and wrote in that. Such
relief!

The notebook I grabbed was one I'd use to track my accounts for a few
weeks as a student. It was amusing seeing "Kebab ??3.00" in the
outgoings column, and amazing seeing how little I lived on.

Tom's used a few pages to note down server details and scores from the
Marmer game.

I think I'll keep using it. It's spotty cover makes me smile. And I
still can't find the other damn one!

llama font - say it in llama

Media_httpllamafontco_wsgyl

Oh do try this! It's adorable. Via Rob, via Toddy!

llama font - say it in llama

Media_httpllamafontco_wsgyl

Oh do try this! It's adorable. Via Rob, via Toddy!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Wearing Hats to Weddings

I realised the other day that's been blogging for 6 years. My posts have gone from rambling text to random photos as technology has moved on, and it's easier to just show pictures that say anything.
Some of my most popular posts are reposts of other blogs on wearing hats at weddings, and postings of the essays I wrote for A Level Dance when I was 17 and 18.

When I was doing A Level Dance I remember to difficulty of finding any academic writing on dance, so I hope the people who are finding them are finding them useful!

In that vein, I'm going to use my internet credibility on the wearing of hats to weddings to talk about hats and weddings and so on. So I give you.

The Alex Tarling Guide to Hats and Weddings.
Note, I am not an etiquette expert or a hat expert, but I do love them.

Should I wear a hat to a wedding?
The answer is always yes. It adds a sense of occasion and joy and formality that befits a wedding.

What kind of hat should I wear?
This depends on how formal the wedding is. You can usually judge this based on any dress codes included in the invites, or your take on the couple's level of formality.

For a traditional formal wedding, you can go for a proper hat, or a fascination. Pull out all the stops. Why not! For more masculine reader, if you know the groom (or grooms) are wearing top hats and tails, hire a top hat and join in the fun.

For a more informal wedding, fascinators, flower hairclips, decorative headbands, fresh flowers, trilbies and so on.

When do I take my hat off at a wedding?
Chaps, you take it off in the church, and when you're indoors, unless it's a very informal or theme wedding. Or if you're Toddy at our wedding and it's a fez. Because you can.


Ladies, if wearing a proper hat that covers the crown of your head, you keep it on until the mother of the bride removes her, or when you sit down to eat at the reception.

If you're wearing a fascinator, you can follow the hat rule if you want to take it off, but people do wear them all day as they dont get in the way!

Help, I don't want hat hair when I take my hat off at the reception.
If it's a big hat, consider putting some of the hair in curlers under the hat, then nip off to the loo pre sitting down for dinner, take out the curlers, brush through and voila.

How do I wear my hair with a hat?
Short hair makes this much easier. With longer hair, pull a few strands down around the face to stop the bald head under hat look. With longer hair, a side pony tail or bun under a large hat can sometimes look better than just leaving it down.

With smaller hat or fascinators, make sure you have lots of volume at the crown to help keep it in place.

What do I do with my hat at a wedding when I take it off?
Here's one for those planning the do to address. Create a hat hanging point at your party, or do as we did, and string up ribbons with pegs for people to peg their hats to.

I want to encourage people to wear hats to my wedding.
Do! So much fun. The photos are so much more colourful. We asked people politely in the invites, and nearly everyone obliged, male and female.

Can I wear hats to other parties other than weddings?
Yes, any excuse is a good excuse, Christenings, Parties, Day to Day because it just makes you look awesome are all good reasons.

Hats are expensive. How can I afford one?
Cheap hats for weddings are easy to come by. Look in sales, charity shops and so on. Hats are also easily adaptable, so you can get a cheap charity shop hat, and customise with with scarves, fake flowers or feathers. Fascinators are also easy to make your self using a comb or alice band and then glueing on flowers and feathers and ribbons. Unleash your creativitiy.



If you have a hat related question, send me an email and I'll try to answer it.















Wearing Hats to Weddings

I realised the other day that's been blogging for 6 years. My posts have gone from rambling text to random photos as technology has moved on, and it's easier to just show pictures that say anything.

Some of my most popular posts are reposts of other blogs on wearing hats at weddings, and postings of the essays I wrote for A Level Dance when I was 17 and 18.

