October tuneage so far

Blimey! Can you believe its October 9th already? Nooo, me neither. Better get my pumpkins ready and start writing my letter to the bearded man in red.

Anyway, so far this month I have been catching up with the following artists…yeah I wish!

• Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
• The Strokes - Room On Fire
• Outkast - Idlewild
• Outkast - ATLiens
• M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming 
• Peaches - I Feel Cream
• Foals - Total Life Forever (will never tire of this)
• Blur - The Best Of
• Paul Simon - Graceland (yeah not so much a fan)
• Flying Lotus - Until The Quiet Comes

I'm finally giving The XX and Lana Del Rey a rest!

rd

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TBC

This post is going to be saved for the ROOM IMPROVED!

As they say "currently under construction"

Watch this space little man!!

rd

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Room (a little) improved

Ok so it has been a very busy two days in the Rock Doll camp!

 There has been lunch dates galore, singing lessons, the creation of a database (Zzzz factor) and general errands that needed my attention.

Today was made very special when a close friend of mine got a boost of sorts. I just love when people have a spring in their step. Especially the ones who really deserve it. (you know who you are yaaaaay)

Anyway, I have only managed to do 1 of the 2.5 hours on my little space so far. Good things take time eh???

Here is a sneak peak of the progress.

 rd

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Room to improve

So this is a bit of an unusual tactic. 
Im posting this random (and nasty) photo of one of the rooms in my house. The reason being….. to motivate myself and to prove to you what can be done in a very short space of time and with a little bit of creativity. I've just moved house and this was due to be my little office /creative space. As you can see fromm the pic, I can't exactly get in there to do much about anything however….the next photo I post tomorrow will hopefully be very different!

Just for kicks, I've set some guidelines

• Allowed expenditure: zero
• Time for project: 2.5 hours max (ambitious)
• Brief: Create a fun and productive working environment.

BEFORE

Hmmm, this is a rather embarrassing exercise. Might I just remind you, I've just moved ;)

rd

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Oh The Irony

Great image.

rd

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Fund It

This is a great program I recently stumbled across. It's a super incentive for people who have a dream but not the funds to make it a reality. I just love when people think outside the box, especially in theses times of economic instability.

"Fund it is a new all-island crowdfunding website for Ireland’s creative projects, giving everyone the power to help good ideas happen.

Fund it is designed to support greater individual giving to the creative sector; an area that up until now has been under-utilised. The approach serves to strengthen the bond between a creator and their audience which offers the potential for wider-ranging, long-term relationships."

Fund It

Well done to all involved and also to those who contributed to making things happen.

rd

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Advert alert

Kicking tune and funky advert, for an insurance company anyway ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N33AjS5dvs

rd

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Album of the month 09.12

M83

Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

Released 14th October 2011

Got to see these guys live this year. 

Listen = loved

rd

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What the funk is on TV!

So I was just about to hit the hay when I decided to have one last flick through the channels. Nothing caught my attention until… I landed on MTV's The Valleys. Good Lord! I thought Geordie Shores was a bit OTT not since I watched these Welsh kids go loopers. What a load over total and utter 

disturbing,

 draining,

desperate,

deranged,

degrading, 

despicable, 

dysfunctional, 

disgusting,

demented, 

deluded,

reality tv at-its-worst!

Have a sneak peak for yourselves here: What the ****

Why oh why do these shows get so much attention?
Oh their folks must be so proud!

rd

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1k yeee haaaw!

Crazy Cow Bells!! 

Almost 1000 likes already on the new Vintage Republic Facebook page.

As Jamie Lawson would say; "I wasn't expecting that" sorry for the cheeeeese.

Thank you 

to all who did the right thing and press liked. For those of you who didn't, here is your chance to do so now!

https://www.facebook.com/VintageRepublicClothing

and when your done there, find it on Twitter ;)

https://twitter.com/VintageRepublc

Once again, thank you for all your support.

rd

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Ear Feast

Managed to listen to a few albums the past couple days. Yes, yes, some continued repetition. I'm still listening to Miss L.D.R. & The XX but they shall be shelved temporarily.

Here is what has made it's way onto my playlist over the past 48 hours. Most of which won't be back anytime soon but all of which I thoroughly enjoy from time to time.

Alex Clare - The Lateness of the Hour

Lana Del Rey - Born To Die

Beach House - Bloom

The Temper Trap - Conditions

The Temper Trap - The Temper Trap (creative album name there eh)

The XX - Coexist

Hurts - Happiness

Time to feast my ears on some new freebies I think. 

rd

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Scary Film

So now that you know what to do with your old photos...presuming you read the previous blog of course ;) well, this next image is a 'how to' for using up old video tapes and a lot of patience! This is a pretty impressive piece.

rd

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I heART photography

Now this is what you call a 'splash of colour'

Love this image.

...which reminds me of a fancy camera I must dig out and put to good use again. 

I had a small photography exhibition in an Arts Festival a few years back and thoroughly enjoyed it. My last outing before digital took over. 

Taking photos is a great way to get out into the open and put ones artistic streak into action.

A really good tip I learned, again before digital (spoiled everything, debatable I know) is when a film roll of 36/24 might only produced a few decent shots, was to use unwanted prints for the likes of collage, papering or even adding chemicals such as acetone, spirits or bleach to obscure and distort the images and colours. 

Photos can also look really cool when scratched or etched with appropriate tools. Similar to lino etching. I have never tried printing from them but must put it to the test.I can't imagine any major results but it's a funky concept all the same. Now, there is a plan for a rainy day and a bit of creative recycling! Might as well try a bit of decolage too while Im at it.

Back in my college days I made funky place mats with unwanted, abstract, blurry photos.

