HAIR PIECE!

Last week, my lovely mate Barry asked us to his Dad's 60th round at their place. The dress-code was Icons of Music! We were at my Mum's and she kinda steamrollered us into a John and Yoko, which she's been dying to do for ages, and then set about proving why sometimes having an unbelievable ammount of "stuff" really does come in handy. She got the whole outfit together in minutes, and Gia just had to turn up and get dressed! The party was ace, and Barry needs to know his Mum's cookin is ten-star! ;-)

BACK FROM BEYOND!

That was such a dark month! It was all pretty traumatic, and the shock and sadness knocked me sideways, but here we go again with the life thing. It actually DOES go on, as horrible as that first feels!...

DANIEL HOLDS MY HEARTSTRINGS!

:-( Thinking of my Jewelly and the whole of Joey's family all the time.... <3

JOEY CHAINSAW x

I have been asked to spread the world of an artist who had only begun to scratch the surface of his genius talents in art and music. Mister Joey Chainsaw was a sweet gentle soul, and a creative force I barely knew, linked only by our love for Jewelly (AKA mepresents - another amazing artist!), his sister, and one of my dearest friends. He left this world behind on Monday morning, and we found out on returning home from Garry's funeral, when Jewelly recieved the worst phonecall of her life, and lived the most distressing days I have ever witnessed. We are like sisters, and always look after eachother, but I know I will never be able to make this okay. Shocked and grief-stricken cannot begin to describe how I am feeling for my friend and her family. All the love in the world goes to the family Chainsaw! Above is one of my favourites from his painting collection, and below are some links, search him out and spread the word of JOEY CHAINSAW! xxx
Joey's Myspace Page
Cardboard Paintings
Album Covers
A video of the last sessions Joe recorded

R.I.P Dear Garry x

You know that friend who has been around just about long enough for you to forget the first time you met? You know the friend who you can go a few months without seeing, and then your phone rings and they're inviting you out? You know the friend who you really can tell ANYTHING to, without fear of them telling anyone else, without fear of judgement... You know the friend who you can always have an adventure with? During the ten years I knew him, Garry became all of those friends to me, and more.

I had met Garry in the early days of my band. A middle aged man, Peter Pan character, with stripes shaved into his hair, a long pointy beard, and an endless supply of sharp suits and Rock'n'Roll memoirs! He had always been there and done that, constantly throwing in stories about "that time I put on a Bow Wow Wow gig in the local park" and "when I was lost in India in the sevs"... He delighted in embarrassing me with his saucy tales and photographs of weekends past! He indulged me in some of my own Rockstar moments, and consistently gave me reviews and critiques on my band's performance and progress, as he followed and promoted us. He had very strong opinions on everything, and would always say it like he saw it. His advice was almost always invaluable, as was his support and coaching in times of self-doubt.

He knew for a few months he was dying, and I got to spend some precious moments with him before he went. I know he knew I loved him, and although it hurts to think I may never see him again, I can still feel what he was, and who he was, and I know my memories of him, and what he left with me will never go away.

Rest peacefully Garry. You made your mark on this world, that's for sure! xxxxx

HORSEY BANJOS!

Forgot these photo's from my lovely sunshiney day-trip with Baz and co to a Horse Sanctuary in, erm... Formby? Mike Badger had organised a fundraiser mini-fest, and it was jsut what I needed!! :-) x

AURA-GASM

http://www.upitup.com/mixes/mix.php?mix_id=17

My boyfriend has a blatant man-crush on Rephlex Records homeboy, PP Roy, and has brought him over to play some brilliant DJ sets at Upitup nights here in Liverpool. Mr "PP" is lovely, and emits a Budda-like gentleness, even in full party mode! Now he's released a beautiful and amazing mix for Upitup, which is free to stream or download! We have been listening to it over-and-over-and-over-and-over, and still LOVE it!
GoGetItOrYerMental!!! ;-)

BUG POP SUNDAYS! On Youtube!

NEW to BUG POP! My reccomended playlist for a gentle Sunday of trash, cheese, laughter and music! ENJOY! x

SUBTLY SPOOKY SKETCHES

Ana Bagayan draws little girls with creepy elements. I love these pencil sketches for their super-cute dark undertones and ethereal quality!

WHAT A CROWN!!!

For you today, an unbelievably beautiful and ornate golden crown from the time of the 18th dynasty pharoahs, in Egypt, thought to have belonged to a foreign princess bride! I want one! - Maybe without the arranged marriage bit, if that's okay?!

BEACH BLANKET BONG OUT!

Onto the mood board stages of designing the Summer Lookbook shoot! So, for further inspiration, here is my Top Ten Beach Party classics!

Surf Punks - Shark Attack

Wavves - King Of The Beach

Beach Boys - Dance Dance Dance

Wanda Jackson - Let's Have A Party

Go-Go's - Beatnik Beach

The Champs - Tequila

Ramones - Rockaway Beach

Retarded - Bikini Beach Party

JFA - Beach Blanket Bong Out

Dick Dale - Nitro

MINI SUSHI TWIST!