When I was doing A Level Dance I remember to difficulty of finding any academic writing on dance, so I hope the people who are finding them are finding them useful!

In that vein, I'm going to use my internet credibility on the wearing of hats to weddings to talk about hats and weddings and so on. So I give you.

The Alex Tarling Guide to Hats and Weddings.
Note, I am not an etiquette expert or a hat expert, but I do love the,

Should I wear a hat to a wedding?

The answer is always yes. It adds a sense of occasion and joy and formality that befits a wedding.



 

 

What kind of hat should I wear?
This depends on how formal the wedding is. You can usually judge this based on any dress codes included in the invites, or your take on the couple's level of formality.

For a traditional formal wedding, you can go for a proper hat, or a fascination. Pull out all the stops. Why not! For more masculine reader, if you know the groom (or grooms) are wearing top hats and tails, hire a top hat and join in the fun.


For a more informal wedding, fascinators, flower hairclips, decorative headbands, fresh flowers, trilbies and so on.

When do I take my hat off at a wedding?
Chaps, you take it off in the church, and when you're indoors, unless it's a very informal or theme wedding. Or if you're Toddy at our wedding and it's a fez. Because you can.

Ladies, if wearing a proper hat that covers the crown of your head, you keep it on until the mother of the bride removes her, or when you sit down to eat at the reception.

If you're wearing a fascinator, you can follow the hat rule if you want to take it off, but people do wear them all day as they dont get in the way!

Help, I don't want hat hair when I take my hat off at the recepton.
If it's a big hat, consider putting some of the hair in curlers under the hat, then nip off to the loo pre sitting down for dinner, take out the curlers, brush through and voila.

How do I wear my hair with a hat?
Short hair makes this much easier. With longer hair, pull a few strands down around the face to stop the bald head under hat look. With longer hair, a side pony tail or bun under a large hat can sometimes look better than just leaving it down.

With smaller hat or fascinators, make sure you have lots of volume at the crown to help keep it in place.

What do I do with my hat at a wedding when I take it off?

Here's one for those planning the do to address. Create a hat hanging point at your party, or do as we did, and string up ribbons with pegs for people to peg their hats to.

I want to encourage people to wear hats to my wedding.
Do! So much fun. The photos are so much more colourful. We asked people politely in the invites, and nearly everyone obliged, male and female.

Can I wear hats to other parties other than weddings?
Yes, any excuse is a good excuse, Christenings, Parties, Day to Day because it just makes you look awesome are all good reasons.

Hats are expensive. How can I afford one?

Cheap hats for weddings are easy to come by. Look in sales, charity shops and so on. Hats are also easily adaptable, so you can get a cheap charity shop hat, and customise with with scarves, fake flowers or feathers. Fascinators are also easy to make your self using a comb or alice band and then glueing on flowers and feathers and ribbons. Unleash your creativitiy.

Here are the facinators I made for my bridesmaids:

 

If you have a hat related question, send me an email and I'll try to answer it.

Monday, May 09, 2011

What do you most appreciate about your mom?

The way she will speak to anyone and make them feel special. Babies, old ladies at church, people on the bus.

Ask me anything

For when I have to do prayers at church

From the fantastic: http://philipstreehouse.blogspot.com/

Because He is Risen

Because He is risen
Spring is possible
In all the cold hard places
Gripped by winter
And freedom jumps the queue
To take fear???s place
as our focus
Because He is risen

Because He is risen
My future is an epic novel
Where once it was a mere short story
My contract on life is renewed in perpetuity
My options are open-ended
My travel plans are cosmic
Because He is risen

Because He is risen
Healing is on order and assured
And every disability will bow
Before the endless dance of his ability
And my grave too will open
When my life is restored
For this frail and fragile body
Will not be the final word
on my condition
Because He is risen

Because He is risen
Hunger will go begging in the streets
For want of a home
And selfishness will have a shortened shelf-life
And we will throng to the funeral of famine
And dance on the callous grave of war
And poverty will be history
In our history
Because He is risen

And because He is risen
A fire burns in my bones
And my eyes see possibilities
And my heart hears hope
Like a whisper on the wind
And the song that rises in me
Will not be silenced
As life disrupts
This shadowed place of death
Like a butterfly under the skin
And death itself
Runs terrified to hide
Because He is risen

