Music, music, music.

Welcome to our Music bloghop. We chose this date as it is Elvis's birthday. Little known facts about Elvis include:

• he was born at 4.35 am in 1935 and was a twin,
• he was a black belt in karate,
• he recorded over 600 songs and had 18 number 1 hits,
• he was blonde naturally,
• Elvis’s favourite toothpaste was Colgate. His favourite aftershave was Brut. And his favourite soft drink was Pepsi

Interesting facts I share with Elvis, I was also born blond and my toothpaste is currently Colgate, but probably cos it was on special offer. Anyway my blog today is all about music. I decided to tell you how important singing has been in my life. If I'd been Swedish I would have been the ''girl with the golden hair'' and saying thank you for the music, or as Barry M says ''one voice singing in the darkness''. I wanted to be an opera star but I would never have had the nerve plus I wasn't good enough in comparison to other singers I knew. Plus my godmother is rather well-known in the opera world, Dame Felicity Lott, so really what's the point??!!!




Now I began my musical career by learning the piano and flute. When I got to my teens, my piano teacher felt my fingers weren't right but in my sightreading and singing she thought I had an excellent soprano voice. So she persuaded my parents and I to get me singing lessons. I'd been singing in the school choir for years and also in school musicals. I had lessons with Lena Phillips whose website I found while looking up things for this blog.
Lessons was completely different. It taught me how to breath correctly, how to hold a note and pitch, how to have better posture and to appreciate different styles of singing. I regularly entered our local competitions and won a couple of cups. I have all my certificates and it was a fun thing to do. We went up to The Royal Festival Hall to give performances twice a year.
Then when I left home I got more into amateur operatics. The layout I have completed for this bloghop shows me in My Fair Lady which I loved. I am wearing my Ascot dress and my posh ballgown. We did a mixture of opera, musicals and operetta such as Gilbert and Sullivan, La Traviata, Fidler on the Roof, The Merry Widow.


This LO uses quite alot of different techniques, just cos I had the time. I have distressed my circle with a blade and inks, used collaging and music manuscript and my new toy Modgepodge which is cool.

I made the two lace flowers with brads in the middle. The flourish I had had in my stash for a while and I felt suited the outfits and vintage feel. The flowers are meant to link to Covent garden in My Fair Lady and the pins as a link to hat pins. Musical keyboard from Sassafrass Lass and the fringing for the details on Edwardian frocks I suppose and to add that vintage feel which was what I was aiming for.

Here is a list of all the bloggers taking part today if you get lost on the way.

rockchickhelen: Helen (host) http://www.furrylittlemonster.blogspot.com
LauraY: Laura http://www.brown-eyed-blog.blogspot.com/
AntheaG: Anthea http://creatingspace.typepad.com/creating_space/
GlitterGirl: Tracey http://thescrappygirlnextdoor.blogspot.com
Cerublue: Siobhan http://ceruleanblue.typepad.com/i-scrap-therefore-i-am/
JoJoSowerby: Jo http://curlyscrapbooker.blogspot.com
naddie: Naddie http://sweet-child.net/
DeanaB: Deana http://www.deanabirks.com/
MelissaG: Melissa www.sunlight-simplicity.blogspot.com
April290: April http://capturethememories.blogspot.com/


Now we are going over to meet Naddie and find out her musical affiliations. Now she's been poorly over Xmas and is way behind on lots of things but she manages to cook, care for her children and DH, she has a list of books to die for and she hasn't scrapped much lately so lets pop over her and see whether she's managed to get some time to herself..............happy dancing/singing...... But before you go, I said my godmother was abit of an opera star. Well here is little clip I found of her doing the Merry Widow as it should be done, enjoy...........

4pm

..............don't forget to get yourselves comfortable for 4pm this afternoon for the bloghop when there will be abit of this


and definately some of that.................

Abit of this and that.

So that naughty Sian has been leading me astray, if you've been to her blog today you'll see a very cute guinea pig. Now this is not your usual breed, no not for Sian she has to pick the most rare breed of all, the knitted pig!!!!! So off I trot to have a looksy and there I spy this adorable young lady

and all her rather adorable knitted friends. They're all made by Debi Birkin who lives on a barge like Rosie and Jim, and jolly nice it looks too. Anyway, the reason I was so struck by Miss Florence is because she's wearing a 1914 nurses uniform and I kid you not it's exactly what I wore as a student. Now here's the proof.
All our uniform were handmade in Irish linen and were double layered so were very hot in the summer. We had proper bibbed starched aprons and all the buttons on our dresses had to be pinned on with safety pins individually. We had collar studs and I still have mine.

