It's beginning to look a lot like.....

....Christmas! Only two working days left and then a lovely four days full of festive fun-ness! 

But first.... a quick apology for being MIA in blog-land of late. Life has been getting in the way, (in the best way possible), and finding a spare thirty minutes to blog has become increasingly difficult. My poor camera has been sitting on my desk next to my Macbook, both of whom are looking cold, neglected and generally very sorry for themselves. I have promised to use both more in the new year and have even given my camera a little clean to keep its spirits up.

Christmas and New years both look set to be all kinds of awesome as I share them with the people who mean the world to me. Who knows, I may even get the camera out early and snap a few moments for Limbo :)

In the meantime, I have to share a quick song with you. Not a particularly festive tune, but it is too beautiful not to share. I have been falling for Ben Howard ever since I was handed his EP a year or so ago to review, and now that his full length album has hit the big time I have fallen even harder. 

I hope everyone has a fabulous Christmas and an even fabulous-er New Years :) 

Stop Motion Wedding

Dear Johnny Depp, when you come to your senses, leave that French chick and we get married....

 can our wedding video look like this please?

Regards, your patient fiance x

Jenny + Graziano's Wedding in Stop Motion | Feltre, Italy from Bayly & Moore on Vimeo.

(found via Jackie Magpie)

save the population

Ever have moments when you pause, look around, and think....'Damn. Life is pretty sweet.' ? I love those moments and I had a pretty wonderful one earlier. I was sitting in my garden at 7pm, under a tree, listening to this song and reading the latest Elle magazine. It was uncharacteristically warm, the sky was turning a beautiful pink and my dad was pottering around the garden planting flowers.

As sad as it sounds, its moments like this when I'm at my happiness. Give me sunshine, good music and something to read and I'm set. Of course there are other factors that contributed to my sudden 'life is good' realisation, mainly a fantastic weekend with old friends, a new job and an exciting future ahead, (more on that later), but it really is the simple things that get me smiling.

So yes, sometimes life does suck and you want to punch it in the face... but if we can hold onto these simple pleasures and captured moments, then hopefully it won't be so inclined to punch back.

Not Fade Away

Florence Welch singing Buddy Holly's 'Not Fade Away'.....

L O V E

The Honey Trees

I came across the most stunning music over at 'See Me Everywhere' and simply had to share.

The band are called 'The Honey Trees' and they are so up my street it's uncanny. They are a beautiful couple making sweet music and are doing so with shed-loads of style. All of their amazing photography and videos are shot by the vocalists brother- Simon Filip.

Their EP 'Wake the Earth' is out on iTunes now and so far, I am loving it.

Here's their video for 'To Be With You'

Roll on Summer :)

The Honey Trees - To Be With You (Official Video) from Simon Filip on Vimeo.

(P.S don't forget to enter my Giveaway)

Norwegian Wood

One of my all time favourite books is being turned into a movie, and I am incredibly excited...

The book is called 'Norwegian Wood' (yup, the Beatles song) and is by my favourite writer, Haruki Murakami. It takes the lead character back to the 60's Japan to his most significant relationship and re-lives it in all its glory. A love story set within surreal, dream like prose, *sigh* I love it. 

The film will be interesting....I'm excited to see how they will transfer Murakami's writing style to the big screen, but also worried it won't do the book justice. 

Either way, I'm going to have to see it and report back :)

Here's the trailer:

Also while we're on the subject- I stumbled across some amazing illustration by Emmeline Pidgen and whilst perusing her lovely blog, I noticed she has drawn a design for the Norwegian Wood film, take a look....

She's recently had the designs printed as postcards and they are simply stunning- will have to get my hands on one :)

Any good films you guys are excited to see?

Song of the week.....

I have fallen truly, madly, deeply in love with this song and this band. This song gives me shivers, you know the ones you get when you've realised you've stumbled onto something incredible? Yeah those. I'm gushing, I know, I'll hush now. Oh but I do get to write a review of their new album for For Folk's Sake- how exciting, more room to gush :)

Paper Aeroplanes: 'Lost'

(no video I'm afraid, just close your eyes and enjoy)

Song of the (birth) day.....

It's my Birthday today and I shall mostly be listening to this. On repeat.....

Magnetic Man ft John Legend 'Getting Nowhere'

Off out now for a day of fun with my boy involving yummy lunch, cinema, chineese takeaway and maybe some cake if I'm lucky ;)

xx

Song of the week.....

This tune has been rolling around in my head for days. 

L O V E <3

Radiohead: Street Spirit (fade out)

(p.s I promise to write some more substantial blog posts again soon, you know ones with actual words, just been a very busy bee this week)

Song of the Week.....

This week I'm going for a band I stumbled on due to a random act of Kindness. I had written an article about discovering new music for a website and had casually mentioned that I was obsessed with a certain song I'd heard on an advert....

A week or so later I received a kindly worded email from a reader telling me who it was that sang the song and what their album was called :)

How thoroughly lovely is that? I thanked the kind stranger profusely and proceeded to buy the album and I have been in love ever since.

