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Shake Up Christmas... Week Two

2011-11-20T17:47:00.001-08:00

Week Two of the Christmas Surprise Discounts. This week save 30% on a Mummy Tag Necklace! Discount code ADV2

Click on present to take you to website.

Shake Up Christmas...

2011-11-14T16:36:00.002-08:00

WEEK ONE

Can't believe it's that time again - where did this year go?!

This year to shake things up a bit (!) I am featuring a weekly Christmas offer which started yesterday and will run until 21.11.11 where it will be replaced with a new one.

Click on the present to see this weeks Christmas offer! Use the discount code AD1. Offer available for one week only. Expires on 21.11.11 when a new offer goes up. Discount code valid for this offer only.

CHRISTMAS DELIVERY DATES

REST OF WORLD
Last Order - 21 November
Last Post - 5 December

EUROPE
Last Order - 28 November
Last Post - 12 December

UK
Last Order - 16 December (Stock dependant)
Last Post - 22 December for Special Delivery only
Signed For is not guaranteed by Royal Mail

The video to go with this post is - wait for it.... Train's Shake Up Christmas! I couldn't embed it last year and had to make do with the Coke advert version but you're in for a treat this year with the whole thing! I love this song it really cheers me up - a major feat for a non Christmassy type person! It was released last year and I was in the audience when it was recorded parts of which are in the video so it makes it extra special to me and now replaces my previous favourite Christmas song, Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You! (Not that you wanted to know that! lol)

Anyway - here it is... ENJOY!

Mother of Mine...

2011-07-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

My kids always say I am impossible to buy a present for because I will always buy what I want when the fancy takes me so there is never an opportunity to get me something I have always wanted because I usually already have it! Also, as time goes by there is probably less I want or need which again makes it harder to buy a present. However, there is always room for another trinket, although I do recall one of my brood saying there was no point buying me jewellery because I can make it myself!

Luckily for the majority of mothers this isn't going to be the problem. Mum's always love when their children give them a present - I still have drawings and strange sculptures made by little hands so lovingly that never fail to bring a tear to my eye, which brings me to the video I was sent by a customer (thank you Dean!) who purchased a 'Forever Family' bangle for Christmas and shows how his mum shed a tear when she saw all her children's names hand stamped into the silver - something that was given to her by her children to remind her of how much they love her and also how much she loves them.

Customers often write and tell me how the personalised jewellery I have made for them brings tears of joy to the recipient - if not the giver too!

My children aren't in the position to give me one of these bangles as I already wear one with their names on (I guess they were right!) Even though they didn't give it to me, I wear it every day, see their names and know that they are always with me.

Something to treasure...

2011-05-23T09:29:00.001-07:00

This week I have a guest blogger - thank you Webzone One

A few days ago my friend's daughter had her 5th birthday. I really adore her (her mother is my best friend!) and I wanted to give her something special for her birthday. Something she didn't already have and she could grow up with. I must admit, to figure out what it could be was not a very easy task! I thought about my childhood, about the things I had and liked the most. I remembered my paper dolls, my Barbies... but thought that my friend's daughter already had all that and more.

Luckily after some more pondering I ended up with an idea that I was very happy with: a jewellery box with music and a dancing ballerina! When I was a child I had a pink jewellery box like that, for me it was something very magical, like something for a Disney Princess. I had all my treasures in it and every time I opened the box and heard that music I was enchanted... I asked my friend to be sure that her daughter didn't already have one and luckily she didn't. I then noticed another problem – it's not exactly easy to find one, especially not one that a young girl would have fancied!

For one entire morning I ran around the high-street shops, but found nothing as nice as I had imagined. In the same evening I made a shopping tour of the net and fortunately had better luck, from a site called ShopAlike. I found a box that was exactly how I had imagined!

When I received the box, I prepared a beautiful packet with silk laces and card with golden words and headed to the party. The best thing is the success my idea received. The little birthday girl just fell in love with the box and immediately went to take her tiny bracelets and everything she had to put them in the box. Her mother told me that she wants to open the box every day, see the ballerina dancing and listen to that music... I tried to look for my old jewellery box, but I must have hidden it so well that I didn't manage to find it (that or it got thrown out!).

