98 - I'm in love...

So I'm in love. It sometimes takes me a little while to fall in love with the same things that other people like, and I've finally caught up. I'm in love with True Blood. When True Blood first came out, I knew it would like it. I love horror, love vampires and I love Twilight. Considering True Blood is less aimed at teenager girls, I was hopeful I would love it even more. So hopeful in fact, that I asked for the first season box-set for my Christmas one year before I had even seen it. However, I never got round to watching it.

A few months ago, I also bought the first 10 books for about a tenner from one of those discount book catalogue. And a couple of weeks ago I decided to start reading them. I'm about half way through book three already. I like reading and I usually read quite fast, but only when I can find the time. I missed reading books, so recently I've made the effort to read at lunch time at work and before bed. And so I've been beasting through the True Blood books like nobody's business.

Because I have finished the first book, me and my boyfriend started watching the first season box-set last night, as I read it was roughly a book per season so I wouldn't be watching any spoilers. Two episodes in and I love it (though I think I'm annoying Donald with that "oh that's not like that in the books" remarks).

I definitely think I like them a lot better than the Twilight books/movies (though I do still love them), as Bill isn't as moody as Edward and Sookie isn't as annoying as Bella. Definite good points. So I'll definitely be working my way through the rest of the books and DVDs. I'm excited.

Image via http://www.tvfanatic.com/shows/true-blood/page-28.html

Plus I might have a slight crush on Bill.

97 - Splurging

Okay, so I was on a buying ban until after my birthday, as people were finding it pretty hard to find things to get my that I didn't already have. I don't enjoy being on a buying ban. Not good. Teamed with that and the fact a got a little money for my birthday, I went a bit mad on Amazon and bought a lot of craft stuff (as well as a good few pairs of booty shorts for derby from eBay).

So here are all the lovely things I have bought. The top two items came in the post today, but the rest is still to be dispatched. Bad Amazon! I'm off work on Monday because of bank holiday, so they won't come till Tuesday at the earliest. Hmph!

Four perler bead boards that merge into one big one! 

Image via Amazon

Image via Amazon

Image via Amazon

Image via Amazon

Image via Amazon

Image via Amazon

Image via Amazon

Image via Amazon

Exciting times. Now I need to get my craft on.

96 - Happy Towel Day

Happy Towel Day everyone. In case you didn't know, Towel Day celebrates the late author Douglas Adams who wrote the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. You're supposed to carry a towel around with you all day to mark the occasion. I thought I would dedicate this post to the day, because geeky things are awesome.

However, this does remind me of quite a sad story.

Image via Amazon

See this little guy here? It's a knitted version of Marvin from the movie. If you're seen it, it's when their ship is going crazy and they end up in a knitted state for a couple of minutes. So cute right? They did a whole range of them, but I like Marvin the best. He's on the American Amazon site for $39.99. One day I was in a shop and I saw him, for something insane like £3 and obviously snapped him up right away. However, when I got the till they told me he was coming up as void, and they weren't allowed to sell me him! What! I bet they threw him out or something, seemed totally pointless. So I didn't get him, and I'm not paying $40 for him. Sigh. I'll keep my eyes out for a slightly cheaper one, but let me just say I hate you Big W and I'm glad you're now shut!

Anyway, here's some nice themed crafts. Enjoy!

Image via http://www.flickr.com/photos/snorkmaiden/2459093557/

Image via http://craftyanddevious.wordpress.com/author/craftyanddevious/page/2/

Image via http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=312136.60

Image via http://www.flickr.com/photos/jen_random/

95 - Top five dream jobs

You know that scene in High Fidelity, where Rob and Laura are discussing Rob's top five dream jobs if training, money and time weren't a problem? I was thinking about that at work this week. I'm one of those people who has never really known what I wanted to do for a living. There have been jobs I would love to do but most of them have been out of reach or didn't seem realistic. Even now it's hard to know where to go and how I'm supposed to progress. I hate those kids that have always dreamed of doing something and then like...do it. Jealous. I've never had that much focus.

So here are my top 5 dream jobs, if you could literally pick anything in the world and be it.

1. Special effects make-up artist.

Image via http://wesleying.org/

I had a stint when I was a kid where I thought it would be awesome to be a make-up artist. Like an actual make-up one and not a special effects one. But then I remember watching this documentary on the making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, and loving watching them put the make up on. Can you imagine people watching amazing make-up effects like The Thing or American Werewolf in London, and you being able to say "hey, it was me that did that". Epic. As a lover of horror movies, I can only imagine how cool this job would be now, and I would have loved to have gone to university in America or something and studied this. I would also love to have the mind to know how to turn someone into a zombie, or make it look like their leg was hanging off.

