It's All About Me

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. My parents were snowed in, and have been since about the 17th, so couldn't make it here for lunch. Instead I joined friends for their large, loud and very fun Christmas day, I think it was my best Christmas in a long time!

The lovely Lauren of Tea and Crumpets nominated me for the below meme, as if you haven't learnt enough about me already this month! ;)  It feels a little narcissistic to write this for myself but Lauren asked so I guess it's okay, right?

1. Why did you create the blog?

I’ve been writing an online diary of sorts for years. I began shortly before leaving London for Wales and the BBC as a way to remember the ups and downs of the television productions I was working on at the time and that journal ran until I finished with the BBC in 2009. Faced with unemployment and a decidedly un-telly focus I started a new journal that was just supposed to be about writing but was actually just about stuff. It didn’t take long for that one to fizzle out! As my first blog post here says, I’d had a vintage day which had sparked an interest in vintage bloggers which sparked an interest in maybe doing something about my image which I’d always hated. Ten months later I’m still really enjoying myself (despite my sporadic posting) and I’m finding it interesting how, not even a year later, I’m wearing things I’d never have had the courage or interest in wearing when I started this blog. It’s nice to be able to look back and be able to track the changes in myself which was ultimately my goal.

2. What kind of blogs do you follow?

All sorts! I follow a lot of vintage and lifestyle blogs, some sewers, quite a few crafters and every single one of them are brave, individual people who are an inspiration to me. I regularly peruse blog rolls of those I follow in the hope of finding new blogs and am happily up to just over 100 blogs in my reader and counting.

3. Favourite makeup brand?

I’ve never been a brands person, I’ll buy whichever product I tried that worked for me the best within my budget. Saying that, I have been heavily influenced by make-up artists I know and have ended up with foundation, concealer, mascara and lipstick by MAC and I love it. However, I also have Body Shop and Rimmel lipsticks because they’re pretty so I’m not precious about sticking with one make.

4. Favourite clothing brand?

I think I can quite honestly say I don’t own any branded clothing as society understands it. I used to buy quite extensively from La Redoute but I don’t think that counts? Saying that, if I could afford it I would buy pretty much everything under the Nadinoo label.

5. Your indispensable makeup product?

Moisturiser, I have very dry skin. I’m blessed with a fairly even complexion and dark lashes and brows which has meant I never really felt like I needed to cake my face in make-up (which is how it always felt). That opinion has revised, I want to wear make-up well, on a daily basis, but I’m yet to learn how to apply it subtly, lastingly and to my satisfaction. Until that time arrives I’ll have to go with the moisturiser or my tweazers, I hate having straggly eyebrows!

6. Your favourite colour?

I couldn’t blame a person for looking at me and assuming blue. I actually love red but own very little in that colour, or indeed any colour other than blue or brown. I’m working on it though!

7. Your perfume?

Everyday, vanilla from Body Shop, it’s my favourite smell and I wear it all the time. For nights out I go with that old favourite Chanel No 5.

{ Source: Chanel }

8. Your favourite film?

Oh dear. I have to pick just one? I adore The Princess Bride, I have fond memories of the original Star Wars trilogy and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Pride and Prejudice is my sewing film. Penelope is my girly pick-me-up film. Amelie is my geek-chic film. But my current favourite (note the current) is The Sorcerer's Apprentice with Nicholas Cage (a flirtation, not a boyfriend despite what my DVD collection might tell you). I love the realism of the magic, I adore the humour and I totally love the entire film, it all works brilliantly and leaves me humming Sorcerer’s Apprentice for days after watching. Despite what I said in my last post, there's always a place for Disney!

9. What country would you like to visit and why?

When I was in school I wanted to spend a year in France, a year in Germany, a year in Italy and a year in Spain so I could learn the languages better (I studied French, German and Italian at school and was scarred for life by a family visit to North Spain that resulted in some knowledge of the language). I never got around to doing that but there’s a part of me that would still like to. I also want to visit Canada, Eastern Europe, India … who am I kidding? I want to go everywhere! I’m endlessly curious and I love to learn about people and places and can’t think of anywhere I wouldn’t want to go. I’m hoping in the near future, though, just to explore my own country better as I found that no one really knows their own doorstep so well as someone that’s travelled from the other side of the world. I’d like to be the exception to that rule.

10. To be chosen by blogger.

What breed is your dog and why did you choose him?

Ah, Bear. The dog that won’t sit still to let you photograph him but won’t let you have your own photo taken without him in it. The Crazy Wolf as he’s known in my village and with reason.

Bear is a Northern Inuit or Utonagan (I’m not sure which and they’re very close breeds). They’re not currently recognised breeds although I believe a petition has been made to the Kennel Club. Utonagan is Chinook for spirit of the wolf and they are basically Husky, Malamute and German Shepherd crosses, bred to look like the grey wolf but with the temperament of a German Shepherd. They love being around people, are excellent with cats and smaller dogs but on the downside become destructive when left alone for long periods of time. Bear has, to date, destroyed 2 sofas, 2 phones, 3 DVDs, 3 roomfuls of carpet, 4 pairs of shoes, 3 plant pots, 2 duvets, several jackets and cardigans (he loves chewing off buttons), 2 pairs of gloves and a dog bed … or two.

He is also very excitable and has an awful lot of energy, when uninjured we walk twice a day for roughly an hour at a time and he could go for more. However, at 2 and a half he’s still classed as a puppy and won’t fully mature until he’s 4 so I try not to hold it against him. As to why I chose him, he was pretty and ever since Due South I’ve wanted my own wolf. Besides, what better dog to have as a burglar deterrent (tried and tested a couple of weeks ago)!

I'm supposed to pass the Q&A baton on but I haven't a clue who to send it to, I want to hear from everyone! So, if you have the time and inclination please post your own Q&A and leave me the link in the comments here.

Thanks for stopping by,