Author Archives: carly

My Thoughts On The Download Festival 2012 Line-Up

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With the recent announcement of the 2012 Download Festival Line-Up, I thought I’d share my view of the artists confirmed to perform in June.

The Headliners:

Metallica – Oh look, its Metallica playing at Download again! There’s nothing exciting about this to me, as I’ve seen them enough times to warrant missing this year’s Saturday headliners. It’s a predictable choice in my opinion and one I’d rather have seen replaced with a band that hasn’t perhaps had the headlining opportunity previously.

Black Sabbath – I saw them last time they played Download and I was actually pretty impressed. I expected a pensioner-like Ozzy to come on stage and struggle with the performance but he was really good. Certainly won’t mind seeing them perform again this year!

The Prodigy – oooh yes, now there’s a headline act. They absolutely tore it up at Leeds Fest a few years ago, so much so that security stopped people getting within close proximity of the tent they were in. At Download a couple of years ago they opened with “Omen” and it was pretty incredible. The crowd went mental. Looking forward to seeing The Prodigy at Download :)

The Best of the Rest:

Machine Head – I’m super happy they are playing! The recent Locust album is one of my faves and I can’t wait to see them perform this live. Robb Flynn; you’re still my hero.

Fear Factory – a band I have never had the pleasure to see, so this is going to be a real treat. I just know Burton C Bell’s voice will command the audience. I just wish they were playing higher up the bill :)

As I Lay Dying – one of my fave metalcore bands and I’ve seen them a few times so I’m excited to be seeing them again.

Who I was secretly hoping for:

Bury Tomorrow – there’s still a chance they may be announced on one of the smaller stages, and I’m hoping they do play as its been far too long since I have seen them live! I can’t wait for their new album.

Deftones – I hope they play each year, so there’s nothing new here :) I absolutely love Deftones and after a poor reception from the crowd at Leeds Festival last year, I’m hoping that won’t stop them from coming back to the UK for a festival more suited to their musical genre. The crowd at Leeds just didn’t appreciate their awesomeness.

Bleeding Through – with a great new album they’ve just released, chances are they may be confirmed to play Download or at least one of the UK rock festivals this year. Bring it on!

Keep up to date with the full Download Festival 2012 Line Up here.
Download Festival 2012 Line Up

My First Christmas Without My Grandma

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I always knew it was going to be hard, but after losing my grandma on 25th March this year, 3 days after my birthday, I guess Christmas was the last thing on my mind. Every day since she died I have thought of her and miss her so very much. As an only child with only a very small close-knit family, my gran’s death hit me particularly hard.

Today is Christmas Eve and i’m secretly hoping the next two days go as quickly as possible so i don’t feel so reminded of spending it without her.

My gran was an amazing woman. She fondly referred to the War years of 1939-1945 as “the best years of my life” after spending them down in London working with Mr Lilley, a famous spiritual healer. My gran even appears in the 1943 book “The Gift of Healing: The Story of Lilley the Healer“. Copies of this book are pretty scarce now, but I remember she gave me her thick hardbound copy some years back and asked me to promise to look after it when she was gone. Of course I have kept it safe.

My gran lived in Morley, Leeds after returning from London and it is the bungalow she had which holds so many memories. The way she would give me a big hug as soon as she opened the door, the way she would smile at me and say “oooh yes” if we offered her some chips, which she would only ever eat when we went round, the way she would always ask how my mum and I were and telling us to “look after yourselves” before ever talking about how ill she might have been. The way she would grab my hand and take me into her bedroom to give me a little envelope with some pocket money in, so my parents didn’t see. Its the little mannerisms, the smiles and the grandma-grandaughter chats I miss the most.

She kept all the drawings and coloured in pictures I did at school on the kitchen walls. They were covered in them. She kept a picture of me aged 3 snuggled up to our first labrador on the top of the TV. Now everything is gone, but i still have her memory in my heart.