My present jewellery box is much bigger, but is still as precious to me as my little pink box from my childhood. Often when I'm thinking what to wear I might start of with some jewel and on that basis choose the clothes. Even though for many it works the other way around I guess, for me jewellery is something special, each peace contains a memory, an atmosphere, a unique moment in time. Each piece is special and deserves a special place to be stored, like that little box with the twinkly music and the dancing ballerina...

Marry Me...?

2011-02-09T05:40:00.000-08:00

A question that women all over the world will be hoping to be asked come this 14 February, Valentine's Day. Traditionally it is the day when lovers express their love for each other with gifts and cards - it is also when there is a surge of babies conceived - hence all those first week November babies out there (me included!)

I Googled for some information (as you do!) about Saint Valentines Day and this is what I found...

The first time Valentine's Day was associated with romantic love was in a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer - Parlement of Foules in 1382 although it was not until 18th century it became fashionable to send cards anonymously when printers started to produce cards commercially. By the 20th century it had become the norm to send flowers and gifts to loved ones. In the 1980's the diamond industry started to promote Valentine's Day as an occasion to give jewellery as a gift making it a good time to propose - seeing as it is already a day of romance, I would imagine this had already been done prior to advertising by a huge diamond manufacturer...

Still, it's a tradition that is celebrated regardless and love can be shown in so many ways on the 364 other days of the year - just make sure you let the ones you love know.

The video today is Train's Marry Me - enjoy!

The Heat Is On...

2010-12-12T08:24:00.000-08:00

Things are pretty busy here at the moment and I am working around the clock to get all these hand made goodies done before the last posting date on the 21st December for the UK. Last date for Europe is tomorrow 13th December. The Rest of the World's last date was 6th December for deliveries before Christmas.

I can accept orders up until the 16th December, however if I have all the necessary components in this may be extended until the 18th but would suggest that Special Delivery is used to guarantee next day delivery weather permitting.

That's it for now and I will leave you with my favourite band - well joint favourite with Thunder ;o) - Train - 'Shake Up Christmas', the footage was used from their concert at the Shepherds Bush Empire on 25th October which I was at, loved the way they integrated the actors into the gig. This is the song used in the new Christmas Coke advert which I've just seen on TV! Unfortunately the real video can't be embedded so you will have to have a look on You Tube so I will leave you with this one instead - you could have a sing-a-long if you could see all the lyrics!

The TV Ad... Go on, you know you want to...!

And Glenn Fry's 'The Heat Is On' - haven't heard that in a while!

Happy Birthday...

2010-11-01T03:16:00.000-07:00

I was asked last week to make a bangle for Vanessa White, from The Saturdays for her 21st birthday which was on Saturday.

The bangle's wording was 'Vanessa - Truly Amazing - 21'.

Apparently, she loved it! Here she is pictured with her friend Jaynee who is from the girl band Sinergy also showing off a bangle I made for her birthday!

(You Want To) Make A Memory

2010-09-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

At the end of the summer term, my youngest son asked me to make his art teacher a necklace as she often mentioned her grand children and he thought she might like it. I made the necklace and also made one for the children's mum. He took it school and was taken aback by the fact he was hugged and wasn't expecting it - being a 14 year old, it probably isn't cool to be hugged by a teacher! He came home at the end of the day pleased with himself that he had made his teacher happy which in turn made me happy that he was happy!

These are the necklaces and here is a snippet of the thank you card I received a couple of days later...

It's not Cartier but it holds something more precious to the person wearing it that no diamond can compare to. Design and create a piece of jewellery for an important person in your life and make a memory that will last forever.

Let There Be Rock...

2010-07-31T08:57:00.000-07:00

Being a bit of a rock fan (a lot actually!) I like it to sneak into my creations wherever possible and sneak in it did! I've been staring at these handmade leather wristbands for a few days now thinking how plain there were, which isn't a bad thing but who wants plain?! With my music blaring, staring at my silver blanks it just dawned on me I don't really do any men's jewellery and so these heavy leather wristbands were born. I quite like the idea of the silver being sewn onto the leather - not a new idea I know, no need to fix it if it isn't broken - so I didn't!

