10 on the tenth...............February 2012

Today is the tenth of the month and so today we join the International bloghopping world of Shimelle Laine to talk about ten things of interest/education/prettiness/just likeable.
Today I would like to share ten films which I would highly recommend to you or would like to see...............
1. War Horse

 

I went to see War Horse in our tiny little cinema in Wells with my dad. The last time we saw a film together was there and it was Saving Private Ryan, so not recently. It was lovely to sit with someone and you get tea and biccies as well! It doesn't matter if you've read the book or not, this is a beautiful film. The acting is amazing, even the horses deserve an Oscar. The musical score is perfect and our countryside looks beautiful. Take a box of tissues or kitchen roll as I did.

2. Bridesmaids

 

I don't usually go for this kind of comedy however I loooooved this film on DVD so much. It was funny, poignant and downright nasty at times. The female lead is just so brilliantly cast and her foil is perfect. If you are getting married and want a fun film to show to ur future bridesmaids to show how NOT to behave, then this is it.

3. The Woman in Black

 

This is the next film my dad is taking me to see. Having read the book several times and seen the theatre production, not to mention a TV version, I am looking forward to seeing the film at last. This is a scarey story with lots of psychological and haunting ghosty stuff. I am sure Daniel Radcliffe will be great in the title role. I have to watch myself in the cinema though as I screamed in the theatre.

4. One Day

 

Now this is one of my favourite books of all time and I was worried about how the film would be made. The relationship between the two leads is so important and so I watched this with my heart praying for success. I think Jim Sturgess is amazing as Dex but would have preferred a British actress for Emma. It is a good film, another hankie job I'm afraid, and one I would recommend.

5. Despicable Me

For me the one and only reason to watch this film is for the minions who are cool and yellow. This film is hilarious and brilliant for family watching.



6. Knocked Up

 

I love Katherine Heigl's romcoms and this is the first one I saw. She is brilliantly cast as the beautiful TV anchor woman who get's promotion and meets the man you would never expect to get with her and what happens when 2 months later the gets ''knocked up''. What ensues is funny and life affirming.

7. Enchanted

Ah Enchanted, my fave piece of musical fluff and romance. The Happy working song can get you through the housework any day and what this princess can do with curtains is awesome. A great family movie for the girls with romance and scarey evil Queen thrown in for good measure.

8.Chronicle

This film isn't out yet but looks amazing. Part sci-fi, part psychological thriller, it charts the events which follow three young men being given super powers after falling into a hole.

9. Dog Soldiers

 

A few years old now, but one of my fave horror movies. What happens when an army section finds the aftermath of an attack on their military comrades. Well werewolves of course!!! This film has gore, humour and thrills and although not especially terrifying the CGI is good and the werewolves pretty unrelentless.

10. The Italian Job

 

Full of classic lines and of course Michael Caine, this is an all time classic. You must watch this before even thinking of seeing the re-make which is nothing like the original.



I hope you will find something to your taste in this list and perhaps some new favourites for yourselves. What would you recommend I see next I wonder?

10 things on the tenth: books to read and live by?

Today I would like to share 10 books with you which I aim to read this year and either make something from, learn from or just simply enjoy. This list is brought to in association with Shimelle Laine. So in no particular order we have:

Super-cute felt by Laura Howard or as many of us know her ''Lupin''. This is Laura's first foray into the publication world and is a beautifully written and designed book using her skills as a felt stitcher. She has further expanded into knitting over the past year on her blog. She sells beautiful pieces of felt creations on her Etsy site and is definately worth a read. I am hoping to make her owl egg cosy into something more stuffed and their are over 35 projects to try.

Second is Making Handmade Books by Alisa Golden. This book was a buy after the inspiring workshop we did with Lizzie at our weekend away. I was so excited to finally see her doing her thing as it were and wanted to learn more so got this book from Amazon. There are over 100 projects to try and I am lucky enough to have found some great thread locally which Lizzie recommends, and with the stash I have I will hopefully learn and use this skill in the many minibook projects I have planned.

Thirdly Patch by Cath Kidston. I had this book for Christmas and it has 30 projects to complete, including some free materials to make a cute tote bag featured on the front cover. Having previously tried patchwork ages ago, it is another skill I would like to learn.

Fourth, The Slimming World Little Book of Soups. As soup stays longer in ur stomach thus making you feel fuller for longer, soups have become a dietary staple as I lose weight. I plan to try out some more recipes Cauliflower Cheese soup anyone?

Fifth, the latest from Stephen King. A story of what could happen if you could turn back time and prevent the death of JFK. But what then? I am looking forward to that one.

Sixth the recent novel by Anthony Horowitz about Sherlock Holmes. Waiting for my Dad to finish the last 100 pages, which seems to be taking him a inordinately long time, so I can read it myself. Did anyone else feel cheated by Sherlock this week? I mean where was the scary dog? Get real, there is ALWAYS  a scary dog in the book. Left me rather dissatisfied I must say.

