Silk!

I'm selling a few pieces of Duponi Silk Vintage Clothing.

Right now i'm testing the online auction waters with a beautiful skirt:

See and bid!

Tx.

10 Moments of Despair

1. Running out of coffee

2. When someone says "Pacific" when they mean "Specific". These people are also usually those who don't know the difference between "they're", "there" and "their"

3. When Ex's just don't get it and won't give up

4. When football isn't about football, but about religion

5. Losing someone's number

6. Seeing babies eating fast food and drinking fizzy drinks

7. When people ignore their car alarm. Why does your car have an alarm? Just to wake the street up at 2am?

8. The bad reputation Feminism has, when people think it's all man-haters who think women should be the dominant sex. This is feminism: Feminism on Wikipedia

9. People who think using big words makes them interesting, even though they have nothing valid to say

10. This. Really really sad news.

10 Moments of Wonder

1. Falling asleep holding the hand of your beloved and waking up still holding on
2. Watching a cat enjoy a box
3. Hearing a song you'd forgotten you adored
4. Standing under the shower long after you've finished scrubbing, just enjoying the warmth and peace
5. Seeing a friend you hadn't spoken to for over a year, but loving them more than you ever did before
6. The first cup of tea after a bacon sandwich
7. Meeting your heroes and finding they're as awesome as you'd hoped
8. Seeing a baby in a fit of giggles
9. A freshly tidied home
10. A new pair of shoes


Next up... 10 Moments of Despair!


Tx.

Lost Without Her

I'm currently going a bit insane. 


My mum's abroad seeing family and sorting out some family affairs. She's away for 3 weeks. I think we're on week 2 now, but it's already felt like 2 months. The next week is going to feel like a year. 


I never realise how huge a part of my life my mum is until she's away. I don't feel like I speak to her that regularly, but every day since she's been away I've wanted desperately to phone her. I keep picking up my phone, realising, and then almost weeping. 


I talk to her about most things, and I phone her when I want to clarify my thoughts, want to rant about something  or when I just want to talk to my Mummy. 


I think this is an exercise of learning to appreciate her more when I do have her in the same country. 
With Mother's Day coming up, I think I'm going to have to make a big deal of it...


Tx.

Eyeliner

I wear a lot of it. Heavy, with a big flick.

Over the years, I've given several different brands a go. Most of them are useless. 

shite.

 One of these useless numbers is from a brand I usually love. 
Generally, Bourjois is high quality, reliable and affordable. 

However, this "Liner Feutre" eyeliner has been a complete let down. 
It works like a felt tip pen with a pointed tip.
While this is, in theory, a brilliant idea, it is just as clumsy as using a real felt tip pen. That's running out. 

One moment it goes on smoothly, the next you have a big wobble.
You get out a cotton bud to attempt to straighten it out, and when you look back up to the mirror, the whole thing has covered your eyelid in smudged black. The cottonbud is of no help... just gets even more smudgy.

Another important point is that it doesn't go on evenly, and it ends up looking like you've been wearing your eyeliner all day already. Going over it again just seems to make it worse, and it ends up everywhere. 

As I mentioned earlier, I like a good flick with my eyeliner. Well, that ain't gonna happen with this stuff. This ends up more like a wobbly line. There's no definition, no shape, and no tapering of the flick. It just kind of  - stops. 


So, in conclusion, don't bother. Flick-fan or not, it's not worth it. 


However, this stuff...
 

pretty good.

 

...is pretty good. Another Bourjois number, "Liner Pinceau" is pretty good. 


A very fine brush gives you lots of control, once you've mastered it.
It goes on smoothly and evenly, and touching up is painless. 
It does take a little longer to dry, but that gives you a window to get in about it with a cotton bud, should you so wish. 
It stays on for a good few hours, though not all day. 


Ideal for a flick, big or small. 


BUT... my eyeliner winner is good old MAC. 

love it.

This stuff is easily the best I've used. 
The beauty of this stuff is that las long as you have the right brush, this stuff leaves you in complete control. It flicks beautifully, and any touch ups are a doddle.
It smudges if you smudge it. It doesn't smudge if you don't. 
Goes on smoothly and evenly, and stays that way all day long. 
It's £13.50, but I've had my first little pot of it for a year now, and still have a few months of it left.
Just watch you don't leave the lid off... it'll dry out quite quickly. 

Get in about it. 


Tx.

True Love

When I'm feeling down, these guys can always bring me back to life.

When I'm feeling awesome, they make me feel even better.