As with pretty much everything I make, you are not limited and can have anything stamped onto your silver you like, as long as it fits. I think I'll try and find some bright colours and do some of these for women a bit more lady like than me - what do you think?

The music accompanying my post today is AC/DC's 'Let There Be Rock' as I prefer their original version to the cover that Onslaught did which is what the wristbands are sitting on although I do love their picture disc! Party on dudes!

I Will Survive... Bad Company...

2010-04-16T17:04:00.000-07:00

I've not written anything on here for a while so thought I should update and as I did more last weekend than I have since the beginning of the year it seemed like a good time!

I was given tickets by my daughter for Mother's Day to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre last Friday and I have to say it was the best night out I've had for a long time. It was funny and all the actors were excellent. Jason Donovan was surprisingly good and Oliver Thornton who played Felicia (Guy Pearce's part in the film) absolutely out shone the lot of them. Definitely worth seeing. As usual the only downside was the cost of drinks - nearly £18 for two glasses of red wine which wasn't even nice. Its about time this extortionate pricing, along with excessive booking fees was stopped.

My next outing was on Sunday to see Bad Company at Wembley Arena. As much as I like Paul Rodgers he doesn't seem to like to be on stage any longer than he has to and again was only on for an hour and 20 mintues - still the songs are good so definitely worth seeing. Can't say I left the venue on a high like I have done with bands such as Thunder, Mr Big or Europe - their front men had a knack of getting the crowd going - Mr Rodgers seems to be lacking in that department. Did I say I 'met' him?! At the Hard Rock Cafe last November when I won a competition - I managed to get his autograph but he couldn't wait to get away from everyone. It was a bit like trying to get a hold of a hamster in a cage! He was pleasant enough but you know when someone doesn't want to be somewhere....

The support acts consisted of his son Steve who is incredibly talented and you could hear how much like his dad he sounds during certain songs - definitely one to watch out for. The Joe Perry Project (guitarist from Aerosmith) was a tad boring if I am honest. I like a couple of his songs but hopes he doesn't give up his day job - I've never wished a band to get off stage more than this one (apart from My Bloody Valentine and McQueen - oh and the Libertines!) and every time you thought they were finished someone brought another guitar on...

Wembley is another place where they charge stupid amounts for food and drink. A small bottle - less than a can of drink by a considerable amount was £4.50 for nothing short of cooking wine. A dry chicken burger, no bigger than three chicken nuggets but almost see through with 12 strips ( if you were lucky) of lettuce with chips was £6.50 - the bread was stale and they didn't even put mayonnaise on it. Absolutely dreadful. I don't mind paying higher prices if you get something worth having but this was taking the mickey by anyone's standards. One of Wembley's policies is to take the lids off the drinks if you come in with one and also if you buy a bottle of drink. I walk using a crutch and its quite difficult to carry a bag, holding a crutch and a drink and then to negotiate stairs so I always ask if I can have the lid which they always refuse so I keep some spares in my bag (get out of that one and stay fashionable Wembley!) However, on buying a miniature bottle of red wine, I asked the sales chap if I could leave the lid on which at first he said no he would get into trouble - by whom is anyone's guess because I was hardly going to report him now, was I?! After some pleading he did let me have it as long as I put the drink in my bag - which I was going to do anyway! I know why they don't let you have the lids on bottles but by the same token I have been to concerts where people have flung half full plastic cups at the stage and worse still, throwing 2p pieces but they don't take those off you. If people are going to throw things they will find something. I'd like to think people going to the concerts I go to, at our age, were way passed that kind of behaviour. It's not something I've ever done and can't imagine for one minute wanting to throw something at a band I've paid good money to see...

And those folks were my best bits of the month!