2. Comic book store owner.

Image via http://hastac.org/

This is the geek in me totally coming out, plus I quite like the idea of running my own shop. I image ordering in stock would be the most fun in the world, but I would probably end up buying a lot of it myself.

3. Hayley Williams.

Image via http://ahefunub.blogspot.com/

Okay, I know this is more of a person than a job, but I don't care. Dream jobs right? If I had a smary enough brain to write amazing lyrics, I would be very happy. I also enjoy dancing like a mess and dying my hair red, so I think it would be perfect.

4. Magazine editor.

Image via Facebook.

I'm not which magazine, but I think it would be a fashion/music/craft one. I like the idea of making it all come together, and being imporatant and seeing an end result that was awesome. I've always like writing, so I think this would definately be fun.

5. Jenny Hart.

Image via http://www.flickr.com/photos/11707873@N00/2358977616/

Okay, again I know this is person, but I don't care, I want her job. Jenny Hart (and not Jenny Heart as I typed in, because she a porn star!) is the lady behind Sublime Stitching.

Now I know her job won't be all roses and peaches, and not everything is amazing as it look, but as an overview, her job looks epic. Designing patterns, stitching examples, running her site, blogging about embroidery, being in magazines, making custom pieces for other people/celebs/companies. Genius. If I could quit my job and run away today, I would want to be Jenny Hart. Or at least her assistant!

How about you? Any dream jobs you would kill to do?

94 - Photos from my birthday

So my birthday was yesterday (in case you didn't know) and I thought I would share some photos with you. Most of them are off the awesome presents that my friends and family brought me, but there are a couple I took on the picnic my boy took me on today. Enjoy. I'm off dancing tonight with my friends, and I'm most excited.

Our picnic

Jack!

Birthday cupcakes

Me and Donald driving

Shoes! Wonder Woman Converse

Stationary stuff

Necklaces

DVDs and Xbox game

Beetle Juice dolls and Labyrinth worn toy

Clothes

Books

Nightmare trivia game, hair dye, pin cushion, chocolate

I had an awesome birthday, so thanks to everyone who was involved in some way and everyone who is going to be out tonight!

93 - May Stitch Along

So my Feeling Stitchy May Stitch-Along piece is finished. I finished it on Sunday night, but I've been waiting to show you because I felt it would get lost in the excitement of my bday blog party.

So here was the pattern.

Image via Feeling Stitchy

So here's mine.

I changed it slightly, as I decided to put them in three separate frames and introduced the love heart in between. I also used a fill stitch I've never used before (which I was quite excited about). I'm really happy with how it turned out, and they now sit proudly on our kitchen window ledge.

I love the Feeling Stitchy stitch alongs! I can't wait for June!

92 - Blog Bday Party - Happy birthday to me

So today is my birthday. Happy birthday to me! I'll be spending the day opening pressies from my boy, getting driving to work an hour later (my work lets you come in at 10am on your birthday), going out for lunch with my work-mates, getting driven to my mum's and then having BBQ type food, no matter what the weather is like. I can't wait, I do love birthdays. I turn the grand old age of 24 today. I decided for this post I would do a recap of the many birthday cakes I've had over the course of my 23 other birthdays. I've had some crazy cakes in my time, and I thought it was the best way to get photos from over the years that showed off my birthdays. Enjoy.

I've put them in rough date order, though it's hard to tell sometimes!

1 years old.

My love of cake is clear. Explains the thighs now I guess.

Clown cake. Check out my mum's perm!

I'm not sure what this cake is. Looks like a pink polo.

7 year old party at soft play area. I do not like clowns.

Cat cake I thought was a soft toy. Hence the finger marks. Doy!

5 year old party. House shaped cake. Win!

Mr Potato Head cake. Oh yeah. I was very ill that year. :(

Sonic cake. I was a geek even as a child.

Bumble bee cake. I collected them when I was little.

Balloon cake. Can't really see it though.

Home made cake. Looks like my gran's handy work.

15th birthday. Ice cream cake.

Same year...scooby doo cake. Not sure why I had two.

18th birthday. Blonde hair, red face.

21st birthday. Chugging cupcakes and laughing. Nom.

Okay so it's not a cake but it's close. 22 cocktail. Nom. And yes I was very drunk!