Though I'd never claim they were the greatest, most talented, revolutionary musicians ever, they are my favourite band. And actually, they are fucking talented.

I've been listening to them for around 10 years.  Some of their songs have kind of become some of my closest friends...

envy. seven things you lack and covet.

So, things I envy and lack...

1. Motivation - I struggle to find the motivation to do things I know I have to... housework, homework and other things that have to happen. 


2. The ability to Sing - I wish I could sing, or at least not kill people and plants when I did. My singing is kept to when I'm home alone, or the music is too loud for anyone to hear me.


3. Rhythm - I have none. I want some. As well as the singing, my dancing is pretty awful too. 


4. Red Hair - I always wanted ginger hair. Now I want pillarbox red hair. I'm not sure my hairdresser will ever allow it. 


5. Cat Cuddles - My cat loves my boyfriend more than me. I don't get snuggles. And when I do, I have to initiate them. Next time, I think I'll get a boy kitten - my cat (though we call him a boy - we were told he was one by the person who sold him) is a girl, and therefore seems to be more affectionate with guys... and my female flatmate. 


6. Nice, Cheap Flats - we're moving in a few months, so the flat hunt is beginning for real now. But it seems while all our friends are able to find seriously awesome flats, in great areas with a low rent, we can't find anything of the sort... it's either cheap or it's nice. 


7. Tidiness - I don't envy anyone who is super tidy, or OCD tidy, but I envy those who have the self discipline to do the housework whenever it needs done, not just when it gets to the stage you can't walk through a room without tripping over everything.


Tx.

the best part of the day

lying in bed with my man, watching TV with the cat curled up on our feet, purring.


of all the "small things", this is my favourite.

Loving Legacy

So, yesterday was of course Valentines day.

We had made some vague plans of massages and romantic dinners, soon realising that we'd left it far too late to book anything and we couldn't really afford it anyway. 

Neither of us really buy into the day itself, but as the day wore on and we were both battling hangovers, we figured we'd go for brunch.

We went to a fantastic little cafe a short walk from our flat, called TriBeca

Ideal for a lazy day with a hangover, these guys offer the best omlettes, eggs, waffles and pancakes in the city.

I devoured a beautiful, huge portion of Eggs Benedict; while he powered through a gigantic, 5-egg, meatfeast omlette.

They also offer a vast array of cakes, coffees, juices and smoothies.

Sitting at the window, watching the rain pour down, we had the place to ourselves - it felt like we'd found the cosiest nook in Glasgow. 

It was decided that we would have to try and go for brunch once a week, perhaps discover a few new places.

While we were eating, we got chatting about the Salvation Army shop across the road, and the wonderful stuff you can find in there. Our rainy walk in the park was exchanged for a rummage through the bric-a-brac and furniture. Then we came across the piles and piles of vinyl...

He described how he'd always wanted to buy lots of interesting records and put them all in a frame. There was a large frame nearby going for £6, so it seemed silly not to give it a shot. 

The record collection was somewhat mad - lots of Kenny Rodgers, Sound of Music, and all sorts of super random stuff. Although for 50p per 12" and 30p per 7", you can't expect the best selection.

We did, however find some real gems including some OMD, Byan Ferry, Tears for Fears and several Smash Hits/Top of the Pops from the 70's, with pin ups on the covers. 

With £11.30 worth of vinyl, and a frame, we set off home to build our creation. And here it is...

Sorry, the picture quality is somewhat crap.

Inside, we wrote our names and the date, and hid our valentines cards to each other inside. It was a really fun little project for us to share, and now it proudly hangs in our living room.

In a few months, we're moving into a flat just the two of us, so we've started collecting bits and pieces to start our life together, and I think this collage is a really nice celebration of our love and will be something we'll treasure for years. Either that, or in 10 years we'll look at it and cringe. Either way, it's a nice memory!

Tx.

Childhood in a Song

This is one of the songs I remember most of all from my childhood.
It makes me think of my big sister and I, dancing around her bedroom and singing along.
I grew up with a brother and sister much older than me, and my music taste was heavily influenced by what they and my dad listened to. Except, I averaged between the musical eras and my heart landed in the late 70's and 80's.

Tx.

My Seven Deadly Sins - Pride

Just spotted this on my internet travels, and I quite like the idea of examining my "Sins". 

day 1 - pride. seven great things about yourself. 

day 2 - envy. seven things you lack and covet. 

day 3 - wrath. seven things that piss you off. 

day 4 - sloth. seven things you neglect to do.

day 5 - greed. seven worldly material desires.

day 6 - gluttony. seven guilty pleasures.

day 7 - lust. seven love secrets.