Still working on my dolls-house tea-set rings! I LOVE mini plates and mini food, and made these sushi pieces years back... Since then, I've seen similar on the handmade scene, it's unavoidable - I mean who WOULDN'T be obsessed with miniature plates of food you can wear! But I hate needless repitition, so I need to find my twist on it, and am sourcing parts currently. Thinking "Land Of The Giants!"... It may surprise you why! ;-)

MAYDAY! MAYDAY!

Happy 1st of May, people! I'm sure every one of you has been working your fingers to the bone, constructing collossal Maypoles at the ends of your streets/gardens/beds, no?! Has ANYONE even seen a Maypole this year? Maybe it's just a country thing, then again I still remember dancing around the Maypole at nursery school, and my nursery school was in very urban Bradford, so I guess not... I am waffling! Happy "traditionally we should all be acting like Summerisle residents" day! ;-)

FOUL MADAMS!

YUM!!!!!!!!! Made Foul Mudammas for lunch today, with all the trimmings, for my lovely Rebecca and Jewelly! <3

THE SPACE RACE

On this day, back in 2001, American multimillionaire, Dennis Tito, became the world's first ever self-funded space tourist! He spent 8 days in space, orbitting the earth 128 times! And it only set him back 20 million dollars! Bargain!!!

CHANNELING VINTAGE TAYLOR

Currently working out plans for a beach photoshoot in June! I have my thinking cap on for locations etc, and will be partnering up with Kitty from Curious Orange, for clothes/styling. I am very much thinking in the direction of Liz Taylor in this 1955 photograph, taken on the set of "Giant".

ARE WE NOT MEN...?

My friend Sarah GAVE ME A REAL REAL DEVO HAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a wonderful woman! What a wonderful WORLD! I feel so lucky!

BUN IT UP!

For a bit of inspiration, I googled the date... International Cannabis Culture Day?!... Check the facts on Wiki, Duuuuude! ;-)

SENDAK, MY HERO!

I really miss my childhood Maurice Sendak collection, but I don't think my Mum will be parting with it anytime soon! It's so so hard to decide my favourite, but "In The Night Kitchen" always sticks in my mind! Hmmmm.... I see Sendak inspired creations turning up in my sketchbook this week!

JON VERMIL-YEEEEAAH!

I TOTALLY LOVE Jon Vermilyea's print work! Especially his HEMAN AND THE 13 TRIALS OF ETERNIA! He also makes animations and comics! http://www.jonvermilyea.com/ !!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VINCENT!

Vincent Van Gogh would have been very very old today! Like all great artists, he is widely published in "Best Of" format, constantly represented with the same set of pictures, but with a little digging, you can uncover a whole world of darker, brighter, more stirring works from his short but great career. Skully here's my favourite... Really MUST give up smoking!

GURNER AND POOCH

Like an idiot, keep going back to watch THIS clip over, for tears and laughter! I really need to get a pet of my own again!

HALF-BEAR HALF-HOTTIE!

WOW! Anyone who shares my half-animal-half-human obsession, check out the amazing noir fashion paintings by Dutch artist "SIT" ! x

THE LITTLE PEOPLE!

I've always loved those teeny tiny model railway figures since having a few odd ones in my lego set as a kid, and in the early days of BUG POP, made some of my remaining collection into jewellery. Last year, after re-watching the 1960's Gulliver's Travels film, I bought some figures specifically to make my Liliputians Earings.
Slinkachu is an illusive London based street artist, who since 2006, has been re-modelling, re-painting and photographing those model railway figures in tableau form, in urban street settings. A part of his “Little People Project” concept is that the scenarios are then left in place, to be observed, documented or destroyed by passing humans, animals, vehicles and the elements!
I LOVE SLINKACHU!
Go see the full 6 year's worth at Slinkachu's website! Also well worth a look is his seperate (and hilarious) Inner City Snail project!

R.I.P. DOG!

MARKY MARK BORCHARDT!

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 Since last night I am both in love with and massively inspired by American film writer/director Mark Borchardt! Yes, I finally watched Chris Smith's AMERICAN MOVIE - a documentary following Borchardt's making of self-written "Northwestern", cast almost entirely with friends and family as actors. He IS a MASSIVE dork, bordering on alcoholic, living with his mother after the age of 30, and massively in debt... but his heart is as big as the world, and he posesses that early/mid-90's stoner/grunge sloppiness that I have found wildly attractive ever since looking up to the "older kids" as a kid (not quite old enough, and definitely not cool enough to join in!) His relationships with his old uncle, and his best friend. His kids are also ridiculously cute! This is an amazing film (whether you share my Borchardt crus or not - You will!) about perseverance, self-belief and community, and well worth watching!!! For more info, here's the wiki page!

BREKKIE!

MEXICAN WAVES!

So lastnight it hit me, that I wanted to make a big big Mexican dinner for my lovely friends. I made it tonight, for 8 last-minute mouths! It was gooooooooood! x

TOUR TIME!

COMING SOOOOOOON!!! x