How to:

Get contact paper, lay the photos down, over lapping this can look cool. Place some hard card material, wood or whatever martial you choose (old placemats will be rather handy) cut accordingly, re-contact and voila! This is where I should pop up a photo of me trying and testing my method but none available at this time. Ohhh I feel another project coming on!!

rd 

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Shut eye is on the way.

What a crazy, eventful day which brings me to a wet and weary night - more like early morning. Lots of progress was made on the new site. Take off is getting closer and the work load greater. Bring it on I say!

 I got to sing my little heart out (well attempted to anyway) and met a few very talented and well known musicians. More details on this amazing charity project to follow over the coming weeks.

 My bed is actually roaring my name so I'd best not keep it waiting. Think I might splash out on an old school hot water bottle tomorrow as J. Frost is planning a bitter return, excuse the pun ;)

Thought for the day

“Do you know the difference between education and experience?
Education is when you read the fine print;
experience is what you get when you don’t.”

~ Pete Seeger

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Chair Affair

I reckon my ass and my eyes deserve one of these bad boys!

rd

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Too late to Balayage?

If you’re not familiar with the term balayage, it was a major hair trend back in 2009 and for some unknown reason leaving hair roots much darker than the ends was the ‘in thing’. Looking back only two years later it’s already cringe worthy. So why am I telling you this? Well, the cool kids are still doing it and the good news is since the early adopters went all out with the skunk look, it has now paved the way for a subtler trend to emerge.

“Balayage is a technique whereby hair colour is painted onto the hair to create the illusion of naturally-caused, (often sunbleached) highlights, rather than the kind we pay for in salon that involve foils or caps. It is how you apply the colour, not where, but we have all been confusing the two. What a bunch of coconuts!”

SJP rocking a more subtle version of Balayage. 

Better suited to those of you with darker locks.

If you want to try out balayage, the key to getting it right is to communicate with your hairdresser/colourist on the exact level of colour graduation you want to achieve. That and cross your fingers they’re not too heavy handed with the bleach.

Now for me to find the courage to do it. If I do, I will be going for something similar to Isabel Lucas.

Best of luck!

rd

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Empire Building

There are a lot of things I like about this link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STh0PaH1LjA

Great track, video, lyrics, wardrobe & make-up.

Check out more from Alpines @ www.alpinesmusic.com

rd
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Mother Nature

An amazing image I just came across.

I adore light houses and will always be mesmerised by the sea. 

This image also reminds me of the 2007 Tsumani which, for some reason I think about an awful lot.

Right, thank God for spellcheck. On that note, I think its time I went and caught some Zzzzs. I hope your (if anyone is even reading this) getting some level of positive entertainment, interest or even amusement from my blogging so far! 

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment"

Ralph Waldo Emerson.

rd

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Mooosic

What my little ears engaged in today:

Albums

• Lana Del Rey - Born To Die (yet again)
• Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love
• The XX - Coexist (numerous times)

Various tracks from

• Beach House
• Rarely Seen Above Ground
• Kanye West
• Marvin Gaye
• Shabazz Palaces
• Moody Blues

Oh I do love my Mooooosic!

RDx

Tuesday's diary

On the agenda for tomorrow:

Had to fill you in on this as my days are never this exciting!

• Meeting with my web designer to get the Vintage Republic Clothing site up and running. Looking forward to confirming the corporate identity and bringing my logo to life!

It started off as this little thing which I sketched whiles on my travels:

and has since developed into this:

and hopefully tomorrow I will personalize it a bit more and patent it. Wohooo!

• Going to the big smoke to sing on a backing track for a charity album due out a Christmas. Veeeery excited about this. Don't have a clue what to expect Eeeek!! Might get to brush shoulders with a few celebs. Shame I'm a crap singer, great mimer tho!

• More planning of the new website and hopefully I will get into the studio (a bit ambitious me thinks) to put it back together after deciding to 'redesign' it over the weekend. Time to remove the old stock and make room for the new.

• Not forgetting my household chores too! Trying to get an office space up and running at home. I was thinking of painting the room bright white but then decided to make giant mood boards on 2 the walls. Something along these lines:

I think I need a bit of luck to pull all of the above off in one day, maybe more like a lot of luck!

Model crush

We have a big crush on this little lady!

Yes, I think it is safe to say that her legs are longer than my entire body.

Rocking the smokey eye look

Bit of a girl next thing going on @ V Festival.

Cara Delevingne we salute you!

RDx

Tune!

Tune of the evening, a powerful little piece by Moody Blues.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lazdg-eqmQ

I was just watching a live performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1991. This is a festival I really want to get to someday. My beau played there 2 years ago and hasn't stopped talking about it, which is rare for him. Maybe he will be kind enough to do it again and bring little old me along too ;)

rd

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My wishful doppelganger

If Rock Doll had a face...this would be it!

The Rock Doll story

Okay so here it goes….

Rock Doll…. was a little idea I got when off on my travels this Summer. Thanks to free Wifi everywhere I spent most of my trip doing what I love best…. web surfing! After packing in my office job of 5 years yaaaaay! I came up with a few ideas for my life long dream to set up my own little business. I got so much inspiration which was worth it but it sort of took over my holiday a little. Starting to think I have OCD!

Anyhow my rough plan goes something like this: Setting up an online Vintage (and new vintage themed) clothing store: Vintage Republic Clothing. The sideline or more like 'side kick' is to share my love of fashion and music, thoughts, views and ideas. So thats where Rock Doll comes in.

I'm just going to give it a shot, as they say "God loves the trier".


Here is the link to Vintage Republic Clothing until I get the website up and running which shouldn't be too long!
https://www.facebook.com/VintageRepublicClothing

Also on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/VintageRepublc

I hope you enjoy it, even just a little ;)

Feedback, good bad or indifferent is always welcome.

RDx