2013: MY YEAR

2013.

What. A. Year. It. Has. Been

For me personally, 2013 had a lot to live up to having

had an absolutely incredible 2012, which was confidently swaggering around at the top of my 

'Best Year of My Life Ever So Far' list.

Could 2013 match 2012? 

Well seeing as I was so reluctant to welcome

it -my arms were sandwiched to my side, definitely not doing a Frauline Maria 'The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Music' with my arms so wide open I'm sure they're going to snap off my body-

2013 is actually very very close to knocking 2012

off that sacred top spot...

It hasn't been as obviously amazing as last year, no no no, it's been amazing in a different way. 

Here's what I've done:

1) Went on a Spanish exchange and was allowed to

pretend I was Spanish for a week, and it was honestly

one of the best things I have ever done, even if

I did tread in dog poo and get locked in a toilet

and walked into a lampost. Twice.

2) Passed my AS levels and still haven't had the

cataclysmic brain meltdown that is due any day

now that I'm half way through my A Levels.

3) Saw the amazing Arctic Monkeys (my boy Alex luv u bby),

Tom Odell, the Ruen Brothers and The 1975 and met Matty!

4) Decided what I want to do with my life (finally)

5) Started this blog after being inspired by a certain

Jimmy Choo advert featuring diamond glasses and 

Nicole Kidman... ;)

6)Finally started selling my designs and artwork by setting

up my own art and design business 'Bluboca', and you don't

understand how proud I am of my little business, it's

like proper maternal love man. 

7) Started volunteering at the Stroke Association

(one of the best decisions I've ever made) and 

with autistic children (equally amazing), both of 

which I love.

8) Made my nana laugh so hard she almost wet herself,

which believe it or not was one of the best feelings 

in the world because she had been really ill and in a lot of pain, so for even five minutes at that she

 was able to forget all the pain completely.

9) Had my AS Spanish exam and a job interview on my 17th

birthday... SUPER DUPER EXTREME FUN.

10) Got my first ever proper job the day after my birthday,

as a dishwasher (woohoo dishwasher life) and four

months later handed in my first notice.

11) Learnt how to be a waitress and amazingly I am yet

to drop a plate or drink, which is a complete and utter miracle

as I am the clumsiest person known to man.

My day is not complete until I have walked into a door.

Or a table leg. Or a cupboard.

12) Used my debit card for the first time and opened

my own bank account (very mature) and put

my own hard earned money in it.

13) Went to Menorca for the first time and sweated

my cares away. 

14) Went to college in my PJ's (bad decision).

15) Met a guy who I would never normally go for/ picture myself being with, who just so happens to literally be my perfect 

match and it almost seems like fate (ooooh, spooky). 

And even if it doesn't end romantically

that's alright because he can be my guy best friend.

He's like my twin, even though his idea of 'the best scrambled eggs in the world' is wrong and he knows this.

16) Tried lots of different types of alcohol and the only

one I really like is Smirnoff Ice, which doesn't sound

as classy as champagne or rose so I'm just going to pretend

that I really like them instead "champagne darlink".

17)Finally got a pair of Dr Martens and I'm still in love

seven months later.

18) Went on a train all by myself.

Got a metaphorical gold star and everything.

19) Been to lots of places on the university trail...

Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Reading, Newcastle and been to 

university interviews cause like I said

I'M PROPER MATURE ME.

20) Stopped being insecure and actually got some

of that magic stuff called self confidence and self esteem

and dealt with all those demons and fears and embraced

being a single, independent lady a la Beyonceeeyyyyy.

21) Discovered The Breakfast Club, Submarine, Bruce

Springsteen, Rod Stewart, and lots of other amazing

 films and artists and music and vinyl and porridge

 and Walkers Hoops & Crosses

and the wonders of make-up and The Big Bang Theory

AND SO MUCH MORE!!!

22) Been to London (twice) and Liverpool and York,

where I happened to have the most tastiest piece of

carrot cake in the whole entire world...

And with that, I shall conclude this post.

Loads more other stuff happened, so much that I can't remember, but 2013, man I love ya and you know

what? I think I'm really gonna miss ya... 

