pink cup cakes

Naive Irony

Me being me, I have kind of put my foot in it again.

OK, straight to the point, it appears the cute cover of my book A Love That Makes Life Drunk is causing a wee bit of controversy.

See, when I decided this was the only cover in the world for my book, I guess I thought everyone would see the irony in it.  Anyway, yes, it is unassuming, and people have felt a little mislead, so, for the record, it is not chick lit and DOES contain strong adult content.  The babble on the back of the novel also indicates there is likely to be some detailed sexual scenes, but I have also added a warning on the front icon page to make readers aware - it's only right so no one gets red faced and upset.

Right done!

Be good,

K xx

Me and My Hunter's?

 

Something is bothering me.

My sister said something at the weekend as we all sat around watching Lily Allen at Glastonbury, "oh look, she's wearing her Hunter's."

Hunter's? 

I realise we are talking about wellies and it gets me thinking about the hideous creation of "Glastonbury (or festival) chic".

Surely a welly is just a damned welly.  Well, seemingly not, because despite them being a hideous invention anyway, (even though neccesary I understand this perfectly having kept chickens for a few years now), someone had to go and make them a fashion statement.

Look, I'm not against making wellies cooler, but the thing that's got me all in a twist is out of all the wellies in the world, "famous" people have to wear a named pair.  I mean, a pair of Hunter's can cost anything up to £150, does that not smell slighty Kate Moss?  If they could convince me they wear Hunter's because they're so comfy, hard wearing and perfect for their job, then I'll be forgiving, if it's about being seen in the name, forget it.

I recently took a detailed tour around the Hunter web page (which I actually really liked) because these boots have intrigued me. Not only did I discover an entire gallery about "famous" people and their Hunter's, but a kind of blog about people getting married in them.

I also found out Hunter have recently teamed up with Jimmy Choo - are we still talking wellies?  I mean, come on, just because they've got the Royal seal of approval should that give people the option to swan around in croc skin wellies?

As I brood over the whole Hunter's, wellies thing I realise it's not wellies or Hunter's that are bothering me, but the concept of "Glastonbury chic".  OK, I'm making myself sound old now, but years back when I went, it was about the music, culture and actually "being" at Glastonbury that was so amazing, but the moment Moss strode in with her wellies (very big possibility they were Hunter's) and hot pants, "Festival Chic" was born and it all seems a little different to me now.

Having been to many festival's over the years, there's nothing chic about those portaloo's, (even more disturbing if you're wearing your brand new £150 Festival Tall's).  Surely mapping out your wardrobe to such an extent distracts from the very reason you wanted to go (or maybe not Kate Moss, Alexa Chung etc.).

Oh, OK, so there is something quite classical about the Hunter wellie and I guess I'll never look at a welly as just a damned muddy stinking welly again, but I have to say, if I'm going to part with that much money, I'm going retro with Orla

 

No Royal seal (thankfully - I don't want to see the Duchy in the same pair as me), no Kate Moss (apart from the fact she used to date a man called "Jefferson" I no longer understand the pull - no, not jealously, I actually used to be a fan), and not chic, just plain cool in a non obvious way.

Bewilderment aside, the Hunter boot is quite a nice boot as far as wellies are concerned, and the more I ponder over them, the more I realise people love their Hunter's like people love their Aga's or their Cath Kidston eiderdown's (!), and now you see I've come full circle, imagining green classic Hunter's, skinny jeans and a pint of cider at the Tinner's in autumn, hum, Me and My Hunter's...

Stomping off

Karen x x

Favourite Things

 

I make absolutely no excuses for this post - it is totally girly driven.

 

This is purely to indulge me (and you) in a few of my favourite things outside of my home town, Big Fella, Little Fella and JB.

I don't wear dresses much, infact, I don't even own many, but the 2 pictured above have to be my very favourite. A quirky denim dress by Karen Millen, and a nautical yet cool gown by Joules.  Unfortunately, the opportunity to parade about in these dresses doesn't arise too often, but hey, when they do...

 

I also realise, as much as they are harping on about a "bbq summer" there will also be rain, and so if I have to wear a rain mac (aarrggh!), then I'm going to do it in style.

 

And an essential part of the summer wardrobe, my new boardies.

But clothes aside, because most people know I simply love clothes, I also get high on alot of other things...

 

My rose print eiderdown by Cath

 

Peonies x

 

Jellybeans...

 

Essential beverages kit... it's not all Champagne and cup cakes you know.

OK, so it's all a bit self indulgent and superficial, because obviously I can live without all of the above (possibly with the exception of the jellybeans (!)) but they're all good for inspiring and it's all just a bit of fun.

Thanks for reading

X

First Days of Summer

 

I'm really hoping the next few months are as lovely as the last couple of weeks. 