Price of Love

2010-03-03T06:34:00.000-08:00

I often think I was not in the queue when they were handing out all things cutesy and girlie because if there is one thing I absolutely loathe to read in a listing for homemade or hand crafted goods is 'Made With Love'... Arrggghhh it does my head in! Now it's not that I am devoid of love, far from it but if you are selling something is it really made with love? Taking care and pride in anything you make to ensure it's as perfect as it can be isn't done because of love, it's done because it wouldn't be worth doing if it wasn't right (although there is probably a whole other blog post on that subject!) Sure, giving something you have made to a friend or a loved one, of course there is going to be love involved but handing it over for cold, hard cash doesn't strike me there is any love gained - after all you can buy just about anything if the price is right and no love changes hands! Is the love passed down through the product to the seller and then on to the recipient? I don't think when I buy a box of chocolates (handmade or not) that there is love involved between me and the seller - that bit comes from when I hand my gift over. To me 'made with love' means it's not going to be perfect because if love is involved it doesn't matter. Others thoughts are most welcome on this - my cold, cold heart needs thawing!

Gonna Get Ready...

2010-02-19T08:08:00.000-08:00

I have to get ready for something! I've been out of action for the last couple of weeks due to getting the swine flu or pig flu as its been known in our house. Overall, despite being diagnosed by the doctor, it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be and have actually had worse bouts of 'ordinary' flu, the last one which was in 1996 and I'll never forget how bad that was and this one was no where near as bad. Obviously people with underlying conditions are the ones to be concerned about, as I was with my two asthmatic sons but it caused no more problems for them, luckily. Swine flu was downgraded two days after we all got it and was probably one of the last few to get the Tamiflu drug from the Pandemic Flu people as they shut up shop on 11 February - I didn't take it as I'm not a believer in drugs of any kind for things I think a healthy body should be able to fight - I can't even bear the smell of Vicks! I do believe in mind over matter though so I'm not sure if this lasting tiredness is from the flu or because I've got used to doing nothing. If I am honest, it'll be the latter!

My latest music inspired items I have made are a 'Poison' and 'Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll tags after watching 'Rock of Love' with Bret Michaels from Poison (Viva channel 21 on Freeview) - which was toxic in itself! If you've not seen the programme (it is on at 2am every night so probably not) he is looking for the love of his life by having a selection of 20 plus women that have to prove they are the woman for him - him being the prize. It's compulsive viewing but for all the wrong reasons! How any woman wants to watch the 'love of her life' go through countless women right before her eyes before he picks her as his woman is too far out there for me! He is on series 3 at the moment so it's not working that's for sure!

I have a treat in store for me tomorrow as I am off to see Europe at the Shepherds Bush Empire and can't wait. It's a double treat too as it falls on a Saturday (Friday being the other exception) so it means fish and chips afterwards! This is my first gig this year as I put off going to any in case we had snow and I wouldn't be able to go. I last saw them three years ago and they were outstanding. I have to say I am and never was a fan of The Final Countdown - in fact it is up there with my dreaded songs to find on a playlist but to watch the crowd go mad for the encore when it gets played is uplifting to say the least! The place literally shakes! I might make my exit at that point and probably will be home before the rest of the audience get out of the building! I love going to the Shepherds Bush Empire. It's about ten minutes from my house by car and I can park at the back of the Empire easily for free. The venue is just big enough for the bands not to be too far away from you so it's great from every angle for me - we will also get to the chip shop before it closes! :o)

Brand New Start

2010-01-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

I have been rather busy just lately trying to organise myself and build a new website which I usually enjoy doing. The sense of achievement when having mastered something is great plus I've always been rather inquisitive as to how things work so delving into the depths of anything to do with the computer has always fascinated me. So! There I was going through different systems to build my new site and testing out different shopping carts when I noticed that I had a duplicate folder of my Jupiter Rocks website I hadn't noticed before so I thought - and it seemed logical at the time - there are two, I only need one so I shall delete the extra folder... I didn't think anything more of it until I wanted to update my site with some new jewellery and there was nothing... absolutely nothing other than a rather large white space in front of me, to add even more grief to the situation I'd even deleted the admin files so I couldn't even log into the back end!!! I've done many a silly thing in my time but this one takes the biscuit - oh and wait! There's more! Did I back my site up? The answer to that little gem is only some of it - how was I supposed to know there was a facility to download a complete zipped file of my whole site in the control panel?!! I back up all my drives regularly on my pc and even burn the files to DVD to make sure I have a physical copy so why didn't I think I should back up my website?! I can't answer that one just as I don't know what made me think I needed to delete that folder - it wasn't doing anything, it wasn't in the way and my host has unlimited space so it really didn't matter that it had an extra folder. Still, it's a lesson I've learned and I KNOW I won't be doing that again. My new site which is still being built gets a daily back up in full now - just in case! I will get back to rebuilding Jupiter Rocks, at some point in time - thank heavens for Folsky and Misi that's all I can say or I'd be well and truly stuffed!