<3

BABY I LOVE YOU

THE RISE OF THE PASTEL BOB

Lately I've noticed that a certain

hairstyle, which I have christened 'the pastel bob',

has been popping up amongst

frequenters of the celeb world as 2013 draws to a close

and 2014 waves hello over the not to distant horizon.

As you can guess, it's basically a bob which

has been dyed a gorgeous pastel hued tone and I don't know

about you, but I think that they look

pretty damn cute.

CELEB EXAMPLE TIME, READY SET GO

1) Kelly Osbourne has had her luscious lilac locks

trimmed into an Anna Wintour style bob which

perfectly frames her heart shaped face.

2) The lovely R1 DJ Fearne Cotton has recently reverted 

back to her fabulous candyfloss pink do which she

had previously frequented whilst pregnant with son Rex.

PHOTO TIME, READY SET GO

 

Get the hues with

Fudge Hair 

and 

Bleach London

So will we see more of the pastel bob in the new year....

hmmmmmm *strokes metaphorical moustache whilst gazing

meaningfully in the distance*

SONGS I AM LIKING DECEMBER 2013

Hollaaaaahhhh!

(that's my new favourite word and I don't

even know why, because as far as I know it's so 2000 and late

and everything -sorry Fergie- but ughhhh I JUST THINK IT'S AMAZING!!!)

I just wanted to give you a little

heads up to some songs I am liking right now at this

very moment in time.

SO I'M A BE TURNING UP THE TUNEAGE IN 3...2...1

1) PHARRELL WILLIAMS- HAPPY

2) SUB FOCUS FEAT KELE- TURN IT AROUND

3) AFROJACK FT SPREE WILSON- THE SPARK

4) AVICII- HEY BROTHER

5) BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB- CARRY ME

6) DISCLOSURE FT LONDON GRAMMAR- HELP ME LOSE MY MIND

7) DRAKE FT SAMPA- TOO MUCH

8) JASON DERULO- TRUMPETS

9) VAMPIRE WEEKEND- STEP

10) HALF MOON RUN- FULL CIRCLE

11) THE ORWELLS- DIRTY SHEETS

12) ARCTIC MONKEYS- YOU'RE SO DARK

So as you can probably tell, it's a right mix and a half

what with the likes of Disclosure, Drake, The Orwells and Arctic's co-existing as one in this mighty

mega mix of a list.

But I'll tell you what, these tunes should

give you the perfect little build up to midnight on New Years Eve

and take you right back down into a nice

chilled come-at-me-bro stance, ready to take

on the New Year.

And man, who doesn't want that?!

IT'S A VERY MERRY CHRIMBO

Hello my little festive friends

and Merry Christmas to you all!

I hope that these last few years have been 

supercalifragilisticexpialidotious for you (did I spell

that right? There isn't any spell check y'see)

and that you had a wonderful time

with your friends and family and got everything you

ever wanted :)

I also hope that like me you have been 

eating a box of Lindt chocolates a day average plus a decent helping of turkey and leftover xmas pud and what not

just because you can.

In the UK we're pro's at doing that, because

to almost everyone over here, Christmas is a license 

to eat and drink all those naughty little 

goods and treats and no-one

is allowed to bat an eyelid. If you do,

everyone turns on you and shoves chocolate

in your mouth to shut you up.

Here's an example:

*Man reaches over for a bottle of wine which

he proceeds to glug at an alarming rate*
Girl: what are you doing drinking all that?

Man: It's Christmas!

*Girl laughs* oh well that's alright then!

-OR-

*Girl frowns* you shouldn't be drinking all that!
*Man shoves chocolate in her mouth*

THE END.

So yeah, fun times!

In the UK we're also all completely hooked on

 the Harry Potter films, which ITV have

been showing in the run up to Christmas with

Deathly Hallows Part One being shown yesterday

much to my delight.

We all got our wands out and everything.

;)

Now moving on to my own Christmas,

which began with a trip to see Disney's Frozen in Nottingham

and another helping of some gorgeous Spanish churro's 

NOM NOM NOM.