My gran lived to 91, which is a great age. I was just so close to her that I will always feel like a part of me is missing. She won’t get to see so many things i hope and plan to do, but I pray she is watching over me. This first Christmas without her will be very difficult, but I keep her picture beside my bed and her wedding ring on my coathanger. A few days after she passed I was in my bedroom and all of a sudden one coathanger started shaking erratically. There was no reason for this, no breeze or anything, so I will always believe that she was with me in my room that day and the ring sits on that coathanger in memory.

Its hard losing someone so close to you, but friends and family make it bearable. Spend Christmas with your loved ones because you never know what’s around the corner.

http://joyce-crowther-1970-1970.gonetoosoon.org/

Nanny and Me

Nanny and Me

All I Want For Christmas: Jellycat “Dippet Bunny”

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Jellycat have just brought out a new bunny rabbit for Winter 2011. Say “hello” to Dippet Bunny.

How cute is this?

Jellycat Dippet Bunny

Jellycat Dippet Bunny

http://www.justjellycat.co.uk/Jellycat—Whats-New/Dippet-Bunny/p-211-4981/

Dear Santa…i know i already have enough toy bunnies on my bed to fill a warren, but Dippet Bunny looks like he needs to find a home with me :)

10 Reasons Why Dogs Are Awesome

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  1. No matter how much you need a wash, you can guarantee your pet smells worse than you do. And they don’t care.
  2. They have bottomless pits for stomachs.
  3. They can sense when you’re sad and do their best to comfort you.
  4. They have boundless energy and inspire you to get fit.
  5. They sniff other dogs in “that” place. ‘Nuff said.
  6. There’s no shame on dogs faces after licking themselves in the company of your friends.
  7. A wagging tail could make even the most miserable person smile
  8. There’s officially nothing cuter than a sleeping puppy.
  9. They don’t have to say anything to be able to show true love and affection to their owners.
  10. Loyalty. Forever.

My Hopes For The Clothes Show Live 2011

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I’ve been going to the Clothes Show Live for a few years now and my first trip was back at school when I was doing my A-Levels. I was doing an art course and I got the opportunity to join a select few of art and photography students on a trip to Birmingham to the Clothes Show.

Clothes Show Live

8 years later and I’ll be returning in a few weeks to see what this year has to offer. If you haven’t been, here’s a quick rundown of what to expect:

  • Eager teens queuing outside each gate
  • Girls running to the Juicy Couture stand to try and snap up all the designer bargains
  • A few tipples of champagne and chocolate strawberries
  • A catwalk showcasing the latest fashions

Juicy Couture, Clothes Show Live Fashion & Champagne

It’s a great place to see what new season fashions are going to be “in” and it’s my opportunity to stock up on some cut-price designer pieces that will see me through the Spring / Summer and Autumn / Winter seasons.

This year, I’m hoping that my favourite brands will be there:

  • Jovonna
  • Jin Ja
  • Ceci Tokyo
  • Yumi
  • Yuki
  • Warm Pixie
  • Meteor Shower
  • Blonde & Wise

If you’re a fan of these brands too, you’ll appreciate that getting hold of them isn’t easy. There are only a few online retailers that stock them and pieces in general are limited. Thankfully, the price tags don’t reflect the unique styling you would expect to pay top dollar for. We’re not talking Lanvin or Missoni prices here; just affordable, unique fashion.

Jovonna Dress

I hope this year’s Clothes Show features a lot more up and coming independent designers. Of course I’ll be looking forward to the All Saints and Religion stands, but I’m a big supporter of independent fashion and helping small brands get the notoriety they deserve. I’m not one for wearing the same as everyone else, but then I don’t dress to stand out and draw attention…I just have an eye for fashionable, unique pieces.

Most people think the Clothes Show is just a catwalk show, but what they don’t realise is that it is the best place to buy clothing from your favourite brands. There are hundreds of fashion stalls, plus hair and beauty stalls to offer you the complete look. Each year the Barry M stand is literally overflowing.