Don't misunderstand me, I adore the autumn and the winter, and actually summer is probably my 4th favourite season, but I love the sun, and there's 2 other little people I know who also do.

 

But equally as enchanting are days like today - breezy and overcast with expected rain.

The scorching sun, even though it can leave you feeling a little stifled, also offers breathtaking views and optimism. People drinking a chilled glass of wine or an ice cold beer in cafe bars, children scoffing ice cream on the street, walking barefoot in your garden, wearing flip flops and no one staring (!), is for me quintessentially British summertime, and there's only one type of music for these moments and that's Red Hot Chili's (ideally "Californication" or "By The Way"), and a little foot tapping to "These Streets" by Paolo Nutini - great for cruising (obviously all my cruising is done on the school run)

 But breezy winter days offer something different, but are equally as inspiring - choppy seas and cosy cups of tea whilst wrapped up snug, the aroma of a wood burning stove wafting in the air and quiet streets. Watching your breath in the cold air and breathing freezing air into your lungs. Music for this moment has to be Fleet Foxes. Believe me, it's worth seeing good in everything. Rain isn't always a bad thing, hence why I use it frequently in my writing.  It's the perfect atmosphere creator (as are music and smells).

Anyway, enough of winter, we have a summer to worship, and haven't they predicted a "bbq summer" - gosh, I hope so, and so do the other 3 men in my household - who needs California when you have the UK...

x

Dazed and Confused

 

It appears someone is offended by me.

To be more specific, my choice of conversation on this blog and the Pink Cupcakes fan page on Facebook.

I'm not really sure who or why, but I'm assuming it's the post about Miss May 1972.  I can only hope who (not sure how many reported it "abusive") actually read the content.  Yes, the pictures may be a little provocative, but it's the words that bring the post together and explain the reasons for showing you Deanna Baker.  I can absolutely assume the Facebook users who reported Pink Cupcakes as "abusive" have not read A Love That Makes Life Drunk and know nothing about me as a writer.

I'm sad about this for only one reason; I am now blocked from telling anyone about my Pink Cupcakes Fan Page on Facebook, and so to avoid any further "offence", I have removed the "abusive" pictures of Miss May 1972.

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil...you are being watched...

Sadly

Karen x

Miss May 1972

Just as my favourite beau is Tom Delonge, one of my favourite ladies is this one; Deanna Baker.

I'm not going to analyse why I drool over this stunning redhead so much, because I've done that in so many other posts...

 

...so this post is to unashamedly flaunt the lovliness of Miss May 1972.

 

A Playboy Playmate from Denver, sexy Miss Baker is the biggest single influence on the character of "Lily" in A Love That Makes Life Drunk. We found each other in Coco de Mer in Covent Garden and I was smitten.  She was sat naked on the counter, breathtaking long auburn hair cascading down her back, and since I was surrounded by beautiful satin corsets and other interesting objects (!) Miss May 1972 swept me off my feet and "Lily" was born - a playmate (excuse the pun) for Mr Jefferson Howie - my elegant leading man.

 

I do wonder what happened to Deanna. I used to search google for hours, post notes on various forums and read through almost every "Deanna Baker" site I could find, but nothing.  At first it frustrated the hell out of me. I wanted to know everything about her; what she'd been doing since 1972 and what she looked like now, and then I simply stopped looking.

I began to think I actually didn't want or need to know any of the above. I wanted to remember her as she was on these beautiful pictures, even though I'm pretty sure she's still a very stunning woman today, but for me, it was more about remembering how she inspired my girl Lily and why Jefferson and Lily fell in love.  Silly sentimentality I'm sure...

Anyway, even today, as I flick through the book that inspired a novel (Playboy Redheads), I get that feeling in my belly, and for that I will never regret choosing a breathtakingly beautiful redhead for my Lily.

I guess that's why May will always be up there as one of my favourite months!

xxx

Object(s) of My Desire

 

I don't yet live in the Country, but if I did, this would be the place I'd love the live; the new object of my desire.

Pre-the kids, me and Big Fella had a stint in rural Cheshire.  Our barn conversion was a beautiful restored farm house with two open fires.  This isn't Cheshire though, this is Zennor.

Zennor is the stunning village situated between St Ives and St Just in Cornwall.  The beauty of Zennor, and why I've fallen so in love with it, is it's breathtaking scenery, and if being surrounded by the rugged sea and the dulcit tones of their famous Mermaid, isn't enough, it's also right in the middle of the countryside.

Whilst recently surfing the net, I came across this most beautiful farm (featured pics).  It's called Gear Farm and it's in Zennor.  It's comprised of 3 self contained cottages and a B&B with one room - it even has an Aga!!