This year I was super lucky and got my wish of getting

my own laptop, which I am truly and deeply in love

with. She hasn't got a name yet, but

she's red and she's gorgeous and amazing and

definitely desirable no 1 (that's Harry Potter rubbing of

on me right there).

I got to spend Chrimbo with my family here

in Derby (waheeyy) and luckily we haven't been affected by

the storms, just some pretty aggressive wind

that makes me certain the house is going to blow away

in time for the New Year.

Lovely Jubbly.

In my house we had the record players on and

we were singing and dancing to the vinyl records I mentioned in my last post and eating chocolates with Christmas

TV on in the background.

My contribution to Christmas this year was making

starters (a seafood extravaganza) and the amazing Christmas

crowns like the ones I made last year.

We had:

-Maria -all I want for Christmas- Carey

-Ady Baby

-Rosanna in the Highest

-Saint Tashalus (englightening the world with

great facial hair)

It's safe to say they were a runaway success.

Now I hope that you too had an amazing Christmas

and that you have an absolutely amazing New Year.

I'll see you down the gym

-I'll be the one walking on the running machine

trying hard not to sweat.

VINYL CONVERT

Last week my lovely friend Ellie

sold me her 7" 45 rpm record player for the nifty

little price of £30.

For well over a year I have poured over vinyl in my

local Oxfam, where I used to volunteer/ spend my time flicking through

the latest vinyl deliveries instead of re-stocking shelves.

I'd pour through my Dad's pretty amazing record collection, which for

some reason he stores in the garage away from prying

eyes and fingers (aka. me) -The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Bob Marley and more- and a nostalgic sigh would escape my mouth.

I don't know about you but I long to experience those days where

you had vinyl and all things vintage and retro...

I'd read NME and they'd talk about Record Store Day,

which occurs every April and raises awareness of vinyl and gives

a publicity boost to all those independent record stores

scattered across the country.

In NME I'd also read musicians and artists describe

their favourite vinyl tracks, and the feeling and sensation of listening

to and playing vinyl. The needle, the crackle, the side A, the side B.

And I wanted to experience it so bad.

Our own 78 rpm record player is apparently non functioning, according

to my dad, so when my friend told me she was selling hers,

I was all in mate.

For the last couple of years vinyl and records seem to be on

the rise. You only have to pop in to your local HMV to find a whole section dedicated to vinyl with many current artists 

such as Arctic Monkeys, The Vaccines, The XX et al not only

releasing new albums via CD, but also via vinyl too.

And oooooh IT'S SO EXCITING.

And now I can kind of take part, with my little 45rpm :)

Although of course, being raised in the technologic generation,

the record player and vinyl itself to to me

are nostalgic beauties that absolutely fascinate me.

I don't know how you could marvel at how an ipod works, because to me,

that's just technology and that's that.

But this, this is essentially a piece of plastic which somehow

has music in it, and if you put a needle on it and spin

it around, sound comes out of it, and the record player

itself may need to be plugged into the socket but still, I don't

understand how you can listen to music without

all that complicated technology.

And what's more, it also amazes me how all us technologic teens

are embracing vintage and retro going against

the grain, and clambering

to get our hands on the things our parents have long since discarded

as being old, whilst our parents have gone

stark raving technology loving mad!

Ahhhh....Life is so weird sometimes...

<3

(This is the first vinyl record I listened to,

'Could You Be Loved' by Bob Marley & The Wailers,

once I'd figured out how to work the thing)

Listen to it here :)

NEW, UNDISCOVERED & RUDDY AWESOME MUSIC ONE

So on my Twitter @diamond_glasses

I have quite a few followers who happen to be budding musicians

in the making and I thought it would be nice

to take a moment to listen to their music and give you a heads

up on who's who and some tunes to listen to.

Before this blog I wrote a blog called Tee Pot Music

but as I've been so busy, and because something crazy happened

which involved me not listening to the radio for weeks at a time,

I didn't think I was in as good a position

to recommend new music.