The moral of this sad tale is - BACK UP EVERYTHING on a spare drive and make a physical copy - and just for good measure make another one!

'Brand New Start' is by Alter Bridge who I have seen live and they are just amazing and because of that I shall treat you to my favourite AB track (well, one of them!)
'Watch Over You' as well as the title one.

Seven Impossible Days

2010-01-06T11:33:00.000-08:00

Thank heavens that's all over! I hope everyone had a fabulous time. I didn't get Nuno Bettencourt's Ernie Ball Music Man guitar for Christmas which was a tad disappointing but I did get some RAM to take me up to 4 gb, a 1.5 tb external hard drive and a new keyboard amongst lots of other lovely edible and drinkable stuff so I'm happy!

It's snowing AGAIN! What is it with the British weather - first they are telling you about global warming, the next thing you're knee deep in snow... me thinks they are telling porkies! All I know is I shan't be venturing out in it. I got caught once when it snowed whilst I was at work and wanted to get home as quickly as I could but my line manager wouldn't let me go (thanks Jeremy!) and said it wouldn't stick... well it did and I had to drive home in it, which was fine until I had to turn into the road where I park which is a road that has a gradient and I was slip sliding all over the place - not only that, I'd had a hip replacement the previous year and couldn't walk from where I had parked to home - negotiating snow with normal legs is hard enough, add a dodgy hip and a crutch to the equation and it's nye on impossible. Luckily one of my sons had an idea and got a quilt cover to cover the snow whilst I walked on it - it took half an hour to do a less than two minute walk to my house but I got there unscathed and didn't slip once - however, NEVER AGAIN will I venture out if it snows. I didn't book any gigs for January just in case although I do have one in February to see EUROPE at the Shepherds Bush Empire and I'm hoping we will be passed all this by then. I just hate snow with a vengeance! Give me a good freezing cold sunny day and I'm happy but no snow! Although it has been pretty nippy I have to admit to having had the windows open today and even had the fan on last night but that's an age thing! lol The heating is jacked up to 30 degrees but the average temperature in the house is about 18 degrees - don't know how that works...

I might venture to the back door tomorrow and take a picture of the garden just to remind me how horrible this stuff really is!

Anyway, enough of my inane ramblings - I've got some creating to do!

Seven Impossible Days - Mr Big (From the album Big, Bigger, Biggest)

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas...

2009-12-20T11:38:00.000-08:00

I dare say I will eventually, usually when the festivities are over and looking at it as a memory!

Well, after much moaning and groaning from the kids, I finally got a tree – mind you the moaning didn’t stop because I got a small one (5 feet) which they weren’t too happy about but the bigger the tree the more it protrudes at the bottom, totally encroaching any bit of space in the living room and Christmas displaces too many of the things I want in my living room as it is. My plan was to get a smaller one and put it on a stool which at least means it’s not totally blocking anything in that particular area. My living room, although large isn’t large enough for family gatherings (and that’s just my lot, add a visitor or two and it’s uncomfortable to say the least, add a tree plus all the other paraphernalia and it reduces the floor space more (whose idea was this?!)

We usually decorate the tree to the sound of ‘Now, That’s What I Call Music’ which ever volume is current to relieve the monotony – not that you can tell as I’ve heard most of this stuff played by the usual suspects for the best part of 30 years – every – single – year! This year had to have a different vibe so I decided to seek out my own compilation of new, not so new but not flogged to death songs to launch me into the Christmas season. Even just hearing the same song sung by someone else helped ease my pain although I heard complaints muttered by my lovely children which were easy to drown out by going ‘one louder’! This was the result...