Gerard Kelly: Spoken Worship

For when I have to do prayers at church

From the fantastic: http://philipstreehouse.blogspot.com/

Because He is Risen

Because He is risen
Spring is possible
In all the cold hard places
Gripped by winter
And freedom jumps the queue
To take fear’s place
as our focus
Because He is risen

Because He is risen
My future is an epic novel
Where once it was a mere short story
My contract on life is renewed in perpetuity
My options are open-ended
My travel plans are cosmic
Because He is risen

Because He is risen
Healing is on order and assured
And every disability will bow
Before the endless dance of his ability
And my grave too will open
When my life is restored
For this frail and fragile body
Will not be the final word
on my condition
Because He is risen

Because He is risen
Hunger will go begging in the streets
For want of a home
And selfishness will have a shortened shelf-life
And we will throng to the funeral of famine
And dance on the callous grave of war
And poverty will be history
In our history
Because He is risen

And because He is risen
A fire burns in my bones
And my eyes see possibilities
And my heart hears hope
Like a whisper on the wind
And the song that rises in me
Will not be silenced
As life disrupts
This shadowed place of death
Like a butterfly under the skin
And death itself
Runs terrified to hide
Because He is risen

Gerard Kelly: Spoken Worship

Friday, May 06, 2011

Thankful friday

Paint on canvas, a long time has passed since I moved these mediums.

I liked the colours melding, swooping and melting. So fulfilling. So joyous.

It was pleasing to note that some skills never leave you.

Today I am grateful for:

acrylic paint
completed headcheese teaching me I am not cut out to be a butcher, but
I am ok enough with dripping chunks of flash to remain a meat eater.
tom
prosecco
money for a surprise dinner out
the challenge to help and actually love people
mario kart
organised friends.

Thankful friday

Paint on canvas, a long time has passed since I moved these mediums.

I liked the colours melding, swooping and melting. So fulfilling. So joyous.

It was pleasing to note that some skills never leave you.

Today I am grateful for:

acrylic paint
completed headcheese teaching me I am not cut out to be a butcher, but
I am ok enough with dripping chunks of flash to remain a meat eater.
tom
prosecco
money for a surprise dinner out
the challenge to help and actually love people
mario kart
organised friends.

Corinne cardigan : Knitty Spring+Summer 2011

Media_httpwwwknittyco_hehxx

Remember this for later. Love garter stitch. Love it.

Corinne cardigan : Knitty Spring+Summer 2011

Media_httpwwwknittyco_hehxx

Remember this for later. Love garter stitch. Love it.

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Thursday full of gratitude.

Today I am grateful for

Full time employment
Mornings
Hugs
Glass of wine at my desk
The sunshine
Friends who are there like diamonds in darkness
John and Tom painting the fence out front at home, and the green of it all.

Thursday full of gratitude.

Today I am grateful for

Full time employment
Mornings
Hugs
Glass of wine at my desk
The sunshine
Friends who are there like diamonds in darkness
John and Tom painting the fence out front at home, and the green of it all.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

words to live by - challenged by Shane Claiborne

Mel, and Nick, I've got my hands on the SCM Southampton copy of 'The
Irresistible Revolution'. It's killing me. In all the right ways.

Some words that are standing out that I'm coming back to:
1 Peter 4:9 (New Living Translation)

Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

Ruth 1:16-17??(New International Version, ??2011)

??16 But Ruth replied, ???Don???t urge me to leave you or to turn back from
you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your
people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will
die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever
so severely, if even death separates you and me.???

Luke 3:11 (English Standard Version)

11And he answered them,(A) "Whoever has two tunics[a] is to share with
him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise."

I'll be back on these.

words to live by - challenged by Shane Claiborne

Mel, and Nick, I've got my hands on the SCM Southampton copy of 'The
Irresistible Revolution'. It's killing me. In all the right ways.

Some words that are standing out that I'm coming back to:
1 Peter 4:9 (New Living Translation)

Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

Ruth 1:16-17 (New International Version, ©2011)

 16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from
you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your
people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will
die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever
so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

Luke 3:11 (English Standard Version)

11And he answered them,(A) "Whoever has two tunics[a] is to share with
him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise."

I'll be back on these.