Now the ladies above are wearing the traditional versions from Edwardian times which are in blue as they are sisters and above. Ours were in lilac.

Our hats came flat packed literally. We had to have a special lesson in how to make it up. We were told to come into that lesson with some water and our tooth brush..............what the heck I hear you say. Read on.
So these lovely hats came ready starched and we had to make them up into frilled caps like little pillar box hats of old. Running around the semi-circular fabric was a thread, in order to pull the hat up we needed the brush and water to scrub the staqrch from this thread. Making the hat then involved some folding, pleating and pulling and from that starched bit of fabric the London Hospital came to life. They don't have any of the uniform left anymore as it was so expensive I suppose and not really very sensible. But I loved that uniform.
Anyway other matters. Tomorrow, there is a special event happening here starting from about 4pm. A bloghop. Here are a couple of sneak peeks at my artwork!!!!




Now for this one you may need some of these.............



and you might see some of this.



This then, take care and keep warm.

A good read

...............So a few of us who have made friends on the blogs over the past month or so have decided to do a small but perfectly formed bloghop this afternoon for your Xmas merriment. So are are you sitting comfortably, then I'll begin.
Oh this all feels abit Jackanory, if you can remember back that far. Anyway I digress.Once upon a time in a land not far away there lived a girl and her sister who loved Sunday afternoon children's serials. It was coming to Christmas and there was much excitement in the house because a new and fascinating series was about to begin. Blue Peter had been talking about it and now the programme was about to begin. It was the story of a young boy called Kaye who on his way to his guardian's from school for the Christmas holidays meets a mysterious man who gives him a special gift. This gift was called ''The Box of Delights''............................get the link from yesterday now?..................box and Turkish Delight.



Well for the last 25 years mine and my sister's enthusiasm for this programme and in my case book as well has not wained. Could it be the key themes of Christmas, mystery, thrills and spills and frankly some jolly hockey sticks style hoccum and terrible old fashioned lingo (sorry about the hockey thing Abi!) or else is it the fantasy of wanting to be swept away on a magic whirl of adventure at Christmas?
So the basic story is the box itself which has magical powers to transport people through time. It has the traditional fight against good and evil and the Boy's Own style adventures which Kaye and his friends encounter. There's the mystery of who Abnor and his evil friends are, Kaye's transformation into a deer to travel in the forests with Herne the Hunter and making his friends small to enabkle them to escape from the baddies on a small sail boat. I will never forget the ending either when the children and aunt travel to Hereford Cathdral for a magical Christmas party and carolservice. It was an amazing story. The series itself also adds to the Christmas theme by using the music of The Carol Symphony which is a collection of four preludes, written by Victor Hely-Hutchinson in 1927 and is based on four Christmas Carols:
O Come All Ye Faithful, God Rest You Merry Gentlemen, Coventry Carol and Away in a Manger.



This is a picture of the author John Masefield, who I have discovered was for a time the poet laureate. He also wrote this well known poem which I also love, it's called Sea Fever:

I MUST go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

It even has it's own Facebook site and is 25 years old this year!!!!! If you would like to find out more about the book and series then go here.
The rights have also just been sold for the making of a film version with one of the Harry Potter directors signed to direct. It could never surpass the original though no matter how good it was. There is something quite magical about your first encounter with something and for me this book sums up Christmas.

For me I will quite possibly be watching or reading my copy of this wonderful story and getting all misty eyed over the Christmas festivities. Now please do hop over and meet the gorgeous Amy in Melbourne who has an altogether different read for your delectation.

Tutorial

............do hop over to Abi's blog for a fab photography tutorial and make sure you're back for 4pm........................when u come back make sure you're in a comfy chair, have a nice warm drink and even your pyjamas on if you wish. See you later

At 44 I am...........

This is me now at almost 44 years old.................and here are my original and updated 17 answers...............