  

But Gear Farm and Zennor aren't the only objects I'm carrying around with me at the moment. There's also this totally amazing place I came across recently. Feather Down Farms.

Since re-homing our hens I've gone all countryside again, and since there's quite a few of these "farms" scattered around the UK, I'm hoping Big Fella and the boys will humour me for a weekend so I can collect fresh eggs from the hens the day they're laid (just like I used to...), and if that wasn't enough to convince me, at Feather Down apparently I can sit beneath the stars, read the kids a story and enjoy a glass of white wine (hum, what about Little Fella needing the loo every half hour and JB refusing to sleep in favour of shouting "mummy" in every way he can?) - hey! that's not in my fantasy, go away! 

 

But there's the wood burning stove, the fields, the open air, the farm shop, the Henhouse and the cosy canopy for the kids to sleep under, something I know Little Fella would appreciate since discovering the "den" (made of his pillows, cushions and duvets piled around the radiator in his room - yes, we've all done it.)

 

Freedom for the boys and hopefully for me and Big Fella, like I said, we don't live in the country anymore, and so hearing the birds sing is a lovely little luxury for us - and I miss it.

 

Anyway, to go with my little country life, my cottage, my open fileds and log fire, I think there's a few other essential bits I need; some other treasures I've found along the way.

 

A Teresa Green Apron and deck chair...

 

Something snug form our Cath...

 

Something to stop me causing myself yet more injuries in the oven, and they'd be real flames you know...

 

And something sentimental to make a cuppa in from Emma...

 

Well, that's a little of what's going on in my head at the moment...a little twee maybe, but a lovely way to escape the washing, ironing, teething baby on a Tuesday afternoon.

Happy Camping.

Karen x

Shame Less In Cornwall

 

Me and Big Fella made the Great Escape last weekend - to St Ives...childless.

Now, we'd been planning our trip to the Mighty St Ives for a fair few weeks, and since it was going to be the first time I'd been since February, I was yeah, fair to say, kinda excited, and to hope for sun, well...

 

Anyway, the folks came around to ours at 6am sharp, looking a little, well, shattered, and me and Big Fella packed the car for our one night extravaganza in our beloved Cornwall.  It was raining, butI still had a really good feeling in my belly.  In truth, I felt like a 35 year old teenager, and it was f***ing immense.

I stayed awake as long as I could, for almost 3 hours actually, but my eyes weirdly opening as I saw the "Welcome to Cornwall" sign, the sun was shining and I got butterflies.  Big Fella, still gossiping on his hands free, was unaware of my smile, or even of me being awake, and it all felt kinda grand.

 

It was after midday when we arrived (it is afterall a 5-6 hour journey!), and we needed 2 things: Food and drink.  We had to be careful, because we had things to do, but I still managed a small glass of wine and Big fella a Clouded Yellow in Sea Food Cafe on Fore Street.

After we'd finished the stuff we needed to do, we headed straight to The Castle for a cider, and my goodness, it was well worth the wait.

 

So well worth it, I think i finished a half in, um, 10 minutes.

After a couple more, and me having a bit of head on, we headed back to our lovely B&B The Cobbles and got ready to go out.  See, it's been a few years now since we've been in St Ives without the boys, and it does feel kinda weird, cus we know it's as much their place as ours, but tonight folks, unashamedly, it's mine! 

 

We eat at Al Fresco and head to The Hub.  It's good to see a young family in there at 9pm and we make plans for the summer.  Big Fella hints at watching the band at the Lifeboat again (!) and I'm just not sure.

He gets us a good deal on the wonderful drink that is Woodford Reserve (no London prices in St Ives y'know) and suddenly a live band sounds pretty cool, and so, a double WR later, we're sauntering off to the Lifeboat and I am Liam.

 

All scarf and skinny jeans, I walk in to the sound of The Shock of the Lightening and I just know we're in for a good night; I'm now, Liam, Noel, Gem and Andy all rolled into 1.

 

The band are Shameless, and feature a set that blinds me.  I am by nature, and rather annoyingly according to Big Fella - a music snob, but these guys have got my attention, a s*** load of alcohol or not.

 

Without sounding the embarrassing geek that I am, Shameless manage to convince me I'm at a Oasis, The Enemy (OMG!), Arctic Monkeys, Kings Of Leon, Killers, Green Day, Feeder, Kaiser Chiefs and Fratelli's gig all in one in Cornwall on a Friday night and I'm absolutely lovin' it, even slightly envious the South West monopolise this band I've only just found, so just to show my appreciation (and to Big fella's horror), as I hear the first few chords of "Sex On Fire", I'm up on the "dance floor", and I'm pleased to announce, I'm not the only one.