Clothes Show Hair & Beauty

I remember the first year I went and I bought a top by Custard and it was the most hideous thing ever, but we’d all been given a bit of cash by the school so it was an opportunity to at least come away with something. Needless to say, I never wore it, but it didn’t stop me going back to the Clothes Show and seeing what the following year had to offer. It opens your eyes and gives you a first hand look at the latest fashions from established and up and coming designers, plus there is a student area that you can visit and see what art and fashion students are designing as part of their course.

I’m also well aware that there are plenty of model scouts doing the rounds in the NEC. That explains why you see girls coming to the show dressed up to the nines, looking beautifully slim and breathtakingly attractive. I’m quite happy blending into the background when it comes to stuff like this :)

The X Factor’s The Risk have announced they’ll be performing this year, and some questionable names from The Only Way Is Essex, but don’t let that put you off…you’ll only have to see them if you linger near the catwalk and my plan of action is to get round the hall as quickly as possible and then retreat at the bar with my boyf and a glass of bubbly. I don’t spend a long time shopping or debating if I want an item / have to try it on. I can see a piece I like from quite a distance…take it off the rail and check the size, then just buy it and move on.

Finally, my top tips if you’re thinking of going to the Clothes Show Live 2011:

DO go on the first day or the last day – it runs for about 4 or 5 days every year, but my advice is to only go on the first or last day. The first day – all the best stock is out; the last day – some vendors slash the prices even further…

DON’T bring a suitcase to try and cram all your purchases in…looks a little odd!

DON’T waste your time queuing at Juicy Couture and missing all the other good bits of the show…its honestly not worth it.

DO budget…its easy to get carried away spending, but set yourself a budget and stick to it. Fashion heaven doesn’t come cheap :)

DO take cash with you…not all vendors take cards and the cash machine queue at the NEC is always long.

DO have a good time…for one day of the year, its worth making the most of it. Better than pushing and shoving on the high street, right?

This Is What Happens When a Girl Doesn’t Go To See Live Music For a While

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I’m in need of some live metal music in my life…its been ages since i last went to a gig to see one of my favourite bands. I still buy Kerrang each week and read Metal Hammer online, but its got to the point where i almost don’t want to look at the Gig Guide because i know its unlikely i’ll get to see one of my fave bands if they tour.

So i’ve found myself resorting to the following (this is what happens when a girl doesn’t go to see live metal music for a while):

  1. I find myself listening to local radio and “quite enjoying it”
  2. I put a CD on and despair at how quiet it sounds on record
  3. I dance in the car with my boyf at every shit song imaginable
  4. I play air guitar in the car with my boyf at every song with a riff in it
  5. I casually drop into conversation with my boyf that one of my fave bands is touring, detailing the “close proximity” of the venue to where we live and the fact they “haven’t toured in ages” in the hope that he’ll say “sure babe, let’s go!”
  6. I get frustrated watching Scuzz TV (my fave channel) when i just want to rock out instead of nodding my head and tapping my toes to the metal awesomeness
  7. I have forgotten what my favourite venue, Leeds Cockpit, actually looks like.
  8. I miss feeling like a sensible adult amongst all the teenagers at a gig, amusing myself at how they’ve probably rushed to get their homework done so they could be allowed out.
  9. I fear i’m getting middle-aged and my rock gig chances will get even slimmer

Dear Deftones, Machine Head, Bleeding Through, Brand New, 36 Crazyfists, the broken-up Atreyu, the reformed Still Remains or Bury Tomorrow…please do not tour the UK for a little while until i know i can get to see you.

Machine Head…touring in December! Brand New doing the same! Bury Tomorrow just toured with While She Sleeps too :(

Booooo….

