Leather cuff from H&M, S.O.P.H.I.E wristband, silver Rennie Mackintosh bracelet
These are my staple everyday jewellery items (except when I'm working, I don't wear the cuff then!). For me they complete my outfits, no matter what I wear they add the edge I look for.
I'm always on the look out for new bits and bobs though - particularly necklaces and earrings to complement these staples.
Ages ago a friend asked me if I'd start doing some reviews of tv, rubbish or not. So here we are.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a series written, produced and acted by the same team, about a bunch of friends running a bar. It is wrong. So wrong. So wrong it is almost funny. Actually, it's very funny. When you aren't cringeing because it is so wrong.
The Beard is rather fond of this series. I think its a bit hit and miss but he likes random stuff and will watch things even if they are bad. Like Naked Nuns With Guns, and American Horror Story.
I think with It's Always Sunny I have to be in the right mood to watch it. It is a series that really, truly cuts close to acceptable social morals. It skirts in dark places, and some days, when I feel a bit ranty and right on, it really isn't the thing I should be watching. Give me a few beers so I can let go of the uptight side of me and I will be laughing out loud.
The good thing about the series is that the episodes are short. It is the kind of thing we slot in between putting the rice on to cook and dishing up. It isn't as intellectually stimulating as South Park, but it is a nice time filler. Plus, it's always good to show it to people who've never seen it before, just to watch their reaction. Does that make me a bit weird?
Anyway, my favourite episode is the one where they form a glam rock band. Unfortunately I can't find a clip of it on Youtube, but luckily for you, it becomes a bit of a recurring theme at one point. So much so that the song they sing becomes the central tune in one of the character's musical (which he writes to win the heart of the girl he is stalking). Watch this clip and you'll have this sodding song stuck in your head for the rest of eternity.
So yeah. Other highlights include the first episode where they try to drum up more custom for their bar (the first episode), the one where they find a box of nazi memorabilia, and of course the musical episode.
I have lost track of which season they are on right now, but another starts in the autumn.
I am currently unemployed. And living in a new city. Whilst I am enjoying this new found time, as the weeks go by it is starting to feel a little unfocussed. So, as well as starting to actually look for a job, I think it is about time I set myself some goals and objectives for each week.
This week:
Undertake some online learning for pattern drafting and garment making.
Cycle through Prater
Research, plan and go on a Third Man tour of the city
Or as one person commented on twitter, should that be gloomy?
Anyway, my day is particularly gloomy as I discovered whilst out walking on Donauinsel, that the sole of one of my beloved New Rock boots has completely cracked right where I bend my foot to walk. The rest of the boots are in perfect condition, so I have contacted New Rock after a little Googlefu suggested that they possibly offer a repair service. Given that these are £200 boots and I've only had them for just over 3 years I sincerely hope they can be repaired (I do wear them A LOT though)!
This has however left me with a shoe dilemma, namely that I am bootless without them. The only other shoes I have to wear regularly are my Converse All Stars, which are great and everything but in the slightest bit of rain they are useless. And as good as the weather is generally here (it isn't Britain!) it does sometimes rain and having shoes that are waterproof is somewhat advantageous.
So. I think I am finally going to get some Doc Martens (I can't help but chuckle at the irony of leaving the UK only to get here and buy some thoroughly British footwear). I love the 1b60s, although I am not sure that they will fit my feet. I am sure I want knee high boots though, as that is just how I roll. I might consider calf length ones if they looked right.
Doc Marten 1b60 20 eyelet boots
So tomorrow I am off on a shoe excursion. I suspect I will have to order online, as cloggs.at have the ones I want quite cheap compared to other retailers, but I need to go and try some on before I buy as I have never worn DMs before. Fingers crossed that an EU42 will fit me!
I make a lot of my own clothes. Or I try to anyway. I like the individuality of a garment I have made for myself, and often it is the only way to get a good fit.
However, since I lost weight I've been struggling a bit to get patterns to fit. I've apparently become a super awkward size and shape. So I think it is about time that I learn how to pattern draft, so I can adjust patterns to fit me better, and so I can start to properly design my own clothing.
So I've started an online course. Today I've watched a video and made notes on measurement taking. Next week I'll start on the rest. I'm only not starting today because I have a load of sewing to finish for tomorrow and I need to get it done!
I'm quite excited, because I want to be able to make truly individual items of clothing. I have found this amazing Aladdin's Cave of fabric on Mariahilferstrasse called Komolka - the first time I went in I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It is the biggest and most well stocked fabric store I have ever been in, with fabrics running from the very cheap to the very expensive ends of the spectrum, with everything in between.
I have so many things in mind that I want to make, so I need to get my pattern blocks made up and ready to start designing! I have a couple of projects to finish off once I have the pattern blocks made, including a dress which I hope I can salvage from the apparent mess I've made of it!
Every week I'll review my sewing activities and post my plans for the following days. I've always found learning through teaching particularly effective for me, so hopefully I can make that work for this.
We finally got our Nova Rock tickets! Nova Rock is a big rock/metal festival in Austria, held near the Hungarian border in June. This year's headliners are Linkin Park, Die Toten Hosen and Metallica. It's a bit like the Austrian equivalent of Download I suppose, the acts on this year are very similar. Other acts include Slayer, Opeth, Nightwish, Within Temptation, Corey Taylor (oh I am so excited about this!), Hatebreed, Marilyn Manson, Evanesence, Billy Talent... and so many more.
This will be my second overseas festival and I'm very much looking forward to it. It is held in Nickelsdorf on Jun 8th-10th. Camping is included as part of all festivals, and transport from Vienna is a very reasonable €15 return on a special train.
I will of course tell you all about it afterwards and thanks to the wonders of smartphones I'll probably blog a bit while I'm there.
You can find the full line up and more information about the festival (most of the website is in German, but there are bits in English and Google Translate will do an ok job if you need it) at www.novarock.at