I'm having a ball, really I am, totally liberated on my Great Escape, thankful not just for Shameless' music, but also for their humour, as a girl outside the Lifeboat window presses her face against the glass and the quick witted vocalist refers to her as "windowlicker" which immediately taps into mine and Big fella's psyche, only to be swiftly followed by "there's always one...and she's all 20" - fantastic!

With an encore featuring the stunning Kings Of Leon "Use Somebody" and The Automatic's "Monster", I leave the Lifeboat happy and delirious and wanting to come back very soon...and we will.

I could have used someone like them, and I did, and it worked.

Here's to the summer.

K xx

My Angel (and Airwaves)

 

I've recently re-discovered Angels and Airwaves' I-Empire.  Three times a week as I drive to and from work, My Angel thrashes his Gibson, sings to inspire, leaving me with tingles down my spine and reminding me why an Indie girl like me was so dangerously easy in being lured across the dark barrier to Punk Rock; and so, unashamedly, this entry is about my unlikely relationship with Tom Delonge.

 

There's songs on I-Empire I wish everyone would listen to; Everything's Magic, Love Like Rockets, Sirens, Secret Crowds and Rite of Spring, being the tracks that leave me tingling the most, but it's not just the guitar, the lyrics are equally as inspiring, portraying me as some miming idiot as I drive through the countryside, but the music is so, I just can't stop.

  

I hesitate in using the word Genius, but I do sometimes wonder.  Rite Of Spring, the 11th track on the album, blows my mind.  An autobiographical track about how Delonge is the man he is today owing to his difficult family life as a kid but how he wouldn't change it,

"And if I could I would thank God, that I am here and that I am alive, and everyday I wake and tell myself a little harmless lie, the whole wide world is mine." (written by Angels and Airwaves)

When Blink 182 split I was gutted.  I'd only just really started to appreciate their music, Blink 182 the album, being their best, but even back then I was a loyal follower of Tom, which I find really difficult to explain, because on the surface there is nothing obvious to link me with this man.  With Liam Gallagher, Ian Brown and Mark Morriss, it's simple for people who know me to identify these artists with me, but Delonge?

We have a history that spans almost 8 years; the most intense being when Tom formed Angels and Airwaves.  In Blink, he'd been the clown who's potential you knew was there, but never realised.  At AVA's first UK gig at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, I noted a surprisingly unconfident, anxious and nervous Delonge as he opened his soul, and you just knew he was vulnerable.  A family man now in his 30's was having to start again after a difficult "break up" with Blink, he had a lot to prove, and not just to himself.

 

At this time I was also starting again. I had a small baby, no career and trying to adapt to my "new" life as a mum.  AVA was the soundtrack to that period in my life, one of which is very dear to me.

Delonge's "crappy punk rock" image had disappeared, replaced by a rather pensive and serious man, the crowd at the Ballroom, including me, didn't recognise.  At times his "speeches" between songs were uncomfortable, the bearing of one's soul isn't always easy to hear, especially when you least expect it, but we listened because we knew standing infront of us was a man on the verge...we were right to trust our instincts.

 

By their 2nd album I-Empire, Delonge was back on form.  He was happy and excited with glimpses of that funny man we loved so much.  Finally he seemed comfortable in his skin, and he so knew he had us on side.  At a gig at the Astoria in London a couple of years ago, this huge man stood with his back to the crowd whilst tuning his guitar and nonchalantly laughed as he said, "I know you're looking at me," and proceeded to hold his arms in the air and turn for us.  Of course we were f***ing looking at him.

The thing with Tom these days is he doesn't feel the untouchable man he was in Blink 182; he's human again.  I saw Blink play live at a UK Arena and AVA in several small venues and I know which I prefer.

 

I'm not going to use this as a forum for yes or no to Blink 182 reforming, but all I can say is, I'm just not sure. Those promotional pictures for Summer 2009 just look weird to me, I'm not sure you can go back to "crappy punk rock" when you've been "Anthem" - I hope I'm wrong, but so much more than that, I hope it isn't the end for AVA, a band who continue to inspire and assist me when creating.  I doubt I would have written "A Love That Makes Life Drunk" had I not invited Delonge into my eclectic world, so why wouldn't he remain dear to me.

 

The legacy he has left on my work is quite remarkable, something I doubt I'll ever beable to explain.  Whether it's through his music or his persona, he is probably in everything I have written in the last 5 years and as I begin on the next, I know he's there again.  Unlikely as we may be, he remains the Angel as I write.

"Let's make this a new world, I swear you can go if you want to, and know that you have that within you " - Secret Crowds.

Indeed Mr Delonge.

Thank you.

X

Smeg Heaven

 

Take a look at this.  Stare at it.  Admire it.  Love it.  No, this isn't actually an ad for Smeg, but gosh, just look at the amazingly fabulous new 1950's retro style fireplace. TDF.

x