***

So, day 1...

pride. seven great things about yourself. 

1. My Patience - I take a laid back approach to life, I like to cross bridges as I come to them, and I try not to dwell on issues that I can't do anything about.

2. My Hair - I'm lucky in that I'm a hair model, which means I get awesome haircuts for free. 

3. My Shot-Making Skills - I've worked in a bar for a year and a half, and over the past 6 months, I've started making up my own recipes for shots. Most recently, my pride is directed towards my new Black Forest Gateaux shot. 

4. My Shopping Habits - Since my first shopping trips as a kid, I've always managed to make a tiny budget go insanely far.    I can go out with £20 and come home with a CD, a DVD, a pair of Jeans, a Dress and even some make-up. I spend ages wondering around a shop, carrying all the things I want, and then force myself to be brutal - do I need it? do I want it? Does it even suit me? Can I justify it?

5. My Family - Everyone always says the same thing about their family, "we're so crazy!!". My family, IS somewhat mad, but they're also awesome. For usually around 2 days, we're the best of friends, after that we all want to kill each other. We're a funny kind of close - all of us are the same in this - each of us like to know where the others are, but however close we live, we don't see each other often. And my siblings have produced some of the most beautiful children I have ever seen. I'm proud of all of them.

6. My Life - I moved out when I was 19, and I rushed it somewhat. I barely planned money and jobs, and made a bit of a pigs ear of my finances. But I'm proud that I've always managed to feed myself, even if I had to hunt through all the nooks, crannies and jeans pockets for that extra 20p. I've always had a good flat and a good flatmate. I've studied each year, though only this year did I begin my degree. I didn't want to rush myself in choosing a degree to do, I wanted to wait until I figured out what exactly it was I wanted to do.

7. My Relationship - I'm really proud of this one. We met when neither of us were looking for love, and after only 1 week, I knew I loved him. He moved in quite quickly, and we spend almost all our time together. We look after each other, and we're best friends. Both of us have "fixed" parts of the other, and we've done so much for the issues we both have. We don't argue - we sometimes wonder what exactly we'd argue about, then end up play-arguing. My man can cook, tidy, charm the hind legs off a donkey, and make me smile. Both of us knew very early on that whatever the future looked like, we'd be spending it together.

Tx.

Don't You Wave Your Money At Me, You Bastard!

You're in a bar, enjoying friends and a cool beer. 

Some DOs and DON'Ts. 

(I can't lie, it's mostly don'ts)

1. You'll be served when It's your turn to be served. No amount of waving your arms or money, clicking your fingers or telling me your order while I'm doing something else will change that. In fact, you just went to the back of the queue. For the rest of the night. 
2. If you have a big order, don't tell me 20 drinks at once. You fucking struggled to remember them, how the hell am I meant to? And don't then get pissy because I forgot if you wanted diet or regular coke. Either let me do them in 5's, or just write me a list.
3. ..AND don't order one drink at a time. I'm perfectly capable of remembering 4 vodkas with different mixers in each.
4. Don't change your mind once I've brought you your drink. I cannot unmix a Gin and Tonic, I cannot decant your Red Stripe back into the keg, I cannot de-woo your Woo-Woo.
5. Empty glasses are not for your rubbish. I have no desire you to deal with your garbage. High on this list are: Used Tissues, Chewing Gum and Vomit. 
6. There's a reason I am on this side of the bar, I work here. You don't. I really don't care if you want to tell me something urgently, or if you want to high-five me.
7. So, you enjoy sex in a public place, eh? Wonderful, I'm glad you feel so at ease with your sex life. However, I really don't want to see it. Especially from the table directly in front of the bar. If you so desperately need to indulge in hand-jobs, why not try a dark corner seat? a toilet cubical? round the back by the bins? Or, even in your own home?
8. "Can I have that in a small glass, no ice, please?" Oh I see, You're here to get hammered? Well, the difference between a small and a tall glass is negligible, and as the ice is pretty solid, you won't be drinking much of it. 
   In fact, MORE ICE = LESS MIXER = STRONGER DRINK. Confusing, I know.
9. Unless we're friends, don't touch me. The odd high five is fine. But other than that, I'm here to sell you booze, not to be groped by you.
10. Don't mistake my friendliness and chattiness for me wanting to have sex with you. Just don't.
11. Bear in mind that I don't have to give you a reason not to serve you, and if I say NO, don't argue. If you're a dick to me, I'll be a dick to you too.
12. Say Please, say Thanks, and tip me. I'll remember you. I'll serve you as soon as I possibly can. I'll remember your order.
13. Get your names right. I don't sell "Prosciutto", not by glass nor by bottle. Same goes for "Mur-lott", "Pinit Grigit", "Jagger/Gager/Jayger Bombs".
14. The fastest way to get served is to wait, patiently. Make eye contact with me, give me a small sign that says "Yes, I'm in the queue".
15. The DJ came here to play some songs, not your music collection. Don't go verbally attacking the guy just because you're not a fan of The Killers. You're 30 years old. Get a grip.
16. Closing time means you leave, it doesn't mean sit about for 20 minutes finishing your drink. Shoulda bought it earlier, eh? 