Seventh, another gift for Christmas, the inimitable Kirsty Allsopp's Craft which follows on from the series she completed last year. Although I didn't enjoy much of the TV part, the book is really great with lots of tips and ideas and some good projects to try. I fancy trying out the Applique cushion and maybe some Birdseed cakes.

Eighth,The Hobbit because I need to refresh my memory before the film arrives this Christmas.


Ninth, my Bible. I have tried to read it in a year several times but this year I really must do it.

And last but by no means least, this is abit of a cheat please forgive. The other hundred or so books I must read to meet my Goodreads challenge.

What books are you planning to read this year?

Ten on the tenth part 3..........................childhood TV

Welcome to ten on the tenth brought to you with Shimelle
If you want to see all the other bloggers taking part then hop over to Shimelle's blog too.

As a child, we had a black and white TV and not until I was about 4. The first programme I can remember clearly is Top of the Pops and in particular one evening my dad and I dancing to T-Rex in our dining room. I must have been 4 then. I thought I would share with you some of the TV I loved as a child.

1. Wacky Races

My fave characters were these two naughty boys Dick Dastardly and Mutley............

...................for her sins, poor lil sis got called Dick Dastardly for life because according to my dad she was always getting herself into scrapes. Her other nickname which she hates is Bun bun which I feel is much nicer.

This gorgeous young lady is Penelope Pitstop she was my other fave character. She was always yelling ''Help, help'' in a Southern USA accent and being chased by the Hooded Claw who said ''I'll get you Penelope Pitstop''


2. The Hair Bear Bunch

3. The Banana Splits Show

4. Doctor Who

Oh come on you know it had to be in here somewhere! Yes the Dr I first met him in the late 60s and early 70s when he was played by Jon Pertwee. That's him looking very suave above. I went through the Sarah Jane Smith assistant.................

era then Tom Baker etcetera right up until the present Dr the delectable Matt Smith. I have liked all the Drs even Paul McGann except Sylvester (sorry Sylvester you did him in I'm afraid).

Favourite Dr and assistant would be David Tennant and Katherine Tate however either he or Matt Smith with Katherine Tate and River Song would be perfect.

My sister used to hide behind the sofa like all the other big girlies but I was never scared, I mean come on it's not real you know. Ok maybe sometimes it made me jump but there was way too much excitement to miss by hiding behind a sofa.

5. White Horses

 For me this show was all about the beautiful horses and the beautiful theme tune. It is ingrained in my memory forever even if forget the words. Hum that song to a certain age group and they will probably smile and go I liked that show..................and so you can enjoy it one more time here it is....................Come white horses let us fly away lalalalala.........




6. Blue Peter

 

Anyone in this country at sometime or other will have watched Blue Peter. Ask someone from the UK ''Here's one I made earlier'' and they will say Blue Peter. This programme was one where loads of stuff happened, they raised money for different charities each year, I remember saving up milk bottle tops for something. We all had bring and buy sales. The presenters could all do amazing things and had had experience in different backgrounds. There were pets like the one in this picture who I think is Shep. They also had cats and a tortoise and taught you how to care for them. The here's one I made earlier came from the craft section of the show. Each programme had something to make whether it was food or craft. I made a Pippa house from a box, a Xmas candelabra, book covers all sorts. And half way through the segment to save time they did the ''Here's.....................''

7. Jackanory

If you love stories being read to you then this was the programme to watch and the best reader was this man Kenneth Williams. He had the most amazing voice and did different characterisations.

The stories were normally read by actors and were read over 5 afternoons for 15 minutes enough time to keep your attention and want more the next day.






8.Scooby Doo.
In our house, this amazing cartoon was so well loved by 2 sisters, we can still recite parts of an old album we had when were little.
Scooby Doo the dog and his friend's Fred, Velma, Shaggy and Daphne went around the US solving mysteries and generally getting into trouble. They always found the criminal and brought him to justice with the famous line ''And I would have got away with it too if it hadn't had been for those pesky kids''. Scooby and Shaggy always got scared and ate too much, Velma was the clever one and Daphne was the pretty one. Sadly I couldn't find a song from our amazing album but here is a little scoobie clip................

9. Lizzie Dripping.

 

Lizzie Dripping was an ordinary girl who lived in an ordinary town, until she met the mad witch who loved nothing better than sitting in the graveyard knittig. Yeah weird. She had this habit of reciting ''Knit one, purl one'' as she knitted and she was always a bit odd looking.

and last but by no means least................

10. Top of the Pops.
your weekly guide to the best music in the UK charts. Ready, Mammma Mia here I go again.......................

What would be in your top ten childhood programmes?