Maroon 5 - Happy Christmas (War Is Over)

Oasis – Merry Christmas Everybody

Sum 41 & Tenacious D – Things I Want

The Darkness – Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)

Argent – Christmas for the Poor

Rainbow – The Snowman

Razorlight – Fairy Tale of New York

Jethro Tull – Soltice Bells

Queen – Winter’s Tale

The Greedies – A Merry Jingle

Billy Idol – Yelling at the Christmas Tree

AC/DC – Mistress for Christmas

Bryan Adams – Christmas Time

Jon Bon Jovi – Please Come Home for Christmas

Fall Out Boy - What's This

My Chemical Romance - All I Want For Christmas Is You

Joan Jett - Little Drummer Boy

The Fratellis - Lonesome Anti-Christmas Blues

Twisted Sister – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

I just keep thinking ‘this time next week it’ll be all done and dusted’ and we can get back to normal – which is how I like it, give me Easter any day!

Merry Christmas!

More Than Words...

2009-12-19T17:05:00.000-08:00

Ok ok ok! I've been continually asked what I want for Christmas so many times these passed few days (weeks even) and as ever, I don't want or need anything because I just buy what I want, when I want whether I need it or not anytime of the year added to that I never get what I want anyway and don't believe in 'its the thought that counts' because it seems to be an excuse bandied about just to give anything whether you like it or not. (And breathe....!)

Well, I've finally found something I want! (No not him but gorgeous eh?!!!) Today I stumbled across something amazing and if I won the lottery I would buy every single one just because I could! What is she babbling about I hear you ask? Nuno Bettencourt (we're not worthy) of Extreme has put up for sale on Ebay a load of his guitars, mostly Washburns, many of which were custom built especially for him or a very limited edition. I'm not particularly fussy which one I get but ideally I want the 'Ernie Ball Music Man Edward Van Halen guitar gold top which was owned by the Eddie Van Halen and Nuno Bettencourt and kills two birds with one stone! Oh what a happy girl I would be - and I've been good all year too!

In case Santa is out there reading this - here's the link...! Ebay (I'm working on the premises of 'be careful what you wish for as you might just get it'!!!)

Oh - and just because I don't know how to play a guitar (I gave up when it meant having short nails) doesn't mean I can't appreciate a beautiful instrument - and on the plus side I have four sons that can play a mean guitar anyway so I'd get to hear it as well as touch it! I suppose if all else fails there is always the credit card!

The Devil Made Me Do It

2009-12-07T05:05:00.000-08:00

I don't like Christmas - and that's official! Being a mum of six I've always made an effort to make it as nice as possible, and memorable for them - just like my mum did for us but boy do I hate the run up to it! I cannot bear to have decorations up sooner than the 24th of December but they always get put up for my third son's birthday on the 6th - this little tradition only came about because he is a chronic asthma sufferer and aged three had to spend a lot of time in hospital just before Christmas so we put all the decorations up for him - he's 24, married now and doesn't live at home but we are still doing it! I've drawn the line at a tree and have insisted it comes into the house a week before Christmas - we had two last year because the first one dried out despite being kept watered the week before and I don't want to have to decorate, undecorate and redecorate again this year, not to mention the fact that the stupid thing fell down twice! I have allowed the rustic style garlands on rope with pine cones and something indeterminate on (could be gold ribbon!) I bought from John Lewis 16 years ago, the wooden advent calendar I bought this year as all six kids still expect one including new wife and old girlfriend of the eldest at the grand old age of 27! I decided to invest in one I just have to add the chocolate to rather than have eight random, cheap boxes hanging all over the house, and the Christmas village which my youngest decided to resurrect after being told stories about how my mum used to put one out every year so now we have that done in memory of her, including over sized figures plus he will insist on using baby talc for the snow because it's more 'realistic'! There was also the matter of a nativity scene that was placed in front of the advent calendar, beside the village and three QVC carol singer Yankee candle smelly things on the sideboard...