The Best Flu Remedy Ever – Sambucol

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Okay, so i’ve been ill the last few days and its not been a normal cold. I started with a sore throat that could have cut glass, then the sneezing started and then i could literally feel my body shutting down one day at work. I have had many a cold before, but always been fortunate enough to never catch flu, so what i experienced the last few days was pretty unusual for me.

My Series of Ill Events:

  1. Sore throat for 2 days
  2. Sneezing, runny nose, headache, catarrh
  3. Aches and pains…so bad that i could barely keep my eyes open or lift my head off the pillow. Feeling sick.
  4. Moved onto my chest…making asthma flare up. Inhaler needed.
  5. Tickly cough…voice like Dot Cotton for a while
  6. Headache / cough
  7. Headache / cough

I laid in bed not feeling hungry and then raided the medicine cabinet. I had a choice between Day Nurse cold and flu medicine, homeopathic cold tablets or a bottle of Sambucol. Never had it before, but my mum had bought me it in advance of me getting such an illness. Its an elderberry flower extract and all it says on the label is that it “helps to support the immune system” – no direct mention of it being designed for flu. But i started taking it 4x a day as recommended. The outcome? After just 3 days i feel so much better and i just have a little tickly cough left. I’ve heard flu can last for ages so i think i’ve been lucky with this one.

Trust me on this – Sambucol is better than taking any other over-the-counter medicine. I had a cold a year back and relied on Day Nurse liquid. The cold lasted over a week. I can’t recommend Sambucol highly enough, and its definitely worth stocking up on it for the flu season.

Being an asthma sufferer, for the last 10 years i have always been called up by my GP for a flu jab, but this year i decided to give it a miss. Reports of increased alzheimers risks by about 10x didn’t rest too easy with me now that i’ve found this out, so my mum and i decided to try winter without a jab this year. My Dad, however, well, he’s 74 and has been having the jabs for years, so he insisted he go for one. The alzheimers thing could have already happened with him though…yesterday these events happened:

  1. 8.30pm – found Dad watching MTV Hits and he couldn’t remember how that channel had been turned on (everyone else was out).
  2. He couldn’t remember the “other well-known dictator that died this year”, following news of Gaddafi’s demise. “Err, Bin Laden, Dad?” He’d clearly forgotten talking about it for weeks on end earlier in the year.
  3. The gates had “mysteriously locked themselves” at 8pm. Mother couldn’t get in; Dad suggested Hugo (THE DOG) might have done it.

Hmmm, so i guess the onset of alzheimers really is possible if you have a flu jab every year.

Sambucol is the best flu remedy :)

Sambucol - the best flu remedy

My Current 5 Favourite Shows on TV

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Having spent a few nights in, snuggling on my bed with my numerous stuffed Jellycat bunny rabbits, i had become accustomed to the fact that terrestrial TV is pretty rubbish. Hpwever, sick of Big Brother and the soaps, i’ve actually been pleasantly surprised with some of my new favourite shows at the moment:

  1. Fresh Meat – love Jack Whitehall and his off the cuff humour, so pretty excited that this new show is on. Plus, it has Joe Thomas in from The Inbetweeners, so its a win-win right? To be honest, without Jack the show would be a bit flat but he carries it well and i like the setting at Uni. Some things ring a bell :)
  2. Educating Essex – i can’t abide the other Essex related shows, but this is pure class. Set in a comprehensive school, Mr Drew the Deputy Headteacher is officially my new favourite person. Genius!
  3. Shameless – watched it pretty regularly for years and its one of those shows that always makes you feel better knowing you live in a civilised community! But i just love this programme :)
  4. Pawn Shop – on Channel 5 in the evenings, this is a show about a pawn shop in America where they get all sorts of stuff coming in. The other week there was a flight ejector seat that a guy brought in, where the owner had been told that it was from World War II. Actually, it was much more recent than that and it wasn’t even meant to be owned!
  5. X Factor – not an addict, but i do like watching the auditions and i much prefer it now they have judges on the panel that can actually sing themselves (Cheryl and Danni who?).