China Doll

As I mentioned before, I have a new found lady crush on Lily Cole.
I just think her big bambi eyes, porcelain skin and flame red hair make her look like the perfect life sized china doll.
I want to keep her on a shelf.
And I also just heard a rumour that she is set to be in Marilyn Manson's film about the life of Lewis Carrol.

Welcome to the Imaginarium

Last night I finally got around to watching Heath Ledger's final movie, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. And I have to say, I was apprehensive.
I had worried that Ledger's death would have created hype around the film that it just couldn't live up too. I am overjoyed to say that I was wrong.
The film was beautiful, and I found that the world of the imaginarium drew me in and absolutely enthralled me. The scenes in which Ledger was replaced by Jude Law, Johnny Depp and Colin Farrel were almost seamless, and the acting was absolutely flawless.

I also found myself transfixed by just how beautiful Lily Cole is.

LUSH

Have I ever mentioned just how in love I am with Lush cosmetics?
No? Well, let’s just say I can’t bear to be without them. And after a little bout of not buying anything from them (I have a tendency to stock up) I hit their shop, and I hit it hard.

To my delight, the eco-friendly company has released its own line of foundations, the one make up essential I’ve never been able to get my head around. And to sweeten the deal, the light pink shade flatters my skin perfectly, and the product can be used neat as a foundation or a concealer or mixed in with moisturiser to give your skin a rosy tint. The product is made from such natural goodies as soya and rice bran oil, so is friendly to your skin and to the environment! The foundation comes in four colours: light pink, dark pink, light yellow and dark yellow. Yellow might sound bizarre to some, but it isn’t uncommon for the tint of your skin to be more yellow than pink.
And as well as the foundation, here’s just a few of my other purchase (also known as my face and body survival kit)
For my face I used to use a product known as Sweet Japanese Girl, which contained skin smoothing adouki beans, but unfortunately for me it’s been discontinued.

I have however discovered Coal Face, a soap containing coal and licorice. Yes Coal. A black soap that helps to unclog pores. And believe me it works.
My taste in soaps is very varied, but my favourites are:

Vanilla in the Mist, which has a lovely vanilla and cinder toffee smell and leaves my skin strokably soft! Plus vanilla is one of my favourite scents.

I also love the smell of mint, which is catered for by Demon in the Dark, an insanely fresh smelling soap that is always guaranteed to wake me up.

My other body saviour is running to the embassy, a minty fresh body butter that exfoliates and is just the thing for tired sore tootsies (seriously I think this saved my life during work experience) It’s also great for buffing dull, tired skin!
Lush cosmetics have pulled my skin out from every catastrophe it has hit, and their friendly staff are always on hand to recommend something to cure what ails me!

Craig McDean

Whilst on work experience I was asked to research a whole host of photographers, one of them being Craig McDean. And I have to say I am really taken with his work!
The following pictures are from an editorial he did for Interview magazine entitled 'Gimme More', a shoot intended to encompass "sex, glamour and creativity—three things that make fashion so alluring"....

The Dirty Chimes

I have been vaguely aware of Guildford based band 'The Dirty Chimes' for quite some time now, but, being my usual musically behind, absent minded self, it was only today that I decided to have myself a little listen. And without gushing, I have to say they BLEW. MY. MIND.They are currently unsigned, but it's looking like their debut single 'The Blackest of Stains' will be released in about a month's time.

The band's line up consists of:

Will Marsh - Synths

Jonty Howley - Vocals, Guitar

Jordan Smith - Drums

This is Jonty Howley (seated) and Will Marsh (standing). I am assuming that drummer Jordan Smith isn't in any of the bands photos as he only recently became part of the band.Without further ado, here is my personal favourite song, 'Pace The Streets'

Strange Love

Stereotypically, there's a certain kind of man who women go crazy for.
You know the type. Well muscled, well groomed, and generally ticking every box on that generic list of what, stereotypically, makes a man good looking. You can't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. Brad Pitt, Robert Pattinson, the list goes on. And on. A never ending queue of men who women drool over, who are idolised in women's gossip mags, splayed on page after page in ascending from the sea in their trunks like the living embodiment of the adonis, in those holiday snaps that magazine's do so love to bulk out their content with.
But, what if that kind of man just doesn't tick your boxes?
I mean, I can definitely see the appeal of Brad Pitt. I am not saying that he doesn't tick the boxes for me. But almost every woman I know has a kind of man, or a certain celebrity, that is their guilty pleasure. That guy that is so wrong, it's right.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am here tonight to confess my guilty, it's-wrong-but-I-don't-give-two-hoots-what-you-think celebrity crush.

Ron Perlman. He's just turned sixty, so therefore is almost old enough to be my GRANDAD, but I find something about him very appealing....
I've actually spent most of this evening trying to work out what it is.
Maybe it's that voice. He has the most fantasticly deep, rolling voice. My boyfriend recently got an audiobook that Perlman reads, and he just has the kind of voice that I could just sit and listen to all day.
But then there's the cheeky grin, and that knowing twinkle in his eyes, and... and... well ok, so I can't actually elaborate that much on it. He's also a very talented actor, he's been in some pretty mediocre films, but he is always fantastic. And I love him. Did I say that?
SO, without further adieu, here's some more pictures of him.

As Rhineheart in Blade 2

As Brother Samuel in Mutant Chronicles

As Hellboy

In TV series Sons of Anarchy

I also had to add this, as I know Mr. Perlman is a cigar smoker.
And there's just something about a man with a cigar.....

I love the java jive and it loves me..

What gets you out of bed in the morning?
For me, it's a good cup of coffee. I need it sweet and milky, but strong enough to give me that caffeine kick to get me ready for the day ahead. Starbucks regularly gives my bank account a bruising, and they recently released an instant coffee. Which is a little steep in price (unfortunately for me as it tastes beautiful) at £4.45 for a pack of 12 sachets.
I am in love with the flavour of the Columbian roast, which has a lovely mild flavour, and an amazing coffee smell. I'm rationing the samples of this that I was given, making sure that I can savour very sip before I run out.

Something else coffee related that blew my mind, was something I found today (which I had seen snippets of before) is coffee art. We've all seen stencils that make pretty patterns in cocoa on top of a cappucino, but this is another thing entirely. I honestly don't think I would drink these, because I think they are so beautiful!