My hair colour is....brown, still is with some greyish tinges
My hair style is....short with flicks.........I discovered after years of pincurls in my hair overnight I have naturally curly Pre-Raphelite beauty hair
My favourite brand of makeup is....Rimmel ............now Max FACTOR or Bodyshop
My "fashionable" item is......a lady di collared shirt .............ooh hard I think at the moment woolly gloves!!!
My favourite outfit is.....my lady di collared shirts......i have them in loads of colours..........a turquoise dress I bought for my sister's 40th
My favourite colour is.....pink .............still is
I drive a.....I don’t drive yet but am getting lessons for Christmas............Blue SEAT Ibiza
On a Saturday I go....to work as a checkout girl at WH CUllen the local supermarket.............either cropping or shopping/crafting/visintg/walking
On a Saturday night I go.....babysitting or to the guidehall disco.................to Strictly Come dancing
On a Sunday I go.....to Sunday school and church..................church and maybe to mum and dad's for lunch
Monday-Friday I go.....to Steyning Grammar school which is about 7 miles away and i go on the Belsey banger bus. I am doing 3 A level which are English, Social Biology and Sociology. I am also doing 2 O levels in a year in Economics and Study of Art...............................I used to go to work but as I am now unemployed I have no idea!!!!!
My best friend(s) is/are.....Roz, Jackie and Amanda......................I am still friends with Roz and Jackie but they both live in Sussex. I have lots of g8 new friends who live all over the UK.
My favourite place to go out is......to the guidehall disco ..................a crop!!!
My favourite subject at school is.....English Literature. We are studying Othello, Heart of Darkness. But I also love music and study of art. Would probably be the same of scrapbooking if it was an A level.
When I grow up I want to be......a nurse...................I did and have been until last week
My favourite drink is.....tea ...................coffe mocha/latte from Starbucks.
My favourite food is.....cheese on toast ...................anything
My favourite shop is......the music shop.................a scrapbook suppliers and book shops
I want to marry....someone nice......................I have never married but still hope maybe Mr Nice will come along.
My favourite actor/actress is....Martin Shaw.........................oh David Tennant of course.
My favourite band is....Soft Cell.....................I am still an 80s girl at heart and still love my bands from then. Nowadays I also love Muse, Kasabian, Editors, Keane, Coldplay, Green Day.........and on endlessly.
My favourite TV programme is....The Professionals..................Dr Who and Bones

I've just been to see ET which I cried at ti was so sad. .....................last film was probably on TV so not sure but my fave film is the Shawshank Redemption.

My most used mode of transport is a....the school bus.....................car,.
If I had all the money in the world I would....travel .............same.
I wish I could visit....India ................same
My favourite sport is......stool ball which is a game played only in Sussex...............I love walking

I am reading .....Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad for my A levels. ...............have tried reading the new Dan Brown but to be honest it's awful. I love Kathy Reichs and lots of other crime/thriller writers but also classics
The big newspaper story this year is the Falkland’s war...................recession and also Afghanistan

The furthest away from home I've ever been is......France........................oh now it's Australia.

Now please pop over to Sara for her 28 year update.

When I was 17 it was a very good year..............

So welcome to 1982 and Storrington in West Sussex. My name is Jo and I am 17 in 3 weeks. Only just made it as a 17 year old in 1982. Just to set the scene, this year Prince William was born, we went to war with the Argentines who invaded the Falkland Islands and we all watched Blue Peter with bated breath as they attempted to raise the Mary Rose in Portsmouth harbour. As it's nearly Xmas I'm hoping for the new Michael Jackson album Thriller and also for driving lessons.

..............this is my latest school photo. I am in the lower 6th form doing my A levels. We don't have to wear uniform anymore although we have to stick to school colours of red, white and navy.

I have answered a few questions about myself ..........

My hair colour is....brown
My hair style is....short with flicks
My favourite brand of makeup is....Rimmel
My "fashionable" item is......a lady di collared shirt
My favourite outfit is.....my lady di collared shirts......i have them in loads of colours
My favourite colour is.....pink
I drive a.....I don’t drive yet but am getting lessons for Christmas
On a Saturday I go....to work as a checkout girl at WH CUllen the local supermarket
On a Saturday night I go.....babysitting or to the guidehall disco
On a Sunday I go.....to Sunday school and church
Monday-Friday I go.....to Steyning Grammar school which is about 7 miles away and i go on the Belsey banger bus. I am doing 3 A level which are English, Social Biology and Sociology. I am also doing 2 O levels in a year in Economics and Study of Art.
My best friend(s) is/are.....Roz, Jackie and Amanda
My favourite place to go out is......to the guidehall disco
My favourite subject at school is.....English Literature. We are studying Othello, Heart of Darkness. But I also love music and study of art.
When I grow up I want to be......a nurse
My favourite drink is.....tea
My favourite food is.....cheese on toast
My favourite shop is......the music shop
I want to marry....someone nice
My favourite actor/actress is....Martin Shaw
My favourite band is....Soft Cell
My favourite TV programme is....The Professionals

I've just been to see ET which I cried at ti was so sad.

My most used mode of transport is a....the school bus
If I had all the money in the world I would....travel
I wish I could visit....India
My favourite sport is......stool ball which is a game played only in Sussex

I am reading .....Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad for my A levels.
The big newspaper story this year is the Falkland’s war.

The furthest away from home I've ever been is......France

We are now time travelling to the late 1990s over to see Sara who is also 17 and living in Sussex.She's going to tell you abit about herself and her life. Have a safe trip