The band is called The Dø and their album is called 'A Mouthful' and it is BRILLIANT! so diverse.

This is the song from the advert (oxford notebooks i think?) called 'On My Shoulders'

isn't she gorgeous? Love it.

Song of the Week.....

I had been getting a little sick of Florence and her musical Machine lately, purely because every song has been sooooo over played.......

But then I came across a song I hadn't heard of before.

It's called 'Heavy in your arms' and it's made me fall in love with this band all over again :)

Was I the only one to miss this incredible track first time round??

The List: 2011

(source)

I love this time of year- a truly fresh start, the time to plan / dream / wish / hope and, of course, draw up lists of what you want to achieve in the next 12 months. I don't like the word 'resolutions' feels far too restrained and almost doomed to fail. I prefer a list of goals that are realistic and do-able. So you won't be seeing any 'join the gym, quit drinking, lose a stone' shiz here.

No.... here is the place for achievable wishes written by the bossy boots within me...

1. Keep writing, writing, writing. For work, for fun, whatever. Never give up the dream.

2. Be OUT of part-time retail by Christmas. And *hopefully* be writing full time....

3. Get yourself out of your overdraft....and save up for a deposit on a flat.

4. Learn to cook real food. Pasta and cheese just ain't cutting it anymore, (start baking tasty treats for the boy too whilst you're at it, he deserves it after cooking for you all this time).

5. Get a Mini Diana camera and learn more about photography...even when your 365 project is over.

6. Get more technologically savvy, buy books, speak to friends, most importantly- learn.

7. READ more, (always on your list).... Make time for it this time.

8. Be a touch healthier. You said this last year- how about keeping it up this time? Your body and mind will thank you for it.

9. Do something you haven't done before every month, (and then blog about it!). Inspired by your friend Emily who has made the same pact. Life is made up of new experiences after all :)

10. Live in the moment. Again always on your list, and to be fair to you- you always achieve this one. Keep it up.

"Winter is for dreaming, imagining, planning - so that when spring returns you are ready"

Quote found here

Last but not least here is a pretty song I've been listening to today, gearing myself up for the New Year. I especially like the lyric 'We are not frightened anymore, we stood up'

 Hope you all have a year full of love, fun and happiness :)

Song of the Week....

 

 This song has been on repeat....pretty much all week. I am a girl obsessed.

The band is 'Animal Kingdom', yet another brilliant recomendation by Mr Luke DC.

The song is 'Mephistopheles' and it's from the album 'Signs & Wonders' Which is simply awesome. 

Sorry, no official video, just close your eyes and set your ears to stun....

Song of the Week

Another band introduced to me by my boyfriend- Kyuss. Very stoner rock, very fucking cool.

This song has been on repeat all day. Love the intro. Hopefully seeing these guys next year with the boy....

'El Rodeo' (Sorry, no official video!)

Probably quite an acquired taste for this one- anyone else enjoy a bit of gritty rock on occasion?

Song of the Week....

I heard this song on the radio earlier this week and it stopped me mid - conversation....which nearly never happens..... it was that good. Turns out it's Adele's new single, due for release early next year. All I can say is- I'm excited. If the whole album is full of songs of this quality, it's going to be effing brilliant. I've always liked a bit of Adele, just love that soulful voice.

So here it is, not sure if this is the official video, but whatever it is, it's freakin' awesome....

'Rolling in the Deep'

ADELE 'Rolling In The Deep' (Studio Footage)

- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

  

What do you think??

Song of the Week.....

A band I've know of for quite a while but hadn't given them the attention they deserved until my boyfriend played me some of their music. This is Sigur Ros and they have made the second half of my week so much nicer than the first, just by being in it.

Take a listen to this, one of many songs I've been playing on repeat, all equally as beautiful...

'Starálfur'

(Oh and no, they're not singing in English.....does it matter?)

Song of the Week

This week I'm going back to another old favourite- Interpol. Have been listening to their latest self titled album a lot this week and cannot get this song out of my head! Great tune and it even has a video- score! Think this is their first single release from the album- good choice boys...

'Barricade'

Song of the Week

I didn't like these guys until I saw them live at Reading in 2005. I then fell in lust with Caleb's voice and the music they made.

Then they released this album with this as the first track....

This song ('Closer') gets me more excited than any song should.

Their latest album is.....OK. Haven't gotten chills yet. Think I'll just listen to this on repeat for the rest of my life ta.

Song of the Week

Sometimes you just need to listen to something LOUD.

I'm going back to my college days with this band- Jimmy Eat World. This is their latest single, 'My Best Theory' and I'm loving it. Play it loud and scream along music fans...

Blue Valentine

Just saw the trailer for this film at 'Here Come's the Sun' (one of my all time favourite blogs) and I'm in love.

I'm such a sucker for Indie love stories...



That plus Ryan Gosling is a bit of an acting GOD...