Whilst waiting for birthday boy and his wife to show for dinner, eldest son decided to nit pick at the ensemble, son three decided to move parts of the village scene around every time he passed it which riled son number five (the youngest). Son number one, only daughter (child number two) and son number four decided to mock everything because of all the opposing values, particulary the hand carved ebony wood nativity scene I bought in Tanzania whilst on holiday years ago and has been part of their Christmas for many years seemed to cause a raucous that resulted me whipping them up and chucking them behind a mirror on the stairs! Not sure why I picked them to get rid of - may have been partly because they are wood and the rest was all breakable, otherwise I think I would have done a glorious swipe and wrecked the lot! I hold my hand up and swear the devil made me do it - I'm not normally that vicious! (Disclaimer: Do not watch video if easily offended - it's funny but rude!)

So, the petty arguments have already started and it's only the 7th December - I don't think I will take my bangle off this month as I'll need someone to blame for my madness!

Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter

2009-12-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

I've just seen the 'Twilight' films pretty much back to back and whilst I can't honestly say they rocked my world, I did sort of like them even though they were a bit on the tame side, which suits me as I'm not into blood and gore but whatever happened to the 'old' vampires that used to be in films? Just like policemen, even they are getting younger! Oh well, it's just a bit of fantasy...

I did notice that fingerless gloves seem to be the order of the day in this film. I spent most of last winter knitting copious amounts of these things in various colours but funnily enough not in black, which I did today. After knitting and sewing them up I left them on top of my box of ribbons and wool which caused a reel of blood red ribbon to fall on the floor, pulling a glove down with it and spilling over it like blood... It was then I thought I would lace the ribbon onto the glove - it was only after I noticed it resembled the cover of the third book in the Twilight series - so they have inadvertantly been inspired by it!

To add a bit of bling I hand stamped two silver plated oval pendants to represent the moon with the words 'twilight' (of course!) and 'I run with vampires' - which I sewed onto the gloves to give them a truly unique look so you can keep warm, match your book and turn the pages which makes them 'funkier than a mosquito's tweeter'!! (song by Joe Bonamassa)

Goin’ Where The Wind Blows…

2009-11-26T11:58:00.000-08:00

Yup, that’s me! I don’t really ever have any plans or directions I just go where the wind blows or where the water flows except for booking concerts, of course! Which has lead me with a dilemma – what blog site do I use? WordPress or Blogger? I started with a blog within my own website but it doesn’t do what I want it to do so I thought I’d give WordPress a go, except I’m not really sure I like it so I set up a Blogger one to see how I get on with that too. Which means that for the time being I am going to have two blogs with the same stuff on until I make a decision which one I like best!

While we are on the subject of going where the wind blows – I did see Mr Big at the Shepherds Bush Empire in September – it was one of my year’s highlights and hope they come back again soon. I haven’t stopped playing their stuff ever since the gig – it’s easy to forget how good something is sometimes, the gig was a timely reminder.

Hello Cleveland! Or not as the case may be…

2009-11-26T04:54:00.001-08:00

Hello to the big wide world – Jupiter Rocks has landed!

I’ve always wanted to blog but truth be known, although I can talk for England some of which may be complete and utter rubbish, I do have trouble putting my thoughts into words which is one reason I love music as someone else has more than likely said it, not that that helps if you are having a conversation with someone! Anyway...

I won a Planet Rock competition last week to go to an exclusive performance from Bad Company at the Hard Rock Cafe.

: Paul Rodgers of Bad Company at the Hard Rock Cafe, London

I never win anything so I was really pleased especially after seeing Paul Rodgers in concert on 6 November at Hammersmith Apollo and he was only on stage for 1 hour and 20 minutes – it kind of felt like the encore we didn’t get! I took my good friend Carol and I recorded two of the numbers they played ‘Shooting Star’ and ‘Seagull’. I was surprised we were allowed to, normally someone comes up to you and tells you to put the camera away. I’ve never really known why this should be and these days with viral marketing it probably helps in promoting bands rather than hindering them. I also managed to get them to sign my winning email as it was all I had on me to add to my collection of memorabilia.

I’ve only got one more gig this year and that will be ‘The Union’ on 15 December somewhere in Islington I think. Haven’t had the tickets as yet nor the ‘exclusive, not sold on the night’ t-shirt. I do already have about three more concerts booked for the New Year which are, Europe, Bad Company and Joe Bonamassa. I am still thinking about getting tickets for Kiss that go on sale this Friday – all this gigging costs a pretty penny that’s for sure.