....and yet, I love my job.

T.x

Cupcakes!

I bought some poppy seeds around Christmas, for no other reason than just loving them. 

Today, I finally decided to put them to use, and bake some cupcakes. Lemon's always the obvious choice, but I thought I'd get some chocolate and cranberry involved too.

When I bake, I make things up as I go along, I'm not one for following recipes, or measuring as I bake - I go by eye, and texture. When it doesn't work, I start again, and learn what not to do.

To create these yummy cakes, you will require...

• about half, or just a little more, a packet of butter
• soft brown sugar
• an egg
• self-raising flour
• a pinch of baking powder
• poppy seeds
• the juice of one lemon
• 3 or 4 pieces of milk chocolate, grated

Get your cupcake cases ready - grate a little chocolate in the bottom, and perhaps add a few poppy seeds.

Now, mix the butter and sugar until it becomes creamy, then mix in your egg (it might look a little curdled now, but don't worry). 

Cover the lot in the flour and the baking powder (i know self raising should rise by itself, but i always add baking powder, just to be sure), keep on adding and mixing until it gets nice and thick, but still nice and smooth. 

Now add your poppy seeds - I added loads, but I can't get enough of them - and your lemon juice. If your mixture gets a bit too runny again, just add more flour.

Once your mixture seems about right, spoon your it into the cases, fill 'em up... nothing wrong with a big cupcake if it's too much. 

Now whack them in the oven at 180°C, for about 20 minutes or until they're nice and golden on top. 

Now leave them to cool on a tray, and mix your icing, should you wish some.

While mine cooked, I left a handfull of dried cranberries in a bowl of freshly boiled water and a tiny bit of sugar. To make my icing, I used Icing sugar and the cranberry infused water. I cheated too, and added a touch of red food dye (i used a little much). Then I covered my cupcakes in the icing, and sprinkled some more seeds on top, just for good measure. 

Now that mine have cooled, I shall go and try one....

Messy, but the best baking always is!

...they're very squishy. Not as lemony as i'd hoped, but otherwise very, very tasty!

The chocolate at the bottom has set nicely.

Happy baking!

Let me know how yours go if you give them a shot!

T.x

Motives...

So this is my first blog, and my first post.

I've wanted to start a blog for a while now, but have always been wary of them. So many blogs are sheer vanity, with lots of photos of the writer's latest shopping spree. Or, a new wife's excitement about her husband and kids. I've lost count of the number of blogs I've seen with the token photo of a darling 4 year old with a face covered in chocolate/riding the dog around the house. Sweet though they are, too much and they give you diabetes.

Then there's the ones all about Jesus, and how he's "making my life so wonderful". The wonders of life are the ones you find, bring to life and make for yourself.

(Just to clarify... that wasn't any kind of personal attack, on anyone. If any of the above applies to you, and you don't like my opinions, then don't bother with hate mail, just move on to the next blog. It'll save us both time and energy.)

In an attempt to avoid the vain stuff, I'm going to keep photos and personal info to a minimum. Quite apart from which, I don't fancy some random dude knowing what I look like, where I work and what I'm doing tomorrow.

My motives for starting ElectricSwallow (awful name, I know, but I was stuck.) were to share some of my thoughts, opinions, photos, recipes, tips, whatever, on any topic that springs to mind, or you ask about.

I often find myself thinking about a particular topic and feeling like I should write it down and, if it still makes sense, share it with others. 

Another hope is that a blog might encourage me to be more creative in my daily life. I'm actually a very creative person, but have neglected my camera, art supplies, my mannequin and so on in the last few years.

In conclusion, I want to cover lots of topics, avoid the vanity and the mundanity, and I want to share the stuff in my head that always sounds so full of wisdom.... until you speak it out loud, or write it down... at very least I can try and clarify my thoughts.

Until next time,

T.

(mmm...helvetica.)