But I'm going to flex my musical joints right now *crack crack*

and dish out some musical goods for you in time for 

Christmas... I don't have time to write much but I'm 

going to give you some names, songs and info as to where, if you

like what you hear, you can find out more.

:)

___________________________________________________

1) Alex George 

Slow Dancing In A Burning Room (John Mayer Cover)

 Lego House (Ed Sheeran Cover)

LA LA LA (Sam Smith ft Naughty Boy cover)

This Barnham native is very, very good at 

what he does. I've just been listening to the covers above

and nodding my head in approval like the Churchill dog on

those adverts because me like what I am hearing. 

Alex has such a gorgeous voice

that will slot nicely into the 'Easy Listening' and 'Acoustic' 

genres of your music library.

So far he only has covers up, but it will

be interesting to see what Alex's produces when he takes a dabble at

making his own music.

If you like Alex George you should also take a look at 

the music of his collaboration partner Ben Harvey.

STAY TUNED IN:

GO TO SONG

La La La (cover)

-see video above

FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/AlexGeorgeMusic?fref=ts

YOU TUBE

http://www.youtube.com/user/AlexGeorgeMusic?feature=watch

TWITTER

https://twitter.com/AlexG_Music

_______________________________

2) JAKE WEST

Believe

Skinny Love (Bon Iver cover)

Your Love

Jake hails from Leeds, up in depths of Yorkshire,

but alas, his beautiful rich voice bears no trace of this.

I would write more about Jake and who he is,

but he sums it perfectly himself in

this groovy and funny little You Tube vid...

STAY TUNED IN:

GO TO SONG

BELIEVE
(he writes his own music!)

YOUTUBE

http://www.youtube.com/user/jakewestmusic?feature=watch

FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/UKJakeWest?fref=ts

TWITTER

https://twitter.com/UKJakeWest

__________________________________________________________________

3)  ADAM BYRNE

Sun Don't Shine (Sonnentanz ft Will Heard cover)

Hold On We're Going Home ft Get Lucky

Now I can't find out much about Adam, 
except he's Irish (wooooooh, we love the Irish!) but
what I can tell you is that this guy is
a budding talent if ever there was one. The two vids
above see Adam collaborate with another guy,
whose name I do not know, but when the two come together
it really is something amazing.

To see what I mean go listen to their covers
and you'll understand. I hope Adam and said guy form a
duet because I really do think they are onto something when they
bring their respective talents together, and
I can't wait to hear what they cover next!

GO TO TUNE 
Hold On We're Going Home (cover)

YOUTUBE
http://www.youtube.com/user/adambyrnacus?feature=watch

TWITTER
https://twitter.com/_AdamByrne

________________________________________________________________

4) MajorLOVE

Sunrise

All The Other People

MajorLOVE are an indie-dance-pop duo comprised of
a husband and wife with a big love for music.
They hail from Phoenix Arizona (quite possibly where Bella
in Twilight is from- nerd fact right there) and
trust me you will be pleasantly surprised by what you find
when you click on their vids.

I have to admit I wasn't sure what to expect,
but the You Tube comments assured me goodness was about to come
my way and y'know what, they were damn right.

Take a listen to Sunrise in particular for gorgeous vocals galore.

STAY TUNED IN:

GO TO TUNE
Sunrise
(own song!)

YOUTUBE
http://www.youtube.com/user/MajorLOVEmusic?feature=watch

FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/MajorLOVEmusic

____________________________

5) MR TOM

Feet Hit The Floor

Dead of The Night

King & Queen

Mr Tom is a four piece self described 'indie banger pop'
band from Southampton who create some tunes that most certainly
do fit into the 'banger' category.
If you want an example listen to 'Feet Hit The Floor' which
launches straight into an upbeat mish mash of pulsating
sounds that will instantly hook your attention.

They also have the best website ever!
http://www.mrtommusic.com/ 

STAY TUNED:

GO TO TUNE
Feet Hit The Floor

FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/MrTomMusic

YOUTUBE
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrTommusicchannel?feature=watch


_______________________________________________________

This concludes the first part of the new music special,
but rest assured, you can expect another post within the next couple of days! :)