Sound track for my life

The ever wonderful Kezzaroo came up with the idea of compiling a sound track for your life. Hers is featured in her blog and after much (much much!!!) thought, here's mine!

(By the way, if you have a spare hour to kill, click all the links for the full effect!!)

Opening Credits - I'm Every Woman by Chaka Khan

Waking Up - Wake Up Boo by the Boo Radleys (sadly, it's not usually like this but I like the idea)

Average Day - Nine to Five by Dolly Parton (oh, yes!)

First Date - It has to be First Date by Blink 182

Falling in Love - Crazy for You by Madonna (oh those school discos!)

Love Scene - Moondance by Van Morrison

Fight Scene - I Hate You So Much Right Now by Kelis (say no more!)

Breaking Up - Don't You Want Me? by Human League (check out that make up, and hers too!)

Getting Back Together - Reunited by Peaches and Herb (corny but true)

Secret Love - Ever Fallen in Love by the Buzzcocks

Life's OK - Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves

Mental Breakdown - My 19th Nervous Breakdown by the Rolling Stones

Driving - Fields of Fire by the ever wonderful and sadly missed Big Country

Learning a Lesson - With a Little Help from my Friends by the Beatles

Deep Thoughts - Shipbuilding by Elvis Costello

Flashback - At Seventeen by Janis Ian

Partying - In the Kitchen at Parties by Jona Lewie - all time 80s classic

Happy Dance - Love Shack by the B52s

Regretting - Here Comes the Rain Again by the Eurythymics

Long Night Alone - In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins

Death Scene - Blaze of Glory by Bon Jovi (as Dylan Thomas said 'Do not go gentle into that dark night)

Closing Credits - Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong (actually I prefer the Ramones version!!)

Look what I got!!!

My UK Etsy Secret Swap goodie
Originally uploaded by bexybeads

I was the lucky recipient of this awesome handmade bag in the recent UK Etsy Secret Swap. It was made for me by LoveALittle - and I love it a lot.

She tells me that the main fabric has been recycled from a skirt which was washed in Timotei shampoo and a conditioning rinse before being made into the bag. It's definitely worked as this is the softest bag I've ever had. None of this Botox injected snakeskin rubbish!!

The design is made from rag rugged fabric samples which have then been surface embroidered by hand. The handles are sewn on using a gorgeous rainbow thread and add to the glory of this little gem.

I've already paraded it round the local supermarket and out to dinner with friends. Safe to say, I love it and am a very proud owner.

And this is what I swapped for it - which now belong to the very talented TheDominoEffect.

In case you're interested, these little beauties are another example of my Celtic Connections range and have been knotted from dyed leather. The pendant is hung from an antique copper chain to complement the warm tones of the leather.

The earrings and pendant both feature the Turk's Head knot. There are other examples of different styles available to buy in my shop.

Stirling, Scotland's heart

The excitement of this week has been being present at the launch of a new campaign to promote Stirling, the place where I'm really proud to live and work.

Located right slap bang in the middle of Scotland, Stirling is Scotland's newest city. We gained city status as a gift from the Queen just after the millennium.

Many of the reasons we were made a city are encapsulated in the latest promotion campaign.

As well as being Scotland's newest city, Stirling is also its ancient capital and is bursting with history. We have a beautiful castle to rival Edinburgh; there's the Wallace monument commemorating one of our national heros (and off which I've abseiled!!); and there's the site of the Battle of Bannockburn - which we Scots won (for a change)!!! Few cities can rival Stirling's dramatic and bloody past or can claim as significant a contribution to Scotland's history.

And if you've got little people to think about there's tons more to do than just castles and battle sites. It's not far from Stirling to Blairdrummond, Scotland's Safari Park. In the city itself there's a fun visit to the Old Town Jail to be had, lots of fantastic play parks to experience and if all else fails, how about a trip on the bus.

Stirling's location is amazing - so easy to get to and then to use as a stepping stone for some of Scotland's most beautiful places. Apparently almost 60% of Scotland's population are within an hour's drive of Stirling and it's certainly dead easy to get here by train as well. In fact, it's even relatively easy to get here from either Edinburgh or Glasgow Airports - I should know I have to pick my husband up from one or other of them on a regular basis and I certainly wouldn't be doing that if it was a hassle!!

As well as being a gateway to Scotland's beautiful Highlands and right next door to Loch Lomond, Scotland's first National Park, Stirling is a wonderful place in its own right. The castle sits dramatically against the historic old town and looking down on the newer Stirling. From all parts of the city you can't help see the stunning landscape it stands in - mountains, rocky crags, the winding River Forth and rolling open fields. For me that's one of the things makes Stirling an amazing place to live.

Oh, that and the shopping of course!!! The shops in Stirling are great - everything from the High Street staples to big box retail parks to small independent gems. And if that's not quite enough, you're only a short train ride away from the mecca of shopping in Glasgow! What more could a girl want.

Stirling is really buzzing at the moment - lots going on and lots being developed, new housing, offices, transport links, even a new multiscreen cinema is being built on the banks of the River Forth. It's no wonder that businesses are starting to relocate to Stirling and have their Headquarters here. We even had local boy and entrepreneur, Nick Nairn launching the new Stirling, the Brand at the Castle on Tuesday evening and singing our praises!

As I said, I'm proud to live and work in Stirling. And now you can see why!

And the winner was....

The winner of the UK Etsy May challenge was .... Greygoat with her amazingly awesome flower strewn 'art pants'.

You'll remember the challenge was to create something, anything, on the theme of flowers. We had all sorts of entries, from photographs, to drawings, to jewellery, to glazed pottery. And these amazing pants!

Hats off to Greygoat - truly amazing. A well deserved winner. And even better, they're available for sale here along with many other gorgeous pairs of pants from this very talented designer.

Honourable mention must also go to the two runners-up:

TheDevilsWallpaper with two haunting paintings involving flowers.




And Reform, with a simple but beautiful flower sketch.



Fairy tales is the theme for next month's challenge - off to get my thinking cap on!!